The dark-skinned beauty nodded at Sophia. “I’ll leave you now. The commander and the other Pledged will take you to your chambers.”
“Pledged? That word again. What does it mean?” Erin asked, pleased that there was something she didn’t know.
Seth dug into Jared’s mind. “The Shenayans call their troops Pledged. Pledged to the Overlord. And through him, all the way to Reuel. That’s the purpose of the Pledging Camps. To get them away from outside influence so they can be brainwashed. By the time they reach thirteen most of them are so gung-ho they can’t wait to sell their souls. That’s when they swear their allegiance.” Seth’s gentle brown eyes darkened. “And that’s when my friend Jared was cursed.”
“I’m sorry. But you had to have suspected . . .”
Seth pulled away from her and changed the subject. “I wonder if Jared and Sophia will at least recognise each other?”
They both turned a little too eagerly to watch the first meeting between Jared and Sophia.
Jared nodded at her and Kezeah without any sign of recognition. With two of his Pledged up front and two at their rear, he marched them down the corridor to a flight of stairs. Once at the bottom, he ducked beneath an archway, opening onto to a gloomy, narrow tunnel. Erin, never keen on dark, claustrophobic spaces, took a deep breath and paused.
“C’mon,” Seth said. “The sooner we walk through it, the quicker we get to the other side.”
“What happens if what’s on the other side is even worse?”
“Then you’ll know for sure that the dead guys are leading this expedition,” Seth said, wanting to deny the painful burning in his heart that reconnected him with a cursed Jared. He grabbed Erin’s arm and pulled her into the passage.
They’d taken no more than two tentative steps along the uneven floor when Sophia stopped. “Commander, I am not walking through this snake-hole!”
Jared turned back to look at her. With none of the fear or diffidence Erin and Seth expected from a boy with limited to exposure to girls – especially beautiful ones – he answered, “Of course, my lady. You’re from Norin, where I understand you live in grass huts.” He gave a sardonic smile. “But don’t despair, you’ll soon get used to bricks. Even our own Outcasts have learnt not to flinch at the sight of them.” He continued down the passage.
Seth’s mouth dropped at Jared’s rudeness; this was so foreign to the Jared he had seen just moments ago in his vision. It just added to his anger at Reuel’s Curse.
The Pledged at Sophia’s rear prodded her back; she gave him a fierce look and started walking.
For Seth and Sophia, both taller than Erin and Kezeah, negotiating the tortuous twists and turns of the tunnel was no easy matter. Stooping, cursing each time they bumped their heads on the rough ceiling, they struggled after Jared, but he kept up the merciless pace until they reached a dark staircase.
Her temper now as short as her breath, Sophia stopped walking and locked her arms across her chest. “Having just cracked my skull open, you now expect me to scramble up those treacherous stairs too. No doubt hoping I’ll fall and break my neck. Well, forget it. I’m not moving.”
“Sophia!” Kezeah whispered, jabbing her in the ribs as she stepped gingerly onto the first narrow step.
Sophia ignored her. “Only savages and rats live in places like this.”
Jared’s eyes narrowed. “Savages and rats, you say, my lady?”
Sophia set her face into a cold stare, locking her hypnotic blue eyes on his.
He surprised her by holding her gaze. “I hate to disappoint you, my lady, but Lord Rustus, Lord of the Household, under the direction of the Overlord himself, has chosen your apartment. Surely you don’t question their judgment in this matter?”
“As a matter of fact, I do.”
“In that case, I’ll gladly pass on your concerns. If that’s what you really want.”
“Enough, Sophia. This isn’t a fight you can win.” Sophia’s Guardian had joined them.
Seth and Erin expected Sophia to reject her advice, but she surprised them by following Kezeah onto the stairs.
Jared flashed a confident smile and led them up four landings, making Seth and Erin think they were climbing up one of the Fortress’s turrets. The staircase ended at a windowless room. Dull candlelight revealed a scattering of impala skin cushions piled on an elephant hide mat that covered the entire floor. A low table with a flask and four mugs stood in one corner. Four doors, one in each wall, led to what Seth and Erin assumed were bedrooms.
