Chapter 6 Areana
AREANA
Areana settled deeper into the plush cushions of her couch, a cup of jasmine tea balanced in her hands.
The television flickered with some action movie.
The explosions and car chases would have normally provided mindless entertainment, but her thoughts kept drifting to Wednesday's approaching call with Annani.
The movie's protagonist was currently dangling from a helicopter, which reminded Areana of Carol's escape.
That had been real drama, real danger, executed with daring and skill that still amazed her.
The clan's operative had infiltrated the island posing as the girlfriend of a powerful arms dealer who had been coerced into helping the clan.
They'd staged a fight, he'd left the island without paying his bill, and had suggested to Navuh that his disgruntled girlfriend would pay for it with her services.
Since Carol faked having to wear an insulin pump, she couldn't serve in the brothel and had been sent to serve in the harem instead, which was how it had been planned.
Areana shuddered to think about all the ways that ruse could have gone wrong.
Carol could have been sent to work in the hotel as a maid, or whatever other job they could have found for her.
Unless the arms dealer had requested that she be put in the harem specifically, but Areana couldn't imagine why Navuh would have agreed to that.
When the time came for extraction, she and Tula had helped Carol stage an elaborate suicide because of her supposed heartbreak over the arms dealer's abandonment.
Everyone had believed that the tragic servant had thrown herself off the cliff in despair.
In reality, she'd clung to the back of the clan's shrouder, and he had lowered the two of them using the rope Okidu had attached to the rock face beforehand.
When they reached the bottom of the cliff, they donned scuba gear and used underwater scooters to get to a waiting submarine faster.
Rescuing one person had worked flawlessly, but how could they possibly manage it with four?
Areana took another sip of the tea, turning over the possibilities in her mind.
No one would believe four people had decided to commit suicide together.
Perhaps they could stage an accident? A portion of the cliff crumbling during an evening walk, all four tumbling to their deaths in a tragic mishap?
She shook her head. That would look super suspicious. The cliff edge had been solid for over a hundred years. Why would it start disintegrating now?
The earthquake, perhaps? It could have weakened it, created fissures in the rock. But they would need explosives to make that actually happen, and even if they could somehow get them, explosives left a residue that would be easy to detect.
The success of the operation depended on Navuh believing it was either an accident or a suicide. The clan's involvement had to remain a secret. If he suspected that they had a part in it, he'd also suspect her.
Suddenly, stealing Navuh's escape submarine seemed like an easier solution than asking for Annani's help.
Perhaps Elias could obtain the activation code from Navuh through a vision?
The movie continued playing, but Areana had lost track of the plot. The protagonist had somehow survived the helicopter incident and was now racing through narrow streets on a motorcycle. It was ridiculous, over the top, nothing like the elegant solution the clan had devised for Carol's extraction.
Perhaps Annani had people in her clan who specialized in such operations. They'd certainly proven their creativity with Carol's infiltration and extraction. Could they devise something equally clever for four people this time?
A knock at her door interrupted her circling thoughts.
"My lady," the guard's voice carried through the heavy wood. "Lady Tula requests permission to enter."
Areana clicked off the television and set her teacup down, smoothing her silk robe as she stood. "Let her in, please."
The door opened and Tula entered, looking pale and drawn. The guard pulled the door closed behind her.
"Tula, my dear." Areana crossed to her, taking her cold hands in hers. "Are you feeling okay?"
"I'm a little frazzled," Tula admitted. "Can you give me some of that calming tea you gave me on Friday? It helped so much."
The lie was transparent, but Areana played along, aware that even without surveillance cameras on this level, guards could overhear conversations through the doors.
"Of course, dear. Come, sit with me while I prepare it." She guided Tula to the couch. "You look exhausted. Did the pool tire you?"
"It did." Tula sank onto the cushions. "I haven't been sleeping well ever since the rebellion," she said loudly enough for the guard outside the door to hear. "I'm too agitated to fall asleep, and I wake in the middle of the night because of bad dreams."
