CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Removing a small knife from his pocket, the mage walked behind Aurora causing her to tense. It was an automatic response. Her fight or flight was kicking in and as memories of Silas and his ‘lessons’ she began to pull away from the males who restrained her, but it was no use. The blade hooked the hem of her tunic before cutting through it like a hot blade through wax. Pulling through the fabric, the mage only stopped when her tunic parted to reveal a line of bare skin.
“If one more of my tunics gets ripped to shreds, you guys are going to owe me some new clothes,” Aurora murmured.
Violet huffed a laugh but offered no retort. Instead she remained where she was lounging on the couch, her arm draped over her eyes as if the whole contract bonding bored her and she was going to take a nap.
Eli’s mouth rose slightly as he fought a smile.
The mage cast a curious gaze over the scars on Aurora’s back.
She could feel his eyes hover over each scar almost like it was a physical touch.
Aurora tensed, her face heating in shame when the curious male traced a finger down her spine. She clenched her teeth in a bit to bite back a snappy threat. She didn’t want those there witnessing them to see just how much they bothered her.
Eli watched, he was still too weak to get up, but it didn’t stop him from glaring at the mage, a deadly threat for the male touching her.
Khyro and Atlas tensed beside her, no doubt sensing the building tension. Their grip on her arms tightened slightly for a brief moment before relaxing once more.
“Ryker, stop teasing her. Just do your damn job,” Eli growled.
Aurora could tell there was a part of him fascinated by the darkness of the Guild from the way he was tracing over her scars. Almost as if he was admiring them. Was this male like Silas? Did he like to cause pain?
Maybe Ryker and Silas should be together, Aurora thought.
Ryker slowly removed his unwelcome touch as he scoffed at Eli, his gaze flitting to him briefly to throw a slight sneer his way. But after a quick glance around the room, he started to chant as he had before.
There was something about the old language, the words drifting in the air and weaving a magical spell that had Aurora’s chest tighten with anxiety.
She tensed in preparation for the pain, but as the mage settled the tool over his skin nothing could have prepared her.
It was worse than being whipped by Silas.
It was worse than her whole body being set aflame. Aurora’s back arched as she bowed away from the thing causing her pain.
Ryker slowly and painfully traced the Akara over her spine, once again the smell of burning flesh filled the room.
Aurora panted as her jaw clenched tightly, she tried to breathe through the pain, the effort causing sweat to bead at her hairline. A scream was building inside her chest, had she hated that. She didn’t want to give Ryker or Violet the satisfaction of knowing the pain she was experiencing.
He continued to trace the Akara down her spine, occasionally the tip would brush against her skin, his chants becoming a rhythmical song.
Something changed.
The pain shifted, morphed.
The sensation started at the place the tip touched and grew into an overpowering sensation. It felt as if her skin was being torn open and burned, the pain seeping into her very muscles and bones.
Aurora could no longer hold back the pained whine she had held guarded. It escaped her lips, a wild thing let loose and filled the room as the fire traveled through her veins.
Tears pricked her eyes. Her body feeling as if she was being ripped apart, then the burning pain of her skin being cauterized. A never ending cycle, the sensations replaying again and again.
The tears fell freely, as she cried out in pain.
She felt it then, the magic grabbing onto her soul. Striking like a viper, it bit deep and took ownership of her entire being. Every part of her body and soul was touched and tainted by the magic, a foreign thing now within her that was not her own.
The bond that the Guild would use to control her.
She had agreed to this. She wanted to save Eli from the Guild however she could. Had she not been in so much pain she would have laughed at herself. She thought herself to be his brave savior, when in fact she was crying like a youngling. The tears continued to fall as Ryker worked to weave the bond into her very soul, muffled whines and soft sobs left through her clenched teeth. Straining with all her might against the two males holding her until she could fight no longer. Aurora”s head fell forward, her strength all but depleted.
Eli stood on shaky legs, moving awkwardly and stumbling before stopping in front of her. He gripped her chin and forced Aurora to look at him, “Remember what you were taught, the lesson you endured, see past the pain. Take control of it.”
Her whole body shook as the fire twisted through her body, she wished for the sweet release of death to claim her. The pain went deeper than any blade could, and she wanted it all to stop.
Then mercifully it did. Ryker had finally reached the bottom of her back, just above the waistline of her pants. One minute pain was unbearable and the next it had ebbed away. She gasped and slumped forward, grateful now for Khyro and Atlas’ grip on her. But most of all she was glad for Eli’s gentle touch, his hand cupping her face.
Ryker moved with grace and speed to the second vial, the same liquid he had used on Eli. He poured it on a cloth and pressed it onto the top half of Aurora’s spine, a gut wrenching cry erupted from her as the sensation of liquid ice seared through her. The wounds caused during the bonding process now burned. He repeated his actions on her lower back, this time with her energy depleted only a small whimper left Aurora’s lips as she flinched and bowed away from his touch.
