Chapter 10
Lord Sutekh sat a large wooden dining table bedecked with dishes of various sorts. He was attended to by a small staff headed by his valet de chambre. The dining room, like all the others, was a large room, spacious, but dark owing to the fact that the mansion was cut into a mountain. There was consequently no natural daylight save in rooms that were at the front of the abode, of which the dining room was not, and so it was lit by candle.
"What news from Lemuria?" Sutekh said perceiving Astraea cross the threshold. After her errand in the forest, Sutekh had sent her to Lemuria, which wasn't far from his secret house, in order to learn what was happening. It is of course true that Lord Sutekh had been killing the nobleman with a very clear object in mind.
"Ixion wishes to accelerate the wedding plans. Aurora is to be sent on ahead, in preparation for the ceremony."
"What is to be her escort?"
"I don't know, only that it's small."
"After saving her life, I believe he would entrust her safety to the same persons," the man soliloquised. "All is going according to plan, but I'm worried by these men. If the leader is as formidable as you say, then he likely searched the lake in order to discover more about you. Now they journey to Lemuria where my actions have caused much disturbance. They may catch our scent again." Astraea took a piece of bread and some cheese while Sutekh continued, "Chance could ruin everything."
"You worry too much my lord, they won't discover us."
"I don't intend to risk it." Sutekh concentrated upon Astraea, "We have Uroboros, who will prove essential to recovering the third. The first, as I have mentioned, will soon be unearthed in Lemuria. We are close, but a portion of our scheme has been revealed, and I am certain that if these warriors from the forest arrive in Lemuria, they will learn more."
Astraea stopped eating her breakfast and looked across at her master, she knew that he had already formulated a plan, the fact that he was slow in building up to its reveal evidenced the fact that she was not going to like it.
"Infiltrate their company before they arrive at Lemuria. Then stay close to them. Perhaps that will be the end of it, they will not pursue us, let us hope so, but if they do not, you shall be well placed when the time comes."
Astraea, who hated secrets and lying, who had spent her entire life keeping secrets, preferred a more direct approach. If these warriors were really a threat, then why didn't Sutekh ride out with her and meet them upon the road. They would fight and kill them, and the matter would be resolved.
"Why do we not meet them on the open highway. Surely they are no match for you and I." The woman's brilliant and dark eyes shone, but they soon lost their flash of excitement upon perceiving Sutekh's placid demeanour.
"No, my way is better."
"You think they might beat us in battle?"
"Absolutely not, considering your unique capabilities."
"Then what is it?"
Sutekh now sat erect, his head trained on Astraea, who sat scolding with folded arms. Then he rose from his seat, walked over to her, and pulled back her hood. Long black hair fell down. The contours of Astraea's figure were still hidden beneath a pelisse, but the mesmeric countenance she possessed was on full display. Her enamouring eyes scowled at Sutekh like an angry girl.
"Will you still not do as I command?"
Astraea's expression softened. "Of course, always." She turned to the man behind her, brushed the mask he wore, then slid her fingers to the clasps. Sutekh clutched her hand, and lowered his head.
"No."
"Why not?"
"You know why, I am deformed."
"It wouldn't matter to me." Astraea looked into his eyes, she was utterly sumptuous, devil or angel, it mattered not, she was gorgeous. Astraea persisted.
"I said no." His voice was solid and firm, he turned away from her. She looked at his muscular back as he exited the parlour, and sighed, "So I am to be a spy, very well, let us hope the assignment is short."
Chapter 11
The 85th travelled incognito with Typhon on the box driving the horses, Eros alongside the carriage, and Sabriel within, next to Aurora. They had passed the great plain of Hyperion, through the forest where Aurora had fled from the highwaymen, and now were travelling across fecund countryside. Grassy fields stretched in all directions lined by trees and hedges. The road was in poor condition, being nought but a muddy path used predominantly by farmers, and rain now fell heavily. The carriage was becoming stuck as the wheels sank deeper and deeper into the mud. Eros frowned because it was unusual weather for that time of year. He looked up at the sky when the thunder rolled.
Typhon, pelted by rain, shouted to Eros below and a little behind him, "We can't continue in this weather."
Eros had sighted a village ahead. He called to Typhon above, "Let's take refuge there."
He galloped to the nearby settlement; his drenched horse carted about, neighing. The knight didn't see anyone, but more alarming was that smoke wasn't coming from any of the brick chimneys, nor could he see any lights in any of the buildings.
