Amethyst took another bite of her honey topped pastry. The delicate flavor lingered even after a swig of wine. She couldn’t help but glance at Aféleia as she ate. Did Apaísios plan on kidnapping her? Had Stochastís jumped to a conclusion without thinking it through? The papers that he had shown his father the night before had not convinced the man of Stochastís’s hunch.

  “I am sure that the boy has no ill will toward her,” íroas had told Stochastís. “However, to be safe, I will not exclude the possibility that he may be involved.”

  Stochastís was pushing food around his bowl, which he had been eating from. He had been like that all morning. Exousía looked a little better. Her hair had been stained and was more of a gray color, with black splotches splattered about.

  Amethyst looked at her arms. The same black stains were present all over her and all the others who had fought the Kako. She hadn’t tried to scrub too vigorously the night before. She was far too tired and gave up after the color refused to be removed on the second attempt. The staff had asked about their clothes, as the stains were too deep to be removed, and wondered what to do about it. With a wave of Stochastís’s hand, they went off without another word.

  The breakfast was quiet after Stochastís had told them his father’s words. He was careful to exclude his sister from the conversation and went quiet when she joined the table. After some time and without warning, Stochastís pushed his food away and left the room. Exousía stood and went after him while everyone else remained seated.

  “What has him so frustrated?” Aféleia asked. The room remained silent as a few cleared their throats. Aféleia looked around the room with a questioning expression. There had been an increase of guards in the room and around the estate. Even if íroas was unsure of who was behind the plans, or why, he still doubled active guards around the property. She landed on Amethyst, her inquisitive eyes burrowing into Amethyst’s nervous soul.

  “It is not our place. You should speak with your father,” Amethyst said. “He is going to have the information.”

  Aféleia didn’t wait for clarification as she stood and strode towards the door. Amethyst tapped her fingers on the table and thumped her tail on the ground, then stood.

  “I am going to go check on Stochastís. It is likely he will want to go to Sofía,” Amethyst announced. She made her way to the door, as dishes clattered behind her. Everyone present at the breakfast, which had also included Wa Chini, Garba, and Nuru, along with Tenya, followed behind Amethyst as she collected her gear. Within the hour, the group was on their way, with Stochastís and Exousía to the top of the mountain to the old temple.

  §

  Lanterns illuminated the dark corridors as they walked past the familiar petroglyphs. The crumbled ruin of walls set Amethyst on edge. Even though there were a few places where the celling had given way, and the sun was meandering along the floor, she still felt like there was something here. Like there was something watching her every move. Maybe it was Sofía, but that didn’t bring her any peace of mind.

  Stochastís wasn’t immune either. At each noise, his head jerked and his posture would stiffen. He would pause a moment before continuing to lead the party through the halls. They entered the last room, where they had last encountered Sofía. The room was cleaner, but it now held more statues. A pair of wolves had joined the boar in their eternal resting place. They had become their own gravestones in the mausoleum of the old gods.

  “Leave the book on the floor,” Sofía’s voice echoed through the chamber.

  The resonance vibrated Amethyst’s skin, and her flesh tightened. Stochastís walked forward a few steps, then set the book down by the boar. He backed up and rejoined the group. Hands appeared out of the darkness and took the book. Only a faint glimmer of green scales showed as her snake-like body disappeared into the blackness.

  “Do you need light?” Stochastís questioned.

  “What for?” Sofía retorted.

  The group remained silent, hearing the turning of pages along with their own breath. They waited for any hint of acknowledgement before they dared to move. Sofía cleared her throat, which made Amethyst feel a jolt through her whole body.

  “Paper, Stochastís, if you please,” Sofía stated.

  Stochastís rummaged for a moment before producing paper and writing utensils. He hesitantly walked forward, placing the materials in the same place the book had been. He returned swiftly to his previous place. The hands returned to take up the supplies. In the silence, each scribble and crinkle of the paper were thunderous. The hands returned the paper and writing supplies before disappearing again.

  “These are what I need,” Sofía said. “Get those, and I shall reverse as much damage as I can, but note that the process will not restore me to what I was before.”

  “I would be happy with you as you are now.” Stochastís answered.

  “Sweet boy, the sooner these are fetched, the sooner I will not endanger you.”

  Amethyst felt her heart yearn. How romantic, yet ominous!

  “Go quickly and beware the forest. Another beast, like myself, is near. He, however, carries little wit anymore.”

  “It will be done!” Stochastís affirmed. He bowed, then rushed to the exit.

