Lauren awoke to the color brown and mumbling. Blinking, she found the brown shaped into a wooden pendant, an odd circle with three points. Her eyes focused on the design, wondering what it meant. One of the points directed north, a white bead sad between the triangular-point and the circle. A second pointed southeast, the same length as the first, with a green bead. The third was a longer triangle, pointing southwest with a blue bead.

"What-?"

The priestess opened her eyes, smiling down at Lauren. She spoke something in Gredithian, low with a warm voice before rising too her feet. Red hair slipped from the brown hood she wore, showing a braid twisted with twine, beads and feathers. The priestess gave a low nod, placing the wooden necklace she'd held over Lauren's face down onto the battle witch's chest before leaving.

"She sends her blessings," Tamsin said. Lauren turned to look at her in the corner of the tent, lying back in a wooden chair. The Valkyrja looked tired, her brow furrowed as she watched the priestess leave. "'Blessings' is a loose translation, however. There isn't a word in your language for what she sent."

"What did she say?"

"Something similar to 'may the Gods honor your favor'. You died for a moment, used up all your strength to save the damned wolf. Alivia was less than impressed. You nearly-" Tamsin looked furious, but it washed away with a sigh. "A healer gave you a 'life line'. You came back. She believes you gave the Gods a favor of some kind. A lock of hair or magic. The necklace is supposed to carry your remainder life."

Lauren looked at the wood, picking it up from where the priestess had laid it. Shutting her eyes, she opened them again. She felt Tamsin flinch as her iris' became stained violet with second sight.

The necklace was enchanted, but nothing that could cause her harm. A simple preservation spell, nothing more. She smiled, looking to the Valkyrja and nearly falling away in horror at the expression looking back.

"What do you see, witch?"

She blinked again, removing second sight. "You're true face."

Tamsin smiled, shaking her head. "'True face' is a cruel way to put it. You don't see me going around talking about what people look. You're as horrifying when you're…"

"In second sight?"

"When you're doing magic." Tamsin shifted awkwardly, shaking something off. "What ever you want to call it."

Placing the necklace on, Lauren fiddled with pendant. "I...I remember healing Dyson," she said, looking back to the Valkyrja. "I don't remember dying."

"You never do." Tamsin smiled. "Your pet wolf's fine, by the way. Furious when you died. He had the great idea that I had something to do with it," she scoffed, standing up from her chair. "No matter, now you're awake and able to perform magic, you are needed. Get up."

"I just performed a powerful spell."

Tamsin laughed. "You did that three days ago, more than enough time to gain it back." She grabbed Lauren's arm, hoisting her onto her feet. Lauren pushed away, falling back to the ground with a sharp glare. "There are two ways we can do this, witch. I don't have time for your stubbornness."

"I'll walk," Lauren glared. She didn't need to be thrown over a shoulder again.

"Good." Tamsin lead her across the tents in a strong stride, weaving around. Lauren watched the people. Their eyes moved to herself, to Tamsin before adverting. She wondered if they were afraid of meeting the Valkyrja's eyes, or if they knew she held important business. "Keep up, we don't have time for you to hesitate."

Further on, as the tents clustered together, music could be heard. It thrummed through the earth, beating up Lauren's spines. She could drums, loud and low against the hits of wooden sticks beating together. In time to the music, vocals could be heard from both men and women in a passionate chant.

Lauren peered through the cluster of the tents, compelled to see even a glimpses of the ritual. Pushing forward, hungry for the sounds, she found people dancing around a fire, bare of clothes and dressed with blue body paint. Wooden and silver jewelry covered their bodies; their hair wound with twine, beads and feathers, similar to the priestess Lauren met. Some of the men had braided their beards as the same.

"They're doing magic," she whispered, stepping closer. Her eyes caught the blue of a beautiful woman with red hair, her arms were raised, praising the skies as she sung before coming closer. Lauren's heart beat, the urge to join them…

Her eyes fluttered, reaching forward to the woman's grip.

"Come on," Tamsin said, grabbing her. Lauren was pulled away with sharp tug. The redheaded woman smiled at Lauren and turned her back, returning to the ritual.

"What happened?"

"Compulsion. Their energy draws you in. Well," she smiled sardonically, "you would call it enchantment."

"Enchantment," she murmured, still dazed. "They're beautiful."

Tamsin chuckled. "They'll take you as a blood sacrifice if you're not careful. Come on, we need to-"

Lauren blinked, snapping out of the compulsion as she was lead away. "A sacrifice? How barbaric."

Tamsin's jaw clenched dangerous, the humor disappearing. At the change, Lauren flushed as she realized her mistake. Her own people had something different, but it wasn't sacrifice. They traded life, stole essence. When one person lived, another person died of seemingly natural causes. It was as though the sands of life were taken from one person to another.

But slaughtering someone in blood magic was a forbidden practice. Those who were caught doing such magic were executed. Beheaded usually. Their body then salted and burned into ash.

