Nature Rules - 2022 WATTY'S SHORTLIST

Trick and Traitor

There are a dozen lines made up of a few dozen Aeternians shuffling forward, towards desks staffed by Motos. The other thing they all have in common is their drooping heads. It's a sad scene and one I don't have to witness for long. Two Motos pull us into a small dark room off to one side of the ruckus and then leave.

"Who are you?" asks a woman from the gloom. My eyes adjust and I see an SCM sitting at a desk. The Moto has long dark hair and blue eyes and she is drumming her long and pointed fingernails on the wooden table in quick succession. The sound is annoying. It drills into my head and I wish I could crush her hands.

Solomon marches forward.

"Madam, these four are Aeternians. Well, the girls are. I'm not sure of the boy. We found him a couple of days ago and aren't sure of his skills."

Hyla pulls Chuck to her side. Protecting him although there's not much she can do if the Motos take him away.

"Hmmm," purrs the woman while stroking her thick shiny hair. "Better to be safe than sorry. I'll take him too."

Solomon nods and hands the rope to the SCM.

"Surely we don't need to keep them tied," she says.

Solomon hesitates, looking at the Moto and then to us and then back to the Moto. She laughs at his confusion and I think maybe, just maybe, she might be kind.

"You fool," the Moto says. "Where are they going to go? One misstep and they're dead."

Maybe she's not going to be kind.

Solomon snorts at the Moto.

"Fine by me," he says and starts untying Chuck. "I told you about the boy. Don't know where he's from. Naia here controls water as does Hyla. Crinae, Naia's sister, controls light. Hyla is the most experienced with her skills. She's been taught abilities since she was a baby. The two sisters didn't know they were Aeternians until a few months ago They had been learning how to use their abilities for over a month."

He takes in a whistling breath through his nostrils.

"That one," he nods towards me, "still needs a lot of instruction and practice."

That stings. (I mean, I have much bigger problems obviously but I thought I had been learning by leaps and bounds in the Nakimu classes.)

"It doesn't matter their levels," says the Moto as she stands up and walks around her desk to stand beside us. She's carrying a gun on her hip. "Our gracious leader wants them all."

"Our leader is beloved by many and..."

The SCM snaps her fingers and Solomon doesn't get to finish his sentence. She strides over to him, pushing Crinae out of her way.

"Now traitor of your own kind, here's your money," the Moto hands Solomon a big wad of paper. "Be off with you. You're worse than a Waterstealer."

Solomon takes the money from the Moto quickly, like it's in flames. He thumbs through it, counting out loud.

"There's only three hundred here," he says. "You owe me three hundred more."

The Moto laughs. A shrill chortle that cleans out the dust and sand from my ears.

"I'm not paying for the boy. And I'm definitely not paying full price for the two who don't have full skill potential. Get out of here stupid old man. Before I call the guards."

Solomon places the money in the chest pocket of his tunic.

"Don't forget we also have a deal," he says, pointing at her. "Immunity for three years for Nakimu and our settlers."