Page 2 of The Other Side

IRIS-MARIE

T he hazy fog of the strange spell that overtook me began to clear, the feeling and sensation of my nerves returning to life. It was as if I had held my breath for too long, my lungs gasping as my eyes blinked the clouds away. My consciousness quickly returned with the feeling in my limbs. I frantically began to panic and take in my surroundings, overwhelmed and frightened by the eerie ambience.

I was no longer in the bayou, but instead, standing in an ungodly large cave, the walls reaching so high, my neck hurt to gaze up at them. The cave stretched far on either side of me, drifting into what appeared to be an endless tunnel of continuing darkness. The cave walls glistened, twinkling, as if tiny blue-slack stars were carved straight into the stoney structure. Soft drops of water fell from the crystalized stalactites hanging from the ceiling. As I gazed around me, I realized I was standing in a waist deep pool of water. But not just any water…glowing blue water. Only, it didn’t behave like water. It behaved and resembled something else. Something like…fire. Liquid fire.

This is no ordinary fire. This is hellfire.

A slight panic overcame me as I stumbled back, fearing the flame-like liquid, half expecting it to burn my skin. I nearly tripped, bumping into the same beast as before. The alligator had appeared out of thin air as it growled a warning. I shuffled away from it as the beast stared back at me with those unnatural eyes, the color blending perfectly with the water around us.

Its eyes… They’re hellfire as well.

The creature hissed once more as I gasped. It roughly nudged me as I fell onto my backside, the fire splashing all over my dark skin and locs as I stared at the beast, the two of us stuck in an odd curiosity of one another. Something in my core told me it meant me no real harm, but why?

I forcefully broke eye contact as I raised my arm and admired the dancing blue flames. They dripped along my body into the sea of hellfire. It was mesmerizing, watching it behave in such an unnatural way, but it seemed I was in place nature didn’t exist.

The alligator growled a second time, swimming past me. My eyes followed as I watched it slither through the water before approaching what appeared to be a large stone dais. The rocky structure birthed from the pool and rose high. A menacing throne was perched on top of it, positioned in front of a silent waterfall of the vibrant blue hellfire. It was unlike anything I’d have ever seen before.

The alligator crawled up the stoney steps, circling the menacing throne as it watched me closely with its eerie eyes.

“How strange,” I whispered quietly to myself, standing.

“It seems my dear Bastien has brought me a new soul.” The strange, sultry feminine voice echoed through the cave, startling me. My eyes searched the endless watery pit, looking for the owner of the voice, but found nothing but darkness. “You need not fear me, Iris-Marie. I don’t bite…much.”

They knew my name. How did they know my name?

“W-who are you?” I called out. “Where am I? H-how did I get here?” I glanced back at my hand as the fire dripped from my skin and into the water around me. It swirled in the pool, forming a distorted female’s face that stared back at me, her eyes blazing bright. I gasped, shuffling backwards as it rippled from existence, followed by the same feminine voice and her distorted laughter.

“You ask so many questions. Such raw curiosity. I can’t tell if you’re brave—” the woman’s voice echoed around me like a gust of wind, “or just another stupid, defenseless human.” I could feel something tugging on my locs.

“I am not defenseless,” I grumbled, my hands slightly sparking with magic as I glared into the empty space around me, searching for this mysterious woman. I didn’t like the idea of being toyed with, regardless of whatever she was.

“My, what a fiery temper. Do you think your little magic tricks scare me?” Her laughter echoed all around me, layering itself as it vibrated my bones. “Tell me—” I felt a tingle in my spine as I stood, the water gently waving around me. “If your magic is so powerful, how come it did not stop those men in the swamp?”

How did she know about that?

“Do you think you could also stop death herself with your magic tricks?” The question was whispered perfectly along my ear, as if the person this voice belonged to was standing directly next to me. I whipped around, inhaling sharply to find the space next to me empty, same as before. Fear began to fill my veins as I realized the woman must be something more than an ordinary human—maybe even a witch such as myself. But whatever she was, she was powerful, and there was no escaping this entity that taunted me.

“Show yourself!” I yelled, spinning around as my eyes frantically searched for her. The gator hissed as I whirled back to face it, watching as the center of the fiery waterfall began to part, something stepping from within it. Not something— someone .

