Page 27 of Sins of the Stone

Ursulette

T he following day, when the sun rose, two people Ursulette didn’t recognize dragged her out of the cell. Her legs were practically nonexistent beneath her as the agony of the previous day was boiling in her body, and the weakness of hunger was truly setting in.

She was pulled out into the sun with her head slumped between her shoulders and her hair in a mess. Her eyes burned in the light as she felt the low thump of a headache begin to form. Death was just a breath away, but she was too powerless to stop it.

A small groan slipped from her lips as her feet caught on a low spot on the ground. The hands holding her in place gripped her more aggressively, agitating her injuries and sending pain through every nerve in her body. She dared not look up to remember the faces who were bringing her to her doom, knowing that the afterlife would grant her no peace whether she saw them or not.

Finally, they reached the gallows. Ursulette only knew because, with her gaze fixed on the ground, she saw a set of ragged stairs in front of her. Feeling as hopeless as ever, she lifted her feet, stepping up the planks, knowing she could do nothing to stop this. After everything they had been through, this was how it would end, just like she saw in her nightmares.

Once they reached the center, the hands released her, and she looked up, seeing a noose a breath away. Her heart began to race as the realization set in. Just like the visions that haunted her, she was going to end up dangling from the end of it, her tongue blue, her face speckled with petechiae, her eyes bulging as they threatened to pop from her skull.

Then her neck would snap, she would suffocate, or her head would be separated from her body. Any way it happened, it would be unpleasant. She felt as if she was staring death in the face until a noise caught her attention.

“He should be here soon.” Omar’s voice drew her attention, making her lip curl. “Unless he has abandoned you to save his own skin.” Ursulette did not even dignify that with a response. Of course Ramuz was coming, and this worm was not going to plant that seed of doubt in her head. As she stood there, she had a hard time maintaining her balance between the men holding her up, but what she saw when she looked before her was clear.

In front of the gallows were strands of enchanted chains laid out in a star pattern to trigger them and cause them to coil around whatever crossed their path. Just like the man in the tavern said all those months ago. If only she knew those very chains would be used against her and her monster.

She clenched her teeth together, praying Ramuz would spot them or that she would be able to call out and warn him before he fell into the trap. But she had a feeling that he would be so infuriated that he would attempt to save her as soon as he emerged from the edges of the village.

And right on command, she saw a familiar, bulky shadow along the horizon. When he came into view, her heart shattered. There were smears of dried blood all over his body and more oozing wounds that were scabbed over. As he walked closer, she saw a tear in his wing, and her throat tightened. Once their eyes connected, he began rushing forward.

“Ursulette—”

“No, Ramuz!” she cried. But he did not notice in time as he was too focused on her. His foot connected with the chains on the ground, and they began to glow blue, snaking around his body and binding his arms. He let out a low growl that made her shiver. With him being already injured and presumably walking the majority of the way, he was surely tired and weak, just like her. Which meant that their only hope was quickly sucked away, and they would shortly be executed.

Just like she saw in her nightmares .

Ramuz’s teeth were bared as she noticed his muscle flex, to break the binds, but to no avail. Omar’s snicker was not lost on her as he raised his hand, pointing to Ramuz.

“Get him,” he said. “Bring him to the pyre.” Her eyes widened with that word. A group of hesitant citizens shared a glance as if afraid of approaching Ramuz. But Ursulette knew well enough that without an unbinding incantation, they would stay secure. They approached him before grabbing a stray chain and leading him over to a post that was not there before she was locked away and bound him to it. His lack of fight crushed her, but he was sure seeing her atop the gallows was enough to destroy his courage. What she saw next made her want to sob.

A group of people began piling logs around Ramuz. Her heart skipped as their eyes connected, and instantly, she felt the last hope dwindle away. There was no light in his eyes, no hint of positivity. He could feel the hands of death creeping up on them as well, and she felt a tear slip down her cheek. If she thought her end would be bad, his would be much worse.

They were going to burn him alive.

The sun was blinding, and a sheen of sweat stuck stray hairs to her forehead despite the chill in the air. When she glanced around, she noticed Giles among the crowd gathering around the gallows. One of his eyes was ringed with black and sunken in. She didn’t need to wonder how he got that injury. There was only one person crazed enough to do that.

A set of footsteps beside her drew her attention, and more tears streamed down her face. Omar was in front of her, shooing away the men and making one head towards the crank, and the other joined the crowd to observe. When she stole a glance at their faces, worry was pressed into them.

They cannot want this, can they?

The only thing that gave her satisfaction was the drip of blood along Omar’s shirt. The hint of a smile peeked across her lips before quickly fading, knowing that would be the last enjoyment she would get out of this life unless there was a next.

Ursulette looked to Ramuz again, feeling her throat tighten as she thought about the agony that the next few moments would put them through. Ramuz’s eyes held a sorrowful expression.

“Ursulette,” he said mournfully. The dribble of tears turned into a torrent as the last log was piled by his feet. There was no more to be brought, signaling the beginning of the end. The breath would be ripped from her lungs, and he would suffer an excruciating death by fire. She couldn’t think of a worse way to go.

“O-oh gods…” Her words were cut off by her sobs and Omar securing the noose around her neck with a wicked expression on his face. He pulled her hair out so that the rope was taut against her flesh. He tugged at it, and she gasped, knowing that it was going to get much more painful shortly. She looked at Ramuz again, not wanting Omar’s snide expression to be her final memory.

