Chapter 18: Thanks for the memories

Hypatia sat on the end of Tsanja's bed.

The Felthings still surrounded her, and Tsanja felt bloodied, defiled, her insides damaged.

Hypatia lifted a little bag up, and put it up on the bed. Opening it, she pulled out a small creature. It was furry, and looked soft, and, as she stroked it, it tried to wrap itself around her finger.

It was just a night-wing

These creatures were only seen at night, and they stayed well away from people. The legends had it that they were older than time itself, and many people were superstitious about them. Both seemed content to avoid each other.

Tsanja had never seen one up close.

It was like a bat, sharing with it the same leathery hide, and soft fur, and beady little eyes, but it had no bones, and little body.

Something green glimmered from its centre.

Hypatia stroked it, and it unfurled itself.

Two eyes observed her, and Tsanja saw that its skin had been pierced with several gold rings, with green stones set into them. Each ring was small, like a piece of jewellery for a child's finger, but Tsanja could see that with that weight, it would not be able to fly.

The arrangement looked somehow familiar.

"Tsanja, tonight has been hard for you, I know, but I think you know that it has been necessary for the good of the Land.

"My little friend here will ease your pain.

"He's your pet now, you will keep him, and look after him, and he will give comfort to you when you come to work with me in the Grand Abbey.

Tsanja recalled now where she had seen those gold rings and those green stones.

Each servant in the Grand Abbey wore an apron, like a uniform, of black leather, gold rings, and green stones, and she knew that she would never be rid of this night-wing, this pet. It would never leave her, and she would wear it all of her days.

Hypatia smiled, and Tsanja recoiled.

Anything which Hypatia liked, Tsanja had realised, she would find revolting. What fresh new horror would Hypatia show her now?

"As you know, Hypatia, we created the Felthings to rid the land of the Lilith spawn, and we are fortunate indeed that they will also help us with a few other matters. Your little friend here will grow strong with you, and, when you shuffle off this mortal coil, he shall make a warm, comfy hood for someone who deserves it far more than you or I. Yes, Tsanja, these little creatures make very fine Felthing hoods. You are not long for the world, Tsanja, as he does get hungry, and he will grow strong on you, but you will not mind so much when you finally succumb to your new darling.

"Tsanja, I have seen them feeding. It is sweet, watching them feed, seeing the look of bliss on the faces of those who provide for them. You could even say that you were made for each other, Tsanja, that there is no higher calling for either of you.

The Felthings came forward then, and stood closer.

Hypatia placed the thing on the bed, and it reared up, to sniff the air, its beady eyes seeing Tsanja for the first time.

A kind of mouth opened then, a great slit in its skin, and Tsanja saw a moist, glistening redness, with fine tendrils beginning to emerge. Its maw was as wide as its body, like a huge anemone, its tentacles waving in the air, rather than in the water.

Tsanja recoiled in horror, and the Felthings gently held her down.

The creature shuffled towards her, struggling against those heavy, clinking rings, and, its skin undulating, it moved towards her head.

"Tsanja, relax. You will come to accept this over time, even to welcome it. Just let him get to know you. He is faithful, Tsanja, faithful unto death."

The Felthings laid their gloved hands on her, and held her still.

The night-wing covered her face, and her head, opening itself up like a leather bag, and those tendrils began to enter her, through her nose, through her mouth, through her ears. It was not painful. On the contrary, the tendrils were moist, and warm, and Tsanja began to relax. Perhaps they drugged her, or exerted some strange kind of influence. The creature settled over her face, leaving her mouth clear, and it warmed her. The Felthings released her. Again, she could not move.

Tsanja did not know how the creature fed. Perhaps it would not be so bad. Lying here was almost pleasant, and she could no longer see Hypatia.

"Think of the time we met, Tsanja. It was not the best of times for you, my dear, but that shall soon be all in the past, gone the way of all flesh."

Tsanja could not help thinking about the first moment she had met Hypatia, and she felt a burst of hatred as she realised how awful the land had become under Hypatia's direction. Her experiments with the Felthings were horrible enough, but to do that to the Healers was a monstrosity. Tsanja had no doubt that Lilith was only extant in the world because of Hypatia's meddling, and she hated Hypatia most of all for what she intended to do to Tsanja's loved ones, the only friends she had left in the world.

Poe had been correct.

Poe had been correct in everything.

Until Tsanja had seen the horror of the Felthing's flesh, she had hoped that all Poe had told her was exaggeration.

The reality was a hundred times worse.

Perhaps she was fortunate. Her own family would fare even worse. Her stomach clenched at the thought of her loved ones being turned into Felthings, her own mother being raped and hollowed out. Tsanja did not know if Madeleine and Dee would have time to save their own little ones.

In any case, they would be forced to endure the same agonising trials as herself.

And Penn, beautiful Penn. He had always thought himself free, free as a bird, and perhaps now he would have to pay for his carefree ways. But at what a price!

As with all boys, he never thought to ask why there were no men in the village. Those particular sorceries had kept the Sisters of the Church in power for generations, with no males to challenge their dominion.

Tsanja guessed that he would be a good match for one of the Sisters, retiring at forty, or a daughter of a minor woman of wealth. He would be wedded, and never see sunlight again. Oh, he would have bedroom pleasures enough, but Tsanja thought with distaste on the shackles to be placed upon his fine mind, as she had crippled many a young man for marriages in Gynt. It was distasteful, but effective.

The village had been a restful place without the incessant fighting, shouting and jealousy from the legendary menfolk of old.

Her mind seemed to crystallise then, and did not move forward, or backwards, her image of Hypatia and today's events were stuck. She felt no pain now, which was some relief, just those memories and emotions, held as if pinned to her mind.