The Hunchback

by Regine Abel

  Even from where I stood, high up in the spire and so far away from the Vestal, I could feel the power swirling within her like a caged beast hungry to be set free. And it stirred something deep within me that I didn’t understand, but that I instinctively knew had been lying dormant, waiting to be awakened.

  Waiting for her.

  Esmeralda nodded at each of the Maidens in greeting as she passed under their glowing archway at the end of which Frollo was waiting for her. Anger blossomed within me at the appreciative glance she cast at the Praetor while exchanging greetings with him. When he took her hand and lifted it to his lips to kiss her knuckles, my anger turned into a seething rage. My imps, Victus and Lazarus, chirping with concern made me realize I was emitting an animalistic growl. I quieted down and noticed that my claws had come out and scratched the surface of the wooden shelf I’d been using as both a dining and working table.

  Averting my eyes, I tried to rein in the irrational, possessive fury that the sight of a female I didn’t even know had instilled in me. The Praetor had warned me to stay away from the Vestals. Apparently, Fallen like me could corrupt their purity and sever their link to Vesta. I had always refused to believe that mere genetics could push people into doing terrible things. Over the years, I’d seen many Vestals that left me mostly indifferent. But this Anointed, the breathtaking Esmeralda, I wanted to claim, to possess, and to defile in every possible way.

  Chapter 2

  Esmeralda

  Only years of training and preparing for this moment kept me from running back into the shuttle in a fit of panic. I had dreamed of the day the citizens of one of the moons of the Nine Circles would greet me with enthusiasm as I brought them the light and power of Vesta. But even in the wildest of those dreams, I had never dared to hope it would be with such grandeur, and least of all in Paris—the capital city of the seat of the Elohim.

  As the Chariot of Light had flown over the city, I’d been blown away by the sheer size of its Well of Power in the center of the plaza. It made sense it would be so massive considering the sprawling city would require a lot of energy, not to mention the surrounding suburbs. Despite being confident in my power, I had never charged a Well of this magnitude. Knowing my first time doing so would be during the Festival of Light, the greatest annual event in the Nine Circles, had me anxious. That it would also be in the presence of Phoebus, the High Seraph of the First Circle, made me feel faint.

  Coming down the stairs into the city with so many eyes on me had been extremely intimidating. Thankfully, the weak power of the Maidens had given me something to focus on. As my power seeped into them to form the energy arches, the people’s awe did wonders in boosting my confidence. If so little sufficed to impress them, then maybe… just maybe, I wouldn’t fare too poorly here.

  As a newly ordained Vestal, my initial assignment should have been on one of the seven moons of the Nine Circles. Normally, it would have been between the Seventh and the Ninth Circle. Considering my greater power, I had expected to land on one of the moons named Fourth to Sixth Circle. However, being Anointed, a Vestal with off the charts powers whether through Chanting or dancing, meant I would begin directly on one of the two planets around which those moons orbited. The planet Zion—also known as the Second Circle, would have been a tremendous honor. But Praetor Frollo had personally sent me a formal invitation to the capital city of planet Eden, the First Circle.

  And he was magnificent.

  Many had speculated that the grand administrator of the most powerful city of the First Circle had angelic DNA. Born of a humble family, he had steadily climbed the ranks of the magistrates until fifteen years ago. A few months after reaching his majority, his energy manipulation abilities had suddenly skyrocketed—a common trait in Archangels and Seraphs. In light of his tremendous power, he had, unsurprisingly, become the youngest Praetor of Paris, or of any of the Circles for that matter. Even as I stood before him, I could feel the supernatural power emanating from him; power that I could only assume to be angelic as I had yet to be directly in the presence of a Seraph.

  But that alien power awakened something inside me that I had never felt before. Something that stirred and enhanced my own. However, I had expected it to hum more strongly within him, like a great aura that sizzled around him and that would draw me like a magnet. Maybe it merely lay dormant since he currently wasn’t using it.

