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Thumb. Thumb.
One would think by now I would have gotten used to it. This nervousness, this anxiousness would have long passed and my heart numb to it. My heart should be steel, cold and unyielding to whatever threat laid before me. The thing is, it was never my heart. All the possible nefarious torture that awaited me singing in my head that was my worst enemy. It honestly made my blood run cold and palms uncomfortably sweaty.
Thumb. Thumb.
I turned in my makeshift bed of extremely worn blankets, the rough and solid ground making my hip groan from a previous beating despite the padding. There, on the cheaply constructed wall, my calendar just barely stood out in the flickering candle light. Each little scratch desperately made several times over to ensure its permanence. If the master’s guards cared for the damages, they never showed it.
“Day two-hundred,” my voice was barely louder than a mouse, speaking to no one in particular as I dragged my thumbnail to create a new scratch. This lord seemed to have more patience for my pride than the others it seems. It was a game to him, I think; I was his wild mare to break. How utterly disgusting.
This shouldn’t be me. It wasn’t me. I will be the first to say I’m no saint, but I didn’t steal from that insufferable priest. By the fucking Sunwell or whatever the hell, I cannot rid my mind of his babbling brook tears and moaning how the bastardized elf stole his oh so precious holy script. As if I ever gave a damn about the religion of humans! It was one of the few things that still returned heat to my blood, making my teeth grit tensely together. And that damned pirate-
Thud, thud, thud.
This room had such thin walls, betraying anything and everything that lacked discretion. It had its benefits, such as being able to tell when someone was approaching. I’ve gotten good enough in these past months to even tell who it was; the master of this hell, nearly each one of his silent lackeys, and especially the ones not so quiet were easy. [Redacted] was coming closer, I could almost feel his eagerness on seeing me. I think he gained some perverted pleasure carrying out my punishments. Elvish fetization will do that for you. I closed my eyes, recounting what I did to antagonize the master this time.
Was it because I spat in his food? No, that was- hm. A week ago? No, no. It was something I said this time. Of course, stress and exhaustion will do that to you. “Wait,” my mind and mouth seemed to groan at the same time. No, it was that girl. She had done something, a mistake. Damn it, and I had taken the fall for her. Seems like that’s going to be the death of me. Why did I even do it? What had she done to pull on my heartstrings so well?
I had walked into the extravagant dining room, a plate of various human and elvish sweets in hand as requested. The dining hall was by far the most excessive part of the manor, obviously used purely to entertain business ventures and parties. Various paintings from highly sought after artists lined one wall while the other was decorated with stained glass that described a story of some sort. It was more than likely one commonly known to humans. A long table made of finely cut wood was in the middle, though it normally wasn’t during parties. Only during times of business or actual dining was it there, covered in such a beautiful lace cloth. Despite the fireplace sitting on the side with painting and the numerous candles magically floating throughout the area, a strange darkness still loomed.
A Quel’dorei male was sitting next to the master at the far too luxurious table. He was handsome, in that elvish folk can never truly be ugly sort of way. I had a hunch his core was uglier than raging orc however. And then there was this abnormal female who appeared not quite human but also not quite elf.
She was standing there across from them, her nerves nearly tangible. Had to be new, I told myself. New to the collection of criminals turned indentured servants. Oh no, excuse me, I mean ‘flower’. The master of this house hated the term, saying it was too closely related to slave. Pig really believed he could pretty up what we were by changing what we were called. Nevertheless, I am considered a flower in this damned garden, along with this new girl. I wonder what she would be called, this-
“There you are, Foxglove,” the master’s voice had broken my curiosity, for the moment. My back straightened as my head snapped to him but refused to meet his eye. The tension in the room was thick enough to choke on now that I had been acknowledged. I could feel that male elf’s eyes on me as well, a knee jerk reaction to meet him head on with my own stare. There was a subtle glint of displeasure in that blue, but then there was this curious quirk of his black brow that stated something about me that caught his attention in a different way.
“Foxglove.”
