He placed a key on the sideboard next to the door before backing out of the room.
AS SOON AS PAYMON LEFT the room, the expected crash of emotions careered through me. Tears, so near to spilling since I arrived, burst forth as I sat on the edge of the bed. I let them fall. What sort of world was I living in? Demons, forced marriage, secret deals, depressing darkness. Was there any end to this living nightmare?
When I was a child, I promised my younger friends that I would make the light return. They had no need to be afraid of the constant darkness. And now? I was just as afraid as those friends I’d tried to comfort. Not from the oppressive dark, but from what it contained—secrets—a life I had no idea about, a life to be feared. I didn’t want to marry Paymon or the Master Demon. But marriage to Thomas wasn’t an option anymore. Paymon had made it quite clear.
I rubbed my eyes and sniffed loudly. He’d said I had a choice, but it didn’t seem like one.
I glanced around the room, taking in the luxury that surrounded me. The hall had been simple, bare wooden floors and walls, matching the initial room I’d been taken into, but this room was grand and ornate. The walls were covered in patterned paper, and the rich purple curtains that hung from each of the four tall windows tumbled to the floor—a carpeted floor. I quickly untied my scruffy shoes and rubbed my feet back and forth across the soft carpet. I moaned in pleasure as the fibres tickled the soles of my feet.
The room was a strange shape, angular like the curves of a circle had been sliced away. Each window was at a different angle to the world outside, and only two walls were free from a window—the one the bed was against, and the one with the door. A tall wooden screen divided one area of the room and, curious about what was behind, I made my way toward it. I couldn’t contain my high-pitched shriek when I saw what was there—a pristine white bath-tub full of water. I dipped my hand into the waiting water. It was warm, more than warm—hot. Bathing here wouldn’t be an ordeal like it was in the village. A white, solid rectangle laid across a smooth piece of wood that stretched across the edges of the bath. Soap? I picked the item up and sniffed it.
“Oh my, oh my, oh my,” I mumbled. It smelt of how I imagined summer meadows to smell—fresh, sweet, the scent of long-forgotten memories. Next to the tub was a roaring fire, heating the secluded space with a warmth that had wrapped itself around me since I entered the house.
Was this the life Paymon was offering? I wasn’t a person who placed personal comfort over the need of others, but others weren’t an option at the moment. My decision was becoming clearer.
I walked to the bed, stunned by its grandeur. There were four tall pillars, one at each corner, and pale blue swaths of material dipped between each pair. I threw myself backward onto the deep pile of blankets, revelling in the ensuing bounce. Everything was so soft, so welcoming, so . . . right, just right. But it was also unnerving. Had Paymon prepared this room for me? With a racing mind and an equally racing heart, I strode to the door before peering into the darkness of the corridor. The silence hinted that there was no one around; perhaps Paymon and Odin had settled downstairs in one of the rooms I had yet to see. Satisfied that Paymon wasn’t creeping around outside my room, I debated whether to bathe. Seeing the key on the sideboard, I quickly picked it up and locked the door.
I undid my fraying leather belt while crossing the room, but stopped when I saw another door at the far side of the bed. I needed a key for this door as well, and I wondered why Paymon hadn’t offered one to me if he really wanted to allay all my fears about his intentions. I stepped to the door and pulled on the handle, not sure what to expect. The door opened toward me, and I was greeted with a cupboard full of women’s clothes. Swallowing my apprehension, I ran my hand across the fabric of one of the dresses. I’d never felt anything so soft, and the colours were brighter than any I’d ever seen in the village. They were like the clothes the female demon had worn—the one I’d viewed as a princess. As I ran my fingers against the softness of the fabric the hairs on the back of my neck bristled. Were they hers? The thought made me shudder, and I closed the cupboard door, locking away their secrets. Unsettled, I decided not to bathe. And after washing my face and feet, I lay on top of the bed, not prepared to soil the blankets underneath.
