Chương 36: Decit (-ful discoveries)

"What are you looking at me like that for?" Mithris asks as he walks into the room. Wariness up, I back away. This is the second time I've had difficulty pinpointing him before he arrives. How did he mask it?

"Did I surprise you that much?" I nod.

"How did you mask your sound?" Mithris shrugs.

"I didn't. But if what you were saying was true, I'd imagine you're listening to a lot of noises inside your head that you're not used to right now." He's not wrong. But my trust levels have just bottomed out.

"Why didn't you let us know you were here?" The words sound stupid the moment they leave my mouth.

"Exactly. You were in the middle of a train of thought. I let it continue." He moves swiftly to grab his own gear and heads into the small washroom to change. Xan is still watching the door, a frown on his face.

"He doesn't seem surprised."

"You think?" I ask, arching an eyebrow.

"Does he know about you somehow?"

"I would know this because?"

"True." Xan's shoulders deflate a little and they sigh.

"Is there a way you can clear your head? Focus less on the noise it's making?" They're right. I've been too focused on understanding what's happening, and less so on what I'm perceiving. Mithris is already out and ready.

"Bring everything you vitally need, just in case we can't come back."

"Why wouldn't we be able to come back?" I ask, but there's a part of me that already knows why.

"It's okay, I'll have the horses taken to a specific spot for us, just in case we need them. But we have to get going." Mithris is an expert at simply not answering my questions. Xan puts up a hand.

"No. First. We need to know why you aren't surprised in the least about what Taria said earlier?" Mithris's eyes open a tad wider than usual, his surprise evident.

"What do you mean? We didn't tell you both because Aarron wanted to see if you came to the same conclusion as people outside of the direct line of command. Of course she's figured out that some of our members have gone over to the Blood Sect and that it's directly related to the blow up down here." My brain is racing. Did he not hear me talk about my abilities? I'm sure I mentioned them.

"But you specifically mentioned the noise in my head."

"Ah." Mithris smiles.

"I've heard Lennick mention your affinity with plants. Ever since we were Apprentices together he's always had those voices in his head. And he says you're much stronger. If Blood is disrupting anything, it's nature. Right now I'm surprised it's not screaming loud enough for everyone to hear." His answer is plausible but I still feel like he knows. If he wasn't told, then he's figured it out for himself. Nothing about the aura around him leads me to believe he'd being disingenuous.

I give him a nod, even though I'm still wary.

"Come on. Let's get going. Stealth mode you two. Draw no attention and meet me on the outskirts of the Town Hall." Mithris is gone before I can blink, and Xan shortly afterward. Blending with shadows is more difficult for me, but with practice, everything is doable. Mostly. The city is beautiful in the soft twilight. The reds and purples play on the water, reflecting back off the sandstone in a dance of light. Even as the dusk comes to settle, moving through the buildings and streets has this surreal mood to it.

Soft and languid, with something deeper that haunts the whole city. While we're on our way to meet with one of our Nightshade divisions, I can't help but feel that's all a façade. On both ends. We know the Sect has somehow gotten its claws into Nightshade. And they're trying to lure us here regardless of whether we know or not. We explored enough of the city today that we know where Mithris wants to meet us. It makes me wonder why we got here so early. What did he have to do? Where exactly is the Enclave here?

I crouch down behind several large stones at the outskirts of town, on the inside of the wall that loosely surrounds the city. I say loosely because there are so many gates leading roads and pathways into here. The noise in my head has quieted, but it's there, like a festering wound that's bleeding into my mind. Sounds and sensations don't feel remotely like they do back in Korrien. I want to heal it, to cycle the power through me to cleanse it, but I get the feeling that might be inherently dangerous.

Because every time I attempt to delve down through the earth, to find the parts of it I might be able to tap into and begin the healing – the reaction makes me back off. Faint recognition I don't want to encourage. Mithris is approaching, I can feel it now as I wait at the outskirts of Town Hall. Xan is a little farther in the distance, but my view of the Hall from here is second to none.

It stands closer to the ocean, like it wants to give every visiting noble a view of the sea and how treacherous yet gorgeous the city's coastline is.

"Are we meeting people in there?" I ask as Mithris comes to stand behind me. His answer is a chuckle.

"No, we're meeting our contact here."

"Here?" I ask, without turning around.

"Sorrishen's Enclave is under ground."

"Ah." I say, and continue my questioning.

"Is who we're meeting loyal, or not." He pauses for a moment as Xan joins us before answering.

"We're actually not sure about the extent yet." Fantastic.

