They finally emerged from their room around dinnertime. It had been such an incredible day, and Inessa honestly didn't want to leave at all, but she knew they needed to make some sort of an appearance. And in the back of her mind, she knew the next few weeks wouldn’t possibly be this carefree, but she did enjoy herself while she could.
They greeted Pablo, who reported dinner would be ready shortly. Tolomon approached, giving a small bow. “Good evening,” he said.
“Hello, Tolomon! Have you been enjoying your break?” Indenuel asked.
“I have enjoyed the conclusion of my assignment as chaperone, if that’s what you’re asking. I never take breaks,” Tolomon said.
“That’s right. Well, I appreciate you keeping us safe. Do you have any news?” Indenuel asked.
“The city is still in an uproar,” Tolomon said, glancing at the front door. “It’s only been a day, and it’s also the only thing people can talk about. The High Elders right now are gathering information and so far, haven’t started anything, but they are not resting.”
Indenuel nodded. “That reminds me. I need to run something by you, see if it’s possible. Maybe tonight, even.”
“Let’s have dinner first,” Tolomon said, ushering them into the dining hall. Inessa sat down at the table next to Indenuel, holding his hand as he and Tolomon discussed quietly how long the Cathedral stayed open and how to sneak in there without the High Elders knowing.
They were just starting dinner when Pablo came in, bowing. “Tima has come, saying she is a friend of Inessa.”
“Tima?” Inessa asked, standing up as Tima walked in. “My friend! Hello! Won’t you join us for dinner?”
“I…” Tima looked at the table and saw the food. “No, no. I just came to…” Inessa frowned. Her friend looked scared. She kept glancing out the window every so often. Tima always had a confident air about her. “I couldn’t leave without saying goodbye.”
“Goodbye? What are you saying?” Inessa asked.
“The High Elders came to my shop this morning. Words were exchanged and I… I cannot stay here. I did not think they would result to bullying, but they have. I need to leave the city,” Tima said.
Inessa felt as though she was punched in the gut. She reached out, taking Tima’s hand. “Tima? What happened? Can we offer any services? Maybe have Tolomon help?” Inessa asked.
Tolomon stood, and Tima winced, taking a few steps back from him. He took this reaction in before taking a step back, still studying her. Tima tucked some hair behind her ear. “It’s nothing. I’m sorry, Inessa, I cannot answer the questions I know you must have. But I couldn’t leave without saying goodbye. And that I’m sorry. If it was just me they were coming after I would have ignored their threats, but they are coming after everyone I love. I don’t want them to get hurt.”
Inessa’s mind was going fast, trying to put it all together. Tima was leaving. Not saying where. The High Elders bullied her into it. She didn’t think anyone could bully Tima into anything. Inessa did have questions, a lot of them, but she didn’t know what she was allowed to ask, especially as Tima turned around and started for the door.
Tolomon grabbed her elbow, and again Tima physically recoiled but looked up at him. Once again, Tolomon studied her face before he opened his mouth. “Why in God’s holy name did you incite the High Elder’s wrath when you have the secret you have?” His voice was quiet. There was pain there.
Tima straightened, still looking at him with a hint of fear. “Everything I do incites the High Elder’s wrath. Even my very existence.” She was trying to be brave, but there was something about Tolomon that terrified her. “And sometimes I get tired of hiding. I don’t regret what I did. After hiding for so long, it feels good to strike back. To hurt them for all the murders they have caused.”
Inessa gasped, but the High Elder’s murdering people wasn’t a surprised to Tolomon. She looked at Indenuel, but apparently it wasn’t a surprise to him either. Tolomon took in her words, studying her. “When do you plan on leaving?”
“I’d rather not tell a Graduate, thank you,” Tima said, the mistrust clear in her voice.
“I know there is nothing I can do or say that will make you trust me, but please believe me when I say no other Graduate knows what I know. The Graduates of the common class are sent on these missions with no information as to why they must do what they do.”
“You will have me feel compassion for a group that have nothing but blind obedience for devilish old men?” Tima asked, her voice growing sharp.
“They either do the mission, or they are killed. If they ask questions, their families are threatened with the same fate. I do not expect compassion, but I expect you understand what that feels like.” Tima looked away, angry. Tolomon still had a grip on her elbow, and Tima was doing nothing to break away. “Stay for dinner,” Tolomon said quieter. “Try to relax. I will scout the perimeter of the house and see if the High Elders placed a Graduate on your tail. You do not have to tell me what you plan to do, but I strongly encourage you to leave tonight. Get as far away from this city as possible in these first few days. Do not go to Oramin, Zimoro, or Dengria. A Santollian among a different race stands out far too much. Do not go to the small villages. Find a town that could almost qualify as a city and go there.”
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“High Elder Martin has given us his signature to let us start anywhere,” Tima said, almost hushed, the nerves coming back at Tolomon’s quiet urgency.
“Only use it if you must. High Elder Martin’s name is not looked well upon among the other High Elder’s right now, even if such a signature would be an honor to any town or city in Santollia. Word will spread, and I guarantee the other High Elders will catch wind of a dressmaker who got permission from Martin the Healer to start a new life. They will continue to dig, and you will be right back where you started. All of you choose different names. Different professions if you can.”
“I cannot give up dressmaking,” Tima whispered, looking at him, tears in her eyes. “I would rather die.”
