Seconds later, Maria walked through the orange door on my side, and it vanished.
She looked exactly like Tara. Soft gray eyes. Hair as white as snow. Short, petite, and fragile.
“Tara wasn’t exaggerating. You’re as handsome as the full moon, and as kind as a sea breeze.”
How poetic. I couldn’t help but blush. “Thank you. You’re lovely yourself. We should get out of here.”
I wished I’d placed the other end of the bridging orb somewhere else, but I hadn’t had that foresight unfortunately. Although I did have the bridging orb that connected me to the hill outside the city, I needed to save it for our final escape.
The two of us tiptoed down the stone stairs. I went invisible to check for guards. The guard who’d been standing between the tower and villa was now busy chatting with a chubby, middle-aged woman and so his back was turned away from us.
We both fast walked out of the tower and toward the fence, keeping low and using the hedges as cover. Then I picked Maria up and leaped over the fence.
As soon as we landed, we bolted. Ran toward a street where a crowd was watching someone play a flute-like instrument. We blended into the crowd, and I finally felt safe.
Maria and I went into a nearby alleyway to catch our breaths.
“Saran probably won’t even know you’re gone,” I said. “For a while, at least.”
“How are we going to get into the prince’s palace?”
“I might have a better idea. Maria, where would this execution be taking place?”
“In a place the locals call Chop Chop Square. It’s actually not far from here.”
“So it’s not behind the barrier.”
“It’s not,” she confirmed.
“I think it would be easier to rescue her once she’s out in the open than trying to infiltrate the palace.”
Maria darted her eyes around nervously. “That’s calling it close, though. She’d be minutes away from execution.”
“I know. And I understand your fears. But it’s our best shot.”
“I understand.”
“How’s your mana?”
“It’s drained a little bit. I see you have the ring.”
“Yup. I used your healing spell earlier to cure a very tiny wound.”
A white cat ran by our feet, then jumped into a nearby trash can. It smelled weird in this alleyway. I didn’t want to remain, but I was worried about Maria being recognized. She was a curseborn, after all, and technically Saran’s property.
“Tara told me you’re soulbonded to two women,” Maria said. “And that because of where you came from, your soulbond’s power is multiplied by five.”
I nodded. “It’s true. But my soulbonds are outside the barrier, and pretty far away, so I can’t draw from their mana. I’m sorry about the ring. I never asked you if I could use your mana. Also, I assumed it would be Tara’s mana I’d be drawing from.”
“We both have the same water curse. In fact… Tara and I share a lot of things. We’re actually soulbonded.”
“Huh?”
“We were soulbonded at birth. We share a tether. Normally, I can feel what she’s feeling. I can even hear what she’s hearing. Provided she’s close enough. But ever since she went behind that barrier, I’ve been disconnected from her.” Tears formed on Maria’s eyelids. “If she were to die, I’d be losing the other half of myself.”
Of course, even normal twins often felt an eerie connection. But if Tara and Maria shared a tether, then not only did they share mana, they could also tap into each other’s feelings and sensations, as Maria had just described. And it had been that way since birth. I really couldn’t imagine the intensity of such a connection, and the pain Maria must’ve been feeling out of worry for her sister’s life.
“I will save your sister,” I said. “Don’t doubt it. I’ll ensure that both of you are safe, and that you can live happy lives, from now on.”
She sobbed. I wished I had a kerchief so I could dry the tears on her tender cheeks.
“Remy, the ring you’re wearing only provides about half the power of a normal soulbond. It’s a weak connection. I really don’t want to ask this. I really don’t want to impose. You’ve done so much already. But… to save Tara, you may need more power. So…”
“It’s okay, Maria. I’d be more than happy to soulbond with you.”
“Really? With me?”
I nodded. “You’re beautiful, gentle, and to be honest, I love having a healing spell. The whip is useful, too. I’m looking forward to whatever other water abilities I could gain at higher soulbond levels. And I’d love for them to be five times as powerful.”
“But you’d be stuck with me. And Tara, if you save her, since I’m tethered to her.”
Interesting. So soulbonding with one of them was like soulbonding to both. I would be marrying twins. Also, if I could draw power from both, that would be like having double the mana.
“I wouldn’t be stuck with you. I’d be blessed with you. Both of you.”
“Do you mean that?”
“Of course I do.” I caressed her cheek and dried her tears with my thumb. “Saran made you feel worthless. The truth is, you’re amazing, Maria. You’re special. And wonderful.”
She smiled, dimples forming on her cheeks. So adorable, despite the tears. “Thank you, Remy. No one’s ever said anything so wonderful to me.”
“Let’s head to this Chop Chop Square. I want to scope it out, so we get a good sense about how to rescue your sister.”
Maria nodded. “Sure. I’ll lead the way.”
