Scarlet (An SGE Fanfic)

The Mistake

TW: Memories of physical and mental abuse.

As the night went on, more and more names, Ever and Never alike, were picked off of the leaderboard. Arachne, Chaddick, Ravan, and, I was slightly disappointed to see, Anadil. But Sophie's stubbornly remained. As did Tedros’. As did mine. And when I saw the prince stumbling into the clearing, bloodied and bruised, I knew I had my chance. If I threatened Tedros, Sophie would have to show her face. At least, if she wanted to prove that she was really Good. I emerged into the clearing, Trial cloak clean and lips twisted into a vicious smirk. I had spent the night hiding out in the woods, never coming into contact with any students or creatures. Well, until now, that is.

"Where's your witch?" I taunted as I approached him.

"Safe," he said hoarsely, reaching out as if he was looking for something to lean on.

"Ah, I see," I smirked, hoping to draw Sophie out of her hiding place. "So much for your team."

The prince tensed. "She knows I'm safe too," he protested. "Otherwise she'd be here to fight with me."

"Are you sure about that?" 

"That's what makes us Good, Hester," Tedros said. I rolled my eyes, already done with his noble speech. "We trust. We protect. We love. What do you have?"

I smiled, knowing that Sophie must be within earshot. "Bait."

My demon burned red, lifting itself off of my neck. Tedros stumbled, but Sophie didn't come to his rescue. A dagger appeared in the demon's hand, aiming in the direction of the prince. Still, Sophie didn't appear. I ground my teeth, quelling a stab of fear. My only other option was my backup plan.

I reached for the dark power stored in the back of my mind, diving into its whispers. 

Vengeance, the voice murmured. You could end it all, if only you let me—

I cut off the voice, hissing an incantation as my demon engorged with blood, swelling larger and larger, the tension between myself and the creature inside intensifying, ready to burst. 

"Canticum corvi!" I hissed, throwing down my hands. The pressure released, replaced by piercing, agonizing pain. I howled in pain and fury, feeling as if my soul was being torn in half and stitched back together, over and over and over.

Kill him too, the voice tempted as I severed my demon into separate pieces, each holding its own knife. How hard would it be? One strike, another Ever's blood on your hands. Simple enough. One strike, and throw the kingdom of Camelot into ruins. Do it for the honor of evil. Prove to Meredith that you're more than a useless pawn in her game. Do it for Emma.

I collapsed to the ground, conducting this gruesome symphony with slight flicks of my lit finger. Five daggers stabbed toward Tedros, but only one hit its mark. Tedros roared with pain, ripping the dagger out of his thigh and crawling toward the only tree in the Glen. I hurled daggers toward Tedros' head, thoughts muddled. I wasn't sure what my intentions were anymore. I just wanted blood. Wanted death. My vision blurred, clouding with spots of blood. Going in and out of focus so that I didn't see Tedros diving toward my boot, pinning my red flag to the ground. My mouth opened in surprise, and before I knew it, I had appeared outside the gate, back on my feet, I collapsed to my knees, retching as pain racked my body. My blurred, reddened vision began to swim, my descent into darkness punctured only by stabs of pain and by someone saying my name.

It's over, my mind whispered. You've failed.

***

Focus. I hold out my hand, furrowing my brow. A shaky rune appears in front of my hand, but quickly fades away. 

Focus! The familiar lash of pain across my hand, a new scar to join those of past punishments, reminders that I'll never be good enough. Not for the Corvorum, not for Meredith, not for The School for Evil.

Another lash of pain, this time across my shoulder. A rough hand grabs the new wound, squeezing hard with sharp nails as it spins me around.

I'm staring into her face, cold, rigid, emotionless, her ice blue eyes flashing and her pale lips twisting into a mocking smile.

You need to try harder, dear, she'd say, cupping my face in her hand. Her hand is warm, almost uncomfortably so. I want to pull away, but I'm afraid of the consequences. You have to show us you're more than a mistake.

Then I'm falling, the warm, taloned hand on my face morphing into another. The rough, calloused hand that I'd come to know so well. But her hand soon slips away, and I'm left falling through the darkness on my own, slipping further and further away from her memory. 

***

I jerked awake, pain spiking throughout my body as I threw myself forward. Someone caught me, pushing me back onto my pillow. Their hand touched my cheek as they held me down, preventing me from struggling.

Cold, smooth, vaguely familiar, I thought deliriously, my heart still pounding. My eyes flew open, darting around the blurry space in front of me in an attempt to make sense of it all. When my vision came back into focus, I found Anadil's face less than a foot away from mine, determination and concern fighting for control in her eyes. 

"What-what are you doing?" I croaked, my voice dry.

"Saving your life, you idiot. Now stop struggling." she reached to the bedside table, her hand briefly leaving my face to uncork a vial of murky broth, which she poured directly into my mouth. You don't want to know what it tasted like.

"Why? What…what happened?"

Anadil took a moment before responding, making sure I'd swallowed all the potion. "The Trial has been over for four days. Classes have resumed, but no one has seen you or Sophie since."

"She's alive?"

"Unfortunately. You, on the other hand…" Anadil trailed off, uncorking another vial, but this time I could feel her hands shaking as she tipped it into my mouth. I hadn't seen her this undone…well…ever. "What were you thinking, attempting black magic at that level? We're first years, Hester! The School healer has almost no experience dealing with this sort of a curse; you would've died if I didn't have that antidote book that my mother gave me." She moved her hand away from me, but I caught it with one of my own. She blinked, her eyes flitting to our intertwined fingers, but she didn't let go.

"Why?" I asked.

"Why what?"

"Why did you help me? Why didn't you let me die? You're a solitary witch, you've told me yourself. If this in school coven is only for convenience, what do you get in keeping me alive?"

Anadil looked away.  "I guess I'm not as solitary as you would think."

I can barely stop the smile, and I certainly can't stop the warmth that floods my chest at her words. Every instinct is telling me to push the feelings down, deep enough that I'll never think of them, never remember them again. But I find, just this once, I'm too weak.