“And your love?” Tolomon asked.
The first tears fell down her cheeks. “She knows my convictions. But we will be as careful as we can.”
Inessa glanced at the two of them, still confused as to what they were talking about. Tolomon nodded, a sadness in his eyes. “These first few days are crucial. I have hope that Indenuel and Inessa will create such a stir that the High Elders will put their full energies on them and ignore you once you slip from their fingers, but you must get away first.”
“I’m tired of running,” Tima whispered.
“You’ve got to know when you’ve lost the battle. Trust that Indenuel will keep up the fight. I am fully aware of the corruption in the Graduates, and now that the war with Kiam is over, I promise we will work on cleaning it out. But I can’t let any more lives be lost if I can help it. So sit down, Tima. Enjoy dinner. We will make a plan once I’ve finished checking the house. Depending on who I find out there will depend on how closely I will follow you out of the gate.”
Tima nodded as Tolomon let go of her elbow. He nodded to Indenuel before walking out of the dining hall. Tima turned, seeing Inessa’s worried face. Tima covered her mouth, tears leaking out of her eyes. Inessa hugged her tightly, not knowing what she could possibly say to give her comfort.
“I trust Tolomon completely,” Inessa said. “I don’t know what happened, but he will undoubtedly do everything he can to protect you and your family.”
Tima nodded again, trying to control her sobbing. Servants came in with another plate of dinner. Inessa helped her sit down, comforting her as she tried to take a bite and look relaxed like Tolomon suggested. Inessa and Indenuel didn’t ask questions. Inessa figured that if Tolomon knew, that would be enough to give her the protection she needed.
Tima’s sobs died down and she tried to eat. She mumbled her thanks and her compliments of how well it all tasted. Inessa patted her hand, worried.
Tolomon returned when Tima finished the main course. “You have one guard on your tail. Someone trained well enough, but he is not a Graduate,” Tolomon said, returning to his dinner like he had never left in the first place, his voice hardly above a whisper. “I have talked to some of the servants. A servant woman about your build will be waiting in the hall as you and Inessa head for the sitting room for some tea. Before you get there, the servant woman will take your place, and Inessa will drink tea with her. Indenuel and I will take you to the gates where you will take one of the horses back to your home, and leave the city. For good. Inessa, Indenuel, and I will keep the servant woman in this room until you have left the city. Keep going. Don’t come back. Don’t try to contact us,” Tolomon said between bites. Tima nodded, her eyes wide but a determination about her. “Does everyone else agree with their duties?”
Inessa nodded, finishing her dinner. Indenuel glanced between Tolomon and Tima but nodded as well. Tolomon finished his dinner. “Alright. Then may I suggest we take dessert in the sitting room once we’re done.”
No one objected to that. Dinner was quiet, the only one not looking nervous was Tolomon. Once dinner was done, Inessa stood up and followed the procession out of the dining hall. She squeezed Tima’s hand, hoping her friend understood this quiet goodbye, and Tima squeezed her hand back. The switch was seamless. The moment Indenuel, Tolomon, and Tima came to the servant woman, they turned and headed out the back door. Inessa moved forward, ushering the servant woman into the sitting room. They sat down and Inessa tried to enjoy her pastry.
“If you need, ma’am, I am comfortable in silence. You do not need to talk to me if you do not wish,” the servant woman said.
Inessa tried not to think how she would probably never see Tima again. She hoped it would be because of the distance between them, and not because of death. “That’s alright. Tima is a good friend, and it might be weird if there’s no talk between us.” And she needed to distract herself from whatever was going on. If she thought too hard about the fact she might never see Tima again because of the High Elder’s bullying, she might work herself into a panic. Tima was always the strong one. Fearless. If they got to her, how was she going to manage this?
Inessa took the time to get to know the servant girl, Consuelo, who was married to Jose, the gardener, for five years now. They talked quietly, and the more they talked of mundane things, the easier it was to enjoy her pastry. They had tea next, where Inessa admitted she always wanted a job as a servant in a nobleman’s house. Consuelo laughed at that, before admitting she had seen many nobility and foreign dignitaries with her job here at this house. It was always best to keep out of the way.
Indenuel returned and Inessa tried to breathe easily. They chatted as long as they dared. The sun was well and fully set before they got up and walked out of the sitting room. Tolomon had another servant woman cover herself in a cloak before getting into a carriage and riding off, apparently back to Tima’s house.
Inessa tried to breathe easily, but the entire thing made her nervous. “Won’t they just discover she’s gone and come question us?”
“Tolomon and I already got that covered,” Indenuel said. “If we can make a big enough distraction on other things, they won’t focus on Tima and might even give her a few days to leave.”
Inessa nodded. “Do you need me to come?”
“No. I need you to be safe here,” Indenuel said. “I didn’t think I’d use this idea this fast, but I know how much Tima means to you. I will make sure she stays safe.”
Inessa nodded, trying not to cry as Indenuel hugged her, giving her a kiss before he and Tolomon headed toward the front door. Tolomon paused, listening in, before nodding and opening the door, ushering Indenuel out.
Inessa remained alone in the entryway, and she couldn’t help but worry. Maybe she should see if they had any more of those pastries. And maybe she should ask the servants if they know how to make the ones with apples in them. She needed to distract herself from the knot forming in her stomach.