The light grew in brightness as it was pressed towards her face, feeling the burning sensation of cold on her skin. Her brain felt as though needles were being shoved into it, making her see stars.
A voice cried from further away, and SJ could not see or understand what was happening. All she glimpsed through her unearthly vision were streaks of red followed by streaks of blue. She lay motionless, unable to do anything to help herself.
Dave’s voice boomed into her mind. “SJ. Are you ok?”
‘Yes,’ she thought.
“Thank Haber. I know you said not to talk to you, but I had to.”
‘That doesn’t matter now. What’s happening? I can’t see from where I am even with my vision change.’
“Larianco is attacking Raceillia. Larianco just hit Raceillia with a flame arrow. Oh wow, that did some damage. Oooo nasty. Raceillia just cast an ice shield on herself.”
‘So it was Raceillia who attacked me?’
“Yes. Ouch, Larianco just got hit with some ice shards. Luckily, her shield deflected most of them just in time. Damn!”
‘What?’
“Raceillia just conjured an ice elemental. Larianco is attacking it now. Oooo a fireball.”
SJ felt the impact of the fireball close by and the concussion from the blast that threw her sideways across the path and onto the grass, causing some damage to her health. Where SJ was now, facing the opposite direction, she could see in front of her where an ice creature exploded as a second fireball hit it. The explosion sent shards of ice flying in all directions, some pelting her, causing more damage as they stuck into her still form.
“Raceillia has fled,” Dave said. “She conjured the elemental to distract Larianco so she could escape.”
“SJ. SJ. Are you alright?” Larianco came running over, dropping by her side.
SJ couldn’t reply, still under the effects of the freeze spell.
“Damn her,” Larianco cursed. Reaching out and touching SJ, she spoke a few words as warmth flooded her body. Slowly releasing the effects of the spell. SJ moved slowly at first as her limbs freed, sitting up on the grass, groaning as she did, seeing several ice shards sticking from her.
“What was that all about?” SJ moaned.
“It seems we know who the traitor that has been trying to dispose of you was.”
“Raceillia. But why?”
“We will talk when we are in a safer location, and you are healed. Here,” she said, offering SJ her hand. Standing, SJ groaned from the pain caused by the shards. She went to pull one out.
“Don’t. I will remove them. Their cold will damage your skin.” Larianco’s hand glowed red as she grabbed the protrusions with her fingers and pulled them from SJ. Once they were removed, SJ’s health immediately rose rapidly. She had forgotten about the regeneration ring, and with her dragon blood out of combat, it ticked up quickly. Soon reaching maximum again.
“Are you ok to move?”
“I am fine.”
“Come, let’s go to the sanctuary,” Larianco said as she transformed. SJ copied suit and took off following Larianco. They flew over the park and out towards a building behind it. Raceillia had lied about the location of the fae residence, which didn’t surprise SJ under the circumstances.
Landing they grew, Larianco walked to the door, gesturing with her hand before it opened. She spoke several words as soon as they were inside, and a light glowed around the door’s edge. “There, you are safe now. Her rights of access have been revoked. She will not be able to enter the building. Come.” Larianco said, turning and walking down a short corridor into a lounge area.
SJ paid little attention to her surroundings as her thoughts were in overdrive.
“Why did Raceillia attack me?” SJ asked as she sat down.
Larianco walked to a cabinet, grabbed two glasses and a bottle of honey wine, and poured them a glass before replying.
“I have had my suspicions for a while about Raceillia but had never had any evidence to challenge her until she blatantly attacked you today. She only joined me in Asterfal three months ago, so she hasn’t been here very long. The fae council sent her as an apprentice to learn the ambassadorial role. From the information I was sent, she is a niece to one of the council and was being trained to become the ambassador for Luxoria.”
“But why did she attack me?”
“I can only assume it is because of the wishes of the fae council, or at least someone involved with the fae council. I can’t be certain.”
“But you said you never communicated with them? Why would they even be interested in me? These attacks on my life started before I even left Killic. I don’t understand the reasons for them or what I have done to draw their ire. Why would Raceillia now try to take my life?”
“I can’t answer those questions. All I can say is that you were known of before arriving in Asterfal. I mentioned this to you before. I can only work with assumptions about what has happened and have no proof. All I can advise is that you stand for change that many frown upon.”
“Why, though?” SJ said, frustration boiling over. “I have done nothing. I know few fae, yet you believe these attacks have stemmed from the fae council. I don’t understand what problems I have caused.”