"Why do they do that? It's savage! Horrible!"

"What you call magic, they call divine intervention. 'Blessings' of the Gods they've appeased. And their sacrifices are willing, unlike your own."

"But there's no such thing as divine intervention."

"Who are you to say there's not," Tamsin glared. "Do you know this world and its creation, or are you only repeating what's been told by others?

"That's not the point. I know. I can feel magic, see it, I can't do that with a god."

"I don't have time for this," Tamsin breathed out. "They know magic as divine powers. It's a different name for the same thing." She pulled her further away from the ritual, leading her hard. Lauren stumbled before ripping herself from Tamsin's grip, eyeing the woman unhappily.

"What's your problem?"

"You're taking up valuable time with unnecessary, rude questions."

"I'm sorry," she said. "But it's ridiculous to believe that 'Gods' are granting abilities. There are no Gods. Only the fae. And they're hardly one to share their magic without a price. It's not fair to allow people to continue believing lies."

Tamsin arched an eyebrow, "and yet you believe your Queen to be true?" Lauren looked away. That was different.

"Here," the Valkyrja directed, shoving her forward. "This is where you are needed."

Lauren stepped into the tent again. The first thing she noticed was the abhorrent stench. Sickness and bodily fluids clouded the air. Familiar stenches that set her stomach ill. Looking up, Lauren was shocked to see Alivia standing amongst the sick. She would never catch Evony here, nor Hale. The royalty in the lands she knew kept away from the sick as though they were all infectious.

Lauren found something akin to respect growing for the woman.

The queen turned, her brown dress moving with her as she looked to the two of them. When her eyes fell to Lauren, she nodded. "Good, you are here. You can heal these people." Lauren looked past her to the people on the floor, lying out with covers over them.

A priestess, different to the one Lauren had met, tended to them, praying over their bodies and murmuring a blessing with a silver necklace strewn with different pendants Lauren couldn't work out. The sick were ashen, the ones awake had yellow eyes, coughing blood into their hands, the covers or handkerchiefs.

"What happened?"

"Noxious gas. It was pushed with the winds, through to our people. Hundreds died. These," she cast a hand to the twelve soldiers, "are all that's left."

"Why should I heal them?"

"Are you not a healer?" the woman demanded. "Are there lives nothing to your own because they had the misfortune to be on the other side of your battlefield?"

Lauren swallowed, looking to the men and women. "I'll heal them," she agreed. "If you let Dyson go."

"No. If we let him go, hundreds more will die," Tamsin cut in. "Ask for something smaller, witch. Ask for something that is worth twelve lives."

"A favor then." She looked up the queen, "I ask for you to inform the queen you're holding me captive."

"Not your king?"

Lauren adverted her eyes. Hale was her sovereign, but it was Evony who needed her. "The queen," she confirmed, lifting her eyes to the Gredithian woman. "Please."

"I will do as you ask once you've saved these people."

"Before."

"After, or I will have your magic bound by Tamsin. It a courtesy I ask and a courtesy that allows you this request. Do not test me."

Lauren's hands squeezed into fists, the air crackling. Tamsin tensed, ready to attack when Lauren nodded, moving forward to heal the victims. "You swear you will tell her."

"I swear it."

Shutting her eyes, the battle witch felt the air. Her eyes snapped open, violet and dangerous to see the poison. A potion had caused it, the trade mark familiar but unknown. By the potency, she assumed it was a witch's, perhaps a warlock's. At the least, someone experience had designed and travelled far and wide for the ingredients needed.

"It's green," she told them, "but it's dark. Very dark."

"It's killing my people! I'm aware that it's dark magic."

"Dark doesn't mean evil in my land, it means powerful." Breathing in, she closed her eyes from second sight and turned to the Gredithian Queen. "It clings to their lungs. In causing death, someone has ensured that their own people will live. Choosing who lives and dies is very powerful, controlled magic."

"It's from your lands."

"I know."

"It's cheating."

"It's fair. You have a dragon, don't you?" The Queen glared, her arms crossing. "In war you use whatever resources you can. Keeping people alive requires equal trade. The hundreds that died may have ensured thousands for us, or," Lauren said, looking to Tamsin, "it may have ensured one life."

"You."

Lauren laughed. "I'm of little importance. I hardly think Evony values me more than any of her other lovers." She smiled then, looking to the soldiers. Lauren doubted Evony was doing anything except saving herself. Ensuring her own victory in small ways. "Undoing the enchantment is easy, but dangerous. Please don't touch me."

"Magic in our land is different to yours. We do not conjure spells as you do."

"I saw," Lauren said.

"Save these people," Alivia said, her voice hardening as she looked to them. "And we will talk about your favor." Lauren watched her leave, the dress trailing after her.

"What does she mean by-"

"Every second is vital," Tamsin snapped. "These people could die as you blather on about what the queen may or may not mean!"

Lauren glared, biting back her anger. Tamsin was right. Damn her.

