Malleus strode over to inspect her kill but the man wasn’t dead yet. Weakly, blood pouring from his mouth, he raised his arms as the hammer crashed down with a sickening finality.
Dabbing her fingers into the blood pooling on the floor, Malleus raised them to her mouth and smacked hungrily. But already this meal was getting cold. The other would be fresh and warm for a while. Licking her lips, the monster turned to find dinner.
Amanda witnessed her husband’s death, too shocked and frightened to make even a whimper. Then she felt his murderer’s eyes find her and she started scrabbling backwards, using her feet to push away. The sound of scuttling terror mocked her as it bounced off the walls.
Reaching down, Malleus calmly dragged the girl to her feet. Fresh blood ran in rivulets where talons pierced Amanda’s shoulder. Leaning in close, barely able to contain her hunger, the demon whispered, “It’s so much better when you scream.”
Suddenly a fist smashed into Malleus’s face, knocking her away from her victim. Amanda cried as she fell to the floor again. The demon rolled to her feet and sent a powerful fireball at her new enemy, but Sarah dodged it. The demon stared quizzically at the intruder.
“Why are you protecting her, Sarah?”
Standing resolutely in front of Mandy, Sarah snarled. “I couldn’t care less about her but it would destroy Raven if she died because of you.”
“Branwyen has killed. You know this.” Malleus meandered in a slow circle around Sarah and Amanda, skipping from one patch of blue light to the next, the perfect predator sizing up its prey. Sarah could barely keep the thing in her sight.
“Amanda can’t fight back anymore,” Sarah’s voice was firm despite the terror that threatened to overwhelm her at any moment, “this battle is over. Raven would never murder a defenseless person.”
Malleus shimmered and Sarah lost sight of her completely. A voice from a shadow to her left spoke, “Yes, you are right. Branwyen never did have much of a killer instinct.” Sarah whirled but now the voice came from behind.
“Of course, Branwyen’s wants or needs are no longer of any consequence.”
Sarah spun again, her gray eyes searching desperately in the shadows cast by the flickering torches. “What do you mean?” She whispered, afraid of the answer but asking anyway to buy some precious moments.
“The vassal is now mine.”
“I know you’re lying. I know she can hear me.” Acceptance replaced the fear Sarah felt. It might be the last thing she did but she wanted to say the words to Raven just once.
The demon with crimson eyes materialized and grabbed her by the throat. Pain fired through Sarah’s body as Malleus leaned in; their faces so close Sarah could feel breath on her skin. “What makes you so sure?”
With renewed determination Sarah pulled Malleus’s lips to her own and whispered into the leering face of madness.
CHAPTER 29: TRUE LOVES KISS
The girl struggled for the surface but couldn’t be sure which way was up. Darkness filled her world as she thrashed helplessly. What felt like millions of worms groped her body, forcing their way into her pores, dragging her further down. She could feel her strength fading. Already her arms felt like lead and responded sluggishly to her commands. Lungs bursting, she opened her mouth to scream but countless tendrils filled the new opening, causing her to gag. Finally beaten and exhausted, the girl stopped fighting. Slowly she sank into Oblivion.
Then something grasped the back of her shirt and pulled. It tugged valiantly but the darkness would not surrender its prey so easily. Another tendril, this one thicker and heavier than the others, wrapped itself around her foot. Caught in a fierce tug-of-war the girl gathered the last of her strength and kicked.
With a heaving gasp, the girl broke through the surface and collapsed on the stone floor as fresh air filled her lungs. Through the haze of pain she noticed a figure bathed in blinding light bending over her. With a wry grin, the girl reached out and stroked the figures’ hair
“Silly Lil’bit, I’m supposed to protect you.”
“Welcome back.” Sarah smiled painfully as she looked into Raven’s bright green eyes.
Raven brushed her fingers over Sarah’s cheeks, searching for signs of injury. Finding none, she forced her own small smile. “Thanks, Lil’bit. Is everyone alright?”
Sarah shook her head gravely. “Els and I are fine, and I think Amanda will live but Brian is dead.”