  The light in the ruined village was refreshing. Amethyst’s worries melted away, but she was still on the lookout for whatever creature now lurked in the forest. She had assumed whatever escaped would be long gone. With “little wit,” however, she could see that maybe it only sought to not be caged, with little regard for where it might go. The birds were singing, and so Amethyst relaxed slightly as she continued to drag her tail through the leaves as it swished behind her.

  In town, they decided to visit the tavern that Bontu was staying at while Stochastís and Exousía pressed onto the temple to seek an audience with Mágissa and collect the necessary ingredients for Sofía. The tavern wasn’t very busy. Most folk had been out for the day, but a few remained.

  Among them was Bontu, who had not heard any news of the past few days. He had become emotional when seeing Garba and Nuru. He seemed grateful for everyone’s safe return, but it was clear he had prioritized the safety of those two.

  Amethyst smiled. She was glad to see that those two were cared for. Nuru needed someone to worry about her, and Bontu was just the man to do so. He bought a round for the tavern to celebrate the triumph over the caverns in the Old City. They spent the better part of the afternoon and well into the evening eating, drinking, and recounting heroic stories. Some stories were their own and others were myths and tales from around the world. There had even been a rendition, albeit exaggerated, of the “Kraken slayer!” Who, had split the creature in two with a single attack. Amethyst chuckled nervously after that tale.

  The evening brought more patrons, along with more drunkenness. Amethyst recalled part of that evening, the singing and dancing, but as the night went on, she recalled less and less. The last thing she remembered before everything blurred out of reality was looking into Tenya’s eyes as they danced in an energetic style. Her laughing face, and Amethyst’s buzzing hands holding onto Tenya’s waist.

  §

  Amethyst’s head ached, and she was groggy. She lifted her head to find that she was still in the tavern from the night before. She looked around to see an assortment of people who had fallen asleep where they sat. On the floor next to her, Tenya laid curled up. From the windows above, she could see that the sun was approaching. Its rays just starting to kiss the earth once more. Bontu and Nuru were nowhere to be found. Garba and Wa Chini were both curled next to each other under one of the tables that had not been tossed on its side. Stochastís, who had joined them the night before, was also not there. Exousía, however, was propped up in the corner of the room, clutching someone’s shield tightly to her chest.

  Amethyst sat up on her knees. There was a rush of pain, and she grabbed her head in a vain attempt to quell the ache as she tried to stand. She remained there and looked around to get a better view. The barman was sitting in a rocking chair behind the bar. He had his arms folded and his head hung low. Over in one corner, behind a table that had obscured her view, lay three goats, all tied to each other and to a column.

  Grimacing at the thought of why there were goats in the bar, Amethyst stood up. The room spun around her and she put her hand on one of the uprooted tables to help regain her balance. She saw the true devastation when she looked closer. A brazier had been knocked over, its shattered remains strewn across the floor. In its place, someone had taken a couple of chairs to use as a makeshift fire. Someone burned only part of the wood and scrawled a phallic image with charcoal on the ground beside it.

  With a heaving sigh, Amethyst set off on a journey to find any water she could. Fermented juice filled each pitcher, and it churned her stomach. Jug after jug, she searched until she spied behind the bar a bucket filled with water. She eyed it for a while, wondering what the water had been used for. Not daring to drink the mysterious water even if she could purify it with her magic. She made the hesitant decision to wake the barman.

  He jolted awake, nearly throwing himself backwards into the wall. Rubbing his head, he looked around with apparent confusion and horror. Sitting forward, his head in his hands, he pointed Amethyst to a door that had a linen cover draped over its front. Victory! She had found a jug of clean water!

  A few gulps later, she left the stock room and ventured back into a heap of destruction. Treading around the many sleeping bodies, Amethyst returned to Tenya. She nudged her awake, and with a groan, Tenya slowly sat up.

  She squinted her eyes at Amethyst, blinking rapidly. Her hair was a tangled nightmare that reminded Amethyst of their days through the Monsoons in the Tribelands south of Ashara. A smile crossed her face as she watched Tenya drink from the water as deeply as they had in the desert. She had hated the painful days of heat and humidity, but this moment reminded her it wasn’t all bad.

  “Where are the others?” Tenya groaned.

  “Scattered about,” Amethyst whispered.

  “Do you remember how we wound up on the floor?” Tenya asked, covering her eyes from the sun’s glare off the walls.

  If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  Amethyst looked at the table they had been sitting at. It was feet away and turned onto its side. “Nope,” she remarked. “But I am sure someone does.”

