4. Chapter 4
Chapter 4
Viola
I roll the smooth stone in my hands, something within me settling at the familiar ritual. At least one thing is familiar about my life now.
Zeph saved it for me. He had it this whole time, knowing how much it meant to me. This fact softens my feelings toward the man a little. Maybe his intentions were always pure despite the idiotic way he approached things.
I dare not hope, but it's almost as if I feel some of my magic pulsing beneath the surface like it did when I was tied to that chair in Colris. Is it possible I can fight through this prison of slag? I try to summon Shadow to me, and I feel something, a whisper, in the back of my mind, but it's not enough to bring my companion to me.
"Daughter!" Himureal shouts, surprising me as he turns the corner of the prison. "I do hope you feel a bit better about the situation today."
I still haven't quite figured out my plan for Himureal. Should I charm him into trusting me so he lets me out? He wouldn't fall for something as blatant as that, would he?
"I have accepted my situation for what it is," I say drolly. It' s not a lie. The meaning may just be a little different than he expected.
He leans against the wall opposite my cell and cocks his head to the side, long white hair falling like a curtain over his shoulder. He dresses plainly, again wearing black linen pants that balance precariously low on his hips. His chest is bare save for the carved scars that adorn it.
I'm not sure why, but I think I imagined a God to be more regal, not like a bachelor trying to bed someone at the bar's closing time.
But a quick glance at myself dispels the regal God theory. I suppose Gods are just people who happen to have world-altering levels of magic.
Not that I wanted it.
"You need a bath," he says without preamble.
"Sure, you going to let me out? I would absolutely love to scrub myself. Thanks for the offer."
He rolls his eyes, but his fingers twitch like he aches to pop his knuckles. "I can't yet. I'm sure you understand. Soon. Soon. I know you can join me soon."
I sigh and slump back down on the bench at the rear of my cell. "Why are you here, Himureal? Did you just come to tell me I smell?"
"No, of course not, Shadowweaver. I came to give you a present of sorts."
"A present?" He pulls both hands in front of himself, wringing them together. Is he… nervous? "What kind of present? "
"I found the person responsible for your parent's deaths."
It's so quiet in the room I feel like I can hear the beating of his frozen heart. "Stone was responsible for their deaths."
"He ordered it. The order was carried out by a man named Kon."
The name means nothing to me, but then again, it's not like I met a lot of fae while I was in Ytopie. "How did you discover this?"
"He came and offered blood, and I read it and saw all of it."
"And my present is the knowledge?"
Himureal cannot help himself and excitedly moves closer to the cell despite the effects of the slag, which I am sure he feels. "No. He is the present."
I wrinkle my nose. "You wish to gift me a person?"
"I have told him he can wed you. He will gladly pull you from this cell at my command, thinking he is marching into his wedding night. You are free to do with him as you desire." The excitement on his face is almost contagious, but there is a malicious glint in his icy eyes.
"Why tell him we were to wed?" I ask skeptically.
"I wanted him to be excited to be alone with you, to let his guard down entirely, to put him entirely at your mercy." He drops his eyes to the floor. "Do you like my present, daughter?" There is an unexpected vulnerability in his words, and I know with every piece of me that I cannot trust this God, but I also know he wants my approval more than anything.
I roll the information over on my tongue. Of course, I want to avenge my parent's death. It sounds like I could do that and get out of this cell at the same time. This could be my opportunity to get out of here.
A pleased smile curls across my face, and I reach through the bars of the cell and grab one of his hands. "I love it, Father," I say, swallowing the bile the title causes. "I cannot think of a better gift."
Himureal's face lights up with childlike joy. "I knew you'd love it. You see, Shadowweaver, I want to take care of you. I have only ever wanted to do right by you. I know how I got you here was unconventional, but please do not hold it against me. Against me. I swear, now that you are here, we can become the team we need to be."
Testing the limits of my ability to deceive, I reach out and affectionately stroke a finger down his cheek. "You were right earlier. I am tired of the fight. I feel like we could have a nice, simple life together." I cast my eyes to the ground. "I only ever wanted to get to Ytopie and live my life without worry."
"I can do that for you, daughter, and I will. You must trust me."
Part of me wants to. There is still a piece within me that Himureal sings to, that longs to fall victim to his every platitude. But now there are two other pieces, warring for attention, smothering the part of me that says he's all I need.
But, for this moment, I shove those pieces away and bring that dissenting part to the surface. "Against my better judgment, I do trust you," I say. The lie sleeps on my tongue, an unobtrusive phrase full of potential for truth. "How do I go about claiming my gift?"
"I will send Kon down. You will indulge his fantasies that you are to be wed to him, that I gave you to him. Once he feels convinced that you are truly going to marry him, I'll let you out for you to exact your justice." He pushes his hair behind his ears, a surprisingly human gesture.
"Why can't you let me out now to indulge him?"
Himureal shrugs. "When you charm him, it proves you are ready to assume your role by my side." He turns and heads out of the prison, pausing before he rounds the corner to look back at me. "You didn't think I would just let you out without a test, did you?"
