Anathema

by Megg Jensen

  I stood stunned as I looked at the man who entered the room.

  “Nemison is…”

  “Why is it always about Nemison?” Gerrold asked, his grumpy expression replaced with one of irritation. “I’m just as powerful as that old coot. Why doesn’t anyone care about what I can

  do or what I have to say?”

  “I care,” Ivy said, reaching over and touching Gerrold’s arm. His expression lost a bit of its fire as he turned to look at her adoring face.

  “Gerrold,” I cried. “Don’t you see what she’s doing to you? How she’s soothing you?”

  “She has no power over me,” Gerrold said, looking at me. Ivy’s expression return to the smirk she’d sported earlier. “I’ve been practicing my gifts for years. She’s just a babe.”

  I shook my head in disgust. Was anyone immune to Ivy’s gift?

  “Now what?” I asked.

  “Well,” Ivy said, “your daddy and I are getting married in a few hours. Are you excited to have me for a step-mom?”

  “Wicked step-mother,” I whispered under my breath.

  “Excuse me?”

  “Nothing, Mommy,” I said with as much sarcasm as I could muster.

  Ivy’s lips parted to bear the most beautiful smile. At least it had been a beautiful smile back when I thought Ivy was my best friend. Now she looked more like a caged beast about to attack.

  “Kandek and I are getting married. Then I will take everything he’s built with your help and build upon it for myself,” Ivy said as she walked over and grabbed me by the chin.

  I stood still waiting to see what was coming.

  “And you, my dear best friend, my little Prophet, will help me.”

  She knew. Of course she knew. But who told her? Was it Gerrold or Kandek? Which of them betrayed me?

  “Never,” I said, my voice steady and resolute.

  “Oh, you will,” Ivy said. “And I know how to make you.”

  22

  I didn’t fight the guards as they escorted me back to the cell. Too much information swirled through my mind, too much to process so quickly. My heritage, my father, my former best friend, nothing was simple. For years Ivy had known who my father was. She used me. She exploited me. She fooled me.

  And I felt every inch the fool. Why didn’t I ever see through her? Was my judgment of people so poor?

  We arrived back at the cell, the guard unlocked the door, and nudged me back in. I didn’t fight. Why bother? What would it gain me? Tania lifted her head and stared at me through dim shadows. Her toothy smile slowly disappeared as I walked toward her, my shoulders slumped, my mouth turned downward. Her arms opened wide and I collapsed in her embrace.

  “Ivy’s marrying Kandek. He’s my father. Gerrold is in on it. They knew, they all knew about my gift,” I blurted out in one breath.

  My whole body heaved with the tears that were breaking free from my eyes. I’d held them in during my time with Ivy and Kandek. Now they could no longer be contained. My sobbing echoed in our small cell until it sounded like a chorus of grieving widows. Still Tania held me tightly, keeping me from falling apart.

  Not caring who heard, I let loose a wail I felt I’d been saving up my whole life. It traveled throughout my body, beginning in my lungs and spreading to the tips of my fingers and toes. I screamed until there was nothing left inside that hadn’t been stripped raw.

  Only then did I take my first breath, born anew. My muscles relaxed as I slipped comfortably into Tania’s embrace. The tears fell, but instead of a gushing torrent they dropped silently and lightly on my cheeks.

  “Reychel,” I heard a voice whisper. “Reychel, are you alright?”

  I pulled away from Tania, looking around to see who else was sharing our cell. I turned to Tania, my eyes narrowed in confusion. I was sure I’d heard voices, but we were alone.

  “It’s Mark,” Tania said, her smile returning. She stroked my cheek, wiping away the tears. “While you were gone, we discovered a tiny hole between the cells. Not enough to see each other, but enough to talk. It’s over there.”

  I followed Tania’s pointed finger to the back corner of the cell. I settled down on the floor, laying my head against the stone wall.

  “Mark,” I whispered.

  “What did they do to you?” he asked. “I heard your scream. Eloh, I think you even shook the stone walls. Are you okay? Did they hurt you?”

