My Darkening Ember

Chapter Fifty - Nine

I closed the door to my room and turned to find Mayra waiting for me on the couch. The flames from the fireplace smouldered softly, dancing on her skin.

"I guess we need to talk," I said, sighing, preparing myself to face whatever scolding she had.

"I didn't mean what I said." She finally spoke, with slight shame.

"It would be fine if you did," I assured, meaning it. She had every right to be mad.

"I need you to understand that you're not immortal and that you're not alone. Not anymore. If you die, someone will grieve you. I will grieve for you."

I swallowed, feeling my guilt starting to drown me. I hadn't thought of it like that. I never had. Loneliness had been my only companion. The voice in my head was my only friend.

I took a step towards her, entirely prepared to apologize when my guilt started to change. It was not a dark hollow cave but a wave feeling like a prickling sensation. I suddenly washed over me, then burning...burning me from the inside. The tattoo roared, evoking its forgotten presence.

I uttered a cry and fell to my knees. Covering the tattoo that burned like hot water, I gritted my teeth trying to control it but I failed.

"Elora," Mayra called in shock and rose from the couch, rushing to my side.

"The poison, it's..." I wailed as my insides started twisting, the cough sneaking up on me as it rose in my throat, and out I spurted the blood.

The blackened, cursed blood.

"Gods, you need a doctor." She gasped, feeling my forehead. 

"No one can know," I stuttered through my closing throat. If they knew, the game was over. I would lose.

"I will get you there," she said quickly, her eyes so wide, the greys of them blended with the white. She sprinted to the cabinet, yanking a cloak from its hanger, and throwing it over me.

I kept a hand on the tattoo, wiping my mouth on my shoulder.

I didn't remember the walk there, only the many lights, and her arms around me while her voice calmed me. My eyes had blurred and the pain was too much. It was cribbling, weakening my knees, pounding in my head, and crushing my lungs. And I was burning.

A little more. I remember her voice begging. We are almost there.

Then the flickering lights disappeared and a room surrounded me before the pounding in my head stopped and I saw darkness.

It felt like only seconds that I was out but when I woke, I knew it had been half the night because I was laying on a half-lifted table, sore from head to toe and from my side, through a tiny window, the outside sky was preparing the arrival of the sun.

I sat up, groaning from the slight pain.

I studied myself, finding a tiny rounded puncture under my elbow. It didn't hurt as I rubbed my hands over it.

I felt lighter, not better, not like the poison had freed me and exited my blood, only lighter.

Voices escaped through a door on the other side, coming closer. I didn't have time to get frightened before it opened and Mayra stepped inside, her attention was on the man behind her. She turned her gaze to me and her eyes widened in pleasant surprise.

"Thank the gods, you're awake." She exclaimed.

"The Gods had nothing to do with it." The man behind her uttered irritatedly and pushed past her.