My attention returned to my lord’s clearly displeased expression. I must have not heard his request by the line between his brows and deep frown.
“Yes, master?” I was surprised how tamed my tone was. Usually I was ready to be venomous, but the two strangers in the room were far more distracting than anticipated.
“This is Magister [Redacted] , he is here to dispose of this,” The lord hesisted, giving her a once-over before continuing, “poor creature. How old are you, little one?”
Now that I more closely observed her, she was in fact dainty; the strange girl was maybe just now entering her teenage years. Her hair was black, almost matching the distinct color of the magister’s. The beady blue eyes did not bother to meet the lord’s; she spoke to the ground to answer his question.
“Thirteen,” the mousy girl spoke, her voice quivering much like her hands. So, I had been correct. What the hell did someone so young- it clicked. I slowly dragged my eyes to the magister in question. Filth was the only thought my mind could conjure as my furious gaze met his. He, however, seemed indifferent to my judgement. In fact, there was an ever so slight curvature at each corner of his lips. The bastard had been delighted at my anger!
“My son has a habit of playing house with, no offense,” a sly chuckle indicated it was absolutely intended to be offensive, “those much lower than his class. We cannot have his latest mistake becoming public.”
My blood was simmering with each word he spoke and his blasted nonchalant attitude about this whole thing. Surprisingly, however, I held my tongue as the master nodded his acknowledgment to the supposed issue. The half-elf’s throat bobbed, and her eyes threatened tears. She never asked to be this, yet she was to be punished for existing. It made my stomach twist as murderous thoughts swam around in my head.
“Yes, well. Foxglove, take her under your petals and help her blossom.” A swift bite to my cheek was the only thing to stop me from outwardly cringing at his choices in words. The subject of the room turned her head towards me painfully slow, almost as if she was terrified I would be as cruel as the men in front of her.
“What shall she be called, master?” I trained my expression, forcing neutrality. It was best to tuck this anger away; I couldn’t act on it anyway.
“Calla Lily,” he stated unceremoniously. “Now, leave the plate here and take her to the kitchen. Teach her all you know.” It was a clear order and dismissal; it was not something to be fought upon or attempt to continue any conversation. So, I did as commanded and moved with practiced speed.
From there on, Calla Lily had followed me like a lost dog. Every movement, every word was mimicked by the little half-elf. She only knew what I knew of the manor. So how in the hell did-
The door to my room swung open with some intense force, [Redacted] standing in the opening with chains in hand. His toothy grin confirmed my suspicions, much to my dismay. He needn't say a word as I immediately lifted my exhausted body off the floor. By the Sunwell, my body was practically screaming from moving from my previous position. Maybe I should rethink my approach to this sentence, or at least hold back a bit more. I made my way to the room’s entrance to meet my detainer, baring my wrists to him. It almost slipped my attention that there was a small figure behind him. Almost.
“Why is she here?” Agitation outlined each word as an uncontrollable sneer appeared on my face.
The guard blocking Calla Lily met my sneer with his own, not bothering to answer the question as my wrists were slapped and bound in chains. He then grabbed the lead and gave it a sharp tug to remind me of my place. Oh, what I would give to have him kneel before me. He must have read my thoughts as he gave another sharp tug and his glare intensified. Something else sparkled in his eyes, something that made my skin crawl. I would not back down, however.
Our stare down must have made Calla Lily anxious as she began shivering lightly, causing the chains around her wrists to make a quiet jingle. We both immediately looked at her, my expression one of more concern while he was irritated. [Redacted] turned on his heel, pulling us both after him.
Besides his loud footsteps and the clinking of our chains, we walked in relative silence. A small part of me wanted to comfort her, but I thought better of it. She needed to get thicker skin if she was to survive here. Still, it’s hard to not offer kindness to the little girl who aggravatingly reminded me of myself when I was her age.
