Page 151 of Eldritch
“Has someone given you food and water?” I asked.
He glanced back toward the bucket himself. “In the beginning, yes. I was given gruel and water. The meals turned infrequent after a while. I was forced to collect the water that drips into my cell on the occasions it rained.”
Aleysia slapped a hand to her mouth. “In your urine bucket?”
“Aleysia,” I whispered. “Be kind.”
“Well, it’s disgusting that he had to resort to such measures.”
Shaking my head, I turned my attention back to Father. “When were you imprisoned? And by whom?”
“When I returned from Lyveria. I tried to convince Sacton Crain that they should leave the Lyverian people alone.” Gaze lowered, he shook his head. “I made the grave mistake of sharing a vision imparted to me by a priestess I’d encountered there. The end of the world.”
“Decimation.” I recalled the words painted in the nave.
“Yes. I thought for certain I’d have been banished for blasphemy. Branded a heretic. Instead, they threw me in this cell to rot, and I’ve been here ever since.”
“I suspect they left you starving when they fled.”
“Um…if I may…interrupt.” The voice from across the hall drew my attention to a stocky man, round in the belly and soft in the jaw. Despite the long, black, robe-like garment that looked a bit like a dress with its tattered, flared hem, I recognized him from the village.
“Corwin?” A cold hand gripped my arm, and I turned to see Aleysia clutching me.
“Tell me you’re not letting Corwin Grinsgaith out of the cage. He belongs there.”
“I’m letting him out simply because you said that.” I wrenched my arm free.
“Maevyth…his family is from Cruxmere.Port of Pirates?” The coastal side of Cruxmere was a fishing communitycomprised of what was rumored to be a bunch of ale-guzzling ruffians and thieves. Sacton Crain had once called it a city of wickedness and sin.
“If you imagine that’s a worthy argument for me, of all people, clearly you’ve forgotten who you’re talking to.” I exited Father’s cell for the corridor.
“Fair enough, but that’s another mouth to feed.”
“I…I actually know where there’s an abundance of food.” Corwin curled his fingers around the bars of his cell. “An entire pantry. Stumbled upon it when I first arrived at the temple.”
“But you’ll not tell until we let you out,” I said in a flat tone.
“Well, that is …. Yeah. No.”
“You see? Not worth the trouble,” Aleysia chimed from behind. “Besides that, he could be dangerous.”
“I promise I’m worth the trouble. Truly, you could eat for a week.” His smile faded for a pained expression, and he rested his hand against his belly. “And I’m nothing more than dangerously hungry. Haven’t eaten in days. Not quite to the rodent consumption stage, but close. Admittedly.” His brows knitted together. “Un…canny. Your eyes, they’re so silver. Beautiful, don’t get me wrong, but uncanny.”
“Thanks for noticing.” I tugged the lock on his cell, but like the others, it wouldn’t budge. “Tell us where this pantry is, and we’ll bring some food back to you.”
“No.”
“We could find it ourselves,” Aleysia argued.
“You’ll be discovered by the others before you do.”
“Others?” I frowned. “There are others?”
“Nearly the whole village. Or…those Sacton Crain felt worthy of saving.”
“Did you see a man wandering about? Tall, likely wearing a black cloak?”
“Hideous scar on his face?” Quiet steps brought Aleysia to my side, and I elbowed her in the arm. “It’s easily identifiable, is all I was saying.” She rubbed the spot where I’d hit her.