  I heard a pounding noise echo off the wall. I could only assume it was Mark’s fist against the wall or his foot on the floor.

  “I wish I could hold you,” he said.

  “I’m okay, Mark. I know the truth now. I know the secret Ivy had been keeping from me.” I paused. “I don’t even know where to begin.”

  “Just give me the basics. We can fill the rest in later.”

  I paused wondering how to admit I was the illegal daughter of the overlord.

  “Turns out that Kandek is my father,” I heard a loud gasp from Mark. “Ivy has known for years and that’s why she pretended to be my friend. She didn’t know what my gift was until recently. And she’s working with Gerrold.”

  “That sneaky…” his voice mumbled off a few uncomplimentary words.

  “I just don’t know what to do from here,” I said. I looked to Tania who shrugged her shoulders. “We’re all trapped in here. Our only hope is that Tania’s husband, Jon, figures out where we are. But what can one man do alone?”

  “If he’s alone, not too much. But with a friend, he can accomplish anything,” a familiar high-pitched voice said from outside the cell.

  I jumped to my feet, scrambling to reach the door. A smile spread across my face as I saw Ella through the grated window. The last few months had changed her. She was taller now and the fear that used to hide in her eyes was replaced by a mischievous twinkle.

  “Ella, it’s you!” I cried, but I quickly stifled my laugh as I looked around for the guard. I saw him lying on the floor, looking very much like a sleeping bear. “How did you do that?”

  Ella giggled as she turned to her left. A man suddenly appeared next to her, wearing a black cloak.

  “Jon,” Tania shouted, pushing me aside to get a better look. “I knew you’d come for us.”

  “Can’t let my wife waste away in a cell when there’s dishes to be done,” he said.

  I appreciated his wide grin. It was well-matched to his wife’s irrepressible smile.

  “Get me out of here so I can smack you,” Tania said. “That’s so rude.”

  Jon laughed as he grabbed the cell keys from the guard’s pocket. He jiggled the first key in the lock with no success while Ella kept a look out at the end of the hall.

  “Hurry up,” I said. “We have other friends to free too. I think they’re around the corner.”

  “I know,” Jon said. “It’s the buzz all over the town. We all saw you walk in together and one of the gate guards drank a little too much at his noon meal and informed whoever would listen that you were both behind bars.”

  “Gerrold is here,” Tania told Jon. “He’s helping Ivy.”

  “Ivy?” Jon asked. “Is she involved in this? I thought that girl was trouble the moment I laid eyes on her. But you had to free her, didn’t you Tania?”

  “She had the spark. How could I let her remain a slave when I knew I could help? It’s my duty,” she sighed. “I just never thought it would backfire on me like this.”

  The door creaked open after Jon finally found the right key. Tania spilled out of the cell and into his arms. I slipped out the side and grabbed the keys from his hands. I had someone’s arms to fall into and I wasn’t going to wait one more moment to free him.

  “Where are they?” I asked Ella, who was still keeping watch. She pointed down the hallway behind her to the cells that backed up to my old cell.

  I ran around the corner, counting the doors until I found the fourth door. The one that was opposite of mine. I looked in the window and saw Mark, still huddled in the corner of his cell, straining to hear
us through the hole. I tapped on the heavy wooden door to grab his attention.

  “Reychel!” he exclaimed, running over to the door. “I could barely hear what was going on over there. How did you get out?”

  I stuck the first key that settled in my fingers into the lock and turned it until I heard the familiar click. Throwing the door open, I ran in the cell straight into Mark’s arms. I buried my head in his shoulders, wiping the lone tear that was left onto his shirt.

  Grabbing my head on both sides, Mark pulled me back until we could look each other in the eyes. I felt his breath mingle with mine as we moved closer. He pressed his nose to my forehead, our eyes closed. Squeezing him around the neck, I melted into his strong embrace.

  “Keep moving,” Tania shouted down the hall to us. “There’s time for all of that later.”

