Mira snuck into Bo’s nearby suite and made her way across the bedroom. She hesitated when she saw his journal on the bed. Curiosity got the best of her, and she took a moment to flip through the pages. Some were torn and others were nothing but indeterminate scribbles. Others were crude sketches of objects or descriptors. She even found some drawings that may have been of her, but the captain was not an artist. She smiled softly and placed the journal back where she found it. She knew she shouldn’t look until he was ready to show her.
She lifted the window and slipped into the shrubbery blow. She listened for patrolling guards. Though Mira was definitely seen as Bobabano’s woman, she did not think the guards would allow her to stroll the palace unaccompanied. Most were still wary of her.
Skymara’s tower was on the opposite end of the palace. The large protruding building bent down at the top from some failed experiment. The closer Mira crept towards the tower; the more cats she saw lazily crawl about the courtyard. Each had a collar with a small colored bead and name tag. One calico tabby purred as it rubbed against her feet.
“Not now,” Mira pushed the little beast away.
It meowed loudly in protest. Mira looked down to see the cat’s eyes glowing white oddly human looking eyes back at her. She scratched the cat’s head instead. Once the tabby saw that she noticed the eyes, she pounced from the bush and sprinted out into the open. Mira watched as it sprinted towards the nearest group of patrolling guards. The cat mewled, yowled, and clawed to get their attention.
“This one’s the High Sorceress’s pet. Damn elf lets the cats roam everywhere,” The guard kicked the cat out of the way.
The feline latched onto the man’s boot with a ferocious bite. As the group became distracted, Mira made her way further along the outside of the palace. More cats came along to provide similar distractions. One elven guest saw the cat and picked it up. The black beast purred and happily rubbed against the elf.
“Are you just a cutie?” The woman cooed in a soft voice, “Who’s a good kitty?”
Mira eventually found herself at the base of the tower. She summoned two curved daggers to her hands and dug the blades into the stony walls. As she climbed, her blades provided hand holds when there were none. When she saw a window open and a white elf stick her head out the window, she stopped.
“There is a door, you know!” Skymara dropped a rope ladder, “I had to find this just to help you.”
“I didn’t need help,” She still grabbed the offered ladder.
“My cats didn’t like you climbing the walls,” She shook her head, “Come, I’ll show you where the woman is.”
Mira followed her up a curved flight of stairs. Amethyst and Val waited outside of an inner door with a bound and gagged woman. She ignored her and looked at Amethyst with a sneer.
“You were a part of that scheme, weren’t you?”
“Is that important to discuss at the moment?” The orc grunted and nodded towards the prisoner.
“There is too much happening to scold you properly,” She growled, “I won’t be tricked again. That is your final warning.”
Amethyst bowed her head noblely, “I won’t make any excuses.”
Val opened the door to the secured room. Mira walked towards the prisoner. She stood over the bound woman as she thrashed about. Amethyst moved past her to drag the woman out of the secluded room and removed the bag over the prisoner’s face. The woman screamed when she saw her and tried to get to her feet
Mira narrowed her eyes at her, “Name?”
“Trixlynn. Maid in the Reiner manor,” Val replied.
Mira studied the busty blonde woman. The hourglass figure, puffy red lips, and sparkling blue eyes she had were certainly favored by many men. Her outfit was not expensive enough to show her status as a noble or rich in Zrud, but not something a servant girl could afford on her own. Mira lifted the woman’s chin and let the blond ringlets fall down to her shoulders.
“I’m going to give you a chance to cooperate. If you answer my questions honestly, then I will let you go. If you are scared of your master, I will give you enough gold to leave this Zrud and never return,” She grabbed onto the woman’s gag, “If you chose to withhold information, I will force you to comply. It will be painful. There will be no guarantee you survive. ”
As she removed the gag, the woman spat on her. Mira chuckled darkly and wiped the spit from her face before she looked to Amethyst. Her eyes flashed a violent white shade.
“You can’t just kidnap me!” Trixlynn screamed, “I don’t care who you are! Vernie will never let you get away with this.”
“Vernie? How cute,” The cold tone did not fit the compliment.
“We don’t know much much,” Val reported, “She wouldn’t talk to us when we first captured her. After we relocated her to the first hold, she only lied so we proceeded here.”
