“These soldiers, that’s who. Listen, I need to tell you something. You need to warn the baron,” I began.
Her eyes searched my face as she listened intently, but as I opened my mouth to continue, Constable Mintosa’s towering form appeared in the doorway.
“I—uh—never mind.” I shook my head franticly.
The constable’s gaze darkened as he marched up behind the maid.
“Warn him of what?” the maid urged.
“Watch out!” I tried to get her to move.
I was too late. Constable Mintosa pushed his sword into her back. She fell to the floor with a loud thump.
I shrank back as Constable Mintosa came toward me. He reached forward and throttled me with one hand. His calloused hands held no warmth… neither did his face.
His eyes flashed that eerie cerulean. “If it were up to me, you’d already be dead.”
I tried to swallow against his grip. I was a mouse in a cat’s jaws.
“What’s going on in here?” I saw Thaimis come up behind Constable Mintosa.
Constable Mintosa released me from his grip and rose to face him. “You’re prisoner’s causing trouble.” He glanced at the maid’s body. “You’re supposed to keep your eye on her. King Zaeden said she’s your responsibility.” He jabbed Thaimis in the chest with his finger.
“I know she is.” Thaimis raised his hands. “I was helping with the horses.”
“From now on, leave those tasks to the others. She is your only concern until we give her to the dark lord.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Now get rid of this.” Constable Mintosa nudged the dead body with his foot.
Thaimis closed the door behind the constable and turned to me. “You’ve caused a lot of trouble. What were you thinking? It’s your fault she’s dead, you know?”
I turned my face away from him and leaned against the bed post. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing me so upset. I should’ve stayed with Sia. I’m only making things worse here. I missed the siren who’d surprised me with her unwavering love. I longed to see her reassuring smile, now more than ever.
“Hey, Chel. I—I—”
“Grub’s ready! Come feast!” a man’s voice hollered from the other side of the door as he pounded on it three times.
Thaimis dropped whatever he was about to say to me and instead rolled the maid’s corpse underneath the bed and covered it with one of the blankets from the bed.
I remained silent as he untied me and led me out of the bedchamber.
We were served a meal of hot stew with fresh cheese and soft bread. I’m sure the meal was scrumptious, but the little I ate turned to ash in my mouth. How could I enjoy anything knowing I’d caused the death of an innocent woman?
I was okay with ending someone’s life if they had malicious intentions, but this was so much different. That maid had tried to help me and now, because of me, she was gone. I let myself imagine her family finding out about her demise—her children… grandchildren.
I drank my goblet of wine deeply and gladly accepted more when my goblet was empty. The effects of the wine began to numb my feelings of self-pity.
When the soldiers began singing a catchy tune, I stomped my feet and clapped along with them, swaying slowly in my seat… loosing myself.
The soldier across from me set his eyes on me and grinned. His black hair fell around his broad shoulders. I worked my numb lips into a smile of my own. He winked and yelled over the song.
Not catching what he’d said, I yelled back at him. “Pardon?” I leaned toward him and cupped my ear.
“I said… care to dance?” He shouted louder, stretching closer across the table.
I sat back and slowly nodded so he could see my answer.
He stood, but as I began to get up off my seat, Thaimis pulled me back down and hissed at the other soldier. “She’s mine.”
“Oh, come on, Thaimis. Let us have some fun. You can keep your eye on her from there. I’m sure the lady grows wary of you.”
Thaimis got up and repositioned himself so that he sat with me between his legs. He placed his hands on my hips and locked eyes with the black haired soldier. “I assure you, she does not.” His lips were so close to my neck, I could almost feel them move as he spoke… a memory flickered to life. I squeezed my eyes shut to block it out.
The other soldier made a rude gesture and stalked off, probably in search of another woman to keep him company. It seemed I wasn’t the only one affected by the wine.
“You know, it’s been a long time…” Thaimis said, his voice barely above a whisper. He trailed a fingertip down my bare neck.
I leaned forward, peering over my shoulder at him. “You’re acting strange.”
