War Of Men

Kaya

Days had passed during which Kaya was a prisoner within her own mind. Deep down she knew something was wrong, but she couldn't remember what. Her memories were short-lived, she had the impression she was suffering from some bizarre, unusual form of amnesia. None of it made any sense. Why should she be struggling so much?

Her days were spent with chores. She attended the classes that were planned for her and, to her surprise, found that she enjoyed dance and etiquette lessons. Somehow it felt like she was doing the right thing. Even sessions with religious groups left her feeling satisfied with herself. Not to mention, the Chèr actually thanked her for not being a pain.

Her answer came, of course. Her mind hadn't been altered without reason. The shadows on the wall served as reminder enough. Ahmya. However, instead of dread, she felt a wave of gratitude and relief. She leapt from her bed and hugged the skinny girl.

Her saviours. The one reason she'd been able to have this perfect life. She owed them everything and would do anything they ever wanted.

'Aw, has Ahmya got a little pet?'

The shadow manipulator wriggled herself free of Kaya's grip. 'Okay, that's enough.'

'Thank you. Thank you,' Kaya repeated over and over again at her feet. Her gut felt strange. As if part of her hated this.

The young boy that had been there for her initial capture knelt beside her. Adrastos, Thaia had called him that. His expression grew colder when her face lit up. 'We need you to do something for us.'

'Anything.'

'You know where valuables are kept?'

Memories raced back. She'd gone searching one night. She'd forgotten soon after, but it had been a few days after her arrival. Of course she'd been caught and she'd blamed it on the aftershocks of her kidnapping.

'Yes, but some aren't as accessible as others.' The Chèr's office contained some useful items, she could easily get in there too. Many parts of the palace used priceless items as display pieces. Getting any of the royal treasures would be more difficult.

'That's fine. Get what you can without being caught.'

Kaya eagerly stood up. She donned a pair of trousers and dress that would allow her to claim she was going on a walk if caught but also wouldn't make much noise. With a promise of meeting the four of them—Ahkya, Adrastos, Thaia and her friend from the previous time—outside, Kaya set to work. There were guards patrolling the corridor; fortunately, their backs were currently facing her but they'd turn around soon, so she hurried round the bend. Nobody was there.

The Chèr's office wasn't heavily guarded, since nobody was there at night. A locked door was seen as sufficient, since a criminal would most likely be caught by other guards. However, Kaya knew the Chèr had been called away from work early that day. Nancy's arrival had distracted him and he'd occupied himself with getting her a room for the night. He may well have forgotten to lock it.

Carefully, Kaya turned the handle. There was a gentle creak as she pushed it open. For a moment, she lingered. If she made too much noise, the guards might check. By the time she'd counted to five, she was satisfied.

The Chèr's office was the darkest room in the Eseterrian's quarters. Dark wall paper with a golden diamond pattern covered the wall. There were several bookcases with an assortment of hardbacks. The centrepiece were the mahogany desk and its fancy stool. The old Chèr had decorated this room to show off both the fortunes of his family and his station and his successor had yet to rearrange. Unfortunately, no matter how valuable the wood was, there was no way of transporting it out for Adrastos.