A Tale of Three

Chapter 17: Chosen

            She felt like she was asleep. Her eyes were closed and her body seemed stuck in a deathly still. She tried to move her tail but nothing happened. In fact, Cyrene couldn't even feel herself breathing. Her head felt fuzzy as she laid in complete darkness. Thinking was a challenge, and every time Cyrene tried to recall where she was or what had happened her mind seemed to move through sap.

"Ardzakel," a voice chanted from beside her. Immediately she felt her eyes open. Cyrene saw she was in a smoke-filled den that resembled Omnes's. Cobwebs lined the walls and it smelled like the sky after a rain. However, her observations of the room didn't last long, for something else caught her eye. Feluna was laying in front of her with paws crossed. The panthress was flicking her tail across the floor casually. Her gold eyes held an air of amusement. Cyrene's eyes grew wide. Feluna's pitch black pelt had changed to a pure white, and the tattoos had become black. It was almost an exact copy of her. The feather necklace still hung from her neck.

"You're awake," Feluna laughed. Cyrene frowned at the panthress.

"What just happened to me?" Cyrene asked. Even though every nerve was on edge, Cyrene still felt her eyes struggling to stay awake.

"I put you under a sleeping spell. You were almost dead by the time I brought you here," Feluna told her, getting up. She walked across the den and picked up a vial filled with light yellow liquid. Facing Cyrene, she said, "Drink this, it should help you think."

Feluna carefully settled the potion in front of Cyrene. It didn't look like poison. She opened the vial and drank it. It was much better than Omnes's potions. It was sweeter than honey but not so much it made her sick. As she licked up the last drop, the sleepiness left her. Everything that had happened last night returned to her. Her stomach became tight with fear, and she could barely catch breath. Black spots started to dance across her eyes, and her claws gripped tight against the stone.

"You killed him," Cyrene gasped, trying to gulp air.

"I had to, but I didn't want to," Feluna sadly said, looking at Cyrene in the eyes. Cyrene quickly looked away. Feluna had killed Caddaric. She could faintly remember his body lying in a pool of blood. Something inside of Cyrene quickly snapped.

"Yes. You did! You didn't have to kill him!" Cyrene screeched, filling with anger. She immediately picked herself up off the ground and stood up, glaring down at Feluna.

"I had a choice, but I couldn't choose," Feluna said gently.

"You are a murderer!" Cyrene snarled, unsheathing her claws. "I bet you're also the one who sent Drey after me! I know you're the one who killed my mother!"

"Cyrene, please. I can explain," Feluna begged. Cyrene froze. The panthress who had killed Caddaric was so different. She was still confident and all smooth words, but she looked like she was actually feeling emotion. Not knowing why, Cyrene slowly nodded and sat back down. Feluna let out a pained smile before yawning.

"I know you have seen the memory by now. You have probably figured out the curse has started," Feluna began. Cyrene slowly nodded, keeping her eyes locked on Feluna's white pelt. "Well, it wasn't just a curse on Jinx. It affected me too. Curses are dark magic, ones we aren't supposed to practice. I know you have heard that I am a necromancer; necromancy is dark magic, which is probably why there haven't been any others who have practiced it. The thing is, dark magic doesn't give freely. It has to take something back. For most felines, necromancy takes away your life."

Cyrene looked at her curiously. Feluna was not dead, at all. The panthress smiled at her. Out of polite reflex Cyrene smiled back. She quickly stopped herself. Feluna had ruined everything.