Fifty-two
It may look cowardly or downright rude, but we don't wait to properly say our goodbyes to Timeea. Mostly because of the book I snatched off the table in the salt mines. Needless to say, my moral compass is irremediably broken.
Avoidance is the game for now, and Mason said that he has gotten everything he needed from Timeea. And frankly, so did I, and a sliver of hope that we might actually solve the mystery surrounding us.
With one last look around the strange-looking loft, Mason calls for Shay who blinks into existence surrounded by white blinding light. We aparate in the loft back at the academy, with Shay proudly wagging his tail at our feet. He is gaining autonomy. He is no longer reliant on Graham to use as a homing beacon. I wonder how did he even knew that he was supposed to bring us here.
With raised eyebrows at Mason, I silently question him instead. He just shrugs in return and throws our bags on the lumpy single bed in the loft of the academy.
" Surely, you must know something," I pry as he makes his way into the kitchenette, and puts the kettle on.
" No. Graham mentioned that Shay is learning new tricks. Never mentioned what those tricks entail," He pulls a pan from one of the cupboards, and sets it on the stove.
He opens the fridge, and pokes his head inside," Scrambled eggs for breakfast," He announces, as he pulls an egg carton out of the fridge.
" What choice do I have," I mutter under my breath, while I begin to unpack the three pairs of underwear I've packed for the journey. There isn't much else in the fridge. I've been surviving on coffee mostly.
" None," Mason mutters back, seeing the state of the fridge. A tumbleweed could have a great time in there considering how empty it is.
" We should go shopping," We both both freeze at the same time, and look at each other. Underwear dangling mid-air, him mid-crack, our eyes lock, our shoulders sag in unison, as reality comes crashing down. We can't go anywhere together, other than outside the district. Mason sighs, while Shay jumps on the bed and conveniently curls up on top of my underwear.
" Fuck," Mason's shouts, and punches the cupboard door, breaking it in half. One-half clatters to the floor, while the other dangles at an awkward angle with an unnerving creak.
That waning squeak is the only sound that pollutes the overbearing silence that has settled in the wake of his outburst.
Heaving deep laboured breaths, he throws the pan across the room and storms out of the door without a word.
Shay looks at me, questioning what just happened. I throw him back the same question, because everything was fine a minute ago, and now the air seems almost toxic.
Confused, I settle on the edge of the bed and replay the memory in my head over and over again. Was it the eggs? No, that couldn't be it. He has found my empty fridge humorous every single time. He and Graham tease me about it every chance they get.
Was it something I said? I didn't say much, nothing offensive, I think. Shay slips his head under my arm and props his lovely snout on my thigh. We both stare at each other, feeling like a fish out of the water.
Unable to cope with the heavy silence pressing down on me, " Do you have a friend named Baltasar by any chance?" I decide to make conversation with Shay to take my mind off things before I break out in hives.
Once and for all, I get confirmation that Shay can understand when spoken to because his ears stand straight at the mention of the name.
" Interesting," I mumble to myself, watching Shay with renewed interest.
" Take me to him. Take me to Baltasar, Shay," It never occurred to me to use this command, but it comes as no surprise when we both vanish in a ball of light and reappear in a humid, dark, and hot-as-hell cavern.
Great. Another inescapable prison.
The pungent smell of sulfur cloys into my nose, and mouth and finally clogs up the rest of my airways before I drop to the ground like I've been dealt a mortal blow. Lights out. An improvement from dry heaving onto my shoes if you ask me. I should've waited a day before I rushed into another perilous adventure. Life is short.
I startle awake, at the feel of Shay polishing my face with his tongue. Intermittently he stops to nudge me with his snout when I don't move.
I curl a hand around his neck, and he whines in return, probably happy that I didn't kick the bucket. I sure am happy, I didn't croak.
Slightly queasy, I prop myself on an elbow to gauge where the hell I've ended up. Other than a glowing pool with purple clusters of quartzite next to me, there isn't much to see. The humid walls reflect the light the little pool radiates back onto the small cave, giving it a rather ethereal glow.
" Where did you bring me, Shay?" I groan as I sit up, and prop my elbows on my knees.
" Shedon," A deep voice replies, his voice echoing several times in the room. Maybe the cave is more of a cavern. Hard to tell considering there is little light, I can only make educated guesses.
" Shedon," I parrot back, " Kush, " I supply, remembering the name of one the main cities in Kush. If I'm not mistaken, it contains the highest density of everything. The majority of the district is inhabitable.
I hum back still, running various scenarios in my head, but I'm pretty sure that I'm in the presence of Baltasar.
" Why do you live here?" I decide to skip the pleasantries. The man lives in a cave. I don't think he cares very much for the outside world.
" It's peaceful. No disturbances. The humans fear the creature crawling on these grounds. They've built walls to keep them outside," A clicking sound rings in the distance raising the hairs on my arms, in alarm. Whatever humans are trying to keep out, is down here with me. Just.Great.
" Humans know nothing of harmony. Living in harmony that is. You'd think that after an apocalyptic event, they would change their ways. It didn't take long for civility to be smothered by greed,-" The sound of footsteps closing in has both me and Shay on high alert. I don't know this man. He could be a number of things. He could be evil. Who lives in a cave by choice, anyway?
"- Lust, gluttony, wrath, pride, envy, sloth. The deadly sins. I'm sure that you are well acquainted with them, after all, you live among them," He finishes as he emerges from the darkness, his unusual eyes finding me and Shay in the dim light, in a state of apathy.
There is a slight hint of accusation in his tone, and for a moment, I feel as if I'm on trial. Judgement day. When I confess all my darkest sins, a punishment will be handed to me. The man is shrouded in mystery.
Not quite sure, I'm all that keen to see how this conversation will end.
Alas, we all have to pay our dues, and I've never been shy when it comes to facing my mistakes and their consequences.