The Lost & Cursed

by Rina S Mamoon

  “Come on, let’s be seated,” said the hostess.

  Chapter Fourteen

  A Night in Har’ Yhan

  The private table was decorated for an elegant feast. Silk curtains and fine tapestries hung from the ceiling, obscuring the other side. Shadows and silhouettes danced in the light of the flames. On the table was a fine silk cloth and many dishes. On the menu was a variety of meats and several types of vegetables. There were also various alcoholic beverages. Standing out the most were the bright green and blue drinks.

  Mara sat down.

  Lady Lorelei was beside her, giving a strange look. “Aren’t you going to remove your hood?”

  Mara looked back at her. “What? I…”

  Lorelei reached for her hood and pushed it backwards. She then reached for her mask. “Come on, you’re not hard on the eyes,” she told Mara. After she pulled her mask down, Lorelei studied her face. “Are you from Thoron?”

  Mara shook her head. She never ventured outside of Ardana in her life.

  “Oh, my apologies,” the inn owner said. “Judging by your appearance, I reckoned you’re from Thoron. At least Southern Thoron…”

  “I was born here,” Mara explained.

  A male server arrived. Mara watched him cut into some red meat, seeing how rare it was. The aroma filled her nostrils, making her mouth water. Her scleras turned dark grey and her irises glowed bright yellow. The blotches around her eyes grew darker and spread down her face. Opening her mouth, her canines began to elongate. She released a slight growl. Realizing what she was doing, Mara stopped and changed back. Her fangs shrank. The server turned to look at her, but seemed unaware of her transformation. After serving them, he left. Mara watched him walk away.

  “So, it is true?” Lorelei asked. “You’re a creature like the Siren?”

  She snapped her gaze to Lady Lorelei. The other woman witnessed her transformation and saw her true form. Mara looked away.

  “Then you know why I hide my face,” she murmured.

  The inn owner stared at her. “But you look nothing like a monster.” Lorelei changed the topic. “In my homeland, there are witches who can transform into animals. They have beast-like traits even when human. You resemble one, but I’ve never seen a Thoron Witch in Ardana.”

  “I’m an undying,” Mara replied.

  Lorelei looked surprised. “An undying?”

  Mara nodded. “Yes, that’s what I’ve been told.” She turned to her plate. “When I’m in that form, I can only taste meat. Everything else is bland and tasteless. Harold is helping me. He believes killing the undying is the key. Every time I claim one of their souls, I regain my humanity. So far, I’ve killed the White Lady and the Siren.”

  Lady Lorelei watched her. “I’ve heard of the undying before.”

  Mara looked back at her. “You have?”

  “It’s an old Thoron tale—a tragic love story about a young woman.”

  “What happened?” Mara asked. A shadow loomed over her.

  “She loved a man who didn’t return her feelings,” another woman said. “So, she went on a journey to find the rose that could grant any wish—the Blue Rose of Immortality.”

  Mara looked behind to see Morgan gazing at her, her expression unreadable.

  “However, she encountered Lonely Cenobia, the rose’s guardian,” Morgan revealed. “She managed to escape the angry goddess, but was bitten. The venom killed her slowly. Her heart and lungs were shutting down, yet she didn’t want to die. When she touched the rose, her heart stopped and she died, but this was not the end.” The older woman broke her gaze and walked around the table. Morgan sat across from Lady Lorelei and stared at Mara again. “The rose misinterpreted her wish and made her immortal. Returning as the first undying, she became cursed while the man she loved married another and started a family. Unloved and cursed, she left her home village and never returned. All who crossed paths with her met with misfortune.”

  After absorbing that tale, many thoughts ran through Mara’s mind. In spite of being more aware of herself, she still had trouble wrapping her head around the tale of the undying and the curse. Her mind drifted back to her visit to Hema, recalling the words of a late vampire queen.

  “Lady Isabella told me about her,” Mara began.

  Morgan froze. It was hard to see her face, but judging from her stillness, she seemed surprised to hear that. The older woman’s lips parted. “She did?”

  Mara nodded. “Yes, she said that the original undying split her soul in two after a failed attempt of lifting her curse. Apparently, I’m one of her reincarnations. I inherited her curse.”

