by Leyton, Bisi
Felip cried in pain, just like a moment before.
“Stop this,” she calmly begged. “I’ll go with you, but stop hurting him.”
“You should not have fled, so he will pay for that.” Bach’s eyes darkened and he gripped her arm and lifted her to her feet. “And you will see your friends suffer for it, so next time you will not disobey me.”
“Please, don’t hurt him.” Closing her eyes, she listened as whatever Malcolm and Lluc did to Felip caused him to cry out.
“Look at me,” Bach demanded.
“No, I’m not playing your games, do what you want to do. I’m your prisoner—end of story.” She forced her voice not to waver, but she felt terrified.
“Open your eyes or I will kill the Dog.” Bach squeezed her arm.
She complied. “Happy?”
“What about me? I want what you promised.” Enric stormed forward. “To be made into a Dy’obeth.”
“You want perfection?” Bach loosened his grip momentarily. “To be like us?”
“Fine, here take it.” Taking Enric by the head, Malcolm flung him like a doll overhead against the side of the cave.
Even in the diminished light, Wisteria saw Enric’s blood streaking down the side of the cave wall.
“What have you done? He was your best friend.” She glared at Bach. Without thinking, she struggled to break free.
Bach’s took her wrists in his right hand and clench them tightly. “Continue to struggle and you will hurt yourself.”
“No.” She bit his hands to loosen his hold.
It didn’t work.
His brothers laughed.
“She has the heart of a Dy’obeth.” Malcolm jeered. “If you let this one loose on Maniko, she might win.”
Humorlessly, Bach pulled her head back. “Peeka, there will be plenty of time for your silly games—remember I like pain. Right now, we have to get you home.”
Chapter Nineteen
Not my master
In the early hours of the morning, Wisteria stood on a chair she’d put on a table she’d balanced onto the bed. Standing on the tips of her toes, she attempted to look through the tiny window. The window looked barely large enough for her to fit her arm through.
It was the sole source of ventilation in the room or rather cell that Bach locked her in. The room was tiny and was furnished with a small bed, a wardrobe, a wobbly table and the chair she’d been balancing on.
Trying to get a better view of the surroundings, she balanced on the edge of the chair. All she saw was the orange sky. She must be back in Jarthan.
The journey from the Moon Desert was a sandy and violent one. She’d spent most of it flung over Bach’s shoulder. He’d only put her down after they’d reached Jarthan because Malcolm and Lluc got into an argument about not being able to kill Felip. Eventually, Lluc and Malcolm dragged Felip off and she’d been brought here.
Enric’s body had been left to rot in the hot sand. He’d turned on her for nothing.
“There is no way out,” a woman said from behind her.
Jolting back, Wisteria missed her step and fell, hitting the ground hard. She looked around trying to see the speaker.
“How are you Wisteria?” Coia stood in the center of the room. She greeted warmly as if they were old friends. “I hope you did not find your journey here too unpleasant. The boys can sometimes get over excited.”
“What do you want from me? You’re free, so why am I here?” Rising, Wisteria sat on the bed doing her best to show no emotion, but inside she was terrified.
“Wisteria.” Coia moved forward, her long black dress sweeping across the stone floor. “You are here so Bach and I can look after you. We were was very concerned about your safety, because you are important to me.”
“You’re manipulating him and he’ll see through it.”
“I am not manipulating Bach. He believes in my cause.”
“Bach never believed in killing humans. He’s doing it because you’ve done something to him. “
“I have set him free.”
“To be a murderer and wipe out all the humans and Famila in this realm? You didn’t set him free. You turned him into a maniac. So what’s going to happen when all the humans on this realm are gone? You’re going to cross to Earth and kill us—”
Coia shook her head. “I care about humans, more than you can understand. The two men I have ever loved were human.” Her voice became small. “Surprised?”
“No, I knew Jason and Malcolm’s father was human.”
