Wish and mercy, p.14
Wish and Mercy, page 14
part #1 of Nightwalker Series
“She has something she wants to tell you. I told her I would relay that much to you.”
“Sounds bad. Can it wait until I get back?”
“You are the queen,” Lora said. “Of course it can.” She stood behind Allanis and gazed into the mirror at their image as a couple. “Don’t let it worry you while you are away. Everything here will be fine. Have fun visiting Anavelia.”
***
Tizzy’s restful slumber was coming to an end; she could feel it. She wasn’t ready to leave. The nest of plush, downy blankets and pillows had been so welcoming. Maybe if she persisted, she could fall back into the quiet black depths of sleep, but something pulled her out even farther. Thumping. She started to wake as she focused on it.
She opened her eyes and groaned. The door to the room was open and dim sunlight was pouring in from somewhere down the hallway. And the tail of an excited border collie thumped wildly on the blankets at the foot of the bed.
“Why is there a dog in the bed?”
No one answered, which was expected. She got up, and the dog barked and jumped off with her. She raised an eyebrow but said nothing. By now, she’d learned it was a waste of time to ask questions.
Even though she had dressed in clean clothes before the incident, they now felt grimy with the sweat of her fever. There was no time to clean them again. It would just have to wait till later. Sighing, she went to the empty hearth and took new clothes off the rack. The dog made a tiny bark of acknowledgement and padded out of the room.
“I guess I was just blessed with the company of a random, lonely dog. What else will I consider normal now?” Sarcasm laced her musings.
She finished dressing, laced up her boots, and looked at herself in the mirror. Good, but not great. She combed her fingers through her hair and tied it up into a ponytail. By then, a woman was standing in the doorway. Naia picked at the dirt perpetually stuck under her nails. Tizzy tried not to stare at her third eye.
“Can I help you?” she asked.
Naia smirked. “That’s supposed to be my line. I’m Naia. I co-own this place. Kenway said he recognized you. Are you really Tizena Hallenar? I mean I already know, third eye and all, but I have to ask.”
“He recognized me? We’re a little far from Suradia. How can he know my family that well? And it’s Tizzy. Please just call me Tizzy.”
“Really? Your full name is so pretty,” Naia said. “That was a genuine compliment. I don’t give them out often; be grateful.” She took a few steps into the room to observe the evidence of Aleth and Lilu’s fight stained into the floor. “Kenway’s a regular in Suradia. A lot of the engineering of this place relies on spell stone enchantments. There’s a woman who set up shop in Suradia’s Hall of Anatanth, and she makes impressive ones. She creates them for all the different functions we need, and they last a couple of months. Kenway visits when he can to buy from her.”
“I must have bumped into him before, in that case.” Tizzy couldn’t stop staring at her. “Are you—I’m sorry, this is really inappropriate of me, but are you Tainted?”
Naia sighed. “Triclops Minora. Not Tainted. There’s a whole world out there, Tizzy, that you don’t know about. A lot of us go into hiding because humans and other more perfect folk call us monsters. Minoras and Majoras of my kind, quadramani, the half-breeds and the demis, the shifters, so on and so forth. We prefer a gentler name, though. We’re not monsters; we’re the Uncommon.”
“No wonder you all hide. Society must always assume you’re Tainted.”
“Shit, even being Tainted isn’t bad. We see plenty of them here. They’re just people mutated by the energy from Akashic tears, and most of the time, that isn’t even their fault. Sure, when it’s something pretty like an exotic eye color, they’re welcomed with open arms. But gods forbid you’re unlucky enough to grow a horn or a tail. Then you’re out. When it comes down to it, though, they’re still human. That doesn’t change.”
Tizzy felt heavy from the revelation. The Uncommon were a whole race living right under her nose. She began to wonder how many the Hunters in Vandroya were out to kill or how many had been caught in Adeska and Centa’s raids.
“Thanks for letting us stay here, and sorry we made such a mess,” she said finally. “Do you know where my brother is?”
Naia shrugged. “He’s around here somewhere. So are your friends. Try outside.”