Zeph brings me a meal and a fresh change of clothes, as well as a bowl filled with water and a rag.
It's not a bath, but it will do.
I tell him what Himureal has promised with Kon, and he doubles over laughing. "He gave Kon you as a prize for the tournament. He's full of shit."
"The tournament?" I ask, popping a gurdat into my mouth. The savory stuffed toadstool is a step up from most of the rations I've been given, and the salty and fatty filling dances across my tongue.
Zeph looks embarrassed, his skin flushing behind his full beard. He sits on the ground, propped against the opposite wall, elbows folded on his knees. He's not got a varied wardrobe, but he still looks nice in the brown slacks and green tunic. He launches into an explanation of the tournament, why he planned it, and what the events were.
I'm actually slightly impressed that he managed to plan something so intricate with so little time.
I also think I would have easily won it.
"So Kon won, then? And I was the prize?"
"You were not originally intended to be a prize. You were a prize as punishment to me," he says softly. A deep sadness laces his words, and he ducks his gaze from my own.
"What were you being punished for?" I'm not sure if I want the answer, but I think I don't have a choice but to hear it. It feels like vital information to understand Himureal and Zeph.
"Loris was in the tournament," he begins, still not making eye contact with me. "He won, Viola."
Maybe I should ask questions and encourage him to talk more, but I don't. Instead, we sit in a deep silence, the air around Zeph thick with emotions and things he can't bear to say. I am intelligent enough to recognize that Loris' victory was short-lived.
"After he won, he told everyone that they didn't need to follow Himureal, that you were the better option, and that we should all support you and not him." I suck in a breath at his words. Loris met me one time. How could he possibly have more faith in me than I have in myself?
Again, that heavy silence overcomes us. I've abandoned my food, using my hands to tap rapidly against my legs as I wait for Zeph to collect himself.
There is only one way this story ends.
The same way it ends for anyone who has loved me, believed in me, trusted me.
In blood.
"Himureal killed him in front of all of us," Zeph says, to no surprise. "My best friend. Do you know how much blood is in the body, Viola? I suppose you do. You killed Amio. It is so much. I did not realize it moved so much. I didn't know it was so dark. A simple cut doesn't feel that dark, you know? I'm not sure how I never realized what it would be like. I was frozen. I couldn't move. I think my shoes still have his blood on them. My shirt, too. Do you know how hard it is to get blood out of clothing? What am I talking about, of course you do."
"Zeph," I say gently. He reminds me so much of Tulip in this moment, how she spiraled after losing Twig. "Breathe, high priest." I try to imbue my words with Influence and he takes a long, steadying breath. Several deep breaths later, he smiles at me sheepishly.
"Thanks," he says softly. "Himureal gifted you to Kon because he thought I was in on it with Loris. I was, sort of. The plan was to help him win so he could join the Patricians with me, and we'd work to get support for you from the position of power."
"It's a good plan," I say, passing the glass of water from my tray to Zeph through the bars. He takes it and drinks deeply.
"I didn't know he'd rebuke Himureal so publicly. He said it was to show everyone who the God really was."
"Also a good plan," I admit. "I'm sure it changed perception."
"I'm not so sure," Zeph replies, passing the half-empty glass back to me. "Regardless, you were promised to Kon to test if I was loyal to you or to Himureal. It's also why he has me feeding you. It's a way to taunt me that you are not mine."
"I did not realize I was prize livestock to be auctioned off to the highest bidder."
"Your meat would be too tough," he jokes, and I can't help but crack a smile. "So what he tells you about Kon is a lie. He's trying to save face for making a promise he no longer wishes to keep."
"We can use it to our advantage, though. I will let Kon woo me so I can get out of this cage, and as long as you've found the journal, I can return to the group."
He scratches his beard. "How will you know where they are?"
I pause, then throw my head back against the wall. "Fuck. I have to know where I need to go to create a shadow vision."
"I have an idea," Zeph says after a silent moment. "I'm not sure if it would work, and it would require us to tell someone the plan."
"I don't trust anyone here," I say firmly.
"You may have to if you want to get out of here, Viola."
I snatch up another gurdat and pop it in my mouth. Speaking around it, I ask, "What would that entail? "
"Cirrha is a Tempest. Mace trusted her. I trust her. We can see if she can use Air to get a message to Plume." Zeph sounds hopeful, but potentially bringing someone else in on our plan makes my stomach sour. I drink the rest of my water to wash down the food.
"But how do we know we can trust her?"
He shrugs. "We don't, not really. But she's never been sold on the narrative Himureal is pushing. And Mace really did trust her. I think this is our best shot." He rises to his feet. "Do I have your permission, Shadowweaver, to enlist her help?"
Begrudgingly, I nod. "It seems like our best shot."
"Thank you. I'll keep you posted." He turns to leave.
"Zeph," I say, and he looks at me quizzically. "I'm so sorry about Loris."
A sad smile stretches across his face, and he nods. "Me too. Let's not let his sacrifice be in vain."