Of Thorns and Glamour

Fledgling

My dreams are vivid.

First I dream of the night where Nuir called for me in the sweetest tone it made me sick. He was a bastard, but the way he smiled at me made me think he was happy for me.

Sadly that was not the case as he throws me next to a girl with green short hair, with blueish skin and two small horns. My little nymph, how she was so sweet to me. I tasted the coating of blood on my tongue as he smacks me when I tell him I won't kill her, but he would have to kill me. I was powerless to stop him as he choked her and then snapped her neck. My hands were coated in blood as I stabbed and cut out her heart. She watches me with eyes of hatred, "Why did you have to like me. I would had been alive."

I cried and cried, "I'm sorry."

Then her body was thrown onto a pile of corpses, my uncle and mother included. Mortal and gods dead and piled on top one another. I look the the pooled blood at my feet. Gold, blue, red and a rainbow of hues mixing together and see my dark reflection in it. It's not clear, but I see my smiling face, satisfied with what I am viewing.

I look away, feeling incredibly sick, but my hands catch my eye, they are bloody. I feel pressure on my right shoulder and I look up and see Inchiki who's hand is on it. I almost turn to him to ask what happened, but another hand grabs my other shoulder more strongly. I slowly turn my face, not wanting to look at them, but I see Nuir smiling down at me. I try to turn to Inchiki, but his hand is no longer there and he's walking away. Golden chains link on cuffs that are on wrists and ankles, and Nuir drags me away from him. I pull away and scream out to Inchiki, his back towards me, and fall to my knees. When I look down and see my reflection in the pooled blood, I am suddenly my mother. I tear my eyes from the reflection, and now see Malphas is walking away with him, as if he never was dead on the pile of bodies. I felt the betrayal in my bones and I started screaming again, feeling my mother's despair.

My dream breaks, and I could hear two voices over me. I try moving but I realize I'm being held down on my shoulders as I try to fight them. I shoot my eyes open and I thought I was still dreaming. I saw my uncle's face, worried brow creasing over his blue eyes. I feel slick and sweaty, my hair sticking to my skin, I look at Inchiki who is holding me down. The betrayal was still fresh in my mind, I feel exposed though as I see I have nothing on.

It feels like a cold bucket of water was drenched on me.

I pull at the blanket and cover my body, Malphas who realized at the moment I was indecent looks away. I look at my skin, it shines iridescent like oil on water, slick from sweat. I was also glowing, but it was sporadic and inconsistent. I notice my faerie sitting down at the end of the bed with a worried look on her face. I push back my hair, "What's happening to me?"

Inchiki let's go of me, "You've been away for too long," he explains to me, "I didn't think this would happen so soon." I look at Malphas, acid coats my tongue.

"Why is he here?" I ask, moving away from my uncle.  I feel my heart thundering my chest from pure anger and panic. I see his face stricken with guilt, "You can't take me back there!" I scream at him while moving away, clenching onto the blanket to cover me. I'm at the edge of my bed, but Inchiki is blocking my path out.

My feelings for my uncle mix with my love for him and my absolute fear of being taken home, back to my cage, twists my gut. He looks away from me again and promptly leaves the room.

"Just stay there, he isn't going to take you home," says Inchiki. I look back at him as he follows Malphas out, leaving me alone in my room.

My breathing starts becoming ragged and my body tremors.

Lies.

I hear a small voice say in my mind, it sounds too similar to my mother's voice. I get up and start dressing myself  as quick and quietly as I can, but the slick sweat of my body clings to the fabric. Something catches the corner of my eye I notice my canine teeth are longer when I look in my mirror. I stop, and see my eyes glistening and swirling with color, my hair and skin shine in the light pearlescent. I wouldn't be able to pass as mortal if I took a step outside. I try to use the silver dish I was gifted. I pour water into it and cut my hair for the spell. It glows faintly but I feel my power drained as the spell fails. I swear under my breath, and continue to get my clothes on and cover myself with my cloak.