After Humanity

Chapter Forty

Back to Rachel. She just watched Magnus fall to the ground...

----------

Rachel

"Magnus!" The cry wretched from Alice's lips was one of heartbreaking terror and disbelief as their Master made contact with the earth. The sibla man did not move. Rachel watched as Alice ran to him, falling to the ground on her knees beside his body.

"Magnus wake up. Please, please wake up!" Alice's cries were desperate. Rachel watched as the woman ran her hands along his body checking him for injury. But did it matter? Rachel wondered as she started in shock. His eyes were decidedly closed and seemed they would not open to her pleas.

"Is he...dead?" Rachel asked coming up behind her.

"Of course not!" Alice snapped. "But he needs help." Rising from the ground she scanned the fields. Magnus's farm hands had all stopped their work at the sound of her scream and were now coming to stand around their unconscious employer looking on uncertainly.

"You," Alice said addressing one of them directly. "Help me find a plank. We have to get him inside but I fear he may have injured his neck in the fall so we must be careful moving him."

The sibla man stared back at her blankly.

"And you," she said to another, ignoring the man's inaction, "find at least four strong workers to help carry him."

Not a one of the sibla moved. Would they listen to her at all? Rachel wondered. What might they do to a human woman who spoke to them so. Without Magnus's protection, she and Alice had no rights. How many times had Alice made that abundantly clear? Her heart beat unevenly in her chest as she watched the eyes of the sibla men staring at her. But Alice seemed entirely unfazed, meeting each of the men's gaze without fear. Rachel could practically feel the power she radiated tangibly bearing down them.

"Magnus Kendrick has been your employer for years," she said evenly. "Now he needs your help. If you have even a modicum of gratitude for the kindness I know he has shown each and every one of you, you will listen to my command and do as I say."

Rachel was in awe of Alice's strength. She didn't care that they were sibla and was she a mere human. She didn't care that she had no right to speak to them with anything less than absolute submission. Her determination to help Magnus was all that mattered. Even more amazing was the fact that now each of the men looked decidedly uncomfortable. They finally began to move their feet, her rebuke motivating them to obey her command.

"Go back to the house," Alice ordered turning her attention back to Rachel once again. "Tell everyone to head back to our quarters. Kathryn will be able to take command until I return and make it clear that she has my authorization to do so."

Rachel nodded, though she knew none would question Kathryn's authority. She was one of the youngest among them, but everyone knew that Kathryn was Alice's favorite and had her trust. Moreover, Kathryn was a born leader. Rachel was grateful she would take over the situation and eager to report the news so she did not have to carry the burden of it.

"But, Rachel," Alice continued. "Tell none of what has happened do you understand. You may tell Kathryn and Kathryn alone. I don't want to incite panic and think the news is best broken from my own lips."

"Yes, Ma'am," Rachel answered, wondering how she could possibly keep such horrible information to herself.

The old woman eyed her carefully. "It is very important that you do not speak of what you do not fully understand," she said, no doubt questioning Rachel's ability to hold her tongue. "When I return I will be ale to give a true report. Keep even the details you tell Kathryn to a minimum. Your Master is ill, he has had a fall and I have had to attend to him and will need to summon a doctor. Tell her no more than that. Will you promise, Rachel?"