"We can't have you around Savathun, Crow." Ikora spoke to Crow, but her eyes went between the two of them.
"I deserve answers!" Crow yelled at her and Zavala, his voice echoing through the room. Zavala sat behind a huge desk and had abandoned the papers still laid out before him and Ikora stood by his side nearest a window that faced the Traveler. Today, it glowed in a brilliant, radiant white light that was warm to anyone who dared to stand beneath it, but somehow Maria could hardly feel its warmth or its radiance, especially with Crow's unremitting yelling.
Maria bit her lip. She wanted to yell that Crow didn't even know Osiris, not like they did. She felt a fire in her chest that wanted to spread to her throat, threatening to do so if Crow even dared to claim to know the real Osiris. The ones who should've been most upset kept their faces as stony masks, and she tried to do the same, though her heart ached to have the old Osiris back, and it broke to think of Sagira.
"Don't worry about Osiris, Maria. He'll come back. Why do you think he kept us together, hm?" She heard Sagira in her head, but it only made the fire in her chest burn ever closer to her throat. She'd never hear Sagira's voice, a voice of reason and one of fun. She was as far opposite Osiris as one could get to a person, but they somehow fit together like the pieces of a puzzle. Practically made for each other.
"Crow, you were around Savathun the most. Her sphere of influence surrounds you most," Maria explained gently but he only glared at her.
"Enough, that is the end of this discussion. I do not have to explain my reasoning any further." Ikora said sternly.
Crow stormed out, grumbling.
"We really shouldn't allow you to be around Savahun either, Maria," Zavala started. He sighed and turned toward the window, looking out over the Traveler. "I still think you should stay with House of Light as our representative. However, Ikora thinks that you are ready for this challenge." He nodded to her leg. "How does your leg feel?"
"Fine," Maria lied. In truth, she often lost strength in her leg still.
"Good, I want you to watch Queen Mara Sov and the Witch Queen. Report back everything to us."
"I'm sorry, Commander Zavala, I don't think I fully understand the task. Isn't the Queen of Awoken your ally? And you want me to spy on her?"
"Yes, but I would hardly call it spying. Queen Mara plays her cards too close to her chest. I want to know everything she's planning to do after the Witch Queen is released from her worm, and in return we will give her capable Guardians to save her Techeuns. She's already agreed to these terms."
Maria nodded. "Very well." She walked out, unconsciously patting Ghost's body as the door shut behind her. She didn't remember walking back into the portal to the Queen's chambers, or sitting against a pillar. She kept replaying every memory of Osiris, trying to find the flaw Savathun could've made in pretending to be him. Trying to find anything that could've stood out as odd, but the only thing she could find was the way Osiris-or rather Savathun had yelled at her.
She watched the crystalline Savathun. No, her plan was nearly perfect. Who could've suspected it? She did for a brief moment of unclarity.
"Something troubles you." Queen Mara said factually as she researched the whereabouts of her Techeuns.
Maria looked at her, blinking away the thoughts. "Sorry?"
"Something troubles you. You don't have to hide it from me…I have a feeling I already know."
Maria looked at the brilliantly smooth floor and then back at the room that Savathun was kept in. "Are you asking me or telling me?"
"Neither, your ghost friend looked worried."
Maria looked over at Ghost, and smiled warmly at him. Ghost's back panels whirred around, but he didn't say anything. She rubbed the scar on her leg. "I'm fine." She whispered and looked back over at Savathun. "I'm worried about Osiris."
"I know." He said.
She watched several teams of Guardians come and take orders from Queen Mara, including Fae and Argonaut, much to her surprise. She supposed she thought of them less as guardians and more as sports players.
"Maria," Savathun's voice drifted down the corridor, "why don't you come visit?"
The hair on Maria's arm shot up. She looked to Ghost, who looked at Queen Mara. The queen waved her hand. "Go on, then. I trust you will behave yourself."
Maria nodded and followed the corridor slowly, with Ghost floating close to her side. "What is it you want, Savathun?"
"I am…terribly bored. I thought we could play a little game."
"What kind of game?" Ghost interjected suspiciously, coming between her and Savathun as if he could act as some kind of wall.
Savathun laughed, "Not to worry, little Ghost, nothing that will harm her. I will pose a series of questions, and you will guess who it is I'm speaking about."
Maria folded her arms. "Fine. Shoot."
"I am a tall man with broad shoulders. The love of my life rescued me from death. The love of my life introduced me to you-"
"Saint-14. There aren't a lot of Guardians that I am aware of that are in that kind of relationship."
Savathun paused, "Very good. Then I shall move on: I am smaller than both Titans and Warlocks. I am haunted by the things I do not remember. I am haunted by the things others might remember."
"Crow. Are you purposefully making these easy? Give me a hard one."
"Very well. I am agile, and I stalk my prey. I can hear every sound they make when they cannot see me. I am nothing more than a shadow until I strike." Savathun paused.
Maria looked toward Ghost. He looked just as confused, but something in his eye told her he was calculating everything he knew.
"My crucible stats are of Ghost's interests. Who am I?" Savathun continued.
"Fae?" Maria asked Ghost.
"It has to be."
Maria looked at the giant crystialline structure.
"That is correct. Last one before, I suspect, you'll have to leave me: I am the cause of the Collapse. I am the voice in the darkness. I was once mortal long before you were ever born. I am the child of Darkness. Who am I?"
Maria looked to Ghost again.
"I don't know this time." Ghost explained.
"I'm done with this game, Savathun." With that she walked out, leaving Savathun to be in her boredom.
Each interaction Maria had with Savathun she seemed more and more distraught. This day was no different. Yet, Maria never stayed away either when Savathun called for her. "Your dreams trouble you."
"Why do you say that?" She folded her arms, and took a stance he'd never seen her take, like she was going to fight Savathun in this crystal body.
"Something that Mara mentioned." Savathun answered nonchalantly. "Dreams of death, she says."
"I thought I was here to play your game, not answer silly questions." She turned to leave.
"Have you been thinking about my riddles?"
"No," she lied. Ghost knew, though, she stayed awake all night when she woke up from her nightmares to mull over the hints. Each time Savathun stumped Maria she would become obsessed over the possible answers and even Ghost couldn't pull her out of her obsession.
"Then how about another one? Two truths. Two lies."
Maria shrugged and turned around. "Fine, I'm listening."
"Crow will regain his memories. You will marry someone you love. Osiris will die. You will die."
The color drained from Maria's face. She turned on her heels, but never propelled herself forward. Crow came marching down the corridor. "Crow, you aren't supposed to be here." She reached out for his arm but he slapped her hand away and continued on.
"Crow!" She followed him closer to Savathun. "Don't ignore me!"
Ghost flew in her face to stop her. "Don't…don't interfere here. Something's not right…"
She nodded and whispered, "You don't think Crow would hurt me do you?"
"I don't know…I don't want to find out…"
"Get a message to Ikora."