[Fantasy novel, completed ✓]
In a world filled with magic, dragons, witches, demons, deadly creatures and other magical beings, the life of the king's daughter Victorine changes with a single blow when her kingdom is attacked.
She loses not only he...
If you know of monsters, and if you know of demons, then just remember they know of you too, and they fear you because you are the dragon that can overcome them - Nikita Gill
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- Victorine -
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I watched Nicolas disappear after he had crossed the threshold. In order not to burden the witch any longer, I quickly stepped forward to climb down the ladder as well.
But before I could do that, the watery, blurry image of the wooden floor disappeared and became complete darkness again.
Confused, I looked at the witch, who exhaled in exhaustion. "What happened?", I asked with my heart pounding harder.
"We got rid of the man," she gave me the answer I clearly hadn't hoped for. Slowly and as unobtrusively as possible, my right hand moved down to the hilt of my sword.
The witch now straightened up again. As she stood upright on both legs, it was as if her outer appearance was crumbling away. Her perfect skin became ashen, white, scarred, pockmarked, and uneven. The small nose turned into a big, long and pimply one. Her body became smaller and older, while her posture appeared hunchbacked. As she smiled, I could see pointed, rotting witch's teeth between her lips.
I tried to suppress my rising fear of her appearance, but couldn't stop myself from taking two startled steps backward.
My back bumped into a shelf that hadn't been there before. I spun around to steady it and keep it from toppling over. The clanging sound died away and looking at the contents of the shelf, I was glad nothing had been broken. I stared at the jars of various sizes, filled with human eyes, hearts and other organs.
Inwardly, I tried to calm myself as I turned back around to the witch.
"Why-?" it escaped my mouth before I could even find words for my question.
"I cast a spell on my appearance?" she finished for me, which hadn't been my question at all. "Because it's been my experience that men trust beautiful women more." Her voice was croaky and raspy.
"Where is Nicolas?", I now wanted to know. My fingers clasped the hilt of my sword. "Is he well?"
"In Tenebris. Where he is supposed to be," the witch spoke in a tone as if I should actually know.
"And why not me?", I echoed.
Now it was the witch who looked confused. "Because you have to fulfill the payment for my services. Didn't you get the information from Vindicta, then?"
"What, what payment?", I asked, while my heart was beating faster and more irregularly.
The witch glared at me, then spread her lips into a ghastly smile that sent an icy shiver down my spine. "Don't worry. You'll live." She laughed - a high, shrill sound that drove through my marrow. "As long as you don't act too stupid."
