Chapter 70 The Meat Carnival
Niklaus
Sapphire has been a grumpy, stubborn, mischievous little asshole since the day she was born.
Smiles were a rare sighting.
I can confidently say, she has never radiated so much childlike joy. At least not that I have ever seen from her.
We travel to a broad range of time in Vexamen—attempting to arrive at a moment as close to the time we abandoned my dad as possible.
And Sapphire is the definition of optimism.
I smile, nodding and observing her babbling on about how once we rescue my dad, we’ll return home and get to see her dad wake up.
“Bad man no let Miss Sapphire go home.”
We hide behind a boulder as a tropical storm rolls in, blasting the brittle, black trees, and kicking up dust. Dellilian sits behind us, viewing the storm uneasily.
“Not Mister Niklaus neither,” she adds.
I look down at the timid creature with a fondness Sapphire might not expect from me. This animal comforted me in my cage on the most agonizing nights of my life. Some days, she was the reason I didn’t try and off myself.
“Vrath won’t let us go home?” I ask.
I haven’t thought about him in ages.
Dellilian bows her head.
“He’s not going to stop us. Did you see what Miss Sapphire did to the Bloods?” I smirk, massaging Spitfire’s freckled shoulder.
But Dellilian is grim and pouting.
“Dellilian sent by lady that has prophecy too,” she explains.
I tilt my head. No, I guess we haven’t figured out who sent Dellilian yet, have we?
“What prophecy?” Sapphire asks.
“From a book. There’s a tale of Miss Sapphire, Mister Niklaus, and Bad Man.”
“A book? I’m guessing the tale doesn’t end well if Vrath won’t let us go home. Is this why you came to us, Dellilian? Why the lady sent you?” I ask.
Dellilian chuffs. “Sacred book. The lady calls it Scarlett Leviticus from her world. The tale ends with Bad Man eating Miss Sapphire and Mister Niklaus’s souls.”
Sapphire and I look to each other with raised brows. “Huh.”
“Doesn’t sound great…” I say.
“How do we stop him?” Sapphire drops down to her knees, losing that intense gaze of optimism.
“Hide. Must hide. Far away.”
Sapphire frowns. “We can’t. We have to save Uncle Niles. That’s why we are here!”
“No. Must hide now.”
“For how long?!”
“Forever.”
I can’t help but react out of aggression. “Bullshit! We are saving my dad!”
“Maybe it’ll help if you tell us what Vrath has over us? What makes him stronger?”
“World Dark Twin tree branch. Obliterates souls. Bad Man need Miss Sapphire’s blood to change time.”
I lean against the boulder and scratch my head. I really don’t have a clue what the fuck she just said.
“Maybe if—” Sapphire chokes on her words and has a coughing fit.
My lungs dry and shrivel, followed by a fever bleeding into each layer of my skin.
“He’s here,” I announce.
“Hide!” Dellilian shouts again.
“We aren’t leaving without Uncle Niles.”
I fucking love her.
Sapphire stands, weak but recharged with an idea. The Meat Carnival has the animals locked up, probably for the tropical storm heating up the skies.
“He’s afraid of animals,” she mumbles, then takes off in the direction of the cages.
I follow in what feels like a drug-induced hangover. Everything trembles and throbs as we unlatch each cage one by one. I was worried we’d have to defend ourselves, but these beasts of many different species are just happy to be set free.
A crowd forms on the other side of the village, not far from the Blackspire Ward of The North. Where my father is held captive. And we leave Dellilian behind to follow the jeers and shouting individuals over epic, furious winds.
“My parents can figure out how to kill Vrath, I’m sure of it!” Sapphire shouts over the incoming store. We sprint, lethargic but motivated to get to my dad. “Once we save Uncle Niles, we get home and find them. Okay?”
“Let’s do it.”