CHAPTER SIXTY-FIVE
*~~~**~~~*
Kovey Walber
*~~~**~~~*
29th of Decepter, 935 PC
----------------------------------------
They’d heard Lotus in the night. Either stragglers that had managed to escape Velvetine’s wrath or a new group coming to finish the job. Whatever the case may be, they had packed up and used Corbin’s illusions to sneak right out of trouble. Their hope was that heading further west would lead to better weather and less snow so they could hide their tracks better but the storm had walked hand in hand with them the whole time, making the trip about as enjoyable as a bath full of ice but no one had complained. Not even Belvedere who had every reason in the world to give up. The symptoms of being without lotus capsules had come on quick after the magic had seized control of her bloodstream. After a long debate with himself, Kovey had asked for all her weapons as tactfully as he could, knowing the mindset she was likely in all too well himself.
Eventually, they stumbled upon an abandoned temple butted up against the base of the mountains. Portions of its walls and roof had collapsed under the weight of time. That, and all the snow they got up here in the north. The odds of anyone being in this forgotten place in nicer weather would be slim to none but right now, with the snow like it was, he wouldn’t be surprised if there was a pack of bears hibernating inside.
“I read about places like this in my book,” Corbin said. “And where prayer be hidden, it is not thy Creator that is meant to hear the message.” He glanced proudly at Kovey.
“You think devil worshippers prayed here? Kovey asked.
“Of course,” Elgar said. “You don’t have to hide in the forest if you’re talking with The Creator.”
“Whatever it was used for is in the past,” Belvedere said, adjusting herself against Kovey’s thick frame. He’d insisted she let him help her, not accepting her prideful rejections like he had with the traveling merchant. “I’m sure it’s safe now.”
Kovey wasn’t about to let his angel walk into a place that housed demons of three hells without making sure there was nothing evil still lurking first, not after what had happened in the clearing, so he said, “Just to be safe. Why don’t I check it out first. I’ll come get the rest of you when I know it’s clear.” He would have sounded a whole lot braver had each word not gotten harder to get out as he spoke.
“Good idea,” Elgar said as he moved toward Kovey to help Belvedere and her weak legs. “We’ll be right here. Why don’t you go with him, runt?”
This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.
Corbin’s gaze shot to Kovey.
“No, no. I can handle it.” To this point, Kovey had lived up to their unwritten agreement to keep the runt safe, no reason to risk that now. Not to mention he wanted to make sure there was someone around that might keep Elgar from making any moves on a vulnerable Belvedere.
“Thanks, Kovey.” Corbin gave him his lopsided smile and took his bag off his shoulder to get his book.
*~~~**~~~*
Kovey walked down the aisle between two sets of rotting pews that lined the walls of the temple’s nave. Rays of morning sunlight beamed through the windows and the holes in the roof, shining bright on the fresh snow that covered large areas of the room. The walls were painted a dark red and featured demonic images of twisted faces and ghoulish creatures of the underworld. Dark and eerie enough on their own but made even worse by the dark stains splattered over top of them like there’d been a battle between good and evil right here in the temple. There were bodies too, four of them that he could see. Lying in different places all over, encased in a thin sheet of ice after being exposed to the low temperatures for what was likely weeks. Hopefully.
He was heading toward three arches at the back of the nave in order to head upstairs and check the balcony that looked down over the pews when he spotted a half-empty bottle of something dark sitting on one of the benches to his left. He squeezed into the narrow space between the pews and made his way back to the row along the wall. It wasn’t until he was sitting down quietly that he noticed the tiny knife beside the bottle. There was something dark and frozen at the tip of the blade like it’d been dipped in ink. Something told him it wasn’t ink though. There was a note tucked under it too. He questioned reading it but if he didn’t one of the others would. Might as well be in the loop. He picked up the crudely torn piece of parchment and wiped off the flakes of snow that hid much of the message.
CANT SAY I THEENK U WIL EVER C THIS HARLO BUT I WUNTID U TO NO I TRYD
BOY DID I TRY A NUTHER THEENG I WUZNT NO GUD AT I SUPOSE GUES DADDY WAS RITE
I WUZNT MINT TO BE NUTHIN HE CUD BE PROUD OF
GETTIN MITY COLD HERE GOT ME THEENKIN I MITE JUS TAKE THE WALK HOME AND
HOPE YA MADE IT THERE SAFE
I TRYD HARLO WORLD JUS AINT NO GUD TO ME NEVER HAS BEEN U KNOW NO THAT
NEWAY I SUR AM SORY HARLO SORY FOR ALL OF IT
LUV YA
URM
The next letter was unfinished but it had the fixings to be an “A”.
Realizing exactly what this note was, Kovey didn’t want it in his hands anymore. He folded it neatly and put it under the freezing cold bottle. The knife was his now though. Had to be. You leave a knife lying around in a place like this and it would inevitably end up somewhere it didn’t belong. He buried it in his pocket and pulled himself up using the back of the bench in front of him, taking a look around as he did. If they could get rid of the frozen corpses and maybe hide the images on the walls, it might just be a homey little place to stay until the storm passed over. He smiled. Maybe I will manage to pull this off.