It was a woman—a naked woman. Her skin was a dark ash tone nearly absent of any color, yet somehow it reflected the wavering flames as if it glistened from her flesh. Her hair looked as if it were made from the same hellfire residing in the pool I was standing in, the tips burning and behaving like flames. As she stepped further, I noticed her eyes—vibrantly glowing, the same fiery blue as the alligator’s. The ungodly sight of her took my breath away as I watched her stroke the head of the beast like a pet. It even purred at her touch. The striking woman turned to me, smiling in a way that made my heart skip a beat as my spine tingled with fear. The overwhelming emotions instinctively caused my hands to flicker with what little magic flowed through my veins, revealing myself.

“What a feisty little human you are.” The woman tossed her hair from her shoulder, sparks of blue fire blazing. “It’s been a long time since Bastien has brought me a lost soul, though I do not think I’ve ever encountered one with such—” she raised a brow, “ spark .” The woman lifted her hand, moving her index fingers as she beckoned me closer. I lightly shook my head, refusing to move. Something in my gut told me to be weary of her, even if she was one of the most appealing creatures I had ever laid my eyes on. “Humans are so defiant. You see, my Underworld is never ending. You can run as far as you’d like, but—” As the words left her lips, a smile branched along her grayscale skin, her white teeth exposed as if taunting me. “I’m afraid there is nowhere else to go. But by all means, you are most welcome to try. It has always amused me to watch you humans scatter like ants.”

Underworld? I glanced around at the impressive cave, understanding what she meant. Somehow, I must’ve stepped into the other side of my world, the side in which gods and demons resided, the very same ones from my childhood fairy tales and bedtime stories. But how? My eyes returned to the woman, truly noticing her unnatural appearance, dissecting it as I began to question who she really was.

“W-who are you?” I asked, wading through the water in her direction, my curiosity growing. I stopped at the base of the dais, looking up at her as she sat gracefully on her terrifying throne. She crossed her legs and gripped the armrests, leaning back as she played with a flame from her hair.

She can’t be human. But if she’s not human…what is she?

“Why, how proper of you to ask. Most people who wind up down here don't offer me any such courtesy when we meet, though that might be because of how we meet.” She raised a single brow. “I am called many things and known by many names. You humans love to perceive me as a monster. I have been described as both a demon and a siren, and even once referred to as unseen—the list is rather long, each story more preposterous than the last. It’s awfully sad, really. You would think after so many years in existence, humans would eventually learn the truth and tell it as so, but the only truth they tell is of…well, the others .”

The others? There were more like her? Her words made little sense to me, made clear by my expression. The very idea of standing on the other side of my world alone had tangled my thoughts. I couldn’t think straight let alone keep up with her words.

“Forgive me, I seem to have rambled.” The woman cleared her throat. “I am the keeper of souls, the queen of the Underworld, but most importantly—” Her eyes flashed with power as her grin grew, her nails digging into the armrests of her throne as she glared down at me. “I am Cypress, the goddess of death.”

Cypress?

“Cypress? I’ve heard of you.” She raised a brow, smirking as she watched me, the flaming ends of her long hair burning bright. “You—you're not the keeper of souls… You’re the soul eater.”

“A rather insulting title, don’t you think?” she tsked, gripping the armrests tighter. “I do not eat souls, at least not the way you humans think. I consume them. Not because of hunger or for sustenance, but to preserve their true nature. It’s part of my duty as queen of the Underworld.”

“I don’t know anything about your duty, but back home, we learned about you and the other gods as children from stories.” She huffed at my words. “Stories and fairytales repeated to teach and warn children from misbehaving and playing with things unknown.” Cypress groaned and rolled her eyes. “I remember hearing about you specifically. Cypress, the queen of the Underworld, banished for making deals with humans. You trick them into offering you their souls in exchange for a wish—but you cheat.”

“I do not cheat! I merely,” she waved her hand around, “play by my own rules. Besides, it’s not my fault humans are so easily led astray. They ought to know better when making contracts with a goddess such as myself.”

“No, you trick them and steal their souls, keeping them here for eternity. You’re not a goddess, you’re a villain.” I stepped onto the lower step of the dais, and the gator opened its mouth with a hiss, freezing me in place.

