by West, Shay
Tani followed Keena into the domicile. He didn’t even hesitate though it was considered highly improper for a young man to be alone with a young woman in her own home. He thought it a silly custom. No one seems to care that we are alone on another world when we are on retrieval duty.
Despite the possibility of wagging tongues, his fear of someone overhearing Keena speak ill of their duties scared him more. It wasn’t like what they did was something only they could do. It would be easy for Master Kelhar to find replacements for them. There were any number of young lads and ladies who would be more than willing to become Harvesters. He and Keena would be kicked out of the monastery in disgrace and their families would also bear their shame.
“Tell me about our target.”
Tani talked, while Keena paced the small living space.
“It’s a girl who lives in the same place we traveled to last time. She’s young, the youngest we’ve ever done.”
Keena’s face blanched. “How young?”
Tani swallowed hard. “Twelve, maybe thirteen.”
“Tani, we can’t take the life of one so young! It’s part of the sacred rules. No one’s organs can be retrieved who hasn’t been alive at least thirty years. Master Kelhar told us that when we first started! I...I can’t do this.” She shook her head.
“We have to. Master Kelhar is expecting us.”
“But I can’t kill a child. Can you?”
Tani wanted to assure her that he could, but the words stuck in his throat. “It’s our duty. Think of your family—”
“I don’t care about my family! I care about killing a young girl before she’s had a chance to really live!”
Tani flinched at the heat in her voice. Keena rarely lost her temper. The reminder—that her family had a better life because of her work—had always been enough to make her come around. Not this time, it would seem.
“I didn’t mean that I don’t care about my family.” Keena wrung her hands. “I can’t believe they would put their own comforts over the life of a child.”
“What do you suggest we do?” he asked.
“I don’t know. I need time to think...”
“We don’t have time. If we do not show up at the designated time, Master Kelhar will come looking for us.”
“We can run, hide out in the forest, maybe seek asylum in Braenok.”
Keena had stopped pacing and faced him, her eyes seeking acceptance of her bold plan.
“Master Kelhar will only send someone else to kill the girl. Don’t you see? We will have lost everything for nothing.”
“Not for nothing! Doesn’t your soul ache every time you take a life? Do you really think the gods of our world want us to kill a child? Master Kelhar teaches that the gods love children above all others and yet he wants to send us to kill one. Both cannot be right.”
“Our texts say nothing of the children of other worlds...” Tani trailed off. The words sounded false even to his own ears.
“I know you don’t really believe that,” Keena said softly.
He shook his head. “It doesn’t matter what I believe. All that matters is that we do what we’re told.”
“I’m not sure I can do that anymore.”
Tani wanted to shout at her, to tell her that she was being ridiculous and selfish, but he couldn’t. He wanted to run away with her, never to set eyes on another dead body ever again. It would be easy for them to take on new identities, live out the rest of their lives in peace.
But their families would be disgraced, forced to go back to trying to scratch out a living on a farm or in one of the factories. Tani didn’t know if he could live with himself knowing he was responsible for his family’s suffering.
But you can live with the suffering you cause other families when you take their loved ones from them.
Keena cupped her hands as she gazed earnestly at his face. “I know you feel as I do. We hold those people’s lives in our hands.”
He couldn’t look away from the naked hope in her eyes. If he insisted they perform their duty, she would follow. And it would kill something inside her. Tani couldn’t live with that.
What about Meevo?
Tani swallowed hard against the lump forming in his throat. His younger brother had been born weak, hadn’t enjoyed things the other boys his age did, simply because he wasn’t healthy enough to run and play. But the money his family enjoyed from Tani’s being a Harvester meant that Meevo was able to get the best care. His love for this brother fought with what he knew in his heart was right.
What would Meevo want you to do?
“How much coin do you have?” he asked.
“More than our families would see in several years,” she said excitedly.
“I have about the same.” Tani thought quickly. “Pack one bag with clothing, food, and water. We need to be able to move quickly. Meet me in my domicile as soon as you are ready.”
Tani left Keena’s home and hurried toward his own. The men were situated on the other side of the monastery from the women. Great airships floated above him in a sky of purest blue, but he didn’t stop and watch like he usually did. This wasn’t the time for dawdling and indulging in a favorite pastime. He and Keena were about to do something that had never been done: rebel against the Masters of the monastery.
He threw open the door to his domicile, not even bothering to close it behind him and ran to his bed, where he kept his knapsack. Tani tossed it on the bed while he rummaged through his trunk to find breeches and tunics. He shoved the garments into his knapsack.
Tani was so engrossed in his packing that he didn’t notice the elongating shadow of someone walking through the open door. The floor creaked behind him.
“That was fast, Keena—”
The words died in his throat as his eyes met those of Master Kelhar. The man wore robes decorated with gold embroidery as befitted his station. His grey hair was close-cropped and his face was a mass of wrinkles. While most of his features were those of an old man, his steely grey eyes could stop a grown man in his tracks.
“Going somewhere?” Master Kelhar asked, looking pointedly at his knapsack.
Tani tried to speak, but his throat was locked up tight. He hoped Keena wouldn’t come walking in right at that moment.
