Zealan approached her with a calmness that rivaled the annoyance simmering in his gaze. He offered her a hand, "Come" he said evenly.
Nevaeh shook her head, getting to her feet and taking several steps away from him.
Her pulse thundered. That man.. no. That thing had collapsed and transformed into a nightmare without being touched. The unsettling glow in Zealan's eyes, the unparalleled strength he used to kill it. Nothing here was normal, nothing was.. human!
Her chest rose and fell with increasing precision. It was unreal. Yes, this was a sick dream.
"Stay away from me" she managed to blurt, her voice trembling.
"I'm already vexed as is. Don't make it worse" Zealan spoke, his voice even "Let's get that wound checked before it festers"
Nevaeh's hands instinctively clutched her neck where the blade had cut. Her head suddenly felt heavy, the world tilting. "What are-" she mumbled before her legs gave out. Zealan caught her before she hit the ground.
"-you" she finished weakly, falling into soundless sleep.
He lifted her without a word, taking her back to the mansion and into her room. Minutes later, Darius appeared by the door, a frown on his face as he took in the sight.
"How troublesome" he sighed as Laura wheeled in a rack of potions. Darius set to work, grinding herbs in a small bowl with practiced ease. "Was it you, or the poison?" he asked Zealan.
"Me" Zealan answered to receive a look of disapproval from Darius. "Any further delay and the poison would spread. I had to do something" he defended.
Darius handed the herbal paste to Laura and the girl gingerly took it and began applying it to Nevaeh's wound. "Have her ingest this once she wakes. It'll counter the after effects" Darius instructed and Laura nodded as she took the vial from his hands.
Darius looked to Zealan, "I want to see how you get out of this one" he said and left the room.
Zealan's mood was soiled. He had tarnished his new shoe and the Walreece Princess was starting to be more trouble than expected.
Hours passed and the sun made it's appearance in the sky, morning light spilling through the windows. Nevaeh stirred awake, her mind groggy as she sat up in bed.
"How was your rest?" The voice startled her. She turned sharply to find the Gavarian Lord lounging casually on her sofa, a bored expression on his face as he stared at her.
Then it hit her. The events of the past few hours came rushing like a dam. The creature, Zealan's eyes, the blood. She held her head between her hands at the sudden migraine.
"What did you do?" She groaned and a flicker of surprise passed through Zealan's gaze.
"It didn't work" he muttered under his breath. He stood and she immediately scrambled away.
"I said you should stay away from me!" Her eyes went wide in alarm.
"I'm not out to get you" Zealan said, his calm mask slipping. "You trust a stranger yet, you're are wary of me"
"He was going to get me to Walreece before you showed up!" She snapped.
Zealan's jaw tightened, his calm demeanor shattering, "He had a knife to your throat!"
"You were going to kill him!" she huffed.
"Are you that stupid? You think what, that he was going to drop you off at your castle with well wishes?"
Nevaeh's glare faltered.
"What you saw-", he said with a sigh, regaining composure "-was a thornok. A breed of Vitriolix. They blend in among humans"
Nevaeh blinked. "I don't understand a word you're saying" The past few hours had been too much to handle.
"You once asked for answers," he said firmly. "I'm giving them. Thornoks are born from witches and are as cunning as they are ugly. They have the abilities to manipulate the mind, which is why you must never speak to one, let alone set it free and plot an escape together" he shot her a pointed look.
Nevaeh's head throbbed "Thornoks, Vitrices, Witches-"
"Vitriolix" Zealan corrected.
"I don't care!" She said exasperated, getting to her feet. "A week ago, I was tending to my flowers and baking pies! And now, you're telling me there are monsters living amongst humans?!" she paced the room before halting and making a sharp turn towards him, "And you! What are you?? Did you manipulate my father's mind too?"
A dangerous smile tugged on Zealan's lips. "You're not ready for the truth" he said simply. "Carol will bring you breakfast. Do well to eat and rest up. You'll need the strength".
Nevaeh fumed at his utter disregard of her plight as he left her alone in the room.
Zealan entered his study room to find the old man already waiting for him.
"How did she take it?" Darius asked and Zealan clicked his tongue.
"Humans are such bothersome species"
Darius shook his head, "Maybe try putting yourself in her shoes-"
"Her shoes are too little" Zealan cut off "It didn't work" he added, referring to the memory block spell he tried to cast on her, his fingers brushing hair away from his forehead.
"And that should be good news. It further solidifies that she's the one the Scribes spoke of, yet you don't look happy".
"What good is any of it if she hates me?" He countered digging for his cigarette in his pocket "True love bullshit" he cursed.
Darius turned annoyed, "Decades we've spent searching, and now you have her. Need I remind you that time is of the essence yet you waste it on trivial squabbles when you should be working towards earning her affection?"
Zealan blew a puff of smoke, "I did that last time, and look what happened"
"That's no excuse to shut off your chances-"
"What fucking chances? A human? Really?" Zealan's jaw clenched.
"Namarie is not coming back!" Darius spat and Zealan paused, temporarily stunned by Darius' uncharacteristic outburst "You made sure of that, so get over it and stop fumbling your chances!" Darius took a calming breath "Each day our foes multiply, our world breaches closer to ruin. You're all we have left. You made a vow to your people and it's high time you remembered it".