Murdering Her Light

by Michael Clement

  Daniel laughed.

  “I need some other clothing,” I said. “And what are we going to do about them?”

  Tori stood up and began to get dressed.

  “Throw on your dress ,” she said sarcastically, looking at the black dress with disdain.

  Daniel groaned. “I hate shopping.”

  “I know,” Tori replied. “But, Truth is correct.”

  -- M --

  Tori took me on a whirlwind tour of Burning Tree. It was the largest settlement in the area and it had about fifteen thousand permanent residents.

  At a small clothing store, she bought me dresses, pants, shirts, panties, a few belts, and several pairs of shoes, including some lovely leather boots. She also purchased a coat for me to wear at night and a rain slicker for, well, when it rained.

  I was really glad that my breasts were small, when I discovered that this world no longer used bras.

  It felt like heaven to switch into a yellow dress that covered my ass.

  Putting on underwear made me feel human again.

  She bought me a brush for my hair and wide-brimmed hat for the sun.

  And, toiletries. A toothbrush and toothpaste.

  And, makeup.

  I have to admit, I love shopping.

  Daniel followed us everywhere and unhappily lugged our packages for us.

  Tori also purchased a huge leather bag that grabbed her attention and another one that I liked.

  Carrying a purse made me feel like a real girl again.

  Daniel did perk up when Tori purchased several pieces of lingerie, for the two of us. I caught him watching me several times. His gaze made my skin feel like it was on fire.

  My inside ached to feel him within me again, because he wanted too, not because I was forcing him too.

  As we walked back, I realized that the city felt alive, as we wandered through it. There were a lot of non-humans, but I felt less scared of them now. People were shopping, haggling, and eating in open restaurants.

  It felt nice.

  We ate in one of the roof-top restaurants. The meal was full of spices. The music was a strange mixture of Mexican and Opera, but I decided that I liked it. We drank too much and even danced together.

  Together, the three of us made our way back to Zebulon’s Palace.

  And, I was happy again.

  -- M --

  Sarah was waiting in Tori’s bedroom when we arrived.

  “The Master sends his regards,” she said, bowing low, as she handed Tori an envelope.

  Before I could even say hi, she scurried out of the room.

  “What does it say?” Daniel asked.

  His eyes hadn’t left me all night. They roved my body, searching out all my private, most intimate parts. It felt like he was trying to lick and nibble on every portion of my body visually.

  When we had danced, I felt excited and scared at the same time. I couldn’t believe that Tori would let us dance together, while she watched. But, she had.

  I wanted to fuck him again.

  And, Tori knew it.

  Good Lord, I thought. I was the other woman for both of them.

  “Zebulon needs to meet with all three of us immediately,” she replied. “We are to meet him in the arboretum, through the green door.”

  “Let’s ignore him,” Daniel insisted, his eyes never leaving me.

  Tori sighed. “We can’t. If we ignore him, everything will fall apart.”

  Reaching out, she grabbed Daniel’s hand. “We don’t have the book yet,” she reminded him.

  Daniel scowled and then nodded.

  Together, she led the three of us through Zebulon’s palace until we reached a green door.

  Unlike the door this morning, I noticed several large spiders in the rafters guarding this portal. If Tori noticed them, she ignored the creatures and walked through without breaking stride.

  Down into the depths, we journeyed again. The steps had the same carved look to them. Dozens of fey lanterns lit up the stairs. They were a green tone that lit up the walkway and made it feel almost… pleasant.

  Eventually, we reached a small cavern, about the size of a meeting room in a large office building. I could see dozens of tunnels leading off of it. Unlike the other caverns, these felt warm and humid. Plants filled planters all over the room and a large fountain with huge fish floating in it dominated the middle of the room.

  Comfort was standing in the middle of the room. When she saw us, she smiled wickedly and bowed to the two Walkers.

  “Please follow me,” she mused.

  Turning, she led us through hundreds of tiny rooms. All of them had crops of one sort or another growing in them. Pods of Fey Lanterns were placed in each room, radiating artificial sunlight that apparently worked for growing plants. Here and there, I saw hundreds of spiders tending the crops.

  Then, Comfort led us into a large cavern with a huge pool of water that took up most of the area. Zebulon was sitting in the center, on his movable throne. Huge plants covered the little island and the area around the pool, making it look like a miniature forest underground.

  “Come in my friends and sit down,” he said, gesturing at three chairs.

  He watched us sit down, peering at us with eyes pinched shut.

  “We have a problem,” he began.

  “I don’t like being summoned, like an underling,” Tori interrupted. “And, I want to know when I will start training to become the Maestra.”

