Rei
The green-haired girl stood rigidly still, her index finger pressed tightly against her lips. A startled, sinking feeling rushed through me like a striking hammer crushing my collarbone. My throat suddenly seized up with fear.
“What is it?”
She shushed me, her milky eyes vacant. “Someone’s coming. I must go, but remember what I told you.” She grabbed my hands in hers and squeezed tightly. “You are never alone.”
Her body vanished into thin air with barely a whisper of wind behind her, but I still felt the tingle of warmth on my hands where hers had been. I mulled over everything she’d had to say, running everything through my mind to keep me company.
She could have rescued me right then and there. I mean, she told me as much, but there was so much more at stake than my life.
And now I had a reestablished purpose.
Spymaster of the Hunt.
Mistress of the night.
And when the time came, I would be the only person who could save my daughter.
The door burst open with a tremendous force, slamming into the wall and making an echoing sound throughout the room. Rhen strode through the doorway, entering the room with an unnerving presence.
I ran to her, eagerly throwing my arms around her in an affectionate hug. But instead of reciprocating, she cackled eerily, a distorted sound that I could hardly recognize as her own voice.
I stumbled backwards, my entire body trembling with fear as I watched in terror as her physical form distorted into a wicked creature with curled horns atop its head and shaggy white hair cascading down its back. It’s eyes were full of malice, the kind that could make even the bravest of souls shudder. It’s mouth was filled with gnarled teeth that gleamed in the moonlight, and it’s nails were long and pointed like claws that could rip through flesh with no effort, and it emitted a chill that penetrated deep into my bones.
The air was suddenly thick, and I froze in my tracks. My breath hitched, heart pounding against my chest as I retreated a single step.
“Hello, Rei.” His voice was low, throaty, and not of this world. Not human, but not entirely daemonic either.
I narrowed my eyes, gritting my teeth in indignation as I stared at him. Sunlight pouring through the open door illuminated the dust particles that hung like a discerning haze between us. My breath came out ragged, as if it had to push against all of this resentment before it even could escape me. Every muscle in my body seemed taut and filled with unspoken frustration. His presence here was like a reminder of everything wrong, an ugly stain on my life.
“What do you want?”
He tilted his head, his dark brows arching in amusement. A knowing smirk graced his lips as he mused over the situation. The corners of his eyes crinkled with delight as he found himself still amused by the very thought of it. His eyes sparkled in a way that betrayed just how much joy this moment had brought him, and while he couldn’t deny it was strange, he couldn’t help but revel in it. “What makes you so sure I want something?”
Unable to contain my anger, my nostrils flared. If everything the girl told me was true, that thing would — No. I couldn’t think like that. Even she’d said that nothing was ever certain. But the Seers had gifted her with the Sight. Had shown her visions of possible futures.
I’d vomited the first time she told me about my future. What I was meant to do. It wasn’t until she let Char speak to me through her I truly understood my part. His voice, distorted and higher than I remembered, soothed me.
Our girl, she is the key to unlocking everything. Protect her, whatever the cost. Kill whoever stands in your way.
I’d failed to protect her for too long in my years of illness, and I was determined that I would not fail her again. Vicious rage coated my tongue like silk. “You always want something.”
He grinned, his fearsome fangs gleaming sharp and white, then snarled as he sniffed the pungent air. With wide eyes, he turned to me, stalking over with deadly purpose, and grabbed me by my shirt collar. The beast slammed my body against the wall and growled menacingly in my ear. Fear froze me in place as the creature closed its mouth around my shoulder.
“Who was here?” He moved, fingers digging into my skin to hold me in place.
Fear replaced the anger. I shook my head, sweat beading down my forehead. “No—” my words were barely a whisper. “No one.”
He let out a menacing growl, baring his teeth as he lunged forward and nipped at my neck. I could feel his hot breath on my skin, sending shivers throughout my body.
“Stupid bitch! I can smell them. Now, tell me. Who was it?”
“I don’t—she didn’t,” I sputtered, panting with terror, “tell me her name.”
Slowly, so wickedly slowly, he set me down on the floor. “What did she say?”
Tears coated my lashes when I blinked from the searing pain behind my eyes. “I-I don’t—I don’t know. I think it was him.” I mumbled, too afraid to say Elm’s name aloud. “He sent her to check on me.”
He rolled his neck, and I heard it crack. Startled by the patch of fur lining his neck and shoulders, I sucked in a breath.
“How rude of him to send someone else to check on you instead of coming himself!”
I gulped, trying to find the courage to ask the dread-filled question. “Are you going to kill me?” I could barely bring myself to utter the words, choking back a sob as dread filled my body. My heart raced with fear, quivering in anticipation of the response.
The beast gave a deep, bellowing laugh as he shook his head. He found my fear humorous, and it infuriated me.
“I’ve been given strict orders not to kill you,” he muttered, teeth clacking like some sort of animal. “But I’m so very bored.”
I stumbled backward, but he was already on top of me before I could move away. He wore a malicious smile that spread too wide, and his hands were on my shoulders, with claws digging in. I tried to scream, but the sound was blocked by his body pressing against me as if to silence me. My heart raced rapidly, and my breaths came out short and shallow, my throat suddenly feeling extremely constricted. In an instant, fear coursed through my veins like wildfire, wild and uncontrollable. I felt my eyes watering, and I closed them tight.
The last thing that lingered in my mind before a sharp, sudden pain in my shoulder overwhelmed me was the smell of a coppery dread - the scent of blood on his breath.
And darkness greeted me as her old friend.
Hello, Rei, she whispered, it’s been a while.