Realm of Mortals by Angela J. Ford

Author:Angela J. Ford [Ford, Angela J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-02-13T22:00:00+00:00

22

Bloom of Light

Zilpha cried out in shock and horror after she bashed Citrine on the head. Her fist came open, dropping the blood-stained rock into piles of stones where it splattered red matter across the cave floor. She hadn’t meant to hit Citrine that hard, but a steady flow of blood appeared, matting her odd colored hair. What if she were dead? Tears sprang to Zilpha’s eyes, and bile filled her throat. With shaking fingers, she wrapped her hand in the skirt of her dress and lifted the treasure, careful to ensure her bare skin did not touch it. Tucking it into a bag, she tied it around her waist and made her way back down the cliff to the boat, furiously wiping tears of fear and anxiety from her eyes. She had to do what she’d done to save Bram and save herself. There was no other way and now she could reap the benefits.

She tried to forget Citrine’s bloody head as she untied the rope and plunged her fingers into the icy waters, rubbing them together to get rid of the blood. Desperation made her clumsy as she clambered into the vessel, ducking her head down to keep from throwing up. Taking up an oar, she rowed while the waves fought against her. The boat moved into an eddy and spun in circles, showing her, once again, the monstrous mouth of the cave, glowering at her like a toothless wyvern. Zilpha could not help the hysterical tears that poured out of her eyes and leaked into her mouth. Without trying to wipe them away, she seized the oar and rowed like a mad person until she escaped the eddy.

The calmness of the sea mocked her turmoil, and it seemed like the seagulls who flew above mocked her choice. “I did the right thing. I did the right thing,” she said repeatedly as if to belay her nerves. It was the right thing. Citrine would be fine. And even if she wasn’t, she had no right to take the treasure for herself. Zilpha had only done as Lord Nodin ordered. Whatever it took.

She rowed for a while as the shadows grew long, and eventually the city of Sanga Sang came into view. The waves pushed against her boat like hands, forcing her to stay in the middle of the waves, but Zilpha tugged at the oars, driving the slim vessel onward. As she neared the city, seagulls wheeled above her, their rough cries making an ache ring in her head. She imagined they scolded her for her devious ways, shouting: Thief. Thief. Thief. A reprimand for stealing the treasure back for herself. Her arms shook from effort until friendly shouts blocked out the accusations of the seagulls. A flush spread across her face as she saw the fishers were already out. They tied their small fishing boats up at the port she aimed for. It lay lower down from the shore than the port where the massive ships went, and it was further down from the main hub of the docks.

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