It felt compelling to desire more, it felt right… yet it didn't.
Alaris pulled away being the first one to snap back from the spark pulling them together.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn't have done that.”
He was gone in a flash, leaving her flustered.
She couldn't think; the foreign and overpowering feeling was a driving force that sent her out of the room to go after him.
She did, reaching the surface, however, and feeling the warm glow of the moon on her skin. Something else seemed to have possessed her, and she went towards the lake instead, strangely seeking the comforting feeling of the water and the floating relief.
The reflection of the full moon was cast over the still water and the trees seemed to create a path for her. She walked into the water as a shadow warrior emerged from behind her; the only one of Alaris' shadow warriors that wasn't killed.
It swiftly moved into the water, reaching out to pull her back but she turned sharply to it.
“Go Back!” She ordered, her voice a growl, and the shadow warrior pulled back as if it had been yanked away by an invisible string; then it merged into the ground, buried back into the shadow it had emerged from.
Then she turned back to the lake and continued walking till she was submerged under the water, drowning.
She didn't fight it, as she drowned deeper and deeper.
Darkness consumed her sight, and air left her lungs, but then there was this certain light floating above her.
No, not a light but a woman. The one with silver hair and silver eyes but a bloodied dagger.
She was reaching out a finger to her, and Belladonna was doing something until she felt someone yank her out of the lake, and the image of the lady faded away.
___
___
Ny'ka rushed into the room, along with her father. Seeing Lady Belladonna on the mat with the Priest next to her while the Heir stood close by with a deep frown etched into his face confirmed their worries and the rumors that had been going around; she had tried to drown herself.
“We heard—” Leader Tyrek began to speak.
“She is alright. You may go and tell everyone else that she is alright,” Alaris said. “They have no reason to worry.”
Leader Tyrek left, knowing that no more would be given, but Ny'ka stayed.
“What really happened? Is it her mind again? You have to tell me everything.”
Alaris scoffed. “You must think you are special to linger around.”
“She is an important weapon in our battle. If she has fallen, you must tell us. If she is no longer useful, we must know and prepare ourselves. I demand answers!” Ny'ka snapped back once they were finally inside the room.
“Demand?” He chuckled madly, then his laughter vanished and in a flash, he was towering over her, enough for her to back away, threatened. “You always forget your place.”
“My place is to fight for my people. This is my place.”
“Your place is to bring us information that doesn't kill us.”
She wavered at that moment, breaking her gaze and staring at the floor in guilt.
“I demand answers for why you have failed, warrior!”
Her heart skipped a beat. “Ka'el told me, he said—” Then she looked up at him, “It has never happened before, there must have been—”
“I do not give a fuck about whatever excuse you are coming up with to protect you and your plaything.”
“I’m not trying to protect him!”
“I demand answers,” he continued like she hadn't spoken at all, “so find them for them for me. Find out what really happened and come back with something useful or don't come back at all. Today’s defeat rests on your shoulders.”
“I’m sorry. It won't happen again.”
“It won't,” he said with certainty as he turned his back to her. “Leave.”
She did.
_____
_____
Belladonna shot up to a sitting position as she looked around frantically.
“You are awake.” Alaris was the only other person in the room.
“I went to the lake, I almost drowned myself, I—”
“I know.” He was crouching in front of her now. “I took you out of the lake.”
“I saw her. I saw the Bearer! I saw her eyes.”
Alaris froze for a moment. “Are you sure?”
“Yes!” Belladonna said with more certainty, as she ran her fingers through her silver hair. “I saw her.”
A moment of silence passed between them.
“Tell me everything else you know about this Bearer.”
“I didn't know her for long, she was irrelevant.”
Belladonna scoffed. “Well, not anymore.”
Alaris seemed to be in agreement and he obviously hated that.
“Let us start from the most significant connection you think you might have had with her, besides the fact that she was once the Bearer of the Life Gem, one that is a pair to yours.”
He heaved a breath of defeat and sat in front of her.
“Fine. I know how she died.”
“How?”
“I killed her.”
Belladonna's eyes widened.
This Crazy Dragon-shifter!