Carmine (Completed)

Chapter 20

I went down the corridor. Its winding structure confused me even with one exit. Nothing was easy it only got harder. The one time I wished Valor was around. 

He was a man driven to carry out his mission, but he protected me even if it was for selfish reasons. Without him, I was on my own with a nun that harbored no use to me if I was caught. 

I was doing a poor job at keeping alive. We slipped our presence from a dismal dungeon-like aspect to a homely aesthetic.

Now well-lit, the halls were narrower again. The doors here looked more refined with walls layered in painted wood. Our shoes thudded against glossy tile floors where a beautiful ornate carpet captured the middle of it. Chandeliers sparkled in the sky. 

Comfort should be my close friend, but my chest rocked with stronger, frightening vibrations as it got further away.

Sweat peppered my face. Hands clammed up as the distant voices went unabated. It was like I was surrounded. 

The pain in my hand nagged at me. My arm fidgeted in agony and I was losing feeling in my fingers. It was harder to move them now. 

The woman I was with had not spoken much and that suited me perfectly. All I knew about her was her role as a nun in training. 

They vowed oaths of chastity to some Gods. Ashuor had no nuns, but monks were involved in charity work. 

Nuns though were more reclusive and never left the church grounds. 

I honestly knew nothing about their purpose. It seemed they were more than likely privileged servants to the priests, bishops, and other men of holy rank. 

I supposed not just anybody could be allowed on those holy grounds. If they were holy that was. I was almost killed on those grounds myself. 

The pain made it hard to think. My right shoulder tensed with pain and the pain in my side peeled my sanity. I rubbed it with my good hand twitching at the pain that prickled up with the touch. My face hurts. I flexed my jaw. My tooth was loose. 

I sighed. Noting the woman looking back at me, I asked, “What is it?” 

She got frightened and whipped her head back around. “Nothing, just—how—” 

I cannot let her think I was weak. Even though I was, I barely kept my eyes open. 

“You better not be hiding anything from me,” I said. 

She did not look around. Her body shivered in fright with her hands cupped in front of her. “No, no, it is just—you killed a templar.” 

I also robbed his corpse of gold. “What about it?” 

“Are women trained in combat in Ascus?” 

No. No one did that, so I lied, “No, I used to live among the commoners of your country. I learned a lot from them.” 

“I too.” 

“Oh,” I said, yet I heard distant voices. 

“Yes, I-I was an orphan. Then I was chosen to be a nun. A great honor, so I gave myself to Erot. She has accepted me. I met many women. Never one who would challenge a man. Except for Corona. She is Arch Nun. Sometimes we fear for her safety, but she never seemed afraid. You and her have the same eyes.” 

“What do my eyes look like?” I asked. Wary of the sounds close by, I focused on the surroundings.  

“A person who has seen death.” She was looking at me now. Her brown eyes were dreamy.