"I can't." Candramawa gently pushed Felis' shoulder. Let go of Felis' hug. This can't be happening. This is a big mistake. Felis opened her eyes. Looking for honesty from the eyes of the girl in front of her. Everything felt fine before. Now she felt ashamed.
From the crevices of the cave, the sea breeze settles in blowing their makeshift fire. There was no sound other than the whistling of the wind from the gap in the walls, the waves on the shore and approaching footsteps. Felis and Candramawa held their breath. The two of them stared at each other warily.
Then from the bigger hole something burst through, making the two girls stand up and be more alert.
"Ah, you again." Candramawa immediately recognized.
Felis turned to Candramawa. Then back to the stranger. Her clothes were dark, part of her face was covered by a cloth. Her eyes were sharp. Keep an eye on the two girls.
"You know this man?" Felis convinced.
Chandrawa shook her head. "Not a man, Felis." Chandrawa blinked. "She killed the two people who kept me in the slaughterhouse earlier."
The uninvited guest stood at the edge of the pendulum. She showed her palm, an aisikla appeared on it. Red.
"Ah!" Felix remembered something. "The deer is yours!"
The person nodded.
“Tell me what you want,” said Candramawa.
The intruder uncovered her face. Felis felt cheated. "Absolutely not a man." She whispered to Candramawa.
"Sit down, you have something to hear." The foreign woman started. She sat cross-legged, warming her thin body. The hot bias made her thin cheekbones blush. This woman, looks like an old sick cat. With a calm demeanor he turned to the two girls once more. "I said, sit down."
Felis wanted to obey her orders. But Candramawa held back. "The last time I trusted a stranger, they tied me up and stuck a gun muzzle to my head."
Hearing that Felis retreated again.
"Then should we attack her?" asked Felis waiting for orders.
Chandrawawa considered. She shook her head. With careful steps they made their way to the other side of the fire. Just in case something complicated happens right here, right now. Maybe they are strong enough to fight back. Maybe no faster than this stranger. They didn't dare think too much.
"Deluna is my name." The foreign Reeda explained.
“I—” Felis, answered automatically.
"Felis." Deluna preceded. "And Candramawa, mixed black and white, like a cat's fur." Deluna explained, smarter than the owner of the name.
Felis looked at het friend, then at Deluna. Then laugh a bit. After that seriously happened again on her face. "Wait, how did you know that?"
“Sure, tens of years passed, and your father died too soon before introducing me. Your mother is too cowardly to bring us together," Deluna said calmly. She fell silent then, waiting for the two girls in front of her to react.
“You know them? You know my father, Garg?” Felis was glad her bloodline was finally making sense now. “But my mother was human, not Reeda. And my dad is a—”
"Shhh, next time." Delena looked ahead. Seeing the burning wood that began to fall out because of the massive fire bites. Remembering everything, but that's not the point here.
"So, before all the nonsense happened here..." Candramawa greeted. “Tell me since when did you follow us!” Candramawa did not understand why she had to act this cold.
Delena smiled briefly. “I followed when I found out that you guys arrived at this town.” Delena lied.
"Since the beginning?" asked Felix.
Deluna nodded. "There is something important, listen first." When getting the full attention of Felis and Candramawa, Deluna started her story.
The last three months, the Lumons Coalition has been busy looking for Felis.
This girl is being hunted, because she has killed a member of the Coalition named Jesse. Even though Jesse protects her from Genta—a Weesa man who tries to rape her. Felis is being hunted down because she doesn't know how to return the favor.
This girl is a Reeda. The child Garg raised and hid until his death ten years ago. Felis was the only one who was at the scene at the time of Garg's death—when Garg was found lifeless with a limping body.
Just like the death of a Seeka in a makeshift hut in the middle of a pine forest. His stomach was exposed—the culprit was probably the same creature.
By order of the Coalition, the Seeka and Weesa people searched all over the city of Este for this girl. They combed the pine forest, stalked the Weesa village, and searched every room on the campus where Felis studied. But the search did not find a bright spot. This girl is slippery and dangerous.
The coalition finally decided to give full rights to whoever found Felis to kill her on the spot. Not only because Reeda had brought Candramawa—daughter of Marlon, a Coalition official. Especially because Felis is the one who knows the Coalition's lies best.
Felis must die before it backfires for the Lumons Coalition. But until last month, no one could find Felis. On the other hand, a seat in the Coalition must immediately be filled by a Weesa.
