Chương 119: Spat and squabble

"I asked first," Vera said, reaching up to pull at the veil of shadow concealing her face. It dissolved beneath her fingers. After that, she drew back the hood as well. Yria's expression didn't change. First? Are you a child? she signed.

"Answer the question." Why would Yria be here, of all places? There was no chance this was a coincidence. Whatever was going on in the Sanctum, Yria was involved, and that was concerning even if the Pale Reconciliation and a Silent Lord had nothing to do with it. Yria's eyes stayed on Vera for several seconds, studying her. Then her gaze shifted past Vera toward Roderic, whose face was still concealed behind his own veil. The chains attached to Yria's sword rattled softly as she lowered the blade to her side.

Her stance didn't ease, though. If anything, it became more guarded. Her attention returned to Vera. Who are they?

"An acquaintance," Vera said. I want a name.

"Number one." Yria's eyes narrowed. She was still for several long moments. I'm not interested in your games, Vera.

"That's too bad. I'm keeping them up until I know what you're doing here." Vera glanced back at Roderic. From the feel of his Resonance, she could tell he was ready to move at any moment. Then she looked around the chamber, sweeping briefly over the shelves, the books, and the shadowed aisles before settling on what she assumed was the exit. Whatever she'd been sensing in this place, it was coming from farther inside.

"You know this looks shady, right?" Vera said.

"There are people who think the Pale Reconciliation has made its way to Darnelle and that a Silent Lord is nesting here." Yria's brows tightened. You seriously believe that?

"I don't know." Vera met her eyes.

"Do I have a reason not to?" Yria moved her hands. You should leave. That was all she said.

"And why's that?" Your acquaintance misled you. She turned back to Roderic, who immediately raised both hands.

"I have not," he said.

"You know me better than that, my friend. And you can feel that strange Resonance too, can't you?" Vera looked back at Yria. The woman's frown deepened. She probably hadn't expected Roderic to understand her signs. Finally, Yria raised her sword again. Leave, Vera.

"Not happening." Vera raised Stillwake in response. Behind her, Roderic stepped back into the passage they'd come from. Smart man. You're being stupid, Yria signed with just one hand.

"You've said that before. For some reason, I don't buy it this time. Maybe if you—" Vera's eyes widened as Yria attacked. The sword struck Stillwake with enough force to send a shock through her arm and leave her fingers numb. Then the blade slid off the halberd and cut toward her neck. Vera's instincts took over. She shifted back, twisted Stillwake, and drove the butt of the halberd up just in time to catch the incoming strike before it reached her throat. She stared at Yria.

Yria stared back with cold, unwavering focus. Breakstep. A crash rang through the archive as Vera's left foot shot forward with the full force of the Form, driving toward Yria's side. Yria stepped back quickly enough to avoid the blow. Then she lowered her sword just enough to sign again. Leave. Vera's foot landed, and she repositioned Stillwake between them as one hand moved absently to her neck. Yria's sword was single-edged. The side she'd used just now had been the flat side.

Even if it had made contact, Vera wouldn't have died. Probably. But it sure as hell would've hurt. And Yria hadn't hesitated at all. From somewhere deep within, a quiet rage surged up.

"Alright," Vera said.

"So that's how it is. Guess I'll have to beat some answers out of you, then." She thrust Stillwake forward, aiming the crown of the halberd straight at Yria's chest. Yria sidestepped. Vera turned the thrust into a sweeping cut, swinging Stillwake sideways like a battleaxe. Yria's sword moved to block, but the force still sent her skidding several steps across the floor, Stillwake pressing against her guard. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

Vera twisted the halberd's head. The rear hook caught on one of the chains attached to Yria's weapon. Yria's arm jerked as Vera yanked the chain toward her, pulling her balance open for half a breath. Vera used that half-breath to drive a kick into Yria's midriff. The woman bent slightly, but that was all. The blow didn't really have the impact Vera wanted, given that Yria recovered instantly and wrenched her chains free before slashing her sword at Vera's exposed side.

