Playing With Fire

by Jordan Mendez

  “Thank you, father,” Vaze said.

  The king grunted in response.

  “Now off with the lot of you! Take as little as possible and only necessities.” The king turned and walked sluggishly to his cot as the five left his tent. He cursed himself for being so soft when he was sure they were all out of ear shot. He had just damned five people to death—one of which was his own son.

  Chapter Thirteen

  You know, it’s one thing to wake up in a creepy dark room after hitting a hard stone floor who knows how long ago, but when you wake up to the sound of roaring thunder along with a roaring headache, you can’t help but think ‘gee, I sure did screw myself over this time’.

  I jolted awake as white light flashed in a dim lit room through a large glass window. My pulse was racing and sweat poured down my face as my eyes dashed across the room. I didn’t remember where I was until I looked out through the window. The dreary thundering night sky brought back my memory like a raging flood, and caused my head to ache as if someone was sticking needles in my cranium. But, as I remembered, my surroundings made more sense.

  What shocked me most was that I wasn’t locked up in a dungeon. I was in a rather extravagant and large room. Though it still looked like the perfect place to be haunted, it was charming. I was resting in a large bed that looked like it was made for royalty. It probably was. It was roomy and soft with velvet like sheets and huge, elaborate red and black blankets that nearly touched the floor. Behind me were at least a dozen pillows that felt as soft as kitten fur. I prayed with my entire soul that they were not actually made from kittens. The wood was polished mahogany, and the drapes of the bed were made from black silk. Across the room was a grand fireplace with a roaring fire and very comfy looking chairs. Being tempted by the sight I cautiously peeled off my covers. I almost jumped when I realized my dirty blood stained clothes were gone, replaced by a white silk nightgown. The thin straps on my shoulders revealed the marks of Madam Gale’s seal. The imprints of her chain-like marks comforted me. I didn’t understand why. Maybe it was one thing Velkire couldn’t take away from me, or maybe he just left it because he knew it could break. I intended to make sure I did not break the seal, because it was the one thing that separated me from the demon inside.

  I swung my bare feet over the side of the bed and hesitantly let the soft black carpet greet my cold toes. It felt more like soft spongy moss than a carpet, and was a pleasant feel beneath the tips of my toes. Lightning flashed outside large glass doors that led to a balcony, and I almost jumped out of my skin. Taking a deep breath, I put a hand to my chest, trying to calm my racing heart. Taking hold of one of the poles of the bed, I slid both my feet onto the soft carpet. The silky nightgown followed, and flowed gently below my knees as I moved.

  Keeping one hand on the bed frame, I tiptoed over to the glass doors. Large dark red curtains made from velvet were drawn back on either side of the doors and draped across the floor gently. Wind and rain raged outside, and rattled the frame slightly. I couldn’t see anything past the stone balcony except for other towers. I was tempted to go look out over it, but decided it wasn’t the best idea. I ran my fingers over the ice cold glass of the doors, leaving small streaks that marked where my fingers had been. I traced the gold frame of the glass in awe, taking in as much of the beauty as possible. The thief part of my mind was contemplating how much it would sell for, while the curious half simply gazed upon its beauty. A violent wind crashed against the doors, causing them to rattle so violently I jumped back in fear.

  My heart was racing a little bit as I backed away like a frightened child. My surroundings were all alien to me, no matter how extravagant. The thought alone of being in a completely new environment was unsettling to me, and it didn’t help matters that my fate was in the hand of Velkire.

  ‘You are my baby sister,’ the words echoed in my head, and made the room swirl around me. Pain shot through my skull again, and it felt as if someone was melting it from the inside out. I winced in pain as I touched the back of my head, and could only imagine the size of the bruise that was now there. ‘No,’ I thought to myself. ‘He’s just trying to mess with my head. I have no family.’ After telling myself this seven times my headache subsided slightly, but I couldn’t shake the small sliver of doubt I still had. I tried my best to forget about it as I investigated the rest of the room.

