The Sacred Path

Chapter Two

Mira's smile had the innocence and promise of dawn. The ice erected around Gavin's heart melted a bit at the sweetness and the offer of hope.

"Shall we go?" she asked, reaching for his hand.

"No."

Like a dark cloud veiling a sunny day, her smile faded. "What?"

Gavin grabbed her arm and tried to ignore her innocent facade. "We're leaving. The Sacred Hunters have arrested you, and will give you a chance to repent your sinful ways."

She struck him while attempting to dislodge his grip. "You're making a mistake."

Her blow was like magic, pain for an instant, but leaving nothing behind. "The only mistake I made was allowing you to ramble for so long."

She dragged her feet as he pulled her forward, but the Spirit Collar had left her drained. It was no different from pulling a feather along, no matter how much she struck and clawed. Her loud protests along with his screaming doubts became a chorus of misery, beating at his head. It would be so easy to let her go.

But then blood will be on my hands.

The forest thinned as they reached the end, revealing sun-drenched sparkling silver structures in the distance, the towers of the First City. A little groan echoed from Mira as she raised her head to take in the sight. Witches who entered the city never returned.

"Please don't do this!" Mira said. "I'm innocent and you... you are a monster."

Her words hit him hard, and he released her. She reeled for a moment and tilted her head in confusion.

"Go." Gavin held up his hands. "I won't stop you."

She edged away from him. "I don't understand."

He sucked in a breath. "With that collar on your neck, you will no longer have any power. You're now prey to the demons who haunt this world, demons invited into the world by witches."

"Those are lies from the Sacred Hunters, all to make us sound wicked."

"Were they?" Gavin pointed to the blackened ground beneath their feet. "Do you know what we stand on?"

Her fingers flew to the collars, a futile attempt to remove it. "More grounds of magic burnt by the Sacred Hunters?"

"The hunters had no choice but to burn it," Gavin said. "A family lived here, hunters of beasts and nothing more. Last cross-quarter, someone or something tore every member up in the most sickening ritual murder that I've ever seen."

His throat tightened as memories haunted his soul, images of unspeakable evil done to parents and innocent children.

"That is why we must rid the world of every witch," his commander had said. "If we don't, the bloodshed will never end."

"You can't know a witch did that," Mira said, although a little uncertainty crept into her voice. "There are all sorts of monsters in this world."

"I recognize witch's runes." Gavin clenched his hands. "Written in blood, summoning demons to befoul the earth. It took a full month before the seasoned hunters had found most of the beasts and destroyed them. In the time it took, that wasn't the only innocent family to die."

"You probably did it yourself," she said, anger drowning away uncertainty. "And placed the blame on witches."

He shrugged. "You can think what you want and do what you want. Witches always do. But if you flee me, this isn't the end for you. Monsters are still out there, as are other hunters. Some aren't merciful like me. They'll burn you before you ever get the chance to repent. With that collar, there's nothing you can do."