Kingslayer

CHAPTER 5

After breakfast I made my way to the library once again. The frail old woman from yesterday was expecting me, she said. She also told me her name, Ismene. I recognized her name as one from Thassela. Her wings were hidden under her light robes, so I couldn't tell if that's really where she was from. Though not surprised by my request this time, she seemed no less fearful. She brought more tomes my way.
I combed through all of them, but found not even a mention of Ares, the current ruler or maybe rulers, I wasn't sure. There was also nothing about his sons, Kieran, the heir, and Deimos. Just fables upon fables. I also couldn't find mention of what the fae there are like. Though I've heard stories of their mischief, I don't even really know what they look like. Or more importantly, any weaknesses and strengths they may have. I needed to know the weak points on their wings. Since I couldn't fly away if they attacked, I had to know how to immobilise them. The quickest way was taking away their most precious thing, other than magic.
Frustrated with my lack of findings I flip the last tome open down the middle. What I found is a sketch of an imp-looking creature. My breath catches. As my stomach turns, I realise I should've come before breakfast.
The pointed ears elongated, the forehead wrinkled, its dark, dirty hair covers its black eyes, an open mouth reveals rows of sharp, though deteriorated, its long spindly fingers extending into long dark claws. Limbs come out from even its bony back, like a spiders. They look as if the grey skin is peeling and melting off of its bones. Its nose, or lack thereof, was uncanny. Instead of a nose there's only two small holes, as if its skull is peeking out. It's unlike any unseelie I've ever heard of. The more I stare the more my breath quickens. I can almost feel the stare of its small, barely visible, black eyes. I
understand now what Ismene was so afraid of. Was she afraid of me seeing this? Had she seen one of these... I look to the bottom of the page to find the name of the beast, Gris, that's what it's called.
Gods, does the king look like that?
At the thought my breathing stops again. My lungs feel as if they're closing, not allowing any air in. My throat does the same.
Breathe, I remind myself to breathe.
But I cannot. The air refuses to enter my lungs. Panic overtakes me as my vision spots. I lose any memory of the thing in front of me, any sense of self, all I have is the need for air. And thoughts, I knew I couldn't survive the thing if I saw it.
I try again to calm my short, rapid breaths, unsuccessfully. I feel a soft touch on my shoulder, but ignore it. "Breathe Val'", I hear a comforting voice say. Somewhere in the back of my mind I recognize it. My throat finally allows a breath to my lungs, opened as if by force. If the presence hadn't been holding my shoulders, I would have slammed my head into the desk. As my vision returns, and my heart beats slowly resume a normal pace I recognise the presence as Irina. "If I wasn't here you would have gotten a concussion", she says and removes her hands from my shoulders. I understood then what she did. My sister and I can control the air. As all fae are elemental, that's the gift Aemish fae were blessed with. Though as royals, Irina and I can create ice by turning the air cold and freezing the water in it. Or freezing the air inside of something and therefore freezing it. What she did was control it in a way that makes my throat open up since it was refusing to do so. Though my thoughts were still racing, I was breathing calmly. I wasn't even sure how she came to know to control air in a person's lungs that way. It was my favourite way of killing before I found out I could freeze a person's blood. Then it became freezing the blood in the heart. Nonetheless, I thank her. I would have asked her about her sudden knowledge, however I focus on calming my thoughts now. Curiously, the book was closed. Perhaps I had imagined it. Though I still didn't like that explanation, for it would make me crazy if it were true. Noticing my stare Irina says: "I closed it, I couldn't look at the thing either." A wave of relief washes over me. I hadn't imagined it. And I realise that if the thing were real, I would be the one facing it. Not Irins. I turn my head to look at her. Her ebony eyes were wide, her face paler than usual. I wasn't sure if it was due to my sudden inability to breathe and think, or the Gris. "You're okay now right?"
"Yes Iri, thank you, but are you?"
She plays with the end of her braid, "I am, just...Be careful please, I don't know what happened but I don't want it happening again." I wasn't planning on telling her this isn't such a rare occurrence, embarrassed by her even seeing me like this so I promised her it won't happen again. "How come you're here, anyway?" She let her braid go, drawing her gaze from the floor to me
"The same thing you're doing."
I motion for her to sit, and she does, sinking into the chair across from me.
"I knew you were here yesterday, and I saw you leave this morning and I just wanted to help", she stumbled over her words.
Irina's always been thoughtful in that way. We each have our own ways of protecting each other. While I would physically hurt those who did her, she would do little things like this to help. Especially in the academy, she has no idea how much her always being my partner helped. The children were scared of me, or mocked me and found me useless for team work.
The little things she did helped more than any battering them would have.
Her words of encouragement once I moved to more advanced grades, too. Though I would go out of my way to help her as well. She was the gentle, tender and comforting sister, while I was used to using brute force to help. I had to, it was the way our dynamic worked. I am gentle with her when need be, but we can't both be soft, compassionate and caring. One had to take a tougher stance. And I let it be me.
We spent a good while looking through various texts, my breath now calm and steady. When I began to withdraw, she informed me she was staying. I wanted to know why, drawing her gaze away from me and back to a text she merely said: "Nothing important, just school work." So I left, not wanting to disturb her studies further. Something about her response irked me, but I couldn't quite figure out what.