Emily had no idea what to think of Nightshade.
They ate breakfast with only Lorren and Tasha—Adriane, Zach and Kara were sleeping, too exhausted from using magic—in the long dining room with its table of dark polished wood and walls decorated with portraits of famous goblin explorers. All three introduced themselves: Emily the healer mage, Lorren the Goblin Prince, and Tasha the Goblin court sorceress. Nightshade returned an empty "Nice to meet you, I'm Nightshade." That was the beginning of the most awkwardly quiet meal that Emily had ever eaten.
Nightshade was withdrawn, not speaking unless spoken to, but nothing about her was timid. She ate quickly and intensely, as if the food could be snatched away at any moment, but her silence made her all the more powerful and intimidating, and no one dared to ask her anything beyond "Do you like the food?" and "Do you like the clothes?"
They had leant her a black Greek-looking tunic, which fell to her knees and draped her body in loose folds. She had thanked them for it and said that she liked it, the same as her response to the meal of soup and fruit. Nightshade wasn't rude or aggressive, but her lack of friendliness and warmth was jarring to everyone, especially Emily, who worried about how badly she'd been affected by the dark mist, the crystal, and whatever made those scars. She hoped that this new girl would open up once she adjusted.
Tasha anxiously picked at her food, probably squirming for the chance to investigate this new type of mage. Beside her, Lorren tried to be the gracious host by making empty small talk about nothing in particular. Emily glanced worriedly at Nightshade whenever the other girl wasn't looking.
In the even more awkward silence after everyone had finished their meals, Emily finally brought herself to ask Nightshade, cautiously, "After last night and this morning, are you tired? Do you want to rest?"
Nightshade had been staring at her empty plate, but immediately turned and locked her intense gaze into Emily's eyes. "No," she said flatly. "I'm fine."
"Um," Emily blinked. "Are you sure you're not…hurt…or,"
Nightshade must have felt Emily staring at the small length of scar uncovered on her shoulder and suddenly realized what Emily knew. She bolted up from her chair, anger and hurt crackling across her face, and for a moment tried to speak but choked on her words. With a dizzy stumble, Nightshade ran out of the dining room. Lorren and Tasha looked frantically between each other and Emily.
Stunned for a second, Emily cried "W-wait!" and dashed after the slapping sound of her bare feet on the stairs.
Emily emerged in the upstairs library, brightly-lit by the Avalon sunshine streaming through its Gothic arch windows. Rays of purple aura shone between the books of the closest bookcase.
"Nightshade," she said softly. "I'm sorry…"
"Please, just leave me alone," mumbled Nightshade's voice from behind the bookcase.
"I will, but…I'm the healer mage, and I'm so sorry, but it's my job. And I won't tell anyone—not if you don't want me to," Emily turned around and stepped towards the door.
"No—don't leave!"
Emily stopped. Did this girl want to talk to her? To trust her? She moved warily to the bookcase and peered around it.
Nightshade was sitting on her knees at the end of the aisle, her back to Emily as she watched Tasha's botanical gardens through the tall window. She didn't turn around, but whispered: "They're ugly scars aren't they? I was wondering why they looked a little better, but I must have you to thank for that."
"I, well, you're welcome," Emily approached her slowly. "If you want, I can heal them more…maybe make them go away completely."
The girl's body tensed, and for a moment she was silent before saying fiercely: "Don't tell anyone. Help me, fine, and I'll pay you back someday. But I don't want anyone to know. Ever."
"I promise I won't tell, but you don't need to pay—"
"No, I never take anything that I can't pay back."
"Well…okay, if you feel better that way," Emily tried to manage a smile, but not seeing Nightshade's face made her uneasy. Was she smiling too, or scowling? Was she even grateful, or would she only pay Emily back out of guilt or duty?
Emily's questions were answered the next moment, when a door in the hallway slammed and a startled Nightshade whirled around to face her. Her pale face was streaked with fresh tears and her lips clenched closed like floodgates holding back sobs. It all looked so strange compared to her old stone-like expression that Emily was left without words. The girl gasped, horrified that Emily had seen her. She jerked back around and, as if she was in pain, wrapped her arms around herself and bent over.
"Go away," Nightshade snapped. "I'm sorry, thank you, but please just go away."
Despite her healer's impulses to help, Emily knew that Nightshade needed some time alone. Having someone else see her in pain only made the pain worse. Emily took a last look at the curled-up and shaking girl and said softly, "I'm here if you ever need to talk." She walked slowly out of the aisle and towards the library door, half-expecting Nightshade to call her back again, but the other girl was silent.
She met Kara, clad in a fuzzy pink bathrobe, in the hall adjacent to the stairs, library, and corridor of bedrooms. Defying her still-sleepy eyes, Kara flipped her blonde hair, heavy and wet from the shower, and asked with energy and a touch of sting: "So where's crystal girl?"
"Her name is Nightshade, and she's—um—reading in the library," Emily strung her arm around Kara's and started to lead her down the stairs. "Come on, it'd be rude to bother her and I bet you're hungry. They have rubyfruit and pumpkin soup."
"Oooo," Kara eagerly took the lead. "I haven't had rubyfruit in ages!"
Kara stopped at the bottom of the stairs, her good mood suddenly subdued as she glanced back warily. "What should we do with this Nightshade? What if she's some sort of spy? Shouldn't we keep closer tabs on her?"
Emily smiled reassuringly. "I don't think she's a bad person, just…unstable. Don't worry: after Ozzie, Lyra, and Dreamer come back this afternoon, they can help to keep an eye on her."
~.~.~
"Once you stop fighting me, your suffering will end. I promise…" crooned the voice.
Curled against the bookshelf and cold window, Nightshade dug her fingernails into her arm so hard that she was sure that they drew blood, as she tried to feel only those sharp puncture sensations. She stared at a patch of red flowers in the garden below and imagined the blooms coming to life, mingling with the morning glories, or bursting into flames—anything to distract from the voice.
"I'll never leave you. The moment you think that I'm gone forever, I'll return again. I'll be with you until you come to me."
"Shut up. Shut up! Shut up!" Nightshade whispered furiously. She couldn't cover her ears and block the evil words, as the voice wasn't a sound around her: it was a foreign thought invading her mind. "I won't hurt them. I won't let you hurt them—I won't let you hurt anyone!"
The voice laughed. "Let me see you try, Nightshade."
~.~.~
Mmmmm, a mysterious ending. I'm sorry that this chapter took so long! I've started diverging from my outline and I've even changed my plans for some of the pairings. What do you guys want to happen?
Please review! It only takes a second, and I'll be grateful for even a few words.