Eros turned to Typhon amidst the rainstorm, the cabriolet had come to a stop a little behind him. "The people are probably indoors, hiding from the storm." He proceeded to try the tavern, and the dwellings. His fist rasped against the many doors, but there was no answer.
The chevalier's riding cloak drenched, lightning beginning to crack, he looked at the carriage where he could discern the outlines of Sabriel and Aurora. The weather was absolutely abominable. He was cursing his luck while returning to the carriage, but movement caused him to halt and instead look up at the black rainclouds. Suddenly a purple bolt broke from them, and hit Typhon in the chest.
The mesmer was like a piece of glass, completely transparent, yet inside its body was a swirling black smoke. A dagger, illuminated by arcane glyphs, rested in his right hand. The mesmer's countenance was centimetres from Typhon's. The latter had been hexed, and was unable to move. Then shots fired from beneath, peppering the canopy, and causing the phantom to transmute into a gas like form, and speed away.
Eros ran over, but he was cut off by a second creature. Its dagger sliced through the air, but the mesmer encountered Eros's strong arm. It hissed and flew away seeing that it could not prevail in such combat. Meanwhile the third mesmer had attacked the carriage.
Aurora screamed, and, opening the cabriolet door, flung herself into the mud. She turned back, heard the fusillade of gunfire, and saw bright lights illuminate a carriage that rocked from side to side. She found the strength to stand, and saw the paralysed Typhon helpless before a mesmer. It had returned to finish the job.
Her hair was soggy, her garments drenched to the skin. Clasping her hands together, shaking from the cold all the while, Aurora uttered a prayer; and, when the creature lunged forward, Typhon found that he could move. He dove aside. His eyes were, however, fixed upon the princess. "You're a mage?"
"F-F-Father didn't wish me to use magic, but the physicians said I was, yes."
Typhon rose to meet the fiend that flew at him from the cabriolet, Eros arrived in time to assist him while the second remained in the carriage. Hacking and slashing at Sabriel, it had a voracious desire to paint the inside of that fiacre with her blood. Aurora looked around in horror, and didn't notice the third creature that came from behind.
A blood curdling scream chilled Eros's heart. He turned to see the princess fall to her knees, the mesmer and its dagger hunched over her. Then Astraea appeared from out an alley. She feigned to be panting, as if she had just arrived. The mesmer who threatened Aurora had his glass-like skin shattered by lightning bolts. The electricity still crackled at Astraea's palm when her rain soaked face turned to Eros.
Plumes of smoke billowed out the carriage windows. Sabriel, unable to wrestle with the creature any longer, dove out the open door with the phantom on top of her. Astraea cast a shard of rock that impaled it: black smoke escaped out of the hole left in its chest. Sabriel fired from the floor perceiving Typhon in danger, and the final mesmer shattered into a thousand pieces.
The viper was pelted by rain.
"Who are you?" Sabriel said as she brushed the dirt off her long cloak.
"I'm one of the villagers," Astraea replied.
The gunslinger still held her pistols, looking to Eros she said, "I'm suspicious of her."
"Ha!" Astraea laughed, "I just saved your life."
"Where are the others, the rest of the village?" Eros asked.
Astraea feigned to be crying, the woman ought to be on a stage not a battlefield, "They're all dead."
Eros's heart began to betray him, if only he'd known that standing there before him, was Idris's killer, the conjurer of the storm and the mesmers, and the agent of Lord Sutekh.
"The mesmers attacked several days ago, don't ask me why, because I don't know. I hid, they didn't see me. Oh! It was truly awful." She pretended to lose her composure. After taking a moment she continued, "Lemurian guards came, and buried the others. I couldn't bring myself to leave. This is my home." She let forth a sob, and looked at Sabriel, "That is why I'm here. You see, the coincidence does not lie in my presence, but yours."
Sabriel rolled her eyes, "She's lying."
"Why? To what end? If she was our enemy, she wouldn't have just saved our lives."
Sabriel didn't have an answer for that, she looked away.
Eros said to Astraea, "Thank you, this is Sabriel, Typhon and Aurora. I'm Eros."
The serpent smiled softly, "I'm Astraea."
"What do you plan to do, you can't stay here?"
"I don't know."
Eros said, "We're headed for Lemuria, journey with us. There's nothing left for you here now."