When we finally were taken outside of what was deemed as the Green House, a place that acted as housing for those like myself, harsh light from the sunset nearly blinded me. I blinked it away, my face scrunching with annoyance. Despite the degenerate nature of our lord, the outside of the manor was always well managed. Legitimate flowers, along with well trimmed bushes, were clearly cared for daily. Ivy crawled along certain sections on the outside of the manor and wall. Wooden beams that they wrapped around showed it was intentional. If one was completely blissful, you would think the lord of this manor simply enjoyed greenery. I, on the other hand, knew better. It was a symbol of us; we were the flowers trapped within these walls, and the guards were the ivy forever watching us.
Calla Lily, in my peripherals, was continuously staring at the path ahead of us. The dread that sat on her features reminded me all too much of myself while I was waiting to be dragged out. Ugh, I should say something. But what do I say? I had no idea why she was even here. I took the blame for her mistake; she should still be in her room, crying like she usually does.
We entered the main portion of the manor, abnormal considering I should be heading for punishment in the Shed. What damned plans does the master have for us? I began chewing on the inside of my cheek as my nerves were once again on fire. We rounded a corner, making a beeline towards- the dining room? What is the meaning of this? My mind raced as this unshakeable threat built in my heart. Something is off.
As we entered the lavish space, my attention was promptly snatched by the familiar magister near the lord. It has been at least a month since his last appearance here, dropping off the half-blood. Nothing in his appearance had changed, much like how my anger with his actions had not. There was now a full blooded elvish woman with them as well. Her black hair was beautiful, thick and curled. Despite the distance, it wasn’t hard to tell her face was one men willingly died for. Fortunately, or unfortunately if you have hindsight, she practically radiated pleasure upon our arrival.
With a flick of his wrist, the lord had our escort release us. The female Quel’dorei made her way to us, heels clicking against the polished wood flooring. As she got closer, I could see her lips were a deadly red. Her eyes, still holding a familiar blue hue, were carefully outlined by a black eyeliner. One thing that did make me genuinely uncomfortable was how pale she appeared. It’s as if she is a ghost, borderline translucent skin that didn’t carry a single mark of hardship. All at once, this scarily beautiful woman was standing right in front of me, her eyes alight with intrigue.
“Even better in person,” she mused with such an enthralling voice. It was like silk on the ears, the faint rasp to her voice more soothing than jarring. I felt my knees grow weak as I continued to look at her. Whatever this enchantress had casted upon me, which is the only reasonable explanation that my heart was racing like a schoolboy on his first date, was working entirely too well. The way she looked at me, by the Sunwell and all that was holy, made me want to obey her every command.
“She is beautiful. And poisonous,” the master remarked with malice, not even bothering to hide his distrust in me. “Which is why her name is Foxglove. Such a beautiful flower, one might be tempted to taste it in a tea. However, it would swiftly kill you.”
The lady before me did not seem to care as she scrutinized me, grabbing my chin and forcing my head to move from side to side. As alluring as she was, I was beginning to feel like a prized animal. A tiny knot formed in my stomach.
“How delicious you’ll be,” she purred quietly, ensuring only the three of us would hear her. “Such a lovely spark, little snake.”
The fight-or-flight response my body felt was overwhelming. Me? A snake? No, she fit the description more than I ever could. I had been far too charmed to notice the coiling around me, the tightening grip that threatened to crush me. But, I couldn’t pull away despite the obvious crawling of my skin; goosebumps covered my exposed limbs.
The two men seemed to quietly be discussing something, my ears straining to pick it up instead of continuing to acknowledge the danger in front of me. A knowing smirk graced those devilish lips, making my attention snap back to her. “Don’t worry, darling. Your trial will start soon enough. I’m positive you won’t disappoint.” With that, she harshly let go of me. I damned near fell to my knees, absolutely bewildered by what she even meant. A trial? For what?
She had turned around and walked towards the two males as I finished collecting myself. The master shot me a look of maximum disdain, that frown borderlining scorn. Another flick of his wrist and the guard in the room came forward to receive his orders.
I knew whatever punishment originally meant for me had been amplified by the shift in energy within the dining hall. Our escort confirmed my suspicion when he turned to face us with a shit-eating smile. Fuck. Chains were on our wrists again and dread pooled in my mind and heart once more.
