Page 50 of What Is Dark Within Me

She was able to stop herself from the indignity of grinding against him, though it felt like his fire had made it to her internal shelter, smoke engulfing her careful defenses. It was too late to run. “I was foolish when I lit the black candle and called you. I was foolish when I took your bargain.”

His teeth grazed her finger again, but this time, he drew her hand back to his chest. “You’re going to regret this later. And I’m afraid we have some work to do. Garm returned a few hours ago. He’s found our mysterious doctor.”

Aleja pulled back. Garm. That was right. It felt like she’d been sobering until the Knowing One stuck one of her fingers in his godforsaken mouth. “Did none of that affect you at all?”

“Of course, it did. You don’t think that every night… ” Nicolas said through a clenched jaw, drawing away. He took a few steps back, and she didn’t follow, though she would certainly get lost in this wing of the palace without him and probably end up succumbing to the orgy after all.

Hold on, I want to get popcorn, the little voice said, as Aleja’s cheeks burned.

“Wait. My dreams. You can see them?”

“No, but I can feel your more intense emotions.”

She couldn’t think of anything to say that wouldn’t cause her to spontaneously combust, but he broke the silence. “It’s fine. Understandably, being in this place would cause memories in your subconscious to surface. But for the Second’s sake, Aleja, do what you have to do totake care of yourself. It’s very distracting.”

Before she could respond, he turned back to her.

“So we’re going to ignore what just happened?” Aleja didn’t mean to speak so bitterly—no, scratch that, she did.

“For now? Yes. You’ll want to as well once Amicia’s influence has faded. And if one day you change your mind, you’ll have to ask me. Not in innuendo. Not in sly touches. You’re going to look me in the eye and you’re going to ask me.”

Aleja wasn’t sure what she breathed out in response, only that it seemed to please Nicolas, who nodded before turning down the hall.

This time, she followed. Shame ate at her stomach as she trailed him to the lower levels, to the wing of the palace where the painting of Persephone hung, trapped forever in the moment her fate had been sealed.

“Go gather whatever you’d like to bring back to the human world. We have an appointment with Violet’s dear doctor.”

* * *

A Spell for Hunters

At the beginning of time, there was nothing.

Then came the First among all living things. She touched the heart of the first creature to blink its eyes open, sharing her gift. The Second then touched the creature’s mind. His gift was knowledge and will.

They were happy in the pale dawn of a new world, not knowing of the Third, their youngest sibling, who was born when that small creature starved beneath the snow of the first winter.

The Third walks beside all hunters. Make your deaths swift and merciful. Kill only what you must. Remember that he will one day have a gift for you as well.

A note beside the entry,barely legible:

Maybe I should light the black candle. I still have the relic Dr. J gave me. I wonder if the Knowing One would take this thing out of my head if I offered it to him.

It’s funny, isn’t it? A few months ago, I would have asked to be cured. Now, I just want this thing gone. When I open my mouth, I can no longer choose what I say.

Yesterday, I looked in the mirror and told myself, “Come back, come back to me, witchling. We will dream such a beautiful dream together.”

6

A SPELL FOR GRIEVING

“All right, I’m read—”

As Nicolas reached for her hand, there was a powerful yank at her sternum. Earth crumbled beneath her boots and her other hand grabbed for his jacket.

She was dimly aware of his chin brushing against the top of her head. The temperature dropped as she opened her eyes to see they were back in the snowy forest where she’d fallen to what should have been her death. The only color was the occasional burst of dark-green pine needles that’d shaken off the frost. Aleja tried not to look at the lumpy mound of snow hiding Laurent’s body, but when she blinked, she saw his shocked, dead face against her eyelids.

Garm’s black fur contrasted heavily with the snow as he bounded up the cliff.

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