With a parting wave, she left the room. Tizzy took her things and followed her out, noticing for the first time that light was coming in from gaps in the stone, filled by massive quartz crystals that formed all the way through to the outside. Sheerspine Spire was a combined effort of man, magic, and mountain.
Now that there was so much more of the place to see, Tizzy was a little disheartened to leave. The Spire had at least three main parts—a public bathhouse, lodging with private amenities, and a lovely tavern. As she left, she saw that some folk were gathered at the tables in the tavern with their own meals, mostly bundles of travel rations. Others were being served hot food from the kitchen. A charismatic man with faintly blue skin and pointed ears was serving dark, hearty beer to patrons who preferred a liquid breakfast.
To her surprise, Tizzy was not hungry. Naia opened the front door to let her out, and just as expected, there was a small crowd waiting for her. The dog was running circles around Isa while Gavin laughed and Kenway stared off into the distance. Isa skipped over and hugged her.
“Lady Tizzy! I’m so glad you’re awake!”
She couldn’t contain a smile. “Was that your magic that saved me?”
“No way!” Isa put her hands on her hips. “My magic helped, but you’re the one who pulled through. I couldn’t have done anything without your determination.”
Tizzy remembered how it had felt when she drove her sword through Lilu in her fever dream. Then the dog came over and sat at her feet.
“Whose dog is this? He keeps following me around.”
Isa laughed. “He’s yours.”
“I have a dog,” Tizzy said. “This is not him.”
Gavin folded his arms. “Well, this one is yours now.”
“Hey boy, do you fetch?” She picked up a branch and threw it, but the dog stayed put, unamused. Tizzy shrugged. “Whatever. Where’s Aleth?”
Suddenly Naia was standing by the door, howling with laughter. The dog growled. “He’s stuck! He’s stuck! Kenway—” She stopped to breathe, wiping away a tear. “Oh, this is good.”
Kenway approached Tizzy and handed her the black cloak and a belt with Mercy in its scabbard. “You’ll have to carry these for a while.”
She took them and stared at the dog. The myriad of scars that broke up otherwise smooth fur was the only clue she needed, and she narrowed her eyes.
“He’s the dog, isn’t he?”
Naia couldn’t stop laughing, and Kenway waved his hand to shoo her off.
“I’m sorry for your troubles here, Lady Tizena. That isn’t the kind of establishment I’m trying to run. I hope you understand.”
“Kenway, sir, I don’t know what kind of person you think I am or what you assume the Hallenars are like, but please don’t treat me any different than you’d treat—” She looked down at Aleth and rolled her eyes. “Nevermind. But I don’t need special treatment. You can speak to me plainly.”
“Then if I’m allowed to be honest, your first impression was a little lousy.”
She scratched her head. “That is a fair assessment.”
“But your brother is a good person, and I’m sure you’re redeemable, yourself. I’ll tell you the same thing I told him. If you run into a friend of ours out there, Troll Daughter, just send her this way for us. If you can do that, I’ll consider us even and lift his lifetime ban. I’ve never been to the place he’s taking you, the Convent, so I don’t know what you can expect. But if it isn’t good—” He shrugged. “Well, that’s the deal.”
“Who’s Troll Daughter?”
“She works here. He’ll tell you everything you need to know when he’s able to.” Kenway grinned.
There were schemes brewing away in Tizzy’s head, and she tapped her chin. “Alright. We’ll be in touch, Kenway.”
“Stay safe out there, you two.” He walked back inside. The door closed and the wisteria branches crawled over to hide it again.
Tizzy was alone now with the dog, Isa, and Gavin. A gentle breeze swayed through the trees and their red-leaved branches. Gavin closed the distance.
“It’s a relief to see that you’re well, la dama. What has you all the way out here, anyway?”
“Gods, where do I start? Remember Allanis’s dumb party? The estranged brother showed up after all.” Tizzy cracked a smile. “Just to make a scene, of course. But when he left, I just—” She shrugged. “I don’t know. I had to follow him. I couldn’t take the chance that I’d never see him again. One thing led to another, and here we are.”
“Will you be going back?”
She sighed. “No. Believe me, part of me thinks I should, but I have to see this through. I need answers.”
