A carriage waited for Indenuel and Tolomon well outside the city of Intanatos to smuggle them in. Intanatos didn’t have a wall surrounding it, but it still had points of entry. The priest, Oliver, was there in the carriage to welcome them. They kept their hoods over their face as Oliver talked to the guards to get into the city. Indenuel wanted to see the city, but the privacy shields were over the window, and he doubted he’d be able to lift them. He heard the sounds, mostly male voices. The usual sounds of a city, laughing children, women gathering information, people at the marketplace selling their wares, was not there. Instead, there were mostly male voices, talking in subdued tones.
“You have made excellent time. I dare say, it should only take you another two days to get to the main battle,” Oliver said.
“Another two days or so,” Tolomon said. Indenuel said nothing. So, this was the lie that was given to the Priest as to why they were there. “Has word been given to High Elder Navir that we’ve arrived?”
“Yes, indeed. I dare say you should be getting a letter from him once we’re back at the chapel. He said to prepare dinner for you, and you would leave on ahead, traveling through the night to get to the main battle?”
“I dare say we wasted too much time already. Indenuel is anxious to save his friends he’s made in the military,” Tolomon said.
Oliver looked at Indenuel, and he tried to smile. Traveling in silence for so long was exhausting. The demons had left, which made the night’s sleep so refreshing, but they had come throughout the day with their whispers, filling him with fear, telling him he was going to die if he did this, that it would be easier to kill all the High Elders instead. Indenuel tried to communicate with them how he needed to win the war to save his friends. That if he murdered the High Elders, Kiam would take over and his friends would still be in danger. Tolomon had given him careful looks all throughout the travel, keeping a dagger always ready in his palm.
They stopped at the empty chapel. As soon as Indenuel crossed into it, the heavy weight on his shoulder seemed to disappear. Instead, the usual pre-battle nerves returned, shrinking his stomach as Oliver handed them both huge plates of food.
“Thank you, Honored Priest Oliver,” Tolomon said with a bow.
“Simply doing my duty. Thank you both for the service you give Santollia,” Oliver said. “The carriage will still wait in the back, ready to send you on your way. I shall stay out front and wait for the message from High Elder Navir.”
“Thank you,” Tolomon said.
Oliver bowed to Indenuel, who bowed back. Oliver turned and left the chapel. Indenuel looked down at the large plate of food. Someone must have killed their prized pig for this meal. And he was sure they gave him half of the pig.
“Let’s eat. As soon as we get our instructions from Navir, we’ll need to leave.” It was the first thing Tolomon spoke since that morning as he checked Indenuel’s food for poison before focusing on his own.
Indenuel sat down in a pew, eating what he could, feeling like he was going to vomit.
There are almost two hundred trained soldiers out there.
You’re not angry enough to defeat them all.
You’re going to get yourself killed.
You’re going to get Tolomon killed.
Despite them being in a chapel, the demons had returned. Indenuel’s shoulders sagged.
“You say the word, and we’ll go back to Santollia City,” Tolomon said.
“What?” Indenuel asked.
“I may not be a speaker of the dead, but I’ve learned to sense when demons are around. I can’t hear or see them, but I do sense the unconscious dread. I’ve felt it all day. I can’t imagine what they’re doing to you,” Tolomon said.
“I’m fine.”
Tolomon was almost finished with his dinner. “There’s got to be another way.”
“But what way is there that doesn’t involve the army getting wiped out? What about Nathaniel? Captain Luiz? The men who have been counting on me since I was first discovered?”
“I guarantee none of them would agree to what you’re doing. The Graduates are switching as we speak. I can get you back to Santollia City without them noticing. We can call this entire demonic deal off, and you can work on getting the mark off your chest.”
The door opened and the two of them turned. Oliver walked back in with a note. “I have been instructed not to read it. Thank you again for your service, gentlemen.”
Oliver handed the note to Indenuel, and he took it with a slight bow. “Thank you.”
Once Oliver had his back turned, Indenuel opened the letter. It was directions, mostly, ones he handed to Tolomon. Indenuel tried to eat a cooked carrot as Tolomon read over the directions. He folded it before stuffing it in his pocket. “Do you know where to go?” Indenuel asked.
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Tolomon glanced behind him, waiting for Oliver to close the door before returning to his dinner. “I do. Both how to get to the campsite, and how to return to Santollia City right now. I will take you wherever you wish to go. You still have a choice.”
Indenuel took another bite of carrot. “I’ve got to win this.”
Tolomon said nothing for some time. Indenuel tried to keep eating but felt full after eating one carrot. He remembered the first time he was up against a Kiamese soldier, how he ended up vomiting. “The prophecy, from what I’ve gathered, says you have to do this alone,” Tolomon finally said to break the silence. “But this isn’t the final battle. High Elder Navir said there were only about two hundred individuals there. Do you need me by your side as you fight them?”
Indenuel looked up to meet Tolomon’s gaze, but he wasn’t looking at him, and instead cutting up the meat. “I’ll start on my own. I need the practice. But… but also…”
“You don’t want to die,” Tolomon finished for him. Indenuel nodded, looking back down at the plate he couldn’t even comprehend finishing. “Don’t worry, Indenuel. You may be a stubborn ass, even a damned fool, but I will not let you die.”
