by Idella Breen
Her heart thudded in her chest as she sat there frozen in place, her ears ringing from that terrible scream. It took a minute for her to realize that someone was calling her name.
“Snow Bennett? Are you still alive?”
Snow pulled her hands away from her ears only to wince when her wrist throbbed. Looking down she saw that the leather bracelet was still intact but on her arm, just slightly above her wrist, was a black number six that seemed like a tattoo engraved into her skin. She reached out and gingerly touched it only to gasp at the coldness of the tattoo.
“Snow Bennett?”
“What Aria?”
“Ah, my friend, you are still alive. I was worried as night reapers tend to take the souls of the ones they have targeted. But, if you are still alive you must have only been cursed. That’s not so bad, I suppose. We shall have enough time to converse at length for a few days.”
Snow was finally able to form a coherent thought enough to be puzzled over what her cellmate had said. She jumped up, only to stumble, and ran over to the bars. “What do you mean?”
“About what we can converse about? Well there are—”
“No Aria, about the curse. What did you mean about the curse?”
“Ah, that. It’s quite simple really. It’s even a bit of a rhyme. It used to be taught to us when we were little as sort of a nursery rhyme.”
Snow was reaching the end of her patience. “What is the rhyme?”
“Hmm, let's see. I think it goes something like this,
The reapers curse,
Names six days,
Before he comes to slay thee.
Oh, twiddle dumb,
And prick your thumb,
And hope he doesn’t come.
On day three,
He will visit thee,
And swear to steal your soul.
If you bleed,
In anothers stead,
He will have no right to claim thee.
But if you run,
He will come,
And instantly slay thee.
“I believe it goes something like that. Though, my memory isn’t what it used to be if you know what I mean.” Aria giggled and Snow fell to her knees and leaned her head against the cool bars. Even now, the six on her arm throbbed with a chill that made her shudder. Then, the door to the dungeon flew open.
Chapter 13
A thundering growl echoed within the stone dungeon warming Snow at its familiarity. “Cait!”
“Snow!” the werewolf yelled as she ran to the cell her wife was held within. She bent the bars back as if they were made of foil and pulled Snow into her arms.
“Are you okay?” she whispered against Snow’s hair and her warmth surrounded the suddenly very cold woman.
“Cait.” she gasped as tears burst forth and trailed down her cheeks.
“I got you, babe. I’m so sorry.” Cait pulled back and kissed her forehead before drawing her back into her arms. Snow tried to hide it but the werewolf felt the slight wince when she bumped up against the branded number on the brunette’s arm. She pulled back and glanced down but Snow hid it from view.
“We need to leave, Cait.”
“Are you injured?”
“Snow is right Captain. They know we are here now. We have lost the element of surprise. We must hurry if we are to retrieve the tooth before they have a chance to rally.”
“Snow—”
She shook her head and pulled Cait to her feet from where they had collapsed together. “Not now Cait.”
Her wife studied her face as Snow pulled her sleeves down more and after a moment nodded. “We will talk.”
Snow nodded and let the redhead pull her out of the cell. They were about to leave when a jolly voice called out, “Snow Bennett! My friend! Will you bring me with you?”
Snow stopped making Cait also stop. “Snow we don’t have time.”
“Snow Bennett! I might know how to break your curse!”
Snow turned back to her wife who was frowning now. “What curse?”
“Cait, free her.”
Her wife’s frown deepened but she nodded and went back to the cell and pulled apart the bars. When the woman stepped over the threshold Snow wasn’t expecting her breath to leave her. The woman was beautiful. Aria Stormwind wasn’t much taller than her and was definitely shorter than Cait but her platinum blonde hair seemed to glitter in the darkness as if it was filled with twinkling stars from the night sky. Her eyes were a luminous forest green that shined with hidden mirth as the woman skipped over to her completely oblivious of the tense atmosphere surrounding the group. She stopped in front of Snow and stuck out her hand. “Hello, Snow Bennett, I’m Aria Stormwind. A pleasure to meet you.”
The brunette could only nod and accept the offered hand as she noticed the woman’s ears peeking out from her hair. “You’re an elf.”
* * *
“I am!” Aria was suddenly shoved out of the way when Cait moved to grab Snow’s hand.
“We have work to do,” she grumbled and pulled Snow, who was still staring at the elf, along with her.
Aria skipped along with them easily keeping pace with the group as they ran up the stairs and to the first floor of the stone building.
“Snow! Pay attention,” Cait growled finally getting her wife’s attention.
“What?”
“What the Captain is trying to ask, is do you know of the whereabouts of the golden tooth? Did you manage to see it while being held captive here?”
“Yeah! Oh, my gosh, sorry. Um, yeah, Taz has it on a necklace around his neck.”
“Do you know which floor Taz is on?” he asked again.
“The second. He’s in the room third down from the stairs.”
“Understood.” Beck moved to the front just as a goblin jumped out in front of them. The tengu used a judo move to grab the goblin and toss him to the side without missing a step while running. They crossed to the stairs at the other end of the stone building and Beck led the charge, deflecting any trouble they encountered. When they reached the room Cait charged through the curtain and a ferocious growl followed by a strangled cry greeted them as they followed her wife through the curtain.