Eli lifted his other hand and cupped Aurora’s face, trying to be a physical support for her.
Violet had gotten up and slowly walked forward, walking behind Aurora and looking at her back. “Beautiful work as always, Ryker.”
She said as she lightly traced the tips of her fingers along Aurora”s spine.
Aurora hissed at the sting. Even that light pressure had her flinching and inwardly cursing the female.
Eli growled at Violet, but she only huffed a laugh, “It really brings out her scars, very well done.”
Ryker bowed to Violet in thanks while quickly and silently packing up his things. Moments later the door shut quietly behind. He was gone and Aurora hoped for as long as she lived she would never see that male again. It was more for his sake than her own because what Silas had begun on her back during her punishment the mage had finished. If they ever met again she might gift him with some torture of her own.
Violet dragged the chair back behind Aurora. Khyro and Atlas gently sat her into the chair again as Eli hesitantly stepped away. She slumped forward, her elbows bracing her weight on her knees as she leaned away from the back of the chair. Her skin felt raw, the slightest movement brought a fiery pain that traveled up and down the length of her back.
She could feel her whole body tremble, her body registering what she had just been put through. She hated the Guild. She hated the people in it, but most of all she hated Violet. The puppet master of them all.
Eli, now on steadier legs, hovered nearby watching her as she slowly fought to regain her composure. He was the only thing that stopped her from wanting to end it all. He was her only reason to continue, to wake, train, and do as she was told.
She lifted a shaky hand to wipe the sweat off her brow with the cuff of her torn tunic.
“Now,” Violet crouched next to Aurora, their eyes level with one another, “Since that fun stuff is out of the way, we can get down to more serious matters. I’m sending you on your first assignment.”
Aurora’s gaze narrowed as she openly glared at the female, all the hate she felt she let shine so the female before her could see it. So many things she wanted to say, could say, but she didn’t speak. Instead she waited for her to continue.
“A little pain makes you so well behaved,” Violet smirked.
Aurora wanted to strangle her. A little, those two words a mockery of the pain she had just experienced. “Just tell me the assignment.”
Violet continued to smirk at Aurora, her forearms resting on her thighs, “There is a male who has heard about us and what we do, he’s sticking his nose into things that he has no business being in. As he has been asking questions in the Autumn Quart about us it is time to silence him. Go there, find him and get rid of him.”
“By get rid of him you mean...” Aurora trailed off.
Violet sighed, “I want you to kill him, he is spreading word that the Guild exists. We can’t have that. Get as much information out of him to see where it all started, shut the rumors down and then get rid of him. Eli will show you how to dispose of the body so it won’t be attached to you and more importantly, the Guild.”
Eli watched Violet, not daring to object.
“For your first couple of assignments, Eli will go with you. When we can trust that you can be successful alone and we know you won’t run,” Violet said looking at Aurora pointedly, “then you both will go on separate assignments.”
Aurora didn’t argue with that, she liked the idea of Eli seeing her in action. The thought of it made her tense, she was so eager to show him how much she had learned.
“Do I at least get his description, or a file on him? You wouldn’t want me killing an innocent person now would you?” Aurora asked, raising her brows.
Atlas’ deep voice rose from behind her, “All the paperwork you will need is being sent to your room as we speak. When your job is complete, upon return, you will drop it off to the Accountant. After every assignment you see him first thing. Always, no exceptions. Study it all tonight, you leave tomorrow.”
Aurora slowly nodded her head showing she understood.
Violet simply smiled in Eli’s direction, “You both are dismissed, the earlier you leave tomorrow the better.”
Violet stood, turning her back as she headed to the soft couch once again.
Aurora and Eli slowly walked to their rooms, Aurora didn’t even care that the back of her tunic was open for all who passed to see. She knew it was a mark of honor to those who lived there. A sign you were trusted by the inner circle and that your skills had been noticed, but she wasn’t sure they realized it was also a bargain that stole your freedom.
Eli was quiet. A prisoner in his own head.
Leaving her at her door, he murmured something about seeing her at dawn then turned and walked down the hall to his own room.
She stood for a moment, watching him, her brows drawn. He was upset with her, but she wouldn’t take it back. Couldn’t now. On a deep sigh she turned and entered her room. Even in the low light of the room she spotted the stack of papers sitting on her desk.
“Ugh! I hate it already,” she groaned softly.
All she wanted was to give in to the exhaustion currently threatening to pull her under. Even the nightmares she knew she would experience, the same ones she saw every night, weren’t deterring her from the lure of her bed.
