Chapter 2 Contract

Walking back with Milo to the guard quarters for all the men with beds and tables filled with food. When we got into the room with no one there for the night as some might have homes and families. Milo did seem to have a bed as he set his stuff down and sighed deeply. His eyes were filled with pain and held back tears wanting to break away. Taking off the armor made with silver and gold was not on the ground. He was wearing common clothes made from cloth and leather.

"Mea…Milo, are you okay?" I asked in a hushed voice.

"What?" he questioned as I said something weird.

"Are you okay?" replied again, but this time a lot louder than before.

"I just don't understand her and her ways. Why would she treat her horse like a common animal? When did she become cruel to her people?" he asked

"She's under a potion's influence," I answered truthfully

"What!" he snapped with fear in his eyes.

"Witches in the woods gave her a potion to stop her broken heart. But it was just a plan to gain power over her." I sighed as I watched how he would react.

"So, you're telling me that it's their fault…" he said in a cold low voice.

"I never really have a choice in the matter," I said sadly.

"You didn't have a choice…" he replied almost heartlessly.

"I'm under contract with the witches," I answered

"Contract?" he said puzzled by what I meant.

"Yeah." I said with a deep breath, "It keeps me here in the human world. There are only a few ways to break a contract to keep me here."

"Like what?" he asked

"Making another contract with a human," I answered

I watched the boy's face from the ground as he held his hand tightly to the point where his knuckles turn white. Tears fell as I started to feel guilty for what happened in the first place. She was not meant to be a cruel person but meant to be a kind person to anyone around here. I didn't know what the cure for the potion as the witches was kept that to themselves. The only time I saw her happy before the potion took effect was with Milo. The thought of their fates being on the same path was very likely, but would it end in life or death? Grabbing his hand and looking at him with a smile was all I could do. I was going to help them with all I could. The only book I know that had the answers to their fate was the book of the dead. The book is guarded by a demon of cruel fates and the death of humans.

"You're going to make a contract with me," I said with a smile.

"What," he said while jumping back into his bed.

"We are going to stop my first contract," I replied hoping that he would get the idea of what I had meant by that.

"You told me that…" he sputtered

"Do we have a deal?" I pushed

"I…what…hell," he said while trying to think of an answer.

"The chances of you going to hell at the end of this is very likely," I warned.

"I…well…" he tried to speak again.

"Deal or not!" I asked again

"Deal," he said and held out his hand.

Hoping off his hand and heading towards one of the many tables of the quarters. I have seen that there was a dagger on the table for him to grab as I was too short to reach it. So, I point at it for him to give it to me and to keep his hand out. The boy was confused as he handed it to me as if there was anything else he needed from me. I grabbed his hand and turned it to the palm of his hand. The dagger I was given looked like it was for cutting apples and bread, but now it was the quill to paper. The contact was blood with blood, but not the ones with you summoning one from hell.

Milo was scared and I could tell by his eyes that he was worried and scared to do this. If there was another way to save them both, I would have taken it now more than ever. Knowing the Devil would try to keep him as one of his toys to play with or even try to make him into a demon. Looking at him with his soft kind eyes for consent to do the contract. It ended with him shaking his head yes. I put the dagger into the skin of his hand and then did the same with my own. The color of our blood was different as he was a dark red and mine was almost black. Our hands shake as blood combines. When it touched our skin, it formed a mark on our wrists with a bright red skull. It was done and now we are stuck together to save Rose from this curse.

"It's done," I replied with a heavy sigh

"What do we do next?" he asked as he wrapped his hand up with a cloth.

"I'll have to return to Hell for the book of the dead…." I answered as I still plan out what to do next.

"A book" he questioned

"It should show the fate of Rose and how we should fix this," I sighed

"But we need to do something about it now!" he snapped

"In good time," I answered, "but it'll take a month in your time."

"Wait," he spoke, "you're leaving me alone?"

"It's only for the best right now," I said.

"What about the potion?" he sighed as he held his hands together.

"We need a witch to understand that," I said, knowing that they were not going to do it again any time soon.

"He looked at me with a concerned look, but I gave in for the sake of Rose. She was falling deeper into the darkness of her heart, and I barely know if she was going to make it out. Witches are well known for their spells and potions, but with this was a curse like no other. It made normal people evil to end more lives of many. She was lucky that it wasn't to that point with her yet. Looking at Milo and hoping that he would help me reach the fourth region of hell by a spell. The chances of him dying are likely, but it shouldn't take too much to do. A bit of blood, candles, and a mirror should do, but how do we get a mirror? It has to be large and there has to be one in the castle. Just where would one be at?

"Milo?" I questioned, "Do you know where to get a mirror?"

"There's a few in the castle, in the guest rooms, the queen's old room, and Rose's," he replied in deep thought.

"When is the last time someone was in the Queen's room?" I asked

"Not since she died," he replied

"Good!" I said as I start to tell him to take us to the room.

"Why do we need a mirror?" Milo questioned

"For me to learn about your fates," I answered

"What about…" he tried to speak again

"Not now. We need to get to that room as soon as we can." I said as I poked at him.

I heard a sigh come from him as he placed me on his shoulder. It was weird to be on someone else's shoulders, but at the same time, it felt nice. He didn't wear his sword or armor as he walked around without worry. He walked quickly through the castle to make it to the room with no one knowing where we are going. We hoped that Rose was asleep or somewhere else in the castle.

Milo seemed to be avoiding everyone so he could reach the formidable Queen's room Irises Marry. I wonder why the witches chose her in the first place. I knew at the time I liked to see the world burned in their hands. But why did they choose the moon potion? His movement seemed to stop as we made it to a dark oak door with the words "Stay Out" carved in the wood. Why would anyone write those words on there and what was wrong with the room?