Page 69 of The House of Whispers

Quietly, I carefully placed my feet, moving them with caution to avoid making any sounds as I approached her door. An invisible force pulled me closer, my head tilting as I withdrew the knife from its sheath along my thigh, my other hand slowly turning the door knob. Cracking the door open, candlelight burst from within, highlighting my body, soaking my skin in a warm glow as I stepped inside and shut the door as my magik locked it behind me.

Stepping inside the mellow room, I could hear the storm growing outside as thunder rolled through the house and faded music seeped through the walls while the masquerade ball continued below. A fire crackled in the fireplace as my eyes scanned the room for traces of Jakkal. Instead, I stumbled upon Madame Chepi laying sprawled across the tufted couch, her costume casually draped along the back of the furniture. She seemed to be sleeping, dressed in a humble beige nightgown and colorful shawl with hanging tassels. I stepped closer, curiosity taking control as I looked down at her. She wasn’t wearing her usual scarf, something that in the many years of my service, I had never seen her without. My growing curiosity drew me nearer as I glanced down to examine her fully exposed bare neck.

The skin of her neck was obscured, covered by a giant scar that resembled a bite mark. The scar was deep and inhuman, larger than any beast known. The gruesome mark stretched across her inked neck, fully enveloping it. The sight of the ghastly scar startled me as I recollected Chesmu telling the story of their past—describing the large creatures that haunted their world. It caused me to step back, the floorboard creaked as my foot landed in the wrong place, revealing my presence. Before I could use my magik to conceal myself, Madame Chepi’s eyes shot open. She quickly moved with grace, rising from the couch as she sat up, retrieving a strange blade from beneath the cushions of the furniture. She aimed the blade in my direction, blinking as she tried to process who stood before her.

“Casper?” She seemed puzzled by my sudden presence, her eyes trailing me up and down. Her face soured, disturbed by my unusual appearance. Within the blink of an eye, Jakkal suddenly appeared behind the tufted couch like a vapor. Madame Chepi’s knife aimed at me, her eyes dark with hatred. “I suggest you leave this instant.”

Jakkal shook his head. “I suggest,” he leaned in close to her, as if speaking into her ear, “that we play a little game.” Madame Chepi oddly didn’t seem concerned with his words.

“Get out!” Madame Chepi thrust her knife in my direction as I remained still. She stood, taking a step toward me. “Haven’t you done enough already?” She moved toward me, swirling her knife, jerking it in my direction. I dodged her aim, moving back in response to each swing of her arm.

You’re not going to just let her behave this way, now are you?Jakkal’s voice questioned in my head.

Madame Chepi swung again, nicking my arm and causing blood to drip from the fresh wound. She grinned, pleased with herself. Jakkal gripped the edge of the tufted couch, his fingers curling in anger as he breathed heavily, watching me. My head turned to Madame Chepi. “Haven’t I done enough?” I questioned, rage boiling beneath my skin. “What have I ever done but serve you? I have followed your every command, doing everything you have asked of me, including murdering countless people!”

She planted her bare feet, lifting her head high as Jakkal stepped around the couch, intrigued by my temper. My gaze bounced between the two of them, my knife firmly within my own grip as she spoke.

“And what have you done to protect us recently? You have failed my Whisps, failed this house, and failed me. You had one job, Casper. Protect the house, and you couldn’t even do that. Bringing you into my house was an absolute mistake.” Her words burned as we stepped in a circular motion, mirroring each other as we moved. “I should’ve left you and your pathetic little sister in the streets, begging for scraps and digging through the trash while rats feasted upon you.” She spat at my feet.

“If anyone made a mistake here,” I furrowed my brows, “it was me thinking I could ever trust you. You didn’t save us—you enslaved us. Min has done nothing to deserve this torment, and you used her against me, forcing me to do unspeakable things on your behalf, all while dangling her life in your hands as leverage. And look where it’s led us.” I pointed to Jakkal. Madame Chepi squinted her eyes, struggling to see him. “A murderer is roaming freely in your home, hunting your Whisps down like prey, while you sit back and let it happen. This life you have so graciously given to me has been hell.”

Madame Chepi released a harrowing laugh as she stopped, standing directly in front of the bedroom door. Jakkal sat atop the tufted couch, his legs crossed as he watched, unnoticed. “A destiny fitting for your kind.” Magik burned in my palms as my eyes glowed bright. “But you’re right. Min has done nothing wrong, so she can remain here, earning her keep the same as the other Whisps. With a face like hers, she’s sure to fetch me a large sum.” She raised the knife to me, smiling. She slowly paced toward me, the tip of the blade kissing my breast bone. “Despite all your many flaws, the part that amuses me the most,” she leaned in close and whispered in my ear, “is that you truly thought Chesmu would want someone weak like yourself.” She pulled away, her knife poking through the skin of my chest as she spoke. “Too bad you’ll be leaving this house—dead and alone.”

Let’s show her just how ‘weak’ you truly are.Jakkal’s angered voice played through my mind igniting a spark.

My lips curled as my head tilted. Madame Chepi’s expression twisted in confusion as my free hand raised, my fingers curling as my magik flowed, completely snapping her wrist. She screamed, the knife falling from her broken hand as she fell to her knees, grabbing at her shattered bones. She glanced up at me in absolute horror.

Jakkal rose from the tufted couch, stepping directly behind me as he wrapped an arm around my waist, securing my confidence. “For decades,” my fingers snapped, forcing her to lean on her hands as she bowed at my feet, “I have served you as your leashed dog, ready to attack on command. I have followed every instruction you have given me and every house rule.” She remained pinned down, on her knees, as she groaned in pain, crying softly while she strained to look up at me. “Well,” I chuckled softly, “not every rule.”

