Bereft: Demise

29 (pt. 2) | Of Madness and its Descent

The sound was muffled, ringing out from higher above our heads. Darius jerked to a stop, his hand folding upon my arm as if on instinct. He gaze snapped upward as the echo of the solitary scream resounded with the angled walls of the foyer. 

"That was Amoroth," he said, eyes narrowing to slits.

"Amoroth—?" 

Darius set off with me in tow. I managed to keep pace with the Sin, though I was breathless when we reached the landing outside Peroth's office. Darius threw open Sloth's door without knocking and rushed inside. I followed at a more sedate speed, wondering what we would discover.

Pride hadn't been wrong; Amoroth was, in fact, in the office with Peroth. The Sin of Lust was slumped in the middle of the floor as if she had collapsed and Sloth held her in his lap, soothing her tangled hair from her face as he spoke her name over and over again.

Clotted blood painted streaked trails upon her narrow chin and neck. The front of her blouse was torn, the white satin fabric soaked in red as it clung to her skin. Her left arm was mangled as if it'd been caught in an explosion. 

Darius stood by Peroth as Sloth stroked her slack cheek. Pride spoke in a quiet murmur as a chill stole through the manor's innate warmth. "Is she...?"

"No," Peroth softly replied. "She's simply exhausted. She pushed herself too far to reach the manor in time."

I exhaled, not realizing I had been holding my breath. The woman irritated me to no end and I swore I'd see her answer for selling us out to Balthier—but I didn't wish her dead. As hateful as she was, I didn't wish Amoroth dead.

"What happened?" Darius asked as he crouched. He lifted and turned Amoroth's destroyed hand to better inspect the damage. Judging by Peroth's scowl, the Sin had used too much force considering the grievous nature of her injury.

"She mentioned your brother and Balthazar before losing consciousness."

Pride froze. "She escaped them both?" Darius scoffed in disbelief.

Peroth took Amoroth's hand from Darius's grip, glowering as he did so. I hadn't had many interactions with the Sin of Sloth, but he was more cross than I could ever remember seeing him before. I didn't know if he was angry at Darius, angry at the situation, or both.

Amoroth hadn't given herself those injuries. Darius might have been skeptical, but I wasn't. How had she managed to escape both Sethan and Balthier?

"Darius, go to Gavin and tell him I need another patrol about the border. He won't be pleased, but tell him it is necessary."

Pride sucked air through his teeth as he rose to his full height. There was blood on his fingertips, but he brushed it off upon his jeans without thought. "As if the mutt could tell me no. Come, Sara. Let's go."

"No," came Peroth's sharp command. "Leave her. I need the assistance."

Darius's lips thinned as his fists tightened. The thought to argue crossed his mind in a visible flicker of doubt—but he seemed to reconsider as he stared at the two Sins on the floor. Amoroth was barely breathing. 

"Fine." Pride strode from the room, but lingered just long enough to direct a parting remark for my benefit. "We'll speak later, Sara."

The door swung shut with a clatter. Grim, I remained several paces from Peroth and Amoroth, unsure of why Sloth wanted me to stay behind. What could I possibly do to help? 

"That cabinet, there," Peroth said as if reading my mind. He nodded toward a slender built-in bordering his massive shelf of skulls. "On the low shelf you should find bandages. They may be old, but viable. Bring them to me."