Page 72 of The Ruler
“You’re free to stay as long as you like,” I said and moved away from her. As I’d predicted she followed me.
“And if I go? Can I come back and check up on the school project?”
I turned and she almost crashed into me, making me grab her by her forearms to steady her. “Pearl, you know you can come back if you wish to.”
“What is going on?” she asked and looked up at me as if trying to read my mind. “Why are you doing this?”
“Because it’s the right thing to do.”
“You’re letting me go?”
“Uh-huh.” I released her. “Magni and I will be going to Boulder’s house for the interview at four o’clock. If you want I can take you back to the border before that.”
“Before the interview. Are you forgetting that I have a say in this too?”
“No, I just thought you would want to leave for the border the moment I said that you could.”
“Well, you were wrong then.” She squared her shoulders. “I’m staying for the interview and then maybe you can take me to the border tomorrow.”
“Fine, but as I said: you’re welcome to stay as long as you’d like.”
Pearl looked completely baffled when I left her and quietly closed the door behind me.
Pearl
Khan had made a surprise move and released me.
I was no longer an official hostage, and in many ways that only complicated my world.
As a hostage, I had focused on finding ways to lift the men into a new awareness and create change that could eventually lead to a union between our countries.
As a hostage, I’d been limited in my options, and dedicating myself to this project had made complete sense since there wasn’t much else I could do.
But if I wasn’t a hostage, then I should go back and focus on my work for my own people. There were plenty of projects that needed my attention right now and realistically speaking, uniting the Motherlands and the Northlands was a distant vision at best.
But the school project had potential and I was invested in it. I wouldn’t just run and let it fall to the ground without ever getting a chance to work.
No, the school project would be the testimony that my months in the Northlands had made a difference. We would plant the seeds with the children and see them grow into beautiful strong ambassadors who could continue the progress. But no seed could grow without the right conditions, and I needed to personally make sure everything was right before I left and had to rely on periodic inspections.
At four in the afternoon we parked in front of Boulder’s large estate. Magni and Khan jumped down and Boulder came rushing to help me.
For a second Khan looked back as if only realizing that I might need help with the large step down from the vehicle, and then he frowned at Boulder as if annoyed that Boulder had thought of it before he did.
“The girls are inside,” Boulder said but corrected himself quickly. “I meant Kya and Christina are inside.”
Personally, I didn’t blame him for calling them girls with the way they sat glued together, giggling in the white windowsill. They were too preoccupied with their reunion to notice us come in and didn’t look up until Khan cleared his throat loudly.
Kya was a pretty woman. It was rare to know who your father was or even what he looked like as our no-discrimination policy didn’t allow mothers to pick a favorite skin color, height, or hair color when getting impregnated. Any child would be loved and no race was pure anymore anyway. Still, Kya was an example of a woman carrying clear African-American genes. Her magnificent curly hair and large lips combined with her gorgeous caramel skin color gave it away.
My lips were thin compared to hers and my hair was always straight and boring, but I shouldn’t complain. Blondes were rare too and we all had a unique beauty.
Kya stood up and stretched out her hands to me. Brown caramel met creamy white and I said, “May peace surround you.”
“Councilwoman Pearl.” Kya’s voice was deep and pleasant. “I’m so honored to meet you.”
“And I you, my dear.”
Her energy was warm and I sensed kindness in her.
