Hood (Book One of Radiant Afflictions)

Chapter One

Chapter One

it hungers; it feeds; it lives

*****

Her chapped lips permitted a painful grimace, a shaky breath passing through the empty oval they shaped. Just behind her, Exander waited with his slim back to her, glowing fragile wings unique to the fae floating in the air, but his still silence made his presence nearly undetectable. Aaliyah's hand was already prepped, the silk glove that normally adorned her thin fingers spread across her lap, but nothing could stop her from hesitating.

The wounded soldier in front of her, a simple night guard for the vault, was obviously still alive. His chest rose and fell like the sun in the sky, slowly but surely. It was unlikely that such a young man lacked a family even if he was only a vault guard, and Aaliyah couldn't keep herself from imagining the loved ones she'd be stealing him away from. Maybe he had a sister with long golden hair that matched his, and a hardworking mother with greying roots at her scalp that he sent money home to. Looking like this, it was probable that he also had a girlfriend waiting back home for him, ready to devote her life to him upon return. With one touch, his entire future would disappear, and the guilt of all the other futures Aaliyah had ripped away was already killing her.

Do I have to, Exander? she whispered within the preserved connection formed between their minds, the violet stones in her ears lighting up at her words. She saw Exander twitch from the corner of her eye. His answer was to be the same one she received every time, but there had to be a time when it would change. There'd be a pause before the affirmation when he'd slowly realize what she was doing was truly wrong, and then he would leave it up to her. After the stages of silence, he would finally tell her no, and in the end, there would be death. What she was most afraid of was the probability that he already knew about the future that was destined for them.

It took a moment's consideration, but a simple yes was all he provided. Despite the sureness of his firm answer, Aaliyah was almost convinced that the small gap in-between her question and his reply meant the process she feared was already beginning to affect his mind.

Taking a deep breath, she shoved her palm against the skin of the soldier's cheek. A single second passed, and his breathing ceased. A small fiery orb rose from his then lifeless lips, sapphire flames consuming its entirety. Aaliyah gripped his soul between her thumb and middle finger, and the flames were extinguished. The final step was always easiest. It was if something else overcame her entirely, perhaps the need to devour all life around her, and she popped the flameless soul into her mouth. The soul rolled on her tongue, and she savored the taste. This one had an almost honey flavor, accompanied by the typical coating of blood.

And then she swallowed it. Rejuvenation hit her system, and like flipping a light switch she felt her sane, altruistic self return. With that worry came the thoughts of her future with Exander, who had remained silent up to that point, and she couldn't help but wonder once again if that earlier pause meant she had already reached the hopeless beginning of their fated end.

*****

Aaliyah's breath came out in ragged spurts, the piercing aches in her calves increasing with every step. Still, she pressed forward, desperate to keep up with her companion, who had barely broken a sweat despite the distance they'd covered in such a short time.

Reaching out to Exander's mind, she asked, How long are we supposed to run for?

I told you that it wasn't necessary for you to join me, his voice echoed back, answering her question in no way whatsoever. If she could've sighed through the gasps her small body felt required to filter through her lips, she would have made it so exasperated that the rest of the forest would notice.