Page 18 of The House of Whispers

“Says the murderous little hexer with a high kill count,” he teased, tsking. “The only thing that can separate yourself from me,” he roughly twisted my body to face him, forcefully pulling me close, his hand tightly gripping my neck, “is death.”

Jakkal leaned toward my face as the room spun, the image of everything around me melted into pure darkness.

You’re mine.

My consciousness was instantly ripped from the lucid dream as my body suddenly dropped harshly onto the floor. Pain shot through my nerves, my bones aching as I was dragged across the hard, scratchy, wooden floor—a handful of my onyx hair pulled forward as the rest of me forcefully followed behind. My hands fought, pulling at my hair as I wriggled, trying to break free from the excruciating pain.

“What the hell?! Release me!” My eyes bounced around the room, grasping to see the cause of my pain. The only thing I could spy was a deeply tanned, inked hand clutching my hair tightly as my body slid across the wooden floor of the hallway. The antique carpet runner gathered beneath my back and I bounced from wall to wall, kicking, fighting to free myself.

“Let go of me this instant!” The words burned as I growled at the strange hands. There was no response to my anger.

You know how to handle this.Jakkal’s voice echoed throughout my mind as the realization of what he meant set in.

I reached for the hilt against my thigh, one hand still gripping my hair, as I quickly retrieved my knife. Gritting my teeth, I groaned as my arm shot high, the blade slicing across the foreign hand that held my hair hostage. My body instantly fell as the hand released me, dropping me onto the floor with a thud. I rolled to my stomach, my arms bracing myself as my wild hair fell across my face. Peering up, I was taken back by the presence of a strange, beautiful man standing before me. He was looking down, observing the fresh cut across the top of his hand, unfazed, smirking at the show of aggression.

The strange man stood outside Madame Chepi’s room, filling the closed doorway with his large chiseled frame. A warm glow bled from the lit sconces along the hall, illuminating the numerous designs inked across his umber skin as his deep brown irises stared into mine, long pitch black strands of hair laid in front of his chestnut eyes. His smirk grew into a dangerous smile, climbing across his face. I struggled to control my breathing as my eyes trailed south, noting how his muscular chest was completely bare beneath the onyx, indigo, and clay colored ink. Handmade beaded necklaces hung low around his neck, swaying as he moved closer, cracking his knuckles. Panic rushed me as I scrambled backward, bumping into the wall.

The man made no sound as he bent down, slapping the knife from my gloved hand. I furrowed my brows, swinging hard as my fist slammed into his cheek, the sound of my fist hitting his bone echoing down the hall. The man’s face tightened as his jaw clenched. He stared down at me for a second or two, grinning, before slamming his head into mine, knocking the air from my lungs. Light flashed in my vision as throbbing pain pulsed throughout my skull. He then fiercely gripped my neck as his fingers dug into my skin, raising me to the level of his face. My feet lightly dangled, as I choked and smacked his hand as he continued to choke me.

“Your Madame is expecting you.” His voice was threatening yet restrained, as if he was forcing himself to hold back. My fists slammed into his large arm, silently pleading for him to release me as I gasped for air. The man watched me struggle for a bit before once again dropping my body.

My lungs screamed in anguish as I inhaled sharply, coughing on the thick, cold air, as I lay sprawled across the musty hardwood floor. I tried to stand, wobbling as I rose, and grabbed my burning neck. The color of my eyes glowed as I peered through a thick curtain of hair, rage boiling beneath my skin.

I swung my free arm, a purple flame emerging from my palm. He dodged the aim of my magik, as his arm scooped the back of my neck, squeezing hard. He looked down at me, smiling once again as I groaned. He pulled me close as he held me prisoner, looking deep into my eyes. His scent hit me like a wave as I melted beneath his strong presence.

“Let’s not keep her waiting.” He spoke firmly, inches from my face as I struggled to free myself.

The man forced me forward, hand still tight against the nape of my neck, as he led me through Madame Chepi’s doorway and into her room. Fear and confusion twisted in my gut as he threw me to my knees at Madame Chepi’s bare feet.

“Shut the door, Chesmu.” Her voice sent a chill down my spine.

