His to Serve

Chapter Fifteen - An Old Foe

As we finally reached the cabin I hopped off my horse and ran inside, gasping as I saw the utter wreckage inside. The entire place had been trashed and efficiently raided; the place we had once called our home, was utterly ruined. Anything of real value has been taken, looters clearly enjoying the aftermath.

I rushed upstairs, my feet gliding across the floor as I swung open the door to Bethany's room, the cracked wood slamming against the wall as my heart froze and I sank to the floor crying lightly, fear overcoming me. She wasn't here, the house was empty.

Finally I managed to compose myself as I stood up surveying around the room, searching for even the tiniest detail that could have been left behind. I heard Brand behind me standing warily at the door preparing to walk in as I help up my hand, stopping him in his tracks, "stop don't move an inch" I said as he froze,

I turned around to him as I thought quickly, "Go, get me a small glass bottle filled with bright blue powder now, it will be downstairs under the sink, it should have a squiggly symbol on it, like the number three" I commanded.

Within a blink of an eye he disappeared downstairs and returned, "woah okay, that was fast" I muttered under my breath as he smirked cockily, handing me the bottle as I carefully took a few steps backwards slowly pouring it into my hand as I turned to face him pulling my mask up, covering my mouth and nose.

"If I was you, I'd cover your nose. You don't want to inhale this stuff unless you plan on taking a deep sleep. Also stand back" I said as Brand warily moved backwards away from me as I threw it around the room, refastening my mask tight,

The powder settled quickly, and I threw a knife at the window dropping down the blinds as the room plunged into darkness, allowing the powder to glow slightly. I felt Brand looking at me in confusion as I scanned around to see what it had revealed,

"What is this stuff? What on earth did you just do?" he said as I walked around, "well I learned a lot of alchemy from my mother, and her books, as well as when we were trained. Me and Bethany make many of our potions and substances ourselves, something we are naturally gifted at" I muttered as the blue powder began to glow brighter,

"Look over there" I pointed to the corner of the room walking over, "This powder allows us to highlight a chemical we have trailed around the forest, if and when someone steps in the chemical it later reacts with the prouder you just handed me. It allows us to see where they were, in the most precise way, giving us more information." I explained as Brand hung onto every word,
"So if one of us was taken we could begin our tracking a few steps ahead. As well as that we each have a vial of the chemical in case we needed to leave a message" I said as I took a step back,

"Are those male footprints?" Brand said as I nodded my stomach dropping, "looks like a few different footprints, come on Bethany give me something" I muttered as a small amount of scattered lettering appeared on the floor,

I took a sharp intake of breath as I leant down, skimming over her small, cryptic message.

"Know. I'm. Witch. Know. You. S. " I whispered as I gasped covering my mouth, my legs turning to jelly,

"Oh my gods, the town. They know who she is. They are going to burn her," I said, pushing past Brand and rushing out of the house, past Evelyn, and Hyde as I tried to control the shakes rushing through my body. I quickly mounted my horse as I pulled the reins tight, causing starlight to rear up as she whinnied loudly,

"They're going to kill her'' I choked up as Evelyn and Hyde turned to me confused as I calmed starlight down. I grabbed my mask, pulling it up as I pulled the reins causing starlight to let out another loud noise,

"If I don't go right now she will die, it's almost sunrise. That's when people believe the gods' magic is the most potent. They will sacrifice her for their own fucking good. Which doesn't mean fucking jack shit" I yelled as Brand flew out of the house behind me,

"I can't let that happen, I can't live with myself if she dies" I choked as I pushed starlight forward racing off towards the town, hearing yells behind me as I pushed forwards, my body feeling numb,

I didn't look back as I heard Brand calling after me begging me to wait, but I ignored them continuing on, hoping I wasn't too late. I heard horses racing behind me, desperately trying to catch up, but I didn't stop.

Pulling starlight over just outside the town I hopped off walking towards the end of the cliff overhanging the Villa place I called home not to long ago. I turned around ready to jump as I saw Brand, Hyde and Evelyn rushing after me, digging their horses into the dirt as they came to join me,

"Lillian wait, we can sort something out" Hyde called as I shook my head,

"No you can't. This is my job, remember? You three are too much of a disturbance, everyone will freak out and then I don't even know what will happen. This is a task for an assassin. Please, I am begging you, just stay here, I don't want you to see me how I am and I don't need you to save me. I am very capable of doing this myself, I have been for my whole life." I said shaking my head as Brand's face softened slightly,

"Please if I need help I will call okay? Just stay out of it, this is family, my family." I said as I ran to the edge of the hill and jumped off landing on the rooftops below,

Brand looked at Evelyn and Hyde in shock as I rolled onto the roof quickly standing up and running off towards the centre of town.