Seven Infinities Away From Home

THREE

 The first thing Hazel noticed was the fabric obscuring her eyes. It was rough, like sandpaper, but as she moved her head, it was clearly just like regular fabric. Two people were conversing in a language she couldn't recognize, other than her own name.

Footsteps approached the frightened girl, stopping right before her. She opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came out.

The person who came over to her laughed a horrible laugh, as if gravel were being shaken in his throat. It was a man, she could tell that much. Though his laugh was rougher than the fabric across her face, his voice as he spoke was silky and relatively high. He stooped down and began to untie the blindfold.

Nothing could have prepared her for what she saw.

The man's face had two large and vividly pink eyes with pupils slit like a snake's. They bore into her soul like blades as he grinned, fangs nearly piercing his ochre skin. His ears were those of a demon's, pointed and long with black gauges stretching eerily large holes through the lobes. His gray hair was pulled back into a messy bun, but the sides fell loose.

Hazel froze in place as the man looked over her before she let out a long-awaited scream.

"Wait, wait!" he called, shaking his hands desperately.

She stopped, though her heavy breathing continued on.

The man sat down across from her and gestured to his right, calling another over. This time, it was a woman.

Her body was much darker than the man's, with straight black hair falling past her hips. As she moved closer, Hazel could see that her eyes were such a light gray that they could easily pass for white and nobody would bat an eye. She smiled at Hazel, her shorter fangs resting comfortably on her lips.

"Don't worry, I'll keep you safe," she whispered in heavily accented English.

The man scoffed and spat what had to be an insult in his native tongue at the woman, who stuck her split tongue out at him in a tease.

"I am Nedoza, now please, lay down."

Hazel nodded and did as the woman asked. She was much softer with her, gentle, calm, and motherly. Warm fingers pushed her eyes shut. Hazel did not resist.

There was a light clink of glass before a freezing liquid dripped onto her.

She shot up in an almost cartoon-like fashion, cussing and moving her hand to the spot where the liquid had touched.

"What the hell was that for?" she shouted.

A rough hand slapped against her cheek, the callouses nearly cutting into Hazel's soft skin.

"Do not yell on my ship," the man growled.

Hazel couldn't move. Her eyes felt as if pried open, unable to close, and her arms were glued to her chest. A small yelling match was exchanged between the two humanoid beings before she felt herself being leaned back against her will.

"You need to stay still."

Hazel took a shuddering breath and nodded. There was no use fighting it. She was powerless against the sheer strength of the man across the room.

She winced in pain as the icy liquid was poured from her stomach to her chin, back down again. Goosebumps covered her skin and tears slid down from her eyes. First, extreme heat, and now this?

The woman turned around and said something to the man, who gave a satisfied hmph and walked out of the room. All that remained were her and a somewhat spaced out Hazel.

"Just wait, child, you will see why you go through this."

~~~

"Is it working yet?" the man called as he walked back into the room.

Hazel shook her head. He was still speaking his language, but she could understand it immediately.

"I'll take that response as a yes," he said, sitting down across from Hazel and Nedoza.

"I- I can- you-"

"Yeah, yeah, take your time. It's nice, isn't it? If you're travelling like we do, you need it."

Nedoza's hand pulled Hazel's head off the ground to sit up straight.

"What the hell just happened?" Hazel asked, her voice wavering.

"That there is the least sophisticated way to get you touched by Starfrost's soul."

Hazel's mouth opened as if she were to say something, but she stopped before any noise could come out.

"Star-what now?"

"It's not important. What's important is you getting to Dyloraz safely," the man said sternly, "but if you really want to know, I'm sure Miss Nedoza wouldn't mind."

Nedoza's fist clenched, but she said nothing.

"Of course, sir."

"Bring her to your room, and don't let her out of your sight!"

Nedoza sighed.

"Yes, sir."