The Blessed and the Pure┃🖋

Chapter Η

"Well, that was educational."

Hallie nodded absentmindedly, keeping her focus trained on her feet. And Nikas's too. It's not like she was paying attention to where she was going. She didn't want to get lost.

Taryn was right. Of course, she was right. The Freed were the most discriminated against group in Synoliká.

Plus, the concept applied to Hero's recent stunt. She may have made Charax fire the Taktikoí because they were Taktikoí, but she got away with it because she was Kardián.

You think they listen to me?

No one could deny the truth in that statement. Or question. Rhetorical question. Yeah.

Suddenly, the pace of the crowd sped up. And slowed down. And remained the same. Éris struck again.

The Taktikoí heading away from the sunset kept their heads down and shuffled their feet as they speed-walked down the street. They muttered to themselves and clumped together in small huddles.

On the other hand, Sómata walking in the same direction slowed their pace. They held their heads high and toured with the same grace and smug superiority of one of the old gods. It almost made up for them being shorter than the Taktikoí.

The mortals heading towards the sunset eyed the actions of their fellow mortals and most shrugged it off. The few who didn't either hunched over to make themselves appear less threatening, squared their shoulders and straightened their spines to appear more threatening, or observed their surroundings with mild interest.

Hallie bit her lip at the odd behavior radiating off the mortals. She gravitated to Nikas, ready to use him as a mortal shield should the situation call for it.

"Do you know what's going on?" Hallie asked.

Nikas didn't answer at first. "No."

Hallie leaned closer to him - mortal shields never stayed in the same place - and narrowed her eyes. "You hesitated."

Nikas stepped out of the way of one of the sneering Sómata. "Well, I don't know for sure."

"Does that mean you have a guess?" Hallie asked.

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Yes, but I don't like it."

They rounded the corner, and Nikas immediately tensed.

There was a group of Sómata in the street all dressed in black togas.

Nobody ever wore togas anymore, preferring to wear roúcha instead. They weren't too different in their design. Both of them involved wrapping a piece of fabric around your body. But roúcha had two rectangle-shaped blankets rather than one and were more comfortable.

Hallie only ever saw two mortals wear togas in her life, and they were white togas. It wasn't a pleasant memory.

Nikas tensed beside her, reaching out with his hand to grasp hers. Plan MS, or plan mortal shield, was ago.

Before Hallie could duck behind Nikas, one of the black toga wearers spotted them.

"Fellow Sóma!" they shouted, striding over to them. "Now is the time to act. We cannot let them trample us and take away our rights!"

Nikas cursed and began walking backward, leading Hallie with him.

"Wait, don't you want to take a stand?" The Sóma almost caught up to them. They popped a handful of seeds in their mouth. "By joining the Blessed and becoming a Blessing, you can help ensure we don't fall victim to the vile Taktikoí."