Page 35 of A Kiss of Deception

As we step through, the world around us dissolves into a kaleidoscope of colors and sensations. The portal's energy pulsates around us, a maelstrom of light and shadow swallowing us whole. I'm helpless, a prisoner in my own body as Meetha guides us through the swirling vortex.

Time loses all meaning. We could have been traveling for seconds or centuries. The journey strips away my defenses, leaving me raw and exposed. Just as I think I can't bear it any longer, reality snaps back into focus.

We emerge into a realm that defies description, a place where the laws of nature bend to the will of the purna. The air shimmers with magic, and the ground beneath our feet shifts like living mercury. In the distance, impossible structures float in the air, defying gravity and logic.

I stagger, my elven form unaccustomed to the raw magic saturating the air. The landscape around us shifts and changes, a testament to Meetha's command over this place.

Meetha's eyes glimmer with mischief. "You're wondering how I fooled you for so long, aren't you?"

I nod grudgingly, my pride still stinging.

She holds up her hand, the Ring of the Deceiver glinting on her finger. "This little trinket isn't just for show, Milkor. It's a powerful artifact that can mask even a purna's true nature. I've been wearing it since the moment we met."

I frown, recalling our encounters. "But I've seen Jarvil wearing it. And I've seen you without it."

Meetha laughs. "Oh, you thought you did. Remember, the Ring chooses its wearer. It was just another of its tricks – creating illusions so real, even a demon can't see through them."

"You're not just a purna," I accuse, my voice a low growl. "You're something... more."

She laughs, the sound a symphony of celestial harmonies. "Oh, Milkor. You've only scratched the surface of my capabilities."

"If you're so powerful," I growl, "why did you need the ring at all?"

Meetha's expression grows serious. "Power isn't everything, Milkor. Sometimes, subtlety is key. This ring allows me to move undetected, to infiltrate places even I couldn't access otherwise. It's not just about fooling you – it's about maintaining the delicate balance of the realms."

She twirls the ring on her finger. "Besides, it has... other properties that even I'm still discovering. Properties that could be crucial for my plans."

I glare at her, my demonic nature bristling at being outmatched. "Why reveal this to me now?"

Meetha's gaze softens, though the power within her eyes remains a tempest. "Because you deserve to know the truth. Jarvil killed his real daughter, his greed and rage consuming him. I chose to take her place, to weave a web of vengeance for the innocents he wronged."

My mind reels at the revelation. "You... replaced her? But why?"

She steps closer, her presence a gravitational force. "To slowly unravel Jarvil's mind, to make him pay for his sins. He was yet another man who believed he could dominate and destroy without consequence."

I grit my teeth, the pieces of the puzzle clicking into place. "And I played right into your hands."

A smirk plays on her lips. "Your return was unexpected, I'll admit. But you were the perfect catalyst to accelerate Jarvil's downfall."

"But how did you replace Jarvil's daughter without anyone noticing?" I ask, still struggling to comprehend the scope of her deception.

Meetha's eyes cloud with a hint of sadness. "Jarvil's real daughter died when she was just a child. He was too drunk to remember what he'd done, and the poor girl's mother would have been destitute."

She waves her hand, and an image appears – a small, dirty hovel on the outskirts of town. "I found her body, took on her form, and simply... stepped into her life. Jarvil was too far gone in his cups to notice the difference. And as she grew older, well... who would question a child growing up?"

The casual cruelty of it all makes my stomach churn. "And no one ever suspected?"

Meetha shakes her head. "Humans see what they expect to see, Milkor. It's both their greatest weakness and their most charming quality."

"You used me."

Meetha's expression hardens, her eyes piercing through my defenses. "Yes, I did. But you also sought to use me, did you not? To regain your true form and escape this cursed existence."

Her words sting because they're true. I remain silent, seething with a mixture of anger and grudging respect. My mind races, trying to process everything I've learned. How could I have been so blind?

Meetha's demeanor softens slightly. "Come, Milkor. Let me show you something. Perhaps then you'll understand the scope of what I do."

She leads me through her realm, the landscape morphing around us with each step. We pass through forests of crystalline trees, their branches tinkling like wind chimes in a non-existent breeze. I pause, mesmerized by the otherworldly beauty.

---