Nia - Bait (1)

“So, what did they tell you?” Lera asked, giving Nia one of her false smiles.

The Exorcist sat in her chair, looking her over with cold scrutiny. Nia met her gaze, though she hesitated for a moment. What if Lera had been listening? Or if the Hunters had overheard? She had to tell the truth. She didn’t want to lose Lera’s favor. At the same time, she didn’t want her to take away the few moments when she wasn’t at rock bottom. Moments when she was more than a piece of filth to be spat on, even if that would have been fitting.

A small resistance still stirred inside her, and she knew it was thanks to Uda.

“They asked me if I could free them,” Nia said quickly, holding back the rest of what she could have reported.

Don’t tell her about Rufus’ offer. She doesn’t need to know. You can’t control Nightmares anyway; it was only a pretense. You’re not possessed, and you’re playing with fire, she thought, biting her lip.

The smile on Lera’s lips now seemed more genuine.

“Did they? Of course they did. That’s good. Play along. If they talk to you, I might learn something new from them. Rettil said they were cautious, and I think it would be wise to get to know the criminal scum a little better. Don’t you agree?” she asked.

“Yes, Exorcist,” Nia said, keeping her eyes fixed on the tent floor.

“Good, I’m glad to hear it. Do you think you can get something out of them?”

“Yes, Exorcist. They will trust me soon. I promise.”

“Very good, sweetheart, because otherwise I would have to take your tongue, like I did with your friend. And you’re so good at using it wisely…” Lera whispered, then laughed.

Nia decided not to answer. The Exorcist was in a good mood, and she didn’t want to ruin that. What Lera had done to Uda terrified her, and she didn’t want to end up wheezing in a cage herself. After the pointless work scraping moss from the buildings, Lera had taken her into one of the blocky houses beside the main square of the decaying city and led her down a musty-smelling stairway. The room they entered was dark, illuminated only by the glow of a torch Lera had casually lit with her power. At first Nia could hardly see anything. Then a dreadful groan echoed from the darkness, making her hair stand on end.

“Well, how are you today, you bitch?” Lera had laughed, stepping into a corner of the stifling room where she lit up a rusty, tiny cage in which one couldn’t even sit upright.

Nia nearly screamed when she saw Uda lying inside, still with her backpack strapped to her, her face almost lifeless. Only rasping, tormented sounds escaped her throat. She flinched slightly when the torchlight blinded her eyes.

“Take a good look at her, you filthy creature. This is what happens when a Possessed defies me and rises against me. If you don’t want to end up the same way, you’d better keep behaving. Understood?” Lera had whispered.

Now, lying on straw on the tent floor before the Exorcist, Nia wondered if she should have said something to Uda, or given her a secret message. Something encouraging. Something to give her strength. As Uda had done back then, when they were driven through the forest together. Uda had managed to give her courage, hidden behind vile words.

Hold on. You’re going to make it!

That’s what Uda had said, without Lera noticing.

And what had Nia done when she saw Uda in that dreadful state? Locked away in the dark like an animal, mistreated?

Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

She had done exactly what Lera wanted of her. As always.

I’m such a worthless, cowardly slut…

She didn’t even need Lera’s brainwashing to know that. She hadn’t helped her best friend, hadn’t repaid her debt. One day she might be strong enough.

Not today, she realized, and she almost wanted to slap herself for it.

You stupid…

Then she lay down and surrendered to the pain of the chains and glowing stones pressing into her thoughts around her neck. She collapsed inward, into the blinding rays of the circle of Light. When she came to again, she was sent back to the three prisoners. And she realized she was looking forward to it. Not because Lera wanted it, but because for the first time since she had arrived in the Dream, she could exercise some power over others.

The prisoners eyed her warily as she approached them again. They were still scraping moss from the surrounding buildings, this time a little farther out. Nia barely felt the tickling sensation that spread through her as she crossed the barrier and joined the workers. The Hunters watched her closely, but said nothing.

Soon she set the knife to the wall again, silently scraping away the green growth. She tried to discreetly breathe in the fresh scent of the moss, though Itch seemed to notice.

“It smells like life. Strange, isn’t it? In these Shaded Lands there should only be Nightmares and decay,” he remarked without sitting up.

“Nightmares are life too,” Nia replied, staring off into space.

She stopped and stared at the wall.

Nightmares are life too… Yes, that’s true, isn’t it? The fake Locu was alive as well… she thought.

“Of course. We’re talking to you right now, aren’t we? To believe you weren’t alive would be crazy, right?” Enu said, then hurriedly looked away as if he had surprised himself.

Nia glanced at him and studied him carefully. “Of course I’m alive. Just because I wasn’t brought here from somewhere else, but was born here, doesn’t mean I don’t live as you do—or as this young woman I’m in does,” Nia played her part.

Rufus gasped.

“So it’s true? The Seed really exists?” He struggled for breath and tried to look out across the distance through the massive building before him.

The Seed. Kettil had spoken of it. Lera seemed to be hunting it too. If she stayed with Lera, she might find it and…

Why? Why would I do that? Maybe…

Maybe she could find out where the Nightmares came from, and who was responsible for the attack on her and Locu. After all, she was to blame for Locu’s awakening, but if someone or something had sent the Nightmares initially, then there was someone else to hold accountable. Someone who deserved the same fate she was living through.

No, even worse… Lera is heading north because she suspects a Seed is there. Why not use that information?

“Yes, there is a Seed north of here. That’s where I’m from,” Nia lied.

Was she even allowed to give that information? It didn’t matter. Lera had ordered her to gain the criminals’ trust. And Lera wouldn’t find out. She hadn’t been watching last time, and she was probably busy now, having to coordinate one and a half units of Nightmare Hunters. Too caught up in making herself important.

“What is it like there?” Itch asked, almost dazed.

Nia growled and narrowed her eyes.

“Why should I tell you? You haven’t told me anything. Do you think I’m stupid?” she hissed, trying to sound angry.

The hazy look left Itch’s face, and he took a step back, arms raised defensively.

“I’m sorry, you have to understand! We love the darkness as much as you do. Even if we’re not skilled enough to use it often, we live with the same goal as you!” he added quickly.

Nia crossed her arms and shook her head.

“Oh? So you think you know what goals we pursue? Now I’m curious. Speak, all of you. Don’t make me wait!” she snapped.

She was surprised at how much fun it was, for once, to hold the upper hand. Maybe she could convince Lera to take these men with her somehow. She needed this feeling of not being at the very bottom more than she had expected.

I am a worthless…

But the words didn’t come, and Nia enjoyed how the three men hastily tried to give her as much information as possible.

“Your goal is to destroy the Sky Stones, right? So the Holy Shields will fall and you can wipe out the people in this realm for good. Then you would only have to wait for new ones to come and slaughter them like cattle. You’d almost have something like human farms…” Rufus reported in a trembling, excited voice.

“They say you’ve done it before, in Eskia. Destroy a Shield, invade… If Corf hadn’t been, you would have had your territory by now. You see, I’ve been under the thumb of that greasy, arrogant Exorcist for a long time, and I’ve picked up a few things. Stay somewhere unnoticed long enough, and people get careless,” Itch whispered, glancing over his shoulder.

Nia followed his gaze and saw that the Hunters who were supposed to be guarding them were deep in conversation, not even turning their heads.