10. Anyone #3
“No, Tanis! You can leave with us!” Fiona’s eyes were shining. “Perhaps you’re not in the future yet, because you weren’t in the past!”
She grasped her Childe’s shoulders. Tanis blinked.
“I don’t–”
“We can take you with us! Tanis, you can come with us to the future!” Fiona laughed delightedly.
Charlie’s head snapped up. “Oh, Fifi, that’s… that’s very clever.”
It was strange, but he didn’t sound completely excited about this. But he gave her a smile. It seemed that something was bothering him. But she didn’t even wonder what it was as she realized that there was a way to save Tanis!
Understanding bloomed on Tanis’ face. “Go with you? To a time when Daemon is back? To when things are–”
“Truly better,” Fiona assured her. “There is still much healing to be done and many, many trials ahead of us, but you could use all the zeal you brought to the Order to the future. To something true.”
Tanis smiled so broadly even as she dropped her eyes from Fiona’s. Her voice was taut with emotion. “That would be… that would be amazing. More than. Yes, Mistress, I want that. I absolutely want that.”
The elevator stopped. They broke apart and Fiona struggled to put a neutral expression on her face instead of the joyous one that wanted to break out.
She remembered the mask that she wore often enough back in her days in the Order.
Tanis took the lead with Fiona and Charlie flanking her.
The three of them glided towards the hallway that would lead them down to the dungeons.
While the outside doors had been a dozen deep of security, there were only two guards to the entrance to the dungeon’s steps.
Fiona wasn’t surprised by this. In the future, no one was stationed there, because no one was supposed to be imprisoned below and all had feared what Caemorn would do to them if they snuck down.
But now there wasn’t quite that much trust or fear in this current time.
The guards–two women dressed in white Confessor robes wearing some magical weapons–straightened as Tanis approached them.
Tanis sped up her steps as if to intercept their questions with her physical presence.
Fiona squashed a frown. Was this nerves?
Understandable if it was. But she had hoped from Tanis’ earlier equanimity that she would keep her cool.
“Greetings, Confessors!” Tanis greeted them with warm smiles. “I see you are doing such a good job as always. Have things been quiet, I hope?”
“Ah, yes, they have,” the Vampire to the right said as she shifted from foot to foot. “Nothing has happened since you–”
“I’m glad. I’m so glad. I have some business down below. It won’t take a moment, but I would appreciate it if you would keep others out while I conduct my business,” Tanis spoke quickly.
“Of course, we will do as you wish,” the Vampire to the left said.
Both Confessors crossed their arms over their chests and bowed. The one to the right opened the door with a set of large keys that clinked. The door silently opened and a set of stairs was revealed going downwards. They were lit by the light of several silvery light gems.
Soul gems… Large ones, Fiona noted. Kaly is definitely making their mark here already.
The three of them silently went down the steps.
The clank of the door closing behind them had a feeling of unease settling deep into Fiona’s chest. She didn’t dare say anything yet, whether to celebrate or express a desire to get to Seeyr, because there might be more people down below who could overhear them.
Tanis flashed her a smile of triumph and moved swiftly ahead of them.
Charlie grasped Fiona’s nearest hand as she prepared to follow.
She turned to look at him and he opened his mouth to say something but it snapped shut when Tanis called up to them.
“Hurry!” she whispered. “We don’t have much time!”
Fiona frowned when Charlie’s expression grew darker at this as if time wasn’t a concern. The guards hadn’t seemed overly concerned that Tanis was there. In fact…
She went over what the guards had said. That last bit: Nothing has happened since you– Fiona repeated it again and again. Since you what? Since Tanis did what? Since Tanis was… was last there? But if she was down here before then she would see Seeyr? Unless she’s not being held here yet…
“Mistress! Charlie! Come!” Tanis sounded anxious.
Charlie met her eyes but he said nothing. He didn’t have to. Something was wrong here. Something was very wrong.
But we have to go down. We need to speak to Seeyr.
On numb limbs, she turned and both of them headed down the stairs. When they reached the bottom, there was that central cell. Seeyr was inside of it. Tanis stood in before it.
Smiling.
The smile did not reach her silver eyes.
They were clear and cold and calculating. They were not Tanis’ eyes at all.
Fiona let out a choked laugh that was filled with grief and bitterness. Her own words ran through her head: That’s just it, dear heart, Kaly can be anyone. They can take over any body. They can have any power. They could be your best friend and you wouldn’t know until it was too late.
Fiona gritted, “Hello, Kaly.”