Chapter 12:
When her eyes cleared, she saw Jowan running and Lily huddled in a ball crying. She looked around and saw Irving lying on the floor. She got up, ignoring her new bruises, and ran over to him. "Irving! Irving, are you okay?" she cried, shaking him. He groaned and opened his eyes.
"Are you alright?" he asked weakly. Sylina helped him up and saw him cast a quick healing spell over himself. He looked around. "Where is Greagoir?"
The Knight-Commander was getting up, groaning and cursing. "I knew it! Blood magic!" He shook his head. "How could he have overcome so many? I never thought him capable..."
"Blood magic is powerful Greagoir, as it is dangerous. None of us could have expected that." Irving said approaching the Knight-Commander. "Are you alright, Greagoir?"
Greagoir scoffed. "Given the circumstances, I could be worse. If you had told me about this sooner this would not have happened! Now there is a blood mage on the loose and we have no phylactery to track him down!" Sylina winced at this.
"He only just ran. I saw him as I woke. Surely if you are fast enough..." Sylina tried looking the way Jowan had run. She did not want to remind the Knight-Commander that she had been the one to allow Jowan to smash his phylactery. Had she known he was a blood mage she would never have gone down there. No matter what the First Enchanter commanded her to do.
Greagoir turned a cold eye on her. "We will use every resource we have to track him down." He turned from her and looked around. "Where is the girl?"
Lily was still crying and Greagoir stormed over to her and yanked her up. "You helped a blood mage escape! Do you see what he has done!?" Lily cringed and cried harder. Sylina, knowing that all of this was her fault, could not look at her.
She spoke to the ground: "She did not know he was a blood mage. Neither of us did."
"Save your breath. I do not need your help." Lily spat at her. She straightened to look at the Knight-Commander tears in her eyes. "I...I am sorry Knight-Commander. I was an accomplice to...to a blood mage. I accept the punishment that bears."
Greagoir growled at two templars. "Get her out of my sight." The templars practically picked her up and carried her out of the room. Sylina watched, feeling hollow. "And you." Greagoir turned to her and Sylina jumped. "You were trespassing in a room that is full of magic and locked away for a reason." Sylina was confused. Irving spoke up.
"Did you take anything from the repository?" Sylina looked at him.
"Of course not," she said, though now she wondered what would have been in there that the templars didn't want her to have.
Irving nodded. "I believe you, child."
Greagoir snapped. "Her antics have made a mockery of this Circle!" He turned to Irving. "You cannot possibly suggest that she not be punished?"
Sylina spoke up. "I did as Irving bid! I had no idea Jowan was a blood mage and I was following orders issued by the First Enchanter." She felt her heart race. Her eyes were dry, but she feared Greagoir would still use this as an excuse to kill her.
Irving motioned for her to be calm. "I told you she was following my orders."
Greagoir turned to Irving and stuck his hand out coming close to the mage's chest. "And this makes it better? The phylactery chamber and the repository are off limits to anyone without express permission from both you AND me."
Irving crossed his arms, and appeared to be unimpressed by Greagoir's anger. "I had my reasons," was all he said.
Greagoir's voice got louder and angrier. "You are not all-knowing Irving! The blood mage could have influenced her. We must deal with this!"
Suddenly a third voice spoke up. Sylina turned quickly to see Duncan striding toward them. "Knight-Commander, I may have a solution." He stopped at the two men and Sylina looked up at him, hopeful. "I am not only recruiting for the King's army, but also for the Grey Wardens. Irving spoke highly of this young mage. I would like her to join the Warden's ranks."
Greagoir rounded on Irving. "WHAT?!" he sputtered. "You promised this Warden a new recruit!?"
Irving kept his voice calm, as ever. "Sylina has been loyal and served this Circle well. She will make a fine addition to the Grey Wardens."
The Knight-Commander threw up his arms. "No. I object. I do not trust her. Do not think I have forgotten what she did! I will not release her to the Grey Wardens!"
Irving shook his head. "Nobody expected you to forget, Greagoir. Though it is not your choice if she goes."
Shocked, Sylina glanced from Irving to Duncan. "I would love to be a Grey Warden!" she exclaimed, suddenly smiling. She was overjoyed at the idea of getting away. The idea of leaving the Circle forever, knowing that she would never have to see the Knight-Commander again. The more she thought about it, the more thrilled she was.
Duncan put his hand on her shoulder and turned to the Knight-Commander. "Greagoir, mages are needed. This mage is needed. There are worse things in this world than blood mages." He squeezed her shoulder and she looked up at him, but his gaze stayed on the Knight-Commander. "I will take this young mage under my wing and bear all responsibility for her actions."
"She does not deserve a place in your Order!"
Irving turned to Greagoir. "And why is that, Greagoir? Should we not reward her service to the Circle? She helped us uncover a plot between a blood mage and an initiate today. She has earned her chance to use her gifts away from the protection of the tower."
