Chapter 6 Seth #2
Before I could see what had happened to the others, my escort spun me around and marched me outside. Twisting my neck to glance behind, I searched for Aethra, but lost sight of her as we stepped into the hall.
Forcing myself to look forward, I took a breath.
They wouldn’t hurt her, yet. The real danger would come later.
Faint torchlight guided us down stone passages, bringing us deeper into the earth.
We emerged into an ancient edifice: a courtyard of stone spread before us, flanked by pillars that reached for the cavernous ceiling.
Water lapped against the smoothed stone, and a long, thin ship bobbed on its waves.
An underground river cut through the cavern, flowing from shadow to my west and disappearing into a tunnel to my east. It might lead to freedom.
Curling my fingers into a fist, I rested the tip of my fingernails against the delicate skin of my palm. Once the others arrived, we could escape.
My escort paused, allowing a second prisoner to catch up. I glanced to my left and caught sight of a white robe. Eleos.
Cerys strode toward us, her gown trailing on the dark stone. A thin man in heavy robes scurried behind her.
“You’re dangerous, chthonic,” Cerys said, speaking with a deeper tone than before. “Yet stringing you up will steal your fair chance to triumph, so we cannot cripple you.” She stopped at my side and leaned in. “You care about that girl, don’t you?”
Uncurling my hand, I scoured her face, trying to understand her plan.
She glanced down, noticing my relaxed grip. “Bring her in,” she called.
A glittering gold bastard marched Aethra around the corner, his short sword digging into her ribs. Thin streams of blood stained her ebony dress.
Studying the guard’s lithe build and thin beard, I committed him to memory.
I was going to kill him after this.
Maybe Cerys, too.
Twisting my elbow, the gaudy soldier spun me around and shoved me onto the boat. I stepped down onto its deck, and Eleos followed, lunging toward me. He slammed into my arm, nearly throwing me off balance. I cast him an inquisitive glance, but he turned away.
The guards quickly separated us, instructing me to sit at the front of the boat and Eleos at the back, with the soldiers surrounding us. Aethra was positioned in the center, and I heard her hiss as the sword dug deeper into her side.
My fingernails dug into my palm instinctively. Gritting my teeth, I forced my hands to relax.
One second: that’s all it would take for him to end her life.
Cerys stood at the bow and raised a hand. Dipping an oar into the water, the robed man propelled the boat away from the shore and into the darkness.
“Three others will face the Duat with you,” she said, holding up a lantern to dispel the gloom. “Lost souls whose sins have brought them to the doorstep of death.”
A voice scratched at my skull. Eleos. “Why do your people put on this show? Are there spectators?”
Dipping my chin, I tried to remember how to speak with a psyche. Two decades had passed since I last heard my mother’s voice in my head.
“No,” I thought. “To die in disgrace condemns your soul to oblivion. In Duath Nun, there is no worse punishment.”
Eleos didn’t respond. Had I thought at him hard enough?
“Others?” Aethra asked, voice strained. “What did they do?”
“Their sins are for the divines to judge,” Cerys answered. “Not you.” Her gaze turned to me. “For the first trial, you will be divided into three groups. And amongst you, a sacrifice must be chosen.”
Eleos seemed an easy choice. At least then he’d stop calling me Weasel.
“Funny,” Eleos’ voice chimed. “I was going to choose you. At least then, nobody will put their boots on my table.”
“Are you really still mad about that?” I asked.
“Sacrifice?” Aethra asked. “I thought—”
“They will not be killed,” Cerys corrected. “Only those of pure soul would risk their lives to save another. One of you will sacrifice your chance to fight. And perhaps you will be lucky, and your peers will come for you.”
“I’m going to need more details,” Aethra said.
“You will receive no more guidance,” Cerys said. “Only the divines can help you now. You go to Psythos’ trial. Pray to her for guidance.” She lifted her chin. “Choose. Or I will choose for you.”
“Aethra,” Eleos thought.
“What?” I whipped my head around, and the guard sitting behind me shoved it back to the front.
“She can’t fight as well as we can. Think, Seth. If we give you up, we lose our best chance to escape.”
He had a point there. Whoever we picked, it couldn’t be me.
Were Seraphim, Percy, and Phaedrus grouped together? Their choice of sacrifice was easy enough . . .
“We’ll save her, Seth,” Eleos said. “You know we will.”
I’d already tried to save Aethra. My attempt had landed her in more danger.
“I’ll do it,” Aethra said, voice wavering.
“No!” I blurted out.
“I can’t fight—”
“Yes, you can. You defeated that guard in Cynthus.”
“I blocked an attack. Eleos took him down.”
“Seth,” Eleos hissed in my mind.
“I pick Aethra,” he said aloud.
Cerys looked at me, waiting for my answer.
Fuck. It was happening again. Bound and useless, I could only watch as I lost her.
Closing my eyes, I ground my teeth. I’d left Aethra at the beach to protect her. A horrible image appeared in my head, of holding her lifeless body while the light faded from her eyes.
I didn’t have the strength to suffer through that again. Should death find us, it would find me first.
“Fine.” I spat. “But if you aren’t being truthful . . .”
“This is Psythos’ trial,” Cerys said. “It demands our empathy as well.”
Raising her lantern, she turned around. Light shimmered on the river as we approached another dock, its ancient pillars eroded and worn. The boat came to rest beside it, and Cerys stepped off, gown swirling around her feet as she spun to face us.
“When you wake,” she said, “you will find yourselves in the first trial. Pray the divines find mercy in their hearts, for there is little chance you will survive.”
Wake? I shot from my seat and heard a nasty crack behind me. A soldier had smashed his gauntlet across the back of Eleos’ head, sending him reeling. The man holding Aethra followed suit. Her head snapped forward, and her body fell limp.
I reached for her, but her guard stepped between us. A hand grabbed my collar, hauling me back. I looked up to see the pommel of a spear raised above my head, before it plunged.
A note of pain brushed my consciousness, but only darkness followed.