Eden: The Eighth Day Part 1

The rusted metal gates rose once more, but this time the citizens gasped and protested. The rules said any winner should be freed. Was this the emperor preparing to hand over the man’s freedom? A series of hands clasping over noses, the more delicate stomachs emptying over the floor, suggested not.

The ground before Theo began to shake; he hauled himself back to his feet, exhausted and all but surrendering as he watched the beasts that entered the arena, beasts unlike anything any of the citizens had ever seen, twice the height of any of the demon guards in this city with a stench strong enough to overpower the whole arena.

Giant heads were fixed on giant beasts, strange ones not like the bulls, apes and horses that were common in the city. Exotic: a striped horse, a giant spotted cat, a furry mane with sharp teeth, a huge white bear and a stag’s head, its sharp, weapon-crafted antlers as tall as a man.

The large heads all seemed tiny on the giant skulls they protected, except for the largest beast: it had a grey trunk and huge ears that flapped with its movement and two sharpened tusks as long as the stag’s horns. There were six demons in all, headed towards one tired man. Nobody dared protest; the beasts’ peeling, greyed hands could engulf an entire human skull, crushing it between the bones of their fingers.

Instead they watched in fright, as Theo collapsed backwards in the sand, staring up at the emperor’s cruel trick. So this was his solution to any survivor of the battle? He would never let anyone survive. He felt their heavy footsteps vibrating in the sand as they approached him and he prayed. Not for his own life but for those who had already been taken by battle and for the soul of his beloved Emilia.

He closed his eyes and swallowed as he watched a greying fist reach towards him. The crowd screamed. He waited. Any second now. He inhaled his last breath – but then another, and another; his chest rose and fell with the same steady rhythm it always had.

He felt a huge thud on the ground and his feet and buttocks were thrown in the air by the impact. He opened his eyes and tasted… survival. The striped horse’s head rolled to his feet, sliced by one strong blow. Who could do such a thing? He had felt the smaller demon’s strength; sure, he was tired, but it had taken him five blows to separate its head from its body.

But these – things – were monsters. Theo saw its rotting carcass lying close to him, its greying flesh already turning green and melting away from its bones. A toxic cloud rose from the mess and Theo turned, vomiting into the sand.

The remaining beasts scattered towards an armoured figure with a strong chiselled chest plate, full helmet, skirt above the knee and sandals. He was strong and dexterous, moving this way and that, slashing at the dead flesh on their legs and arms. Their hands lunged down towards him, but he dodged each blow, ducking, zigzagging and diving away. An air of excitement escaped from him as he exhilarated in the thrill of the fight.

A heavy fist blew down on the iron warrior, smacking him on the side of his helmet. He barely flinched as he swatted it, like a fly, away from his face. His iron core was undisturbed, squatted in position to pounce, and he jumped, high into the air, clearing the first moments before it would have impacted into him.

Instead, it fell through the warrior’s shadow to impale the corpse of a demon’s abandoned prey. The warrior whipped around, bringing down his sword on the bear demon’s arm, slicing it with a clean blow. The arm collapsed beneath the demon, causing him to lose his balance as his whole body thundered to the floor, a sound resembling a spluttering roar projecting through his fur mask.

The warrior spun himself through the air, landing with feet apart on the demon’s shoulders, not hesitating for a second as his sword slashed through the brute’s neck. He turned, feeling the others’ presence and spun back and away from the body, fleeing as the toxic corpse began to disintegrate behind him.

With a raging scream, another figure came running from the blackness of the pits. His skin was the colour of the darkest night and he wore only a helmet for protection and a mere scrap of cloth to preserve his dignity.

By Meridian, Theo thought. It’s the Survivor.

The man’s body was huge and muscular, like that of an ox. His roar was fierce but youthful and his silky black skin glistened in the red light as he ran like a panther stalking towards his prey. He trailed two enormous chains behind him and the stag never even saw its death coming. It sprinted towards the metal warrior, oblivious to the dark threat behind him. The Survivor threw the chains forward with an expert hand. They wrapped around its antlers and caught on the sharpened spikes. He jolted back the end of the chain, causing the stag to halt its progress, its head nearly snapping from the force of the warrior’s pull.

