“You sure did take your time,” he said. “Find anything you liked?”
“You could say that,” I said partially to myself. “What did you want to talk about?” Velkire got up from the throne that was not rightfully his and sighed as he walked over to me. His eyes were full of compassion, but I could tell something wasn’t right.
“Well, you see Scarlet,” he began and paused, as if looking for the right words. “I’ve been keeping an eye on your little beloved camp of misfits, expecting them to at least send a small party to look for you.”
“Did they?” I asked a little too eagerly, regretting it as soon as it came out. But instead of giving me a look of mockery, Velkire gazed at me in pity.
“I’m afraid not,” he said. My heart felt as if it broke into a million pieces. “Everyone in the camp knows that you’re gone now, and it seems that they are… happy. Even your brothers are relieved you’re gone. Apparently they all thought of you as a nuisance. I was contemplating letting you go earlier because you were so sad, but I wasn’t sure how happy you’d be living a lie. I didn’t want those false thoughts in your head, so even if it breaks my heart to tell you. No one wants you there.” I didn’t reply to. I wanted to believe it wasn’t true, but it confirmed everything I had been feeling these past days. Velkire put an arm around me comfortingly.
“I’m so sorry that you had to go through that, little sister,” Velkire cooed. I couldn’t find it in me to push him away. “To be rejected and victimized by false love in such a short period of time must have been terrible. Yes, I know of how Vaze pronounced his love for you. He had always been the type to get caught up in the moment, and I’m sorry I let you be around him long enough for that to happen. I promise I won’t let them hurt you again, little sister.” Velkire tried to hug me, but I pushed away.
“I’m going to my room now,” I said quietly and left without saying another word. As I left, Alastair looked at Velkire in disbelief. He didn’t want to say it to Velkire’s face, but that was low, even for him. Manipulating a girl’s feelings by telling her lies was one thing, but using shadows of doubt to torment her was worse. Turning away from Velkire, Alastair struggled to catch up to me.
Alastair didn’t say anything as we walked. That was fine. I felt as if I had to talk again I’d start to choke up, so I avoided speaking. When we reached my room, I threw the door open and collapsed onto my bed, trying my best to not to think about what Velkire said. I waited for the door to close so that I could start crying, but when it finally did I did not hear Alastair’s footsteps retreating.
Sniffling slightly, I sat up and looked at the door. Alastair was standing by it still with a look of worry mixed with sympathy on his face. Hesitantly, he came and sat down on my bed next to me, looking uncomfortable.
“Are you alright?” He asked finally, but failing to hold eye contact.
“I’m fine,” my voice quivered.
“You don’t look fine,” Alastair replied. He scooted closer and took my hand. His skin was soft and warm. “You look hurt.”
“How would you react to news like that?” I replied, and for some reason didn’t take my hand away.
“I don’t know,” he responded. “I’ve never had a bond with anyone long enough to care much. Can you tell me about them?”
I hesitated for a moment. Alastair was supposed to be my enemy, but he treated me like a friend. Before I knew it, I started to tell him about my family, and then about how I started my adventure and everything that happened leading up to this point. Alastair listened and didn’t ask questions, but nodded occasionally to tell me he understood. His deep brown eyes were full of compassion and understanding, and for the first time since I had arrived, I felt safe. I waited for a reaction from him when I was finished, and only then realized he had been holding my hand, though in a comforting way.
“The first word that comes to mind is: wow,” he sighed. “Whenever I overheard demons talking or Velkire told me about you, you sound like you had it easy. I despised you because you were part Guardian like me, yet you have so much and I have so little. But now I see, you’ve gone through just as much pain as I have. I’m sorry you have to go through the torture of this castle as well.”
“It’s alright, I made this choice myself,” I said softly. “It doesn’t come as a surprise that no one would send a search party. I’m just one street rat anyway.”