A week ago all the Weesa factions in town had gathered, discussing who they could count on to sit in the Coalition. No one has any kind of desire, and having any interests is the reason why the discussions are not interactive and the deliberations are not cooperative. Nearly twenty hours of trying various ways, they finally gave up and cast lots.
The Weesas don't gamble with fate, but they all want justice, at least a sense of security. They want to live like humans, unfortunately they are not. So, they have to follow the rules of the Coalition. A Weesa must be chosen as soon as possible. Lots were cast, a young man named Oscar was selected. Beyond the joy of winning, he feels unlucky and cursed in an unusual way.
The man approached the Coalition gate alone. In his chest beating heart and blood flowing rumble. Occasionally he breathed in a strange way. Inhale too deep and exhale too long. Perhaps enthusiastic, or afraid, the man did not dare to guess. He came here, a Weesa who had lost the lot—or won in this context.
Now that he was standing here, there was no way to resign. Markus opened the door, ushering him into the building. Oscar was told that he would be sitting in the late Garg's chair. He hopes his fate will not be the same.
“The inauguration will start in half an hour. I will show you around, while waiting, you will memorize all the rooms here." Markus walked in front, while the clueless Oscar followed without expectations.
"This room has been unoccupied for ten years, the owner died," said Markus. He let the man in first. Oscar scanned the space. Too wide to own.
Every corner is full of books, apparently all Weesas like to read, thought the man. He approached, walked around the shelves one by one. Read each category slowly. Sort out what you've read and what you haven't.
"What do you think?" Markus interrupted.
Oscar was surprised. "Yes?"
"What do you think?" Mark repeated patiently.
"Good." Oscar, who wasn't sure about the meaning of Mark's question, answered simply.
Mark smiled. "This will be your room." He closed the door slowly. Sitting on a chair in front of the table then allowed Oscar to sit in a better chair. As if he was already a member of this Coalition.
“Garg, is my best friend. The only friend I have. But he's gone. I wish I could trust you like that.” Markus pretended to wipe his eyes. It was as if what he said was a great tragedy and that sorrow had not disappeared in these ten years.
Oscar nodded, he felt very flattered. "I hope so, trust me."
"Firstly, can you keep a secret?" Mark quickly changed his tone, he looked more like a snake than a Lumons now.
The man nodded. "Of course."
Then, Mark put the book on the table. The man was a little startled.
“Nostraduske?” Oscar whispered, asking at once. he shuddered.
“Yes, read for me. Then tell me what the book said." Markus leaned toward the center of the table. "Only me."
The man swallowed hard, then nodded. His sweat accidentally dripped. He looked at the face of the man in front of him. But can't read what's in his head.
"And..." Deluna got up from her seat, walked to the mouth of the cave. "I don't know what's in that book."
Felis followed, while Candramawa remained silent. Supervise. "Why is this book important to you?" she asked.
Deluna turned her head, her hands tucked into her cloak. "I'm not saying that books are important. I'm just saying I don't know what's in it."
Candramawa was trapped by her own question. She looked away.
"You've read it?" Felis asked Candramawa. She wasn't really surprised. Since she no longer cared much for Lumons books. After three months of being forced to read, Felis was tired of books and the Bible of the Lumons.
Candramawa looked at Felis sharply, then at the stranger. "I don't know anything about Nostraduske."
“Now you will know. You will read it.” Deluna took out the book of Nostraduske from inside her robe.
"How do you." Chandrawawa couldn't believe it. "Can infiltrate there?"
"I'm lucky. And pretty fast." Deluna drew closer to Candramawa, then held out the book.
"My nephew Felis, she also studied under your 'father'." While emphasizing intonation she pointed at Felis. Of course the teacher she was referring to was Garg himself. "You can read it."
Candramawa didn't move until Deluna whispered, “I saved you once. Now is the right time to turn the favor." Deluna threw the book at Candramawa. Too close to fire.
Candramawa picked up the book so quickly that she didn't have time to sigh.
"Sure, Nostraduske is very important." Deluna speaks for herself. She smiled at Candramawa.
The girl snorted, “Give it a month. This book is very thick,” said Candramawa lying.
"A week." Deluna's smile disappeared in an instant.
"I'll try, now get out of here." Candramawa began to raise her voice. Deluna smiled faintly, with one step disappeared into the dark night.
"She doesn't brag about speed." Felis muttered in a tone of amazement. Felis drew closer, studied Candramawa's face closely but didn't say anything. She knew something must be wrong here.
"Sleep well tonight. Tomorrow morning we leave." Candramawa hissed.