The Final Strife

Jond swaggered out of the shadows. Sylah’s eyes went wide.

“What are you doing here?” she hissed at him. For a moment he looked guilty, but it was washed away with the same vacant look she’d seen on many Gummers. She laughed harshly. “Is this because I rejected you? You get mixed up with Loot? Seriously, Jond. I haven’t got time for this.”

Sylah began to stand, but Loot kicked her down. She lay spread-eagled from shock. How dare he? She tried again; this time Loot nodded for Fayl to restrain her. She let him. Although she could take Fayl, with Jond’s allegiance thrown into question, she wasn’t sure she could take them both.

“When you first came to me about your little project, I was angry. How stupid could one of the Stolen be to tell the Warden of Crime that you were an Ember? Stupider still to drag Jond into it.”

Jond was indeed hanging his head in shame.

“Then I saw an opportunity. Fayl always tells me I’m an opportunist, you see, and it’s true. I knew I would need you to do something for me in the future.” He shone his torch into Sylah’s eyes. “See, my friend over there had been filling me in on your little relationship with Anoor Elsari. Now she’s in the way, and I need you to get rid of her.”

Sylah couldn’t take in what was happening. Jond was a spy for Loot? He had told him about the Stolen?

Wait. No.

No. No. No. No.

“You’re the leader of the Sandstorm,” Sylah whispered up into the gleaming whites of his teeth.

Loot bowed.

“Pleased to finally meet you, Sylah.”

—

Sylah was still as if each muscle were held down by the weight of the truth. Jond never saw her look so helpless. If he dug deep enough through his guilt, there was a small feeling of satisfaction. Her words still stung.

Master Inansi, or Loot, as Sylah knew him, was talking again.

“I’ve been watching you for a very long time. The Ring? That was my way of keeping you trained. All those apprenticeships in the Dredge? Organized by me. Do you think the Sandstorm would just let you disappear? People gave up their children for you.”

Master Inansi was furious, his mouth twisted into a sinister smile that promised pain. He spat on the floor by Sylah’s feet. She still hadn’t moved. “Still, you disobeyed me. You drowned your self-pity in drugs and then got yourself captured.”

He patted her on the cheek, and she flinched.

“But it worked out well in the end, didn’t it? You managed to get a position in the Keep, close enough to steal a journal I’ve been wanting for a very long time. And you sidled up close to the Duster decoy, who we’ve been watching for a long time too, maybe a little too close, eh?” He stood up and brushed himself off. “It amused me to have a Duster living right under their noses for so long, but no more. Now little Miss Elsari is a threat and you, my dear, need to get rid of her. She is the only unfinished story and you know how I like my stories.” The spider brooch on his lapel seemed to wink in the runelight.

“What about the others?” Sylah asked.

Was Sylah buying time? Jond watched her muscles begin to clench.

“Efie’s grandfather owes me a favor, and Yanis, we have a plan for him, one of my favorite potions.”

“Watch out—” Jond rushed in just in time for Sylah to launch at Master Inansi. Jond held her across the chest, Fayl holding back her legs. The look she gave Jond was worse than anything he could have imagined.

Master Inansi chuckled, having not moved from her attempted attack. But for dramatic effect he picked off a piece of invisible dirt on his lapels. The master loved his theatrics.

“Why?” Sylah croaked as she bucked against Jond’s arms.

“Isn’t it obvious? She’s a Duster with an Ember’s heart, and that just won’t do. I like control, Sylah, and she is the tidewind. Impossible to harness.”

“Why don’t you bring her into the Sandstorm, teach her your ways? She wants to help.” Sylah was almost pleading.

“She won’t be seen as an equal among the nobility.” Loot smiled. “We need a clear path to victory for Jond. At one time I thought it might have been you…but no matter.”

Jond flinched.

“So I’m afraid she’s just got to go.”