This whole time I had yet to take in Calla Lily’s response, so when I did, color me surprised when I saw this solemn expression. What... had gotten into her? I could have sworn she was just trembling in fear, ready to wet herself. Maybe this was something to protect herself? Trauma responses… I remember a woman the boss had been fooling around with giving me a lecture on the topic. Pfft, boss. As if he was worth the title at this point, piece of shit. Nevermind that train of thought, there were more important things at hand.
We swiftly left the manor and made our way to where I thought our intended destination was: the Shed. It lived up to the bland name, completely and utterly unassuming to the average persons visiting. Both the roofing and wood walls were brown with obvious age. However, despite the aging of the wood, not a single split of wood or termite eaten hole could be found. If you had the sense to detect magic, you could see the thin layer that laid over the meek building. I, apparently to the unawareness of my master, held such an ability. It was better he continued to be ignorant.
Once you’ve entered the Shed, you’ll instantly recognize the illusion for what it was; the true nature of the building was revealed to be one of cold stone. It was also much larger inside than what the outside would have you perceive. Wooden shelves attached by chain lined the walls, all sorts of knick-knacks casually placed on them. Many of them take the shape of artifacts or highly desired tomes. For those not more aware, the back wall would appear to simply be a deadend to this absurd shack of collectables. I, once again, knew better. Well, not necessarily because I could see through the illusion. It was actually really well made. No, I know from experience.
We went through the false wall, an arcane illusion, and climbed down the spiral stairs. Silence was heavy between the three of us, not that I could fault it. I had just been inspected like I had been auctioned off, Calla Lily seemed to have checked out completely, and [Redacted] simply just wasn’t someone I’m willing to converse with outside of necessity. We passed the rooms that were to hold others being punished, the unnerving silence continuing as it appeared discipline was not being issued out to anyone at this hour. It was beyond peculiar since I knew at least two others should be down here as well. I suppose there is always the possibility the guards got too.. carried away.
I was honestly too absorbed in straining to hear at least one other soul here to notice we were stopping; I nearly collided with [ Redacted ]. He sharply turned to face me, almost snarling at my absentmindness. After a beat, he resumed what he was doing; a door swung open to a pitch black room. Then, being the gentleman he is, [Redacted ] grabbed me by the hair on my head. I gritted my teeth to bear the sudden pain, watching those disgusting fleshy hands hold my long, silvery blonde tendrils tightly. The roughness distracted me enough to not notice the chains had been removed. With one swift motion, I was practically thrown into the room ahead. I scrambled to my knees, but as soon as my head lifted to catch a glimpse, the door slammed shut.
Now, I’m not one to complain about the dark. However, something about this level of darkness was distressing. I felt the ground with my hands and knees, attempting to discover some wall. After several minutes of zero success, I couldn’t help but sigh in annoyance. To hell with this! I lifted a palm from the disturbingly wet ground, focusing on what I desired: light. It took a moment, but soon a soft orb of light provided me some comfort. I quickly searched for a wall and placed my back against it before snuffing out my little lantern. Darkness once again swallowed the room whole, and I leaned my head back, somewhat thankful for how cold the stone was. Now that the excitement had concluded, for now, my mind returned to its swirling.
The lack of sleep and food didn’t help the nonsensical thought process I was experiencing. Tiny glimpses of happier times danced while hazy opinions or theories acted as songs. Each one acted as a lure away from the looming
That roguish elf with a laugh that felt like a hearth during winter,
His watch was strange, touched by arcane
The my first stolen jewel,
Maybe he was planning to give it to her
Successfully winning a bet and catching that barmaid’s attention,
There was a ring on her finger, but she couldn’t keep her hands off me
Calla Lily slowly picking up how to speak our native tongue,
Did neither of her parents really bother?
Calla Lily… she had asked for my real name once. I reprimanded her harshly; those innocent eyes threatened to create a waterfall. Maybe, when we both get out of here, I’ll tell her. If I’m still holding on to this sentimental feeling, maybe I’ll even take her along with me. No child should have to live through this, half-blood or not. A whimper from the other side of the wall drew me out of my lala-land.
