Lunar's Curse

So was that what happened? Was that why Amanda's death autopsy said that she had died hours ago even when I clearly heard her well and alive only a few minutes before? Was that why Xavier didn't catch me while I was in the garden? Because I was part of the future?

There were so many questions spinning around in my head but one statement stood out the most: I had to get out of here now or risk being killed on the spot. As the students left obediently to who knows where, Evan hurried over to Xavier, his expression eager. “How did I do?” he asked him.

“Good,” Xavier said. Evan beamed, bowed and shouted thank yous as we left the auditorium, looking like a complete fool.

When we were out of sight, Rina burst into laugher. She had been rolling her eyes the entire time with Evan. It was clear that she felt that everyone else below her Princess status was inferior to her. “Always kissing up, those commoners,” she said. “It's entertaining yet sickening at the same time.”

“Not everyone can be as sophisticated as us,” Xavier agreed. Then he turned to look at me, “Did you find that entertaining?”

He was talking about the slide show. I adverted my eyes from his red ones and stared straight ahead, not wanting him to catch fear in my expression. In truth, the slide show had really scared me. I knew there were a lot of Vampires, I just didn't know that there were so many. “What point were you trying to prove?” I asked, my voice just above a whisper.

“That you cannot escape from us. We are much more powerful than humans will ever be.” I was silent as we continued to walk back to the area of my room. I hoped that Quatan was there and not running amok. I wanted someone to confide in and I doubted that Xavier would like me chat with my friends in the dungeons again. I also wanted to tell Quatan that I was a Djamphir. I didn't care if that repulsed it—this could be beneficial to our escape. My father was a Sorcerer and my mother was a Lamia and I had my grandmother's bracelet. I couldn't be useless.

I was beginning to get another headache as we drew closer to the room that Xavier had given me. I wondered if this was Eternal's doing again but she was silent. The headache had spread from my head to my neck, down to my chest and down my arms and legs. But the squeezing was no longer painful. It had lost the pain and was becoming a little like electrical sparks energizing the rest of my body.

I felt strangely revitalized and stood up straighter as we walked on. Suddenly, the feeling that I could do anything, my moral boosted.

Until I saw him.

Standing in front of an inconspicuous wooden door that I would have ignored completely if Xavier had not been standing there talking to the guards.

I quickly looked over my shoulder at the Xavier standing beside me but he looked as confused as I felt. The guards whom the other Xavier was talking to stopped talking and looked back and front between the two Xaviers.

“I believe that I was talking,” the other Xavier said, having the same haughty and arrogant voice as the real one.

“Y-your highness?” a guard asked, sounding utterly confused. This was when the Xavier beside the guards turned to look at us with deep red eyes, a frown upon his face. But for a moment, there was another colour flashing in his eyes—blue. This was when I knew it was Quatan.

So this was what Quatan meant by an idea. It was good—Quatan got everything right including Xavier's clothes. Not to mention his arrogant personality.

“Seize the impostor!” Xavier and Quatan commanded at the same time, their voices mingling together. They both scowled at each other and Rina gripped Xavier's arms while looking back and front between the two. I made no moment for the fear that I would reveal Quatan for who he was. But Xavier—the real one—narrowed his eyes and there was a ripple through the air.

Quatan was unmasked. His Xavier guise simply faded away and his blue eyes, caramel skin, and brown hair was back once more. The crown must have been a manifestation because it had disappeared the moment Xavier unmasked him. Though the 'Xavier' clothes he was wearing was still there.

And instead of looking freakishly commanding, Quatan looked cute.

No time to ogle at boys! “Quatan!” I said, suddenly feeling angry that he didn't get away faster. We might have had a chance, albeit small, to escape! If only Evan had fawned over Xavier and Rina a little longer. If only I had collapsed with another headache to slow them down.

Xavier's eyes narrowed. “Sorcerers really are the masters of disguise,” Xavier said, sneering. “Guards—take the Sorcerer into the dungeons.” He casted me a look that sent shivers down my spine. “With the girl's friends. All of them will be executed within a few hours.”

My eyes widened. A few hours? What was I supposed to do? Sit around and watch? Quatan caught my eyes and shrugged though I could see fear behind that flippant act.

“No, Xavier!” I stepped forward to Quatan only to be stopped by the guards. “Please, let him go.” Would I have to go on my knees and beg? Negotiate? Offer a little of my blood now so Quatan could live?

“I've been letting him go too often.” Xavier's cold red eyes turned to me. “And it's time your blood makes a donation.”



I was in the dungeons again, this time with the comfort of my friends. This time, there was a guard stationed right outside of the cell.

It was hopeless. Quatan would be executed and I would be dead not long afterwards. What could help me? A miracle, probably. Life sucked.

“Ugh!” I squirmed in the metal chains that tied my wrist and ankles to the grey cobblestone wall. I felt like hitting myself right now. Why hadn't I thought of delaying Xavier and Rina a bit? Quatan wouldn't have been caught if I had stepped in. And why did I had to say anything? If I kept quiet, I might have been still in that room. At least that gave a better chance of escape than this. I felt absolutely trapped.

