A Curse of Flames & Blood

Chapter 4

Aerilyn

I woke up and all I felt was pain. Searing, bone deep pain. I suck in a ragged breath and try to pry my eyes open. I stare up at an unfamiliar ceiling, in an unfamiliar room. I struggle upright, just barely, when I hear the door open and Roclan entering.

I look at him, "Where is Ayla? Did they take her?" My voice high with panic. He makes his way over to me and gently push me down.

"Yes, they took her."

I fight against his hold, trying to sit up again. "I need to go after her, they will kill her!"

Roclan pushes me down harder, "Rest child, you can barely stand, let alone save your sister!"

I suck in a deep breath, trying to swallow my tears, "Please, she's the only person I have left, I can't leave her to the demons".

"I know child, but you need time to heal, the demons won't harm her".

I snap my head towards him, "How do you know?"

Roclan smiles sadly and pats my shoulder, "They want you, and the only way to get you, is to use your sister as a bargaining chip. And a dead bargaining chip doesn't work as well as one that's alive".

I stare at him, Who is this man? The man who lived next to us was reclusive, barely speaking more than two words and barely left the house. I look at him, he appears slightly younger now. Like he might be nearing his 60th year. His short grey hair and beard aging him, but it's those bright, younger blue eyes that give him away.

Roclan tilts his head as he watch me study him, he clears his throat before getting up, "I will leave you to rest. After we will talk about how to get your sister back".

__________

I wake up feeling much better. Breathing doesn't hurt as much anymore. My broken hand miraculously isn't broken anymore. I sit up and feel a slight pulling sensation in my abdomen, I look down, there is a big bloody bandage around my stomach. Moving my legs off the bed takes more time than normal and I let out a frustrated breath. I move around the unfamiliar room, taking in the dark, peeling paint on the walls. There are bloody threadbare sheets on the small rickety bed. A small three legged stool, holding a bowl of water and a wash cloth, next to the bed.

I can hear Roclan in the kitchen and make my way there. The older man is bend over a big pot cooking in the fire pit. The small table is covered in all manner of herbs from the garden and small bottles of concoctions. I clear my throat and Roclan turns towards me.

"I am glad to see you are up, you had me worried"

"How long was I asleep?"

He frowns before answering, "Two days".

My eyebrows rise in surprise, I motion to the herbs with my hand, "You must have an extraordinary talent with healing plants then".

Roclan looks uneasy and then gestures for me to sit down, once I do, he turns back towards his potion making. "Do you know about the history of Aurea?"

I frown at the odd direction of the conversation, "I know what most people know, that Aurea is ruled by the Demon King, but wasn't always".

"Yes, that's one part of the history".

I stay quiet and wait for him to continue. He puts the heavy pot on the small table, spooning out portions of the green concoction into the small glass bottles littering the table, "This was once a beautiful and prosperous kingdom", the smile around his lips is sad.