A Shade's Task

Chapter 4

Ashlen threw out a fireball this time, and Carinia grabbed it and dissipated it in her hand. "We can do this the fun way, or you can just tell me everything you know."

Bertha took a few more steps back while looking between Carinia and Ashlen. Carinia turned to look at her, "It would be in your best interest to stay put."

"Go ahead and go. I will handle things here," Ashlen said to Bertha. The blonde tried to turn and leave but Carinia threw out a throwing knife which landed in her left thigh. She yelled out and fell to knees gripping the knife. "You will pay for that," the other one said and summoned another fireball.

Carinia took two quick steps to close the distance between them and knocked the fireball from her hands and her dagger was now near her throat. "If you want to continue fighting feel free."

Ashlen swallowed hard and stopped moving.

"Aw, that's no fun. I had hoped you would put up a little more of a fight." She glanced at Bertha who was still kneeling several feet away, and then back at Ashlen. Taking a step back, Carinia pulled Ashlen so she would follow till they were in the center of the shop. "Kneel," she told the woman and she complied. Carinia looked over at Bertha and signaled for her to hobble over towards them, "Come sit next to your friend." Bertha grimaced as she made her way to Ashlen and stayed on one knee gritting her teeth.

Ashlen glared at Carinia, "What do you want?"

"Tell me how you met Grul," Carinia asked them both.

"I am not telling you anything," Ashlen stated.

"Makes things more fun for me," Carinia said with a shrug. She summoned her own fire ball and played with for a bit in her hands. "Do you know what this is?"

The women stared at the blue fire now in her hands with wide eyes. "Demon fire," Bertha said between her teeth.

"Very good. Looks like someone was paying attention in mage class," Carinia said with a low snorted laugh. "I find normal fire difficult to conjure. Took me a while to learn to light candles, as I made them explode instead. However, I now have complete control over my flames including this one. I wonder how long it will take for you to give in to my demands once I light a part of you on fire. As the other one is already injured, I will start with you." Carinia turned to Ashlen and bent down a little with the fireball. Shrinking it several times she placed the flame on her right shoulder, and it sat on her cloak flickering. Ashlen became wide eyed as she watched it. "You should know what those do. Once it starts burning only the owner can put it out, assuming the owner of the flame can control it. Sometimes the flames do have a mind of their own."

Bertha looked at Carinia, "We were approached by a man from the Grul clan. He overheard us talking in the tavern in town about being upset with Diane and X'heve. We were promised a meeting with Grul who would give us power."

"I take it you met with Grul himself, then?" Carinia asked.

She nodded, "Yes. We were invited into their coven. Our tasks it just to get the spell books and go back."

"Why?" Carinia asked.

"I don't know," Bertha said.

Ashlen gave her friend and small glance and Carinia looked at her, "Do you have something to add to that?"

"No," the woman said.

Carinia expanded the blue fire a little and Ashlen winced despite there not being any burning...yet. "Are you sure?"

Ashlen was starting to shake a little, "Grul seems to think that Diane is up to something big, and he wanted to know more. X'heve has been quiet in Neveah of late and that has Grul nervous, it's clear that X'heve has been busy with something, and he wants to know what. He thinks that it will be in the spell book."