31. Replacement

Replacement

Luella

It’s the most welcome sight, my domus. I pass it, though, and head along the forest path. I need to thank Janus. I’d like to kiss both their faces for the simple fact that I am alive.

I kneel in front of the shifting statue. The twin suns have not yet risen, and I wonder, not for the first time, if gods sleep.

I place my used basanite on the altar, along with a loaf of bread I took from the kitchens on my way out of the Domus Aurea. It's an especially delicious looking loaf, but I know mine are better. I’ll bring one of my own next time.

Cassius is suspicious. I don’t know how to infiltrate the Domus Aurea this time, how to get close. I don’t have years of information to help me understand him, the way we did for the others.

I place my head on the altar and tell Janus about Ledo. “Seven wives and countless women from Divus. He didn’t even know the number.” I pause, then, “I’m adding the Dominus to my final praeda. I want to eliminate them both.” I tell Janus the rest of it, and when I lift my eyes, my stones sparkle once more with fiery hues.

Tisiphone. Black Widow. Vidua . Venefica . The names I hear for me are multiplying, but I like vidua . Widow. I have lost many husbands, and while I do not mourn them, I am in constant mourning for humanity. That this is what women endure, still. But I am not divine like Tisiphone or Janus. Cassius reminded me of that tonight, and I will not rush these last two. I will not make a mistake, not now.

Freckles adorn my new features, and my black hair remains long, a preference I’ve never been able to abandon. I make my way to my domus and slowly, so slowly, my shoulders move away from my ears. My breathing slows. My heart rate returns to normal.

It was too close, but I will be more careful.

I retrieve the bag of flour from my storage cellar, bringing it to my kitchen workstation. Bread. What I need is bread. And soup. It’s definitely a good time to start soup.

I’m sliding the last of my carrots into the pot as the suns begin to rise when Mia lets herself in. I grunt at her as she drops a parcel onto the kitchen table. It clinks.

“What’s that?” I tilt my head towards the parcel, stirring the soup one last time before coming to sit beside her.

“The Dominus has been busy.”

“Busy? He was bothering me all night!” I fume. Why did he let me leave if he was going to hurt someone else?

“What?” Mia asks. I tell her everything. The flora, Flavia, who saw me. Cassius sneaking into the room. Cassius letting me go.

“It doesn’t make sense,” I finish.

Mia shakes her head. “I don’t know, but the reason I came right away? The flora injured last night? She looks exactly like you.” I stare at her and gesture to my new face, brow furrowed. “The you that met Cassius. Blonde hair, blue eyes, petite features…”

I don’t know what game he’s playing. “How old was she?”

“Same as you looked, around twenty summers.”

“So what’s all that?” I gesture back to the parcel.

“Refills for your stash,” Mia says. She opens the bundle and the rainbow of familiar vials greets me, including one filled with little white pearls.

“I thought you wanted me to quit?” I ask, sliding the vials towards me.

“I don’t know what he’s doing to them,” Mia says. “But, they’re… off.” She shakes her head. “The injuries don’t match the intensity they describe. They’re so terrified…”

“What do you mean they don’t match?”

“I think he’s…blessed? A healer…” Mia trails off, confused. That can’t be right. Men aren’t blessed, at least not often. Perhaps with strength or speed: blessings for war. A healer, though?

“A healer?” I shake my head. “Mia, how?”

She throws her hands up in frustration. “How could they be mostly healed? What if he…?”

I already know where she’s going. What if he heals them so he can hurt them again? Her eyes are searching mine and I know what she wants. Her worry for me isn’t enough to let this go, not when her patients are scared, terrified to tell her what’s going on. If he’s bad enough to worry Mia, I can’t wait. “Okay, Mi. We’ll get him.” I nod. Once, twice.

“We’ll get him.”