Skara hadn’t slept easily in days.
Every night, she’d dreamt of standing at the doors to the Pyramid of Despair, surrounded on all sides by floodwaters too murky to see through. When the undead rose from the darkened surface, she called to her teammates for aid, only to find that the air had been sucked from her lungs. So Skara fled, running through the pyramid’s corridors to seek help, only to stumble into a room where a thousand bloody knives had shredded her allies to pieces.
Others among the assembled travelers also frequently awoke in the night. Old Klouk had jokingly started calling their expedition the Long Race, yet that was too close to the truth for Skara’s comfort. Maybe when she was as old as him, she’d find it funny.
No, she thought, shaking her head. These matters are too important. Klouk’s a fool and ignorant of what matters.
Skara might not have slept easily for days, but she still had a mission to complete.
The august personages of Brother Sun and Sister Moon were too far removed from one as lowly as her, yet she could serve them by reporting on the events of Old Baxteiyel. Originally, she was supposed to have coordinated with the Great Alchemist and his squad, but those deaths were part of the terrible news to be reported.
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The alchemist was rumored to have been a favorite of Sister Moon. And it was would be Skara sharing the news of his assassination. That was almost exciting. Skara might even be mentioned in the report—her name potentially spoken by Sister Moon’s lips.
Skara had made note of the names and faces of those involved in killing the Great Alchemist, and there’d be a special entry about the one called Eight. That one had somehow entered the pyramid ahead of everyone else. He’d even managed to ransack the apartments of the city’s leaders and sabotage the magical devices they’d left behind.
If anyone carried away Old Baxteiyel’s secrets, it would be him.
At least the spirit of the land named Ikfael was dead. She’d heard that truth uttered from the hierophant’s own mouth. Her contact back in Sugrusu Hakei had expressed concern about the otter’s rise to power and the effect on Albei.
Also, many dawn and dusk had died during the race, weakening the Three-City Alliance’s fighting strength. Yes, there was so much information to share! Surely, a report of her words would reach the ears of Brother Sun and Sister Moon.
Supposedly, a special agent of the empire resided in Bashruuta. Her contact had warned Skara to reach out to him only under the direst of circumstances. Surely, the news she carried counted. Surely, it did!
One day, Skara would make the pilgrimage to Maltra. If she was lucky and served the empire well, she might even be invited to an assembly where Brother Sun and Sister Moon revealed themselves to the public.
Wouldn’t it be a dream? A much better one than the nightmares that plagued her. At least the weather had improved, and her knee wasn’t bothering her as much. There was only a half a day left until Bashruuta. Then things would get so much better; that was where she’d make the future she dreamed of come true.