20. Nelle Barbed Words
Nelle: Barbed Words
“Do you think he’ll be home for dinner, or should I just keep something warm for him?” Nelle wondered, idly stirring the pot of spaghetti sauce.
“I don’t know. He said he’d be back late,” Kemma pointed out from her cushion next to the fire.
“You could keep the sauce simmering on the stove, I suppose. It won’t burn, not with that pan, and I heard somewhere that tomato sauces get tastier the longer you let them cook.
But the pasta is another matter. No one wants overdone pasta. ”
Nelle shot her a wry smirk. “For a creature that never cooks, you speak like a true chef.”
“Well, you cook for us every day, and I usually sit with you. You can’t expect me not to learn something,” Kemma smirked.
Nelle nodded. “Fair enough.” She tasted the sauce and added a little more garlic. “I wish figuring out how to break that spell was as easy as cooking.”
“I told you that you would not find the answers in those books,” Kemma sniffed. “Until the dragon man showed up, that library stayed locked up tight. You wouldn’t have had access to them.”
“Yes, but I can’t just keep trying different spells until I find one that works.
The wings were an interesting addition to the curse, but I’m fairly certain Kit wasn’t as enthusiastic when his talons grew a full foot in the space of three seconds,” Nelle pointed out, before letting out a deep sigh.
“First casting a spell on him and now not being able to break that same spell…it’s a wonder he has any hope that I can do this at all. ”
“Well, at least some good came out of that search,” Kemma said. “You found that tracking spell, didn’t you?”
Nelle grimaced. “Yes. But it was strange.”
Kemma gave an enormous yawn. “Strange how?”
Nelle closed her eyes, picturing the spell in question. “Well, for one thing, it was glowing.”
“What?” The word came out as a very cat-like yowl.
“I told you it was strange,” Nelle grinned.
“It was glowing a very subtle shade of icy blue. Almost like someone had magically highlighted it. But when I went back to look through that book again, the glow had disappeared. For that matter, the whole spell had disappeared. And trust me, I checked. Three or four times, if we’re being honest.”
“That is odd,” Kemma agreed. “Any other oddities about that spell?”
“Well, it also wouldn’t work when I tried it, but worked perfectly for Kit,” Nelle murmured.
“Maybe it was Fey magic,” Kemma suggested.
Nelle thought about the possibility. “That may be the issue. But I’ve seen Fey spell instructions, and they don’t normally look like that spell did.” She shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe I’ll ask Kit about it when he returns.”
“If that happens again, come get me. You’d be surprised what I’ve picked up hanging around this place,” Kemma yawned. “But back to breaking Kit’s spell. How many more books do you need to comb through?”
“Just one, surprisingly,” Nelle admitted.
“But I’m not hopeful that this will have the answers I’m looking for.
Somehow, The Secrets of Magical Flora and Fauna doesn’t sound like it would solve this particular problem.
” She sighed. “If I can’t find the answers in this book, I may have to take drastic action. ”
“And what does drastic action entail, exactly?” Kemma asked, narrowing her eyes.
Nelle couldn’t force herself to meet the tressym’s gaze. “Asking the Cracked Mirror,” she mumbled, keeping her voice low in the vain hope Kemma wouldn’t hear her.
“Asking the Cracked Mirror?” Kemma yowled. “Nelle, that’s a terrible idea!”
“I know, but I’m running out of options. And you said that I first started learning magic from the mirror. If anything could help me, it would be that, don’t you think?”
“Maybe, but the Cracked Mirror’s advice always comes at a cost. And I don’t think?—”
“LOLIENNA!”
Startled by Kit’s roar, she dropped the wooden spoon, sending tomato sauce splattering on her cheek.
“What in Afeyra—” Kemma mumbled, just as Kit stormed into the kitchen. In one hand, he loosely held a rough longbow, one that was far too weak to be of much use.
“Is it true?” he demanded, rounding on Nelle, brandishing the longbow as some kind of evidence.
Nelle’s stomach flipped anxiously. The way he was acting, how his hands were clenched…she’d never been so aware of how his looming body dwarfed hers. Still, she forced herself to meet his eyes and asked, “Is what true?”
Kit advanced on her, slowly, methodically, as if hunting prey. A strange light flickered in his dark eyes. “Are you plotting against me?”
Nelle couldn’t help but stare at him. “What?”
“Don’t play dumb with me!” Kit roared, little bursts of cold flame following his words. “I know what you did!”
Nelle scrambled backwards until she was pressed up against the countertop. “I don’t know what you’re talking about!”
“Yeah, you’re not making any sense. What’s going on with you, dragon man?” Kemma asked, taking flight.
Kit didn’t even look at her. His entire focus was on Nelle.
“You’re a liar. And a fool,” he snarled.
His hands reached for her, going for her neck, but she ducked behind him and scrambled out of the way.
He didn’t seem to notice. His movements, usually rapid and graceful, were slow and clunky, almost as if?—
“You will not get away with it!” Kit slurred as he turned and stumbled towards her. “Come here, ice witch.”
Nelle’s eyes widened. “I don’t—” She ducked as he gave another vicious swipe at her head. “Kit! What’s the matter with you?”
“Nothing’s the matter with me,” Kit said with a mechanical laugh. “My eyes are finally open to your tricks.”
“What tricks?” Nelle asked desperately as he lunged for her once again.
