These Streaks of Blood

21

Having stayed in Rave's disgusting house for as long as he can bear, Galador crumples up the note from Nelye in his fist. He feels heat rush down the length of his arm, until his hand is enveloped in it. A second later, the note is nothing but ashes. He opens his hand and lets them flutter to the floor to join the rest of the dust collecting there.

Strolling over to the table, Galador picks up the gaudy bracelet. He turns it over a few times, admiring it. Not a gift, eh, dear? he thinks to himself. What other naughty things have you been up to?

He pulls his sleeve up to his elbow and slides the bracelet onto his arm. Then he tugs the fabric back down, covering the jewelry that is now acting as a sort of gauntlet. With one last glance around, Galador teleports away from the once-prison and reappears outside the house he had seen Rave watching a few days ago.  

So, old friend, Galador contemplates, Why would Nelye send you here? What made you choose this house?

The sun must have set hours ago; it's pitch-black, the time of shadows. Galador walks up to the front door as if he's planning to knock; a moment later, he's on the other side, looking around a bland foyer with sparse furnishings. He walks up the stairs, not worrying about how heavy his footsteps are, as he knows his treads are completely inaudible to humans. He follows his nose, smelling for the youngest human in the house, the one he had sensed nearest to Rave that night.

He pushes open the door without a creak and creeps inside. The girl, who is obviously Natalee's age - for the moment, anyway - is curled up in her bed, eyes squeezed tightly shut and her blankets wrapped around her like a cocoon.  

It's almost too easy, Galador laughs to himself. Humans are such simple prey. Unfortunately, that's not what he's here for. Not right now.

He raises his hand up in front of him, palm-out. Then he flicks it to the left, a slight gesture, one normally used to motion someone out of the way. The blankets fly off the girl, and she sits up with a start. Her eyes lock onto Galador and widen. Her heart rate increases.

Galador zips his lips with pinched fingers, the universal sign for keep your mouth shut... except in this case, the motion actually prevents any sound from leaving the girl's throat. He strolls to the side of her bed, and her eyes widen even more, which he wouldn't have guessed was possible. She scrambles away from him until her back is against the wall, the farthest she can go while remaining on her bed. Now that he sits down on the edge of it, there's no way for her to get away.

"Listen," Galador begins, making his voice as soothing as he can. "I'm not going to hurt you. I easily could, but I'm not going to. I'm only here for information. Understand?"

The girl just looks at him wildly, her breath coming in silent pants.

"I asked you if you understood," he prods, and the girl nods rapidly, obviously terrified.

"Good. Now, I'm going to give you your voice back in a moment, but I expect you only to speak when I ask you a question. Otherwise, I will kill you, without hesitation. Understand?"

The girl nods again, her eyes already becoming glazed over by the sound of Galador's voice. She won't disobey him, not while under this glamour, but it won't hurt to check that she's thoroughly entranced. Galador releases his spell with a motion of 'throwing the key away,' if you will, and the girl gasps as if in need of air, though her lungs have been working just fine the whole time.

"What is your name?" Galador begins casually. He picks up what must be her cell phone from her nightstand and begins tossing it through the air with one hand and catching it again with the other.