Seasons in the Abyss (Book 4 EptaBorromean Realms)

Chapter 4.1

Hidden deep within Hyreath, the four former students of the academy remaining within the cells had very little contact with anyone other than Eoghan. While the sisters had assumed their roles as Keres, and Garas as Kairos. Sancho remained unmoved, only leaving when summoned and returning afterward to his cell each night.

It had been more than two years since the assessments, since Angel disappeared. Unbeknownst to their keepers, Azraelle, Ethan and Eoghan, Elias had never lost his connection with Angel. The siblings were tied to an artifact she carried, while Elias was tied through vows freely given to the woman herself.

Jun and Elias had stood firm, turning away every opportunity to leave the cells that had become their home over the last two years. For Hades it was a struggle, far more complicated by his own connection to Angel. On more than one occasion, the Ferryman was needed to pacify him, or risk Hades rushing to her side.

Elias knew she was his to serve from the day they met. He had felt the bond solidify as he uttered the unbreakable oath.

↫↼↼※⇁⇁↬

Elias had just stepped into a small cabin hidden within the Midnight Forest surrounding Hyreath. Like his classmates, Siobhan and Garas, he was shocked to see the well established greenhouse growing along two walls. On a third were books of every sort, piled on shelves from the floor to the ceiling. The soft light filtering through the space mirrored the golden light of a harvest moon.

In another corner, sat a work space. Along the bench were tools for crafting any number of things from weapons to talismans. An alchemist's lab stood equally pronounced next to a pill furnace. Behind the contraptions were shelves filled with neatly labeled bottles of pills, tonics, oils and potions.

"How did you find this place?" Siobhan asked her, drawn to the rare, exotic and deadly plants.

Angel seemed relaxed, smiling as she watched them take in everything around them.

"I built this," she admitted quietly. "Over here," she gestured, "I have a small library of infinity set up so that I can research anything that I need to know about."

Siobhan smacked Angel's shoulder in shock. "Ya cheeky shit! This is how ya've been doin' so well in everythin'?"

Within the deceptively small cabin, Angel had an infinity space. She could change the layout, adding or taking away, as she needed with a thought. Should she need to travel, the small cabin was tied to her and could appear wherever she needed it to be.

The three were overwhelmed by everything before them and began rattling off their questions one right after another. Angel smiled shyly and gestured for them to take a seat.

"Let's sit down and I will explain it all to you. First, you need to put one drop of your blood into this bowl. Whatever you choose to do when I am done explaining, this will serve as an unbreakable blood oath. It will bind you to secrecy one way or another."

She pricked her finger as she spoke and let three drops of blood into a bowl that appeared in the center of the table. Garas pricked his finger without hesitation, and let the drops of blood fall into the bowl as well. Siobhan followed suit, letting her own blood drip in.

Elias had stared at the two before looking over to Angel. "What if I don't give my blood?" he asked.

"Then you cannot leave this place," she said quietly. "The spell will only bind you to secrecy by wiping your memory completely if you do not agree. Everything, from the moment you stepped out of your dorm to meet me, will be wiped away. Every future interaction that we have will also disappear from your memories," she explained.