Lightless Path

Chapter 6: A Sheep Among Wolves

A rough hand forced Mae onto her knees. Something sharp grabbed her chin, squeezing until Mae feared her jaw was going to break under the pressure. The acuity of the pain cleared the haze clouding her mind. The grip jerked her head upwards, eliciting a grunt of pain from Mae as it forced her to look up. Absolute fury and contempt drilled into her, she was too tired to care what the blue eyes behind the visor thought. It took everything she had to not retch from the simple act of moving her eyes to maintain eye contact.

"You have just released an abomination."

"She will be cared for by my people." Mae said through her squished lips. She couldn't help but shake from the sharp pain throbbing in her side. "Properly by priests."

"You interfered with our mission girl. That is an offense not only to our God, but our country. By law I should burn you for witchcraft."

Mae closed her eyes not having the strength to shake her head, "I'm not a witch. I am sorry for offending your God, she's in better hands with my God's priests."

"We won't burn you here. The church will decide your fate."

Could she only use her power once? She couldn't concentrate enough to remember how she had accessed it, another wave of nausea washed over her and the Knights became a blur for a bit.

"How can your God judge me? I don't understand how she could do a fair job when I don't worship her."

"The priests will decide your fate, they are just and fair, like the Goddess." The forest was cold and mostly silent.

"They are fallible. No priest would boast celestial virtue," Mae growled best she could, her knees screamed with the pain of being forced so long on rough ground.

"Witch," the knight threw her back to the ground. Mae didn't bother to move, she felt absolutely hollow. All her strength had gone with Nystaryl, replaced by a splitting headache. She kept her eyes closed to shield them from the sun. "Tie her up. The church will decide what to do with her."

Her arms were tied above her head the same time she felt her feet be bound by the ankles. "Check her for bites." the same voice barked in annoyance. Mae tried to pull away and puked in her mouth as she was groped by a pair of careless hands.

"Don't..." her words were silenced with a sharp smack to the face. A whimper escaped her lips as she was turned over and hands ran up her back. "Alathan." Adrenaline was coursing through her veins begging her body to flee. A pained moan escaped her lips when her muscles twisted into knots refusing to move. Why did she feel so sick? Nausea washed over her again and she puked. The bile spilled down her chin soaking the collar of her dress. They unceremoniously dragged her across the ground, the Knight done with his inspection. The other Knights were discussing the man she had killed-Liathon.

"She's clear Lord Narcisse."

"Give her to the boy." Lord Narcisse barked in a derisive tone. Mae felt the world spin, a Knight she couldn't see grabbed the rope binding her hands and began dragging her across the ground.

"Where are your shoes?" The Knight walking by her feet kicked her barefoot.

"I left them back with the Selenes. We're not supposed to wear them when we enter our enlightenment." Mae glanced at the Knights escorting her to who knew where. They wore nothing to distinguish their allegiance. "Is your God ashamed of your actions? I see nothing that says you work in her name. No tabbard, nothing." Were these Knights who they claimed to be?

"Don't concern yourself about it girl." He grunted.

"Why are the trees barren?" Mae felt a pang of loss for the trees.