A Priestess for the Blind God (Legends of Rahasia Book 1)

Chapter Eighty

"Kane's arse, what has you out and about then, witch? I put you in chains!"

Kane's arse?

I happen to like his arse.

Now these curse words are just getting ridiculous.

I rub my hand at the blood dripping beneath my nose, probably just making the mess worse. Still shivering in my thin, black robe, I nod to my chains. "You thought these could hold me back?"

The cruel prison guard stares in horror as I bite back a scream, breaking my wrists to wriggle them out of the cuffs. Acting quickly before any permanent damage sets, I tug the silver threads of life in my own body. My broken bones' healing process accelerates, but my Divine energy drains as more blood dribbles down my face. I wriggle my fingers, testing for damage. They feel fine.

My head, on the other hand, is about to burst.

Not yet.

Not before I destroy him.

Despite the pain, I smile.

"Damn, you really are a witch." The prison guard stumbles back, hands set pleadingly in front of him, crouching near the ground. "Elder protect me, protect me from this evil!"

"You threw me to the bottom of the Pit. I broke my back down there before my god healed me. I couldn't defend myself from those vile creatures you had writhing around in that hole."

I walk slowly towards him, my bloody chains sliding to the ground, falling with an echoing clank. I press one finger beneath the man's bearded chin, tilting his soulless, nasty face upwards to face me. "You would've let me die down there, but not even a quick death. I'd have to suffer first. Why? Because I'm a woman? You would've had me suffer. You call yourself a man?"

"You're a traitor to the Empire." He hisses at me, scrambling back. "Scum. A curse!"

I step forwards. He retreats. Like water crashing into a riverbank, power rectified.

"You call Kane a traitor. My god is a traitor to you." I lean in close, he's shivering now beneath my gaze. I press my lips to the oily skin beneath his ear, a lover's mocking kiss. "But Kane's a better man than you could ever be. Gods, compared to you, I am too. You wretch."

I pull the silver thread inside of him, snapping my fingers shut quickly.

His body convulses, his hands scrabbling weakly at his heart.

I twist, and he falls. Like a marionette, strings all cut.

I rub my wrists, staunching my bloody nose with my robe. I work quickly, pulling the prison guard's thicker cloak over my trembling shoulders. I shuffle through the back rooms, too exhausted to celebrate when I find where they've stashed my father's armor, scimitar, and my Divining mirror. I pick up the breastplate first, but I'm so weak that it drops on my foot.

I fall to my knees, shivering, feverish. Miserable. Wanting an end.

I can't... I can't go on.

This is it.

I've killed myself by using so much power. It's over.

"It's not over yet."

I feel long fingers curl around my shoulder, large arms lifting me to my feet. A gentle kiss upon my brow, just like a butterfly.

"Hello, love." Kane holds me to him. I bury my face in his silver hair, feeling a mere sliver of the same connection I felt in the Before. Yet, still, this is the same starscape Kane, the one whose soul I held in my arms back in that realm of stardust and dreams. "You didn't think I'd let you suffer alone, did you?"

"No, Kane..." I try to protest. He holds me tighter. I feel power being transferred slowly into my body, see the light beneath his skin fade as he heals me. When the nosebleed finally stops, Kane lets go of me. I'm strong enough to stand.

But Kane looks duller, his dark skin no longer gleaming. Instead, I'm the one who looks healthier, earth-toned skin glowing gold beneath. Tight curls shining.

Two souls, one body.

"Kane, you're making yourself weaker. Don't be a romantic, self-sacrificial ass."

He grins at me. Despite the deep crevices beneath his eyes from the power-siphoning, he still looks healthy enough to support himself, to fight. One of his eyes is glowing with Divine luminescence, and the other is my blood-moon mortal one, the one I traded for my witching power. It's almost too terrible to see, an eye for an eye, more binding than any ritual that mortals might devise. "Ode, if I could take this suffering from your shoulders, I would. Why would I let my heart die out there if I can't die with it?"

I smile despite myself. "You have a honey-coated tongue. I'd put it to the test if your traitorous brother wasn't trying to kill us." I nod to the dull armor, the shattered Diviner's mirror and rusted scimitar. "Mind helping me with these?"

Kane leans in close, kisses me on the lips, and then sets to work with a wolfish grin.

I smirk knowingly. "Honey, indeed."

He winks in reply. "Let's take back an Empire."

***

Champions,

Getting creative with those Rahasian curses.

Love

Sophia