The Survivor pulled harder, bringing the antlers down towards the sand. Spittle flew from the warrior’s mouth as he pulled the chains back to him, freeing themselves from their bony traps. The antlers snapped, sending fragments flying as the demon’s head smashed to the floor. The warrior ran for him, hooking the chain under the stag’s skull and turned to run, the Survivor’s bulging veins barely visible beneath their blackened shell.

The Survivor roared, digging his feet into the sand, the chain pulling heavily on the shoulder where it rested. Sweat was beginning to trickle down his face and his teeth were clenched as he inched forward with the huge weight behind him. Regaining logic, the stunned demon scrambled in the sand, clutching for the choking weight of the chain. It was too late. The Survivor felt a bone snap and heaved. The pressure loosened and the chain clinked as it fell away from the decapitated skull. Despite his ragged breath he turned, determined to make sure the thing was dead. Relief flooded him when he saw the revolting mess before him and he cheered, raising a clenched fist to the crowd.

The crowd began to hum excitedly at the masked strangers; even Vesta ran to the edge of the balcony in anticipation. The demons were enraged by their humiliation. They ran in confused, angry circles, grabbing and lunging as the two masked strangers ran around them, forcing them tighter and tighter together.

Theo watched anxiously, inhaling deep into his lungs as the two figures wrapped the chains around the two remaining giants, landing heavy blows as they circled them. The demons began to lose their balance with their intimate dance.

He watched the Survivor bounding around them, like a rabbit in the springtime, excited and alive, cheers and laughter radiating from his helmet. He is actually enjoying this, Theo thought, shocked.

The demons eventually collapsed and with a dexterous spin the armoured warrior sliced through one skull and his sword flew from his grip, high into the air. Now vulnerable, the second demon’s hand reached for him, but the armoured warrior jumped up to avoid the blow, using its arm as leverage as he leapt for his sword. He heard the snap of bone as his foot landed on the demon’s hand. He spun and sliced its neck, its furry mane matted with grey flesh as it rolled away from its body. The pair stopped for a long moment, each panting huge breaths.

Then began the uproar. Applause, loud enough to shake the colosseum walls. Cheers and shouts of praise. Vesta clasped her hands to her mouth, bobbing up and down with excitement. She hadn’t seen anything like it since… since… she froze.

The warriors turned to one another, laughing. They grabbed their helmets and threw them to the floor. The crowd fell silent. A handsome, young, dark stranger with a grin big enough to melt the coldest of hearts. And standing next to him? Prince Kayin Dolus.

’We will never be their slaves,’ Kayin roared.

The dark stranger threw his fist to the sky. ‘Mendacia!’

Applause erupted again. Feet stamping with joy. The cheers and roars from the crowd were immeasurable, deafening, as for the first time they could taste true freedom.

Theo stopped, his own smile evaporating. There were six demons. With the two just killed, that only made five dead. He jumped to his tired feet, scanning the arena. How could anyone miss a beast so huge? Then he realised. By the time he turned it was too late.

The largest demon with trunk, thick grey skin and enormous ears had known what was about to happen. It had watched this scene before and knew just how it would play out. No! Strength alone would never be enough. While the rest had scattered to bring down the metal warrior, it had waited, watching the hundreds of eyes until he was sure they were all trained on the fight. It had sunk into the shadows, behind a raised gate.

It could hear the grunts of the demons that Theo had suspended from the overhanging lanterns before. Its bulky fingers worked to unhook their chain, fumbling and slipping against the metal. It could hear the smaller demons cursing him, willing him to hurry. From the darkness it watched those two blasted warriors destroy the last of his comrades, saw the elation in their faces and heard the whole crowd cheering the abomination. With a surge of rage, it ripped the chain in half and the two smaller demons, the bull and the bison, were free.

Theo heard the crowd’s screams as he watched Taurus charge for him. Running full force towards him, head bowed, it had intended to impale the pesky man. But Theo was too quick. He turned sideways, the horns scraping at his stomach as he fell between them, but he was still alive. The bull spun, furious that it had been outsmarted once again, raising its hands as it tried to drag Theo’s body from its horns. Theo clung on with shaking arms, his teeth clenched with the effort. He kicked at the thing, feeling his bare foot being swallowed by its decaying stomach. He had nothing, no weapon, just the strength of his bare hands. He saw the other two demons charging forward, their own targets in sight.

Kayin and the Survivor turned to the commotion, their confident smiles gone, replaced with shocked faces. With no helmets and their chain still entwined around the corpses, there was only Kayin’s sword, powerful, yes, but enough to take down three demons?