“It looks like I will have more work to do,” Mira smiled sinisterly, “It’s been a while since I forced someone to talk.”
The woman screamed profanities at all of them as Amethyst dragged her back into the room. The orc cuffed her against the wall and stepped back. The small room had a single chair and the stocks to bolt the woman on the wall.
“Lady Mira, I can –”
“Strip her,” Mira commanded.
“What?” They both said.
“Did I stutter?” Her eyes flashed white at Val, “Remove her clothes.”
“Right away,” Val squeaked.
Mira closed the door behind her as she stepped out of the room. Amethyst and Skymara stared at her incredulously.
“Is that really necessary?” Amethyst whispered, “That feels extreme.”
“I want to make sure she isn’t enthralled.”
“Goddess,” Skymara sat in a chair nearby, “I didn’t think about that.”
“Ravenna had a vision. Something bad is going to happen tomorrow,” She looked to the elf, “Are those antidotes ready?”
“I have a small vile that should help until a healer arrives,” Skymara nodded.
“We must be prepared,” She looked back to the closed door as she heard squeals and struggling behind it, “I only want Val in the room with me. Everyone else will stay out here. Do not open the door unless I say so.”
“Are you really going to torture her?” Amethyst watched her.
“Yes.”
“There must be a better way to –”
“No.”
The elf and orc met each others gaze to silently acknowledge the villainous situation. They knew that Mira did not jump to evil deeds but it didn’t feel right. Mira, on the other hand, looked unaffected by her decision.
“She does not look strong willed,” Her finger tapped her chin, “She should break quickly.”
“Perhaps I could come up with a serum—” Skymara offered.
“There isn’t time to experiment,” She cut her off with a wave of her hand.
Mira opened the door and stepped back into the small room. The stoic woman showed no emotions but the glare from her white eyes made the prisoner feel like cornered prey. Val squeaked and moved out of the way. Mira saw the woman wearing undergarments and narrowed her eyes narrowed at Val.
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“She fought me too much.”
Mira summed a dagger and cut the corset off the woman. She quickly gazed over the bare skin as Trixlynn whimpered.
“I thought you liked orcs.”
“I needed to make sure you were not enthralled to the Reiner household. If you were, then I would have taken less drastic measures going forward.”
Mira turned the knife to clean the dirt under her nails. A disturbing smile spread on her lips. The prisoner stood on top of her toes to stretch away from Mira. Her captor turned her to view her back to make sure there were no brands on her. When Mira finished her examination, she looked to Val.
“You will tell me if she’s speaking the truth,” She commanded, “If you are not comfortable watching, turn the chair around.”
The prisoner shouted, “You can’t just let this insane –!”
“I did not tell you to speak,” The knife twirled in Mira’s hand.
Before Trixlynn could respond, a knife embedded into the wall next to her head. She turned and saw blond ringlets fall to the floor. Her eyes trembled as Mira approached and pulled the knife from the wall with an emotionless glance. She walked back from the wall and eyed her.
“Let me be perfectly clear: it does not matter to me if you live or die. I simply want information,” She whispered, “If you don’t have it, then you’re safe. If you do and you’re hiding it, then it’s best to tell me now.”
“I—I’m not telling you –”
The knife spun through the air and embedded itself in the wall next to the woman’s head again. This time, it nicked her ear. She felt the blood drop onto her shoulder. The light reflected off the knife’s blade. Trixlynn screamed and fought against her restraints.
“Vernent does not care about you. If he did, he would marry you,” She stated plainly, “I’m assuming you don’t know that, already. It does you no good to protect him.”
“He loves me! And when he finds me –”
“Who gave him the poison?”
“I did!” Trixlynn yelled, “It was me!”
“Lie,” Val said softly and turned the chair.
Mira summoned the knife back to her hand and pressed the tip against the woman’s cheek. She slowly carved along the bone and her hostage fought against it.
“The more you move right now, the worse the scar will be,” She said coldly.
Mira wiped the blood off the woman’s cut and put the finger in her mouth.
“You’re not a mage. You are tied up like an animal. You cannot protect yourself,” She leaned towards her, “This will hurt. I will make sure of it”
“I’m not telling you –” She screamed as Mira grabbed her face.
