The Blood Servant

8

 The snow had stopped in the early hours of the evening, and Draco had managed to calm the horse down a little bit, so they were now walking instead of flying through the cold air at dizzying speeds. Ellery remained in a slumped position against his back, fast asleep, leaving him to navigate the way to Orsan by himself.

As his eyes scanned the map, he couldn't help but worry about Ellery. The last time he'd seen her fully, her normally red cheeks were ashen, and there were bruise-like circles underneath her eyes. He could still feel that she was trembling, and her breathing was irregular. On top of that, he could tell she was in pain because of the Dark Mark that was forcing its way onto her skin. He didn't know why, but her decreasing health was making him lose sleep. It was also making him feel worse about putting that spell on her. That's what was doing this. It was a good thing they weren't very far from the town where the author lived. That made things easier. He just had to get there before night fully arrived.

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 Distorted images were flashing in and out of existence behind Ellery's eyelids. The strong smell that had overloaded her sense when she'd met Lord Voldemort stung the back of her throat. She couldn't tell if she was sleeping or awake, but she felt terrible. His voice. It hissed and rang in the corners of her mind. All she wanted to do was block it out, but she found herself unable to move. What was this? Was it the mark? Was it messing with her mind?

Suddenly everything turned black. Ellery felt as if she were upright and fully aware. She reached out, her fingers brushing a robe like material.

" Hello?" Her voice echoed through the emptiness. The skin on her forearm burned and twitched.

" Can you hear me?" the hissing voice asked. Ellery's hands shot up to cover her ears. She didn't want to answer, but her lips formed the words anyway.

" Yes, I can hear you. Who are you?" She demanded sharply. The voice laughed, the sound crackling and too loud for her comfort. It sounded purely evil.

" I am the one that most fear to name. You saw me briefly at that meeting earlier this summer. Where have you taken my servant?" it asked, the voice turning cold.

" Give me one reason to tell you," Ellery snarled.

" Oo, bravery. You remind me of another young hero such as yourself. I'm sure you can connect the dots as to who I'm referring to." Another cold laugh. She winced as another wave of pain broke out through her arm.

" You speak of Harry Potter. I am nothing like him. Not nearly as ambitious. I have a different power source, different morals. My life was  significantly happier, though miserable through my own eyes. Do not compare us," she snapped, her body flaring blue for a moment.

" You are more alike than you might, think, Ellery. That's not my point, though. Where have you taken Draco? Answer me!" 

" Not as long as I live!" 

The response was a howl of anger, and then a snapping sound. Suddenly, Ellery's eyes were open, a startled cry escaping her lips. In turn, Draco jumped as well. Realizing she was awake and no longer on the back of the horse, but in an actual room on a bed, she sat bolt upright.

" Are you okay?" he asked, rising from the chair he was sitting in next to her.

" Yes, I'm fine," she answered shakily, " What time is it?" 

" Well into the early morning. You've spent most of that time sleeping. Has any of your strength returned?" His eyes were wide with concern. She noticed him studying her, from the cold anxious sweat on her forehead to the wild flickering that was still pulsing behind her eyes.