840 felt like he was intruding on something he hadn’t been meant to see.
“I hear you’ve come to your senses, 840.”
He bowed his head in respect. “That’s correct. I should never have doubted our Lord.”
“Very good, 840. And you are willing to be our sacrifice tonight?”
He swallowed. It was getting dark already. How long did he have?
“I am.”
Elder Pios smiled. “I’m proud of you, 840. I’m relieved you saw reason.”
He’d felt strong travelling with Doran, Naavah Ora, and Ash. Faced now with Elder Pios he felt every bit like the young boy who was first brought to this village. Vulnerable. Exposed.
A strong warrior. They’d cut him. Not a weak child. They’d bled him, over and over again.
He needed to ask for Doran’s freedom now, while he still could. He had lost his voice in their presence before. He couldn’t lose it now. Not until Doran was allowed to walk away from all this.
“I knew you’d be a warrior worthy of being sacrificed one day. Some of the others doubted my decision, but I knew it had to be you.”
That didn’t sound right. “What do you mean?” Elder Pios made it sound like they’d chosen him, but it had been coincidence. If his parents hadn’t been robbed and found by the kind merchant, they’d never have found this village.
“The accident, of course.” The casual smile in the Elder’s voice made Levi’s blood run cold.
“The accident?”
Elder Pios chuckled. “Of course. The robbery of your parents. The merchant we sent to offer you a ride.”
The part inside 840 he hadn’t yet buried exploded. “You sent them. The merchant, the man who attacked us.”
“Of course we did, boy! Our Lord demanded a male sacrifice. You and your parents were nearby on the same day. It was a sign from our Lord. It had to be you. No other child would have satisfied him.”
He didn’t want to know, but he had to. “My parents?”
“Sacrificed that same night. Our Lord had to taste you through their blood. This is why you’re bound to him.”
His vision darkened. There was no home to return to. His parents weren’t waiting for him in Hjeva.
“You can understand now why our actions were necessary. You are finally the warrior we need. It seems your journey into the world has allowed you to grow in ways we never—”
Levi leapt over the desk. Grabbed the knife as he jumped. He’d be a warrior. Blood would be spilt. But he’d never be theirs, and it wouldn’t be his.
Elder Pios jumped out of his seat, but he wasn’t fast enough. Levi fell right into him, forcing him onto the ground. With Elder Pios pinned against the wooden floor, Levi cut his throat. And stabbed him.
How had he ever believed that being sacrificed here, by these maniacs or anyone, was the right thing to do? Stab. Doran had shown him a better world; a world where he could go where he wanted, be what he wanted. Stab. Even himself. Hot blood spraying his skin, soaking his clothes. Strong, sweet iron.
Elder Pios would never have set Doran free. One week ago, Levi had known that. One hour here had convinced him otherwise.
He needed to find Doran and get out.
Levi walked around the desk to the door, leaving bloody footprints as he went. His eyes fell on a large oaken chest in the corner. It didn’t open, so Levi used the Elder’s knife to break the lock. There were all kinds of things inside—silks, plates, even coins in foreign currencies. On top of all those things were his knives, and Doran’s. He strapped his belt around his waist, sheathed his daggers, and gave them a small caress in appreciation. It felt good to have them by his side again.
He secured Doran’s knife next to his and left the room. He needed to buy time; if one of the other Elders found Pios bleeding out behind his desk, they’d all search for Levi at once. He had to get to Doran before that happened.
His eyes met the girl’s. She stared back at him. Her eyes widened in shock at the sight of the blood on his face. On his clothes. Under his feet.
Levi couldn’t allow her to scream and alert everyone else. He also couldn’t kill her.
“Get out of here. If you walk around the building and run, you’ll make it.”
She nodded and turned to the door when Levi thought of something better. “Wait! There’s a prisoner here. Do you know where they’ve taken him?”
She clutched the hem of her dress until her knuckles were white.
“It’s okay. I won’t hurt him. I want to help him.”
She hesitated, shuffled her feet. Looked him up and down. Looked to the door behind him and back to the blood.
“He’s two doors down from your chamber.”
Levi swore under his breath. If the initiates and Elders in the courtyard saw him walk back alone, they’d know that something was wrong.
“Can you take me back?”
“You said I could go.”
“You can, too, but if I go alone I won’t be able to save my friend. They won’t question us if you take me back. I need your help.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
Levi was grateful that she was new. An older sacrifice wouldn’t have agreed and would have known something was wrong. The other Elders outside wouldn’t think twice about the blood covering him. Levi himself had expected to be bled to be taught a lesson. They would expect the same thing.
That gave him an idea.
Levi took off his shirt, tied it around his waist to hide the daggers, and set the knife to his chest. He’d never cut himself, but he had no choice. The others couldn’t doubt what had happened in the office. They wouldn’t question the blood, but they would question a lack of wounds.
He slashed across his chest three times and once across his cheek. It burnt. Had it always burnt? Had he been too indoctrinated to notice?
“I’m ready. It’ll be fine, I promise.”
The girl nodded. When he’d cut himself, she flinched but hadn’t questioned it. She’d been here long enough to know what the Elders considered normal.
He smiled, adrenaline consuming him.
Just this once, Levi would save Doran.
I’m sorry I took your life for myself, Naavah Ora.
Chapter 68
Doran
Doran sat with his legs spread out before him and his eyes shut when the hurried footsteps approached. He’d forced himself into an upright position as soon as the Elder had left, and leaned against the wall farthest from the door. It gave him the best view of the room and whoever would be send to collect him. There was nowhere to hide, and his hands were still bound. This was his only advantage.
He had waited.
He had listened.
He wasn’t prepared when someone finally came to his door.
There was nothing he could do. If someone younger or much older than him came to take him to the sacrificial altar, then he might be able to overpower them by sheer force alone. If he knocked them out, he could take their blade, if he was lucky enough for them to carry one, and attempt to get out of his binds. If he got that far he’d find Ginger, and then they’d escape. Doran wouldn’t leave without him. He refused to believe this was what Levi wanted; that Levi had led them back here on purpose. They had only been in the area because of Naavah Ora. Levi had nothing to do with it.