All Chapters of Cursed by the Gods: Cleopoda CBTG Book 1: Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

126 Chapters

Chapter 70

While the festivities were going on for days outside Cleopoda hurdled against the cold wall of the cell in which she sat. Her back ached from being bent for too long, her knees having been bent for days were locked and aching even her wrist now had sticky bruises caused by the chains around them. Her breath came out in shallow gasps through dried lips. From outside came footsteps. For days no one had come to check on her or poke sticks at her so when she heard the light steps her head jerked up, an action she instantly regretted when the dizziness hit her hard. The sound of keys made her heart race and when the door flew open she crawled to her shaky knees. Light rushed into the tight dark cell causing a burning sensation in her eyes which she squeezed shut. "No improvement there," came a deep voice. "At least now we can work on her." She heard someone step into the cell then suddenly rough hands were pulling her up to her feet. A small cry of protest rose an
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Chapter 71

Once again the door was pushed open but this time instead of having men drag her out for purification rituals a bowl was pushed into the cell. Someone approached her weak bound body and loosened the chains on her hands so she could sit up straight. The bowl was moved closer to her face and the smell of watery corn soup wafted up to her nose. "Eat." Even before the word came out she grabbed the bowl and hungrily downed the warm soup, choking in her hurry to quell the gnawing hunger in her belly. The young priest who had brought the bowl pressed his lips into a thin line. "There's progress after all." Even before Cleopoda could lick the bowl clean he pulled it from her hand, ignoring her whimpered protest, and strode out of the cell. Birian, the priest made his way to the small room where head priest Federic sat on a mat inhaling from a bowl of burning aromatic plants. He clapped his hands lightly. "What do you want?" came the gr
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Chapter 72

Even though the footsteps were light and almost inaudible Cleopoda could still hear them and she sat up immediately, holding the now edge of her thin cloth which was now frayed due to her constant wringing close to her legs. She counted the footsteps like she had learned to do...15...16...17... and stop. The person stopped right in front of her cell. Her whole body tensed up as she waited for the onslaught of pains in her eyes when the light would invade her cell but as she listened she noticed that there was a conscious effort to keep the kegs from jiggling too hard. Even more terrified than before she got on her knees and crawled to a corner of the room.  Some nights before someone had secretly opened the door to the cell beside her. She had heard whispered voices but soon there were muffled sounds that sounded like screams of pain and at one point a loud piercing scream and echoed through the walls of her cell but it was so short she assumed she had imagined it. Sudd
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Chapter 73

"Zenas!" Cleopoda whispered harshly, her initial tiredness forgotten. She snatched her hand from Birian's as she stared at the famous actor from head to toe. "What are you doing here?" she asked. He looked from her to Birian with sleepy eyes. "Is she the one?" Birian nodded and took hold of her hand again to lead her inside. The room was barely lit with only a small lamp whose light was already burning out sitting on a small stool. There was a strong aroma of something in the room that made her feel dizzy immediately. She gagged and fell to the floor. "Is she alright?" Zenas asked Birian as he stepped forward to help her stand on her feet. "She is a bit weak from staying in the cramped cell she has been staying since she came." He looked around the room and noted the glow of burning herbs in bowls at different corners of the room. "The smell of those," he pointed at the bowls, "will not help her." Zenas faced him with burning hatred in his eye
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Chapter 74

With her body clean and her mind refreshed after her bath, her sight clear and a head filled with questions Cleopoda walked back into the room where Zenas was still cleaning. He took one look at her from where he was tucking in corners of the black sheets into the side of the bed and retrieved something from the side table. It was a platter of bread and grapes, a thin slice of cheese, and a small jar of water. He passed pressed it into her hands and continued with his work. Stunned, Cleopoda stood there with the platter slightly shaking as she watched him. It was unreal, he was a legend on the stage, she had watched him perform when Strukus has taken her to see him, she had wanted to see him behind the stage where many folks were waiting to talk to him. To have him in the same room with her cleaning like and folding away clothes made her feel uneasy. "Are you going to eat or stand there and stare?" He was looking back at her with a face devoid of any emotions unlike when he
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Chapter 75