Djamphir. The word whispered itself in my ear. Fat advantage that gave me. I was supposed to have been a full-fledged Djamphir today according to Justine. What if she was wrong? What if it was ages away or time passed differently here? What if time didn't past at all? That was a horribly troubling thought—being so close yet so far away.

All of a sudden, my vision was red with pain and a blinding headache had started again. Except...it felt more like something was flowing into my head and spreading to my other parts and it was so abundant that it hurt so much. I screamed and thrashed against my bonds, rational thoughts escaping me. All I wanted was the pain, the immense pain, to go away.

It felt like hours but it must have only been a few minutes when the headache subsided completely. I blinked several times, staring into the utter darkness in confusion.

And then—it was all so clear. It was like someone had altered my eyesight and I could see as clear as the day when I had concentrated my abilities at the Cattle Farms. I could see every outline of each individual stone and every dark crevice. Everything was so immensely clear that I just sat there, soaking in the scenery.

Was I a—a full-fledged Djamphir now? I struggled against the bonds which now felt extremely weak to be holding me in. With a simple pull, there was a loud SNAP and I was free.

I wasn't exactly sure how far I could trust my powers. Only one way to find out—I put my hand on the metal gate and shoved with all my might. At first, it didn't move and I was about to give up hope until the door gave a low groan. My moral boosted and I pushed it harder, slamming my weight against the door. The door gave another reluctant groan before it smashed on the ground. A grin spread across my face. I could get used to this.

In all that, I had completely forgotten about the single guard. “The girl! What is she—she's shimmering golden! Djamphir! Djamphir!”

The grin dropped from my face. Maybe I couldn't get used to this. I could already hear heavy footsteps heading my way and I knew exactly how far and which direction the Vampires were coming from thanks to my hearing. The one who had shouted was Evan—the 'teenaged' professor from the school. He was on the floor, backing away from me with pure terror in his eyes. Except now...I could see him in his true Vampire form. It was like the time I had truly seen Xavier's Vampire form and it was revolting. This was what clear-sighted was. No wonder people went crazy.

Feeling a little arrogant, I stepped forward and glared at him menacingly. “I'm not just a Djamphir. I'm the Djamphir. The half-breed Lamia.” I brandished the words like a weapon and watched as fear grew in his eyes. Thinking about Quatan's elemental trick, I held a palm towards him and imagined ice encasing his mouth. I wasn't sure if it would work or not but it did thanks to my Witch side from my father. Evan was left rolling around the floor, trying to scream through this iced mouth. Not once did he remember that he had Vampire strength too and could easily rip the ice apart if he focused.

Looking down the corridors, I attempted to recall the path I had taken as a human. Now that I was a full Djamphir, it was much easier to recall any paths I had taken and I hurried towards Justine, Claire, and Quatan's cell.

Luckily, none of the guards were posted there since they were all in a frenzy trying to find me. I had to be quick because I was sure that the Vampires could find me easily. I ran into the door at full force and the door collapsed again. Looking in the cell, there were three figures in the darkness that came into view shortly. Justine and Claire both looked as if they hadn't eaten for days and Quatan's hair was dishevelled. Dried blood caked his mouth as he squinted up at my figure. And then I saw two tiny holes on his neck—shoot. “Myra?” he asked, his voice hoarse.

“I have no time to explain,” I said quickly. I walked and quickly pulled the weak chains apart with my hands. The Vampires clearly saw as extremely weak creatures seeing as the bonds were so weak. Quatan stood up immediately, stumbling a little but still healthy. Justine and Claire, on the other hand, slumped further onto the ground.

“They're too weak,” Quatan said as I headed towards them. “Xavier and that girl came here for a feeding about ten minutes ago.” He winced and touched his neck where his jugular vein throbbed. “And...you have an odd shimmer around you. No—wait, it's fading.” Quatan shook his head. “Never mind.”

“I'll tell you later,” I promised, thinking of a way to escape with all three of them. Back at Alex's camp, I had frozen everyone except for Justine. Could I do that again? I closed my eyes and touched the silver bracelet all while concentrating hard: imagining everyone except for Quatan, Claire, Justine, and myself to freeze. I knew it worked when the yelling in the corridor stopped and Justine moaned weakly into the silence.

“Can you get Claire, the red head?” I asked Quatan. He nodded and slid an arm around Claire's waist and draped Claire's arm over his back. He sent me a thumbs up.

“All right Justine, I'm going to carry you.” Whatever moans of protest stopped when I scooped her easily into my arms. Vampire strength wasn't so bad after all.

And so, the four of us crept out of Xavier's mansion, every Vampire and Vampiress frozen in mid-yell, unseeing us.

The moon shone down brightly on the four of us as we turned our backs on the castle and fled into the night.