Slave to Sapphire
Chapter 19

The sun was high in the sky, Iris’ room was stuffy and hot. The direction her window faced did not allow for her room to be cooled by the ocean breeze. She sat cross legged on her bed and closed her eyes. She didn’t understand why she had been able to manipulate life source. But she reasoned that it would be worthwhile to try and improve upon her ability. With her eyes closed her thoughts were immediately consumed with her frustration with Ezekiel. How could he have asked that of her? How did she let herself forget who he was? This wasn’t working.

Iris cracked an eye open. Samson sat on her small dresser staring at her intently. She needed to focus. Iris closed her eyes again; she was overcome with the memory of Samson dying beneath her hands. Her instinct was to bury the memory but instead she used it to clear her mind and focus. She expanded her mind until she felt the soft pulse of her source stone. Then she panicked. Iris snapped her eyes open. What if she unintentionally used the one year of life source she had in her stone?

She looked at Samson. He was busying himself with licking his paw. Iris inhaled deeply and closed her eyes. She hated being idle and there was little to occupy her in her room. She pushed her mind to take hold of her life source. She focused on holding it in place and then releasing it. Iris continued practicing until she was confident in her ability to sense her life source. Out of caution she didn’t attempt to do anything with the limited amount that Ezekiel had given her. As she practiced, a headache seeped into the back of her head. By the time her room was cast in twilight shadows she had pushed her mind to its limits. Iris laid back on her bed and decided to get some rest before paying Julian a visit.

Iris stole from her rooms into the night, the stars were covered by dense fog. The damp salty air was refreshing after spending the day cooped up in her room. Iris made her way to the stables with a graceful stealth. She was still amazed by the feeling of her healed ankle. When she reached the stables, she saw Julian sitting out front with his back against the wall, smoking a pipe. Iris went around the back of the stables and climbed in through a window. She dropped down into the darkness landing with a muffled thud and moved to the wall that Julian leaned against outside. She raised her hand and gave a single rap on the wall.

She heard Julian startle and grunt, followed by his hurried footsteps altering her when he entered the stable. She could barely make out the glint of the dagger that he held at the ready.

“Calm down, it’s just me,” She hissed through her smile. Relishing her ability to sneak up on Julian.

He lowered the dagger to his side. “Damnit, Iris, you scared the shit out of me.”

“I thought Ezekiel would have lectured you already about watching the carriages better; it was too easy to sneak in here.” She drawled.

Julian said nothing, just lifted a lantern from the wall and struck a match to light it. He dimmed the lantern so it would be difficult to see from outside the stable. Julian moved so he was across from Iris, a black horse at his back. The dim light of the lantern deepened the shadows that had formed beneath Julian’s eyes since she had seen him last.

“He did lecture me and was in a very foul mood. I am not sure how you were even able to convince him that I wasn’t part of your escape. He must be in love with you to believe whatever lies you told him.” The horse snorted in agreement, nudging Julian’s shoulder.

Iris glowered. “Is that a thank you?”

The hard planes of his face softened a fraction, revealing his weariness. “You know I don’t sleep at the stables; I was waiting for you to come find me tonight. I figured you would after everything that happened in Scarlet Town.”

“Have you made any progress in your plans to free Maddox?” Iris crossed her arms, squaring her stance. Julian sighed, returning the dimmed lantern to its hook. He reached behind him absently stroking the black horse’s snout.

“I don’t think it will be possible to free him from the Palace dungeons. We will have to wait until he is brought down to the port for the public execution.”

“Agreed.”

“I have arranged to have a boat ready for departure; once we free him, we will all get on the boat and sail to Volos. I hope you weren’t planning on staying in Orinth.”

Iris had expected this, Julian wouldn’t let her stay in Orinth after what he had told her about Volos. “I need you to make additional arrangements so that two of my companions can come with us.”

“And why would I do that?”

“Because you still need more information about the mines from Ezekiel’s ledgers.”