I slept fitfully at first, my mind refusing to shut down, but after a while the soothing crackle of the fire and the warmth of the air lulled me into a deep sleep.
Morning came, signified by the distant siren from the village. It sounded different from here, like an eerie call for demons to rise. I stayed on the bed, enjoying the ever present warmth of my surroundings. It was a stark contrast to the freezing cold that I’d woken to for the last thirteen years of my life.
I sat upright, my cheeks burning as I remembered my friends in the village. My shoulders hunched and I dropped my chin to my chest. What about Hannah, Janine, Sarah and Ellie? Hannah was already selected to be sent away to the Master tomorrow, with the other girls following over the next few years. What future did they all have? After what Paymon told me yesterday, I doubted that they’d be treated to any luxuries at the Master’s. Life would be more difficult than it was in the village, and living in the village wasn’t easy. And what about Thomas? I’d hardly given any thought to him as I drifted to sleep last night. Any plans we’d had were well and truly ruined. Would I still be able to see Thomas whilst I lived here?
I brightened thinking about him. I could visit him, sneak out at night for snatched moments of kisses and whispered words when Paymon was sleeping. We could still be together. Creeping around behind Paymon’s back had the potential to be thrilling. I bit back a smile and swallowed the laugh that had built inside. He would not control me the way he thought he could. I’d still see Thomas, and I’d still see my remaining friends.
Another thought sprung into my head almost secondary to everything else: the light. Maybe I’d be able to find out about the light. Not immediately; Paymon would sense what I was doing and why I was asking, but maybe after we’d been together a while and I got to know him better, I could sneak it into conversations. I brightened even more as I planned out the next few months of my life. If I married Paymon, I’d be able to ask him all sorts of questions.
A sharp knock switched my attention to the bedroom door, and I jumped, startled by the sudden noise.
“Athena, time to get up. You need to start your day.” Paymon, calling for me through the door. I smoothed my hands over my dress, tied my shoes, and ambled to the door. After unlocking it, I pulled it only slightly ajar and peered through the narrow gap.
“Ah,” Paymon greeted me with one of his customary unnatural smiles. “I see you are already awake. I trust you are well rested.”
I nodded, slightly taken aback by the sight of him. All the strange conversations from yesterday ran through my head as I stood facing him. His eyes were not black this morning; they’d returned to their normal brown colour, and they sparkled with amused curiosity. His skin crinkled at the corner of his eyes, and he chuckled.
“My, my, Athena, you look at me as you would a potential lover. What’s happened to you overnight?”
I snapped from my stupor and looked to the floor. “Sorry, I’m just reminding myself of why I’m here,” I said, embarrassed to have been caught looking at him so intently.
“And the decision you need to make when you return later today.” Paymon straightened before turning away and marching along the corridor. I followed, trotting to keep up with his sudden burst of speed. As I reached the top of the stairs, Odin made an unwelcome appearance, swooping so low over my head that I had to duck to avoid him crashing into me.
“Odin!” Paymon shouted. “Do not tease Athena. She is not used to your playful ways and needs time to adjust.” He stopped walking and inclined his head, fixing me in his gaze. “That is if she intends to stay.”
“I haven’t decided yet.” All my well thought out reasons for marrying him disappeared now I was in his company. It had been too easy to forget he wa
s a demon, to compartmentalise him as just another man. He was far from it, and I felt increasingly nervous in his presence. How would he react if I told him I wouldn’t marry him and would prefer to take my chance with the Master Demon?
I followed his descent down the stairs and waited in the hall for further instructions.
“I said I’d let you go back to the village for the day,” he said, walking to the hook where the cloaks hung.
“I can go back?” I hadn’t truly believed him last night. This was great news I’d be able to explain everything to Thomas. With a lightness in my limbs, I practically skipped to the doorway.
“Only for today. When Odin calls for you, you must return immediately. I want your decision as soon as you return.”
My shoulders dropped. I’d had a fleeting second of hope, of my former happiness returning, but the reality of the situation hit me. I wouldn’t be staying in the village.
