Page 15 of The Souls Harvest
I reread the message to make sure the information is clear.
Sent.
Received. I nod to myself when the ticks appear next to my text.
Deleted, because phones are fickle little things, easy tomisplace.
Chapter 8 - Red Soul
July
I’ve been calling Galen for hours.
“Where the hell are you?” Grunting, I toss my phone, which lands just mere inches from the edge of my bed.
Having to go back to Horigos in such a short time without being able to share the details with him is killing me. But if I tell Galen that the Rogue Roden found, happens to live somewhere between Cleryce and Brenath, he surely will put up a fight and perhaps use the authority that comes with his role to drag me out of it.
I sigh aloud, spinning on my chair with my hands behind my head while rehearsing a dozen speeches to support the righteousness of my stance.
The door bursts open when I’m in the middle of another, very reasonable and very apologetic, mental dialogue with an invisible, very upset Galen.
“What the hell!” I almost fall off the spinning chair, dashing for my desk to hide the assignment, resting there in plain sight.
“You weren’t joking about your next mission. It wasn’t just a stupid revenge because you were mad at me. Evelynconfirmed—” The very upset Galen materialises in my bedroom, a hand splayed against the door, the other curled in a fist at his side.
I quickly compose myself, turning away from my desk and sitting on its edge, arms crossed, pressing the assignment against my chest. “And why exactly did you ask her? Hang on a minute... When did she become Evelyn to you? And she simply told you? Since when…ah, never mind. You should know better than anyone else that Rogues’ harvesting is strictly confidential. Even to leaders. Including you.”
How could a few sheets of paper feel so heavy? Or is that just Galen’s judgemental look weighing on my conscience?
“Do you want to tell me where they’re sending you, or should I rip those stupid papers out of your hands?” he demands, slamming the door shut with such violence I fear it will fall off its hinges.
I stare at him as he paces up and down the room, waiting for his temper to cool down.
My bed complains when he plops on the mattress, bracing his arms on his knees and interlacing his fingers as if to contain his thoughts.
We both know this should remain between Roden and me, and I’m not supposed to tell anyone, but…
“Sector 43. IDon’tKnowWhereExactly!” I blurt out.
Sector 43 has recently become well known to Harvesters because Roden believes that’s the spot where hotbeds of rebels, who want us and our business gone forever, hide. It is a stretch of nobody’s land, dotted with abandoned buildings destroyed duringthe Famine and solitary settlements of farmers and veterans who fought in the war that saw our people exiled.
Galen tilts his head up, trying to focus on the ceiling rather than my face, and runs his fingers through his hair with a harsh intake of breath.
I sit back on my chair, roll it closer to him and lean forward, resting a hand on his knee. “I’ll be fine. I won’t get near Brenath…Miss P. says they’ll send a team right behind me for cover. She reassured me they would call me back if they noticed any suspicious movement. She— ”
“Popplewish knows what Roden wants her to know,” he snorts, falling on his back with his hands behind his head.
I jump off my chair. “Galen, do you hear yourself? I hope this is just your disappointment talking because I surely don’t want to be part of this sudden need for rebellion. Popplewish revealing details of my mission to you is already on the verge of insubordination. Butyou…talking shit about Roden…”
“Sof…” He is the only one who can call me that. Besides, an argument over my name is the last thing we need. “You’re missing the point…” His voice trails off as if there’s more he’d like to say.
The ceiling and the naked walls of my room must have lost their charm. I startle when Galen bolts up to look at me with an expression that makes my heart shrink and ache. I can read his mind as if mine.
“Is this about the red soul? Has Popplewish told you about that as well?” I sit on the bed, next to him, folding my hands on my lap.
Galen’s shoulder lightly brushes mine, his muscles rigid against mine. “You’re cutting me off…”
That was unexpected. He uses this voice only with his junior Deleteri, never with me, because it only carries orders and barriers.
