19 Into the Sewer

AIYANA’S LEFT HAND touched a damp wall, her gold ring scraping against stone. Cathya was ahead, leading the way. The darkness tried to smother the light and despite the glow of the torch, she saw little. Whatever they’d drugged her with was wearing off. The stairwell descended into a deep blackness as though they descended to meet the Grim. A clanking echo followed her beneath the church, though she had no idea what made the sound. Her Darken had secrets it seemed. Yes, a long talk was overdue.

Wet stone and moss beneath her fingertips. Something slithered across her hand and she withdrew it. As she felt the captain’s boots touch level ground, she got a whiff of a sweet odour, mingled with damp, and felt rather than saw an opening on either side. The sound of water echoed off the walls. I’m as helpless as a babe, she realised. What if an enemy had drugged her? Then again, she would never have allowed an enemy that close. It was because she had trusted the woman. It galled. That she still trusted the infuriating woman made it worse.

Perhaps she has a point though. The thought rankled worse again, and though she’d never admit it aloud, she couldn’t ignore it. Still, it felt as though she was escaping, saving her own skin. Then again, how could she stop a horde of Nephilim? If her sister returned with her legions, it might not prove enough. I can at least die with my people.

Through the winding sewers, they trudged for what felt like hours without stopping. Eventually, they halted for a rest and Turol eased her off his back. She leaned against the catacomb wall and slid into a crouch. Her legs and arms ached, each muscle in her body screaming, but at least feeling had returned.

Cathya mounted the torch on an old bronze bracket in the sewer wall and then knelt, touching her shoulder.

Aiyana was no longer angry. She should’ve seen it coming after all. Cathya had always taken Aiyana’s welfare to be above all else. The woman would’ve left a trail of bodies across the city if she’d believed it necessary. That she hadn’t tried to kill Liviana was a wonder. The woman was too well guarded she supposed.

‘I saw him,’ Aiyana said, her voice stronger, ‘in my dreams.’ Her Darken knew of her ability, though she decided not to bring up Liviana’s involvement. ‘Gog of Magog, he’s coming.’

‘I suppose you should hear this from me,’ said Cathya. ‘There are those I have contact with who are with your brother right now. They are getting him to safety.’

Aiyana froze, staring at her in disbelief. ‘Liviana, she’s brought Gog here for him, hasn’t she?’ Why else, move her brother. Maybe she’d always known, but terror gripped her heart when she thought of him. ‘What does Threadfin have to do with anything? He no longer has any claim to the throne. He’s not a threat.’

‘She wants both of you, I guess. You will both be safe soon; I promise you that much.’

‘To what end?’

‘Your survival of course.’

‘There’s a connection between Liviana and the giants, though I can’t figure out what it is. Why would a Nephilim prince do her bidding?’ She thought she might know the answer. She’d been trying to find out more before her father’s death.

‘That is why it is imperative I get you to safety.’ There was an odd note in Cathya’s voice, as though she wasn’t saying all she wanted to.

‘Running away like this isn’t the answer.’ She caught that slight flicker in her Darken’s eyes again. ‘Cath, what is happening?’

‘We need to keep moving,’ said Turol, who was deeper into the tunnel. ‘It may not be long before they begin a search underground.’ He looked up at the vaulted brick ceiling as though expecting to hear boots thumping overhead.

Cathya nodded with impatience before speaking to Aiyana again. ‘You cannot save these people. That power isn’t yours. If you go back up there and die among them, what will that achieve? She may not have found you, but that’s why she will bring a wrath of destruction. The Nephilim are her own private army now. We must get you away fast. She could use you to get to your brother. I do not intend to let her.’

Aiyana studied her. The other woman’s face was half in shadow. The captain’s torchlight silhouetted her, as it threw shadows across the brick walls of the tunnel. ‘Where is there to run to?’

‘Let’s be getting you up,’ grunted Turol, as he stalked back towards them. He grabbed hold of Aiyana, hauling her to her feet.

‘Take your paws off me, dung brain.’

Turol obeyed with a look of surprise, and hurt. Why should he feel hurt? They had abducted her. ‘It is my job to protect you,’ he sputtered. ‘We cannot afford to stop. If I must, I will carry you by force, but I would prefer if you cooperated.’

‘I dare you,’ Aiyana snapped, feeling a knot of anger deep in her gut, like a lump of ice with sharp edges. She felt nauseated, unable to forget her dreams as her enemies sought to break her mind. She feared to sleep, feared losing herself in that other world of dreams, or perhaps falling into a crack between. The horrid taste in her mouth wasn’t helping.

Cathya stepped between them. ‘Let her be. She needs rest. We all do.’

‘We can stop for five minutes longer but that’s all. What good will rest do if they catch us?’

‘Without rest,’ Cathya countered, ‘we will not be able to keep going, and they will catch us anyway. You are strong, Turol, but even you cannot carry her on your back that far. We’ve a long way to go.’

‘Liviana knows about us now. She knows who we are.’

‘What does he mean?’ asked Aiyana.

Cathya glanced at her. ‘Nothing, it’s just a figure of speech.’

‘Five minutes,’ Turol growled, face turned to stone perhaps at the suggestion he couldn’t handle it. Men were proud and foolish at times, but soldiers were the worst.

Aiyana lowered herself against the wall again. ‘It will be enough. I can walk, I think. My legs feel funny, but they feel. No thanks to either of you by the way.’ So, she has secrets of her own then, and I thought we shared everything. She grimaced, feeling a pang of guilt. Well, perhaps not everything.

‘Right,’ said Cathya, who at least had the grace to look ashamed. ‘Well, sorry about that. But you wouldn’t listen to reason.’

I must get away from them, she decided. She knew that a doom was approaching her people, and that Liviana Avitus was its cause. No, she couldn’t stop the Nephilim, but Liviana herself was a different matter.

She owed it to folks like Misla and Toads, her brother, her friends, but most of all she owed it to her people. She needed one opportunity, but it would have to wait until they were above ground. Perhaps while they slept? She would need to be cooperative, or they might drug her again. Likely, they would follow her when she ran, but that couldn’t be helped. She was imperatrix in all but name, and she had a duty.

‘Time to get moving again,’ said Turol beside her and Aiyana jumped. Lost in thought she’d not noticed his approach. Was that five minutes? ‘A few hours and we will be well beyond the walls, and perhaps then you can sleep.’

‘Yes, of course,’ she said, as Cathya helped her to her feet. If she never slept again, it would be a boon. Leaning on her Darken for support, she hobbled on after the captain.

Lull them into thinking she was beaten, and then when the right moment came ... and whatever came after that, well, she would figure it out.