Chapter 12
The sound of the door latch opening echoed off of the smooth walls of Sheila's cell. The door swung into the room quietly and no one entered.
Sheila sat up, lifting Samar's arm off of her, trying not to wake him.
He didn't move; He was pale. She realized with dismay he was dead. Not depleted,just dead.
Poor little lamb.
She pulled the heavy blanket over his head. His fate had not been in her hands it seemed. He was born to serve as nourishment and nothing more.
She dressed in the clothes he would no longer need and walked near the door to investigate. It stood wide open and there was no one nearby in the hallway. It was as quiet as a tomb.
A voice in her head said,
You have friends, consort.
The voice was gone as quickly as it came.
She peeked through the door down the hall and could see a hooded figure motioning to her near the end of the hallway. He stood near an open door. It appeared she did have friends she hadn't been aware of. She hurried toward the robed figure.
"Quickly," Joshua's disguised voice said.
Sheila froze, stunned. Joshua had stood in the council disavowing any part of Ishtar and Sheila's treachery then had walked away as if he could care less, yet here he was helping her.
"I'll explain when we are safe," he said, gripping her arm.
After hurriedly pushing her through the door, he rushed past her at a worried pace. They turned through such a maze of corridors Sheila had no idea where they were. They traveled quietly through the dark passages for many minutes.
"Why are you helping me?" Sheila whispered. "They'll kill you, Joshua," she said while following him.
"Ishtar has friends on the crested seven. They are doing all they can without exposing themselves. I am Loreli' s protector. I protect and assist one of those who is a friend of Ishtar."
He considered his words and corrected himself while wearing a sad expression. "Was Ishtar's friend."
"What have they done with Ishtar's body?" Sheila asked sadly.
"It's gone from here. Don't concern yourself with Hunic business. It is at great risk we free you. It was a promise made to Ishtar that secured your release. Your freedom comes with great price, Priestess."
"It cost Ishtar her life," she said quietly. Ishtar had saved her even knowing that she herself would die. The love of her goddess was never more apparent than it was now.
"Who will be blamed for my escape?"
Joshua didn't answer her. He kept guiding her along.
"Stop talking," he said finally, angrily.
Sheila concentrated on getting away. She wanted as far as she could get from these demented assholes. They were treating the human race as cattle, and the worst part of it was no one knew. What kind of people manipulated a race just to feed on them? It was cruel. If she got away from here, she would make them pay for Ishtar. Someday, they would even pay for the Samars. They would pay for everything. No wonder Ishtar wanted to go back to the old ways. At least then you knew where you stood, you benefitted from it.
The passage they walked in began to climb at an angle upward. Were they underground? They must be, she thought. She could smell fresh air; she craved the fresh air.
Joshua placed his hand on the wall and uttered one of the words Ishtar had used in her temple to do the same, and a thick panel released and slid to the side with the sound of a seal releasing pressure.
Fresh air rushed into the open hole in a heavy gust, Spots of rain spattered the walls here and there. Thunder clapped loudly over head, and lighting flashed in bright aerial displays. It was storming outside.
Joshua stepped back to allow her to walk past him. She couldn't help but feel compassion for Joshua. He had ripped her from a life of walking death she had tried to end, and now he saved her life once more. Always her hero.
"Thank you, Joshua," she said as she exited the stone prison. She breathed deep the air, recharging her soul, and stepped from the passageway. The rain felt good on her skin.
"Stop," he said.
Joshua stood facing her inside the open wall of a large section of scattered ruins.
Sheila turned to face him.
He pushed a small item into her hand and stood motionless.
He backed away from her a few steps and removed the mask from his face and asked, "May I have a kiss?"
Sheila closed the gap between them, anxious to finally meet Joshua. As the lightning illuminated his face, he stared back at her through eyes she had long ago believed didn't care for her. She couldn't speak. She simply stared into his eyes, the eyes of her two-time savior.
Her husband, James.
"How about that kiss, James said smiling.
Sheila embraced James. She hugged him passionately and asked, "How long?" She could hardly breathe.
