“She’s awake,” Jail hissed. The Mind mage moved with exaggerated slowness as he crossed the room toward her. Emily watched him with growing concern, trying desperately to remember what she had done. Jail never showed this much caution around her. He had respect for her, that was true, but this seemed more like fear.
“Can you understand me, Emily?” Jail asked in a soft soothing voice. He held both hands out before him as if he were trying to calm a spooked horse.
“Jail, don’t get too close,” Wisp pleaded as she moved swiftly behind Jail and clutched his massive arm in her delicate hands. “She didn’t know us last night. There is a good chance she won’t today,” the Fae added, her voice shaky. Both of them wore clothes that were bloody and torn and Emily could see bandages covering a good portion of Jail.
“She is calmer today and badly wounded,” Jail assured Wisp as he carefully pried the Fae’s hands from him. “It will be OK, Wisp,” he promised.
What are you both babbling about? Emily demanded in Jail’s mind. Her mouth still refused to form words to speak aloud.
“Emily, look at yourself,” Jail said firmly.
Struggling to sit once more, Emily gazed down at herself and gaped in complete shock at the dark fur that covered her skin. Eyes wide, she ceased her struggles to rise and stared in growing wonder at the thick limb ending in razor sharp talons that should have been her arm. It wasn’t even remotely human in shape.
“Congratulations, Emily. You are the first of the shifter blood to find an affinity with the Bendazzi,” Jail said cautiously, his eyes still watching her every move.
Bendazzi. The word filled Emily’s mind and her heartbeat increased. I’m a Bendazzi. The thought brought such elation to her mind that she felt dizzy for a moment. Her eyes poured over her new form from the thick black fur to the tuft on the end of her tail. A tail! The idea was so unbelievable that she would have laughed had she the energy for it. Simply moving as much as she had was sending small waves of agony through her.
“Careful how much you move right now, Emily. The Assassins had Tevrae coating their blades. That’s a poison that halts regeneration. You aren’t healing as you should and you are badly wounded,” Jail warned her as he began to approach again.
“Jail, don’t get too close,” Wisp hissed, her bright green eyes as wide as saucers.
“She is fine now, Wisp,” Jail assured her once more.
“She wasn’t fine last night,” Wisp snapped as she took a step away.
Did I hurt her? Emily asked with growing concern. Wisp had never been afraid of her before, and it had never bothered the Fae that she was a Blight. Wisp had always been just as trusting as Sovann and it hurt to see her back away now. There was a time when Wisp and the others should have feared her, but Jail had helped her work past that. With his and Madren’s help, she was becoming one of them. Until now. If she had destroyed that trust last night she might never earn it again.
“You clawed her a bit, but nothing life threatening. You mostly just scared her. I will admit you scared me too. You were in some kind of frenzy when we found you and you had no enemies left to vent your rage on. I regret that some of the damage you have is from me, but I had to stop you before you left the house,” Jail explained in a calmer voice. The fear was slowly fading from him, but she could still see hints of caution in his movements as he knelt beside her. “Obviously, we can’t get a healer to see to you, Emily. None of them even realize you exist and we can’t let word of a Blight living in the city spread through the commons. It would raise panic. We will have to tend your wounds ourselves.”
“I’m not tending anything on her until she explains where Legacy is. If she hurt him, Jail, I will kill her myself,” Wisp broke in, her voice cracking as she spoke and tears quickly filling her eyes. “There was so much blood in there Jail, what if she…” her voice trailed off into choked sobs.
I didn’t, Jail. I didn’t hurt him. I swear it. I was trying to protect him, but I failed. Emily fairly screamed the words in his mind. Desperately she looked between the two of them shaking her head. I didn’t, Jail. I swear it by all of the Divine and my mother’s soul. I wouldn’t have hurt Legacy.”
“Then where is he, Emily? We found no trace of him in the room, but it is as Wisp says. The entire room is destroyed and drenched in blood. You were eating someone when we found you. I’m inclined to give you the benefit of the doubt, but I’m afraid Wisp is not.” Jail kept his tone calm as he leaned back on his heels and met her eyes. She could see his doubt clearly now, too. Part of him was wondering exactly how much of a monster she truly was.
I don’t think you will believe me, Emily spoke the words softly in his mind, her hopes falling as she recounted her meeting with Seth. How could she possibly expect either of them to believe that a damned bird had abducted the child? Swallowing heavily she lowered her head back down to rest on her paws. The elation of her new form was completely gone now, replaced by sorrow.
“Try me Emily. You would be amazed at the things I believe,” Jail pressed, his dark eyes searching her. “Your mind is a jumble right now. I’ve been trying to scan it all morning. Just tell me please.”
Do you remember all of the damned birds outside yesterday, Jail? Emily asked softly, and when he nodded, she continued. I was on the roof watching them when I heard Legacy cry. It was early evening and the birds should have been shutting up by then, but they weren’t. I went into his room to check on him and grew worried when Wisp didn’t answer his cries. One of the birds landed in the windowsill not long after me and when my back was turned…”
“It turned into a man. Seth,” Jail broke in, his tone going cold. Slowly he rose to his feet and turned to look at Wisp. “Seth took him. This has to be revenge from Death. He is her lackey.”
He said he was taking Legacy to Jala, Emily added quickly as she watched fear turning to anger on her friend’s faces.