The Lost Heir's

Chapter Twelve

That scepter was bad news and meant Aria had messed up much bigger than she thought. A man dressed in barracks armor ran up to the priest and whispered something in his ear. Rhosyn gripped Saffir’s arm tightly. She was lucky the hunters were only humans with gifts, or her fear would have tipped them off.

“Ouch, Rhosyn, you’re hurting me.” Saffir struggled, “What is your problem? Let go.”

Rhosyn stared at Saffir in disbelief. How did she not know the severity of the situation?

“We need to leave,” she urged.

“Why?” Saffir stood her ground, not understanding.

Before Rhosyn could explain, a distant humming sounded off over the mob. The bishop stopped his sermon and turned to face the crowd, brandishing the scepter into the air. The stone shone brilliantly and bathed the crowd, causing a startled outcry amongst them as one after another was bathed in white. When the light touched Saffir and Rhosyn, the light shifted, becoming a deep red that smoldered around Rhosyn like an aura, while Saffir stayed white. The bishop smiled, a sickening, venomous smile. Saffir stared in horror as the red slowly began to fade around her.

“Oh no,” Saffir gasped, realizing what had just happened, “I’m so sorry Rhosyn,” She whispered.

“Another devil falls into our midst!” He pointed directly at Rhosyn. “The holy fire I bear reveals to us the hidden monster.” With a gesture of his scepter, the light burned more brightly, focusing on a ray of light that engulfed her. Rhosyn lifted her arm to protect her eyes from the stabbing light, feeling it encase her, leaving her skin feeling as if millions of candles' flame burned against it. When the light stopped, the wind buffeted her, kicking the hood off her head.

Rhosyn opened her eyes, and looked at the peasants staring at her in open-mouthed horror. She looked around and spotted herself in a shop window. Her trinket failing.

The priest gestured to his men, who immediately turned to surround her. “Look, and bear witness. For the demon now shows its true face!”

Rhosyn turned to Saffir, looking at her with fear in her eyes, and took Saffir by the hand. “Run!”

She bolted, tugging Saffir behind her as she sprinted from the crowd, many of them backing away in terror. Rhosyn heard the sound of jingling chain-mail but did not look back, she only ran as fast as she could while dragging the shocked girl behind her. She broke through the crowd and immediately looked for the nearest alley. Seeing one between two stalls, she sprinted for it, ignoring the hoarse cries of the guards that gave chase.

In the alley, she darted randomly through the twisted paths, knocking crates, wagons, anything she could move in the path of their pursuit. When she reached the other side of the block, she found the main road and, without thinking, jumped into full view. Those that saw her, shrieked and fled, jumping out of the path of the duo.

If only she could get the trinket working, they could blend into the crowd.

Rhosyn fled into the next alley, once again moving irregularly until all sounds of pursuit vanished from her sharpened hearing.

It was then that she felt a slight tug against her grip. “Rhosyn, stop! You’re hurting me.”

Rhosyn stopped mid-stride, ducking into the shadow of a doorway before she turned to her friend, who looked at her with fear. She looked down at their hands and immediately felt shame, as there was already a darkening bruise around Saffir’s wrist.

Rhosyn let go. “I’m sorry, Saff.” She mumbled, not looking her in the eyes.

Saffir rubbed her wrists, “What has happened to you? Your hair, your eyes, your ears. I don’t even recognize you.”

Rhosyn pulled at one of her braided locks, instead of the golden blonde she wore around humans, it was snowy white. She felt along her earlobe, feeling the long shape of pointed ears. She looked at her friend, the shock and confusion apparent on her face.

“I’m sorry… Saff. But I am not what you think I am.”

“What do you mean?”

Rhosyn looked up at the sky, the silvery clouds parting revealing equally silver light from the shining disc that was the sun. Blinking from the light, she bowed her head and pulled her hood over her face.

“I’m not a human like you, Saff.” She said it through clenched teeth, like she was in pain. “Your kind see me as a monster, a demon!”

Saffir said nothing.

Rhosyn looked at her, eyes hard like agates. “Forget you ever knew me! That’s the only way you’ll be safe. Hide and forget about me.”

She went to move away, struggling not to cry, but felt herself being stopped. She looked down at her hand, and saw Saffir’s bruised hand wrapped around it.

“You are Rhosyn, you will always be my friend Rhosyn. No matter what you look like.” Her face was no longer fearful, but determined, adamant.

Tears fell freely down Rhosyn's cheek, shocked and stiff at her statement. With little thought, Rhosyn embraced her, crying silently into her shoulder for only a moment. She looked at Saffir’s cheery face, but silently worried, for she had just put herself in even more danger. Taking her wrist, Rhosyn returned the smile.

“Let’s go, my friends will know what to do.”

The town was in full panic by the time they walked out of the alleyways. The story of a demon appearing in the middle of a crowd was circulating through the populace. Most of which was now in a full-fledged riot, stampeding through the street with the black-robed priests in the vanguard. Seas of torchlight created billowing clouds of smokey soot that blotted out the sun.

Rhosyn crouched behind a pile of crates and slowly peeked over the edge, watching the rapidly growing mob rushing through the streets. The guardsmen were also there, trying to maintain order, but the rioting citizens, frenzied by the priest’s sermons, only knocked them aside. Fear welled up inside Rhosyn as she watched the display, guardsmen trampled underfoot. It was only the warmth pulsing in her grip from Saffir’s small hand that kept her calm.

She looked at her and breathed in deep. “Okay, we just have to get to the Bits, then we are home free. We can lose them easily in those alleys.”

“That’s on the other side of town, Rose.” Saffir whimpered, using her nickname.

“I know, Saff, but once we get across the main streets, we can keep to the back roads and out of the way.”

Rhosyn looked back at the main road, seeing that the mob had already passed. Only a few stragglers were in view but were quickly disappearing out of sight. She pricked her ears, focusing on her senses to listen to her surroundings. Slowly but surely, the sound of the rioting peasants vanishing out of earshot. They waited for a few minutes longer, making sure it was safe before they left their hiding spot. Hand in hand, they casually crossed the street, Rhosyn pulling her hood closer to her face.