Between the Light and the Darkness - Chapter 30

I wandered for hours, and finally sat under a large tree and just cried. All the pain and rage I felt just came out in a rush, I could no longer contain it. I cried until the sun sank low in the sky, then with fear, I realized I was alone in the woods - lost. I had nowhere to go.


If Granny were alive, I would have gone to stay with her. But I had no one. So while you were having a quiet dinner all alone with father, or maybe sitting at Mother's bedside talking about your training, I was alone and scared, deeper in the woods than I had ever been.


I got up, then, and began to walk deeper in. It was so dark under the thick canopy of the trees. I walked on. Then, as the sun was just starting to slide into the horizon, I saw it.


A small cabin hiding amidst the trees, nearly out of sight. I walked toward it, hoping the owner of it would allow me to stay for the night and then I would figure out what to do.


When I got a little closer, I could see a man leaning against the side of the house.
He watched me approach, gazed into me, making me feel apprehensive, but I continued on and stopped before him. He was...beautiful. Almost as beautiful as Malir.


"I've been waiting for you," he said to me.

"Why? I don't even know you."


He smiled at me, but it made me shiver, it didn't hold much warmth. "You will, soon enough."


He took me inside and led me to a small bed. He didn't say a word, and he didn't have to. I immediately crawled under the blankets and sank into a deep sleep.


I awoke hours later. It was still dark, so I guessed it must have been early morning.


I climbed out of the bed and looked around myself. I couldn't believe what I saw.


Tables lined the walls of the cabin, and those tables were filled with arcane items, items used in the practice of magic. I gasped aloud, for the only other place I had seen such things was in Grandmother Lainel's secret study.


The man was sitting at the table, eating the meat of a small game animal, with roast vegetables. There was a plate set across from him. The smell of the food made my mouth water, I suddenly realized how hungry I was.


He watched me eat with an amused smile on his beautiful face. When I finished, he snapped his fingers, and the plates disappeared right off the table! I was stunned! He practiced magic, and wasn't afraid. Of course, being so secluded, there was no one around who could see.


"Welcome to my home, Shirra."

"How did you know my name?"

He ignored my question and smiled. "I am Samael."


From then on, Samael taught me many things. Unlike Granny, he never used his magic to help; always to harm. He was not a patient teacher.


He often scolded, often chided. But I was determined to learn. Even if I wanted to, I had the feeling that I wouldn't be allowed to leave.


When I became an adult, we...celebrated. Samael became more than just my teacher, and I became more than his apprentice. He never asked - he just took, whenever the mood struck him, which was often.


I began to hate him. He was no longer my savior, but my enemy. I missed Malir terribly, and longed to be near him again. I was in love with him too, you see. You weren't the only one.


I dared mention the village one night. That was the last time I ever did so. I began to plot, to create a plan to kill Samael. I wanted to be free. Free to go back to Malir and make a life with him.


I had learned many things during my stay at Samael's house. And I felt I was ready to move on. But it wasn't that simple. I tried to poison him once. And he found out. I could barely move after the beating he gave me that day. And I hated him even more.


Samael had big plans to be a great ruler. He planned on ruling over everyone and everything - I was to be his queen. But I didn't want to be his queen. I wanted to be with Malir - for him to be my king, and Samael to be dead. I wanted to rule everything.


Surely Malir must miss me too, by now. I didn't give up hope to be with him. But what could I do to gain my freedom? How would I get away? I thought long and hard, and finally one night, I had an idea.


One night while he was asleep, I cast a spell over the wine. I made it one hundred times stronger than normal. Though the taste was only slightly altered, the wine would have a stronger affect on anyone who drank it. At dinner the next night, I was so nervous I couldn't even stomach the idea of food. But I forced myself to remain calm and eat anyway.


One sip of the wine and Samael was suspicious. He swished it around in his mouth for a moment before swallowing, then studied me carefully. I knew he couldn't see inside my head, all of his powers, as great as they were, were learned. Nothing came to him naturally. But he would be able to read my face and body language, so with all my concentration, I acted as normal as possible.


"Is something wrong?" I asked him.


He didn't answer right away - just kept gazing at me. Inside I was terrified that he knew.

"You're not trying to poison me again, are you?"


