Hood (Book One of Radiant Afflictions)

Chapter Five

Chapter Five

forgive me, my souls, for I have sinned

*****

Aaliyah and Exander crashed into the room they had been staying in, moving to gather their belongings without regard to whose things they ended up in as long as it all was retrieved before they left. Aaliyah delved into the first hiding spot, pulling at satchels filled with gold from jobs they had completed on their way to Emelle. They all were gathered into her larger bags until she came to a bag that should've been empty, packed full. She didn't have time to ask Exander how he'd managed to complete their mission in Emelle and rescue her, but she was gracious of his good thinking during her crisis.

She spared the tiniest of moments to say, Thank you before returning to her state of panicked packing and hoped he knew what she was referring to.

It took the two of them less than two minutes to get in and get out, and then the were escaping through some oni tunnels that ran below the city. There was an overlooked passageway in the bottom of the tavern they'd stayed in, obscured by a rug. Some boards covered the entrance, which was an unlighted staircase that led further in. They thanked the owner several times for his cooperation along with some coin and continued on their way. Even if the guards of Emelle managed to figure out where they'd gone they would already have a head's start. Another advantage was the vastness of the tunnels and how far they reached. A danger also lied in that vastness--anything could be down there, and anything could include that which could kill them.

They did not hesitate in their descent into the darkness, although Exander soon produced the smallest of lights to illuminate at least part of their path. His soft footsteps could just barely be heard in front of her, and the outline of his wings could be seen because of the low glow they emitted. Aaliyah wanted to reach out and touch them, grab onto them for comfort until the pain she felt faded away.

Her pains consisted of many aches, but the most prominent was the hunger that wasn't just ripping through her stomach but her body and soul as well. It had risen to a point where she feared she could take the closest living being when they reached the tavern, and in the few minutes since it had transformed into a strong yet dull throbbing pain that grew with every passing minute. They could be in there for hours, which worried her. However, even the hunger knew that Exander was off-limits and began to hope for any creature that lurked around them. Speaking of which . . .

Aaliyah rested her hand on Exander's shoulder, pinching the cloth that marginally separated him from death while her mind strayed elsewhere, first instructing him to keep moving at their quick pace around turns and through road forks. Her eyes closed automatically, and her mind turned away to focus on the melodies around her. The hum of Exander's soul was the same as always, if not brighter compared to last time she has listened in. It was a song that sometimes echoed between her ears even when she wasn't consciously searching for it, and she found it calming.

There were others around them, although most were too small to make a difference. Too many bugs were crawling in there, she noticed, like most other places, but she sensed other beings as well.

For example, she could sense the presence of a small grouping of creatures somewhere off to her right and the light tones of smaller animals throughout the passage. There was one very close to them, just left of their position in that moment, and her hunger deeply desired it. Aaliyah spun almost immediately--and walked straight into the wall beside them.

Stumbling back from her mistake, Aaliyah cradled her forehead as she returned to Exander's side. A headache was already beginning to form beneath the skin there, and she wasn't too sure that there wouldn't be a bump there later for her to nurse.