Jared saluted. “I’ve stationed two Pledged at the top of the stairs, so you can sleep peacefully, knowing you’re well protected.”
“Guarded, more like it,” Sophia snapped back.
“As you wish, my lady.” He gave her another smile. “They’ll be knocking for you just before the first watch.”
“The first watch?”
“Just before dawn.”
“Why so early?” Sophia demanded.
“The start of the marriage sacrifice, my lady. We – outrageous savages that we are – like to get our weddings out the way early so we can get on with more productive things during the day.” Spinning on the heels of his boots, Jared left the room.
Sophia watched him go. “What a despicable man!”
Seth nodded, agreeing whole-heartedly. Erin gave his hand a squeeze. “It’s the curse, Seth. It has to be.”
Seth was saved from replying by a chiding voice. “Sophia, my dear, that’s hardly becoming of Jethro’s daughter.”
“Grace!” Sophia turned with relief to her lady’s maid. “If you had any idea what this night’s been like, you’d suggest a few juicier swear words.”
Unaccustomed to sitting on cushions on the floor, Grace struggled to heave her matronly body up so she could embrace her friend; overwhelmed by the enormity of the task, she collapsed back and patted the cushion next to her. “Come and tell Leticia and me all about it.”
Although not invited, Erin and Seth took the opportunity of sitting too. Sophia, who had not moved from the door, pulled off one of her sandals. “They had the nerve to feed us insects and predators for dinner.” She flung her shoe with all her strength at the flask, shattering it, spilling water onto the elephant hide. She sent her second shoe after it before throwing herself down on the cushions next to Grace. “I was almost sick.”
“But, my dear, those are Shenayan delicacies.”
“Delicacies! Grace, it’s disgusting. Just like everything else about them.”
Grace patted Sophia’s arm. “But Caleb? Is he handsome, at least? Charming, perhaps?”
“Caleb! Ugh.” Sophia stuck her finger down her throat and made vomiting sounds.
“Oh dear. So that didn’t go too well either.” Grace frowned.
“Time, Sophia, give it time,” Leticia advised.
“Yes, these things do take time. Love takes time,” Grace agreed. “And you and Daniel, Kezeah?”
Before Kezeah could answer Sophia interrupted, “Love? Don’t make me laugh, Grace. There’s no possibility of love here. It’s all just lust. The way he was looking at me – staring at me – as if he’d never seen a girl before.”
Grace gave her a gentle smile. “You are attractive, Sophia my dear. And you know how things are in Shenaya, so a boy could be excused for–”
“Spending the whole night with his eyes glued to my breasts?” Sophia tugged at the neckline of her dress, trying to force the un-yielding silk to cover more of her cleavage. “And, I swear, you could get more conversation out of that cushion than you would from him.”
“Be fair, Sophia. No one spoke much,” Kezeah said. “And perhaps it wouldn’t have happened if you’d worn a Shenayan dress. Like we were supposed to.”
“You know what I think about heavy, ugly Shenayan clothes.” Sophia lay back. “And anyway, Kezeah, Daniel tried to speak to you a few times, but your focus was – how should I put it? – elsewhere.”
“So, Kezeah, what do you think of Daniel?” Leticia
asked quickly. “Is he as handsome as Talitha said?”
“I suppose so, but he’s not nearly as gorgeous as his brother,” Kezeah said in a petulant voice.
Irritated by it, Sophia shot upright. “Daniel is everything that Talitha described. He’s gentle, kind, and very good-looking. Kezeah, you should be delighted, but instead you’re hankering after Caleb.”
Kezeah’s face flushed. “I came here to hold your hand. So how about minding your own business?”
“Strange. I thought Caleb was my business.”
“But you don’t even want to be here,” Kezeah cried. “You only came because you want to destroy Caleb and his family. You aren’t even interested in getting to know him. All you want is to give him a son who Gideon says will destroy him. I saw that tonight over dinner.”
“I think we’re all tired.” Leticia stood up, and took Kezeah’s hand. “Bedtime. Tomorrow is going to be a long day.”
“Yes, Kezeah,” Sophia replied, ignoring Leticia. “For once you’re right. Absolutely right! I do want to destroy them. Every single one of them. And the quicker the better too.”
