Chapter Text
“Why won’t you let me go?” I asked softly as I lifted my head from my tear soaked pillow to look at him.
His red eyes seemed to glow in the dark as his lips curled into a cruel smirk. Sylus stood at the door to my room- no my prison. He was as imposing as the day he kidnapped me. When he snatched me away right in front of my friend’s eyes. Tara cried out in horror as she tried in vain to grab my hand.
“I’ll tell your grandmother! Just stay safe.” she said as Sylus spirited me away. I knew he would come for me one day but I just thought that I had more time.
“Did you forget?” he asked, pulling me out of my reverie.
“You ate the pomegranate seeds, you’re mine to keep now.” he gestured at the leftovers of that accursed pomegranate that lay by my bedside table.
“You tricked me! You knew, I wouldn’t be able to leave once I ate something here.” I accused as I pushed myself into an upright position.
He chuckled at my accusations, not denying them. I glared at him.
“You made that deal with me sweetie, technically you were already mine. If you didn’t override your grandmother’s deal with your own, you wouldn’t be here.” he said shaking his head before he smirked at me.
“I couldn’t let her sacrifice herself for me.“ I said quietly as I stared at my hands. I’ve always had heart problems. Problems no amount of praying could save. We used to go to every temple, we could. Spoke to every priest. There was one god that we didn’t speak to. One that only the most desperate would dare to even seek out.
I was at death’s door on my bed when my grandmother suddenly stood up and left. I tried to beg and beseech her not to leave me alone but she merely told me she would do whatever she had to do to fix me. I could hardly move on my bed, let alone get up to stop her.
I drifted in and out of consciousness for an indeterminate amount of time before I suddenly felt better. It was as if my soul and spirit was forced back into me by a dark force. As I finally felt well enough to get up, grandmother was back.
She looked as if she had aged decades since I last saw her but her face brightened as she laid her eyes on me. Relieved to see me finally well again. I tried to get her to tell me what she did but she refused to tell me anything. Days went by and as I got stronger, she grew weaker and weaker.
Finally, one day during breakfast I wore her down enough and she admitted that she had made a deal with Sylus. I dropped the mug of milk that I had warmed over the stove for her and even though it should have hurt as the scalding liquid burnt my skin, I felt nothing but the seeping cold horror as I stared at her in shock.
“Grandmother, how could you!”
She looked worried as she got up to check my hands.
“Be careful! Does it hurt?” she asked as she pulled my hands up to her ageing eyes to inspect them. I pulled them away from her.
“Never mind my hands. Grandmother, how could you do that? Sylus? You of all people should know that you never make a deal with him.” I scolded as she averted her eyes from me in shame.
“I couldn’t let you die. My darling girl. Grandmother is old, pet. I don’t have much more years anyway. You have your whole life ahead of you! The deal is more than fair. He gave you twice the lifespan I have left. Really-“ she began before I made a strangled noise and cut her off.
“No! You can’t do this! I don’t care that you’re older. You’re all I have. You can’t give yourself up for me. My heart has always been weak. I was never meant to live this long. Mother died for me, please don’t die for me too.” I pleaded as I tried to get her to understand. I was the reason her daughter was dead. I couldn’t bear being the cause of her death too.
Grandmother sighed. “My child, your mother’s death is not your fault. I never blamed you and you shouldn’t blame yourself either. You have brought me years of joy. I want you to live.” She said as she fished out a handkerchief from her skirt to dab at the tears I didn’t realise I was shedding.
“But I-“ I tried to protest before she hushed me.
“I don’t want to hear much more on the matter.” she said firmly and I dropped the subject knowing that it wouldn’t do me any good to pursue it any further. Grandmother could be stubborn like that. Something she lamented I had picked up from her.
“Alright, I won’t talk about it anymore.” I said reluctantly and she relaxed as she gave me a smile. “Good, now let’s have our breakfast.”
I nodded as I busied myself with the preparations. However, I couldn’t get my mind off the deal she had made. Sylus, only ever dealt in lives. A high price that made people reluctant to seek a boon from him. The only way I could break the deal grandmother made with him was to make another myself. I faltered as my hands paused on the bread knife.
“Something wrong, pet?” grandmother called out as she noticed I had stopped my motions. I fixed a smile on my face and turned to face her.
“Oh, nothing. I was just thinking that I need to head to town to get more bread today. We’re running low again.” I lied. I wasn’t a very good liar but perhaps grandmother didn’t want to call me out and risk an argument because she let it go.
As I finished cutting the slices of bread and brought it to the table. I looked at the woman who had raised me for all 23 years of my life. She sang me to sleep when I had nightmares. Carried me on my back when I had my first heart attack at the tender age of 10. I couldn’t let her give up any more for me. I smiled as I finally resolved to seek him out. To seek Sylus out.
“You look happy.” She commented as she caught and returned my smile, blissfully unaware as to why I was happy.
