Jasmine pulled Samira along as she tried to get to a better spot. She could hear the party approaching from their shouting. The group must have mistaken Samira's cry for a victim. She needed to get Samira out of here. But Samira was in a weakened state. Couple that with her snake lower half, the two could not get very far.
Jasmine was doing her best, but it looked like conflict would be inevitable. She readied her poison dagger with one hand. It'd been a while since she used her poison, but it was the only thing that could even the scales. She grabbed one of Lily's enhanced poisons from her belt and fed it into the hilt of her dagger.
"No," Samira shook her head. Tears welled up in her eyes. "No more fighting. If they're here to kill me. Please… just let them."
"Never," Jasmine snapped back. "We need you."
"I'm just some freak," Samira tugged on Jasmine's hand to try to break free. "Surely there are others you-"
"Nope, Claire's Goddess insisted on you," Jasmine gritted her teeth. She could hear them calling out and getting closer. "Seriously, just hide or something."
Samira shook her head again. She didn't have the strength or will to keep going. "I can't anymore. Not after what I've done."
Jasmine sighed and let go of her hand. She turned and looked the woman directly in her eyes. They lost the purple from before and returned to those light brown, almost yellow eyes. "You didn't do anything. You were forced to use your magic. It likely saved your people's lives. You really think those thugs would let any civilians near their operation?"
Samira blinked. She couldn't really respond to what Jasmine said. "But still…"
"You likely saved their lives by making them useful to those bitches," Jasmine explained. It was a cruel way of speaking about people, but the truth. "Made them valuable to have. An obedient group of slaves that they could use however they wanted. Seems like a good reason to keep the local village alive."
Jasmine easily dodged the incoming slap from Samira. "How dare you speak of them like that!!"
"It's true," Jasmine gripped her hand again and tugged her forward. "You made them valuable to keep alive. You saved their lives."
"No!" Samira tugged away from Jasmine.
"Seriously, stop fighting back and follow me," Jasmine was getting very annoyed. She could now hear the party's footsteps as they trudged through the forest. "We need to get out of here."
"No," Samira put her entire body weight behind her. She wrapped her tail around a nearby tree in stubborn defiance. "I do not deserve to keep on going. Leave me and save yourself."
Jasmine looked up at the sky. "Just had to pick this one, huh?"
Jasmine took a very deep breath. She could use Samira as a distraction, but that risked them attacking her. It was all she could do, though, since Samira didn't look like she would budge. Jasmine shook her head and let go of Samira.
"Fine," Jasmine smiled and slipped behind a tree. "Have it your way."
Samira tried to follow Jasmine's movements, but she quickly lost her. She looked around, then turned to the approaching party, ready to accept her fate. She took a long, deep breath. She felt the pain her body was going through, the headache from lack of water, and her body screaming for food. All of it echoed in her mind as she accepted her fate.
"Hold," a voice cut through the darkness. She opened her eyes to take in the adventurers. The closest one was in full steel armor. It was well-worn, with a sword slung over her shoulder. She didn't sound out of breath at all despite the heavy armor.
"So it is a lamia," A woman popped her head out from behind the armored one. They had a different cadence and accent than Jasmine. One that sounded more elegant or fancy. "But why does she look like that?"
"Like a person?" the armored one asked.
"Yes," The other woman walked closer to Samira. She had a pointy hat and a mage's robe on. "Is it some sort of magic?"
"Couldn't you see through that?" A third woman appeared from behind them. She had leather armor on and a light shield in her left hand. "Never seen a lamia look so human before. Have you, Ariah?"
"No," A fourth woman appeared from the trees. She had a darker skin tone than the others and was wearing linen-like clothing. "The lamias back home have scales covering their entire body. This one is definitely unique."
"Weren't there tales of lamia like this from ages ago?" The mage asked as she tilted her head. She was the closest to Samira and was studying her intently. "I vaguely recall murals depicting lamias like this."
"Could be," the linen-clad woman, Ariah, shrugged. "Not sure. History wasn't really my interest."
"Well?" A fifth person appeared. This one in more regal attire. "What are we waiting for?" The woman paused and stared at Samira. "Oh. What the fuck?"
"Exactly," The mage giggled. "We're not sure about her."
"And she hasn't even hissed," The armored one chimed in. "Let alone attacked."
The regal one tilted her head. "Can you understand us?"
The mage's eyes widened, and she turned to Samira with more curiosity. "Can you?"
Samira gulped. She hesitantly nodded.
"What the fuck?" The noble-looking woman muttered.
"Interesting!" the mage moved closer. "I thought you would be different, given the clothes and your appearance. But to understand what we say? That is on a whole other level."
"Can you talk?" The regal one asked.
"I-I can," Samira mumbled. She let go of the tree that she'd been stubbornly hanging on to. "Just kill me."
"Oh?" The mage's smile grew. "You can even want to die?"
"Never heard of a monster asking to be killed," The armored woman mumbled. "What is this?"
"No idea," The mage moved closer. "But I don't think she's dangerous."
Samira's stomach tightened. A defiant thought crossed her mind. Use her magic to control these women. Show them how dangerous she was. But her body was too weak and the guilt too heavy. She could never use this magic again.
"Please," Samira pleaded. She clasped her hands together and bowed her head to the group. "Just end me. I'm not needed, nor am I safe to keep around."
"What do you think, Lady Roseline?" The armored woman asked the regal-looking woman.
"Idiot!" A sixth woman appeared. She was dressed closer to Jasmine, but had a scarf pulled up to cover her face. The moment she appeared, so did Jasmine. The two seemingly appeared from thin air for Samira. "Blow our cover harder! I told you someone was tailing us."
Jasmine held her knife in her hand. The two had postured around one another while the adventurers were talking. A silent game of positioning to protect their people. Neither one wanted to make the first move, in case they weren't hostile.
"Oh yeah," The armored woman tilted the face mask up from her helmet. "Got distracted by this lamia."
"Fucking dumbass," the assassin shook her head. She turned towards Jasmine and asked her a question, "Is it with you?"
"Yes," Jasmine hissed. "And it has a name."
"A name?!" the mage exclaimed. She scratched her chin while examining Samira. "Now that's even more rare…"
"A named monster?" The woman with the shield gasped.
Jasmine bit back a reply. She nearly spoke about Firewater and Silkie as if she were bantering with Elsie. "It's Samira. And she has a family she needs to return to."
"Hold on," The noble woman, Lady Roseline, stepped forward with her hand in the air. "You're telling me this monster has a family? Of other lamias?"
"She's not a monster," Jasmine spat back with anger that even surprised herself. "And no. She has a human family and village that misses her."
The regal woman tilted her head. "And how do we know you aren't some bandit? Or some ruffian using her for some dastardly plan?"
"You don't," Jasmine calmed down. Her eyes never left her fellow assassin. "But I can give you my word. And the word of my lover's Goddess."
"Not your own?" The assassin chided her. She lowered her scarf and exposed a fox-like smile. "Expected of an assassin."
"Hush, Quinn," Lady Roseline put a hand on her shoulder. "What Goddess are you swearing on?"
Jasmine nearly broke out into laughter. "A nameless one."