“This quest is your fate, Askca. If you had not felt your calling, I would have prompted you.”
“What?”
“Perseathea and I knew a long time ago that this day was coming. If there is one thing Gragore is, it’s relentless.”
“How could you know he’d come for the Queen instead of me?”
“I didn’t. We just knew that one day you would be called up to your destiny.”
“As the Consecrated?”
Laidea paused, the first hint of light coming back into her face. “As an Amazon warrior. You are your mother’s daughter.”
A warmth hit me at those words, and for the first time, I actually believed, actually felt, that Queen Perseathea was my blood mother. Balena would always hold a place in my heart. She raised me. Loved me. She was there. But I, after a long and tormented cycle, suddenly didn’t feel so alone anymore.
“Which,” I began hesitant, “is why we have to escape this cavern. I will not give up on Queen Perseathea.”
“Still, Askca, there are things to consider.”
“What things?”
“We don’t know if they eat every part. That poison would go into the stomach. What if the Cloaks don’t eat the stomach?”
"We eat every part of an animal, and we are animals to them. Commander, this is all I have. If you want to save Queen Perseathea, we have to do this.”
"And who would agree to such a task?"
"If we’re going to die anyway,” I looked over the sleeping people, taking a breath, “I’ll do it. Maybe that‘s my destiny. To get the company out of here so that you can save the Queen.”
“No, Askca.”
“But we’ve no other choice. I’ll give my life for my
sisters. For my Queen.”
“No. We can’t take that chance. Too much might depend on you. Besides, I would do it before I let you.” Laidea paused, “and I will not allow any of our sisters to defile themselves with such sacrilege.”
“Then we have to find someone else.” I put the words firm, but only afterwards did their heavy implication sink into me.
“It cuts at my heart, but I have an idea.” Laidea breathed in deep, glancing back to the hidden split in the wall. “We’ll plot out the details, then send word to the others.”
Chapter 33
We whispered over the plan, plotting in detail what could be done and what couldn‘t. The scheme was a stretch, but here in this dank underworld, it was our only hope. What lie beyond that dark sliver in the wall held the key to our life or death.
The Cloaks exchanged guard twice in the time it took us to plan, the prisoners all waking from another induced slumber, but at last, the time came. We sent word down the wall. A stream of murmurs trickled down the line with it, every prisoner showing horror at the notion. After rows of people, word finally reached Hippolyta. She heeded to the young woman beside her. The mother who had lost her boy.
Her husband put up a long objection, shaking his head as she pleaded, his face turning red with strain. With anguish and sorrow. But he must have realized what Laidea and I already discussed. The soldier stood too muscular, and would most likely not be the Cloaks first choice in a meal. But his wife curved buxom, indicating their time in the cavern hadn’t been long enough to emaciate her. She appeared healthy, as well, and willing to sacrifice herself. Heartbroken, it was a way to honor her boy, and to meet with him in the next life.
After several more long moments, Hippolyta shifted her gaze to Laidea. The two women held the stare for a moment, speaking without words, and Hippolyta gave the nod.
Hippolyta's heart hung heavy in her chest. Thoughts of the young boy… the sight of him browned and bloated by the boiling water, his eyes dim and empty, staring out at nothing. The visions clinched into her heavy heart, making her wonder how his parents could ever go on from such a sight. It haunted her mind, but also brought her to understand.
"Are you certain you want to do this, Lilla?"
The woman looked up at the Amazon; her eyes sorrow filled but steady. "They took Jeremiah. I will not let them get away with that.”
Hippolyta swallowed, aching to comfort the grief stricken mother.
“And you, Judah?” She glanced passed Lilla to the soldier. “Are you certain you can-”
Lilla interrupted Hippolyta, shaking her head in warning that further words would only hurt the man.
“Judah knows this is the way to avenge our son.” She looked up at her husband, touching his fingers with her own. “He would do it himself if he could.”
The soldier’s eyes glistened as he gazed down on his wife, holding back tears.
“And he knows that he is relieving my pain.” Lilla tried to assure him. “This will give me peace. And you will meet with us again, Judah, in golden fields.”
