-Muriel-
I growled, throwing another fireball across my room. Dagon ducked, walking in from the hallway and narrowly missing the hissing ball of flame. I let out a defeated sigh, flopping down into my chair and holding my head in my hands. "Sorry D, I wasn't paying attention," I grumbled.
He wiped off his shirt with his hands and then checked his hair. I stifled a laugh. "It's fine, Muriel. Your mind seems to be very distracted since last night." I looked away and he moved to sit in front of me, making me look at him.
"Fine," I stood up, walking to my window and throwing open the sliding door. Strutting up to the balcony, my footsteps heavy with failure and brimming with the same power that hummed under my skin. I leaned forward, gripping the stone in my hands and the rock crumbling slightly from my pent-up anger. "She took it."
"She took what, Muriel?" He asked, coming up behind me carefully.
I growled, turning around to face him with a snarl. "The book! The little bitch from last night, the one I vouched for, she took the book! If Mother finds out, or worse, Glasya tells Mother, Father will remove me. My destiny as the Queen of Hell will vanish like Selene!" I turn back around, pressing my face into my hands. Dagon came up to me and gently set his hand on my shoulder. "Hey, it's okay. You're new to this." He moved next to me, propping up on the balcony. "After my father died, and I became King, I made some mistakes too." I roll my eyes. "Hey, at least you made them here and now instead of on the throne." He said.
I nodded my head, sighing softly. "But she still has the book. Which means she could learn everything. She has all the proof she needs to expose us." Dagon nodded, obviously thinking.
"I'll help you get it back, No one has to know." He said. I looked at him, taking in his body. He looked genuine, but I knew my friend.
"What is this gonna cost?" I asked, narrowing my eyes. He laughed, a gentle but deep bellow. "Nothing. I'm a king now, remember?" His posture suddenly became rigid, bringing his finger up and pointing it in a chastising way to the air in front of him. "You are no longer a foolish prince, you are a regal king, ACT LIKE IT." I laughed heavily at the snooty, horribly high voice and the cracking accent of the imitation he made of his mother. He laughed loudly, bellowing out into the cold open air. For a moment, I reveled in it. I thought about how we used to be so carefree, running throughout the castle or stealing pastries from the kitchen. Staring at him, I realized he hasn't laughed since his father died. I smiled, leaning back against the stone. "Fine. I'll take it."
He nodded, "Okay, we can take care of it in the morning. For now, you should probably rest, you taxed yourself a lot tonight."
I sighed, walking back into my room, him closing the door behind him and as he went to leave, I suddenly remember the dozen of people downstairs that I'd drank from. "Wait, the people-"
"I already took care of them," Dagon said, smiling and heading out the door.
I went to my doorway, calling out down the hallway, "Whatever mom!" I snickered, rolling my eyes when he flipped me off.
- Jo -
The sun rose through my window, but I'd already been awake for a couple of hours. I was used to waking up early.
I sat at my desk, watching Bonnie closely. It was so quiet that I could hear her breathe, and when I looked, I could see her chest rise and fall with each breath. It was this simple movement and the slightest of sound that allowed me to stay still, but I was nervous.
What if her chest never rises again? What if she just stops? Is that even how death works?
I chewed on my lip, a habit I'd picked up from my mother. I tried to force myself to relax but my leg kept moving, tapping against the floor. Something I'd picked up from my father.
I glanced out the window, seeing the sun rising above the mountains. A knock on the door jerked my head towards the sudden sound and I held my breath, getting up and opening it. I let out my breath when I saw my mom's face. I relaxed slightly at the sight of her tired smile and white plush robe. "Hey mom," I said. "What's up?"
She yawned, her breath having hints of the coffee that she was holding in her hands. "Morning sweetheart." She glanced over my shoulder, her brow furrowing in question. "Why is Bonnie laying in your bed?"
"Um." I glanced back at Bonnie's silent, but thankfully still breathing form. "We all went out to the bonfire and she slipped and hit her head. One of the new girls drove us home and I didn't want to have to bother her with two stops so, I just brought her here." I bit the inside of my cheek.
My mom looked me up and down. "Okay? Do you want me to look at her?" She went to move inside of my room, but I stopped her.
"Uh, no thanks. I had her take a pain med and drink water before she fell asleep. It was pretty late when we got home so, I'm letting her sleep in." My mom nodded, and I relaxed slightly.
"Okay. What was the girl's name?" She asked.
"Um, I think it was Muriel." I said, scratching the back of my neck. My mom's eyes flashed with something like fear, but that didn't make sense. So I pushed it to the back of my mind.
She nodded and turned away, practically rushing down the stairs back to where she came from. Sighing, I turn around and did a double-take. Bonnie's satchel was laying on the floor, where I had set it down last night, next to the door. When I'd opened the door to talk to my mother, the bag must have turned over because it was on its side and open. A book had fallen out, half in and half out. I picked it up, heaving a hefty breath from the effort. The book had a thick, dark brown binding, and some words in a language I couldn't recognize was written in gold, loopy print across the front. I traced my fingers across it, and almost instantly I could hear my voice in my head, translating, 'The Book of Forbidden Secrets.' I opened it, seeing more runes I couldn't recognize but understood. As I continued to read, recognizing certain words like Angel, Demons, and Goddess, my head started to flood with small memories that didn't make sense to me.
"Joannae!" A woman screamed in agony. Then the scream silenced itself. The area was empty, eerily so. Something was near me, its heavy footsteps outside of the door. I started crying and suddenly a face hovered over me. She had long dark hair and a crescent moon on her forehead. I reached for it, my cries quieting. She cooed at me and suddenly, I was picked up. "Sh, be quiet, dear child. All will be right soon." She glanced past her shoulder, towards the door. Then she looked at me, her eyes a dark blue like the night sky. "I will protect you."
I dropped the book in a gasping panic attack. The commotion made a loud noise and I heard a whimper behind me. My back went rigid, expecting to feel unimaginable pain from Muriel trying to get back at me for apparently stealing this book. Why would she have this, anyway? And what else was in that house? But when I turned, I saw Bonnie sitting up in bed instead.
Bonnie rubbed her eyes and whimpered under her breath, "Where am I? What happened?" I sighed, relaxing completely, and sitting back down.
"Um..." I thought back to the girl, Muriel. The way she looked me in the eyes. I'd felt my heart jump, my stomach drop. Out of fear, or something else, I don't know. But I know that she was one to make do on a threat. "Don't make me regret this." Her words echoed through my head, like a warning. I looked up at Bonnie and thought back to our lives together. I've never lied to her. I trusted her with everything in my heart, she's like a sister to me.
'How could I start now?'