The Lord of the Plains

Chapter 22

  Riley didn’t use the word, it felt like such a bad word now, yet she asked anyway.

  ‘What are you upset about, there’s nothing to be upset about.’ Peitar was saying in that way he had, that way that almost made her feel like he wasn’t listening. But he was wonderful and she was young.

  ‘B-but I’m different… that doesn’t bother you?’

  ‘No, of course not, I mean it took a little getting used to, but it’s fine now.’

  ‘Are you sure?’

  ‘Stop talking.’

  And he reassured her and that wonderful day-dreamy state returned.

  Yet not quite the same as before.

  Her unit was important. It occurred to her she might not have been performing as well as she usually did. The lack of notes certainly pointed to that. So she tried to pay more attention and work harder and better.

  It didn’t seem to help.

  ‘Jann.’ Gasann said, ‘Jann.’

  ‘What?’ Jann look back at him, irritated.

  ‘Just calm down, alright.’

  ‘Calm down, calm down?!’

  Gasann cut him off, ‘yes, just calm down. What are you going to do, just tell me, alright? You don’t want to get into any trouble.’

  Jann grumbled. He tapped the table top with his fingers. ‘I’m going to talk to him.’

  ‘And say what?’

  ‘That he shouldn’t be with her. And she’s, she’s…’ he struggled then suddenly, ‘remember when Leili and Lutis started walking out?’

  ‘Um…sure…’

  ‘Well, you know how she was all lovey dovey and stupid?’

  ‘Kinda…’ Gasann mostly remembered Lutis being lovey dovey and stupid and dropping a wrench on his foot. That was what he remembered.

  ‘Yeah, well, Riley’s like that. And he’s not. So he should think properly, for both of them, yeah?’

  ‘Yeah?’

  ‘And he’s not! And I saw him with Elina yesterday too!’

  ‘Elina? I thought he was with Keili and Talisa.’

  ‘Would you let him walk out with your sister?’

  ‘I did let him date my sister!’ he said hotly. He hadn’t known Peitar then. Or had much say in the matter. It still stung.

  ‘Right! Well, hey, there he is.’ Jann was up and across the room before Gasann could get another word in.

  Peitar smiled easily as Jann glared at him. He was rather used to this.

  ‘I’m guessing you want to chat somewhere private.’

  Before Jann could reply Peitar said, ‘come this way then, we’ll go outside.’

  Jann gritted his teeth and remained quiet until they were outside, his angry glare fixed on Peitar the entire time.

  ‘What are you doing?’ Jann demanded as soon as they were outside.

  ‘Me?’ Peitar raised his eyebrows. ‘Talking to you.’

  ‘You know she’s a gemeng!’ Jann almost shouted. ‘What are you playing at? You want to get her in trouble? You know how people react, they’ll blame her and- she’s just being silly like Leili and doesn’t know but you, you-’

  ‘Wait, what?!’ All the colour drained from Peitar’ face. ‘What the hell? Is that a joke? A new tactic to get me to back off from your sister, cousin, sweetheart or whatever?!’

  ‘What?’ Jann asked, some of the anger fading from his voice. ‘Riley’s a gemeng.’

  ‘Hah..hah.’ Peitar felt around with his hand until he found a wall and leant against it. ‘No, no way. I can tell a gemeng from a human. She’s not a gemeng.’

  Jann frowned. ‘What, are you blind? She’s a total gemeng. From outside Astar too.’

  Peitar sagged. ‘No, that can’t be, what, she never mentioned it, I-I…’ he trailed off.

  ‘Um, she probably assumed you had more brains than a stone and knew!’

  ‘Are you serious? She’s a ….?’

  ‘She’s a gemeng.’

  Peitar swallowed. Then he leapt away from the wall and ran.

  Riley was confused and a trifle concerned. She hadn’t seen Peitar in days. She went to the air force training centre, she went to the park. She waited outside the military school where he usually met her.

  Nothing.

  At least things were back to normal with her unit.

  Riley was walking around the park on Restday, hoping but not expecting to find Peitar when she saw him.

  He was with a few of his friends from the air force. He had his arm around a girl.

  Pleased, Riley approached. She noted the girl, though surely that couldn’t mean anything?

  They didn’t spot her til she was close.

  ‘You!’ Peitar pointed.

  Riley stopped.

  ‘You tricked me!’ he shouted angrily. ‘What’s wrong with you?’

  ‘I don’t understand.’ she said, Peitar’s angry voice ringing in her ears.

  ‘You don’t understand? You don’t understand? Hah!’ he turned to his friends. ‘That’s a gemeng for you! How about pretending to be a human, hmm? What about that?’

  ‘I never.’ she said, stunned. She noted things. His angry face. The girl snuggling closer.

  ‘You’re sick. You should be thrown out of Astar. Stay away from me. STAY AWAY FROM ME!’ he shouted.

  She bolted.

  She ran.

  It wasn’t til she saw the forest peering over the outer wall of Astar that she stopped.

  She turned and looked back at the city.

  Slowly, she started walking in the direction of her apartment. It was like walking through a dream.

  She walked and paid no attention to what was around her. Her feet knew the way and they took her.

  Aerlid was there.

  If she said something to him she didn’t remember.

  The door to the bedroom closed.

  A pillow clutched to her face.

  She didn’t want to hear herself crying.