.The Shadow Knight.

-42-

"And do you think this girl was worth you insubordination?"

I was kneeling down like when I first came here, head lowered, one of my hands on the back of Layla's head to keep her bowed down too as she glared at the floor.

"Yes." I dared to say.

"In what way?!" Elise yelled but only Layla flinched back.

"Elise." I permitted myself to step out of the pose and straighten up and using one hand pulled a hole through the air, the body of the creature I hid in it fell out of it, already decaying at extreme speeds.

The maids and guards gasped as Kia jumped up, ready to protect Elise if this thing moved.

"The empire of Lorik is playing the gods' game, creating these beings from people like her, they are trying to create living weapons and Layla here is one of the those that can tell about them as she is still able too, unlike most of these monstrous creatures."

I've never seen anyone's anger switch so fast from being aimed at me to something completely else.

"This is an abomination to the laws of nature and you brought it back with you?!"

"Yes!" I said louder then I intended as I needed to put force into catching Layla before Kia could as she launched forth in anger to be called that even if I think it was aimed at the dead thing.

My arm was wrapped around her neck in a chock hold without squeezing to have one arm still free as I spun on myself, my back being what Kia punched instead of the child.

"Kia." She instantly stepped down at her voice as Elise stood and walked over as I turned back forwards. "Child you should learn to control your emotions, if not only death awaits." Layla just glared and I saw a smirk twitch onto Elise's face for a moment before she rubbed it away. "Do tell us what you know demon child." She added while crouching down to her level as I let the kid go, knowing she'd behave from how she relaxed.

"This executioner lady told me you caused this." She spat with little to no regards to rank or politeness.

"I might have." Elise admitted with a shrug as if this completely uninterested her. "But all I did was take what is rightfully mine, the throne, what they did after that in that part was not my doing."

"But your family financed these crazy men!! They killed all my friends!! My family!!"

"I am not my family child, my heart seethes with as much hate towards them as yours does towards me."

"Akito promised if I trained and beat her I could kill you."

I did a wave of my hand saying 'not exactly' as Elise rose a brow my way, I was letting the child speak and already we confirmed the royal family worked with the executioner and they paid for her services.

"As long as you don't betray us we can make this work demon child." Elise promised. "But you'll only be given one shot at fighting me when Akito thinks you are up to par."

"She told me something similar."

"Good.... So what are you?"

"Human."

"No you aren't.... What did they do to you, you are the same as that creature rotting on my floor."

"I am not!... Not yet."

"Then speak!"

"Skintaker, they have the ability to change bodies at will after consuming blood and take the strength of the new forms."

"I know that, my wife is one." Melore's showed her claws when Layla looked at her. "That thing is no skintaker."

"They try to transfer their ability to us, accumulate strength through blood tho."

"Foolish idiots." Elise stood up. 

"Skintake magic might be wild magic but it grew with them and their race, changing in the most subtle way from the rest of the wild magic around the world, their magic is not compatible with humans unless you have a blood lineage with skintake in it." Melore said. "Everyone knows that."

"Not the executioner." I said quickly. "Remember she is from Solor, we consider all wild magic as one, our culture follows more along the path of elemental magic. Even if she was told this she'd look for a way to transfer magic."

"But that's impossible, one's magic is as unique as our blood, no two are the same." Rain said almost outraged at my idea.

"Well sorry lady but that's what's happening." Layla said with arms crossed. "Usually they carry out twisted half animal bodies and a writhing mass of human flesh screaming for their death, cursing the failure of their gods for not answering their demands."

"And why are you not one of those demon child?" Rain snapped back.

"You have skintaker blood don't you?" I asked and she shrugged.

"How would I know?"

"That's why the executioner showed up shortly after I got to you and not before, your cell must have been littered with magic to detect anyone entering."

"Just leave, everyone leave I need some time alone." Elise said dryly.

I bowed, dragging Layla out and forcing the poor Wynna to take the rambunctious child again.

-------------------------------------------------------

"Hey Sel, it's me." I said, knocking on her door before opening.

"She didn't deserve it." She snuffled, laying on her bed with her face in the pillows. "She was forced, she didn't want to."

"The world is cruel Sel, good people do the bad things." I sat next to her and caressed the top of her head with a sorry smile as she looked up at me with red bloodshot eyes.

"I don't want to kill anyone." She hugged me and continued crying as I stayed silent, aware she had no choice but get used to it in this life.

"I am sorry." Is all I said after a long while.