Pomavar unrolled a map on the table and jabbed his finger at a spot. “Is this rebel hideout you were talking about?”
I lifted my head just enough to catch a glimpse. There was a small red X on the map. The location looked right. “Yes, that could be it.”
Pomavar’s eyes narrowed at me. “We already knew about this location. It was abandoned months ago. Aren’t you just trying to throw me off with old information?”
I shook my head. “No, we knew it was abandoned. That’s why we chose it. The rebels refused to help us. Said we were drawing too much attention.” I traced a vague circle in the jungle based on where the airship could have been. “The airship was farther from the town, I’m pretty sure. We hiked a long time through the jungle, although they said it was only a few miles.”
Pomavar pulled out a pencil and marked the area, then took the map back. “I’ll send someone to go look.” He looked down at me with contempt. “It was easy enough to pry the information out of you, but I think I’ll wait for the rest until we arrive. In the meantime, I’ll let you consider what could happen if you try to hide anything else.”
With a final smirk, he left the room. The lock clicked into place on the door.
I lay down on the bench and cradled my aching head. How did he have so much power? What was I going to do if Rennu tortured me for information? Giving myself up was turning into a horrible mistake.
Pomavar didn’t handcuff me when he let me out of the room, but there was an armed soldier on either side of us as he escorted me off the airship. That’s fine. I didn’t plan on trying anything—yet. I just followed his lead and watched every detail.
He didn’t take me through the streets, so I didn’t get to see any of the city that used to be my home. Just outside the airship hangar, he opened a door that looked like it led into the nearest building, but inside, there were only stairs going down below ground level. I knew there were hidden tunnels between the R&D buildings and the temple, but I hadn’t expected them to reach all the way out here to the docks. Rennu must have many secrets to protect.
I tried to keep track of the turnings, but we didn’t get far when the underground tunnel opened up to reveal a long passage with a track stretching off into the darkness. There was a small metal steam engine attached to a car waiting for us. I gaped at it, unable to hide my surprise. Was there room for a train in the capital? If they had a railway underground, why not let everyone use it?
Pomavar and his soldiers led me inside the passenger car. The train sped off down the dark tunnel. There were no windows, so I couldn’t see where we were going. With nothing else to do, I sat back and waited.
The train slowed to a stop. Soldiers led me through another maze of tunnels. Were we going to another jail, some secret office or workshop in the R&D complex, or just a blank room?
Pomavar paused at the top of a set of stairs and gestured to the soldiers. “I think I can handle her from here.” He unlocked a door and pointed out.
Fresh air filled my lungs as I stepped outside. The sky was dark, but there were plenty of sunstone lamps overhead. We were back on street level in a fancy neighborhood. Each building around us looked like a single house, and there were lush gardens with stone walls between them, giving each one a little area of privacy. My eyes widened at the amount of space. Only the highest-ranked officials could afford to live here.
Pomavar led me around a wall and took me up to the side entrance of one of the largest houses. The door swung open and my eyes widened.
A mechanical figure stood in the doorway, the size and shape of a large man. I dropped into a defensive fighting stance.
The figure moved jerkily as its gears turned, sweeping its arm out and stepping back. I saw the opening and lunged forward, preparing to kick its legs out.
Pomavar yanked me back with inhuman strength and set me down, laughing and shaking his head. “Are you afraid of such a harmless little contraption?” He gestured to the mechanical figure which was bowing in a submissive gesture. “This is just the butler. An early prototype in autonomous machines, so it can only perform a few functions, none of which include combat.”
My hands were shaking with fear and rage. I folded my arms to hide my reaction and glared up at him. “I’ve learned the hard way not to trust any of Rennu’s creations.”
He looked me over. “Yes, I suppose so. And yet, you didn’t use any magic. Perhaps it’s true that all of your power is gone.”
“I told you it was gone.”
Pomavar tapped his metallic legs. “I’ve learned the hard way not to trust any rebels when they claim to be unarmed.”
