Chapter 62

There was no road leading to the chapel. Ghostras steered the carriage to the edge of the ash tree copse and halted. The drapes, closing the passenger compartment, were pulled aside and first Anseyla, then Sybelien stepped out of the coach. Anseyla took Sybelien’s hand and guided her through the grove. When they reached the small clearing in the midst of the grove, they encountered Evanis. Armed and clad in her new dark leather cuirass, she stood between the edge of the clearing and the chapel.

“At least it’s only the emerald on her armor’s breastplate that’s glowing,” Sybelien whispered, “and not her eyes as well.”

“Don’t feel too relieved about it,” Anseyla whispered back. “I think Jabbit turned the green-eyed warning glow off again.”

“I could make myself invisible and just sneak past her,” Sybelien suggested.

“No,” Anseyla objected. “Eva needs to learn to come to grips with her jealousy ... like all of us.”

Anseyla, dragging a slightly resistant Sybelien with her, stepped out of the woods into the clearing and together they approached her sister. When they stood in front her, Evanis looked first at Anseyla and then at Sybelien in her sheer white gown; the back and front of the dress was held together by little bow ties. Finally, she looked at the couple’s tightly interlocked hands.

Evanis shook her head. “I don’t understand why you brought your girlfriend here,” she said to Anseyla. “I also don’t know why you came here,” she said to Sybelien. “And least of all do I know why I allow this,” she said to herself. “Go. He’s waiting for you.”

Sybelien let go of her girlfriend’s hand but Anseyla embraced her and didn’t let go ... until Sybelien kissed her. It was a lover’s kiss. It was also a long kiss. Long, but not endless, and when the kiss ended, Anseyla let her lover go.

Sybelien kissed Evanis too, but only on the cheek, before she passed her and went to the chapel. The sisters watched her opening the door and then closing it behind her as she went inside.

“Let’s go,” Anseyla suggested when her girlfriend was gone.

“Yes,” Evanis agreed. “Let’s head back to town. I want to get drunk.”

“You’re not angry at Sybil, are you?” Anseyla asked a moment later as they walked back through the copse.

“No, I’m not angry,” Evanis confirmed. “I pity her.”

Anseyla chuckled. “I’m glad to see you have your jealousy under control once more.”

“I’ve no reason to be jealous anymore,” Evanis coolly replied. “I’m done with him. He can fuck whoever he wants.”

Her sister’s giggling rather intensified.

Evanis glared Anseyla. “Don’t you believe me?”

“Oh no,” Anseyla replied, unsuccessfully trying to suppress her tittering. “Of course, I believe you.”

“Then why are you laughing at me?”

“I’m not laughing at you,” Anseyla denied. “I was imagining how happy mom will be when you tell her this news.”

Even though she surmised her mother would react exactly as her sister predicted, Evanis’ expression failed to convey any happiness about it.

Jabbit stood in the center of the chapel and looked at the ceiling. That was what Sybelien thought as she entered, but when she followed his gaze and looked up, she noticed the large circular opening in the roof. The sun had set and it was dark as she looked through the opening in the ceiling and watched a million stars, shining in the clear night sky.

“They seem so close,” she whispered. “It looks like I could grab a star.”

“Do you want one?” Jabbit asked and pointed at a star. “Maybe this one?”

The star he pointed at lit up, shining brighter than any other.

As Sybelien watched the brightened star, a smile lit up her face as well. “Thank you for the offer, boss, but I think the star is beautiful where it is. Keep the stars in the sky, please.”

Jabbit averted his gaze from the sky and looked at Sybelien. “Would you prefer me to become a bashful god?”

Sybelien’s smile only brightened. “I believe in destiny, boss. The Princess Rhaseris and Evanis Danjala were the first people you met when you stepped out of the woods to learn about the world. So, I’m sure, being bashful wasn’t written in your stars.”

Jabbit’s eyes wandered from the crown of her light-blond hair to her face and looked into her sky-blue eyes. When his gaze left her eyes and traveled farther down, Sybelien lowered her head and directed her own gaze at the floor.

“So you believe in destiny,” Jabbit pondered while his eyes roamed across her body, “but you are here to become my priestess and I am not destiny.”

“I want you to be my destiny,” Sybelien whispered.

“You believe you can choose your destiny?”

“No,” she answered even quieter, “but I believe you can.”

“You are very clever.”

“Really?” Sybelien asked, glanced up and saw Jabbit smiling at her. “I don’t feel very smart at the moment.”

“Ansa told me you are nervous about tonight,” he replied. “But I don’t understand why you are nervous. I thought your recent studies revealed you didn’t need to be nervous.”

Sybelien felt the rising heat in her cheeks and groaned. “You removed the glowing of Eva’s eyes. Could you please also cancel my damn blushing?”

“Eva complained the glowing of her eyes made her look inhuman. Which is actually a silly argument because she isn’t human anymore. Never mind. Your blushing, in contrast, is totally human, though.”

