by A K Clark
We set out toward the theater. Our steps were in sync as we marched around to the hidden entrance. I scrambled after him under the brush and through the tunnels. Moments blurred as we moved faster, dodging uneven ground we’d missed the day before, ducking when needed, pushing through the tunnels in half the time.
My heart raced when we reached the seers’ room. I panted as we removed rocks, one after another until we stared at the door. Isaias paused, worry creasing his brow. Beads of sweat trickled down the side of his face, glistening in the flickering torchlight.
I stepped closer, grabbing his hand, willing him to do anything but stand there.
“What is it?” I asked, letting a hint of impatience seep into my voice. Now was not the time to hesitate.
He turned to look at me, breaking my hold on his hand, stepping into my space and pulling me to him. He stared down at me, his eyes almost black in the dim light. His lips crashed onto mine. Everything slowed. My breath, the blood pulsing through my veins. Then I kissed him back. Our mouths moved as one. He held me against him with one hand and buried the other in my hair. My body molded to his as he deepened the kiss, demanding more from me. I gasped when he pulled back, resting his forehead on mine. Our labored breath filled the tunnels.
He closed his eyes when he spoke. “If we make it out of this—”
“When,” I corrected him. Goddess, kissing Darrien was nothing like this. I hadn’t lost myself in passion. No, with Darrien it had felt nice, even gentle. Kissing Isaias was like riding the waves of unbridled passion. I feared the loss of control he inspired, but mostly I craved more.
“When we make it out of this, we need to talk.” He held me snared in his gaze for a moment before I forced myself to look away. Guilt overwhelmed me. Darrien had never declared his intentions, but it felt as though I’d betrayed him.
“Alex?” he asked, vulnerability tinging his words.
“When we get out of this,” I paused to make my point, “we can talk.”
I’d make no promises. I hadn’t committed to Darrien and I wouldn’t to him. Not until everything slowed down. I needed time to think outside this chaos. He smiled, accepting it for what it was before he pushed into the room.
36
I watched Isaias as he spoke, his stature imposing compared to the seers he addressed. He was Master of the Order. He trained night and day to fight. Every moment I‘d spent training with him and Theo would have to be enough. I would fight for the seers’ freedom. Even if it meant losing my own.
“We must leave now. You’ve heard our plan, but you must be prepared to run. Gather anything you wish to take with you. We leave within the hour.”
The seers spoke in hushed voices while they busied themselves with getting ready.
“Do you think they can make it?” I asked when he approached. The seers had eaten nothing but bread for a week. They all looked ready to collapse. “Can we wait until they have more strength?”
What good would it be to try to free them and fail? We couldn’t carry them all. Taryn’s heartless words reverberated through my mind, causing me to gnash my teeth. We would not leave them behind.
“We have to go now. The longer we stay, the more dangerous it is. These prisoners are weak, but they will push through if they want to escape. Once we reach the place Hyri found, we can feed them properly and continue toward safety. There is no time to waste.” He lowered his voice as he looked at the seers who frantically gathered their meager belongings.
“Some of these seers will not make it. We will help them as far as we can, but some are too weak. Prepare yourself, Alex.” He gave me a severe look before helping an older woman tie a peplos into a bag. I scanned the room, searching for those we might lose on our journey. My eyes fell on Arvis. I paled at the thought of losing him. I’d only known him one day, but I valued his life.
“Your friend has inspired the seers to act,” he said when I neared. “Hope is not a word we used much these past months. If we escape, it will change everything.” He winced when he shifted to sit up.
“How is the injury?”
“Unchanged.” He sighed. “I’m not sure you should take me along. I’ll only be a burden.”
“Hush, you old fool. You’re coming with us.” I pulled the salve from my pack and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Now lie down so I can dress the wound.”
“You may be the Pythia, but I am the elder. Don’t forget that,” he said begrudgingly before complying with my request.
Lifting his chiton, I gently wiped the wound with the same cloth I had used the day before. We had no water to clean the material. The dried blood and pus had hardened the fabric overnight. I hoped it wouldn’t cause further infection, but I needed to clean the wound before applying the medicine. After wiping away as much of the discharge as I could, I spread the salve.
“Gah!” Arvis complained as the salve stung and the medicine worked into the wound. I didn’t stop until the salve saturated his stomach.
“Normally I would only apply a light layer, but this wound has gone untreated for too long, Arvis. The slight pain you feel is better than death, don’t you agree?” I raised my eyebrows at his face which was pinched in pain.
“I agree with you, but it is the way you apply the medicine I object to. Good thing you’re not a healer by profession. Must you be so clumsy?”
I smiled at his attempted humor. “Would you like help with anything?”
“No. You’ve done enough. Thank you. I may be hurt but I’m not an invalid.”
As if to prove his point, he stood, wobbling slightly before shooing me away. I retreated to a corner of the prison to go over the plan once again in my head.
My eyes wandered around the room. Isaias continued to help people get ready. My heart swelled with affection for the man. Not because he’d kissed me. Because he, over everyone else, had worked the hardest to see this plan come to fruition. He found information on the prison, despite his uncouth methods, and he personally saw to rescuing these people. As if sensing my gaze, he walked over.
