Drop me a line 21! The Nolavia Curse Part seven.

The wind whistling in my ears obliterated all thoughts except Anaira. Maintaining the spell keeping me from being scalped was exhausting. By the time the dragon released me, a few feet from a moat surrounding a castle, I had no energy to prevent my undignified fall into the stagnant water. I sat waist deep, strands of algae adorning my cloak while a few dragons chuckled from their perch in a sprawling Oak tree. Black crows cawed and circled above.

 A drawbridge dropped with a clatter as I scrambled from the water. I needed to rest to have any hope of defending myself against Anaira so I did not attempt to dry my clothes. My cloak dragged heavy behind me as I walked over the drawbridge and into the courtyard of the castle. I had been here before and recognised every turret and alcove of this dreaded place. I had only walked out through the help of a wizard I never saw again.

 The courtyard was deserted except for a scattering of dragons. I walked to the heavy wooden doors that barred the entrance of the castle. They were carved with intricate scenes of battles. Knights on armoured unicorns fighting with silver swords, dragons with emerald eyes spitting rubies and garnets. The doors swung open upon my approach, waited for me to walk inside and slammed resolutely closed behind me. I stood in the vast entrance hall. Life sized portraits hung on the expansive walls and the eyes seemed to follow me as I walked to the staircase.

 I swung around to face the foul breathing at my neck. I looked into the red-veined implacable eyes of Sezloc. I tried to control the trembling in my body as it remembered the agony he had wrought so many years ago. It is as though those years in between have never happened and the remembering envelops me in shadow.

 “Well, well we meet again sweet Esereht.” My knees buckled and Sezloc caught me in his arms. I recoiled and held the bannister of the long wooden staircase to steady my shaking body. Sezloc was a goblin of indescribable evil. A pall of green smoke shrouded him when he thought no one was looking. He controlled it now and the air around him was deceptively clear.

 “Anaira hoped to be here to welcome you but she has been unavoidably detained. I shall play the gracious host, however. Follow me my dear. Do not be afraid, Anaira would not want me to start without her. She hates to miss out on the excitement. A friend of yours arrived a while back. Perhaps you would like to see her?” Sezloc’s voice was oily conviviality and he stood back to let me walk up the stairs. I could hear only my own footfalls on the wooden steps. Sezloc moved with eerie silence. “Here we are.” He said and I stopped in front of a heavy door. A face was deeply grooved into the wood.

 “Who wishes entrance?” The wooden mouth moved to form the words. Sezloc flicked his hand dismissively and the door swung open with a tired creak. I hesitated before walking inside. Sezloc did not join me. He stood in the doorway with a strange expression on his hideous face. I looked away and the door creak closed.

 It was dark in the room and my eyes took time to grow accustomed to the gloom. The figure of Assennav hanging inside a scaffold of iron bars emerged like a mirage. Magic was the rope that suspended her. Her head was thrown back and anguish etched her beautiful face. I cried out but she did not seem to hear me. I rattled the iron cage but she did not stir. I could only imagine the nightmare in which she was confined.

 I ran my fingers over the bars trying to find a chink in the magic but there was none. It was solid in spite of its appearance. I sat down beside it and leant my head against the cold iron. I needed rest but I could already feel magic surging back into my body. I had no idea whether it would be enough to free Assennav but I was not defeated yet. In spite of my anxiety I fell into a dreamless sleep. It was profoundly dark when I awoke, stiff from the floor. I raised my palm outward and light illuminated Assennav still suspended by invisible bonds.

 I extinguished the light quickly as the door creaked open. Sezloc stood in the doorway, a light streaming from his third eye like a storm lantern and his hands holding a laden tray.

 “I thought I might join you for dinner.” He said, charm dripping like hemlock.

 “I’m not hungry.” I said sitting down against a wardrobe on the furthest wall of the room. A waft of dust made me sneeze.

 “Bless you.” He said.

 “Please go. You know curses but nothing of blessings. It is enough that you have Assennav and myself imprisoned. Go away.” I said. My voice was strident and I had failed to hide my hatred. He sniggered and put down the tray.

 “Very well, my dear. I shall have plenty of time to make you my own. I will grant you these last few moments.” And he strode from the room.

 What did he mean, make me his own, I thought shuddering.

To be continued…