“I wish I knew and could provide you with answers. I will have to report today’s incident to the capital as it is. A fight with Raceillia must be urgently communicated before she reaches out to whoever she works for. I still have some contacts in the capital who I can trust. Although the numbers are reducing as years pass. Do you mind?” Larianco removed a communication stone from her inventory.
“No, please do.”
The stone had three gems on its surface, which was not as fancy as Nexis’s stone but an upgrade from her own. Pressing two of the gems, Larianco waited until a voice sounded from the stone.
“Larianco. How are you, dear? You call late.”
“Mistress Valiasca. It is good to hear your voice.”
“Oh, don’t call me by my title. You know better.”
“If it was a social call, I would, but I need to report a serious matter.”
“Serious, you say? What has happened?”
“Raceillia attacked another fae in Asterfal this evening. I fought her off, and she fled after conjuring her ice elemental. I have the fae with me now at the sanctuary. She is safe, but I must report the matter most urgent.”
“Raceillia attacked another fae. Who did she attack?”
“You will not know her. She is called SJ and from...”
“The town of Killic,” Valiasca finished. “I know of her name. I have heard her mentioned through several sources at the capital.”
SJ sat in shock, listening to the conversation. “Why is the capital interested in her?” Larianco asked.
“I don’t know the full reasons, but I have heard rumours she is different. One rumour even involved a comment about Jaristi. I have only picked up snippets from my spies. You know how dangerous the capital can be with the dark influence that several have come under.”
“Jaristi?! What would the god of darkness have to do with rumours around a fae in a town over a thousand miles from the capital.”
SJ’s eyes opened wide at the comment.
“I don’t know. It is rather strange. Several stories have been whispered in the halls. This fae you talk of is surrounded by a shroud of mystery. There have been comments over system influence and other allegations being made. It’s all rather strange. I am aware she is a Legionnaire and has supported border expansion. Is that correct?”
“It is.”
“Then all I can assume is that higher forces than either of us may be at play. I would very much like to talk with her at some point. I would be interested myself in understanding what the interest is in her.”
“What do you want me to do about Raceillia?”
“If you can, bring her in quietly. If not, a lesser fae disappearing will not cause too many waves.”
“What about the training she was completing and her future position?”
“Oh. Don’t concern yourself with that. Her aunt is a low-level councillor with visions of grandeur. Raceillia would never have been assigned to Luxoria. She was granted the right to train to keep her aunt quiet and gain her support. Do what you must.”
“Understood. What would you like me to tell SJ about what has happened?” Larianco said, looking at SJ.
“Tell her I will do my utmost to discover what is behind the problems. Until you spoke to me today, I was aware of the rumours but had never delved into them due to other, more pressing concerns. It may be time to switch some of my focus on this news.”
“This is not the first attempt on her life. There have been several now.”
“Really? I was unaware of that as well. Indeed, I will have to investigate this matter further. Find Raceillia, and when you have, let me know, and if I find out anything in the meantime, I will update you. You are the closest fae to that area for several hundred miles, from what I am aware. Nearly all the focus has been in the north.”
“Thank you, Val.”
“A pleasure as always. Speak soon.” The gems stopped glowing, and Larianco returned the device to her inventory.
SJ sat in open-mouthed shock, unsure of what to say to Larianco. Hearing others talk about her in the third person was strange.
‘I need to speak to Nexis,’ SJ thought.
“Sounds like a plan. He must know something if Jaristi’s name is being spoken of,” Dave said.
‘Do you know of Jaristi?’
“I know of him. I have never had any dealings with him. He was involved in the Scrug Wars on the side of the dark forces.”
SJ shuddered at the thought of a god of darkness being interested in her.
“I need to find Raceillia,” Larianco said.
“We need to,” SJ corrected her.
“No, you need to stay here where you are safe.”
“If you think I am going to sit cooped up, you are mistaken. Has she not just broken the council rules attacking me?”
“Ah. We are not council members, so do not swear to the oath you are all held to. Her actions would just be seen as a fae. You fall under the usual protection of the council, and are within your rights to ask for protection. My concern is that all that will do is increase the mistrust and hatred that our kind suffer regularly as it is.”
“I know you are thinking of me, but I can’t stay here. There is too much to do.”
“I can’t guarantee your safety on the streets of Asterfal, as Raceillia is still looking for you.”
“I have lived with a threat of death over me virtually since I arrived in Amathera. At least this time, I know who it is, which I hadn’t done previously. If anything, I’m better off than normal.”
“I will do what I can to find her.”
