[THIS STORY WILL BE TAKEN DOWN ON SEPTEMBER 30, 2024]
He had hunted me, captured me, and locked me in a tower.
Season 3 'Of Crows and Thorns'
***
While in RISING, Tabitha discovers something peculiar that may assist Nelle in her plan to escape the...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Mom popped a fist on her waist, and waved her free hand, ordering me to eat the fat, wiggling thing. "Go on."
My stomach clenched in revolt. "Gods, mom, no,"— fucking—"way."
She angled her feather duster at me and the ends caught my neck, wisping against my skin. "This is punishment for stealing. How can I take you anywhere if all you're going to do is thieve?"
Despite the foul thought of crunching on the creature, excitement barreled through me. "So we can come back here? It's so cool."
"It is very cool," she agreed with a wide smile, sweeping her gaze briefly about the room.
My excitement evaporated when I realized what I was going to eat. "I don't want to forget this place."
Mom gave me a commiserating look. She slipped an arm over my shoulder and squeezed me closer. "I know, my inquisitive little Tamer, but it's safer if you don't remember. It's for the best... Now come on, you need to eat it all up."
I grimaced, then steeled my stomach for what was to come. Closing my eyes I tossed the otherworldly grub into my mouth and bit into its writhing body. I almost gagged when I squelched through its flesh. Putrid oozing gunk exploded into my mouth, but it was tempered slightly by a saffron flavor, and a crackle of magic zinged along my teeth.
"It's gross," I complained, chewing as fast as I could.
Mom only returned a mock look of sympathy, patting my upper arm. "It'll be over soon and we'll go get an ice cream." Letting go of me, she rounded where I stood to stand flush in front of me. Leaning down, she looked me dead in the eye. Her features tightened into a serious expression. "Now I need you to think about this place and Florin. Can you do that for me Graysen?"
I nodded, glancing up and around. This place was a grotto of enchantment. Cave-like but filled with creepily weird and seriously cool items. The prices stated on their tags were so high, more than what I earned as pocket money, I'd never be able to afford them. Even after just being caught out my fingers itched to continue pocketing a few more rarities. There were some things here that hailed from Zrenyth's time.
However, I did as my mother asked and brought into my mind's eye this place and Florin. And my memories slipped backward in time...
...Wandering around unattended, stealthily slipping fascinating things into my pockets, and hiding them in my suit, while my mother eased her friend's pain. The reason why our outing in Ascendria had taken a strange and harried turn. Mom's voice floating from the office glowing bright with wavering threads of power, as she scolded him for not calling on her sooner...
...To the lair's gigantic door and the bell ringing—tink, tink, tink—as we entered the place...
...Gripping my mother's hand tight as we walked down an ancient staircase with power flailing against my skin and whipping through my hair...