Cait had Taz pinned to his desk, a small handgun tossed unceremoniously on the ground during their brief struggle.
“Let me go you mongrel!”
Cait sneered in his face before reaching down into his shirt and ripping the necklace from his neck with a simple tug.
“Hey!”
Snow came into view and smirked down at him. He gasped. “You said you weren’t looking for the tooth!”
Snow shrugged. “I lied.”
“How dare you—”
He was cut off when Cait punched him in the face. “That’s for kidnapping my wife.”
She lifted her hand as if to strike him again but simply pulled his face close to hers and whispered, “If you ever touch a hair on her head again you’ll soon know the meaning of terror. Am I clear?”
The goblin nodded quickly and she pat him on the cheek. “Glad we came to an understanding.”
Cait tucked the necklace into her pocket and scooped up Snow.
“Cait what are—” she cut herself off with a scream as Cait jumped out of the second-story window. The disorientating feeling of both her stomach flipping and her heart fluttering assaulted her senses until her wife landed lightly on the soles of her feet. Snow slapped the werewolf in the arm as she took off running through the crowd that never seemed to disperse despite the unknown hour of the day.
“I hate you!” she gasped out as she was still trying to reclaim her breath.
Cait laughed and sharply turned a corner, careful to dodge a woman with a cart full of groceries. “You love me!”
The werewolf’s laughter was infectious and Snow couldn’t help it when a desperate laugh burst forth from her. “You’re right! I love you!” And she sealed the declaration with a kiss.
* * *
Apparently, as Cait
had informed her as they ran, Snow had been held captive for a day. Their reason for running was that they were literally racing against the clock to reach the bar Grangor said she would meet them at. If they missed her then they could consider the task a failure.
“Hurry, Cait!”
“I am!” she said even as she picked up her speed.
They were rounding the last corner to the bar when suddenly a goblin came around it straight into the pathway.
“Shit!” Cait cursed as she jumped into the air, over the goblin and skidded across the slippery stone only to be stopped by slamming into a stone wall. Cait and Snow were sprawled on the ground and were groaning when a cackle snapped in the air around them.
“Ha! You two sure know how to make a very late entrance.” a familiar husky voice broke through their disorientation and Snow reached into Cait’s pants pocket pulling the tooth out and standing on wobbly legs. Taking a moment to gain her balance, she straightened her shirt and squared her shoulders, before marching over to Grangor. Holding out her hand, she presented the item.
Grangor met her gaze with a smirk and reached out to take the tooth but just as she was about to pull back, Snow gripped her hand making the goblin look up.
“You may not like me Grangor, but I will be on the council alongside my mother. I don’t need your favor or your kindness. What I want is your loyalty and if I can’t have that then I ask for your indifference. I don’t want to be your enemy as I feel we are more similar than you might think. My grandmother had united all the monsters at one time, my mother carries that torch even now, and I hope to one day take it on myself. Think what you will of me but I will not be cowed by games and trickery. Make what you will of that.” She released her hold and stepped back to give the goblin some space. After a moment of silence Grangor suddenly burst into laughter. Snow frowned but the goblin looked to her with what seemed to be a genuine smile.
“Lidia would be proud of her granddaughter if she could see you now. Lidia and I had a mutual respect though we didn’t see eye to eye on everything. I was never one to take up arms against her. You have my word that the same shall be carried on when you take the seat beside your mother. Of course, only as long as you don’t take up arms against me in the meantime.”
Snow nodded. “That is acceptable. Thank you Grangor.”
“Don’t thank me yet. But, take this.” Grangor waved her hand and one of her guards walked forward and held out a small gold emblem with a purple ribbon.”
“What is this?”
“Your ticket out of my kingdom or back into it, whichever you seek. Now, I’m sure there is still much left for you to do, so I will leave it at that and be on my way as I am now late for my meeting.” Grangor winked. “A lady should always be fashionably late.”
With that, the Goblin King sauntered off with her guards leaving Snow to sigh deeply and slouch.
“Well, she seemed nice!” A cheery voice startled Snow making her jump slightly as it came from right next to her.
“Aria?”
“The one and only! Wow, you guys run fast. Me and the bird-man had trouble keeping up.”
“What are you doing here?”
The elf frowned. “I still haven’t told you how to lift your curse—” She was cut off when Cait shoved passed her.
“Good job, Snow.”
“Cait!”
“What?”
“You just pushed her out of the way.”
“It’s okay Snow Bennett. I’m sturdier than I look!”
“Still.”
“Snow, might I suggest we leave now that we have accomplished what we came to this kingdom for. I feel Taz might send more of his men after us sooner or later if we remain here for too long.”
The brunette frowned at her wife who had her arms crossed over her chest and seemed to be pouting, before looking at Beck. “Alright Beck, but we are taking Aria along with us.”
“What?” the werewolf growled.