"Then what are we sure of?" Mithris glances around as if checking for people. But here on the outskirts of town almost seems the safest spot to discuss anything.

"To be honest, even with Sevrin here we can't be sure. Cedrik is supposed to be the Prefect here, with Dendrak as his second. But the information we received was given by Dendrak."

"So it's one of them?" I ask.

"Maybe. It could be one of them, all of them. Ever since the golem attack… things have been escalating." I file that away to follow up later.

"Lareny didn't send us a warning. Are we walking into a trap?" Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. He shrugs before glancing up at the stars.

"Who knows. Whoever is in charge will send someone to guide us to the Enclave. They change maze routes every so often. It's not always safe to presume you know how to get to it."

"Then what?" asks Xan finally arriving.

"Once we're in there, we determine how deep this goes. They've only known we're coming for the last hour. The hope is that in the scramble they'll slip up." I don't want to ask what happens if they don't. It's not long before we're approached by another member of the order. Here on the outskirts of town where the boulders hide us well with their shadows, nothing seems too urgent. Until I focus on the sounds in my head. The screaming is getting worse. Our contact has eyes that almost appear hollow.

It's the first thing I notice when they arrive. Their pupils are dilated in a way they shouldn't be in such dim light. I'm immediately on the offensive.

"Yaris will guide us to our destination." While Mithris is trying his best to sound amicable, even I can hear the strain in his voice, in the way he's doing what he can to go along with the farce. My gut is trying to kill me with pain right now. Like its flagging me down with a mace to make me listen to reason. Everything is wrong. This is not right. Caution. Beware. Yeah, I've got it. Maybe it hears my own thoughts because it subsides, but there's still a part of me wondering how this all happened.

Yaris doesn't say anything, but motions for us to follow. It's probably the loudest unwelcome I've ever received. Underground here means sewers. But it's much like Korrien in the fact that these are more like catacombs. There's no real smell of excrement, just a faded whiff here and there. What's worse than Korrien though, is the fact that these Sorrishen catacombs are almost like a wave pool. Where the water comes and goes with the tide. Right now the tide is coming in, and a part of me is terrified of drowning.

Currents can be deadly.

"Are we sure this is the right way?" Xan asks me. Mithris flashes us a look, telling us to keep our voices low. I oblige.

"Either way it's where they want us to go."

"At least we probably won't get ambushed in here."

"I've got a lot more control now, a lot more power. They'd never see what hit them." There's a confidence in using my abilities that I feel now. I can control water without a second thought. Create an earthen or stone tomb with as little as a thought. As long as it doesn't kill me, I can recover from it. I realize I'm no longer wary of my abilities.

"I know." Xan sighs, constantly keeping an eye out for everything.

"It's just…what?" I ask, probing for what they're not saying.

"You were in really bad shape after that last one. We can't let that happen again." I raise an eyebrow, knowing there's got to be more to it than that. Xan sighs.

"Lennick also, and I quote, told me he'd find the longest lasting, most drawn out exotic poison in existence and have it not only slowly melt my internal organs and outer flesh—he'd keep me alive with healing agents—if I let you overuse your powers again." I have to choke down a laugh.

"Like you have any say over when I use them or overuse them."

"Right?!" Xan spreads their hands incredulously.

"I tried to tell him that, but he gets this weird blind spot when it comes to you." I pat Xan on the arm so they know I'm laughing along with them, not at them. Not entirely anyway. It doesn't take us long until Yaris stops and blends away into the shadows. Mithris clears his throat.

"Ready you two?" I'm not, but he doesn't need to know that. I'm leeching off the pain around me, it echoes through my body in here, so close to the source. Water. Earth. It's all around me. In pain. Calling out. Wanting help. Here, my Recovery Acclimation keeps me on my toes. I find myself not tiring easily, being rejuvenated in the mornings. The least I can do is try and give back. I combine my Recovery Acclimation with Germination Control and attempt to lend the nature around me that sliver of comfort.

The screams quiet slightly. I think I got my message across. Because I will fix this, it will just take time to get to the source. The rocks slide open, which is startling in general until I realize they're on a roller and it only looks like it's just rocks. They are, in fact, stacked and sealed making it a rolling brick door. Tricky. Yaris appears to be a man of few words. Or, more accurately, none. We make our way through, up some stairs and to say I'm surprised when we reach the top is an understatement.

There's a dampness to the air but it's more refreshing than moldy. Like the sea water welcomes us all. Dying sunlight filters in through small slits high up above us. At least ten feet or so. I'd not realized we'd delved so far down. Considering the proximity to the ocean, I hadn't thought it possible.

