Eden: The Eighth Day Part 1

The morning of the auction, her twenty-first birthday, Vita sneaked into the courtyard to meet Agil for their last fight. She felt a heavy weight on her shoulders knowing this was the last time she would see the kind centurion.

He no longer wore the heavy helmet as he knew Vita had become much better and was unlikely to accidentally decapitate him. He threw the sword across to her and she caught it easily and gave him a grin. They began to spar, Agil now having to defend himself heavily against her dexterous attacks. He went for her with his sword and she dodged it, stepping deftly out of the way. He smiled at her.

‘You’re getting much better now, miss,’ he said.

‘Thank you,’ she said, as she lunged for the guard. She hit him square in the chest and he laughed; however, not with his usual strength. Vita knew that he too could feel the sadness of their last interaction. Before she left the palace and her friends, however, she should make the most of her time. There was something she had been meaning to ask Agil.

‘Do you know of a man who survived the fighting ring?’ she asked him, as she sidestepped his blow. ‘Sera said that only one man had ever survived. She thought Malum had killed him afterwards.’ She began to circle the guard, sword raised and at the ready.

Agil looked taken aback by the question. ‘Aye, miss,’ he said sadly. ‘I knew him.’ He dealt a blow on Vita’s side and she stumbled.

‘What happened to him?’ she asked, regaining her composure.

‘Truth is,’ he said, ‘no one knows. He just, well… vanished.’

‘What was he like?’ she asked, as their swords clinked steel.

‘Aye, he was a good man. Wasn’t around for long though. He was—’ he paused, ducking and rolling from Vita’s swing. ‘Nice swing,’ he said. ’He was different. You know how folks ’round here don’t like them different types.’

She nodded. She knew it very well.

‘Different how?’ She jumped a low blow.

‘Well, his skin. Black as midnight it was. People thought he was cursed. Your father examined him, trying to figure it out but no one could. Turned up here one night, out of the blue. No one knew where he had come from.’ He paused, glancing at Vita. ’A lot like you actually. There was no sign the lad had ever struggled to find food. He’d have been your age too, I reckon. Except he was thirteen when he arrived and only fourteen when he was sent to the colosseum. Poor lad.

‘He’d slain three demons protecting a young lass. He slew more in the ring, too. Malum ran out of demons to send in. He had no choice but to release him. It was like the lad had been born a hunter. He stalked around them, revelling in their defeat. It was instinctual. Amazing to watch.’

‘And no one knows where he went?’ Vita replied, raising her voice above the clink of steel.

‘Nope. Most believe Malum slayed him afterwards, but I’m not sure. A lad with that skill couldn’t be taken down by an old man like Malum. Maybe I’m just a stubborn ol’ fool, but I like to think he escaped and crossed the border somehow.’

‘What do you think is across there, Agil?’

I don’t know, miss. But for centuries we’ve been trapped inside this furnace, I can’t help but think something must exist out there. Young Orion slayed about fifty demons in the colosseum that day—’

‘Orion?’ Vita interrupted.

‘Aye, the lad everyone calls the Survivor. Well he slayed that many of them, but there’s never been a shortage here. More than there used to be if you ask me. They had to come from somewhere. And where in Meridian’s name did he come from? Skin that colour? He’d have been noticed here for sure. Not to mention the skill he had at killing the demons. He certainly didn’t learn that in Mendacia.’

Vita’s mind wandered back to the dark-skinned woman who’d been in the cactus forest with her. Could it really be? Maybe she should ask Agil what he thought, but no. It might add to his hope for her future when she knew she didn’t have one left.

Malum was still in his satin robe, not an unusual sight this early in the day, and was sitting on the edge of his four-poster bed. Vita stood cautiously inside Malum’s chambers. She took a deep breath as she surveyed the grandiosity of the royal living, ridiculous excessiveness when the city below starved.

The room seemed to shine with wealth; brilliant swords hung from the wall accompanied by fine tapestries and portraits. An elegant streak of gold adorned the corners and folds of the ceilings, meandering up to meet in the central arch. The fabrics on the bed and the chairs even seemed to be lined with gold, gleaming red with a mixture of fire and sunlight, which crept through the window openings.

