The Arsenic Widow #Wattys2015 (mxm)

Chapter Sixteen

Yay, another chapter! And on time too! *pats own back*

I hope you enjoy this one! I had a bit of fun writing it :P

I woke with a groan, touching my skull gingerly. It was throbbing but there was no blood so I took it as a good sign.

Sitting up I glanced around the room, noting nothing had changed. The metal tub was still bubbling and the room appeared empty. I looked upwards just to be sure but saw no one above me.

However, looking up I noticed something else. It was dark outside. How long had I been unconscious? The only thing lighting the room was the fire beneath the pot and even that was starting to grow dim. Was Prince Acorn looking for me? Or had he already forgotten all about me and was making out with someone new? Yeah, I wasn't bitter at all about that guard's remark!

I stood up slowly, using the wall to keep me steady, and shuffled to the door to try and open it. It was locked and I knew I wasn't stable enough to force it open yet so I leaned against it to catch my breath. I reached down for my sword to feel more confident and gasped, realising it was missing.

"You bastard!" I yelled towards the roof, not even knowing if the demon was still around to hear me. But, when I heard an answering chuckle, I knew he could.

I bit my lip and glanced around the room, noting that there was no way to escape. My eyes landed on the tub, however, and my curiosity grew. I stumbled over to it, trying not to trip and fall headfirst into it. When I got to the edge I was careful not to touch it in case I got burned, and peeked inside.

I wish I hadn't.

It wasn't water they were boiling. It was a deep red liquid that was... rather familiar. I covered my mouth and stepped back, avoiding eye contact with the random lumps shaped like human body parts that had popped up in the 'soup'. How had I not smelled this?

"He's almost here," the demon hissed and I spun around, coming face to face with my capturer. Once again, I went for my sword only to grab at thin air and I cursed him again.

"What is that?" I pointed at the broth behind me.

The demon ruffled his scales slowly, "That, my dear friend, is a special potion. I would call it medicine but its effects are reversed." He giggled in a sickening manner.

"What does it do?" I asked, frowning.

"You know what it does," he hissed softly. "As if you haven't guessed. All the villagers are sick. Come on, put two and two together." He shook his head as if offended by my lack of instant understanding. "I thought we'd see eye to eye. We're both so dark, inside and out..." He reached out to touch my skin and I slapped his hand away.

"Skin colour doesn't make a person who they are!" I snapped angrily.

"No, it doesn't," he pulled his hand back. "But what's inside can sometimes reflect what's in your eyes. And they're darker than anything I've ever seen."

I frowned again, trying to understand, "My eyes are light brown though."

"Humans," he spat angrily, slinking around me as if hunting prey. "It's not the colour I'm looking at, but the anger and cruelty within."

I heard the sound of someone's footsteps outside and I turned towards the door, hoping for a saviour. Someone attempted to open the door from the outside and then stopped, most likely noting the lock on it. I looked back at the demon, relief in my eyes, until I saw the hunger in his.

"Incent, are you in there?" It was Acorn's voice.

"Yes!" I called back, ready to tell him to leave, but a clawed hand curled around my throat, forcing my silence. I knew better than to struggle, already seeing how sharp his scales on his hands were let alone his claws.

"I'm coming in!" he yelled.

"And he's alone," the demon whispered in my ear. "He's always too proud to ask for help."

I stiffened in fear, already imagining our deaths. I had been so close to freedom and now to face death just made everything I had done so redundant. Being witty suddenly didn't seem as exciting anymore, and all my fears just seemed to dissolve. This was it.

The door was flung open and Acorn walked in, looking proud of himself, until he saw the two of us.

"Incent... Who's your friend?" he drew his sword, eyes on the demon.

The demon let go of my throat and gave Acorn a grin. He yanked my head back using my hair and kept our faces close. Too close for comfort. I could see the drool dripping from his fangs and onto my cheek. Well that I couldn't see, but I could feel it and I shuddered.

"Let him go," Acorn's voice held a note of warning.

A shriek of laughter screamed from the demon's lungs, "I'm here to deliver a message to you, Prince." He said the word 'prince' as if it were filthy. "The crown isn't yours. You're not the heir. The true heir is coming."

The demon let go of my hair and ran for the door. However, Acorn jumped in front of him. I think the demon had expected him to be stunned by what he'd said, but he hadn't even been fazed.

The creature had to double back and cowered behind the pot of boiling... disease. Suddenly he shot up and tipped the vat.

I cried out and grabbed the side, not wanting it to burn all three of us alive. The fierce burn struck both of my hands and I wanted to scream.

"Incent!" Acorn yelled out.

I shook my head, "Finish it!" I wanted that demon dead. He had drooled on me, twice, and he was going to die for it. Also, he might have my sword and I wanted it back.

The struggle behind me was loud and I grunted as I held onto the vat which kept trying to tip on me. My arms were already weak and I think I could smell my flesh cooking.

I heard a gurgled scream as someone's throat was slit and I shut my eyes, hoping it was Acorn who had won. My arms had grown too weak and the tub slipped further. The hot liquid began pouring down my left arm and I finally let out a long and loud scream.

Muffled words sounded beside me as the burn ran all the way up my left arm and suddenly the weight was lifted from me. I tried to ask if it was Acorn helping me, but the words weren't forming properly. All I could feel was pain, so my mind helped take it away from me. Once again, I was unconscious.

Please leave a review! It keeps me writing!!

If you don't know what to write, answer my fun question: What do you think the burn will do to Incent?