Freedom From Blood Longing and Lust

Chapter 3

I wake under a heap of blankets on the familiar cold stone floor of my family's little house, and by house I mean a two bedroom space carved into the wall of the canyon and identical to the other twenty-nine just like it. It was the heat of the fire becoming too warm against my face that woke me. I flex my fingers and then my toes, all fine thank goodness!

"Jadis?" I hear my older sister say hesitantly.

"Hi." I murmur, sitting up to see her sitting on the stone bench beneath our one tiny window sewing as usual. She smiles, hurries to the teapot that's nearly overhead, then kneels to help me stand.

"Come drink, you must be very thirsty."

"Where is he?" I whisper.

She frowns, "Whom?"

"The man who rescued me," I blink several times. "Didn't you see him when he brought me here?"

She shakes her head hard enough to make her thick brown braid swing. "Of all places Zavier found you on Our Lord Salvatore's doorstep nearly frozen." She smiles.

"It wasn't him who saved me from that Lordish blizzard. Ouch!" The tea was hotter than I had expected. I sit down in a chair by the fireplace. "No Zavier left me after..." My eyes flick to hers. Should I tell her about his offer?

There is envy in her eyes, she already knows. "Congratulations by the way. Though it is a bit scandalous."

My eyes narrow. "Stop." I growl before she can continue. She blinks at my unexpected sharpness, I sigh. It isn't her fault he's as daft as a rock. "Sorry." I stare into my sage tea, bits of the plant swirl around. "Do you really think I could say yes?"

"I told you it couldn't be true," Jemmy states sounding smug in her quiet way. I glance at her, my younger sister sits at the table sewing something. Geez all they do is sew! What could they possibly be making now? Her golden hair hangs loose over her slightly snug dress. It was one of mine, but she is curvier than me. It makes me a little envious.

"Why would he say it then?" Alex asks with concern.

I sigh, "He asked me earlier today. When we got back to the barns, I told him no. How dare he try and force me by telling you. I swear I'll stab him next time I see him." I growl.

"No violence, it's unbecoming." Alex scolds ever the mother figure. "Jadis perhaps you should think about accepting his offer, it may be-."

"Ha! I how many times must I tell you there is someone out there waiting for me?"

Jemmy laughs, "And this stranger, it's him?"

My glare meets her steady amused gaze. Sometimes she sees too much and speaks even freer than me. "I don't even know what he looks like." I snap. "BUT I AM going to find out. I think he's one of the three strangers I saw earlier today. This also proves that there is civilized life outside of Sutle."

Alex frowns and glances at Jemmy.

"What?"

"No one has arrived, well no one new. Some of the Runners returned. Hence the sewing."

I actually look to see what they are working on, all black clothing, oh. "No one else?" I'm confused, "It still couldn't have been Zavier, he wouldn't have come back for me with the snow being so thick."

"It's still that way." Jemmy groans. "He also stated he found you in front of Lord Salvatore's tower." She reminds us.

My stomach growls, "Does that mean we aren't going to the dining hall?" I ask disappointed.

"Actually everyone is staying in either the dining hall or temple tonight. We thought you'd be more comfortable here." I roll my eyes. Sure I don't want to be around one hundred and fifty people but I'm hungry enough to endure it.

"She just wants to see Zavier," Jemmy gives me an evil grin.

I throw a blanket at her. "Is there at least food here?" I ask hopefully. Jemmy looks at Alex guiltily. "You ate everything you brought down?"

Alex scoffs, "No of course not, there's soup. I'll heat you up the rest." She busys herself with the small pot. Unfortunately it takes hardly any time at all to heat up, she hands me the clay bowl within minutes.

I groan, at the taste of the soup and the idea of going anywhere near the Temple. "I won't be going to the Temple." I say firmly. My mind plays out different terrible scenarios, like Lord forcing me to bow before them or something dreadful. For years now I've avoided worship, something isn't right with Lord preaching that Sutle's way is the only way of life. As I eat the bland soup the only solid idea I can think of is waiting outside near the stairs far away from the Temple, or sneaking into where ever they are staying. I know they weren't my imagination, someone else must have seen them as well. I set the soup down half finished and lean back into the stone bench. "If there were to be someone new in town, where do you think they'd be?" I might not need to go anywhere near the horrid Temple.

"Hmm, I still don't think there is anyone. But I'd guess they would be with Our Lord Salvatore," Alex says.

"That would make sense," I say, "So we'll sneak in and find out!" A plan already began to form in my mind.

"No, you won't. If you're going up there, you are getting dinner then coming back down to the house. You will not embarrass me Jadis Malean." Alex says sternly. "Jemmy, lets go get our warmer clothes on, you know she'll bolt out the door the moment the soup is gone. I also don't think we want Zavier black and blue from Jadis' temper if she finds him without us."

Jemmy laughs and I just grin, then continue sipping the soup. I've never had such a reaction to anyone like with the stranger! I don't even like that I'm thinking about going near Lord's Tower to see him. What will I even say to him? That's actually easy, thank you of course. Zavier should be around there as well, and I do plan on knocking him on his butt! Finishing my soup I push the blankets away and jump up to set my bowl in the basin. Walking the few steps to the doorway to the bedroom I join Jemmy in our shared room. It's always cold, all but Lord's Tower are carved into the side of the canyon. Even our beds were carved from the stone.

From my trunk at the end of my bed I pull out one of my thickest dresses. I don't think I'm sick from almost freezing to death but I'm not taking any chances.

"Jemmy?"

"Hmm?" She replies as she laces her rough wool coat.

I keep my eyes down on the blankets of my bed. "Have you caught sight of the strangers?"

"Mhm. They aren't strangers though, they are the Gods."

I glance up at her. She's giving me that shy smile she's known for. "You lied to Alex?" I demand.

"I have seen the Gods enter the Temple and Lord Salvatore's Tower, but the hoods of their cloaks were up." She shrugs, "I guess I haven't really seen them. Therefore you can't rat me out for lying!"

I roll my eyes, more important things are happening than getting her into trouble. "Did you hear them talk? Do they sound familiar?"

"How could someone- no not someone, the gods. How could we have even met them? And no they've never spoken around me." Her expression stays flat, telling me that she's lying or as she says, 'withholding information'.

"Jemmy, we, at least you and I are fully aware that there are no such things as gods. Maybe just a different type of being."

Jemmy rolls her eyes, "my point still stands. I have been working in the dining hall for days and you've been in the barn. When could we have met them?"

"Before! Not in this horrible little town but before we were here."

She shrugs, "I was too young."

I press my fingers to my temples. "Let's go already! Zavier needs to know where he stands." I pause, and look at Jemmy, "I also don't want the stranger to think I'm taken. That's absurd isn't it?"