Ch. 1
Elsie’s brown eyes were reflected back to her in the polished, dark marble walls of her cell. She shifted, leaning back against the cold wall, her head tilting up as her braid fell behind her shoulder. She could still feel the sting on her throat where a Divine Guard had pressed its sword to her neck, had threatened to chop her to pieces small enough to feed an ant if she didn’t comply. A shiver passed up her spine.
“Keep it together,” Elsie whispered to herself, closing her eyes. The dampness of the dungeon seeped into her skin, raising up pale goose-prickles along her skin.
The thin, plain white dress they had given her hardly did anything to shield her from the chill soaking the air. She assumed it was meant to keep her from utilizing the pockets of her old coat and trousers, and to keep her in a vulnerable state of mind. She brought her knees closer together, wishing wistfully that they would have at least let her keep her drawers; but those, too, could be used to store things.
Sharp footsteps clacked against the tile floor of the hallway further down, and Elsie’s eyes flew open. She sat up as two dark figures marched briskly down the rows of empty cells until they halted at hers. It was two Divine Guards, bird-like humanoids with the armored feet of storks, the wings of eagles, and the eight red eyes of a spider. Their eyes blinked out from behind golden masks, and their glowing white blades were held at the ready by their sides
“Get up,” one of the Divine Guard’s chirped, its voice rising like a flute’s. Elsie slowly clambered to her feet, using the wall to steady herself as she did.
She swayed on her bare feet as they unlocked the barred door, swinging it open and striding in. They both grabbed her arms and wrenched her out, pulling her out into the hallway.
“What’s going on?” she asked hesitantly.
“Be quiet,” the same guard replied as she was practically dragged down the hallway. “The Pantheon has determined to execute you.”
Elsie’s heart dropped. “No!” she cried, struggling against the creatures with all her measly, worldly strength. “You’re bluffing!”
“Shut up,” the other guard spoke up, suddenly stopping and bringing his sword up to her chest. “If you want to die with dignity, then stop talking!”
“You’ll have to kill me yourself if you want that,” Elsie spat. “I’ll talk, and stop talking, exactly when I want—!”
The sword was pressed firm against her sternum, and she quickly shut up.
“That’s what I thought,” the first Divine Guard scoffed. “Now, move!”
They began walking again, Elsie limp in their grip as she stared at the tiled floor passing by. She couldn’t believe that her entire life, all twenty-four years, was to be suddenly ripped away from her like a tissue from the box. None of it mattered, in the Divines’ eyes. She was as good as trash to them. The execution wouldn’t even be a public one; they made mortals die alone, in small rooms, rather than grant them the company of an audience.
She was pulled up a spiraling flight of stairs, down a hallway, then down another set of stairs, before they stopped in front of a heavy iron door. One of the Divine Guards kept a firm grip on both her arms, while the other stepped forward to unlock the door. It was pushed open to reveal a plain, white room, adorned only by a single steel chair sat in the middle.
“Get it strapped in,” the Guard said, motioning for Elsie to be brought in.
“I’m not an it,” she gasped, thrashing around as she was pulled inside and forcibly made to sit on the metal chair. Four different chains were attached to her wrists and ankles, and a fifth was clasped around her neck. She swallowed, feeling the blood leaving her cheeks. “Wait—“
“Don’t start,” the first Guard said. “You could still be cozy in your bed right now if you had just stayed in your place. Think about that as you die.”
Without meaning to, tears began to bud in Elsie’s eyes, and she gasped, panicked, as the door was slammed shut behind the guards. For a second, all was quiet, before she heard a click, and a wave of warm air washed over her.
She was going to be burnt alive.
“No, wait!” she screamed, every last ounce of dignity fleeing her. “I’m sorry! Wait!”
The subtle warmth did not take long to grow into an uncomfortable heat, and then a dizzying, searing, suffocating feeling. She gasped, unable to move, her vision flooding at the edges with darkness. Flames licked at the ceiling of the room. She squeezed her eyes shut against the unbearable heat.
No, is all she could think. I don’t want to die!
Just as she took in a gulp of fiery hot air, there was another click, and the temperature began to cool. Such beautiful, cool air. Elsie gasped, her eyes cracking open. The door swung open, and the two Guards stood, not alone this time, but with two additional Divine Guards.
As the chains binding her were unlocked and tossed away, Elsie had barely enough coherence to ask, “What… happened?”
“You’re incredibly unlucky, mortal. It appears that Hadur wants to do the execution himself.”
Elsie’s heart nearly stopped.
Hadur. The God of War.