  “Is that so?” Morgan asked. She paused for a brief while, and then nodded. “Yes, I did share the tale with the late ruler of Hema,” she continued. “The soul of the original undying was scattered across time, giving new life. But none could tell when a reincarnation would appear.”

  “The original undying—who was she?” Mara asked.

  Morgan stared at her for a minute before giving her answer. “Thalia of Thoron…”

  “Haven’t heard that name in a long time,” Lady Lorelei murmured, shaking her head.

  Mara looked at the inn owner. “Why?”

  “Thalia disappeared two thousand years ago,” Morgan explained. “In this part of the world, her name had been forgotten, but Thoron still remembers her.” She then gestured to the inn owner. “Like Lorelei, I am also from Thoron. I came to Ardana many years ago.”

  “How old would she be?” Mara asked.

  “Around five thousand years,” Morgan answered candidly. “The immortality took a toll on her and she lost the will to live. The Thoron Sages refused to help her because she stole the rose, which was considered sacred. Desperate to lift her curse, she used a very dangerous spell. Hoping to free her spirit from her cursed vessel and enter the land of the dead, Thalia ended up breaking her soul in half. One half remained with her and the other half created the first reincarnation. And thus it created a vicious cycle.” Morgan then looked at Mara. “But it appears you found a loophole.”

  “You mean killing the undying and claiming their souls?”

  Morgan nodded. “Yes, and maybe one day you’ll find a way to break this cycle, once and for all.”

  Mara watched Morgan. She was impressed by the immense knowledge that the older woman possessed. Now that she obtained more information, Mara wondered out loud, “If the rose did that to her, could it also reverse the curse?”

  “Perhaps,” Morgan frowned, “but it’ll be impossible. Travel to Thoron has been banned by Kallikratés for over a thousand years.”

  “Why?” Mara asked.

  “Thoron is the only nation the gods couldn’t conquer,” Lady Lorelei explained. “The gods called upon Thoron to renounce their worship of the Seven Divines and the Mother of Gods. Not only did the Thoron Sages refuse, they called Kallisto and Kratés fake. Provoking the gods’ ire, the Faith sent a mighty army to conquer Thoron. But the Sea God, Mantos, destroyed their fleet. Not a single soldier survived. Apparently, Kallisto and Kratés were humiliated. It’s a black stain in Kallikratés’ history.” Lorelei smiled. “It’s considered taboo to even mention it.”

  Changing the subject, the inn owner passed a plate over to Mara. It appeared to be fried fish. “This is the house special for tonight—Mermaid Meat, great for the ailing undying.”

  Mara stared at the dish. “What?”

  Lorelei laughed. “It’s not really the flesh of a mermaid. It’s just called that for show.”

  “The first undying was immortal, thanks to the rose and mermaid meat,” Morgan revealed. “The rose gave immortality, but stripped away her humanity. According to legend, consuming mermaid meat granted immense longevity, but turned the consumer into a mermaid. Thalia ate mermaid flesh to regain her human youth and beauty. She could still die. But unlike you, she remained human. Since discovering the abilities of their flesh, mermaids were hunted to extinction.”

  “Oh…” Mara stared at the d
ish. “That’s okay, I’m not a fan of fish.”

  “A pity… could’ve helped you stay human,” Morgan said.

  Mara glanced up at her. “Well, at least I’ve got undying souls and healing stones, until the next death.” She recalled another thing. “Oh, and there’s drinking the commander’s blood.”

  “Is that so?” Morgan asked with intrigue. “Then the rumours are true.”

  “You mean him possessing the blood of the God-King?” Mara asked. “What does that mean?”

  “Commander White is believed to be a direct descendant and the reincarnation of Lord Kratés,” Morgan explained.

  Mara gawked at her in shock. “What?”

  “A little known fact about the God-King: Lord Kratés fathered many children, but only a few descendants remain today,” Morgan said. “It is believed that the commander is from one of the old bloodlines.”

  “So, is Commander White some sort of demigod?” Mara asked.