  I pulled back and looked Mark in the eyes. I could see his spark shining brightly as he nodded his head resolutely toward the door. We laced hands and Mark ran behind me out the door.

  Ella stood with Roc, whom she had been busy freeing while we reunited in Mark’s cell. She dangled the keys in her hand.

  “Where to now?” I asked, too overcome to think about good hiding places in my old home.

  “The slaves’ quarters,” Ella said, leading the way down the hall.

  “But everyone hates me there,” I insisted. “Someone will tell.”

  “No one hates you, Reychel. Not anymore,” Ella said, leading us through the deserted servant’s hallways. “Not once they realized that Ivy was marrying Kandek. She’s been so cruel to us since the day she came back and tricked Kandek. I don’t know if she thinks we don’t recognize her or if she simply doesn’t care, but no one will stand in your way if you’re going to stop her.”

  I couldn’t help but take in the familiar hallways as we ran for safety. The crude paintings on the walls, made by servants who’d lived there over the years. While the main halls were stocked with paintings and tapestries, the servants’ parallel hallways were dotted with their own creations. I’d never noticed how beautiful they were until today. It had been our expression of freedom within captivity.

  When we ran through the doorway that led to my old bed, I ran ahead and jumped on it. Laughing, I rolled over to see all of my friends eyeing me. Even Mark looked confused.

  “I’ve never laid down here because I wanted to,” I explained. “I usually fell in at the end of a long day.”

  A smile spread across my face as I glanced around. Regardless of all the bad things that happened, it had been my home for most of my life. In a weird way, I missed it and loved it.

  “I know we could escape, but let’s set things right. We need to rescue all of the prisoners,” I said. “Who’s willing to help me?”

  No one replied.

  23

  After everything we’d been through, I couldn’t believe no one was volunteering to stay.

  “I hate to say this,” Tania said, “but maybe we should escape now and regroup. We can call the council. They’ll know how to deal with Gerrold.”

  “I don’t know how we could fight all of these people,” Jon agreed, putting his arm around Tania’s shoulders. “I know Roc and Mark are soldiers, but there will be hundreds of nobles in attendance, not to mention the large numbers of guards they’ve brought with them.”

  Roc looked down at his feet. For a man so proud of his strength, I could see that Ivy’s soothing had all but destroyed his confidence.

  “I’m standing with Reychel,” Mark said, walking over to my bed. “She’s right. We have to fight and now is the time. If Ivy marries Kandek, who knows what she will do with that kind of power.”

  “Kandek’s weak,” I said. “I’ve known him, my father, my whole life. The man was never anything but strong. But now, he’s different. If we leave now, I don’t think he’d have the strength to stand up to Ivy.”

  I glanced over to Roc.

  “How do you feel?” I asked him.

  He shrugged.

  “How many times did she soothe you?”

  Roc held up one beefy finger without meeting my eyes.

  “How would you feel if she’d done that to you day after day? Wouldn’t you want someone to help you?”

  Slowly lifting his head, Roc glanced at me. He looked carefully at each of the people standing in the room with him.

  “I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy,” he confessed. “That includes Kandek. I stand with you.”

  “Ella?” I asked turning to look at my bald friend.

  “Of course I’m with you,” she said. “Like it or not, this is my home too. I can’t imagine leaving my other friends behind to suffer.”

  I looked at Tania and Jon again. I raised an eyebrow as I studied their faces. Tania turned to look at Jon. He looked at her. I saw a twitch at the corner of Tania’s mouth as a smile spread across it.

  “Why not?” she said. “Give me just a minute to contact Nemison.”

  “How are you going to do that?” I asked.

  “Easy,” Tania said. She closed her eyes and tilted her head toward the ceiling.

  “What...” I started.

  “Shhh,” Jon said. “It’s easier for her if it’s quiet.”

  We watched in wonder as Tania's mouth moved, but no sound came out. Her face tightened as if she was irritated. She seemed to be arguing, but then a big smile burst across her face. She nodded her head and then fell silent.