"I've been in the service of Loreli for over four years," he explained. "As a member of her personal guard I have no sex organs, but I will Live forever. It seemed a fair trade when I accepted it." James shrugged and offered her that boyish smile she had fallen in love with.
"How could I have explained, Sheila? Could you explain any of this to an outsider?"
"I understand," Sheila said hugging him tightly.
They shared a kiss. A long, soft, and passionate kiss, not knowing if it was their last, but accepting the present world as it was.
"I'm sorry," he whispered
"Don't be." Her expression became troubled. "Will they blame you?" She looked into his eyes.
"You let me sweat the small stuff." James smiled. "My benefactor is very powerful, and has many friends, as did yours. I'll be fine, my angel."
He hadn't called her that for years. She now realized he had attempted to save her by keeping her separated from the den of monsters until he could position her with a powerful benefactor herself. She loved him for all he had done, especially the things she hadn't even been aware of.
She touched his face lovingly. "Will I ever see you again?"
"I've no doubt, someday, we will meet again," he said, backing into the opening. The wall slid back to form a seamless structure in the ruins, and he was gone.
"I hope so," she whispered.
She looked down into her hand, Lying in her palm was the golden crescent moon Ishtar had given her. She held it tightly, feeling sad upon realizing there was no Ishtar to travel to. Her goddess was gone. Her world was truly in shambles. The only thing driving her was her desire to make these monsters pay. She would get even. that is what she lived for; it was what she would die for if necessary.
Sheila closed her eyes, tightly gripping her tiny gift, and shimmered out of existence.
* * *
Joshua picked up one of the prods, the tip glowed golden yellow. He moved toward a man strapped to an X-shaped cross.
Joshua had a determined expression.
"You can save yourself a great deal of pain Marius, if you simply admit you helped the half-breed escape," Joshua said to him calmly. "You are the only one who could have done it."
Loreli looked on with distaste, but the other Hunics watched with great interest. Joshua placed the searing hot iron against Marius' skin. The stench of burned flesh filled the air and mingled with Marius's cries of anguish. A sickening sizzling sound hissed off the tip of the prod.
Marius's energies glowed as they were absorbed by the stone cross. Small amounts of his energies bleeding from him in golden tendrils, slowly, painfully.
With each touch of the strange looking staff-like prod, Marius looked older, more drained, yet determined.
Joshua had refused when first approached by Marius with this plan, but in the end, realized it was the Only way that the small number of Hunics they served could break away from what had now become a nest of vipers.
An expression of defiance was fixed proudly on Marius's face, he pulled a ragged breath and smiled. "In the vernacular of this day, Joshua, go fuck yourself," he managed past weary lips.
Good for you, Marius, Joshua thought, smiling inside. Stay strong to the end, my friend. His thoughts were safe, his goddess protected him and he would protect her with his life if necessary.
Joshua's heart ached with each instance of pain he caused his friend Marius.
"Just tell us where you sent the cast-down half-breed, Marius, and I will stop."
But, Joshua knew that wasn't going to happen. There would be no stopping.
Marius looked back into Joshua's face. There was no fear in his eyes. There was no hatred there, only sheer determination.
He would play his part. He would give his final service. Ishtar had given him many hundreds of glorious years. He could now pay that debt; would gladly pay that debt.
"What point is there in lengthening your pain," Joshua reasoned with his friend. "Simply tell us what we need to know and this will end."
Another arcing glow of energy was stripped from Marius body as Joshua touched the glowing yellow tip to his stomach.
Marius shrieked in pain, eyes wide. After the energy was stolen from him, he slouched on the cross unable to now muster the energy to stand.
Loreli, Marius's new goddess, stood. She walked slowly over to Marius, lifted his slumped head and looked into his eyes.
"We will learn where they have gone, Marius," she said cruelly. "One way or another." But in her thoughts she comforted his spirit, thanking him for his service to the few who would live due to his sacrifice, and promised his life would not end in vain.
Please, goddess,
Marius asked her mentally,
watch over them.
I vow to you this will be done.
