Shadow Seer [18+]

~ Thirteen ~

"What?" Sanaa exclaimed. Her eyes grew to the size of dinner plates as she sat up sharply. She cried out, the pain refusing to be ignored but Archimedes quickly tried to calm her. Sanaa fanned him away as best she could with aching arms. Miri suddenly entered the room, her eyes frantic as she took in the scene before her looking for what had caused Sanaa harm.

"Mistress are you alright?"

"She's fine, Miri."

"I was asking my mistress."

Both Archimedes and Sanaa went very still. Miri had never so much as breathed too hard on any of them.

"Miri... I'm okay."

Miri looked at Sanaa and inclined her head respectfully, "I don't wish anything to happen to you."

"And it won't. Archimedes wouldn't allow it and now I know, neither would you." Sanaa had taken her friendship with Miri for granted and was instantly humbled. The girl may have been quiet but it didn't mean she wasn't observant and that Sanaa's attempts to take her own life hadn't taken a toll on the poor girl. Miri left them with a polite bow of her head. Archimedes shook his head in disbelief before turning back to Sanaa.

"He's taking me with him?" Sanaa was immediately back to the point at hand.

"Yes. He needs you to confirm that the child they find is the one you Saw."

"I'll ignore that you took so long to tell me this Archimedes," she chastised and he had the decency to look ashamed.

"I did not want to worry you so soon," he said apologetically.

"That's all well and good but why would he need me at all? I had the mark to show I was a Seer. Surely this child will have the same thing?"

"Did you see a mark in your vision?"

"No,"

"Then Ghassan will need you. Besides, we never learned whether your star mark was unique to your kind. This child could be bare and all Ghassan will have is your say that they are the child you Saw."

Sanaa was aghast, "You can't possibly think I'll hand over a child to that man!"

"Do you plan to refuse him?"

"Yes!" she replied fiercely, her eyes unyielding.

"And how would you do that Sanaa? Lie to him? Tell him you do not recognise the child?"

"If I have to."

"And how long will that last?" Archimedes switched to Agmantian so they would not be overheard. "How long until he grows tired of not finding what he seeks and takes his anger out on you and I won't be there to stop it, again!"

Sanaa did not reply, conscious of the pain in Archimedes' eyes. His body was tense, his eyes hard, yet they were not angry with her but at the emperor and what he had done to her. What Archimedes had been unable to prevent. Sanaa reached out to take his large hand in her own. She had been through the physical pain, but she had to respect what Archimedes had gone through by seeing her this way.

"I want nothing to happen to you, Sanaa, and the only way to even attempt to keep that from happening is to give Ghassan what he wants."

Archimedes was right, but the truth didn't hurt any less. She would hand over a small child to be trapped by Ghassan, just as she was. She would no longer be used for her powers and be complicit to Ghassan's conquests but what she would be used for would be infinitely worse.

"When do we leave?" she asked, instead of going into the dilemma she now found herself in. Archimedes sighed, placing the items he'd been using to wash and clean her face to one side. Archimedes' body stiffened as he stood from the bed, looking away from her as he adjusted his clothing.