He opened his mouth to say something, but I noticed his eyes before he could get any words out. That awful cerulean colour I’d seen in them before was gone.
I grabbed the sides of his face and looked closer.
Thaimis glanced sideways and pulled my hands off his face. “You’re acting strange.”
He stood up quickly, almost knocking me off the bench.
“Ow! What the...”
He caught my arm and pulled me up with him. “Dance with me, and pretend you hate it.”
“I don’t have to pretend,” I ground out between clenched teeth.
We joined the group that was stomping and spinning between the two tables. Most were soldiers who’d convinced some of the female servants to dance with them. Some of the female soldiers even paired up with their comrades. All were still dressed in uniform. Soldiers didn’t have the luxury of bringing fancy outfits with them. King’s did, but the king here currently blended in with his army.
That very king, dressed in one of those uniforms with the silver V, watched from his seat at one of the tables. He mindlessly stroked the neatly-trimmed, dark beard on his chin. His gaze made me uncomfortable. I found myself tripping over my own feet… that could have also been from the effects of the wine.
The dance began to pick up speed, and the room began to spin. The great hall was suddenly stifling, and there was too much saliva inside my mouth. I swallowed and wrenched myself from Thaimis’ grip.
“I need some air,” I choked out.
He followed me as I began to stumble out of the hall.
Just before I reached the exit, the wine I’d drank and the little bit of food I did eat came up and hit the floor in front of me.
“Agh.” I didn’t stop to find out who’d noticed I’d gotten sick. I continued through the exit and to the stairs that would carry me to the bedchamber. I took my time to ensure I didn’t trip.
“Wait. Here. Let me help you.” Thaimis had caught up to me and put his arm around my waist.
Remembering the dead body in the bedchamber Thaimis had claimed for us, I halted. “I can’t go back into that room. Please don’t make me.”
Thaimis sighed. “Alright, but we’ll have to sleep in the stables. All the other bedchambers have been claimed.”
“Fine.”
We turned and went outside. The cool night air was refreshing compared to the stuffiness of the manor.
Thaimis helped me up the wooden ladder and into the hayloft. We were the first ones to the stables.
He filled a water skin from one of the horse’s stalls and brought it to me. I gratefully accepted it, using it to rinse out my mouth and rehydrate myself.
Lying on a pile of hay, I asked, “Why’re you being so kind to me?”
He stretched out beside me on his side so we were facing each other. “That’s what I was trying to tell you before. The dark spirit that’s been inside of me since King Zaeden obtained power from Vesirus… it’s been dormant since I was hit in the face with that blast of water.”
“That cerulean glow in your eyes… I’d almost forgotten!” I glanced at him suspiciously. “So you’re you now?”
“For now.”
“Prove it.”
His nostrils flared. A muscle in his jaw twitche
d. “How?”
I shrugged my shoulders. “I don’t know. Figure it out.”
I was watching him for any sign of the dark spirit when he leaned in and brushed his thumb over my bottom lip. He closed his eyes and pressed his lips against mine. He pulled back enough to say, “I’ve missed you Chelela. I never wanted you to marry that duke.”
Tears filled my eyes. I let out a half-laugh, half-sob. I embraced him and cried into his shoulder. “Thaimis, it’s really you. You don’t know what I’ve been through.”
“Shhh. I’m sorry.” He stroked my hair.
I wanted to forget about the rest of the world… about King Zaeden and his war… about Gwon and the men who I’d had to lie with. I wanted to stay in Thaimis’ arms forever and forget all of it—but Sarantoa needed me, and I couldn’t change the past.
I leaned back and frowned at him. “Why do you think the water cured you?”
Thaimis rolled onto his back and stared up at the peaked ceiling. “It didn’t cure me. I can still feel the dark spirit inside of me—only, I’m in control now and he’s the observer. Before, it was the other way around. I don’t know why the water reversed our control, but I felt the spirit recoil at something in that moment when I couldn’t breathe.