Ignoring the papers Aurora made her way into her bathing chamber. Glancing at her reflection in the mirror she let her glamor drop. Her chestnut brown hair drained of color leaving her natural white. Knowing she was of Winter origin had been surprising, any people of that Quartaine she had met had dark brown to black hair. She loved her natural color and hated having to hide it.
The two odd, mismatched eyes staring back at her were dulled with tiredness. Their usual glint of mischief muted by the glamor was an ember of its former self. The Guild restricted her in more ways than any of the inner circle could even guess. She had nowhere but the room she stood in to relax and let down her guard. Even when in her bedroom she had to keep alert. Just because Asher had not returned, at least not when she was there, didn’t mean he couldn’t at any time.
Even Eli didn’t see her without her glamor anymore. Over time it had become something sacred to her.
Turning her from her reflection, she peeled off her clothes. She was serious when she said she would need new clothes, it wasn’t like she had much to begin with. But the Guild seemed to have taken a dislike to her choice of clothing, taking every opportunity to tear apart. It was starting to irritate rather than upset her. For a place that demanded respect it showed none. Not for its members, nor their belongings.
She quickly and quietly filled the tub, dropping some of the previous occupants essential oils into the steaming water. It brought a smile to her face. If Asher didn’t want to make the effort to be there, get to know her, then he forfeited his rights to anything he had left behind.
Stepping into the water she bit her lip as the rise of goosebumps on her skin. The heat was seductive, luring her to settle further into its depths. She groaned as the scent of the oils and the heat of the water.
Reluctantly working quickly, Aurora washed her sticky, sweat stained skin and hair. As much as she wanted to linger, to soak her frustrations away she knew she needed to be responsible. She now had her first assignment and she wanted to prove to every one of them she was more than capable for it.
Absent-mindedly her hand lifted to a lock of her hair. A familiar feeling washed over her, an awareness. Her back was a sore subject, literally. Violet and Silas seemed to derive pleasure from the abuse they dealt out and labeled as “realigning” or ‘punishment’ for perceived transgressions.
Being lost in her own head was something she had been doing a lot while locked in her room at night on her own. Her still short hair didn’t upset her as much anymore. It had grown, and although it wasn’t the length it had once been she preferred how it was now.
In a twisted way Silas had helped her. His sadistic punishment had taught her not to use her hair as something to hide behind.
Giving into her curiosity, Aurora slowly turned her back to the mirror and glanced over her shoulder. As much as she hated to admit it, the bond mark was beautiful. Delicate swirls and soft, sweeping patterns ran the length of her spine and covered her back. It seemed to enhance her scars rather than cover them.
She frowned, she had hoped the ugly scars would have been covered up by the bond mark. But no, it seemed nothing would hide the damage Silas had caused. But then Ryker had been complimented by Violet on his work. She must have spoken to him beforehand suggesting he highlighted the scars rather than hide them with the ink.
Backing up to the mirror to get a closer look Aurora noted her mark was similar to Eli’s with the exception of the little snowflakes hidden within the design.
She huffed a laugh.
Even though marked and owned by the Guild, the mark knew she was meant to be in the Winter Quartaine.
After drying and dressing in the oversized tunic she often slept in, Aurora grabbed the bound stack of papers waiting for her on her desk and tossed them on to her bed. Settling on a soft mattress, the events of the day weighing her down, Aurora settled in for some reading.
The dim glow from the fae lights was just enough to allow her to study the file. All the information she could possibly need appeared to be inside. On top of the stack was a page with the male”s description. Every detail from his hair color and length to how tall he was and the size of his feet. A sketch of him was also included, matching the previously read descriptives. Flipping over the page she came across a list of friends. There weren”t many, but more than she had even had the fortune to endure. The page opposite were his family members along with anything of importance regarding them pertaining to the assignment.
A few pages after those she found his listed weekly routine broken down into what he did and on which days. So, the Guild had been watching him. Aurora’s eyes scanned over it all, absorbing everything, setting it to memory.
Aurora sighed deeply, getting out of the assignment or failing to complete it was not an option. She had bound herself to Violet and the Guild, sinking herself deeper than she would have needed just so Eli wouldn’t have to.
A soft, sad smile pulled gently at her lips as she remembered how angry he had been with her. She had always gotten a sick satisfaction out of pissing him off.
An uncomfortable ache surfaced at the memory of the painful bonding. A physical contract of sorts. She rubbed her chest, trying to ease it.
She could feel the magic intertwining itself with her soul, it had twisted and embedded itself so deeply she knew it would be unlikely she would ever be able to get it out.
The Guild intended to keep its assets.
Yawning, Aurora tossed the folder onto her small bedside table. She had scanned over the file so many times and had memorized it ten times over. She rubbed at her eyes, before leaning over and tracing a finger lightly over the orb to dim the light further until it was so faint that it was barely there.
