That evening Rami felt as if he was floating in the air. An interesting mix of fumes emanating from a set of curved glass jars cooking under blue flames at the edge of the room was sending everyone a bit out of their own heads.
Yulhan was by Talin’s side while Talin paced the room full of guards lined up at a corner trying to come up with a reason for his, yet again, failed experiment.
“Perhaps a drop of melted Cazpin? I hear it is all the rage these days,” Yulhan suggested in high spirits only to be glared at by both Talin and the guards. Noor, who had been exceptionally quiet ever since being captured by Dolovan, moved swiftly to guide Yulhan back to his seat and away from Talin.
“Be quiet and sit here. You are not in a position to speak with these people so openly,” Noor whispered, glancing over his shoulder. Yulhan sulked sadly then scooted closer to Rami hoping they wouldn't get called off by the guards for mingling. They all seemed rather relaxed than the night before, giving a bit a space for the trio under captivity to breathe.
Yulhan grunted.
“I’m too tired being trapped here while the world carries on. And it's only been a day. I just want to pull my hair out…I wonder what her plan is?” Yulhan muttered under his breath.
“All this education on the Circle is not for nothing. She must have something big planned,” Noor chimed in.
“Well, obviously. Took you long enough to figure that bit out. You said we would help infiltrate the Circle for her. This is precisely for that,” Yulhan exclaimed quietly.
“Only because you said we were his spies, you idiot. I was only playing along,” Noor hissed back.
Rami bit the insides of his cheeks. It had already become a giant ball of convoluted lies making him afraid he would lose track of whose lies were what soon.
“Fine. Look,” Yulhan glanced at both Rami and Noor, “Let’s just get through this in one piece, shall we? Let’s do our best to not anger the authorities and do as we are asked?”
Noor snorted out to retort, “I don’t have much hope on that.”
Yulhan glared back at him to which Noor threw his arms in the air in response and pointed to Rami saying, “He is a lost cause. He has no idea who he is and what he’s done. We are doomed, Yul. We are pretty much writing our own death wishes as of now. She’s going to walk in here and have it all figured out. She’s going to know we are imposters and have us hanged.”
It wasn’t just Rami’s mental state that Noor was worried about. Dolovan’s guards had had them fill out a lengthy piece of parchment with personal questions the night they were arrested. Noor had vehemently refused the first hour. But they eventually capitulated for food and water were withheld from them for the night. As their stomachs growled in hunger, Yulhan and Noor resorted to filling in bogus information to get it over with including their very own names. They hadn't heard anything back yet. But Noor was certain she would figure it out sooner than later.
Rami quickly interrupted Noor needing to speak up for himself, “Now listen, you might think I am not in my right mind but I can help. It could work, our plan could work.”
Rami was only bluffing but seeing how Yulhan brightened up hearing his comment he thought it best that at least one of his saviors thought him worthy for he was fearful he would get left behind if he were to show that he was no help at all.
“He’s right. Not all hope is lost. We should at least give it a chance, shouldn’t we? We’ll be alright,” Yulhan repeated only to meet Noor’s death glare.
“You could say that but not when the first words he uttered upon seeing the outhouse pit was ‘ew’,” Noor shuddered in annoyance and turned to Rami, “Wha–what is even ‘ew’? Is that a word?”
Rami looked at Noor, baffled at his question, for his expectation of a toilet was lived down by everyone in Keimitaan. When the guards guided Noor and Rami to relieve themselves last night they pointed at a small wooden structure. Rami only stared at it in confusion before Noor helped open it and revealed a pit full of feces stacked on top of each other. It wasn’t Rami’s fault that the first words that were expelled from his body was ‘Ew’. Even if the word was remote to Noor he instantly saw the blatant disgust written across Rami’s face making it hit an untouched nerve in Noor’s head.
Rami only rolled his eyes in reply at Noor hoping it would, yet again, strike that nerve once more. But only Yulhan snickered in return as Noor quite cleverly ignored Rami’s attempt at disgruntling him.
Suddenly the door to Talin’s chamber thrashed open making everyone jump to their heels. It was as if doom had walked in to catch everyone by their lazy throats.
“Everytime! She knows how to make an entrance everytime, doesn’t she?” the words just rolled out of Rami’s tongue in whispers making both Yulhan and Noor (reluctantly) hold in a laugh.
Immediately, Dolovan’s head whipped to spot Rami in the corner, “I heard that, toad-head!” she exclaimed before moving to her guards and starting to roll out instructions.
