Page 27 of Between Soul and Vessel
“Of course, Priestess Avriel,” replied another woman, her voice gruff.
Priestess Avriel. That’s who the first voice belonged to. I remembered it from when I was first brought to the palace. I also recalled the way she had looked at me, the pity and sadness in her eyes as the creepy male known as Victor placed his hand over my face. I was thankful I hadn’t been able to feel his touch at the time.
Brief footsteps sounded by my feet. A guard placed a tray down. On it was a steaming turkey leg, a slightly burnt bun, and a cup.
“I know it’s not exactly the most exciting meal, but at least it’s something,” the priestess said from behind me. “I’ve brought you a few other small comforts as well.”
I glanced over my shoulder, watching as a few maids filtered into the cell, placing a bedroll on the floor. On top of it were extra blankets and a change of clothes. Another maid came in and she placed a basin of water with a washcloth beside the bedroll.
“The maids can help you wash up if you would like,” she said, her voice soft. “Unless you’d prefer to do that yourself.”
“Why help me?” I rasped, my throat barbed with thistles.
“As a priestess, it is part of my duty to look after any females who find themselves in the empress’s dungeon,” she said.
Slowly, I got up, rotating so my back rested against the wall. I glanced over at the food, eyeing it suspiciously.
“It’s not poisoned, if that’s what you are wondering,” she stated, her hands clasped in front of her. To the left of them, I spotted a rabbit’s foot hanging from her belt. I didn’t know why, but I felt a strange bit of warmth resonating from it.
“Why should I trust you?” I asked weakly.
“You have no reason to,” she acknowledged as she stood up. Her hands twisted together, and she raised her left shoulder, performing a small shrug. “But if I were to poison you, it would be a kinder way to die than what awaits you in the arena.”
The empress’s words replayed in my mind.You have failed at your task, child, which means you are no longer of use to me. Your soul will be destroyed among the sands, your existence erased forevermore.
Games. Arena. Sands. Existence erased.
It all clicked.
I rested the back of my head against the wall, staring up at the ceiling, full of shifting pastel colors. “So then I, too, am to die, yet again.”
“Leave us,” Priestess Avriel said to the others.
They did as she asked, and the door closed shut behind them.
“I’m going to complete my rounds. Holler if you needanything,” replied the one woman dressed in expensive-looking armor.
“Thank you,” the priestess responded as the guard walked away. She moved closer to me, stepping around the small wet spot on the floor. She crouched down beside me, glancing from left to right before she whispered, “Time is of the essence. Tell me how you know Nockrythiam, and I might be able to help you.”
Help.
I had been like her once, eager to help.
Where had it gotten me in the end?
Here, in a foreign land, sentenced to be executed. No mate. No child. No family.
I had nothing now.
She waved her hand, and on a gust of air, the tray of food slid closer to us. “If small steps are what you need, then we can start here.” She picked up the cup and offered it to me.
“You can command wind,” I said, unable to help thinking of Von. Longing filled me as I hesitantly took the cup. I brought it to my lips and drank down some of the water. It was cool and crisp, and it felt heavenly on my poor throat. I drank some more.
“Yes, it is the main source of my power,” she answered. “I heard Nockrythiam was also quite good at commanding it.”
“Unlike any other,” I stated, lowering the cup. I glanced to the turkey leg, the skin crisp and brown. I bet it tasted good.
She picked up the plate and handed it to me. “Go on. Eat. You are going to need all the strength you can get if you are to outlast a soul crusher.”
