The Savage

Part 2: Chapter Sixteen: Sinead

The twins rarely went outside the city together. It was easier for one to go unseen than two. Today was different, however. Sinead had dreamed all night about the creek nearby and insisted she go out with Meave that morning.

"It's just a creek Shiny." Meave said, tucking her hair up under her cap.

"I want to go see it. I kept seeing it all night. It was trying to speak to me." Sinead replied wrapping her pattern around her shoulders.

"Fine, fine." Meave mumbled as they descended down the narrow staircase.

The first floor of the rickety building smelled of burning salvia and cedar. The smoke hanging heavy in the stagnant air. It was a strong cloaking spell that shrouded the whole house. It's caster sat in a toy-like sized chair in the corner near the hearth. She was small and frail, as if emaciated, withering away as the spell sucked the life from her.

"Going out in the daylight again?" she croaked as they cross through the room to the cellar.

"We'll be careful." Meave replied.

"You two going in and out will draw attention." She snapped.

"Sorry, Mathair." Sinead called over her shoulder as they ducked down into the slender root cellar.

The tunnel extended off the back of the cellar, a dark round hole in the packed earth. Lifting the lantern from its hook above her head, Meave went first into the blackness. "She's the most cross Mathair I've ever known." She muttered.

"It's the magic. It takes its toll on her. And it keeps us safe." Sinead pointed out.

"I know, I know." Meave grumbled.

The dirt tunnel lead them below town, under the timber wall and out into the forest beyond. Coming up on a high bank of a shallow creek, Meave peered out, cautious of the possible danger. Inside the magical shrouding the colors and sounds of the mundane were muted, heightening anything that might be trouble. All was quiet as the brook bubbled and babbled along the rocks beneath it's surface. Meave climbed out and turned to pull her sister to the surface. Stepping outside the magic, the sights and sounds around them returned to normal. Hopping down onto the opposite bank, Sinead squatted beside the water, tilting her ear towards it, listening.

"Stay near the tunnel." Meave ordered as she turned heel to search for wild herbs. She needed to find something to help Sinead's waning strength. Like the Mathair in their home, Sinead's magic was extracting its pound of flesh of its own. Her twin had always been the leaner one. Meave felt like she had been built out of stone in the womb, Sinead was made with twigs. While her strength was in her magic, Meave's was in her ability to swing her axe.

Sinead waved her sister off as she continued to listen to the stream. She strained to make sense of its sounds, but it was nothing. She sighed. She was so sure it would speak to her like in her dream. What had it said? 'Listen! Listen! Listen!' the water had insisted. Pinching her lips together in a frown, Sinead leaned forward, closer, dipping her ear into the cool water. Nothing. Sitting up she rubbed her ear dry with her sleeve. It was just a dream. She stood.

Catching sight of something down stream, Sinead paused to watch. At first it looked like a pale blue bit of fog moving on top of the water, towards her. As it came closer she saw that it was slithering across the water, like a snake. It was a snake! Crawling on top of the water against the flow of the water, made of glowing blue smoke was a snake. It wove its way towards her, around and over ripples in the water.

Sinead let out a quick, high pitched whistle for Meave. As the snake came closer it began moving faster against the stream. It leapt into the air at her. Sinead closed her eyes and put her hands up in an involuntary defense as Meave shoved her out of the way. Opening her eyes she saw the snake dissolved into smoke in mid air entering her sister through Meave's mouth and nose. Dropping to the ground with a heavy thud, Meave's eyes rolled back as she convulsed.