“Everyone is ready,” he said, surveying the seers. “Only twenty look strong enough. I think the majority can make it out of the prison, but I’m not sure they will make the hike.”
I bit my tongue as he tried to gauge my reaction. He was preparing me to lose them. If we abandoned them, we risked them being captured and revealing our plan. I was not a fool, but my mind refused to acknowledge what Isaias wanted me to hear.
“What do you propose?” My voice had an edge to it.
“You know what I propose,” he whispered, exasperated. “I brought an elixir. We will give them all a chance to escape, but when the weak fall, and they will fall, we must give it to them to put them out of their misery. The poison will take them quickly.”
He brought a poison? Was it the same one Ilinor had given me? I clutched the vial in my shirt. Isaias mistook the gesture for one of despair.
He looked at me, concerned. “Alex, you can’t allow yourself to feel any remorse now. Until we are free of these walls, you have to be strong. You are the reason these seers agreed to come. If you falter now, we could all die.”
My exhale hissed between my teeth. “You don’t need to give me a pep talk. I’m prepared. I wish you would stop reminding me that we will lose lives tonight.” He infuriated me, but a part of me wondered if he was right to prepare me. Would it make losing them easier?
“I do not take this lightly. I want to save everyone, but I’ve learned over the years that that is an impossible feat. You may think me cold-hearted, but the voices of the dead haunt my sleep.” His face reddened at the admission.
I softened my voice. “I understand.” It was all I could offer him. The tension in his shoulders eased and he nodded. He turned to address the seers.
“We must move quickly and quietly. I’ve given knives to those of you who are strong enough to fight.” He turned toward me. “We will get you once the guards are down. Do not move or make a sound until then.”
We couldn’t use a torch to light the way, so we moved carefully in the dark, our feet making only the slightest noise as they connected with the earth. Even then, I worried the guards would hear us. I ran my hands along the wall as we progressed, stopping every few feet to listen for the sounds of guards approaching. My muscles twitched as we neared the end, aching with anticipation.
Isaias stopped so suddenly I bumped into him.
“Are you ready?” He spoke quietly into my ear.
“Yes,” I whispered back. My heart thudded in my ears so loudly, I could hardly hear the guards’ conversation over it. The torchlight in the main tunnel flickered, the shadows of the dark corridor dancing near our feet.
Isaias squeezed my arm, signaling me to ready myself. He stepped into the lit hallway. I heard the guards scramble to their feet.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” a guard shouted at Isaias.
I couldn’t see, but I heard scuffling and grunting and readied myself for the surprise attack. I stepped into the light and saw Isaias struggling with both guards. He had positioned himself so their backs were turned away from me. One had his hands around Isaias’s throat to keep him still. He fought the hold, but the lack of oxygen slowed him down. The other worked at tying his hands together. Fear for him spurred me into action.
Isaias made eye contact with me as I crept up on the one trying to restrain his hands. Isaias’s face grew redder. Without thinking, I pulled the blade from the scabbard and jammed it into the guard’s neck. A gurgling sound escaped from his mouth and the rope fell to the floor. He clutched the blade, pulling it from his neck and tossing it aside as blood sprayed from the wound. I stumbled back to avoid it.
The guard holding Isaias’s throat shouted in surprise before throwing him against the wall. Isaias fell to the floor unmoving. This wasn’t the plan. I backed up as the guard moved toward me. I only had one blade left, but this guard was bigger than Isaias. He grabbed me before I could pull the dagger out, ripping it from my grasp before tossing it to the ground.
“What’s a pretty woman like you doing down here?” I kicked out at him, but it did nothing. He wrapped his arm around my neck and pulled me toward him, caressing my shoulder with the other hand.
I worked my fingers between his arm and my neck, like Isaias had taught me, and pulled down, squatting to break his hold on my neck. I knocked him down. He laughed before coming at me again. I shuffled back several feet, crouching into a fighter’s stance. He quirked a brow at me and laughed.
“I like them feisty.” He sneered at me.
He reached out to grab me. I ducked under his arm, kicking the backs of his legs. He cursed at me and approached again, taking more care with where he stepped. I watched for a hint of what he might do.
He moved. My body burst into action. I jumped over his foot as he tried to kick my feet out. I landed, slamming my fist into his stomach. He grabbed me and threw me to the ground. I bucked and kicked but he pinned me with his body. I recoiled from his stale breath. He let out a deranged laugh.
“I’m going to have fun breaking you.”
I kicked at him again, frantically trying to stop his efforts, but he slammed my head into the ground. Black spots filled my vision. I closed my eyes, trying desperately to block out his happy humming. Where did such evil come from?
His weight left me so suddenly my eyes flew open. Isaias held the guard back. The man struggled hard. Isaias fought to keep him subdued. I jumped up to grab my knife. The man thrashed so violently, I couldn’t make contact without hurting Isaias.
“Do it!” Isaias grunted as he struggled to steady the guard. I aimed the knife for the guard’s neck and shoved it into the delicate flesh. The blade halted his movements. Isaias held him until he went limp from blood loss. Once he dropped the guard, I ran over to check Isaias for wounds, but he shook me off.
