by A K Clark
“I’ll go first. Stay behind me and be ready to attack.”
I curled my fingers around the knife Theo had given me, prepared for the worst. He pulled the door open and several people scattered away. I tensed, but no one jumped out to attack us when we entered the room. Instead, they retreated, pulling themselves as far against the wall as they could.
My blood warmed with a rage unlike any I’d ever known. These were the faces of defeat. At least a hundred seers trembled in fear, their sunken eyes downcast and refusing to meet ours. The room stank of feces and urine. Their clothing looked stale. There were only a handful of cots in the room. The rest slept on makeshift beds of blankets and clothing.
Torches lined the walls but were hardly enough to provide any warmth. The underground prison was vile. Who could subject people to imprisonment in a cold room with nowhere to relieve themselves in a dignified manner? Giving them hardly enough food to survive, if their starved bodies were any indication.
A few seers looked at each other confused while we stood in shock, taking it in. Isaias recovered first.
“My name is Isaias,” he said, his voice soft. “We’re here to help.”
Gasps echoed throughout the room.
“We don’t have much time to prepare you, but we will do whatever we can to help.”
“But there are guards,” an older man said.
“We are prepared. I am Master of the Order and I will fight for your lives.”
The promise in his words struck me hard. Isaias would give his life to rescue these people.
“Why?” the man asked.
Upon further inspection, I noticed his injuries. How had a man his age received such wounds? He wouldn’t have stood a chance against the guards... Unless something more malicious had happened.
“Because the gods need us,” I said. “I am the Oracle of Delphi.” The words resonated within the room, silencing any questions.
“But I came to find the rightful Pythia,” I added. Despite Milo choosing Cora against the gods’ wishes, she was more Pythia than I’d ever be. “Her name is Cora. She was taken from Apollo’s temple. Have you seen her?” She wasn’t here. She would have already shown herself.
“Was she here?” I asked the silent room.
A woman spoke up. “She was here.”
I sighed in relief. She hadn’t forsaken the gods. She’d been taken prisoner.
“Where did she go?” Unease filled my body.
“The guard who came to take her mentioned a name. Consenten.” The woman wrung her hands. Was she afraid of us?
“Constantine?” Isaias asked.
The woman nodded. “Constantine. That was it.”
Gods be damned. Cora was with Constantine. What did he want with her? How long would he keep her alive?
“Why did he take her?”
The woman shrugged. “Can’t say. They‘ve taken a few and they’ve never come back.” The rest she left implied. They’d been killed.
“Impossible,” I said more to myself than the woman. Cora couldn’t be dead.
“I’m sorry, dear. Your friend isn’t here.”
“Alex,” Isaias said, moving over to my side. “We can figure it out once we’re out of this place.”
I glared at him and his perceptiveness.
“I know. I don’t want Cora to be trapped any longer, but we can’t leave these people here.” He gestured at the room full of seers. “We need to help them, then we can find Cora.”
“We don’t even know where she is,” I said, the words hissing out of me in frustration.
“No. But someone does. There are ways to get the information, but we can’t do it here. We need to stick to the plan.”
“Then make a new one to find Cora.”
“And then make a new one to find Cora,” he said, agreeing with me.
I wanted to object, but my eyes fell on the injured seer. My heart ached for him. Did he have a family? Were they missing him as much as I missed Cora? Helping those in front of us felt as though I’d be betraying Cora, but I could not abandon them. They needed us. We were their only hope.
“All right,” I said, loosing a heavy breath, “let’s get them prepared.”
34
We did the best we could to prepare the seers. Some were skeptical, but most seemed ready to try anything to escape. We couldn’t linger, but we made plans to return the next day around the same time, taking them with us when we left.
After we made plans, I went around to check on people, heading straight for the injured man first.
“Hello,” I said, smiling at him. “May I see to your wounds?”
“There isn’t much you can do in here for it. I’ve already cleaned it once,” he said.
“Please, let me at least look. We can get medicine from the market tomorrow. What is your name?”
“Arvis.” He sat on the cot behind him. “Well, go ahead then.”
I helped him lie down, sitting next to him on the cot before peeling the top from the wound. My hand went to my mouth to cover the gasp I nearly let escape.
“I know, it’s bad.” He sighed.
Bad was far from an adequate description. Something had bitten him, torn into the flesh around his stomach in several places. The injury should have been fatal. The Fates must need this man alive. I could see no other reason he survived this long with his wound. I pushed on the skin around the injury, checking for cramping. His skin was hotter than it should have been, which could only mean one thing. He had an infection. If I didn’t treat it, he would die.
“Do you feel all right?” I asked him as I tore fabric from my top. It was the cleanest cloth I could find.
“Just a bit tired,” he said, running a hand over his face. I gingerly wiped away the dried dirt and blood before placing the clean cloth over the wound. It had mostly clotted, but the wound was deep enough that any jarring movement would cause it to reopen.
“I don’t know how you’re still standing,” I whispered.
The man grunted at that but didn’t say anything.
“You have an infection, Arvis. I must treat the wound with a healing salve.”
