Page 41 of Veil of Vasara (Fate of the Five #1)

CHAPTER 41- NATHON

I fiddled with the gold coin between my fingers while I waited. Loria and Rhana had been dual winners of the games. That was good, but it wasn’t ideal. Still, we had fulfilled our end of the bargain for now. That was all we could have done.

The side alleys that circled around the Solar Inn were revolting, but it was nothing I hadn’t seen, sat, or even immersed myself in before. The streets were lined with filth, trash, wanderers finding their pleasure in sex with strangers, or drugs in alcoves.

I thought about that sorcerer, about if she was watching me right now, but I made no efforts to find her. If I hadn’t detected her already, there was no way she could be detected at all.

“That’s a lot of money, where did you get that?” Mathias approached.

“I won it. A bet.” I told him.

“What did you bet on?”

I twisted the coin some more, moving it quickly between the spaces that separated my fingers and thumb. It was cold, hard, shining in the low light of the night’s near full moon.

“On a certain semi-starved individual.”

Mathias scoffed. “Delightful.”

“Yes. They are.” An image of the Captain apparated before my eyes.

“Did you look into the stolen goods of our dear friend?” he sneered.

Have you found the information that was stolen?

“Not yet but I will,” I told him.

“One of his cooks recently abandoned him as well.”

This must have been Ruban. Did he expect me to deal with him as well?

“He’s looking for him though.”

“What will he do once he finds him?”

“Make sure he never works again, most likely.”

“He sounds like a wonderful employer,” I replied sarcastically.

If Ruban died, then Rhana would need to find some other way to hold Loria and I to account, which I’d prefer she didn’t search for.

Mathias leant against the wall next to me. “Why are we…here?” He looked around him in pure disgust.

Other than the fact I knew this setting would make Mathias deeply uncomfortable. “There are too many inside tonight. The games attracted attention.”

“The crowds act as a dispeller of suspicion.”

“Not when there are so many recognisable faces amongst them. The risk must be evaluated accordingly.”

“Anyone could be listening.”

“I’ve already assessed, nobody is listening.”

Apart from the sorcerer perhaps.

“Ahh well outside, inside. It’s all the same,” Mathias said quietly.

Kill the King straight after the marriage. The plan remains unchanged.

It was what I had expected, but still.

“The men and women are different outside and inside too.”

Who kills him? Me or Loria?

“I’m more partial to the men…as you know.”

You kill him, not Loria.

“Yes, I know, I’m sure they do as well.”

The King will be suspecting something like that.

“Then it is best not to give them time to think, before they are in your arms.”

Then do it quickly.

Somehow Mathias was managing to convey my instructions and his thoughts on sexual consent at the same time.

“Nothing needs to be said.”

That’s all.

“You simply take them,” he spat.

He grabbed my chin, turning it to face him. My face was hidden somewhat with a hooded cloak, red this time, but it was directly in his line of sight now. The feeling of his calloused hands on my jaw made me want to peel my own skin off, made me want to slither away into nonexistence.

His warm breath was tickling my cheeks, burning my flesh. It reeked of alcohol and the faint traces of his last meal. He licked his lips as he looked at mine.

He lifted his right arm and placed it around my shoulders so that he could press himself against me.

If this had been anyone else, anywhere else, I would have killed them instantly. If anyone else had even looked at me with such intention, I would have ended them before they could see it through.

But him, I could not kill. I loathed it with every bone in my body. My blood screamed, bashed around inside my heart and veins, around my limbs. A tumult of fury, begging to get out. But Mathias was the only person I was powerless to stop. His death would mean my punishment, and Loria’s. His death would not be forgiven. His life was worth too much to my father. Worth more than my own, most likely. In Audra, I could escape his clutches, I could evade him, I could remove myself from the scene. But here, I couldn’t attract attention, I couldn’t be detected.

I had trapped myself in this alleyway.

As much as I had been aware of Mathias’ perversion, I would never have believed that he would be stupid enough to try and act upon it so openly here.

Yet his breath betrayed his inebriation, not enough to weaken him, but enough to cloud his judgement.

“What’s the matter? Not running away this time?” He leant in closer and sniffed me, his nose pressing itself into my hair. He let out a long sigh afterwards.

I backed away, grimacing in internal agony.