Madame Chepi groaned, trying to move against my power, sobbing as she clenched her teeth. Jakkal moved from behind me and stepped to the burning fireplace, removing the branding iron. He took the blade from my hand, returning it to my sheath and replaced it with the red hot poker as my gaze remained glaring down at her. “After all the pain she has caused you,” he whispered into my ear, “I think it would be best for us to take our time and savor every moment of her pain.”

All traces of the old me faded away as I stepped forward, my fingers twisting a handful of her long black hair, forcing her face upward to look upon me. I raised the glowing, red brand to her cheek as she winced from the heat. “Who’s weak now?” Her eyes widened as I forced the brand deep into her skin. The smell of her burning flesh filled my lungs as I deeply inhaled, ingesting the sweet smell of my vengeance. Booming thunder drowned out her screams as I drove the iron rod deeper, partially piercing through her cheek and into the tissue of her open mouth as she continued to scream.

Jakkal’s hands gripped my waist from behind as I ripped the branding iron back, her melted flesh dripping from the end. I observed the brand closely, her flesh stuck to the end. “Marvelous.” He purred into my ear, sending excitement through my veins as he took the rod from me, freeing my hands.

Madame Chepi groaned, her cheek partially gone as if acid had eaten away at it. I could see her teeth through the stringy, branded flesh as she glared up at me, tears filling her dark angry eyes. “I will see that you burn for this,” she choked on her words, hissing her venom.

Jakkal opened his hand revealing a small pinch of his concoction before me. My head turned to face him as he nodded. My eyes returned to Madame Chepi’s face, past his open palm. She was gasping, her broken hand pressed against her chest as she glared up at me. I grabbed Jakkal's arm, holding it still as I inhaled the orange powder of my own volition. Loud gasps escaped my mouth as the glittering powder stuck along the lining of my lungs. Jakkal stroked my face as he moved his arm out of the way. My hands burned bright with dark magik as the effects began to take hold, branching into my veins as my power grew. I felt invincible.

I crouched as magik flowed from my fingertips and forced Madame Chepi’s face to my level. “The only way you will watch me burn is if you burn with me.” I flicked my finger, magik shoving her body back fiercely into the door as she hit her head and fell to the floor with a groaning. “Now,” I stood, “let’s see just how strong you really are.”

My hand pulled the knife from its sheath, handing it to Jakkal as he stepped past me. Lightning lit up the room, followed by the booming echo of thunder as the candles of Madame Chepi’s room became extinguished, leaving the room in pure darkness. Blood splattered across my face, staining my fox mask as my head tilted, watching the reflective blade dancing in the dark as she screamed in agony.

Marvelous.

My eyes watched, filling with glee as Jakkal stepped back, ending his turn. He gently placed the knife in my open palm, blood dripping from his hand as it ran along the blade. Together, we had taken turns playing our deadly game as Madame Chepi endured the creation of our art. The orange dust had fueled my rage, increasing my power, granting me such vigorous satisfaction with my work. Lightning cracked, illuminating her bloodied and destroyed body as she crawled along the floor with her good hand, her nails digging into the wood as a trail of blood leaked behind her. Unlike our other victims, Madame Chepi had become our masterpiece, the single, greatest piece of art in our growing collection. Between our murderous exchanges, we had not only branded her cheek, but gifted her brands similar to my own across her chest. Jakkal had removed her broken wrist as she felt every tug of the knife before he ripped it clean from her body and tossed it into the fireplace. The smell of her disintegrating flesh still lingered in the air.

Jakkal and I stepped aside, watching as Madame Chepi attempted to crawl to the door, her torso shredded and torn from our many strikes. Despite the pain and torture she endured, she had surprisingly held onto her life, clinging desperately as it tried to flee from her decrepit soul.

Jakkal crouched next to her, shaking his head at her miserable attempt to flee as thunder rolled in the distance, masking her loud cries. “What a shame,” he spoke to me as I stepped over her body, my feet on either side of her hips, “it seems our game is almost over.”

I kicked her side, causing her to groan as she continued to bleed out, her bowels seeping from her shredded stomach as tears and blood mixed in her eyes. My foot kicked her again, forcing her to roll onto her back. Madame Chepi stared up at me, breathing heavily. Her will to live was slowly fading away. Jakkal rose and whispered into my ear, “Take your prize before her life fades into nothing.” The room flashed as my brain pulsed, the effects of his powder slowly fading away. I glanced down at her body, my eyes settling on their mark.

An evil smile ran along my face as I bent down, my blade firmly in my grip. I waved my hand as my magik pinned her to the floor, unable to move. “Despite your many years of service,” the sharp tip of my knife traced the fresh brands along her chest, settling on her left side, slowly carving the outline, “and decades of your obedience,” she cried out, her body trembling beneath my magik as I sliced the brand from her flesh, “you have dishonored this house.” The storm raged outside as I tossed the flayed, circular patch of her burned skin aside.

Madame Chepi’s eyes filled with tears as she lay there, weak and unable to fight me. “I may not live past this night,” she sobbed, her words choking on blood, “but you,” her dark eyes locked with mine, “will burn in hell for this.” It amused me, hearing her desperate attempts to scare me with her hollow words.

I repositioned myself, settling on my knees, my body still over hers as my hand grabbed her chin. My nails dug in her charred cheek as I pulled her face toward me. “Haven’t you figured it out yet?” Her dark eyes studied me as mine bore into her soul. “I do not fear the fiery pits of hell.” I raised my other arm, the blade pointing directly to Jakkal as I spoke. “Heis my demon,” her brows curled in confusion, “and I am death.” My hand dropped her chin as her skull slammed into the floor. “And death always claims its prize.” The blade of my knife dug into the second brand along her chest, separating it from her skin. She screamed, her cries muted by another boom of thunder.

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