At the next feeding, every prisoner accepted the meat, hiding it in their cheek until the Cloaks left them. The scraps then passed hand to hand down the line till they reached Hippolyta. The warrior maneuvered the speckled mush, dropping pieces into Lilla’s mouth, and she swallowed without hesitation.
Every prisoner waited in silence, speechless and unsettled from what they had agreed to do. Even if everything went according to plan, it would be another vexing sight to suffer. Every woman and child, soldier and fisherman, thief, farmer and Amazon alike, all strangers but for this place, came together under the desperate name of hope. Survival. Nervous fright surged the cavern, dread jittering every nerve. Anxiety burning in the pit of every stomach. This plan could go wrong in so many ways, and if it did, they would be punished.
Sounds of dripping brimmed the cavern, the only thing breaching their silence. The Cloaks lingered, gathering for their blithe conversations at the aperture. And we all stood quite, glancing to one another. Waiting. Hoping. Praying. And our moments drew on long.
"Agh!"
Every eye snapped wide open. I jerked up to see the young mother beating her body against the wall, her chilling screams shattering the silence. The Cloaks rushed to the woman. Chaos irrupted. All the prisoners began yelling and busting in their shackles, fueling the Cloaks aggression. The cavern became a thunderous amphitheater, once again prime for a new spectacle. Four Cloaks swarmed the woman, their black robes whirling like ghosts around her.
"Agh! No!" Lilla's face blared red as she kicked at the demons. The creatures mobbed her like a black cloud strangling out the sun. They held her, tearing and bruising into her, forcing her still under their white hands. Her husband kept his eyes far from her, unable to watch, his jaw clenched so tight I could see his veins from where I stood.
Hippolyta fought herself. Lilla had become her friend, comforting her from the first moment they had me, speaking to the Amazon as if they had known each other for cycles. The warrior wrestled with her instincts, all the fire in her belly pushing her to move. To help. Her body surged hot with blood, urging her to bust against her chains. To charge kicks into the Cloak’s stomachs. Jaws. Knees. Hippolyta forced her eyes away, pinching them shut. This had to happen. Gritting her teeth, the warrior swallowed back lumps of guilt, with Lilla’s screams stabbing into her ears.
As a Cloak shoved her head into the wall, Lilla sunk her teeth into the flesh between his thumb and forefinger, bringing blood to his pale hand. Anger poured out of his eyes like wine from slit skins. Yanking his bloody hand from her mouth, he battered her across the face, exploding blood from her lip. Ripping Lilla out of her shackles, the Cloaks drug her away, dragging her by her arms in the dirt. She squirmed, clouding up dust until her hand dropped in front of the cauldron. Yanked up, she heaved into the cold water with a splash. And her first thought was of Jeremiah, of how he had cooked in this same water.
One Cloak sprawled his white fingers over her head, pushing her under. Another wrestled to put fresh shackles on her hands and feet as she flailed about, splashing. But before the chains locked, Lilla surged a hand into his heavy black robe. A moment later, she held the key. Before the Cloak could grab it, she sucked
it into her mouth, swallowing.
"No!” I shouted, panic shooting my chest like a lightening bolt. “What is she doing? That's not part of the plan!"
"I don’t know.” Laidea rushed out, shock showing on her face. “She must have misunderstood-"
"What are we going to do?” I stammered, my heart speeding in my chest. “She just swallowed it. The Cloaks are certain to find it before we can get to it."
The cavern irrupted into chaos around us. Screams and cursing. Chains clinking. The Cloaks horded around the cauldron, and Lilla couldn’t keep up her struggle. The herbs weighed on her now, a powerful urge to sleep beckoning her. Drawing her in. And she passed under.
Fire swept up under the cauldron, lighting up the cavern again. The Cloaks prepared Lilla like an animal caught in a trap, dropping bruised and molding peaches into the water to float along side her body. When the body boiled ready, the Cloaks doubled in number as if the smell of her cooking flesh summoned them. Pulling the limp body from the pot, they slid the dead woman onto a serving dish of sorts, one large enough to accommodate the size of most any prey.