He pressed his palms against his eyes, choking back a sob. “I was ready to die today. When I heard you two outside our room, I planned to throw myself at the guards when they tried to take another.”
I pressed my hand into his, offering support rather than judgment.
“They treat animals better than us,” he said, his voice hot with anger. “Those stupid mutts they have live like royalty, but we don’t have a pot to piss in.”
“I’m sorry.” The words felt bitter in my mouth. Nothing I said would make this better. Not until we escaped.
“It was the mutts that did it, you know. They sicced them on me when I begged for more food. We’re starving. No one would say anything to the guards.” He laughed. “Now I know why.”
“What can I do to help?” I asked. “Do you want to meditate with me? We don’t have to seek the gods if you don’t want to.”
A tear escaped from one of his eyes and he batted it away. “It would be a great honor, Pythia.”
I didn’t cringe from the title when he said it. For the first time since I’d inherited the position, the label meant something. If I could help bring him peace, if only for a while, I’d gladly be Pythia.
We didn’t enter the realm together—it didn’t work that way—but we both found our way in. Arvis’s hand relaxed in mine as he worked to find his center. I waited for him to give some sign of success before I let myself fully relax into my version of the realm. I focused on finding my center. The familiar greenery filled me with comfort.
It had been too long since my last intentional visit to the realm. I hadn’t had time. This differed from when visions overtook me. I was in control here. Those other visions gripped me so suddenly, I fell into them before I knew what was happening.
I sat and called upon Apollo. There wasn’t much time to ask if he knew of Cora’s whereabouts. I
turned my attention to my sun, shading my eyes as I called out again for Apollo. He still didn’t answer. The grass ripped easily from the ground and I threw it into the wind in frustration.
“Why don’t you answer me?” I screamed at him. Clouds descended over my sun and a violent wind ripped through the realm. I shot to my feet, wary of the god causing the change. Apollo’s warmth had been my home. Zeus’s storms had never provided comfort.
“Why have you come?” The God of Storms was known for his temper. I risked his wrath speaking to him so boldly but I had little care left in that regard.
“Don’t speak to me with such little respect.” His voice echoed throughout the realm. Lightning struck in the distance.
“My apologies. I didn’t mean disrespect, God of Storms.” I bowed low to show my respect, gritting my teeth and holding my tongue. I want to lash him with my words.
“The great war is near, Pythia. Gather your people and prepare to fight.” His voice filled the air again.
“The seers…” I hesitated, fearing his wrath. “They aren’t strong enough,” I said, settling on the least confrontational response.
“I don’t want the seers in my war. Delphi, Larissa, Thebes. There are plenty of people who would lay down their life for glory.”
I looked at my feet, body vibrating with anger. He meant for us to fight to the death. Of course he did. What else did war mean? The gods who cared so little for us want us to die for their glory. It wasn’t right. How long would it be until Ares, God of War, paid me a visit?
“How many will die?” I asked after I tempered my fury.
“Many will die but few will fall.” Lightning flashed. Moments later thunder boomed through the realm.
I huffed out a breath. Now he was cryptic?
“What of our people? What will they do with no one protecting the cities?”
“Protect our legacy and your people will be safe,” he said.
“Zeus.” I cringed at my pleading tone. “It feels like it isn’t up to us. We know nothing of our enemy or how to defend ourselves against them. We can fight but fighting blindly is just as bad as not fighting at all.”
I looked up at the dark clouds, letting my anger show.
“Tell me something useful!” I yelled at him. “Tell me where Cora is.”
Thunder roared around me. The sound reverberated from my head to my toes. I fought to stay standing against the deafening noise.
“We need help!” I pleaded. I’d heard legends of the gods fighting in great battles. Why couldn’t they fight for us now? Alongside us?
“This is not our war, Pythia. This is your war. You must fight for us. Your people have the responsibility now.”
“Why?” I asked. “Why make us fight at all?”
“Whether you want to doesn’t matter anymore. War is coming for your people. The Fates have spoken of the Great War. If you do not fight, you will lose everything.”
I contemplated his words. Everything?
“We lose everything, or you do?”
“We live on with or without you.” His voice was clipped. “We are warning you because you’ve dedicated your lives to us.”
He sighed.
“The world will live on. If you die, there will be others to take your place. Others who will worship our names and glory just the same as you do.”
“So we lay down our lives for you? To what end?”
“You lay down your lives for yourselves. You rebel against forced change. You stand your ground with whichever gods you choose.”
“Whichever gods?” I questioned him.
“The freedom to have a choice, Alex. That is what you fight for.”
“Alex?” His voice sounded muffled. I looked up and saw the sky fading.
“Alex?” Isaias asked, snapping his fingers in front of my eyes.
“It’s rude to interrupt a seer when they are working.” I glared up at him.
“Yes, I know. I’m sorry. We need to leave before the guards pay these seers a visit.”
Arvis blinked, coming out of his own realm when I extracted my hand from his and stood. There wasn’t time to discuss what I’d seen with him.
“I’ll bring the salve tomorrow.” I pulled a blanket over him when he lay back and patted his shoulder. “Rest.”
His smile was wary. He didn’t believe we’d return.
