Fire Moon

8

POISON.

It was a poisoned arrow.

I could smell it. I could see the slick thickness of something toxic and sinister.

My shoulder ached as I stretched my arm through the bars of my cell and into Urith's. I grasped the arrow still piercing his shoulder, the blood now dried to a brown-red and I gripped it, "Are you sure?"

Our brown eyes met and he groaned, "Pull—pull it—out!"

I wrapped my fingers around the thin stick and yanked it from his flesh. I flinched as another groan ripped from Urith, I watched as he vomited instantly after and his body went limp again.

"What's happening to him?" I demanded, turning to the stranger who continued to watch us from her corner.

She gave me a sad smile, "They're Foxglove arrows."

My confusion clear on my face, "What does that mean?"

Her dark curled hair was matted, I noticed and she continued offering her sad smile, "It's real name is digitalis purpurea, they coat all their weapons with it and overdoses are deadly" her chains rattled as she pushed her curls from her face, "He has three days and there's nothing you can do."

"Hey!" I shouted down the corridor, "Hey, we need help!" my voice was panicked and booming.

"Yes, sweet Eden?" it was Alexei who answered my cries.

He had a small fragile women next to him. Her aged, thin body made him look larger and dangerous.

I felt my mouth go up in a snarl, "You dirty traitor, of course it was you!"

His emerald orbs watched my face and annoyance grew on his own, "You know nothing about me, Changeling."

He huffed the last word. Trying to insult me and I hated that it worked. August was right the entire time. I growled in response, "I'd pick being a Changeling over being a backstabber any damn day."

His hand flew through the bars and gripped the fabric of my shirt, pulling me hard against the cold metal, "I swear to the moon that I will..."

"Mr Velasquez, we came to heal her" the senile lady croaked, "Not harm her more."

I blinked, remembering Urith, "No, heal him" I gestured to Urith, who was now convulsing on the ground and I thought of begging. I would beg from him to be healed. I would kneel to anyone I had to.

You do not kneel. You do not beg.

My eyes meeting the elder's eyes. They were the same colour of Alice's and framed with aged skin, "I cannot help him, there is no cure."

She was lying and I knew it. My eyes darkened, "Help. Him."

I watched her head drop slightly and she turned to Alexei, who hadn't stopped watching me and he grunted his response, "I'm not wasting my healer on a Sigma."

My glare was deadly sharp and I ripped his grip off my shirt. I glanced down at the arrow in my hand and I glanced back up at him, his eyes following me and I almost thought he'd realise but he just rose an eyebrow in question. Daring me to throw it at him and if I didn't have other plans for it, I would have.

"Fine, then I do not wish to be healed" I rose my chin and returned to my thin bed. The funny thing about Healer-hounds, is they can only heal someone if that someone accepts it. The fragile woman can't heal me even if they burst into the cell because I have refused and therefore my body wouldn't absorb the heal.

"Fine" Alexei laughed in disbelief, "Rather watch you suffer."

"Fine" I shrugged. His emeralds glowed with irritation and he turned, strolling down the corridor.