“Easy, Bastien,” Cypress cooed as the alligator closed its jaw. “I am not a genie, Iris-Marie, nor am I a trickster such as yourself. I am the goddess of death. Humans should learn that before they come to my underworld, searching for someone to grant wishes. It’s not my fault you keep telling the wrong story, and I have no time for humans who insult someone as powerful as me. It’s quite rude. Begone. Return home to the other side and go back to being a poor, weak little witch. I only make deals with those worthy of my presence, and you, my dear trickster, are not.” She stood, elegantly stepping around the throne and back towards the waterfall of fire.

“Wait,” I called out. Cypress didn’t stop, ignoring me as her beast shadowed her. The flowing hellfire parted as she suddenly froze. “How do I even leave here?”

“If you wish to return home, simply snap your fingers and will it so. But, if you wish to recant your toxic tales and hear what I have to offer, then I suggest you tame that sharp tongue of yours and follow before I change my mind. Either way, you should be grateful I do not smite you where you stand.” She disappeared into the waterfall as I stood there, baffled, biting to know more.

I could return home? So easily? It couldn’t be that simple…could it? But why? And why was I brought here? Did Cypress choose me for a reason? Or was I just another soul for her to add to her endless collection? I stared up at the parted waterfall of fire.

As kids, we were warned not to peer into the shadows or play with fire, but now, I was standing in hellfire and drenched in darkness. Something about Cypress began to draw me nearer. The curiosity of her very presence and existence had somehow slithered into my being and gripped my interest, desperately tugging at it. It felt as though I had no choice but to humor it.

Why would the goddess of death and keeper of the Underworld drag me down here just to walk away? Was I truly so insignificant? Or was she playing me? My head tilted as I lifted my foot and stopped on the first step of the dais. Would she give me a chance to simply listen to her offer and see what she has to say? She has to have a reason to bring me here. I could humor both of us and then simply turn her down. I stopped at the very idea . Turn down an offer from the goddess of death…what a thing to consider.

Swallowing, I made my choice and continued up the steps, cautiously approaching her throne. It was even more striking up close, the entirety of it made of absolute darkness, as if constructed from the blackest of shadows.

“How fitting,” I whispered to myself, playing with the opaque frame. My fingertips brushed through the shadows as if they were nothing but clouds. My eyes trailed, moving as they looked to the still-parted waterfall, as if it patiently waited for me to step through. “Here we go,” I exhaled.

I braced myself, walking through the parted hellfire. I stepped out of it into a cold room with a stoney balcony. I noticed Bastien waiting for me alongside a new person, standing as far away as possible. His head was hung low, his scarred, pale skin nearly glistening as his blue hair covered his face. Bastien walked to my side, nudging me away from the waterfall as my eyes reluctantly moved from the strange man to Cypress standing at the edge of the balcony, her back to me.

I obeyed Bastien’s aggressive nudges, walking towards the goddess as I admired her figure, noticing the glistening of her flesh was her skin itself covered in sparkling blue flecks. Up close, I could see her hair transformed from fire to threads of blue.

“Come,” she commanded without even looking in my direction. Her eyes remained fixated, looking out into a massive, sprawling cave. I approached her side, gazing at her striking beauty before forcing my eyes to see what she was staring at. At the very base of the cave was another sea, only this one was not made of hellfire.

“Do you know what happens to weak human souls who cannot protect themselves?” Her question took me by surprise as I simply shook my head, her cloudy blue eyes meeting mine. “Look there.” She motioned her hand out to the water below, her movements dripping with fire. My eyes followed her aim—the water not only glowed, but moved . Strange things swam within it—creatures. My brows furrowed as I looked closer, realizing the moving things in the water were in fact...

“Are those—”

“Yes, they are. This is the deepest, darkest pit in all of existence. It is called the Abyss, where the souls of the most wicked and vile are cast to wither for all eternity,” Cypress responded cooly. “Such helpless creatures humans are. It’s no wonder someone, such as myself, is condemned to tending to the ghosts of your measly existence. All because of a misunderstanding… A truly pathetic task, if you ask me. Do you know why Bastien brought you here, Iris-Marie?” I turned back to her, shaking my head. “My pet brought you to me because you, much like those down there, are a lost soul. You have become weak, unable to protect yourself. You have potential but no real power. Imagine if you could possess such a power. One that could amplify your silly magic into a force feared by all.”

“I am not weak.” My fists balled at my sides, my temper sparking as Cypress raised a brow.

