Martin sat still as Theo placed his fingers to his temple. It was early dawn, the earliest Theo could come. Navir, Fadrique, and Dalius were quiet, standing in Martin’s Cathedral study.

Theo was thirty-five years old, and the one who took care of any healing the High Elders needed if Martin was away. Theo was also quickly becoming someone the other High Elders assumed would take Martin’s place after his death. His healing was incredible, and his religious education among the best.

Martin kept his eyes closed, trying not to be afraid the longer the silence lasted. He couldn’t feel it. He knew Theo searched, probed, and poured healing power into his mind, but he didn’t feel the sensation.

Theo sighed and released his hold on Martin’s temples. He opened his eyes, staring ahead. The look on Theo’s face was the same look of worry and fear on his.

“Do you know how to help Martin?” Navir asked.

Theo dipped his hands in a bowl of clove and oregano infused water. Despite being a very strong healer, he was terrified of getting sick himself. “I cannot describe it, High Elders.” He dried his hands with a towel. “The power is gone.”

“Has it become corrupted?” Fadrique asked.

“No. It’s like it has been pulled out of him, if that makes sense.”

Navir’s shoulders dropped ever so slightly. He covered it up by placing a hand on his chin, but Martin recognized the feeling. This was just another thing they didn’t need right now. His powers weren’t locked away somewhere in his mind, they were completely gone.

“That’s impossible,” Fadrique said.

“Not impossible. Just that this hasn’t happened since before the Great Flood,” Navir said.

“So, what is it?” Dalius asked.

Navir’s brows furrowed in thought. “I’ll have to do some more research. It has to do with Indenuel having all four powers.”

“Can my power be brought back?” Martin asked, his gaze jumping between Navir and Theo.

Theo placed his hands in his pocket. “Possibly. What I sense from you is an almost infantile state of the power. It is worth trying to see if you can grow it back to its original state. Something like that would take years, though.”

“Then that will be my main priority,” Martin said.

“But what of your position as High Elder?” Fadrique asked.

“We make no rash decisions now,” Navir said. “Theo, let’s have you as an acting High Elder for Martin until we are more certain about his abilities.”

Theo bowed. “It would be an honor, sirs.”

“Since Martin is more fit to do other High Elder duties, you will only be called upon if any healing is required. But the High Elder library and the information therein is off limits,” Navir said.

“Of course. You have connection to my head servant when you need of me,” Theo said.

Navir nodded. “Thank you for coming here today. Tell no one what you saw here. The people are already panicked, we don’t want to add to it.”

“Understood, High Elders.” Theo bowed again before leaving Martin’s Cathedral study. Martin looked down at his hands before folding them. Over half a century of practice and skill gone. He didn’t realize how much he relied on it until he didn’t have it anymore. If he had woken up without a shadow, it wouldn’t feel as strange as this.

“I can’t keep this from my family. They are going to find out,” Martin said.

Navir nodded, still a deep look of concentration. “Swear them to secrecy. We can’t let this get out.”

“And what of Indenuel?” Fadrique asked.

“I will make a strong incense to wake him up tonight and we’ll have his trial tomorrow morning before we focus on our war plans with the King.” Navir steepled his fingers. “We must come down hard on Indenuel. He cannot get away with this.”

Dalius shook his head. “You do realize what he found out, right? He knows who his father is. He’s not going to want anything to do with us,” Dalius said.

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

“Nevertheless, we are High Elders, and he must confess. That is our sacred duty,” Navir said.

“And then what?” Fadrique asked.

Navir’s eyes glazed over as he was in his own world, thinking, before he slowly stood up. “Expect Indenuel’s trial to happen tomorrow. Martin, Inessa is the only remaining witness, so have her come to tell us what she saw happen with the Kiam soldiers. I shall throw myself into research, both for your situation and his.”

No one said anything. Navir turned and left Martin’s study, heading toward the High Elder’s library.

***

Inessa curled up on her bed, staring at the opposite wall. She was still in her night clothes. Adosina already came by to check on her, and Sara asked her if she wanted some lunch. She ate enough for them to leave her alone, but she had a hard day.

It had been two days since she was kidnapped. The world continued to move, the war went on, and she tried to keep going. She thanked Sara for the dreamless tea, but there was nothing to keep the memories suppressed. Every time she closed her eyes, she watched Indenuel murder with the corruptive powers. She had drugs placed in her that made the simplest activities feel like torture. The Kiam bartered her body like the powerless woman she always was. Not only with the High Elders, but everyone. She had fancy dresses, a life of luxury, anything she could dream of, but not anything she wanted. She was forced to have a baby. She was forced to stay with Martin. She could never have Indenuel.

