𝐂𝐑𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐃│✔

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟏𝟑

Pandora 

♡

The brisk winds howl madly, contrasting against the soft goodbyes of the last rays of sunlight illuminating the temple's apertures. Dusk is over, and the night has taken over. So will the Salavars, soon enough. We've been waiting in the Main Hall of the temple for the past half hour. The limestone statue of the Moon Goddess stands proudly in creamy beige. Her left arm crossed over her chest, silencing all those setting foot into her sanctuary. 

Her other arm holding the strings of mortal life loosely between her finger, as if she wouldn't care for any of them to evade her grasp. Every temple of our House has at least one representation of her. For she's the one who holds our lives, our fates and our tomorrows in the palms of her hand. Whatever misfortunes we encounter in life, we are always told to pray to her. If we put enough heart into our prayers, she will hear our hearts' wishes and fulfil them if she considers us worthy of her blessing - or so I've heard.

I don't bother to conceal the pure hatred igniting in my eyes when I look up to the chunk of stone. My calves ache at the ghost pain caressing them avidly, and I look back at the empty centre of the hall, where in another temple, at another time, I was forced on my knees while being punished for being caught trying to sneak out of my religion classes. The whip, solely meant to be used on horses, would repeatedly land on the back of my legs, drawing stripes of irritated skin. I don't dare to look up at the ceiling, who's most likely painted with drawings of our Angels flying high to the Heaven Realm. It probably looks the same as our temple back at home. The same angels drawn on another wall probably witnessed first hand what kind of sinful existence I've lead.

It hurts.

I continue walking towards the bureau of the High Priest who oversees this temple, the three guards following me quietly. Their backs as stiff as mine, if not more. Tonight isn't about surviving, it's about getting as much information possible without having to shed unnecessary blood. Or at least not too much of it. I'm at a point where battles have become a countdown where I need to last until this whole ordeal is over and my people are safe, before I dare to fall on my knees in exhaustion. But looking at how far we have come with the investigation, I'll say we yet have a very long way to go before having any control of this mess of a situation. 

Not using my mana will be a realistic approach only if I can keep the morons behind me out of trouble, and observing their poor ability to fit in a mass without being too obvious, the chances of that happening are very small to non-existent. The headache that has been intensifying by the step the moment we got here reaches a new high point because of the ceaseless loose strings and blank spaces in my thought process. Whatever, I'll just suck this one up. As long as I get the info we need, or at least whatever bits I get my hands on without being caught, and get my hands on Mister Garnier, and bring everyone back safe. I should be fine.

As if...

The last thing I need is for these old hags to get on my back for putting their dear little warriors in life threatening danger. Albeit, that is technically their jobs as members of the Royal Army, it's of no matter as long as it can be used against me. Not to forget the crazy voyeur who'll have my neck, again, if I don't bring back the one his King is asking for. Seeing what kind of dangerous creature the man in question managed to get under his wing, it was a foolish mistake of mine to underestimate his influence. No matter how annoying it may be, I admit that his gentle words and pleasant face got to my head and affected my judgement more than they should have.

"When do you think they'll come?" Aiden asks looking at the quiet landscape, his back resting on one of the exterior pillars. We decided to wait on the terrace outside the High Priest's bureau, out of the sight of others while being in full visual of the route that'll soon drag us to our final destination.