He looked to his left at the Survivor, then right, to Theo and the bull, still spinning in a frenzy as Theo clung to its horns, and then he looked forward towards his two pursuers. The Survivor could handle one without a weapon, this he knew, but Theo was another matter. He was exhausted from his earlier fight and the beast was furious now. Could he manage two of them at once? His stomach lurched.

‘Help Theo,’ he shouted above the thudding footsteps.

‘But what about you?’

‘GO!’ said Kayin, wondering if it was bravery or insanity that compelled him.

The Survivor nodded and sprinted for the bull, just in time to avoid the hand extended to grab him.

And then they were on Kayin. Their strength seemed to double with the rage and they reacted quickly and powerfully, ducking and avoiding his blows. Kayin fell backwards in the sand, the biggest demon’s fist impacting the side of his face. He grunted as his backside skidded across the arena and rested up against the wall. They pounded the earth in pursuit and Kayin waited. He had to time it perfectly. The lumbering bodies grew larger and more intimidating as they advanced, a shadowy halo forming around the bison’s head from the palace sun behind. He clutched his sword, squeezing his palm into position as he stared at the body of the beasts. Closer still and he was level with their legs. Now, he thought and he rolled between the trunk demon’s legs, sending them smashing into the wall. They stilled for only a moment, stunned by the impact, but it was long enough.

Kayin jumped up, spinning in the air as he swiped his sword across the back of the bison’s neck.

It fell, slumping against the wall. He whipped backwards to retract it, but his body jerked to a stop; he looked up. The largest demon was turning, gripping the end of Kayin’s sword with a guttural grunt that might have been a laugh. Kayin felt himself being lifted upwards as the demon raised the sword. He tried to let go, but the demon had twisted it in such a way that his hand was now stuck in his knuckle guard.

His knuckles began to stretch and creak as the demon twisted the sword in its grip. Kayin fought for freedom, twisting this way while the bones in his hand crunched under the increased pressure. It was no use, he was stuck fast.

He felt the demon’s other hand grab his right leg, then envelop the other in its fist. It twisted its body around until Kayin was parallel to the ground.

The demon began to pull, stretching Kayin’s body lengthways. Kayin felt his arm pop in its socket and yelped with pain. His breathing became shorter, the beast pulling him as he writhed for freedom. He felt his entire body stretching and groaning; it was going to rip him in two. The knuckle guard caught on his smallest finger and, with a crack, he felt the bone snap.

Ignoring the pain, Kayin wriggled his hand again. With his little finger broken, his hand now slipped through the guard to freedom. The demon still gripped his legs tightly but with a few wild kicks he managed to free them from the demon’s grip. He fell to the ground and landed slumped on his bad shoulder. He let out another yelp but he didn’t have time to dwell on the pain.

The demon lunged down for him, making a guttural roar, but Kayin just managed to roll out of the way. He pulled himself to his feet and bolted with a lopsided sprint as the demon chased him, still gripping Kayin’s weapon. He gathered numerous abandoned weapons that he passed on the sand – a chain, a splintered training sword, a flail – throwing them behind him to slow the demon’s progress. He knew where he was going, and if he was to save Theo and the Survivor, he needed to get there in one piece.

The demon was descending. The weapons Kayin had thrown had been but a mere irritation to the beast who swatted them away with his fist. Kayin could feel the earth beneath him vibrating with the demon’s heavy footfall and he daren’t look behind him. Just focus on your goal, he urged. Never look back.

He glanced sideways, seeing Theo and the Survivor still struggling with the wild bull. Quickly, he implored. A few more lopsided hobbles and he reached the site where Taurus and the ox head had been hanging just minutes before. The chain still dangled from the torch above.

He gathered the chain, securing it around the wrist of his dislocated shoulder and pulled, hard. With a sickening clunk, he felt his shoulder return to its position and he clenched his teeth to manage the pain. As the demon advanced, Kayin rattled the chain, trying to loosen it, but it just wobbled, remaining hooked on the torch. He tried again, leaping as he flicked the end with a wrist. Nothing. You need to calm down. He gasped, leaping to the side as the demon caught up with him.

He just escaped its grasp, its knuckles skimming his stomach. Unable to slow its momentum, it careered past him and crashed in to the wall. Last chance, Kayin. If there really are any gods up there, now would be the time to help. He darted back, flicking the chain as the demon began to turn.

