Moonhunter

Chapter 16 .:Nightmares:.

Chapter 16

.:Nightmares:.

            “Have you located the mole, yet, Kain?” The question was directed at Kain, but Darai was the one who answered.

            “Not yet, sir. We have some suspects, but—“

            The Elder who had spoken have him a fierce glare. “Manners, young R’mirr. It was not you to whom I spoke. The one in military command is Kain Allegrus. You are merely his subordinate.”

            Flushing madly, Darai looked down. “M… My apologies.”

            “He is my second-in-command,” Kain interjected eloquently. “I trust him with my life.”

            A second Elder cleared his throat. “That is not what we are here to discuss.” He turned to Kain. “We discovered that someone within our ranks has been divulging secrets. Since none of the villagers know anything about the barriers and so on, we assume it is from some of your people.”

            Kain stiffened. Some of your people? “Elaborate, please.”

            The first Elder gave him an icy stare. “Who else would it be? That Quincy girl.”

            Next to him, he could feel Darai’s temper beginning to rise. Quincy was an outsider; one of the few non-R’mirr Hybridus. That was the only reason why she was being targeted. As she was in charge of security within the military in Hybridea, she was an easy scapegoat.

            “She isn’t,” Darai insisted. “She works longer and harder than all of us! Why would she give that information away to the enemy?”

            The Elders didn’t look convinced.

            “Isn’t it a fact that her brother is one of the Harpoons?”

            “Yes, but—“

            The Elder who had spoken drew himself up. “We were against letting her into the village in the first place. It was on you and Kain’s insistency that we allowed her inside. It’s tradition for the Harpoons and Hybridus to be estranged as so.”

            “She wouldn’t—“

            “That is enough, Dragonmarr,” cut in the Elder. “You are here as a witness only. Do not speak out of turn.”

            “Quincy is one of us,” Kain said coldly. “If we mistrust one of our own, then as leaders of the village, we are failures.”

            That seemed to be the breaking point for most of the Elders. Four out of the six stood up. “Guards, lock them in the prison for now!”

            With hesitation it seemed, two guards started forward.

            “This isn’t a time to fight!” said the elder seated at the head of the table. “Kain is right. And you are right, Elder Amarr. We must work together to keep our village at peace. Sit down,” he commanded. His watchful eyes fell upon the guards. “Fall back.” The two guards stepped back gratefully.

            “My apologies, Elder Cavall,” said Kain, bowing his head. “I unknowingly—“

            “It’s quite alright,” Cavall replied, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. “I understand that you and Quincy are close friends.” He rested his hand on the table. “Explain the measures you have taken to find our mole.”