Valin (Book 3 of the White Lily Trilogy)- first draft

Chapter 15- A plan in motion

Hope all had a very good Christmas/Yuletide for me, boxing day and bank holiday Monday (those last two for us English lot in the Uk, here is chapter 15 as your Christmas treat - Enjoy. Don't forget to like if you like and share with friends you think will enjoy the trilogy too) 

  "Were you fighting...again?" Isildilia asked in exasperation, her arms folded tightly over her chest. Dakelo turned his head and spat out a mouthful of blood onto the ground, his mouth full of the bitter taste like he licked a piece of iron. He had just survived a fight with a boy over twice his height, and although he had won the fight, he was far from unscathed. He had a swollen left eye, his skin mottled like some weird fruit and currently dealing with a bleeding mouth. He scuffed his feet when she appeared before him, knowing how much trouble he was in.

"Isn't that obvious?" he sarcastically replied, spitting on the floor again. He looked up at her stern face but then quickly averted her red gaze. He didn't want to admit to her, but that was the one stare that made him most uncomfortable.

"What was the reason?"

"A ranking dispute. If I want to make it to the top, I got to prove myself."

"By beating up the older children?" she asked.

"He challenged me, trying to push past my rank, so I put him in his place." He looked up and saw her roll her eyes at him. "Look, you can't act the negotiator all the time. I have to fight for my reputation and rank, I don't earn it by just glaring at someone." In response to his remark, the glare intensified, almost like those red pupils could set him on fire at any moment.

"You think I enjoy being cursed?" she snarled at him. He quickly shook his head.

"No." He replied sharply, realising his mistake at the comment. She pulled out a cloth she kept tucked just inside her belt. Walking over to stand right in front of him, she quickly dabbed it against his cheek. He watched as the red began to bleed back out to purple, still fascinated it can do that, despite seeing it happen for years. He hated to say it, but despite her lack of fighting, she was an ideal ally to help him achieve his goal.

"A year ago, when you offered friendship for protection for me, did you think most of that would turn out to be me protecting you?" She scoffed. He winced in response as the cloth press tightly against the cut.

"Well, you certainly give off a frightening, silent performance." The glare turned red once more in response. "I know, I know," he remarked, knowing what further scolding that would have followed his remark. Although he was older than she was, at time she acted the more mature, an ideal motherly figure, but that still didn't want him to stop acting the older-brother to her. It was his place after all. A sudden coughing fit overcame her. She dropped the cloth as both of her hands clutched at her chest and face, as if she was suddenly overcome in great pain.

"Isi? What's wrong?" he asked. She looked him square in the eye, her eyes becoming dark and haunting. She pulled her hand away from her face, and he gasped as he saw black ooze seeping from her nose. It was thick, like clotted blood.

"What's happening?" he demanded. The voice that replied was chilling, sounding more like the voice of an adult, but also faint, distant, like hearing a voice from the back of a cave.

"You better hurry; you're running out of time."

He bolted upright and flayed his arms around as he tried to stabilise himself. It took him a moment to remember where he was, when he became confused from seeing a ceiling and light pouring through a window, giving light to the dusky room now the fire had since been reduced to a few embers.