Threads of Emerald

Threads of Treachery: Chapter 13

Pain splintered down my left arm as thorns raked down and tore the skin there. I got to my feet, stars floating slightly in my vision as I focused on how the shadows seemed to approach me, beckon me, call my name.

"When the skies threaten to turn to ash, you will be ready to take what the Earth beckons for you to receive".

But the shadows stayed there, the darkness only growing as I stood rooted to the spot, and scorching heat lanced down my right arm.

Vines snaked down my arms, flowers blooming into colour, so many shades of blue. But the vines didn't stop at my wrist, only when they reached my elbow did the pain subside and a cool breeze wash over the burning skin.

"Don't let him take you!", a musical voice cut through the ringing of pain in my ears, I turned to find Aphina, to follow that voice.

But so much pain shot down my right arm that I collapsed to the forest floor.

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I jolted awake, pulling my right arm from under the cover. The vines hadn't reached my elbow as they had in the dream. Recalling the events from that night was like trying to paint a masterpiece from only a fuzzy picture. Every time I replayed the events in my mind, they seemed even harder to reach and recall with any accuracy.

But whenever I dreamt of that night, I didn't feel any fear or terror from the man. Maybe I'd just shut that out or I was being arrogant. I'd strapped the green and black blade I'd found to my thigh and I felt invincible. That was until I'd slipped and almost split my arm in half from the jagged rock that jutted out of the tree I'd scaled and fallen out of.

Rubbing my eyes and shaking the memory, I focused on the day ahead. Ash and I were heading into the capital to go to the carnival and I was hoping to be able to sneak off to the bookshop I'd seen when I arrived. The sign outside said they had history books that dated back to the time of the Great War. The past few days I had been consumed by a desire to learn about the green tattoo that swirled up to my wrist. But another need seemed to scrape its claws in my mind.

I needed to find out where mother and Aphina had gone.

Mother had said they were going to meet with a 'friend', but they'd lived isolated in Bluebell Cottage since they'd arrived there four years ago. Mother and I had only left the day that left a permanent stain on my soul.

The only name I'd ever heard my parents mention that stuck with me was Nyx Blade. When we'd first moved into Bluebell Cottage, I'd heard mother and father arguing one night and crept to the top of the stairs to listen.

"What are we to do about it, Isabella", Father had said, desperation cutting through ever note his gravelly voice had made that night.

"If it comes to it, Nyx will come and help us. She owes me after what happened", I heard father laugh slightly, a mocking laugh that reverberated through the wooden walls.

"Nyx Blade cannot be trusted Isabella. She betrayed you." Then I'd heard father making his way to the stairs and fled back to the warm covers of my bed.

I knew little of my mother's life before we moved to Bluebell Cottage, I'd only glimpsed it the night we trailed after revenge. I knew that we'd travelled often as children, mother's work had provided us with a life of not worrying about hunger or money or father's next pay check. We'd moved to Bluebell Cottage when I was fifteen, lived in peace and with little disturbance, until mother had been poisoned two years ago. The question swirled in my foggy mind, what dark shadows lurked around her past that finally caught up with her that night.