Forgetting

Chapter 17- I'm Friends With The Monsters Inside My Head

I'd never seen a man break the way Aidan's father did when he spotted his son. He howled and screamed, cursing the villagers who supposedly did nothing to stop the Damoris from attacking his little boy.

I choked when I caught a glimpse of Aidan; he was so bloodied and bruised I couldn't even see his face, but anyone could tell he was barely breathing. The ground beneath my feet was littered with bodies, and I had to look away as bile rose in my throat. Damori attacks were always the most brutal.

The Queen stepped forward and muttered something unintelligible to one of the villagers, who took off immediately. He returned with a little girl, barely five years old, and who had cascading dark hair and bright blue eyes.

" Hey, sweetie," The Queen knelt beside her, and I was surprised to see tears glimmering in her eyes," You're going to help me heal this little boy, okay?"

Her voice sounded heavy with regret, like she was about to do something unforgivable.My heart sank in my chest as the little girl's eyes widened with joy.

" Of course I'll help!" She squeaked.

" You can save him?" Croaked Aidan's father.

The Queen swallowed," I can. I love you, so I'll do anything to save your son." She ignored the shocked gasps that came from the villagers at her declaration of love for a mere Guard. Anger sparked inside me; would that be their reactions if they saw Evan, a famous Protector, with me, the Bandit and famous for all the wrong reasons?

She took hold of the little girl's hand on one side, and Aidan's on the other. Everyone watched in fascination as she threw her head back and murmured incantations; a golden glow enveloped the three of them, and the girl gazed down at her arm in surprise as it began to shrivel up.

I covered my hands over my mouth as I realized what the tyrant was doing. It was the darkest of sins, the blackest of all magic. I'd heard of this spell, but I didn't think anybody was evil enough to use it.

The fascinated looks turned to horror as the rest of the little girl started shriveling up, almost like a flower that had not been watered for days.

" Papa?" She said innocently," I feel weird."

Her father rushed forward, but the Queen pushed him back with a sweep of her magic. She looked pained and regretful, but she didn't stop the spell.

" I don't have a choice," She said desperately," I know I promised not to use black magic but-"

The girl screamed as her eyes sunk further into her skin, the vibrant blue fading into a dull grey.

" Stop!" Her father screamed," You're killing her! You're killing my daughter!"

Slowly, the life ebbed out of the girl, flowing into Aidan. Color rushed back into his cheeks and his eyes fluttered. The golden glow dimmed, and the Queen dropped her arms, looking exhausted.

She had committed the worst of all sins. Trading a life for a life.

" It is done," She said, peering up at Aidan's father.

His eyes flared with fury when he realized what she had done, but before he could say a word the entire village surged forward. They descended into animals, screaming and crying and targeting the Queen.

" Kill that witch!" Someone yelled.

I watched in horror as Aidan's father whipped out a sword and blocked their path. Even though he knew she had done the unforgivable, he still loved her enough to protect her.

Was that love, or stupidity?

He might have been a Guard, but what use were his skills against an angry mob of villagers? He was beaten and trampled to death as the Queen looked on, her eyes growing with horror. She let out a ear-piercing scream, filled with grief and fury.