I knew what that something was… my power—Celestia’s power. I couldn’t voice my theory to him. Not with the dark spirit still residing inside his body. Maybe I could find a way to infect all of the soldiers with my power.
“So King Zaeden put dark spirits inside all of his soldiers? That’s how he’s able to control all of you?”
Thaimis nodded. “Vesirus gave him the power to call forth dark spirits from Mnyama to possess the bodies of his soldiers. I was the first to be consumed by a dark spirit. That’s why I wasn’t myself before you married. I still had some control back then, but not enough. I didn’t want you in Aquila once I’d figured out what King Zaeden was doing. I wanted to tell you everything, but the dark spirit wouldn’t let me. These spirits... they were the worst of all mankind when they lived. They were the ones who’d failed in their second chances to join Celestia in death. They were doomed to the dark world forever… until King Zaeden let them back into the world.”
I was silent for a few heartbeats… letting his words soak in. These spirits were in debt to King Zaeden. No wonder the soldiers had followed him blindly into war.
I sat up. “Seeing as how we’re sharing confessions… My husband died and his brother sold me to Gwon to be a sex slave.”
He sat up too and looked down at his hands. When he looked back up, I saw the regret in his eyes. “I’m so sorry, Chel. If I’d have known what would happen, I’d have tried to stop you from leaving.”
“I don’t blame you. I did for a while, but I know now that you weren’t really accountable for your actions. I blame King Zaeden… for everything.” I cocked my head to the side. “Why did you tell King Zaeden to sacrifice me to Vesirus though? That’s what I don’t understand.”
“It was the only alternative I could come up with to keep him from killing you right then and there.”
I let out the breath I hadn’t noticed I’d been holding. “I understand.”
“What now?” Thaimis asked. “I don’t know how long I’ll be able to hold onto control.”
“I have an idea, but I’m not going to tell you what it is. I don’t want the spirit inside of you to know.”
“That’s wise. Understand, I’ll need to treat you poorly to avoid suspicion. I fear King Zaeden is already suspicious,” he said, picking a piece of hay out of my tangled hair.
I nodded and then I lay down again and closed my eyes. “I understand. I’ll just need a moment alone if I’m to execute my plan. Wake me before dawn… when all of the others are asleep.” My head had started to pound. I knew we’d be off again at sunrise. I just needed to get to the army’s supply of water without being seen.
“Alright,” Thaimis agreed as he lay down beside me and placed his hand on my shoulder.
Chapter 30
When Thaimis woke me, the sun hadn’t yet risen. The sky was beginning to turn a lighter shade of blue though. My head still pounded, and I felt like I’d died and been sent to Mnyama, but I couldn’t let that stop me.
I quietly crept down the ladder from the hayloft. The snores of soldiers filled the stable. I was careful not to step on any bodies as I crept out of the stable and to the wagons.
Inside one of the wagons, I found three barrels. I slipped the top off one. It was filled with water just as I’d predicted.
I placed my palms over the water and felt my power stir. The water inside the barrel began to swirl. When I was satisfied, I pulled my hands back and placed the lid back over the barrel and moved on to the next one. I repeated this process for each of the other the barrels. When I was finished, I smiled to myself. If I could get the soldiers’ control back to themselves, I could defeat King Zaeden. He was nothing without his army.
I found a piece of rope on my way back up to the hayloft. When I reached Thaimis, I held it up to him. “Tie me up.”
I could just make him out in the darkness as he accepted the rope from me. I placed my wrists together and he tied them with the rope. He held the remainder of the rope in his hand as he lay back down, and we pretended to sleep.
The sun was high in the sky by the time we were ready to leave Vedram. It had taken a while to gather all the soldiers and saddle the horses. A number of soldiers had found rest in smaller households.
King Zaeden was still disguised as a regular soldier. He sat upon his horse with a sneer pasted on his face, and I knew we had a rough day ahead of us.