“The other was John Walter. He was a flutist who lived in a small cottage by a lake in a place they now call Birmingham.” Coia smiled as she recalled her love. “He had long curly brown hair and light grey eyes with speckles. He could make me laugh simply by trying to say my true name. And his music—he was a genius, but what do I know about music?”
Wisteria assumed Coia was referring to the fact the Family cannot naturally make music.
“High Father did not believe my relationship with a Terran was wise. He ordered me to pick either Karvas or Beraz as a mate. I was not prepared to marry my half-brother.” The tips of her fingers lit up. “But my father convinced me it was the right thing to do and I believed him until he asked Beraz to make sure I never saw John again. So Beraz took him, locked him in a box for eight days with no water or food until he died.”
“Eight days?”
“As John suffered, the Dy’obeths watched him. They mocked him as he died in agony. I can still remember their heartless jeers.” Coia’s head dropped. “At least our children did not take that long to die.”
“You had children with John Walter?”
“Four. I cannot believe I was naïve enough to think I could keep them away from High Father.”
“What happened to them?”
“Fortunately, my brother did not find all John’s children. I hid one—Edytha. Her descendants grew up on the home realm, taunted for being mongrels. I could not help them because no one knew they were mine and if I intervened, they would face the same fate as John and my other children.”
Wisteria didn’t know what to say—or what to believe from this woman.
“After John Walter died, I worked with the First Pillar to expel my bloodline and I never gave Earth another thought. When the Dy’obeths were sealed in Ajana, I managed to pass as a Famila and soon, everyone forgot what I was and who my people truly were. While the Family never liked humans, they did not have the same hatred as Dy’obeths, or so I thought. Then I went to Earth to visit my brother, who had left the Family and was determined to live as a human.” Coia rolled her eyes. “Then I met Cleo Callasa. He was a DJ.”
“Jason’s father?”
“We became friends, but soon he was making me happier than I had been since John died. But that all ended when Aleix, Bach’s father discovered us. The empirics butchered him and took my sons away from me, simply because their father was human.”
“That’s horrible, but it doesn’t make it right to kill—”
“Wisteria, I do not need or want your judgment. I want you to understand, I do not have the same aversion to humans as my father does.”
“Then why are you letting High Father murder the Thayns?”
“He needs a project. Hunting humans keeps him busy and out of my way. And you being here will keep Bach focused on what is important.” Coia reached out and touched Wisteria’s hair. “You could have been a much prettier girl. At least you will give my son beautiful babies.”
Wisteria jerked her head back. “That will never happen.” She searched herself for the vial, so she could infect Coia.
“Oh you and he will breed, why do you think he brought you here?” Coia laughed.
“To kill me, drain my blood and use it to get artifacts working.”
“Why would I do that? I love my son and there is nothing or no one he will hate more than the person who kill you.”
“You‘re scared of him?”
“I am pragmatic,” Coia co
rrected. “As long as you are live, he and I want the same things, a world where we will be free.”
“So as long as I’m here, nothing will happen to me?” Wisteria doubted.
“You will not die, but you will suffer, if you do not do what I tell you. And being in the Deep, I learned all kinds of ways to cause you hell.” Coia’s voice became colder at the mention of the realm where Wisteria sent her for seven years.
“What do you want me to do?”
“Get some sleep or find something to keep you busy.” Coia headed to the door. “You will see what I need in time.”
“I’m sure my father would be very proud to see you now. He helped you when you were pregnant and alone. And you repay him this way.”
“Your Father?” Coia scoffed. “He tried to help me, but he was too feeble to do what was needed.”
“Like killing all the humans in your home realm?”
“He wasted my time and then I paid for dabbling in matters he could not handle.” Coia grimaced.
“You killed my father?” Wisteria dropped on the bed.
“Oh Wisteria, I was going to kill Hemlock. I wanted to hear him scream in pain for months as his life was slowly drained, but they got to him first.”
“Who did?”