Before I could ask him what he meant, he strode into the house and the butler robot beckoned for me to follow.
I glanced back over my shoulder, but there was no sign of soldiers.This could be a chance to escape. But where would I go? I was marked as a wanted criminal throughout the city, I couldn’t go back to my old place at the temple, and I doubted anyone I used to know would help me. And I still hadn’t seen Nexita. I took a deep breath and stepped inside.
The interior was even more ornate. Everywhere I looked, I was overwhelmed with rich velvet draping, polished brass fixtures, and carved wooden panels. In a city of brick and metal, wood stood out.
I didn’t have time to look around as Pomavar strode through. I had to scramble to follow him. He led me up two flights of stairs and into a lavish bedroom.
He gestured with one hand to a copper bathtub full of steaming water and toward the bed with the other. “I thought you’d feel better after a good wash.” He sneered at my filthy clothing, which I’d worn for two days including my overnight stay in jail. “There’re clean things on the bed.”
I stared at the sudden luxury. I’d expected to be locked in another tiny room with maybe some water and a crust of bread. “All this is for me?”
Pomavar flashed me a smile. “Don’t take too long. Dinner is almost ready, and the minister is waiting for you.” He closed the door, and the click of the lock echoed behind him.
I waited to make sure I was alone, then scanned the room. The doorknob didn’t turn, so I was still locked in. There were heavy curtains draped along the walls, but none of them revealed other doors or windows when I pushed them aside. The furniture looked more decorative than functional—the four-poster bed was large enough to hold at least three people, the shelves held pottery instead of books, and there were several side tables filled with more useless clutter. Behind the bathtub, there was a vanity table with a huge mirror, reflecting my bedraggled self.
The hot bath called to me. I hadn’t had a proper bath since we’d escaped the city, and my muscles ached from uncomfortable traveling. Scented soaps and soft towels waited next to the tub. I longed to sink into the water and let it wash away all the hardships I’d endured.
But I couldn’t relax now. Pomavar hinted that I’d see Rennu at dinner, and I had to steel myself against that confrontation. I scrubbed myself clean, ignoring the sting of my scrapes, and wrapped up in the towels.
I turned toward the enormous four-poster bed that took up half of the room. It was covered in pillows and brightly colored blankets, but when I looked closer, I found a pile of neatly folded clothing on one corner.
Under the clean stockings, petticoats, and underclothes, there were three different frocks—one a pale pink with frills, one white and frothy with ribbons and lace, and one a somber blue. I guess I was allowed to choose. I pulled on the blue frock, because it was the least fussy. I took a wooden comb from the vanity and untangled my curls. There was a drawer full of hair accessories, so I picked a matching blue ribbon and tied my hair back.
I was just slipping into my shoes when there was a knock.
“Are you ready?” Pomavar called from outside.
I glanced at the mirror a final time. It didn’t matter how I looked, but I was nervous and fidgety. “Yes,” I called back.
The lock turned, and the door swung open. Pomavar stood in the doorway, looking me
over. “I suppose this was the best you could do quickly. Next time, I could have a servant assist you with your appearance.”
My eyes narrowed. “If the other servants are like the butler, then no thanks.”
“Suit yourself.” He shrugged and turned away. “Come along.”
I followed him back down to the second floor. Another robot opened a set of heavy wooden double doors. We stepped into a formal dining room with a long table, large enough to seat at least twenty people, but there were only a few places set at the far end.
Pomavar stopped just inside the room and bowed. “Here she is, as promised.”
Minister Rennu stood up from the head of the table and smiled at me. “Welcome, Riwenne. I’m so glad you finally joined us.” He gestured to a figure hunched over in the seat beside him. “Both of my children together in my home at last.”
My breath caught, and I took another step forward. Could it really be her?
Nexita lifted her head and glowered at me.
9
Reunion
I rushed over to her side. “Nex, I’m so glad to see you! Are you alright?”
