The Scourge of Gods

CHAPTER SEVEN

The imperial fleet departed from the mountain city, settling upon the sea of clouds like a receding wave of molten gold. Inarhi yearned to be aboard one of the gondolas. She was the only human left in Nagia, a hostage among witches that would probably kill her in her sleep. Even Luna had to leave her.

"Mistress Inarhi."

Inarhi turned around. Lillias walked through a throng of Imigian warriors and beckoned her over. The red-haired woman passed into another group of witches, heading towards a tree-lined street beyond the palace courtyard. Inarhi made an attempt to follow, but stopped short beneath the hard gaze of Lillias's people.

How pleasant. Inarhi scrunched her lips. She wanted to command them to move, but reminded herself she was no longer in a position of authority. The rank of witches finally shuffled aside and Inarhi steeled her mind, forcing her feet forward.

Inarhi's heart accelerated. Her shoulders were mere inches from brushing the black battle robes of the pale, tattoo-ridden warriors that had given her just enough space to walk through. Their cold glowers followed Inarhi until she passed them by. She shivered at the thick fog of hatred. Luckily, Inarhi soon caught up with Lillias and they glided across the cobblestones to some unknown destination.

"Where are you taking me?" asked Inarhi, hoping it wasn't a dungeon.

"Since you'll be in my custody, you must be present during our operation," said Lillias. "I'm taking all of my accomplished warriors with me, so you can't be left in the city lest your people attempt to retrieve you. So, our long journey requires you to undergo a ritual of sorts."

Inarhi didn't like where this was headed. "A ritual for what, exactly?"

The witch turned a corner, leaving the courtyard to enter an almost deserted marketplace. "For your safety, human. It'll shield you from harmful magic, if you were to be struck with any. It's only to protect you during our excursion."

"I'm guessing I don't have a choice in the matter," said Inarhi. The witch kept walking.

A patchwork of tarps rose above them and stalls were being filled with goods for the day. Warm firelight hugged the far walls between the buildings, and the scent of fresh bread and spices wafted along the street. The city wasn't as foreign as Inarhi had imagined. The only thing foreign was her by the looks several wiccan vendors gave her. Most stayed far behind until they passed, but that was to be expected. She didn't think the civilians of Nagia traveled down from their city very often to peer at humans.

"Why would this...journey be harmful to me, anyhow?" asked Inarhi.

Lillias shrugged. "Anything can happen. I'd rather not take my chances with you dying under my protection. I care about your safety." Inarhi raised her brows. "It would be tantamount to the death of my queen, so must be secure at all times."

"Fine. But you keep talking about a journey." Inarhi's temper bloomed. "What in the gods do you mean when you say journey? You act like we have all the time in the bloody world. How long do you expect this mission to be?"

"As long as it needs to be."

"That isn't much of an answer. While we dawdle here, my people are dying by the hundreds—if not the thousands! We don't even have time for this damn ritual. We should be finding a way to save my people. We should be moving."

"You wish to survive...yes? Then don't question me."

After exiting the marketplace, they merged onto a long street leading to a domed building. The street was simple and unadorned. Homes on either side were plain as well, devoid of gardens and windows. While the white stonework was superb, the domed roof was what caught Inarhi's attention. She had never seen anything like it. The wooden dome was structured out of a series of triangles, rather than a series of arches her people used. It was certainly sophisticated.