Tolomon picked Inessa up and tossed her into the carriage, motioning Indenuel to hurry. He did, throwing himself into the carriage as the driver sensed the urgency and sped the carriage along.
“What was that?” Indenuel asked. “What the hell was that?”
“It was Navir. Should have muzzled him,” Tolomon grumbled as he slid the privacy blinds down.
“We had them cornered. They spent two days in the dungeon. We did all the research, and they still managed to turn the crowd to their favor!” Indenuel said. “I should have had them lashed like I wanted.”
“No, Indenuel, that wouldn’t have solved our problems. Nathaniel was right to have you give that speech.”
Indenuel growled. “Not like anyone will remember it.”
Inessa covered her mouth, and Indenuel placed his arm around her. “I’m not. I’ve never…”
“I know,” Indenuel said, rubbing her arm.
“They’re always going to have the upper hand, because they know more about religion than anyone alive,” Tolomon said, peeking out the window.
“Did you know that the High Elders used the Graduates for this, too?” Indenuel asked.
“Not until recently,” Tolomon said.
“And you didn’t warn us?” Indenuel asked.
“I don’t have a politician’s mind.” Tolomon ran both hands through his shortened hair, and Indenuel saw the panic in his friend’s face before he dropped his hands and again looked out the window. “The fact is, Graduates were never told why, they just did.”
“This is another ploy. We’ve… we’ve got to…”
“Get back to the house,” Tolomon said, his eyes darting out the window, finding the threat. “Once we’re back in the house, we think things through, and try not to mess up the victory we’ve already gotten.”
Indenuel groaned, rubbing his forehead.
“Tima,” Inessa said, almost whispering. “Tima feels this way. That’s why you were acting so strange around her. That’s why she needed to leave so fast.”
Tolomon never kept his eyes off the window. “It might be wise to keep this information to ourselves. The fear is at danger levels in the city right now, and it’s only going to spread.”
***
The moment Martin was back in his cell, he tore off his High Elder robe and threw it in a corner. He covered his face, feeling the anger and the pain, sick to his stomach. His thoughts drifted to Tima and Ari, the only people he knew who had these feelings. The word would spread. Fear always does. And now it wasn’t just the High Elders Tima and Ari would have to fear. They would have to fear their own neighbor. The thing they strived to keep secret from the church was now a thing they would have to keep secret from everyone.
And poor Inessa. He wasn’t sure what the crowd would do, but they were moments away from turning into a mob. If she had stayed there any longer, it would have. Fadrique gave them the face of who they wanted to fear.
Martin was up against a wall, the tears still in his eyes. He still heard the crowd, despite being in the dungeon. Heard the shouting and the demanding for more information. Navir just set himself up to have the most attended sermon on Sabbath day. Martin had to stop this.
“Martin, is that you?” Navir asked, most likely from the window at the cell next to him.
Martin walked over to the window, gripping the bars. “You’re an idiot, Navir. What have you done?”
“Made sure the High Elders stayed on top. And considering your reaction to it, I should let you know that you are no longer welcome to my sermon on the Sabbath.”
“You honestly think I’m going to let you continue to fill Santollia with fear?” Martin asked.
“It’s your choice, Martin. Stay home tomorrow, or I will tell King Ramiro who burned the book. King Ramiro and myself will create our own trial for you, and I will do everything in my power to make sure everyone knows you are the High Elder that cannot be trusted,” Navir said.
Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
Martin closed his eyes to keep the tears from falling. He had no doubt Navir would destroy Martin’s character. Not only that, with how thorough Navir always was in his studying, there was a chance he might find out Inessa was his daughter. He found himself back in the position where he would literally do anything to keep Inessa from figuring out the secret. Martin hit the bars of his cell. “Damn you, Navir.”
“World peace is too valuable. I will toss you aside if you don’t think so,” Navir said.
“And do you honestly think this will bring you the peace you want?” Martin asked, his hands wringing the bars.
“The only peace is through God’s way.”
“You mean your way,” Martin said.
“They are one and the same.”
Martin moved away from the window, feeling nauseous. Navir had him right back where he wanted him. Martin was just one voice. One powerful voice against three equally powerful voices. And he had a dark secret he could never let the other three figure out. This would destroy Inessa almost as badly as Fadrique’s unfounded rumor of her having sex with women.
The simple matter was, Tolomon was right. When the High Elders get pushed, for some dangerous reason, Navir pushed back with all the power of hell.
