“No.” Sylah was defiant, her lips pulled back in a snarl.
“No?” Master Inansi laughed. “You know that ‘no’ isn’t an option. Besides, you owe me a favor. You are the reason the Sanctuary was discovered. You were the reason my best competitors died.”
Sylah choked.
“Oh, you think I didn’t know that?” His voice dropped to a near whisper. “You think Papa Azim was the boss? I’ve heard all about how soft poor Papa was. No, Azim reported to me. He always did, until you got him killed.”
Her gut caved in as if she had been hit by a runegun. Jond automatically reached for her.
“Fall back.” Master Inansi smiled as he said it, and Jond froze mid-step. “Let’s try this again, Sylah. You are going to kill Anoor. She’s a threat to the entire organization. Then your debt will be wiped clean and I might even let you rejoin the ranks. We’ve got big plans. Very big plans.”
Sylah’s head was shaking, but no words were coming out of her mouth.
“Good, I’m glad we’re agreed.” Master Inansi clicked his fingers, and a servant moved out of the shadows. “You know how much I like pretty things, so I took the liberty of getting these made for you some weeks ago.” The suit and dress were held out to Jond.
“Weeks ago?” The words were numb on her lips.
“Go enjoy the banquet,” Loot said to Sylah’s fallen form. “If you haven’t killed her by the time the tidewind calms, then we’ll finish the job. And you.”
Sylah lay crumpled on the floor for some time after Loot had gone.
“Sylah?” Jond asked, wondering if she would ever get up again.
She whimpered, a sound Jond had never heard before. Jond fell to his knees beside her and reached out a hand.
“Sylah?”
There was that sound again. Mouselike, pained.
She turned to face him, and he pushed himself back, the heat of her stare sending him reeling.
“One day, Jond, I will pay you back in full for this betrayal. Oh, I won’t kill you,” she spat. “I’ve murdered enough of our family, but, Jond, what I will do to you will be worse. I will make you feel so alone, the very darkness will be your only friend. I will make you suffer.”
He heard the promise in her words wrap around him, sucking his air. They watched each other, breathing heavily, two desert foxes ready to pounce. He broke the tension first and moved away.
“Get changed,” he barked at her, hoping his anger eclipsed the sound of his heart breaking.
The very darkness will be your only friend.
He wondered if the words hadn’t been true for some time.