Page 76 of Morning's Light

“Who sent you here, anyway?” Aisanna asked instead.

Orestes and Zelda shared a look. “They would prefer we not say.”

“It was Israel, wasn’t it? He sent you over here because he thinks I’ve been acting crazy.” It had to be Israel; there was no one else who would be willing to talk to the Claddium. Let alone tell them such damning information.

Zelda flashed a minuscule smile, born and gone before she blinked, more frightening as it did not reach beyond the borders of her mouth. “Mr. James mentioned concerns, nothing more. He did his civic duty.”

Both of them closed in on her, infinitesimally slow to keep from startling her. Aisanna wasn’t aware of their movement until man and woman stood less than two feet from her.

The force of their power filled the air and threatened to close her throat.

No, this was not good. Not good at all. Aisanna refused to break eye contact. Mentally calculated her chances of escape. There were none.

“It would be best if you came with us now, Miss Cavaldi,” Zelda repeated. “Think of your family. The shame. Do the right thing. Your brother will be thrilled to see you.”

What shall you do now, Aisanna? Now, when there is nowhere to run?

Malevolent strings of magic coursed through her and out through her fingertips, unwarranted and outside her control. Aisanna tried to stop it, to stem the influence before it took her over completely. The more she fought, the harder Darkness countered, until she felt the stain closing in around her soul.

“Back off.” Aisanna held up a hand and sparks crackled along her skin. “Don’t come any closer.”

Logically she knew better than to posture in front of those two. The worst people she could possibly come across. Darkness laughed at her and egged her onward. Urged her to follow through on her survival instincts and level them. Bring them to their knees.

“If you know what’s good for you, you’ll stop this display before you go too far,” Orestes warned. “We wouldn’t want to take you down by force. Not when we started out so pleasantly.”

“I don’t want to do this. Please back away. Please, I’m begging you.”

“Are you threatening us?”

She heard the plea in her voice although her body betrayed her. Sparks lengthened and sailed up her arm, turning from a harmless gold to a deep dark red. They crackled and snapped in whip-like tendrils before shooting around her feet in a protective circle.

“Please!” she begged one last time.

Zelda stepped forward, with the tips of her fingers glowing in retaliation. “This is a path you do not want to go down. I’m warning you to cease this juvenile behavior and do yourself a favor.”

“I don’t want to do this.” Aisanna felt tears leaking out without conscious effort. “It’s not me. If you leave me alone, then no one will get hurt.”

“Zelda, please note for the record we came here for peaceful negotiations and have instead been threatened both verbally and physically. This is not making a good case for yourself,” Orestes said with forced nonchalance. He slid the soles of his wingtips along the floor, making no sound. Inching closer.

“Miss Cavaldi…” Zelda began.

They approached her with the sort of bloated self-confidence of persons thinking they can handle a wild animal. Believing their magnetism was greater than the shadow coursing through her blood, taking control.

“Have you succumbed to the dark, Aisanna?” Orestes said softly. “The wild magic? Have you let it infect you?”

“No!” She didn’t want to believe it, could not. It didn’t matter how hard she tried. Her stomach contracted in pain as another worked her magic, moved her limbs, and stared out through her gaze.

Darkness whispered to her of the terrible things Zelda and Orestes had done in their lives. How delicious it would feel to make them pay. How easy it would be.

“Did you whisper in that man’s ear and make him believe killing humans was the right thing to do?” Orestes asked.

“No, I didn’t. I don’t know!” She bent over with her hands clawed over her face. A convulsive sob escaped.

“Do not do anything rash, Miss Cavaldi. We are here to talk to you and get to the bottom of the matter. Think of Israel.”

Suddenly, her shop turned from a comforting space, an area she could go to and relax, to a cage keeping her imprisoned. The Claddium members wouldn’t let her leave, not without a knock down drag out fight.

Darkness leaped with gleeful malice at the opportunity to engage.

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