“No? Dear Iris-Marie, look what has happened to you just earlier this evening.” Cypress stepped closer, reaching her gray hand out as her fingertips grazed my swollen cheek. A single blue flame dripped from her skin onto my flesh as the tender wound burned lightly. I could feel her power seep into my wound and heal it, the pain disappearing as if it never existed. Cypress smiled as I touched the same spot, my cheek now unharmed and returned to normal.

“How did you—”

“You may not think you are weak, but you are not able to protect yourself, not without some…assistance. I can help you, Iris-Marie. You are not like the other humans before you. No, you possess magic, as feeble and weak as it is. It’s a gift, but you have made it into a sideshow. You rely on using it to perform, a trickster hoping to earn enough not to starve…but what if I could give you more?”

“What do you mean by more?” I asked hesitantly.

“More power . Imagine having the ability to protect yourself, never needing to rely on another.” She stepped closer, her eyes heavily on me as my heart raced. “What if I could offer you everything you need? Everything your little human heart desires? Magic, protection—” she stepped even closer, her face merely an inch from mine, “real power.”

Power. I could feel a spark ignite behind my eyes at her offer.

“You could do such a thing?” I whispered eagerly. Cypress laughed gently, the flames of her hair dancing along her back as she moved away from me.

“Dear trickster,” she waved her hand as the transparent blue fire covered her gray skin, “I can do anything . You forget, I am not just the keeper of souls. I am a god . I can give you all you desire. All of it…in exchange for a tiny, simple favor.”

Ah, there’s the catch.

“What favor?” I asked cautiously as I crossed my arms. I knew her offer was far too good to be true.

“There’s that spark!” Cypress snapped her fingers, and fire burst from them, startling me. “Yes, a simple favor. But you mustn’t worry about that now. When the time is right, I will reveal it to you. Once a deal is struck you will receive all the promised benefits of our transaction. Then, you will be indebted to me to carry out my desire while flourishing on your own. A fair exchange, if you ask me. I may not call on you today, or tomorrow, or even ten years from now, but whenever it may be, you must do what I ask, when I ask, or your soul will belong to me.”

“I may be curious, but do not take me for a fool. Everyone knows not to make a deal with you, soul eater.” The insult burned on my lips.

Cypress’ smile faded as she lurked closer, her voice altering as she spoke. “Careful human. You are in my domain. Now,” she snapped her fingers as I forcefully fell to my knees, “show some respect and stay down.” Her eyebrow flicked as she gently brushed my cheek. “I always did enjoy the sight of humans on their knees before me.” I tried to brush off the odd tease.

“Did you actually think I would offer up my soul? So easily? For what…a promise of something you’ll take back, claiming I have failed my promise when truthfully, you have cheated?” I tried not to laugh at the ridiculous request, straining to stand as her power held me in place.

“That depends.” Cypress began to circle me as she spoke. “However strong your decency and morals are, the real question is this: how strong is your craving for power? Let’s weigh your choices. On one hand, you may refuse my offer and return home merely by my grace to attempt to live a long and peaceful life.”

“Doesn’t sound like a bad option,” I groaned, unable to stand.

“Indeed, but I wasn’t finished. Now, who is to say that when you return home, another event, much like today, will not occur? It is only because of Bastien you were able to live past this day. Next time, he won’t be there to protect you. Tell me, Iris-Marie, how often do you find yourself escaping violent situations? How often does a woman such as yourself have to fight off hungry men?” She stopped behind me, leaning in close. “I know their hearts. They are all the same, filled with nothing but anger and lust, soaked in a self-entitled drive to take whatever they please, no matter the cost.” Her hands slowly wrapped around my waist as she hissed into my ears. “What claim do they have to your body?” Her hands began to morph, turning into those of man’s as another set joined hers, followed by a third and fourth, each pair caressing my body in unwanted ways as I began to panic, trying to peel them off me.

“Stop,” I whispered as more joined. The many hands began to consume me, touching my body all over, growing in number until every ounce of my skin was swallowed beneath their fingers. “Stop it!”

She cackled. “That’s what you cry out when they continue, touching and forcing themselves upon you despite your screams and protests. If only you possessed the ability to stop them. Imagine having the power to not only stop them, but to make them pay for ever even thinking of touching you in such vile ways. You would belong to no man ever again. Instead, you would have the power to use your magic freely with no restraint or reprimand, to call upon the other side to aid you in your conquests and fill your desires in every way. Is that not what you want?” I began to hyperventilate, clawing at the many hands as they covered my face. My magic sparked, but it was useless against them. “Isn’t it?” Cypress repeated in my ear.