  “Right, right,” Tenya responded. She breathed deeply a few times, then stood up. She used the table as a brace as Amethyst had. “Nope,” she said, then sat back on the ground. “Nope, I’m good here.”

  Amethyst scooted next to her and Tenya leaned against Amethyst. “We should wake up the others.” Amethyst whispered.

  “Soon... but first.” Tenya laid back down on the ground, facing the table.

  “Okay,” Amethyst said sarcastically. She rubbed Tenya’s shoulder and pondered what to do. She drank from the water jug, then laid down, her back pressed against Tenya’s. Tenya pressed back, as firm as Amethyst had. Then Amethyst drifted back into obliviousness.

  §

  Life had become comfortable as the days turned into weeks. Stochastís gathered the ingredients for Sofía. Nuru and Bontu spent the days together. Garba and Wa Chini had gone back to their normal competitions. Exousía had returned to her normal duties and acted as personal guard to Aféleia as íroas’s men investigated the tunnels of the Old City. íroas himself was spending the days with Busara. The two had shared a kinship in their past wars. Ebba was hard at work, studying under Ofeíletai’s stern eye. In the two weeks since the night at the bar, Ebba had learned enough Melydaesian to hold fluent conversations. She practiced with anyone she could, often convincing them to shirk their duties while they did.

  The news hit Prátton like a physical blow, leaving him reeling. He too suspected Apaísios, but also had no hard evidence to support the claim. Arketá, Prátton’s betrothed, was equally shocked to hear about the revelations. They agreed to go with Stochastís to see Sofía and discuss their findings and hypothesis.

  Amethyst and Tenya had taken up their old practice routine. They used their new techniques on each other. Tenya continued to grow into a warrior as she would spar with Exousía and others in their free time. Amethyst practiced her water and air magic. Her keen skills with water and affluence with air made for a combination that saw her many victories in their bouts, even against Exousía and Tenya.

  On the evening prior to their return to Sofía, Amethyst found herself face to face with Exousía and Tenya. Exhausted from the day’s training, Amethyst was on her heels against the pair, but had fared well on using her air magic only.

  Tenya pressed Amethyst’s left side while Exousía tried to get around to her backside. Amethyst used her air burst to keep Tenya at bay, knocking her onto the ground. She turned to keep Exousía in her vision. Exousía waited until Tenya got back up, then dashed at Amethyst.

  Amethyst had started carrying a leather skin of water dedicated to battle on her back. She pulled water from the skin and used it like a shield when Exousía tried to slam into her back. The water smacked Exousía, tossing her a foot away. Tenya swung her wooden sword hard against Amethyst’s left side. Just before impact, Amethyst used the water against Tenya, severing her sword to the hilt. Tenya’s hilt missed hitting Amethyst, but the wooden blade continued downwards into her, thwacking her with a little less force than it would have. Tenya and Amethyst starred at each other, then burst into laughter.

  Exousía groaned as she stood up. “Why are you laughing?” She asked.

  Amethyst held up the wooden blade and explained. “I cut the blade, but it still hit me hard.” She giggled at the thought again.

  “An object in motion stays in motion,” Exousía smiled. “Good, you learned it now.”

  “Can you imagine?” Tenya laughed. She mimicked the sword blade sticking into her side. “Bleh!” She laughed even harder and fell to the ground.

  The girls laughed for a while, then retired to the dining hall to grab dinner before a bath and bed.

  §

  11/11/1129

  The cold had deepened over the weeks that had passed since their arrival in Neopolis. A gentle layer of frost had formed over the ground and on the trees, sparkling in the light of the early morning, then melting away as the sun warmed them up. Under the trees in the forest, the crackling leaves were sharp and extra crispy. Mushrooms had sprouted all over the forest floor. consuming the rot which was festering just beneath the surface of that sea of decay.

  Wa Chini and Garba were pushing each other along the trail in another competition. Who would spot the escaped monster first and which would be victorious in taking it down was the question. Prátton and Arketá were near the front, just behind Stochastís. Their conversation was too quiet to hear over the cats arguing. Meanwhile, Amethyst and Tenya were discussing the previous night’s battle. Amethyst held her tail above the frosty debris, as to not cut herself or chill her tail.

