Chapter 1:
I smiled at the man, placing a few coins in his outstretched hands. "Here. I hope this helps."
From the time I understood that there were people worse off than me and my family, I had donated every chance I could. Every time I came across someone in need, I would give. I had several charities bookmarked on my browser that I gave to periodically.
And that inclination had not been left in my world.
Moving away from the beggar, I went to one of the stalls, perusing the woman's wares.
"You really shouldn't encourage him." A familiar voice, as they walked up to stand beside me.
"You're back." I turned my face to him, smiling brightly.
It had been two years since we'd met, and I found myself waiting for his return with bated breath every time he left for a job. I knew what he did, it was hard not to- he was a Lone Wolf, after all. Still... Something about him called to me. I wanted to be near him, and I relished the time we spent together, when we could. He'd been there for me after the couple had died a few months ago, in the spring. He'd put off a job, handing it over to someone else, to stay. When I thought about it, even though it was a time full of sorrow, I was grateful he was there. It had helped. A lot. The only two people to know where I was from, gone. They'd left me their cottage- so I had that, at least, as a reminder of them. Something to cherish.
"I am." A slight nod, returning my smile with one of his own.
My eyes went back to the stall, my fingers brushing over a thin knife- intricately carved handle, the blade so thin, it was like a scalpel. It would be useful for dissecting herbs, to get at the inside "meat" of them, scrape it out.
"I know he's been without work for a few weeks." I murmured. "I can't bear to see someone go without food."
"Always the bleeding heart." He sighed.
I shrugged. "I'd rather be, than cold to the world. I'd rather give all I have, than watch someone suffer. I just don't have it in me."
Picking up the knife, I went to the stall keeper and paid for it. Then, I began making my way home. He caught up with me after a few moments, falling in beside me.
"You're a special breed. Never met anyone quite like you." He mused.
"You say that quite a lot." I chuckled, glancing at him from the corner of my eye.
Something moved in the treeline beyond him, catching my attention- a young man, looking lost and confused. Leaving Ifan to stare after me, I rushed over.
Speaking in low tones. "What's wrong?"
"The magisters... I- They came for me." A chill swept through me, my heart breaking for this poor boy.
"Oh, you sweet thing." I reached out and cupped his face. "They can't hurt you now. They can't hurt you now."
He visibly relaxed, hands going over mine. "Truly? I'm free?"
My smile was dampened by the tears rolling down my cheeks. "Yes. Yes, you are. You're safe now."
Ifan had approached during the interaction, waiting until now to speak. "Who are you talking to?"
The young man's form broke into little spots of light, before that too disappeared.
"Requiescat in pace." I folded my hands, the prayer quiet. "Let him rest in peace." A few moments passed, before I spoke again. "Can I trust you?"
It was a heavy question to ask of anyone.
After giving it some thought- no doubt weighing what I might say- he nodded. "Yes. Your secrets are safe with me."
"I can see spirits." Something only Sourcerers can do.
That made it quite clear why I needed to trust him. After all, we were being hunted, arrested, sometimes killed. Just for being able to wield Source.
"That... explains a lot." He rubbed his chin, deep in thought. Piecing our interactions together. "I can't, but..."
I blinked, understanding what he wasn't saying. "Tu plenus obrepserit, lupus. You're full of surprises, wolf."
As if summoned by the word, Englo bounded up to us, rubbing all over me. Laughing, I carded my fingers through her fur.
"Did I take too long, sweet thing? I'm sorry."
She let out a soft growl. "You did. I was worried." A glance at the man with me. "If I had known you were with him, I wouldn't have worried."
I smiled. "Yeah, he's good to have around."
She rolled her eyes at me. It was always comical, watching a large animal emote like that. The expressions were so humanlike, so misplaced on their features.
"I had wondered..." He said quietly, more to himself than me.
I tilted my head at his words, curious about what he meant.
"Your wolf never seemed like just a wolf to me. Soul bound?"
"Yeah." My smile turned soft, my eyes going back to her.