“Please,” I whimpered, the hands wrapping around my face as I began to drown in them, their touch smothering my breath. She was right. I was weak.

“Say it,” Cypress hissed. “Say it!”

“Yes,” I whispered, followed by the sound of thunder. Cypress backed away, the hands slowly retreating into her flames as I gasped at the sudden release from her power. I clutched my chest in a panic, eyeing past her to the strange man from before. She stepped in front of me, noticing my gaze, and my eyes returned to hers as she spoke.

“There are worse fates than losing your soul to the Abyss, dear human.” Cypress reached her burning arm out to me, raising her head high. “I offer you three things, Iris Marie, all in exchange for a simple favor to be collected upon as I see fit.” I eyed her hand closely. “Magic, protection, and power.”

“Are magic and power not the same thing?” I asked, still debating her offer.

“Are fireflies and stars the same?” She lifted her palms as fire danced within them, forming pictures as she spoke. “Fireflies may glow the same, twinkling in the night like stars—” her words brought the flames alive as a blue firefly buzzed above me, “but stars are far more powerful, bursting with fire.” A constellation formed above her other hand, glistening as I stood in awe, watching her words play like a picture before me. “A firefly might burn with light, but stars alone can light up the whole night. They may seem similar, but trust me, trickster, they are not the same.” She closed her hands, the flames dissolving as she looked at me with a smirk. “Do we have a deal, Iris-Marie?”

I contemplated Cypress’ proposal, surprising myself as I weighed the risks. I was defying everything I had been taught, ignoring the warnings from my childhood. But something about this proposal—this deal—made the gamble seem almost worth it. I didn’t want to place my soul on the table, but she was right. I was weak. Magic or not, I could only protect myself so much. It was only a matter of time before my lack of strength failed me. If I returned as I was, it was only a matter of time before someone else stumbled onto my path, putting me right back in the same position as before, taunting death. The idea of possessing more power was enticing—too enticing. My eyes shot to hers as she delicately offered me her hand.

Power .

I gripped her hand fiercely, her fire dripping onto my skin as it blazed across my arm. Cypress grinned as her hair burned brighter. She yanked my body close, a flash of eerie excitement casting over her gray-scale flesh.

Just do what she asks, and you’ll get everything you’ve ever wanted.

“Remember, should you fail to keep your end of our little bargain, your soul will belong to me , Iris-Marie,” Cypress hissed.

“I’m sure it won’t come to that. Now, are we done here?” She laughed, gripping my hand tighter, her cloudy blue eyes fixated on me.

“No. Not until we seal the deal with a kiss.” A kiss? My cheek flushed at her sentence.

Cypress slowly leaned in, her midnight lips closing over mine as she eagerly kissed me. Her cold essence tasted of danger, the very kind you experience when you linger on death’s door. It was a taste that could drag any human to insanity, gripping your entire being as it toyed with your emotions—a dangerous rush of adrenaline.

Our clenched hands pressed into our chests as Cypress kissed me harder, my heart racing. The world around began to spin as hellfire flared from the ground, wrapping its cold flames around our bodies and engulfed us. Everything began to blur and melt together as she moved her tongue along mine. It felt as though a fever swept over me, my restraints absent as I matched her enthusiasm and continued to kiss her back, drunk in the moment. A tightness began to build in my chest as my body pressed into hers, breathing her in, gasping for more of her fire. Time crumbled around us as if I was stuck in this moment, frozen in it, until she suddenly broke away, leaving me in a drunken haze, gasping for air.

No . I had to peel my eyes open, saddened by her absence.

“Wait,” I quietly begged, swallowing what was left of her. The sounds of nightlife filled my ears, the smell of fresh rain and wet earth clogging my nostrils. I stumbled back as I realized I was now back in the swamp, the cave and her burning fire no longer present. It was as if neither had ever existed. I desperately looked around for Cypress, but she and her hellfire were nowhere to be found.

Was it a dream? Was any of it real? Was she real? It couldn’t have been…could it? I clutched my head, feeling woozy and different as I waddled to the muddy bank. It had to be real. Or was it…a trick?

