Chapter 4 #2
Father and Baine go hunting every year. It is their favorite activity to do together and one which I longed to be a part of. I still do. But not like this. Not after what I heard last night.
Because I know this trip has one outcome.
My death.
“Yes, I did want to go,” I reply in a low voice.
“Here,” he says, handing me a box. “Your very own hunting suit. You will also find a dagger inside that I had engraved with your initials,” he continues, almost as if he’s trying to fill the silence with inane conversation to cover for his true purpose.
I try to look excited as I take the box from him. Laying it on my bed, I open it to find a hunting set in a deep navy blue with a red belt. I slowly take the items out of the box until I come across the dagger.
It is beautiful. So much so it hurts, for I have never received such a fine gift before. Fitting that I would do so on the day of my execution.
My lashes are damp, and I quickly wipe my eyes so my father does not notice.
The dagger is made out of silver, with my name its handle encrusted with white crystals that are not native to Tartareia. For that alone, I know this must have cost a small fortune.
But another thing is also clear. This is not something he could have achieved in one night. That means he must have prepared this for me before.
My breathing catches in my throat.
Holding the dagger in my hands, I slowly look up to find my father gazing at me with a mix of emotions—there is love there, but there is also regret.
He loves me. I know it.
But he has also made his choice.
“This is perfect. Thank you pateri,” I say as I force my lips into a smile.
“I am happy you like it. Let us hope it will aid you on this hunt.”
His words are ominous, but also ambiguous. Will he give me a fair chance to fight for my life? But even if he were to do so, I am no match against him. He is a powerful immortal and I have no spiritual energy. At the end, no matter how much I will struggle, the result will be the same.
I will die.
As I put on the hunting suit and tie my belt together, I have to face the fact that I am heading to my own death. Willingly, and on my own two feet, I am heading to my execution.
There is a part of me that still does not want to believe this is real—that my own parents want me exterminated.
Should I run away? Can I distract father enough to run away? But where to? My family has connections throughout Tartareia, and they would be able to find me in a matter of seconds.
I could leave the realm. But how would I survive on my own, with no practical skills?
The fact that I have no spiritual energy also puts me at a disadvantage.
Within the bosom of my family, I was assured certain benefits, one of them being protection.
Since I cannot open my energy gates, I cannot formally acquire the status of an immortal.
Though my lifespan might be far longer than any other species, I would be vulnerable to most diseases.
The probability of me dying on my own is just as high as me dying today.
Ideas race in my head as I weigh carefully every possibility. I purposefully take my time dressing so I can mull over the issue and hopefully avoid my fate.
My shoulders slump in disappointment as I place the dagger on my belt. I have found no alternative—no escape.
Leashing Upsila, I meet my father by the door. He gives me a slight nod as he leads me down the stairwell and out of the palace, where our escort awaits.
The carriage bears the v’Kyro insignia, a silver pheasant whose feathers turn into bolts of lightning.
The driver opens the door for us to climb in. Upsila settles at my feet, her snout on my knees as she stares at curiously.
“Hiya,” the driver yells, and the horses unfurl their wings and surge into the sky.
The silence inside is uncomfortable.
My father cannot bear to look at me. He gazes out the window, tipping the curtain to the side—as if he hasn’t made this journey thousands of times before.
I place my hand on Upsila’s head, stroking her. She might not understand my words, but she senses something is wrong. She keeps nudging her head against me, as if posing a question and expecting an answer.
I avert my gaze.
Upsila is the one person in my life I cannot lie to. She knows my deepest secrets, and all those hidden thoughts that should be left unspoken. Her loyalty is something I would never question, for she has been there for me in my hardest times—as opposed to my own parents.
A pang erupts in my chest as I think about the aftermath of my death. I have no doubt my parents will spin some tale and no one will question it. It is not as if anyone will miss me.
But Upsila will.
What will happen to her once I am gone?
The thought that she might be harmed, or abandoned hits me harder than the knowledge that I will be dead in a matter of hours.
“Pateri.” I clear my throat. “Upsila is a fine dog. She is a hunting breed. She might be able to help you in the future,” I say slowly.
A whoosh resounds as the curtain slides back into place.
My father turns, his brows knit together.
I have never taken the time to analyze him properly, yet this is my last opportunity to do so.
He looks like me. Or, at least, I would look like him if I reached adulthood.
His hair is jet black and his eyes are a light shade of blue—almost gray.
Slowly, the meaning of my words dawns on him.
“She is, indeed, a fine dog,” he agrees, glancing briefly at her.
The silence resumes.
It takes us an hour to get to the hunting spot.
The woods are situated at the outskirts of Merolia, at the outskirts of the House of Jubal’s territory. They are a popular spot for the nobility, especially at this time of the year when the season for the caspri is in full swing.
The carriage touches down in the middle of a clearing, and we get out.
As we start towards the forest, I wonder how long his pretense will last. Perhaps until we are surrounded by thick foliage so no one can see a father kill his son.
I tighten my hold on Upsila’s leash as we slowly make our way down a beaten path. The trees are tall, their branches full of leaves. With every step, we become more and more shielded by nature, ensconced within the heart of the forest.
I guide Upsila forward, but after a while, I stop hearing my father following behind me. I stop. Slowly, I make the courage to turn around.
He’s standing a distance away from me, his expression conflicted.