Chapter 11
IbrOS
Sonah blinked away the fog in her head. Heavy lids moved as if weighed down and she pushed past the pain in her head.
Her fuzzy vision cleared and she saw two figures a few yards away, backlit by the soft fire flickering off to her right.
She noticed a sustained note, loud and monotonous, in her ears.
Her jaw ached, and her head throbbed. She blinked harder, trying to focus.
Something was in her mouth.
Sonah tried closing her mouth and winced against the pain shooting from the hinges of her jaw and she gagged.
Feeling around with her tongue, she felt something soggy and bulky.
When she tried to lift her hands to feel for it, they wouldn’t move.
They were tied at the wrist and her arms were pinned to her sides.
The bite of more hemp around her arms confirmed she was lashed to the tree at her back as well.
“—this girl for seven years, Otto,” a voice was saying, the words muffled as if behind a wall, then clearer as the ringing in her ears dissipated and the words resolved into a low conversation two men were having.
Sonah stopped her fidgeting, every muscle tensed as she concentrated on the voices.
“I hear you, Your Highness,” a man was saying, and Sonah heard the rustling of bramble and twigs as the man shifted his feet. “But we have orders from your father to bring her back to Metilai.”
“And I am telling you I’ve known her most of her life and she is no more a criminal than I am!”
Sonah frowned. She knew that voice.
Lerek?
Sonah dared not move, straining to listen.
The other man sighed loudly. “That may be, but I still have my orders. If it’s as you say, I am certain your father—”
“You dare deny me?”
Sonah almost smiled at the deadly drop of Lerek’s voice.
“With respect, Your Highness, the emperor’s orders supersede yours,” the man said. Sonah felt a sudden rush of dread as she realized she knew the man’s voice, too. Otto Hetteti, an Imperial Guard who served under Captain Xoran.
The Imperial Guard were always with the emperor and his family, so why was Otto here? Had he known Lerek would be here?
Sonah remained stock still as she waited for Lerek’s response.
“As a favor to me then, remove her bindings. I assure you, you’ve no need of them.”
“Your Highness,” the guard said with feigned patience, “I will not give this criminal the opportunity to escape after we’ve spent many months tracking her down. It’s bad enough we let a god slip through our fingers. At least now we can return with—”
Lerek’s scoff was sharp and immediate. He jerked back as if the guard had slapped him.
“A god,” he snapped, his voice dropping lower. “There is no such thing. There hasn’t been for a long, long time.”
From Sonah’s vantage, she had a view of the guard’s profile and saw the grim satisfaction in the smile he leveled on Lerek. “Aye. Until her. The Royal Tracker, Terena Luca.”
“You’re mad,” Lerek said with a shake of his head. “You’re—Terena Luca is no more a god than I am. Are you insane?”
“A thousand people witnessed her power in the square, the day she and this girl,” the guard nodded in Sonah’s direction and Sonah quickly shut her eyes. Not daring to open them lest they see her, she concentrated on their words.
“—to be executed, Terena Luca unleashed power from her hands no mortal wields. I tell you now, Terena Luca is a god.”
Lerek lifted a hand as if to physically reject the guard’s words.
But the man was relentless. Sonah cracked her eyes to slits as he continued.
“Not only is she a god, but she’s now allied with the King of Sparta.
Our spies within the kingdom shared how close she and the commander of his Liodari have gotten recently. Very close.”
Sonah felt her belly drop as Lerek turned his head, sliding a gaze over in her direction. She prayed it was dark enough he could not see she was awake and watching.
After a moment, he dropped his head.
“What have they seen?”
Sonah stifled a groan.
The guard stepped closer and in a harsh tone said, “They were seen embracing. In view of our men.”
Lerek stood so still, Sonah worried one touch would make him snap.
“We’ll travel north to meet up with Captain Xoran and then head east. I’ve sent one of our men with a message so he’ll know where to intercept us.”
Sonah cringed at the man’s words, a new fear igniting within her at the thought of the scarred and surly captain joining them.
Shifting her leg, Sonah winced against the instant rush of feeling needling her foot as it came awake. Even with how slight the movement was, the guard’s head snapped in her direction, and Sonah grimaced when he frowned over at her.
