"The true mystery of the world is the visible, not the invisible."
-Portrait of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde
Hester, Tameryn, and Ava found seats at the end of a long table at what was quickly becoming a crowded tavern.
"And how are things at the dispensary?" Hester asked.
"You better tell us it's been busy, otherwise you'll have to explain why you never seem to want to come out with us anymore," Tameryn sulked playfully.
"I almost fainted when you showed up at the library today!"
"I was hoping to speak to the Grand Enchanter," Ava admitted.
"Good luck—the woman has been somewhat out of sorts."
"Indeed." Hester pursed her lips. "Don't think for a moment I don't find our alliance with the Inquisition a great coup, but I don't think anyone is ever going to let her forget the whole Redcliffe fiasco…"
"Fiasco for sure. Some are accusing us of treason, of trying to pave the way for a Tevinter invasion…In their eyes, King Alistair and Queen Anora's withdrawal of support gives such claims credence. And don't forget that many would have Haven pinned on us," Tameryn observed dourly.
"If it weren't for the Inquisition…" Hester voice trailed off ominously.
"An Inquisition led by a mage…" Ava reminded them, hoping to rally their spirits.
"That's my Ava. Always trying to make things better. A true healer, through and through!" Tameryn raised her tankard gamely. "To the Inquisitor!"
"The rifts in the sky aren't the only ones she needs to seal…" Hester sighed, lifting her tankard, too. "Hear, hear!" she finally smiled.
The three women sipped their ale and lingered in silence for a few minutes, contemplating their own thoughts while taking in the lively atmosphere.
"But enough of this! We never see you and when we do, you are always so serious!" Hester chided Ava. "Whatever did you want to talk to the Grand Enchanter about?"
Ava fingered the pebble in her pocket.
"Tameryn…" she began hesitantly, "In your studies as Creature Researcher…"
The two mages exchanged surprised glances. Ava took a deep breath and drew the pebble from her cloak's pocket, plunking it down before them on the table.
"Tell me: what do you make of this?"
"This really isn't the place," the black-haired woman whispered in a conspiratorial manner, looking about them for any eavesdroppers. "If you'd like, I can take it back with—"
Ava pressed it into Tameryn's hand.
"Just tell me if you sense anything unusual…anything…bad."
She furrowed her brow and nodded. Leaning back, she closed her eyes and remained motionless. When she finally opened her deep gray eyes, she found both women observing her expectantly. She slid the pebble across to Ava.
"Nothing extraordinary."
"Not Fade-touched?" Ava asked suspiciously. Tameryn shook her head. "Not cursed?"
Again, the mage shook her head.
"Now will you tell me what this is about?"
"This pebble was tucked in a patient's hands when he died."
"And was the cause of death suspicious?" Hester asked.
"The poor man was already ill. Adan was certain we could not have prevented his death." Ava paused, wondering if she should continue. At her friends' pressing stares, she took courage to proceed. "But I am certain this pebble was not in the man's possession before he died."
The revelation did not appear to make much of an impact on the two.
"My patient reported sighting a man in the room with us before he died…But… I can assure you: there was no man," she insisted.
"No, of course not," Hester teased. "When it comes to you, that's one constant we can count on…"
Tameryn cracked a small grin, but listened intently.
"I understand your apprehension…But don't discount the Templar presence here. It's very unlikely to be something predatory: an abomination or a demon of sorts. Your patient could have been hallucinating," Tameryn explained. "Many times the dying believe they are seeing things when in reality it is just their bodies breaking down and causing—"
"And how do you know that it isn't precisely the body's breaking down that allows them to see the unseen?" Hester countered indignantly. Ava braced herself; matters of faith, of otherworldly questions, had always been a point of contention between the two.
"I don't know," Tameryn conceded, "but it is highly doubtful. I have been in situations where people reported experiencing such events, but I have never conclusively felt or seen anything while they were supposedly occurring… And I am qualified to perceive such things."
"I believe a moribund patient's spiritual proximity to the Fade at the time of passing may make him or her more susceptible to experience such phenomena," Hester began, pointing her finger upwards in an authoritative manner.
"One cannot argue with belief, can they?" Tameryn added tartly. She leaned towards Ava again. "I'm curious to hear what Adan said about the matter."
"He thought I was dredging up intrigue," she admitted apologetically. "Told me I could not ascertain the pebble hadn't been there all along. "
"Of course he would say that," Tameryn smiled, satisfied. "Adan is a logical, reasonable person," she said with a pointed look at Hester.
Hester demurred with a grimace and sipped her frothy ale, perusing the crowd with renewed interest.
"Oh! Don't look up now, but there goes that handsome Krem," she mused, her eyes trailing after the lieutenant of the Chargers as he made his way to the back of the tavern.
"There is one thing…" Tameryn turned to Ava again. "It's something you can do that will help you determine whether there truly is more to all of this."
Ava tensed.
"But before I go further, I need to ask: how brave are you?" Tameryn whispered.