Book 1: Chapter 14 – Good News Comes in Twos

After finally shooing Inayah away, Jabari stepped into his bathroom to take what was only the second proper shower of his life.

"I wonder how many of these it'll take to wash away all the filth," he muttered, watching the grimy water swirl around the drain before disappearing into the pipes below.

All layers of dirt might not have been entirely gone, but the difference was undeniable. His skin, though still dull in some places, had shed much of the grime that once clung to it like a second skin. His bloodshot eyes had cleared significantly, and the heavy bags that had stubbornly settled beneath them were now mere shadows of their former selves.

He turned to the small, foggy mirror and ran a hand through his tangled mini afro. It remained a knotted mess, but his complexion was now a cleaner, healthier shade of brown.

Hanging from the hooks on the back of the door were a pair of brown shorts and a plain black t-shirt. Jabari eyed them curiously. 'Heba must've left these out for me.'

He pulled on the shorts and immediately noted how much softer they were compared to the rough, oversized rags he'd grown accustomed to. Still, the waistband felt unfamiliar, stiff compared to the joggers he'd worn the day before. After a moment's consideration, he switched back into his old jogging bottoms but kept the black t-shirt, relishing its clean scent.

By the time he made his way downstairs, he found Heba, Inayah, and the two guards already seated at the dining table, waiting to start eating their lunch.

His gaze settled on Heba, and for a fleeting moment, confusion flickered across his face. As soon as his eyes met hers, fragments of a memory rushed to the surface: her voice, sharp and unwavering, piercing through his agony the night of his ordeal.

"If you can't overcome this little bit of pain, you'll never manage to save your sister!"

How had she known? How could she possibly have understood what he was experiencing or the cost of his failure? Jabari clenched his fists beneath the table. He needed answers, but now wasn't the right time.

"You didn't like the shorts?" Heba's voice drew him from his thoughts.

"They were nice," he replied, forcing a smile as he tugged on the elastic waistband of his joggers. "But these are just way too comfortable."

"I'll keep that in mind," she said, her lips curving into a knowing smile before she delicately sliced into her omelette.

The moment she raised her fork to her mouth, Lateef and Aten followed suit with military precision. Jabari's eyes then drifted to Inayah, who was attempting – somewhat clumsily – to imitate the adults with her cutlery.

His lips twitched with amusement at her determined expression.

As he turned his attention to his own plate, though, his stomach growled audibly. The large ham and cheese omelette sat there invitingly, its golden surface glistening. He eyed the fork and knife to his right but dismissed them as more trouble than they were worth. Instead, he picked up the omelette with his hands, his mouth watering at the tantalising aroma.

Just as he was about to take a bite, a wild idea struck him. His grin widened as he channelled his spirit to his brain and then directed it to his tongue.

The moment his teeth sank into the omelette, his taste buds erupted with an intensity that nearly brought tears to his eyes. Flavours flooded his senses – rich, savoury ham, melted cheese with just the right hint of sharpness, and fluffy eggs cooked to perfection.

"Ish ish ikedibl (This is incredible)!" he exclaimed through a mouthful of food, cheeks bulging with the delicious bite.

Heba chuckled softly, dabbing the corner of her mouth with a napkin. "I'm glad you like it. I made it myself."

The Princess inclined her head graciously before placing her utensils on her plate. "We leave tomorrow morning. If there's anything you need to do before then, today's your last chance."

Jabari's initial instinct was to shake his head – there was nothing in the slums he cared to retrieve. But then two faces flashed across his mind.

He hesitated. "I know this is a big ask, and I understand if the answer's no, but...

Is there any chance we have space for three more people to come with us?"

Jabari was, of course, referring to Luna, who had been monumental in taking care of Inayah whilst he went out hunting, her mother, and old man Thabo, who constantly provided them with access to clean water without asking for anything in return.

For a moment, Heba said nothing. Jabari's heart raced as he searched her face for any sign of rejection.

Finally, she gave a small nod. "We have more than enough space."

"Thank you!" Jabari practically jumped to his feet. He kissed Inayah on the forehead, then bolted toward the door before the Princess had a chance to change her mind.

The door slammed shut behind him, leaving Heba watching his retreating figure with an amused glint in her eyes.

"He moves fast when he wants to," Lateef remarked dryly.

"That he does," Heba said softly, eyes lingering on the doorway. "That he does."

Even though the main settlement was unfamiliar territory, the towering structure beside the main gates stood like a beacon, visible from almost anywhere within the Tribe's territory. With that as his guide, Jabari navigated his way out without a second thought.

He sprinted through the streets, paying no mind to the curious, wary glances cast his way. Excitement propelled him forward – finally, he could repay, in some small way, the two people who had done the most for him and Inayah during their time in the slums.

Passing through the gates beneath the watchful gazes of several guards, Jabari followed the worn dirt path toward the place he had once called home. Only days had passed since he'd left, yet the journey already felt surreal, like retracing the steps of a life that no longer belonged to him.

The closer he drew to the slums, the more his senses rebelled against the assault of rancid, stagnant air. The familiar stench – once dulled by years of forced acclimation – now struck him with nauseating clarity. Still, as he crossed the invisible threshold back into the slums, his body instinctively relaxed. The streets might be filthy, and the air might cling to his skin like grease, but this place had been his home for as long as he could remember.

He moved through the narrow alleys with purpose, weaving past the makeshift shacks that housed the slum's forgotten residents. Whispers followed him, and more than a few pairs of eyes lingered on him with unease.

'Guess they heard about the assessment,' Jabari thought, brushing off the attention. After all, it wasn't every day someone from the slums was invited into a noble's residence, let alone spoken to in private.

