Page 49

Fish. Everywhere. She hated the smell of fish.

"This is the fishing area" Bethany's nose was also scrunched in annoyance and disgust. They were sharing similar grievances.

"Can we get out of here please" Bethany wasn't moving as if she had lost direction.

"Nope, this is where we need to be" she approached one of the merchants. They both were clad in pants and pretty vests rather than the silky dresses though Bethany never put on dresses.

"Hello, where is Raz?" the man's expression turned into that of shock before he pointed to a street.

"Let's go"

"Who's Raz?"

"An ole friend" her vile smile caught Sarin off guard. She narrowed her eyes at Beth stopping,

"You're not planning anything nefarious, are you?" Beth didn't stop so she had to catch up.

"Maybe not but am always planning something"

"Let it be something that won't risk my life or end with me having a wounded wrist" Bethany smiled.

"Bethany?"

"Its nothing concerning you Sarin, I promise" Sarin sighed but she wasn't completely convinced.

They both stopped at a house with stairs that went underground. Bethany led her in touching the walls as if feeling for something. She stopped abruptly making Sarin collapse with her back.

"What?" Bethany touched the wall with more pressure then knocked on it. There was another chamber on the wall.

Emitting purple-blue light she pushed the wall with both hands, it cracked from the inside.

Sarin stepped back. Then the wall crumbled leaving a wooden door which they both walked into a bright garden.

Beth's nose was bleeding, she was oblivious to it but wiped it with a cloth from her pocket.

"Don't touch anything no matter how beautiful or alluring it looks like, they're all poisoned"

"..."

"Would you look at that, what do you want Bethany?" Bethany's smile was brighter than the fake sun in the garden. Sarin hadn't even seen the person speaking.

"Can't I just say hello to my best friend"

"Don't give me that stupid nonsense girl, you want something and your tongue is dripping with Venom" Raz, a tall man, no that's offensive, beast appeared out of the bushes.

Sarin had to look up to his face.

Hairy face like that of a wolf, long clawy fingernails, wide eyes and crooked mouth plus a cut on his shoulder that cut across his chest.

Ugly, was what he was.

"Tell her to shut it or I'll send both of you out of here" Raz pointed his claw at Sarin who's heart pounded in slight fear.

Bethany chucked sensing Sarin's fear, "Don't fear this beast Sarin but keep your thoughts in whispers"

Raz's nostrils flared in anger. "Don't you dare call me beast" he growled.

"Calm down kitten, we just need some answers and we'll be gone before you know it" Raz's anger hadn't dissipated. They were just getting on each other's throats and Bethany was definitely winning.

"Be quick then"

"Oak harbour?"

"What about it?"

"Something people don't know about it, a secret " Bethany magically created some scissors and approached a flower and started cutting off the petals. Raz was pissed.

"It was once a battle ground and there was a mass massacre years ago" automatic answers if they continued this way she would be rid of this nonsense sooner rather than later.

"Good, Red lake?" the petals were piling up. Sarin wanted to laugh but the beast was raging red.

Raz's huge eyes narrowed, "Why are you asking that?"

"None of your business Raz now tell me what I want to know" her tone was threatening.

"Ok" he gave up, " It's where the bodies from a massacre up north were dumped, it was long ago though, it's a lake from it's tittle but for it to gain its name a queen had been dumped in there too"

"By up north you mean, Northern Dalotopia right?"

"Yes, she was an evil queen so she was killed by some prince"

"Wolves?" that was pretty basic so she didn't expect much about it. Wolves could mean literally anything.

"They were the queen's Witches wolves, she controlled them to do her will" Raz's eyes narrowed into slits, he approached Bethany who smiled at him sweetly. He pushed her away but before doing anything she said something and he froze in place.

"Thankyou Raz, you've always been a good friend and I adore you for that" she kissed his cheek and wiped her lips immediately after with the happiest grin in the world.

"Let's go Sarin, we will visit soon"

Bethany resealed the rubble of stones but not before leaving some fire burning in there.

"We have a head start now, we need to find out how two massacres and an evil queen relate to you" Bethany said pulling Sarin away from the side of the harbour away from the fishermen.

.

"What's the issue between you and Raz?" Sarin asked after the prolonged silence.

Bethany smiled, she had a pretty smile if only she smiled often, "When we were small, we struck a deal to see who would hurt each other the most, stupid deal but it has kept us connected till date"

"What did you just do now?" this must've been why she had the mischievous smile earlier.

"Burnt that place up, he was hiding from me that's why he hid that place" she laughed in amusement.

"Am a sorceress how can I miss that seriously, he underestimated me greatly" she was so proud of herself as they entered a café but the way she smiled about him raised too many questions.

"Why are you smiling so much, Bethany you'll attract unwanted attention" even the lady who had served them coffee blushed.

"I love attention, that's why plus am happy he's watching his cottage burn up and there's nothing he can do ⅖about it"

"Won't he burn too?" she asking drinking the coffee, she had never drank coffee in the mortal world but coffee was absolutely amazing.

A flash of concern passed on Bethany's features, "I can't let that happen" she said quietly while her cheeks turned the slightest shade of pink.

She liked him.

"Did you just-?" Sarin smiled at her observation.

"Don't even think of saying it Sarin, let's go actually I miss ice cream" she dropped the tea and walked out leaving Sarin with a smile.

She had something to taunt Bethany with.