My gaze strayed to the door a few feet away; the separate chamber where they lay Duke Gavin on his deathbed.
Neney took my hands and squeezed them. “I will say no more, my lady. There might be ears within these walls. My heart weeps for you. You’re too young to die. You don’t deserve this.”
I schooled a brave smile. “It’s my fate, Neney. Cry no more.”
She left me alone with the white gown; —the gown I must wear in the funeral procession. In the dark, I lamented my soon-to-be demise.
*
The door of the mourning chamber opened at early dawn. I saw the sunlight creeping between the cracks of the window. Four priests came in. One of them bowed.
“Your Ladyship, we have to ready you for the procession.”
So here it was; the day had finally arrived.
Some servants came and prepared my bath. After I was cleaned from yesterday’s grime and dust, they helped me dress and arranged my hair. The priests blessed me with myrrh and aromatic oils. Afterwards, I was given a fancy breakfast. I had no desire to eat. My thoughts wandered to Ronen and Callarn. Did they know I was missing? Did Ashanie tell everyone about me being snatched by a giant eagle? I felt foolish to have believed that I would be safe in Aesterneum. My brother’s treachery knew no bounds.
Well, at least, Erodan and his hunters didn’t hurt the good Khimerian people.
The notion made me feel slightly better.
The priests and their acolytes herded me onto the castle grounds when the mid-morning bell chimed from the tower. My brother and Duke Gavin’s family stood stoically as the priest instructed me to get into the coffin. I hesitated. From the corner of my eyes, I saw Erodan’s hand hover on the hilt of his sword. Somehow, I had a feeling he would cut me down if I refused to get in. I squashed away the hopelessness from my heart. No one would come to my aid. Might as well get this over with.
I climbed into the large coffin. It was designed to fit two people. They had already laid my dead husband in it. He had been embalmed and preserved with great care so I didn’t catch a whiff of death from his body. He looked as if he was taking a long slumber. Duke Gavin was buried in full armor regalia. He clutched his sword to his chest.
I lay down next to him. An acolyte gave me a bouquet of lilies. And then they closed the lid.
For a moment, I panicked. The dark was all-confining. And there was a corpse next to me. The air inside the coffin suddenly thinned. My chest constricted. I counted to ten to calm myself. In the process, I squashed the stems of the lily with my fingers.
The coffin was moved. To the pyre, I assumed. I could hear muffled chantings from outside the coffin. I could also hear something hit the coffin. No. Something was stacked on top of the coffin. Wood, I supposed. It took a long time for them to stack the wood. The chants got louder. Then, I felt it.
The funeral pyre.
The heat grew to an intolerable level. I squirmed and thrashed. My instincts took over and I pounded the lid begging for them to release me. I couldn’t breathe. The air inside the coffin burned away. I was choked by the nauseating stench of flesh charred in the fire. Scared out of my wits, I gasped and screamed until my throat was raw. Tears ran down my cheeks.
I sweated from head to toe. The fire started to scald my flesh. I became weak and lightheaded. There was no more fresh air to sustain me. Darkness crept into my consciousness. I drifted into the gates of death.
*
I coughed and coughed. A pair of strong arms shook my body. Somebody called my name. I heard people shout and the clash of swords. Men screamed in agony. I opened my eyes, but the thick smoke made them hurt. Smoke got into my lungs making it hard to breathe. Somebody had pulled me from the burning pyre. Searing heat caught my hair and burned my scalp. I collapsed. Everything went dark.
*
When I opened my eyes, I thought the afterlife was so calm and green. I expected to see Duke Gavin, but instead I saw Lord Veredi. He had me immersed in water where the cold soothed me.
“Elyra, wake up,” he said.
I wanted to, but it was hard to keep my eyes open. I was so tired, I was ready to doze off again. Seconds later, the alluring slumberland claimed me again.
*
The first thing I saw when I stirred awake was Ronen and Callarn next to my bed. Lord Veredi and Ashanie were behind them. They were all smiling.
“Are you with us now, Elyra?” Lord Veredi asked. Ronen and Callarn moved aside to give way to their lord.
“Yes,” I said quietly. My throat still felt raw. “I’m not…dead?”
“Silly wench.” Lord Veredi shook his head. “We saved you just in time. Barely. You were hurt from the pyre.”