Skye was confused over a man of all things. She was next in line to lead her circle. Men shouldn't have had this big of an impact on her. Surely, she was just tired, right?
In all honesty, it wasn't until they ran into a matriarch spider that the exhaustion finally set in. At some point, she was bitten by the giant arachnid and began to see three of everything. She was poisoned and didn't have an antidote. So, she dealt with it like she dealt with everything: she shrugged it off. Or at least, attempted to.
The air genasi heard a voice behind her, desperate and loud. Gods, the voice was loud. Her ears were ringing. Blood was soaking through her light armor. She turned her head to the source of the voice, causing her vision to go entirely black. She felt someone drag her over to safety and felt a bitter liquid pour down her throat. When she opened her golden eyes once more, she saw Shadowheart analyzing her.
"Good to see you're back to your old self. We need you." The half-elf stood up and extended her hand toward Skye. The air genasi took it, allowing Shadowheart to pull her to her feet. "As much as I hate to say it, you should thank Astarion. I had no clue you were bitten until he shouted for help," the cleric explained as they ran back toward the fight.
That was where the confusion set in. Sure, he saved Misty several times but not when his life was in jeopardy. It was her fault for getting bitten. She glanced behind her for a moment to make sure her companions weren't struggling and noticed Astarion was surrounded by baby spiders. Although they didn't cause much harm by themselves, getting swarmed by them was dangerous and Astarion knew this, yet once he saw her face grow pale, he stopped what he was doing to shout for help.
Once they joined their two other companions, Skye was ripped from her thoughts as Astarion was lying on the ground unconscious, still getting attacked by the baby spiders. A loud yell escaped from her mouth as she began to release arrows at the spiders. One by one they fell and she was finally able to reach her companion. Just as Shadowheart did to her moments earlier, Skye, pulled him to safety. She placed her hands on his chest and uttered a few words.
A light blue aura surrounded Astarion as she exhaled, watching the slightest bit of color return to his pale face. His crimson eyes fluttered open and she stared back, wondering why he'd done what he'd done.
True to the journal's words, the key gem was found inside the depths of the well, a swirling amethyst pulsing with dark power. After retrieving it, they returned to where Gale and Lae'zel had set up camp. The wizard had just conjured a fire as Misty chased Scratch around the tents.
Skye walked over to a slab of stone Gale was using as a study table and slung her bag on top of it. She pulled the amethyst out of it and set it next to the fleshbound book. The air genasi took a deep breath, feeling a familiar cold presence approach from behind.
"Well," Astarion breathed as he leaned against the makeshift table. "Aren't you going to put the gem inside of it?"
"I still don't think this is a good idea, Star," Skye admitted, fidgeting with the amethyst. She could feel the magic pulsating within the gem, resonating with the dark aura emanating from the book. Her fingers traced the intricate patterns on the amethyst's surface, trying to calm her racing thoughts.
Astarion's eyes flickered with a hint of amusement as he studied her hesitation. "Oh, come now, darling. Where's your sense of adventure? Besides, it's not every day we get our hands on such a... unique artifact."
Skye sighed, her gaze shifting to the book. Its cover, made of some kind of grotesque, leathery material, seemed to pulse as if it were alive. She knew the power it held, the risks involved in merging the gem with the book, but she also knew they might not have another chance to unlock its secrets.
Gale looked up from his notes, sensing the tension between them. "Skye, you don't have to do this. There are other ways we can approach this problem." He turned to Astarion. "Like destroying the tome."
Skye appreciated Gale's concern, but she also understood the urgency of their quest. They had been searching for answers for too long, and this book might hold the key to everything. Taking a deep breath, she steadied herself and nodded. "No, we need to do this. It's the only way."
Astarion's lips curled into a satisfied smile as he watched her resolve harden. "That's the spirit. Now, let's see what secrets this little gem will reveal."
With trembling hands, Skye positioned the amethyst over the book's cover. The gem seemed to vibrate with anticipation, and she could feel the energy building between them. As she lowered the amethyst into the book's central socket, a blinding light erupted from the contact point, enveloping them in a surge of raw power.
