Page 44 of Of Daggers and Deceit

A young hand reached toward me with a quick flick of its fingers, startling me. It was far too close to my face, far too close for me to have not heard much else prior. I tried to scream at the unidentified intrusion, but I couldn’t even move my lips to form the words. I couldn’t feel my lips move. Only muffled sounds escaped me, not enough to be heard by anyone in this section of the garden.

My fingertips grabbed at my mouth to pry it open, to force whatever resistance held them together out and away. Instead, to my absolute horror, my fingertips brushed over smooth skin. The bump of my lips was no longer there.

I turned to stare back into my reflection in the water, terror sluicing through me at what shone back. Fearful eyes, spooling curly black hair, a nose but no mouth.

I jerked back in fear, my heart pounding at my ribcage, echoing loud in my ears.

Run, Riley. Run.

I turned to do just that as ice began to form on the skin at my feet. A cool, insidious something crawled higher up my body, feeling so like how Raya’s gift had brushed against me so many times before, though hers felt like a ray of warm sunshine.

I pulled my gaze downward to watch it slowly crawl up my legs, moving higher and higher until only my head was left unfrozen, staring at the shadowy, cloaked figure before me.

Long white hair hung from within the figure’s black hood, which shielded the entirety of their face. Their tattered robe dragged along the ground with every whip of the wind. The only part of the intruder visible were two hands with long, black, chipped nails. Three lit, tapered candles of differing heights floated in the air before her, the flames flickering in the wind but never going out.

My head spun from trying to process what was before me.

Everything about it seemed like a dream, but it felt so terrifyingly real. I knew I was awake. I knew it, but I didn’t want to be. I wished more than anything that this was only a nightmare.

A wispy, raspy voice floated on the wind towards me, my body turning numb beneath the ice. “Death has called your sister’s name.”

A violent wind whipped through the garden as the hedges rattled and blooming roses were ripped from their stems. The garden structure I sat beneath creaked from the onslaught of its gusty blows. I squeezed my eyes shut.

Please go away. I couldn’t even fathom her words beneath my fear.

So, I fought, surged and bucked against that insidious, wicked thing that bound me, desperate to flee.

Until suddenly, there was no restraint, and I fell to my knees, connecting with the cobbled floor, my vision blurring before the world around me went entirely black.

The clicking of heels resounded, louder the closer they came, a new figure bending down to meet me. Long, blood-red hair, a youthful, plump face, and perfectly black manicured hands came into view, the same three candles hovering in the air.

A younger, softer voice whispered in my ear in the abyss of darkness. “Fate has made its move, Riley Ward. Now, it is Destiny that calls you to challenge it.”

My fear was still potent within me. Challenge what? Raya’s prophesised death? My body felt like it was floating in the ether, with no awareness of my limbs, sight, or sound. I couldn’t tell what was real and what was not.

She leaned closer until her face hovered directly in front of mine, her beautiful features twisting to something darker, more ferocious. “It is time you enter the board of power, Rose of the Haven, and make your move, lest you be shoved.” Her words were a snarl, spittle flying in my face as I scrunched my eyes and prayed to get away from this nightmare.

My gut lurched forward, my body tightening in sheer panic as the shadowy darkness was ripped out from underneath me.

I screamed.

There was no barrier left to stop my free fall. The air rushed past my ears, towards whatever ground lay beneath me. It seemed to screech and snarl as I dropped lower and lower, the wind becoming more violent around me. My dress tangled around my limbs, hands reaching out for something, anything to grab onto. I cried out for it to stop, though I knew no one would come.

I seemed to fall forever, until my voice became hoarse and I lost the energy to fight.

I fell until the fear had left me, accepting what was to come as I splayed my arms wide and closed my eyes in acceptance.

Only when I accepted my fate did the darkness choose to reach for me. Only then did it choose to wrap me in its cool embrace, cushioning my fall. I slowed and then stopped entirely, aware of something solid against my back but not able to wholly feel it.

Bit by bit, I began to feel soft, phantom hands touching my body, more conscious of the sensation of someone shaking my shoulders as my ears pricked at an inaudible murmur that grew louder, laced with concern.

“Riley, are you ok? Can you hear me?”

I mumbled something in reply, my mouth struggling to work. My eyelids slowly fluttered open to see Sly’s concerned expression, his fingers gripping my shoulders hard.

I blinked again.

“I’m okay,” I reassured him, though it was slurred. I tried to pull myself up with a wave of dizziness but failed.

---