The chain fell into his hands and with a sigh of relief and a glint of a smile, he lowered himself and then pounced, high onto the monster’s shoulders.

He took the chain and looped it around its neck, his feet pushing hard on its back, forcing its bulk further into the wall. Kayin had never felt so much strength. He was but a man and shouldn’t be able to pin the beast like this, not even with his skill.

It grunted in frustration, flailing its arms backwards trying to reach the source of its torment, but it was useless. Kayin held firm. He growled with pain and endurance as he wrapped the chain tighter and tighter around his broken hand, feeling the tension become stronger and then with a roar, he pulled, hard, the force snapping the demon’s head from its body. The force threw Kayin backwards and he fell, his back in the sand, the head flying over him to land with a thud. He looked up, stunned by the fall and saw the carcass falling toward him. He rolled away.

He lay there for a moment, panting as he watched the flames dance across the sky until the decaying stench drifted up his nostrils and his skin started to tingle with the corpse’s proximity. He jumped up, seeing his sword lying flat on the demon’s rib cage and grabbed it.

Meanwhile, Theo clung, with the last of his strength, to the bull’s fearsome horns. He was losing his grip, the demon having pulled him into his gruesome arms. Theo could feel the beast’s flesh against his own, his eyes level with its neck now as he watched its black veins beating their steady rhythm.

‘Let go,’ the Survivor cried. ‘You need to let go.’ Scattered across the arena was a glinting minefield of metal spikes, swords and shields, all bleakly out of his reach. Instead, the Survivor danced around the bull, teasing and cajoling, landing blows with his fists and kicking its body, anything to take its attention from Theo who was still clinging to it.

Theo held his breath as the bull squeezed him tighter, spinning him this way and that, causing his head to slip further down its chest. His stomach turned with the stench and his body was drenched with sweat. He felt his fingers slipping from the horns. His weight on them was the only thing keeping it from ripping both him and the Survivor to shreds. He wasn’t going to die with that on his conscience.

He tried to inhale another foul breath but couldn’t, his airways were engulfed with the vile stuff. He tried to gasp, his lungs contracting, and felt his head begin to float with panic.

He felt the bull moving again and Theo gathered all his remaining energy and lifted his head at such an angle his neck might snap; he felt the bittersweet relief of hot air rushing into his lungs. It was from this angle Theo saw a flash of steel pierce the bull’s neck, missing him by a hair’s breadth.

The beast released its grip, its arms falling limp at its side and Theo fell, gasping, to the ground. The bull fell to its knees with a strange rasping sound. It swayed, losing its battle against the steel sword, which still impaled its neck. It extended its arm in Theo’s direction. Kayin sensed what it was about to do and launched himself towards the scene. But, it was too late. With its last breath, it raised its huge fist, bringing it down into the tender flesh of Theo’s neck. There was a snap that travelled around the silent arena and Theo’s body fell still.

‘No!’ shouted the Survivor and Kayin in unison. A gasp of disbelief was transported through the stands. Kayin growled and pulled his sword from the beast’s neck, only to bring it back down on the beast with a furious blow. Its head fell to the ground, spewing out foul-smelling blood as its torso fell on top of Theo.

Kayin glanced to the Survivor and, without hesitation, the two warriors dashed to the corpse, grabbing it and pulling it away. Theo lay there, too still, a diagonal cut across his forehead, his skin shining with sweat and gore.

The colosseum was silent, everyone saddened by the sight. The Survivor wiped the gunge off Theo’s face, squeezing his nose to clear that too. Nothing happened. Kayin pounded on the man’s chest.

‘No!’ he screamed. ‘No. You can’t die… look at what you’ve done. You’ve made them see the truth.’ He was becoming desperate now, his eyes wide and red from lack of wine. Foam bubbled at the side of his mouth as he fought back the tears. ‘You’ve made them all see. We can defeat this place. You need to lead us. Theo!’ He pounded on his chest a final time until his comrade’s shoulder rested on his own.

‘He’s gone, Kayin. We need to let him rest.’ The Survivor sat beside Kayin and bowed his head, chanting a prayer. Kayin joined in.

They heard a rattle and a thud and looked up to see one of the spectators, Nico, Kayin seemed to recall, had scaled the wall and was walking over to them.

