Bereft: Demise

42 | Of Reasons to Live and Die

It was a perfect summation of Amoroth's motives, and yet I was surprised Peroth voiced it aloud. He seemed fond of her, but it was relieving to know he wasn't blind to her faults.

"I wanted to check on you." The Sin drew level with me and peered sidelong into my eyes. "You've withdrawn since our mutual friend's departure. I'm not especially worried about you per se, as I find this response only...natural in your circumstance, but I do have a...." He lofted a hand as if trying to snatch a word out of the air. "Obligation to make certain you're well."

He passed me and began to pace with a measured gait. I turned to follow as I buried my hands into my coat's pockets. Peroth words resounded with me as we both stepped onto one of the few gravel paths maintained in the yard. "Darius asked you to look after me, didn't he?"

"Of course."

I figured as much. It was unlikely Pride would leave me to my own devices without asking someone else to check in on me. I was certain he worried for my safety, but I also knew he was aware of the trouble I was prone to getting myself into. It seemed Peroth was to be my babysitter in Darius's absence.

I supposed I should have been angry with Darius. I hated being treated like some air-headed child and he knew how much I hated it—but I was too anxious about him dying somewhere out beyond the ward to be anything else but worried.

"Do you know when he'll be back?" I asked as I bent my head against the wind chill.

The Sin shrugged, unaffected by the cold. He only wore his typical, casual day suit without any tie, the top few buttons of the white shirt left undone. "I haven't the foggiest. Hopefully before the solstice party. A bit of celebration may help elevate his mood. His mood and yours."

The month was but a few days shy of November. If Darius didn't return until the solstice party, that would mean he'd be gone for nearly two full months. Two entire months spent out beyond the ward dodging Balthier and Sethan while hunting for a weapon that most likely didn't exist.

I didn't care about any stupid party. I just wanted Darius to see reason and return to Crow's End.

"He told me he'd be back soon." My voice sounded oddly desolate, void of the emotions I felt burning in my lungs. The crunch of gravel punctuated each of my words as if each were its own statement, given with more weight than I intended. "He lied to me."

"Maybe, maybe not. But, you should remember, a few months—a few years—isn't all that long to us. We can perceive time differently if we wish or if our minds start to slip. Imagine living for so long you've literally seen everything. You'd get quite bored, I promise." Peroth inhaled and stretched as we continued walking. "A few months is but a passing weekend to a creature like Darius. He probably didn't see it as a lie."

I grit my teeth, wishing I could believe him, but I found it difficult. "Why didn't you stop him?" I demanded, speaking barely above a whisper. "You could have stopped him."

Peroth's gold eyes lingered sidelong on my own, then slid away. He abruptly linked his arm with mine and pulled me nearer. I froze, my mind instantly zinging back to the room with the gate where the Sin of Sloth had reduced me to a terrified huddle with just a touch. His body warmth was unnerving and I prayed he wasn't about to scare me to death.

"Do you see that grave there?" he asked, pointing out a single large tomb with a marble bust protruding above it. The bust was so weathered it had been reduced to a vague, humanoid lump. "It belongs to Gaios Pileidis, the second-born Sin of Greed. He was killed by Balthier a little less than two thousand years ago."