Demon Blood (Book One)

Chapter 7- Fabian

When I woke up that morning I had nearly forgotten where I was. The castle seemed so strange and daring that when I woke I hopped out bed unlike my usual morning moods that allowed me to sleep for hours on end. As I left my room dressed in a white cotton shirt and brown cotton pants along with my worn black boot. My mom had always told me if your boots are shiny and knew that it means you're prissy. I snuck down to my sister's room where I found Merline sneaking out of the room in her black sun dress with white blouse sleeve. "Hey Merline". She jumped like a shocked kitten and I could see that she was holding a large black book. "Oh, hi Fabian, what are you doing up this early? You always sleep in"  she said with furrowed brows. "This place just has me a bit jumpy, you know?" I shrugged. "Yeah, there are a lot of ghosts here, and they are down right chatty. I don't suppose they have had such strange news in eons though, what with the demon king rising and all" it was strange to me how Merline found this to be simply unusual news when most would be terrified. "What are you reading?" I gestured to the large book she carried under her arm like a package. "I was going to red to mom, Madame Drakin said she would like this one best" she said with a shrug. "Who is Madame Drakin and what is that book anyway" I questioned as I strained to see the cover. "Oh you will meet Madame Drakin soon enough I'm sure, and as for what book this is I suppose you will just have to come with me and find out won't you?" she stated as she continued to skip down the hall toward mother's room. I followed after letting my curiosity confound me. When we reached mother's room I saw Merline plop down on the chair next to mom and unfold the book to a certain page. Merline cleared her throat and began to read. "Deep in the Atherglade mountains where mountain goats flock there can be found an herb that has the ability to free a soul from the grasp of demon spells. Even those cast by a demon king. They are covered in white and gold leaves that was left as its defense against those who might destroy them" Merline stopped reading and her eyes glazed over. 'Its here the Demon King has ears child do not let him see or hear of this book shut it quickly' I heard the voice echo in my head. I ran over and slammed the book shut just as a shadow in the room began to move towards the book. There was a hissing sound as it touched Merline's neck. Her eyes turned back to normal and she screamed and then I saw why. Where the shadow had touched her there was now a hand print burning into her skin. Her eyes turned milky again and she screamed "King of Devils, King of Demons, King of Hells. King of Devils, King of Demons, King of Hells" she repeated her chant until soon the room was filled with the worried faces of Simon, Diana, our cousins, and our aunt and uncle. I stood in shock horror as the shadow retreated and Merline looked toward it with fierce anger in her eyes. "I know your face now and I will kill you count on it I will take your thrown" she screamed before crumpling to the ground.I ran toward her and picked her up in my arms. She was so small and for once I remembered that she was only fourteen and she had to go through all of this. "We need a medic" a breathed and Diana ran over to pick up the book Merline had been reading from and Damian ran out of the room to fetch a medic. Time passed in blur and we were standing next to Merine who was being examined by Niamh. "She just had an overload, she should wake up soon there are no traces of outside demonic power except on this burn mark" Niamh claimed pointing at the hand print burned into Merline's skin. "That mark will be there for the rest of her life I'm afraid. I am going to check on Ryia again and make sure this hasn't negativity affected her condition" Niamh turned to leave but I stopped her. "Niamh before all that stuff went down Merline was reading about an herb in the Atherglade mountains that
could cure any demon spells including those cast by the demon king" I said holding the book out for Niamh to see. "Where did she find this book?" Niamh asked while looking up with an astonished expression. "She said someone named Madame Drakin gave it to her, why?". "This is a lost book of healing researcher and healers alike have been searching for it for years, Madame Drakin wrote this over three hundred years ago there is no way Merline got it from her" Niamh said looking at Merline in awe. "Yes, but the herb, could it save my mom?" I ased needing to know the answer. "If it really does what it says, yeah it could" Niamh said starring at the book in awe. "I'm going to write down all the information I can find in here in that herb, after I am done with I'll give it to you, deal?" I said putting the book behind me cautiously. I wasn't sure I could fully trust Niamh regardless of whether or not she delivered me. "Deal" Niamh shook my hand and went to check on mom. When she was gone I started to go through the book to find the page Merline had been reading on. '438' a voice that sounded like mom's echoed through my head. I opened to that page and sure enough that was the right page. I looked around for where the voice could have come from but the only one in the room with me was Merline and she was still passed out. I couldn't dwell on whose voice it was for too long though. I stayed in that room with Merline for the rest of the day writing down everything I could find on the Atrave herb.