Mwyr - Chapter Twenty-One

[lady_mab]

It was the early hours of the morning, shortly before dawn would break over the eastern hills. Cassia was exhausted, but knew that it was her own doing. She was the one that had insisted they keep riding until they reached the Church. They had reached the distant edges of Hullenscir’s farmlands near the middle of the night, and she wanted to press on. 

So Chan humored her, and they kept riding as farmlands turned to scattered homes. The remnants of Raeq that managed to escape Gi’Han’s clutches, she figured. 

When the stone walls of the Church finally loomed in the distance, they stumbled upon a sea of tents and campfires. 

“Goddess,” Chan swore, navigating his mare through the maze. “There’s so many people.” 

“Are they all here for her?” This was a problem that she had not anticipated. It never occurred to her that they would not just be able to ride up and see her. 

The guards posted at the main gate only reinforced her suspicions: The city of Hullenscir was closed while the Goddess remained within. Or at least, it remained closed to those who could not afford to buy their way inside. 

Her stomach churned, though she tried to convince herself it was because she had not eaten or slept in several hours. “What are we going to do…?” 

One look at Chan let her know that he drew the same blank she did. “I don’t know. They might let me in if I say that Tallah was my sister… But that would be something they would have to go and clear with the Deacon, I would imagine.” 

“And how long would that take?” 

His shoulders sagged and he looked like he wanted nothing more than to turn around and just leave. The Chan she thought she knew would have. Only he continued to surprise her when it came to the Goddess, and now was no different. 

The still morning air stirred as his chest expanded. A heartbeat passed before he straightened out of his slouch and threw back his shoulders. A second heartbeat passed, and his face hardened with a determination she had not seen in years. 

Without saying anything, he nudged his horse in the sides and continued to pick his way forward. 

For a moment, Cassia thought she saw someone else -- someone who loved the Goddess far more than he loved anything. She forgot how to breathe. 

What was she even doing there? He didn’t need her. He found a confidence in his convictions that she could never offer him. 

But then he glanced at her from over his shoulder, and the tension eased a degree. There was no trace of concern or worry. “Are you coming?” 

Her blood felt sluggish in her veins, and she tried to muster a reassuring smile. “Yes, coming.” She urged her horse on after him, but the piercing anticipation of dread only made her want to curl up in her saddle. Her stomach twisted into tighter, more complex knots the closer to the Church she moved. 

Every inch of her shivered as a single thought flooded her mind. I’m going to meet the Goddess. Guilt and anxiety battled between her limbs, making it hard to catch her breath. 

Chan waited for her to rejoin him before resuming his way to the gate. He didn’t seem nervous, despite the hesitation that wracked his expression before. Cassia didn’t know if she was jealous or angry at his confidence. 

The cluster of guards watch them approached, and held out their polearms to block them. A temporary blockade had been set up under the stone arch, though the gates themselves remained open. Easier to let people come or go when needed than having to open up the large wooden gates each time.

The eye of the Goddess hung on banners draped over the city walls. Gilded thread caught the firelight from the torches keeping the entry illuminated. 

A single man stepped forward, chest puffed out beneath his dark blue uniform. “The city of Hullenscir is closed to any supplicants until further notice. The Goddess will not be able to see you.” 

Chan dismounted, gripping the reins in his hand. At least a bit of him remained nervous, though he did a remarkable job of not showing it. “My friend and I come from Wellfox.” The name of their little town sparked a degree of recognition in the guard’s eyes, and so Chan forged on. “My sister was the one selected to be the Goddess’ next avatar. Deacon Paol told me that I would be welcome whenever I wish to see her.” 

She wondered how much of that was true. He might have said it thinking that, once seeing the loved one die and rise again as someone else, no one would want to take him up on that promise. 

A second guard approached to whisper into the first’s ear. With a wave of his hand, the older guard sent the second one running into the city. “We will inform the Deacon of your presence. Each situation is viewed on a case to case basis, of course.” 

Shifting his weight from foot to foot, Chan stood in front of the gaping gate. Only a few bored-looking guards and a lone wooden blockade prevented him from entering. “And until then?” 