  Still, my skin tingled when he pressed his lips to the back of my hand in greeting. I almost felt sorry when he let go.

  “Greeting, Blessed Esmeralda, and welcome to Paris. We are honored by the presence of an Anointed in our midst,” the Praetor said in his rather pleasant, deep, suave voice, while pressing a palm to his heart.

  I suspected that, beyond courtesy, the gesture had meant to draw my attention to his body, and the skin-tight white shirt that hid nothing of the deep grooves of his chiseled abs, with the lumis embroidery emphasizing every curve of his muscular chest and narrow waist. His subtle flirting flattered me, but I was in no hurry. It was common for Vestals to bed or marry their Praetor. However, my focus for now remained on the upcoming Festival… and meeting High Seraph Phoebus.

  “The honor is all mine, Praetor Frollo,” I said with sincerity. “But please, no titles required. I am not very formal. You may simply call me Esmeralda or Mera, as most of my friends do.”

  “Then, Mera, I must insist you call me Frollo,” he said with a beaming smile. I nodded in response, and he gestured towards the temple. “Come, you must be tired after such a long trip. Here is Our Lady of Paris, your new home. I hope it will live up to your expectations.”

  “I’m sure it will exceed them,” I said with a grateful smile.

  It had indeed been a long trip from the dark moon Obscura, the Fifth Circle where the Temple of Vesta was erected. I had spent the past nineteen years of my life there, being trained since the age of six to serve the Citizens of the Light.

  Moving past the stalls of the open market on each side of the plaza, we walked over the reinforced glass pane which covered the Well of Power currently recessed into the ground. The slow, pulsating glow of the markings on the Well intensified as I strolled over it. I welcomed the gentle caress of its energy poking at me.

  “The Well approves of you,” Frollo said, with a seductive smile.

  “And I of it,” I replied, playing along, although the Well wasn’t a sentient being.

  As we strolled towards the temple, I let my gaze roam over its beautiful white columns, the ornate frescos around the top edges of the walls, the statues of the different orders of angels, but mainly of Seraphs with their lightning staves, lances, and bows, and the tall spire in the center. It rose like a giant sword stabbing at the heart of Our Lady of Paris. The pommel constituted the beacon, the Light of Vesta, which represented life, hope, health, and prosperity for our people: our light into the darkness. In practice, however, it merely meant power flowed through the realm. Directly connected to the Well, a single beam of light ran up the ‘sword’ to the beacon that shone bright for the whole realm to see. Woe unto anyone who allowed it to go out.

  But even as Frollo casually told me of the accommodations he had prepared for me and of the temple’s schedule, my eyes kept being drawn to the beacon. I couldn’t say why, but something was calling out to me. Forcing myself to pay attention to the Praetor, I averted my eyes confused by the pull that only grew the closer we came to Our Lady of Paris.

  After we climbed the steps to the massive doors of the temple, Vesta’s symbol carved on them lit up, and then they parted before us. The guards lined up on each side of the doors let us through. They remained outside while the Maidens followed in behind us.

  The greeting hall was everything I had expected, with the luminous, intricate carvings on the walls, and more pillars. Wall sconces shaped like ornate braziers, with a hovering orb of energy instead of flames, lit the room. Tall windows let the rays of the midday sun flood in. At the back, on each side of the circular lift, two doorways gave acc
ess to what I assumed would be the chapel. Sideways-facing Seraph statues carved into the doorframe gave the impression they were holding the top of the frame.

  We stopped in front of the elevator and, after a respectful bow of their heads, the Maidens filed into the room beyond, four on each side. I’d be joining them later for the evening Chant and to prepare for the Chakra services in the morning.

  “Let me show you to your suite,” Frollo said, waving a hand towards the elevator.

  “Thank you,” I replied with gratitude.