“Don’t say that,” Alastair interjected. “Where you grew up or who you were raised by doesn’t define you. Just look at me, I was practically raised by Enzio and I hate him. I don’t want to serve Velkire as I was brought up to. What I want most is to see what is outside this castle, but not on a battle field. I want to see the sun again, and to feel lush grass, just once more.” I smiled at him. He wasn’t the jerk I thought he was after all, his life was just hard.
“So why are you here?” I asked curiously. Alastair sighed and closed his eyes for a moment, squeezing my hand gently.
“When I was very young, Enzio attacked my parents because they were a nuiscance,” Alastair held tighter. Not knowing what else to do, I stroked his hand with my thumb, and his grip softened slightly. “After he killed them, Enzio tried to attack me with the soul sucking sword, Alma Ladron. My Guardian took a physical form in an attempt to save me, but he failed. My Guardian gave me his power in his last seconds of life, thinking that I could stand a sliver of a chance even if it was to run away. But instead of killing me, Enzio took me here, to this castle and taught me to be his dog. He trained me to slaughter whatever I was told and I obeyed. I despised it. I didn’t want to kill. I knew I had to though, or he’d kill me. The only time I am out of this castle is when I’m on the battle field. It’s not a very cheery life, but I’ve managed.”
“I’m so sorry,” was all I could say. Alastair smiled anyway.
“It’s alright,” he said. “It’s not like it was your fault.”
“What is your power?” I questioned to change the subject. Alastair smirked, as if he liked that question.
“This,” he began as he pulled his hand away from mine, rising from the bed. He cracked his knuckles and told me to watch carefully. Then, something happened that amazed me so much I literally jumped back. With the sound of ripping fabric, a blade sprouted out of Alastair’s tan skin. Cold metal blades jutted out from his wrists as well as his elbows and shoulders. Curved metal swords slit through his shirt like a rib cage. Alastair grinned at me with a goofy look on his face, as if nearly giving me a heart attack amused him.
“Scared you?” he asked as he walked closer. No blood came from where the blade and skin met.
“A little bit,” I admitted, trying to calm my racing heart.
“Want a hug?” he joked, attempting to embrace me.
“I’m good, thanks,” I laughed, pushing him back by his forehead. He chuckled as the blades receded back into his skin with a sound that resembled swords being slid into sheaths. The only evidence left behind of their existence was a torn shirt. He sat back down on the bed next to me and eyed the book.
“Do you want me to read to you now?” he offered.
“I thought you’d read to me before I went to sleep,” I replied. “It’s still morning… I think.”
“There’s more than one story in that book,” Alastair said. “I can read one to you now, and then another one before you go to sleep.”
“Okay,” I said while handing him the book. He took it from me and scooted closer to me. I leaned closer as he opened the book, and he shifted uneasily.
“Do you want me to move?” I asked.
“No, you’re fine right where you are,” He said while trying to hide his face. I shrugged and rested my head on his shoulder to look at the yellowing pages of the book, just like I always did with Seth. Alastair cleared his throat as he flipped through the book, looking for a story to read. Finally finding one, he stopped and began to read.
“Once, long ago in a small port town of the Castellian Cape, there was a young stow away,”
Alastair’s voice mesmerized me as the scene began to fold out. “He was from a distant land, and he had accidentally boarded the ship while trying to hide from his abusive father. The boy was not discovered until the ship had reached the port, and he was driven away by the ship’s captain. Desperate to get food, the boy stole from a baker, but was caught and lashed. Chased away by the town people, the boy ran into the tropical forest that surrounded the town, and wept for days. His wounds refused to close and left traces of blood wherever he went. The boy blamed his father for everything, and began to hate him with his entire soul.
One night while the boy was crying, a man found him. The boy was going to attack him, but something stopped him. The man was extremely handsome, and he looked at the boy in compassion.
‘You have been wronged by many, have you not?’ The man’s voice sounded sweet, and the boy was soothed by its sound.