“Good,” Otto barked, striding the few steps toward her. “You’re awake.”
He bent over, untying the rope over her arms and she slumped forward. She barely sighed with relief before the man snatched the rope at her wrists. Sonah gasped as she was yanked upright. A sinking feeling came over Sonah and she wished she were somewhere she could speak with Lerek alone.
“Perhaps you’d like to hear it from one of Terena Luca’s co-conspirators. She can tell you all about how close the commander and your Royal Tracker have gotten.”
Sonah let out a squeak of surprise as Otto shoved her forward. Lerek caught her before she fell. With a grunt, he quickly untied the rope at her wrists. As the hemp fell away, Sonah sighed and rubbed at her chafed wrists, shooting a glare at the guard.
“Sonah,” Lerek said, his voice rough. Sonah winced, unable to look at him. “Sonah, is Terena allied with Sparta? Does she… are she and the commander…”
He didn’t finish, and coward that Sonah was, she waited so she’d have more time to gather her thoughts.
So much to say, but not in front of Otto. Both Lerek and Terena deserved better.
She swallowed. “So… you were dead.”
Otto snorted. Lerek raised his eyes in warning before returning his stare to Sonah.
“You all thought I was dead. I understand that. But what I don’t understand is how you continued to think so when it was Daris Antonius and his men who took me from the White Palace.”
Sonah cringed away as Lerek’s voice rose. Around them, the sounds from the soldiers nearby stopped altogether, and she realized they had a bigger audience.
Panicking about how to respond, Sonah opened her mouth to speak when shouts at her back saved her.
Both men turned toward the noise and Sonah ran. Lerek reached out, grabbing hold of her arm. In her panic, Sonah whirled, slamming her fist into the side of his face.
Stumbling in shock as she watched Lerek fall back, Sonah’s mouth fell open. Otto roared and snapped forward, grabbing a fistful of Sonah’s hair when she turned away, and she shrieked at the pain tearing at her scalp.
Her foot slid out from under her and she fell, screaming again as Otto’s grip snagged what she was sure was half her hair. Turning to scramble up, Sonah gaped as a large animal leaped over the fire and slammed into the guard. Taking advantage of the chaos, she pitched forward, running for her life.
Branches tore at her clothes and face, but Sonah was mindless as she ran through the woods, the cries of the soldiers fading behind her. Something sounded at her back, and Sonah whipped her head around, her throat seizing as a giant shadow tore through the trees.
Sonah turned back, but her foot snagged on a root. Her momentum hurled her forward and she screamed as the ground rose to meet her. Her hands shot out to break her fall and she screamed again when her wrist snapped as she hit the ground.
Tears tracked down her face and she turned, her eyes wide and body shaking. Sonah held her broken wrist to her chest as her ribs squeezed painfully.
She had no weapon, and she was wounded.
And something gigantic was now prowling out of the shadows toward her.
A low growl sounded, and she swallowed past the thick lump in her throat, her eyes wild as she regarded the large dog salivating before her.
Sonah scrambling back. She let out a squeak as a form became visible in the mist.
Sonah’s eyes widened to saucers, her mouth dropping open as the form took shape and a woman stood before her.
As Sonah watched the woman kneeling before her, a shaft of moonlight illuminated the woman’s face.
Long black hair framed a dark face lined with ink, symbols drawn on almost every inch of it.
The woman leaned forward, impassive as she stared at Sonah.
Curiosity and calculation were behind the gaze of the woman before her and Sonah remained still as death, waiting.
She jerked as the dog crept closer, having forgotten the animal momentarily.
The woman lifted her hand without moving her gaze from Sonah and the dog settled on his belly, shifting his head so his snout nuzzled against the woman’s palm.
The silence went on for so long, Sonah felt her pulse quicken, and she licked her dry lips. Compelled to speak as usual when she was nervous, Sonah opened her mouth, but the woman’s voice stopped her.
“Sonah,” she said in a voice both soft and forceful and something shifted inside Sonah. All at once, her body relaxed and her heart slowed until she felt a languid heat fill her. Her lids became heavy.
