Deathless (Editing)

Chapter 38: The End

When we arrived, the Veil surrendered herself to us not with a boom of war cannons, but with a weary sigh. There was no storming or siege.  No glittering silver of swords freshly drawn, demanding the spilling of blood.  No loosening of bolts laying waste to the men, women, and children inside the city walls.  No, when we crossed the small bridge leading into the city, the Veil's gates roared open, and her bridge came down at our presence, offering us entrance into her beating heart.  A heart we were all too eager to claim. 

The city was beautiful, expansive, clean, and orderly. The land was vibrant, not gray and muddy. Its people were tired, but they wore their weariness with ease, as if it was a transitory thing, as if they would cast it aside come nighttime.

Our men flowed through the city, like blood through veins. As they strung the Empire's flags over the stone walls, the people gathered in the streets. Some shouted. Some wept. Amid the cries and the cheers there was music and merrymaking.

Haunted, I stared into the middle distance, past the blur of revelry and dancing, past the food and wine, past it all. I felt suddenly hollowed out, drained, and spent. Not a single thought dared to enter my head.

Everything I believed to be true had been a lie—the Veil, the Bone Priest, the righteousness of the Empire—and, everything that I believed was a lie was true—the God of Death, the God of Life, Ammit. And, yet, despite winning the war, I felt like I had lost everything--my humanity, my heart, my innocence.

I don't know how long I sat in the tavern, where all our men were, staring without truly seeing. The hours and minutes had carried the same weight; time felt in abundance and yet so precious. I felt endless.

At some point in my numb haze, Tolly took a seat beside me, and he placed his hand on mine. His warmth was there. I felt traces of it, but the numbness stole his heat. My heart gave a fitful spasm, reminding me that it was still there, buried under all my grief and horror, reminding me that there was still some humanity in me.

Moving, however, suddenly became an insurmountable task. My body felt leaden and unwilling. It took all my energy to break away from that vacant place inside my head, to turn to him.

Tolly met my stare. He watched me, weary-eyed but deeply concerned. There was an apology on his face, but he did not have the heart to speak the words. "The Emperor," he began, voice low and breaking at the news.

I knew. It was just as he predicted, when we were together at his family estate. After the war had been won, I would be spirited away to the Greater Grand. The Lord High Commander was one of the Empire's dogs, after all.

"Now?" I asked, not waiting to hear the rest.

Tolly's eyes fell to the floor, and his jaw tightened. Through clenched teeth, he said the words, "The carriage awaits."

"Are you?" I didn't have the courage to complete the question nor was it necessary. Tolly already knew what came next.

He shook his head and exhaled a long breath.

I bowed my head. "Will we?" Again, my words failed me.

Will we meet again?

Tolly squeezed my hand, but, before he could answer, a dark shadow blanketed me.

I looked up to find Sirius staring down at us. His eyes lingered on our hands, laced together, for a moment longer than he likely intended. "Riverly," he murmured before offering me his arm.

Every fiber in my being cautioned me against accepting his offer. But, there were only two choices--go willingly or go in tethers; gamble with my own life or gamble with the lives of those who I held dear--and I had made my choice among those options long ago.

As soon as the weight of my hand settled against his, his fingers closed over mine. "Come with me."

Mindlessly, I followed him to the dark carriage waiting for us outside of the tavern. A team of four pale horses regarded us with little fanfare as we neared them.

"The Emperor has summoned us to the Greater Grand," Sirius murmured, opening the door for me and waiting for me to climb inside. He then followed behind me.

Once he was seated by my side, he shot me his most convincing pitying stare, "We don't have a choice."

Part of me suspected this was a lie. Another part of me suspected this was the beginning of a great many other lies, leaving me to wonder which lies I would have to learn to live as truths in the Greater Grand. Would these be lies be spun by others or of my own making?

And, as I stared into Sirius's face and he stared into mine, I quickly realized the truth to that question. My next lies would have to be my most convincing. They would have to bend the will of an ancient being, the most practiced of deceivers. They would have to be of my own making, and I would need to feel them as if they were truths. My survival demanded it.

But, first, I would need to learn just which lies Sirius wished were true. I would need him to trust me. I would need him to confide in me all of his fears, hopes, and wishes.

"How far away is the Greater Grand?" I asked, turning to my window.

"42 days."

Time might be on my side, I mused, cutting Sirius a cautious sidelong glance.

Maybe, just maybe, I would outlive my previous incarnations if I could convince him to love me again.    

Author's Note:  This is the final chapter!  My sincerest thanks to anyone who has made it here with me.  I deeply appreciate it, and I hope you enjoyed the journey.