“Calla Lily?” I questioned as I pressed my ear to the wall. Another whimper followed by a calling of my flower name. “It’s okay. Whatever happens to me, try not to look. They just want to scare you.” Gods, I hoped my words were sinking in since she did not make another sound. “Hey, when we get back to the Greenhouse, I’ll tell you my name, okay?” That got her to speak.
“Promise?”
“Of course. Cross my heart and hope to die.”
I pulled away and laid on the ground; it was only marginally worse than my room back in the Greenhouse.
To be honest, I’m not quite sure when I feel asleep or if I even was. Nonetheless, something blew across my skin, like the door had been opened and closed with a quickness despite light never touching my face. In an almost dreamy haze, I opened my eyes to meet a pair of flaming emeralds staring right back at me. I should have been startled, but it was like my body had been subdued; none of my limbs were responsive to the calling actions of my mind.
“Shh, darling. Don’t look so frightened.”
That voice of silk. It was her, but it couldn’t be… right? The security she would have had to bypass, and then to have entered the room like a gust of wind? Something sharp pressed against my forearm, promising to draw blood. My pulse quickened.
“Settle, darling. I’m not here to take your life or anything of the sort.” A mesmerizing chuckle spilled from her. Against my will, my pulse slowed to follow her command. “I’ve come to offer a contract.”
“What- sort of- contract?” My voice had broken through whatever spell she kept. Or maybe she had allowed me to speak. Either way, my throat was uncomfortably tight.
“I see the secret ambition in you. The anger and the spite, it’s positively radiating. You could light the world aflame with something so strong. You only need the kindle.”
“Get- ugh. Get to the point!” I snapped, the very wraith she mentioned suddenly spilling over like an overfilled cup of wine. There was mirth in her eyes, pleased to have drawn a reaction out of me. Cursed enchantress.
“Swear yourself to me.”
I waited for the punchline that never came. My throat froze completely, my heart thumping in my ears. What the hell.. did that even mean? Whatever that was pressing against my forearm deepened, a cold liquid spilling.
“Swear yourself to me. Come whenever I call, and I shall provide you the tools to achieve your deepest desire.” That silky voice turned to one I can only describe as demonic. So, this is true fear.
“Anything else to this contract?” I tried my damndest to maintain a voice of neutrality, but it shook nonetheless. Her face moved closer to mine, then passed it to my ear.
“Nothing to concern yourself with. I will collect what I want when I see fit.” Her voice was again alluring as she purred in my ear. Goosebumps returned, though I couldn’t tell if it was from fear or attraction. “Do we have a deal?”
I could only nod, my voice tied into a knot.
“Words, darling. I need your words. Swear yourself to me,” she chastised, her words dripping with tease.
“I swear myself to you.”
The pain, quite frankly, was blinding. Her hand slammed against my mouth to keep me quiet, but I still screamed. Tears were streaming down my face in waves, clouding my vision to the point the fiery green blurred and mixed with the darkness around us. It burned like I had been aflame, my forearm pulsating with something not quite of this world. At least nothing I had ever experienced.
After what felt like an eternity, the searing pain began to die down. My throat was raw from screaming and fighting out whatever hex she had it under in efforts to silence me. By the Sunwell, it felt like I just finished running from Quel’thalas to Lordaeron in one go. She said something as my consciousness faded. My mind tried to grasp at it, but it slipped through like sand. A pair of lips touched my temple, sealing my fall into dreamless sleep.
When I awoke, it was to the kick in my stomach from [ Redacted ]. My eyes narrowed at him as I held the place he abused. If there had been an intruder, not a lick of it was expressed on his face. Had it been a dream? Before I could observe the limb that had been cursed, another kick was to strike.
Except it didn’t.
I glanced upward to see what had made him stop. He was... frozen in time.
Do as I say, and you shall escape .
My ears flicked back, trying to determine the source of the voice.
