Light and the Night Sky

Light Bringer

Daphne felt her heart racing faster as every fiber of her being told her to run. Danger. She was in danger and there was nowhere for her to run to. Breathe. She just needed time to make this make sense.

The man with copper eyes spoke again, his voice dancing over her skin though she couldn’t understand what he said. The man with cloudy eyes spoke next, never breaking eye contact with her. This man, no not a man, he glowed in ways that was in human and was radiating seductive energy like it was normal. He was not human.

She could hear the joking tone between them, but something was off it sounded strained? Were they trying to appear friendly and nonchalant to her? No not to her to the others in the room. They were being watched by everyone here.

Daphne was drawn back to the man not man with thunder storm eyes, and very broad shoulders. Oh hell no. No no. That is not where this is going at all this is a terrible place to be. He walked up to her, amusement crossing his face as he spoke. His eyes dancing up and down her body, appraising it with mild approval.

His eyes stopped on her neck where, to her surprise, her wedding ring still hung. For work she would wear it around a necklace, her husband has only been gone for six months but he was still hers. Always.

Daphne stilled as the man not man reached up and grabbed for the ring, saying something in a condescending tone. Just as he attempted to grab it, she had a vise grip on his wrist and a resolute choice. The fog that had been settling over her mind, washed away in one feel swoop as she met his gaze with all the fury she had in her. “No.”

Pain jolted up her arm from their contact, but she held her grip. She held her gaze as the man not man stared at her in amusement and something else. He did not move but let out a low growl.

Clenching her jaw again she held firm. “No.”

A flash of confusion crossed his face before laughter erupted from behind him. She couldn’t understand what the person said but could guess they were making fun. She grabbed the necklace with her free hand and stepped back from him while releasing him in the process. “No.” Repeating again, this time softer.

He stood still, watching her but not following.

She turned but collided into the blond man that was clearly furious.

Before Daphne could stop it, she was pinned to the ground again. He was growling in her ear but this time it was for far less time. Fear surged through her, and following that a wave of, well she couldn’t understand. Energy? The room flashed brightly, almost like a flash bomb.

The pressure of the person released from her body, she quickly rolled away trying to find a way out but only saw the disgusted looked of the beautiful people around her. A bright light was hurting her eyes but it was coming from below, not below from her.

From her hands?

They glow as if they were a light bulb that had just been shut off, staring at them and moving them around Daphne felt the panic building inside her. This was real but it made no sense. Breathing heavily, she looked away from her hands and while looking for a way out she saw the thundering eyes of the man that had not moved an inch looking to tear her a part bit by bit.

She could feel her head getting cloudy, knowing she was going to lose consciousness soon. Knew that she was about to die.

Wait, did she already die?

The pain was too much for her to be dead right?

She stood and tried to walk to the door but lost to the darkness. When she woke next, she was lying on the ground in what looked like a brick-and-mortar prison cell. There were even chains on the walls.

At least she was alone.

Daphne let out a small laugh as she sat up, her body hurt but not as badly as before. Whatever before was. She stood up and walked to the tall wooden door with a small window on it. Glancing out she could see a dimly lit hallway made of stone. It felt like she was in a castle a few hundred years back. Like that would make sense.

Turning back to the windowless cell she sighed, looking down she was able to look at her dress closer now. There were slits in the side, presumably for riding and all of it was trimmed in intricate lace work. Whomever had manufactured this spent a great deal of time creating it.

She wore white cotton britches, and leather riding shoes that were decorated with the same shade of red as her dress. The design had small key’s swirling into the body of a serpent. Looking at the design on her dress it was a serpent dancing around her torso. In its mouth it held a small knife.

It was so specific but so confusing.

A pressure on the back of her head sent waves of nausea through her, were they going to torture her? A white-hot pain flash through her with a high pitch tone before she was standing in front of the beautiful woman, she thought she had dreamed.

She was clearly not human, now that Daphne was not searing with pain she could see her with clarity. The woman glowed from within in a way that was not possible, not to Daphne at least.

The woman stood before her with a sheepish grin, hands clasped before her. “I suppose I have a few things to explain, Daphne.” It sounded like she was chewing on the words, playing with them. “I am Hecate.”

“Like the Goddess?”

“Yes.”