Ignoring the stares, he made his way to old man Thabo's water store. When he arrived, he stopped short.

The door was shut. The single, dim light that usually glowed through the cracks of the wooden walls was absent. Usually, the store always remained open, rain or shine, morning or night.

"That's weird," Jabari muttered, stepping forward to rattle the door handle. Locked.

In all his years here, Thabo had never closed shop. Not once.

A middle-aged woman shuffled past, her thin frame draped in mismatched layers of threadbare cloth.

"Hey! Do you know what happened to old man Thabo?" Jabari called out.

The woman glanced over her shoulder, her eyes meeting his for an instant before her expression twisted into something that sent a chill through him – fear!

Without a word, she turned and hurried away, disappearing around a corner.

Jabari's frown deepened. "What exactly is going on around here?"

A prickling sensation crept up his neck as he moved toward his next destination. The tension in the air, the wary eyes, the locked door – it all set him on edge. His pace slowed as his instincts screamed caution.

"I shouldn't have rushed off alone," he muttered. With hindsight came regret; asking Heba for an escort now seemed like the obvious choice.

As he reached a familiar shack, he paused to gather himself. The small, run-down structure stood only slightly larger than the one he and Inayah had shared. Jabari knocked gently on the warped wooden door.

It opened a crack, then wider.

The woman who stood there had kind eyes and a soft smile that belied the hardships etched into her weathered face. Her long black hair, streaked with strands of silver, framed strong shoulders and a lean frame.

"Looks like my daughter was right," she said, her voice gentle. "You really did come back."

Jabari smiled and dipped his head respectfully. "It's good to see you again, Miss Makena."

Even dressed in worn rags, Makena, Luna's mother, carried herself with quiet strength, a grace that time and circumstance had yet to strip away.

Jabari stepped inside, the door clicking shut behind him.

"Have a seat," Makena said, lowering herself onto one of the two logs positioned in the middle of what appeared to be a combined living and bedroom. Fur-skin mattresses were laid out against opposite walls, the sparse furnishings speaking of a life where practicality trumped comfort. "Sorry I can't offer you anything to eat or drink."

"That's alright. I'm not hungry," Jabari replied, taking a seat while his eyes kept flicking toward the door. "By the way, is Luna around?"

"Unfortunately not. We don't live here anymore," Makena said with a teasing glint in her eyes. "If it weren't for her insisting I come back every day to wait for her little boyfriend, I wouldn't have returned either."

Jabari didn't even blink at the jab. After years of enduring Makenna's relentless teasing and playful prodding, he'd long grown immune. Unlike Luna, who turned as red as a sunset at the mere suggestion of romance, Jabari had learned to let it roll off his back. Besides, he was too preoccupied with something else she'd just said.

"You don't live here anymore?" he asked, brow furrowed. "Where did you move to?"

"Well," Makena said, straightening with unmistakable pride, "after you left with that noble lady, Luna managed to pass the aptitude assessment." Her smile stretched across her face. "Now that she's on track to becoming a mage, the Tribe let us move into the main settlement."

"Wait, what?!" Jabari's mouth fell open. "That's incredible! I'm so happy for her!"

Makena's eyes twinkled with maternal pride. "You can tell her yourself when you see her later."

"What do you mean?" Jabari asked, blinking in confusion.

The older woman chuckled softly and leaned forward. "After Luna passed the assessment, not only did we get noble status, but we were also given a big fancy manor with its own staff and everything." She shook her head, still sounding like she couldn't quite believe it herself. "But my daughter couldn't stand the thought of never seeing her little boyfriend again."

Jabari sighed, though a small smile crept across his lips. "What did she do?"

"Almost got herself thrown out, that's what!" Makena laughed. "She demanded to know if you could, at the very least, work in the household. When they said no, she kicked up a fuss – started arguing with the invigilator like a stubborn mule. I tell you, Jabari, my heart nearly stopped. I thought they'd kill her on the spot."

Jabari's eyes widened. He'd seen the nobles' disdain for slum residents. Confronting them like that, for most, was understandably unthinkable.

"But she wouldn't back down," Makena continued. "She said if they didn't let her have her way, she'd refuse the offer and stay in the slums with you." She shook her head in disbelief. "Thankfully, it turns out being a mage – even an untrained one – comes with more sway than I ever imagined. The invigilator eventually caved."

Jabari's chest tightened as the weight of her words sank in. He could picture Luna, fire in her eyes, standing toe-to-toe with someone who could end her with a flick of their wrist. All because she didn't want to leave him behind.

He swallowed the lump in his throat. 'One friend may have betrayed me, but the other stood by me without hesitation.'

"Anyway," Makena said, breaking into his thoughts, "I've been coming back here every day since, bouncing between this shack and yours, hoping to run into you. But now that you're here, let's grab little Yah-Yah and get going. Time to leave this place behind for good."

Jabari's heart warmed at the affectionate nickname for his sister. But as much as he appreciated the offer, he shook his head with a grateful smile.

"Thank you, really. And please thank Luna for me. But we can't come with you."

Makena's smile faltered. "What do you mean you can't come with us? This is your chance to get out of the slums once and for all!"

Jabari rubbed the back of his neck, searching for the right words. "I know. And I'm so thankful for what Luna tried to do. But the woman who took us after the assessment? She's helping us too. Inayah and I have already left the slums. I actually came back today to bring you and Luna with us."

Makena's eyes widened in disbelief. "You what?"

Jabari's smile grew as he saw the mix of surprise and hope on her face. "Yeah. It came as a shock to me too, but we're leaving the tribe tomorrow. And we want you to come with us."