She sneered at me and lifted her mechanical left arm. “No thanks to you and your friends.” She rolled back her sleeve and showed me a deep scorch mark in the metal casing. “Wasn’t it enough I sacrificed my original arm to save you?”
I stared at the burn. It must have come from one of Kyra’s arrows—a strike from Amena’s grenades could’ve destroyed the entire mechanism. “I—I’m sorry,” I stammered out. “They were just defending our ship. You attacked us first.”
Nexita shoved back her chair and jumped to her feet, standing threateningly close to me. “Your ship? You mean the airship you stole when you ran away like a coward? You’re the one on the attack, destroying this city’s defenses and stealing from innocent mainlanders. I have a duty to bring in a bunch of dangerous criminals.”
A red light flashed inside her artificial arm. I looked down, trying to see the crystal inside the mechanism, but the upper portion of her sleeve covered it. “How did you get so much power, Nex?” I said, reaching out to touch her. “Please, tell me this isn’t what I think.”
“Now, girls.” Rennu stepped forward and restrained us. “This isn’t the time to fight. Riwenne has rejoined our family, so we should work on forgiving her past mistakes.”
Nexita looked up at him and her face softened. “Yes, Father.” She glanced at me, then away. “It may take some time to rebuild my trust in her.”
Rennu squeezed my shoulder and then released me. “That’s true for all of us, but that’s why we’re here—to build trust, as a family.” He nodded to Pomavar. “Thank you for bringing her back safely. Will you join us for dinner?”
Pomavar bowed his head again. “Thank you, Minister, but I have other plans. I wouldn’t want to intrude on this personal occasion.” He shot me a look I couldn’t read.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Rennu said with a smile, then turned back to us. He pulled out the chair beside Nexita’s for me. “Why don’t you sisters sit together and catch up?”
I snuck a glance at her as I sat down, but she wasn’t looking at me. I’d come all this way to talk, but now I didn’t know what to say. She seemed so angry—so different from the best friend I’d grown up with. How could everything have changed so fast?
Rennu looked at us as the silence stretched out. “Well, maybe some food will set us at ease. You must be starving, my dear, if you were resorting to petty theft.” He smiled, but I turned away, hiding my embarrassment. He resumed his place at the head of the table and pushed a button attached to his seat. A whirring noise came from somewhere in the walls.
I looked around for more robotic servants. A panel slid open and a mechanical arm extended into the room, carrying a tray full of dishes. I stared as it placed the tray on the table and folded back into the wall. The contraption looked like something from one of R&D’s factories, but moved with a precision that I’d only seen in the beast-like monsters we fought.
I turned back and found him watching me with interest. So creepy. I cleared my throat, trying to shake off the feeling. “Why do you bother with these machines to open your door and bring you food? Wouldn’t it be easier to hire human servants?”
“I value my privacy,” Rennu said with a shrug. “These machines can’t gossip about the late hours I spend working, or question the sudden appearance of young girls on my doorstep. I have some human servants—though I try to keep my interactions with them at a minimum. I haven’t built a robot that can cook with anything like human skill.”
He uncovered the dishes with a flourish.
Mouth-watering aromas filled the air. A large earthenware pot bubbled with a thick stew of yellow oyokito tubers and cured llama meat, and a smaller stone bowl held steaming rice. There was a whole basket of fresh fruit and another of fried flatbreads. Side dishes held a variety of vegetables that were spiced, pickled, fried or grilled. The spread was like a holiday feast, but there were only three of us. I doubted that even if Pomavar had stayed, he could help us finish the meal.
My stomach rumbled at the delicious food, but I kept my hands folded in my lap. I would not let him win me over with one good meal.
Nexita picked up my plate and spooned food onto it. “Come on, I know you’re always starving. You’ve got to eat at least one of these vegetables if you want any dessert.”
That was so like the old Nex, I couldn’t say anything to stop her. I accepted the plate from her and took a bite. The stew was spicy, but she’d poured it on top of the rice, which helped to cool down the heat of the chili peppers. And once I’d tasted it, my body took over. I dug into the heaping plate, mixing the vegetables in with the meat.
