Something With a Prince

Chapter Thirty-Six: Under My Skin

Lansing

We knew the minute Thea had passed the test.

The entire cathedral shook, dust leaking out of the ceiling and the floorboards rattling under our feet. Even the fire in the torches hesitated to burn as the forest around us went silent waiting. The chair I was strapped to threatened to splinter under all the stress, and I prayed it would. Then I would take the witch out by the throat.

Saorla had me pulled from the room not twenty minutes after Thea had left and taken into the throne room. The heart of the cathedral. All these hallways and windows, masses of expanding rooms, it boggled my senses. I kept asking myself on that walk to the throne room, how could I have not known what was out in my forest, how Saorla could have gotten away with all of this for so long? But then there was a moment when the key turned in my mind and the truth was unlocked. Thrown at me with such force, memory knocked the wind out of me.

From that moment on, I spent the whole time staring at the arrow that lay across from the shattered window. Split and covered in the black of Saorla's creature's blood. If you could call it blood. Like I was living it again, my fingers could still feel the pressure of the string as I held it taunt, aiming at her head, but Arlyn's bow was heavier than mine, the string harder to pull back. So, I missed my shot and in return, delivered the one thing I swore I would protect.

Of course, I remember that too. I remember it all, and somehow it makes the sting worse. Watching Thea's life from old eyes, hearing Saorla's words echoing in my mind, He will drink from that cup, it riled something horrid within me. Because none of this was my choice, I was led here, following some divine plan of revenge, and taking Thea along with me to the slaughter.

All that belonged to you, will forever on, belong to me. No kidding.

Saorla was watching me now with flickering eyes, literally, but I had the feeling she wasn't watching me at all. Rather, she was watching Thea in her head, eyes skimming from side to side as if tracking her every movement. Then her face went from emptily observing to a split-lipped grin, eyes filling white as she laughed through that pitch black mouth. The witch threw her head back and cackled as if she was watching the plot of a comedy unfold, clapping her hands together in delight.

Her façade was still in place, a human face with devastatingly beautiful features, but the wickedness underneath shone through at once as she celebrated Thea's victory. The spiders in her hair frenzied over her forehead. The youthful glow of her dark skin deteriorated into a rough bark-like texture and her fingertips were stained back as night. A scar matted up the delicacy of her face, rippling across the edge of her arched eyebrow down her full cheek. When she smiled it crinkled up and twisted, and when she laughed, flashing bright white teeth, it was almost pleasant.

At once her eyes fell to me, the white flushing away slowly to reveal shining brown irises. My spine tensed against the back of the chair, and there was a pricking at the back of my neck that didn't bode well. The witch was still grinning ear to ear, humming a laugh now and then, but her eyes were very well pointed in my direction with malice. Clenching my fists behind my back was the only way to push myself into being calm, controlled, as Saorla raised from her seat and approached me in the center of the room.

"She's done it." The witch giggled, and the voices within hers joined in her mirth. "I knew she would. Oh, this feeling is wonderful, just elating. My champion, slaying her beasts. I can feel all that sentiment dying away now. Emotions dropping like little flies as she goes numb." Licking her lips, she sighed with eyes closed, "Emptiness is such a refined flavor."

A moment later, her eyes flashed open in a bright red, and her hands braced themselves on the arms of the chair as she leaned into my face. I could hear something like bees buzzing in her chest as she spoke, "Now, what to do with you?"