I breathed a tiny sigh of relief. "No, Samael," I answered truthfully. For the wine was not poisoned.


Samael was quite fond of wine, and after the first cup he asked for another. I obliged. It wasn't long before he drank the whole bottle. We...were in bed...afterward. I couldn't sleep. The strong snores coming from Samael told me he was probably out cold.


But to make certain, I prodded him several times in the ribs. He didn't even stir and I knew the time had come. My heart beat in my chest so hard I thought it tear a hole through it.


I got Samael's dagger, the one he used to gut small animals to use in his potions, and I quickly slit his throat before I had a chance to change my mind. I watched as the blood bubbled out of the wound, ran around the sides of his neck and stained the sheets underneath him.


He woke up and reached for me. I was terrified! Terrified that he would repair the damage and I would be stuck there. If he recovered, the punishment would be severe. Without hesitation, I brought the dagger up, held tightly in both of my trembling hands, and plunged it into his heart. Two, three, four times...I lost count.


He was dead. I giggled to myself. Then I laughed wildly as I stared down at him. I was free! Finally - after four years! I was free for Malir. I had promised myself that I would stay true to Grandmother Lainel's teachings - that if Malir and I could have a happy life together, never again would I use my magic to harm another soul.


It was still dark when I returned, many hours of night were left. I knew everyone would be asleep, but I had to see Malir right away. I snuck to his house and knocked on the window.


He came outside to see me. He was so handsome! The moonlight shone off his hair, making it look like strands of silver. I said nothing of Samael. But I told him I had come back to be with him. I tried to hug him, but he pushed me away.


"I'm in love with Ileeya," he told me. "We're to be married."


I was crushed. It felt like a thousand rocks had just fallen on me. I didn't even know what to do. He left, went back into his house without even a goodbye - left me standing outside with my heart shattered in pieces.


I ran back into the forest and cried for the rest of the night. When the sun was just starting to peek up over the horizon, I finally fell asleep, dreaming troubled dreams where everything I ever wanted in my life had been taken away - by YOU!!!


When I awoke, I decided to visit you - to ask you to free Malir so that I may be with him. But as usual, you said no. I decided right then that he would be mine, anyway.


And you know the rest, don't you, my sweet, darling sister? I came back that night and visited Malir again. I gave him another chance. I begged him.


But still he said no. I couldn't stand it. I decided to erase his memories of you, then he would be with me, and love me.


But then I had a better idea. I thought that if we banded together, we could rule everything, our village, our world, and much more. You could be my second in command, the leader of my great army. I would be proud to rule with you by my side. As much as I had hated you, this was my plan to become friends with you once again. I was even willing to let you have Malir. Of course I was still planning on using him for stud service, so I would have an heir, but he would have been yours.


I cast a sleep spell over the entire village, then called a mighty fire. One that would consume entire buildings within seconds, so no one would have a chance to make it out alive. I cared not for the villagers - not even for our parents. They no longer meant anything to me.


Why do you think the spell didn't affect you, sister? Why do you think you were able to escape the blaze that ate your home? Because I spared you. I SPARED YOU - so that I may make my proposition to you.


But, you declined. I should have realized you would. I think deep down I knew you'd be horrified at what I had done. You would mourn your losses, instead of jumping at the chance to wield power. You always thought you were better than everyone else! Better than me!


It was then that I decided I would stop at nothing - NOTHING - to get what I wanted. To achieve my dream. And for years, I moved along, unhindered. But then Tim came along.


Now she shot Tim an icy glare. A chill ran up his spine at the sight of it. He had a very bad feeling about this.


"Tim came along and you were happy. Again, you were getting what you wanted. Even stuck in a slave camp, you were happy! So I decided to see if I could take that away from you. If, for just once in my life, I could make you suffer like you'd done to me so many times. It almost worked...but Tim being human caused my spell not to stick. And once again, you took my happiness away!! And you will pay!"


Without warning, Shirra threw her hand out toward Ileeya - causing her to slam into the wall, arms and legs pinned. Even Ileeya hadn't anticipated it, and looked just as surprised as the rest.

In a flash, there appeared before Tim a sword, and before Jondak, two short swords. Tim was momentarily stunned.


She turned to look at him, studying his face carefully, drinking him in. Then she turned to Jondak. "Finish him," she spat!