Did she want Indenuel, though? Memories flickered back to his angry, black eyes. It had terrified her to no end, but if he didn’t come, she would have died. And if he hadn’t used his corruptive powers, he would have died, too. But it was wrong. Absolutely wrong. Despite the small part of her that was grateful he came for her. Very small.

There was a knock on the door. Inessa sat up, trying to dry her eyes. “Come in.”

A female servant walked in, looking at Inessa with surprise. “Oh, forgive me.”

She was confused at the servant’s surprise until she realized she was still in her nightclothes, lying in her bed. Inessa pushed her hair away from her face. “It’s been a hard day.”

The servant nodded. “Of course. Martin has asked to meet with you in his study. Would you like me to help you dress?”

Inessa almost told her no, that she could dress herself, but she hesitated. She didn’t feel like getting dressed. She simply didn’t have the energy. “Yes, please.”

The servant bowed. “I shall get help, ma’am.”

The women came in, helping Inessa over to the mirror. She did nothing, allowing the women to dress her. She held her arms where they needed her to, slipped her feet in her shoes when they placed them in front of her, allowed them to comb out her hair and braid it away from her face. They applied the makeup as Inessa stared ahead, feeling numb.

Inessa walked to Martin’s study, her hands placed delicately in front of her, easing herself back into the role of the perfect concubine as her soul broke inside. The last time she was in Martin’s study…

Martin called her in, and Inessa walked inside, dipping her chin as she curtseyed. “Forgive my tardiness, Martin. You asked for me?”

“I did.” Martin was distracted with the beseeching letters.

Inessa straightened, keeping her chin up and her eyes dry, waiting for Martin to finish. They hadn’t talked much since the kidnapping. Just the hasty apology he made to her after he healed her.

Martin placed the quill in the ink pot before giving her a smile. “Navir is working on trying to wake Indenuel up.” At his name, Inessa gasped, but she did her absolute best to keep Martin from noticing. “He has been in the devil’s sleep for far too long, and it is starting to be dangerous to his health.”

She nodded, saying nothing. Martin didn’t ask her a question, so she saved her energy, pushing it toward the perfect concubine role she needed to play.

“We will be holding his trial soon. Though you are a woman, you are also the only survivor besides Indenuel to see what happened. We will allow you to testify before the High Elders as to what you saw Indenuel do,” Martin said.

Though you are a woman… we will allow you to testify…

Inessa’s perfectly made red lips twitched before she began to chew her tongue. The same feeling of powerlessness overcame her. She heard the screams of terror in her mind, the ones that revealed absolute fear before they were cut off. She felt the mist on her face, the blood that splattered against her dress. The realization that she was surrounded with death and could do nothing.

Fadrique was beating her face over and over, and she smiled as she took it. He loved sleeping with her right after beating her. It excited him, somehow. That same feeling of helplessness was there.

“Inessa?” Martin asked.

She closed her eyes, ordering her knees to dip as she gave another curtsey. “Of course, Martin. It would be an honor to perform that duty.”

Martin nodded. “I should warn you that because of your position and gender, your testimony won’t hold much weight, but it is important we have everything documented. It is important Indenuel confess so the marks may get off his chest as quickly as possible. If he denies it, I promise you will not get the punishment of a liar. Though I doubt he will lie. You shall come with me to the Cathedral tomorrow morning, and you will wait for us to call you in.”

Inessa stared straight ahead, forcing her eyes to remain still and her lips to not quiver. She had a small hope that Martin would talk to her more, smooth out everything that he accused her of right before she got kidnapped. Given her a proper apology. But no, she was a concubine. Her needs should never be met. She only existed to please her husband. “I shall be ready when you need me.”

Martin nodded, picking up another paper from his stack and taking his quill again. “Thank you, Inessa. That will be all.”

Inessa gave another curtsey before she turned and left the room, closing the door behind her. She walked toward her room, doing everything in her power to look like she was in control. Head high, shoulders back, her moves graceful. She was a woman with only one concern, that of doing her duty to her husband.

She opened the door to her room and entered it, closing the door and sliding to her knees. She stared at the floor, tears coming to her eyes. She’d have to tell them what she saw. She’d have to remember. The images and sounds she repressed. She’d have to act like they didn’t bother her.

Inessa was curled on the floor by her door, a numb expression forming over her face. She didn’t move from that spot for the rest of the afternoon.