“I am afraid that you will have to remain outside the city with the rest of those eager to meet the Mother.” He spared a brief glance in Cassia’s direction, but otherwise did not pay her much attention. “We will send someone to fetch you once the Deacon has reached a decision.” 

The curve of defeat returned to Chan’s spine, and he nodded once. There was only so much he could do in this situation. 

Cassia, on the other hand, could not tear her eyes away from the cobbled street just beyond the blockade. The sun was almost over the horizon, and the sky turned into a mess of blue and pink streaks. The edges of the clouds were a bright orange, and the third moon peaked just above the edge of the parapets. 

Rasa, watching over the streets until the sun could take her rightful place in the sky. 

Cassia slid down from her saddle and approached the gate. Behind her, she could hear Chan and the guard talking, though she could not make out their words. But there was no interruption to their voices, so she kept walking. 

The other guards seemed to pay her no notice as she released her horse’s reins and left her mare behind. It was as if she were invisible to them, able to step right into the shadows of the stone walls unhindered. 

The moon called to her -- pulling her into the city while the first hint of the sun brushed against her shoulder blades. 

Cassia didn’t spare another glance at the guards as she slipped into the empty city street. Blue, gold, and white banners decorated buildings and lampposts, limp in the heavy morning. Her footsteps echoed off buildings that towered over her. 

Everything was so much more impressive than Wellfox. The streets were wider, and the houses were uniform. The stone was the same slate grey, causing the pale shadows to dance and flicker as she passed. 

There was not a single person on the street. No morning workers out to set up their shops or stalls for the morning. In Wellfox, there would be movement. 

Hullenscir didn’t feel much like a city without its people. 

Cassia kept walking until the last bit of Rasa disappeared behind the Church. That’s when she felt it, the heavy hand pressing down on her heart and squeezing her lungs. Keeping everything shut inside of her, keeping the people shut inside of their homes. 

Safe in bed. Safe from the way her heart struggled against the confines of her ribs and made her lightheaded. 

Still, her feet dragged her on, more aware of where she was going than she was. No one chased after her, not even Chan. She wondered if they noticed she was missing. 

Not when the Goddess was around. No one would take notice of a single girl when the Goddess still walked Mwyr, not when her body was so heavy with guilt. She couldn’t remember how many tally marks she had made in her head on the ride to Hullenscir. Tick after tick of each little thing she needed to apologize for. 

How many of those were even her own? 

A second pulse fluttered to life inside her chest. It beat frantically alongside her own, out of sync and filled with fear. Her guilt could not weigh it down. 

The taste of metal swelled to life on her tongue and it blossomed around her as she walked. Every sense overflowed. She felt her chest expand with each breath -- and she expanded with it. 

Until she filled the street, every corner of Hullenscir, the grounds beyond that turned into plains and forests. 

But a small, uncomfortable nagging worked away at the blissful sensation. Like a pebble in her shoe, it rolled around to poke at her from different angles when she tried to identify it source. The hand pressed down on her chest, making it difficult for her lungs to expand with air. 

Something tried to stop her, and she struggled against it. 

The scream hit a second before the rush of wind rippled through the silent morning. 

Cassia threw her hands in front of her face. She remembered who she was and fell back into her body with a violent start. The sun crested the distant wall of the Church as she blinked to clear her vision. 

In front of her, a girl with dark hair and a dark blue robe stumbled forward a step. She caught herself, pulled herself back up to her full height, and sagged under the weight of gravity. 

Cassia picked her skirts out of her way and rushed to the girl’s side. Her legs wobbled, but she forced them at a pace she didn’t know she could muster. 

It wasn’t until she reached the girl’s side that she recognized the face. Her half-extended arms nearly dropped her as her knees gave out. They sank to the cobbled street together. “Tallah--” 

Dark blue eyes fluttered open, the color matching that of her robe perfectly. A spark of recognition lit up their depths, but it flickered out a moment later and confusion set in. “Who are you?” 

She didn’t know how to answer. “A friend of Chan’s…” she finally managed, though it sounded hesitant and uncertain in her own ears. 