“Yay!” Aria cheered.
Snow looped her arm along with the elf’s and pulled her along towards the platform they had originally arrived on when they first entered the town. “Come on Aria, there’s much we need to talk about. Privately.”
“Sure! I’m all ears.” Aria said as Snow dragged her in front of the group and in the direction of the platform.
She heard her wife huff before Beck consoled her and the group moved to the exit of the stone city.
* * *
Cait was leading the way through the tunnels once again but this time with a deep scowl at the two giggling woman behind her.
“You didn’t?” Snow gasped.
“I did!” Aria confirmed before the two woman burst into a fit of laughter.
“Would you two be quiet!” Cait ground out between clenched teeth.
“Now, Captain. There is no harm in them having a little bit of fun. We have completed the task. It is only natural that there is some celebration.”
“Not that kind of celebration.” she growled.
Beck looked puzzled at her response but simply shook his head and followed slightly behind her. Now, that they had dealt with the goblins and had been kindly informed that Grangor gave them safe passage out of the kingdom along with a royal emblem to present to any scouting guard patrols, they were able to breathe a little easier. There was a lull in the laughter before Snow piped up and asked, “Cait, how do we get out of the tunnels anyway?”
The werewolf grumbled something under her breath that sounded suspiciously like a curse word before she turned down another tunnel with her fire that was lighting the way. The group followed her in silence for a moment before she came to a stop in front of another guard who sat in front of a wooden door.
“What do you want?”
“I feel like that’s a common goblin phrase,” Snow mused making Aria burst into laughter.
The goblin frowned until Cait presented him with the royal emblem. He stared at it for a good minute before sighing and moving to unlock the wooden door. “Just don’t burn anything down.”
Cait simply nodded and led the way through the door. The light of her fire wasn’t able to illuminate the whole room they had entered but Snow was stunned to find a ramp carved in wood that seemed to snake around leading up towards the surface.
“The exit?”
“Yes.” her wife huffed.
“What the Captain is trying to say is that this road will lead to the surface and probably to a door much like the one we used to enter the tunnels.”
“Thanks, Beck. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“I’m sure you would be alright, Captain.”
Both Snow and Aria burst into giggles as Cait slouched and led the way forward. It was going to be a long climb.
* * *
A wooden door burst open and Snow all but collapsed to the forest floor. “Air! Real, fresh, life-giving air!”
Despite her bad mood, Cait couldn’t hold back the smile at her wife’s theatrics. That is until the annoying laugh, that was beginning to grate on her nerves, also joined in.
“You’re so funny, Snow Bennett.”
Snow rolled around and looked back at the group. “Aria, why do you always say my full name?”
The elf frowned before shaking her head. “It’s only proper, I guess.”
“What do you mean?”
“You are Snow Bennett so it’s only natural that I call you as thus.”
The brunette frowned but shook her head and just accepted that the elf had a few screws loose and therefore there were some things she would do that would never make sense.
“So, where to now, Snow?” Beck asked as he came to stand beside where the woman was sitting among twigs.
She stood up and dusted off her jean shorts before glancing to the elf who had a happy slightly oblivious smile on her face. “Aria?”
“Yes?”
“You said you knew how to lift my curse?”
“What curse?”
“What curs
e?”
Both Beck and Cait asked at the same time making the elf giggle. Snow sighed and pulled up the sleeve of her shirt revealing the black tattoo of a number six printed on her skin.
Cait gasped and reached for her arm, gently taking it into her grasp. “Snow…”
She trailed off as what the tattoo was finally sunk in. “This is the night reapers curse,” she whispered.
Snow nodded. “It is.”
“When?”
“When I was in the cell, it came for me.”
“How did you fight it back?”
“With this?” Snow pointed to the bracelet which contained her sealed sword. It was still warm to the touch even now after it had been touched by the night reaper.
“Ah! That makes sense.”
The three of them turned to Aria but Beck was the one that spoke, “What makes sense?”
“Why Snow was only cursed and didn’t have her soul taken right then and there.”
“Explain,” the werewolf demanded but Snow placed a hand on her shoulder to calm her.
“Well, it has a sword sealed to it, that bracelet does. And, it is a mithril sword embedded with the light attribute.”
Snow shook her head. “I don’t understand. I don’t have that.”
Aria shook her head. “You do though. I can see it from here. Your sword has a blue diamond attached to the hilt. Blue diamonds are known for their purity and light attributes. They help people with a light attribute, which your ice ability seems to carry, control their powers. Light calls to light, darkness to darkness, everyone knows this.”
Snow frowned. “Well, I didn’t.”
“So, the blade is what protected Snow from the night reaper?”
“Certainly, but it seems to have used up a great deal of its power and is slightly damaged. I don’t think it would be very useful in a fight right now as it is.”
“Is that why it’s still warm,” Snow asked.
Aria nodded. “It has overused it’s stockpiled power. But, that’s no problem because my priestess will know what to do with both your sword and your curse.”
“Priestess?” Cait echoed.
“Yes, the high elf, Pine Blush.”