“Thank you,” SJ said, standing and placing the empty honey wine glass down. “I will come and see you tomorrow. If you find anything out, please leave a message at the tower, and thank you for saving me.”
“Fran would never forgive me if anything happened to you on my watch.”
Smiling, SJ walked towards the front door. “Wait, leave through the back. I don’t know if she will watch the building,” Larianco said.
Following Larianco to the rear door, it opened into a small garden that backed onto the inner wall. Shrinking, SJ thanked Larianco again and took off. Flying straight up and high into the air in her darkened dress, she looked down on the city as she flew back to the stables.
‘Even knowing that Raceillia has been after me. I still don’t know who is behind the original orders or what I have ever done to cause this attention.’
“I know it’s concerning,” Dave said.
A few moments of silence followed before Dave spoke again. “I’m sorry.”
‘For what exactly?’ SJ wasn’t going to let him off easily.
“For making the adjustments without discussing them with you or considering the consequences. I should have been more thoughtful and not rushed ahead with them.”
SJ’s heart leapt at hearing his openness and honesty. There was no sarcasm, no humour. It was Dave, being his genuine self, that she had come to trust and become her best friend.
‘Have you discovered if it is fully reversible or if it affects me?’
“I have spoken to the system directly, bypassing the adjudicators. That caused a bit of a stink, but they were interested themselves in what I had done. They are looking into it, but their initial answer is that it should not have affected your agreement with them. They do not even know what synchronisation allows. It is new to them as well. I may have drawn more attention to you than I hoped, but when you said I couldn’t speak to you until I had an answer, I really had no choice.”
‘That is some good news. Won’t you be in trouble for breaking your code again?’
“I didn’t tell them that. Don’t be silly,” Dave scoffed.
SJ couldn’t help but smile. Reaching the stables, SJ landed and went to find Jay. Once they were in the cart and heading into the outer city, SJ told Jay what had happened.
“Wow. You really have no luck, do you?”
“No. I draw the wrong attention every time,” SJ sighed, resigned to the fact that her life would always be challenging for Amathera.
“I can get the lads to watch for her.”
“The lads?”
“Yeah. The drivers work around the entire city and have contacts everywhere.”
“I am also going to speak to a certain person as well.”
“I wouldn’t usually agree when discussing a person like that, but it may be beneficial in this instance. Let’s go there first. It’s en route to the bar, anyway.”
Arriving at the Black Griffin not long later, SJ jumped down, nodding to the troll bouncers as she walked past them entering the bar. She did not know if Carlito was even there or what persona he may be in. Scanning the bar, she looked for forms he had appeared in before, not seeing any she recognised. Walking to the bar, she ordered a drink and sat at a table in a far corner. She was just finishing her drink when a hand rested on her shoulder.
“Back so soon.”
SJ turned to look into the face of a middle-aged man. He had no discerning features that gave him away as anything other than human. Lifting the sleeve of his tunic, he showed SJ the tattoo.
“We need to find an easier way to communicate,” SJ said as he sat. “I need your help.”
“My help? What do you need from me? I thought I was your sponsor, and you did tasks for me?” Carlito said, raising an eyebrow.
“I have been attacked again this evening.”
“There is no order open in any of the guilds.”
“Guilds? How many are there?”
“Three. However, one of them is the main one. So, who attacked you?”
“One of the fae representatives, a fae called Raceillia.”
“I know her. I have seen her around and in the tower before.”
“Could you find her? She needs to be dealt with. Larianco is also searching for her, but if you can help, it would be appreciated. From what I know, she is an ice mage.”
“I don’t work for free.”
“I don’t expect you to. You also don’t need to kill her. Just locate her. I know you have eyes everywhere in the city.”
Smiling, Carlito nodded his head. “Ok. So, you wish for my help. In exchange, I need something from you?”
“What do you need?”
“I need to know why I cannot harm you.”
That was not the response SJ had expected from Carlito, and she sat silently while considering his comment.
“How do I know I can trust you if I told you?” SJ said.
“What loss is there for you? It isn’t as if I can harm or take it from you, whatever you have.”
“That is true,” SJ agreed. “Okay. If you find Raceillia, I will explain why you can’t harm me.”
“You sure about this?” Dave said.
‘Yes. I won’t tell him the complete story, anyway. Just enough so he is aware of my meeting. I told him I met a dragon before.’
Carlito held his arm out. In the manner of a wrist clasp, SJ had seen many perform. She reached forward and clasped his forearm as he did hers.
“Agreed,” Carlito answered.
