Erebus by Devon C. Ford

Author:Devon C. Ford [Ford, Devon C.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Science Fiction
Publisher: Aethon Books
Published: 2020-09-14T16:00:00+00:00

Adam found it best to stand tall and look resolute as the Nocturnals and the Dearmad went through their greeting rituals. They were quick and seemingly routine, but as with all things he didn’t understand, Adam found himself wondering what the point of them was.

“Why don’t they just say hello and get on with it?” he muttered to Mark not quite under his breath, earning a hiss of warning from the older man.

“Because it’s their custom,” he said, “don’t be disrespectful.” Adam kept his face rigid but seethed at the admonishment. He wasn’t intentionally being disrespectful, only curious about the answer and his manner made him sound too blunt.

“You know,” he whispered to Mark who was still unsteady on his feet even after half an hour back on dry land, “you should be more respectful. I’m a prince now.” Mark laughed openly, earning a few pointed looks of disdain from Nocturnal and Dearmad alike, before bowing his head as a sign of respect.

Dren, evidently leading their group as envoy, spoke in low tones with the biggest of the other people for a while longer before they were asked to follow. Feeling as though the series of underground tunnels of his life would never end, Adam spent an awkward twenty minutes walking with an enforced stoop to his step, until the series of winding walkways opened out into an underground city far bigger than he had seen on the Frontier.

The end of their journey was almost a repeat of their first group meeting with the myghtern of the Nocturnals, as they were ordered into a large chamber where a man of almost square proportions sat on a raised level looking uncomfortable in the ornately carved chair he occupied.

Long speeches were delivered in a language so alien to Adam that he couldn’t even decipher a few words, and he was beckoned forward by Dren, who stood beside him and spoke loudly and confidently to the leader of the Dearmad.

After she had finished speaking and retreated to his side with a deep bow, a warrior from the flanks of the throne stepped forward to speak with intensity and fire in his eyes which he directed at Adam. He spoke briefly, turned and bowed to his leader, who returned the respect with a nod before leaving the chamber and not showing his face again the rest of the day.

Dren told him later what had been said. After the feast and the fiery liquid that he tasted once and politely declined to touch a second time. After they had been shown to their guest quarters and washed the sea journey from their skin under hot water and fell into bed beside each other.

“They know you and I are bound,” she said, “and at first they weren’t happy at this, but I have told them about your life and where you came from.” His eyebrows rose questioningly as she spoke, earning a calming pat of her slender hand on his broad chest. “I told them what they needed to know,” she explained.

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