‘Bastards,’ Nico spat. ’The lot of ’em.’ He paused, squatting down by Theo’s body, and kissed his forehead.

One by one, more of the citizens scaled the walls, marching a slow and silent trail through the remains of the battle, each to pay their own respects to the man who had taken on the demons and given them the hope of freedom.

With a cough, Empress Vesta began to speak from the balcony. ‘This has been a truly terrible day,’ she said. ‘One which will, I’m sure, weigh on our minds and hearts for some time to come. But, I decree that this man deserves a respectable death. Who will carry his body to the palace?’

Nico’s hand shot in the air, his other clasped on his chest. ‘I will.’

‘And me,’ said Kayin, pulling himself to his feet.

‘Me too,’ said the Survivor.

‘Yes,’ said another citizen.

‘Aye,’ said Domine Agil from behind Vesta.

She gazed down to see the sea of her citizens nodding and raising their hands, all eager to pay the man his final respects. She watched her son, the Survivor and Nico haul Theo’s body into the air. Another citizen helped to support his legs and the four of them began a slow exit from the arena, the brave sinner above their shoulders.

A sea of bowed faces followed through the gates, through the pits, until out in the open air where the procession began its slow march through the town and ascended the dusty palace road.

The sombre crowd stood around a freshly dug grave. A few of the faces covered in sweat and dirt from the endurance of digging one so quickly. It was clear the townsfolk would do anything for Theo.

A square of red silk lay beside it, draped over Theo’s body. Prince Kayin and the Survivor stood respectfully either end. Vesta came forward from the crowd.

‘A brave warrior, a true soul, a noble heart,’ she said as she scattered handfuls of petals over his silk coffin. ‘Mendacia shall feel your loss, but I will remember you, Theo, and the love and bravery you bestowed upon our city. May the Lord protect and bless you now, for you have escaped the horror of this world.’ With a tear in her eye, she nodded towards him, lowered herself to her knees and slipped the fine silk down to uncover his tarnished face. She shook her head, her eyes welling once more as she laid a palm on his cheek. ‘I will never forget you, Theo Duilius.’ She kissed his forehead and returned the silk.

‘Amen,’ the crowd said in unison.

A low, saddened hum rumbled around the courtyard, the citizens all drinking a cup of wine, courtesy of the empress. Kayin and the Survivor left, overwhelmed and exhausted, but the rest of the spectators remained to cherish his memory. Agil offered a comforting presence behind the empress, who stood on the balcony, leaning on the wall. She wanted Theo’s memory to remain, the citizens to rise up against the demons, knowing they could defeat them. They could be free. But then Malum’s words rang in her mind – ‘you know what I would do if I believed you were not completely devoted to my cause’ – and she did know. She sighed and pulled herself forward.

‘Citizens,’ she said, an intense gleam entering her eyes until all the faces were pointed in her direction, obediently still and silent. ‘You were never here today. You will finish your cups of wine and walk quietly to your homes. You will involve yourselves with your day-to-day tasks and wipe the memory of today’s events from your minds. Today was the same as every other Octavo fight, all the contestants were slaughtered within minutes. They were sinners.’ Her voice cracked.

‘They were bad people. There were not any giant demons, nor Kayin or his accomplice. You never buried a body. It never happened.’ The tears were flowing down her cheeks. ‘It never happened,’ she squeaked. She turned away, hearing cups of wine being guzzled and discarded on the ground and then an army of near silent footsteps as the citizens filed out of the courtyard. Agil, too, left in a trance.

Vita slunk back on the colosseum wall, letting her body slide down the rough stone. Her muscles ached from wrestling the demon guards as they had thrown her like a rag from the colosseum and back into the street. All for disturbing the festivities within. She felt so helpless now. So many deaths. So little she could have done. She felt her hand twitch with the stress and felt an electric shock run through her body. She shuddered, What was that? It felt like a charge of energy desperate to escape. She heard the cheers then, the cheers of a crowd having watched what they came to see. Poor Castus. She knew he would be traumatised by what he had seen and she didn’t know how to take it away.

She pulled herself from the ground and began to move along the path, kicking the dust in quiet contemplation. She knew where she was headed. The one place closest to freedom she could think of. She could hear the bubbling spit of the Molten Mamba before she could see it, her nose wrinkling at the smell of the sulphur that rose unseen from the depths.

