Once there was Darkness

Chapter 22

Part 1

Kessa was severely bruised. She couldn’t move without wanting to cry.

His mother left soon after this incident. She never stayed long.

There was a knock at the door, it was Rajaf. He had made this strange little thing and was feeding her tea? Kol wasn’t sure.

“What is that thing?” Kol asked, sitting on the bed.

“I haven’t given it a name.” It was a round object on the end of a stick. Rajaf would squeeze the round object to fill the stick. When he placed it over her mouth, another squeeze of the round object would release the tea. “I have been working on this since you were sick from the cherries.”

“What is the liquid?”

“Tea with medicine in it. I guess it’s silly. I’m trying to make it taste better.”

“No, it isn’t silly.” He smiled. “Where’s that white liquid?”

Rajaf almost cried. His voice cracked when he spoke. “She’s been poisoned.” He looked around the room. At some point, food had been brought in. He dumped the rotting crumbs in a basket, cut the tip of Kessa’s little finger to get a few drops of blood. After squeezing them onto the plate, he produced a pouch of the liquid. When the liquid hit her blood, it reacted violently. Bubbling wildly.

“I don’t understand.”

“I don’t much either. But I know enough, when stuff like this happens to check. If human hands have been involved, it’s,” he thought – “deadly.”

“The arrow was human hands.”

“Some how it’s different.”

“Who knows the intimate details of this stuff?”

“The three of us.” Rajaf kissed her on the forehead and left.

Kol called for Max. He stepped around one of the massive curtains. “My king.”

Kol showed him to the balcony. “Are you going to tell me what Kes said that had you so upset?”

He lowered his head. “I really don’t think I should. She was in a lot of pain. I feel like it was just a release. My king.” When Max raised his head, Kol was within a nose length of his face. He wanted to step backwards but dared not. “Please don’t order me.”

“I would have to?”

“Yes, my king.”

Kol just walked away from him. He lay back down with Kessa, drifted off to sleep with her asleep on his shoulder. He was standing in the memorial garden.

“Have you ever put flowers in here for me?”

“No.”

“I really was a bad wife.” She smirked.

“Thank you for the clue that saved Kessa.”

“I’m afraid clues are all I can give you. I have another clue.”

“Not all things are as they appear. Don’t believe the deception.”

When Kol turned she was gone. Kessa moaned, waking him up.

“Hello beautiful.”