The glow of sunset faded, and the woodshed sank into blue darkness. Ilia bent over Makokan and peered into his face, looking slightly amused. “Well. You’ve certainly aged, haven’t you?” she said.
“Ilia.” Makokan mouthed his sister’s name, but his voice came out as a croak. She cut the ropes binding his wrists with her dagger and thrust a small flask at him.
“Here, drink this. The drug should have worn off by now, but your throat’s probably still raw. Take it easy, though, or you’ll choke.”
He took a swig. Cool liquid filled his mouth, but it was hard to swallow. Makokan took little sips yet still gagged.
Ilia clicked her tongue and thumped him on the back. “Trust you to choke even though I warned you.”
Wiping the tears from his eyes, Makokan looked up at her and rasped, “What is going on?”
She dropped to one knee beside Makokan and gave him a sour look. “Honestly. Why did you go into service with a son of the House of Yuguraul? You went to all that trouble to escape this pointless system, then roped yourself right back into it of your own accord. That’s taking stupidity to a new level.”
Makokan stared at her blankly.
“I’d really like to help, but there’s nothing I can do about it now,” she said. “You’ll just have to see how far you can get.”
Makokan frowned. “Ilia, would you talk to me in words I can understand?”
She sighed and ran a hand through her hair. “You’ve walked smack into a quagmire and waded until it was up to your neck. Is that any clearer? Still, they didn’t have to use blow darts. I told them to leave it to us, but they wouldn’t listen.”
“They?” he whispered. “You mean the Ahfal Oma?”
Ilia snorted. “There’s no need to whisper. You’re in the woodshed at our house. They’re not allowed into the yard.”
Makokan looked around. “I don’t remember a woodshed like this.”
Ilia sighed again. “How many years do you think it’s been since you left?”
Makokan glared at her. “What is this? You knew it was me, but you still tied me to a post in a shed in our yard! Knock it off, will you?”
A cold light kindled in Ilia’s eyes. “I’m not kidding around. If you weren’t my brother, I would’ve let them kill you. Keeping that guy’s bodyguard around would’ve complicated things needlessly.”
Makokan’s forehead grew cold. He looked into his sister’s eyes, but they showed no trace of feeling.
“Shows you how worthless your life is, doesn’t it? If you can make others think you might be of use, they’ll let you live. But if they think for a moment that you’ll get in the way, you’re done for.”
She brought her face close to his. “I don’t want to kill you. That’s why I came here to talk. So listen and think about what you must do to stay alive.”
This was the sister who killed Makokan’s older brother. He felt his pulse quicken, and numbness spread up his neck and across his chin.
“We were sent here by the Inner Circle, you know,” he said.
“So? Our clan has given you a nice warm reception. What could be wrong with that?” Her eyes gleamed softly in the dim light. “I’m still following Cheehana’s orders and carrying out the work she gives me. However, we have other business, too. Very important business.”
She pulled her face away and continued with a frigid tone. “Otawalle is like the moon reflected on the water. It can’t shine of its own accord. In the past, it glowed with the light of Aquafa, and now with the light of Zol. It has always let the rulers of each era shine, taking its light from them.”
Makokan stared at her silently.
Ilia served the Inner Circle of Otawalle, carrying on the work that the Shinock family had done for generations. He’d never had an opportunity to know what she thought of that.
“Did Cheehana order you to investigate the Ahfal Oma?”
“Yes,” she replied bluntly. “It’s easy for us to get information because we accepted them into our midst and let them live here when they were exiled. But we have deep ties with the Ahfal Oma, and the Inner Circle is probably uneasy relying on us alone for information. Sometimes, it sends others to check things out.”
Ilia laughed through her nose. “It doesn’t really matter. We know the hand of the Inner Circle inside out. If an outsider contacted any member of the clan, we’d learn of it right away. They could bribe one of the clan, and I’d still know.” Her expression turned serious. “But we can’t be so laid-back anymore. We’ll be in trouble if the Sacred Territory starts meddling.”
Makokan felt as though he almost understood what she was saying but not quite, like trying to guess an object’s identity by feeling through a thick blanket. Still, one thing was clear: His sister had betrayed the Inner Circle. She’d sided with those who masterminded the attack by those infected beasts. And if that was the case, then the people of Makokan’s homeland, the Yukata Mountains, were surely on the same side.
The Ahfal Oma and the Ofal Oma. The peoples of the Yukata region, bound by ties that stretched back through the ages, had joined forces in a conspiracy. Which means my own clan orchestrated mittsual’s revival. Makokan felt his innards shrivel. She’s right. I’m up to my neck in quicksand.
He looked at Ilia. “Where’s Hohsalle?”
“No need to fret. We’re taking good care of him. He’s an important hostage, after all—someone we can use.”
“Hostage?”