Vera reversed Stillwake in her grip and caught the strike on the haft, then answered with another sweep that Yria countered. Their exchange grew a lot faster from there. Steel clashed against steel as they moved through the archive, between shelves and tables and straight through several chairs. Vera had the advantage of reach, but Yria was quick, and her strikes carried more power than Vera could comfortably handle right now.

Some of their clashes hit hard enough to shake dust from the ceiling and knock books from the shelves, sending old pages fluttering across the floor. And that was with neither of them using much Resonance. Only minor Forms and Marks to boost movement. In Vera's case, that restraint was partly because she didn't want to wreck the entire building and probably half the district with it. Mostly, though, it was because she wasn't in any state to fight a proper Resonance battle against Yria.

In Yria's case, Vera assumed it was only the former. The possibility that it might be the latter annoyed her, though. Vera raised Stillwake into an overhead guard, preparing to bring the blade down and force Yria back— A jolt of pain lanced through her body. Her breath caught and her muscles seized as a muffled cry escaped her. Stillwake slipped from her fingers and clattered against the floor as her right hand went numb. Yria stopped.

For several seconds, Vera could only stand there, breathing through the fading pain. She looked down at her right hand. It was trembling. Across from her, Yria lowered her sword and watched her closely. You're injured.

"Yeah?" Vera asked.

"Whatever gave you that idea?" She glanced down at Stillwake, then knelt and stored it back in her Vaultring. She could wield it with just her left hand if she had to, but not well enough to fight Yria. If you can't fight, then leave, Yria signed. Vera paused. The corner of her mouth twitched.

"You know what? I was considering it for a second there, but no."

"Zero," Roderic called from behind her, "perhaps I should—""No. You don't stand a chance."

"Then I think it'd be wiser if we withdrew—""No. Shut up." Vera took a step closer to Yria. The way the woman was acting kept pissing her off. The way she thought she could just order them to leave without explaining anything. The way she carried herself like she was doing Vera some great personal favor. The way she chose to pretend like Vera had done something wrong by just waking up in this world without any idea what was going on. Sure. Vera might be injured. Maybe she couldn't fight for real right now.

But what did that matter? She'd still beat that cold look off the woman's face. Ignoring the pain, Vera cracked her knuckles, then rolled her neck until something popped. Vera, stop, Yria signed.

"What? What are you going to do? Cut me down?" Yria's brow creased. Her eyes flicked down to her sword, then back to Vera. She sheathed the blade at her hip. Vera's mouth twisted into a grin. Breakstep. Her fist slammed straight into Yria's cheek. Pain sparked through Vera's hand, but the satisfaction was worth it. Yria stumbled back several steps, one hand rising to touch the spot where Vera had hit her.

There was a smear of blood there, though Vera wasn't entirely sure if it belonged to Yria or had split from her own knuckles. Vera raised both fists.

"Come on," she said.

"Come at me." Yria stayed where she was for a moment. One of her hands was still resting on the pommel of her sword. Then she spat a mouthful of blood and saliva onto the floor. If you'd remembered the old days, runt, you wouldn't be asking that. Yria moved. She blurred forward with a kick aimed for Vera's head. Vera only barely had time to bring her forearm up.

The impact cracked against bone and sent a hot line of pain through her shoulder, but Vera caught the movement, dropped her other hand toward Yria's shin, and tried to hammer it down before the woman could recover. Yet Yria's leg was already gone. Her weight shifted under Vera's guard, and the hand not resting near her sword shot toward Vera's midriff. Vera twisted away, taking the strike along her ribs instead of straight to the gut, then answered with an elbow that Yria slipped by a hair.

Vera followed with a knee, then a hook, forcing Yria back half a step. She tried pressing in before Yria could reset, driving another straight punch toward her face and following it with a low kick aimed at the inside of her knee. Yria caught the punch on her arm and shifted her leg back, but the movement turned her shoulder just enough for Vera to slam her other fist into it. The strike made Yria's boots scrape across the floor.

Vera went after her, anger and momentum helping carry her through the discomfort, and for several quick exchanges, she had the fight where she wanted it. Yria gave ground. Vera took it. A punch glanced off Yria's jaw, even if Yria's foot clipped Vera's cheek in return. Vera stepped through the hit and drove her shoulder into the woman's guard, forcing them both into one of the archive tables hard enough to send splinters flying in all directions.