A mournful cry broke from behind them. Raven turned and looked at her youngest sister. She was dirty and drying blood stained her shirt. She tried desperately to scurry away until she bumped into a pillar. Raven noticed there was a thumb sized hole in Amanda’s shoulder but didn’t bother to ask about it.
“You killed him!” She shrieked. “You’re a demon!”
Raven sadly shook her head. “No. I just happen to share a body with one.” She tried to walk over to Amanda, nearly collapsing with the effort. Sarah caught her and tried to ease her to the ground but Raven was insistent.
“We have to get you to Daniel. The guards will be here shortly.” Sarah cajoled, trying to get Raven to listen to reason.
Raven pointed at Mandy. “I have to do something about her before they get here.”
Sarah didn’t know what to expect. Would Raven kill Amanda in cold blood to protect her secret? Was she going to threaten or somehow force the girl to remain quite about Malleus? She didn’t know but decided that she would have to trust Raven. Amanda quaked with fear as Raven slowly limped towards her.
Sarah watched as Raven knelt down and pressed a forefinger against her forehead. Slowly she withdrew the finger and pressed it against Amanda’s. A thin stream of light, fine as spider silk, glowed between the two sisters. Amanda’s eyes rolled back in her head and both girls went still as stone.
Elspeth opened her eyes and smiled. Felicity and Rebekah stood on either side of her bed, charred around the edges and covered head to toe in soot, but beaming widely at their mother. Stephen and Daniel stood at the foot of the bed, each wearing a broad grin.
Her Grace sat up straighter, and after hugs from everybody gathered, asked where Raven and Sarah were. A somber silence told her that nobody knew. Reacting quickly like the leader she was, Elspeth ordered Daniel, Bekah and Liz to go find the two girls and bring them back. Liz complained about leaving but Elspeth was resolute.
“Raven and Sarah saved all of us. I’ll be fine so go help.”
Still looking like she wanted to argue, Liz stormed off in a huff, following Bekah and Daniel. When they were alone, Elspeth slouched wearily against the head board. Stephen locked the bedroom door and sat down on the bed.
“The fire turned blue.” Elspeth said, after a pause.
Stephen took her hand in his. “Yes, on the embankment as well.”
“That child is an absolute whiz at keeping secrets.” Elspeth gently squeezed Stephen’s hand. The large man nodded.
“Do you think Rebekah knows?”
The Duchess chuckled softly, answering with a question of her own. “Who else do you think would help her cover it up? Branwyen is the vassal of Malleus Maleficarum, and that is a big thing to hide.”
“So what are we going to do about it?” Stephen searched the regal face for signs of worry. There were none.
“We’ll wait and see what happens. They’ll tell us when they need to, so we’ll just need to have faith in them for now.”
In another dark room, inhabited by another redheaded girl, this one visibly shaken, Raven suddenly materialized and looked around.
“It’s changed since the last time I was here.” She remarked casually to Amanda, who looked up with red, puffy eyes. Gone were the pictures of Amanda’s family that had once adorned the walls. Gone was the comfortable couch that sat in the middle of the room. The only decoration that Raven could see was a small picture of Brian hanging between the two large windows. This room was barren and lifeless, offering no warmth.
“Where are we, Raven?” Amanda’s voice filled with
anger.
“Inside your mind.” Raven snapped her fingers and started thumbing through a large codex box that appeared in front of her.
“In my mind? What are you talking about?”
Raven pulled out a card and mentioned in an off-handed fashion that she had to clear up a few loose ends before Amanda was imprisoned back in the real world.
Ignoring the girl who was slowly creeping up behind her, Raven read the card in disbelief. She just finished reading what she needed when Amanda swung her fist. The attack had no effect at all.
“Physical attacks won’t work in here.” Raven explained as she re-filed the card and picked up another one.
Amanda lay cursing on the floor, asking exactly what Raven thought she was doing. Raven said that she needed to know who Amanda and Brian were working for and since neither was in any condition to answer questions this seemed the most pragmatic option.
