City of gods - Hellenica Read Online Free PDF

the world’s going to end.
    Saoirse had not given up on the idea of escape, but had no idea what to do. She’d never been off the island in her life, and boatmen in the area are told not to pick up girls like her. Could she stow away? Surely there was some ship carrying supplies that wouldn’t notice her presence. There are no ships carrying supplies at this time of night, thought Saoirse. All the ships here are the ships of Dannas , and they’re built for wealth and pleasure, not for cargo and stowing away.
    It was then that Saoirse saw something glowing on her windowsill. She looked closer and picked it up. It was one of Oshun’s lip plates.
    I prayed to Oshun for a way out, she thought. Is this my destiny?
    The lip plate was beautiful and felt warm. Just put it close to your mouth, she thought, and Oshun will do the rest. Oshun will take care of you.
    She thought of how it would be. She’d lose her beauty, but what had her beauty done for her at this point? All it had done was to keep her in this cage and headed her towards tonight, the night she dreaded. If she would take the lip plate, what would she do? Where would she go?
    Saoirse heard a scream outside from the courtyard. She went to the window and saw another clutch of younger Hetaerae running away. She noticed they were running from a girl in the middle who was on the ground, convulsing. The girl seemed to be changing into some sort of small, hairy creature, and she was making a strange sound, like bleating. She had a glowing plate wedged in her lower lip.
    It was then that Saoirse saw that the girls were not running from their fallen sister; they were running from what was nearer to the walls. A group of more developed creatures was approaching the fallen girl, and they all had lip plates as well. They were covered with thin fur and moved with a quiet agility; Saoirse could barely see them in the darkness. They fell across the prostrate girl and made several chirping noises, which seemed to soothe her.
    The creatures helped her up, looked around and made a few barking sounds, and then started babbling in a high-pitched language Saoirse could not quite hear. But I can sense what they’re trying to say , thought Saoirse. I can’t make out the words, but I can understand them.
    The creatures seemed to be talking about freedom and how the island wouldn’t survive the night. One girl looked up at the moon and then barked instructions to the rest of the pack. In an instant they went scurrying in four directions with great speed and agility. They climbed the walls of the courtyard with the greatest of ease, and in a flash they’d gone over the wall.
    What were they? thought Saoirse. What has Oshun done?
    Saoirse looked at her lip plate. It glowed and tempted her to wear it, to become one of these animals, to flee the courtyard and live in darkness the rest of her days. She turned to look out the window again, and saw that one of the creatures was just outside her balcony.
    She went up to meet the creature. Its face was cute; something like a monkey’s but smoother and with less definition. The creature had sharp teeth, but it was apparent this creature was built for climbing, not fighting, so Saoirse approached easily. The creature sniffed her and then chirped its odd tongue again. Once again, Saoirse  didn’t  know the language, but she understood.
    Oshun’s magic is not for you , the creature said. You’ve something far greater in store. Now leave this place immediately or you’ll burn with it.
    In a moment, the creature was gone. Saoirse stuck her head out the window and could see nothing but the moon. She was trying to locate the creature when she heard a knock at her door.
    “Yes?” she asked.
    “It’s me,” said a husky voice. “Your Danna.”
    /***/
    “Where are we going?” asked Saoirse.
    The man didn’t answer. He was tall, athletically built, clean-shaven, and young-looking. He didn’t seem like the gruff, grey Danna Saoirse usually saw