Chop Chop Square was basically like a Roman coliseum: an ovular auditorium with a central stage surrounded by rows and rows of seating. There were four ways in and out, corresponding to each compass direction. But the northern passage was completely shut and led into an area surrounded by high walls. I assumed that was where Tara and the executioners would enter from. The other passages were open to the public, and each fed into different streets, all of them busy.
Amid the seating was a walled off section with velvet chairs that I assumed was for the rich and notable folks, while everyone else had to sit on stone benches. A sandy field with a gallows was what everyone would be looking at.
Strange it was called Chop Chop Square when it was round and not a square. Also, a gallows was used to hang people, and the words chop-chop made me think of beheading. Maria told me that the name arose just after the Cataclysm twenty years ago, when the prince who ruled the island was far more punitive and would often chop heads and limbs to stop crime and maintain order.
A guard on duty informed us that an execution was scheduled to take place the next day, early in the morning. Until then, we needed a place to rest. I considered returning to the pleasure house where Ruby worked, but that would be risky. The proprietor may not be so welcoming to Maria. Instead, we used a soul cabin.
Amid the safety of the windowless, wooden walls, we could finally feel some peace, temporary as it was. Maria and I ate some kebabs that I bought with a few soulcores and drank some tamarind juice.
Then she finally asked me, “Remy, will you soulbond with me?”
“Yes,” I said without hesitation. “I agree to soulbond with you, Maria.”
A white tether of light shot from her midsection and into mine. For a moment, it was blinding. Then it settled into a soft, milky hue.
SOULBOND OF WATER LEVEL 1 UNLOCKED
NAME: Tara and Maria
CLASS: Water Cleric
Strength: 1
Intelligence: 4
Agility: 3
Endurance: 2
Vigor: 1
Mind: 1
Luck: 3
WEAPONED UNLOCKED: WATER WHIP
NEW WATER ABILITY UNLOCKED
I took off the Water Ring, having no need of it anymore. Maria and Tara were now my 3rd and 4th soul wives.
I cuddled with Maria on the bed. She cried in my arms. I wanted her to know that she was safe. That I’d do anything to help her. That she could lean on me as much as she needed to. That I wasn’t going to use her power and forget about her needs, like Saran did. That as her soulbond, I’d make sure that she and her sister would be happy, no matter what.
“Everything’s going to be okay,” I reassured her. I didn’t expect her to stop crying, though. Obviously just the thought of what could happen to Tara was terrifying enough, and must’ve weighed more than a bag of bricks. And though I too felt some fears, I had to be strong for her.
I stroked her soft, white hair as she pressed against me and leaned her head on my chest.
“I hate not being able to feel her,” Maria said. “It’s like half of me is missing.”
“I’m sure she feels the same way. You’ll be reunited soon.”
“You know, sometimes it’s overwhelming. Especially when we were both feeling pain. It would be like feeling double.”
“But happy moments would be doubled too, right?”
“We didn’t have many of those.”
“You will. Starting tomorrow, you’ll get to do everything you always wanted. And you’ll feel the joy two times over.”
“Your words make me so hopeful.”
“Tomorrow, you’ll see my words in action. You’ll see just how much I want to change things for the better.”
She looked up into my eyes. “Really?”
“I won’t let you, or any of my curseborn wives, live their lives in fear. We’re going to show the world that curseborn are a force for good. And we’re going to get so powerful that no one will ever try to hurt any one of us.”
“I’ll help you. I’ll do everything I can. I hope our soulbond grows and grows, so we can unlock more abilities that’ll make you even more powerful.”
I stroked the soft edges of her ear. “It will. With time. The three of us will spend a lot of time together. You ever been to that hot spring?”
“No. The truth is, Saran never took me anywhere. He always took Tara instead.”
“Why?”
“Tara and I might be soulbonded twins, but we’re not exactly the same.” Maria chuckled. “She has more mana than me. She’s also better at enduring Saran’s whims. To be honest, I think of her almost as a big sister. I’m not sure who came out of our mother first, but she’s always been willing to suffer more than me.”
Being locked in that tower was bad enough, but it seemed being taken around by Saran was even worse.
“So you’ve basically been in that tower the whole time.”
“Well, they let me leave to get exercise a few times a week. Saran did want to keep us healthy, at the very least, otherwise we’d have less mana for him to draw from.”
At least she could go outside and get fresh air. But that didn’t change the fact that she’d been caged. She had so much to discover. Truth be told, so did I. I’d only been in this world a few days, so we both had much to see. And I wanted to do it together.
“I’ll take you and your sister to the most beautiful places,” I said. “Rest assured.”
I stroked her hair till she fell asleep in my arms. Then I gently settled her onto a pillow and covered her in a blanket. Finally, I got some rest, too.
When we awoke, we ate some bread and then left the soul cabin, ready to begin Tara’s rescue.