“I am happy, grandmother. Thanks to you and everything you have done for me.” I said as I kissed her on her wrinkled forehead.
That night after I had helped grandmother into bed. I put on a heavy cloak over my nightgown and grabbed a lit lamp to head to the forest nearby.
Due to Sylus’s nature, he had no temples. The only way to summon him was to perform a ritual. Luckily, I had managed to find a black crow feather while I cleaned the house earlier. I grimaced as I realised it was probably the same feather that grandmother had used to summon Sylus and make the deal in the first place.
I sat the lamp on the slightly damp dirt of the forest before kneeling down with the dark feather in my hands. I shivered as a draft of wind passed right through my thick cloak. Was I really going to do this? Make a deal with Sylus? Yes. I had to. I can’t lose my nerve now.
“Sylus, hear my prayer. I wish to make a deal.” I murmured as I bowed my head over my folded hands that gripped the feather a little too tightly cause it to nearly break. I forced myself to loosen my grip. I can’t break it. It’s the only one I had and crows aren’t easy to find where I lived. A moment passed and nothing happened.
I felt a mixture of relief and disappointment. Why didn’t it work? Was grandmother just going to die for me? I heard a bell toll in the distance from the town square. Twelve tolls, it was midnight. I should probably give up for now. I made to get up when the flame in my lamp flickered and went out.
I got up quickly and looked around as I sensed a presence. “Who’s there!” I asked as I brandished the feather as if it were a knife. I cursed myself for not thinking to bring a weapon to defend myself. Bandits weren’t that common in town but they still existed. There was a deep masculine chuckle as I whirled around towards the direction of the sound where I finally spotted a red and black mist over where some of the trees were.
“You know who I am. Didn’t you pray to me?” The voice asked with amusement as he finally materialised right from the mist.
Even though it was dark, there was enough moonlight that night for me to make out his appearance as he strode towards me. He was cloaked in a black and blood red tunic. His silver hair seemed to glow with an otherworldly gleam. He had a sense of dark beauty to him with his classically handsome features. And his eyes. They shone like rubies and just like the precious stones they were cold. His lips curled into a smirk as he looked down at me.
“Aren’t you going to say something? Or did you call me here so you could stare at me.” He asked as I flushed in embarrassment.
“I called you here because I want to bargain.” I said after I managed to recover my composure which was no easy feat in his intimidating presence. “I want you to break the deal with my grandmother.” I continued after gathering all my courage. He looked at me in amusement which caused me to bristle slightly. People often thought of me as weak due to my heart condition.
“And why would I do that?” He asked as he titled my chin up so I would meet his eyes. “Because, I will make another deal with you in return.” I said as I met his eyes defiantly fuelled by my desire to prove myself. He smirked before shaking his head. “And just what do you have that is so appealing, sweetie?”
I faltered for a moment as I struggled to think about what I had to offer a god like Sylus. “Don’t keep me waiting, sweetie.” He warned darkly. “Me. You can have me.” I blurted out. Sylus paused taken aback before laughing at me. I could feel myself get red again, feeling embarrassed by his reaction.
“What’s so funny?” I questioned feeling humiliated. “You don’t even know what you’re offering me, sweetie.” He said darkly but he seemed to be pleased with my offer as he thought about it. “Alright, I’ll break the deal with your grandmother and in return, you’re mine.”
“Will grandmother’s lifespan be restored?” I asked, relieved that he had accepted my request. “You do realise that if I end the deal with your grandmother, your lifespan will be reduced back to its original length and you’ll die soon right?” He asked bluntly. My jaw dropped as I realised the truth behind his words. After all, I was already close to dying. Without my grandmother’s sacrifice, I would have died days ago.
He smirked when he saw me come to the realisation. “Don’t worry, sweetie. Where you’re going, that heart condition of yours wouldn’t bother you.” He stretched his hand out towards me for me to take it.
“Already?” I said in surprise before swallowing hard. “Can I say goodbye first?” Sylus gave me a hard look for a moment and seemed to be looking for something before he nodded. “Fine, you have one week. Say your goodbyes.”
I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding and thanked him. “Meet me here one week from now.” He said in response. “Of course.” I said nodding eagerly before bending down to grab the lantern. “And sweetie? Don’t try to run. I’ll know and it won’t end well for you.” He warned, his eyes colder than ever. I shivered at his words and nodded. “I won’t.” I whispered. “Good girl.” He said approvingly before disappearing in that same red and black mist. I blinked in surprise before jumping at a sharp caw coming from one of the trees above me.
I looked up and glared at the offending crow. “Shoo, go away.” I said making a shooing motion but the black bird ignored me and instead cocked its head as if studying me. “Fine, I was leaving anyway.” I muttered as I picked up the lantern and started to make my way out of the forest and back home. One week. That’s all I had before I give up everything. “Why would he even want me?” I muttered to myself. I should be relieved that he had accepted my deal and grandmother would live but all I was confused and filled with dread of what was to come.