Claws of Eternity ✔️

Chapter 17: Wicked things

GISELLE

Giselle did her best trying not to stare at Sergey, but he was a colourful man. He wore a deep blue robe, covered in purple flowers. His black hair and beard were neatly cut. He wore a golden necklace with a ruby pendant hanging from it. The same pattern was on his rings and his bracelets. His accessories twinkled in the moonlight, drawing attention through the night. Fortunately for them, the night was calm and beautiful, nocturnal animals were singing in every direction.

Giselle wasn't tired, she slept a few nights ago. Only Sergey and Andryj were awake. Alacaris and Octavia, who somehow managed to convince Vlad going with Giselle to Cardona was a good idea, slept next to her. Sergey and Andryj were on the opposite side of the beautiful, elegant wooden carriage they've been traveling in. In a few nights they would reach Cardona. But currently, they were outside the Border, which, as Giselle understood it, was a magical line around large vampire residences, such as the castles. This magical line was keeping all the naughty creatures out. Of course, the Monarchy decided who that was. This line wasn't a wall, it was a field. A field that weakens power or strength of all the intruders. Basically, a witch within the Border was a weak witch. They were on the outside.

"Two days we've been outside of the damn thing, how much more?" Sergey asked. They were somewhere in France and the Border was near.

"This night, half the other day, something like that." Said Andryj, looking through the window. Andryj was the most beautiful man Giselle had ever seen. He was Greek, which explained his tan and his gorgeous eyes. And the hair, oh, God, the hair. He looked dangerous and in the same time kind. And, Giselle thought, he was utterly boring.

"Luck was following us through these woods, if we make it through the night we are most likely safe." Sergey's eyes were set on the woods, probably noticing every detail that might mean danger.

Giselle wasn't exactly scared because it's been two nights and she was already used to this feeling in her bones. It wasn't fear, it was quiet and dormant, but it woke up with every move that was out of place. They were like sitting ducks there, waiting for death.

"It felt... unfamiliar," Giselle said. "Those you call Shadows, the ones you think chased me through the woods after I ran from Carcassonne."

"Did you see them?" Sergey asked right away.

"No," Giselle shook her head, "all I saw was darkness, just like you call it, a shadow. But it felt different. It was cold and wet, but also burning. The air became hard to breathe in, like it was stuck in the throat unable to go through."

"No one has ever seen them. There are stories, about people that have and had their minds broken." Sergey seemed lost in thought.

"I did see the carter, and the horse. They were drained, everything alive in them seemed to have been sucked out."

Giselle knew she was scaring both Sergey and herself, but somehow it felt better. It was all they've been thinking about and nobody wanted to talk about it. Sergey thought they would curse themselves. Now, one night left, they needed anything but silence.

"Enough of this, Sergey, you're scaring the girl, reminding her of the horror she's survived." Andryj didn't like it and Giselle didn't like him thinking she needed protection.

"My darling boy, it's a real shame you don't like men, because you're not really acing the female thing." Commented Sergey and Giselle tried not to smile.

"To remind yourself of such dread is pointless." Andryj was shaking his head as he was looking towards Giselle.

"I've been raised to fear the woods," Sergey ignored him. "But some folk live in it. Rogue vampires, werewolves, even witches."