Void Domain, Book 02 полностью

If Eva was reading her blood correctly, the woman paled. A lot. “No, I am more than fine out here.”

With a shrug of her shoulders, Eva nodded for Arachne to carry her into the room.

The door slamming shut without Arachne shutting it did not go by unnoticed.

While the nun’s heart rate was lightly elevated on the trek across the compound, it now skipped a few beats and jumped straight into scared rabbit territory. She must have been part owl for her head swiveled around as she tried to take in every detail of the strange environment.

Arachne set Eva down, though she kept two steadying arms wrapped around Eva’s shoulders. The awkward stooping over she had to do to keep her arms where they were did not seem comfortable in the slightest. Yet she didn’t fidget or move much except to use four extra legs as stabilizers.

The nun turned back to Eva, her mouth gaping open. After a minute of continued staring, she got her wits about her enough to speak. “I don’t understand. What is this place?”

“No idea,” Eva lied. She raised her voice and called out, “Ylva, I have someone here who wishes to make a request of you.”

Nel spun around. Her eyes and her head darted around, searching. Whatever she was looking for, she came up empty. Her head twisted back to Eva with confusion written all over it.

“Ylva is here, right?” Eva whispered to Arachne.

“She is.”

Glad I didn’t make a fool of myself then. Eva gestured forwards. She couldn’t see the pit or the throne, but they hadn’t turned at all since entering the room. “Go on then. Make your request. She’s waiting for you.”

Nel Stirling cocked her head to one side before facing in the direction Eva assumed was the throne. “I, um, need help?” She glanced back at Eva who rewarded her with a shrug. “I’m being chased by people who can find me almost anywhere, but not in here?” Another glance at Eva. “Oh. My name is Nel Stirling,” she said with a nod, apparently remembering Zoe’s advice. “I’m an augur.”

The nun gave one more glance towards Eva. The silent plea for advice went unanswered.

There were times for advice and times where it was simply too late. Eva felt strongly that this situation fell into the second category. It wasn’t entirely the nun’s fault, Eva supposed; speaking to an unmoving skeleton on a throne wasn’t an obvious thing to do. Still, she could have made a real request at the very least.

While Eva didn’t like to interact with Ylva often–the hel had a very imposing presence that Eva tried to ignore–she had to admit that not a one of their encounters had been anything less than cordial. Near as Eva could tell, the hel rewarded politeness with politeness. Juliana’s tale of her and Zoe Baxter’s encounter only strengthened that theory.

“Our patience wanes.”

The voice thundered throughout the room. It echoed off the walls and surrounded them.

If Nel’s heart rate could go any higher, Eva would be surprised. It looked like it was trying to escape out her back and run away.

Eva’s own heart rate picked up, though not as much. That must be the booming voice Juliana mentioned. That was the first time she heard it. It sent a chill through her spine despite not being directed at her.

Hopefully it wasn’t directed at her.

Arachne didn’t budge.

The nun collapsed to her knees. If Eva couldn’t see her heart, she might worry that it had given out completely. Her mouth gaped open but only a choking sound came forth. She cleared her throat several times. “I-I’m sorry.”

“Your manners are noted. Make your plea. We are busy.”

What with? Every time Eva had ever seen Ylva, she was slouched on her throne doing nothing obvious. At least, she was slouched over it the first time. Eva felt it was a safe bet that she hadn’t changed her pose since Eva lost her eyes.

“P-Please. I request asylum within this place. My former comrades hunt me.”

Arachne whispered in Eva’s ear. “I expected her to run away. This must be the first nun with a backbone.”

“Or she actually has nowhere else to go.” Perhaps she was more scared of Sister Cross than Ylva. That could simply stem from not knowing what Ylva actually was.

“What have you to offer?”

A small, weak voice escaped from Nel’s lips. “Offer?”

“If a mortal stays within a building owned by another, they pay. You will pay for the privilege and honor of staying within Our domain.”

Nel Stirling glanced back at Eva before turning her gaze to the ground. “I am an augur, a powerful seer. Though I require reagents to use my abilities to their fullest. I can offer nothing apart from myself.”

Bad choice of words, Eva thought. The chuckling in Eva’s ear told her that Arachne agreed.

“We accept.”