Star Blood |✔|

7| EYES

Eyes. 

They watched Jonaus and I as we descended out of the carriage.

I heard the soft hisses from unseen watchers as I left the protective barrier offered by it.

Jonaus, true to his words, growled into the air, releasing a soft threat to any who heard. I looked at him in curiosity. In this moment as he bared his teeth and flashed his red eyes, I had no doubt that there was darkness within his soul.

An unknown wave of sadness washed over me, and I felt a strange sensation to lay my hands upon him- hoping against all hope that his soul would blossom forth like the transformation of the pure white flower I had done in the carriage.

Instead, my attention was diverted to the carriage driver.

He sat upon the top, his skin clammy and shivering, eyes flashing red, and then back to his normal brown.

I approached him silently and placed my hands upon his leg.

His shivering immediately stopped as he looked down at me with wonder in his eyes.

"Delleseb," I said softly, speaking the ancient language of the Mother. The man's color returned to him and he nodded down to me, "Thank you Arishia."

"Please return back to the place where I came from. They will help you."

His eyes widened. He cast a fearful glance at Jonaus before quickly moving the carriage on.

I whispered a few words of blessings for the man and his journey before turning back to Jonaus.

"He already knows," he said, sadness clear in his voice.

The King.

I nodded to him. I was no fool. Of course, the King of Darkness would have felt the blessing of the Mother's light so close to him.

"Come," Jonaus said, leading me through the doors, "you are the last to arrive."

We walked silently down the dark hallways. All wore different shades of dark colors. Some black, some deep reds.

It was in its own way beautiful. 

Jonaus's and my own hair contrasted greatly against it, proving even more that we did not belong here.

Every time we passed a guard, Jonaus's eyes would flash. There was a battle between him and those that stared me down. However, Jonaus always seemed to win. It made me silently wonder how high in favor with the King, Jonaus actually was.

I heard them before I saw them.

The crying and loud sobbing.

We turned the corner and there they were. The other girls from the reaping.

The loud sobbing died down into quiet hiccups as they took in my presence. I quickly counted.

18 girls. One was already gone.

"Are you...Arishia?"

A girl approached me, shaking in fear. I looked down and smiled calmly, trying to ease her fear.

"I am, child." Some gasped at the recognition of my title, while others stared on in confusion.

The girl who had spoken to me immediately got down and bowed her head, "Arishia...it is an honor."

I placed my hand upon her head. She gasped at the contact, no doubt overwhelmed by the Mother's light that flowed through her.

Some of the girls were caked in the red dirt that I had seen in my travels. Others had a fine layer on. And there were a handful, like the girl who had recognized me and bowed and two others- who were clean of all grime.

Jonaus stepped forward then. The girl who bowed to me gasped again, no doubt confused and appalled that someone who was moon blessed had given their soul over to darkness.

"Ladies the King awaits. You have been chosen as candidates for the King's reaping. The goal is simple," we all looked at Jonaus with sad, understanding eyes. All girls knew the goal of the King's reaping.

"Survive here for the next five years and if you succeed you will be made Queen. The Selection begins," he opened the door, perhaps for dramatic effect after having made these speeches so many times, "Now."