Sitting herself by the edge of the bank, she extended a hand over the edge to feel the distant heat warm her fingertips. An old habit that felt strange in the time that had elapsed since her last visit. Three long years she had avoided the river, scared of the memories it would bring back to her.

Things had been so different then, so full of possibility. Maybe she could have survived this place with him at her side. If only she could live a life of blissful ignorance, turning a blind eye to all she knew and forgetting the darkness which lay within him. Stop it, Vita. This was why she had avoided the place. He had lied to her and let her believe he was someone else, someone good and pure. That was it. In a place such as this, second chances were the curse of the fool.

The servants’ dorms below ground were abuzz with excitement from the first fight, their memories wiped clean of any subsequent chaos. Songs were being sung and chatter echoed through the tunnel. Sera sashayed down the halls towards her dorm, smiling. She had revelled in the celebrations and couldn’t wait to see Vita’s face when she told her they had all died.

She imagined she would feel quite horrified and there was a part of her that felt delicious pleasure from seeing her friend upset. She had so wished to be there when Malum had told her she was to be sold at auction. It had been her idea in the first place; she had suggested it to him during one of their special moments. He had thought it was a fantastic idea and had decided that, when the day came, that is what he would do. It meant that Sera no longer had to put up with the girl and could pursue her own agenda without her constant warnings and interruptions. She pulled back the curtain to their dorm and saw that crippled Petrus boy and the other virgin girl sat in their dorm.

‘Where’s Vita?’ Sera asked, offering a dismissive wave to her guests.

‘We thought she was with you?’ said Virgo.

‘No, she was kicked out of the fights for causing a protest,’ said Sera. ‘Honestly, I felt my cheeks turn red wi’ embarrassment. Wish I’d have never asked ’er.’

Virgo and Petrus passed an awkward look between them. Neither of them liked Sera and wished Vita would stay away from her. Petrus turned in his wooden wheelchair, crafted by his father’s own hand, extending his hand back to Virgo. ‘We’ll go look for her then,’ he said in a clipped tone as they made a swift exit.

Sera huffed and walked out into the corridor to follow them. She went to search the prince’s floor of the palace, knowing she wouldn’t find Vita, but it gave her the perfect opportunity to run into him.

’Good evening your ’ighness,’ she said, as he came out of his chambers. She blushed and curtseyed.

He gave her a curious look. ‘Is there something I can help you with?’

’Well, I’m up ’ere lookin’ for Vita, but since I found you instead…’ she slipped her arm beneath his and pushed her body against him. ’I hear you’ve one of your special gatherings coming up and I thought, with the other night an’ all and our new situation,’ she blushed, looking up at him with a giggle, ‘I should come as your guest.’

‘The other night?’ he said, and then, ‘Looking for Vita? Is she missing?’

‘Well, yes,’ said Sera, ‘but what about your party?’

‘Maybe.’ It was clear his attention was elsewhere. ‘Goodbye, then.’ He strode off down the hall.

‘What about me’ kiss,’ Sera called, but he didn’t turn back.

Kayin felt the truth of Sera’s words. The other night! He remembered now. He remembered his sleepy feeling of delight when the bed sheets were pulled back, the warmth of her fragile body sliding in next to his own. She had come back to him. He had wrapped his arms around her, pulling her to his own body. ‘I have never stopped loving you,’ he mumbled, drifting off into a contented sleep, the first in such a long time. And then he had woken in the light of day to see Sera’s naked body beside him.

Virgo and Petrus searched the courtyard, the stables and the kitchens, shouting Vita’s name, but got no response. They set back out into town when they ran into the prince.

‘Have you found her?’ Kayin asked.

‘Erm, no.’ Kayin’s uncharacteristic panic made her uncomfortable.

‘We are just going to town,’ Petrus added. ‘Sera says she was kicked out of the fight. Maybe she’s gone to her parents’ old place? A sense of comfort or something?’

The prince glanced at them. ‘No,’ he said. ‘I know where she will be. Thank you, both, but I’ll take it from here.’

