The Forgotten Prophecy

Chapter 51

'Okay,' Landos voice interrupted her train of thought. 'I'm gonna count to three. One...'

Ines had no doubt he would pull it out on two, so she prepared herself for the pain that would soon come. She looked at Matthew, hoping to at least find some comfort in his familiar gaze, but his pained expression made her even more worried. He glanced at the elf's hand on her back and winced when he saw him grab the knife to pull it.

Matthew immediately shut his eyes, and Ines noticed the colour draining from his face. The logical side of her wanted to leave him be, but her heart was screaming at her to reach out to him. She didn't get the chance to decide. The moment Landos said 'two', Matthew turned around abruptly and walked away.

Ines felt the knife swiftly being removed from her body and couldn't help the piercing scream that slipped off her lips. She wasn't sure, though, if her wound hurt that much or if Matthew's withdrawal was the one that really made her feel so numb. She wasn't sure if she wanted to know the answer.

Landos healed up her wound and dressed it with clean bandages. He stood up, all proud for his expert work, and advised her not to fight for a couple of days. Like he would let me, she thought and shook her head in indignation. She raised on her feet, stretching her muscles, and she was relieved to discover that she felt better already.

'You are the first humans to have come to these lands for a long time,' she suddenly heard the unknown woman say, her voice hoarse and void of emotion.

No one said anything. They stood over her with glaring eyes and studied her like a rare specimen in a cage. Ines had to admit that her empty gaze unnerved her a bit, but she didn't want to show her discomfort and give her the satisfaction of being intimidated by her.

'We have been waiting for you,' the women spoke again.

She didn't seem to mind being watched by a group of people who would really like to strangle her. She sat there all calm and indifferent like they were talking about the weather.

'How did you know we were coming?' Inerma impatiently asked her.

'Oh, please. We have eyes everywhere,' the woman flashed them a lopsided grin full of contempt. It was obvious she enjoyed seeing their surprise on their faces.

'Where is he?' Ines butt in.

'Who?'

She knew she was faking her ignorance and that she very well knew who she was referring to. 'You know who.'

'I'm afraid it's too dangerous for you to go there.'

'We will be judge of that,' Landos snapped at her angrily.

'Speak!' Ines repeated loudly.

Her commanding voice made the woman wince in pain, her features awfully contorting. He body suddenly began making spasmodic movements and her fingers started frantically scratching her throat. It looked like she was wrestling something inside her, something she couldn't be freed from and regain control of herself.

'No!' she shrieked. 'I can't betray my master.'

Ines decided to take action. She pulled out a dagger from her side and within seconds she landed in front of her. She held the silver dagger with her right hand and roughly sticked it to her throat to threaten her.

'Speak!' she screamed, her face merely centimetres from hers.

From that close Ines could see her round eyes quickly change colours, going from white to brown and brown to white in a constant battle of agony. Ines stared at her and soon realised she was fighting the magic in her body, but it was too hard for her.