Chapter 58

Much to the surprise of the three companions, Carmen resumed her position at the altar. The mass of dark matter reformed the lethally beautiful woman. "It's not as fun as it used to be, messing with you mortals. Yet as an agent of the darkness, I am obligated to do so." She glared at Aurelia, "Who would've thought the woman would prove the most resilient against my little games."

Gael threw a loose stone at the entity wrapped around the altar. It phased through the being amid cruel cackles of Carmen, "Oh, does that hurt your pride? Awe, poor macho sailor man, shown up by a woman."

"It has nothing to do with Aurelia. You teased me about my past and then left me hanging. You spoke about things I didn't know and then stopped just when you got the good part," Gael clenched his fists and raised them.

"Oh, poor little sailor man, ignorant of his heritage and who he is. I can't wait for you to find out. Unfortunately, I am only allowed to reveal so much, cosmic rule of order and all that," The shadows oozed and writhed into a simple black throne adorned with death moths, "Now, as for why you are here, I will be the one to make your little bottles."

Zinjo scoffed, "How do we know you tell the truth? You and Kivuli have a lot in common," Zinjo kept the partisan trained on their magical frenemy.

"Kivuli?" Carmen's eyes lit up with excitement, "Is he still wandering Kiazangi?"

"As far as I know," Zinjo clenched his teeth. Aurelia sensed the growing rage in Zinjo's voice. She moved in front of him and put her hands on the large man's chest. "Aurelia, you heard what it said about..."

Aurelia pressed her lips against his and let the kiss hang for ten seconds, "Zinjo, every girl dreams about the day a man gives up almost everything to be with them. I don't have to dream anymore. I have you."

"Do shut up, all of you," Carmen's pleasant tone went harsh and void-like, "The longer you stay, the more I have to play with those pretty little noggins of yours. So keep your mouths closed, and we'll get out of this without coming to blows."

Zinjo, Aurelia, and Gael all took a seat on a grim pew near the altar. The mass of shadow swirled and reformed in front of them. Carmen floated back and forth, "Before any of you ask, I was human at one time, and yes, I practiced dark magic."

"Then why aren't you out causing chaos like the others?" Aurelia dared to ask.

Carmen stopped and giggled, "My situation is unique," once more, the blackened chair rose from the puddle of darkness for the void queen to sit. Carmen sat on it with a regal air. "While the others tried to spread their chaos by getting killed, I chose to remain whole and torment this island."

"Why would you do that?" Gael shifted uncomfortably in his seat. The Al' Miraj glowered at the dark queen. The horn flashed in a warning. "Easy little guy, the worst is over, or at least I hope it is."

"You know the old saying: hell hat no fury...you know the rest. I was the personification of that statement. I had it all, the nice house, the handsome husband, and more money than I knew what to do with."

"How did you lose him?" Aurelia's curiosity got the better of her on the last sentence uttered from Carmen's midnight lips.

"How does one lose a good man? It started with that hussy Ursula down in the market. She and my husband grew up together. I made sure their budding romance never came to fruition. I used my vast arsenal of feminine tricks to win him away from the lowly soap maker.

"Twisting a man through his desires is not magic. When did you start dabbling in the dark?" Zinjo demanded.

After our second year of marriage, "He began to regret the decadent lifestyle we had built together. I couldn't lose him. He was mine and no one else's. I turned to magic to make him forgot the little bitch in the market."

Gael started to laugh, "You did all of this because of one man? I have a little more respect for Kivuli now."

Cold humorless laughter filled the air, "It is the pettiest things that lead into the darkness of one's soul. I assure you Kivuli did equally petty things on his journey." She waved a hand, and a shadowy hand clapped against Gael's mouth, "No more talking for you."

Zinjo's hand moved to the partisan, and Aurelia smacked it, "No, Carmen has information we need. I am sure Gael will survive the indignity of this incident."

"She is trying to trick us," Zinjo argued.

"Silly alley cat, if I wanted you all dead, you would not be sitting here to hear my tale," Carmen's facade faded and revealed the twisted face beneath the beautiful veneer. Bands of dark matter held them fast to the pew. "That's better," Carmen cleared her throat, "I tried every spell to erase the harlot from his mind, but every time he met Ursula, he'd greet her with that wretched look in his eye and how I hated it."

"Can we get to the pertinent information?" Aurelia asked, "We already saw the carvings and mosaics. You died and tormented the townspeople until they turned on themselves."

"My evil was so great the higher powers anointed me as a minor deity and priestess of the dark. I am the only one who can forge the bottles. You owe me the next time you pass through here, and you will stop by here because who else would make the bottles?" Carmen laughed as Zinjo's face fell, "Don't worry, alley cat, I'd prefer to torment the sailor. His confusion makes him more fun than both of you combined."

"I'll get a little slap on the wrist for it, but beware the far east things have drastically changed in that area. I'd be surprised if you made it at all. Do keep your weapons at the ready when your there." She turned her head skyward, "You must leave. I have some unsavory guests coming." She glared at the horned rodent at her feet. "You and I will have it out, you ridiculous ball of fur."

Carmen raised her hands, and every dark corner of the temple responded to her commands. Bands of darkness took them at breakneck speeds through the poisoned land to the beach where the rowboat waited for them.

Aurelia, Zinjo, and Gael all stared at the forest just beyond the shore, "All in favor of never coming back here unless we have to?" Gael asked. Zinjo and Aurelia raised their hands, "That's what I thought. Let's get back to the ship."