Another Lost Soul

Chapter 16

The sapphire snake sat comfortably in my hair, which was fading to a darker color as my heart squirmed in my stomach.

Everyone keeps lying to me. Why do I listen every time?

I feel like there's heroin in my skin, like there's fire in my lungs and water in my blood. Like I'm decomposing from the inside.

I had killed an innocent child, not only the one I'd axed in the head. I'd killed my own innocence too.

A bright yellow snake peeked through my window, note in its mouth. "Not now."

The snake slithered onto my stomach anyway, and sat patiently. "Go away."

He didn't move.

"Fine." I took the note and opened it.

The bars of the window will break out easily so you can climb down to meet us. I feel it's important to mention that Alenor will be along my side.

I saw the executions today. They were cruel to you.

You must be angry.

You should be.

-Traveler

I threw the letter aside and stood up, the golden reptile climbing to my shoulders. I merely stepped to the wall and slammed my fist into the brick wall. My knuckle busted, blood spurting up the wall and leaving me more tired than before. "Don't act all sympathetic!"

I felt the weight leave my shoulders. "Sympathetic is nowhere near the correct word. I don't really understand how you feel at all."

I flinched and turned around, the same blonde man I'd killed just hours before standing behind me. "In fact..." he frowned and adjusted his coat. "I don't really care."

"You bastard-"

"I didn't write the first letter. That was my own master. You seem to have had some sort of falling out with yours."

"So you're an apprentice...how are you alive?"

"Well it wasn't hard. All I had to do was clone myself."

"Why do you want?"

"Help. That's all."

"Why should I help you?"

"I can help you in return. See, my masters family is in danger. I'll do anything you want as long as you can convince Han to call off his trial."

"Han forced me to kill an innocent child. What makes you think I can make him drop an entire trial?"

"The fact that if you don't, Alenor will take the fall. You'll have to kill him in the arena when he does."

"What do I get out of this?"

"I will take your place in the arena."

"Innocent people will still die if you take my place."

"And one of them will be your master of you don't help us." He cocked his head.

"I can't." I sighed. "I can't help people anymore, don't you see that? I have nothing to offer you! I can't convince him to-"

"You can and you will. Make your decision before meeting us at midnight."