Page 146 of The Warrior
“What I do and where I go is none of your business.”
Solo licked his lips and centered himself again. “I would like nothing more than to be part of the Huntsmen, sir, and I’d be deeply honored to have you as my mentor.”
I took so long before I spoke that sweat showed on his forehead. Being part of the Huntsmen was a dream for many boys and young men. Few were as perfect for it as Solo. “Let me think about it for a few days. Maybe I can run you through some tests next week and see how tough you are, but I’m warning you.” I held up an index finger. “I don’t tolerate whiners.”
“Understood.”
“You can return to your seat,” Khan told him and a minute later I watched his face split in a grin when he hurried to tell his friends about what had just happened.
“So, you were on a secret mission, were you?” Laura asked next to me.
Leaning close to her, I whispered into her ear. “Sounds better than being lovesick.”
“Mom, what’s wrong?” Pearl got up when Isobel returned. “What happened?”
Isobel headed for our end of the table and Pearl followed her. “Mom, you don’t look so well.”
Boulder was quick to get out of his seat and let Isobel sit down.
“I checked up on Hans’ references,” Isobel started and brushed her hair back with hands that were trembling. “I don’t know how to tell you this, but we’ve been duped.”
“Bywe, you mean you and the Council,” Khan clarified as to emphasize that he hadn’t been fooled.
“Hans made up his credentials. He’s fresh out of mediator training.”
“Who’s Hans?” Sultan, one of the youngest boys, who’d been eavesdropping, asked.
“This is an adult conversation,” Boulder told him and of course that piqued the interest of all the children.
“I can’t believe we fell for his lies,” Isobel said in a shaky voice. “Such unbelievable betrayal and deceit.” She shook her head as if she still couldn’t believe it.
Khan leaned in. “I’m sorry, Isobel, but before you start concluding that Hans’ behavior is due to his male gender, it’s not. Both men and women have lied as long as people have been around on this planet. Nothing new or special about that.”
“I didn’t say it was because he was a man,” Isobel objected.
Pearl tapped her lip. “Hmm, I wonder what his motive for lying was?”
Isobel nodded. “That’s what I can’t figure out, either.”
“Maybe you should ask him,” I suggested. “I’m an expert at interrogating people. If you want me to, I could get him to talk.”
Isobel held up a hand. “No thank you, Commander, I don’t trust your methods. From what I’ve heard, they violate a number of fundamental human rights.”
“I didn’t offer to torture him, just question him.”
“His motive is obvious.” Khan had a self-satisfied gleam in his eyes, like he was a genius among slow thinkers. “Hans’ deceit is nothing but a silent rebellion against the tyranny of women. You’ve stripped men of power and he’s one of the few who won’t stand for it. What options did you leave him with except to work the system to his advantage?”
“But to lie like that?” Isobel was fiddling with her earlobe.
Khan laughed. “I’m sure he’s not the only one who tells you what you want to hear. In this country, the rebels plan to assassinate me to gain power. Do you think he was planning to kill the Council?”
“Oh, Mother Nature, no,” Isobel exclaimed.
“Then you’re fine. Don’t worry about it, it’s much worse when the fuckers collude and plot against…”
Pearl cut Khan off with a discreet nod to the children. “Khan, let’s not get into an argument about politics. This is supposed to be a celebration.”
“What are you going to do to Hans?” Laura asked.