  Three dark mahogany doors tempted me out of the corners of my eyes, and I gave into curiosity. Making my way past two comfy armchairs and a warm fire, I stalked closer to the door in the darkest corner of the room. My hand slid over the doorknob gently as if I were afraid to open it, which honestly, I was. My heart pounded in my ears as I tightened my grip on it. Images of dead bodies, lurking demons and any other terrifying thing that I could imagine flashed before my eyes as I thought about what would be on the other side of the door. I bit down hard on my lip and forced myself to stop thinking that way, but the fear still stayed. Deciding it was better to die knowing truth than die of anticipation, I threw the door open. Astonished, I gasped.

  There were no demons or dead bodies I am glad to report, but what I did find made my skin crawl even more. The faint light of the fire revealed a whole closet full of dresses and gowns, all of which made me want to hurl. Velkire sure knew how to torture his guests. However, I was disappointed. It seemed like a letdown when you expect horror and get clothes. I groaned as I closed the door tightly.

  “Are you done yet?” a stone cold voice said from behind, nearly causing me to jump out of my skin. I whipped around and crouched defensively. Fire danced on the tips of my fingers, eager to fight. My eyes found my intruder’s, and the first reaction I got was complete and utter boredom. I froze in place as I sized up my unexpected guest.

  Looking back at me was a boy that seemed about as old as I was, but possibly older. He had messy brown hair that fell to his shoulders and milky brown eyes. His skin reminded me of Seth’s, though a slightly darker olive. He wore a loose white shirt and black trousers that made him resemble a pirate, like those I had seen in pictures. Three pale scars ran down his neck and disappeared beneath his shirt. The boy was also tall and well built. If I had seen him anywhere else other than a castle inhabited by Velkire, I would’ve said that he was rather good looking.

  “There’s no need to be so jumpy,” he sighed. “I am under strict orders not to kill you, and even if I wasn’t I probably wouldn’t anyway. I have no interest in killing the only other human here.”

  “We both know you’re not human, so don’t tell me bull like that,” I hissed, my flames igniting higher. The boy retained his bored gaze.

  “I guess that is moderately true, neither of us is completely human now are we?” He waltzed closer to me. “You are half Guardian, the bane of demons. That’s why so many in this castle are avoiding even walking by this room. But before you categorize me among the demons, let me say that you are utterly and entirely wrong.” The boy slid a hand on to one of the chair.

  “I am not a demon, nor am I entirely human either.” His once bored tone became slightly acidic, as if he detested my very existence. “I, like you, have the blood of Guardians running through my veins.”

  “Then why are you here?” I hissed.

  “That’s none of your business,” the boy replied darkly. “I don’t want someone like you knowing too much. My only orders are to watch and accompany you, so I don’t intend on becoming familiar with you.”

  “Same here,” I growled. “But as nice as it is to know I’m being stalked every waking hour, I don’t need a babysitter. You can leave now.” I turned, walking away from him, when he snatched my wrist.

  “Look,” the boy said, glaring hatefully. “I don’t like this anymore than you do, so don’t make this harder than it has to be. We don’t have to enjoy one another’s company. I am only here to escort you wherever Velkire tells me to and make sure you don’t cause trouble. We can even keep talking to a minimum, alright?” I returned his icy glare with one of my own. The
mood was so offensive between us that I wouldn’t have been surprised if our gazes sent blazing sparks.

  “Fine,” I hissed, snatching away my arm.

  “Good,” was his straight forward response. “I am going to get you some food, and what I bring you is what you’ll eat, so don’t complain. Be glad I am going to prepare it myself. If I let a demon touch it they would most likely poison it with paralyzing venom for fun. A servant took the liberty of setting out fitting clothes for you. I expect you to be dressed by the time I get back. I will not knock, nor will I ask if you are descent so I’d get changed quickly if I were you. If you need anything else, just call for me. Do not leave this room, no matter what.”

  “What should I call you?” I asked. “Guard dog?”

  “My name is Alastair.” Alastair turned away and headed towards a door next to a small table with a vase full of red roses. He grabbed the doorknob, but paused before he turned it.

