The artwork above is not mine.

•~ ❘ ۞ ❘ ~•

    Evren made her way towards the village, letting cold anger pool in her stomach. Asper maintained a quick pace and they reached the village by the time the moon had risen. Evren dismounted and tied him to a tree just beyond the village.

    She continued to the village on foot. According to Eris' report, her target was another Lesser Fae female. A Fire Sprite, specifically. That explained why the village had been burned. The report said she'd been spotted in the village again. She would likely be gone by now, but Evren could begin her hunt here regardless.

    She scanned the ruined village, looking for signs of the Sprite. Skeletons of buildings remained. The bodies had long since crumbled to ash. Evren's thoughts began to roam as her feet did.

    That look Eris had given her when she came down the stairs, dressed in Illyrian leathers...she'd recognized it. He'd seen something he liked. He'd seen her. And yet, she hadn't felt threatened by his gaze.

    It was similar to the ones Cadoc had given her, but different somehow. He'd been trying to hide that look from her. Whether it was because he didn't want her to know what had gone through his mind or because he didn't want to make her uncomfortable, she didn't know.

    She hadn't minded his gaze, though. He didn't have that predatory gleam in his eye. That gleam that said he would take what he wanted whether she liked it or not. Even at Rita's, she hadn't felt threatened. Not when she saw him take in the dress she wore. Not when they'd danced. Not when he'd pulled her a little closer after she laughed. She had laughed. Eris had made her laugh. Twice. Evren's stomach fluttered.

    A twig snapped nearby and she jerked herself out of her thoughts. Evren pressed her back against a half crumbled brick wall. There was a faint glow in the street beyond. She drew Mortem. One more life. One more mark of revenge, but not just for her parents. A mark of revenge for the child that had been slaughtered.

    Evren poked her head around the corner. There was the Fire Sprite, drifting in between ruined houses. Embers and sparks trailed in her wake. Her entire body glowed brighter than a star. She wore no clothes. Her flames would have consumed them if she had. Her hair floated atop her head like the light from a candle. Her eyes were molten gold.

    She dropped into a clearing. Small puffs of smoke billowed beneath her feet. "I smell you," she cooed. "Or rather, I smell the absence of scent where you are. You're a sneaky one, hiding your scent from Fae. The Wraith, I presume?"

    Evren didn't answer. She crept around her hiding spot and began to circle closer to the Sprite. "I know the High Lord sent you to kill me," the Fire Sprite cooed. "How quickly your Human flesh will burn in my hand. Will the High Lord retaliate when he discovers you dead? I must have struck a nerve with him if he's eager to have me killed this quickly."

    "You burned an entire village of innocent people," Evren spat. "His people."

    "His, yes, but not yours. You're a Fae killer. Don't you hate us all?"

    "Most, but not all. I do not wish death upon those who don't deserve it."

    "How do you know I do deserve it?"

    "You burned this village. You still support Beron Vanserra. I'd say that is worthy of death."

    "What if I told you I didn't act alone?" The Sprite asked.

    "What do you mean?" Evren continued to inch closer.

    "Our attacks are not random. We do not act alone. Loyalists work together. We have common allies and a common goal." The Sprite grinned. "We have a common leader."

    "Who?"

    "Why would I tell you? You'll just tell the High Lord and kill them."

    "If you won't tell me, I'll find someone else who will." Evren leaped into the open. The Sprite vanished into a cloud of smoke.

    Evren gazed around the village, waiting. She gripped Mortem tightly. She saw a flicker of firelight from the corner of her eye. "They call you a monster," the Sprite laughed in her ear.

    Evren whirled, but she'd already vanished. "Who?"

    "Everyone." Her voice seemed to come from everywhere at once. "They call you heartless. A ghost made of stone. You don't laugh. You don't smile. You don't feel. You just kill and kill and kill."

    Evren spun again, slashing her blade through the air. The Sprite yelped and smoke drifted around Evren. "The world turned me into this," Evren hissed. "Fae turned me into this."

    "I admire your reputation. No one escapes you. No one but me."

    Evren didn't move. She closed her eyes, listening. She might not have a Fae's sharp senses, but her own served her well enough. She could hear the faint crackle of flames close by.

    "You will not escape me," Evren whispered.

    "No, it is you who will not escape me!" The Sprite screamed. Fire roared behind her and Evren ducked. The Sprite sailed over her head.

    Evren lashed out with Mortem, managing to cut the Sprite's arm. The Fire Sprite rounded on her, eyes snapping with fury. She lunged at Evren with her scalding hands outstretched. Evren cried out as the Sprite grabbed her by the wrists, forcing her backwards. Pain lacerated through her arms.

    Evren gritted her teeth, pushing Mortem closer to the Sprite. The Fire Sprite began to pull away, but Evren grabbed her by the arm. She ignored the fresh pain that scorched through her hand. Evren jerked the Sprite towards her and dug Mortem into the Sprite's neck. Gold blood spurted from the wound. Evren withdrew Mortem, then slashed the Fire Sprite's throat.

