Primalcraft: Sins of Bygone days (book 2)

Chapter 25

Blake still refused to let go of Jaxon who held him close to his chest. They both stood behind Owen and Kai who did not want the two to be in danger in case the whole thing escalated again. The witches were still on edge but were too preoccupied with trying to heal Scarlett Graycrest to want to fight again.

The shifters though were clearly looking for a fight and only Elliott's presence hindered them from ripping the witches apart. Elliott looked over at the body of Scarlett twitching in pain while Leon tried his best to soothe her pain. But he was no healer. The only healer in the group was the Head Druid who looked livid.

Blake shuddered when he saw his maddening eyes darting over the shifters like they were monsters. He had healed his broken wrist and stood now and glared at them with ill-disguised fury.

"Head Druid, we need your help," Leon shouted while his face was plastered with worry for his mother.

"I refuse."

"What?!"

"You... She promised me revenge but the shifters are still here. Kill those beasts and I will heal your mother," said Matthew. He pointed at Elliott and his pack. Blake felt horror and disgust surge from his chest. That asshole actually wanted a mass murder in return for healing, was he insane?

"You can't be serious. You want us to murder innocent people-"

"Innocent? Look at them. They are rabid beasts. If we do not stop them they will just spread," Matthew shouted to the whole crowd of witches who winced. Some of them looking uncomfortable. The rage had faded and they now saw clearly what they had done.

"This is ridiculous. Ahriman? Can you-" Blake needed not finish that line as Ahriman looked over at him. His burned face was soon covered in black smoke as the face Blake had come to known now appeared on Ahriman's face.

Ahriman walked casually over to Leon who raised his mother up hopeful that Ahriman could help him. Ahriman leaned over Scarlett who groaned as her burned body still fumed after the attack. The smell of burning skin was horrible and Blake wanted desperately to gag but he held it back out of consideration for his friend who might lose his mother.

"Well, the good news is that she will survive. These wounds are not lethal," Ahriman said slowly. He had a strange look of fascination on his face that made Blake want to hit him. A little empathy would not have hurt.

"Are you sure? These burns-" Ahriman interrupted Leon with a gesture before scratching his head.

"This is no ordinary burns. They are not meant to kill. The flames of the Archon Nemain is not ordinary. It does not burn those with a pure heart. But the more sins you are guilty of, the worse marks the flames will leave. Your mother must be a truly horrible person for her to be burned to this extent but she will not die," Ahriman explained.

"Is that the bad news?"

"No, she will never be healed from her scars as long as she has a wicked heart. Nemain's flames are like a curse meant to burn the sins into the skin. In full view of the world. When her sins are abolished. Then the scars will vanish," Ahriman said with a shrug.

"That will never happen," muttered Leon, and Ahriman chuckled.

"That is the fault of all those who sinned. They rarely seek redemption. Either way, you can try to break the curse but I know of no way to break the curse of an Archon."

"Not even though you are one yourself?" asked Elliott and Blake frowned. He had wondered if the connection between Ahriman and Nemain is that they are both Archons. It would explain why they know each other, why Moira knows of Ahriman. Archons are considered above gods after all. Direct links to the Anterions.