The heat from her fire spell burned the woman’s skin wear she touched it. A handprint burned on her otherwise flawless skin. Trixlynn cried at the though of her ruined face. Her life as a mistress was over no matter what. Mira made sure of it.
“I don’t know who gave him the poison!” She sobbed, “Please let me go.”
“Truth,” Val winced as she heard the woman cry.
“Does he have anymore?”
“No!”
“Truth.”
“See?” Mira chuckled lightly, “Now that your cooperating, it’ll be easier.”
“Please,” The woman cried, “You’ve already ruined my face. What more could you even do?!”
“You can live a mostly normal life,” She shrugged nonchalantly, “You can live on with any face. It would be harder if you lost a limb.”
Trixlynn gulped loudly at the threat.
“What was his plan?”
“I don’t –”
“Lie.”
Val winced again when she heard something crunch and the woman’s shrill scream. When the prisoner’s cry turned into a whimper, Mira spoke again. A small object fell to the floor with a wet thud.
“You have five more fingers until the hand goes,” She coldly said, “What was his plan?”
“He-he,” Trixlynn sniffled, “He was supposed to kill your lover!”
“Why?”
“I don’t know!”
“Truth,” Val hesitated, “Mira, maybe we should –”
“When I want your opinion, I will ask for it,” Mira snapped at her, “Next question. Does he have any more poison?”
“No,” She whimpered, “Please…”
Val nodded, “Truth.”
“Is Vernent working with anyone?”
“I don’t –”
“Lie.”
Trixlynn screamed and Val did not turn to see what Mira had done. The sizzle and smell of burnt flesh behind her gave her as much information as she needed to know.
“Someone writes him letters. I don’t know who! I promise!”
“Truth.”
“You—you said I’d lose fingers!”
Mira laughed evilly, “That was before you lied again. I cauterize what I skinned off.”
“Please, help me!” Trixlynn pleaded with Val, “She’s crazy!”
“This woman works for me. She is here to help you. She lets me know when you’re not lying so I don’t injury you needlessly,” She grinned maliciously, “Now, where are the letters?”
Mira waited as the woman contemplated. A hunk of the prisoner’s arm was missing, a finger laid on the floor, and there was a burn in the shape of her hand on the woman’s face. Trixlynn held out longer than she expected.
“I won’t tell you. You’ll have to kill me!” She yelled, “Vernie said it’s our ticket to a new life together.”
“Do you truly believe he will still take you after what I’ve done?” She snorted.
“ I won’t give it up! He’ll come to rescue me!”
Val heard another sickly crack that reminded her of the snap of a metal rod. The woman screamed and cried helplessly. She pleaded to anyone for to make it stop.
“You might still be able to regain use of that arm if you cooperate.”
Val winced, “Mira, I think we should –”
“If you are uncomfortable with this, you can sit outside while I finish.”
“I can’t tell you!” The woman sobbed, “If I die, at least Vernie lives!”
“I never agreed to keep him alive,” Her voice darkened, “Tell me what you know and you might live.”
“I know you’re a bad person working with a worse person! That’s why Vernie is working against you!”
“You poor, poor, stupid girl,” She chuckled, “Are you talking about the wraith?”
“Obviously!”
“So that’s what Vernent has told you? That he’s fighting the wraith?”
“Yes. Him and his dad and all the Travel Knights!”
“The knights, even? How do you know?”
“Because Vernie and Lord Reiner have spoken about their plans! You can’t stop them!” She spat at Mira, “And you’ll be dead when Vernie finds me!”
“Good to know. I’m glad you’re more willing to share information now,” Mira’s tone softened, “Where are the letters, Trixlynn?”
“I won’t tell you!”
Mira stepped back with a sly smile. She twirled the knife in her hands. She thought the pampered mistress would’ve given her more information. She almost felt like applauding her. The woman’s fantasy of rescue wouldn’t happen, though.
“Have you heard the rumors about it –about the wraith?”
“It’s just some man who is using his skills to terrorize people! He can’t even be that strong anyway if he hasn’t fought Reiner yet!” The prisoner proudly proclaimed, “You’re just some pathetic madwoman that he’s taken under his wing!”
“Everyone always assumes it’s a man,” She pressed the tip of the blade into the woman stomach, “Pathetic, really.”
“If not, what else could it be?!”
