Chapter 12 - The SHADOW
541 Words
It was all proceeding exactly as I hoped. The lore of Dreamscape depicts things like me as monsters when really…That was a bunch of crap. I cannot control people and make them do monstrous deeds. I don’t have that sort of power. It would be fun if I did, but I don’t. Everything that someone under my influence does…It’s simply their nature. Their deepest desires. Things that they try to keep hidden but come out nonetheless.
Even Ember is not immune
It’s not that I am heartless and feel nothing for her, as Siren lifts her. The corners of her mouth twitch slightly. No one notices the barely suppressed glee. It’s not odd that she, drunk on her power fails to notice what exactly she is walking into. The world, in her eyes, is her plaything. By the time she understands the gravity of the situation she is in…It’s going to be a little too late. I wonder how she would feel to see her kingdom in ashes. Her throne reduced to nothing. She would be very surprised that Rosa, the most righteous and compassionate of her Guardians had done it. What she would fail to realize, I think is that the whole thing had been her fault.
She would strike a match, and Ember will be the flame that incinerates her precious dreams…
“Let me help.” Anastasia’s voice is tender. “I can check if…”
She is giving herself away, the i***t!
Fortunately, Siren is too happy to notice. She waves a hand absently in Anastasia’s direction.
“If you think I am going to expose a Guardian of mine to your cursed magic you…”
“I can check if she is cursed.”
Siren rolls her eyes and laughs, contempt oozing out of her voice. “So you really do think you are more powerful and knowledgeable than I am?”
“I’m just saying I can help.”
“There are enough of us here to help,” Knight says, his eyes fixed on Rosa. His eyes are pained, desperate. “We all have her best interests at heart.”
“Do you!” Anastasia blurts out. “How can I be sure that…”
“I don’t understand why you are so concerned about her.” Autumn had walked towards Siren as I was watching the others. Her eyes are sad as she strokes, Rosa’s unruly curls. “Isn’t she what you consider your enemy.”
Anastasia seems to realize how much she had let her emotions get to her. She takes a deep breath, setting her face to a neutral expression. “I am merely suggesting that it would be foolish to let personal vendettas get the best of us when we are at the threshold of war.”
“And what do you know about my personal vendettas, Witch?” Siren sneered. Her eyes meet Anastasia’s and I sense that there is something more in them than hostility.
Curiosity…
If Anastasia was in any way affected by what happened, she hid it remarkably well. “Word travels fast Siren.” She smiles. “And I’m good at keeping up with news about my enemies.”
It would have made sense for Siren to be angry at that. To flash an icy glare and utter veiled threats with an air of calm. But instead, she merely looked thoughtful, her eyes fixed on the woman before her. There was no hostility in her eyes. Just a tinge of sadness and…
Recognition
- Writer
