Chapter 53 Chapter Fifty-Three

Alia sat cross-legged on the bed, trying to calm herself by reciting prayers against fear, but the mocking echoing in her head thwarted every attempt.She could hear his voice, which took over her ears and her consciousness. "What nonsense. What are you afraid of?" She tried to run away, but the muscles in her calf twitched.She cannot escape. Dawn is coming.She was wearing a natural silk pajamas, under which her flesh had begun to fatten.The reports for the past three months lay on the red sheet before her eyes.She could hear the hum of the air conditioner, and the sound of the breeze blowing the labels on the saccharine scrolls.

Two hours earlier, her assistant had woken her up in a panic to bring her the latest news of the destruction.Aria wants to come to the report scroll, and wants to find out the law of destruction from it. She no longer recites prayers. The destruction must have been done by the rebels.More and more people are turning against Muad'di's religion. "So what's the matter?" said the mocking voice inside. Alia shook her head vigorously.Namri had failed her.She was a fool to believe such a person.Her assistant kept reminding her that Stilgar deserved to be punished too, that he was secretly rebelling.Also, what happened to Halleck?With his smuggler friends?Maybe.

She picked up a report scroll.And Muritz!The man is hysterical.This is the only possible explanation, otherwise she can only believe that there are myths in the world.No one, let alone a small child (not even one as special as Leto), could jump off the cliffs of Suluchi and survive across the desert, jumping from the top of one dune to the other in one step. superior. The custard vine in Alia's hand was cold. So, where did Leto go?Ghanima was convinced he was dead.The truthsayer has confirmed her story: Leto was killed by the Raz tiger.So who was the child that Namuri and Muritz reported?

She was shaking. Forty aqueducts were destroyed, their water flowing into the desert.Forty canals belonged to loyal Fremen, rebels, and ignorant superstitions.Belonging to all kinds of people! Her report is full of all sorts of amazing stories.Sandtrout jumping into the aqueduct, shattering itself, and each fragment grows into a new sandtrout; Sandworm deliberately drowns itself in the water; Moon Two drops blood, falling on Arrakis , causing a huge sandstorm at the landing.The frequency of sandstorm outbreaks has risen sharply! She thought of Idaho, who had been dispatched to Tab, and Stilgar had obeyed her orders to keep him under close guard.Stilgar and Iruran have been talking all day about what lies behind the signs of destruction.These fools!But even her spies showed signs of being influenced by the Rebels.

Why did Ghanima insist on the story of Raz the tiger? Alia sighed.Of so many reports, only one reassured her.Farrakon has sent a team of House Guards to "help you with your troubles and get ready for the official engagement".Alia laughed with the voice in her head.At least the plan is still intact.As for the other reports, she was sure to find a logical explanation and dismiss the superstitious nonsense. She will use Farakon's men to shut down Suruzi and apprehend known rebels, especially those in the Neb. She weighed what to do with Stilgar, but a voice inside told her to be careful.

"Not yet." "My mother and the sorority still have their own plans," Alia whispered. "Why is she training Farrakon?" "Perhaps he piqued her interest," said the baron. "Is he such a cold person? No." "Don't you want to ask Falcon to bring her back?" "I know the dangers of doing this!" "Good. Meanwhile, that young assistant that Zyarenka brought in recently, I think his name might be Agarvas - yes, Bur Agarvas. If you could invite him here tonight ..." "No!" "Alia..." "Dawn is coming, you greedy old fool! There's a council of war meeting this morning, and the priests will—"

"Don't trust them, Alia dear." "of course not!" "Very well. Now, this Bull Agarvas..." "I said, no!" The old Baron remained silent inside her, but she was beginning to feel a headache.The pain started in her left cheek and crept into the inside of her brain.He had used this trick on her before, too.But now she was determined to reject him. "If you keep playing, I'll be sedated," she said. He could tell she was serious.The headache started to subside. "Very well," he said, "for another day." "Another day," she agreed.