That night Zenas made some space on the bed for Cleopoda to sleep. At first, she had been reluctant and had resisted violently until he assured her he would not harm, even then she had taken just a little space for herself and had slept as if expecting an attack. By the next morning, she was already awake and was cleaning up the room. "For royalty, you surprise me with your simpleness," Zenas commented. She smiled sadly. "Being royalty is not luxury...not for me. I am not worthy of bearing the title of royalty." Zenas pulled himself from the bed to assist her with cleaning the dishes from the last night. He watched her work, her movements were slow but the way she moved was a testament to the fact that she was already used to cleaning up after herself. "I hear you hated by the royal house, an abomination and a curse. Why is that?" Cleopoda shrugged. "Some said I am a product of a sin my father committed against the gods, some say my birth moth
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Chapter 76

After several hours passed with Cleopoda standing by the window in the hall looking out at the field that stretched from the temple beyond the horizon the door to the room was thrown open and a tall man with a red beard, deep eyes with a hint of distrust and scarred hands strode out. Behind him, the man and the maiden who had come to prepare Zenas followed closely. The red-bearded man snared at them and tossed a black leather purse that jingled at them. "That's all you get for my dissatisfaction. Clean that fool up and get him ready for when I return from my travels." "Yes sir." The red-bearded man grunted and passed by Cleopoda without even a sideways glance at her. As soon as he was out of sight the man with the maiden greedily slid the purse of coins into the pocket of his coat before turning to glower at the maiden. "You heard him, Junae, clean that worthless fool up before tomorrow we have more people coming in." The maiden hastily nodded
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Chapter 77

After several hours passed with Cleopoda standing by the window in the hall looking out at the field that stretched from the temple beyond the horizon the door to the room was thrown open and a tall man with a red beard, deep eyes with a hint of distrust and scarred hands strode out. Behind him, the man and the maiden who had come to prepare Zenas followed closely. The red-bearded man snared at them and tossed a black leather purse that jingled at them. "That's all you get for my dissatisfaction. Clean that fool up and get him ready for when I return from my travels." "Yes sir." The red-bearded man grunted and passed by Cleopoda without even a sideways glance at her. As soon as he was out of sight the man with the maiden greedily slid the purse of coins into the pocket of his coat before turning to glower at the maiden. "You heard him, Junae, clean that worthless fool up before tomorrow we have more people coming in." The maiden hastily nodded
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Chapter 78

Cleopoda stayed by Zenas' side throughout the night. He slept well at first until his tossing and turning had woken her up and when she fully came awake she found his side of the bed drenched in sweat. Even though he was shivery and claimed to be cold sweat still poured from his hot body so she took some water and a piece of cloth to mop his body with and bring down his temperature. He had viciously fought her, lamenting against the coldness of the water. He was bigger than she was so when he protested she had waited for him to finish trashing around the bed before returning to finish her work. His wounds were already healed, much to her surprise. Some were still healing slowly but by morning they were no more but his body was still hot. Early the next morning the door of the room was thrown open and the young man who had come the previous day came in with a scowl on his face. He immediately walked to the foot of the bed. "Why is he still asleep?" He growled. Cleopod
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Chapter 79

For two days Cleopoda sat by Zenas' head. Although his injuries were healed he slept deeply as a result of the herbs Birian had given to her to administer to him. The one Junae called Keiran came in almost every hour to check on Zenas' progress and every time he did he muttered about the losses he made with each passing hour. Cleopoda was angry at his lack of care but even as she thought about it she realized she too was guilty of something. Keiran, the priests, and whoever else used Zenas for their own pleasure in her own way she wished he would die so he would be freed of his miserable life but with that thought came the knowledge that if he died she would be returned to her own cell where she would be dragged day after day to for ritual purifications that caused her to bleed. Every time these thoughts crossed her mind guilt washed her. She looked from the book Birian had sneaked into the room for her to Zenas' face. He was relaxed, his bruises were gone. Birian was also becoming
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