  “One more thing,” he said solemnly. “If anyone besides me comes to your door, do not answer it under any circumstances. Understood?”

  “Alright,” I replied, but he was already gone. The door creaked closed behind him. His footsteps echoed as he stormed away, until they faded into silence. Taking heed of his warning, I searched for the garments he spoke of. My eyes scanned the room, until I saw a black and red gown draped across one of the chairs. The warmth of the fire caressed my back as I walked closer to examine the gown. It wasn’t extremely fancy, nor was it plain. Not wanting to take my time, I slipped off my silky night clothes and worked the new gown over my head. It was very light, and felt pleasant against my skin. I snaked the rest of my body into it, and finally pushed my head through the top. To my liking, the gown wasn’t tight or loose. It was perfectly snug. It opened up just before my feet for mobility and trailed behind me a tad. The sleeves were flowing, baggy and long, and they covered my hands if I let my arms fall at my sides. While most of the dress was as black as the night, the chest of it was red and continued all the way down to my toes. It wouldn’t be my first choice of things to wear, but for once, I didn’t entirely hate it.

  Completely lost on what to do next, I plopped myself onto the soft arm chair and let the fire warm my feet. I rested my tired head on my palm and stared aimlessly into the flames. I tried to recap all that happened to me in the past day, but my mind refused to concentrate. My eye lids felt heavy, so I let them close. I would just rest my eyes for a little while. At least, that’s what I thought before I drifted asleep.

  I twitched slightly as I felt a small cold hand poke my face. I ignored it, but then felt it again. This time I let my eyes flutter open slightly, and found two little brown eyes staring back. I jumped back in surprise, and as a result my chair fell with me. I scrambled to get up as fast as possible. Fire ignited between the intruder and me. A small girl with metallic blonde hair and a gaze devoid of happiness looked back at me through the flames. At first I didn’t recognize her, but then it hit me.

  “Jezebel?” I asked with wide eyes. My fire dissipated and I could see the young girl’s face clearly. She was technically centuries old, but she was returned to her normal age of what couldn’t be more than seven or eight. Even though she was so young, sadness was etched into many of her features. Her almost white hair had lost its shine and her once beautiful brown eyes were hollowed and puffy, as if she had been crying recently. I didn’t blame her. The last time she had seen her parents, they were dead in the middle of her throne room.

  Relieved at this little sign of familiarity, I ran over to the little girl and hugged her tightly. Jezebel let me have my fill, but her arms hung limply at her sides.

  “Oh, Jezebel!” I almost wept. “Why aren’t you with your brother? You shouldn’t be here! It’s dangerous!”

  “I could say the same thing to you, Scarlet,” she replied emotionlessly. “It must be much more dangerous for you, considering you’re actually here. I’m sorry to tell you, but this is just a dream.” I released my grip from her, a little bit disappointed.

  “Oh,” I said.

  “But I am not a part of your imagination,” she continued. “I am speaking to you through the same methods Velkire and Siren had used to speak to you through your dreams. However, I’m not here to push you along or to frighten you. I’m here to warn you.”

  “Warn me?” I repeated. “Warn me about what?”

  “I have told you this once before, but I believe you have forgotten,” she began. “I told you, when you think you have triumphed, you will fail. I have a special power Scarlet—the power of future sight. It only happened a few times while I was a vampire, but now that I have been returned to human visions come every night. Unfortunately, they come in the shape of nightmares, and I’ve been having the same one every night since you left our castle. I have come to show it to you, because it is not my future. It is yours.”

  I stared at the little girl in disbelief, half expecting her to burst out laughing and tell me it was all a joke. But she never did.

  “Scarlet, before I show you, I need to know you can handle it.” Jezebel walked closer to me. “Can you?”

  “Yes,” I replied, but I couldn’t help but think my answer was a mistake.

  Jezebel nodded.

  “Alright then,” she said. “Look into my eyes.” I did as I was told. As I stared into her deep brown eyes, everything else began to fade to black. For a second I thought I was passing out again, but I realized it was probably not possible lose consciousness in dreams. Soon all I could see were Jezebel’s eyes surrounded by darkness.

