Thrice Dead

The elders stared at her, horrified. Some of the women and children were screaming and crying. They’d seen what she’d done, what magic she’d wrought. Minka and Srina broke from the crowd. Srina was crying and went to throw her arms around Dakshana, but - what if it was another trick.

Dakshana stepped back, bringing the crystal shard up like a knife. In the real world, it only gleamed dully, the runes dead, the name dead, the man - dead.

“Stay back!”

“Dakshana,” Minka began.

And then the elders spoke.

“She has been tainted! We must purify her!”

Dakshana shrieked, “Stay back!”