A groaning and moving beneath the bed covers betrayed one of the emperor’s not-so-secret affairs. He and Vesta each had their own quarters and it was a common fact that Malum enjoyed his whores. Vesta seemed unaffected and happier living alone than in his company anyway, which had always served to rouse Vita’s suspicions of the man further.

‘You may leave now,’ he addressed the moving bed covers. A naked body emerged, standing in full glory for a moment as she glanced in Vita’s direction. The girl was beautiful without a doubt. Her fragile frame and golden hair were the perfect match for her innocent face, which blushed in embarrassment at being seen with the emperor.

Her breasts were mere buds and Vita guessed she was only just of age. The girl’s eyes were shining with tears, which led Vita to believe she was also new to the game. She eagerly dressed and scuttled out of the room without looking at Vita or the emperor. Vita felt saddened by the girl’s fate, her purity already destroyed. Was there anything this man wouldn’t do?

‘That is the only problem with virgins,’ the emperor began, giving Vita a strange look. ‘They always seem to cry.’

Vita was stunned to silence. Why would he be telling her this?

‘And they are so passive. Once in a while you will find one who puts up a good fight, but not nearly enough, my dear.’

Vita didn’t dare respond.

‘Anyway,’ he continued, ‘on to business. Prepare yourself, please.’

‘Yes, sire,’ said Vita.

She breathed a sigh of relief; he always asked her the same thing before he ordered her lashes. It struck her as strange that he should order her to his chambers for her punishment though, but perhaps he had wanted to spend more time with the young woman.

The lashes hurt, but Vita was used to pain; perhaps she had nothing to fear, after all. Not yet, anyway. She shrugged her layers down to expose her bare back and the emperor watched, as he always did, lips parted in hunger.

‘All the way, please, Vita,’ he said. Vita was confused. This wasn’t part of the usual process. ‘As you know I have been fairly consistent with your punishments, thirty lashes at my hand I believe?’

‘Yes, sire.’

‘But under the circumstances of your latest crime, and since today is your birthday, I believe we may find another solution. Now remove your dress.’

She reluctantly shrugged her dress to the ground.

Malum’s eyes darkened with malicious excitement. ‘Your theatrics with my son have shown a blatant disregard for our rules and lack of respect for authority. These are grave crimes, Miss Dulcas, and should see you hung. But, based on my affections for you and your father, I will have my two head demons administer lashes with the cat.’

Vita’s stomach lurched as she recalled the countless number of bodies the demons dragged to the flames after administering the cat ‘o’ nine tails on their victims. It was purely a ploy, of course, the cat was the mildest part of their torture. When a victim walked into their realm, they were meat and the demons would do what they pleased.

She had known but three who had lived to tell the tale, all of whom had wished they were dead to escape the memories. One had died two weeks after from infection to his severed leg, another was a young stable lad who subsequently took his own life, and the last was Petrus.

‘Unless—’ he patted the bed next to him, ‘we could come to some other arrangement?’ A mischievous glint appeared in his eye. ‘You do want to stay in the palace don’t you? And you certainly wouldn’t want any harm to come to your little brother?’ He watched for her response.

‘I’m not sure what you’re suggesting, sire.’ Vita felt a strong urge to strike him, just as she had his precious son.

’Oh, come now, Vita. You are not a naive girl. Sera quite enjoys our special time together. I suspect you would too, and you would be close enough for me to keep an eye on you. I wouldn’t want any more episodes like last night. If you could knock my son to the floor then I am pressed to believe in Vulcan’s ability to keep you… safe. There’s much more to Kayin than you would dare to believe.’

Vita thought she sensed a note of panic in the emperor’s voice. He was scared of her.

Despite the bile that crept up her throat at the thought of laying with the man, the revelation of his fear empowered her. She wouldn’t actually have to touch the man, just let him believe she would. If he lusted after her and feared her as she suspected he did, maybe she could use that to her advantage. Vulcan had said he wanted her on his side. Maybe she could even get close enough to kill him.