“I do not know. He was gone and he died a painful death. I was disappointed, but my consolation was killing your daughter with my bare hands. I just imagined she was Hemlock.” Coia returned to the door.
“She was your grandchild too,” Wisteria screamed. Picking up the chair, she chucked it at Coia’s head.
Laughing, she avoided Wisteria’s meager attack. Coia slapped Wisteria and sent her hurdling down to the floor. “Because she got you infected and you were too important to waste.”
“As entertainment for your son or as a blood supply?”
“Both, but do not worry I will not need the First Pillar artifacts forever.” Coia crouched down beside Wisteria. Her long dark gown was now encompassing half of the open floor space. “Yeah, like I said, you make him happy. You keep on doing that and we will not have a problem.”
“Go to hell Coia.”
“Oh, and thank you for the prax. The vial you had hidden away is going to be useful against my enemies.” She departed through the metal door.
As Coia left, Wisteria caught sight of three Drones standing guard.
The door slammed shut.
Getting up, Wisteria paced in the cell. She tried to think, but all that came to her mind was how Robinia had been right. Wisteria should’ve sealed the threshold from this realm to Earth. What about the Thayns? She couldn’t lock them into a world that guaranteed slavery at best and at worst—a tortuous death. It wasn’t supposed to happen this way. She thought Bach would come to her alone like before then infecting him would’ve been easy, but now?
The door opened.
Wanting to run, but having nowhere to go, she stood.
A woman with long curly brown hair stepped in. She had dark shana spots down the sides of her face and neck.
“Nular?” Wisteria gawked. “They got you too?” Of course, Lluc would have brought her too.
“Actually, I’m Frieda Hardy remember?” Frieda replied.
Frieda Hardy or Nular, as Wisteria first knew of her, was Lluc’s human wife. Like Wisteria, Frieda had bonded to Lluc, so for years, she’d lived with Lluc pretending to be his Thayn. When she became pregnant with Lluc’s child, she and Lluc fled from the Family’s realm to Earth—faking both their deaths in the process.
Wisteria and Bach later discovered a heavily pregnant Frieda on an oilrig in the North Sea and that was the last time Wisteria saw her. Judging from Frieda’s slimmer figure now, she was no longer pregnant.
“Hey, they finally gave me the key. Lluc did not want to, but Bach made him because he didn’t want you to be alone.” Frieda approached. “Come on, you can stay with me and Lleo. It’ll be better than being here.”
“What’s going on here?”
“Did they do this?” Frieda touched the side of Wisteria’s face.
Wincing in pain at Frieda’s touch, Wisteria yanked her face away “It’s either from being brought here or when I fell. How long have you been locked down here?”
“I’ll get you something for your face.” Frieda returned to the door. “Blai, Cristòfol, I’m taking Wisteria to my chamber as Lluc said I could.”
The Drones guarding the door glared at Frieda suspiciously.
“As Lluc also instructed you,” Frieda stated nervously.
“You are to go straight to your quarters,” a Drone warned.
“Blai, I won’t get lost,” Frieda assured him. “And with you guys hanging around, there’s no way I can accidently wander up above.”
Blai stepped aside.
Frieda gestured for Wisteria to follow.
Cautiously, Wisteria complied. As she walked out, she noticed these Drones wore the metallic knuckles she’d seen before in Bach’s den.
“This way…” Frieda turned left.
The hallway outside the cell looked just as sparsely adorned as her room. The only thing giving the grey passage any color was a twenty-foot painting of an unhappy looking girl at the end of the wall. The picture looked odd as the girl’s light indigo dress seemed to be of an ancient roman noble woman, but the girl clearly couldn’t be European. Clutching a staff in her left hand, she was surrounded by volcanoes emitting blue lava as winged monsters flew overhead. She read the name of the artist: Hugo Pero.
“This painting pre-dates the Dy’obeths according to Coia. You won’t believe I found this almost ruined in my room. Coia was kind enough get it cleaned and hung here. She kind of looks like you.” Frieda ran her fingers down the front of the picture. “She could be your sister?”