“Help me move the bodies,” he said as he pulled the knife from the guard’s throat, wiping it clean before handing it over. I grimaced and tucked it back into the scabbard. We grabbed the hands of the first guard I’d killed and pulled him into the side tunnel. We made quick work with the second body and headed back to the main entrance of the prison.
My chiton clung to my body. I tried to ignore the blood rubbing against my skin. My hands were shaking. I killed two men. Isaias pulled me back with his words.
“Not now.” He grabbed my hand and squeezed. “I’m sorry.”
I allowed myself a moment of weakness and clung to him. The warmth of his body kept me anchored to my sanity. Once I released his fingers, he turned to open the door. Seers scuttled back, their wide eyes searching for the threatening guards. Surprised whispers turned into a small cheer.
Trekking through the main tunnel with the seers seemed to take forever. My legs felt heavy as I walked, the ache in my muscles weighing them down. I glanced over my shoulder and saw a man holding Arvis up. I pivoted and jogged over to them.
“Arvis, did the medicine help?” I lifted his top.
“I’m…I’m not sure. I feel so weak,” he said, his voice wobbly with emotion.
“We need to get out of here and find a place for him to recover,” Isaias said. I jumped at the sound of his voice. I hadn’t heard his approach. “Someone will catch us if we don’t move.”
I shifted my weight. My mind raced. Arvis would never make the hike through the woods. If only we could keep him hidden outside the theater and come back for him.
Arvis groaned and coughed violently, blood splattering the floor. The man holding him up struggled to keep him standing. He lost his grip when the seer’s knees gave out. Arvis fell to the ground.
I rushed over and grabbed his face. “Arvis, are you all right? Can you stand?” I asked, frantically checking for broken bones. His skin was hot to the touch and his limbs were limp. The seer had fainted. Isaias’s grim face came into view as he squatted on the man’s other side.
“We can’t,” I said, choking on the words. I couldn’t bear to leave Arvis behind.
“We have no choice. We must go. If we wait any longer, we may not make it.” I caught his pained expression before he turned away.
“We can help him and help ourselves. We can’t carry him without raising suspicion.”
“And we cannot let him live,” I said, shoulders slumping in defeat.
Tears spilled down my cheeks as Isaias whispered a prayer for Arvis. We did not have time for a proper burial, but we could try to persuade the gods to guide him safely to the Underworld. Isaias finished his prayer and looked at me. He held the poison out to me.
I glanced at the vial, blanching before opening it with shaking hands. I held it to Arvis’s mouth. The man’s breathing had grown ragged, but his deteriorated state did nothing to console me. He might have died a slow painful death. At least this would end his suffering.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before pouring half the vial into his mouth. I wasn’t sure how much he needed. I looked to Isaias. He nodded. I sat back on my heels. Emotions raged within me when Arvis swallowed the poison. The walls seemed to close in on me. I heaved until all that was left was stomach acid. My hands shook as I wiped the spittle from my lips and turned to Isaias.
“The seer was on the verge of dying. You’ve given him an easier death than nature.”
“Don’t,” I said, “try to comfort me, Isaias. I can’t deal with it right now.” My voice broke.
“We need to move,” he said after a moment.
I nodded and stood slowly, brushing tears from my cheeks. I sent a silent request to the gods. Please be kind to him in the afterlife. Let us escape this violence. Help us find Cora. I didn’t bother waiting for a reply. Part of me couldn’t help but feel the gods had already abandoned us.
I followed b
ehind Isaias as we made our way through the polis. The seers followed us with blind trust. I looked over my shoulder and a few gave me warm smiles and blessings. We were their saviors. I hoped they wouldn’t be disappointed. After all, we weren’t just leading them toward freedom. War was on the horizon and we needed their help.
37
We had almost reached the edge of town, nearing a smattering of trees when I heard the shouts. The pounding of feet. Hyri darted from the bushes toward our slowing group, helping those who needed it. We quickened our pace, forcing the weak beyond their capabilities. Moans of frustration rose from our group.
“Just a bit farther,” I said, falling back to help an older woman. She limped alongside me, trying to keep pace. Once we were concealed by trees, we could slow down. My brother scooped up the stragglers, urging everyone forward. I was so glad he was here. I only wished for one other to be with us.
“Alex.”
I stumbled when I heard her call out to me. My heart skipped. I turned to her, grinning from ear to ear.
“Cora,” I said, laughing with disbelief.
Others were with her. My smile tipped down, dread upsetting my brief moment of joy.
Isaias cursed. I glanced at him, surprised to find him there. He must have turned back when he heard her.
“Alex. I’m so happy you are here,” she said, smiling at me. Something about the way she spoke unnerved me. Her eyes didn’t match the look on her face. They were distant, not at all what I thought I would see after all this time.
As they neared, I began to make out the features of her companions. One in particular snagged my attention. I gasped, comparing the face in front of me to the one from my nightmares of Vero’s death.
No. It couldn’t be.
“Cora?” I looked at her, noticing how she comfortable she seemed. How was that possible? How did she even find him?