  As the ruins of the village outside of the old temple came into sight, Stochastís jogged forward. Amethyst had no intention of following at more than her walking pace. The darkness in those abandoned halls reminded her of the stink in the Old City. She was fine to stand around in the front entrance and wait for Stochastís and Sofía to complete their business. Amethyst sat on a comfy, if not a little chilly, stone. She stretched her legs out. Weakness consumed them; every step was an agonizing effort.

  Tenya sat next to Amethyst. “Killer trail,”

  “Yeah,” Amethyst agreed, defeated. “It’s annoying.”

  “Why? I mean, I know the pain is annoying, but I doubt that’s all it’s about.”

  Amethyst pulled her feet from her boots and massaged them. “Well, after a couple of days, my feet had stopped being a problem as we made our way towards Ashara.”

  Tenya pushed Amethyst over. “Okay, I can see how that would be frustrating. You’ll toughen back up.”

  Amethyst smiled. “I just don’t feel the same as I did, ya know?”

  Tenya smirked. “Well, I am not surprised. Hell of a feat you pulled out in that storm.” Tenya clasped Amethyst’s shoulder. “Better aching than dead.”

  Amethyst nodded. Her hands were cramping. She pushed her feet from her knee and heaved a bitter sigh. Tenya stared at Amethyst, a sly smile cresting her face.

  Tenya kneeled in front of Amethyst. “Let me.”

  Before Amethyst could react, Tenya took up the thrown foot and rubbed deeply.

  Amethyst tried to take her foot back from Tenya’s firm grasp. “You don’t have to do that. I should do that for you, since—” A sharp pain cut Amethyst off as Tenya dug her knuckle right into the arch of Amethyst’s foot. She let out a squeak as Tenya rubbed more aggressively.

  “I didn’t ask.”

  Amethyst wiped her brow. “Yes ma’am.”

  Tenya eyed Amethyst with a squinted glare. The cats were snickering behind Tenya. She whipped her head around.

  “What’s so funny, cats?!”

  Wa Chini and Garba exploded into a full fit of laughter.

  Garba wheezed as he slapped his knee. “Oh nothing... ma’am!”

  Tenya turned her attention back to Amethyst’s feet. “Fuck off! And since when can either of you understand Hypirian?”

  Once their laughter subsided, Wa Chini smiled. “Ebba, primarily.”

  Garba wiped his eyes. “And you two speak it enough. How could we not pick it up?”

  “When did Ebba find time to do that?” Tenya scoffed.

  “Here and there.” Wa Chini answered.

  “You don’t think we can’t learn your tongue?” Garba chortled. “Hypirian’s think they’re so much better than everyone else.”

  Wa Chini stood tall and puffed out his chest and said in a mocking tone, “It’s in the name.”

  Tenya smiled up at Amethyst and winked. “Fuck off, both of you.”

  Amethyst felt her face heat and smiled back at Tenya. Her stomach felt like it would float away and take her with it. Amethyst leaned back against the wall, her elbows propping her up. She closed her eyes and fell into the feeling. Tenya’s warm hands caressing Amethyst’s icy feet had made her want to sleep, even as a warmth was building at her core.

  Wa Chini pushed Garba. “Now you made her angry.”

  Amethyst couldn’t contain her laughter. “Oh hush, you two. The least you could do was tell us.”

  Garba pushed Wa Chini back harder. “We told you now, besides you never asked.”

  Gathering his footing, Wa Chini put one hand on his hip while pointing at Amethyst. “And you haven’t kept up with my lessons since we left Ashara, so I sought other peepholes.”

  Garba smacked Wa Chini’s arm. “People”

  “Peh-pole?”

  “Pee-pole.”

  “People.”

  Garba patted Wa Chini’s chest. He had a proud smile and his eye shimmered. “There you go!”

  Wa Chini had a toothy grin beaming with joy. Amethyst smiled. Her own pride in the two cats swelled in her heart. She had been so busy with so much else, she had yet to take the time to focus on the people surrounding her for a while. What else had she missed?

  Tenya started on Amethyst’s other foot and she lost her train of thought. Tenya’s strong hands tenderized Amethyst’s feet, and she lost herself in the sensation. The pain felt good. As her muscles and tendons relaxed, the pain in her feet evaporated. The experience was over much too soon for Amethyst as Stochastís, followed still by Prátton and Arketá, appeared from the dark corridors.

  Amethyst cleared her throat and Tenya let go of her foot. “How did it go?” She asked.

  “A few hours, and ignore any noise, even pleading if such a thing occurs.” Prátton answered for Stochastís.

  “Hmm,” Amethyst hummed.

  Stochastís took a seat near Amethyst, his head planted in his hands.

