Chapter 15 Aethra
Aethra
Sand at the beach had been unpleasant enough, but an entire landscape filled with it? Athena had been frightened to cross the desert at first—watching Seth try to coax her out onto the dunes had been a much-needed, humorous break.
For a while, it had felt like the sand sea would simply swallow us. This morning, we’d happened upon a river, its brilliant blue waters guiding us toward Seth’s home.
Grabbing onto the saddle, I leaned around Seth’s shoulder, taking in his mother’s city.
I had never seen anything like it. Multi-colored buildings, some white, some the color of the desert, others brick red, gathered around a lush oasis, their towering heights covered in creeping vines.
The eye Cerys had embroidered on her headdress gazed down upon us from the peak of a strange triangular building.
“That.” Seth nodded. “Is the Pyramid of the divines.” A flash of annoyance crossed his face. “My mother should have been buried there, with her family.”
“It’s beautiful,” I breathed.
He smirked. “Wait until you see the palace.”
“Is that where you grew up?”
“Mhm,” he hummed, slipping off Athena’s back.
A stream of travelers funneled down a road to our north, arriving at gates flanked by enormous statues of a winged woman holding a scale aloft. Staying mounted, I glanced down at Whisper. “What’s our story?”
“Man, wife, dog,” Seth said curtly, taking the reins. “You’re pregnant.”
“Is that so I can stay on the horse?”
“No, I’m hoping the sympathy will make them look past us.” Falling in line with the crowd, his eyes darted around.
As did mine. I did not see any wanted posters or guards on high alert. News must not have reached them yet.
But it would, soon.
The soldiers at the gates wore different colors from those in the Duat. Feathers crowned their helms, and their capes resembled wings. Beautiful purple togas covered their steel armor.
“I like them,” I said, nodding in their direction.
A hint of pride entered Seth’s eye. “I miss wearing it.”
“You wore purple?” I wondered quietly, sealing my lips as we approached the guards.
Seth stepped forward, speaking with the soldier to our left, pointing to me and his dog. The soldier nodded, waving us through without paying me much mind. Relieved, I relaxed in the saddle as we passed under the gates.
The streets reminded me of home. Thin channels of water rushed along the white roads, though they were too shallow to use for transportation. Brilliant blue water sparkled beneath the sun, reflecting our faces as we rode into the city.
Closing my eyes, I tried to test my new magic. Opening my mind to the people around me, I sought their emotions. Chattering thoughts rushed into my head, an overwhelming cacophony. Flinching, I tried to focus, but failed.
The foreign emotions overtook my other senses, but I couldn’t pinpoint anything in the writhing mass. Blackness clouded my vision; I could smell only blood and corpses. Slowly, something grew beneath the din, like a song. A dirge.
Dread. Despair. Terror.
A sea of threads, white like spider silk, connected every person around me. One by one, they snapped.
Seth grabbed my wrist and yanked. The sudden motion snapped me out of my spell, and I quickly shut my mind.
“What’s wrong?” He asked. “You looked like you were about to scream.”
“I think I was,” I said, catching my breath.
Before I could say anything more, Whisper darted out from behind Athena, sticking his nose in a flowering bush before running down a bend in the road.
“Whisper?” Seth called, chasing after him. Taking back Athena’s reins, I ordered her to follow.
We flew down a narrow alley hugging the channel, its claustrophobic paths stuffed with people and tiny storefronts.
Whisper’s tail started wagging furiously as he darted toward a woman hunched over in a seat outside her shop, concealed by both a tan cloak and the tattered tarp covering her little porch.
Dismounting, I approached the woman as she ruffled Whisper’s ears and stood, throwing her hood off. Fiery locks spilled out, and a familiar face smudged with sand smiled at me, crinkling her faint wrinkles.
Seraphim lunged, pulling me into a hug. “There you are,” she said softly, running a hand down my hair. A sensation I’d never quite felt before bloomed in my chest.
I felt . . . safe.
Taking my shoulders, Seraphim pushed me back and stared at Seth. “This way,” she said, retreating into the shop.
Only a cloth bolted to the frame kept out the elements. Pushing aside the flap, I stepped into what appeared to be a tavern’s storeroom. Stacks of crates and supplies lined the western wall, and a small cooking pot and spice rack decorated the east.
Eleos sat on one of the boxes. His eyes locked on me, and he flew to my side, grabbing me in a hug.
Gods, I was so relieved. Throwing my arms around him, I clutched him tightly. When I realized he held me with only one arm, I stepped back, noticing the heavy bandaging and sling his left arm hung in.
“Are you alright?” I demanded.
“Nothing that won’t heal,” Eleos said, grinning. He pulled me back to his uninjured side.
