Quickly Belladonna sent her blood dagger flying at him, trying to reach for her bottle in case that wouldn't work. She was scared that if she tried to use her magic - one that she had now discovered only worked on wood - she might pass out right here and that would just be plain stupid. A small cut would be enough for her blood dagger to drain him, she knew that.
Unfortunately, her blood dagger had no effect on him and it fell to the floor.
By Ignas, what?!
Well that was alright, she was already undoing the cap of her bottle.
But he grabbed her hands with those hands that had burnt the thieves and turned them into ashes.
Surprisingly, they had no effect on her either.
They both stared at each other in confusion.
Suddenly, he gritted in pain and jammed his hand over his shoulder where the red light from beneath seeped out between his fingers. The pain was so much for him that he let her go. He huffed and turned sharply in another direction, as if he was expecting something. He extended his right hand away from him and a scythe formed in his grip out of thin air.
Quickly, she used the opportunity to escape from him but before she did, she saw something else.
Another strange thing.
In the direction the undead warrior had turned was a beast; mighty, tall and ferocious. It seemed to be made up of lava that was contained with a rocky skin. A terrifying four-legged three-headed beast, growling and gnashing and with its eyes on her enemy.
It was a being Belladonna was certain would be in places like Gaya’s Garden, not here. Maybe Dogori's summon of the undead army had affected something in the balance, just like Kestra’s pulling of the Red Moon.
These things always had their effects.
But it was not her concern what the beast would do to the undead warrior, and she suppressed the feeling of concern in the depth of her stomach. It was that illogical reasoning that always made her feel like it was her responsibility to save everyone.
No.
Not this one.
She had chosen her battles and this wasn't it.
Holding her blood dagger, she ran even faster, passing by the dead innkeeper on her way to the back door.
However, fate didn't seem to be on her side because when she got to the backdoor, it just wouldn't budge. No problem, there were the windows. That wouldn't open either!
By Ignas, it seemed they had all slammed shut to keep her in.
It must have something to do with that beast and the undead warrior. They weren't supposed to be here.
This wasn't their realm.
One of them would survive and that one would come to kill her. She must find a—
Before Belladonna could think of any more means of escape, the undead warrior was back. He walked with a limp and the light on his left shoulder seemed to be fading away and returning.
Where was the beast?
Had he killed the beast?!
“Who are you?”
He could speak. Although his voice didn't sound natural; it sounded like an echo from a distance.
“Nobody and I will not speak of this. I didn't see you, I don't know who you are or what that was. We were never here.”
She didn't even have enough time to negotiate when she heard the voices of the White King’s warriors outside the door.
“By the order of the White King, open this door.”
Belladonna had frowned.
Why had the White King sent his army? Most likely because he heard about the theft going on at the inn where she wasn't supposed to be? Or maybe he was tired of planning the game of pretense?
Whatever it was, it was best for her not to return to the castle.
Getting out again would be much harder, that was if she would even survive till that point.
She turned away from the door and started running off but the door was pushed open.
By Ignas!
Now? Now it would open?!
Just at the nick of time, a hand grabbed her, pulled her into his cloak, and with a speed she couldn't fathom, they were out of there.
In the next moment, they were in the direct, the rays of the sun sprinkling on them through the trees above. It was brighter here than in the inn that was built in a part of the city that afforded it little sunlight.
Belladonna’s back hit a tree and she found herself sitting on the ground. She searched her mind, using her Channeling to figure out where this was - it was somewhere further away from the Capital and even further away from the Rebellion.
“Where are you taking me?!” She snapped.
But her kidnapper was leaning against another tree as if to catch his breath which wouldn't make sense because he was an undead.
Oh, he was in pain.
He was gripping his shoulder once again, although this time no light was seeping in through his fingers.
Yet she looked around tensely, afraid that that beast would return again or perhaps something worse.
She tried to stand up, but she discovered that her hands were bound together. It wasn't with a rope through but with a chain of darkness that only appeared whenever she tried to free herself from it.
“You are one of the undead army. The missing one. You may go your way and I will go mine. I will tell no one about you. I give you my word.”
Her words were once again met with silence.
He still stayed there, by the tree with his side turned to her.
Wait, by Ignas, maybe he was taking her to Dogori! Maybe Dogori had finally betrayed the White King and was forming his own army and this was all a trap!
“Are you taking me back to Dogori? This is not the way to the Castle, what do you want?” Her voice was more hostile now. Her struggles against her bondage now increased. She was wishing it would become loose but nothing was working. She could still feel her blood dagger beneath her dress and her bottle of herbs. She was discreetly trying to get hold of the dagger, maybe it would help her escape this bondage.
“He is not my master. I wasn't summoned. I forced my way in.”
What?!
But of course, yes. The Undead Army weren't supposed to have a mind of their own. They were only supposed to be commanded by the merged gems; only that could make any command upon them, and she hadn't even acquired that yet.
That line of thought made her remember what she would have to do to acquire such. She was also painfully reminded that her time was running out and soon enough, Xin
ora would return.
She would think of all that later, but for now, she had only one question.
“Who are you?”