Page 60 of Malcolm

“You’re one of those guys I saw watching me,” she accused.

He looked from the weapon he held to her face. “You are as powerful as he said.” He didn’t release the weapon but turned it back and forth.

“We’ve been searching for you, the woman with the gift to open that which has been locked for far longer than our world has been behind the Veil.”

She jerked her weapon back and held it to her side. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, but if you’re with those fuckers who did this to me. You can either leave here with your head intact or have me remove it.”

With a sharp laugh, his form blurred, and suddenly, he disappeared. Eliza tensed only to feel a hand land on her shoulder from behind. Freezing at his sudden touch, she felt him brush her hair from her neck with a click of his tongue.

She couldn’t believe how fast he’d moved. For a while now, she hadn’t felt venerable, but the minute he’d moved, she understood their levels of strength were completely different. She inhaled slowly, trying to keep her panic down. She wasn’t going to let him do what he wanted.

“Let go.” She jerked away from him. She whipped around, bringing her self-made sword up once more. “What do you want?”

He grinned, revealing iron teeth. “What I want is what his lordship wants but also what he doesn’t want. My brother and I are searching for the witch who can be the key home.”

She glanced over her shoulder. “I don’t know what witch you’re looking for because I can tell you right now I am not this key.”

“Your power smells the same as hers,” someone said behind her.

Eliza spun around, her fear growing as another of these beings appeared behind her. “Lyon is not good with words. We know she is close, but like a butterfly, she flits from our focus. You and your magic, while tainted, smell similar. The numb witch's blood is your blood.”

Eliza couldn’t understand what they were saying. They were looking for a numb witch. But those witches had been wiped out a long time ago. The council had ensured they’d become extinct, and while she didn’t know the full story of their destruction. The shade never held back in detailing the tragic kidnapping and murder of their sisters. No witch trusted the council, especially as they were known for their ruthless behavior and their nasty habit of enslaving all other races who weren’t their own. Theyhad held so many beings in their thrall that it hadn’t been hard to stir beings of different lores to gather and fight.

However, one couldn’t say if that was a good thing or bad thing now as many beings had faced prejudice, and the warlock families, who’d barely helped, had gained great benefits because of their connection with the human world.

She didn’t lower her makeshift sword, “You’re wrong. All numb witches have been killed. Their bloodline ended years ago. Whatever you smell on me is wrong.”

The one who’d spoken looked from her to the male behind her, whom she assumed was Lyon. “She doesn’t know.”

The male nodded with a low snicker. “It’s fascinating that witches cannot smell it; it’s so thick.” He sniffed only to tense; he whipped his head around, eyes narrowing on the sky. “He is here.”

For some reason, she no longer felt threatened by the two males before her, “Who is here?”

Lyon ignored her. “He was sent to sew chaos in these lands, but he has been taking longer out of his desire to have amusement.” Finally, he faced her. “He carries a heavy scent of blood; he enjoys the killing of those weaker than him. Jion, we must leave here now.”

Jion walked around her to Lyon’s side. “We will return to see if you finally see what it is inside you,” he said, stopping beside his brother. “Then we will retrieve the key.”

“What?!”

They disappeared, and she stood there more confused and scared than before.

She hadn’t thought she could be found so quickly, but it appears she had underestimated the abilities of the enemy. It was arrogance to think she could hide from a world where witches, who put a stopper in death and brew a bottle of life; were the weakest of the Beings.

Evaporating her sword, she brushed the same hand through her hair in frustration. She needed to get what she’d come for and return to Veil City. Turning around, she headed back towards the castle. After she caught up on some sleep, tomorrow she’d go back to the woods and search for a book that should give form to the goddess inside her. Then, she could allow the goddess to function outside of her.

For now she would wait for the location spell to return to her. Then she’d retrieve the book that allowed the evil bastards to experiment on her. She would kill those who’d done this to her and the others.

Mildly she wondered to herself if she’d return to her original self after all this. Just as she entered and waved to the few people congregating in the main hall, she spotted Malcolm standing in the doorway to the hall. His arms were crossed, and his eyes squinted in thought.

When he spotted her, they lit up before they darkened again.

She sighed; she shouldn’t have asked him for that stupid promise. She was annoyed with herself now, more than ever.

She could only face him; there was nowhere for her to run. She hadn’t thought it would be so awkward between them after what she’d said. Next time, she would feel the situation out a little bit more before she got swept away with her feelings.

Then again, she’d be leaving either way. That wasn’t a lie, one day she would disappear, and he needed to know that she was okay.

Releasing another sigh, she walked towards him, “Were you looking for me?”

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