Seconds later, Maria walked through the orange door on my side, and it vanished.
She looked exactly like Tara. Soft gray eyes. Hair as white as snow. Short, petite, and fragile.
“Tara wasn’t exaggerating. You’re as handsome as the full moon, and as kind as a sea breeze.”
How poetic. I couldn’t help but blush. “Thank you. You’re lovely yourself. We should get out of here.”
I wished I’d placed the other end of the bridging orb somewhere else, but I hadn’t had that foresight unfortunately. Although I did have the bridging orb that connected me to the hill outside the city, I needed to save it for our final escape.
The two of us tiptoed down the stone stairs. I went invisible to check for guards. The guard who’d been standing between the tower and villa was now busy chatting with a chubby, middle-aged woman and so his back was turned away from us.
We both fast walked out of the tower and toward the fence, keeping low and using the hedges as cover. Then I picked Maria up and leaped over the fence.
As soon as we landed, we bolted. Ran toward a street where a crowd was watching someone play a flute-like instrument. We blended into the crowd, and I finally felt safe.
Maria and I went into a nearby alleyway to catch our breaths.
“Saran probably won’t even know you’re gone,” I said. “For a while, at least.”
“How are we going to get into the prince’s palace?”
“I might have a better idea. Maria, where would this execution be taking place?”
“In a place the locals call Chop Chop Square. It’s actually not far from here.”
“So it’s not behind the barrier.”
“It’s not,” she confirmed.
“I think it would be easier to rescue her once she’s out in the open than trying to infiltrate the palace.”
Maria darted her eyes around nervously. “That’s calling it close, though. She’d be minutes away from execution.”
“I know. And I understand your fears. But it’s our best shot.”
“I understand.”
“How’s your mana?”
“It’s drained a little bit. I see you have the ring.”
“Yup. I used your healing spell earlier to cure a very tiny wound.”
A white cat ran by our feet, then jumped into a nearby trash can. It smelled weird in this alleyway. I didn’t want to remain, but I was worried about Maria being recognized. She was a curseborn, after all, and technically Saran’s property.
“Tara told me you’re soulbonded to two women,” Maria said. “And that because of where you came from, your soulbond’s power is multiplied by five.”
I nodded. “It’s true. But my soulbonds are outside the barrier, and pretty far away, so I can’t draw from their mana. I’m sorry about the ring. I never asked you if I could use your mana. Also, I assumed it would be Tara’s mana I’d be drawing from.”
“We both have the same water curse. In fact… Tara and I share a lot of things. We’re actually soulbonded.”
“Huh?”
“We were soulbonded at birth. We share a tether. Normally, I can feel what she’s feeling. I can even hear what she’s hearing. Provided she’s close enough. But ever since she went behind that barrier, I’ve been disconnected from her.” Tears formed on Maria’s eyelids. “If she were to die, I’d be losing the other half of myself.”
Of course, even normal twins often felt an eerie connection. But if Tara and Maria shared a tether, then not only did they share mana, they could also tap into each other’s feelings and sensations, as Maria had just described. And it had been that way since birth. I really couldn’t imagine the intensity of such a connection, and the pain Maria must’ve been feeling out of worry for her sister’s life.
“I will save your sister,” I said. “Don’t doubt it. I’ll ensure that both of you are safe, and that you can live happy lives, from now on.”
She sobbed. I wished I had a kerchief so I could dry the tears on her tender cheeks.
“Remy, the ring you’re wearing only provides about half the power of a normal soulbond. It’s a weak connection. I really don’t want to ask this. I really don’t want to impose. You’ve done so much already. But… to save Tara, you may need more power. So…”
“It’s okay, Maria. I’d be more than happy to soulbond with you.”
“Really? With me?”
I nodded. “You’re beautiful, gentle, and to be honest, I love having a healing spell. The whip is useful, too. I’m looking forward to whatever other water abilities I could gain at higher soulbond levels. And I’d love for them to be five times as powerful.”
“But you’d be stuck with me. And Tara, if you save her, since I’m tethered to her.”
Interesting. So soulbonding with one of them was like soulbonding to both. I would be marrying twins. Also, if I could draw power from both, that would be like having double the mana.
“I wouldn’t be stuck with you. I’d be blessed with you. Both of you.”
“Do you mean that?”
“Of course I do.” I caressed her cheek and dried her tears with my thumb. “Saran made you feel worthless. The truth is, you’re amazing, Maria. You’re special. And wonderful.”
She smiled, dimples forming on her cheeks. So adorable, despite the tears. “Thank you, Remy. No one’s ever said anything so wonderful to me.”
“Let’s head to this Chop Chop Square. I want to scope it out, so we get a good sense about how to rescue your sister.”
Maria nodded. “Sure. I’ll lead the way.”