Indenuel nodded again. He had of course thought about that. He hadn’t technically sold his soul, but if he wasn’t careful, he could still end up in Hell. Honestly, he didn’t want to be the one to admit it, but he was most likely going to Hell anyway. The realization dawned on him that this life was the only time he was ever going to see Tolomon.
“Don’t,” Tolomon said, quiet yet firm. “Don’t give me that look.” Indenuel hadn’t even realized he was looking at Tolomon, but he had.
“I just… the likelihood of me going to heaven is-”
“Don’t you dare give up on yourself like this. You can make it. You’re going to make it to Heaven. You’re going to be there.”
Indenuel pushed around another carrot on his plate. “Honestly, Tolomon? You really believe that? After what I’m about to do? After what I’ve already done? You think I’d rest with the good spirits for all eternity?”
“You might. If you stop this now. If you work on repentance. If you confess. Please.” There was the pleading again. So raw. So plain.
Indenuel finished another carrot. “I need to save Santollia City. I don’t expect you to understand, but I love my friends. I love my family. Isn’t this what family is supposed to do? Sacrifice for each other?”
Tolomon shook his head, finishing the last of his dinner. “No. Not like this.” Indenuel said nothing. He about set his plate down when Tolomon grabbed it, keeping it in Indenuel’s hands. “Eat. If you’re really going to do this ridiculous mission, you’re going to need your strength. Physically, and mentally, if you’re to go up against two hundred soldiers with the help of the devil.” Indenuel did not move to take the plate, already feeling full. There was a pleading in Tolomon’s eye. “Please don’t make me kill you.”
Indenuel did nothing for a moment. It seemed to register in his brain, but not his heart. Yes, Tolomon was a Graduate. If it came down to it and Indenuel sold his soul, Tolomon would have to kill him. It should have terrified him, but somehow it didn’t.
Indenuel took the plate back and began gnawing on the piece of pork. Neither one of them said another thing the rest of their meal.
***
Inessa brushed her hair, a hundred strokes on each side. The mirror was replaced before she woke up, to the point where she wondered if she dreamt Martin breaking it.
The two servant girls were there, apologizing when Inessa dismissed everyone else. They were not allowed to leave Inessa’s side. It took her almost half a day to realize why. She had been in such a strange mood all day, but knew it was because she was finally back there. Finally in the mindset where she would kill herself if she had the chance. And Martin’s family was doing everything in their power to not leave her alone.
Inessa stared at her reflection, knowing she had gone through a lot the past week. Her soul had taken a battering, what with being kidnapped and then…
Inessa blinked back the tears. She didn’t want to remember everything else. It was pathetic how it was easier to think about her kidnapping than it was thinking about everything else afterwards. Even remembering how Indenuel slaughtered all her captors was now easier to think about than the way the High Elders had treated her. Getting kidnapped was wrong, and everyone agreed to it. What happened with the High Elders was also wrong, but they didn’t think it was, and therefore they would continue treating her like she was nothing more than a couple of holes and two breasts. These men, who held all the power. Who preached to turn away from such evils, and yet somehow believed those evils magically changed to good when they did them. She was positive that is not how God’s powers worked.
She lowered her brush, not even close to being finished, but feeling the weight on her soul come back. She was still trapped; despite everything Martin promised last night. She was still powerless, despite everyone in the family working on keeping her alive.
There was a knock on the door and Inessa picked up her brush again. “Come in.”
Martin opened the door, bowing to the two servant girls. They curtseyed back before slipping out the door. Inessa dropped her brush again, glancing over at him and not stopping the fear that trickled into her eyes.
“I’m staying right here,” Martin said, tapping the door with his hand. “I promise. Nothing’s going to happen.” Inessa studied him for a few more moments before she nodded, curling in on herself as she continued to brush her hair.
“I… haven’t seen you much today,” Inessa said, trying to be nice. In truth, she hadn’t seen Martin since last night. She had spent the entire day with Adosina, or with one of the other women. They didn’t expect her to do anything while they were with her, they simply wanted her to be there. And Inessa just wanted to be with them. Ana, especially, made it easier for the demons to leave. She still felt suicidal, but it didn’t feel as desperate when Ana was around.
“Yes, I have been busy in the library,” Martin said. “I wanted to check on you personally. Is-” he sighed, looking away. “Are you feeling better than yesterday?”
Inessa watched his face, noticing how he purposefully did not meet her gaze. “Yes. Better than yesterday. But… but that’s not much to go by.”
“On the contrary,” he said, finally meeting her gaze. “It is very important. You are not going to get better overnight, and I know I have a part to play in that. If you are better than yesterday, then you’re making progress, however slow.” He opened the door. “I shall bid you good night. Remember a lot of people in this household would be heartbroken if you were gone.”
Inessa bobbed her head, confirming that the entire household knew she wanted to die. Martin left, keeping the door open for the servant girls to come back in. So, Martin wasn’t going to try and sleep with her tonight. That was considerate of him. Granted, she still expected him to convince her to go through with it. The High Elders, all four of them, were corrupted. A corruption of a different source. Martin may be physically repulsed by what he had to do, but he still did it. He still made excuses. He may try to be good, but he was one of four. He was in the minority. Despite this reprieve for tonight, she doubted it would last long.