Myth's Legend: Norrix

by Ysobella Black

  “Even better.” Musette gave Myth a knowing look. “Every day is Peanut Butter Cup Day. Just in case there's no other good reason to celebrate, it's good to have a backup plan. We're having the peanut butter cups in ice cream today.”

  “So, the way you celebrate is to eat something cold, then drink something hot?” Was this really what she was meant to be doing now? Why had her Seeking magic brought her here?

  Musette nodded. “Or you can drink something hot and eat something cold. Either way works. Now, I can guess you have questions about Dragăs and Norrix. I've never met him because I'm stuck in a coma, but Ember told me about him. She would have come looking for you, but she found out my magic was poisoned by a mage and came back to help me. ” The blonde’s bubbly tone and demeanor vanished replaced by something visceral as she clenched her fist and slammed the carton on the table. “I hate that mage for what he did to me.”

  Myth caught her breath. She opened her mouth to speak but words wouldn’t come. What could she say? Sorry seemed so inadequate. She didn’t need to say anything though, because Musette was back to her outgoing self.

  “You are a Dragă. Norrix's Dragă. There's nothing he won't do for you, just like there's nothing my Idris won't do for me. It would be so romantic if I could wake up. Love at first sight!”

  “What is a Dragă? Norrix called me that, his Dragă. I thought it was like when Iqiohr calls me his Esne.”

  Myth savored another bite of ice cream as she tried to process the barrage of questions and information. She nodded. “He found me, but he can't help. He's only one man. There are a thousand of Iqiohr's men in Aztlan. He’s got an army and we're on an island. Norrix would be killed.”

  Musette gasped. “No! It's not like that at all. I'll bet you heard Stryx's naughty voice and Ember threatened to kill him at least once, right? Did you feel Norrix's heart beat for you? It won't do that for anyone else. A Dragă is the one person a vampire can love. It makes them possessive and protective, but he wouldn't hurt or abuse you. Our vampires are devoted to us. Ember said Norrix was going crazy trying to figure out how to help you. Did he find you? Is he close to where you are now?”

  Myth bit her lip. Musette would kick her out of this Dragă space when she found out what Myth had done, but she didn't want to lie to her new friend, who did seem to have at least some answers. “He won't want to help me now. I locked him in a room with a pack of ahuizotls. He got out, but he probably thinks I tried to kill him.”

  Instead of being angry, Musette laughed. A delighted, musical, infectious sound that had Myth laughing too. Musette wiped tears from her eyes and took some deep breaths. She banged her spoon against Myth's like a toast. “We can't seem to make it easy for them, no matter how hard they try. Don't you worry about that. We have one of those ahuizotls here, and Norrix knew all about him.”

  Myth’s shoulders slumped. “But it doesn't matter. I can't leave. My little girl is here. I won't leave without her.”

  “You have a little girl?” Musette's eyes rounded, and she dropped her spoon. “She's why you had to go back.”

  “Her name is Fable. She's four years old. Iqiohr put a spell on her and made her mute.” A tear escaped and slid down Myth's cheek. “Now he’s put her in chains. I couldn't stop him. She's suffered so much and it's my fault.”

  Musette leaned over to put her arms around Myth, and for the first time, Myth let herself cry. Tears of hatred, despair, fear and sadness poured out while Musette held her.

  “It's not your fault, Myth. Mages are vile, evil men. It's his fault, not yours. You haven't told Norrix about Fable?”

  Myth shook her head. “She's the most important thing in the world to me, but everyone uses us against one another. Iqiohr and his guards threaten to hurt her if I'm not obedient, and Iqiohr only lets me see her if I'm good. I didn't know Norrix or anything about Dragăs. He wanted me to go with him from Ashana. I thought it would be trading one cage for another. I didn't want another man to know about Fable in case he used her against me too. Or if he only wanted me and not her.”

  Musette rose, went into the kitchen and returned with some tissues. “Norrix would never do that. And he would never ask you to choose him over your daughter either.”

  “You said you don’t know him, so how can you know that?” Myth’s heart leapt. She could have Norrix and Fable? It seemed too good to be true.

