The Heirs of Death

21. 2. Child of Deceit

CHILD OF DECEIT

Saél's depthless, black-grey eyes stilled on the twirling smoke dancing its way out of the mug and into the clean, fresh air. Then, they slid to us, running from my face to his, twice.

She pressed the rim to her blood-colored lips, their tincture natural and vivid. Her breaths made the smoke swirl before she took a sip. She knew what our intention was, I saw it in her eyes and mind. I smirked, pointing at the teacup in her hand. I flicked my index and she drank once more, gulp after gulp until her cup was almost empty.

I took my share from the tray.

"I like you," I said as I tasted the steaming beverage, the tinge of sugar faint against its strong bitterness. "I never thought I would see someone with such acting skills beside my mate and myself."

"What do you mean?"

She stared at me with the perfect portrait of cluelessness inked on her face. I barked out a laugh, twirling my tea to cool it a bit.

"Aren't you so sweet and innocent?" I stood, not minding the mud sticking to my clothes all the way from my back to my legs. I raised an eyebrow and cocked my head as she met my stare. "Acting like an obedient slave to your mother. I give you this: you almost fooled me. But I can see the steal you are forged from under the soft skin. I can see how cunning and sly you are under those broken stares. You aren't a puppet, you are the mistress of strings."

I jerked my chin back to the cottage.

"She is the marionette swaying to your tunes, isn't she? The mighty, powerful witch fooled by her own daughter." I laughed again, roaming around her. She could have all the powers in the world, in that very moment, I was the snarling wolf and she, the small, fragile deer. "I wonder how she never picked on your magic."

I gripped her arm tight enough her cloak tore and blood peaked from where my nails--half normal, half claws--pierced. Her face was harder than stone, neutral and impenetrable. But I knew that I got deep under her skin, pushing at her secret.

"A witch born in a dark clan, daughter to a woman excelling in dark sorcery, yet wielding pure magic, the kind Lysithea would slit your throat and carve your eyes out if she ever knew you owned."

"I don't know what you are talking about."

"Of course you don't," hissed Aedis, body appearing next to mine in a dance of shadows. "You never discovered your abilities. Never felt the magic thrumming in your blood that can heal armies and mend flesh so badly deteriorated it falls of bones. Do you take us for fools?"

His hand fell on her shoulder, fingers digging hard. This was all it took us to have her magic surge out of its cage, trashing under her skin, looking for a way out to protect its owner. It rippled faintly in the air, the healing abilities stronger than anyone I'd seen or heard about. The type that felt so powerful, even when hidden, it could reinforce and heal armies in seconds on a battlefield. Even the blood vessels on her wrists flickered with soft, honeydew light as her powers roared inside her.