‘Yes sir, I have and I want my justice on them,’ the boy surprised even himself as he said this, because for once he realized it to be true. The man smiled at him, and the boy felt joy from the man’s beauty.
‘If vengeance is what you desire, then I will give you the power to pass judgment,’ the man drew a large book from his cloak, and tossed it to the boy. ‘All this book requires is your blood, and you will have the power to pass judgment.’
The boy took the book eagerly and flipped through its pages, only to find every one of them to be blank. He turned back to the man, only to find he had disappeared. The boy jumped in back surprise and his bloody hand brushed on of the blank pages. The white pages soaked it up eagerly, but the stains disappeared quickly. The boy stared at the book, and had the urge to throw it away, or burn it or just be rid of it, but curiosity held him there. Suddenly, crimson words appeared on the page.
‘Who shall I pass judgment on?’ they read, and before the boy could think twice he thought of someone. ‘My father,’ the boy thought, and the words on the page changed again.
‘Very well. We will bring you his head.’ The book began to shake. The boy dropped it in fear and gaped as a monster was born. A head began to rip through the pages, followed by a mouth, a torso and legs. The creature had inky black skin soaking with blood. It turned its head to the boy, and the boy screamed. It had empty sockets where its eyes should have been, and two small holes where its nose was supposed to be. It had no lips to hide its long pointed razor like blood stained teeth. The abomination turned away from him and ran off into the night, and the boy took the tattered remains of the book and threw it into the trees. He thought the horror was over, but was proved wrong when morning came.
The boy awoke to whites of dead eyes, and he shrieked in fear. The creature from the night before was clutching a dismembered head, still dripping fresh blood. The boy screamed again as he realized the head was his father’s.
‘Get out of here!’ the boy cried. ‘I don’t want your service anymore!’ The creature sucked in raspy breaths before it spoke.
‘Very well,’ the beast gasped as if someone had pierced its windpipe. ‘I require payment.’ Before the boy could turn to run, the beast sank its teeth into his throat and ripped out a chunk. The boy was unable to scream as he bled to death, and was forced to watch the beast feast on his flesh. And so the boy was eaten alive by the creature he had brought into this world. It is said that the book still lures in hate filled hearts, and devours them.”
Alastair put down the book slowly and was silent. I didn’t move either, even though I was still leaning on his shoulder. The book was more brutal than I thought it would be, and yet I hungered for more of its stories.
“Are you sure you want me to read another to you before you go to bed?” Alastair asked breaking the silence. I nodded, still in shock of the story.
“What was that one called?” I questioned. Alastair flipped back to the beginning of the story and checked its title.
“The Demon Book,” he answered, and I laughed.
“Pretty straight forward,” I said. Alastair smiled.
“Yes, it sure is,” he replied, while getting up from the bed. “You haven’t eaten in a while, do you want breakfast?” Before I could respond my stomach released a growl that could have been easily mistaken for a rabid dog. Alastair chuckled and held out a hand.
“Come on, I’ll take you to the kitchen and help you make something.” I took his hand and rose from the bed. I no longer felt his cold attitude, but instead felt warmth. It was as if his heart thawed out after a blizzard, revealing a hidden tenderness. Possibly, with this one ray of sunshine that was born from Alastair, I could survive the castle and Velkire. Maybe he would be my own little happiness in this dark and dreary storm that seemed not only to plague the sky, but also infect the castle. Maybe, just maybe, I could stand it as long as he was enduring it with me.
~
Although the sun hung in the cloudless blue sky above them, the party was exhausted by the time Gidian was at the reins. Even Kyra was passed out in the cart. Her knuckles were still raw. She had beaten the living day lights out of a drunkard who tried to make a move on her while she was looking for information. Kyra was kicked out after that, not that it mattered. All the inns were booked, and no one was willing to take them, especially after a child was found murdered in his bed around the same time they arrived. Gidian and Kyra both wanted to investigate it, but the parents had literally screamed at them to get away from the town and leave them be. With no other options, the party left, but no one rested.