Skye closed her eyes, bracing herself against the force, and when she opened them again, the book had changed. The gem was embedded in its center, pulsating with a life of its own. She handed it to Astarion who nodded in thanks before walking over to his tent.
Misty approached her as she kept her eyes on the vampire spawn's retreating figure. She had to poke her sister to get her attention. "Don't tell me you're falling for the vamp, sis."
The air genasi's cheeks flushed as she turned away from her sister. "No, that's not what's going on." She quickly composed herself before turning back around. "We found the gem. Astarion convinced me to merge it with the book."
"Ooo! What'd you guys find?! Spells? Secrets-" The younger genasi's eyes grew wide in excitement. It almost scared Skye.
"I haven't got a clue, Mist," Skye interrupted, patting her sister on the shoulder. "Go get ready for bed, I'll be back in a few minutes."
As soon as Misty was out of sight, the air genasi straightened her shoulders and walked over to Astarion's tent. She noticed his brows furrowed in concentration as he began to read the book they had just unlocked. The eerie purple glow of the fleshbound cover illuminated his face, casting strange shadows across his sharp features.
"Come on. Come on. What are you hiding?" Astarion whispered as he turned a page. "Can you summon the dead? Bring them back? Can you...ugh." He let out an exasperated sigh. Skye furrowed her brows, approaching him slower. "Can you shut up and let me read?"
"Astarion? Are you okay?" the air genasi asked cautiously, holding a hand out.
"What?" the vampire spawn jumped. "Oh yes, yes. I-I'm fine." Skye raised a skeptical brow as she continued to study him. "I was just perusing this little find and WILL YOU SHUT UP?"
The air genasi looked up at him in concern. "Astarion-"
"Forgive me," he interrupted after regaining his composure and closing the book. "This book reads you more than you read it."
"That sounds dangerous, Star," Skye held out her hand again. "Maybe you should leave it alone-"
"No, Skye." It was one of the first times he had spoken her actual name. Not darling. Not my sweet. Skye. That meant he was serious. "There's something in here. But the voices - the spirits in the book won't let me see it." Astarion took a deep breath. "I barely opened it when they started whispering from the shadows. Now every time I open it, the voices surge back into my mind. I can't reason with them - they exist to protect that book-"
"Then, stop reading it!" the air genasi finally shouted, her frustration boiling over. She lunged forward, attempting to grab the book.
Astarion's reflexes were quicker, and he pulled it out of her reach, holding it protectively against his chest. "No! There's something in here - I know it."
The golden orbs of Skye's eyes softened as she gazed into Astarion's. He was scared. Desperate. He didn't want this. He needed it.
She slowly relaxed and let her arm drop back to her side. Both of them took a breath.
"Someone went through a lot of trouble to protect this tome. It has to be something more than a book of cantrips." The vampire spawn looked down at the book once more. "Still, I doubt this will help us with our parasites. Maybe it's best to put it aside for now."
"Star, what are you hoping to find in there anyway?"
Astarion took a deep breath, placing the book on the table behind him. "It's a book of necromancy, full of secrets about controlling the dead, returning the dead to life, and who knows what else." He took a step closer to Skye. "Whatever's in here, it might give me an edge over Cazador. Or free me from him entirely."
Oh. It all started coming together. Skye's mind raced as she began to understand the depth of Astarion's desperation and the potential significance of the book. The power it promised was dangerous, yes, but it also held the promise of liberation for Astarion from his centuries-long torment.
"Although I can't make any progress as long as those spirits remember their mission. It seems to be all they know," Astarion continued, his frustration evident. He must have seen how upset Skye looked because he gave her a reassuring smile. "Still, if nothing else, maybe I could beat him to death with it."
Skye let out a small, tense laugh, appreciating his attempt to lighten the mood despite the gravity of their situation. "Well, that would be quite a sight," she said, shaking her head.
The flickering light of the campfire cast dancing shadows across the air genasi's face as she rocked on her heels, biting her lower lip and looking anywhere but at Astarion. She could feel the tension between them, the unspoken words and lingering doubts.
"Well," she finally said, breaking the silence. "I should check on Misty. Goodnight, Star."
Astarion opened his mouth to say something, then closed it, seemingly at a loss for words. He nodded slowly. "Goodnight, Skye."
