Page 20 of The Hunchback
“So, you let him go,” I said softly, wondering if I could have done it.
“I often wondered if it had been a mistake,” Nan said. “But I couldn’t risk Frollo abandoning my baby if I refused.”
“I still don’t understand why Frollo would put his life and career on the line for a Fallen half-breed,” I insisted.
“I asked him that very question,” Nan said, making me perk up. “He said that a being who possessed Divine Light couldn’t be evil. As Praetor and Guardian of Vesta’s Temple on the First Circle, it was his duty to protect all of her children, whatever their genetics.”
“With all due respect, that sounds like a whole lot of hot air to me,” I said, frustrated.
Nan burst out laughing. “That was my thought, too, but beggars can’t be choosers. For all that, Frollo has kept his promises except about keeping me informed about my boy’s welfare. He was diligent about it in the first couple of years, but as time went by, I heard less and less frequently, and now not at all. For a while, I would come to the Chakra ceremonies in the hopes of catching a glimpse of Kwazeem, but he was kept too well hidden. So, your presence is a balm on my old heart to know my baby still thrives.”
“He is thriving, despite his condition still plaguing him, but they have a routine now so that he can function normally,” I said, leaving out the way it had been escalating lately. “He’s a fantastic gardener and weapons smith. And his two imps, Victus and Lazarus, are a riot. They love to hug and kiss people. Kwazeem is always scolding them so that they leave me alone.”
“Not people,” Nan gently corrected. “They only show such affection to people they recognize as kindred spirits. They hug you because they love you.”
My face heated with embarrassment and pleasure. But I quickly sobered before asking the question that had been burning my tongue for days.
“Is there any chance Frollo could be blood-related to Kwazeem?”
Nan slightly recoiled, taken aback by a question she’d clearly never even contemplated. “No. Why do you ask?”
“Since he would have been in his early teens when Kwazeem was conceived, I doubt he’s the father,” I explained, making a slight detour before getting to my point. “But he could be his older brother. Frollo’s ergokinetic powers are impressive for a human male. I thought he’d inherited it from his mother, whom I’d assumed had been a high-ranking Vestal. You see, Frollo’s Divine Light is almost identical to Kwazeem’s. That’s impossible unless they are related. Frankly, I’d only ever felt something so similar between twins, and even then... That would also explain why Frollo has been so steadfast in looking after him.”
“I see what you mean, but it is not possible. Frollo’s father was a struggling merchant from Loriend, a small town in the suburbs of Paris. He died of liver failure after years of heavy drinking when Frollo was still a boy. Even the mechanical implant they’d given him as a replacement couldn’t handle his continued alcohol abuse.”
“Does Frollo have a brother or an uncle?” I asked, running out of options.
Nan shook her head with a commiserating look. “Unfortunately, no. It warms my heart that Kwazeem should have someone such as you in his life, someone who clearly cares about him. But I caution you to tread carefully and understand well the consequences of your choices. A life with him could mean the loss of your Divine Light and the end of your life as a Vestal. You will live in exile as the people aren’t ready to accept a Fallen in their midst. Kwazeem might even be hunted for ‘defiling’ an Anointed.”
I flinched at the truth of her words, the dark side that I wasn’t ready to handle just yet.
“Your arrival on Eden has brought great hope to our people. No Vestal has come even remotely close to filling our Well. And with our cities constantly expanding, the energy supply no longer meets the demand,” Nan explained, a troubled look on her face. “Every Vestal who has come to Paris ended up fleeing to lesser Circles, burnt out and exhausted from endless demands for more energy. People said the beacon of the temple’s spire glowed like a high noon sun when you performed your first Chant, such was the power of your Divine Light. Now, all our hopes rest on you. There will be a record attendance the day after tomorrow for your first Festival. If Kwazeem robs you of your Light, the citizens will descend upon him like a rabid mob.”
I refused to even contemplate the possibility of losing my power. It didn’t define me, but it was an integral part of me. I had devoted my life to becoming the light bringer of the people. As an Anointed, I’d been blessed with more power than most Vestals would ever yield in their lifetime. Such a gift came with great responsibilities. How could I even contemplate throwing this all away over my intense attraction to Kwazeem?
“One last thing to keep in mind,” Nan continued, her voice gentle despite the clear warning it contained. “Kwazeem is only still alive thanks to the Praetor’s ministrations. Before you even contemplate running away together, make sure you can aid him in a similar fashion. My boy has already suffered far too much.”
My chest constricted at the thought of so many hurdles before us.
“Your words have not fallen into deaf ears,” I whispered, feeling somewhat defeated.
The hard glint that had crept into Nan’s eyes faded, replaced by sympathy and a sliver of guilt. “I would love nothing more than for you two to find a way to make it work. But I want even more for my boy to live and to remain safe. His life may be empty, and quite lonely at times, but it’s a decent one. Please, make sure you do not make it worse.”
Chapter 9
Kwazeem
Itrudged towards the plaza with steps as heavy as my heart, my hovercart laden with bioluminescent flowers and my two imps in tow. The way I’d yelled at Esmeralda to go away replayed in an infernal loop in my mind. The hurt and humiliated look in her eyes as she fixed her clothes and ran away was forever burned in my psyche. She had completely misunderstood my reaction, but how could she not?
The lancing pain in my back had remained my constant companion since yesterday morning; since Esmeralda had so greatly honored me by surrendering herself to my touch. Strong emotions—mainly joy—seemed to cause Esmeralda to project her Divine Light, creating a power link between us. But as much as it gave me pleasure, it would eventually kill me. A quick look in the mirror last night had confirmed what my blotchy, swollen hands and the throbbing in my face had heralded. It had only been four days since Frollo had last drained me. And yet, my face already looked as disfigured as if I’d been at the start of the last week of my condition’s monthly cycle.
I blinked away the tears pricking my eyes at this reminder that I could never be with the one woman to have touched my heart. How arrogant to have ever even contemplated it? Of course her Divine Light would repel one as unworthy as I. Esmeralda needed to know I’d only asked her to leave because her presence was crippling me. With Frollo out of town until the next day, had my condition worsened, I would have been a wreck for twenty-four hours, with no one to save me. I hated being so dependent, so helpless.
After I’d gotten my pain under control late yesterday afternoon, I’d snuck into the temple to explain and apologize, but Esmeralda had been gone. Today, with the frantic activity surrounding the last minute preparations for the Festival tomorrow, there had been no opportunities to approach her. Even sending my imps with a note would have been too risky.
I placed my portable hovering platform by the wall of the tall building surrounding the plaza. Stepping onto it, I rose a few meters above ground to adorn the façade with bioluminescent flowers. Their dreamy glow in the darkness of night, only otherwise bathed by the pale moon, soothed some of my sorrow. Victus and Lazarus brought me more flowers from my hovercart as I decorated the nearby buildings and the Elohim perches by the Well of Power.
I was heading towards the table of honor when the light in Esmeralda’s room turned on. My heart skipped a beat when, moments later, her slender silhouette appeared at her balcony. With my hawkish eyesight, I watched her looking for me in the darkness. Even with the moonlight, humans couldn’t clearly see me unless I stood under a brighter light.