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-10 days before the destruction of the Aspey Mortal villages
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"And move your arms too, like this," I yell across the calm lake as I swim across my arms slamming against the water as Cyra struggles, flailing her arms under the surface before breaking through the water, her brown hair sticking to her face as she frowns.
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"It doesn't work; you know I can't swim."' She whines, "I live on land; I'm not one of the merfolk." She mutters, pushing the hair out of her face.
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"Just because you're young now doesn't mean mother won't send you out for chores, which may include water, not just berries." I lecture as she groans, the stubborn sound echoing into the trees surrounding us. "Besides, the last thing I need you to do is die on my watch; come on, try again."
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Valoel Lake was always full of other kids looking for trouble or a fresh hunt in the forest. it was calm during this time but dangerous
at nightfall
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I had never ventured out of the village, nor did Cyra, for that matter. Our maps stopped at the rushing stream of water none of us had seen in person. Our teachings scared us enough to stay put here since childhood.
We had heard stories though, whispered through the halls and corridors some thought there was only an empty wasteland on the other, a haven or a burning hell
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The sun started to lower in the sky, painting the liver in highlights of orange and red. A sigh slipped past my lips.
I swim back to the grassy shore, pulling myself up from the small pool of water. ringing my wet hair out and tying on my waist corset over my damp petticoat.
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"Cyra, we should get going; it'll be sundown soon," I yell, throwing my basket over my shoulder, the weight of picked berries and bread weighing it down as I look back at the empty lake. "...Cyra?" My voice suddenly panicked. "Cyra!" I shout, my eyes wide as I spin around.
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"You know I can't swim."
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My eyes widen in horror, quickly throwing the basket down as I run into the foggy water, desperately feeling and kicking around in the water as it fills up to my neck, "Cyra." I gasp, a vine snagging unto my skirt, yanking me under as knocking the air from my lungs; water fills my ears as I pull against the sharp vine digging into my skin; my heart pounding into my chest; my lungs slowly running out of air; my hand hastily pulls up my skirt, yanking the dagger from my stockings; my body is desperately gasping for air; letting the water burn my lungs as my vision goes hazy.
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before I'm yanked back up, the vine scratching and pulling against my skin.
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"Holy Saints- Naz- Nazira!" Cyra shakes me back and forth, barely holding me up as I desperately cough up the water deep in my lungs. "I'm fine," I breathe, turning around to face her. "Where the hell were you?" She hesitates, "I was just trying to hold my breath." I pant before sighing, the cords on my corset drenched and tied. "We... have a long walk to home... Best we get back before nightfall." I gasp, treading to the shore, drying off as best as I can as Cyra ties on her overdress. We walk through the forest using the fading sunlight as a guide.
Our village was hidden deep in the forest, hidden from the rest of the world we only heard about.
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Like many of the kids my age, we always wondered about the world beyond these lands, and some left to find out for themselves.
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None came back.
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Our father was one of them.
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Obsessed with the stories of the fae." Our mother would mutter when I was only a small child. And he was.
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So, like all great and terrible ballads go, he left and paid his debt to us with his death.
The sky was scattered with stars when we finally reached Sheeckor.
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Home.
----
"You girls are insane," Ruc said, emptying our berries into the town scale and eyeing our drenched clothes.
"You're lucky we're not in the winter months—thank the Gods you haven't frozen your little sister to death."
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She says with a small smile, leaning down to Cyra's height, handing her our fair payment of coins.
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"Good job, trooper. Now go before you freeze to death out here." Ruc says, standing back up and looking around, slipping a few coins into my gown pocket, winking as she turns around, helping the next group. Cyra giggles, practically skipping down the dirt pathway. Running past me
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"Cyra-" I sigh. A small smile passes my lips.
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I hand my baskets at the front door as I step inside, placing my boots at the front door as I lock the door behind me. The house is dark except for the bathroom. lit the candles that were no doubt Cyra
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exhaustion passing through me as I pulled myself into my room, ripping off the heavy corset and wet towel, scrubbing myself with a rag and soap, pulling on a thin gown, slipping, falling onto my bed, sleep swallowing me whole before I could slip under the thin sheets.
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----
I could be crazy.
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I could be out of my mind
but after the first twenty minutes, I push myself out of bed, carefully sneaking past Cyra's door, and leaning against a nearby frame.
I peek over the door frame, the mumbled chatter barely reaching my ears.
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"Please..." my mother whispers, her voice quiet and uncertain. "I know the terms—I know what I have to finish."
Her voice fades in and out until it all goes silent. His voice is curious, almost mocking.
“And this—this is what you want? We may be powerful but not unconquerable, my dear. They could both die for that matter-"
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"I have paid my price!" She says sharply "I have done all I can"
"...Very well...." He answers, an accent foreign to me as the man walks to the doorway, his hand resting on the doorknob, the house quiet except for their breathing.
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"Then...we have a deal?" My mother whispers, her eyes fixed on the floor,
The man removes his hood, the black curls cut and trimmed as he looks over at her, his eyes green and hard.
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"We have a deal."
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He says, his eyes narrowed as he slams the door after him.
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