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They don’t want me to fight. They want me weak, feeble. They want me to portray the Sidus they have built up in their twisted minds.
To them, I should not be strong nor a fighter. I should be beneath them,always.
The thought alone makes me claw my way to a sitting position.
I may be weakened right now, but not broken.Neverbroken. I will make it through this like I have every other obstacle I have faced before it. With the stubbornness my mother gave me and an unyielding will.
On shaky legs, I force myself to stand, breathing through the phantom pain left behind from the Breaker’s session.
With one step in front of the other, I get moving, using my shadows to aid me, unlocking my cell and moving through the passageways up to the palace above.
Clenching my teeth against the sharp pain in my ribs, which are still healing from the trial, I make my way as fast as I can to the location Veles gave me.
Moving through the hallways, I use the hidden coves and dark shadows as my cloak, concealing me when any guards or palace people are near, and swiftly move into the east wing, where the room should be.
It takes longer than it normally would to make it there. But when I arrive, I immediately find myself in a slight predicament.
The hallway along the entire wing seems to be heavily guarded, with a handful of guards stationed throughout it. And the only other way in seems to be through the balcony that sits outside it.
The balcony that sits on a mountain that is a straight drop into the black sea and its dark, tainted waters that bring nothing but death.
I will have to use the nearest ground floor and archways to climb up the side of the first floor and then up again to the small walkway to reach the balcony. All without slipping or falling to my death.
Moving outside to the ground floor, I push every ache and pain in my body out of my mind and focus on moving upward.
Climbing up to the first archway leaves me breathless and my injured ribs throbbing. Glancing upward, I note that I will at least have the trees and vines to conceal me and aid the rest of my journey, but it will not be easy.
From my slightly higher vantage point, I also notice that not many guards are outside. Maybe they thought only a fool would attempt something so dangerous.
A small chuckle leaves my lips. A fool indeed.
Every nerve in my battered body is still tender and painful, so I prepare myself for how hard I will need to push myself to continue upward.
Taking one last moment to gather my strength, I move to the vines and push my body beyond its limits right now to climb up the side of the palace. Each haul upward feels like I’m dragging double my body weight.
My trembling arms grow weaker, forcing me to take another break halfway up.
A rattle starts in my chest with each breath, and I curse myself for most likely further injuring my broken ribs.
With no other choice, I push through it and continue on, making it to the small walkway in double the time it would usually take me. Sitting for another moment, I try to catch my breath once more before dragging my body over the balcony and to the door that leads inside the room.
Finding it slightly ajar, I listen for any sound or movement from inside before moving. After a moment of hearing nothing but the crashing waves below, I head inside.
Taking in the room, my eyes widen at the luxury and extravagance around me.
Thick rugs are laid out on every piece of the floor. There is a huge four-poster bed with a heap of white silk pillows that look like a small haven. The golden embroidered blankets draped over it make me wish I was wrapped within them.
I understand now why Oryn would choose to remain with the Caligo when the luxury the Sidus are afforded is even a fragment of what they see.
Realizing how much time I have wasted gaping at the extravagance, I ignore the rest of the room and glance around for the wine Veles described. He said it will be in a glass bottle, but not like any glass I have seen before, and the wine itself will be shimmery, revealing its uniqueness.
Glancing around, I spot at least a dozen glass bottles placed haphazardly throughout the large room, most of them empty and on their side.
With a sigh, I start searching through any cupboards and dresser. My hand lands on a flimsy piece of silky fabric that looks to belong to an extremely small woman, and I start to wonder what type of room I’ve come to find myself in.
Placing the flimsy material back where I got it, I move to the wide oak armoire on the opposite side of the room. But upon opening it, I find it filled with weapons rather than clothes.
Dragging myself away from the beautiful collection of blades and swords, I turn and spot another small chest on the other side of the bed. Moving over to it, I open it and find a case full of glass bottles filled with what I hope is wine.
