The Seat of My Heart

7 A Dire Situation

After they had put some distance between them and the city, Susha Unhuor turned to look at Shunche. "Is there a place where we can stay in the other city?"

Shunche still gave him a dissatisfied look and turned to look at his king instead to get his opinion. Susha Unhuor snorted but turned back to the front, letting Jusha Lale deal with that.

The dan slightly raised his brows and turned to Shunche. "So, is there?"

"I haven't arranged anything yet, dan. Should I go ahead and find accommodations for you?"

Jusha Lale turned to glance at the zhireng behind him. "Well, what exactly will we need?"

"I'm not completely sure. If my plan works and he tells me the truth, then you can stay in that city and wait for me to go and exterminate the demon myself without having to accompany me to see the high priest beforehand. If it doesn't though ..."

Jusha Lale nodded. "Well, in any case, you don't want me to come with you to fight. Even if we go to speak with the high priest, I would likely have to return to the city." He turned to Shunche. "In that case, please do so. Just make it a place where we can rest. No special requirements. We can't expect much on short notice."

Shunche bowed lightly. "Don't worry, dan. I will certainly make it possible." He nodded at Chomong and then rode off. He would definitely make sure that his king had a place to rest.

Meanwhile, Jusha Lale got back to the question he had asked originally but that still hadn't been answered. "So, we're outside now, we will have the necessary accommodations when we arrive, and there is nobody around to hear what you say. Can you finally tell me your plan now?"

Susha Unhuor smiled lightly. "Are you worried I wouldn't?"

Jusha Lale raised his brows. "Well, you have refused to take me with you because you were worried about my safety. Who knows if you wouldn't keep more things from me for the same reason? In any case, I would rather know. That way, I can help you the best. So please, do not keep anything from me."

Susha Unhuor smiled and shook his head. "Why would I? I will need your help with this." He looked past Jusha Lale's head, down the road in front of them, and toward the city where Agur Suhi was currently living. "I think the problem is that Agur Suhi cannot see how dire the circumstances are. We will have to make that clear to him for him to offer any information."

Jusha Lale raised his brows, not at all convinced. "We had the whole capital city evacuated. I do not think that he doesn't realize how dire the situation is. Everybody knows already."

Susha Unhuor shook his head. "No, people don't. Because they — and Agur Suhi as well — still believe that you're looking for a zhireng able to kill the demon. Now, one has finally made his way here but you aren't there yet. So they will assume that you're still looking for somebody else who can help. If I don't manage to do it, they think that somebody else will come. What they don't know is that I am their last chance. So we will have to make that clear to him."

Jusha Lale's expression turned thoughtful. Yes, maybe this was indeed the truth. He had thought too simply before. If he really wanted to convince Minister Agur, then he would have to make it more obvious. "Do you want me to go to him? But will he really say it in front of me if my uncle really planned to have me killed by a demon?"

"No, he likely won't. Which is why I just want you to write a letter. Tell him that you are on your way back since I am the last of the zhireng you asked and that there is nobody else left. Write that you hope that I will have arrived and maybe solved the situation already. Ask him to assistant in any way he can in case it hasn't happened yet. A few heartfelt words should be enough if your relationship is close."