Black mist flowed from her as her limbs extended. The sickening cracks of her lengthening bones echoed in the room. Her menacing cackle morphed into a horrendous noise as she changed. The bone white mask grew over her face as her hair straightened and lost all color. The glowing orbs of its eyes critically examined the woman. It ran a skeletal finger down the panicked woman’s face until it stopped over her screaming lips.
“Now,” It snickered fiendishly, “Why don’t we start this conversation over again?”
The woman’s wide-eyed fear caused her entire body to shake. It removed its finger from her mouth and titled its head at an unnatural angle. It grabbed Trixlynn’s chin and forced her to face it.
“You are going to speak once more and tell me exactly where those letters, and any other evidence, are located,” It growled, “Nod if you understand.”
She nodded slowly.
“If you do that, then I will let you live. If you don’t,” A jagged knife twirled between the fingers of the hand in front of her, “Well, is your love for that man stronger than your will to live?”
All fight drained out of her body. In the next breath, the prisoner broke.
“Vernie hides the letters in my room. Under the patch in my mattress,” She squeaked, “I don’t know where Lord Reiner keeps his. I swear! Please, don’t hurt me anymore.”
The wraith turned to meet Val’s gaze.
“Truth.”
“I thought so,” It looked back to the woman, “What is Vernent planning?”
“All I know is he’s supposed to make you angry. I don’t know why. Only that is what he was told to do,” She whimpered.
“Truth.”
“Very well,” It looked down at the dagger in its hand.
“Please let me go,” The prisoner pleaded, “Please! I won’t say anything!”
In a swift motion, the knife slit the woman’s throat. The only sound in the room was the dying gurgle. Her betrayed eyes watered as she fought through her death.
Once the noise ended, the it grabbed the woman’s face in its hands and incinerates the skin until charred bone showed. The smell of burnt flesh and hair suffocated the room. Once she was no longer recognizable, the wraith threw open the door. Val’s haunted face alerted the pair on the other side of the dark interaction.
“Wh—did you kill her?!” Skymara jumped to her feet as the door opened.
The wraith’s joints disconnected as the form shrank. The mist quickly surrounded it as it turned back into Mira. The silver hair curled with fiery red color. The mask dissipated to show her slight freckles and button nose.
“Yes.”
“Why?!” The elf stomped over, “First torture. Now murder? Why?!”
“Why wouldn’t I?” Mira furrowed her brow, “I planned to do this the moment I knew she wasn’t a thrall.”
“Wait, you lied to her? You weren’t ever going to let her go?” Val gasped.
“Of course not,” She scoffed, “The moment you brought her here, she became a liability.”
The three women stared at Mira with varying expressions of shock and horror. She didn’t understand why, so she further explained herself.
“The woman with held vital information and sided with my enemy. Why would I spare here? I see no reason.”
Amethyst lowered her head and rubbed her temples with her palms. She had forgotten that this is how the woman saw the world. She forgot Mira was trained because of her lifelike reactions in Hangral. She realized the no nonsense attitude only applied outside of those she cherished.
“You… shouldn’t just kill people,” The orc sighed, “It’s not right. That’s not what good people do!”
“I accepted the fact that I am not a good person,” She tilted her head curiously, “Did you think forcing me into the savior role of the prophecy would make me a better person?”
“It’s just—” Skymara motioned to the corpse on her other side, “There was no reason to do that!”
“She knew I was the wraith and that my enemy was in contact with her lover,” She scoffed, “She knows I’m associated with the High Sorceress –which means I could be associated with the crown. If word got back to Isaan, would the royals be safe?”
The elf bit her lip but ultimately shook her head.
“Did you have to do that to her?” Amethyst said coldly.
“The body must be dumped. No one will recognize her now,” Mira tapped a finger on her chin, “I could just go back and conpletely—”
“No!” Skymara yelled, “Let her at least rest somewhere, for goddess’s sake!”
Her amber eyes were devoid of emotion as she watched the elf’s reaction. She rolled them and continued.
“By the time anyone realizes she is gone, whatever plan Isaan started will be over,” She turned to Val, “Send for Bragnoun. He has people to clean this up.”
“Y—yes, Leader.”
“After, fetch the evidence.”
Val bowed, “Right away “
“Amethyst, Skymara,” Mira looked between them, “We need to prepare for tomorrow. I believe I know Isaan’s plan.”