  “Do not look away,” I heard her voice echo as her eyes disappeared entirely, leaving me alone.

  For a moment, I was the only thing in the darkness. Drifting in a lonely veil of nothingness, I began to think this was a trick of my own imagination. Just when I was about to move, horrible scenes flashed before me rapidly, filling my head so quickly it hurt. I couldn’t make out anything that was going on. Then suddenly, the scenes slowed to a stop and I was in a dark room alone.

  Unlike my room, this room was bare and sullen. It reminded me of skeletons that had been picked clean by ravens. The only thing in the room was a large silver mirror. Everything it reflected was beautified by its practically glowing silver rim, making it gorgeous. I walked over to it curiously. Hesitantly, I touched the ice-cold glass with the tips of my fingers while never taking my eyes off my reflection. When I stared into my own curious grey eyes, I could feel something was very wrong.

  As if triggered by my feeling, the scene took a turn for the worse. My reflection flashed a devilish smile as its eyes turned red. My scream was overpowered by the sound of shattering glass as the mirror exploded, sending a million shiny shards in every direction. The scenes began to flash before me once again, and I managed to catch some of them. I really wished I hadn’t.

  I caught a glimpse of another dark room lit by candles with a pentagram etched into the ground. Velkire stood in the center laughing like a maniac. A quivering body lay at his feet, clawing at the ground. Before I could see who it was the scene changed again. This time, I saw the throne room with Alastair standing before me, his eyes blazing. His hatred was targeted towards the throne, were a girl with stony grey skin and red eyes sat casually. She looked familiar, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. The scene changed once again to one more horrifying than all the others, and made me forget the rest entirely.

  Sitting in the middle of a large room was me, clutching a blood soaked body that hardly looked like it was breathing. The room was thrashed, as if a stampede had just run through, but I didn’t seem to notice. I was too busy rocking back and forth, cooing the body that seemed to be clinging on to life. My face was wet with tears.

  “It’s going to be ok,” My quivering voice echoed. “I’m going to get you out of here, just hang on! Just hang on Al!”

  My heart almost stopped. Then slowly, I began to see the body more clearly. The body I was clutching was my favorite brother Al. The image of him bleeding
to death in my arms burned into my mind as the scenes faded to black. My face was wet as the blurry sight of Jezebel came into view. Tears streamed down my face as I thought about my brother covered in blood.

  “I’m sorry you needed to see that,” Jezebel said, her voice full of sympathy. “I had to show you what has yet to pass.”

  “It’s not true,” I whispered, unable to accept it. “There has to be a mistake.”

  “There was no mistake, Scarlet,” she said regretfully. “That is what is in store for you. I had to show you so that you will be ready. Do not forget anything you have seen. Understand?”

  I didn’t respond to her. I didn’t have time to, but I probably wouldn’t have anyway. I felt a tender hand touch my face, despite there being no one near me.

  “Why are you crying?” a gentle voice echoed, but it wasn’t Jezebel’s. “Are you awake?”

  “I’m sorry,” Jezebel said. “I must go now. Remember this well, Scarlet, for it is your future. If I could change it I would, but only you can. I’m sorry.” Jezebel’s words grew fainter and fainter as the world around began to fade to black once more. The compassionate voice became clearer as more of the world disappeared, until it was all that really had a feel. Everything was dark, but I could see a faintish glow of light from behind my eyelids. I let them open slowly, and found again two brown eyes staring back at me. But they were not Jezebel’s.

  Alastair looked deep into my eyes with his full of concern. His warm hand rested gently on my face as the other wiped my tears away.

  “Are you hurt?” he asked, and his sudden deep voice made me jump back. His hands retreated from me but his look was the same. It wasn’t one I expected. It was a look of understanding. “I’m sorry if I frightened you. I was just concerned.” He added quickly, “I didn’t want to have to take care of a homesick girl like you so I tried to stop you before you started crying more.”