“You’re concerned about restoring paintings? Aren’t you aware of what’s going on outside?”
“Wisteria, I can’t upset these people. They’ve been all right to me.”
“All right to you? You’re hanging out here while everything is going to hell?”
“No, I didn’t willingly come here, but Wisteria—I’m tired of running from biters, draugs or pretending to be a Thayn. For the first time, I can be myself.” Frieda headed into another room.
Wisteria followed her.
They came to a large plushy decorated space. On one side; stood a canopy bed, a cradle and wardrobes while on the other; a small living area, including a television and entertainment center. The room reminded Wisteria of the first time she met Bach in London.
He’d been living in comfort in the Hunter Tower while everyone around him struggled to survive.
“I can see why you don’t want to upset things,” Wisteria remarked.
“Yes, I’m taken care of.”
“Do you enjoy having him as a master again?”
“Lluc’s not my master. Listen, it’s strange that I’m here, but I love him even though he’s changed. I’m not going to leave him to completely descend into madness like Malcolm.”
“Frieda—”
“And do you think I could leave even if I wanted to? How? Where would I go?”
A baby started babbling from the cradle by the bed.
“Lleo’s awake.” Frieda jogged over and picked up a tiny child.
He looked a few weeks old.
“Your son?”
“Lluc’s and mine.” Frieda brought the baby over. “Coia’s seen him and cried when she did.”
“But Coia’s mad.”
“She claims she’s going to change the way the Family treats humans. If she does it, then we’ll be free to live here with Lluc freely.” Frieda seemed to be trying to convince herself more than Wisteria.
“What’s she planning?”
“Lluc won’t tell me. He doesn’t talk to me like he did before.”
“He scares you, doesn’t he?”
Nervously, she nodded. “Sometimes, he gets enraged over nothing.”
“Does he hit you?”
“No, he do
esn’t even shout at me. He leaves, but when he gets back, he’s covered in blood. He won’t tell me what he did, but tells me to be glad it wasn’t me. Then he goes to bed.”
The baby coughed and began crying.
“Shh.” Frieda rocked him. “You’re not hungry because Momma just fed you.”
“Maybe he’s thirsty?” Walking up, she looked down at the baby boy.
He had bright yellow eyes.
“He’s been turned into a Dy’obeth?” Wisteria noted.
Nodding, she started crying. “Lluc perfected him right after he was born, but he’s not going to be a monster. I’m his mother. I’m going to make sure that never happens.”
“How?”
Trembling, Frieda shook her head. “I’ll find a way. God help me.”
“Can I hold him?”
Sobbing, Frieda placed her son in Wisteria’s arm.
As she cradled the infant, Wisteria placed her fingers of her right hand on the sides of Lleo’s head. Closing her eyes, she concentrated on unlocking the baby’s mind. Keeping her fingers lightly pressed on his temples until the light lilac light turned dark. When she opened her eyes, his eyes were light brown like his mother’s.
“You’ve fixed him? How?” Frieda snatched the child back. “Thank you. Thank you Wisteria.” Cradling her son, she kissed him. “But can’t Lluc just perfect him again?”
“I don’t know. I should’ve thought about that first.”
“At least, I’ll have him for a time. Maybe I can be a good influence to him before Lluc…” Frieda’s voice trailed off.
“What will Lluc do when he finds out?”
“He’ll be furious as usual, but I’m getting used to it.” Frieda rocked the child and glanced at the door. “He won’t hurt me.”
Wisteria noticed the door had three dead bolts. Going over, she started to lock it. “Not that this will make a big difference. Bach and his brothers could easily break down the door, but the locks might slow them down a little.”
“No, don’t. I’m not supposed to lock the door. You do that and you’ll enrage them and Wisteria—you don’t want to see that. It’s brutal.”
“So, Lluc has been beating you?”
“Lluc doesn’t, but Coia does sometimes. If I do what she wants, she leaves me alone.”
