Half in Fire

I covered my parted lips with my fingers. A contract?

Saymon remained utterly unshaken.

Kiara rolled her shoulders back. “You…”

“Was I expecting this?” He turned a card between his fingers. “Thought she took too long.”

“Who’s the client?”

“The Matriarch.”

The Matriarch? One of Netheria’s leaders?

I shook my head in disbelief. How could he be so calm?

Kiara gestured in the air. “Man, a hundred million’s serious. You pissed her off. And she wants you alive.”

My blood pressure dropped. A HUNDRED MILLION?! WHAT?! My legs weakened. I leaned against the wall, unable to believe their composure. Had I missed something? My pulse raced at the mere thought. And Saymon wanted me to accompany him? If the contract on me was worth thirteen million, his was worth a hundred. A HUNDRED! The whole world would come after him.

Then again… we were talking about Saymon. And he had foreseen this. How far had that man gone? How many steps ahead was he?

Saymon shrugged.

Kiara’s face opened into a smile that kept widening. “You bastard! You wanted this!”

He continued contemplating the cards with an untamable smile.

Kiara opened her mouth to say something else, but Liana appeared in the doorway. “Akiko? Alícia wants to talk to you.”

Kiara and Saymon turned their eyes toward me.

I felt a little disconcerted. I was too disoriented to follow that conversation. I accompanied Liana, trying to buy time to process what I had just heard. Besides, I felt immense excitement at finally being able to speak to Alícia. “What’s her condition?” I asked before we crossed the doorway.

Liana’s eyes glowed blue. “She recovered seventy-three percent of her memories with CogniSynth. Since there was no further progress, we began treatment with nanomedication. So far, she has recovered eighty-one percent of her cognitive function.”

“Has Alícia only recovered memories up to the onset of her illness?”

“Yes. She has forgotten the last twenty-one solar cycles.”

I nibbled a knuckle. “I see. How does she know about me?” I raised an eyebrow, unable to contain my curiosity.

“Kiara mentioned you.” Liana smiled.

“Alright.” I breathed deeply. “Let’s go.”

I tucked my questions, anguish, and thoughts into a drawer in my mind. I could dwell on them later. At that moment, I wanted to devote all my attention to Alícia. Finally, I was there.

When I crossed the doorway, I found her seated in a chair, admiring the landscape. Seeing me, Alícia gave a weary smile.

Despite her advanced age, her skin retained an admirable firmness. Her disheveled white hair shone beneath the light. Sharp features matched dark brown eyes that seemed to carry the earth’s strength.

“Akiko?” Her voice was intense, though frail. She indicated a chair before her.

I sat.

Alícia took my hands in hers and began stroking them.

Her touch was warm. “You brought me joy. I saw my little grandson all grown up. Saymon’s grown so much. Thanks to you, I can leave this world more at peace.” Her words carried a visceral pain of immeasurable depth. I felt my already shattered heart constrict, as though barbed wire surrounded it.

Alícia gave a lopsided smile. “Kiara told me. You brought joy to my Maia too…”

I smiled tenderly. Rested my hand over hers, my Mother’s warmth offering comfort.

Though her eyes still smiled, Alícia’s pain seemed to condense throughout the room, awakening an urgent desire to cry within me. “Kiara told me… I-I know what I did…” She clutched her chest, as though merciless thorns pierced it. “Did I have a choice? Could I have done differently?” The cruelty of that what-if seemed to take the form of a demon perched on her shoulders, tormenting her ears.

Time seemed to slow. No. More than slow. Time stopped.

There was only me, Alícia, feelings, and words.

Words crammed with emotion, born in her breath, leaping from her mouth and overflowing around us, tightening the air.

Perhaps, at any moment, we would float far away.

Ah, actually… We were already very far from reality.

I was.

With every word, I was transported into Alícia’s universe.

With every syllable, I lived a piece of her life.

And with every letter, I fitted another piece into the puzzle.