“I never wanted things to end like this…”

“I know,” Ramuz replied. His voice sounded weaker than she ever wanted to hear him be. “I never wanted this either. I wanted to live a happy life with you. Enjoy our time together. Love you like you deserved.”

“I’m sorry, Ramuz…”

“Do not apologize, my treasure. You have done nothing wrong,” he said. “My only shame is that I could not protect you.”

“No!” Her tears increased as she felt as if she was going to choke on them. “Do not say that! Don’t die with regrets—”

“Silence!” Omar hissed, yanking on the noose again. Ursulette cried out, the action pulling her from her tears for a moment. He gave her another steely glare, but she couldn’t muster a response, not even a scowl.

Those in the crowd all shared the same pained expression as Omar stepped back, glaring down at Ursulette and Ramuz, making her stomach turn, knowing what was coming next.

“For the crime of forbidden relations, defined as a romantic relationship or intercourse between a human and a monster, you, Ursulette, have been sentenced to hang from the gallows until you cease to breathe.”

A whisper went through the remaining citizens, but she couldn’t hear what they were saying over the roar of blood pulsing in her ears. A torch was lit, being held by a man beside the gallows. The noose was around her neck. If this wasn’t finality, she wasn’t sure what was.

Omar turned to Ramuz, still atop the gallows, looking down at him with an expressionless face. Like he was prepared to smite two living creatures. Like he thrived on it.

“For the crime of forbidden relations, defined as a romantic relationship or intercourse between humans and monsters, and contributing to the destruction of our village, you, creature, have been sentenced to burn until you are dead.” Once again, the crowd exchanged mutters and concerned glances. Ursulette wasn’t sure they wanted to see a woman hung until death or a living being burned alive, but none of them protested.

They were complacent, just like she once was. Now look where that got her. A noose was around her neck, and the most precious being she had ever met was a breath away from being set alight. When she looked back at Giles, she noticed him wipe a tear away.

Omar glanced at the man holding the burning torch in front of Ramuz, pointing to him. “Light the fire,” he commanded. “Burn it.” The man’s shoulders drooped. Of course, this was not an everyday spectacle. Living creatures were going to die. Ursulette only hoped that someone would stop this madness before the fire connected with the logs. Still, the man hesitated. It was unnatural to crave needless death, especially when they already witnessed countless tragedies.

“Are you that much of a coward that you will not scorch a creature that caused our destruction?” Omar asked.

“But, Giles said—”

“Giles has not kept you alive this long, has he?” he snarled. “He cannot lead and tend to the wounded, no? I have contributed to your survival. I lead you. Therefore, you must bend to my will. Burn him, or I will burn you.” The man’s eyes widened as he glanced at Giles before tossing the torch onto the fire. The flames began to crackle in an instant, gobbling up the logs and popping with anger.

“No!” A scream ripped through Ursulette’s throat as she watched the blaze increase in ferocity, consuming the pile of logs below Ramuz. She continued to sob as Omar approached her, his eyes cold. There was no soul behind them. Nothing.

“You still have one more chance to prove yourself not to be a sinner,” he said, grabbing her chin and forcing her tear-filled eyes to look into his. She grit her teeth, feeling the urge to lash out.

“Never!” she snapped. “I would rather die.”

“Is that your wish?”

“Yes.”

“Then I will grant it.” He released her from his domineering grasp and turned to the man beside the lever. “Kill her,” he ordered. The man gave him another cautious glance, surely not wanting to end up injured like Giles. Or worse, at the wicked end of his wrath.

“Have you done this before?” the man asked. Omar’s scowl said it all, and Ursulette knew precisely why he was asking.

The body resisted death, and if executed poorly, she could strangle instead of having her neck snapped. Or worse, she could be decapitated and have her blood rain down upon all the people too scared to speak up. She knew they did not want this. They all witnessed carnage and destruction before. This was just another layer of unnecessary violence.

“No, I have not,” Omar said. “It can’t be that hard to kill a whore.”

“The rope length must be right, or she will suffer.”

“Then let her suffer! She has crushed me and rejected me. I do not care if she is tortured, burned, or flayed,” he roared. “Get rid of her!” The fire was still crackling, destructive as ever. It slowly approached Ramuz, licking at his feet as his eyes pinched shut, hoping to avoid his burning hot doom. Her heart leaped to her throat for perhaps the final time, knowing this was the end.

She looked to the crowd again, hoping to see Giles one last time before she perished. She hoped her expression would say all that would need to be said before she entered the afterlife. Her heart shattered as she saw that he was not in his place among them. He probably couldn’t bear to watch. There would be no goodbyes. That was just one final confirmation from the universe that all hope was lost.

“Now!” Omar said .

“She shouldn’t suffer, Omar. That’s cruel.”

“I will do it myself then!” he snapped, racing over and pulling the lever. Her heart skipped as the floor fell out from beneath her. The only thing keeping her upright was the noose strangling her. The man was right. This was suffering.

She could feel the pressure of the rope stopping the breath from reaching her lungs. The veins in her face popped with hues of purple and red as her neck strained against the pressure. Her tongue bulged from between her lips as she felt her eyes flutter shut. A warm tingling was racing through her body, undoubtedly caused by the sweet release of death.