The Garnet Dagger Read Free Page A

howls made me grit my teeth. A faint murmuring filtered through the walls. Nivel.
    I swung open the door as Nivel waited for a guard to step aside. His white robes billowed around his ankles as he strode inside.
    The door shut behind him.
    “What news of my mother and father?” I reached out to snatch his arm, but then dropped my hand.
    Nivel sat down with a flourish of his robe. “Don’t crank an old man’s neck. Sit.”
    He waited until I sat across from him with a huff.
    “The council challenged your father for his grievous wrong.”
    I opened my mouth to protest, but he raised a hand.
    “No time for arguments. Your father confessed, but only to not explaining to you. Believed the prophecies he read aloud when you were younger would thwart any attempts to leave the safety of the circle of trees.”
    If anything, his warnings had set my determination to explore the world of mankind.
    “The elders have decided his punishment. You’ve less than a year, eight months, to complete this quest and find the witch. A temporary banishment if you fulfill the prophecies.”
    Banishment. I was forsaken by my lands and family for what I’d become, unfortunate in my fate, tossed out of Tamlon, the great tree city, like crumpled leaves. Pleading would bring no remorse from them. Nor would I beg.
    In that moment, I could have staged my revenge. Torn the limbs off all opposers, even made myself king. However, then I would’ve given into my new nature, confirmed the beast within. Desperation thrust upon others to kill me.
    Fitting punishment, they’d call it. Lack of sympathy turned me cold.
    Outside, any others would shun me at best. Punished for what I became — what I was.
    “And then?” Acid crept into my throat.
    “Your father and mother will be executed.”
    “Why are you punishing them for my crime? Spare them and take my life here and now.”
    “No that would be too easy.” Jaris folded his arms. “The only way to save them is to follow the prophecy.”
    “But how am I to find this witch and kill her?” The thought of forced exploration sent a chill down my spine.
    During my brief encounters with mankind, I saw the blackened flesh of burned witches on display. Witch trials spread through the countryside leaving some villages with only men. Even children were not spared. I dreaded to think what humans would do if they found out I was not one of them.
    “Can’t tell you.” His white eyebrow rose. “It’s to the Dark One to determine the prophecy, and fulfill his destiny.”
    “Withered roots.” I shot him a glare. “I can’t roam through the world of mankind chopping down every woman I see.”
    “Watch your tongue with curses,” he sighed, his shoulders slumped. “I’ll tell you what has been passed down to me through the Ancients.”
    I leaned forward. His words would help me. I imagined the witch would have some marking. A scar on her hand or face. Or perhaps which village she lived in. A name.
    “The witch will be a human. A virgin. Her full power will come with her first bleeding.”
    “That’s it?” I grumbled under my breath. “Must I walk to every girl and ask if she’s bled yet?” My voice bounded off the walls.
    Nivel smiled and I wanted to smack him. Instead, I leaned back holding my knees down to keep from springing up. His hand dove within the folds of his robe.
    “This will aid you.” He held a jeweled silver dagger. A dark red gem covered the handle. “Touch this to the witch. But she must have reached her magic, with the coming of her first blood. The garnet will shine, signaling she’s the one.”
    Unable to answer I held out my hand. The dagger felt heavy and cool in my palm.
    “You must pierce her heart, and spill her blood upon the ground.”
    I swallowed at the vision of plunging this blade into a human’s heart. “Can you give me nothing else? No name or anything?”
    “Given all I can,” he said holding up his hands. “Pack quickly. The elders are on their way to