Darkmist

Part 8

Head lolling onto her chest, Y/N jerks into consciousness.

Her arms are pulled tight behind her back, rope cutting into her wrists and holding her hostage. Firelight flickers in the corner of her vision as blearily, Y/N squints.

She cannot remember where she is, why she is here.

A roaring fire dances before her. Light from the flames leap over her skin, forming cruel patterns. Cringing away from this, Y/N realizes she rests on her knees. Wobbling, she nearly falls forward but the rope binds her in time, stopping the motion. Exhaling lowly, hair falls in her face.

Across the fire, someone chuckles.

Suddenly remembering the events of tonight, Y/N's head lifts.

Alvah smiles from the other side of the flames, sharpening a knife in one hand. He is dressed entirely in black – tunic, waistcoat, overcoat and trousers. If Y/N did not know any better, she might think him on his way to a party.

Slowly, he stands. The silver of his knife gleams as he walks closer. "You left me no choice, you know," he says sadly, stopping before her.

Y/N does not respond, twisting again in her ropes. Reaching out for her magic – she inhales. Nothing happens. The shadows refuse to come, her darkness lies vacant and still. The door remains stubbornly locked in her mind. Panic shoots through her, making her tremble. Each pulse of her blood feels sluggish and slow; Y/N can only assume this is because of whatever drug runs in her veins.

Alvah crouches before her. "Kissing a hellhound in the open like that." Gently, he tuts and presses the knife to her chin. "Why, anyone could have seen you – and I did," he says, gripping her hair and yanking back her head. "I saw you, Y/N and truly, I must thank you. Without that, I would've kept searching in all the wrong places."

His hands are still gloved, identical to the mirage Hoseok showed. That strange, silver ring still rests on his finger. The sigil seems so familiar to Y/N and yet, she cannot quite place it.

"What?" Alvah laughs. "Are you choosing now to be quiet? A few weeks ago, you wouldn't stop giving me information. Couldn't stop telling me about the town. It's people. All the... strange happenings going on."

Y/N's stomach sinks swiftly. Remembering their walk through the town, she now sees it from a different perspective. Alvah was trying to gather information from her. This entire time, he has been searching for magic.

"Ah." His lips twitch. "You understand."

"You," she whispers, the word scratching her throat. "You thought... Gwen had magic."

"I did," he agrees. "I was most displeased when I couldn't convince her to show it to me. Her death was an accident, you know. I merely thought she needed proper... incentive to perform. I was wrong."

Y/N's head spins, realizing what he means.

He tortured her. Alvah tortured Gwen seeking a confession, but never received one – because she was not magical. He tortured Gwen because he thought she was Y/N and eventually, Gwen died.

"You... monster."

Alvah's expression darkens. "Not a monster," he hisses. "I am merely doing what's necessary to rid this world of monsters. Of those who hoard their power and refuse help to humans."

Y/N stares at him fearfully. "What are you?"

Mirthlessly, he laughs and releases her hair. Y/N's head droops forward.

"Your worst nightmare, witch. I'm a Traveler," Alvah breathes. "I was created to take the night from creatures like you."

Imagines flash before her eyes, unbidden. Her parents' bodies on the floor, Crymych awash in fire and blood. Her father's throat slit, a knife plunged into her mother's gut – and the human who did it, slowly turning around. She remembers him wiping blood from his knife, silver ring on one hand.