Price of Power

When she was feeling just fine she decided to return, for her own safety. Not only to avoid punishment more or less harsh, she just preferred to hold on to things she knew. Many were relieved when she came back. Not that she was a good companion, they just didn’t want either her or her things to be captured by inappropriate individuals. When she walked through stone corridors she had many sights on her and many whispers behind, but she was more concentrated on how to explain her absence. If she would stay unconscious the guards would take her, she could tell that she managed to escape from the place of an accident, but then she would need to explain why didn’t she return immediately. She could not tell the truth and betray someone who she owes her life to. Maybe not life, but health or freedom at least. She could not do that, even though that person herself was a traitor.

She reached the door, her superior was Lucian, a terrible eccentric. She opened door to the office of a newly minted Director. Except him, she also saw her parents, they were sitting with their backs to her and talking. Suddenly hundreds of thoughts ran through her head and after two seconds she was completely frightened.

"Lari! So you came back."

Called Lucian interrupting himself just when he saw her. Her father immediately turned around.

"Pardon me, but since your daughter is alive I would like to have a quick word with her. Can you leave?"

He asked her parents getting up exited. They only rolled their eyes and left the room, they could keep their emotions under control, Lariska knew it. After Lucian closed the door after them she could only mumble:

"W-what?"

"You seem to be more confused than I am." He spoke very quickly, she barely could understand him.

"Since your daughter is alive”?

"Yes," He returned on his seat. "we thought you were crushed under debris, but there was no certainty. However formality is a formality and you probably thought that I called your parents to seek you out and you know ...kill you, or something."

She indeed thought that. Treachery was an act highly punishable and in terms of possibilities, the closest ones had to take care of it.

"And he… did not come back?"

"No, I thought that he died, but since you are here it’s quite possible he also survived. But, the more important thing right now is the casket, I understand that you don’t have it."

"No."

"And you have no idea what could have happen to it."

"Yes." She said with a small hesitation.

"So it’s quite possible that he have it, we must find him, or his corpse."

She was just about to say that it’s not necessary, but she didn’t want to draw suspicion.

"And you expect me to…"

"No, at least not yet, we have to settle the matter of a traitor. I understand he still lives, yes?"

"Traitor, not thief?"

"Both actually. I wanted to share our new discovery with other districts but looks like an inappropriate person has been appointed for it."

"An inappropriate was a thought itself to let something so unstable left laboratory. Have you seen how it ended up?"

"Yes, I believe that more people could faster solve some problems. Besides, I did not think that someone would just betray us in the first place."

"By yours I did not think you endangered the whole organization, do you think that what happened will be left without an echo?"

"That was your job, not letting this happen."

"It also would be easier if you would decide to tell me all the details."

"Personally, I will remember."

She knew that there was no point arguing with him, although she still had a lot to say. Her job was just assurance, no one told her anything about any casket.

"Anything else?" She asked.

"Outside your absence? No, not for now, you can leave."

She closed the door behind her fighting with herself to not slam them. Her father and mother were waiting for her, both dressed in black. He in a suit, she as always in a simple dress. She immediately came and hugged her tightly, like she wanted to give vent to all her worry. Maybe Lariska was already an adult, but still her daughter. After a moment, when Lariska realized the current situation, she pushed her away and turned her head to the side.

"Lari, what happened?" Asked her mother.

"I failed, the casket is gone."

"Not yet, we still can retrieve it."

"But I failed, district ...you." Lariska looked at them speaking those words.

"You haven’t failed anybody and sure not us."

"But…"

"You have failed yourself, that’s the point, yes?" Her father finally asked.

Lariska was silent, she didn’t want to be this selfish.

"Listen, we all make mistakes, there is no Cleric who would never fail." Her mother was still comforting her.

"And only a few have enough courage to do what you are doing and with such devotion." Father came closer to her. "As a Cleric, I am proud of you, but as a parent, I am getting worried. Tell me, when was the last time you were somewhere not in business matter, just go out and do something for yourself."

She tried to remind herself anything, but she couldn’t.

"So maybe you should."

"What does this have to do with anything? Besides, I am the only Cleric here since you moved away."

"But you don’t have commissions every day."

"No ...actually it was first in a few weeks."

"So you see."

"And you really don’t have somebody who could help you out?" Mother asked."

Then Lariska reminded herself about this thief that she found, or rather he found her.

"We had for a moment, but I have no idea where he can be now."

"But will you do this for you and give yourself a break?" Father asked.

"Okay, I will try." She replied doubtfully.

"And we will try talk to Lucian to make him not bother you in case of anything in the near future ...so maybe don’t make him wait any longer."

They came back to the office. Lariska was living nearby, actually, she was using the quarters in the district. She was proposed to have her own apartment but she refused, but back then her Director wasn’t Lucian

If there was something Lariska could complain about it sure wasn’t the lack of space, even though she didn’t need it a lot. The quarters were usually meant for temporary usage, but especially for her, they renovated three of them and connected them so she could feel like in her own place. When she calmed down she had no idea why she was so scared when she saw her parents, she was probably a bigger threat to them than they to her. Her mother Elise, was just a teacher, scientist sometimes and her father Octavian, although he also was a Cleric like once his parents, he specialized in something different. He was a detective and a cartographer, he never killed anybody, but she probably would not be able to hide from him.

When she came back she took off herself tail-coat and rest that was unnecessary. She looked again on her body, she wasn’t feeling such pain anymore, the healing ointment was doing its job. Although, she had to wear bandages for one more night. Quick thought about her old mentor ran through her head, but he preferred not to think about her.