Some Thing Called Myself (Complete)

LV: Something Wrong

Ch. 55: Something Wrong

The distant hum of conversation built pressure on Mara's eardrums even before the words reached her. Even so, it was their meaning that gave her pause.

"What do you mean Elena changed her mind?" someone growled. The voice was deep, harsh, and familiar. "We need her to access the reservoir. We need two Directors to open the gate; there's no other way!"

"She'll come around. And keep it down, Commander." Another voice. Jano's.

"There's no one here, Januário. And even if there was, what are they gonna do? You're the fucking Director, blessed by Kerana's child themself."

Mara's muscles tensed; at her side, Beh mumbled a confused curse or a question; she didn't know. There was a small scuffle just outside the bathroom—the sound of someone grabbing onto cloth and pushing a body against the wall. Mara was glad she hadn't turned the lights on; she suspected she wouldn't be listening to this...conversation otherwise. Beh started toward the door with a frown, but Mara stopped him. She covered his mouth with a hand and pressed her forefinger on her lips, asking for silence. He wouldn't see the gesture in the dark, but he must've understood it because he nodded.

"Shut the fuck up, Commander," Jano growled. "You almost ruined everything because of that damned fish. I told you to kill him decades ago—if you had listened to me, I wouldn't need to be the Director again."

Mara's eyebrows twitched. No. This...this couldn't be Jano. Jano didn't speak like that.

"Spare me of this ridiculous show of violence, Januário." Commander Carlos huffed and shoved him away. "I did what I had to do to avoid a war with those damned mermaids—or do you really think they'd be quiet in their puddles if we had killed the King?" Commander Carlos stepped forward and adjusted his suit. "Besides, Iara accepted the deal, didn't she? Keeping him here worked perfectly for what we wanted."

"Well, it's not working anymore." Jano huffed and gestured to his right. "And we only managed to convince Iara by the skin of our teeth. We're lucky she's so attached to her father. Any other mermaid would've sacrificed their entire families to keep a territory this large."

If Beh was drunk before, now he seemed very much sober; his face frowned in concentration while Mara's eyes widened. He and Mara sneaked forward to better see Jano and Commander Carlos through the narrow gap in the door. Mara's brain reeled. It really was Jano.

Commander Carlos clicked his tongue and started walking again. "Which is why you're the Director again, isn't it? To solve this type of situation. And to force Elena to fulfill her part of the deal if necessary. We can't leave anything to chance."

"I told you she'll come around to...wait." The steps paused. Silence stretched.

"What now, Januário?"

Jano was silent for a moment. "I...think I feel someone listening."

"Flesh?"

"Beyond-flesh."

"For the Goddess." Commander Carlos sighed. "Might be the King again. Goddess knows how he keeps doing this. Just...do the thing, and let's keep going. Cause with or without Elena's help, if we really want this to work, we'll have to act now. I think—"

Their voices died out in the distance, and Mara let out a breathless curse. For a second, her muscles were too tense, and her heart beat too loudly. She ordered her ears to sharpen and her legs to move, but they refused. Or...she refused. She wasn't sure anymore. All she knew was the gradual way in which her heart beat louder in her ears.