Shift

Chapter 8

8

Sofi stared at Vera like she didn’t know her.

“You said you wouldn’t let him die! You said you didn’t want him to die!”

“I never said that!” Vera snapped, then she swallowed. She never snapped at Sofi. “Please, you have to stay away from him, for me, ok?” She begged, taking Sofi’s hand.

Sofi studied her and decided that whatever her sister wasn’t telling her was what she was feared would hurt Sofi.

“He’s the man who poisoned the water, isn’t he?” Sofi asked.

“Yes,” Vera answered softly.

“He’s not of Valdor, Vera” Sofi said with a quiet certainty.

“How can you be certain?” Vera challenged her.

“Because he isn’t afraid to die,”

***

The door to the dungeons clanged shut and moments later Vera appeared at the bottom of the stairs. Whatever calm she’d had on her way there evaporated the instant her eyes met Drake’s.

“What did you tell her?” She hissed as she slammed her hand against the bars of the cell.

“Who is she to you?” Drake asked.

“You’ll never know. What. Did. You. Say. To. Her?” Each word left her lips with a punch of breath.

“I didn’t say much at all actually. Sofi talked mostly.” Drake replied. Vera hissed.

“Don’t say her name!”

There was silence. Vera flung her back against the bars and tried to control her breathing.

“For one as innocent as you, you certainly give the appearance of a seasoned assassin. Your threats, the way you fight… Actually, I was thinking about it, and you caught me by surprise. Why didn’t you fight before I got that far? In the woods, at the wall, you ran…” He paused for a moment and continued. “It was because of him, wasn’t it? Whatever healing gift you have, I’m guessing not many have it-“

“You’d be wrong about that.” Vera cut in.

“-well, he at least, couldn’t heal. That’s why you fought back, wasn’t it? To save him. You’ve only ever hurt me when you’re protecting someone. Threatening me so you could learn how the infection came to your people, that was to protect them too, wasn’t it? But despite all of that, the person you have defended most passionately is So-“

“I told you I never want to hear her name cross your lips.”

“Who is she?”

“She is what you killed.”

Drake froze, trying to process Vera’s words. She spun around.

“She was infected, the worst case we had, because of you! She is the purest, sweetest innocence within these walls, and you killed her!” She spat.

“She looked very much alive-“

Vera’s face rippled and Drake concealed his shock at seeing a creature full of hatred staring back at him. It spoke with Vera’s voice, and stood in her body, but her face was that of a cat. She had golden fur that matched her eyes and white sharp teeth glinted in her mouth. Her nose had become a delicate black button that no doubt sensed smell as strongly as any cat. And she was glaring at him.

“Of course she did! because I saved her! I scoured the old texts to name her illness. I was the once who was refused help because I was chasing ghosts. I left the walls to find her cure. I risked everything to save her. Imagine how that makes me feel about you.”

He didn’t have to imagine.

She had given everything to fight a faceless enemy, and then he had given her a face. A face that had committed an unspeakable act against the one she held most dear.

He suddenly understood her hatred, because he knew he would feel exactly the same.

“I still don’t understand,” He asked quietly.

Her face rippled once more and she became herself again.

“I am from the House of Feline, I am surprised that you have not guessed, seeing as you have discovered everything else.”

A light bulb flicked in his head.

“You’re a shifter!”

“We all are. Surely Valdor told you of us before sending you to abduct me?” Drake shook his head. “My House is the House of cat. The other shifters are of Dog, Boar, Ram and Equine. The House names are self-explanatory. Each House possesses the traits of their shadow-side. Mine are those of a cat. So are Sofi’s. Each child of Feline is born with nine lives and innate healing abilities.”

Drake finally understood.

“But that was not the worst of her illness. The infection was so virulent that even death could not heal her. She continued to become sicker and sicker, and the infection took more of her lives. She had to suffer through three deaths before I could save her. Do you know what that is like?” Vera paused for breath. “Most of us loose our first life when we’re young, twelve or more, doing something stupid. We learn and move on. Don’t die again. Save your lives. Every child has a lecture like that. Except Sofi. She was robbed of three of her lives because of your actions.”

With surprise Drake realised she wasn’t angry anymore. Just sad.

“I am incredibly sorry for what happened to her. Nothing can ever repair or justify what I did. I didn’t know what would happen when-“

“When you poured a deadly virus into our water? What did you expect? Or did you just ignore the thought of all our children dying one by one as they played in the stream you infected?” Vera said bitterly.

“I didn’t want to do it! He can destroy mountains with a wave of his hand. For centuries he’s been seeped in dark sorcery. You have no idea what it is like to live under that sort of shadow. When he has something… Something that is precious and fragile, he manipulates those who care. It’s easy for him, he enjoys it, and when you know that their only hope lies in what you do…” Drake yelled.

As he spoke his voice softened and Vera knew she had guessed correctly about him protecting someone.

They stood in silence for an indefinite age, each on opposite sides of the cell bars. Vera wrapped her hand around one of the bars, and, after a heartbeat, Drake closed his hand over hers.

“Which is why…” He continued quietly, “I want you to let me escape.”