poisoned blades 7
The Endless Tunnel
“How long was I asleep?” Windfire yawned. She stretched a little and snuggled more into Nightshade’s lap.
“I don’t have a sense of time without sunlight,” Nightshade said sheepishly as he ran his fingers through the witch’s fiery hair.
“We could have missed our ceremonies,” Windfire said thoughtfully as she rested her head on his chest.
“We could have,” he agreed.
“Do you think we should get going?”
“I was kind of hoping my brothers would have showed up by now,” he admitted sheepishly.
“You’re right! They’re probably looking for us…” Windfire finally stood and stretched, watching her beloved do the same.
“Well, my lousy sense of direction is telling me to go this way,” Nightshade motioned toward one of the two paths.
“Well a lousy sense of direction is better than none,” Windfire lit a fire around one of her hands as Nightshade took her free hand and began to lead her down the stone path that was slippery, but not as waterlogged as their previous path had been.
A low-pitched shriek startled Windfire, but Nightshade simply shot a ball of lightning at the bats that were haunting the damp underpass, knocking them all into the shallow waters. “There is probably a few dozen bats inhabiting this place as well as some rats, mice and maybe snakes…”
“No, no, no…” Windfire stood firmly in one spot.
“What?” Nightshade asked.
“You said snakes…”
Nightshade laughed, “Don’t worry. I’m here to protect you.”
Windfire let herself budge at Nightshade’s promise of protecting her. Truly, she had a bad feeling about heading out in any direction. She felt it safer to stay put, but if she missed her ceremony there would surely be consequences….
“What’s on your mind, Windy?”
There was that same soft, passionate tone again. She nearly melted, “J-just wondering how late we are for the ceremonies…”
“Are you okay?” his soft voice was too sweet to be that of a warlock’s.
“N-no…”
He turned to face her, “What’s bothering you, then?”
“You’re nothing how I was told you were,” Windfire whispered.
“Your mother doesn’t really know me, does she?” Nightshade asked.
“I suppose not. She made you sound…evil,” Windfire admitted.
“Do you think I’m evil?”
“You’re too caring to be evil,” Windfire cooed, caressing his hand with her thumb.
“As are you,” Nightshade agreed.
“What do you mean?”
Nightshade searched for the words. “My father demonized you and your sisters, too. Your cousins weren’t touched on as much, but they were still mentioned.”
“When did he start telling you those things?”
“When I asked him who you were,” Nightshade blushed.
“Why do I sense there being more to that comment than you’re letting onto?” Windfire asked.
“Because there is,” Nightshade smiled faintly, “I told him that you were the most beautiful girl that I had ever seen and he immediately began scaring me about tales of you…”
“And I take it that you didn’t believe him,” she guessed, trying to talk over the splish-splash of their walking through puddles and trying to keep her voice from echoing in the underground cave.
“I did at first,” Nightshade whispered. “But we kept having dreams and I kept seeing you as beautiful no matter what I did. I kept seeing you romantically in dreams and I kept reliving them every time I saw you…”
“Are you telling me another little secret?” Windfire guessed, becoming shy again.
Nightshade felt nervousness sweeping through his body as she spoke. “I think I’ve been in love with you since we were three when we first saw one another…”
She looked up to the ceiling and seemed to be pondering something. “The cute little boy who was blushing and who wanted to kill me more than he wanted to learn magic…” she glanced over at him with a smile.
“That’s what made you shy away from me?”
“It is,” Windfire confessed. “My mother told me that when I said you were very good looking…”
“My father told me that your looks were what would be the death of me…” Nightshade’s voice sounded distant as he drew his sword with his free hand.
Windfire jumped in surprise, everything running through her mind at that moment. She fell for his façade. He was really going to kill her. She took in a final breath and released it when he slashed down a spider web and dipping his sword’s tip into the crypt’s water.
“Are you okay? His incongruous voice asked as his sword was sheathed back at his waist.
“Yeah, I just thought you saw a rat or something…” she said nervously.
“Even if I did, it wouldn’t last,” he said confidently.
“I have no doubt. The one thing my mother didn’t exaggerate was your battle and magical prowess,” Windfire whispered, following him through the now smaller and narrower passage.
“Does this path ever end?” Windfire asked. “The magic here is giving me a headache…”
“What do you mean?”
“I feel all of the magic at work around us and it’s making me uneasy and very tired…” she yawned.
Nightshade nodded once. “You’re not of my bloodline. Of course our magic is unfamiliar…”
“I didn’t think about that…” she said with a smile. He’s so smart and resourceful. The only thing I’ve ever seen him personally kill was those bats and maybe a spider…
“You’re terse, aren’t you?”
Windfire blushed, “Usually…”
“I’m glad,” he admitted.
“Why?”
“Nobody in my family knows how to shut up. Not even my mother,” Nightshade replied.
“Your mother is a white witch,” Windfire whispered.
“What?”
“I know her. She’s my godmother…” Windfire whispered.
Nightshade turned around to study Windfire’s honest countenance. “You’re serious?”
Windfire nodded. “The Francois family are all witches.”
“D-does my father know?”
“I wouldn’t think so if your mother s still alive,” Windfire replied.
“He’ll kill her as soon as he finds out,” Nightshade growled.
“I know…” Windfire sighed.
Nightshade took Windfire’s hand and continued at a faster pace walking through the foot of water, ignoring how cold the water was and how uncomfortable his soaked boots and robes were. “Well, there is no doubt another reason to get out of here all the sooner.”
“I…” Windfire blushed and stopped her train of thought.
“What is it, Windy?” Even when he was worried and flustered his voice was still pleasant and like a man’s from the imagination of all women.
“I’ve been in love with you for fourteen years,” she blurted and bit her bottom lip.
He felt the nervousness stir in his mind and stomach. He gripped her hand a little more, “I love you, too.”
“I write about every dream and every vision and thought…” she admitted reluctantly.
He smiled, “I likewise keep a journal of everything.”
“This is sort of like the Shakespeare story, isn’t it?”
“I don’t plan on killing you or myself,” Nightshade replied.
“Very true,” Windfire smiled. “That makes me feel better.”
“That’s what your fiancé does, is it not?”
“I’ve never been engaged before so I can’t speak from experience,” Windfire replied.
“Don’t worry, then. This will be hard, but we can get through the coven’s war. I have a plan to deal with all of the details,” Nightshade sniggered a little with a wry smile.
“W-what’s so funny?”
“We’re going to deceive them all. Every last Deverill and Gerard will grow to love one another as family,” Nightshade said happily.
“Do you mind filling me in?”
“Of course, my love,” Nightshade said with a wicked grin.

poisoned blades 9