    She dragged the convulsing creature outside of the village. A small stream bubbled nearby. Evren dumped the corpse into the water. Steam rose from the creek bed with a hiss. The Sprite struggled for a few seconds longer, then fell limp. Gold blood shimmered in the moonlit water. Evren wiped Mortem clean, then stumbled back to Asper, clutching her hands to her chest.

•~ ❘ ۞ ❘ ~•

    Eris was still awake when Evren returned. He took one look at her pained features and summoned a healer. Evren gritted her teeth as he took one of her hands and inspected the burns around her wrist.

    "She's dead. I slit her throat and dumped her in a stream," Evren rasped. "That's not all." She yelped as Eris touched the burns. He glanced at her worriedly and let go. Evren dropped into a chair. "She said the Loyalists have a common goal and a common leader. Their attacks don't come at random."

    A healer emerged from the back of the house. She took Evren's hands gently. Yellow magic swirled around her fingertips and Evren's burns. Evren's features relaxed as the healing magic did its job.

    "I'll start looking into it," Eris promised. "Did the Sprite say anything else?"

    Evren hesitated. "She talked about me. She called me a heartless unfeeling monster. Apparently, I've played my part well. I don't believe anyone will ever see me as anything else." He noticed the hint of sorrow in her voice. The healer released her and Evren stood. She made her way up the stairs without another word.

•~ ❘ ۞ ❘ ~•

    Evren's days took on a new pattern in the following days. She hunted and killed when Eris told her to. She rode Asper daily. Sometimes Celosia accompanied her. She spent an hour or two on Eris' piano lessons, and then another hour with her own dancing lessons.

    Try as she might, she couldn't seem to laugh again. She was caught in a tide of emptiness and couldn't shake it. She stared out the window absentmindedly while Eris played through a simple song.

    He paused halfway through it. "Are you all right?" She nodded silently, still looking out the window. "What are you looking at?"

    "There's a butterfly," Evren murmured. An orange butterfly hovered just outside the window. "I was thinking about how short and empty its life is. It only lives for about three weeks. It starts out as an ugly little caterpillar, then becomes a butterfly. It doesn't remain a butterfly long enough to truly appreciate it, though. The butterfly lays its eggs, then dies. It is a creature meant to be admired and then forgotten."

    Eris watched her quietly. Evren couldn't make herself look at him. She felt so empty. She knew her eyes portrayed that feeling. Empty and cold and dark. "A creature like me," she whispered. "Born to live and die. Born to kill and die. Born to be forgotten. We die before we have a chance to live. I have never lived."

    "Then start," Eris said.

    She faced him, finally. "I don't know how, and what would be the point?"

    "You won't die forgotten and you won't die hated. And you do know how. I saw you live while we were in the Night Court. You laughed."

    "And I haven't laughed since." Eris stood and rested a hand on her waist. She took up her own position and they began to run through the dance movements Eris had been teaching her. She half closed her eyes. "I can't feel anything these days. I feel so empty." So broken. So alone. So forgotten. And she had only herself to blame.

    Eris shoved her suddenly. Evren started, pulling away from him. He shoved her again. "What the hell?" Evren snapped. "What are you doing?"

    "Stop feeling sorry for yourself," Eris sneered. "You look pathetic."

    "I'm not feeling sorry for myself!" He shoved her again. "Touch me like that one more time..." Evren growled.

    "And you'll what? This room is warded. If you try to harm me, you'll be stuck." Eris stalked towards her. Evren stumbled backwards. "How pathetic."

    "Don't touch me," she shouted as he reached for her again.

    "Stop me," he taunted. Evren knocked his hand aside and ducked around him. Eris made a grab for her. She dodged again. Cool metal slid onto her wrist.

    "Leave me alone! What are you doing?"

    Eris slipped past her guard and shoved her again. Her back slammed into a wall. Panic flooded her mind. Evren balled her hands into fists as Eris came closer. He raised his hand and she landed a solid blow to his jaw.

    Eris staggered back, coughing. "How dare you!" Evren was panting. Her limbs shook with fear and rage. "How dare you touch me like that!"

    Eris straightened. The cruel gleam in his eye was gone. He grinned, backing away. "Are you feeling something?" He asked.

    Evren stared at him, forcing herself to gulp down even breaths. "You attacked me just to make me feel something?" She pushed herself away from the wall and slapped him. "How dare you? You're a sick bastard!"

    "And you no longer feel empty."

    Evren opened her mouth to reply, then paused. It was true. Instead of that cold emptiness, she now felt burning anger. She glanced at her wrist. Her bracelet covered it. He'd returned it so she could pass through his wards and hit him. Eris gave her a self satisfied smirk. Evren shouldered past him, refusing to acknowledge his success.