The Azimar Archives Book One- The Book of Death

Hasani

They walked quickly for several minutes through the maze of tunnels. Hasani was completely lost in no time, but Ajax seemed to know where he was leading them, though he would often pause at splits in the path for a moment. The further they traveled, the stronger the overwhelming sense of a crushing weight all around them became, until Hasani's feet dragged with every step.

Finally, they stopped. They seemed to have reached a short block of prison cells, with a handful of heavy wooden doors lining the hall on both sides. Ajax rushed ahead, stopping at the final door on the left, tugging the key down from the wall and scrambling to unlock the door. He pushed the heavy door open and ushered them inside before carefully closing the door behind them.

The room was just as dark and cold as the hallways outside had been, and with Ajax's torch behind him, he couldn't see more than a few inches in front of his nose. He held Silvana close, and he felt her hands slide down to her stomach protectively.

"Ajax? Is that you?"

Her voice was weak, but Hasani recognized it immediately. Although Ajax had already told them that Nevina was alive, that another had been hung in her place, he could still hardly believe his eyes as Ajax rushed to the figure lying prone against the far wall. She was incredibly thin and pale, and hardly seemed to have the strength to sit up. Her face was gaunt, and there was a crust of dried blood under one lip. Her once golden hair was ragged and dirty. But Hasani could glimpse the beauty she'd once had. And the way Ajax held her gingerly and kissed her cheeks despite the filth pained him.

"You shouldn't have come. You should have gone straight for the door," Nevina chastised Ajax.

"I know, I know. But I wanted to see you one last time. And I've brought Hasani and Silvana with me. You can show them what you showed me, help them understand..."

"I can't. I don't have the strength anymore. And you don't have the time to wait around for me. I'm sure Mothlenor will notice what you've done soon, and the first thing he will do is interrogate me. You have to leave."

"We will, don't worry. Just please come with us." Ajax's voice was pleading. Hasani could only stand and listen, unsure of what to do.

"I can't come with you. I am meant to stay here. When Mothlenor realizes that the egg is missing, I can buy you enough time to get safely away from Etritia." She turned to Hasani and Silvana, a weak smile on her face. "Silvana, how is the baby?"

Silvana took a few steps closer, her earlier unease seemingly gone. "He's fine. He kicks all day and all night." She knelt beside Nevina, taking her by the hand and pressing it into her belly. "See?"

Nevina laughed, and the laugh turned into a hacking cough that lasted for several seconds. Nevina turned away, wheezing between coughs, before turning back and nodding her head to Silvana in approval. In the dim light surrounding them, Hasani saw droplets of fresh blood staining her lips.

Nevina turned to him, then. "You still have the book?"

"I do, yes."

"Give it to Silvana."

Hasani looked to his wife, whose eyes had grown large at the command. He did as Nevina instructed, pulling the book from his doublet and passing it to her. She clutched it to her chest, her eyes troubled in the dimness of Nevina's cell.

Nevina clutched Silvana's hand tightly. "You have to get to the Knife. And from there, follow it south, until you reach the Free Cities. You will be safe there, for a time, and you must make sure that you always keep that book close. And when the time comes, you will give it to your son. Do you understand?"

Silvana nodded. "I-I understand." She quietly retreated, reaching for Hasani's hand and squeezing it tightly. "Our son, Hasani," She whispered under her breath. "She said our son..."

Hasani had heard, and he dared to hope that it would be true. A son...

Nevina was coughing again, head turned and mouth pressed into the inside of her elbow. When the fit stopped, she looked up at Ajax. "You have to go now. You've wasted too much time lingering here."

"I'll go," Ajax started. "It's just..."

"Yes?" Nevina almost sounded impatient.

"I love you. You still won't come with me?"

Nevina smiled thinly, her lip trembling. "I'm not going to be in this world much longer. Surely you realize that. Just remember, Ajax. There's power in love."

Ajax nodded slowly before kissing her on the cheek and standing up to leave. "If things had happened differently..." He sounded hopeful, his voice thick.

"If things had happened differently..." Nevina's hand tightened around Ajax's briefly, before she released him.

"Goodbye, Nevina."

"Goodbye, Ajax."

Ajax led them out of the cell, closing the heavy door behind him. Their lantern was beginning to grow low, the oil in it nearly gone. Ajax took Silvana by the hand, and she laced her icy fingers with Hasani's. "We have to hurry. Come on." Ajax led them down to the end of the prison block, and deeper into the tunnels.