Smoldered Flames: Part I of the Edonia Series

Kamau

The city of Hy-Brasil is illuminated by the moon’s soft glow. Hy-Brasil is one of many islands located in the Fallnora Archipelago. It’s located southeast of the mainland of Edonia and is another neutral part of Central City.

Due to its impartial nature, diversity was common here, making interspecific relations even more frequent. Humans and Otherworldly interact freely without fear of repercussions. Business propositions were made and products sold. Some of these dealings were centralized at a strip club located in the middle of the small city; SInful Maestra. People were normally tight-lipped about the goings-on here, but a few tongues started wagging with the right amount of persuasion. If you know what I mean.

From where I stand, many homes were in deep slumber while night dwellers roamed the streets as if it were day. Nightclubs were alive with boisterous music and bustling street vendors handled customers.

Standing on the ledge of one of the nightclubs, I await my prey. He frequents here at Sinful Maestra a few times a week, wallowing in grief and sorrow.

The norm.

It is said that many come to Sinful Maestra to lose their identity for the night. Immersing yourself in another world where no one knows who you are; you’re just another body to gyrate and fuck around with. When the night wanes and the sun rises they leave that world and begin their everyday lives anew.

A loud commotion sounds from the back entrance of the nightclub. Two large security guards toss out a drunkard. He falls at his side as one of the brutes gives him a kick to the gut.

“And don’t come back!” says the other security guard.

The one who kicked the drunkard spits on the poor bastard and utters a curse under his breath. I wait until they go back into the club before leaping down from the ledge. The maudlin man’s groans echoed loudly behind the building as I kneel in front of him.

“Rough night, I take it?” I ask sardonically. I grab him by the front of his collar and give a not so gentle shake.

“Please, I don’t know anything. Just… Let me go.” he moans, tears running down his snot-filled face.

I heave a sigh, having no sympathy. “You have three seconds to tell me the Key Phrase, or I will break your neck.”

His voice wobbles thinly and his hands feebly grab my large one as he struggles to breathe with my large hand against his throat.

“I don’t. I don’t know...”

“Three.” I start.

“Please. I... beg you...” he continues

“Two.”

“No, please!” he screams.

“One.”

Vibration travels the length of my left arm, interrupting my process. I see who pinged my wrist device and unease courses through me as I see the name appearing in a halo of light.

I watch as the woman in the holographic image sternly meets my gaze. The view is limited to just her sitting on a large mahogany throne-Esque chair with a huge elongated antique mirror behind her. I could tell that she was alone by the nonexistence of noise around her as she continued to stare.

“Make it fast, I’m in the middle of something,” I state impatiently.

Queen Esther arches an eyebrow in response to my tone. “A new assignment has been brought to my attention,” she starts.

“Someone else can take it, I’m needed elsewhere,” I say.

“Your presence has been required,” she declared. “and this isn’t a request, it is a decree of the crown.”

“I’m in the middle of a hu-” I attempt to say, irritation clear in my voice.

She leans forward, the crease between her brows lessen as she interrupts gently. “You know, the past cannot be unwritten nor undone. Let it go.”

Queen Esther reclined back into the antique chair, exhaling deeply, she continued. “Besides, you have someone awaiting your arrival. I expect you to be there before the next first full moon of the school year.”

I grimace at the thought of that someone. That gives me exactly seven days to get my shit together. And why did she have to be there?

“What is this ‘assignment’? And why couldn’t anyone else handle such a thing?” I queried.

Her silence was deafening. It spoke volumes. I answered my question, assuming the worst.

“You’ve found him.”

Some of the weight lifted from my shoulders as I said the words before they come crashing back down as she says:

“Her. We found her,” Queen Esther corrects in disdain.

“Her? Why is she still alive?” I ask.

Her lip curled in disgust as she continued. “The little mongrel feigned memory loss. Had that witch not claimed her, she’d have been dead already.”

“So, I’m to play mother hen to a murderer?” I asked indignantly. This was beneath me.

“You will do what is asked of you by the crown,” she says sternly.

Queen Esther goes out of view as I hear the sound of a drawer being opened and the rustling of paper. Coming back into view, she holds a photograph. My heart leaped in my throat as I saw the woman staring back at me. Her beautiful almond-shaped eyes held contempt as she boldly stared down the Executives of the courts.

“Consider this a test of sorts,” she says, interrupting my train of thought. “Your job is simple. You are to ‘guard’ and gain the intel of the creature. Report back to me every third quarter of the moon, and no later. Are we agreed?”

The hand around the drunkard’s throat tightens as I contain my anger. “Agreed.”

She clasps her hands softly. “Perfect, I shall expect a report soon.” With that, she drops the call.

I turn my attention back towards the drunkard, whose face is nearly a dark purple from lack of oxygen.

“It seems our time here is done. You’ve disappointed me, Lenny.”

The snapping sound of his neck bounced off the cold brick walls. His limp body slumps to the ground as I let him go. It starts to rain lightly as I leave the scene. My mind connects to that of an old friend. Her reaction to my contact tells me she had been present throughout the entire exchange.

Hello, old friend. Her deep, guttural yet smooth voice answers.

Hello, Naka. I responded.

It’s time for someone to pay.

In blood.

Valeri

My guards decided it was best to blindfold me before making our way to this “tower”. Of course, this reduced my chances for a possible escape route, and nearly falling face-first into Mother Nature’s bosoms every few steps further lessened any ounce of hope I had.