“If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were planning on going somewhere.” Master Kelhar’s eyes bored into his own.
“I was thinking of going out to the hills after this trip. Just thought I’d get a head start on packing.”
“I see.”
Kelhar stared so long, Tani feared he was about to be taken into custody. It was only with great force of will that he kept from fidgeting like a child caught stealing candy.
“You do realize you’re late?”
“No, I had no idea. As soon as Keena arrives, we will come to the Harvesting chamber.”
“Be sure that you do.”
Tani barely managed a nod as Kelhar turned and swept out of the doorway. As soon as the Master was out of earshot, Tani ran to the open door. His heart sank when he saw one of Master Kelhar’s personal attendants standing under the shade of a large plum tree with a clear view of Tani’s residence.
He shut the door and cursed under his breath. There was no way he and Keena could run away. Panic made his heart race, and his mind refused to come up with a solution. All he could think of was what the young girl on Earth would look like just before he took her life.
A knock on the door made him jump and gasp. With shaking hands he opened the door and sighed with relief when he spotted Keena standing with her knapsack over her shoulder. With an anxious look at the guard, Tani grabbed her arm and yanked her through the open door.
“What’s wrong with you?” she asked, rubbing her arm.
“Master Kelhar was here not two minutes ago. And he left a guard standing watch.”
Keena’s eyes widened. “He’s never done that before. Why would he be checking up on us?”
“We were late. He came here to
find out why and saw me packing. I told him I was planning a trip into the hills once we returned, but he didn’t believe me.” Tani sat on the bed and put his head in his hands.
“We have to do something, distract the guard. I can’t kill a little girl, Tani, I just can’t.” Keena’s voice caught in her throat as the tears fell down her cheeks.
“What are we supposed to do? How are we supposed to distract the guard? If I distract him so you can leave, what about me?”
“I didn’t mean for us to distract him…” Keena tossed her pack on the bed next to Tani.
“Who else is there? It’s not like we can tell someone else what we’re planning and ask them to help us out.”
Keena’s shoulders shook as she sobbed into her hands. Tani patted her back, unsure of what to do to comfort his friend. His stomach roiled; he feared he would vomit. All their plans had been for naught; they would have to go through the gateway and harvest the organs or suffer the consequences.
“We had better go, or Master Kelhar will send the Enforcers,” Tani said.
Keena stood and stared at him with eyes devoid of emotion. Tani’s heart ached. This trip would change her forever, and not for the better, he feared. What about what it’s going to do to you?
Tani ignored the voice and walked toward the front door on wooden legs.
“Tani, wait!”
Keena was standing at the single window that faced the back of the house. She had always been jealous of his view: a large aqua lake surrounded by tall grass on this side and a forest of pines on the opposite shore.
“Grab your stuff and follow me,” she ordered.
Tani wanted to tell her to stop, to think about what she was doing, but he grabbed his own pack and ran to the window. She already had one leg over the sill and in seconds was invisible in the tall grass. Tani tossed his knapsack out the window and followed, praying to the gods that no one would notice them crawling out the window.
He could hear his heartbeat in his ears as he followed Keena. It was the first time he could remember her ever taking charge. Most of the time she followed his lead. He wondered how she could move so silently. Each step he took sounded to his own ears like dry grass crunching under the hooves of twenty oxen.
In moments, they reached the lake. There were a number of people walking along the sandy shore, rowing in small boats, or fishing off of the pier. An airship cast a large shadow as it drifted lazily over the lake. Tani could hear the hissing from the steam engines as it passed right overhead.
“What do we do now?” he asked.
“We could either circle the lake until we get to the woods, which will take time. Or we can grab a canoe and row across. We will be exposed, but we can make it to the safety of the forest faster.”
“You want to steal a canoe?” His voice rose. Tani didn’t relish the thought of losing his hand.
“We’re already in trouble for leaving the monastery. Stealing a boat hardly seems much worse,” Keena said.
A quick glance down at both of her hands gave away her fear, though she was trying to act brave. Tani hated to admit it, but she was right. Leaving the monastery meant a worse punishment that losing a hand. Rebellion against the Masters meant treason and death, same as it would for the King.
“If we’re going to do this, let’s get it over with.”
Tani took the lead this time. He spotted an empty rowboat and walked toward it like he belonged on that beach, not hurrying, gazing at the sky, looking perfectly normal and at ease. He glanced back at Keena. She had her head down, but matched his pace. Several people glanced up at them as they passed. Tani waved and gave a quick greeting before moving on.
When he got to the boat, he threw his knapsack on the bench, grabbed Keena’s, and tossed it in beside his own. He helped Keena in and jumped in after her, giving the small boat a little push to get it off the sand. Tani grabbed the oars and rowed awkwardly. It was a skill he had never managed to master, though he had spent plenty of time living near water. His father had tried to teach him, but Tani just never seemed to get the hang of it.
Keena sat across from him, her back straight and her hands gripped together in her lap. She kept her gaze on the forest.
“Are you okay?” Tani asked.
