Chapter 10:
I'd come to my cottage in the early afternoon. The others had left me at the tavern to deal with the quest Lohar had tasked Beast. With nothing to do, I'd decided to come here and rummage around.
There was a letter on my bed, saying that while I was gone, Eir had bought the house and kept it up. I was surprised by that, but then again, she wasn't really a spirit- that was just the form she'd taken with me for my whole life. Which reminded me- she'd acted as a spirit last night, as she tried to get Ifan's attention. I wondered why.
All of my herbs were intact, the ones that hadn't been dried out yet, well... they were, now.
I was in the middle of making potions, when there was a knock on the door. Curious, I went and opened it. A magister stood on the other side. One of the magisters that had been there that night.
We stared at each other with wide eyes for a long stretch. As if remembering herself, she jumped back, a finger raised and pointed at me.
"You!" She hissed. "What are you doing here?! You're supposed to be at the Joy!"
"I was." I hadn't thought about this scenario. I didn't know what to say.
"What are you doing here?!"
I held up my hands, anxiety building in my stomach. "I-"
"You're coming with me to the jail!" She grabbed my wrist, slapping one of the cuffs around it, before grabbing my other and doing the same.
I pulled against her grasp, but she was stronger than I was, and she led me into town.
Sitting curled up in the corner, stared at the dead body that had already been here when the woman had thrown me in. I'd stumbled and landed on top of the dead man, making me throw up in the opposite corner from where I currently was.
I wasn't sure what to do now. She'd taken my bag, so I didn't have the pyramid. Eir wasn't responding to my pleas. The others didn't even know I'd gone to my home, let alone that I'd be here. If they used one of their pyramids, where would they wind up? In a room full of magisters? I hoped not. I wouldn't want them to have to fight their way through to me. I didn't want them hurt.
Tears filled my eyes at the situation, and I buried my face in my knees.
After what felt like an eternity in the silence of the space, shouts reached my ears, though I couldn't make out what they were saying. Lifting my head, wiping my eyes, I watched as a magister unlocked my cell and rushed in. He grabbed me, jerking me to my feet, and held me in front of him like a shield, a dagger pressed against my throat.
"Stay back, or I'll kill her!" He shouted. "She's why you're here, isn't she?"
A moment later, Ifan turned the corner, looking every bit as feral as a wild wolf does. The others were close on his heels. All eyes were on the man, narrowed in anger.
"Let her go, you coward!" Lohse screeched, her grasp on her staff so tight, I could see how white her knuckles were from here.
A memory came to me- when I'd learned self-defense in my younger years. For if anyone ever tried to kidnap me.
Holding my breath, I let my body go limp. Surprised at my sudden dead weight, the man didn't have time to catch me before I collapsed to the ground. I covered my head, keeping him from grabbing me by the hair if he wanted to try it. The sound of the bolt leaving the crossbow was quickly followed by the thud it made as it pierced whatever body part Ifan had aimed at. The man crumbled behind me.
I slowly got up, my eyes going to the magister. The bolt had found its home in one of his eye sockets.
"Are you-"
I started crying again, startling the mage into silence, and walked straight to the Wolf, my hands fisting in his shirt. His arms wrapped around me, holding me close.
During the embrace, they must have used one of the pyramids, because when I pulled away, we were in my cottage. The red pyramid was being picked up by the Red Prince as we stood in my living room.
"Are any of you hurt?" I asked softly as I wiped my face dry, looking around at them.
"You're kidding me." Lohse shook her head in disbelief. "You're arrested and threatened, and you're asking us if we're okay?"
"Eira." Sebille moved closer, leaning down to my eye line. "Are you alright?"
I looked away. "I will be, I'm sure. I'm just... shaken up. I should make a potion for shock." Muttering the last bit, I walked away, going into my herb room to get started.
While it percolated, I went to my closet and changed into my everyday outfit.
"Lohse, Sebille." I motioned for them to come in. "I don't know if you'll find anything that'll fit, but you're both welcome to look through my clothes."
Sebille thanked me, saying that she preferred leather armor instead, before leaving the room. Lohse jumped up and down like a teenager, looking at each item, before settling on a pretty blouse and skirt.
"Thank you so much, chief." She grinned.
It looked forced, and my own smile dimmed a little.
"What's wrong?"
Her expression shifted, becoming sad. "We're just worried about you."
"I've been arrested before." I reminded her.
"Yeah, but," She raised an eyebrow. "that was for Fort Joy. I don't know about you, but I had it pretty easy with that. Put on a boat with a bunch of other people straightaway." A shrug. "It wasn't that much of a hassle, really."
"It was the same for me. I was with the last round up for my ship, too."
"So. Arrested, thrown in a cell with a dead body, and you could've died. That's a lot for one day." A hand rested on my shoulder as she repeated herself. "We're just worried about you."
I smiled softly at her. "I appreciate the concern. I'll be alright."
A look of relief settled on her face. "Good."
I moved around her, heading to the herb room to check on my potion. It still needed a bit more time.
"So, how was Lohar's task?" I asked, glancing around at them all after walking into the living room.
"We had to put down an undead dwarf." I opened my mouth, but Beast continued. "We're all fine, lass. Wasn't much of a fight."
He fell silent, and I got the feeling he was keeping something from me, but I didn't want to push the issue. If he didn't want to tell me, he didn't have to.
Sebille shifted restlessly, catching my attention. She looked back at me, frowning.
"What happened?"
I looked away, returning to the herb room, speaking loud enough for them to hear. "I was here, looking through my things and figuring out what to bring along with us, when there was a knock on the door. A magister- one that had been here the night I was arrested- was standing on my doorstep. She arrested me and took me to the jail." My voice was soft by the end, and I was aware of them moving closer the quieter I got.