Whispers sounded all around, growing louder, pressing in on Sonah before they stopped abruptly. Her gaze still locked on the strange woman, Sonah felt at peace.
“Who are you?” she whispered.
The woman reached out and pressed her thumb to the spot between Sonah’s eyes, and they slid closed.
Minutes passed, and Sonah floated on clouds soft as satin. She burrowed deeper, a groan escaping her lips as she shifted, awareness tingling over her body as she opened her eyes. Creamy light flickered in haloes from numerous candles above her.
Sonah frowned.
She lifted onto her elbow, lips pursed as she took in her surroundings. Her mouth opened when it finally dawned on her she was no longer in the woods.
“And I’m not on a cloud, either.”
“No, child.”
Sonah sprang upright, her head on a swivel. A soft laugh sounded to her right. Sonah gasped as Pytho stepped forward, dropping slowly to her knees at Sonah’s side.
After the initial shock of seeing the oracle again after so long, Sonah shot forward. Hugging the woman, she sobbing into Pytho’s shoulder. To her credit, Pytho let her cry, tightening her arms around Sonah and slowly rocking them back and forth, whispering soothing words.
“You are safe,” she said, stroking Sonah’s bramble-covered hair. She shuddered and cried harder, the events of the last few weeks overcoming her in a flood she feared would break her.
A long time passed before her tears slowed and her breath settled enough for her to loosen her death grip on the oracle.
When she finally pulled away, Pytho stroked Sonah’s blonde hair away from her face, wiping the tears from her cheeks as she smiled at her.
“Was it you in the woods?” she asked, sniffling. She swiped at her eyes and took in a deep, ragged breath. “I thought it was at first, but your face was darker and lined with weird symbols. And you had a dog.”
Pytho’s smile turned wry. “No, child. That was not me.”
“How did I get here?” Sonah looked down at her wrist, marveling. “My wrist isn’t broken anymore.”
Pytho sat back while Sonah regained her composure.
“The future has shifted. You were to have stayed with the commander in Sparta, to await your sister’s arrival and that of your eudaemon,” Pytho said, her eyes on something over Sonah’s shoulder.
“My eudaemon?” Sonah shifted against the pillows. “But Daris is my eudaemon.”
Pytho shook her head, pressing her hands together in her lap as she turned back to Sonah. “No, child. He is Terena’s eudaemon. He was always hers. Daris was marked for her, and so the Fates made it so.”
Sonah’s eyes darted around as she thought. “But that means… Rydon is my guardian?”
“Aye. You must now wait in Messene. A traveler wearing green robes will come to the inn. When he leaves, follow him but remain unseen.”
“Pytho, I can’t with your riddles today,” Sonah grumbled. She moved to stand, and Pytho rose with her, reaching out when Sonah stumbled. “Shouldn’t I just go back to Sparta?”
“No,” Pytho scowled. “You need to follow the traveler until you find the Rivermen. They will shelter you until your sister finds you.”
Sonah gaped at the woman. “Rivermen? Those bastards work for Emperor Solon! I might as well kill myself now!”
“Do not!” Pytho snapped. Sighing, the oracle leveled her strange black eyes on Sonah once more and continued. “Trust I have your best interests at heart. There are larger forces—stronger forces—at play here. Stay in Messene and find the man with the green robes. He will lead you to the Rivermen.”
“And then… what?” Sonah asked, jerking her arms out and letting them fall at her sides. “How will Ren find me?”
“That’s not for you to worry about. The goddess has intervened on your behalf, and now you are to do as I say.”
“The goddess? You mean Terena? What—you spoke with her? Where is she?”
Impatience flickered across Pytho’s otherwise serene features.
She reached out, her hands wrapping around Sonah’s upper arms. “Focus, Sonah. Remember what I’ve said.
Next time you open your eyes, you will recall my voice.
You will recall my words. And you will follow the traveler in the green robes. ”
Transfixed, Sonah blinked against the intensity vibrating from Pytho’s black eyes, the determined set of her jaw. Black edged Sonah’s vision as Pytho’s words rattled around in her head. Sonah felt like her body was liquifying, free falling into—