my now naked ear. I noticed others appraise us curiously, apparently unsure about the nature of our companionship. Some Walkers even smiled.
Cyler then grabbed my hand and led me up the stairs to the main cabin, then dropped it as soon as we were out of sight. I felt like a political pawn in whatever games he played.
The cabin was plush and luxurious. A bar sat on the far-east side fully stocked with liquor and other novelty drink items. The seats were purple velvet with gold trim. Never once did I imagine that I would be allowed to travel in such conditions. Once again, Cyler surprised me.
I looked at him in awe. His whiplash of moods always had me questioning myself, but ultimately he seemed to be a good leader that wanted to provide for his people.
“Can I get you anything to drink, Master Black?” I asked. Cyler looked up from his tablet with an annoyed expression.
“What’s with this ‘Master’ business? I hate that, just call me Cyler. And before you fall in love with me, I’d like to make it clear that my informal preferences stem from feeling extremely uncomfortable about my new role in this society.”
His candid admission made me feel simultaneously vulnerable and angry.
“Don’t mistake my politeness for affection, Cyler. Old habits are hard to break, and I think it would be challenging to fall for someone that uses people as pawns for political gains.”
“Then how did you ever fall for a guy like Josiah Stonewell?" he asked in a sharp tone, and the truthfulness of it felt like a slap in the face. "I do what I have to for my people,” he said simply. “Our numbers have dwindled while these pompous assholes hoard the cure for a preventable virus. Now that we’ve become one of the most profitable provinces in the empire, there are certain steps we have to take to make sure what we have isn’t taken from us.”
He had a point. It would be easy for Josiah to lead a team and capture the Dormas lands.
“So, you’re giving them gold while building an army,” I stated.
“Ah, you’re a smart one. Yes. Galla men are greedy. It's easy to flash some gold and offer to allow their lower class population into our province. It’ll also be easy to motivate the Walkers to defend their new home. I will provide them with freedom and respect. Something they’ve obviously never had. We have enough gold stockpiled that we can afford the Galla province’s steep rates and enough vaccines to protect our people from Influenza X. And letting my annoying sister marry the poor lad as a gesture of goodwill buys us some more time,” he continued with a chuckle. “She’s been begging me to move to Galla. The alliance will make them feel good about our partnership.”
Hearing his brash opinion of his sister made Cyler that much more menacing. Could he honestly be that heartless to pawn off his blood? Although I wasn’t necessarily a fan of Jules, I couldn’t help but feel sorry for her brother’s opinion of her.
“Why tell me this?” I asked Cyler while he rose and poured two glasses of amber liquid in chilled glasses. Cyler handed one to me and swallowed his in one gulp. I watched his Adam's apple bob up and down.
“You would have figured it out, anyways. I need to build a rapport with the Walkers. I’ll need your help to do that,” he said. I took a swig of the drink and coughed down the flames that scorched my mouth and throat. My belly immediately felt warm. Cyler chuckled at me, and we then sat in awkward silence.
Within the hour the train started up and we were moving towards Dormas. Cyler set up his office in the main cabin and worked throughout the day. I brought him lunch and snacks but mostly listened to the various calls he made.
I watched in awe as we passed through different terrain. Abandoned cities and desert made a dramatic wasteland portrait in the huge window. It made me feel small and insignificant. The Stonewell home was where I’d spent the majority of my life. My existence revolved around their routine, and in that, I lost myself. It was equal parts humbling and saddening to see that the world was so much bigger than Josiah. So much bigger than me.
I felt hopeful about my future, despite the fear of the unknown. I was excited to experience life outside of pining for Josiah