“You think you will win?” The voice was coming from Zao, but it was not his voice. “I will have the ruby and there is nothing you can do to stop me!”
“Who are you?” Jake snarled, realizing that whoever was after the ruby was now processing the body of Zao.
“I have sent my minions to do it for me, but they have all been useless!” The voice snarled. “I will see to this myself! Beware, Jake of the Akai bear clan, I am coming after the ruby. Hand it over right now or else I will come for it personally! There will bloodshed and carnage like the kind you have never seen!”
“Fuck. Off.” Jake snarled.
“As you wish!” the voice replied and laughter started to echo. The laugh became mixed with a grueling scream as Zao started to cough and choke. Blood started to pool out from his mouth and fog started to form.
Then, he collapsed on to the floor, his eyes vacant. The evil laughter still echoed through the skies.
Chapter 14
Jazz
“Does that hurt?” the healer asked, moving her arm.
“A bit,” Jazz replied, flinching as pain shot through her arm.
“Well, I have dressed all your other injuries already. I will rub the salve on the arm and give you the bitterroot healing potion. Make sure you take it with every meal for the next three days. You should be recovered within a few days,” the healer said, rubbing a salve on her injured arm.
Jazz was in the healing chamber receiving treatment for her injuries. The healer finished treating her and walked out, pulling the curtains closed around her bed. Jazz leaned back into the pillow, closing her eyes. Her mind was in a jumble as she thought over the events of the day.
She kept going back to that day when she agreed to work for the hooded man. When he offered her all that money just to steal a gem. She had been on cloud nine that day; she would finally have enough treatment to treat Grammy. Grammy had been in an old age home for over two years now, and Jazz had just barely been able to support her. Most of the money she earned went in grammy’s medicine and the fee for the old age home.
When she took this job, she had been confident that she could finally get her grammy out of this city. She would finally have enough money that she wouldn’t have to steal again. She could finally be free of this life of crime.
Her thoughts trailed off to her grammy, who would be lying alone in her bed. She would probably be wondering why Jazz hadn’t visited.
“I am going to come back to you, grammy. I promise,” Jazz thought to herself.
The sudden sound of the curtains opening interrupted her thoughts and she looked up. Jake stood there, staring at her.
“Can I come in?” he asked.
“Technically, you already are inside,” Jazz said, giving a sarcastic smile.
“I just wanted to thank you for all the help you gave. Without your help, we could have lost the ruby,” Jake said.
“You are welcome,” Jazz said, closing her eyes once more. Jake continued standing there and she opened her eyes and snapped, “I am surprised you are still standing here, considering that I am contaminated by evil. Or did you forget?”
Jazz raised her shirt and showed him her stomach. “Did you forget the tattoo and the oath?” she asked, giving him a sarcastic smile. “The black magic I participated in? The tiny bit of evilness that now flows in my veins. It might infect you! Run, Jake, run!”
“You can be a real bitch sometimes,” Jake said, frowning.
“Call it what you may. I helped you because I feel a bit of guilt for what has happened. I felt a responsibility for my actions. But that doesn’t mean that you and I are okay. You made your intentions very clear,” Jazz said.
“I admit that I overreacted,” Jake said, looking down.
“It must kill you to admit that,” Jazz said.
“I am sorry for the way I reacted, Jasmine. I understand that considering your circumstances you did the best you could. While I don’t appreciate the black magic you participated in, no matter how small your involvement was, I apologize for reacting the way I did,” Jake said.
“Alright,” Jazz said, closing her eyes.
“Are we friends again?” Jake asked.
Jazz looked up, frowning. “Why would you want to be my friend?”