  “It hasn’t been confirmed,” Morgan replied, “but if his blood could restore you, even temporary, then the rumours must be true.”

  “Another interesting thing about him,” Lady Lorelei added. “He was once married.”

  Mara nodded. “I heard about that. She died. Since then, he drinks heavily.”

  “Yes, upon discovering his true origins, he was forced to choose between his destiny and his wife. He left her with a broken heart and she took her own life, or that’s what I heard,” Lorelei explained.

  The women heard a loud thud. Turning around, they saw the commander bolting up from his table, knocking over his chair.

  “How dare you touch me?” Commander White shouted.

  Mara noticed a courtesan sitting across from him. Even Lady Lorelei and Morgan noticed his eruption of anger. Lorelei shook her head and murmured, “That girl is forward in her advances.”

  They watched him scowl at the courtesan before storming away. While he walked by their table, Lady Lorelei opened the curtain and called out to him. “I hope you’re enjoying yourself, dear.”

  Commander White stopped and glared at them. “Having a prostitute’s bare foot on my crotch isn’t something I’d describe as enjoying oneself! And the service is deplorable. I’ve not even eaten.”

  “My apologies, but you would’ve been served promptly had you not requested to sit elsewhere,” Lorelei told him.

  “Perhaps he can join us?” Morgan suggested. “There’s plenty to eat and drink.”

  The commander looked at Lady Lorelei, then Morgan. When his eyes finally fell on her, Mara looked back at him and wondered what his answer would be. He did request to sit elsewhere and far away from her. The harsh look remained in his eyes. Not wanting to see his face anymore, she turned around and ate her dinner. Mara hoped he’d refuse.

  “Perhaps I will.”

  His words caught her off guard. Mara heard him approach.

  “If that’s all right with you?”

  Mara knew he wasn’t talking to her. She didn’t look at him.

  “I don’t have a problem with him here,” Morgan said. “What do you think?”

  “Neither do I,” Lorelei agreed. “As long as he remains good company.” She gazed at Mara. “What do you think, dear?”

  Mara looked at Lady Lorelei and Morgan. They sought her approval. She gazed down at her dinner plate.

  “Sure, as long as he doesn’t act like an ass,” Mara grumbled. She never bothered to look at him, but noticed the pleased responses from the other women.

  “Ah, that’s great to hear,” Lady Lorelei said. Morgan beamed at her.

  Mara sighed, looking down at her plate. At least they were happy to have “Prince Charming” sitting with them. Commander White took the seat across from her. Morgan seemed pleased to have him beside her. Mara hoped the rest of her dinner would go by smoothly. For a brief moment, she gazed up to see the commander helping himself to the food. She looked back at her plate and continued to eat.

  “This is pretty decent considering the establishment,” the commander said.

  Mara could not help but be surprised. This was the first time he ever gave a compliment about anything. She turned to her plate and ate her meal. The commander was right; this was delicious. It was worth it to savour every bite while she still can. While eating, Mara sensed his gaze on her. Commander White was watching. Tensions grew. It became so thick, it could be cut with a knife. She couldn’t take it anymore. She lifted her gaze to confront his own. He observed every detail of her face with scrutiny. She grew weary of his judgmental gaze. He made her uncomfortable, but didn’t care. Mara spotted a glass of wine before him. Grasping it, the commander lifted his glass to his lips. He kept his eyes on her as he took a sip. Mara took a deep breath. With alcohol in the mix, things could get worse.

  “Remarkable,” he began. “Never realized you’re associated with those savages from the Outer Frontier.” Mara stayed quiet. Not only was he sexist, he was also racist. She was surprised that he could identify her as a member of the Stone Mage Tribe. Commander White gazed at her, his face devoid of emotion. “Your skin is lighter. I assume you’re born of two races. You’re impure.”

  It was rare for a white woman to marry a Stone Mage, like Mara’s parents. And it was more rare to produce such offspring. Mara put her knife and fork down.

  “And apparently I remind you of your wife,” Mara replied in a low tone.

  He frowned at her. “What did you say?”

  She hit a nerve. Mara saw his eyebrows furrow in anger.

  “Your father told me about her.” Mara gestured to his glass. “It’s why you drink.”