Vita climbed atop the rock which oversaw the river and saw a group of demons throwing a pile of bodies into the fiery pit below. For a moment, she wondered if they were the remnants of the fight, but they were big. They looked more like the bodies of demons, bigger demons than she had ever seen. But she’d only ever once seen a demon killed and that was today in the fight. She wondered if they could kill each other. She was saddened by the fight. But in a strange way, she was glad she had gone. At least now, she knew the mutants were not immortal. If one man could do it, then that could mean freedom. An unexpected thought crossed her mind. Well, not really a thought, a familiar distant voice echoing from sometime long ago. ‘Kill the master, child, and his pets will take care of themselves.’ She felt a flutter of hope.

She slid back down the rock, catching her skirts on a loose branch and tearing it. She bent to inspect the tear and heard a shuffling in front of her. She looked up and stopped dead to see her prince standing there. He looked like he had been in the arena himself. With his hair all messy, his face streaked with dirt and what looked like a bruise forming beneath his eye.

‘For a moment there, I thought I was mistaken,’ he said

Vita narrowed her eyes in confusion.

‘I thought I’d find you here and when you weren’t—’ he trailed off.

‘I was up there,’ she said, glancing to the rock. ‘I heard a noise and I—’ she trailed off.

Kayin coughed uncomfortably and kicked the dirt. The pair stood in silence, each reliving their own memories of the place.

‘The last time I was here was when we—’ he trailed off.

Vita nodded. ‘Me too.’ She sat back against a rock, just wishing to pretend, even for a moment, that things had never changed. ‘What happened to you?’ she asked, taking in his state.

‘Had a run-in with a demon,’ he said with a wink and forced smile.

Vita laughed politely at his jest. She took in his eyes. Red sunken eyes. He never used to look so… sad. ‘Have I to assume you are the search party then?’

He paused a long while, as though there was more he wanted to say. Eventually though, he nodded. ‘I had better get you back to the palace.’

Vita pulled herself up, letting out a sigh.

‘Domina,’ Vita said to Vesta. ‘You wished to see me? I have brought some refreshment for you. I will place it by the door.’

‘Have you quite finished your rambling?’ said Vesta, pulling herself into a sitting position on her day bed and lowering her fan.

Vita nodded.

‘Then sit!’

She did as she was told and sat in the chair Vesta pointed to. She placed her hands on her knees and crossed her ankles like Vesta had taught her in those first days.

‘At least you still have good manners,’ said Vesta. ’That’s something I suppose, although it doesn’t make up for all your other obvious flaws.’

Vita looked around her, feeling annoyed by the comment, but had always longed to please the empress. She was the nearest thing she had to a mother now. ‘Ah,’ she said. ‘Thank you, Domina. I will try to do everything better in the future.’ She spoke through gritted teeth and Vesta noted with great satisfaction that her hand twitched. She glanced towards her bowl of tea leaves with a satisfied half smile.

Vesta rolled her eyes and came over to the girl. She pinched her chin between finger and thumb and jerked her face from side to side. She examined the two most obvious snake bites from her days in the cave as a baby. ‘Yes,’ she said, ‘they are fine.’ She inspected the bruise on her cheek, now faded from a dark purple to a dusty yellow. ‘What happened here?’ she said.

Vita stuttered. She had all but forgotten about the bruises. ‘Ah, er, nothing Domina. I walked into a door. I’m a real clot sometimes.’ She tried a nervous laugh, already knowing her empress would see through the lie.

‘Mmmhmm,’ she said, looking down her nose at Vita. ‘I think you told Sera you fell?’

‘Oh yes,’ said Vita, blushing a deep scarlet. ‘You’re quite right. That is what happened. I am sorry Domina, I must have forgotten.’

‘You do know lying is a sin?’

Vita nodded.

‘Then, I assume there will be no more bruises to discover?’

Vita shook her head, too deep in the lie. Perhaps they had faded faster than the one on her cheek.

‘Well then, strip. I need to examine the rest of you, to make sure you’re fit for the auction.’

Vita warily shrugged off her clothes, trying to remember where each bruise lay. By the time she was naked she resembled a wilted old tree, she was so stooped and crooked. Her arms and legs were crossed and splaying out at peculiar angles in an effort to disguise each mark on her flesh.

‘I fear you take me for a fool, Miss Dulcas,’ said Vesta. ‘Correct your posture at once.’

Vita uncrossed her legs and rolled her back upright, avoiding the empress’s gaze.

‘Just as I suspected,’ said Vesta, taking in the horrendous state of her. ‘Now I will ask you again, what happened to you?’