Baron Kennard and some of the people of Vedram came outside to see us off. They all wore grim expressions as they stood clung together. I knew the army had taken more from them than they could offer. They were probably wondering how they’d be able to store enough food for the winter now. I wished I’d had an answer for them, but I already had enough responsibilities. Thank Celestia King Zaeden wanted to seem unthreatening. Otherwise, he would have ordered the death of the whole village. Perhaps Terra could offer them aid… if I were able to save it.
Thaimis did his part to make it look like I was still his prisoner, and I did mine. Neither of us spoke a word to each other as we clip-clopped away from the village and back on route toward Terra.
We rode long into the night. The moon was now a sliver of silver light. Soon, Noctis De Celestia would be upon us.
To make matters worse, King Zaeden spent most of his time riding beside me and Thaimis. I could tell it was wearing on Thaimis’ nerves. His body was stiff behind me, and he rode his horse hard, as though he were trying to get ahead of the king. A few times, he tried to slow his horse’s pace to fall behind the king, but King Zaeden had snapped at him. “Keep up! You’re falling behind.”
I was sure he suspected something was amiss. I played with the idea of escaping as soon as we had the chance. I knew it would be risky to travel alone with Thaimis while he had a dark spirit inside him, but surely it couldn’t be more dangerous than travelling with King Zaeden and his army. I’d just have to keep feeding him my water until we figured out how to banish the spirit for good.
Eventually, we did stop to make camp, but it wasn’t until the morning that I’d had the chance to find out if my water had worked.
I heard one of the other men yell from inside one of the wagons. “Poison! Our water’s been poisoned!”
The soldiers rushed to gather around the wagon to see what their comrade was yelling about.
Thaimis gave me a questioning look and mouthed, “You?”
I gave him a slight nod.
We crept up behind the group. The man inside the wagon pointed at the barrel of water, his eyes glowing brightly in the shadows. His face was contorted and he was grabbing at his throat.
King Zaeden pulled himself up into the wagon, now back in his crown and fancy blue robes. “What is the meaning of this?”
“The water’s tainted
,” the soldier told his king franticly in between coughs.
King Zaeden let out a roar and kicked the barrel over. He went to the other barrels to topple them over too, but I didn’t stay to watch.
I slunk away, pulling Thaimis with me. “We’ve got to get out of here.”
Others noticed us leaving and started to shout. Thaimis grabbed his sword and we found a horse, put a bridle on it and rode away without even worrying about a saddle.
It wasn’t long before the sounds of pursuit chased us. We’d had a head start and galloped into the bushes and out of view. I had no idea which direction we were headed in. I didn’t care, so long as we got away alive.
I lay flat against the dark horses neck to avoid being knocked off by branches. My arms and legs burned with scratches regardless. When we could no longer hear the sounds of horses and soldiers, we slowed but still kept at a steady pace.
“Do you think they’re still searching for us?” I asked when we in leafy green bushes. A bird pecked at a few orange berries dotting one of the bushes, paying us no attention.
“I doubt it. The king’s in a hurry to get to Terra. He’ll be trying to get there even quicker now that he knows we’re against him. Hopefully we can beat him there.”
I looked around at our surroundings. There was no path, no sign whatsoever of human life. All I saw were bushes, an endless amount of thick bushes. The sun beat down on my back from high in the cloudless sky. Insects buzzed happily, undisturbed by our presence. “Do you know where we are?”
He bit his bottom lip. “No, but I know how to navigate by the stars.”
“So we can only travel by night, wonderful,” I said with sarcasm.
Thaimis dismounted. “We’ll sleep during the day. We should be able to reach Terra before the others if we travel from dusk until dawn.”
I got off the tall horse too and let her munch on a patch of grass. “I guess we best get to sleep then. Too bad we don’t have any blankets… or—anything. I thought for sure my plan would work.” I bent down and put my head in my arms.
“How did you do it?” Thaimis asked, looking down at me.
I stood up. Telling him was risky, but I didn’t care anymore. Not now that we were alone. “Celestia has gifted me with power.”
The Elemental Diaries - Complete Series Page 44