Settle down, darling. Do as I say.
Then, without warning, time was unfrozen and the kick met my stomach with uncushioned force. I damn near growled like a beast from the pain, a dry heave coming forward. Still, I couldn’t stay here or else he’d just kick me to death, which honestly didn’t sound horrid at the moment. I collected myself and stood with a slight hunch to my back, protecting my midsection from further torment. [ Redacted ], consistent as ever, yanked my arms away from me and shackled them once more. A turn on the heel and I was jerked into the hallway.
A few doors down, and we turned into another room that was much more lit than the previous one. A hook dangled from the center of the ceiling while candles all around provided light in every nook and cranny. Calla Lily was already here, curled into a corner. Her eyes, though still shining a beautiful blue, seemed borderline lifeless. I wanted nothing more than to reach out and comfort her, damned weakened heart. She was never meant to experience this, at least not until she was much older.
My attention was once again captured when [ Redacted ] took the chaining leash and hooked it to the center piece, raising me ever so slightly off the ground. The tips of my shoes scrape the ground just enough to let me know it was still there.
Be brave, darling. Keep that ever burning ember quiet.
Play. Along.
That voice once more crept through my mind, but it somehow soothed my pounding heart. Play along? To what exa-
An electrifying pain seized me, making me cry out. [ Redacted ] seemed pleased with the reaction, going in once more to draw it out. I didn’t have time to see what in the hells he was doing before my body once more spasmed.
“So, how did you get the poison, long ears?” [Redacted] asked with feigned interest. He clearly did not care if I answered, probably preferred if I didn’t.
“Oh, so we’re giving each other affectionate names now, are we? Please, give me a second to-” It was a strange glove he was wearing, the thing that shot electric current through me. Something had been inscribed on it, though my knowledge of inscriptions wasn't that developed to tell what it was. Tears pricked my eyes as I tried to remain conscious.
“Enough, bitch. Lord wants to know how you managed it. You can either tell or die, it makes no difference to me.”
The door creaked open, someone with much more grace than the brute torturing me had entered the room. I raised my eyes to meet that male elf’s lightly glowing ones. Why was he here? Apparently, [Redacted] also was lost.
“My apologies for intruding. Just simply ensuring she is suffering for threatening the lady.” That coy smile, filthy liar.
“I never insu-” Again with this blasted lightning. I coughed, a sliver of blood running down my chin. He did nothing to hide his enjoyment of me being shut up. Something inside me blazed searing hot.
“Perfect. Please, when you are finished, come notify me. I simply do not have the stomach for brash murder.” His eyes never left mine, as if.. he was speaking to me? It went over [ Redacted ]’s head easily enough though. The grunt nodded before returning his attention to me. With that, the mysterious man left the room.
His eyes observed me, scanning me from head to toe before decidedly removing the enchanted glove. “This might be too rough. If you are to die, I would prefer to make it slow.” Though he was training his face to be neutral, it did not hide the pleasure humming through. He turned his back to me, searching the table I had failed to notice carrying an assortment of fun torture devices.
Lift yourself up, and collect that head with your legs.
Time moved ever so slightly slower as my mind processed what I was ordered to do. What did it mean? Well, it very well was going to show me. A vision of what it was asking flashed before my eyes, a picture painted perfectly clear. And so, I did what was asked of me.
Strength that I was unsure if it was truly mine allowed me to grab the chain the hook was dangling from and proceed to pull myself upward. As I climbed higher, I was put in the perfect position to claim my prize. I carefully lifted my legs so as to not alert him before wrapping one around his neck and locking it into place with my other. He immediately reached to try and pry me off him, but I was overcome with determination.
Little longer, love. Make the fish gasp for air.
Everything else was deafened besides the voice, coaxing me to maintain my zeal. I honestly couldn’t tell you how long I held my vice grip on his neck, but when I finally came to, he was nothing but a lifeless body dangling from my legs.
