City of Mages

Chapter 32: Alara

Much to Alara's annoyance, Runeo insisted on tying her up before they set off.

"Believe it or not, I don't trust you."

"I'm not going to run," she snapped as he jerked her shoulders again, tying the knot tighter.

"And the last time you said that, a bruya got killed and three more got captured." His voice cracked. "Three who very well may be dead soon."

"We don't kill bruyas."

"Tell that to Cava," he said, motioning to the dead bruya.

And then it hit again. The guilt. She said nothing as the boy pushed her forward, rope tied off. She could only watch him as he kneeled down again, gently lifting Cava's body from the ground.

They walked in silence for over an hour. Alara's shoulders ached, but she didn't complain as Runeo trudged behind her at a steady gait, holding Cava aloft.

After what felt like an eternity, Alara broke the silence, her voice barely above a whisper. "I've never seen the councilguards act like that."

"I've never seen them act any different."

"The councilguards are supposed to protect... us..." She cleared her throat. "To protect the people of Sombria."

"To protect them from who? The big bad bruyas?" Runeo's voice was icy. "All we want is to be left alone. To be free from the Council's rule. Everything we do is for self-preservation. And yet, your people keep hunting us."

She shook her head again, trying to clear the fog of confusion from her brain. "Not hunting. Saving. We're trained not to kill. I've been on several missions, and that's the one thing that's drilled into us from day one."

"You said you're a magite, right?" Runeo said. "That makes you a mage-in-training, right? How many of those missions were supervised?"

Alara said nothing.

"You really are a sheltered flower."

"If the Council knew how those councilguards had been acting, they would have been demoted immediately," Alara said, the image of Emaru's steeled expression in her mind. "In fact, when I get home, I'll make sure of that."

Runeo scoffed. "Well, this is the reality that we live in out here. Welcome to the real world, magite."

***

Hours later, they had made it back to Arbol. Runeo's face had lost some color by the time they made it to the lift, and as he handed Cava's body to another bruya, Alara noticed a growing stain of blood that marred his stomach. He shook her off when she tried to note it, pulling away from her touch. When the lift reached the top of the canopy, he stepped forward, grabbing her by the shoulder and dragging her through the city at a quick pace. As they crossed bridges, making their way toward the main chamber, Alara felt a strange sense of déjà vu.

This time, she recognized the young boy who sat outside the main hall, who ducked inside without a word upon seeing them approach. She felt a twinge of dread when they entered, seeing Quil'la and the two older male bruyas waiting in the chamber. A handful of others sat scattered around the room on small cushions.

She stood in silence, head down, as Runeo explained what had happened. Alara had made eye contact with Quil'la on her way in, but the look of sadness and mistrust that darkened the bruya's eyes twisted her stomach.

Partway through the debrief, Quenti and Lili rushed in, a small group of bruyas in tow. Clearly, news of what had happened was already spreading. Alara watched Quenti in the corner, fighting the urge to plant her gaze to the ground. The girl's face was gray as Runeo described Khuna's capture, her shoulders shaking with every word. Lili lay a comforting hand on Quenti's arm.