DELIBERATION

IT WAS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME. SHE WOULD EVENTUALLY SLAY ME, AND BEYOND THAT, UNSPEAKABLE ACTS TO SATE THE HUNGER OF MALUM DEA INFERNI. MY DAYS WERE NIGHTMARISH, SPENT IN ISOLATION OR WHEN IN HER PRESENCE, ATTEMPTING TO FAKE NORMALCY. BUT NONE COULD BE FOUND. THE VOICES WERE NEAR CONSTANT, AND ALMOST SCREAMING. THEY ECHOED OFF THE COLD STONE WALLS IN A WAY THAT MADE THEIR UTTERANCES ALMOST CHORAL. IT WAS DRIVING ME MAD. SHE HAD TO HAVE KNOWN I HEARD THEM NOW, I’D FLINCH WITH EVERY WORD. SHE LOOKED ALMOST AMUSED, AS IF MY SUFFERING WAS HER DELIGHT. IT WAS ONLY WHEN I WAS SURE SHE WAS NOT WITHIN EARSHOT THAT I FELT SAFE TO PONDER MY NEXT TASK. HOW COULD I RID HER OF THIS HEX? HOW COULD I RID MYSELF OF MY FEAR OF DEATH AT HER HANDS? IT WAS CLEAR WE WERE BOTH CURSED BY THIS, BOTH BY THE DEMON THAT POSSESSED HER, AND THE LOVE THAT LED US HERE. MY ANIMUS GREW. HOW COULD I BE SO FOOLISH? I WAS A SORCERER ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT THE DEAD SHALL DEAD REMAIN, AND FAILURE TO ALLOW FOR THAT WOULD LEAD TO TRAGEDY. I COULD NOT SLINK AWAY ANY MORE. I KNEW WHAT I MUST DO.