Page 40 of The Souls Harvest
“What we did to that man was to preserve our talents and ensure nobody would exploit the Rogues by hunting them down.”
I fear what’s coming. But I nod, pushing down the many questions inside me.
Miss P. moves closer, and this time I let her. “Truth is, there are nobadsouls. Onlysplitones. Tell me, July, why do we keepanswering the cries of the Horigeans even if they mainly see us as ruthless traders of souls?” She gives me time to think about it.
“This sounds like our very first lesson—”
“Answer me, please.” Popplewish folds her hands in front of her.
My shoulders rise and lower with my breath. “To allow a chance at a better life to those who’re willing tosacrificetheir soul—”
“That’s harsh and, what someone may say, a bit rebellious,” Nikrah comments, tapping a finger on the table without looking at me.
Popplewish’s face remains unreadable, her eyes steady on me. “That’s one version many would agree with.” Her lips twitch, and she unfolds her hands, smoothing invisible wrinkles on her gown. “It’s because they were less fortunate, and it’s our duty to share our gift with them, should they wish so.”
Not exactly Roden’s words in the screens room… I force my mind to focus.
“And because we can return a purified soul to Horigos, had its previous owner not been worthy of it,” Roden singsongs, talking about souls as if pieces of mouldable clay.
Or perhaps that soul didn’t want to be part of your deal from the beginning…
“Then why don’t we give them a better chance to deserve that soul? You never put a limit on what they ask of you. Why don’t you give them more time to repay you? Surely, you have it in abundance—” The words escape my mouth before I can stop them.
Sitting right opposite me, Amelia places her mug back on the table louder than needed, as if to mark her presence. “Remember, girl, we don’t work for them. We don’t owe them anything.”
“The point is—” Miss P. puts both hands on the table, leaning forward as if asking for silence and no more interruptions, “It’s not up to us to decide how long someone has to pay us back.” A pause. “Not anymore, anyway.”
Doubt and confusion must have made my face an easily readable page because Popplewish nods slightly to confirm her last words.
She exchanges a quick look with Roden, who simply opens his arms and admits, “Something—Someone, is intercepting whatever soul strikes a deal with me. And they are not making a distinction between Rogues and Nistarei. They are stealingmysouls before their time is up, making them disappear from my radar.”
“But how do they—”
“Find the Rogues without Roden’s abilities?” Tydell, who’s been silent for a while except for random sounds of discomfort and surprise, finishes my question. His voice has lost the gentle curve he always uses with the students.
I nod.
“Someone is selling the Nistarei. Someone from—Libera?” My lips move slowly.
“And the Rogues,” Roden adds.
Am I on trial?
I push myself up, stomping my foot to appreciate the solid ground, which I fear may crumble from under me soon, “Is thiswhy I’m here? You think I’m the person selling such information?” My hands curl into fists as I snap my head towards Popplewish.
Amelia bursts into a laugh, “Oh, girl, you’re so innocent. You’d be expired if Roden ever doubted you. Sit down, and start blinking again before your eyes fall out of your skull.”
I bite my tongue and go back to my chair. “What does this have to do with the man in the video?” I jab my finger at the point where the screen was.
Popplewish lets out a long breath, massaging her temples. “Roden, I think you can take it from here,” she says as she sits down beside me.
Roden nods. His body seems to be carved in stone; nothing moves except for his hands, the right stroking his perfectly shaped, beard and the left holding the cane, its long fingers flexing and relaxing like tendrils.
“That man is a Rogue and holds one of the toughest souls I’ve ever encountered. Beforewediscovered your incredible talent, many Harvesters tried to bring his soul back to me,” - his glacial look falls somewhere between Amelia and Nikrah before returning his attention to me. “But they’ve always miserablyfailedand only retrieved but mere pieces of it. Minuscule grains of it—useless. There was always a stubborn, last kernel missing…”
“That’s impossible; by what Popplewish said, he’s still very much alive and his mind is perfectly functioning,” I exclaim.
Roden gives me a quick bow, placing a hand above his heart, “Apologies, my dear, let me give you some context. Rogues belongto me. I let some of them roam free and untrained past the critical age of five to see if they have enough willpower to stay alive without losing their minds. Some do and that’s when your wonderful abilities become the only barriers between thosesavagesand us Harvesters. But a few Rogues just become so weak and tasteless that I don’t see the point of sending my most precious weapon after them. They’ll eventually—be no more.”
