Page 24 of Secret Origins
“Then shut up.”
“I will do it, but only if you bring someone that can erase my memories afterwards.” The mage, Marius, grew a pair of balls. “You will kill me otherwise.”
I just stared at him with a blank face.
He squirmed, clearing his throat. “You won’t kill me because you respect the General, and he is planning to use me unless I know something you don’t want anyone to know. Not that I have anyone to tell. You would’ve killed me by now if that wasn’t the case.”
“I’ll wipe his memories.” Fenrir turned out to be the star of the show.
“Is this yet another perk from fucking like rabbits?” I craned my neck to see him better in case he lied. “This shit is getting old. I was a participant, too. Who do I contact to get the nifty tricks I was cheated out of?”
“Zoltan taught me some of his tricks.” Fenrir smirked, his eyes burning from the hunger I could see there. Pressing my thighs together, I jolted upright because I didn’t want him to see what he was doing to my girly bits.
His arrogant chuckle told me he was well aware.
Asshole.
“I need you to dig through my head,” I told Marius, cursing up a storm in my head for starting to use his name. “Either unlock it so I remember everything when I open my eyes, or you better write everything down to a dot. Am I clear?”
“I’ll make sure he follows instructions.”
“You are not staying Fenrir. Go keep guard at the door or something.” Although I was waving him off, he didn’t budge.
“Myst,” he growled my name like a warning, and I huffed, both hands thrown in the air in my frustration. Marius startled.
“Okay, fine. Why do I give a shit what you hear or think anyway?” Snapping my fingers to get Marius’s attention, I pointed at my head. “Open Sesame. Shazam!”
“You give your word that you will erase my memories?” He had a hopeful look as he gazed at Fenrir. It made me want to scratch off his face. I didn’t stop to question why I was more than my usual agitated and pissed-off self.
Fenrir offered a regal nod of his head.
A snort escaped me.
“Close your eyes, and no matter what, don’t fight my magic.” Marius finally stepped in front of me, both of his hands raised palms facing me.
“Here goes nothing,” I muttered under my breath before I was plunged into my worst nightmare.
15
Black stone encircled me and it went so high I couldn’t see the ceiling of the building I found myself in. Flames flickered at even intervals down the long, never-ending room, their flares a deep shade of red that was almost black, too. It was casting a chilling kind of vibe, accompanied by the echo of silence that felt as if I was boxing my ears. It was as beautiful as it was terrifying.
My heart jackhammered in my chest.
Tall, narrow windows stretched on either side of me, the tainted glass etched with intricate markings like swirls dancing over the surface. Silver beams fought to burst through, which only added to the horrific beauty of the place. Fingers itching to take hold of my sword, I turned in place and took it all in. It reminded me of what Death’s perfect home should look like, yet it gave me a calm feeling that almost doubled me over when nostalgia hit me like a brick to the back of my head. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I was aware that Marius was poking through my memories and trying to unlock what had been hidden from me a long time ago. Knowing that made my eyes prickle with unshed tears, so I scrubbed the back of my hand over them in frustration.
I didn’t cry.
Most definitely not about a stupid room. One that looked like a cliché for some dark lord or something equally nonsensical. It was something Roberti or his cronies would love, I was sure. My eyes drifted to my feet, tracing the blood-red stone with pinprick sparkles through it everywhere the silver beams or flares of flames reached it. The cry of what sounded like some large bird pierced the quiet blanketing me, forcing me to spin around fast and search for it. No furniture was in the room, which left the warning echo bouncing off the walls for a long time before it faded away.
A girl giggled happily, the sound stopping my heart for it to resume hammering my ribs with renewed vigor. Whispers reached my ears that seemed to come from nowhere and everywhere at the same time. The girl giggled again, shrieking in joy and raising the short hairs on the back of my neck. A shiver raked my spine when something brushed my shoulder and arm with a ghostly touch. My skin prickled and anger bubbled in my stomach as I unsheathed my sword, the singing of metal loud in the eerie quiet, but I hoped it would stop whoever was trying to scare me in their tracks.
Silence could be so loud.
As loud as the heartbeat in my ears.
Pale skin with long blonde hair like spun gold broke the unreal view of the room. A girl around seven, maybe eight years of age gingerly crept towards me, her bare toes poking out from under a long, dark gray night shirt with black flowers embroided in it. She looked like a child, but when she was close enough for me to see her face better, her eyes turned the blood in my veins to ice. An ancient being was peering at me through the young girl’s gaze.
“You shouldn’t be here.” Her head tilted to the side unnaturally like a bird.
