City of the Dead

Chapter 6

It's a man's frightened screams this time that fills the once silent halls and wakes me out of my fragile sleep. This is the sixth time this month that this has happened. I haven't gotten much sleep and it's not just the screams keeping me awake. Sometimes I stay awake thinking if my life is worse or better, if I am as lucky as I think I am. Sometimes I get horrible nightmares. All the memories of the dead and their tragic deaths haunt me constantly. Mostly it's the constant begs, pleads, and screams of Delphine's growing number of victims replaying in my mind.

I loudly groan and cover my face with a pillow to try and block out the noise that will, unfortunately, stop soon. As if it isn't hard enough for me to get some sleep here with the major change in my sleep schedule. I have to constantly remind myself that day is night and night is day. Now I have to deal with this. It's maddening. Every few nights, or well every few mornings I hear them. I can't complain too much though. I'm one of the lucky ones. I am reminded of that every day. It makes me somewhat glad that whatever mad God Delphine serves saw some use for me. It means that I get to live.

A sudden rough knock on the door startles me out of my thoughts.

"Yes?" I groan.

"You have a lesson in the library with Mistress Delphine in an hour." Lancel's muffled voice says through the door.

I sigh and sit up in bed. Another exhausting day, another headache for me. "I'll be right there." I say.

"Alright. Just make sure you're on time today. You know that she does not like to be kept waiting."

Other than killing innocent people Delphine's recent obsession is turning me into her. I spend most of my days studying while Delphine watches over me constantly. Incantations, herbalism, the ingantem language, the elements, and the history of magic. These are a few of the many things that I must cram into my head during my lessons. I'm not the best student either which makes things even harder.

Well, I better get going unless I want to hear another hour-long lecture on the gift and importance of time. I quickly get washed and pick out a red shirt and loose pants from the closet. It disturbs me a little that each piece of clothing has that dreadful symbol of Nox stitched on it. It's another cruel reminder of who is in control, who owns everything. Delphine may have marked me as well but she does not own me. I won't let her.

After getting dressed I go into the hall where Lancel stands waiting for me. I can't help but frown when I see him. One minute he acts like he's sorry for me and the next he's Delphine's obedient dog. I can't trust him at all. I don't bother to stop for Lancel, I ignore him and continue to head down the hall. I repress the urge to roll my eyes when I hear his quickened footsteps following behind me.

"Good morning." He says

"Sure you keep thinking that. You and Delphine might think it's a good morning but I know me and about thirty other people whose morning is not so great.

"Still feeling bitter, are we? Fine act like a grump, see if I care."

"To be honest, I don't." I say bluntly." I don't know why the people in this sick city want me to be content with captivity. As long as I am stuck here I can be as bitter as I want. And I don't need a babysitter either." I say briefly turning to frown at him again.

"I'm just making sure that you get there safely. Delphine would never forgive me if anything happened to her precious pet." Lancel rudely remarks. "For some reason, everything that goes wrong here is my fault."

"You know you're failing to improve my mood, and if anyone is the pet it's you. You follow Delphine around all day and you'll do whatever she says without question because you're no more than a beaten-down dog."