“Say goodbye to your friends. You’ll not be able to talk to them again.”
“I can, if I stay here with you.”
“You think I’ll let you?” He prowled toward me with his cloak. “When you’re my wife you’ll have nothing to do with any of them. And if you try to continue any kind of relationship with Thomas, I will kill him. Don’t dare seek him out today. I will know if you do.”
I took a step backward, and shifted away from Paymon’s heavy stare.
“If you decide to take your chances with the Master, then I will take my anger out on the village and its inhabitants. Thomas will be at the top of my list. But I doubt that will concern you. You’ll be too busy entertaining the Master and his chosen cohorts.”
I clenched my hands, desperately trying to keep a hold of my anger. My flesh was hot, sticky with perspiration.
“What about my friends?” I wasn’t prepared to lose everything I knew.
“What about them? I’ve already told you, you’ll not have anything to do with anyone from the village.” He tutted and stepped closer, reaching for my arm. “Am I not making myself clear?”
His hand grabbed my wrist. His grip was firm, and unwelcome. I shrank away from him just as an uncomfortable heat snaked its way through the place where he held me. Every muscle ceased to move, and I couldn’t respond. My tongue felt heavy, as though it was stuck to the bottom of my mouth. Whilst I remained fixed in place Paymon shifted his hand to my shoulder and lifted my hair away from my neck. The warmth of his cloak flowed around me as the fabric fell into place.
“Your clothes,” Paymon said, releasing me from whatever hold he had momentarily cast over me. I took a deep breath as if gasping new life into my lungs. Compelment—I knew without asking what he had done. I narrowed my eyes at him and lifted my head high. I wouldn’t let him think he could intimidate me so easily.
“What about my clothes?”
“I will burn them. There are replacements in your room. I’m sure you saw them whilst you explored. I do not want any part of your past life in my home.”
“What about my personal belongings?” I ignored my basic demand to ask why the clothes were there in the first place. It didn’t seem as worrying as it had last night.
“I told you yesterday that they were acceptable.”
Paymon stepped to the door before lifting my lantern from the floor. Snapping his fingers, his customary flame appeared, and he blew it onto the wick of the candle. Handing me the lantern, he offered a smile.
“Remember, the wedding ceremony must take place tonight, otherwise I will have no choice but to send you to the Master.”
“I know,” I muttered.
Paymon unlocked the door. I didn’t move toward it, instead I shifted from one foot to the other.
“What’s wrong, Athena? Do you not want to leave?”
I took a deep breath and looked at the lantern. “This will be the last time I can go to the village. Things will be different after today.”
“They’ll be different from today, Athena, not after today.” Paymon focused on the darkness and unwelcoming cold outside. “You can always come back before Odin calls you. I will welcome your early return.”
Not willing to stay in his company for a moment longer, I stepped out into the world I’d come from only yesterday.
The door slammed behind me. My skin rose in goose bumps, and I shivered again. The warmth from the house deserted me, and the sinister tendrils of a cold, dense fog weaved around my feet.
The flapping of wings diverted my attention to the gate. Odin, I presumed. What was he going to do? Lead me back to the village? Keep an eye on me so he could report back to Paymon? Check that I didn’t go looking for Thomas? Even if I didn’t seek out Thomas, I knew he’d find me. He’d be out at the fields today, but he’d return later this afternoon wanting to know where I was last night. And what about Hannah? What would I say to her?
Odin cawed loudly before flying into the air. I took his call as a command to keep moving. As I walked further away from Paymon’s house, he followed me, swooping low and clicking his beak. By the time I arrived at the edge of the village, I was smiling at his insistent game.
My smile soon disappeared when one of the older women of the village saw me. She ran forward, shouting and alerting the other villagers to my return.
“Someone go and fetch Thomas from the fields.” Her words were rushed, panicked. “Quick. He must return, Athena’s back!”
