The Reaper's Wicked Obsession

In immediate haste, Isadora shut her room door and dragged the barrel to block it. She rushed to her dresser for anything she could use as a weapon, but there wasn't much there.

A hairpin would suffice, so she grabbed it, turned back to face the door, and positioned herself for any incoming intruder.

Her body quivered and she sniffled multiple times but she didn't let the tears fall, she was just too shaken to allow the salty water out.

Whatever happened downstairs was a clear bloodbath that either saved her from her fate of being sold again or made her predicament change for the worse. She eerily felt the masked man was not done with her.

The sudden pounding on the door caused a yelp to escape her. Her body shook vigorously at the harsh sound and the tears threatened to fall.

"Isadora, it's me! Open up!"

'Serena?' she thought hopeful.

"Please open the door!"

It's her voice! With a sniff, Isadora rushed to the door and dragged the barrel out of the way, and Serena rushed in.

"I'm so glad you're okay" She took her hands with tears in her eyes, she was just as bewildered about the night's events.

"I'm sorry," she pleaded. "I'm so sorry, I should have told you about being sold to the Jarlas"

Isadora snatched her hands away from her hold and backed away in shock. She knew?

"I'm sorry," Serena begged. "Dashwell warned me not to say anything,"

"How long?" Isadora demanded, refusing to spare her a look. For many winters she considered Serena a friend, and although she was the one who was instructed to doll her up she ended up forming a bond with her.

Serena sniffled and said. "It's been two moons"

Isadora's heart was wrecked again, but she only nodded at the revelation. Dashwell held her life in his hands, and he could do what he pleased. But this was unexpected even for him. He knew his price and how to treasure it.

"I wished I could have told you, believe me"

"W-Why now? After living under his roof and now he decided I-I won't bring fortune to him?" Isadora pressed aggressively, hot anger brewing within.

This place was far from being called a sanctuary, yet for 14 winters it felt like a home. At least she was wanted here, sought by people for what she thought was a curse, which her own family could not accept. It was enough. It should have been enough to survive.

"I do not know, but whatever the Jarlas offered him was enough to let him take it. Dashwell treasures you in his twisted way but the offer changed his mind, I tried to speak to him... but he did not listen to any word I say," Serene explained hoping she'd understand the situation but the bitterness in Isadora's eyes was not hard to miss. She'd never seen her like this.

"Y-You should have told me!"

"I know, I truly wish I could, truly but I—"

"ISADORA!" a voice came and it was Dashwell's, his heavy footsteps followed. "COME OUT, MY PRECIOUS!"

Serena quickly rushed to Isadora. "Something's at play right now, those two men downstairs who fight like demons, they want you now"

A wave of panic found Isadora and she suddenly found it hard to breathe, she dropped to her knees but Serena held her firm to keep the girl from hurting herself, the news was enough to render her weak.

"Dashwell is desperate now, I've never seen him like this before"

Isadora tried to steady her breathing, she swallowed a lump in her throat but it was all the more reason to throw up from the feeling shooking her insides.

"I've got to get you out of here. Those men? The mask? I've heard of them. They are from the Raven court and you cannot be associated with them. They are outlaws serving an unnamed king" Serena forced Isadora to her feet, however, she was lost in a reverie of the outcome.

She rushed Isadora out of the room in desperate attempts to get her out before it was too late. She betrayed her once by keeping the truth from her and she hoped to make amends for it, even if it cost her life.

"ISADORA!"

"Hurry!" Serena pleaded trying to help Isadora stay on her feet. They both reached the window, which was the only escape route.

"You've got to jump," she suggested.

Isadora stared wide-eyed at her. "W-What about you?"

"Do not worry I'll be right behind you, so please, let me do one good thing with my life"

Isadora broke into tears and hugged Serena tightly. She had a feeling she wouldn't see her again, the only one who never judged her for being different and always praised her for what she could do.

"Go!" She urged and Isadora compiled by climbing on the window, taking one last look at Serena before jumping down from the building.

Isadora crashed into the bushes, the thorns digging through her skin but she couldn't feel any of them because of the adrenaline coursing through her.

She crawled out of the bushes, her dress being a hindrance so the moment she got out, she ripped the godforsaken material to free her legs.

Casting one last look at the building she'd lived in for many winters, she sprinted into the woods.

Five steps were taken toward her freedom until a circle of fire formed out of nowhere and trapped her.

"I'd advise not to move"

Isadora turned toward the voice and a man emerged, just as the fire that'd mysteriously surrounded her out of nowhere was weaved out of place into the hand of the man.

'A fire weaver,' Isadora thought with trembling eyes.

"Isadora, right?"

She shifted her gaze from the threaded flame at the palm of his hand to the man with scarlet eyes, clad in identical attire as the masked man who plagued her mind. He had shoulder-length ash-blonde hair cascading down his sharp angular features.

"I think it'd be best for the both of us if you don't move. Fire…"—Her eyes found the dancing fire in his palm— "...can get out of control sometimes" It extinguished. "I wouldn't want that to hurt you"

But that didn't stop Isadora's heart from hammering in her chest, this man was no doubt the one Serena believed to be an outlaw.

"What do you want from me?" Isadora asked softly, knowing it was no use escaping now, perhaps she could offer a plea, this man was not as intimidating as the other.

"Unfortunately for you, you've caught his attention," Rav said, releasing an exhausted breath. He didn't want to scare the poor girl, her face was drained of color, ghostly white from the shock and events that'd played.

In slow steps, he made his way toward her, and to his surprise, she made no attempts to move as if she'd resigned herself to her fate.

"I'm Rav," he introduced, hoping to ease the girl a bit but she remained frozen like an ice block.

"My friend is poisoned and you seem to be this rumored mannfae in these parts... able to heal any wound or disease" he noted the shape of her ears as a revelation of her identity.

Isadora offered only a stiff nod but said. "I-If I heal your friend, will you let me go?"

There was a pause from him and Isadora feared for her fate but then he replied. "Yes"

"Give me your word!" she urged. She doesn't want his empty promise but his word as a warrior.

Rav only gave a stiff nod and gave way for her to go back to the very place she was trying to escape.

Isadora's heart pulsated heavily in her chest as she took slow steps back to the building. She knew she couldn't trust him but right now the best course of action was to behave.

Once again she was in a room filled with dead bodies. She spotted Serena in a corner, giving her an apologetic look and Isadora offered a weak smile in return before turning back to the center of the room.

Isadora's lips parted when she found the man who had a presence identical to the god of death. He drowned himself in a cup of ale, the contents spilling down to his bare chest, marred with scars and runic tattoos so dark it seemed like he had just got them done. His Adam's apple gulped down the liquid before dropping the cup on the table and their eyes met.

Isadora's heart momentarily stopped.

A wicked sinister grin spread, revealing the dimples carved into his cheeks. "Have you come to weave for your life, love?"