The Necromancer Trilogy: Prophecy

Chapter Fifteen - Insane Plans and Insane People

The voice was called Meritolo Boon and Celia remembered how to open her eyes.

   It took a little while for the world to swim into focus and, when it did, Celia wasn’t too pleased with the result.

“Celia,” Meritolo breathed out in a rush, relief transforming his features.

Celia wasn’t ready to try speaking yet. She just looked at his face, not wanting to look around her. She was lying in her own waste, her fingernails worn down from clawing frantically at the walls. Pain still racked her body. Her pride was shattered.

“Talk to me,” Meritolo begged.

Celia longed to. Her mind was recovering now but she knew that if she opened her mouth, she would only be able to scream and sob and then there would be no living it down, no recovering. Not if she broke down now that Maria….

  Where was Maria? Celia stared at Meritolo, asking him the question with her eyes. Where was Maria?

“She’s there,” Meritolo nodded behind Celia. “Don’t look. It’s not pretty.”

Celia opened her mouth and a strangled sound came out as she tried to smother the rising scream.

“Ssh,” Meritolo soothed her, gently. “It’s ok. It’s all over now.”

But Celia couldn’t stop because it wasn’t ok and it wasn’t over and she would never be able to forget her own pleas, her own despair, her own breaking. She howled, tears gushing from eyes that should have run out of water long ago.

“Ssh,” Meritolo whispered, picking her up and holding her. “Ssh, I’m here now. I’ll protect you.”

Celia didn’t have the strength in her to protest. She just cried and cried until his shirt was soaking and her eyes were dry and her tears reduced to shaking sobs that wouldn’t leave because it still hurt. It still hurt.

“Celia,” Meritolo turned her face to look at him. “Celia, do you want me to take you to the hospital?”

The Society hospital? What could they do? The pain increased in another tidal wave that slammed into her and shook her bones, making muscles leap across her body. No, the Society could do nothing now.

“Max,” Celia managed to gasp out. “Please, Merry. Take me to Max.”

“This plan is nuts,” Blue declared.

“That’s hardly an insult, coming from you,” Sophie answered.

Blue grinned. “I never said I didn’t like it.”

“I don’t like it,” Tala announced. “It’s the kind of thing a Traveller would come up with. Insane, dangerous, slim chance of success…”