Chapter 01: Blood And Curses
~Sera~
Who goes to a gravesite to perform a cleansing ritual at this hour of the night?
Well... my mother would.
And, somehow, I had been foolish enough to follow her.
"Bow your head, Sera. The necromancer is watching you," she whispered, her voice trembling slightly.
"All this doesn't matter, Mom. It was just a painting, nothing more." I forced the words out, shrugging as my gaze drifted upward to the enormous black falcon perched silently atop the iron gates.
Its eyes gleamed like shards of midnight, making my hair stand on end.
"It's not just a painting," she murmured, pressing her palms together as if to pray.
"It's a message... that the dead are trying to take you away from me. Just...listen for once. Let them cleanse and help you get rid of those terrible nightmares." She added.
"They're not nightmares," I sighed, feeling the weight of her conviction press down on me.
How do I tell her I felt safer with the faceless man in my dreams?
She opened her mouth to argue, but a sudden, sharp clang made us both jump.
My heart lurched, because of the deafening toll of the bells ringing.
"Silence!" The necromancer's voice echoed, reverberating. "It's here!"
I watched as Mom clutched at her chest instinctively.
I rolled my eyes, darting around. "Where is it?"
A low, haunting noise began to rise, crawling under my skin as I glanced at Mom.
"Ooooh... it's coming," the woman muttered, louder, followed by the weird sounds her assistants made.
"Is it?" I asked, raising my eyes to meet hers.
"Close your eyes," Mom said, squeezing my arm so tightly I felt the pressure in my bones.
I couldn't help it.
A laugh bubbled up from my chest. "Oh come on. Do you really expect me to believe this?" I scoffed, rolling my eyes.
"Why would you say such a thing?" Mom's frown deepened, her voice tight with worry and disappointment.
"Let's go, Mom," I said, glancing at my wristwatch. "I've got an art auction tomorrow. It's almost midnight. And this," I waved toward the woman, "is just another one of those con-artists."
The woman in black, draped in an overlong coat, eyes smeared with heavy mascara, beads clinking against her wrists...flared.
"How dare you speak such... blasphemy! Do you even know what you've done?"
"Do I know?" I scoffed, twisting my face in irritation.
"Please. You're faker than the last one. At least she nearly made me spill my blood to ward off the so called-evil." I continued.
"Sera! Stop it!" Mom snapped. "She's the best I could find on such short notice! Remember what the last one said?"
"Yes, I remember." I straightened my back, my tone mimicking. "You have to get rid of the curse before the fourth day of the fourth week in the fourth month of the year.."
Which, somehow happens to be tomorrow.
I sighed. "But as you can see, I'm fine."
"Although I will not be fine if we don't leave now so I can sleep." I began walking away, my heels clicking against the gravel.
"You dare walk away from the ritual!" The woman's voice echoed. "You are calling on the wrath of the spirits!"
"Sera! Come back here! Seraphina!" Mom's voice joined hers, pleading.
My blood surged and I fixed her with a hard glare.
"Hey, woman," I fired. "Don't think I'm scared of your so-called spirits... demons... whatever." I jabbed a finger toward her.
She snatched my hand. "How insolent!" she hissed.
"No, how annoying." My hand moved toward a small knife lying neatly on the table nearby.
"Ahhh!" She gasped, recoiling.
"What? Scared of a little knife?" I dared.
"You better step aside and let us leave-peacefully. Otherwise..." I let my voice drop low, "I will destroy everything here, file a case for impersonation and deceit."
"You evil thing!" she shrieked, then spinning to Mom. "Take your evil with you and face the consequences. She's made matters worse!"
Mom's hands trembled, her eyes tearing. "No... please! Don't say that! I'm so sorry, on her behalf! Please!"
I threw my head back, hitting my palm against my forehead. "You know what? I'm done. If this is what you want, fine."
I slid the knife toward my wrist, feeling the cold steel bite against my skin. "I'll spill my blood. I'll do your little ritual... right here... right now."
The graveyard felt still, the falcon shifted, bells holding their breath.
And for the first time in hours, a real fear pricked at my heart.
But I shoved it down my throat, and then dragged the knife across my palm.
In a split second, a sharp snapping pain tore through me immediately, making my fingers tremble.
Blood welled up, dripping in slow, glistening beads onto the cold stone floor.
Every eye was locked on me, waiting for the inevitable disaster.
I swallowed hard, forcing calm. "You see? Nothing."
I held up my palm for Mom to see, letting the tiny streak of blood shine clearly.
Then I dropped the knife. "Now... Can we please go, for goodness' sake?"
"Bu... but..." My mother's voice wavered, hoarse and thick with fear.
"No buts, Mom," I interrupted. "I'm fin.." I started but a sudden crack split the sky.
Thunder rumbled violently, following a jagged streak of lightning.
My heart skipped, but I kept my shoulders squared.
"You've angered the spirits," the necromancer's voice hissed, now carried on the wind as she and her assistants disappeared into the night.
"No, I didn't!" I called after them, my voice loud, "It's just... it's going to rain heavily!"
Just then, the first cold drops fell, splattering across my skin, and the smell of wet earth filled the air.
I shook my head, brushing the rain off my face, and turned to Mom. "Let's go. I've got a big day tomorrow," I said.
The rain picked up, and for a fleeting second, I thought I could still hear the distant, faint clang of the bells.
As I took another step, something twisted hard inside my chest - like an invisible hand squeezing my heart.
My breath hitched, the ground swayed under my feet.
"Mom..." I clutched her arm, my grip weak and trembling.
"Sera? What's wrong?" she asked, but her voice sounded distant now, like it was sinking underwater.
Then, a sharp scream tore through the air, and I realized it was mine.
And darkness swallowed everything.