This time, the recognition came at the sound of Chan’s name. “What happened? Is he here? I--” The Goddess tried to untangle herself from Cassia’s grasp, but her hands trembled so much that she made little progress. 

Footsteps echoed through the stone buildings, multiplying as people came out of their homes. Armored steps rang above the general chaos of sound as guards joined into the fray. 

But all Cassia could see was a pair of blue eyes that looked so familiar, and not because they reminded her of Tallah. 

A rough pair of hands grasped her elbow and pulled her to her feet. She gasped at the sudden rush of pain across her skin. The lingering traces of the Goddess’ magic spread across her palms in response. 

As soon as she was steady on her feet, the guard twisted her arms behind her back to keep her in one place. “You entered the city without permission. Did you sneak in just to attack the Goddess?” 

“She didn’t attack the Goddess!” A man broke through the wall of people to step into the space surrounding them. The corners of his mouth pressed into a thin frown. “I saw the whole thing. She was still quite far away when the Goddess suddenly screamed.” 

“Is this true?” The question was directed to the wide-eyed girl still sitting on the ground. Despite the fact that she was the Goddess, and clearly in her nightclothes, no one braved helping her to her feet. They deferred to her for guidance in the situation, but they were still afraid. 

She looked like a young deer as she struggled to stand. “I don’t know what happened, but she at least kept me from cracking my head open on the walkway.” 

This took everyone by surprise, though Cassia couldn’t tell if it was because the choice of words or because she had broken some sort of rule that no one was to touch the Goddess. 

“Cassia!” 

She turned at the sound of her name, and saw Chan’s head poking above the watching crowd. He had a guard as an escort, but that didn’t stop him from stepping right up to her. A small part of her, the one that remembered the way his hands felt like against her, warmed at his attention. 

But it quickly passed, and he noticed the other person standing in the small crowd. 

The fear and concern that he sported when rushing to her side melted away. His mouth dropped open, and a small incoherent sound trickled from him. 

The Goddess managed a watery smile, still unsteady on her feet. “It’s good to see you again, Chan.” 

“Arika--” he started, voice catching on that one word. “You’re here.” 

She laughed, catching Cassia off-guard with the sound. “Of course I am. Rumor is I am the Goddess, and this is my Church.” 

He stepped forward and pulled her into a sharp hug. Cassia’s heart ached at the small oof that escaped the Goddess’ mouth under the force his embrace. 

Around them, the crowd started to mutter in confusion and shuffle. 

Meanwhile, Cassia stood with her arms still locked behind her back by one of the guards. Completely ignored, yet not forgotten. 

The stranger approached her, cautious of the attention of the guard. “You should let her go. She did not attack the Goddess.” 

“She snuck into the city--” the guard started, but the Goddess pulled herself away from Chan and extended her hand. 

“That’s no way to treat one of my guests.” Her expression screamed of trained politeness. Tight lines formed around the corner of her smile as she fought to hold it in place. “Please release her.” 

Cassia’s stomach twisted as the grip dropped away from her arms. She massaged her wrists and ducked her gaze, not wanting to see the way that everyone was now staring at her. They should go back to staring at the Goddess. There was no reason to watch her. She was nothing, not when their sun stood right there among them. 

A light touch came to her elbow, and she almost squeaked in surprise. A sense of calm radiated from the point of contact, and for a moment, she thought it had been from Chan. 

Instead, it was the man who defended her. A small grin filled the curves of his lips. It was as she thought: he had a very nice smile. “Are you alright?” 

“I am fine, thank you.” She dusted off her skirts for lack of anything better to do, suddenly aware of how dirty she looked standing next to the Goddess. “Thank you, for speaking up in my defense.” Belatedly, Cassia dropped into a curtsey. 

He laughed and waved off the motion. “Please, I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. I would have hated to see them try to drag you off for a misunderstanding.” 

