Chapter 29 Calypso #2
The woman recovered quickly and braced to lunge again, but Calypso struck without hesitation and slammed her into the maze’s stone outer wall. She scalded her wrist until the woman dropped the knife, which Calypso quickly grabbed before ripping off her cloak.
Light blue eyes that had once held a sad loneliness, now radiated contempt.
“Priestess Levorn,” Calypso bit out. “I did not realize the sanctuary was in the business of trafficking women.”
The priestess spat at her. “The sanctuary’s affairs do not concern you.”
Calypso pressed the knife into the priestess’s neck, causing a tiny bead of blood to appear. “Why are you purchasing women from the orcs?”
“Don’t make it so ugly. I’m merely taking those who are lost and giving them a greater purpose.”
A chill went down Calypso’s spine at the priestess’s words.
“What does that mean? Does the head sanctuary know about this?” Calypso asked her questions but saw the look in the Priestess Levorn’s eyes.
There was a brief moment of struggle before the priestess answered, “I will not speak those words.”
It wasn’t a question of whether she would tell her, but rather, could she tell her. Their silence bound them in ways that were unknown. The fact that whatever the women were being used for was blocked by their vow of silence told Calypso that the Sanctuary in Solar City was behind all this.
Calypso groaned out of frustration, then leaned in menacingly. “Figure out which words you can say then. Believe me, you don’t want me to motivate you.”
Even binding rituals had loopholes. While the priestess could not be direct regarding the fates of the women, there were things they could share.
“I will not speak those words!” the priestess ground out.
“The sanctuary protects all. Isn’t that what’s carved into every one of your sacred houses?
You are harming these women, and I will find out why,” Calypso swore, suddenly being pulled back into the past. For all her criticism of the sanctuaries, if it weren’t for the refuge there ten years ago, she would’ve met her death long ago.
To think that throughout the years so much has changed that they now preyed on the most vulnerable without hesitation shook her to her core.
“You judge me, but I do what I must for our place in the realm. What will happen to the witches who followed you during the takeover of Taybe? While you indulge in selfish whims, your coven meets its end by the royal army.”
Calypso reared back. “What?”
The priestess gave her a dark smile. “I suppose news doesn’t travel fast to the mountains. The regent king brings the royal army to Taybe. The days are numbered for you and your kind.”
Calypso didn’t notice that the priestess had pulled out a small vial until she’d already drunk all the contents.
“What have you done?” Calypso said in horror, knowing there was nothing to stop what would come next.
“I go to Mother Selene knowing I have served her. And soon, she will return.”
With those words, the woman sagged forward, life leaving her body behind. Calypso placed the body on the ground, staring into her face, which had been alive and brimming with indignation only seconds ago.
Was she any different from the priestess?
Her only focus had been her own desires, which until this point had been her revenge and now her orc.
In truth, she wasn’t the only who suffered during the genocide of the witches.
The fury and pain that had festered in her for years had made her selfish. Made her blind.
Her mother wouldn’t be thankful that she had spent her life on murder and revenge, with plans to go out in a literal blaze of glory. The hard truth sat bitterly as Calypso examined the dead priestess’s body, searching for anything important.
If she continued isolating herself, she would end up exactly like the priestess. Poisoned by her own delusions and sense of self-righteousness. If she truly wanted to avenge her mother, she needed to help witchkind, not just self-destruct on a murderous spree.
Nazghor showed up shortly after. “Are you hurt?”
“I am fine.”
Calypso stood, not finding anything else of importance on the body. “I’m going to burn the priestess.”
He looked down at the dead body but didn’t stop her. “I will bring our horses around so we can leave when you are finished.”
She released her flames, letting her anger and disgust fuel their strength until they turned almost white.
It was so hot that the air seemed to dance and her clothes blackened, but Calypso stood unblinking at her task.
Sanctuary magic was a guarded secret, so Calypso decided she would burn the priestess’s bones to ash so there was no chance she could return.
She should have left for Taybe as soon as she’d gotten the amulet. She had let herself become influenced by her heart, let herself indulge in a moment of pleasure. All the while her sisters suffered.
Task done, she stepped away from the gray ash, letting the wind take it. She headed to the horses, where Nazghor and Grushag were waiting for her.
“I need to return to my people,” she told them. “The royal army is headed to Taybe.”
Nazghor looked torn but then nodded sharply. “Anything I should pass along to the chieftain?”
Calypso hesitated, unsure of what to say. There was a mess of emotions she couldn’t put into words. None of it felt right to pass through someone else either.
“Just tell him thank you.”