Stepping forward she shut her eyes, raising her hands. Magic jumped from one hand to the other in an electrical shock. Shaking her hands, she tried again. The shock was stronger, but faded. Brow furrowing, she tried harder. This time, the magic only sparked, fading into the ground. "Come on!"

"What's wrong?"

Lauren turned, swallowing back her fears. "I need...dust. The magic I used to heal Dyson was too much." She dropped her hands, swallowing. "I'm sorry. I can't do it."

Tamsin turned furious, stepping forward to grab Lauren. At the touch, Lauren shivered, tickled oddly by the sensation. Tamsin's hands recoiled sharply from the sparks, staring down at her hands. "What's wrong?"

"I damaged myself," Lauren said. "I tried to use more magic than I had. The…" she shook her head, laughing bitterly. "The ability I have to spindle magic is damaged. If I had dust, I could heal it."

"Isn't dust a drug."

"For some, yes. It can expand the ability, add magic. I used up more than I had. There's no magic in me."

"I just saw it! You were using second sight!"

"Second sight isn't from spindled magic. Anyone can put their feet in their ground and learn to tap into the etherworld." A soldier coughed at Tamsin's feet, rolling to her side as blood spluttered from her. The priestess rushed forward, cleaning the blood with a murmured prayer.

"We lost six while you were unconscious. Alivia was furious," Tamsin told her. "You need to heal them."

"I can't."

"Spindle magic! Pull it from the earth, whatever you need to do, do it!"

"You don't get it!" Lauren yelled, "I can't!"

"We don't carry dust. We don't grow it, that's why we're giving it to Maelthran kingdom."

Lauren blinked, looking at her. "If you win these lands, you're giving the dust to-"

"Does it matter? That won't heal these people. They don't have the time to find some mine and- and what ever you people to do to get dust!" Lauren flinched at the venom, looking to the people. Tamsin was right. "Find a way."

"You didn't exactly rush me over."

"Find a way," she hissed, "or I'll wait until you heal and drive you insane with your mind fluctuating, unable to rid of the build up you've spun."

"I can't use my magic," Lauren repeated.

"Then use someone else's. Take it from the earth-"

"There's not enough."

"Take it from blood then." Lauren tensed, hissing in a breath. Tamsin watched her curious, stepping forward. "You can do that, can't you?"

"It's forbidden. It's...repulsive."

"I don't care what your silly beliefs are. If you can do it, you will. Save them," she pointed to the people. "They died shamefully. They didn't battle, they didn't fight their target. They were poisoned by your queen. You will save them."

"I won't kill anyone. I refuse to take a life. But." She swallowed, looking at Tamsin carefully. "I could use Alivia's blood."

"Out of the question."

"She's royal, the energy, the belief in her abilities gives her more potency for magic."

"Alivia's not…she's not royal. We don't have royalty. She's a jarl."

"The belief in her is equal to a queen. People listen to her, you listen to her. That…essence, those emotions you feel pour into blood like magic. It makes her blood stronger. Belief is a powerful thing!"

"And what of me? Am I not believed in for my battle?"

Lauren's mouth opened, before shutting again. "I...you might work."

"Then it is my blood you will use, not Alivia's."

"You're a fool," Lauren said. Tamsin didn't listen, pulling out her ebony dagger and handing it to Lauren. "I could kill you and run," Lauren warned.

"Hardly," she snorted. "I could kill you before you had the chance. What else do you need?"

"You realize that I'm drinking your blood. Taking it into my body to spindle."

Tamsin sighed, her shoulders falling beneath her scale armor. "No one ever tries giving me flower and poetry. It's always blood sacrifices and weapons." She smiled at Lauren, pulling her hair to one side as she undid her armor.

"What are you doing?"

"You'll need an artery, right? There's one in the neck."

"An arm would work fine."

Tamsin raised an eyebrow. "Would it work better or worse?"

The battle witched fumbled, before giving in. "The neck would be more proficient."

"Problem solved, then." She reached forward, grabbing Lauren's wrist and tugging her closer. Lifting the hand up, she pressed the dagger to her neck. "Can you do it?" She asked.

Lauren stared into Tamsin's eyes, taking a breath. "I don't like blood magic."

Tamsin smiled at her. "How do you know if you haven't tried?"

Lauren laughed, then prepared herself, tensing as she hesitated. With a look from Tamsin, she pressed the knife hard against the skin and cut. The dagger dropped and Lauren pushed forward, placing her lips over the wound. This was disgusting, this was nothing she wanted. Taking someone's life-force was…

Her eyes closed, heart beating as she drank. The blood poured down her throat and sparked. Magic spindling in her mind, almost more than she could bear. Pulling away, she felt the magic rush from her and wrap around the wound, stitching is close and healing it.

Then, she shut her eyes. Lightning jumped from her hands, her ears pounding with the drums she heard earlier. As the shock sprang from her into the bodies and cast the curse out from their lungs, Lauren could swear she heard vocals singing. The ritual around her as she grounded herself into the earth.