They removed the blindfold once I was tucked away in the tower. My cuffs remain intact, and it’s a challenge to walk with them. The room was small and circular, but simple and quaint. A small window is adjacent from the door and perched above a petit compact writing desk. Waddling my way towards the window, I see that I’m hundreds of feet up from the ground. Crags of rock surround the lower parts of the tower, and white clouds could be within my reach if the window was wider. It’s cool breeze gives me a shivering reminder of my little swim with that thing. The last shred of hope I had of leaving this place diminished. Facing the room again, I’m again surrounded by cold brick walls.

Across from the window lies a full-size bed with a chest of drawers beside it. Thick layers of dust coats both items. An old fireplace stands across from the door. Its hearth, a reminder of the coldness I seem to feel now. The presence of dirt and grime overwhelms my sense of smell and I break out in a coughing fit.

No way am I lying in that. I thought to myself while walking to the small bed.

Ugh, this is a disgrace. At least it’s better than the pigsty they held us captive in, the little temptress begrudgingly admitted.

Sighing aloud, I attempt to pat out the dust before sitting down, but to no avail. Dirt clouds waft through the air as I flop my back side onto the bed. The sun’s rays shine through the small window and on my face. Suddenly, I’m reminded how exhausted I’d been during my trip to Sundancer University. My eyes flutter close as the last of the sunlight slips by.

******

A lingering unfamiliar scent jolts me awake. The sense of danger brings my heart aflutter as the soft snick sound of the tower’s door closes gently. I raced towards the door in hopes that it would open for me, but to no avail. Sighing, I let my backside slide down the door in defeat. There’s absolutely no way to freedom. I might as well play it by ear until an opportunity arises.

The smell of decaying meat assaults my nose. Looking over, there’s a small tray full of what looks like a soup of sorts. My stomach rumbles in hunger. I sigh again as I stand and make my way to the little tray. A layer of congeal indicates that it had been left untouched for a few hours now. The food laid atop a non-decorative cold metal tray. The smell of this stuff made me nauseous as I tried to pick up the tray with my bound hands and waddle my way towards the compact wooden desk. Setting down the tray, I scoot back the equally small wooden chair that had seen better days. It wobbled precariously as I sat down.

I might as well eat to preserve energy. The blood I consumed from that other prisoner wasn’t enough. Wait, why am I treating this like it’s normal to drink from another being? I must be losing it.

Eurgh! I gag as the taste of this soup floods within my mouth. It was horrendous! I force the remainder of the soup down, gagging every spoonful of this vile “nourishment”. My eyes swam with pain as my insides screamed with betrayal of said soup. I try to stand, but collapse on the stone cold floor. I hold my abdomen while curling up in a fetal position. Straight away my body rejects the food along with the small sample of blood I took from the prisoner.

Well it’s official, my body can’t withstand human foods. My hollow stomach growls in agreement. Could I be as the stranger said? Bloodsucking whore? That hurtful memory brings on a dull ache in my heart. What did he mean by that?

I shrug off the thought as I uncurl my body from fetal position. I don’t have time to ponder on such a trivial matter. Unsteadily, I attempt to stand and find a bathroom to clean the mess. The way the inadequate tower was built, it wouldn’t be possible to have an ensuite bathroom here.

Great! Another day without a shower, and I reek of vomit! Ugh! I inwardly groan.

Surveying the room, there was nothing to help clean up the bodily fluids. The lingering smell of my stomach’s rejection permeates the room. I tottle towards an area between the fireplace and the chest of drawers to sit. There’s no way I’m going to be able to sleep tonight. My mind won’t allow me to rest.

*******

I lost count of how many days and nights passed while I sat on the floor. My thoughts began to wander over what’s transpired since I awoke in that dungeon. As far as my memory goes, I’m knowledgeable on basic necessities. I know how to feed. I’m capable of defending myself -I think-. I am capable of speaking the common language around here. No, the memories that have been wiped from my mind are that of people, places, and other important factors of my life. Things that would help me out of the bind I’m in.

They believed I killed two men. Hunters, is what they called them. From my understanding, hunters in the animal kingdom hunt down prey to kill. So why were these Hunters after me? What could I have possibly done? Who was I?

“Eurgh! What the hell is that smell?” someone says, breaking my trance.

“That is so fowl.” another person agrees.

My head spins as they haul me to my feet. My bleary eyes couldn’t discern who was around me. Suddenly I’m lifted from the ground and over someone’s shoulders like a sack of potatoes. I was too weak to protest.

“Are we even sure this mutt will make it?” a third voice asked. The voice sounded feminie. Although it didn’t sound like Provost Ritenour, it still made me uneasy.

My words slurred as I say, “Fuckkyou...”

“You’ll regret those words, wench.” hissed the femine voice.

I could tell the person carrying me was male, with the way my body bounced along his backside as he walked precariously down a flight of stairs. He definitely wasn’t happy being on guard duty. It seems my keen sense of smell had dulled now, seeing as I couldn’t scent him. He had a dark aura that was quite alluring. Alarm bells sounded from a distance in my mind, but I pushed it aside. Who was he? The sense of danger was an attractive trait that he seemed to carry. I couldn’t shake the curiosity that bubbled within me. I mean, here I am with an unforeseeable future, and I’m grinning like a maniac over some guard who couldn’t give two shits about me.

Sigh.