XXXVII. Twice Bound

                                    

                                          
"You're in danger."
	I whip my head around violently, trying to figure out where the haunting voice is coming from. It's dark and damp, the air heavy with desperation.
	"Mila," she rasps again, but I can barely hear her. "The Albrecht curse..."
	"Althea?" I call out. I take a step forward, my eyes straining to make out the bloodsorcerer's blurry form in the flickering candle light.
	"If you use the Niraki..." she trails off again, her sentence ending in a terribly wet cough that has my toes curling inside of my boots.
	I kneel down, finally locating the woman hidden behind a pile of crumbling bricks. I reach a hand out to help ease Althea's ailment but it doesn't really do much. 
	Althea snaps her head up suddenly, her icy eyes finding mine in the darkness. They shine with a strange orange glow– something tells me it's not just the fading candle in the bloodsorcerer's trembling grip.
	She studies me for a while, although it looks more like she's trying to remember where she is. I frown worriedly. She doesn't look well.
	"Why won't you listen to me, child?" Althea snaps, her voice growing angrier. "I have done everything I can. I have sent you–" She cuts herself off, falling into another sickening coughing fit. Finally, she continues. "I have told you exactly what to do and yet you cannot follow simple instructions."
	I feel my resolve harden, my brows furrowing as my sympathy easily morphs into frustration. "I have listened to you," I argue. "You told me to take the Niraki. You said I would need them, but you've refused to tell me what for. You said to find the Wise Woman, so I did. What more do you want from me?" 
	I stand up, scrambling to my feet. I can't do this anymore– I need sleep. As I turn away, Althea grabs my wrist, tugging hard enough to pull me to my knees again.
	"You are foolish," she spits vehemently. "You do not understand the forces you are playing with."
	Her eyes burn brighter, the orange taking over until there's no more trace of blue. I turn away, trying to pry my arm back, but her grip tightens until I can't feel my fingers anymore.
	"Althea," I protest.
	She doesn't listen. The bloodsorcerer glares harshly as the air around us begins to shimmer with magic. I swallow thickly– the amount of power she wields is almost unbearable. The magic continues to increase as I squeeze my eyes shut. I will myself to wake up, but nothing seems to work.
	"Stop it!" I plead. The magic is starting to enter my blood. It's an uncomfortable feeling. I don't know how much longer I'll be able to bear it. "Please!"
	Althea simply smiles, her wicked features stealing the darkness from the room. "This is the only way," she whispers. "Don't worry– It'll be quick."
	I stare at the woman, my heart rate spiking as the panic settles in. 
She's completely unhinged, I realize. What happened to her?
I yank my hand away again, but Althea refuses to let go. I cry out as a wave of pain shoots through my arm.
"No!" I scream. "Help me, please!"
 I don't know who I'm calling out for, but it seems to help either way. I continue my pleading while the pain slowly fades. For a brief moment, I panic again, wondering if Althea's magic is slowly killing me. And then I hear a voice.
"Mila."
It sounds like Noelani.
I open my eyes, my heart still pounding as I take in my surroundings. I'm back in my cabin– it's the middle of the night. I'm safe.