Page 98 of Dark Shaman: The Lost Treasure
She could imagine him helping evacuate the staff or perhaps assisting the maintenance crews in trying to avert the disaster. She should have gone with him, should have lent a hand as well, but after thousands of years of living in captivity, she was nearly incapable of making such decisions.
She followed the rules, did what was expected of her, and only dared tiny rebellions inside her own mind. Immortals were not supposed to be able to read the minds of other immortals, but Lord Navuh was different, more powerful than any immortal, and she'd learned to empty her mind in his presence.
She sat on the armchair with the bag in her lap, waiting for instructions as Beulah had suggested, wondering if she should have followed Elias's instructions instead and just got to the surface.
The speakers crackled to life, making her jump.
"Attention," Lord Navuh's voice boomed through the speakers in her television set even though it was not turned on. "Evacuate immediately via the emergency stairs. Do not use the elevators. I repeat, do not use the elevators. Leave all nonessentials behind and proceed to the surface at once."
Spooked, and not because of the evacuation order, Tamira rushed to the door.
If Navuh could speak to her through her television set's speakers, he could probably also see and hear everything that happened in her room. She'd been naive to believe that her room was clear of surveillance.
In the corridor she found Liliat, who clutched a bag and stood frozen in her doorway. Raviki's bag was overflowing with books that were threatening to fall out, and she was trying to rearrange them as she walked toward the emergency stairs, not watching where she was going. Sarah was rushing in the same direction with two heavy bags slung from her shoulders.
"Dear merciful Fates," Beulah called out. "Are you out of your minds? Liliat, start moving. Sarah, Raviki, what did you not understand about nonessential items?"
"My research is important," Sarah protested, clutching her two bags. "I'm strong, I can carry these."
She was right about being able to carry her bags, but she was wrong about her research being important. No one other than her and her friends in the harem would ever get to see it, so what good would it do?
Beulah just sighed and pushed Liliat in the direction of the stairs.
As Sarah and Raviki exited through the emergency door, Tula emerged from her room dressed in a pair of shorts, a t-shirt, and hiking boots. The female looked like she was going to attack someone, and Tamira wondered who had pissed her off.
Behind her, Tony emerged from their room with a backpack slung over one shoulder. "Let's go, sweetheart."
"I should go down there to help," Tula said. "All those people. The children."
"The guards will help them." Tony reached for her arm. "Come on."
Tula jerked away. "What guards? Do you think he's going to send guards to help them!"
"I'm sure he will," Tony said. "They are probably already on their way down."
"Ladies!" A male voice cut through their debate. One of Areana's personal servants held the emergency door open. "Lady Areana is waiting for you topside. She asked me to make sure all of you leave here at once."
Well, so much for going down to help.
Even Tula wouldn't dare disobey a direct order from Lord Navuh that just got repeated by an emissary of Lady Areana.
As they entered the stairwell, Tamira was reminded how narrow it was. She'd only used them a handful of times, and it had been many years ago. Voices echoed from below—distant thunder of multiple sets of feet on metal steps, some shouts, some cries.
The servants were evacuating somewhere far below, and she could imagine Elias helping organize things so they wouldn't trample each other in a stampede.
"Where's Elias?" Liliat asked as she joined them in the stairwell, looking confused. Her panicky eyes darted from face to face as if she'd somehow missed him in the chaos. "Tamira? Where is he?"
"He went to help evacuate the servants, remember? He has friends down there."
"Oh." Liliat nodded.
Only a single flight of stairs separated Level Two from Level One, but during the short climb the chaos below seemed to have intensified. The stairwell acted like an acoustic chamber, carrying up the sounds of panic. Children crying, adults shouting, and the ominous sound of rushing water that was still distant but growing louder.
"Faster, ladies," Raviki urged, practically pushing them upward even though they were in no immediate danger.
Tamira was much more worried about the people below and about Elias who was with them.
They emerged onto the landing of Level One, which was crowded with Areana's personal staff. A group of guards passed them, rushing down, and Tamira murmured thanks to Lord Navuh, who, atypically, had sent help to the staff.
