Chapter 42
Not once had Manu ever thought he would have to battle his own people.
He hadn’t wanted to believe the information Dain had shared with him, but it hadn’t taken long for him to realize just how many had joined Chanda.
With Dain’s, Jalall’s, Con’s, Rhi’s, Jai’s, and Arya’s help, he was able to locate and seize those loyal to her.
But it had taken hours. Weeding out others would take more time.
His perfect city was no more. Just over half the army and their families were involved.
Manu had never thought to mistrust his own people.
But the Masters were cunning in how they entrapped individuals to join them.
If Chanda hadn’t bragged to Inej, the city would be at war with itself. At least, that had been prevented.
But his actions had sent an outcry through the city. He had thought the hardest part had been arresting his people. But that had been nothing compared to gathering the rest and explaining what had happened.
He left out any mention of Con, Rhi, and the others, since he didn’t want that information getting back to the Masters. From now on, he would assume there was always at least one spy in his midst.
The only one unaccounted for was Chanda. Someone had gotten her out of Shaldorn. Whether she was alive or not remained to be seen. Regardless of whether Chanda was dead, whoever had taken her had likely seen who helped him and Inej. Their faces would make their way to the Masters.
He told his people about Chanda’s involvement with the Masters, her role in Inej’s kidnapping and Tahmine’s death, as well as the battle at Shaldorn that had resulted in the arrest of dozens of Navarans.
The only thing he had omitted were details about Inej being a spy.
As he expected, his people had questions.
They were scared and nervous and wanted him to calm them.
He answered their questions for two straight hours.
Surprisingly, no one had asked him to step aside and let someone else lead.
He had expected that.
Now, finally, he was headed to speak with Inej. He was both impatient and nervous.
Jalall fell into step with him as they walked toward his home. “You look like you could fall over.”
“We had to fight our own,” he murmured. “It never should have happened.”
Manu would never forget walking into the barracks and seeing a group of soldiers lined up waiting for him.
Had he not known they stood against him, they could’ve killed him.
As it was, a few lives had been lost. It had been a brutal, ugly skirmish, made worse because they were people he had trusted.
Jalall sighed. “That wasn’t your fault. None of this is.”
Manu grunted and looked to the side. Some had left the assembly, but there was still a large number of citizens who remained behind, talking among themselves. There would be more questions to come. But that was for tomorrow. He’d done his duty to the city and his people. It was time for him now.
“We’ll recover from this. We stopped Chanda,” Jalall said.
“For now. The Masters will take another run at us.”
They drew to a stop as they reached the house. Jalall faced him. “Then we’ll take precautions. I’ve sent messengers to the other tribes to warn them as you asked.”
Manu knew it was a stretch, alerting the other tribes.
Some might have already fallen to the Masters, but if even one hadn’t, it would be worth it.
The flipside to that was that he wanted the Masters to know he was aware of their plans.
Their attacks would hopefully be more direct now. Either way, he would be prepared.
He looked at the door that separated him from Inej.
Con had assured him that she was fine, but Manu wouldn’t truly believe it until he saw her for himself.
He hadn’t wanted Rhi to take him from her, but she hadn’t given him a choice.
Since he’d passed out right after she touched him, it was probably a good thing. He’d lost a lot of blood.
Arya and Jai would remain in the city for a short time.
Arya watched over the house, while Jai used his shadows to move about Navara to see if they could suss out more enemies.
The Mountain Elves had lived separately from the other races for too long.
If they were to defeat the Masters, things needed to change. It might as well start with him.
Jalall clapped him on the back. “You’ve been itching to talk to her for hours. What are you still doing out here with me?”
“She might tell me that she wants to leave,” Manu admitted.
Jalall shook his head. “That isn’t going to happen. But you won’t know that until you go inside.”
Manu hadn’t been afraid of much in his life, but he was scared of losing what he had found with Inej. He had to know that what was between them had been real. Because it had felt very, very real.
“Go on,” Jalall urged. “You two were meant to be together.”
Manu took a breath and grasped the handle, using magic to unlock the door. Then he stepped inside. The house was quiet and still. Maybe she was sleeping. He closed the door behind him, shutting out everything but Inej, him, and the words he had to say.
Manu quietly strode through the house, checking her room and the bathing room before finally finding her in the kitchen.
She leaned a hip against the counter, her gaze on the floor as she stared off into space.
He wondered what she was thinking. She’d been left alone with no one to answer the many questions she undoubtedly had.
He drank in the sight of her for several moments.
Her stunning hair hung freely down her back, while a gown of golden yellow skimmed her curves before falling to her ankles.
She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.
From the moment of her arrival, his world had been turned upside down.
And yet, he wouldn’t want it any other way. Because he had met her. Known her.
Loved her.
Chanda’s words about Inej’s purpose in Navara echoed in his head.
Inej hadn’t denied it, but he needed to hear the truth from her lips.
All of it. No matter how painful it might be.
He’d already forgiven her, which was something he would tell her soon.
She’d had chances to end his life, but she hadn’t taken them.
Maybe she would have in the future. Maybe she wouldn’t have.
Suddenly, Inej blinked and looked up, then froze at the sight of him. Her face tightened, worry clouding her eyes. He wanted to pull her into his arms and kiss away her fears, but he remained in the doorway. If he touched her now, they wouldn’t talk. And they needed to clear the air.
“I wondered when you would come,” she said.
He leaned his shoulder against the doorjamb. “I’ve been dealing with those who joined Chanda. If you hadn’t shared that information, I’m not sure I’d be standing here now.”
“You stopped them, then?”
“The majority of them, I believe. I’m sure there are more. There will always be more.”
Inej’s gaze darted away for a heartbeat. “You’ve come for the truth.”
“I have.” The sooner they got this out in the open and discussed it, the sooner he could learn her wishes. And if she felt anything for him.
“I think I need to sit down for this,” she said.
He moved to the side, clearing a path for her to walk. “Of course.”
She glided past him, far enough away that they wouldn’t touch. It was like a knife in his heart, but he didn’t let it show. Manu was surprised when she chose the dining room. Though, it seemed to be their place for discussions. They took their seats and looked across the table at each other.
“I don’t know where to start,” she admitted.
He rested his hands atop the table. “How about the beginning?”
“All right.” She licked her lips and swallowed.
“There are some humans who, while not wealthy, make a decent living. That was my family until I was three. I don’t remember any of it, but my mother used to tell me about how things were easier.
Then my father walked out on us. She could no longer afford the house, so we were kicked out.
We stayed with friends for a short while until Mum found work washing dishes at a restaurant.
Her hours were long, and the pay barely covered the rent for our little place, but we had a home.
She scraped the leftover food from the plates and brought it back for us to eat.
Many times, there was only enough for me. ”
Manu knew Inej wouldn’t want his pity, so he remained silent and listened.
Inej shrugged. “We may not have had much, but we had each other. I got my first job when I was eight, and Mum used any free time to teach me. As I got older, she pushed me to find better jobs. That was how I got into cleaning. The pay was marginally better, and with that extra income, we could finally move somewhere better. Then she got sick. Before I realized how serious it was, she was gone.”
“I’m sorry,” he said.
Her gaze dropped to the table. “She didn’t suffer, and I’m thankful for that. We took care of each other. It was us against the world. After she was gone, I had no choice but to continue on. It isn’t that I can’t make friends. It’s more…well, that I never wanted them.”
“You didn’t want to get close to someone and lose them again.”