  “When you meet Soră, you’ll understand. Girl power.”

  “So, listen. There's something else I have to tell you. Ember told me she heard the magic call you Soră. You heard it too, didn't you?”

  Myth picked up a tissue and wiped her eyes as she nodded. “What's a Soră?”

  “Soră means sister, but that's also what the strygoi magic likes to call herself when she takes the form of a little girl. When a Dragă can hear her, that means you could be something else, too — a type of witch called a strygoi.”

  “Strygoi magic is... alive?”

  “Yes. She's been trying to talk to you, but hasn't been able to. That's why she sent me.”

  Because of the binding? That was gone now. “Why can you talk to me if she can't?”

  “Soră said Dragăs and vampires have special bonds between them, but so do Dragăs. While she is the magic that makes those bonds possible, she's not a Dragă herself, and can’t use the magic. We can do things she can't.”

  “Why is it important if I'm a strygoi?”

  “Because, Myth, as a strygoi, your magic can fight a mage. We're the only witches who can. When Ember turned strygoi, she became War and the silver magic made her stronger. She's got wings and a sword now, and her temper! I'm so glad she wasn't strygoi when we were growing up. Stryx's mother, Selene, is another strygoi. She doesn't fight like Ember, but she's super powerful. I feel the same sort of power around you. Norrix knows what to do, and when you free yourself and Fable from the mage, you can choose if you want to be with him, and meet us.”

  “How do you know I'll become strygoi?”

  Musette smirked. “When I wake up and turn strygoi, I'm going to be Fate. Let's say I have a feeling about you.” She took Myth's hands. “Just like I can feel you have to go back now.” Then Myth was engulfed in a tight hug. “I couldn't hold back anymore. I warned you I'm a hugger!”

  Myth opened her eyes, back in her cell and unsure if what happened with Musette was real. A faint flavor of peanut butter and chocolate on her lips made her think it was. Would Norrix help her become strygoi?

  She was stuck here, and had no way to find Norrix, no matter how much she wanted to.

  The door to her cell opened, and Myth prepared herself for Iqiohr.

  CHAPTER THIRTY SIX

  NORRIX

  UNDER THE MAGE’S BED, Norrix’s hands curled into fists and his fangs descended. Impotent rage ate at him as Iqiohr put Myth’s daughter in chains and handed her over to a man who left with her. Myth hadn’t moved the entire time, not even to make a sound of protest.

  She looked like a puppet with her strings cut, dress torn, hair disheveled. She lay still in the mage’s arms as he carried her into the cell and locked her in.

  When Iqiohr returned, he discussed arrangements with men vying for his attention and favor. As far as Norrix could tell, representatives from all seven tribes were present, making plans for after the birth of the Sixth Sun world.

  Norrix wanted to tell them not to get their hopes up. It never went well for humans. It was usually like a changing of the guard for gods interested in taking over. Whether or not humans survived was incidental.

  He wanted to go to Myth, but with thirty men, the mage, and assorted messengers and soldiers coming and going from the room, Norrix didn't have a chance of taking all of them out and making it to her without being killed. Nor could he risk a chance of his mind taking a tour through his memories again.

  Finally, a soldier rushed into the room in a panic. “Scorpion Mage! We need to sound the alarm. There are ahuizotls in the palace! We found the skins of the two missing guar
ds.”

  Norrix smirked. They’d probably find more skins, and it sounded like the ahuizotls hadn’t been caught.

  Iqiohr leapt from his seat. “No! We will deal with this quietly. I will not have preparations for the ceremony interrupted.”

  As soon as the room cleared out, Norrix pulled himself from under the bed and ran for the closet. He opened the door to Myth’s cell. She lay in a contorted, motionless heap on the cot. The only reason he knew she was alive was her heartbeat. It was frantic and matched his. The scent of bitter apples tainted the air. “Myth?”

  Nothing. He moved around so she could see him, but she stared, teary eyes unblinking.

  “He’s spelled you.” Norrix reached down to straighten her limbs and adjust her torn dress so it covered her. He wanted to tear the mage’s head off, find the next mage and tear his head off, too. Surely at some point the magic wouldn’t have anyone else to go to.