35
Our return to the inn was uneventful. We escaped the hedges with a few more scratches but avoided encountering anyone as we left the theater area. Ilinor greeted me with a big hug when we reached our group's table at the inn’s dining room.
“How did it go?” she asked, worry creasing her brow. She inspected my injuries, frowning at the scratches on my face.
“Just a bush,” I said, reassuring her. “No one saw us.”
She sighed, shoulders relaxing a bit before she sat next to Nisus. Darrien looked relieved at our return and hugged me from where he sat. I hugged him from the side and proceeded to the open seat at the end of the table.
“Did you find Cora?” Hyri asked as I plopped down in the space next to him. My brother’s eyes filled with concern, knowing me well enough to know something was wrong.
“No,” I said. Silence descended upon our party, everyone deflating with the news. We hadn’t anticipated Cora not being in the prison.
Hyri wrapped his arm around me and said, “We will find her.” I nodded against his shoulder, but doubt filled my mind. How would we find Cora if they held her captive somewhere else? The prison had been the best chance to find her. I doubted Theo’s and Isaias’s informant knew where Cora was.
Isaias sat across from me, stretching his legs to rest against mine under the table, the warmth slightly easing my pain.
After filling in the group on the seers we’d discovered and how we convinced them to join us in escape, Hyri explained how we would get the seers out of the polis.
“Will your harlots know of Cora’s whereabouts?” Ilinor asked Isaias, a snarky look gracing her face.
“She isn’t my harlot,” Isaias said in a dangerously low voice before looking at me. Ilinor had struck a nerve. Theo spoke up before I could explore his reaction.
“I doubt the women will know anything, but it might be worth the visit. Maybe they’ve overheard something.”
“You should go talk to the women. Alex and I need to gather medical supplies at the market.” Isaias stood and offered me his hand.
I straightened in my seat, stunned by his statement. He’d seen me tending to Arvis. His keen awareness was galling, but this time it didn’t bother me. I desperately needed the supplies. I placed my hand in his, heat radiating from him to me as he pulled me to standing.
“We can’t save the injured seers,” Taryn said with finality, throwing a pail of ice over the warmth Isaias’s body lent me.
“Yes, we can,” I shot back. “We cannot leave them at the mercy of their captors.”
“They will slow us down. We risk being found if we move too slow.”
“I won’t leave them,” I said, snarling at him.
Isaias placed himself in front of me, obscuring Taryn from my view before slamming his palm on the table. A few patrons turned at the sound, eyeing our party with suspicion.
“We will help them all escape, Taryn.” Isaias lowered his voice. “I won’t hear of this anymore. If you can’t come to terms with it, no one will be sad to see you leave.” Compassion for the seers marked every word. He wouldn’t leave them either. He couldn’t.
Taryn sputtered angrily but Hyri silenced him with a glare.
“We won’t leave anyone behind,” my brother agreed, filling my heart with hope. I looked to Ilinor who inclined her head in support. She’d do whatever needed to be done. Much to Taryn’s dismay, Nisus and Darrien agreed as well.
Taryn cursed and kicked his chair back before stalking out of the inn. Patrons whispered about our group as he stormed by. I tugged on Isaias’s sleeve, tilting my head to the patrons. We were doing a horrid
job at being discreet.
Isaias raised an eyebrow at me in understanding. “Should we head to the market?”
Taryn didn’t return that night. The man wasn’t right in the head. Hyri, Nisus, and Chad found me and Isaias later. We went over the plan until we all but memorized every step we would take to get there. Hyri kept his head up and tried to lighten the mood with a few jokes. He stopped when he realized there would be no appreciation for his antics tonight. Reality took hold and darkened his mood just as it had ours. I caught his eye and gave him a small smile.
“Hey,” Ilinor nudged me with her elbow, “are you ready for tomorrow?”
Her worried eyes met mine. I couldn’t keep the concern from my face.
“As ready as I can be.”
“Take this.” She pushed a vial into my hand. My eyebrows rose at the unexpected and strange gift. Hyri tried to act uninterested, but he craned his neck to see what Ilinor had given me. I curled my fingers around the vial to hide it from him. I wasn’t sure why but whatever the vial held felt dangerous.
“You might need it.” She sighed at my confusion and leaned over to whisper in my ear, “It’s poison.”
Poison. Did she think it would come to such a violent end? Unsure of how to react to her gift, I whispered my thanks. My knuckles turned white as I clutched it, hoping I wouldn’t need to use it on anyone. Or myself.
Just as I closed my eyes to sleep, someone jostled me awake. Isaias patted my shoulder and finished strapping on his weapons and supplies. It was late in the night, but we’d planned on escaping well before sunrise. No sense in parading escaped prisoners around in broad daylight.
I struggled to shake of the lingering tiredness as I dressed, tucking the poison into my undershirt. It rested coldly against my skin. I suppressed a shudder. What would it be like to die by poison? Would it be quick? If Apollo willed it so, it would be swift and painless. I knew better than to believe the poison would be gentle. My hands were shaky as I secured the scabbard and my other blade. I couldn’t recall a time I felt so scared.