The cethin had gotten up putting one of my arms in his mouth and everything went black until we landed in a very familiar room.
My room in the minster. Why did he bring me here? It was covered in dust and dirt. I tried to get up but my wounds said otherwise I could feel my corset soaking up blood, at the thigh of my dress the second wound was bleeding through. I laid back on the wooden floor in complete exhaustion from all the emotions and pain I just went through and closed my eyes.
~~~
I was standing in that black space, on top of water with stars mirroring everywhere. A woman was walking towards me, I wasn't afraid at all she was breathtakingly gorgeous with long blonde hair and flowers woven into it. Her mouth was moving but no sounds came out.
Two men came behind her, one I've seen before with lightning bolts, the other man looked similar but held a tall staff with a raven sitting on top. Like the women they spoke but no voices came out, the raven cawed which I heard loud and clear. It flew up then straight at my face waking me up in a panic.
~~~
Sitting up in the room now lit up with morning sun, a big cat Binx laid close to me. My body still bleeding, I pressed my hand to it and stood up limping to the bathroom. Wiping away dust and cobwebs with my bloodied hand streaking the mirror.
Looking at myself, some kind of somewhat familiar runes now marked my neck. Two X's connected on top of one another with a single line down the center of them. A contract mark to say who I belonged to. Finger printed bruises were on the back of my neck where Kade had gripped me.
Taking it slow I walked out of my room barefooted from leaving my shoes in the courtyard of the castle. We went exploring down the old hall. Maybe I could find bandages somewhere.
The claws and scratches still scared the walls and floors. Feeling a hole in my chest as I got to the kids room, the spot where Henry's body had been found was stained black. A figure of him sat on the wood of his bed smiling at me. Turning to behind the door, the wall and ceiling from June was stained dark. She stood at the window pointing outside. Backing out of the room I closed the door tight.
It was so quiet in the building just like that morning. Making my way down the broken chipped stairs creaking and groaning every step I made, sounding like they'd give in at any moment.
More black stains splattered all over the stairs and the ground floor still soaked into the tattered carpet. The cafeteria might as well have been painted black with the amount of splatters and pools that were in it. Just standing at the doorway I felt like the smell that day was still lingering.
Entering the nave just fueled me with anger. Getting to the center pool with the cleansing waters, expecting it to be empty it was full with clear water. The stone edges were filthy, covered in undisturbed dust hinting it hadn't been filled or touched in a very long time. The cracks in the stone floor were dark, still caked in the blood from the priest.
Binx was walking in and out of the pews checking out the room, so I did the same going up to the front stage. Behind the podium was the table I'd been hit with reeds at, absolutely disgusted and pissed I picked it up tossing it at the status of Themis behind.
It didn't go very far since it was so heavy, feeling more rage I started destroying what I could in the area, hot tears running down my cheeks. I tried to knock the podium over but couldn't because it was bolted into the floor, in frustration of memories and events from the past few days. I threw myself onto the floor sobbing.
After what was probably an hour I took a few breaths to calm down and collect myself. Looking around at my surroundings Rayna was crouched down next to me, looking at the podium. I followed her eyes and noticed the wood breaking away at the base. A cold draft came from under it, "the fuck is up with these Sutara and their weird ass hidden doors."
Though to open this one was more obvious a lever right under the top part and when I pulled it the whole thing now tilted and fell to the ground opening to a staircase. It was so dark you couldn't tell where it ended so before descending I went around the building finding an oil lamp then an old flint at a fireplace.
With my now lit lamp Binx and I hobbled down the stairs, staying close to the wall using it as support. The steps were so insanely steep as if we were practically walking down a wall.
We landed into a long hall that then cut to the right a few metal doors lined the walls, trying to open them was impossible. They had been rusted shut and I was just too weak and tired for it.
At the end of the hall was another set of doors these ones opened but with a loud squeal. The room was so dark, oil lamps were on the walls so I used mine and lit them illuminating the room.
In the center was a tall stone slab surrounded by markings painted onto the stone ground. Tables and chairs with books and papers thrown about everywhere, but the weirdest thing was the ceiling.
Like in my dreams it was a never ending black with stars across it some big and some little, seven of them were glowing bright blue. Going through the papers, some had gotten water damage from the years but for the most part they were legible. Many of them mentioned Themis, Zeus, Poseidon, Hades as well as so many other gods I have noticed through just reading legends and stories.
Then there were pages of different symbols and circles. I was able to recognize one. It was like a slanted F 'ansuz' it meant 'a god' looking around more that symbol was everywhere, they were trying to summon something which I had assumed from how the priest died at the waters.