  Zebulon held up his hands, waving at her to hold her comments. “I understand your enthusiasm, my dear, but MY problems simply must be addressed first.”

  Reaching down, he picked up an envelope. “This is a formal declaration,” he said, “from the leaders of the Confederation. The High Council has declared a Convention to be held in Burning Tree in three weeks.”

  Both Tori and Daniel looked stunned.

  “The Maestro and Sorcerors of each city, along with the leaders of the Gray Walkers will begin arriving in a few weeks,” he said.

  Then, he pointed at me. “They will sense her Warlock stink, as soon as they arrive. When that happens, the Enforcers will arrest and interrogate us all. The law states that Warlocks are to be executed on sight, not trained. We will not have time to discover Shadarstalk’s location--and open the portal--in the time we have remaining.”

  “Shit,” Tori cursed.

  “My only choice is to kill all three of you, immediately,” he concluded.

  Dozens of Shadar emerged from the foliage with blowguns prepared to strike.

  “Wait,” Tori insisted. “We can survive this.”

  Zebulon held up his hand, pausing the advancing spiders.

  “How?” he asked.

  “In three weeks, Truth can read all the manuscripts to you,” she began. “And, she could be trained enough to become a Sorceror.”

  Zebulon rolled his eyes. “There is no way that will happen in the time that we have.”

  “We need to make it happen,” Tori insisted. “Otherwise, you will never get to go home.”

  “Even if she could become a Sorceror,” he spat out. “We would not have the portal active... like we need.”

  “But,” Tori said. “If you have the Beacon, and the knowledge of how to use it to take them home, they may listen.”

  Zebulon tapped his chin, deep in thought.

  Finally, he said. “She would need to conquer all six of the challenges in three weeks.”

  Sighing, he shook his head. “No one has ever done that before. Usually, it takes years for an apprentice to survive them, and even then, most apprentices die.”

  “Truth has two Gray Walkers to heal her,” Daniel announced. “And, a cadre of Sorceror’s to help her.”

  “Sorceror’s don’t help each other,” Zebulon chided him.

  “Let Truth attempt the challenges,” Tori said. “If she fails and dies, then you lose nothing, except her ability to translate your documents. And, she will begin reading the manuscripts to you every week.”
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  “If she succeeds,” Daniel interrupted, “you will be in the position to announce your leadership to the Council, in the Shadar’s triumphant return to Abishikaashi. Think of the prestige. The first seat is within your grasp.”

  Zebulon smiled, exposing his inhuman fangs. “I would like that,” he mused.

  “Kill them,” Comfort announced. “It is not worth the risk.”

  “Silence, woman,” the male Shadar hissed.

  He went back to tapping his chin and thinking about their objections.

  “Fine,” he finally said. “Tonight, Truth will be given her first test. If she fails, I will envelop her in webbing and force her to translate all of my papers. Then, she will be eaten.”

  “Oh fuck,” I hissed.

  “Do you object, my little apprentice?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

  “No,” I said, keeping my voice quiet and courteous.

  “And you?” he asked Tori and Daniel.

  They looked at each other and then nodded to Zebulon.

  Zebulon pointed at the two Walkers. “You may leave.”

  - 24 -

  When the two Gray Walkers were gone, Zebulon focused on me.

  “You were instructed not to enter my presence clothed again,” he complained. “Disrobe and kneel in front of me for your punishment.”

  Comfort grinned, excited about having the chance to hurt me.

  Seeing few options, I slipped out of my new clothing and placed it one of the two chairs.

  It felt unnerving, taking off my clothing in front of so many creatures.

  Kneeling before him, I felt anxious and uneasy.

  “What do you have to say for yourself?” he asked, as I sat with my heels digging into my ass.

  “Comfort told me to be naked for your lessons,” I said. “She did not say at all times.”

  “Lies,” Comfort growled.

  Zebulon smiled and studied his wife.

  “Liar!” Comfort screeched again.

  “One of you is,” Zebulon agreed. “But, it remains to be seen which one. Normally, I would determine that question immediately, but tonight, we have more pressing concerns.”

  Snapping his fingers, Zebulon said, “Bring in the prisoners.”

  Six men were dragged into the room in chains their smell rolled over me like a wave. They stank of body odor and fear. The motley crew of prisoners were dressed in ragged clothing. I could see cuts and bruises all over their flesh, but most of them looked defiant and prepared for a fight.

  Each one of them looked like a criminal who was just waiting for the guards to turn their back, so they could stick a knife between their ribs.

  The Shadar made the men kneel perpendicularly to me, on my right.