“I don’t care if it’s human,” Sybelien whined. “It’s embarrassing to blush all the time.”

“I think you got that upside down, somehow,” Jabbit demurred. “Your embarrassment is the reason you blush.”

“Thank you for stating the obvious,” Sybelien said, glaring at Jabbit. “But the blushing makes my embarrassment worse and impossible to deny it.”

“What do you want to deny? That you’re embarrassed or the reason for your embarrassment?”

The heat in her cheeks returned and Sybelien looked down again. “Both,” she answered softly.

“But why are you embarrassed? Ansa, Eva, and I like it when you watch. Rhaseris doesn’t care and Anja doesn’t even know it.”

“I don’t want to watch,” she answered and a tear ran down her cheek. “I tried but I can’t stay away and that makes me feel weak and helpless ... just like I felt in my nightmares.”

Jabbit frowned. “I wish I could heal your mind as easily as I healed your body. The memories of your nightmares play no part in what you desire.”

“But they do,” Sybelien said, a sob in her voice. “When I watch you with Eva, it looks like you’re fighting. I like to imagine she’s losing and can’t prevent what you do to her. I like to imagine to be her. I’m disgusting.”

“I was wrong,” Jabbit commented. “You’re not very smart.”

She raised her head and stared at him. “You don’t think I’m disgusting?”

“No. I think you like to imagine I’ll do with you what you want me to do. Such things are not disgusting; they’re what most people like to imagine and some choose to do.”

“But I like to imagine I’m overwhelmed and helpless and you do to me whatever you like.”

He looked her in the eyes. “In your fantasies, have I ever done something you didn’t like?”

Sybelien blushed again and avoided his gaze. “No,” she answered.

Jabbit grinned. “You’re also a bit shy, so I guess imagining you don’t have to say what you want is helpful in your fantasies,” he said, but then his grin dried up. “Just do me a favor, please – never tell Eva we look like we’re fighting and she’s losing.”

Sybelien wiped off her tears. “I promise,” she said, and then took a deep breath. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe I’m just too timid. Tomorrow I’ll be crowned as the Empress of Aloria but look at me. I’m standing here to be sacrificed, whimpering and wrapped up like a present. I need to toughen up.”

“But I like presents,” Jabbit opined. “Especially presents meant for me. I was just trying to comfort you. It doesn’t mean I don’t want to unwrap my present.”

“You have been sweet and compassionate,” Sybelien said, smiling at him, “and you were right. I’ll be the Empress of Aloria. The Empress you have chosen. I’m not a weepy little girl to be sacrificed.”

“Now wait a moment,” Jabbit dissented. “You can ask anyone you like; I’m not sweet and compassionate. I’m evil and I want my sacrifice.”

Sybelien shook her head. “I need to get rid of my damn shyness. The Empress of Aloria can’t behave like a blushing maiden.”

“Well, I was looking forward to rectifying your maiden status,” he carefully replied.

“Boss?”

“Yes?”

“You can stop pretending to worry. We both know I won’t leave this chapel a virgin.”

“I’m glad we agree at least this far.”

“I shouldn’t behave like a victim,” she said and straightened her stance. “I’m here because it’s my choice.”

“Good to know,” he commented. “May I unwrap my present now?”

“I’m not a sacrifice,” she continued, ignoring his question. “I’m here because I want to be here - no one forced me.”

Jabbit took a step toward Sybelien.

“I’m a woman, not a little girl,” she absently stated, focused on the hand reaching for a loop at the waist of her gown. “A grown woman with adult desires,” she continued, taking a step back before a finger could touch the loop.

“You want to run away?” He asked.

Sybelien frantically shook her head. “No. I ... I just wasn’t done talking and ... and you surprised me.”

Jabbit tilted his head to the side, watched her and waited. Sybelien looked at him, then at the floor, and the time passed in silence.

“It seems you are done talking now,” he said sometime later.

“Yes,” she whispered, her eyes still on the floor.

“I don’t want to surprise you again,” he stated. “So I’ll wait until you take a step to return to me.”

“We’ll starve while you wait.”

“No, we won’t. I can’t and I believe you won’t starve either. I have faith in you. You are a survivor.”

“I can’t,” she moaned. “I’m too scared. It’s more likely I’ll run away.”

“No, it’s not,” he answered. “The door is closed.”

Sybelien looked up into his eyes. “So I’m not only a sacrifice, I’m also a captive?”

“No,” he objected a third time. “You’re my sacrifice and you are my captive. You-are-mine.”

Sybelien’s breathing quickened as she stared at him. He returned her gaze, unblinking and placid. She hung her head and waited. When her breathing had finally calmed again, she took the step toward Jabbit.

“You truly know how to soothe a terrified virgin,” she mumbled.

“You’re not just any terrified virgin,” he replied as he reached for the bow at her waist.

One by one he untied the bows of her flimsy white gown.

“If you’d loosened the bows at the shoulders first, the dress would’ve slipped down already,” Sybelien criticized.