Never Yours ✔️

Ch. 29

She sat on the floor in her room, staring at the enchanted mirror set out before her. She sighed and rubbed her palm across her forehead. Then she picked up the mirror and drew the connection rune across its surface, following it with the specific symbol she'd designation for the mirror in Dasimah.

The reflection of the mirror swirled like water then Jackie's face rose through the distortion to the surface.

"I don't have time for this, Arysa. I'm busy." He snapped.

"We need to talk, Jackie. You know I can't let this behavior go on." Arysa's eyes were hard.

Jackie scoffed. "And what are you going to do about it? You're a day's ride away. You barely made the journey last time. How are you going to stop me from doing what I have to do to keep my people safe?"

"This is not keeping your people, safe, Jackie. This is killing them!" Arysa snapped.

Jackie sighed. "You don't understand because Raida has the most food out of all the cities, but in order to keep people fed, we have to make sure no one takes more than their share. And the only way to do that is to enforce harsh laws."

"What about the children, the elderly, the sick? From what I've seen, their share isn't enough to sustain them."

"No one's share is enough to sustain them, Arysa." Jackie's furrowed brows softened and his eyes lowered. He suddenly looked so tired. "We're running out of food. We're running out of time. This famine and this war cannot go on much longer."

Arysa brought her legs to her chest and rested her elbows atop her knees. "I know."

She knew all too well.

"But you can't kill people just for trying to survive. These are desperate times, yes, but we have to maintain our humanity. We have to stand strong against adversity. We have to show people we won't be fazed."

"So what you expect these things to just go unpunished?"

"No. I expect us to find alternate punishments. Ones that aren't so . . . permanent."

"And what are you suggesting?" Jackie raised his brows.

"Indentured servitude. You've recalled your armies from the battlefield. You have enough military strength to enforce such endeavors."

"I don't see how that will discourage stealing. It won't make them fear the retributions of thievery." Jackie countered.

"Perhaps not as much, but it will curb the threat and keep your dungeons from filling up, as well as provide you with valuable workers to tend to your farms."

Jackie frowned, his brows pulling together. He thought for a long minute before letting out a defeated sigh. "Very well. I'll give it a shot, but if thievery picks up again, I will go back to what works and you will be held solely responsible if my people starve."

"Of course." Arysa inclined her head. "Thank you for being willing to listen."

Jackie offered a sore smile. "I've looked up to you since I was a child, Arysa. I know better than to dismiss your guidance."

"I'll let you get back to your duties then."

Jackie nodded and Arysa traced the closing rune on the mirror's surface. The image swirled before settling back into her own tired expression. Arysa dropped the steady, composed charade and stared her exhaustion in the eyes. She could see how thin she'd gotten these past few months, how weak and feeble. Her eyes drooped and her forehead wrinkled in between her brows. Her lips lowered into an empty frown. She sighed.