Vita hesitated. She understood that the empress could be maddened by her lies, but she failed to understand her persistent curiosity. Vesta had treated her with contempt ever since she’d walked through the palace gates, and in her work, the sight of a beaten servant was hardly remarkable.

Vesta was impatient for a response and stormed towards her. ‘Look at me,’ she said. Vita did. The empress placed her hand on Vita’s forehead. She felt a swimming sensation for a moment before coming back to reality. The empress had a strange look on her face. A look that caused Vita a deep anxiety. She looked… happy. Surely this could only be a bad sign.

‘Well I never,’ Vesta whispered as she pulled away from Vita. ‘I never really believed it could be true—’ she turned and began to pace the room, muttering to herself. Vita saw the empress’s face begin to light up, the corners of her mouth twitching into life. ‘She’ll need training, of course, but if she’s like Hevel—’ she stopped, realising she was speaking aloud. She turned back to the girl.

‘Get dressed, you look like a common whore,’ she said to Vita.

Vita irked, her hand twitched again. Vesta smiled.

‘Now,’ Vesta ordered.

Vita did as she was asked, but felt very confused by the empress’s inconsistent behaviour. ‘If it pleases you, Domina, I will leave now.’

‘Bring me a drink,’ said Vesta.

‘But, Domina, I am needed in the kitchen,’ said Vita.

‘You dare to question your empress?’

‘No, Domina.’

Vesta took a drink from the tray and took a sip, spitting it back out with a crumpled face. ‘What is this filth you have brought me?’

‘The best wine, Domina,’ said Vita. ‘The emperor’s favourite.’

‘Well, it is vile.’ She threw the contents in Vita’s face.

Vita recoiled from the action. She screwed up her face and stepped away, but in the process sent the tray flying to the floor. She felt her anger rising. Her hand twitched once more.

‘Pick it up you clumsy fool,’ said Vesta. ‘Honestly, you may be a bastard born, but you certainly take after that clumsy whore you called mother.’

That did it. She fought herself with every breath, but she couldn’t stop it, she didn’t know what was happening. Her head began to spin, some strange sensation pulsing through her veins. She felt powerful, alive, her skin tingled. Her hand began to burn and there was a flash. A blinding light shot from her fingers.

The empress was laughing and hugging her. She was talking so fast Vita hadn’t the chance to follow, all she could see was a strange blue glow. The empress was apologising. She hadn’t meant what she had said, but this was incredible. Vita was so precious to her and she knew the anger would melt her reserve. Vita just felt tired, so very tired. She saw a bed in the distance and it was calling to her. She fainted.

Sera’s steps left a trail of silent shadows as she crept, barefoot, across Kayin’s bedroom floor. He purred at the touch of her fingers stroking his face.

‘Vita,’ he moaned.

Sera’s eyes darkened. ’No. It’s your true love. It’s Sera.’ Her lips almost touched his ear as she whispered her enchanting words. ‘You relax now, my darling, let your body fall deeper and deeper into relaxation. You will ignore all the sounds around you, just follow my voice.’

Kayin groaned.

Sera slipped a vial from her cloak and poured its contents into a, still full, cup of wine at his bedside. She’d take the full decanter from his cabinet when she left so he had to drink this one.

’Imagine you are floating, as light as a feather. There is nothing except you and me, together and happy. You will listen to me, my prince, and you will do as I bid. I am your true love.’

‘No,’ he mumbled.

‘Yes,’ she said, stroking his hair again. ’You will love me. Like the starved long for a meal, you will hunger for me. Every second of every day your desire will strengthen, until you can resist me no more and will beg for my hand, for my loyalty, my life! But first, we need to get rid of her.’ She spat Vita’s name out like poison. ‘I want you to kill her.’

‘No,’ he pleaded, his head sinking deeper into the pillow.

‘Yes, Kayin. Your party. In front of everyone. If I know Vita, she will give you your motive.’

‘No,’ he said, his head beginning to thrash from side to side. ‘No. I won’t do it.’

‘You will do it,’ she spat. ‘Once you drink the wine in the morning, you will be my slave. It’s the final enchanted vial, sweet prince. The one to seal the bond. No love or passion will break your bond to me then. No feeling will ever be strong enough. You will kill that little whore and you’ll never even know why. But I will and I will be here for you. I will soothe you and take away your pain. And then, my sweet prince,’ she paused, landing a kiss on his forehead, ‘you will know you love me.’