Ruin Maketh Me

33 - My Oath to You

Running a napkin over my mouth, I trace Lilith's path across the living room towards the kitchen. Time had passed by quickly with his detailed descriptions of this world, and lunch had been an extremely informal affair. Though we were hardly like old friends, the polite atmosphere from breakfast let up quite a bit and towards the end it was nearly non-existent. And yet, for that very reason, this queasy, restless, unease keeps swimming through my guts like an endless pendulum. There's something about this situation that I can't grasp.
     Yes, Lilith is gracious, pleasant, not overbearing in the slightest and talking to him lifts my burden. He doesn't pretend to know me or understand me, and yet at the same time is able to act as adequately as an advisor. His mannerisms are too smooth, and my defences are too low. One morning of discussing and it's like we're old allies already. Why? I don't understand myself. I cannot, with all my experience, see any pretence in his actions. Yet indeed, all my experience says that there must be.
     He wouldn't go through all this hassle just for some measly pieces of information about Earth. But I can't see what else he'd need me for. He has authority, power, there's nothing he can't get himself. So why?
     It annoys me.
     He catches me watching him and smiles almost to himself, "Dessert?"
     I don't give an answer, but it doesn't seem as if he minds, he still goes towards the fridge with a skip in his step.
     "Lilith, I've seen your goodwill," I say, looking away from him, "but right now I'd rather we put all our cards on the table."
"I believe I've told you this before, I'm not doing this to harm you." His voice is low and subdued.
"And yet there's always a price to pay."
He makes his way back to me with a strained expression, "But what if there's truly no price? There's no hidden catch Cynder. I know you're a cautious man, but does there really have to be a reason for wanting to help you?"
     "There's no reason. Do I need one to like you?"
     A rush of sourness rises up my throat.
     "I can't trust goodwill. How long do you think it'll last?" I raise my head towards his, "One week? One month? Maybe even a year, but how much longer after that?"
     Lilith grips the armrest of his chair, "Can't you just take this," He sweeps his arm across the room, "for granted? You don't have to pay anything, you've paid it all just by being here. By being an Otherworlder."
     A low laugh rumbles from my chest. I never thought I'd see the day where somebody else is begging to help me.
     "You're a perceptive man Lilith, you should understand why I don't trust this bargain."
     He remains silent, but it's that silence that tells me all I need to know.
     "You know my name, you know my weakness, you know my true identity as an Otherworlder. One day that goodwill is going to run out, and you'll no longer feel inclined to keep it all a secret. If it were you, would you be uneasy?"
     His golden eyes do not move from my face, but he makes no answer.
     "I don't believe this relationship can go on without honesty or sincerity. Otherwise, one of us is going to end up dead one day or another."
     He stares at me unblinkingly, "I need you Cynder. I need you more than you'll ever need me. You may not understand as an Otherworlder, but what I need most is you being here with me. You're saving my soul." He leans forwards and places his hands on the table, "I was being careless, I should've made a contract with you before any of this. I'll remedy that."
     A silver light spreads under his hands, thins into the form of a chain and plunges into his chest.
     He looks deep within my eyes, "Upon my soul, I swear I will never do anything with the intent to harm Cynder Delphus. If this oath is ever broken, let my soul pay the price."
     The silver chain bursts into light and melds completely with Lilith.
     He closes his eyes, places his hands on his chest, "Though even now, it may be hard for you to believe in something you can't see, a soul contract has been formed. If I ever do anything with the intent to harm you, my soul will be damned." His lips curl faintly, "Even I don't know what that entails. Eternal punishment probably."
     A shiver jolts through my chest, "You... Didn't have to go that far."
     He shines me a wry smile, "Well I wouldn't want either of us to end up dead one day before our time. Is that a reasonable promise of trust to you?"
     My eyes travel from his eyes to his chest. Did he really just put his soul at stake for a little bastard like me? I shake my hand, "Goodness, you're unbelievable." I breathe out the doubt and tension and that awful wretchedness, "Yes, it's a reasonable promise."
     Lilith's laugh becomes radiantly priestly, "Well, we've solved that problem. What's your plan for the future in this world?"
     "First thing's first, I'm going to become free." I have to get rid of the Kades first, before I can do anything useful, "And then I'm going to live a good life."
     "Free?" He nods, "That's a reasonable place to start." Lilith's smile cools a bit, "It's not going to be easy. I've never heard of the Kade family freeing a slave before. In their case, it's generally a life long servitude. Right now, there's only two ways you can carry this out." He places two fingers down on the table, "You'll have to either persuade them to sell you off to someone else who's willing to free you or persuade them to free you themselves. The first choice, I suspect, will have a higher chance of success than the second."
     Would they free me of slavery? The Sun, what was he called? Ah yes, Lutra Kade. He definitely wouldn't, and Julius, well, judging by his domineering nature, if he ever comes to terms with whatever feelings he has for me, freeing me will probably be the last thing he does.
     "As a priest, can you buy slaves?"
     A spark spreads through Lilith's face as he realises what I'm thinking, "Yes, it's not uncommon."
     "So all we have to do is somehow make them sell me to you." I say, tapping the side of the chair, "Wouldn't they get suspicious if you offer to buy me? You're supposed to be executing my punishment."
     "Yes they will, but they have no way of accusing me of anything unless they manage to gain the support another Lilith. Considering there are only
four in the world, I'd say that that's unlikely."
      "Four?" I fix him with my eyes, "You seem to have a lot of free time for someone who's that rare."
     He smiles faintly down at his lap, "How about some cake? And then you can tell me about your world. We're not in a hurry after all."
I give him a small nod and watch him get up from his chair again, but as he stands, a thoughtful disturbance cuts the brilliance of his gentle smile, "From my experience with demons, whatever you do, don't catch the attention of Julius Kade." His irises darken, "He'll never let you go otherwise."
The curve in my lip fades.
What if it's too late?