Silver Shackles

Chapter 8

The knot in my stomach grew tighter and tighter the farther we rode up the mountain. Fear washed over me as my suspicions about the poison running in Baal's veins proved themselves true with each passing second. A few hours in, Baal began coughing and making small hissing sounds. When I asked him if he was uncomfortable, he confessed his gash was burning. The Goddesses knew how much I wanted to stop to comfort him...but that wasn't an option. He got warmer as time continued passing by. The poison's effects were getting exponentially worst.

The temple was in sight after a whole night of riding Ion. The huge entrance had a façade etched directly into the mountain, it was held up by large pillars and two large stone spears. Baal held on to me, but I knew that by now his strength was failing him. For the first hours, he bore with the situation pretty well, but as time went by he slumped against my back and started relying on me to keep him on the horse. His breathing got unusual, labored.

"Hey, still with me?"

"Mhmm." He mumbled trying to sound cheery.

It had the opposite effect of what he probably intended.

"Just hold on a little longer. We're almost there..."

The morning sky hadn't cleared up of clouds, everything was gray and cold. Snow started falling and the wind picked up. A storm was upon us.

We finally arrived at the temple's doorway and I dismounted Ion, taking Baal into my arms. He coughed a little in discomfort. His skin had gone paler than its usual milky color, dark spots appeared under his eyes. His purple eyes had gone dull and his lips were chapped thanks to the fever and cold wind.

"Help!" I exclaimed holding Baal in my arms, his skin fire hot against my own.

The runaway prince smelled like dying flowers, much like the poison on the dagger.

Monks dressed in gray tunics came to my call and, recognizing me in mere seconds, told me to follow them quickly. Rushing through the stone halls lit by yellow torchlight, Baal fell unconscious in my arms. I called to him but he wouldn't open his eyes, I bit my lower lip feeling my whole world was going down the drain.

The halls lost their left wall to a series of pillars with gaps in between them giving sight to an icy valley. A storm made havoc outside. The sky flashed with blue light as lightning bolts raced across it to fall down on earth. Snow and cold weren't getting in probably thanks to mana shields placed over the gaps. The monks finally led us to a bedroom. It was a small room with one bed, a chair and a desk.

I settled Baal on the small bed lit by a torchlight placed on the stone wall. One of the monks, a man with gray hair and dark slanted eyes, sat by Baal and told me to remove his top clothes. The graze wound on his side appeared to have festered. The skin had turned black and the gash oozed dark red blood.

"By smell alone I can tell you what ails him milord." The old man turned to see me, his expression grim. "It's poison from the Veritas flower, your friend may not have much longer at this rate."

"I feared as much..."

Blood drained out of my face. I was right. Why would I have ever hoped to be wrong?

"We can try to make an antidote if you happen to have some of the poison."

The old man stood up from the chair as I nodded and rushed back through the halls to Ion. I looked for the dagger inside the bags and ran back, Ion neighing worried. The small run gave me time to calm down. This might work, Baal might get better. He would be alright.

I handed the priest the poisoned dagger, the old man taking it with him alongside two others monks in the room. One priest remained behind to help me tend to Baal's gash. My precious companion had started to sweat profusely. The fever got worst yet again. Tremors shook his body as if he were cold, his heart beating fast inside his chest. He must've been in so much pain... and I couldn't do anything.