"You poor dear." Areana gave her a pitying smile. "Wait here. I'll make us both some tea."
She walked into her private kitchen, a luxury afforded only to her and Navuh on this level. The maids typically handled all food preparation, but it was nice to have access to snacks, tea, and coffee.
As the electric kettle heated, she arranged a tray with two china cups and her special blend of calming herbs. From the refrigerator, she selected a variety of cheeses—soft brie, aged cheddar, and a mild goat cheese—and added clusters of red grapes and sliced pears.
The kettle clicked off, and Areana poured the hot water over the loose tea leaves in the porcelain pot, watching the steam rise and curl. She carried the laden tray back to the reception room, setting it carefully on the coffee table before resuming her seat beside Tula.
"We should let it steep for a few minutes," she said, arranging the cups. "Have some cheese while we wait."
Tula obediently took a small piece of brie and a few grapes, though Areana could see she had no appetite. They sat in silence for a moment, unspoken words between them.
Tula set her plate down. "I've been thinking about what Liliat said in regard to wanting to make her own choices and go on adventures."
Areana poured the tea, the familiar ritual helping to keep her calm. "And?"
Tula leaned closer to her and whispered in her ear, "Could you ask Annani to rescue all of the ladies?
" Her eyes were bright with a desperate hope that made Areana's chest ache.
"Liliat would come. I'm sure of it. And maybe if the others knew there was really a chance, a real opportunity for freedom, they might choose differently than they did with my hypothetical aliens. "
Areana set down the teapot. "Tula, my dear." She kept her voice so low that Tula had to lean closer to hear her. "Arranging a rescue for four people is going to be extraordinarily difficult. Perhaps impossible. Every additional person will exponentially increase the level of difficulty."
"But Carol—"
"Carol was one person," Areana interrupted.
"She staged a believable suicide. Think about it logically.
How would we explain four people disappearing at once?
No one would believe that you all decided to jump to your deaths together.
An accident would trigger an investigation that would unravel everything.
The clan's involvement cannot be revealed. "
Areana clicked the television on and raised the volume to muffle their voices. Thankfully, all the harem guards were human, with human-restricted hearing.
Tears welled in Tula's eyes. "I knew it. I knew it was hopeless. We're never getting off this island."
"That's not what I said." Areana took Tula's hand.
"I said it would be difficult, not impossible.
Annani has resources, clever people who've managed extraordinary feats before.
But we cannot complicate it further by trying to rescue everyone.
Even if the clan were to agree to such a massive operation, which they won't, the logistics would be insurmountable. "
"Would they refuse on principle? What if they can come up with something believable? Like aliens landing on the harem grounds and abducting all the beautiful ladies?"
Areana chuckled. "Yeah, I can see how that's believable.
But seriously, the clan is not powerful enough to directly confront the Brotherhood.
What you're suggesting would require an actual raid on the island, which would lead to a war with massive casualties on both sides.
The clan won't risk that. I won't risk it. "
Tula pulled her hand away, wrapping her arms around herself. "I hate leaving them behind. It feels like a betrayal."
"You're choosing your child," Areana said. "There's no betrayal in that. And since Tony is the father, he needs to go with you. Tamira and Elias risked everything to offer you a chance, so it's only fair to include them as well."
Tula nodded. "You are being so generous, and I'm repaying you with additional requests and complaints."
Areana patted her knee. "You are trying to save everyone, but life doesn't work like that. You always have to choose, and sometimes there are no good choices, just slightly less bad ones."
They sat in silence for a moment, sipping their tea. The cheese and fruit remained largely untouched between them.
"What about you?" Tula asked.
"What about me?"
"Don't you want to leave? Don't you want freedom?" Tula's eyes searched hers. "You could come with us. Annani is your sister. She'd move mountains to rescue you. The clan would risk everything for their leader's sister."