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Riddick requested we be allowed to enter the Council’s territory, but they were pushing back and wanting more information before granting our request. I left it to him to handle.
Over the next two days, a handful more cursed creatures showed up along my wards: a second deer, a rabbit, a hawk, and a puma.
On the third day, he did something unforgivable, confirming my resolve to take him down.
Walking along the wards around my house, I saw Natalia approaching. I raised my hand and waved so she would see me. Then, in disbelief, I watched as she slammed against my wards and fell to the ground.
“Blood,” she croaked aloud.
My hands went to my mouth and I moved to cross the wards, but Riddick grabbed me and stopped me.
“He wants you to leave the wards, Ember. Don’t do it.”
“Please,” I gasped, tears in my eyes as Natalia pecked against the ward. “Just give her my blood. Please.”
He scowled, but nodded once.
I cut my arm again and he cupped a hand so the blood droplets could gather there, then stepped across the ward and held it out to Natalia.
She drank it, tilting her head back, broken beak towards the sky, and shuddered. A dark ooze slid off of her body and to the ground, then her eyes cleared and she shook her and ruffled her feathers.
Reaching through the ward, I grabbed her and pulled her through, hugging her against my chest and crying happy tears that my blood had cured her. “Oh, Natalia.”
“Thank you,”she whispered in my mind and rubbed her head against my chest.
“Let’s get back inside,” Riddick said and grabbed my shoulders to help me stand.
I nodded and carried Natalia into the house, setting her on her favorite perch atop one of the kitchen cupboards.
“Going in blind isn’t ideal,” Triston muttered to Percival as they cooked food.
The two men seemed to enjoy the task of cooking, and it was nice not to have to do it.
“We know he’s a mage,” I said. “We know he can curse people and animals.”
“Uses rock,”Natalia said.
I whipped my head up to look at her. “What rock? The clear magic one you brought me?”
She bopped her head and cawed.
“He uses those rocks to curse them?” Percival asked and tapped his chin. “How? They contain magic, but does that mean he isn’t very powerful and has to supplement with those rocks? Why would he leave so many just lying around if he needs them?”
None of this made sense.
“Have you thought of anyone who might want to kill you or hurt you in this way?” Riddick asked.
I shook my head and sat on a stool at the counter. “No. I’ve got a lot of people who aren’t fond of me, but I cannot think of anyone who would want to kill me.” Not even my parents wanted to kill me, they just wanted me to disappear and to pretend I didn’t exist.
“Could it be the Council wanting her land?” Percival asked Riddick.
Riddick scowled. “It’s a possibility. Have they asked to buy your land before?”
“Once, like five years ago,” I said, “but they didn’t pursue it aggressively. Just asked once and I politely declined, and they left it alone after that.”
“Seems like a lot of trouble to try to kill her if that’s the case,” Triston said.
“My parents would inherit my land if I died anyway,” I pointed out. “They hate mages with a fiery passion, so I cannot see them selling my land to the Council.” Knowing my father, he would set the woods on fire and leave it abandoned just to spite the mages. He was incredibly vindictive like that.
