AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Tlahuicole stood in front of me and I gazed on as they retreated back into the bushes, thankfully into the west and not the east where Citlali had gone.
When I couldn’t see them again I rose from the ground and reached for him.
“NO!” Tlahuicole’s voice was deep, rough, and unnatural, like a voice unspoken until this very moment. I did not have time to ask why he’d spoken or why no had been his first word because I’d gotten my answer.
Reaching up to my neck at what I thought was a bug bite, I discovered a small dart. I looked to him as I pulled it from my neck and brought it to eye level to examine it. Then I glanced up to see the horror in his eyes.
“I’m fine…” There were two of him as the world spun. The green of the trees blurred and my body no longer felt like my own as I went back.
MALACHI
“AHH!”
She leaped from the bed, screaming in agony. Her eyes were wide and her body trembled as I grabbed her.
“Esther.” I brushed her curls off her face but she kept gasping for air. “Esther, love, breathe. Just keep breathing.”
“It hurts… IT HURTS!” She screamed as tears fell from her eyes.
“
No. You’re here.” I kissed the side of her sweat-covered face. “I’m here.”
“You’re…you’re…”
Just like that, she collapsed again my arms, and I wasn’t sure if I should exhale or not. She was in pain and I couldn’t save her from it. There was nothing I could do but just be here. So, I wrapped my arms around her and took a deep breath as I held her. “I’m here. You’re here.”
ESTHER
1518 Huey Tocoztli, (4th May) - Tenochtitlan, capital of The Aztec Empire.
Drip.
Drip.
Drip.
What is that?
I tried to turn away from the water that was dripping onto my eyes but even when I turned the water followed.
“You must wake.”
At his voice I did, and I had to rub my eyes for they were sore, but not because of the light. There was barely any light, instead we were in near darkness, and the only source of light came from the front of the…
“Where is this?” I asked sitting up on the deer skin.
“Near your Temple,” he said as he shook the water off his hands and moved the bucket to the side so that he could turn towards me and cross his legs as I’d crossed mine
“Temple? Only the…” I said still confused. I felt groggy and tired as I slowly looked to him. He stretched out his hand waiting for mine and I gave it to him.
“In this life, they call me Tlahuicole.” He turned my palm upwards and examined it. I did not like my hands, they were dirty and my nails were ripped and fingertips scabbed over. I wished to pull my hands back in shame but he would not let go. “What do they call you?”
“Yaretzi,” I replied when he placed his palm on mine. “They call me Yaretzi. Why do you speak like…uhmm…?”
With my other hand I reached up to my heart as it felt like it was being cut from my body.
“The mother in this life named you well,” he said softly. “Yaretzi, you will be loved forever.”
