City of Mages

Chapter 28: Alara

Alara sat on one of Lili's cushion chairs, a mug of strong, dark cafi clenched in her hands. The bitter drink almost broke through the fog of her mind. The house was silent and still, not even a breeze interrupting the mournful reverie. Lili had left to care for the lesser wounded from the ambush, and Khuno and Quenti whispered softly to each other, their moving mouths the only indication that they were speaking. Micos sat next to Alara, eyes distant and face wan, a now-cold mug of cafi in his hands.

Though the bruyas had helped clean the mess in Lili's home, a dark stain still marred the wood planks.

He was just another bruya. Just another bruya. Though no matter how much Alara tried to reminder herself that, she couldn't wipe his soft features from her memory. His eyes had been a soft gray, his nose wide and flat, and his lips a pale pink. Alara shivered and took another sip of the lukewarm cafi in her mug.

"He died because of me, didn't he?" Alara asked.

"No." Micos's eyes sharpened on her. "He died because of the councilguards."

"They were looking for me. That's the only reason they were out here." She stared into the dregs of her mug, refusing to look into Micos's pitying face.

The young bruya's eyebrows were furrowed deep and his golden eyes shone softly in the fire burning. "So, who are you really?"

Alara's shoulders tensed involuntarily. "I'm not a spy."

"I have no doubts about that." Micos's lips twitched into a small smile.

"Your brother doesn't agree."

"Runeo can be an idiot. If you were a spy, you'd be a lot more..."

"Competent?"

"You said it, not me."

Alara sipped her cafi again, shuddering at the bitter taste that lingered on her tongue. Micos's eyes were gentle as he waited patiently.

"Linda Emaru—one of the Councilwomen—raised me. She's practically my mother. We don't share the same name, but I didn't know if they would connect me to her. I was afraid of what Quil'la would think if she knew I was connected to the Council."

Micos was silent for a while before he spoke again, his voice barely above a whisper. "My parents died when I was a bruyita. I don't really remember them anymore, just the stories Runeo tells me about them. We were raised by Wela, our dad's mother."

"What happened to your parents?"

"My father got lost during a hunting expedition in the mountains—my mother went after him, and she never returned."

"I'm sorry."

"I sometimes wonder if it will stop hurting. How can I miss someone that I can't even picture? But sometimes when I think of them..."

"I don't think it ever stops hurting."

"I suppose not." It was Micos's turn to sip from his mug.

"Who was he?" Alara asked, her tone uncertain. "The bruya who died."

"Puka—he was an airen and a hunter. He always claimed he killed a puma with his bare hands. I never did believe that."

"Was he Zinita's partner?"

Micos let out a subdued laugh. The sound startled Alara. "Oh, Sol no, just friends. They were practically siblings. Runeo and them were born under the same moon. Always together as kids."

"I am sorry."

Micos only nodded at this before setting a warm hand over her own. The room lapsed into silence, and Alara let her thoughts drift, her gaze settling on a sleeping Quenti, whose head lay on Khuno's lap.