Chop Chop Square was basically like a Roman coliseum: an ovular auditorium with a central stage surrounded by rows and rows of seating. There were four ways in and out, corresponding to each compass direction. But the northern passage was completely shut and led into an area surrounded by high walls. I assumed that was where Tara and the executioners would enter from. The other passages were open to the public, and each fed into different streets, all of them busy.
Amid the seating was a walled off section with velvet chairs that I assumed was for the rich and notable folks, while everyone else had to sit on stone benches. A sandy field with a gallows was what everyone would be looking at.
Strange it was called Chop Chop Square when it was round and not a square. Also, a gallows was used to hang people, and the words chop-chop made me think of beheading. Maria told me that the name arose just after the Cataclysm twenty years ago, when the prince who ruled the island was far more punitive and would often chop heads and limbs to stop crime and maintain order.
A guard on duty informed us that an execution was scheduled to take place the next day, early in the morning. Until then, we needed a place to rest. I considered returning to the pleasure house where Ruby worked, but that would be risky. The proprietor may not be so welcoming to Maria. Instead, we used a soul cabin.
Amid the safety of the windowless, wooden walls, we could finally feel some peace, temporary as it was. Maria and I ate some kebabs that I bought with a few soulcores and drank some tamarind juice.
Then she finally asked me, “Remy, will you soulbond with me?”
“Yes,” I said without hesitation. “I agree to soulbond with you, Maria.”
A white tether of light shot from her midsection and into mine. For a moment, it was blinding. Then it settled into a soft, milky hue.
SOULBOND OF WATER LEVEL 1 UNLOCKED
NAME: Tara and Maria
CLASS: Water Cleric
Strength: 1
Intelligence: 4
Agility: 3
Endurance: 2
Vigor: 1
Mind: 1
Luck: 3
WEAPONED UNLOCKED: WATER WHIP
NEW WATER ABILITY UNLOCKED
I took off the Water Ring, having no need of it anymore. Maria and Tara were now my 3rd and 4th soul wives.
I cuddled with Maria on the bed. She cried in my arms. I wanted her to know that she was safe. That I’d do anything to help her. That she could lean on me as much as she needed to. That I wasn’t going to use her power and forget about her needs, like Saran did. That as her soulbond, I’d make sure that she and her sister would be happy, no matter what.
“Everything’s going to be okay,” I reassured her. I didn’t expect her to stop crying, though. Obviously just the thought of what could happen to Tara was terrifying enough, and must’ve weighed more than a bag of bricks. And though I too felt some fears, I had to be strong for her.
I stroked her soft, white hair as she pressed against me and leaned her head on my chest.
“I hate not being able to feel her,” Maria said. “It’s like half of me is missing.”
“I’m sure she feels the same way. You’ll be reunited soon.”
“You know, sometimes it’s overwhelming. Especially when we were both feeling pain. It would be like feeling double.”
“But happy moments would be doubled too, right?”
“We didn’t have many of those.”
“You will. Starting tomorrow, you’ll get to do everything you always wanted. And you’ll feel the joy two times over.”
“Your words make me so hopeful.”
“Tomorrow, you’ll see my words in action. You’ll see just how much I want to change things for the better.”
She looked up into my eyes. “Really?”
“I won’t let you, or any of my curseborn wives, live their lives in fear. We’re going to show the world that curseborn are a force for good. And we’re going to get so powerful that no one will ever try to hurt any one of us.”
“I’ll help you. I’ll do everything I can. I hope our soulbond grows and grows, so we can unlock more abilities that’ll make you even more powerful.”
I stroked the soft edges of her ear. “It will. With time. The three of us will spend a lot of time together. You ever been to that hot spring?”
“No. The truth is, Saran never took me anywhere. He always took Tara instead.”
“Why?”
“Tara and I might be soulbonded twins, but we’re not exactly the same.” Maria chuckled. “She has more mana than me. She’s also better at enduring Saran’s whims. To be honest, I think of her almost as a big sister. I’m not sure who came out of our mother first, but she’s always been willing to suffer more than me.”
Being locked in that tower was bad enough, but it seemed being taken around by Saran was even worse.
“So you’ve basically been in that tower the whole time.”
“Well, they let me leave to get exercise a few times a week. Saran did want to keep us healthy, at the very least, otherwise we’d have less mana for him to draw from.”
At least she could go outside and get fresh air. But that didn’t change the fact that she’d been caged. She had so much to discover. Truth be told, so did I. I’d only been in this world a few days, so we both had much to see. And I wanted to do it together.
“I’ll take you and your sister to the most beautiful places,” I said. “Rest assured.”
I stroked her hair till she fell asleep in my arms. Then I gently settled her onto a pillow and covered her in a blanket. Finally, I got some rest, too.
When we awoke, we ate some bread and then left the soul cabin, ready to begin Tara’s rescue.
