Black Blood

I have spent years crafting so many questions I wanted to ask her, but now that she’s actually sitting in front of me, it seems like I’ve forgotten them all. It feels like a stranger is sitting across from me. Except she’s not the stranger, I am.

‘What are you doing here?’ is the only question that manages to escape my lips.

Meanwhile, Nora has stood up and placed the cloth in the bucket. She pulls my skirt back over my legs before sitting down beside me on the edge of the bathtub.

‘For various reasons. The first is to see how you’re doing, and I already have an idea. The second is to warn you, and the third is because we need your help with...’

‘You need to get out of here, and quickly,’ I interrupt her as the reality of the party infiltrates my thoughts.

I rise from the bath and gaze into Nora’s blue eyes. I expect to see confusion, but there’s nothing. No emotional change, no confusion or shock. It’s as if she’s already written down the entire situation and read it over dozens of times.

Slowly, she straightens up on her heels and stares into my eyes.

‘I know that. Orders have been given to the army, we’re already being hunted. I’ve come to get you.’ An intense feeling of happiness washes over my body.

Elien.

I can’t leave my little brother here. Taking him with us is also not an option. An eleven-year-old boy is unpredictable, not to mention he’s blind. He’s too young, too weak, and would only be a burden.

‘I can’t leave, not without Elien.’

‘Celeste, are you crazy? You’re in the lion’s den. If they find you, you don’t stand a chance,’ she says with a slightly raised voice.

Nora firmly grabs my left wrist. I immediately want to pull my arm away but don’t get the chance.

Her right hand opens up, magic fills her lifelines. In one swift motion, her palm glides over my fingers, revealing the night rider symbol on my middle finger. Between my knuckle and first phalanx lies the symbol that represents my magic: two black semicircles resting back to back with a line drawn through the middle. Only visible when magic flows through our lifelines.

‘It’s your duty.’ From the very beginning, I have struggled with my two duties, and choosing between Elien and my work as a night rider is still impossible.

‘Darling,’ a voice sounds from the door before I can argue with her. Dazed, I turn around, letting Nora release my arm as the symbol disappears back under my skin.

The pieces of the puzzle fall into place as I see the man standing in the doorway. The man who was previously happily talking about his wife visiting approaches Nora with a broad smile. Before she says anything, the man pulls her into an embrace, completely ignoring me.

‘Honey, finally we see each other again. How was the party?’ Nora plays along.

As soon as her fingers slide over the man’s neck, a black cross becomes visible, the cross of Hamrot. The cross signifies an enchantment, a sign that someone is under coercion. The man has no idea who his real wife is. He unquestioningly believes Nora until the enchantment wears off.

‘It’s such a shame you arrived late. You should have been there...’ The man starts to generously share news about my father and the party. Nora makes a small gesture towards the door. I nod to Nora and then leave the bathroom, understanding that I should no longer be here.

The hallway is filled with drunken men dragging their wives towards the bedrooms. That sight makes me realize

that I ignored Christiaan’s earlier command to go to the bedroom.

As quickly as my heels can carry me, I walk towards the bedroom, hoping he’s not inside.

The memory of this morning’s incident is fresh in my mind. This time, I won’t leave with a bitter taste and a sore jaw.

With a pounding heart, I stand in front of the wooden door. I briefly consider turning my back on the door and finding another place to sleep. Knowing that would ultimately cause me even more problems, I reluctantly turn the doorknob with leaden feet.

I want to leap for joy as the wooden door reveals a dark room. As I exhale, I step into what I think is an empty room. However, the moment the door locks, all the candles start to burn.

‘Will you ever learn?’ With wide eyes, I look at my husband as my heart skips a beat. Christiaan is sitting on the edge of the bed, his head in his hands, and his dark eyes fixed on me.

My heart starts beating again, this time so loudly that I can hear it myself. I squeeze my eyes shut, hoping he’ll disappear on his own. I would prefer to run towards the door, escape, and never come back, but that’s impossible. No one will help me.

With my eyes still tightly closed, I hear Christiaan’s shoes gliding across the floor. The sound reverberates through the otherwise silent room.

‘I made you a promise, and I am a man of my promises.’