Chesmu closed the door with a calm swiftness as he crossed his arms and leaned against the wooden door of Madame Chepi’s room. His face lit up with excitement as he watched me crawl on my knees, groaning from the dark bruising that began to form around my neck. My back remained to him as my eyes gazed up at Madame Chepi with fear and anticipation. Her dark irises sparkled in the sunlit room as she glared down at me, full of contempt. Her shawl was absent from its usual place, revealing a variety of ink that traced from her fingertips, along her arms and up to her usual scarf-covered neck. She stood frozen in front of the lit fireplace, facing me as I struggled to move.

“I’m disappointed in you, Casper.” The sound of her voice sent a second shiver of fear down my spine. “You have failed miserably at your job.” She moved, rotating to retrieve something. “Your time in my house has ended.”

No.

“Please, Madame,” my voice strained, hoarse from Chesmu’s grip, “I only wish to protect this house.” As much as I despised groveling, I knew it was the only thing I could do. My sight fell to her bare feet, soaked in indigo ink. “I pledged my life to you, to this house,” my eyes rose to meet hers, “please, allow me to continue to serve.” Without Madame Chepi’s protection, I would be dead. The town of Bedeville would hunt me down.

Madame Chepi’s gaze remained locked on me, studying my face. I refused to pull my own gaze from hers, my brows furrowed as I strained to keep my dark magik inside. A small smirk tugged at the corner of her lips as she pulled a red-hot iron rod from the blazing fire, looking past me to Chesmu, nodding. He moved fast, hovering behind me like a shadow, then pulling a large knife from its hanging sheath along his waist. He tossed the knife in Madame Chepi’s direction with such power and grace. Catching the blade with surprising skill and precision, Madame Chepi stepped closer to me, her feet purposely standing on the tops of my hands, pushing her weight against my knuckles that cracked as she touched my chin with the large, cool blade, lifting my head slightly with it.

I swallowed the pain as she spoke to me. “You have a choice, Casper.” Her weight shifted, pushing the bones of my hands further into the splintering wooden floor. “Re-devote yourself to this house—tome,” she moved the blade, pushing it further into my skin, the tip slowly entering my flesh as a bead of my blood ran down the reflective blade, “orI cut my brand from your flesh, casting you and your sister out into the streets.”

Madame Chepi stepped from my now red and swollen hands, making her way back to the fireplace. She extended her arms, “Make your choice.” I bared my teeth, fighting back the anger that was forming in the depths of my being. “But know this, dear Casper,” she raised the blade in my direction as darkness fell across her face, her tone falling into a horrific drawl, “you fail me once more, and I will tear every inch of your flesh clean from your bones until your voice fails you and you wither away from the pain, and no one will remember your name.” I stared at her clenched hands as she lowered the knife, licking my blood from the blade as she watched me.

‘A choice.’ This wasn’t a choice… this was adeath pledge. My choice wasn’t to live or die, it was choosing to die now… or later. Our eyes remained locked as life around us felt frozen.

Do I choose to remain tied to this home, to her? Chaining myself to this life, forcing Min to remain here? Or do I choose my freedom at the cost of casting us out into the streets with no protection against the evil of this world? The memories of our childhood haunted me as they played in my mind. Could I subject Min to that type of lifestyle… again? Min deserved a better life—I promised her mother that, and I needed to make true on my promise. Swallowing my pride, I straightened my back, my knees firm against the ground as I raised my head. I made my choice.

I removed the gloves from my hands, one by one, with a flare of attitude. My fingertips ripped the front of my blouse open, exposing my old, weathered brand plastered across my chest. I couldn’t let Min suffer, no matter what sins I had committed or what secret evil lay buried deep within my soul. I would pay whatever price necessary to keep my sister safe. There was no sacrifice too great. The choice I made was not for myself, but for my sister.For Min.

“I pledge my soul to your service,” I spat the words through clenched teeth, “and lay my life at your feet… until my last breath.” Madame Chepi smiled an evil grin. Chesmu grabbed my arms, squeezing tight as he held me firmly in place. Madame Chepi moved gracefully, raising the iron poker from the raging fire and pushed it firmly to my chest, opposite the original brand.

“Until your last breath.” Her voice was horrifically pleased with my choice as she pushed the brand deeper.

My body shuddered as the brand burned into my chest. I choked on the smell of my own charred flesh as it filled my nostrils, causing me to gag on the thick, putrid scent as Madame Chepi pushed the iron rod further into my chest. My head began to spin as the horrific pain washed over me. My jaw clenched tighter, fighting back tears.

Don’t show fear, little ghost.Jakkal’s voice whispered through my mind, distracting me from the excruciating moment.Death feels no pain.

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