She took the lantern from me, her cold, leathery skin brushing against mine, and led me to the clearing at the centre of the village. Guiding me to one of the logs we used to sit on around the fire, she quickly made me a hot brew.
“Oh, child, what did he do to you? Look at you, shaking like a leaf.”
Other women surrounded me, ones my gran had been friends with. They all stated their concerns. I examined each of them in turn, wondering whether they’d known about the deal Gran had made with Paymon.
“I’m fine,” I said, ignoring my churning stomach. “He didn’t do anything to me.”
“Then why did he keep you there all night?”
“You look terrified.”
My stupid hands refused to stop shaking, and I spotted concerned glances between the fussing women. Were they worried I’d upset him? That he’d take his anger out on them, on the village? Was their worry for themselves, not for me?
“Is that his cloak?” one of the women said.
I nodded before sipping at the herbal infused hot drink.
“Burn it,” she demanded, reaching for the warm covering.
“No!” I slapped her hands away and jumped to my feet. The mug crashed to the ground, breaking and spilling its contents on impact. “I need to return it this evening. If you burn it, he’ll punish all of us.”
“You side with a demon?” she said, gripping my shoulders and shaking me. Her eyes were wide, fear clouding her judgement.
I shifted backward, releasing myself from her hold. “No, all I meant was the cloak was his and he expects it back.”
“Why do you have it then?”
“To keep warm.”
The women’s hushed chatter stopped.
“He gave it to you to keep warm?” another woman asked. “What else did he give you?”
“Nothing.” I shook my head, trying to assess their mood and their reasoning. What was wrong with them?
The women suddenly parted. Myrtle came through the space they’d created. She hobbled toward me, leaning on the stick she used to help her walk. She was with her daughter, Bessie, a sickly woman in her forties who’d never had any children.
Bessie stayed back whilst Myrtle approached. She lifted her gnarled hand and pointed her finger at me.
“You,” she said, her voice raspy. “You, Athena. He has chosen you.”
The women around us didn’t speak, but I sensed the shift in their mood. The air became thick with unspoken whispers and superstitions.
“You are to be wed to him.” She turned her face and spat on the ground. “I knew this day would come. Your Gran for
esaw it.”
I stepped toward her, angry. “She never foresaw anything,” I snapped. “She made a deal with him. And I bet you knew.”
Myrtle gripped my chin with her fingers and pulled my face to the same height as hers. “I knew no such thing. I have no idea what you’re on about.”
I widened my eyes. “You’re lying.”
“Prove it.”
The old women of the village stepped closer, but as I glanced around at them, I recognised their overly bright eyes, their trembling lips and the way they gripped each other. They were scared, scared of something they knew nothing about.
“I have a choice,” I said, quiet and calm with my delivery of the words.
“You do?” A deep frown settled across Myrtle’s forehead.
“I can either marry our village demon or be sent away at the Ascension Ceremony to marry the Master.”
An audible gasp rattled before all of the women backed away, but Myrtle stayed next to me. “And what have you decided?”
“I . . . I’m not sure yet.”
She smiled, gaps where teeth used to be making the gesture strangely grotesque. “There is only one acceptable decision, isn’t there, Athena?”
I focused on her eyes, ones that held so much wonder and unspoken knowledge. “Paymon told me I could choose.”
She held my arm, her grip strong and uncomfortable. “But what is there to choose between when you either marry Paymon or enter the Master Demon’s world?” Her voice lowered to a raspy breath. “If you don’t marry Paymon, we will all suffer. Do you think he will leave us alone if you disappear to the Master?” Tightening her grasp on my arm, she turned to the side and spat onto the ground again. “He will torture us. Did you never wonder what happened to Arthur’s hand?”
Arthur didn’t have a right hand, just a blackened stump that often flared up with infection.
Myrtle patted my arm before reaching for the small black pouch tied to her belt. “Here,” she said, “you best have some now. You’ll need it after last night.” She lifted my hand and placed the pouch onto my palm. “Take it with you.”
Iniquity (The Ascent Book 1) Page 6