Rennu beamed at me over his own dinner. “Good, good.” He winked at Nexita. “Your sister here gave the cook a list of your favorite desserts, so I’m sure there will be something tasty to follow. This is a special dinner, and we wanted to make sure you’d enjoy it.”
I glanced at Nex. “Really? You went to all this trouble for me?” I looked down at my plate. “Pomavar made it sound like you would throw me in a cell and torture me for information.”
Rennu laughed. “Well, he has a flair for the dramatic.” He reached across the table and patted my hand. “But I want you to feel at home. We can worry about what comes next after you’ve settled in.”
I flinched but forced myself not to pull away from his touch. I had no intention of staying here, but I couldn’t let him suspect anything or he would lock me up for sure. I had to endure this until I could speak to Nex alone.
I kept my fake smile through dinner and choked down dessert. Rennu made light-hearted conversation that I tried to answer back the same, but Nexita was quiet and brooding for the whole meal.
At last I couldn’t eat another bite. I reached for the empty dishes to help clear them away, but Rennu waved me off.
“Don’t worry about that,” he said. “I’m sure you must be tired after your long journey. Nexita, why don’t you take your sister to her room and make sure she’s comfortable?”
Nexita rose without a comment, but I could tell by her stiffness that she didn’t want to go.
I thought about letting her off the hook for tonight, but I didn’t know when I’d get another chance. I jumped to my feet before she could make an excuse and flashed an extra-large smile at Rennu. “That would be great, I’m sure I’d get lost trying to find my way around this huge house. Thank you for the delicious dinner and—and bringing me here!”
I could hear how awful my voice sounded. There was no way anyone could believe I was happy to be forced to come back. But Rennu just smiled and put his hand on mine.
“We are both thrilled to have you here, my dear, sweet girl. I look forward to working with you.” He leaned back in his chair and gazed at us with an appraising look. “I know the three of us will accomplish great things together.”
I glanced at Nex. She didn’t react to his statement, just t
urned and left the room. I said good night to Rennu and hurried to follow her.
Nexita was halfway down the hallway when I came out of the dining room. I rushed to catch up and grabbed her right arm, the one that wasn’t metal. She spun around and glared at me.
“Hey,” I mumbled. “I’m sorry I snapped at you. Can we talk about it? Please?”
She glanced back to the dining room. “Not here. You can come to my room.”
She led me upstairs. Her room was two doors down the hall from mine, and it was just as fancy with the furniture and everything. She also had a desk full of books, mechanical diagrams, tools, and spare parts. I walked toward it, curious about her replacement arm.
Nexita shoved a pile of notes and slammed down the cover on the desk, hiding her work. “Don’t touch anything,” she snapped. She flopped down on the bed and folded her arms, the movement as smooth and natural as if she’d never been hurt. “You wanted to talk, so talk.”
I didn’t know if sitting down somewhere would count as touching something, so I stood there. “I don’t know how things got so mixed up between us. One minute, we’re a team, with the same goal. But then you took his side and—” I shook my head, not wanting to restart the argument. “I guess I don’t know what you think, so I’m here to listen.”
Nexita snorted. “Oh, really, you’ll make time to listen to me now?” She turned her head away, but I could hear the tears in her tone of voice. “You spent weeks with your new friends, making crazy plans. You only came to me to complain. Never asked how I was doing. I was struggling alone.”
My heart broke at the pain I was hearing. I took a step closer, reaching out to my sister. “I never thought I was ignoring you—”
Nexita swatted my hand away. “You didn’t think about me at all! You only care about yourself.” She glared up at me through the tears smearing her spectacles, no longer trying to hide them. “I didn’t realize it before. You were using me all those years to help you with your schoolwork. But now I see right through you, Riwenne. You think you’re some kind of god-chosen savior, but you’re just playing another game to make yourself feel important.”
Riwenne & the Bionic Witches Page 7
