The Hushing [#ONC2022]

Chapter Two (part 2)

Marion hesitated. What choice did she have though? The mirror was gone, taking with it the only way back to the world she knew. A minute ago, she had nearly been frozen to death. At least if she stayed with Lady Ingrid, she wouldn't have those creatures breathing down her neck anymore.

"You can keep running if you prefer," Lady Ingrid continued. She swept her arm toward the forest. "The wraiths love a good chase. You've certainly given them a decent stretch of exercise today. Up until they caught you, of course."

"Wraiths?" Marion said.

Now that she had a name for them, she didn't find the creatures any less unsettling. Dozens of them knelt on the ground, huddled up like beetles or bats with their wings folded around them. What kind of power did Lady Ingrid wield to make them sit so still and silent in her presence?

Lady Ingrid gave a grim nod. "They're spirits, pet. Bad ones. They find a living human soul like yours, full of warmth and goodness and life, and it sends them into a feeding frenzy. You should be grateful I stumbled upon you when I did. Otherwise..." She shook her head. "I'm afraid there would be nothing left of you to return home."

A shudder rippled up Marion's spine.

"But not to worry," Lady Ingrid added. "As long as you are my guest, you remain under my protection. No harm will come to you on my watch."

Marion had her doubts but Lady Ingrid seemed confident the wraiths wouldn't cause any more trouble simply because she said so. It only meant that if Marion ever parted from Lady Ingrid, she was fair game.

"How do you know they will obey you?" Marion said. "They could chew me up and spit me out as soon as you're not looking."

Lady Ingrid huffed a laugh of disbelief, as if Marion had said the silliest, most ridiculous thing in the world.

"Because this is my realm, pet," Lady Ingrid replied. "The throne belongs to me. If any of these wraiths dare to defy my orders, I'm afraid it doesn't end well for them."

Marion shouldn't have asked the next question that came to her mind. But it was already on the tip of her tongue and out of her mouth before she could stop it.

"What if I defy your orders?"

A heartbeat of stillness settled in the forest. Lady Ingrid bared her teeth in the approximation of a smile. But her milk-white eyes were cold and flat.

"Then I suppose you won't need my protection anymore, will you, darling? Is that what you want?"

Marion shifted in place. Tugged at the hem of her t-shirt. She had hoped to sound defiant. Strong. Something about Lady Ingrid rubbed her the wrong way. Instead, Marion came to realize how she had painted herself into a corner. If Lady Ingrid repealed her decision to keep the wraiths from feasting on Marion's soul, she was done for, right here, right now. She was in no position to refuse Lady Ingrid's hospitality.

"No," Marion relented. The single word felt heavy on her tongue, dropped like a stone in the direction of her feet.

Lady Ingrid hummed, smug with satisfaction.

"Smart girl. There are many monsters in The Hushing, pet. I am not one of them. It would serve you well to remember that."

She turned toward her horse and gestured to the armor-clad man. He hadn't budged or said a word since Lady Ingrid's appearance.

"Now, you've had a long and eventful day," Lady Ingrid said. "Septimus will lead you back to Valecroft. I'll ride ahead to ensure everything is ready for your stay."

Then she climbed into the saddle, wheeled her horse around and galloped into the trees. As soon as Lady Ingrid was out of sight, the wraiths' chattering grew into a steady thrumming noise, like thousands of bees in a hive, swarming, buzzing.

Then Septimus started walking and Marion hurried to keep up with his long-legged strides. She scanned the forest, searching for the tell-tale gleam of the mirror.

"You won't find it," Septimus said.

Marion startled at the sound of his voice. She'd grown accustomed to his silence.

"You don't even know what I'm looking for," she countered.

Septimus glanced down at her. Unlike Lady's Ingrid's pearly-white gaze, his eyes were completely black. Marion found herself equally fascinated and horrified every time she made eye contact with someone in this world.

"The mirror will not show itself to you," Septimus said, "until you are ready."

Marion spread her arms. "I nearly died a minute ago, in case you didn't notice. I'm really, really ready to go home now."

"It's not that simple."

Marion bit back a growl of frustration. "Then explain it to me."

Septimus stopped. He shifted to stand directly in front of Marion, towering over her. With his black armor and black eyes, he looked like a boiling thundercloud a split second away from unleashing hell's fury. But when he spoke, his voice was remarkably calm and even.

"You must prove yourself worthy of the mirror," Septimus replied. "You fell under its spell before because you were weak."

Marion snorted. "Don't sugar coat it or anything."

Septimus continued as if she hadn't spoken.

"But you're still alive. So far. That's a start. Stay that way and you have a chance."

Then he kept walking and he didn't look back to see if she was following. Marion let her arms drop to her sides.

"I was hoping for something a little more specific than that," she called after him.

"I can't give you the answers," Septimus called back. "That would make you unworthy. And then you'd be stuck here. Forever."