Lilla’s browned and lifeless body jiggled as they lowered the plate into the dust. The single swipe of an axe blade split her head from her body, and the throng of Cloaks knelt in the dirt like a black cloud, ripping the garments from her body. Tearing at the flesh with their teeth and long daggers, they grunted and lapped over the body like a pack of wild dogs.
The defilement of the young mother, now just chunks of meat to the hungry clan, twisted my stomach into a sour boil. I could no longer keep it down. The hot fluid burned up my throat, spewing my tongue to splat the dirt at my feet. My face burned hot. I panted for breath, the heaving clenching into my stomach. I closed my eyes tight, willing my stomach to settle.
"Now we know.” Laidea said flatly, watching the Cloaks horde over Lilla’s body as if it were their first meal in weeks. “They do eat every part."
I shook my head, refusing to open my eyes. "Laidea…" I mumbled, the churning in my stomach still heated.
“The way the Cloaks are going at her, I’m not sure they’ll even notice swallowing a key.”
"Laidea.” I tried again, taking in deep breaths to settle myself.
“What?”
“I’ve got another idea to get that key."
Chapter 34
Silence. Moments passed over like days, long and never ending. The cauldron fire had long since burned out. Nothing remained of the torches but orange embers. The cavern, with its sinister shadows and smoke tinged flesh and decay, became somehow more eerie. Like a bad dream fading into a nightmare. Obscure figures drug heavy feet in the darkness. Pacing. The meat’s poison seemed to be circling the Cloaks, enticing them to sleep, but the long boned watchmen refused to give in. And I could feel it… our last chance slipping away.
A rumble boomed. Everyone looked up at the jagged canopy, whispers circulating. It was too dark to see anything much, but I knew it wasn’t bats this time. Another rumble shuddered through the cavern. It felt like I was inside the growling belly of a beast. Seeing my curious eyes studying the dark formations overhead, Laidea leaned into me.
"Thunder. It must be raining up there."
I sighed under my breath, hoping not to expose my nerves. "Do you think Valasca can do this?"
"She has to. A lot of lives depend on it. The Queen‘s life depends on it.”
I nodded, moving impatiently in my chains. "Why are they still awake?"
"They’re getting weary.”
“The herb has had plenty of time to cast its’ spell.”
“Just pray there’s enough time to get that key and get out of here. We’re cutting this close.”
Biting my lip, I fidgeted in my chains, anxious. The Cloaks ambled about, sluggish. Slowing. And finally, stopping.
"Look!" I motioned to a Cloak stumbling to his knees.
Laidea eyeballed the man, watching him stagger. “We have to wait till they are all out."
"He's out.” I could barely stand still. I kept my eyes fixed on the collection of demons, most of whom began swerving in their steps. Cloaks all over the cavern began dropping into the dust. Some crawled about on their knees, trying to find their balance. Others fell victim to the spell so quickly that they dropped where they stood, face down in the dirt.
"I have to be certain." Laidea muttered, scrutinizing the last Cloak’s every move as he weaved about, stumbling.
"Laidea, we don't know how long they’ll be out and we can’t be certain of how much time we have till the new watch comes. We have to do this now."
Laidea paused, focusing on the last Cloak as he fell faint. "Send the signal."
When the nudge reached Valasca, she took in a deep breath, preparing herself for the pain. Forcing her thumb back, it cracked into a pop. Sinking her hand down into the skintight cuff, she held her breath, straining. The cuff clamped tighter than she had anticipated and her hand turned purple under the pressure. Smashed this way, it began to throb. Ignoring the pulsations of pain, she forced her hand deeper into the metal bind, but it refused to budge. Face flushing hot, Valasca’s mind begged her to pull her hand free, but now, it wouldn’t budge in either direction. She was stuck.
"No!" Valasca hissed under her breath, jerking on the swollen hand as it crushed into bruises. Giving up on the erratic yanking, she had to go back up. Mashing her swollen hand through, arm shaking, her face flushed with sweat. At last, her sore hand drove back through. Chest heaving, Valasca cracked her swollen thumb back into place with one stinging snap. Gritting back the pain, she watched her knuckle stain from purple to black. The brave closed her eyes, letting the pounding ache fade.