“Plus,” Raven turned her eyes on her youngest sister in disgust, “I can’t very well have you telling our enemies about Malleus, so I’m going to lock those memories away.”
Amanda managed a small laugh. “You think I’m just going to forget that you’re half demon?”
Raven gave a thin lipped smile and walked towards a safe that suddenly appeared in the wall of the room. “I don’t see why not.” After placing the papers inside, she slammed the metal door shut and the safe faded. “It’s worked every other time I’ve tried it.”
“Every other time you’ve tried what?” Amanda demanded, eyeing Raven with some suspicion. “Get out of my head, Branwyen. Leave me alone.”
Raven just grimaced. The only thing Amanda would remember is that they had somehow lost. Snapping her fingers a final time, Raven retreated into back into her own mind.
Raven swooned into Sarah’s waiting arms, weeping. Amanda fell backwards and knocked her head against the stone pillar, unconscious.
“Are you alright?” Sarah cradled Raven’s head against her chest. Great body-wracking sobs answered her.
The blonde was gently rocking the redhead back and forth when three people burst into the chamber.
Liz leaned over Mandy. “Daniel,” she shouted, “She’s hurt pretty badly.”
Daniel stood frozen, not seeming to hear. He looked down on the remains of Brian Tully, though the only reason he knew they had once been his friend was because of the clothes still draped over the mass barely recognizable as human. Liz started to walk over but Daniel barked at her to stay away. She didn’t need to see this. Whatever hit Brian did so with enough force to make his head explode. Bits of brains and teeth were scattered on the ground and a piece of meat that looked like a tongue hung limply to one side of the cavity. Daniel leaned against a nearby pillar and vomited until he couldn’t bring anything else up and then dry heaved until he thought he’d pass out. It wasn’t the site of blood, as a doctor he’d seen plenty of horrific injuries, but rather the ferocity of the attack that made him sick. He glanced at Raven, who was still crying. No, he shook his head, it couldn’t have been her. So what had butchered arguably the greatest swordsman of their time?
Bekah reached for Raven, trying to drag her out of Sarah’s arms, but Raven clung tight. Bekah wanted to comfort her Sis, to tell her it was alright but she didn’t know exactly what happened. So she did the only thing she knew to do. She reached back and slapped Raven as hard as she could.
Instantly the whimpering stopped. “Ouch, you bitch!” Raven snapped, rubbing her cheek. “I was crying here if you hadn’t noticed.”
Bekah shrugged her shoulders, “Sucks to be you. Stop the pity fest and tell me what happened.”
Raven struggled to her feet with Sarah’s help. Despite recent events Sarah felt sure that things would be alright now if the two of them were bickering. It provided a sense of normalcy the world hadn’t seen for some time.
“They,” Raven indicated Mandy and Brian with her chin, “tried to kill Elspeth and take over Valentria.”
“No kidding, really!’ Bekah stared at Raven as if the girl had suddenly gone bonkers. “I know that. I want to know why you didn’t give me a hug as soon as I walked in.”
It was Raven’s turn to look as if she were talking to a crazy person. “Cause Sarah’s hugs are warm and comfortable. Yours are cold and kind of creepy.”
Sarah thought they might actually start fighting but Daniel cleared his throat. “Ladies, now isn’t the time. There’s a dead man…” The doctor jumped out of the way as a fireball from Bekah hurtled past. Flames engulfed Brian’s body, quickly reducing it to a vaguely human sized pile of ashes.
“Let’s get something very clear before anybody leaves this room.” Bekah was standing with her arms crossed, daring anybody to argue or question her. No one did. “Brian was killed by Raven in the fight. We put out the fire when we got down here. Understood?”
Everyone nodded and Bekah seemed satisfied. “Sis,” she whispered with more gentleness than Sarah believed she possessed, “mom wants to see you and Sarah as soon as possible. Do you feel up to it?”
Raven glanced at Sarah, who shrugged noncommittally. “Yeah, let’s go while everything is still fresh in our minds.”