Yria twisted with the impact, catching herself with one hand while the other stayed close to the pommel of her sword. Her leg hooked behind Vera's ankle, trying to drag her down and put Yria on top, but Vera grabbed the chain running from Yria's wrist to the weapon and yanked hard. It didn't pull the sword free, but it did ruin the angle. Yria's balance shifted, Vera tore her leg loose, and the two of them shoved apart with enough force to send both skidding across the floor.

Vera got her feet under her at the same time Yria did. Then she moved in again. But as much as Vera didn't want to admit it, the rhythm eventually shifted. It wasn't clean enough to feel like losing. Just a fraction here and there. Her right arm lagging when she tried to guard. Her ribs tightening when she turned too sharply. Her breath coming rougher, and something inside her occasionally catching half a beat too late when she pushed herself to answer Yria's next strike. And of course Yria picked up on it.

The woman stopped giving ground for free. She kept one hand near her sword and fought around that restraint, using her legs like weapons and meeting Vera's aggression head-on instead of avoiding it. She was making it a battle of attrition that she knew she'd win. Vera snarled and threw a wild cross that Yria ducked under, then Vera caught the woman's sleeve and yanked her close enough to drive a headbutt toward her face. A hard crack rang through the archive.

Vera instantly accepted how stupid that had been as her vision split in two for several seconds, but she frankly couldn't have cared less by now. She was already nearing her limit, and that had felt far too good. Yria stumbled back, fingers pressed to the bridge of her nose. When she lowered them, there was blood on her hand. Her eyes locked on Vera. Vera grinned. Yria stepped forward, her free fist drawing back like she meant to return the favor.

Vera raised her hands, ready to counter, but Yria dipped at the last instant. She feinted left, slipping closer to Vera's guard, and brought her knee up toward Vera's stomach. Vera saw it coming, but suddenly, her body refused to move. Everything locked again as her muscles seized from shoulder to hip. The pain returned, and she was unable to block or dodge. Couldn't even try bracing. Yria froze with her knee still raised. The blow stopped just a hair's breadth from Vera's body.

Slowly, the woman lowered her leg and stepped back. Neither of them moved for a while. Then Yria's hands shifted in quick, clipped motions. What did you do to get in this state? Is that why your Resonance is out of control? Vera fell back to the ground, finally managing to move her arms. She wiped blood from her nose with the back of her hand.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Yria glared at her. Despite appearances, you're not a child, Vera. What's the point of this self-flagellating nonsense? Not even you're stupid enough to punish yourself for no reason.

"How would you know?" Vera shot her a rebellious glare of her own.

"You're the one who thinks you don't know me, aren't you?" Something in Yria's expression shifted. Her fingers tightened around the pommel of her sword. Finally, the woman's attention drifted past Vera and toward the passage where Roderic had retreated. Her eyes widened. Vera laughed through the pain.

"I actually think I am stupid enough to punish myself for no reason, but that doesn't mean I can't be a bit clever sometimes. Had to have at least a little brainpower to pass down to my kid." She glanced back at the passage. There was no sign of Roderic. She needed to congratulate the man for having the sense to recognize when someone was buying him time. Maybe she'd even apologize for telling him to shut up. Although that had been her being mostly serious.

Yria drew her sword in one smooth motion, and Vera recognized the shape of Mark of the Stillbound Veil being invoked as a thin web of pale Resonance spread through the room. A moment later, Yria shot her another glare.

"What?" Vera challenged.

"Going to finish me off now?" I'm not letting you interfere today, the woman signed. Then she turned. When Vera blinked, she was already gone. Vera kept laughing as her head touched the ground, staring up at the ceiling while she basked in the very strange and probably unhealthy satisfaction she got from seeing that expression on Yria's face.

At the same time, she started gathering all the messed-up strands of Resonance in her body, trying to pool them into the beginning of Mark of Hollow Mercy so she could mend the worst of her injuries. It felt weird leaving things to someone else for once, but maybe this was Roderic's chance to prove himself. She hoped she could trust him, because it'd probably take a few minutes before she was up and moving again.