“You don’t deserve to be the one marrying Caleb tomorrow,” Kezeah shouted back, throwing off Leticia’s hand. “But as usual you always get the best of everything.”
“My ladies.” A familiar male voice emerged from the gloom near the door. Unseen and unheard by anyone, Jared had entered the room.
Sophia recovered first. “You wanted something?”
Jared walked to the broken pottery and crunched it with his boot. Turning to Sophia, he replied, “The Overlord wishes to speak with you.”
Sophia paled. “With me?”
Jared picked up her sandals and held them out to her. “With you, my lady. Come, he doesn’t like to be kept waiting.”
* * *
“You’ve got to admire her guts,” Seth said to Erin as they followed Sophia and Jared back into the tunnel. “She looks so cool, so in control. No one would believe she’s just about exploding with nerves.”
“If her heart carries on thumping like that I’ll have a heart attack on her behalf. And you still think she gave you a knife designed to kill you?”
Seth shrugged. He just didn’t have an answer to that, and it was really troubling. Deep in thought, he hardly noticed Jared’s low chuckle.
“You find something amusing?” Sophia asked Jared.
“You have an interesting dress style, my lady.”
“And my clothes are what? Funny?”
“Not exactly.” He cocked an eyebrow, grinning. “Unusual, certainly. Sensuous, definitely. Funny – not at all. Problem is, I just wonder if Shenaya is ready for your style.”
“My style! Unlike you Shenayans who wear the product of your violence on your backs, I come from a peace-loving Family where–”
“My lady, you’re about to meet the Overlord, so I suggest you demonstrate some of those peace-loving attributes by keeping your mouth shut and your head down. This is Shenaya and we generally like our girls demure.”
Sophia skidded to a halt. Jared reached out a hand to steady her, but she threw him off. “Demure? Subservient, more like it. And are you always so outrageously forward?”
“I’m just offering friendly advice. Take it. Don’t take it. The choice is yours.”
“Commander, you seem to forget that, demure or not, I have the dubious honour of marrying into the Overlord’s family tomorrow morning. And you . . . you’re nothing more than an arrogant officer in his guard.”
“That would indeed be a problem, my lady, were it the case.” Jared set off at a quick pace, leaving a tight-jawed Sophia trailing behind.
“Something doesn’t ring true with Jared,” Erin said. “I mean, how come he’s so confident around Sophia? Do you think he’s already married? After all, he’s Caleb’s age, so he would have been through an Emblem Picking last year.”
When Seth didn’t reply, Erin nudged him. “Hey, I asked if you think Jared’s married. He’s your friend, dig around his head for me and find out.”
Seth’s was too occupied with Sophia and the sword to bother right now about Jared’s marital status, so he brushed Erin off with an absent-minded, “I don’t have to. I’ve already told you, only married Pledged are allowed in the Fortress.”
“When did you tell me that?”
When Seth didn’t answer, Erin asked, “Seth? Are you still with me?” She nudged him again, harder this time.
“Huh?”
“I wish my mind reading skills worked on you.”
He didn’t even smile. She reached out a stealthy hand to feel if he was icy and shaking. Although his skin was cool, he wasn’t chilled. “What are you thinking, Seth?”
“I don’t get it. Why would Sophia give me a sword that multiplied crows? Surely that would mean she’s working for Reuel? I’m wondering if she’s the person Nathan warned us about? You know, that dangerous mortal.”
Erin scrunched up her nose in disgust at that thought. “She also gave us a vehicle that protected us from the storm. Or have you forgotten that?”
“I’ve got to get to the bottom of this.” Seth pulled his sword out of its scabbard and looked around for the closest wraith. Sophia’s Gefallen was wafting behind them. Filled with cold determination he thrust the blade into her black cloak. With a scream, she scattered like dust, dissipating back into the Fourth Dimension.
A stout, middle-aged Guardian appeared, shaking his head. “That was not wise, Seth. Not wise at all. Stabbing Gefallen with the sword designed to ward them off is a very bad idea. It will force Reuel to retaliate.”
