The water dissipated to a slim layer, yet emanated a squishing sound which announced my presence to my mother. A stale chill gripped me. Erot turned as did the men protecting her.
Before my mother stood the fractured image of a woman over a crystal ball, a short woman with a big bell like dress that flowed as if caught by the wind.
Her nails were as long as her charcoal black hair. Her bosom, so round, that the dress made her seem pregnant. The woman looked down at me.
My mother was not a fractured image like I saw once, but as real as can be. Wearing a deep red gown, blue trimmed belt bejeweled with green gems, her shoes were red and pointed. Her dark hair and milky light brown skin complimented the brown eyes that bored into me. The grin that caught her face indicated the joy at seeing me.
Valor, his neck was under her shoe. Five came behind me with Acomn slumped under his arm. We stood there. The fighting cries of the flicking flames against the cold daft roared in this calm. A large distance rested between us, but I knew that benefited us more.
“Mother,” I said.
The other woman made exaggerated motions at mother and said something.
My mother chuckled. “Yes, she is my daughter Elliza.”
Elliza?
Wasn't she the one that harboured a pertinent grudge against the Casnick coven, Valor’s prior family?
So why were they here?
Mother was probably going to hand him over to his enemies, and Elliza was an enemy.
Like hell, that was going to happen.
My mother faced me. A gentle smile greeted me. “How are you Carmine?”
“Did you name me?” I asked. That information, I genuinely desired to know.
“Yes I did. A beautiful name. It means red or blood depending on who you ask.” Something about how carefree Erot talked made me all the more observant of how weird this scene was.
How easily violence was defected to in the madness of thoughts. Valor groaned in pain. I saw the badly blood smeared arm.
Valor spoke, but his voice was weak. “You fool, why did you come?”
“You really think I am going to leave you?”
Valor groaned and looked at the ground.
Mother tilted her feet and said, “Don't you dare breathe on my ankle you blob of meat.” Her smile radiated as those eyes met mine.
Fitting, I took in a breath and said, “Give me Valor back.”
“Oh, you love this boy. Well, I am sorry I was going to hand him to Elliza here.” She motioned at the image of the other woman.
I held back my anger and steadied my breathing. “You cannot do this for me? As a mothe-“
Corona is on the upper levels. She is watching us. Five reminded me.
I inhaled. “As a mother? As a kindness, you owed me that much… You left me alone all this time.”
“I was looking for you.”
“Oh, why is it, your subordinate Corona wants me dead, but you desire me alive? Huh?!”
Mother’s eyes finally lost their kind luster. A devious tinge came to them when they narrowed. “Corona is a bigger believer in Seermetry than I am.”
“She believes I will kill you.”
“Yes, a stupid notion really.”
I shifted on my feet. “Do you not fear me? A lot of people believe it.”
YOU ARE READING
Carmine (Completed)
FantasyA young clever Princess of Ascus named Carmine is stuck in a daunting predicament by her father's decree. She wants to escape it by any means, for that was all she has ever done, running away from her duty, her crown. She must survive the darkest of...
