Eliuteria

Chapter 35

I knew this city. Aurael had been my home from the day I was born and I had been navigating it alone for the better part of decade. I spent my entire life memorizing the streets and buildings of this city. Humans likely knew the city better than the Morri who ruled it. 

Matais knew the streets every bit as well as I did. Better, even. He moved quick and impossibly light-footed for a man his size carrying as heavy a load as he was. He knew everything about the route we were taking. I followed, close on his tail, adrenaline masking any muscle fatigue. Matais twice sidestepped us both into a doorway or alley to avoid being spotted by patrol crafts. He didn't just know where and when to stop, he knew exactly how long to stay put. 

He didn't speak most of the walk, either because he didn't want to or it was unsafe to do so and I followed his lead despite wanting to know how long ago this happened and how they managed to survive after Juleen so quickly turned on his city. These were the streets I knew, but they weren't the same at all. It was only days ago that the road we walked along was home to affluent Morri. This was the kind of street I would have avoided when possible. Many of the buildings were damaged,some were nothing more than rubble, the streets were riddled with potholes, and the air still smelled of fire, even miles from where I'd seen the flames.

"You good?" he asked, breaking a long silence as we came to a stop just before an intersection. 

Wordlessly, I nodded. "We're a block away from the safe-zone." He paused and then clarified, "Safe for Juleen's people, not you and me. The extraction team was working out of the library."

"The library?" It was so close to the paestra. No more than a couple of blocks from the servants entrance to the paestra. I had walked by the massive, imposing building more times than I could count, but never entered. When Ro said he was concerned about being found, he failed to tell me just how close to their enemies they were. Juleen ordered door to door searches and Ro was a five minute walk from the paestra. 

"It's outside the safe-zone perimeter."

Juleen must have a small perimeter then, not more than a few blocks from the paestra in any direction. He is afraid, I thought. I could think of no other reason that he would sacrifice so much of the city he built. I refused to let myself think of the lives lost. The humans that were targeted on sight and the Morri who were not important enough to be saved. There was no doubt in my mind that Juleen killed as many of his own kind as he did humans. Knowing what I knew of him, I did not believe he gave warning before turning his own city into a warzone. I doubted the poorest of the Morri were evacuated to the city center prior to the destruction. 

"There will be increased activity," Matias said. "We will approach with caution, if they were found, the area will be monitored closely."

"Why do you think they've missed the meetings?" I couldn't stop myself from asking. 

"Could be a change in patrols, unsafe to leave." His tone suggested that he didn't believe the reason he gave but I didn't have time to dwell on it because Matias gestured forward with a tilt of his head. "We need to move. Stay close and quiet."

Ahead the streets were flooded with lights. Barriers, walls of the same sort of material that kept the dome on top of the paestra covered appeared to line any street that entered into what Matias called the safe-zone. Sounds of the city were faint, but could be heard through the barrier. A reminder of just how close the danger was. How easily someone could spot us. Even shrouded in darkness, I felt exposed. As we moved I felt eyes on me, though every time I turned, nothing was there. 

I felt Juleen's cruel gaze on me, like he was watching and enjoying this game. Quickly, I pushed the thoughts of what he had done to me and of what they would do if I was caught, to the side and focused on each step forward.