Faetality |✓|

Chapter Twenty, Part Two - A Gift of Blood and Bone

"Looks like I didn't use enough juice. Next time I promise I will." 

Tanise was striding towards me through the trees. Knowing that I was powerless against her I began to scoot backwards in the snow, but she was on me far too quickly to allow time for an escape. She reached out and grabbed a fistful of my hair, close to the scalp, and yanked me to my feet.

"Screw you! Let me go Tanise!"

"Not a chance." She snapped. "There's still work to be done and you aren't gonna get in the way of that."

Tanise dragged me back into the clearing, pausing long enough to stoop and grab the fallen Blade of Woe. By then, Ellen was already on her feet. Her hair was disheveled and she looked like she was still struggling to catch her breath, but otherwise she appeared to be in one piece. Disappointed that she was still conscious, I stubbornly glared and quelled the fear as she clenched her fists and began walking towards me, clearly intent on exacting a little revenge.

"Not now, Ellen," said Tanise sharply, causing the Suicide Fae to halt dead in her tracks.

"But that little bitch cost me the Unicorn blood. It's all in the snow. What'll we do now?"

"The spell said the blood of any Fae creature will substitute... so take it from her,"

Tanise let go of my hair only to put a hard knee in my back. Once again I was forced to my knees, looking up to witness the smile of satisfaction that was quickly spreading across Ellen's face.

"You won't get away with this," I promised, looking at Ellen but speaking to the Knight.

Immediately Tanise's hands went back into my hair, forcing my chin upwards to expose my throat. From the corner of my eye I saw the Blade of Woe as it rose menacingly into the air and then disappeared to settle gently against the base of my throat.

"Actually, something tells me I will," said Tanise, applying slight pressure on the blade. I winced as it nicked the skin, releasing a thin flow of hot liquid.

Meanwhile, Ellen had since retrieved the bowl and the small knife.

"You know, despite everything, I had high hopes for you, Tamsyn," said Ellen, walking towards me.

"Save it," I replied. "You always talked too much."

Ellen's lips curled into a matching sneer of anger. Without another word she snatched up my wrist and cut a deep, thin slit that immediately released a small river of blood. With a groan of pain, I watched as some of it splashed into the snow. The rest went into the small, wooden bowl. Yet as bad as it hurt, I knew the cut would eventually heal. But something else inside me had broken too. And if I didn't die tonight, that part of me wouldn't heal so easily.

With a last smile, Ellen turned her back on me, and walked towards Sienna and Juliette, who was now fully awake.