  Every one of the degenerates leered in my direction. I kept my head down and watched them out of the corner of my eye. I could feel a bead of sweat drip down my back. It began in my hairline, tracing its way down my shoulders.

  “Sweet Kitty,” a bald man purred. “Let me lick that sweat off of you.”

  “I’d split her open easily,” a fat man complained as he grinned and licked his lips. “That precious little ass is ripe for fucking.”

  “Look at her pierced tits,” another exclaimed happily. “I want some of that!”

  “Silence,” Zebulon hissed.

  I was surprised when each of the prisoners became deathly quiet.

  “Apprentice,” Zebulon instructed. “These men are all sentenced to the gallows for murder, extortion, child molestation, rape, and a hundred other crimes. I have offered them a chance to survive.”

  I kept kneeling and listening intently. Zebulon told me that I would be tested tonight. And, if I failed, I was sentenced to death myself.

  “Each time I place one of my curses or hexes on your body, it will burn and itch until it is bathed in the fresh blood of the murdered,” he told me. “The pain will increase and grow until it melts your brain into gibbering madness.”

  Pointing at the men, he said, “All they need to do -- in order to receive a reprieve -- is to kill you.”

  I swallowed hard. How was I going to be able to kill a trained killer?

  And, the bigger question… could I murder another human, even if it was to save myself?

  “The first mark that I will inscribe onto your flesh will give you control over men’s minds,” he told me. “You will be able to enthrall them, making them follow your commands even if it leads to their death. Men will leave their loved ones to grovel meekly at your feet, looking for an ounce of praise. Soldiers will kill their superiors, just to feel the touch of your fingers on their bodies, and women will throttle their own infants to please you.”

  Leaning towards me, he said. “Do you wish to control this magic?”

  I licked my dry lips. The curse that he was offering was similar to my jinx, but much more powerful. My jinx could prod people in the direction that I wanted. This curse would make them do what I wanted and like it.

  It was the definition of evil, controlling another person’s mind. I knew that it was the darkest, most horrible magic, to control someone else’s mind.

  It would mean becoming a Warlock.

  And, God help me, I wanted it. I was alone in this world. If I could make people my allies, I might survive, or even thrive.

  I nodded my head, because, honestly, what else could I do. If I said no, Zebulon would tie me up like a taco and eat me, feet first.

  It was either become a proper Warlock, or die.

  “Speak,” he hissed.

  “Yes, Master, I want the power,” I responded, damning my soul to hell.

  Fucking another woman hadn’t sent my soul to Hell, but this surely would.

  He nodded approvingly, which made me feel awful. But, deep inside my mind, an evil version of me grinned happily.

  Zebulon stood up. In his hands was a leather hide rolled up like a scroll. Opening it, he showed it to me. On one side was black leather. On the other were tiny green scales with a black symbol burned into them. It was very intricate and about the size of a yellow sticky pad and looked like an Aztec sun burning behind a demon’s skull. Etched on the skull’s forehead was a symbol that made my mind skip, like a record player skipping on a scratched surface.

  The sigil was so evil that my mind refused to even focus on it.

  Looking away, I tried to breathe and calm my fears.

  “Lay prone on the floor with your right arm outstretched,” he commanded.

  I followed his commands, much to the amusement of the men. More snide comments erupted, but quietly this time.

  “I’m going to eat you,” the fat prisoner promised me.

  “Not before I fuck her,” the skinny one whispered.

  He smacked his lips happily. “I’m going to cut holes in her flesh and make my own openings,” he giggled in anticipation.

  Zebulon knelt by me, ignoring the men. He pressed the scaly surface down onto the back of my hand. I could feel that the scales ran half-way up my arm, wrapping around the outside of it like a knight’s bracer of armor.

  Dark words slipped out of his mouth, and I felt him summoning his black fire. The scales began to heat up.

  Comfort knelt on the other side of me and jabbed out with her talons, stabbing me.

  She chuckled with a dark wickedness, as I screamed in pain.

  Lashing out, she pierced my back, thighs, legs and my other hand. She sliced into me so swiftly and thoroughly that I was literally pinned to the floor.

  I screamed again, as loudly as I could. Both Shadar breathed deeply, loving my pain and agony.

  I could feel her talons as they sliced into my flesh. Blood poured over my skin, as I continued to thrash and scream. Each wiggle made her talons rip and pull at my flesh, but I couldn’t hold still. It hurt too badly.

  But, nothing was worse than what Zebulon was doing. He was branding me with every scale on the leather. Pressing down with all of his weight, the spider continued to moan and cajole the skin to awaken and me
rge with my flesh.

  I couldn’t get away.

  The pain was unending.