  His palm settling on the small of my back to give me a slight nudge forward startled me. You didn’t touch a Vestal without her express consent. His kissing the back of my hand earlier had been inappropriate. But in public, it could be deemed innocent. With the two of us alone, it spoke of a bit too much familiarity that I would need to keep in check. Not wanting to make a scene so soon after my arrival, I let it slide, especially considering his touch had been brief—and not actually unpleasant. However, I needed to carefully manage his expectations and mine.

  As we reached the tenth floor, I swiftly stepped out of the lift just as his hand started moving towards my back again, avoiding his touch. The discreet smile on his lips told me he wasn’t fooled. That suited me perfectly. The message had been conveyed without needing to be spelled out… I hoped.

  We walked past the first door to the left of the elevator to another door on the side wall. My jaw dropped at the opulence of the room beyond. The massive room was bigger than the dorm I had shared with twenty other Initiates upon my arrival on Obscura, and for my first ten years there. Besides the imposing bed, big enough for four adults, the room had its own en suite with a full bathroom, walk-in closet, a music area, work area, breakfast table, and sitting area. Many large windows gave a breathtaking view of the east side of Paris, with the other set of windows overlooking the plaza.

  “This is stunning,” I said to Frollo, who had followed me inside the room. “You certainly know how to make your guests feel welcomed.”

  “You are not just a guest, Mera,” he said, his voice dipping into baritone. “This is your home now. Maybe your permanent home…”

  “Still very welcoming of you,” I said, pretending not to understand his underlying meaning.

  It was both flattering and slightly irritating. I didn’t like a man coming on too strong, and he’d been right about the trip having been tiring. Finding him a little too close for comfort, I walked towards the table where a tray laden with appetizing food waiting to be devoured sat.

  “Very thoughtful of you,” I said, waving at the food. “I hadn’t realized how famished I was, until now. A shower, a quick meal, and a short nap should have me in top shape for tonight’s Chant.”

  Once again, his smirk conveyed that he wasn’t fooled. “I will let you rest then. If you need anything, my room is just next door.”

  My smile stiffened on my face, but I nonetheless managed to nod graciously. “I doubt that will be the case, but thank you.”

  Frollo pressed his palm to his chest as he had done earlier, bowed his head, and then left my quarters. I closed and locked the door behind him, feeling somehow violated. I didn’t understand my strongly negative reaction to his open flirtation. After all, I had come here in the hopes of marrying him should none of the Elohim wish to take me as his consort. A Vestal couldn’t hope for a better prospect than the Praetor of Paris. He was drop dead gorgeous, and it was common practice for a Praetor to pop a Vestal’s cherry.

  Technically, we weren’t forbidden to have sex to serve Vesta, but the choices were pretty slim and mostly unappealing on Obscura. In fact, I always suspected it was intentional so that we would save ourselves for the Elohim. Many of the Vestals counted the days until they could finally get down and dirty. To be honest, so had I. And I still did. Which made my reaction all the more bizarre. I should be honored he would make his interest known. The contrary would have probably offended me. And yet, that we should share neighboring bedrooms felt presumptuous of him, if not disrespectful. While his energy drew me like a magnet, something about him turned me off. Even now, I could feel his divine aura all around the room. The temple was suffused with it.

  Shaking the confusing thoughts, I settled at the table and gorged on the food before taking a quick shower. I never took that nap, unpacking my belongings instead and meditating to realign my chakras. Tonight’s Chant would be the first test. Frollo hadn’t requested my presence a week before the Festival so that I could enjoy an extended vacation, but to see if I could charge his city. If I failed to demonstrate my power over the next few days, I would be sent back to Obscura in shame.

  And that was not an option.

  Chapter 3

  Kwazeem

  I paced my room with increasing agitation, further fueled by my imps chirping and flying around me. I wanted to go down to the chapel to listen to the Chant, and to steal a close up view of Esmeralda. If I hid on the balcony, no one would be the wiser. I didn’t even have to take the elevator. The temple had many hidden passages that no one used anymore; all of which I was intimately familiar with.