  A drop of blood on Myth’s neck drew his attention. He touched it, bringing it to his nose. Poison of some sort. “He stung you. That's why you can't move.”

  Norrix paced, feeling ridiculous trying to do it in this cell. He could take a step and a half in any direction. He’d already had Myth’s blood. If he gave her his to heal her, he could bond her to him, but would she want that?

  He stopped and faced her. “I told you before you're my Dragă. There’s a bond that can be created between us. It would make you stronger, possibly help rid your blood of the poison. But you would feel me and I would feel you. A Dragă can control the bond. You could shut me out of it later.”

  His heart thumped alarmingly at that thought. Stryx had been miserable when Ember figured out how to do it. Norrix sat on the cot and held Myth’s hand. “I don't want you to do that. I’m telling you that you would have all the power. I’m going to flatter myself that having a bond you can control with me is better than the alternative of staying here. If this works, you’ll be free to be mad at me.” He smiled. “I mean, really, what’s the worst you can do? You’ve already tried to murder me by locking me in with a pack of ahuizotls.”

  Shifting himself behind her to support her shoulders, he let the vampire out. He bit his wrist and brought it to her lips, letting crimson drops fall into her mouth. “I didn’t see where they took your daughter, but we’ll find her and get out of here. We need to be far from here before the eclipse starts.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN

  FABLE

  THE MEANEST MAN HURT Nantli! Fable struggled, but the mean man held her too tight with his hard hands as he carried her out of the room. This wasn’t supposed to happen! Soră said they would bust out, find a tahtli, and everything would be okay, but now it was all worse again.

  The bracelets and collar burned her skin and made her magic feel sick, so she wanted to throw up. Her head ached and made her eyes water.

  Nantli! Soră!

  Where Nantli should be in Fable’s mind, it was all empty again. She didn’t try to be good and stop crying.

  Fable?

  Soră!

  I’m coming back, Fable. Don’t cry.

  The silver girl sounded far away. Maybe she was still in Pohjola. Nobody could help now.

  The mean man carried her all the way out of the palace and into the street, then up the steps to Tizoc’s house. When she squirmed, he squeezed her neck until she couldn’t breathe and saw dots when she closed her eyes. She scratched his hands, but he wouldn’t let go.

  “What are you doing to my friend?” Soră shouted.

  That voice was loud and not in her head. Soră came! Fable opened her eyes. In front of the door to Tizoc’s house, magic shined around Soră like a big silver sun. Sparkles flew all around, but the mean man didn’t see them. The air turned cold, making tiny bumps pop up on Fable’s skin, and she shivered.

  Soră drew her arm back and threw a little pale blue ball at the mean man. It hit him in the face with a wet splat sound.

  “What the—” He let go of Fable’s neck and she gasped in a breath.

  Something freezing dripped on Fable’s back and she tried to twist away.

  Snow!

  Another blue ball flew over Fable’s head. The mean man dropped her and they fell down on the porch. “You are going to pay for this, witch.”

  Fable landed hard on her side and coughed. She rubbed her sore neck to breathe, the metal collar stinging her fingers.

  “I’m sorry I wasn’t here.” Soră held Fable’s hand, and silver magic slid under the metal. “Is that better?”

  Fable nodded. Her skin didn’t burn and her magic wasn’t sick anymore, but she still couldn't talk to Nantli.

  “Don’t worry. As soon as we get those disgusting cuffs off you, all your magic will work again.”

  The Scorpion Mage stung Nantli with a scorpion!

  “I can feel Norrix is close to your mom. He’s going to help her and I’m going to stay with you. Don’t worry.”

  The mean man got up and snarled, hard hands reaching for Fable. She curled into Soră, wanting to be small and hide. If she was a strygoi, she could disappear.

  The front door opened, and Tizoc glared. His eyes weren’t nice this time. “What do you think you’re doing?”

  Fable’s heart sank. He wouldn’t want to be her friend after he was nice, and she ran away.

  “What does it look like?” The mean man sneered. “I’m bringing your Esne back, even though you don’t deserve to have one. It’s using magic to try and escape again.”

