Chapter 13

“A dream about his mother!? Surely you cannot be serious? What child would not dream of a lost parent?”

The voices swirled around Arios. Drifting in and out of hearing. Bright lights hung above but he saw nothing.

“What of his name?” A woman spoke now. He recognized her voice. But where was he?

“Yes, yes, I know our orders. But it is a common enough name. For Arram’s sake the boy’s father is on the council. This will leave us more vulnerable than we can manage.” It was an old voice, tired and angry.

“By that time, we will be gone. I looked in the boy’s eyes and I saw it. You must trust me.”

“You mean you will be gone. I will have to clean the mess you leave behind.”

“Do they suspect you?”

“Of course not.”

“Then I see no issue.”

“The boy being here means they are already on to us. And what of Lord Pyragos?”

“He has been sufficiently distracted for the present, but we must hurry.”

His vision returned to him. Arios blinked or rather tried to. His eyes were being held open buy some unknown force. He tried to move but his body would not comply. His breath quickened, straining for air as his chest rose and fell in terrifying fashion. What had they done to him?

“The boy is awake,” sighed the old man. “Give him something to calm his nerves.”

“I cannot,” replied Syretha. “The physic I slipped him cannot be mixed it would be fatal and besides, he needs to be awake for this.”

She appeared over him. “I am so sorry Arios but this needs to be done.” He screamed for help but the call never left him. His voice was gone. Panic truly held him now and his chest heaved dangerously searching for his breath as his throat tightened.

“You better hurry. The boy seems like to suffocate.”

“In a moment, I just need to explain it to him, it will be too late after.”

“Why should we care? He is not one of us!” shouted the old man.

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“But he is.” She sighed, “He just does not know it.” Her voice was sad and wavering. She placed her hand on his chest and for a moment his breathing slowed. “Arios, we have been searching for one like you for so long.” She took his hand in hers, “You are going to show us the way.” He felt her tears dampen his tunic as they streamed down her face. “You have a gift. Bestowed upon you by our God, Arram. But it comes at a great cost. Limitless sight is at odds with our ability to comprehend this world. And so—” her voice cracked “—to keep the vessel from corruption it must be separated from its understanding.”

She disappeared from his sight and he heard the man speak again, “I must take my leave. I cannot be discovered here. When you are done, take him to the Lower Ward. She will house him until we have found a way to secret you both from the city. I pray that you are right about this one.” Arios heard the door creek open then slowly close again as the man departed.

It was quiet now. The panic that once gripped his being had transformed into a calm resignation. Whatever lay in store for him, there was nothing he could do to change it now. He heard the stifled sobs of Syretha and thought of his father. Father had warned him, begged him not to be so reckless. Arios had been so close. So close to making a difference, to mattering in this conflict. But Father had been right. Would Lord Pyragos tell him? Had Pyragos even made it out himself? He thought of Ilaria. She would need to protect Father now. His finger twitched.

Syretha appeared again. She held a long thin pick in one hand and a small hammer in the other. She was no longer in tears her eyes focused and when she spoke her voice firm and unwavering, “Arram blesses us all with is gifts. And he greatest of his gifts, is the gift of sight. But none will see as far as you. Arios you will walk in worlds unknown, through seas of darkness and through pillars of light. And from these worlds you will relay to us the words of our Father. It is a noble sacrifice and a terrible one all the same. You will guide us to him Arios and for that I thank you.”

She took the pick and held it above his eye. Then slowly, deliberately she lowered it, carefully positioning it in the corner between the orb and socket. Then she slid it through. A single line of blood cut down the side of his face. Syretha leaned down and whispered, “Forgive me.” Then she raised the hammer high.

The door slammed open! Arios heard shouting as someone burst into the room. Syretha whirled around drawing a long, jagged dagger from her robes as she turned. And then she was gone.

He heard the ring of steel first and then shuffling of feet. His fingers were moving now but the rest of him remained motionless. There was a pained grunt followed by a dull thud as a body went crashing into a wall or more terrifyingly hit the floor. He tried to will his body in to action. This might be his only chance to escape but struggle as he might his body was rooted to the table.

There was a chilling shriek then the metal clashed again. It rang in his ears, quickly followed by a gasp and then a slow dripping. One pair of feet was moving much faster than the other now. It was light leaping around the room as the second pair slowly stomped behind it. For a time, the dance continued, ringing steel followed by periods of shuffling as each searched for the best moment to strike. The ragged breath of the two combatants filled the air. Then the room went dark. It was silent. Arios’s heart pounded in his chest. Suddenly, a rush of movement and then a cracking sound followed by a wheeze quickly extinguished by a second bone crunching crack.

Arios felt the body hit him. It was warm and wet and pressed down upon him. In the dark it was impossible to know the victor but the body touching him was dead. He felt the blood spread across the table splashing down onto the floor. Then he heard a thud as the second body fell. It was so dark, all he could hear was the dripping and he was all alone.