Page 114 of The Souls Harvest
“And the tunnels,” Mack interrupts, looking at July to his right and puffing his chest with a boyish grin. “And drew all the maps, of course.” But his chest deflates and bright pink warms his cheeks when he realises July is still holding onto his arm.
“Impressive,” July comments, stepping away and pretending she didn’t notice Mack’s reaction. I’ve witnessed many versions of July, but her natural gift to read people has never changed.
“Well, not all of them.” Jyn decides to join the conversation, squeezing his way between Tabitha and Galen. “Thisis a map from before your time.” He taps a finger on the image of the building, tracing its walls and the green patch of wild land surrounding it. “This was how Ventiol and its outskirts used to look years ago. Centuries ago—we think.”
An intricate net of thin black lines branches out from the base of the building and runs across the four sides of the map, gathering here and there into larger dots.
“What are the names inside the dots? I don’t recognise any of them.” Merya asks, wedging beside me to better observe the other side of the map.
“Let me show you.” Tabitha steps away from the table to open a drawer under the sink and comes back, holding a marker.
She uncaps it and starts crossing the dots. “You don’t recognise the names because these villages and towns no longer exist,” she says, without lifting her head, striking names off the map as if listing casualties.
When only a few places remain untouched, Jyn steps behind her, placing a hand on her back—an invitation to stop staring at the map, which now looks like a graveyard.
We’ve been listening as if stuck inside a bubble of silence, but the sob that escapes Tabitha bursts it. A tear, stronger than her will to look unmoved, rolls down her cheek and drops on the map, darkening a little spot on the paper. Her fingers, splaying over the map, threaten to claw at the extent of lands and flat versions of long-gone town squares and to shred the miniature reproduction of Horigos into pieces.
Jyn scans our faces while stroking Tabitha’s back, meeting the same sadness that’s now shadowing her eyes.
“I found similar maps hidden in one of the tunnels. The same we used to take you here,” he addresses July.
Another loud sob shakes Tabs’ shoulders, but she eventually straightens her spine and rubs one finger under her nose, sniffling.
This is the first time I’ve seen this fragile side of her, and I’m sure it’s the first for many in this room.
“I’m sorry,” she says, squaring her shoulders and patting her cheeks with the back of her hands.
“At least now we know you’re not some perfect killing machine. Unless what’s wetting your eyes is the lubricant of your engines.” Merya shrugs and, surprising all of us, smiles, melting the remnants of their earlier disagreement off her face.
In response, Tabitha gives her a glare from under her dark lashes while rolling up the map and setting it aside on the floor. But we all notice a quick smile tugging at her lips.
Jyn slides a chair from under the table, gesturing for Tabs to sit, and only mirrors her when she seems comfortable, her elbows propped on the table and her chin resting on her interlaced fingers.
We follow their lead, trying to be as quiet as possible, and take our seats while the atmosphere, still tense and gloomy following Tabitha’s early revelation, softens. Next to me, even July seems to fit perfectly in the scene, as she offers shy smiles to Merya and Mack. She reserves a quick, sad look for Tabitha, but only when nobody seems to be paying her attention.
Nobody but me—and Galen, whose glare lands on me like a boulder when I shift my chair to the left to make room for him.
“You’re unconventionally quiet, brother. Something tickling in your mind?” I smirk, patting the empty seat.
He gives me a wicked look. “Yes, actually. Something I can’t seem to scratch away for good.”
As if sharing the same uncomfortable feeling, July pretends to ignore our quick exchange, tracing the pattern of the table’s amber veins trapped under a thin layer of glassy resin.
Our fingers brush briefly, and I retract mine immediately, as ifpricked by a needle of energy, causing her puzzled look. Every part of my body is drawn to her. Even the hair on my arms stands up, trying to get closer.
Galen’s feral expression glues me onto my chair. I smile nervously, looking away and hoping the heat in my chest will not turn into smoke coming out of my every orifice.
“You two need therapy.” July’s voice breaks the dark spell, and I finally forget about my unbalanced sibling and focus on the matter ahead.
In her newfound, confident voice, Tabitha says, “We believe that’s Roden’s doing. He used those souls for his experiments, and when there was nothing left, he tore those villages into ruins. He’s probably done it for a very long time…Other - older - maps show islands that are not even depicted on that one,” she points at the paper on the floor.
July shifts on her seat as if to ask permission to talk without really interrupting. Tabs nods slightly.
“But how did he manage to empty entire towns without being noticed? I mean, traders and visitors must have realised that something was not right, especially when a whole population vanished into thin air.” July stops to take a breath and to search for an answer on our faces.
For once, her knowledge equals ours. In turns, we all look at each other, mirroring shrugs and clueless expressions.
Jyn covers Tabs’ hand with his and gently squeezes it, his gaze falling on July. “He did it right in front of them. That’s how. Hismost loyal Harvesters surely helped conceal the vessels and any remaining traces. Roden is powerful, but he needs the assistance of his people. We believe he used a well-crafted lie to charm the village he was targeting, and to gain free access to its inhabitants.” Jyn closes his eyes as if to visualise his following words, but Tabitha stands up, cutting him short.
