“You stupid girl! You saw her leave and did nothing to stop her?” Kalliope hissed.
“I- I told her not to go,” Ava stuttered. “I asked her to stay and help me clean the temple…” she trailed off. Ava was known to be a horrible liar, but her skills had vastly improved since Damalia started her secret visits.
The head priestess threw her arms up in frustration. “I’ll call upon Timone. As the village leader maybe he can help us with this… but I fear the worst.” Kalliope turned to look at her again, her vulture-like features showing nothing but disdain. “Go make yourself useful and gather the servants and maidens in the main hall,” she snapped. “We need to hold a meeting.”
Ava hurried to obey, desperate to put some space between her and the older woman. She bit her lip as she scurried away. It seemed that their plan was working. No one suspected that Zoe had willingly left the temple; they seemed to think she’d been kidnapped. If they could successfully fool Kalliope, everyone would go along with it. Ava hoped and prayed that no one would go looking for Zoe, and if people did form a search party, the pair was able to cover enough distance in the night to not be found.
Ava entered the sleeping quarters and rang a small bell nestled near the doorframe. It was seldom used and sent a gentle tinkling noise through the room. Gradually, the women began to wake.
“What time is it?” One of the bleary eyed maidens asked as she was roused from her sleep. She leaned to look out a window; the sun could barely be seen on the horizon. “What’s going on?”
“I’m not sure,” Ava lied. Zoe had been friendly with everyone, and Ava didn’t have the heart to tell them that their friend was about to be presumed dead. “Kalliope wants us to meet in the main hall. I’m sure we’ll find out soon.”
-The air in the hall felt heavy as women shuffled into the large room. A feeling of dread seemed to cling to the walls. The grim expression of the priestesses did nothing to calm their nerves. The fact that a man, Timone, was standing among them only intensified the anxiety that rippled over their skin.
“Ladies,” Kalliope silenced the room with a wave of her hand. “We have an announcement. You are not allowed to leave the temple at all, for any reason. I regret to inform you that one of our maidens has disappeared.”
Gasps and whispers echoed through the hall as women desperately turned their heads, looking for a missing face.
“Zoe?” another maiden called out. “Zoe, where are you?” she cried desperately.
For the first time in recent history, Kalliope’s face seemed genuinely sympathetic. “Zoe is no longer at the temple. She went wandering the grounds last night and has not been seen since. Timone has gathered a small group of men to search for her, but it will likely be in vain.” Timone stood by, menacing and imposing as Kalliope gestured to him. “He will be here to provide us with extra protection and will update us on news regarding Zoe.”
At that point, a number of maidens had fallen to their knees. Some in prayer, others to wail in misery. “Zoe!” a voice cried out. “Not Zoe!”
Ava felt indecent watching such a mournful display. She could end their suffering, let them know that their friend was safe, but she’d be risking Zoe’s wellbeing in the process.
Her heart broke as she watched the maidens cry for their friend. Only her and Damalia had been trusted with her secret, and she intended to take it to her grave.
Ava hoped that her accomplice would return soon. The anxiety of the situation weighed heavily on her conscience. That, and the fact that an actual murderer was still on the loose. There was always the possibility that something <had> actually happened to the pair, but Ava wouldn’t know for many days.
“My dove,” Damalia had whispered before she left. “I’ll return to you soon, I promise.”
The days following the announcement of Zoe’s disappearance crept by slowly. The priestesses, servants, and maidens wore black veils over their faces to show their grief. The dark fabric clashed with their soft, white robes, exaggerating the effect of their mourning. More men had come to the temple to provide protection, but it only added to the general sense of unease.
Ava had spent each night waiting in the sanctum for Damalia to return, occasionally falling asleep at the altar. Her nerves only grew as each evening passed without her return. What if she never came back? The thought plagued her endlessly. What if she gets hurt? Or finds a new home along the way? What if I never see her again? If something happened to Damalia, Ava wouldn’t even have a face to remember her by. Just the touch of smooth hands, velvety fabric, and the feeling of home.
After the seventh day, Ava had worked herself into a proper panic. Her nerves made it difficult to eat, or do almost anything else. There were so many things she wanted to say. She wished she could write them down, but her damned illiteracy prevented that. She thought of all the stories Damalia had read to her. The tales of adventure, love, and loss… she could finally understand all of it on a deeper level. It only made the ache in her chest deepen. If she lost Damalia, she’d lose everything.
-
It had been a warm evening, and Ava’s eyes drifted shut as she leaned against the white marble statue of Eupheme. She didn’t notice the light shuffling of feet as someone entered the sacred room, but she quickly awoke to the feeling of slender fingers against her cheek.
Ava let out a squeal of surprise at the unexpected touch.Her eyes snapped open to see the familiar green cloak she adored so much. Ava wasted no time and quickly pulled Damalia into a tight embrace.
“Oh, Lia! What took you so long?” she whispered urgently into the fabric. “Did you run into trouble?”
There was a smile in the other woman’s voice as she held her tightly. “Nothing I couldn’t take care of.”
“Thank Eupheme,” she sighed. “There’s still a search party looking for Zoe. Did you run into them? Do you think they’ll find her?”
Damalia shook her head. “Not at all. Most have no knowledge of the stars to navigate them. They are as unlikely to find her as she is to find her own way back. They would need an expert guide.”
Ava let out a shaky exhale. She could literally feel a wave of relief crash over her. “Good. I was so worried for you.”
“I told you I would return.”
“Still, I missed your company.”
“And I yours.”
“We haven’t been apart for more than a few days since our first meeting,” Ava replied, nuzzling further into the fabric of her cloak, inhaling her sweet smell.
“Hopefully that’s alright. I could visit less often if-”
“No!” Ava responded quickly. “No, what I mean is…” she desperately searched for the right words. “It’s just, I spent years here without knowing you and I was always fine, but…. But after a few months of your company, I barely felt I could survive the week alone.”
“It’s nice to know my little bird cares for me,” Damalia responded playfully, carding her fingers through her blonde hair.
“It’s more than that, Lia.” It had been over a month since Ava had broached the prickly topic, but she felt the need to bring it up again. “Please. Stay with me here at the temple.”
Damalia loosened their embrace, taking a step backwards.“No, my opinion has not changed. I don’t wish to speak of this again.”
Ava felt frustration burning behind her eyes. “I don’t understand. Don’t you enjoy my company? Did you not miss me as much as I missed you?”
“You know that I did,” Damalia groaned. “That’s not what this is about. I refuse to be a servant here. I don’t want to spend my days worshiping a deity.”
“Then-,” Ava bit back a sob that had lodged itself in her throat. How had her initial relief at Damalia’s return faded so quickly? The true fear that had plagued her all week had finally crawled its way through her, worming itself to the surface.
“Yes?” Damalia waited.
“Then, then why haven’t you offered to take me somewhere else? You've always said that I don’t belong here.”
“What? Ava, I-”
The smaller woman cut her off. “I think you know where I do belong.”
“Where is that?” Damalia asked, confused by the statement.
Ava could feel her blood running hot through her veins. “With you!” she bellowed. “Damalia, I belong with you!”
Comments (3)
See all