As she turned to leave, she felt his gaze lingering on her back. She paused for a moment, her heart aching with the knowledge of his pain and the burden he carried. She wanted to say something more, to offer him more comfort, but the words eluded her and she continued forward to her sister's tent.
The next day, they finished looting the blighted village by the early evening. They set back out on the path to the goblin camp, where their rescue mission awaited them. And Skye, being Skye, managed to find another stray (or in this case strays) to help, much to Astarion's dismay. It turned out the old woman from the grove was a hag and held the sister of two brothers captive in her hut. The air genasi offered to help the brothers, but they refused it. Instead of accepting their refusal, Skye pressed forward and it irritated Astarion to death. If it weren't for the fact that she was a strong fighter and was absolutely head over heels for him, he would've left then and there...but he couldn't afford it. So he reluctantly followed, grumbling along the way.
After walking a few miles they decided to set up camp and Skye told her sister that it was too dangerous for her to join this mission. Obviously, that didn't bode well with Misty and the two sisters got into it. The younger genasi set off deeper into the woods with her bow as her sister followed from a distance. Astarion let out a loud sigh and decided to follow, secretly curious to see where this was all leading. He found Skye peeking through a maze of tall trees, listening to the thuds of arrows hitting a tree. The vampire spawn purposely stepped on a twig to make his presence known.
The air genasi whipped her head toward him in alertness, relaxing when she noticed it was him. She returned her attention to her sister with a sigh. "You know she's pissed when she starts aiming at trees."
Astarion stood behind her watching as Misty's impeccable aim kept sending arrows flying at a target she'd carved into the tree's bark. At one point, she had even split an arrow in two. "You know, darling, she'd make an excellent rogue."
A hint of a smile crept onto Skye's face as she let out an amused scoff. "She's got the attitude of one, too," she quipped, eyeing him in the corner of her eye.
"Excuse me, but my attitude is reasonable with the situations we're thrown into," he retorted, crossing his arms in front of his chest.
Skye chuckled softly and turned to face him. "Am I being too harsh? I only want to keep her safe."
The vampire spawn blinked at her. Was she being too harsh? Astarion knew hardly anything about children, but it was common sense to not allow a child to come along to battle a powerful hag, right? "I'm not the person you should be asking, my sweet."
A hum escaped the air genasi's mouth as she looked back at her sister, who was aggressively loosing arrows into a nearby tree. Each shot landed with a solid thud, the young girl's frustration evident in her forceful movements. Skye's heart ached, torn between the need to protect Misty and the desire to nurture her sister's growing independence.
"She's just so determined," Skye murmured, more to herself than to Astarion. "She wants to prove herself, but I can't let her get hurt."
The vampire spawn shifted awkwardly beside her. He cleared his throat, his usual confidence faltering. "I mean, it's... understandable. Wanting to keep her safe, that is. I wouldn't... know much about raising children or anything. Obviously."
Skye turned to him, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "You don't say?"
A nervous laugh escaped from Astarion's mouth as he ran a hand through his hair. "Yes, well, I suppose it doesn't take an expert to know that taking a child into a hag's lair is a terrible idea."
Skye's smile widened, appreciating his attempt at sincerity. "You're right. It is a terrible idea. But sometimes I wonder if I'm being too overprotective. Misty's stronger than she looks."
Astarion nodded, though his discomfort was still evident. "Perhaps. But strength isn't everything. Wisdom and experience matter, too. And she has you to guide her, which is more than most could hope for."
Sincerity was uncharted territory for him, but in order for his plan to work, it seemed he must at least attempt it. If he continued down this path, maybe just maybe, his plan would work after all.
Skye turned her attention to her sister, who was still diligently practicing her archery. "I'll talk to her tonight. Find a balance between protecting her and letting her grow." She smiled, glancing back at him as the weight of her worries lifted slightly. "Thank you, Astarion. For everything."
If the vampire spawn's heart could beat, it would be pounding out of his chest. That smile she gave him stirred something unfamiliar within him—something he never felt before. Something he couldn't quite put a finger to. But for once in his damned existence, he felt a genuine smile creep onto his face.