41 Her Holiness, Daughter of the Moon (2/2)
”IT WAS YOU! I KNEW IT!” He pointed his finger at her furiously and would have lunged at her if not for Itotia's timely intervention. She clung onto Reed and desperately pulled him back as he spewed a litany of curses that would even make the devil himself blush.
”I missed you too, Ka'an,” said Lu'um half-heartedly. She gestured at the beautiful girl beside her with a nod and the girl carefully put a piece of chocolate in her mouth.
Another girl poured a cup of alcohol from a pristine jar made of gold and offered it to Lu'um silently.
Lu'um leaned back on her chaise lounge chair and said, ”Sorry for making you pick him up, sister. I should have been the one to do it but I had another thing I had to take care of at the time.” She let out a tired yawn and her eyelids lazily drooped as she curled up on the chair.
”No, it was my pleasure to have played the role of the escort. If anything, I owe you a debt, milady.” Itotia knew that she would never have been allowed outside had it not been for her support. She understood the gift that she'd been given and deeply respected Lu'um because of it.
”Pick me up? You make it sound as if I were a lost child that needed rescuing,” said Reed. He coldly snorted with disdain and shrugged Itotia off his back with a sudden jerk.
”If you haven't noticed, we're still in the middle of our final exam and I have no intention of failing it.”
Reed glared at Lu'um in contempt and said, ”I don't give a shit if you plan on failing, but don't drag me into your nonsense in the middle of something as important as our final exam.”
He crossed his arms and said, ”Whatever you've planned better be worth the time you're making me waste here. While I'm certainly impressed by your hometown, I've got people I'm worried about.”
”That's why you barged into my room like a wild animal? Because of that foolish test?” Lu'um sighed as she massaged the temples of her forehead and said, ”I give you my word, beloved Ka'an. You will not fail your test and I will guarantee the safety of your precious companions.”
Lu'um readjusted herself on her chair into a more comfortable position and said, ”You're such a worrywart, Ka'an. Always concerned about others when you should be worried about yourself...”
”I'm very aware of my own situation, thank you very much. You act as if I can't take a damn hint when it's been clearly thrown at me. At the very least, I have a rough gist of it all.”
”Ooh? You? Aware of your circumstances? Don't make me laugh, Ka'an. You don't even have the slightest idea of..... the karma you've been burdened with.” Lu'um's eyes flickered as she stared at Reed. ”Right now, you're nothing more than a flea — unaware of the mountain that has been placed on your shoulders.”
She stood up and walked over towards Reed and put a hand on his chest. ”Every time you've become cognizant of the mountain's weight... well, I shouldn't have to spell it out, right?”
”...”
Lu'um pulled him close to her and said, ”I know you're frustrated — being kept in the dark is unpleasant — but think back, Ka'an. Have I ever wronged you before? Hm? I understand your impatience, I really do. Know that I act only in your best interests, above all else, even if you don't know or don't understand what I do...”
Reed felt that all too familiar warmth and his anger slowly melted into nothingness. He let out an appreciative grunt of acknowledgment and shimmied his way out of her embrace. It irritated him a bit — he hated how skilled she was at pacifying him.
”Fine, I get it. I'm sorry for acting up like a fool. I should have kept my cool back then.”
”All is forgiven, Ka'an. I would have forgiven you even if you did not apologize, after all, I am a magnanimous and loving individual without faults.” She grabbed his hand and pulled towards a large, silver mirror in the room.
Reed choked on his spit when he heard that but kept quiet, nevertheless. He learned his lesson — he wouldn't pick a fight with her anytime soon. She was leagues above him in the art of oration.
”So, what was the purpose of bringing me out here this place?”
Lu'um gestured at the mirror and said, ”I brought you all the way here to give you an opportunity to learn, Ka'an. There is much that you need to know — but we must reveal it to you in pieces — fragments of the whole truth, so to speak.”
”So... baby steps? But for what? What will I learn?”
Lu'um touched the mirror and it rippled like a wave in response. The surface of the mirror dimmed into deeper shades of black until it was pitch-dark and nothing could be seen.
She suddenly tightened her grasp on Reed's hand and said, ”Everything, painful as it will be. From beginning to the end.” Not a second later, she tossed herself into the mirror, towing Reed along with her into the darkness. They were gone and the mirror returned to normal.
Itotia nervously gazed at the mirror and held her hands together in prayer. She prayed to the All-mother — that she would give him the strength to handle what he was about to learn.
Outside of the palace, the golden statue dimmed in brilliance and the silver statue dimmed in luster. The shining egg they held flickered like a fading flame as the night's dark only grew stronger...
Ulbo stared the statues and a grim expression plagued his face. He looked at the palace as he waited outside. That was all he could do. Nothing more.