But it was confusing on why they were using Nordic runes to contact or summon something when they worshiped Themis. There were pictures of a person surrounded in different runes and symbols of the gods like Hades' horned cross and Zues's lightning and so on. On top of these pictures was a name then under it was crossed out and written under it 'failed'.
Feeling sick I put the papers down and left the room slamming the door behind me. Now I wanted to get to that door in the library more than anything.
There was a rusted silver plaque on the wall besides the room. I could make out my reflection in it. I noticed Kades marking once more. After seeing the runes in that room it finally made me realize what it really was, but why would he use a protection rune for his own marking?
The front door was boarded up but a side window was broken in so Binx and I jumped right out the building. Before leaving the minster I made sure to close up everything that was found. Walking out to the roads of Kardama was nostalgic but also felt like walking into a ghost town because no one was here, at all. There were still animals, water in their trough and hay.
Binx had walked in front of me, once a small house cat walking the streets now stuck as a massive panther. There were no signs of a fight or people getting hurt, there was nothing as if they all disappeared in thin air.
I went to the old bakery and broke into the back house, a ton of our stuff was still there. Finding and patting out Rylands clothes I changed from the dress and found new bandages hiding my knives that I had still strapped to myself. Resting a bit longer before going out and finding a horse, I helped myself and tacked the animal up, mounted it and we left the ghost town of Kardama.
Hoping I was going the right way, just following the roads from memory years ago when Ryland took me away. I knew it wasn't that long of a ride, but riding on a horse with open wounds was going to make this feel like a lifetime. Any movement sucked so much with my hips moving with the gate of the horse.
After a few hours we were in the center of a mountain pass, taking a break at a small pond. I had just laid down in the grass giving my entire body a rest. Binx jumped right into the water. It was really hot out, his black fur definitely wasn't helping him.
So many things raced through my head, about what I found under the podium, why Kardama was a full on ghost town, and I was now part of a bargain or deal between Evander and Kade. Lovely.
Getting ready to go back on the trails, other horses' hooves were pounding into the ground. We weren't really hidden at all but thankfully it wasn't anything to worry about since it was Aiden cantering over.
"Gods, we have been looking for you for hours Lily." Sighing in relief, I had more thoughts than I did words so silently I mounted my horse again "well, let's get home then."
We walked next to each other for a few hours in silence until Aiden finally broke it, "Binx took you to Kardama?"
Nodding, "yeah, no clue why."
Binx was walking ahead of us keeping guard, "what's it like there? Did anyone give you trouble?"
Shaking my head "no, because no one was there. It literally was as if everyone vanished and not that long ago because all the animals were in good shape and fresh food was put out."
"I will have to look into that, that is odd. Are you okay?"
Emerging from the mountains the city walls were now in sight, "yeah. I'm fine. I am guessing I am going back to the castle and not back to my actual home."
In my side view his head was low, "yes, I'm sorry, and I should warn you the city is a bit of a mess right now." Great I figured it was going to be that way after the party, my headshot to Aiden "Ryland? How's Ryland?"
He was silent a second too long which made me kick the horse into a full on gallop, practically flying across the field to the city. The gates opened as I approached, not slowing down we galloped right onto the cobblestone weaving our way around people. Getting to the bakery I jumped off the horse, my leg buckling as my feet hit the ground. Limping in, it was unlocked and a few men were in the back.
"Hey Lily's back!" I shoved past them pulling myself up the stairs holding the railing, the door was unlocked and Kent was in the living room, along with a few others somewhat lined out of the office. Ignoring them and pushing them away, Ryland was sitting at his desk. I wanted to throw up.
I was so relieved, "everyone out. Now!" No one was hesitant at Ry's command, they all rushed out and he came around hugging me tightly. His hand behind my head holding me against his chest he smelt like dragon's blood, warm and soothing.
He pulled me away looking at me, "you left some clothes in Kardama."
He chuckled "yeah, they weren't worth going back there."
My eyes scanned him making sure he was okay and untouched. "You're okay, he didn't hurt you?"
"No, after Binx took you he vanished as well."
Staring into him, "what is their bargain, what does Kade want from Evander?"
He shrugged, "I am not fully sure Lily, he only tells me so much and still hasn't told me. My own investigation makes it seem like the Sutara are planning something. The priest in Kardama was doing the summoning there but there are countless others throughout the lands and they all are doing the same thing. But I just don't know what they are doing and why. I think Kade knows and either wants to destroy it or use it for his own gain."
"Gain for what? He can already take over the cities now if he wanted to."
He was looking at my neck "I don't know, really Little Dove. I truthfully am in the dark about this. Evander doesn't tell me everything. I will figure it out, but right now we need to get you to the castle."
Keeping my feet firmly on the ground, "where Kade can just easily come in? I'm not safe anywhere so why not just stay here."
"Because it's already been said and done. You're staying there."