14. Terracotta Heart

                                    

                                          
Garth moved to the upper deck. Lily drove the ship and Zekeao conversed with her.
                          
"Where's Robin?" Garth asked the two, interrupting their conversation. Zekeao gave a childish smile.
                          
"Looking for her already?" Zekeao asked Garth.
                          
"She's not in her room." Garth stated seriously.
                          
"Maybe-"
                          
"She's not on the boat!" Garth continued.
                          
Garth moved to the back of the boat, ducking under the clothing wire. He peered over the rail.
                          
"What?" Zekeao spoke, moving away from Lily. "She is not going to be over the ledge."
                          
"She's sly, General," Garth said, scanning around the water below. "She used her magic on me last night. I had no control over myself—she forced me to sit with her."
                          
"It seemed like you were doing it voluntarily," Zekeao said.
                          
"It felt like a dream," Garth admitted, "dreams always feel like a predetermined ride—I let it go without resisting, but I woke up and noticed her bed was still missing—it was not a dream."
                          
"So where do you think she is?" Lily asked, entering the conversation behind Zekeao.
                          
"Lily!?" Garth turned to the girl. "Does she have any spells that make her disappear?"
                          
"The only thing close that I can think of is her astral projection," Lily answered, "but that doesn't make her disappear, only place a projection of herself somewhere else."
                          
"No that's not it then," Garth spoke frustrated. Garth pushed off the railing and ran down the stairs.
                          
Fire burned in his heart, he was played like a puppet and he didn't like being anyone's puppet. Garth bashed open every door and searched tirelessly around every room. He pushed crewmates away from him, clearing his path wherever he went. Garth met with the bottom of the boat. Stacks of barrels of food surrounded him.
                          
"ROBIN!" He yelled, echoing throughout the entire ship.
                          
Garth threw barrels around, causing concern in the upper floors.
                          
"Garth!" Zekeao instructed, standing behind the doorway. "Stop this immediately!"
                          
"You don't understand, General," Garth quivered, "I want her dead now!"
                          
"Don't you think you are overreacting?" Zekeao moved through the arch. "There seemed to be no harm to you in the end."
                          
"She's playing with my mind," Garth said, grabbing at his eyes. "It's the worst kind of damage."
                          
"Maybe she wasn't trying to harm you," Zekeao spoke soft.
                          
Garth removed his hands from his face. He opened his eyes and looked at Zekeao, but a horrific view took his place. Zekeao's skin melted off him, like a monkey suit taken off, Robin stood in the costume.
                          
"Maybe I was trying to connect to you better," Robin admitted.
                          
"I'm going to kill you!" Garth yelled in his rage.
                          
Garth charged at the sorceress grabbing a barrel and holding it high above his head. Robin flicked her wrist slamming the door shut with magic and sealing it locked with a spell. Garth swung down on Robin crushing her with the barrel. The bottom of the barrel broke and potatoes rolled out onto Robin's body on the floor. Garth jumped on her limp body and choked her furiously.
                          
Blood washed down her face through the gnash in her forehead from the edge of the barrel. Her eyes twinkled with delight.
                          
"You enjoy this?" Robin asked, having no problem speaking with thumbs against her throat. "Do it then. Kill me!" Robin relaxed her body against Garth's hands.