without her. She refused to let me go.
My eyebrow raised a fraction as I leaned in closer. I could feel her cool breath wash over me as we stood face to face. When I spoke, my voice was filled with contempt. "It is you that needs me, Solveig. Remember that."
Turning abruptly, I began to trudge through the heavy foliage once again. I could hear the light footsteps of Solveig trailing close behind me. She would try to appease me, make amends. We were well past that point. She clung to me out of habit and need, and her attempts to placate me would fall on deaf ears. They would mean nothing, simply because they would be filled with deception. Nothing more and nothing less.
"We should head towards Rome. It is a country we have yet to explore."
My eyes narrowed as I scanned her future. Solveig always had an ulterior motive to her plans or ideas. I was surprised to find it strangely blank.
My steady gait did not stop as I considered her offer. Our entire exchange had made me strangely irritable. "You ask me my opinion as if I have a choice in the matter."
Solveig sped up and blurred to a stop in front of me. Her beautiful face was filled with contrition as she stared up into my sullen face. Her hand stroked the rough material of my tunic. "Steafedn, you have grown bitter. Angry. When did things go wrong between us? When did the hatred you feel for me overtake you?"
Glancing away from her, I looked into the sky above as if the answer to her questions could be found there. There was nothing but the green canopy of trees and glimpses of the blue sky. My hands combed through the hair that swept at my shoulders and I released a heavy sigh. I made no attempt to meet her inquiring stare or to show any emotion to my maker.
"The hatred and anger that threatens to consume me began the day you attempted to convince me that humans are nothing more than cattle. Your plans, your schemes…they grow old. You think of no one except yourself. Mark my words, it will be your downfall."
Pushing past her, I headed on through the forest. By foot at top speed, it would take us a matter of days to enter Rome. I spoke to as we ran, aware she would hear every word. "This is your plan then. For us to venture to Rome, yes?"
In a rush, she darted through the tall grass so quickly her feet barely touched the ground. "Yes."
I squinted up at the sun again. "We should move. If we travel out of the sight of humans, we should be in Rome within two days."
I did not wait for her answer. I simply began to run.
***
"See the human with the amber eyes? He is the one we need, Steafedn. His talent is perfect. As a human he can mask himself. He is unaware of it, I am sure. If he chooses, you would forget you were in a room with him. Can you imagine the strength of such a talent as an immortal?"
Solveig spoke in an excited murmur as she peeked over the tall stone wall. We both observed the tall, ebony skinned man in long robes as he followed alongside the others dressed in similar attire. It was clear he was a man of God, in Rome on pilgrimage of some sort. He paid no attention to us, his head slightly bowed and his hands clasped in front of him.
"We need no other immortals, Solveig. Leave him with his God." I watched as he entered the rectory and closed the heavy wooden doors behind him. Not once did he look up. He was intent on his task and nothing else.
"His God has led me to him. He would be a welcome addition to our family. You could predict the Council's decisions and this man could mask our movements. The Council and Board would be oblivious to us." Solveig smiled widely, her gleaming white teeth shining in the afternoon sunlight. Her delusion was growing with each passing day. She had a justification for every horrid act she committed. "Tonight, I will lure him out. I will approach him under the guise for his spiritual guidance. We must be ready to
My eyebrow raised a fraction as I leaned in closer. I could feel her cool breath wash over me as we stood face to face. When I spoke, my voice was filled with contempt. "It is you that needs me, Solveig. Remember that."
Turning abruptly, I began to trudge through the heavy foliage once again. I could hear the light footsteps of Solveig trailing close behind me. She would try to appease me, make amends. We were well past that point. She clung to me out of habit and need, and her attempts to placate me would fall on deaf ears. They would mean nothing, simply because they would be filled with deception. Nothing more and nothing less.
"We should head towards Rome. It is a country we have yet to explore."
My eyes narrowed as I scanned her future. Solveig always had an ulterior motive to her plans or ideas. I was surprised to find it strangely blank.
My steady gait did not stop as I considered her offer. Our entire exchange had made me strangely irritable. "You ask me my opinion as if I have a choice in the matter."
Solveig sped up and blurred to a stop in front of me. Her beautiful face was filled with contrition as she stared up into my sullen face. Her hand stroked the rough material of my tunic. "Steafedn, you have grown bitter. Angry. When did things go wrong between us? When did the hatred you feel for me overtake you?"
Glancing away from her, I looked into the sky above as if the answer to her questions could be found there. There was nothing but the green canopy of trees and glimpses of the blue sky. My hands combed through the hair that swept at my shoulders and I released a heavy sigh. I made no attempt to meet her inquiring stare or to show any emotion to my maker.
"The hatred and anger that threatens to consume me began the day you attempted to convince me that humans are nothing more than cattle. Your plans, your schemes…they grow old. You think of no one except yourself. Mark my words, it will be your downfall."
Pushing past her, I headed on through the forest. By foot at top speed, it would take us a matter of days to enter Rome. I spoke to as we ran, aware she would hear every word. "This is your plan then. For us to venture to Rome, yes?"
In a rush, she darted through the tall grass so quickly her feet barely touched the ground. "Yes."
I squinted up at the sun again. "We should move. If we travel out of the sight of humans, we should be in Rome within two days."
I did not wait for her answer. I simply began to run.
***
"See the human with the amber eyes? He is the one we need, Steafedn. His talent is perfect. As a human he can mask himself. He is unaware of it, I am sure. If he chooses, you would forget you were in a room with him. Can you imagine the strength of such a talent as an immortal?"
Solveig spoke in an excited murmur as she peeked over the tall stone wall. We both observed the tall, ebony skinned man in long robes as he followed alongside the others dressed in similar attire. It was clear he was a man of God, in Rome on pilgrimage of some sort. He paid no attention to us, his head slightly bowed and his hands clasped in front of him.
"We need no other immortals, Solveig. Leave him with his God." I watched as he entered the rectory and closed the heavy wooden doors behind him. Not once did he look up. He was intent on his task and nothing else.
"His God has led me to him. He would be a welcome addition to our family. You could predict the Council's decisions and this man could mask our movements. The Council and Board would be oblivious to us." Solveig smiled widely, her gleaming white teeth shining in the afternoon sunlight. Her delusion was growing with each passing day. She had a justification for every horrid act she committed. "Tonight, I will lure him out. I will approach him under the guise for his spiritual guidance. We must be ready to
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