“He’s not being himself,” Kemma said. “We need backup. I’ll be right back.”
“No! Don’t—” Before she could finish the sentence, the tressym had darted out of the kitchen, leaving Nelle alone with Kit.
She swallowed hard and focused on his lumbering form.
“Kit, I don’t know what’s running through your head, but you have to believe me.
I really don’t know what you’re talking about. ”
“More lies. The voice in the cave showed me the truth!” Kit roared. “You’re a monster! You’ve been plotting against me and my brother since the beginning!” He brandished the shoddy longbow as evidence. “You can’t deny it.”
Nelle shook her head. “I didn’t do—” She gave a cry of fear as Kit lunged forward and caught her by the wrist, yanking her towards him. At the same time, the temperature of the room plummeted, leaving her shivering, though whether it was from the cold or fear, she wasn’t sure.
“I’ll give you one last chance,” Kit growled. “Come with me, and I’ll let you live. Resist me and…” He squeezed her wrist hard. “Well, it won’t be pleasant. Let’s just leave it at that.”
Nelle opened her mouth to respond, but before she could, an icy shade of blue flickered at the back of Kit’s eyes. That shade of blue…she knew that shade?—
“Well, witch? What’s it going to be?” Kit demanded.
“Okay, fine.” Nelle felt her mother clawing at the edges of her consciousness, trying to take hold. She needed to get to a warmer location if she didn’t want to lose control. But first, she had to escape. She swallowed hard and whispered, “I’ll go with you.”
Kit’s grip on her slackened minimally, but it was enough.
With one sharp jerk, Nelle pulled her wrist free and, without looking back, she raced out of the room.
Her heart pounded in her ears as she ran, blocking out the sound of Kit thundering after her.
She panted as she tried to pick up the pace, needing to outrun him… needing to get to the library.
“This is pointless, Lolienna!” the beast behind her roared. He sounded near, but she didn’t dare look back to see how close. She needed to focus on her goal. “Stop now. You can’t escape me!”
“I don’t need to escape,” she panted as she made a hairpin turn into the library. The fire flickered to life, warming the room immediately. “I just need to get in here.”
Kit stormed into the library. “The library again? What is it with you and all these books?”
Nelle met his eyes, glaring at him. “This isn’t you, Kit. I need you to listen to me and focus on my voice.”
Kit gave a bark of laughter. “Isn’t me? What’s that supposed to mean, little princess?”
“That voice in the cave,” Nelle said, backing up to the fireplace, careful to keep her skirts out of the flames. “It’s gotten into your head. It’s controlling you. You have to force it out.”
“You don’t tell me what to do, Lolienna. I’m not one of your puppets,” Kit snarled.
“No. Right now, you’re the puppet,” Nelle said. “But you don’t have to be. Listen to me, Kit. Focus on my words.”
“Stop talking!” Kit snapped. “I’m no one’s puppet.”
Nelle met his gaze steadily. “Then prove it. Sit down and take a deep, calming breath.”
Kit stiffened slightly. “What?—”
Nelle put her hands up in a show of surrender. “I’ll stay right where I am. I won’t hurt you. Just sit down, Kit. Please.”
For a moment, he stood still, save for a few almost imperceptible twitches.
Then, slowly, he moved mechanically to a nearby couch.
His face twisted in pain as he lowered himself onto the soft surface.
He gripped the edge so hard Nelle feared the wood might crack.
He took a few deep breaths, and then… “Nelle.” His voice was broken as he spoke through clenched teeth. “Help me. I can’t?—”
Her heart broke for him. She took a step toward him, and the blue sheen flickered again, more intense than before. He shot to his feet, the rage back on his face. “What are you doing to me, witch? What games are you making me play?”
Nelle held up her hands once more. “No games. I promise. Just?—”
“Stop! Talking!” he roared, looming over her. “I swear, all you do is talk, spreading your lies and filth.” Nelle flinched at his words, and a smirk appeared on his face. “Maybe once all this is over, I’ll gag you. That would be a pleasant change of pace, wouldn’t it?”
Nelle’s chin shot up, and she glared at him. “Just try it,” she hissed. To her right, a soft tapping came from the window, but she couldn’t tear her attention away from Kit, who was stalking toward her.
“Oh, I will. And I’m sure that watching you squirm, your eyes begging for mercy, will be highly entertaining,” he sneered. “Remember your place, little Loli. You’re nothing more than a tool to be used and discarded.”
His words pricked a memory, but before she could focus on it, he lunged at her.
They fell to the ground a few inches from the roaring flame.
Kit landed heavily on top of her, and pinned her to the ground with one hand, his scales feeling icy against her skin.
She struggled against his grip, but couldn’t escape. He was too heavy.
Without thinking, Nelle reached into the fire and grabbed a flaming branch.
She screamed as the flames burned her skin, but forced herself to hold on until she’d thrust the burning wood against Kit’s side.
She only dropped it after his cry of pain mingled with hers.
Panting hard, she met his eyes as the blue sheen finally left them and his scales warmed, alerting her that the spell had been broken.
“Nelle. What were you—” Kit didn’t have time to finish his question, as the window to their right shattered, allowing both Kemma and Ember to enter.
Nelle looked up at them, tears blurring her sight. “It took you long enough,” she mumbled, before dropping her head back onto the rug.