The Devil's Tear

Chapter 16- Another Trick

Rosy looked up in alarm. Her expression softened as she soothed Alexei, who was clutching his shoulder with gritted teeth. Irma stomped, closing the distance between her and Alexei, and slapped him across his face. Alexei stumbled on his knees, steadied quickly by Rosy.

“You traitor!” Irma spat, grabbing Rosy by her arm. “If you’re going to give up so easily, then I'll take Rosy myself!”

She dragged Rosy, who did not resist, across to her horse, and helped her up before stepping up herself. Alexei lay on his knees, staring after them as they disappeared over the horizon, completely dejected.

His knuckles went white as he clenched his fists in anger. Had he just fallen for another of the devil’s tricks? One thing he knew for sure: Irma was in grave danger. Even after Rosy’s eyes had regained their colour, the little girl crying had still been the devil.

Rosy smiled in satisfaction as the wind blew her hair back.

“I’m sorry, Rosy,” Irma apologized quietly, her fingers grasping the reins tightly.

“It’s alright,” Rosy replied, another menacing smile tugging on her lips.

-

“They’ve separated?” Artemis demanded.

“Irma and Rosy have left Alexei,” Demetri notified. “This is very bad...”

“Alexei was left behind?” Artemis repeated in disbelief. “But he's the only powerful figure in those three."

“As Demetri said,” Allegra bit her lower lip. “This is going to be ugly. We should aid Irma. That is our first priority.”

“We haven’t received orders to do so yet,” Demetri argued nobly. “The mistress is still contemplating on what to do next.”

“She doesn’t have time for that! Irma is in danger!” Artemis shouted, tearing a branch off a nearby tree. She threw the branch against the trunk of the tree, creating a loud crash.

“Calm yourself,” Demetri muttered. “Impulsive.”

“What did you just call me?” Artemis glared.

“Enough,” Allegra said tersely. “We can do nothing until the mistress tells us to, Artemis.”

“Simmer down, you three,” a new, strong female voice echoed over them. The three grinned in relief amongst themselves as the wind accumulated at one point to create a figure. Their mistress had long brown hair that reached the small of her back, with icy green eyes. The necromancer who had raised them once more, one of two necromancers left in Tytania.

“We shall do whatever is necessary to rescue Irma,” their mistress spoke. “And I also think we should somehow separate Cytheria from Vesta. We need Cytheria’s brute strength on our side.”

“She is on our side,” Allegra blurted. Artemis and Demetri shot her relentless glares. Their mistress laughed at Allegra’s embarrassed expression.

“Listen, it’s perfectly fine for you to do some things without my consent,” their mistress clarified. “But don't do anything too rash. Understood, Artemis?”

Demetri smirked. Artemis nodded, and bowed her head before her mistress. Allegra and Demetri did the same, receiving a groan.

“Please don’t do that,” their mistress slapped her forehead. “You three are not slaves.”

“But we are your slaves,” Artemis said. “Our bond to you, the necromancer who raised us, is unbreakable.”

“Thank you,” their mistress said warmly. “But Allegra, I am not the one who raised you. You have no obligation to obey me.”

“I do not obey the one who raised me,” Allegra muttered, and rolled up her sleeve to reveal the small marking near her elbow. “I’ll never obey that man wilfully like I do you. Sadly, this bond compels me to succumb to his demands.”

A single horn glowed on Allegra’s elbow, glimmering unnaturally and ominously.

“Who is it?” Demetri asked patronizingly. His lapis lazuli eyes bore into hers as she averted her gaze with an invisible blush.

“H-he’s --…”

“We do not have time for this!” Their mistress said loudly. “I have decided my next move. Let us proceed.”

Artemis and Demetri smiled at their mistress. Who knew that this person, whom Demetri had thought as insignificant and useless, would later be their mistress?

As Artemis had said to Rosy during their first meeting, fate really did work in mysterious ways. Artemis had become sure of that after meeting her mistress.