But nothing helped them discern the truth of the empire. The laughter at least eased their disappointment.
—
It was time for Sylah to deliver the journals to the Sandstorm. Sylah slipped out during her lunch break, the four journals hidden in her basket. With Loot’s letter also taking up residence in her belongings, she was beginning to feel like a duty chute.
Jond was already awake when she arrived at his flat.
“Sylah?”
“Delivery.” She waved the spine of a journal in his face.
His face went slack in shock.
“You did it? You actually did it?”
“Did you doubt me?” Sylah entered his hall.
“Not exactly.”
“You did! You doubted me!”
Thwack.
Pura’s journal hit him on the backside. His eyebrows shot to the sky.
“Did you just smack me on the ass with a warden’s journal?”
Sylah’s grin was mischievous.
“Well, you asked for this,” Jond said, his voice rough.
“For what?”
His answering growl sent thrills down Sylah’s spine, and when he launched himself at her, she let herself be caught in his arms. His teeth grazed her neck and she groaned, her fingers finding his hair and pulling hard.
Sylah’s other hand found his chest and pushed him backward toward his bed. Their clothes were off by the time they touched the sheets.
—
It was lunchtime, and Sylah had disappeared like she always did at that time.
Spending her brief time off as far away from me as possible. The thought dampened Anoor’s mood.
Anoor thought the previous day’s adventure had shifted something between them. The friendship that Sylah had been resisting for so long grew raw and heady; she even slept in Anoor’s bed. But in the morning, Sylah was back in her pallet, the carefree nature of the night before forgotten.
Anoor sighed and drummed her fingers on the journal in front of her. Gorn appeared in her bedroom doorway and sensed her glum mood.
“Why don’t you go to the library? The latest zine will be out, and I’m sure Bisma would have picked it up for you.” Anoor didn’t have much time to read zines anymore, and she couldn’t believe that she had forgotten to get the next installment of Inquisitor Abena’s adventures.
“I think I will,” Anoor said, getting up to leave.
A smile threatened to lift Gorn’s rigid lips.
“Do you want me to come with you?” she asked, the question maybe a little hopeful.
“No, I’ll be all right.” Anoor was thinking about heading to the tower to train after picking up the zine. The mind trial was just over three weeks away, and the stealth trial could be announced at any time.
Gorn sniffed before turning on her heel and leaving.