Greagoir glared at Irving, huffed, and walked away. Sylina watched him go and turned to Irving. "So...does this mean I am leaving to be a Grey Warden then?" she asked, wondering if Greagoir had admitted defeat.
Irving chuckled as he watched Greagoir go, "Yes child. Be proud." His hands went to her shoulders and he squeezed them. "You have an opportunity few dream of." His eyes twinkled. "Do not squander it, child." Sylina beamed up at him and in a moment of abandon, she hugged him. Irving chuckled and patted her back. "Now go child. Collect your things, and quickly. We do not want to have you to go through a contingent of templars on your way out."
Sylina smiled and nodded. "Thank you for everything First Enchanter."
"I will wait for you by the doors when you have collected your things. I believe the First Enchanter is correct in saying you should be quick. We should leave before this news spreads." Sylina nodded and headed up the stairs.
In her room, she quickly grabbed a bag and started stuffing clothes in it. She was nervous, but she couldn't stop herself from smiling. She was leaving. She was actually leaving. She tried to push all thoughts of Jowan and Lily out of her mind. They had made their choice and she had made hers. Now they all must live with it.
She was gathering what little belongings she had and filling the bag when she heard the clink of armor. She jumped and turned around.
"I-I am sorry," Cullen said, standing at her door.
She placed her hand over her heart and beamed uncontrollably. She laughed. "I will never understand how templars can move so silently in that armor!"
Cullen blushed. "We...uh...well we train to move silently. It helps when we have to..." He stopped and blushed redder, looking at his shoes.
Sylina laughed again. "When you have to hunt down mages?" she asked innocently, chuckling again. Then suddenly it hit her. She would never see Cullen again. Her smile disappeared and she stared at him.
"Is something wrong?" he asked, taking a step into her room. Sylina put down the dress she was about to pack.
"Cullen." She hesitated, and bit her lip. "Cullen, I am leaving." She saw shock and confusion on his face.
"You are leaving?" he asked, taking another step in. He shook his head. "Sylina, y-you can't leave." His eyes widened. "Why would you tell me this? You are planning to escape?" His voice rose.
Sylina quickly stepped forward and touched his breastplate. "No, Cullen," she said. He looked down at her, his brows furrowed. "I am...I am not escaping. I am leaving. I am..." She looked up at him and beamed. "I am going to become a Grey Warden." His mouth opened and he stared at her. She glanced down at her hand, still resting on his breastplate next to the templar insignia.
She felt his hand on her arm and startled she looked up. His eyes were warm as he looked down at her, but there was sadness in them…and regret. "Sylina," he murmured. Her heart was beating rapidly and she couldn't breathe. He was so close she could feel his warmth through the armor.
He looked from her to his hand on her arm and she thought he would remove it and run away, as he had earlier. But he surprised her. His other hand came up and brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. His eyes met her and there was something in them - a spark of heat. She saw it for a moment before his head was descending. His hand slipped behind her to cradle her head, his other hand going to her waist. He pulled her closer and their lips met.
Shock hit Sylina first at the contact. His lips were warm and soft, like so much of Cullen already. Her hand moved from his breastplate up to his shoulders and then to his neck. She was stunned by the warmth of his neck against her cool hand. But that was the last coherent thought she had as the soft kiss changed. As if her touching his neck had awoken a fire within him, Cullen pulled her closer, crushing her body against his armor. His mouth moved against her lips, deepening the kiss. Sylina couldn't think. Waves of heat shot through her body.
All too soon, Cullen was pulling away. They were both gasping for breath. Cullen rested his head against her forehead for a moment before stepping back. She let her hand fall from his neck and he caught it in his. His eyes searched hers and she felt a wave of grief knowing that she was leaving him. He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it lightly. She felt tears in her eyes but she didn't want Cullen to see them. She looked down and he stepped forward and cupped her chin in his hand. She looked into his eyes. He smiled. It was a small smile and sad.
Cullen put his hands up and pulled a thin chain over his head. Sylina watched as an amulet appeared. He reached out for her hand and placed the amulet in it. Then he closed her fingers around it. He looked into her eyes. "May this amulet bring you protection and luck." He smiled and kissed her lightly. She stepped forward trying to make the kiss last, but he pulled away. He looked into her eyes one last time, still holding the hand with his amulet in it. Then he dropped her hand and left her room.
As Sylina entered the lobby of the tower, she felt light-headed. She had never been in this room before. It was stone like all the other rooms and completely bare. Obviously it was meant to be just a room between the outside and in. She looked around and saw the large door at the end of the room. She stared at it, hardly able to breathe. Any minute she would walk out that door and enter a world she had only dreamed of. Duncan was suddenly at her side.
"I see you are finally ready. Good. We need to move quickly. Come." Duncan smiled at her as he walked toward the door. "Your new life awaits." Two templars opened the doors to the tower.