It was early the next morning when I gave my guards the slip for they were both passed out. As I was walking towards the latrine, I saw Callan and a man readying their horses, looking nervously around. I quickly darted out of sight and waited for them to leave before mounting my own horse bareback to follow. Why had Callan looked so uneasy and worried about someone seeing her? This is was what worried me.
They rode towards the ruins to the south of the city and I followed far behind until I saw them enter. I left my horse and stealthily made my way towards them- hiding myself behind a fallen wall.
"Why do I always let you talk me into such reckless things, Daemyn? Someone could have seen us."
I peeked through the small hole at my eye level to get a better look at what was happening.
"You're the one who agreed, Callan."
She sighed, running her fingers nervously through her hair. "Aye ... I know, but I leave out today and I won't ever see you again… I had to risk it."
Daemyn was a head taller than me and had the build of a blacksmith- bulging muscles and burn marks scarring his body. It was how I would have looked if I would have continued being just a blacksmith's son. He seemed like a quiet type. I also knew he was a Raksheesh like both of us, but a mix of light and dark like Ishtar. He was a mix of fairy as well, but of the ice fairies with beautiful short white hair that held a white sheen that contrasted with his light tan skin that was more of a bronze then the tan skin most Raksheesh had. His ears were pointed like the fairies and his features were very sharp and angular- there was no roundness at all. He wasn't as scary looking as my guard, but rather handsome the kind that made others turn their heads. The kind that made even the most egotistical look at themselves and question if they paled in comparison. I hated the guy.
"Who said you had to leave with him?" he asked gently. "We could leave together- right now. I have a place set up away from here. We could be happy together, Callan."
I sucked in a breath. This was why Callan seemed so indifferent towards me- she had fallen for this boy in my absence. Did I have the right to do that to her? I barely knew her and perhaps they would be a better match. If she thought I was right for her she wouldn't have fallen for him in the first place and would have waited for me as planned.
"It is my duty… This is what I was born to do," she whispered.
He looked at her, hurt, and I hated myself for even thinking of taking her hand in marriage when I didn't know her. I could tell from the way he looked at her she was his universe- his sun, stars, water and air. Without her he would know nothing but darkness. I would be heartless to take this away from him if she even remotely felt the same. I rested my hand in my palms. How could I break the news to her father without disgracing her?
"Callan …" he said in a hurt tone. "You love me and I love you. Duty shouldn't have to force your hand to marry someone you don't even know if you will be happy with."
"I love you, Daemyn, but the time for childish thinking is over- I should have never allowed myself to fall for you when I was betrothed to Jaspen."
They both sighed, looking hurt.
"He will never make you as happy as I have," he whispered stroking her cheek. "We grew up together. I have always loved you and I know you. I know what upsets you, what makes you happy, what makes you angry… What does he know about you other than you are a warrior?"
She obviously loved him but was trying to remember her duty to her people and her honor. I got up, not being able to take any more and walked back to my horse heading back to my tent. When I entered in Ishtar looked at me relieved.
"Where have you been, my prince? All of us were worried- princess Callan and you were both missing. Please tell me she's okay."
"I went for a ride. As for the princess I do not know where she is."
I laid back down, covering myself in my furs. "I'm going to sleep for a while longer." "Shouldn't you be out looking for her, my prince?"
"She is fine," I said trying to keep the hurt from my voice. "Trust me."
"My prince…"
"She is fine," I growled.
Ishtar said nothing and I fell asleep, a few silent tears falling feeling the back of my skull itch.
****
When I woke up my whole body felt as if it had been ripped apart and my wrists felt heavier than usual. I blinked my eyes open and looked down to see my wrists locked together by heavy iron shackles. I sat up startled, but was pushed back onto my cot.
"I don't think so, monster," growled an unfamiliar man's voice.
Monster? I was used to Raksheesh, but never monster. What happened? Where were
Demni and Ishtar?
"Get your hands off me!" I heard Demni yell outside. "That wasn't him!"
"Try to get to him again and I will remove you forcefully, Demni."
"Come," I heard Ishtar say gently. "What good will you be to him if you're hurt, Demni?"
"Demni!" I called.
My captor hit me in the ribs with the handle of his sword and I fell back onto my cot wheezing. What was going on? I felt an itch at the back of my skull that I recognized at once as being Iblis. I had to fight him off. I wouldn't lose myself to his power again.
"I swear to Zanti if you hurt him…" growled Demni.
Zanti was the God of Death.
"I'm okay," I said casually burying my hurt deep below my voice.
"Let me see him!" he pleaded. "Let us. He's probably confused about what is happening right now."
"Yeah okay. Like he killed his betrothed and her friend Daemyn in cold blood with no memory of it."
"You said for yourself he didn't look like himself. He wasn't himself then," pleaded Demni. "His Scortha host still hasn't gone back to limbo. It wasn't Jaspen. It is my duty- our duty as his guards- to be with him at all times. I'll give you my weapons if you will just let us be with him."
Wait… I had killed Callan and Daemyn? When? How?
Demni and Ishtar entered and my captor left. I sat up, looking at them in confusion. "What… what have I been accused of?"
"Killing Callan and her friend. It looks like Iblis somehow wasn't fully released to limbo for when the guards found you, your hair was white. You killed two of the four guards before passing out and falling into the sand."
I brought my hands to my face. Why did this happen to me? Callan and Daemyn didn't deserve this. I didn't deserve this.
"No," I said feeling my voice crack.
"What reason did Iblis have for killing them?" asked Demni.
"I … I saw her and Daemyn together- they loved each other… I was trying to figure out a way to break off the engagement so that … that they could possibly be together. I had no anger towards them."
The last part was slight lie. I had hated Daemyn just for the simple fact that he looked so much like how I would picture an angel. Why else would Iblis come forward? Why had he even? How did he?
Demni looked as lost as I was.
"We will try to get you out of here and take you to the Foghorn Mountains."
The Foghorn Mountains was where the strongest and wisest shaman lived. If anyone could fix me, it would be them. If they couldn't, perhaps there was no way to save me. I still hadn't come to terms with the fact I had killed Callan.
"And if they won't?"
"We will fight our way out," growled Demni.
"No," said Ishtar firmly. "Demni, we can't. They are our strongest ally. We must try to keep this as peaceful as possible."
Demni sighed. "What do you propose then?"
"See if they will let one of us leave- you most likely and you ride back to our tribe and tell the king what has happened. A council between the two kings must happen. They must both come to an agreement on this. It's the only way."
I saw Demni's eyes turn dark. "Why m?"
"You look for a fight. You want blood for this when enough has already been spilt. Now go and beg the king for leave. I will stay here with the prince."
"And if something is to happen in my absence?"
"Demni, I order you to go," I said.
Why was he wavering? Ishtar's plan was obviously what needed to happen. With that Demni bowed and left with a worried glance back.
"Did they hurt you?" asked Ishtar once Demni was gone.
The tent was dark and the only bit of sunlight coming in was from where the tent flap was tied shut.
"Nay," I said quietly.
"Let me take a look," he said gently, moving over to me.
"I'm fine," I said icily. "Alright?"
In truth my ribs were killing me, but I didn't deserve to be tended to. My hands- no Iblis's hands had killed Callan and Daemyn. Why? I didn't understand.
"My prince, I need to tend to you. Your health might be the only thing that keeps us from going to war."
I sighed. "Very well."
"Are you alright?" he finally asked.
"Aye … As alright as I can be with waking up for the second time and finding out people I cared about are dead… This time I killed them."
My voice was wavering and I was barely holding myself together.
"Everything will work out," said Ishtar as he started running his hands gently over my ribs and stomach.