  “Okay,” she said. “Nemison is contacting a few gifted people. They’ll get here as soon as they can, but it may not be fast enough. Although, he says he’s already on the grounds, here to make sure our plans don’t fail. How long until the wedding?” she asked Ella.

  “One hour.”

  “Hmmm, I don’t think they’ll make it here before the wedding, but Nemison promised he’d help us. You see,” she explained, “there isn’t a portal in here like there is in my house and Johna’s house.”

  “You have a portal in your house?” I asked. “Why didn’t you let me and Ivy use it or why didn’t Johna send Mark and I through it?”

  “You’re not trained,” Tania said. “It could have killed you both or worse.”

  “Worse than killing us?” Mark asked.

  “Nemison has a lot to teach Reychel. You know so little. Oh, speaking of that, he still expects you to report to him tomorrow.”

  “But...”

  “I know, I know,” Tania said. “He’s not the most flexible person in the kingdom.”

  “So we have an hour,” I said. “Where should we start?”

  “Reychel,” Mark said, “I think it’s time you put your gift to use. Maybe the clouds have something to show you?”

  “Reychel, gifted?” Ella asked. “And I didn’t want to be rude, but what’s this about Kandek being your father?” She popped her hip out to the side, placing her hands solidly on each hip. I couldn’t help but laugh.

  “There’s a lot I need to explain to you too,” I said.

  “She’s the Prophet,” Tania told Ella.

  “The Prophet?” Ella laughed. “I once shaved the head of the Prophet? Now that will be a story for my grandkids!”

  Ella’s laughter was contagious. Even Roc, who’d done little but follow our every lead, allowed a smile to pop out.

  “Is Ivy gifted too?” Ella asked. “We’ve all been wondering about that.”

  “She is, that’s how she got to Kandek,” I said. “It’s time to stop her. I need a window. Where’s the nearest?”

  Ella thought for a moment.

  “I can’t think of one anywhere in the slave areas,” she said. “Is it true what the stories say about the Prophet? Can you read the clouds?”

  “Yeah, I can. I need to use my gift now. We have to find a window.”

  “I saw one,” Roc said. I smiled at him, glad to see he was perking up. “It was in the main hallway near Kandek’s chambers. But I don’t know how you can get to it without being seen.”

  I held out my hands to Jon. Knowin
g exactly what I wanted, he pulled the cloak out from his pack and gave it to me.

  “I need to spell it, right?” I asked him.

  “No, it’s good for a while yet. You should have plenty of time.”

  “Thanks,” I said. I turned to Mark. “While I’m gone you need to come up with some kind of plan. I know that I’m trying to discover the details of what will happen, but you need to make solid plans. You and Ella have been in the main hall where the wedding is. You two need to come up with a plan.”

  “I don’t want you to go alone,” Mark said. “It’s too dangerous.”

  “There’s only one cloak. I’ll be fine. I promise. I’ll be back before you know I’m gone.”

  I slipped the cloak over my shoulders and pulled the hood over my head. Without a backward glance I walked out the door. Even though I was hidden in the cloak, I still stuck to the servants hallways. Better to be safe until I needed to be out in the open. At the last entry to the common halls, I took a deep breath to calm myself.

  I stepped into the hallway and was assaulted by droves of people heading to the main hall for the wedding. I tried to weave carefully through the throngs of well-wishers without bumping into anyone. I might be hidden, but it didn’t take away my body mass. Anyone would feel me if I touched them.

  “It’s so dark in here. Why doesn’t Kandek put in any windows?” a short woman next to me grumbled.

  “I know! And who is this girl Kandek is marrying?” a woman asked another as they scurried down the hall. I walked directly behind them, eavesdropping on their conversation.

  “Some young tart, no doubt,” the short one huffed. “My father attempted to match us a few years ago and Kandek would have nothing to do with me.”

  “It’s shocking, really. No one thought he would get married after all these years. He’s nearly forty. Most men his age have daughters getting married.”

  I buried the snort that nearly escaped my lips. It was true. I was of marrying age.

  “I hear she’s a bit of a tyrant,” the tall one said.

  “How would you know?”