4. Magic

~Helen~

I halted mid-swing before my blade could pierce through her skin...again.

The pungent stench of blood roiled my stomach. I had never hurt anyone, never killed. Learning how to fight was only for my survival; I hadn't even sparred with the guards of Welford because I somehow managed to escape. ... I wouldn't have to start with this girl.

Her eyes were closed, her lashes so long they fluttered down her cheek. She clutched the artifact tightly, willing to sacrifice her life. My gaze softened as I watched her, drinking in her features. Something in me nagged, warning me that if I hurt her, I'd regret it.

"Heavens."

This won't work. There's no way I can kill her to get the gold, but if I don't take it... My eyes burned with pain as I thought of my mother, my people. No...

"Please," I whispered, my voice barely recognizable - soft and unfamiliar. But I had no choice; if I couldn't bring myself to hurt her, I had to plead. "A whole lot relies on that gold - my family, the humans who have no support against the night creatures." My teeth clenched as I thought of them and the power they wielded over us.

Daisy's eyes snapped open, filled with fear and pain, but they soon flashed with resilience - a sign that she wouldn't give up easily. I'd seen those eyes before, in myself. They were the same eyes I had when the guards marched around our doorsteps, searching for their next scapegoat to exploit for the vampires' gain. All I could think about in that moment was to crush, to harm.

Looking at her now, I knew she had placed her life on the line, ready to risk it for the gold, just as I had risked mine by climbing roofs and jumping over this mountain.

The night wind sent its coldness, the chill seeping into my wound, and I winced, clutching my knees with a gasp.

She must have noticed the wound, for she stepped forward, raising her hand to touch me, but I backed off, shooting glares at her. If she wanted to help me, she'd have to surrender the gold.

"I can help you," she said, her voice laced with kindness, same look in my mother's eyes when she used to comb my hair.

"I don't need your help," I grimaced, looking away from her and staring at the tree bark behind her. Green vines crawled over it like snakes. Leaves sprouted out, dancing with the wind, coming alive. It was a stark contrast to the deserted streets of Welford Slum, where trees hardly grew – a testament to the poverty we faced.

"I need the gold," I said, meeting her eyes. In those eyes, kindness danced, and I didn't want to fall for it. The pain in my leg receded to the back of my mind, and I stood up straight; there was no time to waste. I needed to return to the slum and find a buyer for the gold. It was the only way I could survive, the only way I could buy medicine for my mother. "It's of utmost importance," I reminded her, stretching out my hand. "We can find something better for you, but I won't easily give up this gold. I've risked my life for it."

"You don't understand," she pleaded, her eyes beseeching. For the first time, she took my hand, and I felt a shock like electricity coursing through me. "This artifact is no ordinary treasure. It's powerful."

I knew she must be telling the truth; of course, she would. The evidence of her transformation from a rabbit to a human was convincing enough, but despite believing her, I just couldn't come to terms with it, not so easily. There was no way I was returning to any noble's home in town to steal a gold imagery worth hundreds of gold coins, not with guards stationed everywhere, looking for me.

"We can talk this through," I tried to reason with her. "There must be another way."

Her hand left mine, and she stepped back, her eyes growing wide with horror as she watched me. Her lips parted, but then her eyes softened, and she stared at the imagery in her hand. "There is no other way," she murmured. Her gaze then shifted towards the moon, as if she could converse with it.

Daisy dropped to her knees and clasped her hands together. Her lips began to move, and her eyes closed, as if she were in the midst of an incantation.

"What are you doing?" I asked, confused by this sudden ritual. She looked utterly surreal, supreme in her form.

No answer came from her; she was so fixated on her task that she barely noticed me. I looked around, and the darkness had engulfed the mountains. Only the moonlight brought forth a faint glow. My ears perked up as I strained to listen for any noise or footsteps, but it was silent. The whispering from Daisy was the only sound of the night.

"Daisy," I called out her name for the first time, but just as before, she was fixated on the task at hand. "Listen," I continued, ignoring her strange prayers. I didn't believe in gods or supernatural beings; they had never truly come to my aid any way. "We need to leave this place before someone comes. Like I said, we can talk this through, but not here, not right now, when the guards are looking for me."

No reply.

A growl escaped my lips. Fine, if she was going to be stubborn, I'd better take my chance now. And so I stepped forward, one leap at a time, my aim to get the artifact. But when I got closer to her, the ground became foreign beneath my feet, soft like I was moving on a fluffy surface instead of the rocky mountain.

The artifact glowed, and I stepped back, gasping at the sight. Must be the moonlight, I thought. But then something strange happened: Daisy's hair began to glow around her, radiating an ethereal aura that serenaded her appearance.

White curls floated in the air, spreading out rays of light that captured her face, illuminating her features and bringing them to life. I caught my breath at the sight; it was as if I had just been swept into a dream.

"This can't be real!" I exclaimed.

But what if it was? What if what she said about the artifact was true? Was magic really real?

Just before I could process what was happening, the light vanished, the artifact stopped glowing, and her eyes snapped open. She didn't look up at me; instead, her shoulders slumped, and she whispered, "I can't. My magic is gone."

Something in her voice moved me to speak before I could even process my thoughts. "Daisy, did you see it?" I asked excitedly. She looked up immediately, and I gave her a nod. "I felt magic; I saw it in your hair. It glowed like the night moon."

She frowned. "How is that possible? I felt nothing," she said, staring at herself in confusion. Then she shook her head. "No, my powers are gone."

I stepped closer, intending to comfort her, to reassure her that her magic still lived within her. But then the realization struck, and my fingers dug into my palm. She had been right all along about the artifact and its power. As long as the artifact remained in her presence, it would amplify her magic. But could I easily let it go?

Dried leaves rustled as Daisy stood up, clutching the artifact. Her eyes scanned the surroundings, narrowing as she observed. Then they began to widen with fear. Before I could ask what was wrong, she seized my wrist and dragged me. "Quick," she breathed, "we must hide. Someone is coming."