I shimmed myself further up the chain until my bindings were loose from the hook and dropped down to the ground. If my legs were tired from what I had just done, adrenaline crafted a beautiful lie. I reached the deadman’s pockets to find a key to free myself before going to Calla Lily, swiftly setting her free as well. The chains fell from her wrists but she remained still, those eyes so large they reminded me of the moon.
“You… killed him?” It was as if she was terrified of me, and I could not fault her for it. That was possibly the first time she saw someone die. Nevertheless, I grabbed her by her shoulders and gave her a jolt.
“We have to go, Calla Lily. Now,” I damn near barked at her, my voice hoarse from a mixture of emotions. After a moment of her not moving, my patience ran thin. I snatched her wrist and bolted for the door. Thankfully, her body was much more willing to survive than her currently troubled mind, and her feet moved in tandem with mine. Just before I left, I grabbed a strangely curved dagger with my free hand.
I had expected to see that Quel'dorei, but he was nowhere to be seen. I clutched the dagger harder as my senses shrieked that there was a trap. Despite my intuition warning me, I pushed forward with a faint memory of how to get out of here. A guard stood with his back to me, unaware of my approach. My hand immediately dropped Calla Lily’s as we drew closer. As if it was my second nature, I swept behind him and tactically slit his throat. Blood was quick to decorate the ground, the guard’s hand desperately reaching for the wound in a sad attempt to close it. I turned head to motion for Calla Lily to follow. She obeyed despite the fear filling that innocent face of hers.
We encountered only two more guards on our path to escaping, both dealt with similarly by a blade. Once outside, the chilling night air nearly snatched my breath away. I dropped to my knees, and Calla Lily was immediately by my side; a tiny hand placed on my shoulder.
“Are you okay?” her mousy voice showed she was in just as much shock despite never dealing a killing blow. I couldn’t lose nerve, not yet. I had to get us out of here.
Good girl. So efficient. Now, there’s an unguarded route. I’ll show you.
And so the voice did. Another vision, painted clear as day. I snatched Calla Lily’s hand from my shoulder and took off in a sprint. Her legs could barely keep up with mine, but we couldn’t waste time. Who knew how long it would be before-
An alarm blared. Shouting, screaming. Fuck, we had no time. My heart pounded like a war drum as my grip tightened around her delicate wrist. I heard her wince, but I could not relinquish my grip, not with them possibly being on our tail.
Finally, we reached this small opening in the wall. It was strange, it was as if it had been blasted not so long ago. I mean, it had to have not been blasted too long ago considering the master would have had it covered as soon as possible. Ugh, nevermind any of the details. We had to go and go now. We both ducked to fit through the small space, immediately meeting with thick woods.
Voices were closing in on the opening, my heart thundering harder. I grabbed her wrist once more to ensure we didn’t lose each other. Our feet pounded the ground, leaves crunching from the early signs of fall. My lungs burned as cold air filled them, eyes watering in an effort to keep from drying out completely. Just a bit further, only a bit more. We could be free. We could-
A soul-shattering scream came from behind me. Time once again felt as though it had slowed down as I whipped my head back. Calla Lily sat on the ground, clutching her calf. Half of it was caught in a bear trap, blood pouring and soaking the leaves around her. I was to her side in a heartbeat, searching desperately for the release.
Put her out of her misery.
The heat my body once felt plummeted into a freeze. No, I-
She won’t survive. She will hold you back. Be your death.
My throat clinched as I looked her in the eyes, which were already looking back at me with this… Did she know? A flutter of her eyes and quick pull at either side of her lips answered me. She winced again as the pain from the trap continued to pulse through her limb.
Did you know-
I looked at the dagger still clutched in my hand; I was trembling. What was all this? My eyes shut tightly together as if I could force myself to wake up, as if none of this was real.
Calla Lillies are the symbol of-
I raised the dagger over her head, knowing it was the quickest way to end this; the least painful way to go. My face stung from wetness and chill. Calla Lily placed a small, blood soaked hand on my stomach.
“Can I… I know your name?” Her whisper made my resolve shake. Of course.
“It’s-”
Rebirth.