Her chest heaves, her fingers dripping red. A new smell takes hold and I recognize something I haven’t tasted in months. Pure, dark magic.
I freeze, unable to comprehend what I am seeing. In the time I’d known her, she’d never exhibited any magical qualities.
When witches had come to the cavern, they hadn’t recognized her.
Until a week ago, there had been nothing to alert that her aura was tainted. And even after her strange behavior, I hadn’t noticed any trace of a curse—not when she was in the cavern, nor after the spider incident.
I suspect Daniel, but the body on the ground doesn’t look like him.I gape in horror at the poor human.
"Arlet,” I say
Her head snaps up.
Black eyes meet mine.
Not brown.Black.
A deep, abyssal void where warmth should be.
"Get out of my way," she hisses. Her voice is lower and darker than the bright, familiar tones I know.
And then she moves. The blade slashes through the air, too quick, too precise.
I dodge, barely. The jagged edge catches my arm, slicing fabric and biting into flesh. I hiss, but it is not the worst pain I have felt.
This isn’t her.Gods on their stony thrones,this isn’t her.
She lunges again, the weapon poised at my throat.
I catch her wrist, twisting the shard out of her grip, securing her arms as I yank her against my chest.
“Let me leave!”she shrieks, thrashing, her strength unnatural.
When her teeth sink into my arm, white-hot pain rips through my body.
I nearly drop her.
"Help!" I bellow. There should be others nearby, hopefully a patrol. It seems like they didn’t hear the first scream, but hopefully they will hear this.
My eyes return to the man near the bed. He’s definitely dead. I wish I could cover the body, so it wasn’t strewn about so disrespectfully.
Commotion comes from downstairs, but I don’t feel relief. Not while surrounded by tragedy.
“Vann?” Ra’Salore calls up. Gods damn it, his house is just a few rows down.
“Get Teo!” I shout back, as Arlet gouges her fingernails into my skin again.
I didn’t mind the pain, I would heal, but I don’t know what this curse is or how to make her wake up. She continues to thrash.
Soon, Faol arrives carrying a weapon. His expression is that of horror as his eyes land on the man, and then Arlet.
“Go, find someone else! I need help restraining her,” I grit out before he can comment.
It doesn’t take long for Faol to return with two hunters, but they linger near the door. A glow of light precedes the arrival of Queen Estela and Teo, and they are the first ones to enter.
Teo looks right at the body half on the bed, and half on the floor.
“Oh gods, who is that? Where is Arlet?” he demands.