Lavastro hadn’t been in the organiser’s meeting chamber so long as a second before the bombardment of questions assailed her.

Varied, at least, yet unrelenting. The voices blended into one another so completely as to be entirely indistinguishable. The effect was made more remarkable coming from only two of the mystics present.

“What do you have to say for yourself, now that your true colours have finally been unveiled?” Demanded Balogun, voice just barely piercing through the cloud of her peers. Lavastro remained silent.

It had clearly surprised the Írìsi as much as Lavastro to be called in so late in the night. A glance at Mylif and Zilch showed both of them in a similarly diminished condition; faces lined, attire hurried. Energy low and sporadic.

Lavastro took solace in knowing she alone had possessed the foresight to avoid changing at all after her presentations.

“Miss Kaiosyni.” Came a second voice. Low, dangerous and steady as an assassin’s blade.

She turned, along with all other eyes, to the source; Tamaias. Seated at the far end of the table, face emptied of its usual joviality. More severe than she’d even suspected it could be.

“I will need to ask you some questions regarding your actions in today’s task. I assume that will be no issue?”

“It will not.” She answered, fighting for calm.

Lavastro took a seat as the Immortal began, keeping her gaze focused solely on him. She might as well have stared at a painting, for all it moved.

“What was your motivation in making the proclamations you did regarding Unity Eden?”.

“It’s difficult to say.” She answered slowly. Allowing herself time to think. “Shock, I suppose. I’ve scarcely seen such destruction as befell that boy, and I fear I acted emotionally.”

It killed her to feign weakness, yet Lavastro knew there was no chance she could excuse herself while declaring lucidity.

Tamaias was unfazed by the answer, even spurred on. As if he’d expected no less.

“You decried Eden’s actions, made mention of rumours many in the crowd had likely not heard of and sent your dula on an investigation of him. And you would have us believe this was done in a fit of emotion? Mere impulse?”

“I would not. There was a degree of clarity to my actions, I’ve seen such things before… though rarely. I fear this prior experience is what tainted my response with such haste. I acted as I thought best, but my thoughts were built on a misguided instinct rather than any internal dialectic.”

Tamaias took a moment before answering. Lavastro could tell just from sight he was already turning over cards in his head, making plays three moves before she would even see them.

“Then could you explain why it is-”

“Do you truly believe this savage whore?” Snarled Balogun, rising from her seat in a whirlwind. “This-”

A single glance from Tamaias made her voice falter, and the woman sat in silence as the Immortal held his glare. Her eyes dropped, hands curling into fists with a silent, impotent anger. Yet she said nothing more.

Turning back to Lavastro, Tamaias continued.

“Could you explain why it is that your emotions compelled you into such a reaction? I can see no benefit in your response. Finding evidence of Eden’s misanthropy would hardly be relevant given the severity of his crime in the last task. I would expect one reacting emotionally to try and push for him to receive a punishment based on the killing, not seek additional instances of far pettier crimes.”

Lavastro forced herself steady, breathing as deeply and subtly as she could. Taking her time. She’d not expected her orders for Pyrhic to be known, but it was no great surprise. Udrebam was an Alliance city, loving its spies almost as much as Taiklos.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

“I didn’t believe Eden would face any consequences. He’s the Eden Child, the Alliance has a vested interest in keeping him around as a tether to its Founders. In my dazed state, somehow, I’d convinced myself I needed to find additional evidence to use against him for there to be any chance of seeing justice enacted.”

“That is a peculiar blend of emotion and rationality.” Tamaias remarked, still staring. Still unblinking.

Lavastro realised the man looked entirely unfazed by the late hour or sudden call. As if he didn’t sleep at all, or else had simply known the meeting would come well in advance. It made her wonder how deep his games ran.

Careful, Lavastro. He’s just a man. Don’t make him into a giant. That way madness lies.

“Peculiarities are often a consequence of shock.” She said, dropping her gaze and feigning shame as convincingly as she could manage.

Tamaias was unaffected.

“And yet you were the one selected by He’aran to inherit his Empire. The first he’s shown such faith in across the entirety of his twelve-century reign. You do not strike me as one to be shocked by what you saw, Kaiosyni. You dishonour yourself with such a transparent lie.”

She was stunned by the brazenness of his answer. Stunned enough that no response came to her. Stunned enough that she didn’t even think to feign outrage and indignance until the time for it to be convincing had already passed.

Tamaias remained cool as he continued, easy as ever.

“There are attributes vital to any organiser of a Sieve.” The Immortal said, finally breaking his gaze away from Lavastro to share it with the room. “Cunning, intelligence, resilience. All important. All less so than cooperation.”

Her stomach sank as she realised where he was heading.

“Lavastro Kaiosyni, though I have patiently granted you countless chances to prove yourself capable of working alongside the rest of us, it is clear to me now that you lack either intent or ability to seize them. I am forced to move that you be stripped of your position as organiser at the earliest possible convenience of the Sieve.”

Silence descended, dense as stone and cold as ice. It stretched for seconds, none present seeming willing to break it. Lavastro herself least of all.

She’d taken Tamaias for a cautious, subtle man from his deft-handed manipulation. That he would be so overt had shocked her.

“This is an outrage.” Sorafin said, passionless. Surprising even Lavastro by being the first to voice his thoughts. Tamais turned on him with a frightful haste, settling eyes like gun barrels on his fellow Immortal.

“You have an objection?” He asked. There was a challenge below the surface, Lavastro saw. Concealed so well it was almost a trap.

“No.” Sorafin said, tone blunted. “Not to your judgement. But that you would spring such a demand on the rest of us with such little warning disturbs me to no end.”

Despite herself, Lavastro felt relieved that the Jyptian hadn’t leapt to her defence. Better that he not give Tamaias the excuse to remove Taiklos’ ally from the organisers, along with Taiklos itself.

“I understand your objection.” Said the overseer. “And I apologise, however Kaiosyni has left me with little choice. Be it inexperience or malfeasance, she’s proven herself unfit to serve beside us.”

Lavastro found the words distant as she considered their implication. Turning her mind, for what felt like the first time in an age, to her initial purpose. The reason for which she’d accepted her position as organiser in the first place.

She’d identified no small number of gifted mystics, as instructed. Taken careful notes of the avenues through which they might be swayed towards Taiklos. And after the Sieve’s progression to its later stages, there were no more opportunities to do so. By all metrics her task was accomplished.

It soothed her to know how little she lost, yet still Lavastro found herself needled. Tamais would surely not strip her of rank in such a brazen way if he didn’t believe there was something he might gain from it.

Sorafin’s voice brought her attention back to the matter at hand.

“If you acknowledge your mistake in making the suggestion so quickly, you ought to fix it. Allow us all time to consider this matter, then hold the vote tomorrow in a new meeting.”

“Unacceptable.” Cut in Balogun. “There is no need to delay this, the matter is a simple one.”

“I concur.” Said Zilch.

Mylif remained silent, hawk-eyed and stoic. That he didn’t disagree with the Írìsi or luminar was cause for concern enough.

“If your mind is already made up then you have nothing to complain about, simply keep your answer the same as it would have been.” Sorafin answered stiffly.

“Sorafin’s request is a fair one.” Tamais cut in, silence greeting his voice.. “I see no reason not to grant it. A day’s delay is hardly an issue for those who don’t need it, but no small boon for those who do.”

Balogun looked as though she might argue for a moment, anger giving the woman’s tired face animacy.

“Very well.” She said at last, conceding.

“Agreed.” Zilch echoed, just a moment later.

Looking across the room, Tamaias nodded as if to himself.

“Then it would appear our business is, if temporarily, concluded. I wish you all a good night.”