Romanowski and Rosemary

10. Persephone in Hades

Coretta

My group of priestesses looked at me like I'd gone mad.

Which I definitely considered myself right now.

"Chryseis, you know that lying is a sin for us!" Eula whispered, terrified.

"But the priestess told us not to tell anyone our location!" I bit my lip, my heart racing. "So I told the first name that came to me."

Zina did a quick scan around, then neared me. "Does it mean they know us all to be from Memphis as well?" she asked inquisitively, motioning with her hand.

"No," I shook my head. "Just me."

She smirked. "Well, I figured out earlier that they aren't looking for any verification that we belong from a certain region." She toyed with her braid. "During my younger years, I've been in the cult service of Memphis. So that should make me eligible too, for the priestess of the Eye of Ra. No?"

"Will you accompany me?" I asked almost immediately. I needed someone familiar to go with, while she must be aiming to climb higher on the status ladder. Seemed like a win-win situation.

"Priestesses from Memphis!" the savage man roared again.

My group jumped at the thundering voice, looking anything but thrilled as Zina did. They all wanted to go hide somewhere.

"Of course." Zina smiled. "Let's go." And she led me to the front where a few more women from Memphis stood. I watched in bitter silence as the other priestesses started entering the banquet.

With my head lowered, I followed the group out of the underground arena into a narrower passage, dark as ever. Whiff of cold dry rocks permeated the path. The priests walked ahead, guiding us with their fire torches. Their heavy steps were a scary thud on the stony path.

Hiding behind Zina and the much taller priestesses, I made sure to walk farthest from that one man, but to my deteriorating luck, he began searching left and right. His face, a sculpted demon in disguise. Glancing back, he waved wildly at his fire torch as the priestesses continued to walk, not even daring to peer at his actions.

"I'll guide the back!" he announced and soon shifted to the end of the group.

Right beside me.

I gave a little distressed sigh and continued to walk with my hands tightly clasped to my front, trying not to get affected by his weird behaviour.

But then he snatched one of my hands, holding it in a grasp.

The ringing of my heart went into my ears.

Without a word, I tried to yank my hand out of his grip, but I hadn't expected him to shout.

"Behave, woman!" he roared, and the walking priestesses stopped, but none dared glance back to see my frightful face.

My heart stilled. This was abnormal. Priests definitely didn't hold a priestess's hand. Even if she was his wife.

I wanted to, but couldn't retort. Talking back had way worse consequences.

With him beside me, the surrounding air became oppressive as the group continued to walk ahead. The sudden turmoil had moved me farther from them, leaving me alone with the sinister man.

He continued to walk as if nothing had happened, the fire torch high in his hand and my palm in his other one. Face dead set to the front.

There was no way to escape. Not any that I could see. I bit my lip, lowering my head to ask a harmless question.