Chapter 2: Betrayal at Redcliffe
Redcliffe had proved both interesting and worrisome.
She'd stumbled upon the cache of tranquil skulls set for the ocularum. She'd known of them before, although it had not been her job to butcher or create. Her lyrium laced body had been too valuable for that, particularly with the rarity of red lyrium. She had been surprised, however, to find the gruesome workroom right in the middle of a populous village filled with foreign mages.
When she'd met one of the few remaining tranquil at the tavern there, she'd happily sent him to "Join the inquisition"...the number of skulls remaining in the workroom were too few for the grand plan her master had put in place. He would make a worthy sacrifice to her God and his cause. Perhaps 'Clarence' would be a gift for him when she finally found a way to return to him again she pondered as she smiled at the (mildly) grateful man.
From there, however, things became much more complicated.
Her heart nearly stopped, then sped rapidly, beating in time to the confused thoughts whirling through her head. Alexius was there! Alexius of her master's Venatori. She caught herself in time before declaring her joy in finding connection with her master again. And it was a wise thing, as he behaved as if they were meeting for the first time around her companions.
When they turned away, however, the intensity of his gaze made it clear he recognized her.
Her relief had been intense. She would 'hire' these mages and in so doing open the Inquisition to a traitorous defeat from inside Haven's walls. And then she would return to her blighted master. She opened her mouth to accept his carefully worded offer but was interrupted.
Felix, his weakling son, pretended to collapse, leaving a carefully palmed note in her hand. Seeing how quickly Alexius sprang to his side, she repressed her impulse to stab the God's be damned boy. This was clearly planned. She would follow this trail to identify any traitorous dealings. And then she would destroy them if they so much as breathed her God's name wrong.
And so she found herself at the local Chantry, fighting and then chatting with another Tevinter mage, Dorian. He seemed convinced that she must be trustworthy and so she played along. As she nodded and smiled at his arrogant words, she pondered how he would make a good Venatori, or perhaps a good tranquil himself, depending on which side he ultimately took.
And then Felix came in and brought the news that still had her mind reeling. Alexius and the Venatori had taken on the southern mages for one reason. To get to her.
They had been searching only for her.
She was right here? Why not just take her back to their master as her heart ached for them to do? Why the elaborate ruse? As she had reluctantly left the village and her hope of an easy escape behind, she clenched her fist, cursing again the flaring mark that had separated her from Corypheus.
What had happened that she didn't remember?