“Could it be… that you like it when I touch you?” he grumbled.

My lips quivered, with rage, or repulsion, or even fear, I wasn’t even sure.

“It’s like getting touched by a corpse, who could enjoy it?” I spat. My voice curdled with disgust.

Mathias gripped my face slightly harder. “A vulture might mmm? To a bird of death, the touch of a corpse is like the Divine Halls. Don’t you want to know what they feel like?”

“Remove… your… hand.”

“And what if I don’t? What if I fuck you… right here, right now, in the dark, where nobody…is listening, where nobody can see?”

My legs shook slightly. I knew now, I was afraid.

I was afraid.

I was never afraid, but this man, this threat, this frightened me still. I’d already used my body for Sarlan. I had already sacrificed enough of my autonomy to wither it down to one single thing…that I had not been forced so violently or viciously in this way against my will.

That was what remained. That is what I had left.

Mathias spoke again, emboldened by my silence. “Not so snappy today, little boy.”

I shifted in his grip and kneed him in the groin. He doubled over but remained standing and pushed my head against the wall. A wave of impact reverberated up through the back of my skull.

“My father might not be too pleased if he hears you fucked me in an alleyway,” I hissed.

Mathias laughed slowly, as if he were savouring it. “Your father won’t give a shit.”

I swallowed down that bitter truth, gulping in hopelessness.

“So, I can do… whatever I want to you now.”

“Careful Mathias…I might not be able to kill you just now, but I will make sure you suffer excruciating pain for a long time, slowly, before you die, if you touch me once more,” I seethed.

“You know. It’s hard to take you seriously when you’re trembling like a little lamb. I like seeing you frightened.” He used one finger to stroke my cheek. “Everyone’s so afraid of you. I must be the only person that the Vulture himself is afraid of…how”— he sniffed me again— “fucking exciting.”

He placed the hand that had been around my shoulders on my waist. I squirmed in his grip.

“Think about what you’re doing.” I reached for my weapons. I couldn’t kill Mathias, but I could wound him enough to escape. I would suffer for it, yes.

But I would not suffer this.

“I am thinking…I’ve been thinking about you for a very, very long time.” His hand slid lower, and lower. Now it was on my hip.

I couldn’t stand it any longer. I pushed him off me, holding my weapon at him, but he had clearly anticipated my half-hearted attempt at resistance. He had clearly known I couldn’t use my full strength against him. He grabbed both my wrists and slammed me back.

Mathias was perhaps the only one of my father’s cadre that was more proficient than I at hand-to-hand combat. After all, he had been trained in the same manner, and had been practicing his craft for far longer.

He moved his hands further along. Now one was on my thigh.

I hit my head back against the wall and looked up at the sky.

Maybe, if I looked up at the sky, I could endure it. If I looked at the stars. I could count them. He wouldn’t last that long anyway.

I could do it for Loria.

I could. I would.

But still, my body resisted against his fingers around my leg, gripping forcefully, his other hand sliding down my neck.

“Stop squirming so much,” he whispered in my ear.

I turned around and spat in his face.

He used one finger to wipe it off.

Then he stuck that finger in his mouth.

And licked it.

I watched him mortified.

Mathias lifted up a blade and held it against my neck.

“Don’t get any ideas now. Be good and do what you’re told. Like you always do.”

I struggled, but there were little manoeuvres I could attempt that wouldn’t open my jugular vein. Mathias’ hand moved deeper into my thigh as I tried to kick my way out from under him.

As if by an invisible force, Mathias fell forwards, and slammed fully on top of me. I pushed him off. Mathias rubbed the back of his skull and turned around.

Someone had attacked him.

“Who the fuck are you?” he yelled into the shadows.

A slap resounded against the ground. A hollow, tapping sound.

The individual didn’t answer. Mathias stepped forwards. I remained against the wall, trying to assess the situation. I could run now, I could escape, but I didn’t yet know who had attacked Mathias, or why.

Having caught sight of the individual Mathias scoffed. “Mind your own business. If you want one like him that bad, there’s plenty inside.”

“He’s the one I want,” a smooth voice replied.

I stiffened up, dread spread through my body.

Now I had no choice but to escape.

Because I recognised that voice.

“Too bad Kalnasan…he’s mine.”