The potion was done. I picked up the ladle, taking an experimental sip. It tasted like rose and juniper, a pleasant mix. Pouring some of it out into a jar, I swirled it around for a few moments, giving it time to cool, before drinking it down. I felt better as the warmth spread through my stomach.
However, I did not foresee what would happen after treating the shock. Tears began pouring down my face. I started hyperventilating. It was all hitting me now. As it would after the shock had naturally left my system. Falling to my knees, I gasped for air, the anxiety making me feel like I couldn't breathe.
It dragged on and on, and I wondered if it would ever end. Finally, finally, it did. I came back to myself to find I was clutching Ifan's shirt, my face buried in the curve of his neck, his beard tickling my skin. His arms were tight around me, a comforting feeling.
Once I'd quieted down, he asked. "How are you feeling?"
"Tired." I mumbled.
He pressed a kiss against my hair. "When you're ready, we'll head back to the tavern." A pause. "Unless you want to stay here."
"Not alone, no." I wished I could be closer to him, but it wasn't physically possible.
Instead, I just nuzzled his neck, closing my eyes.
We decided to finally go to see Siva this afternoon. She was waiting for us when we walked through her door. After making us look for the hatch to her basement, we ended us in a laboratory of some sorts. Herbs and empty jars everywhere. There was even a vat of liquid Source. This place had everything. It was like a dream, for me.
Now, I found myself standing in front of Rhalic in the deepest depths of my soul, though it looked like the Hall of Echoes. He looked so weak. The sight pulled at my heart.
"My chosen!" He exclaimed, holding his arms wide. "Come... come closer... so that you may see me... as I truly am..."
Rhalic? Suddenly cautious, I took a step toward him.
"Look me... in the eyes..." Surprise flitted across his face. "You already know how to see spirits." Confused at that fact.
"I do, yes."
Something felt off.
"Then, I will teach you this, instead." His hands grasped my head between them, and I felt a pressure building in my chest.
It wasn't painful, but only just barely. What was painful, was the knowledge he'd given me. The abilities he'd instilled.
I wrenched myself free of him, a scream leaving me. Long and loud as I fell to my knees, tears streaming down my face. How could he? How could he?!
"Why?!" I demanded, sobbing. "Why would you do this?! I don't want this!"
He regarded me with a cold expression. "You are my champion. You must be willing to do what it takes."
A far cry from the other times we'd spoken, when he'd told me not to change myself. This directly went against everything I believed in. How could he do this to me?!
"We are I now. The spells you need to know, I will teach you when you are ready, but first you must learn to channel the Source in greater volumes." He sounded almost bored, as if he didn't care that I was falling apart before him. "That is why you need to seek the Masters of the Source. You must make them teach you, so that you may become a Master in turn. So return to Rivellon and seek out these sages where they dwell. Convince them to share with you their deep-seated bond with the Source. Once you have, you may return to me. Best of luck, my champion."
With a flick of his fingers, I was swallowed up by blue smoke. A moment later, I was back in Siva's basement, skittering away from the others. Hugging myself tightly as the tears continued to fall.
"What the bloody hell happened to her?!" Lohse shouted, before rushing toward me.
I flinched away, sliding across the floor until my back hit the wall behind me, my hands going to the sides of my head, grasping tightly as I squeezed my eyes shut. This couldn't be happening. He couldn't have done this to me. This had to be a nightmare. The last few days had to just be one long nightmare.
A whimper left me as arms went around my shoulders, and I was pulled against something solid.
"What happened?" Ifan murmured softly, holding me even as I tried to break free of him.
Just thinking about it had me shaking horribly. I struggled to find the words, but none came. Instead, I just shook my head violently, begging in broken whispers to just wake up. For him to take it back. Take it back. Take it back Take it back! A long, drawn out scream left me when the words finally stopped.
Sometime later, my mind cleared of the haze, and I slowly lifted my head, looking around the room. It was just me and the Wolf present. He pulled back a little, eyes roaming my face.
Before he could say anything, I asked. "Where is everyone?"
"They left a while ago, even the Meistr. We didn't want you overwhelmed when you came back to us by having everyone here, asking how you are."
I nodded slowly, a yawn escaping. "I'm tired."
Hesitation, but he let it slide. For now. "I can imagine."
He walked me back to the tavern, and we went into his room. Last night, I'd stayed with the girls, but tonight, I wanted his soothing presence, and he'd been more than happy to accept.
I started crying again after I laid down. He joined me a moment later, pulling me close to him, playing with my hair.
A long stretch of silence passed. If it wasn't for his fingers in my hair, I would have thought he'd fallen asleep.
"Did you meet Rhalic, too?" I asked eventually.
"Yeah. He, and the other gods, taught us to see spirits." I felt his hesitation in the way he froze for a moment before continuing his motions.
Quietly, oh so quietly, I whispered. "I can already see spirits. He was surprised. He gave me something else..." My voice shook. "He taught me two spells. Slay... slay living and... and mass slay living." The words burned my throat on the way out.
He stiffened, his hand fisting in my hair. It wasn't painful. "Why-"
"He said I was his champion. And I should be willing to do what it took."
His hold on me tightened, the hand in my hair pressing my cheek against his chest. "I knew he was an ass, but I didn't think he'd go so far." I could hear that his jaw was clenched.
"I... I should speak with Eir."
"She was there, when we all got back. She was pacing, looking more and more panicked the longer you were gone. When you finally came back... she was furious at the state of you and disappeared after it became clear you weren't going to calm down anytime soon. I don't know where she went, and she hasn't returned."
I nodded weakly. "Okay. Then... then I'll talk to her when she's back."
"For now, try to get some rest."
"I..."
"I'm here."
He pressed a soft kiss to the top of my head, and I let my eyes close, hoping I would be able to sleep.