Chapter 8
Kat
At the appointed hour I reported to the duty Tagmatarches.
“Hoplite Kataramenos, reporting as assigned for a Calling, sir,” I said, standing at attention.
The Tagmatarches today was Allard. He was a decent enough sort. At least, he didn’t go out of his way to make our lives harder.
“Kataramenos? A Calling, eh?” he began with a smirk, until he saw the House of the Calling. I saw the glint of humor in his eye change to… anger? He looked at the duty roster. “I thought it was Hoplite Vlakas who was supposed to take this calling,” he said, a frown crossing his lips. “You have your Machi coming up soon.”
“There was an error, sir,” I said, presenting the paper Livius had provided.
He looked at me suspiciously before reading through the paperwork and nodding. Apparently, everything was in order, though he seemed none too happy about it.
“Gallius?” he called.
A young Elusian soldier entered the room, standing at attention. “Sir?” he asked.
“Take this Hoplite and escort him to the House of Eros for his Calling,” he commanded. “Remind them his Calling is to last three days only, and not a minute longer. He has his Machi Thanatos coming up. He needs his strength.”
I looked at Allard, trying to hide the surprise his words created. Most Elusians didn’t give a shit about Mageia, except for how much work they could get out of us.
“I’m not losing another Hoplite to those bastards,” he glanced at me and muttered before returning to his paperwork.
Gallius gripped my arm and hustled me out the door.
The walk to the House of Eros took almost an hour, most of which my heart felt like it was going to pound out of my chest. Only businesses and the elite owned vehicles. Everyone else was relegated to using public transportation or walking.
Still, being outside the Legion headquarters gave me the opportunity to enjoy the sites of Alexandria. Alexandria was one of the world’s leading population centers. As the capitol of the empire, and it was filled with functionaries and the political elite.
It was roughly divided into districts: the Government district, the Trade district, the Temple district and the Residential district.
As property of the King, the Legion headquarters was in the Government district. I had never seen the Residential district, since only slaves belonging to those with houses within were permitted entry.
As a slave I had frequently been sent on errands to the Trade district, but once I had become Mageia my freedom had been even further curtailed. Other than the occasional Calling I hadn’t been outside the walls of the Legion in almost ten years.
The Houses were all in the Temple district, but we had to pass through the Trade district to get there.
As we walked, I soaked in the sights of the lives of normal Alexandrians. They wore clothes of all colors, unlike in the Legion. Black showed blood least.
We passed farmers markets with food I had never even imagined and stores selling things I would have no idea how to use. A jewelry store flashed neon lights advertising its wares. As we passed the alley by the store, I spied an Elusian beating a slave Mageian. I knew he was a slave because their head was shaved bald, and his head was covered with cuts and bruises. At his collar bone I spied a brand that matched the jeweler’s logo. That was the life we might lead if V and I failed the Machi. That, or being sent to one of the Houses, permanently.
I had only ever been to the light- to mid-level Houses. The House of Eros was a Dark House. Those who did return from the House didn’t usually talk about their experiences, if they returned at all, making the unknown even more terrifying.
The image of Ethan holding the bloody ear of his sister flashed through my mind and I swallowed hard. I refused to think that that might be V, or me.
My escort didn’t speak to me except to give orders. He kept a tight hold on me the entire way, like he was expecting me to make a break for it. I knew Icouldbreak away, but what good would that do me? He would just Suppress my power, which would leave me sick and helpless anyway. It would only mean punishment after the Calling was over. I had a feeling the Calling was going to be punishment enough already.
Even if I managed to escape, I had nowhere to run to.
We finally arrived at the House of Eros. It was a large building made of black stone. Or stone painted black? Who the hell knew.
I was escorted to the back door, of course. Can’t have the lowly Mageia be seen coming through the front, I thought bitterly.
Gallius and I were instructed by the young woman who answered the door to wait in a small office.
The room was luxuriously appointed. Deep carpeting covered the floor, with walls paneled in rich mahogany. A desk sat in one corner and a variety of art covered the walls. With nothing else to do I began examining them, and quickly wished I hadn’t. Each scene showed a Mageia being tortured in some way by Elusians. Some of the scenes… Even with my training and experience, they turned my stomach, my mind replacing each face with Vlakas’.