“Then I hope you get them. Thank you for taking Isa’s words seriously the other day.”
Tizzy blushed. “Sorry I was so rude. Gavin, could you do me one last favor?”
“Of course, la dama.”
“I’m going to be asking a lot,” she warned, fidgeting with the strap of her bag. “I was hoping you’d be able to go back to Allanis and tell her that we’re okay. And then—look, I know that you’re busy and that you already have responsibilities, so please decline if you have to, but Allanis has a tough job right now and lacks people she can trust. Her advisors are dead. She needs a new Council. Would you consider offering that service to her? She would benefit with you at her side.”
“You really think she would be so quick to trust me with that? To be on a royal Council?”
Tizzy nodded with vigor. “My sister has precious little common sense and is a terrible judge of character. She’ll trust anyone. But I trust you, and I can give you something to take to her that will let her know it.”
She set the bag down. It felt heavier today and as she started digging through it; she found it stuffed with her clothes and Aleth’s. She gave the dog a very serious look.
“Oh no.”
The dog whimpered, and Tizzy kept rummaging through things until she found a leather-wrapped pencil and a scrap of paper from her diary. In seconds, she handed a note back to Gavin.
Allanis, the dress was beautiful. I’m sorry I ruined it. Gavin and Isa saved my life. If you need to, please trust them with yours. -T
“She’ll know what I’m talking about. She’ll know it’s really me,” she assured him. “Let her know that I’ll write again.”
“We will deliver the message, Lady Tizzy. Be safe.”
Gavin and Isa departed for Suradia. Isa was confident she could use the guidance of the trees to navigate a safe way back. Meanwhile, Tizzy stared down at the dog and gestured ahead.
“Well, it looks like I’m following you. This is ridiculous.”
The dog barked and leapt forward to lead the way with a wagging tail.
“Aleth, why are you a dog?” She grumbled out a long, dramatic noise. “You know what? You probably aren’t. You, dog, are probably just a literal dog, and my brother is going to catch up to me eventually and ask me what the hell I’m doing.”
The dog whined.
“Oh, give me a break! You’re a cute dog, but I don’t know where we’re going, so pardon me if I’m a little skeptical, just blindly following you.” Then she laughed. “Listen to me! ‘A little skeptical,’ I say. My brother is a dog. I’m highly skeptical.”
The terrain they traversed was less perilous than before. Fewer roots and branches blocked the way, and the trees were more spread out. There were dips in the ground as they lost altitude a little at a time, but overall Tizzy found the journey much smoother.
“I want to be angry,” she admitted. “I’m used to it, so maybe it’s just a desire out of habit. Or maybe the uncertainty of all this is annoying me. Whatever the case, you’re only off the hook because I feel amazing!” She took a deep breath of the post-rain forest air and sighed. “For the first time, I woke up without a single trace of pain. The headaches are gone. They’re finally gone!”
They walked for a while longer, the sounds of a river growing close. Then the dog raced away from her and disappeared behind a tree.
“What’s going on?” When she tried to get close, the dog barked and growled. She stepped away. “What is your problem?”
“Throw me the bag!”
His voice was frantic. Tizzy smirked. “Or what?”
“Tizzy! I’m serious!”
“Yeah? You sure you’re serious? Sounds like you could be joking.”
“Give me the damn bag!”
“This one here with your clothes in it?” She threw it down by the tree. “Alright, calm down. There it is.”
He did not share her same light spirit. In fact, the animosity in his stance when he finally dressed and came out startled her. She backed away as he stormed over and jabbed his finger at her.
“What the hell were you thinking?”
She swallowed hard. He had wasted no time bringing Lilu up. “I-I wasn’t, okay?” she yelled back. “I wasn’t! I admit it! I know it was stupid, but I couldn’t help it!”
All he could do was make a noise of outrage and turn away. “I swear to gods, Tizzy, it’s like you’re trying to get yourself killed! Was once not fucking enough for you?”
“Hey!”
She pouted, picked up the bag, and chased after him as he paced deeper into the woods.
“Aleth! Will you please stop and look at me?”
He was quiet at first, but then she heard him scoff.
“Or what?”
