Nicon

XXXI

XXXI

            IN REALITY, THE King did not regret his action, only the response it provoked from Elysie.  Her scared eyes open wide like a doe's, and the terror radiating off of her in a thick unavoidable stench.  Syd had seemed to serve as a catalyst, an unavoidable spark that would ignite something in Elysie that would change her life forever.

            She was shifting.  Not a routine shift like the other Shifters, but a more painful one.  Her DNA was accommodating the godly senses adorned upon those who had the Shifter curse. 

            Nicon was not sure what happened after he bit Elysie, the world seemed to slow as she collapsed in his arms, her head lulling in the crook of his elbow softly as the bite consumed her. 

            Syd remained on the floor, curled, cowering in fear for Elysie but also in fear of the King.  Nicon had immediately dismissed him after calling for the Doctor in his mind.                 The red headed man had left the room, still fearful of upsetting the King further, and slowly walked himself to the dungeon.  He knew he had nearly cost Elysie her life, if his dream had been even a little more alarming, he could've sunk his claws deep into her neck.     

            "Syd!" Quentin exclaimed as the pup traveled along a corridor nearing the rooms of the warriors.  Syd didn't bother looking up; worried that Quentin would take notice of the purpling bruises on his otherwise pale neck.

            "Syd," he said again, coming along side the man and placing a hand on his shoulder.  Syd flinched.  "What has gotten into you?"

            Syd looked up, eyes still slightly glazed over in a watery sheen, and watched as Quentin's eyes trailed down to his neck.  His eyes narrowed and he steered Syd out of the way of passerby and over to the side of the corridor.  "Was this the King's doing?  What could you have possibly done to deserve this?"

            Quentin was there when the King took a man's hand because he made a single comment and Quentin was there when the King slashed Killian's face and left a permanent scar, but the marks on Syd's neck were the marks of a man who wanted Syd dead in his hands.  They were dark and sinister, curling around his neck and leaving imprints in the back with small crescents of dried blood over the area where open claw wounds once were.  Syd's lips were tinted blue and he seemed frightened by the smallest movement.  Not only physically, but Syd's mind was a disoriented mess.  Never had Syd felt a fear so deeply in his being.

            "I'll be okay," Syd responded, avoiding the question.  He knew he had deserved it, he just couldn't convey to Quentin why.

            As Quentin was ushering Syd in the direction of his living quarters, the King was gently placing Elysie down on her bed, taking no notice of her dress, ruined from the stain of fresh blood.      

            The Doctor arrived and gently pressed his fingers against Elysie's neck, careful of the bite, and observed her pulse.  "Higher than before," he spoke, "she should wake within the day.  It depends how fast her body will accommodate the bite."

            "She's strong."

            "I know, Your Highness."