Chronicles of The Crescent Court

2

Half-breeds were dead weight. A burden to society that wayward witches created out of lust and boredom. We didn't with humans but, since we weren't known to hold powers of our own, we didn't belong to any magic society either.

We unfortunately just existed, and anyone with decent sense could sense that wrongness from our scents, our auras, and rarely, our bodies themselves.

This is what Almeda and Adeline had always said.

I considered myself a person with decent sense. Even with my limited connection with the outside world was limited, I could sense differences...I could sense power.

So how could I not sense this?

Even in the dull light of the lantern, I could see it clear as day. One eye, plain and brown as the earth he no doubt took his scent from. The other, a glimmering and inconceivable gold.  The kind of mark only defiled bloodlines would leave behind.

Mulligan was a half breed.

His stare mirrored mine in amazement and only then did I feel my skin beginning to sweat.  Along with the other bizarre behavior, for the first time in years, the witches had not covered my own mark today.

Instinctively, I went to cover my face which, without the glamor of my caregivers, was surely littering with golden scrawlings and patterns but it was too late.

"Well I'll be damned," he smiled wildly, "you two weren't lyin after all."

"We have no reason to lie to the likes of you," Almeda spoke up, "Now please, Mulligan, what we've come for!" As she spoke, my body was pulled away from the odd stranger.

I was almost thankful but, the sensation of Almeda holding me against her so tightly, almost protectively, was so foreign...it felt wrong. I wanted to pull away from her just as much I wanted distance from the stranger...the half-breed?

A hard pounding began at my temples. What was going on!?

Those perplexing eyes of his kept looking me over, taking in each symbol and golden line racing across my features. Through his eyes I could somehow see that his mind was racing. Different emotions moving so quickly I could hardly define them.

I must've been his first too.

He finally settled from staring at me to the witch holding onto my body. His thick brow quirking upward. I'm sure Almeda's faced looked just as pained and uncomfortable as I felt. She hated touching me.

"Deal's a deal." he smiled and dove a hand impossibly deep into a satchel fastened to his belt.

His reach seeming to enter a void concealed by the grungy clothing, fumbling around until he finally pulled out a long silken fabric.

The flickering light of the lantern shifted and dimmed where it touched the strange linen. A dark energy pulsated around it so thick I could just barely make out low humming.

"What is that?" my whisper broke the tense silence that had enveloped us all as my eyes darted back up toward his golden iris. Almeda's clutch tightened on my shoulders at the question.

Mulligan, on the other hand, almost seemed delighted "This, lovely one, is a relic of great potential. Strong enough to hide any spell from..."

"Enough," Adeline interrupted, "You needn't waste explanations on the girl. Let us make the exchange and be done with this!"

Mulligan's eye rolled at the interruption, "Old age must do a number on the manners."

My eyes flickered back to Adeline and Almeda, their calm expressions faltered completely to some mix between irritation and desperation as they stared toward the strange object.

Exchange?

Reality struck.

As if hearing my thoughts, Almeda sighed anxiously. To my own horror, her hold on me released just to begin pushing me toward the man.

"No!" My body was already running when the scream left my chest. My heart was thundering so loud, I could barely register the irate calls of the witches behind me. 

I would not allow them to do this!

The relentless screams of my dreams and fears bellowed as I was nearly engulfed by the alley's darkness once again, but suffering the blindness  was surely better than being sold for some trinket for the gods knows what!

I held by breath, trying desperatly to focus on my speedbut, I'd barley set a foot in the unkown, before a forceful gust of air seemed to rush toward me.

The wind blocked my path and was strong enough to knock me from my stance and force me to the dirt covered ground. Dark curls of my hair broke free from the impact and spilled across my face, blinding my vision even more as I struggled to raise myself.

Pressure held me down just enough that I could breathe shallow breaths but each one felt like I was suffocating. 

Who's power was this!?

I craned my neck to catch of glimpse of some silver or green light. I hadn't expected them to cast in a stranger's presence, but Almeda and Adeline's eyes could light a room when doing any sort of magic.

There was a faint glow.

Instead, of silver or green, there he stood. Mulligan and his golden eye glowing faintly but somehow illuminating his entire frame as if a small sun was erupting from within. Almeda and Adeline's bodies fidgeted in impatience but even they seemed shocked at the scene before them.

How could they release me to a man they clearly had no liking for? Clearly knew nothing of the capabilities he possessed?!

A surge of defiance erupted within me, the first time I'd ever felt such a strong hatred directed at another. My rage focused on Almeda first. Her growing anxiety was palpable enough that it fuel my own confusion and anger. 

I felt...something...begin to shift and tingle within my being as I noticed the lengethy witche's hollwoing face begin to twitch. 

Her aging silver eyes grew duller, almost white as her body began to convulse. 

More.

"Almeda, no!" Adeline screetch dud nothing to break the eye contact, i focused harder instead, almost feeling energized as her partner fell to the ground.

"Dammit, Mulligan stop her NOW!"

The other half-breed seemed in a daze himself watching me in...intrigue. With a sanp of his finger , I felt the pressure intensify, pressing the air out of my lungs until dots scattered my vision.Something like a cord had snapped in my body, the sudden disconnet sinking me deeper into a forced rest.

I was no longer breathing and Almeda had fallen into her own stillness.