“White Death…” Vi swallowed hard, remembering all the words of panic her tutors had used when her travels were first starting to be delayed due to the plague. She couldn’t get sick, the Empire needed her. “Why are you wearing one? Is someone in your family ill?”
“Thankfully no… I’m helping the clerics. We set up a building for the ailing over there.” He pointed up to the outer ridge of Soricium. Vi couldn’t see the building from where she stood, but she gladly took his word for it. That was one area that, for all her curiosity, she knew better than to explore.
“Are there that many ailing?” Vi asked. She didn’t want the answer, but she owed it to her people to pursue it.
“Again, thankfully no…” He paused, cleaning one of the lenses on his mask. “There might be, though. They expect it to get worse with time. They’re already talking about if we have to move it—the infirmary, that’s what they’re calling it—where the next, or new one, will be.
“But we think we have a handle on the spread. Giving the infected a place to go and be treated, keeping them sequestered from the masses seems to have stinted the spread.”
“What can I do?” Vi asked.
“Unfortunately, nothing.”
“I’m the Crown Princess,” Vi needlessly reminded him for the sake of emphasis. “I have resources, I can get you what you need.”
“I misspoke.” He gave her a tired smile. “There’s nothing anyone can do. The clerics have no idea what’s causing the plague, how it spreads, who it chooses. It’s seemingly random… as if people’s bodies just… give up and die.”
“That’s… terrifying,” Vi whispered.
“It is.” Much like in Ellene, Vi saw two different forces existing in Darrus. There was the terror of the boy she’d seen dancing with Ellene in the spring. But there were also the makings of a man who had the bravery to face his fears. Perhaps Ellene was right, and he had actually grown some.
They fell silent, Darrus looking from his mask to her. Then, as if remembering what he’d stopped her for initially, he asked, “What are you doing out so late? Is everything all right?”
“Yes, just… I needed some air.”
“I see.” He did not sound convinced in the slightest and his blatant disbelief made her feel awkward. His emerald eyes set on dark skin were striking, and they reminded her of a similar set she dared hope to see again.
“Please, don’t tell,” she whispered. “Not even Ellene.” Her and Darrus had never been particularly close. But she could only hope the man had enough favor for her as a friend of Ellene, or enough fear of her as the Crown Princess, to oblige.
“Should I come with you? Is everything truly all right?”
“I have to do this alone. It’s important. It’s for the crown.”
He gave a small nod, clearly still unsure. “Well, I need to get back to my work. I’m the lowest rung, so that means I’m stuck taking the late shifts. They’re expecting me.”
“I didn’t know you were so interested in being a cleric,” Vi said thoughtfully. She’d only seen Darrus through the context of Ellene’s gaze—a handsome man who was a good dancer and charming to no end. The fact that she’d never invested more time in learning his true nature, his hopes and dreams, when her friend was so invested, made Vi’s insides tighten slightly with guilt.
“I’m not sure if I am, to be honest.”
“This must be a bit of trial by fire.”
He chuckled. “Spoken like a Firebearer.” Vi’s mouth quirked into a small smile. If only he knew how wrong he was on that. They both knew precious little about each other, and were now unlikely conspirators in Vi’s nighttime jaunt. “But yes, these are rather hard conditions to learn under. I’m not sure if I’m cut for it, but I do want to help people and it seems to me that this is the best way to do so presently.”
The words he spoke now were in stark contrast to the free-spirited boy she’d seen originally become the target of Ellene’s girl-like crushes. Darrus was fast becoming someone Vi could respect. Perhaps, if this gentle and heartfelt manner was Darrus’s true nature, she should be less worried about the idea of Ellene drifting even closer to him after Vi left.
“Thank you, on behalf of the crown.” Vi hoped he took both her meanings: gratitude for his work in dealing with the steadily spreading White Death, and for his silence on her being out long after dark.
“Yes, your highness.” He paused, right before putting his mask back over his face. “Perhaps you can return the favor by putting in a good word with Ellene to dance with me at the winter solstice? She still has yet to give me a response.” There was the boyish grin she remembered.
“Consider it done.” He turned to leave and Vi stopped him. “And Darrus, don’t worry so much about Ellene. She’s crazy about you.” They shared a small smile.
“That’s good to hear.” Just as Vi turned to leave, he caught her by her shoulder. “One last thing…” His voice had dropped low and was tense.
“What?” Vi whispered in reply.
“I could’ve sworn I saw someone following you. I thought it may have been Jayme but…”
“I’m alone,” Vi insisted. She wasn’t sure if she was informing him, or saying it out of hope that the fact remained true.