Julian dropped his hand from the horse. “You already promised me information if I helped you deliver your message to Scarlet Town. We have to trust each other for this to work.”

“You know that is bullshit, Julian, you do not trust me for a second. You trust that I will do anything to free my friends.”

“Fair enough. You can stop pretending that your ankle is injured around me by the way. I saw how fast you ran to the carriage last night, and don’t think I didn’t wonder why Ezekiel had to replenish your source stone.”

Iris stilled, narrowing her eyes at Julian.

“I don’t understand what happened last night.”

Julian’s gaze intensified, his eyes roving over Iris. Coming to some sort of decision he spoke again. “You couldn’t, what you are is kept secret. You are what they call a conduit, you have the ability to manipulate source and use it how you wish.”

“I don’t even know what I am supposed to do with that; I almost killed myself last night because of this ability.” Sighing, Iris dropped her hands sides, digging her nails into her palms. She needed more time to process what Julian was telling her. “ I will get you more information from Ezekiel’s ledgers. If you can promise safe passage for my friends.”

Julian gave a slight nod. “It’s done as soon as you bring me more information.”

Iris groaned, thinking of spending more time close to Ezekiel after the tense conversation they had this morning. She was still furious with him for asking her to go to mines and angry with herself for forgetting who he truly was. “I can’t believe I have to spend more time pretending to like that arrogant asshole.” Iris kicked the dirt and continued to vent. “He finally decides to visit the Amarath Mines, which he has been managing for who knows how many years, and he has the audacity to ask me to accompany him!”

Julian’s jaw clenched and something sparked in his amber eyes. “Iris, you have to go with him. The type of information you could get from the mines is vital.”

“I would rather die than go back to the mines!” She struggled to keep her voice quiet. “Why is Volos so obsessed with what happens at the mines anyways?”

“Source stone is the biggest export from Orinth to Volos. Knowing as much as we can about the supply is important for negotiating trade terms.”

“If people in Volos’ don’t wear source stones, what use does Volos have for it?” Iris pressed again.

“Volos has a different use for the stone that is important for our economy. I will tell you everything once we leave Orinth.”

“I am not going back to the mines; I can tell you everything I remember about my time there.” Talk of the mines had caused Iris’ palms to become slick with sweat. Iris kept her arms crossed and dug her nails into her palms, the pain grounding her.

“We need to know if they are expanding the mines.”

“I can just ask Ezekiel.”

“No, you have to go to the mines and see if they are expanding, and tell me if there is going to be a large amount of source stone where they plan to dig next.”

“How would I even know that? It doesn’t matter anyways because I am not going back there.”

“As a conduit you can sense source stone, how do you think you found that cache when you were in the mines? If you don’t go, I won’t help your friends.”

The rage that she normally kept locked deep inside her bubbled to the surface and she dug her nails deeper into her palms. The realization that she would go back to the mines if it meant saving Cora, Sabine, and Maddox, caused the rage to recede as fear overtook it. Iris felt nauseous and her breathing shallowed. Her throat was closing. She could barely speak. She let her arms fall to her sides, her fingers hanging limp.

“I don’t know if I can,” she whispered.

Julian stepped forward and grasped her shoulders. His grip was firm. “Iris, you are one of the strongest people I have met, you can and you will do this. You are not the type of person that lets fear dictate their decisions.”

Iris breathed in through her nose and out through her mouth. Julian was right, she was strong. And before she could get her revenge on Lucious, she needed to get her friends to safety. Iris concentrated on her rage again and let it take over her fear. She would go to the mines and get what Julian wanted. She would get her friends to safety, but she would not be on the boat to Volos. Iris would stay in Orinth. Iris’ suffering in the mines had been a sequela of Lucious’ actions. Iris would make sure he understood the repercussions of his actions. Iris stepped away and pushed Julian’s hands from her shoulders.

“I will get what you want.”

Julian nodded, “I will inquire about passage for your friends. And Iris …. don’t tell Ezekiel about your abilities.”

Iris stepped further away into the shadows and left Julian standing alone in the stables.

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