He's Under My Spell

Later, after dinner, Priscilla pulled Betty aside, her voice barely a whisper. "But... how did he know I was there? He's blind, isn't he?"

"He has a way of knowing things," Betty answered, her voice dropping to a hushed whisper. "A sixth sense, some say." She glanced around nervously, as if afraid someone might overhear. "Let's just say, young Master Elvis is not as helpless as he appears."

Priscilla shivered, a strange feeling crawling down her spine. This was more than just a heightened awareness of his surroundings. There was something unsettling about the way Elvis seemed to sense her presence, a knowing that went beyond the ordinary.

"Perhaps," she murmured, trying to sound unconcerned. "Perhaps it was just a coincidence."

Betty gave her a knowing look. "Coincidences rarely happen in this house, dear. Especially when it comes to the young master."

After dinner, a shrill bell echoed through the mansion, signaling the end of the day. Betty had already explained this custom to Priscilla – the bell meant retreat to their rooms, no venturing out until the morning summons.

Priscilla, however, harbored a different plan. Tonight, she would hunt her first target. Under the cloak of darkness, she whispered an incantation, transforming Luminous back to his crow form.

A relieved squawk erupted from the bird. "Finally back in my own feathers," Luminous cawed with disdain. "That parrot form was a disgrace."

Priscilla chuckled softly at his complaint. "Patience, Luminous. There will be time for complaints later. Tonight, we begin our mission."

Another murmured incantation, and they were swept away in a swirl of wind. In mere seconds, they materialized outside the residence of Tomas, Priscilla's first target.

Priscilla possessed the power to turn invisible, but the ability only lasted thirty-minutes . Speed was crucial. She stalked towards the back of the house, relief washing over her as she found the door unlocked – no need to waste precious power on such a minor obstacle.

The moment Priscilla slipped inside, a choked cry shattered the silence, echoing from the kitchen. Horror flooded her veins. Her target, Tomas, wasn't alone. He loomed over a young girl in the kitchen, his large frame dwarfing her. A glint of metal flashed in the dim light – a knife held menacingly at the child's throat.

The young girl, her face streaked with tears, pleaded with her father, her voice cracking with fear. "Please, Papa, stop! I'm sorry! I won't do it again!"

But Tomas seemed oblivious, his face contorted with a dark rage. "You will learn to obey," he growled, his voice thick with menace. "You will learn to fear me!" The glint of the knife at the girl's throat pulsed with a malevolent energy.

Just as Tomas drew the blade closer, a low, chilling whisper echoed through the room. "Perhaps… fear should be directed elsewhere."

An unseen force seized Tomas's hand, twisting it until the knife pointed menacingly at his own throat. Panic flared in his eyes. "What… what is this?!" he stammered, his voice trembling. He fought against the invisible constraint, but it held him captive, his other hand desperately clawing at the air.

From the shadows, Priscilla emerged, her voice a venomous hiss. "Now you know how it feels, Tomas. The sting of the blade, the cold kiss of oblivion." A cruel smile played on her lips.

Before Tomas could scream, a thin line of red blossomed across his throat, staining the air with the metallic tang of blood. His eyes widened in terror, his struggles fading into a chilling stillness.

Priscilla watched with a detached coldness, the invisibility fading as the final spark of life left Tomas's body.

A satisfied smirk played on Priscilla's lips as she witnessed Tomas's demise. With a whispered incantation, she vanished, reappearing back in her room at the mansion. Silence engulfed her, heavy with the reality of what she had done. The initial thrill of vengeance had dissipated, replaced by a gnawing sense of guilt. Taking a life, even a monstrous one, wasn't a simple act.

Despite the justification swirling in her mind Tomas deserved his fate, the girl needed saving. Pushing aside the disquiet, Priscilla turned to Luminous. "In the morning, I need information about the girl. How is she holding up after that ordeal? It must have been terrifying."

Luminous answered with a simple, "Yes."

Priscilla sank back onto her bed. "This night," she murmured, "this night has been a long one, let's take our rest now".