Murmurs of Deceit

Prologue

EMBER’S POV

I wake up to the quiet sound of rain hitting the building that surrounds me. It is mid morning, and all is quiet. This is the time of day I like best; a time where I can be alone, where I can be sure to leave and have peace where nobody on the compound will miss me.

I slide out of bed in my familiar routine, change my clothes; slip a thin rain coat on for the rain. I don’t turn on any lights, but I lock the door, and pad down the hallway. Some of the doors are open, and the people lie still on the beds. Their faces free of the sinister sneers, smirks, and grimaces that usually occupy them. A blank slate. A picture of innocence. If only that weren’t so far from the truth.

Once outside, my eyes fleet their familiar course to check for signs of activity. But the other “houses” are still, as always. Of course we once had individual homes and real character to our village. Now we live in prison; in close confinement for our own safety. The war has been worse this year. We have had to live like this many times before, especially when we move to allow soldiers to have a battlefield closer to home. But this time is so much worse.

Lost in my thought, I have traveled to the chink in the fence I have mastered crawling through over the last year. When I slide under, a woman is sitting on a boulder waiting for me. Someone I have known for a very long time. She looks at me and smiles, and I feel comforted just to see her face.

“Ember,” She says, “I have something to tell you.”

My heart flutters for a second. Could this be it? Could there finally be a breakthrough for the better in the war? I can feel my eyes widening before my moment of excitement ends. I trust Aziza to always have something good to tell me, but for there to be any improvement in the war is hopeless.

Humour enters her gaze as she sees my excitement, and she chuckles lightly before continuing on to say, "From word around the village, apparently they've caught wind of where He is staying." Her lip curled at the mention of Him, the reason for the monstrosity that had caused us to all scatter around to broken towns placed sporadically around the world in hopes that He wouldn't find us. I could feel my own eyes narrow in disgust at the thought of such a horrendous person, and at what heinous acts He had committed.

“I thought most of them don’t believe he exists?” I say, tossing my long auburn hair behind my back and shifting my position.

“The ones who do. That’s just what they’re saying anyways.” Aziza flashed me a grin. “I don’t know where it’s coming from, but I plan to find out before the meeting.”

Right, the meeting. How could I forget about that? Aziza and I look forward to them every week. They might be a little dry with the usual sputtering between our groups on what should be allowed and what shouldn’t with us living in close proximity... but they keep us in the inner circle. We learn everything we need to know there, and get to discuss Him with the leaders. Being elder in both communities, we have enough power and respect to be trusted.

I smile brilliantly at my friend, feeling oddly hopeful. “Maybe they’ll let us follow the leads tonight, if you can con the information out of your people. I need out of here.”

Aziza’s smile suddenly drops. Her brows are furrowed and she looks like she’s thinking intensely. Her eyes seem to be fixed on a spot on the ground.

“What is it?” I say

“We can’t be all happy like this later. They’ll think something’s up. Even Curran and Amar think we’re only doing this out of duty to the truth. If they see us friendly even for a second, everything could be over.”

          I nod. Of course, I know that Curran and Amar know Aziza and I were friends when both communities were, but they’d rather keep up the appearances of hate than disrupt the delicate balance between the people.  Aziza and I are both silent, thinking of what this will mean. It’s emotionally exhausting pretending that you’d murder your best friend at the flip of the dime. But it’s something we’ve had to do for centuries.

I look at the sun, and it is higher in the sky. Usually I stay with Aziza until at least midday, but today, I’m exhausted. I start to rise when Aziza leans forward and pushes me back, restraining me with a hand. Her nails are starting to dig into me, and I can tell that she’s fighting her instincts. She may be small, but she’s powerful. And I know better than to speak, so I look around and listen intently and wait.

There’s barely a rustle in the woods before a man walks stealthily out of the shadows. Graceful, and predatory at the same time, the man barely grimaces when the sun meets the rest of his body. I don’t have to think about whom it is, and immediately, I pull myself harshly out of Aziza’s grasp and dive under the whole in the fence.

Curran in standing there to meet me, and coolly offers a hand up. He doesn’t look to me for an explanation; he looks to Aziza who is pacing behind the fence.

“I couldn’t sleep, so I was just sitting here on the boulder, “She gestures behind her, “When she shows up, wanting to talk about some of the issues from last week’s meeting. I invited her over to talk face to face. The bitch was going to actually insult me from behind a fence.” Aziza glares at me for emphasis.

I work hard to make my face blank, but it doesn’t matter. Curran looks deadly. His black eyes bore into mine and he speaks, enunciating every syllable with an obvious threat to his tone. “If I ever catch you pulling a stunt like that again, you’re going to be sorry Ember.”

And despite his appearance—despite him looking like some 20-something band member—I know his true age, his true power. And I am intimidated into silence, unable to think of a witty reply. I turn around and walk swiftly back to the compound, fighting the urge to look back at Aziza.

My last thought before I fall asleep back in my room is due to the shame I feel from my fear of Curran after all this time, and what would make it all better; Can’t this goddamned war be over already?