Burned at the Cross

Burned at the Cross ~ Ch. 8

        {[Eamon]}

        I began to walk closer to our two strangers who were just now waking back up, but Alyssa stopped me with a hand.

        "Wait." she cautioned. "Loui."

        The gigantic daschund went behind the people, growling slightly. They noticed the dog immediately, and their mouths hung open.

        Alyssa still held me back, but looked over at Father. He nodded at her. The two had some kind of communication where I felt left out. She took her hand away, but before I could step over the river, she beat me. simply by jumping where I still hadn't the courage to do so.

        She came up to them, pulling out a small dagger, "Who are you?"

        They only gaped up at her, not saying anything.

        Alyssa gripped the first guy's hair, pressing the sharp knife against his throat. "Tell me!" she demanded.

        "W-we don't know." he said, stumbling on his words.

        "How could you not know?"

        The other guy was staring at Loui in paralyzed fear. "There was a l-l-letter with no signature. There was also m-money for p-p-paying us." he got out, his accent was something that I couldn't quite place.

        Alyssa closed her eyes, and for a moment, she looked truly exhausted and much older than she really looked.

        "Do you have any other clues?" she asked, gentler than before. She let go of the first guy's hair and took away the knife.

        The man shook his head. "Only that the recipient's handwriting looked to be female."

        And then he kicked her.

        {[Alyssa]}

        The attacker's foot came up and there was only time for reaction. I dodged the human attack easily, and my fist swung around, hitting him square in the gut, making him double over. Loui growled in warning, but I kept him back.

        I stared, pitying this, now, mortal man who wouldn't tell me anything useful. I looked over at the other man that was the former wind mage. "Do you know the mailing address?"

        His gazed snapped back to me, the terror at having a witch's familiar so near him. Only his sadness at losing his power were left in his eyes.

        I ignored it.

        He hung his head in defeat. "I know not. I think it was from around this area, though which baffled me."

        The man had a point. If the real person behind it was in the Massachusett's area, why would he ask an Irishman come all the way overseas?

        Let them be, Alyssa. They've been stripped of their powers, their dignity, and they don't know anything. Aiden said.

        I sighed heavily, more tired than ever of the long night. Nodding, my feet started to walk away from them. The Shifters who left a while ago were starting to come back, staring curiously at the former mages and looked at me with looks of neutral curiosity, no longer disgusted with the witch.

        Remembering my position, I held my head up higher. I am Alyssa Bell, the last Diviner of the Bell family, protector of the Overlord and Prince. I didn't let them see how tired I was, didn't let them see the girl who was searching for her missing mother.