  Although they couldn’t speak with words, the imps were highly intelligent. Over the years, we had developed our own sign language through which they could communicate their thoughts to me. Victus glared at me and signed for me to go. Both he and Lazarus hated that I remained locked away in my room while life passed me by. No matter how many times I’d explained to them that I might get killed or chased out of town if the citizens knew a Fallen hybrid lived in their midst, they persisted I should go out into the world.

  But this… This I could indulge in and get away with. Even now, I could feel her power swirling around me, beckoning me.

  “Okay. Okay, I will go,” I said to them, although it was more to convince myself I would truly do this.

  The imps chirped their happiness, hugged my neck, and gave me a kiss before flying towards an inconspicuous section of the wall. I waved my hand in a specific pattern before the hidden motion detector. The wall panel opened revealing a secret passage to the emergency staircase. I made my way down the stairs… the endless flights of stairs.

  It was no problem at first, but halfway through the ten stories I had to climb down, each step I took resonated painfully in the middle of my spine. It was there that the wretched fluid that tortured and disfigured me accumulated at the base of my hump over a month’s period. In five days, Frollo would drain it out for me, relieving me of my suffering. And for a week or two after that, the swelling and the blotching would go away. If not for the hump, I would look normal… handsome even.

  But I was committed. No pain would keep me from my prize and the powerful lure of the Vestal’s enticing energy. Dim at first, the sound of an angelic voice gradually grew as I approached my destination. Victus squealed with excitement.

  “Hush!” I hissed in a low voice. “You will give us away!”

  Hovering next to me, Victus covered his mouth with both hands and gave me a sheepish look with his big, beady black eyes. He was so adorable, I couldn’t be angry with him, even if I’d wanted to. I tapped my left shoulder, indicating I wasn’t mad, and he eagerly landed on it before cuddling against my neck. Not wanting to be left out, Lazarus settled on my right shoulder and imitated his brother. I smiled and finished my descent along the rest of the stairs to the second floor, clenching my teeth through the pain.

  I opened another secret panel which revealed a hidden staircase that stopped halfway between the second floor and the ground floor. A dark passage led to the balcony of the chapel. A regular human would have needed some kind of light to see, but thanks to my Fallen heritage, I had perfect night vision. Trying to ignore the divine sound of Esmeralda’s voice, I pressed my ear to the panel that would part to grant me access to the balcony, and listened for any movement on the other side.

  Not hearing or sensing any presence, I silently slid it open. A wave of power slammed into me, and I almost whimpered as my knees wobbled beneath
me. The crystalline sound of her voice penetrated deep within me and into my very soul. I snuck onto the balcony on shaky legs, mesmerized by her Chant. But with each note, a strange energy pulsated in my chest. As it grew, so did the stabbing pain in my back. I ignored it, advancing in a half-crouch in front of the empty benches to look through the ornate bars of the ramp at the dais inside the chapel.

  Barefoot, clad in a traditional ceremonial Roman dress, the white fabric tightly cinched at her narrow waist, Esmeralda looked like an innocent young nymph. Hands held before her, palms up in a gesture of devotion, she sang in the old tongue, facing the altar of Vesta—which was essentially an energy collector. Behind her, the Maidens each held Light Orbs, which they attempted to attune to Esmeralda’s energy signature. They obviously didn’t have her power level, but like leeches, once properly aligned with her, they would feed off of the Vestal’s energy to manipulate to their own will.

  And behind the Maidens, sitting by himself on one of the ground floor benches, Frollo stared at Esmeralda with a hungry, predatory look that made my blood boil, my fangs descend, and my claws stick out. I knew that look well, but he wouldn’t have her.

  Not her. Not ever.

  But even as I burned with possessive anger, my skin began to crackle with energy. Tendrils of electricity appeared along my arms, writhing and coiling with accrued strength around my hands. I stared in fascination at the phenomenon, feeling an incredible surge of energy within me. At the same time, Esmeralda’s voice became louder, richer, fuller. Similar electric tendrils to those covering me began to form over her extended arms and around the altar.