"Welcome old friend." A tall man with a guttural voice shakes Mithris' hand. Meanwhile I'm biting my tongue because Mithris isn't even thirty yet. He's far from an old anything. But the man who greeted him has silver running through his hair like someone upended a saltshaker into pepper. He's about half a foot taller than I am, and he's broad chested. His hair is shaggy and goes with the beard that looks like it needs to see a barber too. His eyes however, they're alert and taking in everything. This man.

He doesn't miss a beat. His gaze falls on me and he walks over, hand extended.

"Dendrak. Prefect of the Sorrishen Order."

"Taria. Journeyman." I almost said Initiate. As our hands meet, as the skin touches, it's all I can do not to retract mine immediately. I've never had to exert this much willpower to touch a person my entire life. The shock wears off, leaving a slimy feeling behind it. This dirty layer of Blood, dirt, and death. Cedrik is supposed to be the Prefect here. Dendrak is his second. Not only has he slotted himself into the leadership position, but I'm positive he's a Blood Mage. I school my face like Xan taught me.

Hoping the poker games helped. What stands out most to me in these few seconds is that Lareny, Ellir, and Parra aren't here. Shouldn't they be with the acting Prefect? Or are they already inspecting the premises? Following the leads to the supposed traitor?

"Taria? Lennick's assistant, correct?" Dendrak finally releases my hand, but his aura lingers around me. It makes me want to wipe my hand, wash it. Cleanse the darkness that clings to him too. I wonder if he can sense about me what I could about him. Forcing my brain to slow down, I nod.

"Technically. My mother was an alchemist." I didn't mean to bring my mother up, but there's a tightening around Dendrak's eyes. Maybe he knows about me too. Or at least about my parent's deaths perhaps? His voice doesn't synch up with the man who threatened my parents the night before their deaths. But his build is close.

"Hereditary talents are always the best." He flashes me another fake smile and moves onto Xan. My senses are on high alert now. How many people that we're about to meet are a part of the Blood Sect. And just how high up is this Dendrak? Mithris stands rigidly, like he's at attention. I guess technically Dendrak outranks him. Is being third in line in the main Enclave lower than being in charge of a different one? Perhaps. I need to read up on that. I'd never paid too much attention to the hierarchy past Adept.

The ever-present melody in my head tugs at my awareness as I look at Dendrak. There's more about this, more of it here. The darkness is hungry and wrong. It's seeking us and everything. Nothing specific. Everything at once. Especially Dendrak. Something about it makes me wonder who's in control. Because some of this hunger makes me think Dendrak is in danger of being devoured too. There are several others in this room. None of them our previous group. Where is Sevrin?

"Where is Lareny? We were under orders to meet our other group here if possible." It's like Mithris can read my mind. I hope it's not my facial expression. Xan always says I give away far too much.

"They're inspecting the keep." Dendrak answers smoothly.

"I hurried back when I heard word of your impending visit. Would you like to join us?"

"Of course." Mithris replies just as calmly. It's like they're battling out who can be more nonchalant.

"Lead the way." Dendrak's entourage follow him silently. None of them say a word. They're in the same garb as the rest of us. I note that one uses throwing stars, and another knives. The one bringing up the rear has arrows. That doesn't make me feel safe. I don't like the idea of being shot in the back. Even if the tunnels in here weren't dark and slippery, the feeling of oppression emanating from the ground beneath me, the water next to me, and the air around me would be enough to suffocate me.

The darker elements are gluttonous. It wants to devour us all. I can feel the anger, the worry, the fear seeping into me. It's clouding my judgement and I can't afford that. Gently, I coax it into believing in me. Don't fret, I'm going to figure this out. Sure? The sensation hits me, like a kitten wanting to make sure it's pet and not hit. Yes. We'll fix this. A feeling of relief washes over me, and while the screaming is still there. While the pain is still trying to rip apart my insides, it's dulled somewhat.

Waiting now. We follow Dendrak and his lackeys, despite my misgivings. Mithris ends up walking at my side. His voice almost blends with the lapping of the water that plays the background music in this area.

"Whatever trick you have. Or if it's actual magic you weave Taria, make sure you save it until we need saving." Mithris' tone is somber, serious. He means every word in the most vital of ways. I can sense it through his aura, through the air around him. He knows we're walking into a trap. I can only hope we walk back out of it. This whole thing is so much worse than I expected. Nightshade is divided.