Chapter 26

Vezar closed his eyes and prayed silently to Zyulla. He needed more time with Syreilla to get her to choose him over her husband. To be without her for eternity would be a worse fate than being locked in the box in deathlike sleep. It would be a worse fate than death.

“You have no idea, child of Hevtos.” Imos murmured as if he’d heard. 

“Why do you say that, your illustriousness?” Vezar kept his eyes cast down. 

“For your many sins, Hevtos has a task for you. As one of his, you will obey or you will spend eternity in torment. If Syreilla chooses to return to her husband, as she should, will you spend eternity obediently serving out your penance? Or will you be trying to seduce her from her husband's side?” Imos’ smug tones said he knew the answer already.

“An eternity without her would be an eternity of torment without any other punishments needed.” He closed his eyes and began to pray again, even for hours with her no matter her choice. Never to see her again would break him.

He prayed for days with the unaccustomed feelings of hunger and thirst beginning to afflict him. The furious entrance of Kaduil, he mistook for a hallucination at first. Once he realized the dwarf had been brought so that Syreilla could make her choice standing before them both, he studied the dwarf with open hostility. Kaduil was squat and hairy, his face was rugged and without refinement. How could she find such a creature beautiful… how could she find a creature like himself beautiful? 

Vezar waited, needing to make one last plea to his perfect Syreilla before she left him. When she walked in twice he thought he must be dreaming. One walked to him and the other to Kaduil.

“I’m Syreilla the Rook,” she smiled down at him almost ruefully. “You and I are going to be spending a very long time finding out if you’re true to your word, Vezar Edra.”

“Kaduil Hardjaw, I’m Syreilla Hammersworn. Do you still-” 

The dwarf cut her off with a strangled cry of relief and swept her feet out from under her, catching her as if he’d done it before. “My golden-haired girl. You’re coming home with me.”

The one who’d introduced herself as Hammersworn began to laugh and kiss the dwarf’s face, “Husband, I want nothing more.”

Reaching out, Vezar grabbed the hips of the woman standing before him. “Syreilla? My Syreilla?”

“Your Syreilla. We asked to be split in two because we couldn’t bear to hurt either of you.”  She looked hesitant. “You said you loved me, and that you’d never part with me, do you still-”

“Yes! I will love you and keep you until the oceans burn and the sun dies. When all of time has run its course I will still love you, sweet Syreilla.” He pulled her close, clutching her hips to his chest and staring up at her in breathless surprise. She had chosen and he was not alone.

“He has been given the task of finding and ferrying the lost and lingering dead to the realms below. Think carefully, Syreilla.” Imos cautioned her. “You would be in Hevtos’ service.”

“A joyful purpose.” Her hands smoothed his hair and she smiled like the sun breaking through the clouds. “Didn’t I say that ferrying the dead home is what we do together?”

Reviews

[pk2curious]

I followed you over from literotica . I just read Undying . I love your style . You are talented and gifted . I am going to just continue reading .

Thank you

[Isemay]

Thank you for the kind words! I have a few pieces here that I wasn't sure would fit over there. Undying and Golden Rook are two of them. I'm still debating whether or not I want to put them over there or not. I'd love to get your opinion!

[pk2curious]

My opinion is that any of your work would be widely received . Anywhere . Very compelling stories . Well done .
Once I have read all these . Is there more to the tales of Isonei ?

[Isemay]

There is! If you wanted to take a look at the unedited and still very rough chapters you can drop me a message on here and I can give you some google docs links. I have 12 chapters written but I want to get it finished before I start posting it because unlike Flower Wine, Torgan Wine, and Kros Voyeh that had a set time line and a plot in my head this one meanders over years and ... I need to get it out and then maybe adjust things to make it coherent. Otherwise it will just be a great big mess.

[pk2curious]

That sounds intriguing . I would like that . No pressure to hurry . I was just drawn in by the different cultures that were so close but so different . Foreign but somehow relatable .
Thank you .