Chapter 41

Sylvi

I froze with terror as the vision of blazing flames flashed before my eyes. Cat kicked the dead body and spat on it before shouting something to the terrified villagers, but I didn’t hear her words as another wave of terror crashed against me, filling my heart with despair and my eyes with tears.

I ran to Kim and wrapped my arms around her, ignoring her hands staining my white tunic with fresh blood. She looked at me, but her eyes felt empty, and her heart was shattered into pieces. I forced myself to sing for her, but my song faded as Cat walked over to us, picking up Kim’s dagger from the ground and holding it in her hand before offering it back to her.

Kim took a step back, standing between us, torn between my open arms and Cat’s cold blade. I wished I were stronger, I wished I’d had the courage to reach out to her first, but I’d failed her as I had failed everyone else.

Cat nodded to her and put her hand on Kim’s shoulder, and their eyes met. I could hear Cat’s words that chilled me to the core.

“Don’t think about what you did, think what would happen if you didn’t”

It was not fair, no one should be forced to make such a choice, but Kim nodded quietly and accepted the dagger from Cat’s hand. I shivered when Cat reached out to me, but to my surprise, her touch was soft and quenched the flames that filled my vision. Even though the despair that had taken root in my heart remained, for the first time, I felt I could breathe, not feeling suffocated by the flames.

I dared to look around, feeling solid ground under my feet, and Cat’s hand still resting on my shoulder. The villagers stood in front of their houses, every family huddled together. There was fear in the air, but also hope that shone brightly deep in their hearts. How could they be happy after everything that had happened…?

I looked around, but the body was already gone, and only a dark stain on the ground remained from what had happened, yet I was sure it hadn’t been a dream, even if I wished it was. An old man approached us slowly, leaning heavily on his stick, and he bowed his head before speaking, his eyes staying fixed on Cat.

“Thank you.”

She smiled.

“The day will come when the Queen will meet the same fate. Sara’s army is getting bigger with every passing day”

I felt confused, not understanding what she spoke about, but I could see the faint smiles on the faces of those who heard her words.

“You know what to do?”, Cat asked, and the old man nodded before walking to Kim and taking her blood-stained hands in his.

“You are braver than all of us together, gal… He was a bad man.”

Kim shivered, and tears filled her eyes.

“Let’s go”

Cat’s voice cut through the air, and we walked to the dead man’s house as the villagers brought out sacks with supplies. I still couldn’t believe what had happened just a few moments ago. It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t a world I wanted to live in.

Kim led a horse from the stables and helped Cat load supplies on it before we said goodbye. It felt so wrong what had happened, but even I knew there had been no other choice, but the doubt started to creep into my heart. Why did it need to be like this?