Gidian could hear yawns from his comrades, and even he couldn’t help but yawn a little and rub his eyes. The road they were on cut through a tiny wood. It was a rather drab and boring sight, which didn’t help Gidian’s drowsiness. Slowly, his lids began to get heavier, and his shoulders relaxed.
‘Maybe,’ he thought, ‘if I could only close my eyes for a few seconds, just to rest them.’
Before he knew it Gidian was slumped over in the seat with the reins slack in his hands, dead asleep. Annoyed by Gidian’s sudden snoring, Siren gritted her teeth and yanked his head back by his long hair. Gidian’s snores turned to shrieks of pain as Siren tossed him back into the cart and took the reins herself.
“If you’re going to fall asleep on a job, don’t do a job that’s important, Gidian,” Siren hissed. Gidian groaned, rubbing the back of his head. There was always a disadvantage to having long hair, but Gidian could never bear to cut it. He liked his hair long.
Beside him, Al was trying to suppress his laughter. Unfortunately, he wasn’t doing a great job of it. Gidian shot a death glare and Al ceased, but stole a couple of small smiles when his master was not looking. Al thought it was funny how his master could be bested by someone who was barely four feet tall. It probably wouldn’t be as funny to him if he had slept recently, but Al was giddy from his lack of sleep. He just couldn’t help it.
Across from him, Vaze grinned and shook his head. Unlike the others, he was bustling with energy, despite the fact he had about as much sleep as everyone else. The difference was he spent more than three days resting from his injuries that were now nothing more than pink scars across his torso and arm. Out of all the abnormalities his powers had given him, he liked quick healing the most. Well actually, it was a close tie with flying, which he was itching to do. He could keep his wings as nothing more than marks on his back, but he still felt as if they were sore from not moving for so long. He wanted desperately to stretch his wings, but he knew that if anyone passed by they might be frightened or worse, be a spy of Velkire’s.
They neared a fork in the road, and something caught everyone’s eyes, nearly making Gidian’s heart sing. A nice, homey looking little inn nestled right between the two paths, and smoke came out of its little chimney hinted with the smell of cooking. Without question they stopped, but the minute they did Vaze began to feel uneasy. Before Vaze could place why, the door of the inn opened and a beautiful woman with big sparkling black eyes and rosy red lips walked out. She flashed a dazzling smile as she approached them, and her b
londe curly hair bounced as she walked. She was tall and thin, but still had a figure that would steal any foolish man’s heart. All Al could think was she was gorgeous.
“Welcome,” she greeted. Her voice sounded that of an angel’s. “Are you travelers looking for lodging, or a meal? You all look so weary.” Gidian was the first to respond.
“If it isn’t too much trouble for you,” he replied while hoping out of the cart, as if the thought of a bed gave him a sudden burst of energy. “We don’t have much money, but we’ll take whatever you’ll give us.” The woman smiled and shook her head.
“I won’t charge you a thing as long as you get rested.” Al couldn’t take his eyes off of her. “Please, come in. My help will take care of your horse and cart shortly, so you can leave it here.”
“That would be delightful!” Gidian’s face lit up at the mention of anything being free. “You are very kind.”
“Please, I’m only doing a kindness that should be done out of the goodness of one’s heart.” The woman beckoned them inside and the party followed, leaving Gidian to carry the still sleeping Kyra. Vaze entered last. He smiled at the woman as he passed her and she smiled back, but something about the way she looked at him sent shivers down his spine. Everything about her was warm and inviting, but Vaze couldn’t shake the feeling that they were all mice walking right to a hungry cat. Then he noticed that even though it was spring and a beautiful day, everything had gone silent. Before he could observe more, the woman pushed him inside and closed the door.
The inn was very room and cozy, but they seemed to be the only ones there. There was a check-in desk beside a set of stairs and a quaint wooden door. An entry way led out to a dining room where a large table with plates and other dining utensils were already set.
Playing With Fire Page 23