Rami gulped taking an involuntary step back mouthing the words what the fuck to himself for he was quite sure his whisper would not have reached such a distance unless the woman herself had super hearing of some sorts.
It wasn’t long before the three of them were instructed to sit and the guards shuffled out and a new set of more hunkier and larger looking men shuffled in. Amongst the guards were a familiar woman. The same one Rami attempted to befriend by smiling every now and then to show that he came in peace, but she always stayed as stoic and unreactive as a stone statue.
“Nice to see you again,” Rami said, attempting to be friendly once more only to be met with a blank stare back at him. It was then that Rami noticed the distinct streak of white in her hair that blended into the side of her braid. She was much paler than her peers with her striking green eyes observing his every move.
“You don’t get to speak to my people without my permission, Ascari,” Dolovan stepped in. She was like an irritating itch flaring up in the most annoying of times.
Rami sighed to himself and looked away. It was bound to happen. He was bound to get annoyed at some point. Strangely, Rami’s annoyed expression seemed to please Dolovan enough that she simply smirked to herself and left it at that.
“Good news, my fellow criminal and his personal spies. My sources tell me you’ll have a perfect opportunity to insert yourself back into the Circle here soon. Possibly as soon as tomorrow.”
The sudden news came as, well, sudden news. Dolovan watched them as their faces turned unsettling and the first words that were uttered were of Rami’s.
“Wait, what do you mean insert ourselves?”
“Well, of course, it means you will be going back to the Circle soon. You will be going back home.”
Rami’s back straightened. If everything Dolovan had explained so far about the Circle were true, that was the last place he imagined he should end up in. He just got used to being among her people who clearly weren’t wanting to end his life just yet. But seeing how the Circle was even feared by her very organization his heart raced in terror.
“Wait wait, hold on…,” he suddenly stood up from his seat throwing his hands up, confusing Dolovan’s guards.
“...What do you mean I’m going to go to the Circle? I thought there was more…training to do,” he pointed to the chalkboard, “Isn’t that supposed to happen first? More training and then you guys teach us how to fight, and we train for like months?” He was beginning to ramble on although it was simply common sense for Rami for that was what all the fiction adventure books and shows and movies he had ever had the opportunity to delight in did. He needed to be trained.
“Train?” Dolovan asked back, crossing her arms.
“Yes. Yes, train. Like I don’t know the first thing about fighting if one of them lunges at me. I’d like to know how to fight! I mean what am I worth to you if the first thing I do is end up dead when I get to the Circle. Am I not making sense?” He looked towards Noor and Yulhan, who kept a neutral expression, confused as to why Rami seemed so adamant about his sudden wants from someone who clearly was not open to brainstorm much less even hear them out.
Dolovan paused for a moment before she burst out laughing. Her laugh felt excruciatingly painful. Her laugh was humiliating Rami.
“My dear, Ascari. You have indeed lost your mind, haven’t you? As much as I would love to have you skilled to the brim with everything, the Circle of Daggers require little fighting skills. Your name will protect you more than your body will in these streets, in your streets. Besides, the only skills you require to truly survive the Circle are all in here,” she stepped up and tapped his forehead hard he felt her fingerprint burn into his skull.
The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.
“This is enough nonsense for one day. Now sit down and prepare yourselves. I’m going to debrief you all with your tasks in a few moments. And you,” Dolovan’s finger pointed back at Rami’s nose, “No more whining, understand?”
Rami wanted to fight back. He felt like a child shushed by his parents for acting silly and out of order. He felt downright belittled.
But before he could raise his voice, the door to Talin’s humble chambers thrashed open once more, even startling Dolovan herself, giving her a little taste of her own medicine.
“What is it?” Dolovan retorted seeing one of her guards panting at the door.
“C—Commander,” the poor soul was gasping for air, “Your presence is required.”
“Let them know I am busy—“
“It’s him, Commander. All of them, in fact.”
A crippling hush took over the room before Dolovan raised her arm in confirmation. They watched as she shuffled about adjusting her clothes and her hair before she looked up, composing herself. Without a word, she stepped out of the chambers following the guard.
They expected her to be back soon for her departure was quite abrupt. Yet, it was hours after she appeared back in the room, disheveled and confused. And the reason for her sudden loss of composure followed right after.
