Everything in the house was creating eerie shadows, adding to the absurdity of the situation. Ahriana had been prepared for Fairsh, having visited more times than she could count in recent months. He had caught her off guard only once, since then she was always ready to see his face at her door. Since then Ahriana had managed to avoid him every other time without fail.
Ahriana had been given no warning that Marabeth would ever speak to her, much less come to her home in the dead of night out for vengeance she didn't deserve. Based on Meekah's reaction he had known, and that made Ahriana more than a little irritated. She could have been far better prepared had he for once stopped trying to protect her and just told her the truth. Lately Meekah had taken to making choices based on what he perceived to be her fragility. Now it had endangered her.
Marabeth stared at Ahriana with narrowed eyes, trying to judge if Ahriana was telling her the truth, or lying to make her leave. She must have decided it had to be the former because she began another tirade.
"Oh I know where he is, he is in the tavern drinking over his undying love for you." She took a few steps closer to Ahriana, the pupils in her eyes pulsing with pure insanity. Her chest heaved like she had been running a race and her hands shook.
Ahriana was stunned at her words, Fairsh didn't drink. The one time she could recall had made him swear it would be his last, the following day he hadn't wanted to move. Marabeth was more than far enough into her pregnancy to need help in their home. Why would he drink now when she needed him most?
If she ever spent time in the market Ahriana would have heard the rumors. Marabeth had been struggling for weeks as Fairsh left her as often as he possibly could. At first Marabeth had thought his need for keeping appearances would make him come home before the sun set, and for a while it did. It wasn't long though before he had somehow caught sight of Ahriana and now he came home for a few hours and slept in a chair by the fireplace. Marabeth was going more insane each day; it was an uncontrollable feeling that had brought her to Ahriana's house in a rage.
"I didn't know Marabeth, however I still don't understand why you are here."
Ahriana's voice almost carried the weight of an apology. She almost managed to evoke some kind of sympathy for Marabeth's plight. Marabeth knew Ahriana hated her as much as she did. They would never shed a tear over the pain of the other, the hatred was burned into their souls, by forces neither of them understood, or could control.
Marabeth made a sound that reminded Ahriana of a growl, like an animal snared in a trap. It was crazed and vengeful.
"I have been thinking these last few weeks about this, quite a lot actually. I have plenty of time since Fairsh is never home, he cannot even manage to look at me without hatred in his eyes. You see he can't seem to let go of you, what the two of you claim to have had or been. Even if it goes against every law and the instincts of our kind. That does not seem to matter, so I realized if you are no longer here he has nothing to hold on to, and must love me."
Marabeth radiated pure evil as she pulled what looked like to Ahriana to be a black dagger. That didn't seem quite possible because Marabeth had no training with a weapon, carrying one would be pointless. Ahriana couldn't see it clearly because of the depth of darkness that filled her home. It appeared to be made with some sort of black metal. There was something foreboding about it. When the moon glanced its blade while peeking from behind a deep cloud spearing a beam through the still open door, the metal shone in an unnatural way. There was no reflection of light, it was drawn immediately into the black surface, and it had a faint matte glow that seemed to waver as if trying to wiggle away from the rays of the moon.
Ahriana had never seen any metal reflect light in that way. She grew cold and her muscles ached just at the sight of it. She felt her arms and legs begin to tremble and had to focus to keep herself upright.
Ahriana staggered back away from Marabeth, stumbling into her counter and knocking over a vase full of wildflowers. It shattered to the ground, water and glass scattering. Ahriana reeled away, walking into the glass. She hissed as her feet were sliced open but still she managed to back away towards the front door.
Marabeth smiled again, this time the moon was shining on her face and Ahriana could see her eyes were black, the same matte color of the blade on the dagger.
GET OUT OF THE HOUSE AHRIANA RUN