Chapter 33 #2
“I know of a place where we can watch the building without being seen,” I tell him and he finally releases me, though I’m much more sorry about the new distance between us than I should be.
I take his hand and pull him behind me. “Isi and I used this spot whenever we were late coming back after sneaking out. We would wait and watch until we saw Berttom leave or were sure he went to bed, then sneak back in. In the morning, we would play dumb, saying we were in our beds all night. Isi usually said she had a headache and I would tell him I was sleeping.” I chuckle.
“We would even stuff our beds to make it seem like we were in them, in case he checked. He never believed us of course, so we took our punishment, whatever he decided was appropriate for our obvious lies, and away we went about our day. If he ever had any proof, we probably would have been sold years ago.”
The sagging, questionably stable roof of a building down the street is accessible by climbing the wooden slats in the wall.
There are spaces big enough for hand and footholds, though Caene’s hands and feet are substantially larger than Isi’s or mine so I have to suppress a smile as he struggles.
Clearly, being enormous has its disadvantages.
From the roof we can see the front door of the bordello as well as the alley with the hidden side door.
We settle in, lying on our stomachs and ignoring the creaking, cracking roof beneath us.
It’s still a few hours until nightfall. My eyes dance between the front and side doors as well as the windows, hoping for even a small glimpse.
I barely dare to blink, afraid I’ll miss her.
The panic is scratching at my heart, but I won’t give in to it. I need to be ready.
“What punishments?” Caene whispers.
“What?”
“You said Berttom would punish you. What kind of punishment?”
I don’t look at him. “You’ve seen the scars. You already know.”
A piece of plaster breaks off in his hand from him gripping it so hard.
I eye the plaster, then him. “This really isn’t the time to discuss this,” I say. He drops the subject but I know the conversation is probably far from over.
We lie there silent and unmoving as the sun passes slowly overhead. With each passing hour, the urge to climb down, burst through the front door, and kill anyone who comes between me and Isi gets stronger.
I’m staring at the front door when I catch a flash of long dark hair. I jolt forward, trying to get a better look, my heart galloping in my chest.
“That’s her!” I point, Caene follows my finger.
My heart flies. She’s still here. She’s still safe.
She’s leading a bone-thin man into the bordello, her arm looped through his.
I cringe. I hate that she still has to do this when I know she hates it so much.
I didn’t expect her to leave the bordello while I was gone but seeing it again makes bile climb up my throat.
A lot of the men and women in the bordello love their work.
It’s steady employment and it keeps a roof over your head and food in your belly.
Isirae isn’t one of those people. I’ve watched this job slowly degrade her over the years, retreating further and further into herself just to survive.
I swore to her we’d get out, we’d find a better life somewhere else.
Then I abandoned her. I should have come straight back here after I escaped.
A hard lump of guilt settles heavy in my gut. I doubt it will ever be dislodged.
We wait until the sun completely sets and there’s a steady flow of customers before we approach the building. With so many men and women bustling in and out it should be easy to slip in the side door undetected.
“Wait here,” I tell Caene as we duck into the alley abutting the bordello.
“Fuck no,” he snarls deeply.
“Listen to me. If Otyx catches me, I can probably talk my way out of his wrath. Or I’ll finally get the chance to kill the bastard. I’ll cross that bridge if it comes to it.” I put my hand on his chest. “If he catches me with you, I don’t know what he’ll do. The man is unhinged.”
Caene scoffs. “Invulnerable, remember?”
I roll my eyes. “Yes, you’re very strong.
" I pat his chest. "If I’m caught sneaking a man into the building, Otyx will be furious. I’m not a whore.
He’ll know something’s up. There’s no way he’ll believe you’re a customer.
He might take his anger out on Isi. He knows I’ll fight back, that she won’t.
He knows how to hurt me, and he is sadistic.
I won’t let that happen if I can avoid it.
” I meet his eyes. “Please. Just stay here. Trust me,” I echo his earlier plea.
“At least let me make you invulnerable,” he growls.
For the first time since the dungeons, I consider it. It would definitely make the rescue safer. Although, even invulnerable Caene can still bleed, still be hurt. So what good will it really do me?
I sigh. If I let him, at least it will ensure he lets me go in alone. “Fine,” I say.
He takes my hands in his and closes his eyes. I wait for the feeling of his strength to surge thought me.
Instead, there’s just pain. It feels like someone is trying to rip my bones out through my skin.
“Stop,” I choke. I wrench my hands from his and collapse to the ground, trying to catch my breath.
He’s at my side in an instant, brushing the hair back from my face. “What’s wrong?” Concern laces his voice.
I take a deep breath as the pain slowly leaches from my body. “It hurt. It didn’t feel like that last time. It didn’t hurt at all last time. Why is it so painful now?”
His brows come together in confusion. In his eyes all I see is worry. He doesn’t know. I reach up and smooth the line between his eyebrows with my thumb and give him a small, reassuring smile. “It’s alright. I’m fine.”
“Did it work at least?” he asks.
“I don’t know. I don’t feel any different.”
He takes my hands and pulls me to my feet. “Then you’re not going in alone, Aelavi.”
“Yes, I am. You can’t stop me, Big Man. I know you’re just trying to protect me, but I need you to trust that I can and will take care of myself.
I’ll be fine. I promise.” I stretch up and press a kiss to his cheek, then slip through the door before he can stop me.
I push aside the flour and potato sacks, and sprint up the staircase, straight to Isirae’s room, ignoring the questioning and surprised stares of the other artifacts.
I pause only to wrench my dagger from my boot.
Taking a deep breath, I kick open the door with all my might, splintering the wood. Dagger in hand, I’m more than willing to kill the skinny prick I saw her with earlier. Enough is enough. The room is empty and dark, the only light coming from the window and the moon outside.
What in the abysm?
I didn’t see her leave through either door and there’s nowhere else in the building she’d be at this hour. Isi didn’t interact with many of the other workers, and by this time Berttom demands all his artifacts have a client. Alarm bells ring in my head.
“Well, well.” A familiar raspy voice fills the air. “It’s about time.” I scan the dark, unable to pick up on any movement or evidence there’s actually another person here with me.
“Who’s there?” I demand, readying for a fight. “Show yourself!” In my gut I already know who it is but my heart is refusing to let me believe it.
A rattling chuckle that sounds like wind blowing through dry, dead leaves responds.
The chair in the corner seems to waver like water in a pond.
A faint purple glow appears in the shape of a person sitting in the chair.
If it wasn’t so dark, I probably wouldn’t have seen it.
An old man comes into view, appearing to melt out of nothing.
His weathered hand tightly grips a cane, his face is wrinkled and withered, and his long, thin gray hair is pulled into a low knot.
I’ve seen that face once before, though we have never met.
“Maziar,” I seethe.