Old but brutal looking men followed Dolovan, only a few feet late, into Talin’s small chambers. They looked accomplished by their stature as they wore armor where the metal ringed every now and then as they walked in. Almost everyone of them had their armor decorated in gold engraving similar to Dolovan’s, but one had a much more prominent look with a red cape draped and dragging behind him leaving a sort of terrifying aura for the audience to dwell on. They took their seats in front of Rami, Yulhan, and Noor, without much discussion.
Rami’s eyes traced Dolovan, pacing and fidgeting waiting for the men to settle down. She cleared her throat and started her introductions almost immediately.
“Thank you all for joining us here. As I mentioned earlier, this is Azul Ascari, the…um…coin master of the Circle of Daggers. He was captured by the royal spies two weeks ago at the Eastern border. He appeared before the king's court that same week, as is decreed by the law of the Southern Kingdom. He was accused of conducting an elaborate smuggling operation that spanned the entire Kingdom and was caught with numerous varieties and amounts of illicit merchandise the day of his capture.”
The main man in decorated armor grunted almost smirking through his thick beard. He clicked his tongue before adding, “As expected. Go on.”
“The King’s court found him guilty of his crimes against the Southern Kingdom and His Majesty proclaimed the offender to be imprisoned for life.”
“Interesting. And none of his friends came to his rescue? The ones from the, what was it called, the Circle of sticks?”
A brief silence captured the audience as they were unsure whether to laugh at the stab or just resort to awkward smiles hoping not to upset the obviously highest ranking official in the room.
Dolovan let out an uncomfortable smile before continuing, “No, um I believe it was indisputable this time, compared to the previous trials where he walked out free….” She paused for a moment waiting for the man to acknowledge. He gave a simple nod making Dolovan breathe out and carry on, “…Right after the sentencing he was relocated to the dungeons for further questioning on more sensitive matters of the Circle…”
Rami almost felt himself scoff hearing the torture he endured in the dungeons be referred to as ‘questioning’. He glanced at Dolovan from the corner of his eye to see her suddenly point to Yulhan and Noor and continue to ramble on.
“...And these are his personal spies, not directly employed under the Circle of Daggers. They helped…” she stopped for a moment almost ashamed to continue, “...they helped him escape the dungeons two days ago. The royal guards captured all three the very next night in the South of Keimitaan.”
Dolovan stopped quite abruptly watching her superior pause, narrowing his eyes on Rami. His armor clanked as he moved, letting his elbows rest on his knees and his face reaching Rami’s only inches away.
“You must have trained them quite well then. Well enough to have them break you out of the most guarded establishment in all of the Southern Kingdom. Is that so, coinmaster of the Circle of Daggers?”
Rami gulped as his eyes darted to Dolovan’s. It seemed the man did not know his situation, the unfortunate situation where the Royal guards had managed to capture a criminal who had lost his mind. And by the sudden shift in Dolovan’s stare he knew she had left and was prepared to continue to leave out the most important detail from her superiors.
“He’s lost for words?!” The man exclaimed in astonishment to see Rami silent and still.
Dolovan quickly chimed in, “He’s been quiet since his capture. But he’s agreed to help us.”
The man almost didn’t believe Dolovan yet he fell back into his seat and tilted his head towards her, “Well then, I trust you have enough dirt on him to have him obey our orders. I wouldn’t want you making a mistake again, Yara.”
For the first time, Dolovan’s head lowered and she gave a slow nod with a quick whisper, “Of course, Marshal Elis.” It surprised Rami for he had not expected Dolovan’s mistake of letting Rami escape the dungeons, to leave her in such fear being advised by her superiors.
Marshal Elis’s eyes lingered on Rami and moved to Yulhan. Yulhan gave a quick involuntary smile only to gobble it back up as the Marshal remained stoic. Noor on the other hand was looking away avoiding Marshal Elis’s gaze entirely as if he was prepared to melt into the very wood of the chair he was seated on if he could.
Before long Marshal Elis and his entourage left with a quick word to Commander Dolovan at the corner of the room away from ears. “Have you looked into the other two? The spies?” Elis prodded.
She nodded and replied, “Yes, we’ve gathered information from them and are looking into them as we speak.”
“Good good. Regardless, they don’t seem to be the issue. Keep an eye on them but most importantly on Ascari. We don’t want you making the same mistakes again, Yara.”
There it was again, the same dreaded comment Dolovan quickly swept past earlier. It was not like she did not hear it the first time. She had heard it perhaps a thousand times over by now and it was not for the mistake of having Azul escape the dungeons, like Rami had thought earlier. It was for quite an unfortunate incident, an oversight on her part, while in the King’s Army over a year ago.
