Annan's unfailing charm had failed. At least, Maria hadn't been stopped by it.
"I think there's been a misunderstanding between us. I miss what we had, those brief, happy days..." Annan continued gently. "We whispered by the creek, leaned against each other for that oil painting, and then there was what you whispered to me when we parted..."
"Can't we go back to that...?"
Maria stared at him, stunned.
"What's going on, Maria?" The Ratfolk Priest entered the dark hall, leaning on his Spine Staff. "You shouldn't trust humans..."
Maria said nothing. The scene overlapped with Annan's dream, and his heart began to race. "I stopped you back then because you wanted to destroy my home. But I've never hated Ratfolk. Star-Moon Bay is home to many other races, including a Ratfolk resident... Stuen Rat are good at gathering intelligence. You must know that."
"You just dealt the McKinnon Rats a heavy blow," Maria said.
"How can McKennan Ratfolk compare to Stuen Ratfolk!"
"Well said." To Annan's surprise, the praise came from the Ratfolk Priest. Were the Ratfolk Clans at odds?
A tender warmth touched Maria's beautiful face. She leaned a little closer. "Your heart is beating so fast..."
Before Annan could answer, she went on. "Those whispers by the creek were part of the plan. The oil painting was a way to seduce you. And what I whispered before we parted..."
Maria's beautiful face turned icy. "I was cursing you!"
A cold flash cut through the dim hall, and a sharp dagger pierced Annan's palm.
"Only your suffering can keep me going!"
Maria smiled with delight at Annan's pain.
Agony bored into his mind, but lying on the altar, Annan couldn't even tremble. Only the cold sweat on his brow and the shake in his voice betrayed his pain.