“Cypress?” I called out, stepping through the water at the edge of the swamp, my skirt flowing around my knees as my head raced. I felt lightheaded, as if something was wrong. My skin began to itch and burn, the feeling of ants crawling beneath my flesh, as I fell to my knees. Water splashed my now-heated face as I clawed at my skin, frantically trying to stop whatever was infesting me. “Cypress? Cypress!” There was no answer.

I cried out in agony, the pain engulfing me, as if fire was searing through my nerves and flooding my veins. It swelled up in my stomach and forced its way through my esophagus. I tried to fight it back, the contents of my stomach flooding my mouth, forcing me to my hands and knees as I hurled into the swamp. Hellfire poured from my mouth, its cold, acidic taste forcing itself from my body into the murky water. My eyes watered and burned as it seemed to empty from me, leaving me panting. I wiped my mouth, staring back at the now-glowing blue water, two eyes staring back at me.

The water rippled as I shot backwards, watching as Bastien emerged. His hissing presence answered my many questions, confirming it was all real. She was real. The alligator waded through the swamp and stalked towards me. He climbed onto the bank as I stood and gently rubbed his scale-covered head against my side. The size of him was astonishing, his head nearly reaching my hips. The alligator stopped, his eyes staring like he was waiting for me to—pet him? My hand shook as I slowly reached out and stroked his sage-colored scales. He released a bellowing purr, his eyes burrowing into mine as Cypress’ voice played in my mind.

Protection.

Of course. As promised, Cypress had given me protection. More specifically, she had given me Bastien. I looked back at the dissolving hellfire in the swamp, the very same I had thrown up.

Magic. It had to be.

I glanced around, spying a nearby stick in the mud. I took a deep breath, my hand raised as my fingers flexed, silently commanding the stick to me. Aside from my normal flickering sparks, nothing happened. I looked down at Bastien as he released a low growl that somehow felt like he was telling me to try again. Nodding, I turned back and tried again, only this time, I reached deeper into myself and felt something flicker to life.

My temples bulged as I twisted my wrist, blowing life into my eternal flame. Maroon fire sputtered from my palm as it slowly grew, transforming into larger flames, the color changing to a deeper mulberry. “Fascinating,” I whispered. I silently commanded the fiery magic to extend from my palm out towards the stick. It obeyed me and slithered from my body, taking hold of the object and raising it into the air.

Now, come to me.

The stick lunged in my direction, landing in my grasp. I held it tightly, sighing with satisfaction. A devious smile formed along my face, excited by my newfound magic. It smoked and sparked in my hands as I did so, surrounding me in a storm of itself.

“Wonderful,” I exhaled. I wiggled the simple branch as smoke covered it, transforming the mere branch into an elegant, sleek black walking stick topped with a deep, cloudy crystal sphere that swirled as if Cypress’ hellfire resided within it. I spun the walking stick, magic seeping from it as it moved.

“Well now.” I admired my new magic closely, feeling it surge from my hand in the form of both fire and smoke. “ That’s what I call power.” Bastien growled faintly as I looked down at him, tracing the crystal with my fingertips, suddenly understanding his animalistic sounds. “You’re right, Bastien. If I’m going to possess such magic and power, I might as well look the part.” I twirled the walking stick as smoke surrounded me. My skin began to heal itself, my clothes transforming from muddy, torn rags into an elegant black dress that hugged my body and flared from my waist to the ground. I waved my fingers, cutting slits into the fabric, allowing my bare legs to move with ease as I continued to sway my hand, my locs tightening and changing as charms and colored strands formed across my head. My arms became adorned with bangles and bracelets, matching the beaded crystal and bone jewelry that now hung from my ears and around my neck. I stood, admiring my new self. I felt empowered and unstoppable, no longer the bayou’s mistress, but instead, its enchantress.

“Let’s show this town a real bayou witch, Bastien.” He snapped his jaw in agreement as I flicked my wrist, smoke forming a large top hat lined with burgundy velvet, completed with a matching coat stretching along my arms and body—the final touch. My arm spun the walking stick as it flawlessly transformed into an umbrella, protecting me from the gentle rain as we stepped from the muddy bank towards the lively town, fueled with a hunger to show everyone my newfound power.

“Who's weak now?” I grinned with excitement over my new abilities. Bastien hissed in agreement.

Do not forget, Iris-Marie: you owe me.