Captives

Rarak Sept

Islana stood wearing a simpler robe, facing her attackers, at the edge of the oasis.

Five men of different ages were kneeling in the hot sand with their hands tied behind their backs. She immediately recognised the older man from last night's dinner, the one who had been so animated about her role as the new Sister Locust.

Almost one hundred people were gathered in a wide loose circle around the captives, being kept at bay by her own soldiers and those from Rarak. The leader of the oasis was also present. He was dressed.for war, and at his watch he wore a very large kopesh blade, clearly a symbol of his status.

A vision of herself offering another man the same blade in the temple at Gra'akast flashed in her mind for a heartbeat but was quickly gone replaced by the visage in front of her.

Agizul informed her that two of the men had been captured nearby, oil still fresh on their clothes. The other two had been followed apparently to the tent of the older man that his them from the guards.

All claimed to be innocent and being framed. All pled with her and threw themselves face first into the ground when they saw her.

All except the old man that held her gaze with hatred in his eyes...