The TwiceBorn

Evil, Explained

“She used to tell me that a full moon was when mysterious things happen and wishes come true.”--Thompson

Alora slapped the dust from her leathers with a vicious hand.

“Maybe so,” She agreed.  “But until then,I want you to call off the Hynti at Lochedge.”

Yzebel’s head shot up and Alora caught the infinitesimal quiver of her lower lip.  The request was met with more reaction than Alora had expected.  Even though her overall position in the camp was at an all-time low, she instinctively knew that this moment was hers and hers alone. 

‘I will not!”  Yzebel yelped, her eyes skittering over towards Leonard. 

“They are only fetching what is mine!”

“Withdraw them or I’ll slaughter them.  And I’ll use your familiars to do it.”  Alora stated. 

Yzebel laughed, a wild cornered shriek, and gave Leonard a pleading glance. Alora took in the mewling expression and the worry in the hag’s eyes but wasn’t fooled.  She looked over at Leonard and watched him wrinkle his snout as he silently watched.  She hoped he wasn’t fooled  either.

Seeing that no help was coming from Leonard’s corner, Yzebel threw her hands dramatically up in the air.

“I will withdraw them,”  She sighed.  “It will benefit me more in the long run anyway.”

“And…why is that?”  Alora asked.

“When Abigor gives you to me, I’ll simply send them back out,”

 Her odd silvered eyes glowed in the firelight.

“By then, the peasants will be busy celebrating and the Hynti can slip into the streets and bring me what was promised.”

Curiosity replaced Alora’s anger.

“Why did you send them out?”

Yzebel fell silent and Alora recognized the stubborn jut of her jaw.  Which was fine with her.  Her anger rushed back and reached a point where it was all-consuming.  It was so white-hot and fierce it ventured into dark pleasure and she knew she was going to enjoy beating the truth out of Yzebel.  She took a step towards the hag but stopped at the sound of Leonard’s quiet chuckle.

“Tell her,Yzebel.  Not much point in it being a secret now.”

Yzebel’s eyes hardened as they darted from Leonard to Alora.  Her tongue darted out and wet her cracked lips.

“Alain made a pact with Belphigor. His soul for the prosperity of Lochedge.”

Already Alora didn’t like the story.  Belphigor was nothing but a trickster like herself, just on a much grander scale.  The simple pact, she already knew, was anything but.

“Belphigor didn’t want his soul,”  Yzebel continued.  “Instead, he conferred with Molach and Verdelet.  The pact was changed.”

“Changed to what?”

“Yzebel started to laugh.  Leonard joined in and all the familiars and hags followed suit, even though Alora knew they had no idea what was so funny.  She patiently waited.  This was new to her.  Being on the outside.  And while she could understand Yzebel and her need to appear superior, she was hurt by the sound of Leonard’s shared chuckle.

“Stop acting like a child” An inner voice admonished but the last time she’d been here she had been a child.  And now those small slender hands from the past reached out to her eagerly, ready to pull her back into all of her mourning for days gone by and all the uncertainties for the days to come.