I wasn’t sure I’d ever seen him smile like that.
“You’re alive, thank the gods,” Percy said, tackling Seth. “Er, divines.”
“Same damn thing,” Seth said, squeezing the bard before stepping back. Percy took a step toward me, then hesitated and retreated to his spot by the window.
Strange. I’d expected him to hug me. Noticing the woman standing beside him, I tilted my head, trying to glean who she was.
A brown cowl wrapped her head, and a matching drape covered her body. A single strand of white hair escaped her hood.
Ah, that’s why Percy hadn’t moved.
“Thank you,” I said. “I’m sorry for doubting you.”
Cerys smiled, eyes drifting to Seth. “Welcome home,” she said softly.
“Where’s Phaedrus?” Seth demanded.
“Scouting,” Seraphim said, grabbing a chair and sitting. “I sent him to gather information while I watched for commotion at the gates.”
“You let him out of your sight?”
“We’ve agreed to form an accord.” Seraphim’s eyes darted away. “For now.”
“Indeed. And now that Seth’s here, I feel safer leaving you.” Cerys pushed back her cowl. “I need to report my presence in the city, lest they think I’ve gone missing.”
“Are we safe here?” I asked.
“Safe enough,” Seraphim said. “This is one of the insurgents’ safehouses.”
Cerys nodded. “Most of you are unfamiliar with this city—and Seth has been gone for a long time.” Her gaze landed on Percy. “Only tainted are allowed to serve the Oracle. It would be easy to disguise you as my attendant, bring you to the palace, and slip you valuable information.”
Percy tugged at his collar. “Are you sure? That seems risky.”
“Not while they still do not know your faces. This way, we can establish you before they arrive, seeking you.”
Seth nudged Percy. “Cerys can protect you. Just don’t act suspicious, and you’ll be fine.”
Percy’s throat bobbed. “Right. Okay.”
I bit my lip, hiding a smile. Percy had mustered his courage, but I didn’t think it was danger he feared.
“Stay hidden,” Cerys warned, pulling up her hood and leading Percy outside.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. “I need a drink.”
“Lucky for you.” Eleos smiled. “There’s a tavern nearby.”
* * *
Duath Nun had been a foreign, almost mystical entity all my life. Sitting here, in one of its poor taverns, I realized how similar it was to the Merchant Isles.
People in here wore hand-me-down tunics and togas. They kept to themselves until they’d had a few drinks. A young bard quietly strummed her lyre in the corner, black bangs hanging low over her face.
Leaning back in my seat, I studied the bottles lined up behind the bar on rickety shelves, trying to read the Duathi runes printed on their labels. The door creaked as someone new entered, and dust fell from the stone ceiling when it slammed closed.
A faint sense of dread hummed beneath my feet.
Seth kicked up his feet on our table, brows scrunched up as he whittled a small piece of wood. Lowering his journal, Eleos peered at him over the pages with silent fury.
Looking up, Seth caught his eye and quickly dropped his feet. Laughing, I returned to my drink.
Sighing, Eleos snapped his journal closed. “I should teach you,” he said. “It’ll still take time and practice, but maybe I can help you understand psyche magic.” His eyes darkened. “I just don’t understand how . . .”
My hands trembled on my mug. Icelus’ cold, silver eyes flashed in my memories.
“I do.” Seth raked his knife across the stick, and the shaving flew away from him. His knuckles whitened around the blade’s handle.
Eleos looked like he wanted to press for details. But he didn’t. “You’ll need to be careful, Lady Aethra. Opening your mind to more than one person at a time is overwhelming.”
“Mhm.” I took a swig of ale. “I’ve learned that.”
“Here.” Eleos shifted closer, and took my hand. “See if you can read my thoughts.”
Setting my mug down, I curled my fingers around Eleos’ and turned to face him. My eyes trailed over his soft brown waves and the speckling of freckles across his nose.
I trusted Eleos. He’d been in my head countless times before.
The words came faintly at first. Then they grew into audible sentences.
‘My powers came to me when I held my sister’s brutalized body. What did Aethra see?’
Memories of my interrogation flashed behind my eyes. Eleos’ grip on my hand tightened.
“You . . .” Eleos closed his eyes, and his brows lowered. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you remember.”
Swallowing the lump in my throat, I nudged him. “Lighten up. I wanted a merry drink in the tavern.”
“Heh.” He smiled faintly. “As you say, Lady Aethra.”
The painful emotions faded as I stared into his sage-green eyes. He returned my gaze with softness, as though he looked upon his favorite flower in full bloom.
Contentedness settled my trembling limbs and a sense of warm safety fought off my dark memories.
Eleos was pushing emotions onto me.