(Weeks later)
The child killer is rampant.
Desperate, and I can feel her
coming, coming,
My eyes searching the crowd while
I'm standing alone in the Nest.
Exhausted but I can't sleep.
The itch in my fingers is bothering me.
(I see her, the killer.)
Knife in her sleeve as if to hide it
unsuccessfully,
and the feeling in my chest moves to
grip my stomach,
makes me want to puke.
Cadence looks down at her sister,
and I know she wants to get this kill
over with. She wants to be queen
so badly.
But the knife doesn't reach its target,
Karma.
Hilt hits the six-year old
and she crumples to the floor,
and I am watching as Cadence flees.
You are wrong, foolish girl,
wrong.
Ramla doesn't know a thing.
(I do.)
Turning back to the itch in my fingers,
I realize I must paint.
It's been so long--
I don't care.
I push through the crowd to the back of the room,
take paper and paint
and mix them together as one,
my art.
Violet and red smeared across the paper,
across my cheek, and Acelan steps forward to me.
I glance at Karma;
she's afraid (but of what?)
She's carrying not guilt, but a child.
"I know the news," I whisper,
and tears begin to fall down my cheeks.
I can't look at this painting anymore.
Your child will be one of three.
Saying this, my heart aches;
this child, so special to her, so dear
Is different from even me
(So feeble, so fragile,
even in the womb.)
And I am burdened with the knowledge
of what is to come.
A/N: I mentioned the child killer in a previous chapter, and now you know more about her. Only this time, she wasn't trying to kill a child. This goes through chapter 44. Karma has found out she is pregnant, and Mara knew. She also knows something else will happen involving this child. Please review!