“It was unfortunate that you were asked to retire from the King’s Army so early for such a mistake. I hope you are reflecting on it while you spend your time in the city. I hear the guards still address you as Commander, as if you never left the King’s Army.”
Dolovan gulped, “I’ll be sure to ask everyone to not call me Commander—”
“Nonsense! That is quite alright. They are still watching you, the King’s court. This latest task might even have the King reinstating you if you play your cards right.”
Dolovan gulped once more. It was not as if she did not know the value her latest mission would bring to the King. It was the precise reason she charged through with her plan even before going through the proper channels to get permission to start interrogating the Coinmaster of the Circle that was imprisoned in the dungeons. She was always too quick even as a child. And while being too quick had sometimes left her in a bit of a pickle, this time however she was sure to be at least a full ten steps ahead of everyone. This was perhaps her way back into the Army, her only way back to finally rid herself of the shame she had brought upon herself and her family’s name.
“Your father was a great friend to me, Yara. Yavan would have advised you the same if he were still alive today. That said, it would be a shame to lose such a talented Commander such as yourself. I hope your return is not too far off…”
Dolovan could only give a half hearted smile for Marshal Elis’s words did not feel so genuine to her. He was afterall a man of few steely words. No one could truly grasp his true intentions.
“…And remember, you may be a retired Commander but you are still a part of the King’s Army. You can always request assistance from me and my men.”
Dolovan only nodded in reply. Her eyes grew sadder and her posture feeble. This unexpected visit from her former superiors had left her feeling as close to the dissected insects gathered on Talin’s experiment table. She felt bare, naked, and exposed of her shortcomings to the very person she should be towering over. She caught Rami’s eyes wandering back and forth to her a few times over before she decided to straighten her hunched back hoping to snap out of it for the sake of her dignity.
It wasn’t until Marshal Elis and his entourage left Talin’s chambers did Dolovan finally snap back and stride back into the room, much angrier with her head held high and her fists balled up ready to fight.
Rami’s eyes naturally landed on her. Her brows were knit in frustration and her breathing fast and uncontrolled. She was tense, her posture still unsure of whether to let it all out or bottle her discomfort within her.
She caught Rami’s wandering eyes once more. It sent Rami startlingly hurrying to look away only for her to walk over to him and stand in front making it impossible to ignore her presence. Her eyes were screaming insults but her mouth only twitched a few more times before she suddenly walked away and began to address everyone in the room.
“Alright. Listen up, everyone. There’s no more time to waste…” her eyes finally drew back to Rami, “…I will be giving you a complete briefing of how we plan to get you and your spies back into the Circle. Listen well, because if you miss any of it you will be on Butcher’s chopping block before you know it. You two,” she pointed to Yulhan and Noor, “You will enter the Circle of Daggers as Azul’s spies that helped him in the last leg of his escape from the dungeons. And you,” she looked to Rami, “You will make sure to mention you tricked the guards and let yourself out. Heck, why not sprinkle in some action along the way. You will not mention anything about me or my people. You will only mention that we tortured you for information, delicate information on the Circle that you simply don’t remember what it was we were wanting from you but you were sure to not open your mouth about any of it.”
She moved around the table in the middle and looked to the small open window letting in the slight night breeze.
“There’s new word on the streets that the Ravenous that was captured and imprisoned by the King only two weeks ago had already passed on to his next life. They say he killed himself out of loyalty to the Circle and not wanting to be in a position where he was ever weak and divulged information. He was protecting the Circle till his last breath. As a thief, what an honorable way to die. They say Black Heart has already organized a funeral for his most beloved dagger. They say he’s going to hold it privately to mourn the loss of his most promised pupil.”
Dolovan’s eyes moved to Rami, they shone in amusement and excitement, “How shocked will they be to see you walking in daylight again?” Her cruel mischief radiated from her smile, “You’d have to tell me all about it. You’d have to tell me what their faces looked like seeing a ghost appear in front of them. If I could be a fly on the wall, I would.”
Rami knew she was wanting to kick everything off with a bang by the looks of how she stared out into the night in thrill. He just knew she had been craving to cause a ruckus. What he didn’t know was why she was so interested in the Circle’s reaction, why she seemed so marveled at what was to come next.
“Prepare for your untimely resurrection, Ravenous. You will soon be a dead man walking in Keimitaan.”