Page 21 of Her Dark Promise

You think you can save your pathetic band of misfits, Callie?

Fuck. Not her again.

I said aloud into the meadow, the two humans below me none the wiser, “Leave me alone. Stay out of my head.”

What? Do you not enjoy our talks?

“No, I don’t particularly enjoy talking to someone who is no longer alive.”

Ha. You were always quick-witted.

I tried to block her out, but she was relentless. No matter what I did, her voice kept getting louder and louder until it felt like it was all around me.

I couldn’t take anymore, I let go of his head, and I was transported out of his memories and back to reality.

I backed away from the chair and leaned against the wall in an attempt to catch my breath.

I only looked up when the man yelled, “Is that the best you got, witch?”

Yes, Callie, is that the best you got?

My rage was in full force as I strode past him without another word. I unbound him from the chair and placed a long chain around his ankle so he could use the pot I put in the corner of the room. I didn’t care to clean him up if he soiled himself.

“Next time, I would recommend choosing the instruments.”

I had barely walked down the steps when I snapped, and a glass ofla veninappeared in my hand. I drank it and threw the glass down, barely registering anything past the need to rip him apart.

I could still hear her trying to talk to me, but soon her voice faded. I called out to Callum and met him at the bottom of the staircase leading up to the South Wing.

I paid him no mind as he walked a step behind me and asked, “Your grace?”

“I am not in the mood, Callum.”

“Of course.” I could feel his eyes on me, concerned about what was going on. He waited a moment before he asked hesitantly, “If I may… Is there anything you wish to talk about? ”

I stopped in the middle of the staircase and spun around. “And what gave you the impression that I had anything to talk about?”

I could tell he was nervous. So nervous that he spit out, “It’s nothing! I just–”

“Never mind that.” I stopped to rub my hand against my head and remembered what I had sent him out to do. Putting my anger aside, I asked, “Tell me, did you succeed?”

Callum recovered quickly and said, “Yes, her garden was impeccably kept and I knew it was the one place that she made sure was perfect. I felt as though that is where she would like to be buried if given the choice.”

“Good.” I continued up the stairs.

“Your grace, if I may, I was a little surprised that you wished for me to give her a burial.”

“Oh? Why is that?” I mused.

He widened his eyes and stood straighter. “I don’t mean any disrespect. I think it was kind of you to want to give her a proper burial.”

“You think I’m kind because I took pity on the old woman? I had you bury Mariam because I owed her a debt, that is all.”

“I—well, yes.” He ran a hand down his neck, a nervous tick of his. “And you killed her murderers. They will never be able to harm another person again.”

If I was doomed here forever, punishing the wicked was the least I could do.

“I haven’t heard someone call me kind in a long time.” I cocked my head to the side.

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