***
Indenuel was hugging Inessa, trying to comfort her. He wasn’t great at words of comfort, and considering he was still trying to process what happened, he simply resorted to hugging her, rubbing her back as Tolomon paced the sitting room. Matteo, Emilia, and Isla were playing in the small nursery room. Indenuel asked the servants to not let them know what happened, but Matteo wasn’t going to be fooled. Indenuel just wanted to make sure Inessa was in a better state of mind before they told the children what happened.
“Are we seriously just going to wait here?” Indenuel asked.
“A crowd is building right outside the gates,” Tolomon said, not looking at the window. “A crowd this large after what High Elder Navir said, I cannot let you two go anywhere today. Not even for a walk in the garden.”
“They wouldn’t try and kill her, would they?” Indenuel asked.
“I don’t think so. And since I’m not certain, you two are staying here. And no visitors, Pablo,” Tolomon said, right as Pablo opened the door.
“Oh, um… it’s Nathaniel and Adosina, sir,” Pablo said.
Tolomon gave a halfhearted nod. “Alright, those two are fine, but no one else.”
Pablo nodded before moving away for Nathaniel and Adosina to walk in. Adosina rushed right over to Inessa, taking over Indenuel’s job of hugging her. “Are you alright?”
“I’m not… I’ve never…”
“You don’t have to tell me. I know you’re not one of those flooders,” Adosina said.
“Flooders?” Indenuel asked.
“It’s what they’re calling them,” Adosina said.
“There’s no way people can believe those rumors. She’s married to me,” Indenuel said.
“Hate and fear are a dangerous combination. It doesn’t matter what they physically see,” Nathaniel said. Tolomon brushed a finger over Nathaniel’s hairline, coming back with blood. Nathaniel stared at it, frowning. “Thought I got it all wiped off before getting here.”
“You alright?” Tolomon asked.
Nathaniel pulled out a handkerchief, dabbing his hairline. “I’ve been through worse.”
“Tomorrow is the Sabbath. Navir’s going to give another sermon, I know it,” Indenuel said.
“My father will stop him. He already tried today. There is no way this will continue,” Nathaniel said.
“Exactly how well do you know your father?” Indenuel asked.
Nathaniel winced. “Not as well as I’d like, but we all saw him today. He’s going to stop it.”
Adosina kept rubbing Inessa’s arms. “Just stay away from the courts for a while. Alright? I’ll do my best to smooth things over at the social.”
“Yes, specifically focus on-” Tolomon stopped talking, a frown tugging at his mouth. He turned, then all at once he leapt over the couch straight for Inessa. Tolomon pushed Indenuel to the ground right as the glass shattered. Tolomon caught a rock, right in his palm. Adosina and Inessa screamed as Tolomon grunted, his wrist bending in an odd manner before he dropped the rock. Despite the possible broken wrist, Tolomon pulled out two swords. “All of you get to the nursery. There are no windows there. Nathaniel, take care of them until I get back.”
Nathaniel nodded, helping Indenuel to his feet as Tolomon leapt out the broken window. The moment Indenuel was on his feet, he went to Inessa, who was shaking.
“Are you alright?” he asked.
Inessa did nothing, still in a state of surprise. Nathaniel ushered them into the nursery, talking to Pablo on the way there, requesting more military for backup and to try not to cause a stir.
Adosina and Inessa hardly made it through the door of the nursery when the back door was thrown open and Tolomon walked in, dragging a man behind him. The man was trying to break out of Tolomon’s grip, but it was impossible.
“This man threw a rock at Inessa, wife of Indenuel,” Tolomon said.
“She was hugging a girl! She’s clearly a flooder!”
“Are you seriously suggesting we make women hugging other women a killable offense?” Tolomon asked.
“For the likes of her, yes,” the man sneered.
“‘The likes of her’ also happens to also be the wife of the most powerful person in the world. I’d be careful the slander you use in front of him. Believe us all when we say she is not who you think she is,” Tolomon said.
The man paused, then glanced at Indenuel who had his arms folded, glaring at the man. Nathaniel placed his hand on Indenuel’s shoulder, as though that would somehow take the anger away.
Two guards came through the door and Tolomon handed the man over.
Emilia ran toward Indenuel, and he picked her up, hugging her. “Are they going to try and burn down the house again?” Emilia whispered.
Indenuel felt the anger burning deep inside him, even as he tried to quell it. The High Elders had become like the bullies of his village.
“I swear to you, they will never hurt you,” Indenuel said as the man was being dragged away.
Nathaniel reached over, touching Tolomon’s wrist and healing it quickly. Tolomon nodded his thanks, stretching his fingers. "Indenuel, I would only ask if it was necessary. For tonight, I need to sleep in the same room as you and Inessa. Just to be sure.”
Indenuel nodded, holding Emilia closer. “Please do.”