So apparent was his friend’s excitement, that Davius couldn’t bear to let him see him downcast. He willed it away, forcing a gracious smile. “Hello, Lucius.”
“Come, come.” Lucius’s cold hands took his, pulling him towards his dining room. Davius was struck once more by the fluidity of his movement, as if he drifted across the ground instead of walked, a strange attribute for a man so tall. Oddly, it was in that moment that he recalled the monstrous boar he met the night before. His moments with Gaia, the Circus, and now Eridus’s revelation had distracted him so much that it felt as if an eternity passed since the strange apparition. A wave of panic coursed through him, as he realized that if what the boar told about Lucius proved true, he would soon be left with no one.
He stopped mid-stride. “Lucius, I must share something with you. Another daemon came to me...not long after I left your dwelling at daybreak.”
Unalarmed, Lucius waved his hand in dismissal. “Let us not speak of such things now, there will be plenty of time for conversation later. The presentation of the meal is half the pleasure—you must allow me this moment.” He commenced pulling Davius to the dining chambers, the doorway of which was concealed by a decorative curtain. He grinned before lifting it with dramatic flourish.
Davius gasped in spite of himself. Piles of food were stacked upon the table, garnished with exotic flowers and brightly colored fruit. Varieties of meat surrounded baskets stuffed with bread, ranging from stuffed bird to seasoned fish to cooked snails. Platters of fruits and vegetables towered amidst carafes of herb-infused oils and curious sauces, while rich cheeses and black olives complimented every dish. An enormous decanter of wine sat beside the place setting he assumed was his. The hunger he had been ignoring throughout the day resurfaced with a low growl in his stomach. He turned to Lucius, his mood indubitably brightened. “You have outdone yourself,” he complimented him.
Lucius grinned. “Tonight is a celebration! Please sit and feast!”
Davius eagerly complied, seating himself along the couch that Lucius gestured him towards. From the shadows, a woman appeared. He startled briefly, for he had never seen a slave before at Lucius’s home.
“I hired her for tonight,” Lucius explained, noticing his expression. “I am paying her as I do you. Slave labor has never appealed to me.”
Davius nodded, allowing the frail woman to fill his plate. His eyes lingered on her for a moment, noticing her meager appearance and the unusual scarf draped about her neck before he set about devouring the food before him. He savored the unusual flavors, forgetting for a moment the painful circumstances that currently surrounded him.
Lucius watched him, quite pleased. “At this rate, you will not be able to have the conversation you insisted upon having!”
Davius gave him a close-lipped smile, his mouth brimming with food.
He watched Lucius tap his cup, which the girl immediately filled with a separate carafe that she fetched from afar. Her face was impassive, her movements slow and methodical. Lucius graciously thanked her, taking a full swallow from his refreshed goblet. His plate remained barren and untouched.
Davius reached to pour himself a cup from the bottle stationed nearby, when Lucius halted him. “Please, try some of mine tonight, Davius, for the sake of occasion.” He motioned once more to the slave girl.
Davius accepted the offer with a nod. As the girl approached, it suddenly struck him how vaguely familiar she appeared. Perhaps he had seen her at the marketplace, he surmised, watching as she filled his cup and set it down before him. Her skin was grey, several faint bruises clustering at her wrists and dotting her chest. His thoughts drifted to Gaia, thinking about the sort of life she had narrowly escaped before Eridus’s rescue. Although it pained him to consider it, her life with him was infinitely better than what could have been. He lifted the rim of the cup to his lips, eager to drown out his harrowing contemplations. The wine was thick, its aroma rich and robust. He drank, pleasantly surprised by the decadent gustatory sensation.
He looked up to see Lucius studying him joyously. “Do you approve?” he asked.
Davius agreed emphatically, taking another generous swallow. “How could I not? No wonder you are never without a full glass.”
Lucius roared with laughter. “I do enjoy your company so.”
“As do I,” he said. “It may become short lived, however,” he added dismally.
“Whatever do you mean?” Lucius retorted. “Your work here is nowhere near finished.”
Davius cast his eyes downwards. “My life has taken an unexpected turn. Do you remember the woman that I spoke of last? My master has decided to marry her. He told me this morning. If he succeeds, I will not be able to remain there. I cannot bear the thought, let alone be able to witness their union.”
Lucius was appalled. “Well, then we will not allow it to happen!”
“What can I do? As grateful as I am for the payment you provide me, I cannot afford to purchase both our freedoms.”
Lucius grew quiet with contemplation. “Then I shall pay you in advance,” he decided. “I will give you the entire amount tonight, which you can take to your master in the morning. Then you both can stay with me, under my protection, until your task is complete. Then you can be off to marry your love and retreat in bliss to wherever you wish!” He leaned back on his couch, pleased with himself.
Davius was at a loss for words. “You would do that for me?” he whispered.
“Of course, I will. I need my artist to be happy, do I not? I could not bear it if you left without finishing these walls. Besides,” he added softly. “I have not had a friend in very many years.”
Emotion washed over Davius. “Thank you, Lucius. Truly, thank you.”
“A toast!” Lucius declared, summoning the girl once more. “Refill his glass. Now there truly is a reason to celebrate!”
The girl lumbered over to him, carafe in hand. She leaned forward, the scarf slipping slightly away from its coil around her neck. His eyes caught a brutal gash that had split open her skin, the wound still gaping and horribly putrid. He jumped, knocking over his cup, the contents sloshing out onto the table. The thick liquid moved like honey, coating his plate with rusty scarlet. Realization dawned on him.
Horrified, he looked up to see Lucius, whose golden eyes burned with excitement.
“What was in my cup?” he demanded.
“You enjoyed my concoction.”
“Lucius, what was in my cup?”
He sighed, shrugging his narrow shoulders in defeat. “It was blood.”
Davius spat, furiously. Waves of nausea threatened his resolve. “What is the meaning of this? How could you do such a thing? Is this some cruel jest after I intimated to you the nature of my dreams?”
Lucius rose from his couch, approaching him carefully. “It is no jest, my friend. Please, sit down. I will explain everything.”
Davius felt ill. His world tilted and spun as he struggled to maintain his composure. His arms flailed in an attempt to keep balance, sending dishes of food flying across the room. He caught sight of the girl, who had remained motionless throughout the entire endeavor, finally recognizing her identity. Moira’s reanimated corpse was staring blankly ahead of him.
His blood visions assaulted him for the first time fully awake, the pace at which they came overwhelming his senses. He cried out, falling to his knees as he gripped his head as if to shield it from their merciless onslaught. He heard Lucius shouting at him to breathe, but they were coming too fast, violent, gruesome images that now felt like memories from a time long passed. He heard the shrill cries of ravens and visions of his father in midslaughter, praising gods who had no names. He clawed at his eyes, trying to force them away as he crashed helplessly to the floor, his world fading to black.
He awoke, screaming.
The dank, earthy smell of decay reached his nose before his eyes adjusted to the darkness. He bolted upright from where he lay, learning that it was upon a slab of concrete caked with layers of dust. He looked around him, observing walls constructed of moldy, crumbling limestone, tangles of spiderwebs obscuring every visible corner. Human bones scattered the dirt floor, rats startling them briefly before scurrying back into hiding. He realized he was in a crypt that hadn’t been used in many years.