"Mine's name is Afrit. I don't summon him as much as I should. He's clearly soul bound. Not like Englo, who could pass, if she wasn't so big."
"Back home, her breed was referred to as a dire wolf. They can stand taller than a man."
"'Back home.' You've mentioned it a few times since I met you, but you've never said where."
"Ah. Yes." I felt my cheeks heat. "Ah. Hmm. It's not a place you've heard of."
It wasn't that I had never expected to be questioned, but... I'd never lied before. I honestly wasn't sure I was capable, at this point in my life. I didn't know what else to say, without telling him the truth. And coming across as insane.
He motioned for me to walk, and we continued on our way to the cottage.
"Try me."
I grinned, shaking my head. "Another time."
When we reached the gate, Englo tore off into the yard, and I gave him a little wave.
"Perhaps... the next time we see each other." It wasn't a promise, but the more time I spent with him, the closer we grew. And I didn't want him to learn it later down the road and resent me for not telling him sooner. "For now, vale. Farewell."
...
A hand shook me awake- Ariel. She stood over me, shaking me harshly.
"What-"
"Keep quiet." She hissed. "There are people outside. Magisters."
What- How- Why were they here? I'd been so careful.
"Send Englo away." She instructed. "And leave the pyramid. I will take it."
I sat, frozen, unable to think.
Her hands grabbed my upper arms, giving me another shake. "Focus, Eira! You need to focus."
With a nod, I let the magic slip that held the wolf to me, feeling her energy mute through the link as she disappeared.
The front door crashed to the floor, and I rushed to the other side of the room, my back against the wall, wide eyes on the door to my room. It, too, was knocked off its hinges, as a dozen men tried to make their way into the small space.
"You are under arrest, Sourcerer." The closest one stated, holding out a length of rope.
"How... How do you know?" I asked.
"Someone saw you talking to nothing earlier today." Another spoke, holding a blue collar.
The two approached me, and I was no longer afraid. I was relieved- it hadn't been Ifan to turn me in. It had been my own doing.
Bound and collared, they led me to the docks in the dead of night. Tomorrow, someone would happen upon the cottage, broken and ransacked as it was, and questions would buzz around the town. It happened every time someone went missing. The speculations that they were Sourcerers that had finally been caught. Or, the opposite- the poor Sourcerer, finally being caught.
...
"Audite me. Experto crede." I begged, holding out a poultice I had made specifically for the woman. "Listen to me. Trust me. I know what I'm doing."
Reluctantly, she gave me a slight nod, the movement being all she could do, weak as she was. I smoothed it onto her wound, a little prayer for her to heal murmured quietly under my breath.
Before our eyes, and the eyes of everyone around us watching, the skin knit back together, a soft green light emanating from the area.
"There. Fit as a fiddle. Now, you just rest. Gather your strength back." I patted her arm.
Griff and his people were getting bolder, lashing out at anyone who didn't immediately agree to whatever they wanted. It had been steadily getting worse for weeks, but to openly attack this woman for not giving her only piece of bread left to the bully asking for it? That was low, even for them.
"Eira, quick!" A young girl stole my attention, motioning for me to follow her.
Rising, I chased after her- chased, because she'd taken off running.
"What's wrong? What's going on?" I asked as I caught up to her.
"There are new arrivals, but the ship they were on was destroyed. They washed up on shore. Four of them are awake, but the other two are still unconscious. The six are the only survivors of the ship."
We reached the beach, and I went straight for the first person I saw- a woman with copper hair. I laid my hands on her, feeling for the magic I'd demonstrated after arriving here and gently guiding it into her body. Helping her lungs clear so she could breathe. She bolted upright, coughing terribly, but she was safe.
The next was... My breath caught in my lungs. Ifan. I went to him as quickly as I could manage, healing him, as well. It took him a few minutes longer before he woke up- and he didn't do so in such a dramatic fashion as the woman. He blinked a few times to clear his vision and, when his eyes moved to me, he sucked in a sharp breath.
"Eira?"
"Gratam Fort gaudium." I smiled softly. "Welcome to Fort Joy, Ifan."
