Cursed

Is this the End

Leaf

Zachary takes me down long winding halls. The halls are large and elaborately decorated, but despite all the colorful rugs, paintings, and tapestries there's a cold feeling to the tower. Finally, we stop at a seemingly random door. Zachary enters the room beyond, and I haltingly follow behind him.

Inside the room is like the hall. Colorful decorations, a large bed, an enormous wardrobe, weapons racks. Everything in the room is grand. When I think back to my room at the house at the Cursed Lake, and at the Tower, I shudder at how bare they are.

Zachary walks over to a large desk pushed over to the right side of the room. Above it is a glass stained window. He stops in front of it, preoccupied with his thoughts. He looks up at me.

"Take your clothes off-"

"I don't think so!" I exclaim.

He puts a hand over his face, as if he's going to need lots of patience in the next few moments.

"Let me rephrase: You can't keep walking around in what you're wearing now. I'll get you something to wear, and you can change. I'll also get you some fresh bandages," He points to my legs, "Those ones are bleeding through."

I look down at my legs. They were bleeding through. I'm surprised I didn't notice. I turn my back to him, and nod. He walks over to the wardrobe and pulls out some trousers and a shirt. He beckons toward a door a little ways from the one we entered through.

The room is small, but it provides privacy for me to change. The dark clothing is way too big for me, but that's to be expected. They're clearly not meant for a girl, or any unmuscled man. The shirt is black and the trousers area light shade of grey. My hair is in such disarray from the battles. He must have tried to pick the smallest things he had in his closet.

As I come out of the room I see Zachary sitting on the bed, holding clean bandages. He looks over at me. There's an amused look on his face, but I disregard it. He wasn't someone I should get close to. I still hate him. He's trying tear apart my family, as small as it is.

He puts his hand out, offering the bandages to me. I snatch them out of his hands. I move so his back is to me, and pull the leg of the trousers all the way up my thighs, so I can untie and replace the dirty ones. He doesn't turn to see what I'm doing.

A thought crosses my mind. I could easily grab a sword from one of the many racks around the room and attack him. As if sensing my thoughts he turns slightly. This isn't going to be easy.

When I finish replacing the bandages we lapse into a tense silence. I don't hate him as I once did, probably because of my mixed feeling toward Micha. I just can't help separating the two of them.

Although, killing his father is something I can never picture Micha doing.

Zachary turns to face me, and goes to say something when the room starts to darken, announcing the presence of Sullivan. Sullivan looks the same as when he left, only more displeased.There's a dangerous edge in his movements as he walks over to Zachary.

Cocking his head to the side, he asks, "Have you done what I told you to?"

Zachary nods, and Sullivan's look softens a bit. It's not everyday that you get the chance to please a god. Sullivan places his hand on Zachary's shoulder, as if they're old friends. Zachary stands and Sullivan nods.

I know they just had a silent conversation about whatever they're planning.

Zachary takes out the key he took from Will, and hands it over to Sullivan.