Page 78 of Elven Lies

“Why? Because I haven’t been walking around with it hidden in my jacket this whole time?”

“Because the Darkspawn doesn’t even exist,” she said. “And that hardly looks like one of the most dangerous old-world artifacts in existence. It’s a doll. A doll that was made here on Earth.”

“Theoutsideof it, yeah.” Rowan turned the doll over in both hands now, inspecting it from every possible angle. “That’s obvious. But what’sinside?”

Another sharp laugh escaped him. “It’s actually brilliant in its design. Whoever did this wanted to make sure it stayed hidden. Who would think to look for the Darkspawn in a little girl’s toy that looks like it’s a hundred years old?”

“You sound sane. That’s not the Darkspawn.”

“Please. It’s too obvious. How do you keep the most covetous assholes from finding something like the Darkspawn, especially when you don’t want anyone to find it? You make it look like anythingbutthe Darkspawn!”

“How exciting,” she replied flatly. “Now give it back.”

“You don’t believe me?” Rowan tossed the doll over and over in his hand, still laughing. “Fine. Watch this.”

He snatched the doll out of the air and took off, leaving the sidewalk to race up the grass-covered hill beside them towardthe art and the river and the civilians enjoying their afternoon there.

And humans.

“Rowan! Stop!” Rebecca took off after him, filled with disproportionate dread when he disappeared over the top of the hill and down the other side.

By the time she reached the top and caught sight of him again, he was already closing in on his target—a group of human teenagers enjoying a summer day in Millenium Park as they sprawled out on picnic blankets, listening to music and eating and laughing together.

Blue Hells. This was bad.

Rowan had already proven he didn’t care to listen to her anyway, and he was already too far away to catch up to him before he did something stupid in a public park in broad daylight.

“Rowan!” she shouted again, but it was already too late.

Whether they’d noticed his approach or Rebecca’s shout had caught their attention, the teenagers stopped what they were doing to stare at the tall, thin stranger with a long russet-colored ponytail who only looked human as he stepped ever closer and raised a small item covered in burlap toward them.

Then the screaming started.

First, it was just one girl’s voice rising with ear-bursting clarity across the park. Then another and another followed as every young girl lounging on their picnic blankets in the grass fell victim to the hex doll’s magic.

Two of them leaped to their feet and took off running in the opposite direction, screaming bloody murder while their arms and legs pumped madly in their escape.

The girls who remained screamed a bit longer before one of them passed out, her eyes rolling back in her head, and she keeled over to land on the blanket with a thump.

The other two also stopped screaming but only to blubber and whimper like terrified children watching their worst nightmares come to life before their eyes.

The girls clutched at each other, hyperventilating while their eyes bulged and they watched Rowan approach.

From the top of the hill, Rebecca could only see the masses of silvery blue smoke hovering in front of each girl, but she couldn’t make out their shapes.

She jogged down toward them, furious at Rowan and still trying not to draw any unnecessary attention toward her during this little episode.

Like that was even possible at this point.

Rowan stopped at the edge of the closest picnic blanket, still extending the hex doll toward the teenage girls, and muttered a quiet, flat, “Boo.”

More screaming split the air, then all three remaining teenage girls scrambled across the blankets, kicking over cups and plates and what remained of their lunch in their terrified efforts to flee.

The screaming continued, fading into the distance as the girls ran for their lives, seemingly without taking another breath. Then only Rowan remained, standing there alone at the edge of the abandoned picnic blankets.

Rebecca finally caught up with him, seething and grinding her teeth as she hissed through them, “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

He looked at her over his shoulder with another smirk and shrugged. “You didn’t believe me. So I’m enlightening you.”

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