She glanced at the Goddess from the corner of her eyes. She spoke to the guards, likely trying to convince them to leave the two alone for entering the city during a lockdown. “Do you know what happened? I was so far away when she screamed--” 

A sour wince twisted his expression for a brief moment. “I do not. She… looked like she was in a daze as she walked. And then suddenly she stopped and struggled against something invisible…” His bright green eyes darted to the side, following the movement of the guards as they left the Goddess standing alone among her people. 

Cassia watched him as his attention shifted elsewhere. He concentrated so intently that he didn’t notice. Why did the guards not stop to question him if he had witnessed the event? 

Her line of thought scattered immediately as the Goddess moved to stand before her -- cutting off her view of the man. The girl’s hands were rough and confident as she took Cassia’s between her own and squeezed them. 

“Chan has told me much about you,” she said with a smile so radiant that the rising sun paled in comparison. “Thank you, for being there.” 

“Arika, what happened?” Chan stood just behind her, large and hulking compared to the Goddess’ petite frame. 

She shook her head, cheerful expression tacked in place. “Not here. I will tell you later.” The Goddess gave a quick, dismissive nod to the man still lingering around their small group. Without waiting to see if they would follow after her, she headed back in the direction of the Church. 

She looked far from the fragile girl standing alone in the middle of the street, pale in the pre-dawn light. 

Chan immediately trailed after her, jogging to catch up and speak with her in soft tones. 

Cassia lingered a moment longer. She hated the flare that burned in the pit of her stomach watching the two of them. She forced herself forward one step at a time. 

The man bowed out of her way, a cheeky grin playing on his lips. “Keep well, miss,” he said with a wink. He vanished into the crowd before she had a chance to reply, or properly thank him. 

“Cass!” Chan waited until her attention returned to him before waving her over. “Come on!” 

Her jealousy melted to leave her empty and hollow. She watched the Goddess walk away, and felt her energy follow in the wake of her shadow. 

#

Adder had a hard time holding in the laughter until he was off the street and once again in the company of Iohel and Waden. By then, his sides hurt with the contained giggles. He had to lean on Waden for fear of falling over as the laughter spilled from every single fiber. 

His companions were far from impressed. “What is so funny? You failed.” 

He waved off the concern, but could not muster enough breath to reply. “You should have felt it,” he finally gasped. The tips of his fingers tingled with the lingering traces of her magic. “I had her. Another moment, and I would have had her pinned. Completely powerless.” 

He had watched her struggle, trying to call up the magic that ran through her veins. The panic that flitted across her face. Far more satisfying than when the white-haired young man found himself cut off. 

“Then what happened?” Iohel gripped him by the shoulder, forcing him back into the moment. “Adder, you let her walk away.” 

“The girl -- the blonde. Something about her.” He waved off the confused glances and straightened his posture. “She interests me. Ah, what had that man called her? Cassia? Such a pretty name.” An innocent face who let jealousy sour her expression. He wondered how aware she was that she wore her emotions so visibly. 

Waden and Iohel exchanged a brief look. Adder did his best to not let their skepticism offend him. “There is nothing special about her.” 

“No, no more than any of us are extraordinary in the eye of the Goddess.” With far more pomp than necessary, he pointed at one of the banners as they passed beneath it. “That does not stop me from finding her interesting.” 

“Do you know something about her?”

“Not a thing!” He broke into laughter a second time and slapped his thigh. “How interesting! Something new, something I don’t understand!” Adder stopped and whirled to face his two companions, suddenly sober. “We messed up this time.” 

“We,” Waden snorted.

Adder pressed on, pretending like he didn’t hear that. “We were not fast enough, and an unexpected cog was thrown into the wheel. We cannot let this happen a second time.” He stepped closer to them and clamped a hand on their shoulders. “I underestimated her.” 

Iohel’s thin face twitched into a frown. “You think she anticipated an attack?” 

“Unconsciously, perhaps. But she’s been distracted lately. It is easier to work your way into cracks when the defenses aren’t completely manned.” Adder pushed himself away and locked his hands behind his back. 

Perhaps it had been a bit too early to make a move, but he had learned many fascinating things. Chief among them being that, just as he was able to block the Goddess’ magic, the pretty blonde was able to amplify it.