Bekah bent forward and Raven leaned on her for support. After checking with Sarah to make sure she was alright, Liz went too. Daniel helped Sarah to her feet then hugged her tightly.
“You must’ve been scared. Sorry I couldn’t do anything.” He said, wiping her cheek.
Soldiers came rushing into the sanctum before she could say anything. Daniel ordered them to take Mandy to the hospital room and for two guards to remain stationed at the door at all times.
In Elspeth’s bedroom, Raven and Bekah laid bare the events of the year, judiciously leaving a few parts out.
“What I don’t understand is why you two didn’t come to us in the first place.” Stephen paced the bedroom like a caged predator. “You put this entire country, not to mention all of our lives, in jeopardy.”
Elspeth reached over and patted his arm. “As much as it pains me to say this, they were right. Thanks to their actions we discovered the traitors before they could do any real harm.” Stephen started to say something else but the Countess cut him off. “Branwyen, did they tell you anything while you were fighting.”
Though Daniel’s arm was wrapped protectively around her waist, Sarah watched her business partner with mounting worry. Raven swayed slowly back and forth and was blinking every few seconds. She didn’t have time to clean up before being summoned to this meeting and dried blood the color of rust flaked on her clothes and milky skin. Sarah knew she was in desperate need of rest and wanted to say something but didn’t feel comfortable speaking out.
“Yeah,” Raven’s voice was thick with weariness and it took all of Sarah’s self control not to rush to her side. “They’re working with the Protectorate. Then Amanda said something about a back-up plan but I didn’t hear what it was.” That was a lie but Raven couldn’t explain where she learned the details. Besides, she reasoned, news like this was going to be known everywhere very soon.
Elspeth sighed heavily. It would take a little time for reality to hit her; that her youngest daughter had tried to kill her and take over the duchy. Still, she was the Duchess and had to lead. She ordered everyone out except Raven.
“Yes ma’am?” The girl sat gingerly on the bed without being invited. The soft cushion felt like heaven after all she had endured and she was tempted to lay down and go to sleep right there but something in her adopted mother’s eyes forced her to pay attention.
“Branwyen, I want to thank you. Despite how you were treated you always defended us; you and Sarah both.”
Raven smiled, “You’re welcome but no thanks are necessary. Y’all are the only family we have.” The girl paused as if making a difficult decision, her fingers playing absent mindedly with the covers before finishing, “Mom.”
Elspeth and Raven hugged as tightly as their injuries allowed.
“You know,” Raven said, with a sleep
y grin and heavily lidded eyes, “that was incredibly uncomfortable to say.”
Elspeth smirked, “You should’ve been the one hearing it.” Raven snorted and stood up.
“Love you, Els.”
“Love you to, Raven. Now go get some rest.”
CHAPTER 30: JUST THE BEGINNING
The girl stood looking around the chamber. Things seemed to have changed in here, and for the better. Eight windows, no longer covered with stained glass, allowed brilliantly clear light to stream in. No shadows could be seen, nor could have survived, in this richly illuminated sanctuary.
Except one. In the back of the room, behind a chest long forgotten, a small shadow pulsed and writhed, too terrified to expose itself to the harsh light.
Sarah was surprised to find out that the soldiers who attacked Valentria weren’t Protectorate, but were from Savannah. Still, she wasn’t sure exactly why she needed to be at this meeting, seated beside Daniel who held her hand comfortingly. They, everyone who bore the mark of the White Rose, sat in the throne room to decide the best way to deal with Amanda’s betrayal. The trial was over quickly since the evidence overwhelmingly showed her guilt but city wide clean up and rare indecisiveness by the Duchess Chandlish meant holding off on the moment everyone was dreading. They were here to sentence the youngest Chandlish daughter.
Civilian casualties has been minor, thanks to the efforts of Bekah and Liz and the platoon of soldiers they led into the city but nearly a thousand members of the Valentria guard had been killed in the attack. The public was going to demand justice soon.
Captain Roberts made the first comment. “We hang them. The laws are very clear on this matter.”
WINDOWS: A BROKEN FAIRY TALE Page 28
