CACKLE- Book 1

Chapter Fourty

*Bang bang bang*

Remi woke with a start. She looked around, hoping to see the loft- hoping that this had all been a horrible nightmare. Until she saw her mothers face. Drained of color, eyes still closed. Her soft red hair had lost all vibrancy in the dim evening light.

*Bang bang bang* Someone was pounding on Anna's door.

Remi felt nothing for the patron. Whatever ailment they had, it wouldn't matter for long. These people were all doomed. Doomed to die. Doomed for the cycle to repeat itself. Remi's eyes were swollen and painful, but her throat was worse. She looked around and saw a pitcher of water on the main table. She tried to stand and gasped. The slices that hell bitch carved into her back felt like they were opening again. Fresh pain spread across her body. She ignored it.

*Bang bang bang*

That knocking was really starting to get annoying. Remi shuffled to the table and lifted the pitcher to her lips. Water spilled from the sides of her mouth as she gulped greedily. She finished and let the pitcher fall to the ground, smashing into a million tiny pieces of glass. She tilted her head, 'I wonder if that's how my heart would look now.' she thought.

*Bang bang bang*

Remi turned to look at her mother. Beautiful even in death. Even surrounded by this horrific scene of red and black blood. She was perfection. Remi shuffled back and gently stroked the side of her mothers cheek. Her head was still resting on a pile of pillows and sheets. She must have still been in delivery, or just finished, by the time the hounds arrived. Anna wasn't here. She had likely taken Remi's infant self to the volcano. Her plan, in case the cycle started again. Remi thought, she might as well go to Anna now. Tell her what happened, so this time, they would have more knowledge to prepare.

*Bang bang bang*

But she can't go to Anna. That horrible witch, Marella, she had Remi's blood. She had her scent. Remi would bet her life that if she did go to Anna, knowing what she does now, those hell bitches would be all too happy to report back to their master. Without her infant self, there would be no hope of repeating the spell and trying this again. But without that knowledge... Maybe Remi could write a letter, maybe she could somehow get it to Anna... at the very least, she could leave it here- should Anna ever return.

*Bang bang bang*

Remi went to Anna's writing desk to grab the supplies she needed, and froze. Resting in the middle of the desk was a wax sealed letter... addressed to her. At first, she wasn't sure that she wanted to open it. What if it had been written by Marella.. What if she had somehow been here and was taunting her now. Remi picked up the paper, assessing through bloodshot eyes. Her name was written in Anna's handwriting...

*Bang bang bang*

Remi looked at the front door and crawled under her breathe. She turned the letter around, ready to rip the seal off- but small words were printed on the back below Anna's family emblem imprint that read;

"Only open when you're alone."

The envelope made her fingers tingle. She could feel magic gently pulsing from it. Whatever was written in here, was for her eyes only. Remi folded the letter and stuffed it in her pocket. Though books still remained on the shelves and dirty dishes sat in the wash basin, the cottage felt empty. Barren and cold.

*Bang bang bang*

She returned to her mothers body and placed a kiss on her forehead, stroking her cheek. "Thank you." Remi whispered.

*Bang bang bang*

Remi ground her teeth and whipped around. Ignoring the pain in her spine she marched to the door and ripped it open.

A guard stood there, looking startled as she burst through the door. First at her, then his eyes were wide with disgust as he took in her appearance. She must have looked like a blood soaked doggy chew toy by now, but her capacity to care was gone.

"What!?" Remi yelled. Her voice didn't sound like her own, it was hoarse and scratchy. The taste of blood returned to the back of her tongue.

The guard stumbled over his words.. "He said you would be here." was all that came out.

Remi raised her brows and tilted her head, "Who?" She snapped.

The guard flinched, but quickly composed himself. "Prince Ryker. He has demanded your immediate attention. We are here to escort you to the Adinna guard facility." He sounded as though he had previously rehearsed those words.

"We?" Remi countered.

The guard stepped to the side. Just past Anna's gate was half a dozen Elorician soldiers on horseback, and a wagon. Not a comfortable wagon for casual rides around the village, but a wagon that held only one thing. A cage.

"I'm not getting in that thing. Iron, is it?" She scoffed.

"Miss, Remilia." The guard started...

"Remi." She interrupted.

The guard didn't flinch that time.

"The prince advised, in the event you were willing to come without the need for force, you may ride a horse- and wear these." The guard pulled a pair of archaically old looking iron cuffs.

His voice may have been steady now, but his hands were shaking as he extended the cuffs to her.

Remi weighed her options. Her magic wasn't gone, she could feel it starting up again. Slowly gaining momentum. But it was at a crawl, she wouldn't be able to take on half a dozen guards right now... and Ryker likely knew that as well. The guards waiting for her looked uncomfortable. Looking from the ground to the slowly growing crowd now forming to gape and gasp at the iron cage. People stopped and stared at her, their hands flying to their mouths. What must they think? Seeing her dishevelled and covered in blood. That she hurt Anna? Maybe. For some reason or another, Remi couldn't find it in her to care.

She rolled her eyes at the guard.

"Fine." She said. She turned away from the guard and walked back into the cottage, not bothering to close the door. The guard didn't move, he stood there like a big statue blocking the light from entering the tiny cottage. Remi grabbed a small sack, some apples and a hunk of cheese from the counter top. She found half a baguette on the ground. It had likely been knocked from the table during the attack. The thought of that made Remi furious. The tears that caudled her to sleep last night were nowhere to be found today. She picked up the bread and dusted it off. A red splotch splattered the end of the crust. Remi figured she would just eat around it. After all, she had come from her mother. What's the harm of consuming a bit of her blood? There was no capacity to care left in her. She needed food, she needed to refuel her magic and she needed it now.

The guard let out a small gasp when Remi returned, knawing on the bloodied bread. "You can cuff me, if they wont get in the way." She said, unflinching at the look of disgust pinching the guards lip to his nose.