Page 128 of Oath of Revenge

“You cost me everything!” The ghost roared through the dining room, making the windows shake.

Scarlet swung her blades to hug her wrists, cradling the handle between a finger and thumb. The sleek metal of the blades gleamed against her tanned skin as she held up her hands, palms out. “Now wait a minute, I wasn’t responsible for the king’s death.”

“You might as well have been! You heard him that day. If you’d just killed Eirwyn like he’d ordered, none of this would’ve happened.”

Scarlet’s mind raced with possibilities. She needed to find a way to reason with Bella before things escalated further. She couldn’t let her hurt Wulfric or anyone else, if they were able to to bring her back to Knox and Eirwyn.

But how could she reason with someone who was already dead?

Scarlet waved her hands wide and kept her voice even, trying to de-escalate the situation while convincing the woman to come with her. “Fucking hells, Bella, do you even hear yourself right now? This was Eirwyn we’re talking about. She was your friend! She was always at your tavern, helping serve people and cleaning up.”

Bella cupped her round cheeks, her face crumbling as tears burst from her eyes. “I know!” She wailed as the tears fell, “My head knows that! It’s illogical to be so mad and to have wished she would’ve just died.”

Scarlet scoffed. “But your head was turned by the king’s manipulating ways. He twisted you so much that you’re still siding with him, six months later!”

Bella’s hands fell limply to her sides, but the tears kept falling silently. “Has it been that long? I—I hadn’t realized.”

The weight of Bella’s struggles seemed to press down on her, making her appear smaller and more fragile than Scarlet had ever seen her. A wave of compassion washed over Scarlet, mingling with a fierce protectiveness. She longed to wrap Bella in her arms, to shield her from the cruelties of the world that had beaten her down.

Bella rubbed her forehead and sighed. Then her big brown eyes welled with more tears. “By the light, I’m sorry. What’s your name again? I—my head’s a mess right now, sorry.”

Scarlet knew how difficult it was to become a different being than before, to lose some of her humanity and be made fun of for it. How had Bella managed becoming a ghost in this big castle alone? How long had she been this way?

Scarlet lowered her daggers. “I’m Scarlet, head Hunter of the Feral Forest. Look, I know you’re upset right now. It must be difficult being a ghost.”

Bella swiped at her tears. “You have no idea how difficult.”

Scarlet’s eyes narrowed, and she waved to her head. “I can imagine. Do you see these horns? These ears? This nose? You’re not the only one who’s been changed. There are many others, possibly even thousands, like us. Why don’t you come with me? We’ll work together to reverse the curse and regain some sense of normalcy.”

Bella’s tears ran faster and she gripped her yellow skirt tightly. It shimmered in the fading light as she shook her head. “No, I’m sorry, I can’t.”

Scarlet’s jaw clenched, a hot flush rising up her neck as frustration mounted. “What do you mean, you can’t?”

Bella wiped furiously at her cheek. “I mean just that. I don’t know how to reverse the curse. I’ve tried every day. You’ll never know what I had to do to reverse it, but—“

“What you had to do? Do you know what I’ve had to endure?“ Her voice rose, and she stepped forward. “These horns grew to fourteen points and a spread so wide, it hurt to walk and stay upright for more than an hour. It took weeks to build the muscles in my neck and shoulders so I could even walk around the village.”

Scarlet felt her anger rising, hot and fierce in her chest. She carefully put her daggers in their sheaths, struggling to control the surge of emotions threatening to overwhelm her. Bella twisted her skirt and shifted back and forth on her feet, frown growing deeper.

“And the pain,” Scarlet continued, her voice cracking as she paced to the end of the dining table and back to the door. “Gods, the pain. Every time they grew, it felt like my skull was being split open. I’d wake up screaming, my pillow soaked with blood.”

“Oh you poor thing,” Bella murmured softly. Scarlet didn’t stop pacing, just raised her hand and pointed at the ghost.

“You have no idea what it’s been like,” Scarlet spat, her eyes flashing dangerously. “The stares, the whispers, the fear in people’s eyes when they look at me. Do you know what it’s like to be treated like a monster in your own village?”

Bella bit her lip and then said, “And I’m sorry for that, I am—“

“You’re sorry?” Scarlet roared, her hands going wide. “You’re sorry! Well, sorry doesn’t fix the fucking problem, does it? You’re going to reverse this or so help me gods, you’ll die trying.”

Bella laughed, “Die? Oh that’s funny, considering I’m already a ghost.”

Scarlet snapped. She lunged at Bella, dagger swiping up. It was like cutting through smoke, and wholly ineffective. The only thing it served was to make Bella panic. She threw up her hands, and the chairs in the dining room morphed.

Their legs grew longer, and the arm rests popped off to form arms with heavy wooden fists. They marched on Scarlet, and she slid along the dining room wall back toward the kitchen door. The buffet table drawers flew open and forks and spoons flew out, landing on the chairs and standing upright.

Scarlet had never felt a sense of menace coming from silverware before, yet she backed up, her breath catching in her throat. The empty jars and bowls on the table shivered and wobbled toward her. Even the buffet table shook in warning. Scarlet’s heart raced as she backed toward the door.

Bella shook her head, “Oh gods, I’m sorry, so sorry.” Tears streaming down her face, she turned and fled through the door on the opposite side of the room.

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