  Tizoc stomped onto the porch. “It’s four years old, can’t talk, and it’s collared! It can’t possibly use any magic.”

  “Look!” The man pointed at the ground.

  “I see a puddle of water.” Tizoc laughed. “It’s pretty pathetic you have to blame the witch for your clumsiness. Leave.” He pointed down the stairs. “And don’t come back, or I’ll tell the Scorpion Mage how this girl got the best of you.”

  The mean man went down the stairs but stopped at the bottom. “If you can’t take proper care of your pet, the Scorpion Mage will find someone who can. At the very least, it needs to be whipped.”

  “As long as the Esne belongs to me, I will decide when and how it is punished.”

  “See that you do.” The mean man stormed off.

  Tizoc turned around, but Fable couldn’t look at him. She closed her eyes tight, pushed harder into Soră and wished to be invisible, but he picked her up.

  Soră stayed with her, keeping their fingers linked as he carried them into the house and through the courtyard. “I’m sorry I threw all the snowballs. One was for you. I’ll bring you another one.”

  “You can open your eyes, quetzalli. You don’t have to be scared of me. I’m not mad at you.”

  “This guy is all right.” Soră squeezed Fable’s fingers. “I think he likes you.”

  Did he still? Fable opened her eyes as he set her on the bed in her room. He didn’t look angry now.

  Tizoc sighed and examined one of the cuffs on her wrist. “I don’t know how to get the chains off. Does it hurt?”

  Fable shook her head.

  “You left because you wanted to be with your mom, didn’t you?” Tizoc sat by her. “That was a brave thing to do. I would sneak out to see my dad if I knew where he was. He’s been gone for months. I think he’s probably dead.”

  A tear slid down his cheek. That was some sort of signal to Fable’s eyes, and they grew hot. Shifting to her knees, she leaned into Tizoc trying to offer him friendship and Soră hugged them both, silver sparkles taking some of the hurt away.

  CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT

  MYTH

  HER EMOTIONS SOARED out of control when Norrix entered her cell instead of Iqiohr. His blood tasted sweet and eased the poison burning in her veins as feeling returned.

  Norrix said all the right things. He knew about Fable and was still here for her. He didn’t expect her to leave without her daughter. Musette was looking forward to being a Dragă and a strygoi. Ember and Stryx were completely wrapped up
in each other. Maybe being a Dragă wouldn’t be bad.

  Some of Norrix’s blood slipped over her tongue and into her throat. Myth swallowed, a cool sensation washing over her. She lapped at the bite, taking in more. Her muscles eased and twitched, returning to her control. Turning her head to see him, she made the leap to trust him. “My daughter’s name is Fable.”

  The relief and joy at being able to sat her daughter’s name out loud to someone she could trust swelled inside her. “Her name is Fable.”

  He gave her such a warm smile, her body tingled. Or maybe it was his blood inside her. “Thank you for telling me.”

  “You’re sure I am your Dragă?”

  “Yes, I told you.” Norrix's golden eyes darkened to black. “You are mi —”

  Norrix’s head whipped to the side, and he closed his eyes. He hadn't finished saying she was his. He hated mages. Why would he want something so contaminated to be his Dragă? She might be pregnant, too.

  No matter what Musette said, being defined as belonging to someone else still felt like a cage. The cage Norrix offered let her have her daughter. Myth would go into it willingly and lock the door herself, at least for now.

  Norrix touched her chin and lifted her face, his thumb stroking her cheek. She opened her eyes and met his dark gaze. “You are Myth. And I am yours. Tell me what you want, and I will do it.”

  You are Myth. And I am yours.

  Of all the things Norrix could have said, those words were the sweetest. Even better than vows of love or declarations of devotion. That made her next decision so much easier. “Your blood is helping fight the venom and I feel better, but I don’t feel a bond. I want you to make me strygoi.”

  Norrix reeled back as if she’d slapped him. “What do you know of strygoi? How do you know of strygoi? Does the mage know?”

  “No!” She was ruining things. “I found Musette in Dragă space. She said I could become strygoi and you could help me. I want to be strong and not helpless. She said she had a feeling about me and you could give me what I needed.”