Begrudgingly, she looked to her other hand. After a determined sigh, she willed that thumb back until it popped. Straining, she pulled down, slithering her hand deep into the sweaty steel. Bringing all of her weight down on it. Just as the cuff slipped over her knuckle, it stopped.
“Come on!” Every muscle in the brave’s arm tensed as she fought to draw her hand through. There wasn’t much time before it would start to swell, just as her other hand had. The cuff smashed tighter and tighter, bruising into the bones of her hand. Her fingertips blared red above the cuff, and their pain would soon summon the throbbing purple. Time is slipping, the Cloaks could wake, the next watch is coming….
Valasca yanked on her hand, desperate, forcing it deeper into the cuff. She could feel all the eyes on her, all of the prisoners, hundreds of people, watching. Depending on her. With an angry jerk, her hand finally scraped out. A pounding sting of pain followed. She lifted her trembling hand, staring at it. Blood smeared her hand thick red, wrist to fingers. The sharp edged cuff had scraped layers of skin off. She swallowed hard, grinning in spite of the biting ache. Sliding her blackened thumb into the warmth of her mouth, she suckled the blood, soothing her pain. Gripping her sore thumb in her teeth, she popped it back into place. One more to go.
Valasca twisted her body to trickle the blood from her wounded hand into the remaining cuff. Closing her eyes and dreading, she popped her sore thumb back. Again. The blood slipped her hand in, but once again, once there her swollen knuckle stalled her. Valasca's heart beat heavy against her ribs. Thrashing. Racing her breath. She didn’t know what to do. Her cuffed hand pulsated with bruising pumps of blood, aching inside the cuff. Stuck. Squaring her jaw, she pulled, begged, but the hand would not move.
Turning to anchor her feet against the wall, she wrapped bloody fingers around her suspended wrist. Leaning, she hung all of her weight on the pull. Feet pressing against the wall, she swung on the chain, praying. The stare of every prisoner burned on her back. They waited on baited breath. She could feel their tension. Their fear and their doubt. They’re not there. Think only on this.
The brave knew what she had to do. Broken bones were foreseeable. She just had to do it. And better to leave with broken bones than end up in that cauldron. Valasca tightened her grip on her suspended hand. Using all of her body weig
ht, in one brutal yank, she finally ripped free. Her shriek mingled with a crack, dropping the brave into the dirt. She tucked her aching hand under her arm, her teeth clenching in pain.
"Ah! Ah! Gods!”
The pain exploded, bulging her eyes and speeding an urge to vomit up her throat. She squeezed a hand around her wrist, trying to break the pain flow. Her thumb would not move. Pain seared her hand with white heat every time she lightly touched the thumb. Eyes watering, she glared at her bloody hands.
Shaking it off, she lifted to her feet, sprinting across the cavern to Laidea.
"Are you alright?"
“Yes, Commander.” Valasca nodded, forsaking every bit of the ache. “But that woman swallowed the key.”
“You have to stifle every fear to do what I’m about to tell you, Valasca."
"Yes Commander…” the brave sounded uncertain, “what do I have do?"
"Search their stomachs. One of them had to swallow it; they left nothing of that woman but bones.”
Valasca’s chest tightened. “You want me to cut them open?"
"Up the stomach,” Laidea answered, “then a horizontal slash under the ribs.”
Valasca raised her purpling palms. "But my hands-"
"It’s that, or we die.”
The brave swallowed. “Yes, Commander.”
“When the Cloaks cut her flesh off the bone, they used elongated daggers. They carried the blades under their robes. Find one and start searching.”
Valasca’s mouth went dry, but she turned anyway, looking around the dark cavern. The dust littered with the slumped bodies of around twenty Cloaks.
"Valasca."
"Commander?"
Laidea’s eyes narrowed. "Hurry."
Amazon_Signs of the Secret Page 19