  “Well, at least there is something to be done.” Amethyst comforted.

  Stochastís looked at Amethyst and smiled. Then let his head fall back into his hands. About an hour later, Amethyst could hear the groans of Sofía cascading through the halls. She sounded miserable. As the hours passed, so to did the moaning and crying that came from the deepest temple chamber. The crying turned into screams and Stochastís rose to aid her. Prátton, Wa Chini, and Garba held him in place as the screams intensified.

  Stochastís was pleading to his brother and the cats. “Please! I have to help her! I have got to show her she is not alone at least!”

  Prátton held tightly onto the fighting Stochastís. “Keep your promise!”

  After a while, the screams calmed down back into groans, then quieted all together until there was nothing but silence. Stochastís had folded onto the ground and cried. Amethyst’s heart ached, a deeper ache than her feet could ever feel. She remained watching as Prátton and Arketá sat by his side to comfort him.

  It wasn’t just the sorrow she had for Stochastís and Sofía’s plight. The echoing screams had reminded her of The Sewers. That haunting place still trapped her, even though she had left it behind. Her nightmares kept her prisoner in the night, reminding her that although she left, that place was still hungry for her return.

  Tenya had placed her arm around Amethyst and soothed her. Saying things like “You are right here with me,” and “I’d never let you go back.” Her calming words meant a great deal to Amethyst, but they couldn’t restrict the feelings of her anxiety, nor the flash backs of her suffering. But it helped, at least enough to keep her rational and calm as the silence settled in.

  Amethyst heard footsteps from the darkness. Amethyst looked up to see the yellow orbs of Sofía’s eyes progressing towards the light of the foyer. Her olive skin shimmered, as if covered in a thin layer of scales. Green hair, the color of what her scales had looked like, laid in thick curls atop her head. Wriggling between her curls, snakes bobbed up and down with each step she took.

  Her naked form was like polished marble. Smooth, flawless skin, supported with a figure like that was like an hourglass. Her arms were not so delicate as Amethyst’s. There was a definition like Tenya’s. And her legs were like the trunks of trees. Her muscles flexed with each step. She did not try to hide her body as her face came into view. Her eyebrows curved downward and her lips were flush and full. Her angular features mixed with the slight smile and the bold posture she held mimicked that of a predator.

  She stuck her hand out. “May I borrow some clothes? I fear I left my last outfit behind when I fled. The snakes atop her head pointed towards Stochastís as she spoke. They were hissing, and their mouths moved rhythmically.

  Amethyst’s throat itched and the inside of her mouth burned as she wrestled with the rune’s torture. Then she understood the snake’s disorienting language. They were the thoughts, or maybe desires, of Sofía now translating into Amethyst’s mind. “I do apologize, Stochastís. I told you I would be different. This was not how I desired you to see me. Now you must view my wretched form.” Sofía’s thoughts were erratic, and the snakes devolved into nonsense, causing the itching and burning to return with a bite.

  Amethyst glanced at Stochastís, who had a look of awe, but his expression told her all she needed to hear. He was smitten beyond any question. Her throat clenched and she could remain no longer. She hurried out the front door and threw up just past the threshold. _Great_. Amethyst thought. _Now she thinks I hate her._

  Tenya was by her side in an instant, helping to hold her hair out of the way. “What the hell?” She asked concernedly.

  Amethyst’s throat was parched and stinging. “It’s the rune, translating the snake’s speech.” She threw up once more.

  Stochastís and the other boys stepped out to see Amethyst while Arketá and Sofía remained inside. Stochastís had a look of shock on his face as he approached Amethyst. He placed his hand on her back and knelt down to look her in the eye. “What’s wrong?”

  Amethyst tried to answer, but another tickle in her throat caused her to gag and throw up again.

  Tenya spoke too fast and mixed Asharan and Hypirian. “It’s the rune, translating those steaks! I mean shrieks! You know what I mean.”

  Stochastís sighed. He rubbed Amethyst’s back in slow, small circles. “Okay, well we will have to do something about that rune then, won’t we?”

  Amethyst wiped her face with a cloth. She stepped further from the entrance. Tenya and Stochastís followed her, and Garba and Wa Chini remained behind. Amethyst leaned against an obelisk’s base. her stomach dropped, and she felt a deep chill run through her. She looked up into the sky as the sound of beating wings caught the other’s attention. There was the screaming of a man, but what she saw was not a man, but Skotóno, the Manticore heading straight for her, Tenya, and Stochastís.

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