He breathed out a sigh- of relief? "You're here." Softer. "You're safe."
"I'm glad that you're safe, as well. You could have easily been lost at sea." The thought pained me. My eyes went to the other four. "How are you feeling? Do you need any help?"
"Me? Need someone's aid?" The lizard scoffed, before turning and walking away.
The elf shook her head, also retreating. "I am fine."
The dwarf laughed heartily, before giving me a kind smile. "No, lass. It'll take more than that to fell me."
"I'm glad for that. We've had too much death here, recently." I murmured, more to myself than him.
Ifan sat up, pulling me into a bear hug, arms tight around me. The move startled me, but not enough so that I didn't return the gesture immediately.
"How were things in Driftwood, after I left?"
He tensed. "Left? Or taken?"
"Taken." I had just been trying to lighten his mood.
His face buried in my neck, he took a deep breath, before speaking again. "The toll your loss took on the town was harsh. I don't think people realized how much they'd come to rely on you."
I had the feeling he wasn't speaking just of others. My hands moved, rubbing slow circles on his back.
"How... What happened?" He asked after a while of silence.
"Someone saw me speaking to the spirit, when you and I were walking home that day. They reported me to the magisters." I heard his soft growl. "It hadn't occurred to me that it was a Sourcerer thing- seeing spirits. The more you know, I suppose. What happened with you?"
Barking out a laugh, he shook his head. "I was in the undertavern, high on a drudanae that I hadn't tried before. All of a sudden, a tiger prowls in. I jump up, but everybody else is just ignoring it. And then, he picks up my scent! His eyes turn blue, and he laps to pounce on me- a fury of claws and teeth. I flip the table and start scrambling for my crossbow. Nowhere to be found... and by now, the tiger's right on top of my eyeballs, so I do the only thing I can think of: I summon Afrit. And now everybody reacts! Screaming, scrambling around, pelting for the stairs. Drinks flying everywhere! And that pesky tiger? Nowhere to be seen. Stronger stuff than I'm used to, turns out. Also, turns out some people don't appreciate wolves tearing up the place, so some people called magisters on me."
I couldn't keep from laughing as I pictured the scene. Those poor bystanders.
"Ifan..." I shook my head. "At least you went out with a bang."
A light press of his lips against my neck- I must've imagined it- and he pulled back to look at me. Studying me all over intently.
"You said there's been a lot of death. Are you okay?"
I waved away his concern, a soft smile on my face. "I'm alright. It's just, there's a man here who everybody answers to and, if you don't, you get hurt. I'm not sure why or how it happened, but he's the top of the food chain, here. Aside from the magisters, of course. But," I looked back over my shoulder at the camp proper. "I think he has magisters in his pocket."
"Has he hurt you?"
My eyes went back to him, surprised at the dark tone of his voice. "No."
Relief played across his face, and I softened at the sight of it, my smile back.
"It turns out, though, that I can use magic." I chuckled at my own stupidity to not have realized it sooner. "I'd always just thought the potions were so strong because of how I make them. Not because I was actually pouring healing magic into them. I learned it here- there was an attack from voidwoken, and a few people were hurt. I didn't have the necessary herbs, but I had to help, somehow. I felt this... surge of energy, and I healed them all. I was exhausted and one of the witches that had been here took care of me, until I was feeling well enough again. She also told me that it would get easier for me, the more I did it. I'd be able to control the flow of magic with experience."
"It almost sounds like this has been good for you." He raised an eyebrow.
"Ego felix fui." It came out a whisper, my eyes watering. "I have been lucky. Others... have not." Catching myself, I smiled at him. "Do you want a tour?"
He didn't look happy, for some reason, but still, he nodded and got to his feet. Reaching out a hand to me to help me up.
"Yeah, why not?"
"Do you want to come?" I asked the dwarf, who had been silently watching.
Even the copper-haired woman had left.
"Nah. I'll be alright just wandering around, lass. But I appreciate the offer."
With a nod and a small smile on his face, he walked away.
"Well." I grinned at the Lone Wolf. "Right this way."