She smiled in relief as he slowed to a halt. But he couldn’t bring himself to turn around.
“I can’t go through losing you again. I can’t. But I know I’m bringing you into all these dangerous situations, and it kills me, knowing what could happen. So, when I tell you to do something like hide, what I really mean is ‘hide because if you don’t, you’re going to die.’ I’m not asking you to; I’m not negotiating terms with you. I am telling you to do it because you will die. You don’t listen to anybody. That’s your thing, I get it. But please, Tizzy, listen to me.”
“Okay.”
With the faintest sniffle, he turned around. She was too ashamed to look him in the eyes, but he hugged her anyway.
She swallowed the lump in her throat. “I know I require a lot of patience—”
“Yes.”
She grunted. “But I’m learning. I’m learning about what I am and what it means and what I have to do about it. You’ll need to have even more patience than usual if you’re going to keep being cryptic and secretive about things.”
“Don’t worry. You’ll learn, and so will I.” He squeezed her shoulder and continued the hike. “Let’s go. We’re making a bit of a detour. I have to go somewhere.” He rubbed his face. “And think. I have to get all of this out of my head.”
She remembered the important question. “How can you turn into a dog?”
He welcomed the subject change and kicked a pinecone. “Oh, that? When you feed on blood, you become more nightwalker and less human. And when that happens, sometimes you can turn into a dog. I don’t know. Or maybe a cat or a possum or a worm. Whatever. I turned into a dog.”
“So if I decide to be more nightwalker, I’ll be able to turn into a dog? Or something?”
Aleth shrugged. “Maybe. Not everyone can shift. As far as I know, I’m the only shifter in the Convent.”
Tizzy kept a frown. When he spoke, she could still hear the depression lingering in his words. Guilt pulled her down with him as they wandered through the trees, and after a while, the forest floor started to show signs of a trail. Once, long ago, it had probably been well worn and easy to follow, but now it was almost completely grown over. She looked up at the treetops. They seemed distantly familiar.
“Aleth, I think we circled back somehow. It looks like we’re getting closer to Suradia.”
He said nothing and kept walking. Eventually, the trail opened up into a clearing, and Tizzy finally knew where they were. Aleth went to sit on a stump underneath an autumn-touched oak tree. In front of him was not an open, grassy field as Talora had shown her but a stone sarcophagus. Every fiber of her being tried to convince her to stay back, but she was driven by an emptiness in her mind that she had to fill. She knew this was the way. Slowly, she approached.
Aleth didn’t look at her and wouldn’t speak. He stared blankly ahead, slouched over with his elbows on his knees. The sarcophagus was small, made for a child. There was a small headrest at one end for the body during the Rite of Crossing. Once, a touching poem had been engraved around the edges of the lid, but now it was worn away. The only thing that remained clearly was a name. Tizena Hallenar.
“This is where you come to think?”
“Just give me ten minutes. Then we’ll leave.”
Think wasn’t even the word for it, she realized. He came here when he needed to feel numb. He was a thousand miles away as she circled the tomb, running her hands along the rough stone. Something about it pulled her in until she decided to sit, to lay atop it. She stared up into the blue sky above them, wondering how her place of interment could still be standing all these years later. She had always thought Lazarus would have it destroyed.
With a deep breath, she rested her eyes and her consciousness was ripped away. There was a darkness deeper than the bleakest night swallowing her and everything around her. Then, one by one, stars glistened above, and she was watching a scene from somewhere else behind the trees. It was pitch black save for the starscape. There she was, twelve years old and lifeless on the tomb lid, dressed in her white funerary gown. Sunburst blossoms littered the ground, still bright with color. No one was around.
Not until a creature entered the clearing. Why was she seeing this? The creature resembled a lynx, but its pelt was black and glossy, and it stared at her body with bright red eyes. Tizzy was frightened it would eat her in this vision, but it merely perused the body with feline curiosity. Satisfied, it leapt on top of the tomb with her and sniffed her face, then sat with its paws at her collarbones. Tizzy couldn’t believe the creature hadn’t crushed her child-sized body. Thick black fog formed around the creature as though it had been conjured up out of nowhere. A growling voice hummed in her mind.