She hated the dark, so just that little hint of light was enough to reassure her irrational fear and allow her to settle. All she hoped now was that she would be able to escape the dreams, those sickening nightmares that stalked her, if even for just one night.
Aurora had no luck.
She groaned, a thin bar of dim light came from under her door. A sign from the Guild that dawn had approached. She was bone tired, and the effort taken to push herself out of bed was shocking. She lit a candle at her desk, it cast a soft, warm light over the corner of the room. She still refused to depend on the fae lanterns. She was lucky she found any candles to begin with, but when she had found a box of them in a storage room in the floor below she had taken some and hoarded them in her room.
She was aware how silly it was, but they reminded her of home.
Sifting through her clothing, she packed everything she would need, remembering to keep her pack light. She had a self-imposed time frame that she wanted to get the assignment done, but even with Eli’s guidance she had a feeling it would take longer than normal.
Aurora knew Eli wouldn’t do anything to help or hinder her. But he would be a constant anchor to help her feel grounded. As an observer, and mentor, he would only step up if she was struggling to complete by the designated termination date. Aurora would be making all the decisions on the assignment.
Every action they took would be led by her.
Her hand stilled on her pack. Her mind racing. He would even step back when it came to No Man’s Land. Even before stepping onto the Quartaine and embracing her job she needed to be able to travel through the treacherous land without assistance. Today would be the day she was forced to figure it out. Quickly rifling through the drawers attached to her desk she found a compass and shoved it in her bag.
Aurora quickly got dressed into a pair of dark pants, and a dark tunic to match. After fastening both of her daggers to her hips, she tied up her boots and slid her cloak around her shoulders, securing it at the front of her neck.
Walking to her mirror she watched her glamor take form. She quickly braided her hair securing it back and away from her face then covered her head part of her face with her hood.
A deep sense of dejection filled her gut every time she looked upon her glamored appearance. It was strange, she had worn the lie for so long that even if things changed she didn”t know if she would feel comfortable enough to show anyone what she truly looked like.
Pushing the feelings away she stuffed the file into her pack, and slung it over her shoulder. She blew out her candle and quietly left her room not bothering to look back.
Aurora made her way to Eli’s room, she knocked three times when she got to the oak door. She could hear light footsteps on the other side a moment before it eased open and Eli appeared. He was dressed almost identically to Aurora. Dark clothing covered his body from head to toe and his favorite daggers were secured to his hips, more were probably hidden. A pack and bow was slung over his shoulders over his cloak. A quiver hung close to his right hip, full of arrows.
“Are you ready?” She asked.
“I think I should be asking you that.” Eli looked her over, searching for any sign of the scared girl that had first entered the Guild.
Aurora shrugged, “As ready as I can be, Violet obviously thinks I am.”
Eli nodded in agreement and the two made their way through the Guild. Aurora went off of memory, Eli fell back once they walked through a door she didn’t recognize. They walked along hallway after hallway. The Guild was quiet, most of the members and students were still asleep. They too would be awake soon, still Aurora envied them for sleeping soundly.
Finally they approached a set upstairs that spiraled upwards. Up and up they went. Making their way to the top, the slab of stone that sat above them slid away. The open sky was there in its dawn beauty of gold, pink, and pale blue. Aurora squinted her eyes against the warm early morning sunlight as they left the Guild for the first time in almost five months. Aurora watched as Eli stepped out and onto the grass. He stood for a moment, closed his eyes as the early morning sun caressed his strong features and he breathed in deeply.
It was wondrous to watch. His skin seemed to flush, that sickly tone gone and replaced now with a vitality. The scar that slashed over his face and eye no longer looked as deep.
Eli appeared more alive than he had in months.
Aurora glanced over her shoulder at the sound of the statue sliding back into place, once more hiding the entrance to the Guild.
She was free, well, sort of. She could feel the weak rays of the morning sun and the crisp air and like her mentor she stood for a moment enjoying the fresh air and sunlight. Just being above ground felt surreal.
She allowed herself one more moment to relish the feeling of the sun lightly caressing her skin. But when a light breeze found its way under her hood, she grinned. She didn’t think she would ever feel any of it again and now here she was.
“Alright, I guess it’s time to go,” she said, forcing herself to take the first step away from the Guild. Taking another and then another until she had left Eli standing watching after her as she approached the tree line.
Eli sighed.
Then gripping his pack and slinging it over his shoulder he jogged after her. He was next to Aurora within moments.
Together they walked, neither speaking.
All Aurora could think about was enjoying the time she got above ground. Because as quickly as Violet had given her this opportunity to prove herself, she could easily take it away.