Chapter XXIII

Emylas had been right about one thing, for all that he'd been wrong about. Darkness and silence forced one to look inside, at one's own fears. The beast inside. Every monster one saw in the dark was merely a part of one's self. And if the real threat to you is within you, how can you possibly escape it?

Sins. So many sins on his head. He'd betrayed the justicars. Betrayed the Father. Betrayed Azalea. Even betrayed justice. And for what? Was the world any better off for his efforts? He'd failed to catch the murderer when she fled in the woods, now she was the leader of the Inquisition. Now the Inquisition held Nox.

His own temples seemed as loud drums in his ears. Every pulse through his veins sent shocks through his head, and down through his body. The sense of dread bubbled up inside of him like a pot boiling over. His heart-beat felt like a child beating at his breast. The trembling of his hands served as a terrible reminder that perhaps he was not truly in control of his own actions.

What was he truly capable of? What monster lurked within just waiting to be unleashed? The sort that takes advantage of slave girls? The sort that forgets those he loved? The sort that forgets his faith and duty? The beast inside was hideous, and Dario desperately wished he could take his eyes off of it.

His breath felt cold in his throat. The sound of his own breathing was like indistinct whispers.

Had he already changed so much on this journey so as to no longer recognize himself? Or had this always been the real him, deep down inside? He was a monster for what he'd done. Any just god would punish him for such deeds.

Azalea's tears. Something that stung every time he saw them. Every time he wanted to slay whomever was responsible for those tears. Now he would be the source. Soon she would find out that he had betrayed her.

“Dario, are you awake?”

The voice yanked him from his trance. A whisper in the dark. Not Dario's own breath this time, he was sure of it.

“I...I am,” he said.

“It's me,” said the voice again. This time he recognized it as Evalina.

“Oh...come in.”

He heard the shuffling of her feet on the cavern floor. The sound of a match, and she lit a candle that sat upon a stone nearby. The candlelight lit her up, the light gleaming on her smooth skin. With stars dancing in her eyes she knelt beside Dario's bed. Her arms rested on his right forearm.

“Have you considered Akhert's offer?” Evalina asked.

“I have.”

“And?”

“I don't know,” said Dario.

Evalina nodded. “I'm having a little trouble with it myself.”

“On the one hand, I can't possibly expect forgiveness from anyone else for what I've done. On the other hand...becoming a part of something even worse? Abandoning all that I stood for? How can that even be an option?”

“It's a troubling question,” said Evalina. “How often in our attempts to right the wrongs of this world do we become part of the problems we were trying to fix? You and I both have that on our consciences. But...” Evalina tilted her head to one side. “In this case...I feel like perhaps it's different? We have a real problem we still need to solve; the Inquisition has taken the city of Nox. While it's good to see the slave trade finally collapsing, it seems something worse will take its place.”

“Seems so.”

“And the only way we can do something about it is to help Akhert and the people of Duat.”

“But what he promises...well, it would lead to anarchy!” Dario cringed. “No consequences for doing wrong?”

“There will always be consequences for doing wrong,” said Evalina. “Akhert just promises he will not punish us. Let the outcomes of our actions speak for themselves.”

“Evalina...you know better than I do just how many slaves there were in Nox. Perhaps you also could make a guess how many would have joined the Inquisition?” Dario said. “Tell me, from what you've seen, do the Rahmit stand a chance?”

“Under Akhert's leadership? Yes. I believe they do.”

“Do you truly believe that's the only chance we have?”

Evalina nodded. “The Arxians aren't going to help here. Not until it's too late and the Inquisition has entrenched itself.”

“And do you really think you could live with the consequences of joining Akhert's cause?”

Evalina thought for a moment. “Well...I don't think I could live with the consequences of NOT joining Akhert's cause. It seems to be the only way I can make up for my involvement in the slave trade.” Evalina stroked the side of Dario's face. “And it's probably the only chance I have to be with you. If we both do this. If you go back to the justicars you and I could never be.” She moved in her face close to his, so close that their lips so very nearly touched. He felt her warm breath on his face as she said, “I don't ever want to lose you.”

Dario felt as if his heart was split in two. On the one hand, this amazing woman he'd just met who made him feel more alive than he'd felt in years. On the other hand, the woman he'd loved for so long. The one whom he'd long pictured having children with.

But was that not always the silliest of dreams? Already Azalea had given birth to two children, and Dario did not know if either were his, neither did he get to know them. Every time they met it was in secret. They had to hide their love from all the world. Certainly they could never marry and live a real life together. Especially now. Now that he would have to tell her the truth.

Yet here, in the cave with him. Here was a woman with whom there might actually be a future. He would have to change the way the world worked, but he had help in that. There was no sorrow. No reckoning for wrongs done. No shortage of dreams come true if he kept the half of his heart that had so fallen for Evalina.

With resolve in his new decision, Dario grabbed Evalina by both arms and pulled her down onto the bed beside him. Before she could even open her eyes again, he was above her. Her hair spread out on the pillow beneath her head. Dario felt her squirm underneath him. The silky dress brushed up against his thighs as her legs met his.

“Dario...” she whispered.

Dario didn't wait for another word. He savagely attacked her neck with kisses, which elicited moans from her lips. She pushed her hips up into his, as if silently begging for more. Dario's left hand traced down her neck, down to her collar-bone, and finally to her chest. There he found the laces of her dress and fumbled with them.

Evalina wrapped her thighs around his waist and turned both of them over. Biting her lip and gazing down at him with pure lust, Evalina untied the straps on the front of her dress and let it fall away. With her torso bare, she pressed her body to his and kissed his lips. Her tongue tickled behind his teeth, and her nails roamed over the contours of his muscles.

Dario pushed her dress off of her the rest of the way and again took control over her. He pinned her down to the bed, her hands up against the headboards held with one hand as his other hand took hold of her hips.

In that bed the two of them worshiped one another's bodies. In the candle's glow the two of them knew each other and took each other. The passion of their idolatry resonated through the darkness of the tunnels. All fear of darkness now surrendered to the passion of their love-making. All doubts died as the two lovers gave their lives to one another in a promise spoken without a word.