A Shade of Kiev 3(20)

“Where are we going?”

“Shh.”

We walked along what felt like a winding tunnel until I could no longer see the entrance of the cave. Rhys stopped suddenly.

Metal clicked and a door opened. A stream of light flooded out. We walked through the door and found ourselves in another tunnel—but this time lanterns hung from the walls. The air felt colder now that we were traveling deeper into the mountain.

Rhys kept his grip on me. We walked forward for several minutes until we reached another old door. He gripped the rusting iron handle and with two hands twisted it open.

The temperature fell yet again. I shivered and huddled closer to Rhys. He lifted up his cloak and closed it around me as I gripped his waist.

I cast my eyes around the circular chamber we’d just entered. This chamber wasn’t as well lit. There were just four large lanterns, each casting flickering shadows along the walls. The floor sloped downward toward a pool of black liquid in the center.

“What is that?”

Rhys didn’t answer me as we neared it.

It was thick, yet grainy like tar. I couldn’t imagine for the life of me what it was.

The liquid parted. I screamed as a woman’s corpse emerged from it.

At least, I had thought it was a corpse. The woman’s body shuddered as she drew in a deep rasping breath. The hall filled with a stench of decay.

Rhys clasped a hand over my mouth and pulled me a few steps back.

She reached a skeletal arm out of the water and brushed strands of black hair away from her face.

My heart hammered in my chest.

Bone protruded from the top of her forehead and her lips were shriveled. There were patches of skin missing from her nose, revealing bare cartilage. Her eyes were black as beetles, small and shrunken.

“What is she?” I breathed.

Even Rhys’ breathing had quickened.

“Through us, the spirits of our Ancients live on. They still watch over us. Some more than others…”

I gasped.

“An Ancient? But I thought they were all gone long—”

“As long as we remain loyal to them, they still live and breathe with us. Lilith is the last to physically remain with us.”

Lilith. It was hard to wrap my head around this thing having a name.

Rhys’ eyes remained fixed on her as he spoke.

Strange words rasped from her mouth. Her voice was low and hoarse, so much that had it not been for her body, I would have assumed her to be a man.

“Only those who wish to become Channelers are admitted entrance to see her,” Rhys said. “Otherwise, her existence is kept a secret.”

The witch spoke in ancient witch tongue. Although Rhys had taught me to read it, I couldn’t understand it when it was spoken. I looked up at Rhys, bewildered.

Rhys replied to her in the same tongue.

Then he addressed me. “She wanted to know why I’ve brought you here.”

I stared back at the vile creature floating in the black pool. She was almost bald, except for the thin strands poking out from the front of her scalp.

Lilith spoke again. Rhys’ grip around my hand tightened.

The Ancient’s black eyes narrowed on me, and an eerie clucking emanated from her mouth.

I looked up at Rhys again.

“Don’t break eye contact with her,” he hissed, gripping my chin and forcing my head back.

I felt like I was about to throw up. The smell of the hall and her frightening eyes roaming my body made me feel violated.

She continued clucking her tongue for as long as her eyes were on me. Finally, just as it felt like I couldn’t look at her anymore, she looked back at Rhys and spoke again. Her voice grated against my ears like granite.

Rhys looked back down at me.

“She… she wants to touch you.”

“W-what?”

“You need to trust me,” he said, glaring daggers at me.

Breathing through my mouth to avoid the stench, I inched toward the edge of the pool. My knees buckled, but as Rhys moved to help me, the witch hissed again.

Rhys stopped in his tracks.

“She wants you alone,” he muttered.

The witch was watching me intently, whatever skin she had left on her lips pursed in disapproval.

I trembled as I arrived at the edge of the pond. She moved toward me.

She hissed again.

“Bend down,” Rhys translated.

I bent down. Her arm shot out and gripped my hair. She tugged me closer to her. I was so close to the edge now, I almost lost my balance and fell face forward into the pool.

My whole body shivered as slimy, cold fingers brushed my forehead. I had the horrible thought that she might leave a bit of her flesh on my skin when she removed her hand.

I breathed out a sigh of relief when she finally let go of me. I scrambled back away from her, wiping my forehead with my sleeve and staring at her, panting.