Winterfall

I felt a shift in the bond that alerted me that Maria was watching. I had learned from my previous actions of not sending her back to the castle when something felt off. So, it didn’t surprise me that I instantly felt her connection.

What is it Theo? Maria whispered nervously. I could sense she was biting her lip as anxiety began to consume her.

Maria, calm dear. Remember you are safe. I needed her calm if I was going to be able to focus on the task at hand. Her overwhelming burst of anxiety was not helping either of us right now.

I felt her take a few deep breaths and the tension that racked her body vanish as I utilized the bond to aid her. Be careful, that thing sounded terrible. I felt her body quiver and shake as she remembered the faint echoing grunts and groans off in the distance.

I need to focus. I shook my head in attempts to pull myself back into reality, our shared reality. I tuned into my surroundings and tuned out the birds, silent footsteps, the howling of wolves, and the wrestling of leaves above and focused on the noise that troubled us both.

The groans and grunts was feminine, at least what my ears was able to detect. And it wasn’t too far off. From my standpoint, I’d give one hundred to two hundred feet. The vocals that we both heard sounded troubled and by the hoarseness of the vocals it had been going on for sometime.

I began my trek in a southward direction from the castle at a decent pace. As I neared the point of the vocals I stopped long enough to examine them further.

Definitely feminine.

What is it Theo? Maria at least seemed calm but now she was impatient.

Not sure… Let me check… I glanced down at the magical bracelet that I wore upon my wrist to see if it had indicated anything. Fiend.

My own breathing began to quicken as did hers. Be careful.

I took a deep breath before I felt my feet move forward once more. I wasn’t scared of the fiends, hell, I had dealt with at least two dozen or more since I had the bracelet charmed. It was more the fact that this will surely end in another fight. A fight I was more or less prepared for.

Once I exited the last ring, I caught a glimpse of the hellish creature. She appeared tied to a tree and in distress.

What the- I was confused and as I had stopped and stared at the creature before me she snapped her head and stared directly at me.

“Theo…” her voice was weak, but I was able to pick my name out. “He… told me you come.”

This was too weird, was this Marcel’s doing? I shook my head and approached cautiously.

I examined the chains and herself from twenty feet away. And she, watched my every move.

“Confused soul…” she spoke with a delightful tinge to her voice.

I felt my eyebrows arch, “Why are you here?”

“Punishment.”

“For?”

“Betraying the King's orders…” her breathing grew more relaxed as time passed and her voice, never changing.

“How did you betray Marcel?”

I was going to get answers before I killed her. I had to know what she knew.

“Poison the Council…”

I felt my fist clench as the other reached for the hilt of my sword. Damn them all.

“He has other plans…reasons for you to live.”

“What do you-“

“Shush now, I’ve said too much.”

I was confused but I knew then I wasn’t going to get much more from her. I pulled my sword out from my belt and held it to her throat.

“Any last words?” I growled as I held my sword firmly at throat.

She sucked in one big gulp of air and said, “Have fun with Pavlo.”

And with that she pulled her head forward as far as she could go stabbing herself in the neck.

I stood in disbelief as the hellish creature just ended her own life and outed Marcel. Let alone I was given another name for what I suspect to be another creature like her.

I removed my sword from her neck and untied her from the tree and walked her limp body to the morgue.

“Another one?” The mortician questioned as he stood a bit shocked at the lifeless corpse.

“Yes, burn the body like the rest.” I order him and watched as he took the body and placed it in the incinerator. “Thank you for helping me.”

“Anytime Captain.” The mortician said as I left and headed to my office to do some paperwork.

Maria, I’ll be late for breakfast.

Breakfast I knew was something she looked forward to as we both got to share at least one meal with each other.

Her sigh hurt but I knew she understood. I’ll see you later then.

I soon felt her connection vanish as she refocused on her own surroundings once more.