In Fledgling Whispers *COMPLETE* (Book 3 of the Transition of Pinn)

Planning (Chapter 5)

Dunn:

"Did you know about the riots?" Hertilz stops pacing to accuse me.

"I told you, I'm not privy to the High Priest's actions" I respond.

"She has to be fucking be there!" he explodes not even responding to my remark. He crashes down onto the yellow couch burying his face into his hands. I look around and I'm not the only one eyeing him with caution.

Damn my uncle for picking this Pinn. Why isn't my uncle here anyway? Goddess knows this is just a risky waste of time.

"I need to go-"I begin.

"We need a plan for the hearings" Barbin interrupts as he turns away from his friend breaking down on the couch. Now they need a plan? We had a plan and Hertilz decided he couldn't wait anymore.

But I'm not rash, "I provided the Senator with everything I have, anything else will take time"

"More would be better. We need a strategy and for that, we need all the information we can get." Barbin responds rubbing his temple.

I don't really want to discuss strategy, that is more my uncle's thing. I want to give them the information and then they just do their part of the job. I am also uncomfortable with how brazenly they approached me right outside the temple, "Well, the Senator should've thought of that. Look, I need to go. I have things to do and people will miss me."

Barbin frowns.

"Do you think the hearings will spill over into the election?" Barbin's man, what was his name? Alex, asks from the other side of the room. He has been standing next to James chatting about something while the rest of us have been talking.

There is silence for a moment before Barbin responds, "Nah, that's months away"

They begin debating the length of the hearings and the likelihood of it influencing the election. I stay out of it. I wasn't aware elections were coming up this year. The goddess knows I keep out of that stuff as much as I can.

The topic then turns to strategy. Again something I'm not familiar with- which senator should do what? Who to be wary of, etc., etc. I should probably be more aware of senate dynamics since my uncle is a senator, but it's not my thing and so I just let their talking wash over me as I think about my meeting earlier with the High Priest.

I lean against the wall. I wonder if the High Priest is watching me as well. Goddess knows, he has no reason to suspect me of betraying him... I'm not in the inner circle, but I keep my head down and my nose clean. I know I'm known as the boring priest who does his duty without complaint, my real risk of exposure is someone seeing me around town with these idiots.

"More witnesses would be good, maybe more abused women. Sad stories will sell it to the papers" James pipes up from next to Alex.

I jerk up my head when I realize he is talking to me. I blink a few times and realize there isn't much for me to say so I simply nod before adding, "I need to go. I'll send you what I find when I find it"

Then without waiting for a response, I turn and open the door. I hear someone follow me out of the room and down the steps.

I should be more pissed, but I can't seem to work up the energy. Everything I have seen, all the risks I have taken, all the risks others have taken, all seem to be placed in doubt because a selfish Senator didn't have the patience for me to do my work. Yet at the same time, everything is so messed up all around me that I can't bother. I have been angry, but the goddess gave me these people as allies for a reason. And I won't lash back at the goddess' allies, so I need to leave. Leave before I say something regrettable.

I open the door to the street and go to take a step outside when I feel a hand on my shoulder. I turn my head to see Alex behind me "We'll be in touch"

I nod. I really hope they are smarter about approaching me next time, but I have my doubts. Maybe I need to discuss it with my uncle, scratch that, I definitely need to discuss it with my uncle. It's his plan after all.

I head back to the temple, my feet hitting the hard stone surface of the street and wrapping my arms around myself to keep warm. I need to start bringing my coat.

I look up towards the sky, it's late now and the sun is almost setting. My shift at the temple is almost over and there is no real point in heading there. No, tomorrow I will tell them that my meeting with the High Priest was longer than expected, no one will doubt that.

My feet change directions and I start heading home to the Ginham district in the west of the city. It's a middle-class district with small townhouses and comfortable apartments, the main street filled with shops and a weekend market. The streets are lined with small shrubs and the streets are generally clean. I moved here last year after deciding it was time to rent a proper apartment.

I push open the red front door of my building and walk the few steps to my door. I twist the key and I'm inside.

It smells like home and... lilacs? What has that girl done this time?

****

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Happy reading!

Heather