Page 63 of Brighter Than Gold

“Where are you taking us?” I asked.

“Someplace safe.”

“Tell me where.”

“I can’t do that.”

“How do I know that I can trust you then?” I said accusingly.

Reyah gave me a look as if to say, ‘Isn’t that exactly what you’re best at?’

“I sent the boy to you, with the bottle, and I’m helping you escape your captivity. Is that not proof enough?”

“That only proves you don’t want us dead.”

The woman ground her teeth, frustrated with my obstinate attitude, but I didn’t give a damn.

“You’ll just have to trust me then.”

Before I could say another word, Reyah put her hand out on my lap. “It’s all right,” she whispered. “Itrust her.”

I bit down my urge to argue further with the bizarre woman with the silver eyes, I knew Reyah would flex her power over me, and I refused to be belittled in front of this stranger. I sat back on the bench and kept an unflinching eye on her.

* * *

Hours later we off-loaded into a quaint farmhouse, half a dozen women rushed out to see to us and to help bring Yates inside. It occurred to me immediately that I was the only man here. A few other women shared the same silver eyes as the ones who had helped us escape Lazio, and they had their own bizarre version of dark tattoos, some on their hands, others visible beneath their hair lines. The women swallowed Reyah up, showing her inside and offering her food and clean clothing and anything else she may need. I had to shove my way through just to be near her. The women either ignored me, or looked at me like I was shit on the bottom of their shoe, but somehow I felt we were safe here. At least I felt Reyah was safe here, and that was good enough.

“Callan, I’d like to speak with you,” Idona said coming over to me. “There is a private room where we can speak just through—”

“I don’t leave the girl.”

“I promise you she is safe with—”

“I don’t leave the girl.”

Idona pursed her lips and eventually nodded. “There is a table just on the landing. Will you talk with me there? She’ll be well within your sight.”

“That’s fine,” I conceded.

We sat and a young woman brought over a small pot of coffee, which Idona poured for us.

“Briggs,” she stated. “You are the third palace general, chief of interrogation and recruiting officer.”

All I knew of this woman was her name. I said nothing.

“Burke sent me,” she said.

“Burke sent you, or the palace sent you?”

She tilted her head. “Burke. We have no official business with the palace. Ever.”

Reyah looked up from the table at which she sat, mountains of food in front of her, and searched for me. When her eyes found me on the landing, her shoulders relaxed and she smiled. She turned back to her meal.

“We’ll continue on to the homestead tomorrow morning if you can afford to lend us some horses,” I told Idona.

“No, Callan. We need to take her back to the palace.”

I sighed audibly. “Since only one of us has been charged officially by the palace, I’m afraid my orders are going to have to be the ones adhered to.”

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