Chapter 11

Kitiala paced the room. She had been trying to psyche herself up for this night. Talking to Pugul in the morning had helped, but now she was getting anxious again. At last, there was a knock on the door.

"Come in!" Kitiala called.

The door opened, and two battle golems entered. They clanked about the room, looking to any unfamiliar with them like large men wearing strangely-wrought plate armor. They made a thorough examination of the room, as she had seen them do many times before–swiveling their heads about to focus the green orb that served as their eye at the walls and checking under the furniture. While they were thus engaged, Kitiala saw Trail through the open door.

Trail put her finger to her lips, indicating that they should remain silent. When the golems seemed satisfied with their search, Trail gave Kitiala a wink and entered. She cast a detect magic spell and held her hands to her face, forming a triangle with the index and middle fingers of her right hand and index finger of her left between them. She glanced around the room through the interlocked fingers and announced to the impassive golems, "No magic in here except you two." She and the golems exited, but not before Trail could give Kitiala a sidelong grin.

Then King Santaheim appeared in the doorway. Santaheim was a thin man with sharp, chiseled facial features, black hair and a long goatee; he was also just a little older than Kitiala. He sauntered in confidently as one of his guards closed the door behind him. "There you are, Kitten," he cooed, taking hold of her wrists. "How nice that you stayed late, just for me. I cannot tell you how much I have been looking forward to tonight."

Kitiala managed to smile. "As have I, Your Majesty."

Ash waited under the floor boards. She could hear people talking, but her perception of speech was limited while in serpent form. She bided her time, waiting for the right cue to make her move.

Trail had given her a full description about everything the king wore for magical protection. What bothered Ash the most was a permanently enchanted leather girdle that provided its wearer with a constant stone skin spell. If the king did not remove it, then her sneak attack would most likely fail to kill him. Such a failure could prove fatal to Ash; Santaheim easily could cast a spell that would slay her instantaneously.

There was silence for a while, so Ash slithered up from hiding spot to take a look around.

Out on the floor, Ash had a good view of the whole room from where she was at. Santaheim and Kitiala were on the bed. Ash took note of which articles of clothing had been discarded. She slithered up onto a chair to see what the king was still wearing. Satisfied with what she had seen, Ash moved from the chair behind the changing panel and started her transformation.

Kitiala was enduring the king's relentless scratching at her back. She could feel his nails digging into her and tearing at her flesh. She had experienced this sadistic ritual enough times to know that he would continue to inflict pain until she cried out. She also knew that after that, they would finish and he would leave.

Kitiala gritted her teeth. She had to hold out a little longer in order to ensure that the naga had enough time to complete her transformation. She mentally counted time as she bore the pain. Tears flowed uncontrollably. Seconds gave way to minutes. Her whole body trembled. She didn't know how much longer she could hold out.

Ash flexed her muscles. She was human once again. She considered sneaking a peek to check on Kitiala, but she thought better of it. She dare not risk revealing herself to the king, distracted as he might be. Instead, she waited and listened. Ash could the slapping of skin against skin, and Kitiala's breathing became increasingly labored. Before long, Kitiala was whimpering.

Kitiala couldn't take it anymore. She let out a blood-curdling scream. She howled for a full minute, setting loose all of the pent-up fear and frustration she was feeling. Afterward, her chest heaved as she gasped for breath. She nearly collapsed.

Santaheim grinned madly. "Delicious!"

Kitiala could feel the warmth of her own blood trickling down her back. Between that sensation and the tremendous pain she was experiencing, it took all of her remaining strength to prevent herself from vomiting. "My lord," Kitiala gasped, "please grant me a short reprieve, so I may clean myself."

Santaheim roughly pushed her off of him and said flippantly, "Granted, and be quick about it."

Kitiala shuffled behind the changing panel in the corner of the room and was relieved to find Ash ready for her. She sat down, and the two silently regarded one another.

Ash quickly copied Kitiala's injuries onto her own body. She then waited for a minute before emerging from behind the panel. She approached the bed and said with a sultry smile, "Now, where were we?"

Santaheim smiled back. "Come here, Kitten." He grabbed hold her, threw on the bed, and proceeded to have his way with her.

While thus engaged, Ash ignored the king and concentrated. Her right index finger became scaly, and fingernail darkened and sharpened to a point. Santaheim didn't notice. This was the critical moment. Everything was leading up to this. Ash prepared to make her move.

With pinpoint accuracy, Ash jabbed her reptilian digit into the side of the king's neck and tore open his throat. Santaheim instinctively recoiled, rocking back on his knees. Ash scooted back against the head of the bed as Santaheim raised his hands. He opened his mouth as if to cast a spell, but no sound came out. Air escaped from the hole in his neck as blood sprayed out of his torn jugular. Pain overcame him, and he clenched his neck. Having pulled herself into a kneeling position, Ash balled her fist, drew it back, and slammed it into the king's jaw. He toppled over the foot of the bed, exhaling his dying breath before his body hit the floor. Ash cracked her knuckles and remarked to no one in particular, "I've always wanted to do that."

Now to wrap things up, Ash thought. Blood dripped from her body as she gingerly stepped over the corpse of Santaheim. Although Ash expected the general population to support a change in government, she wanted to be prepared to alter the story of the king's demise if the need arose. Ash approached the changing panel. There was only one other witness, and it was time to silence her, permanently.

Ash rounded the panel and gasped. Kitiala was gone.