Keena attempted a smile, but it barely curled her lip. “I’ve always been sensitive to the water.”
Tani groaned. Now she tells me she gets seasick. “If you need to vomit, just lean over the side.”
She gave him a withering look. “I’m fine. You just worry about getting us across the water without capsizing the boat.”
Tani ignored her jab at his rowing skills and focused on trying to use smooth, even strokes to propel them through the water. His arms ached, but he didn’t stop, fear driving him to push despite the burning.
“Want me to take a turn?” Keena asked.
Tani shook his head. “You just keep a look-out.”
Keena turned around on the bench so she could see the monastery. The shore didn’t look nearly as far away as Tani had hoped. He prayed he would have enough energy to get all the way across the lake.
Suddenly, alarm bells pealed out from the monastery. They were the same ones the Masters used when heavy winds blew down from the north or when the ice storms hit. The sound sent a chill down Tani’s spine. That sound meant danger, and it would bring anyone within earshot.
Keena turned to face him. “They’ll be coming for us!”
“They have to figure out where we are first,” he said through gritted teeth.
“It won’t take them long to realize we left through the window.”
“But we could have circled around and left from any direction. They won’t necessarily know we left by the lake route.”
Tani didn’t bother to tell her the monastery had enough men to scour the countryside in every direction. The panic in her eyes was something he had seen often in the eyes of the animals he hunted during his off time from Harvesting duty. His prey would have that same wild-eyed look just before bolting in a random direction that ultimately led to them being killed more easily than if they had remained calm.
“We are young and strong and can hide for a good long while. Get our packs and be ready to run as soon as we hit land.”
Tani pulled from energy reserves he didn’t know he possessed, and felt the boat gain speed. Keena sat on the very edge of the seat as if by putting her full weight on the seat, she would make the boat heavier. Tani would have laughed if he’d had any air left.
When the boat hit sand, his teeth knocked together so hard he saw spots. He heard a splash as Keena jumped from the canoe and more thrashing sounds as she made her way to shore.
“What are you doing?” she whispered fiercely.
Trying to catch my breath, thank you very much. He couldn’t say anything, so he waved at her to show he was okay and forced his legs to move. Tani was glad he had Keena to grab his pack; he wasn’t sure his arms could hold its weight.
He pulled in a sharp breath when he hit the icy water. He forced his leaden legs to move, breathing easier as he moved up the shore. Keena was at the water’s edge and nervously shifting her weight from one leg to the next as she waited for him to emerge. The bells sounded faint, but his fear refused to subside.
“Where should we go now?” Keena asked.
Tani shook his head. She had been so ready to take the lead, but now that reality was sinking in, she wanted someone else to take over.
“For now, let’s just move deeper into the forest. We’ll decide later what we want to do.”
He led them into the woods, not even bothering to look for a path. The last place they needed to be was on a clear trail to follow. It was easy at first as they moved through sparse trees, but as they walked deeper into the woods, their pace slowed. Tani found himself backtracking to try and find an easier route, only to find his progress thwarted by a tangled mass of roots or thorn bushes.
After a few hours, Tani stopped and sat on a large boulder. Ke
ena groaned and flopped down on the ground next to him. It was only then that Tani realized she had been carrying both packs this whole time. He mentally kicked himself for forgetting that she had carried their knapsacks out of the boat when they first landed on the beach.
“Why didn’t you tell me to carry my own pack?” he asked as he reached for it.
“I figured your arms needed the rest. You were on such a roll I hated to slow the pace.”
“I can’t believe you kept up with me carrying all that weight. When we get going again, I can carry yours for a while.”
“I’ll be all right, just need some water.”
Keena untied her knapsack and grabbed the canteen. She passed it to Tani when she was done and he took it gratefully. Master Kelhar’s surprise visit had interrupted his packing and he’d forgotten to grab food and water before they escaped through the window. At least I grabbed my coin.
“It will be dark soon.”
Tani nodded. “We could make for Braenok or Silver City. Both are about the same distance.”
Keena bit her lip. “My family lives in Celtoe.”
“Kelhar knows where we live,” he said gently.
“We have to warn them.”
“Kelhar will have men on horseback traveling to our homes. There’s no way we can make it before they arrive.”
“Maybe he won’t send men. Or maybe he doesn’t remember. Please, Tani, I can’t just disappear without knowing what’s going to happen to my family.”
Tani sighed. They would be putting themselves at great risk, but he just couldn’t say no. He didn’t like the idea of running away without telling his family either.
“Why don’t we keep going until dark? We’ll have to stay the night in the woods. There are no towns close enough for us to reach before nightfall. We’ll decide what to do in the morning.”
He could tell Keena was less than thrilled at the prospect of staying in the woods overnight, but she merely nodded and picked up her pack. Tani admired her courage. She’ll need it before this is over.
***
Tani watched the fire as it burned down to red-hot coals. He was thankful Keena’d had the presence of mind to bring along a firestone. Though the nights weren’t cold enough to cause hypothermia or death, they were cold enough to make one very uncomfortable. The fire was just enough warmth for two people who only had a few changes of clothing and no blankets.