I receive a note from the supply chain with a clear message that furthers me into my abyss. Reading and re-reading gets me no further than the first message. I desperately search for a deeper meaning or an out-of-place mark. But there is nothing. It is the news I have been dreading. It is the incontrovertible proof that I am again a failure. It is death to my plans.
I have a meeting with Jer and Shannai at the Cafe de Campus. They serve these lemon macaroons, which I order, and three cups of green tea with jasmine. The tables are small, and the room bulges with people on mismatched chairs, but I still find a spot. After fighting two chairs away from the crowd, the first of my guests arrives. Jer strides in with his holy sword across his back, smiling as he catches my eye.
“What is all this about, Vesh?”
“Change of plans.”
“Do we have a plan? That is encouraging, even if we need to abandon it.”
“First. I have decided to bring someone into the fold.”
“Without consulting me?”
“I am in charge of the plan?”
“You are, but still consult me. Who is it?”
“You aren’t going to like this?”
“Get the fuck out. Sage is the enemy,” Jer snarls this with an undertone that is out of place on his face.
"We never agreed on that. I have told you we are victims of the same shit. Maybe their cage is nicer, but we are all products of Creation."
“So what? Why did you tell her.”
"She is looking for the same thing as us. And honestly, we have a higher chance of succeeding with her. Waste! She has a better chance by herself than we have together."
“And you trust her.”
“I know we can still make it work to our advantage if I can't.”
“Your pragmatism seems almost reckless at times, Vesh.”
“That is the other thing,” I redirect, the remark hitting close. “Our timeline has moved significantly, a little less than six months.”
“I’ll be at the wall?”
“That’ll make it a little easier.”
“What happened?”
“I'm assuming you have heard about the bombing that killed Speaker Odin?”
“Yes?”
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“I was there with Shannai.”
“Are you serious?”
“Yes. I’m not hurt, but I got a warning from Odin.”
“Warned to leave earlier?”
“In a way, he-” I hesitate to reveal before looking around.
“Can we do that thing again?” Jer offers, lifting his finger.
“Quickly,” I whisper before putting my mouth around the finger.
“Okay, he told me that a group of people in the upper echelons of society is planning to kill a large percentage of the population.”
“What?”
“Yeah.”
“And we plan to run away?”
“Are we supposed to stop it?”
“Could we?”
“How am I supposed to know?”
“By asking the person with the foreboding warning, the time-traveling dude, or looking into your forbidden books.”
"They said it would start at the Wall and use the magic there to kill them. I don't know if we can do anything."
“Isn’t the magic at the wall similar to the kind you are learning about?”
“Thinking I can manipulate the runes to let us through a certain portion temporarily is completely different from thwarting some conspiracy involving powerful people.”
“Like who?”
“Like the speaker of house Sage,” I wince.
“Like the mother of the woman you just invited to break an ancient tenant?”
“Yeah.”
“Clever. Very clever. You are planning on leaving before this happens?”
“I don’t know, I guess.”
“And what of all those who will die?”
“You’re right, but what can we do?”
“We start fighting now?”
“If it’s winnable.”
“I don’t know if that is enough for me.”
“Look, we will do what we can. We might be able to do both.”
“This is a lot to take in…”
“It gets worse.”
“Fuck.” Jer curses, sitting on my bed.
“This is a note from the supply chain.”
“I can’t— read it to me.”
“Base taken. Drop dirty. Keep clear. I'm taking time off,” I relay, feeling another finger poke into my mouth.
“What the? Is this a farmhouse?”
“Shannai, right on time. Our friend Jer here is up to speed and has happily approved of your cooperation.”
“I have?”
“Of course, you have because you trust my judgment.”
“We see where that’s got us. There's not much I can do about it now. Vesh, what if they get taken to the mines?”
“Who?” Shannai asks.
“It isn’t important. We all knew the risks coming in.”
“Vesh-” Jer begins.
“You don’t brush me off. Who might get sent to the mines?”
“Thank you. We were making money from glow gems, and the people supplying us are now hiding. They are likely fine if they could get a message off.”
“Black market amalgamations? Do you know who has jurisdiction there?” Shannai taunts with a knowing tone.
“No?” I mutter.
“The Seers,” She drops, bombing our confidence.
“Fuuuck,” Jer curses.
“We will do what we can. Aside from that, we will make a great team.”
“Why are we here?” Shannai asks.
“I wanted to get you both on the same page and have an opportunity to discuss the plan.
“Which is?” Jer mocks.
"Tonight, Shannai will help me break into the Athenary. Once inside, we will find information to subvert the runes on the Wall. Shannai will also acquire several resources to aid in our escape. Jer, your job will be gaining information while you're at the Wall. We will need an exact location to go to when we reach you. We will likely have pursuers."
“And you, Shannai? You’re on board with letting all those people die?”
"That is what I advised. There is no way to prevent it. We could offset it with the cost of our lives, but that is a symbolic win. I would rather win my freedom.
“Should have expected that from a noble.”
“Why am I here if I already know what I am acquiring?”
“Because Jer needed to meet you at least and hear you say you’re on board.”
“Can I go then?”
“I am hoping you stay to add your input. And I forgot to ask how the procurement is going?”
“All will be easy to get.”
“That is good. Anything to add, Jer?”
“Do we have a plan for getting past the wall?”
“We will find it in the Athenary, along with every other detail that will fill in my plan.”
“And if we can’t?”
“We-” I begin.
“We will figure something else out.” Jer interrupts, mocking my voice.
“Forgive my cool head.”
“Sometimes not reacting is as mad as reacting, Vesh.”