Chapter 26
Iwalk with difficulty toward my house. My injuries are so bad, I fear I might lose all the blood in my body by the time I make it back.
But I can’t think of that. Not when I’ve finally achieved one goal—I finished a mission all by myself.
I earned more money for Moe. I can finally spoil her a little without thinking about what tomorrow might bring.
That alone makes my smile grow in spite of the pain.
I’m almost at the door when my sight starts playing tricks on me. Or I think it does. A mist covers my eyes, and as I blink, the only color I see is red. Flowing red. Dripping red.
The Scarlet Lady.
Her figure is draped in overflowing blood, but beneath the liquid, I can make out a sad smile.
“If only she still feared you like before…” she murmurs.
“What?”
“I shouldn’t show you this,” she continues. “But to understand the source of the pain, you must understand its beginnings.” She pauses before saying with stark finality. “This is the day everything changes.”
“What changes?” I frown.
“Before, your only power over her was physical. From today, you gain the power to crush her. Completely.”
“I don’t—”
“You don’t need to understand. Not now. But you will. Lake Velor doesn’t only show you your calamities. It also shows you the best times, so when the worst comes, the pain will be thousandfold.”
“Lady—”
“Enjoy the good times, Nykander. They won’t last long.”
With that warning in my ears, my vision goes black.