Page 97 of Queen of the Crimson Throne

“Or something,” he murmured.

“I should get going.” I stepped out from around him and headed for the door. “I’ll see you at training in a bit?” I called over my shoulder.

“Yeah, I’ll see you in a bit.”

37

LUCIANA

The scented candles flickering on every open surface of the cabin overpowered the smell of rotting flesh.

For two days, the body of the abomination, the Dhampir we encountered on the streets of Cel Nox, has been sitting waiting for me. Luckily, the suspension spell I placed on it before we left Cel Nox had kept it from rotting any further, but the candles would help me from wanting to vomit from the vile smell while I worked. That and the bundle of herbs I tied around my neck.

I had spent the last two nights in the library, making sure I had all the information I needed to complete the spell.

It was a complex spell, but I was confident I could do it.

I had Hecate’s magic running through me after all.

I palmed the dagger in my hand before raising it over the Dhampir’s body. Its chest was marked with the same black webbing covering the Dhampir’s face, the markings coated the creature’s entire body, like its blood itself was rotting it from the inside out.

I placed the tip of the blade below the creature’s neck, pushing the tip in until a tiny bead of black blood formed under the blade.

Perfect.

I pushed the blade in deeper, pulling it across the Dhampir’s chest with force until I reached the bottom of its stomach, right above its pelvis.

I removed my dagger, taking a step back to survey the incision I’d made through the Dhampir’s body.

Black blood had already begun to ooze from the wound. I turned my head to the side as I balled my hand into a fist, shuttering against the sound of cracking bone and ripping flesh as I used my magic to rip open the wound.

When I looked back at the body there was now a gaping hole in the Dhampir’s abdomen.

I turned from the body, retrieving the bowl I left sitting beneath a dark cloth. I had mixed the ingredients for the spell together two nights ago with a large offering of my blood and allowed them to meld together under a dark cloth until they were needed. Exactly as the spell had specified.

Slowly, I poured the liquid inside the beast’s exposed chest cavity. Once the bowl was empty, I returned it to the counter, exchanging it for a vile of stardust.

I sprinkled stardust in the chest cavity, it hissed and smoked as it met the blood mixture, as the spellbook said it should.

I put the stardust back and searched for my dagger.

I sliced the dagger across my palm. I squeezed my hand into a fist, letting the blood pool for a few seconds first before I moved my hand over the open wound. I opened my palm, letting my blood drip into the body.

I closed my eyes and chanted.

Sweat dripped down my brow, and my body trembled under the strain of the magic, but I persisted.

My blood continued to flow from my wound into the Dhampir’s chest as my magic worked its way through its body,following the trail of blood as it wove itself through the abomination.

My magic followed the blood as it moved slowly through the body. Searching for any evidence of the magic that created it. Searching for any trace of magic of any kind.

Even when my body threatened to crumble beneath me, I stood.

I gritted my teeth and chanted.

Louder.

Faster.

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