Page 14 of Oracle of Ruin

The guard smiles at my self-assurance, the toothy grin of a wolf as she continues to lead me down the hall. There is a multitude of doors on either side of the long passage, and I barely have time to marvel at all the carvings etched into the stone walls before Neris stops in front of one of the doors. Its wood has been etched with runes of some sort, and before I can protest, Neris shoves me through the entryway.

“No hard feelings, just Mavis’s orders.”

The wood slab slams in my face before I can respond and I am left alone in the chamber. I rest my hand on the doorknob. Locked. I swear softly under my breath, though stop when I catch sight of the large bed resting in the center of the room.

Reminded of my chill, I drag myself across the floor, my bare feet leaving wet footprints on the stone. The soft sheets are beckoning as I drop Mavis’s cloak, then use it to dry myself before crawling between the covers, the warmth enveloping me almost immediately.

Sleep pulls at my eyelids until they close completely and I slip into the unconscious.

* * *

Sometime within the night,shuddering chills wrack my body, leaving me constantly switching between bundling myself in Mavis’s cloak and throwing all the blankets to the side. My body is simultaneously on fire and surrounded by ice, my wet hair sticking to my sweat-slick face.

Drifting in and out of consciousness, I extend my arm, rolling to the side only to hit the floor. My body cries out in agony, the cold touch of the stone sending blinding pain through my spine and flesh. I can vaguely hear the door creak open and the rush of footsteps. Gentle hands cradle my body and lift me back onto the bed, the soft motions still enough to elicit a moan of pain from between my lips.

Someone murmurs a vehement curse as a second pair of hands press against my face. These ones are warm and scarred. They lift me into strong arms that carry me elsewhere before unconsciousness pulls me under once more.

The next time I am aware of anything, I feel something like warm water surrounding me, and a second body lay pressed against my back. Her arms rest over my waist, her hand pressed against the flat plane of my stomach. I lean into the warmth of the touch, the pain now gone. The body convulses, but stays steady as warmth settles in my bones. A strangled gasp escapes from the lips of whoever holds me, and I reach an arm around, grasping for them. My fingers brush across a soft face slick with sweat. My hand is batted away and someone covers my eyes.

“Sleep, little miracle,” they purr.

My eyelids droop closed, a new sense of heaviness settling in my bones. Utterly weightless, I drift into oblivion.

Chapter8

Verosa

Adim light filters through the curtains that must have blown aside during the night. I stretch, hearing a satisfactory pop from my back and shoulders. Snuggling in further to the covers, I reach out, only for my fingers to graze cool sheets. My eyes shoot open and I sit upright in a panic.

The black sheets fall from my form and I wrap a fur around my shoulders. My bare feet grace the cold stone floor a moment later and I softly pad towards the window. When Neris, Mavis’s general, brought me to my room early this morning, there wasn’t much I could do but fall into the bed and let exhaustion guide my mind to sleep. Now, I can see how luxurious the room I’ve been placed in is, far too decadent for a prisoner. I walk to the door and attempt to open it. The knob jiggles, but stays locked in place.

With a frustrated groan, I trek the small journey towards one of the frost-paned windows, only for my hand to burn the moment it touches it. I yelp in shock, recognizing the overbearing power that coursed through me when I touched the glass—dark magic.

So much for not being a prisoner.

The door opens quietly, a woman I have yet to meet stepping in. My heart stops in my chest.

She’s dead. She’s supposed to be dead and yet she’s here of all places. Tanja’s chestnut curls are piled atop her head, highlighting her soft face. The gold of her skin should match her eyes, but rather than gold, they are a rich and deep brown. Sorrow pricks at my heart then turns to rage as Mavis steps in behind her.

The woman’s eyes drop to her cloak that I left crumpled on the floor. “I thought a familiar face might help, however I couldn’t get the eyes right. Purebloods are harder to replicate,” Mavis croons, tangling a finger in a curl.

The woman smiles broadly and dips into a low curtsy, however the edges of her face begin to shift.

“Remove the glamour,” I hiss, recognizing the ancient and rare magic Mavis is using. “How dare you desecrate her skin.”

Mavis shrugs and the glamour drops, revealing a pale woman with flaming red hair and deep brown eyes. My chest physically hurts at the change and I clutch the fur closer to my body.

“Emi will be assisting you with whatever you need. She isn’t a maid, so she might be lacking in some areas, however. All my servants are male and I figured you wouldn’t be comfortable with that. Please excuse any of her discrepancies.”

Emi crosses her arms over her ample bosom and throws her head back in a groan. A deep-seated scowl has etched itself across her otherwise pretty features. Gone is the twinkling smile that made my heart ache so. Cold sweeps through my limbs and I sit on the edge of my bed.

“I’ll be back later,” Mavis says, more to Emi than me. She tosses her crimson cape over her shoulder with extravagant flourish. The door slams behind her, leaving behind a heavy hollowness in the room.

Emi nods with a grunt towards a cushioned stool that sits before a vanity. When I don’t move, she roughly grabs my elbow and drags me there, all the while ignoring my protests. Her hands are rough as she sets to detangling my hair with a brush. I yelp as she snags one too many knots for this abuse to be accidental.

“I don’t need a maid.” I wince while using my fingers to knead my tender scalp.

“I’m not actually here to be your maid, but you’re a smart girl, so I’m sure you’ve figured that out already.” The sharp bite of her tone replaces any friendliness.

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