She didn't seem to understand...

“Blood.”

It wasn’t a question. She looked me right in the eye and said it, as if she couldn’t believe what I’d just told her. I didn’t understand why she was staring at me like that, as if she’d just squished a bug or something. I’d explained it all very plainly, but I tried to clarify once more.

“Yes, the books said that the words had to be powered with the source of life itself, the thing that creates us, moves is, saves us, and kills us. It said we are born with it, we die with it, it is in our hearts and can rule every one of our feelings. I studied and studied, and I finally realized it was talking about blood. It was what I needed to power the words.”

She just kept staring. Why was she so confused?

“Life blood,” I clarified again. “I tried it twice, only twice. I had to do it that way, and I made sure not to take anyone who would leave behind those that would feel grief and pain. I took all the hurt for myself, I would never make someone else live with that. And I did it quick, I promise. It wasn’t something I wanted to do, but I had to do it, it was the only way.”

“And it didn’t work.”

She knew the answer before I even said it.

“No,” I sighed. “They were only words. The blood didn’t do anything. I still don’t understand, I know it’s the answer. But I also know I must have done something wrong. And I know you are wise, you know magic so well. This has to work, and I’m going to make it work, but I need the answers, I need to know how to fix what went wrong. For next time. And I knew I could turn to you. I knew you would understand.”

I shouldn’t have ben smiling like that. Like I was a filly looking up at an older sibling, with admiration and excitement. I shouldn’t have been that light hearted, considering what I’d done to get there and who I’d let down in the process. I felt so silly, so childish and dumb, but maybe I’d gotten through to her now. Maybe she understood what I was trying to do. This plan could do more than banish her sister, and if she really cared about her people, this world, like I did, she’d know this was the right answer. The only answer. Her sister needs to die, and I’ve found a way to kill her. I only have words, but she has the power!

She’d help me. She had to help me.

She was quiet though, and she kept her eyes shut. Her shoulders were tense, and her jaw was set like she was clenching her teeth. She looked upset. She looked almost… hurt. Almost afraid. But she was surely only like that because she knew this hurt for herself, knew what her sister has cost us, cost me. She knew. She understood.

“You understand,” I stuttered out. “You understand, don’t you?”

When she opened her eyes, there were tears there, but also… also… anger.

“No,” she said. “I don’t.”