Seth was looking bemused at the spot where she had vanished. “I needed to know if Sophia–”
“Then you should have asked. Someone would have replied.”
“Then I’m asking now. Is Sophia working for Reuel?”
The angel chuckled. “Forget a solar eclipse, Seth. The sun would actually have to plummet from the sky before Sophia supported Reuel. She joined the Guardians after her death. And she warned you about that sword. She told you to keep it on you at all times. And that includes when you’re sleeping.”
Seth pulled a face. “I’m supposed to sleep with it?”
“Always.”
“It’s about two feet long. Or haven’t you noticed?”
The angel’s eyes twinkled. “It’s the best defence against bad dreams you’ll ever find.” Seeing Seth’s surprise that he knew about the bad dream in Norin, he added, “Do you think the Gefallen have allowed you to watch all this because they want you here? Of course not. It’s the sword that keeps them from possessing you. They’re terrified of the pain it inflicts. But with it on your belt, the worse they can do is chill you.”
“But I still don’t get it,” Seth said. “Why did the sword multiply the crows if it is meant to ward off Gefallen?”
“Because pain will not move Reuel to mercy. When one of his Gefallen writhes, he merely sends in legions more to replace it.”
Seth’s eyes narrowed and his voice chilled. “So that’s what happened on the pan? I killed a crow, and Reuel just sent in a whole lot more to finish me off. Great. Sophia gave me a sword which multiples Gefallen. With friends like you Guardians, who needs enemies?” He shoved the sword into Erin’s backpack.
The Guardian draped his arm around Seth’s shoulders, giving him a tight squeeze. “My friend, that weapon is vital to your and Erin’s survival. Please, put it back on your belt.”
Seth threw his arm off. “I’m sick of dead people controlling my life, influencing my dreams, trying to kill me.”
“I know you don’t want to hear this, Seth,” the angel said, “but it was your defiance – a family trait, I think – that first created the problem of the crows. And the solution is simple: break your promise to your brother, and Reuel and his crows will disappear.”
Not wanting to listen, Seth strode after Sophia and Jared. Erin watched him go, torn between meeting this angel and following him.
“Run aft
er him, Erin,” the angel urged. “Keep Seth close to that sword.” As Erin chased after Seth, he added, “And my name’s Phineas, by the way.”
“Hi and bye,” Erin called over her shoulder. She caught up with Seth as he, Sophia and Jared stopped outside a closed door. She was about to moan at him for being a stubborn idiot when Jared whispered to Sophia:
“This is it, my lady. We’re back at the same dining room where we Shenayan savages tried to poison you with locusts, caterpillars and crocodiles.” Sophia blushed, realising that he’d heard everything she’d said back in the so-called privacy of her sitting room. “And about that free advice I offered you, please take it. The Overlord is neither patient nor tolerant.” Jared nodded at a Pledged standing guard; he rapped on the door.
Speaking to Seth about the sword would have to wait.
Chapter 11
TO DO OR DIE
Neither the thickness nor the weight of the wooden door could muffle Marlthas’s voice commanding Sophia to enter. The Pledged opened the door, and Sophia – alone but for Erin and Seth – walked into a dimly lit room. Sophia half turned as the door thudded closed behind her.
“Get over here, girl.” As their eyes adjusted, Seth and Erin saw Marlthas lying on a mound of cushions, drinking from a gold goblet. A gold flagon waited at his one elbow and Terah lay at the other. Dozens of Gefallen drifted like smoke in the stagnant air.
Sophia tripped over a cushion, snagging her shin against a low table. She cried out, then steadied herself, fighting pain and anger. But it was only Erin who heard her think: Stephanie, help. I know I’m going to say something I’ll live to regret.
With an effervescent shimmer, Sophia’s Guardian appeared.
“Stephanie? Is that your name?” Erin asked as Sophia moved closer to Marlthas.
“Yes. I’ve been Sophia’s Guardian since she was a baby. Because she’s always believed in me, I introduced myself to her a few years ago. Now I always come to her when she asks for help.”
“Didn’t Haran mention you in his letter?” Seth asked. He had a puzzled expression on his face. Clearly a conversation had taken place in Sophia’s head, which he hadn’t heard.
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