  Commander White glanced at his wineglass. “He did?” He looked up at her and nodded. “It’s true,” he admitted solemnly, shaking his head. “I pray to the goddess, hoping to forget that day.”

  “I’m sorry,” Mara said softly. He glanced up at her and reached into his pocket. In his hand was a glowing white stone. Her eyes widened. “That’s a healing stone!”

  Commander White gazed at the stone, and then to her.

  “I hear these help you,” the commander said. He stretched over his hand to offer the healing stone. “Here, take it. Found it on the Siren’s corpse, but I’ve no use for it. It’ll benefit you more.”

  She reached out and received the healing stone. Mara took great care to put it away. She glanced up at Commander White. “Thank you.”

  Lorelei began to serve drinks. Taking the green and blue bottles, she opened them. Mara looked at the bottles with curiosity. Lady Lorelei smiled while pouring the drinks.

  “How about we celebrate? Ever tried absinthe?” She prepared the drink by placing a unique spoon with holes on the lip of the glass. Mara shook her head.

  “It’s a very strong alcohol,” Morgan said.

  “Not if you distil it…” Lady Lorelei placed a sugar cube on the spoon. Taking a pitcher of water, she poured it into her glass, distilling the absinthe. She served out the drinks to Morgan and Commander White. The commander snatched his glass and began to chug eagerly. The three watched in shock. He looked up and stopped. Realizing what he did, the commander placed his glass on the table.

  “Sorry,” he said softly. “It’s one of my favourites.”

  Lady Lorelei watched him before pouring a second glass for him. “Careful how you drink it. It’s very strong.” She distilled his drink and passed it to Commander White.

  When it came to Mara’s glass, Morgan stopped Lady Lorelei. “I think the young lady should have the other one.”

  Lorelei looked at her, and then to Mara. “If that’s all right with you, dear?”

  “What’s the difference?” Mara questioned.

  “Just the colour,” Lorelei answered. Mara allowed her to pour the blue absinthe and prepare it for her. “Kept this for a while, considering the heavy taxes I had to pay to import this from Thoron. It’s called the Blue Rose.”

  “Like the story?” Mara questioned. Lorelei nodded.

  The commander sat there, fold
ing his arms. “What story?”

  “An old Thoron tale of a young woman seeking the Blue Rose, to prove her love to a man who never loved her,” Morgan told him.

  Commander White looked back at Morgan. Mara gazed at him, seeing he was lost in thought. When he glanced back at her, she looked away and stared at her drink. She couldn’t recall being a drinker or ever trying absinthe before. She reached for her drink and lifted it to her face. Mara tilted the glass and the liquid touched her lips and tongue. She tasted a combination of herbs and floral ingredients.

  “How is it, dear? Is it too bitter?” Lady Lorelei asked her.

  Mara looked back at her and shook her head. “Never drank absinthe before.”

  Lady Lorelei nodded and offered some advice. “Don’t drink it too fast. The last thing I need is you passed out on the ground.”

  ***

  Some time passed and Mara hadn’t finished her first drink. She took Lorelei’s advice to heart. However, the man sitting across from her decided to ignore the valuable advice. Commander White was on his fifth glass, already showing signs of drunkenness since his third. His face was flushed and his eyes were glazed over. The three women looked mystified.

  “Why hasn’t he succumbed to alcohol poisoning?” Lady Lorelei questioned.

  Mara watched him. Aware of his alcoholism, she wondered if she should have stopped him. Commander White looked at Lady Lorelei and passed his glass to her.

  “Give me more,” he slurred.

  Lorelei’s jaw dropped. “I think you had enough.”

  He shook his head. “No, I’m not drunk.”

  The three gaze at him with concern.

  “We shouldn’t have given him more,” Mara told the others.

  The commander scowled at her. “How dare you? I’m the Commander of the Holy Blades!”

  Mara shook her head. She couldn’t take him seriously in that state. Lady Lorelei picked up the empty green absinthe bottle.

  “Well, too bad. You finished it off!” Lorelei scolded him. Commander White looked at the empty bottle, and then gazed to the blue absinthe which had plenty.