Chapter 4 Seranni
When I had woken up today, I had no idea that it would be the last day I would ever spend in Vilusia.
The sun had peeked timidly over the horizon, casting long beams of pale gold through the cracks in my curtains. The room smelled faintly of lavender soap and woodsmoke, a combination that usually brought me comfort. But as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes, unease settled in my chest. The dreams that had haunted me in the night had faded, leaving only an inexplicable sense of foreboding.
A sharp knock at my door startled me from my thoughts. I threw on my cloak and padded to the door, half expecting the wind to have rapped on the wood.
Instead, I found Riana Narr on my doorstep, her cheeks rosy from the cold and her grin as wide as ever.
“My grandmother sent me to give you this,” Riana she said brightly, holding out a mince pie that smelled of cinnamon and warm raisins.
“Riana, you didn’t need to—” I began, but she brushed past me, placing the pie on my kitchen table with practiced ease.
“It’s my favorite, she puts raisins in them,” she said, her voice sing-song as she ignored my protests. “I’ll bring over some bread and cheese for your lunch.”
“Wait, Riana, this is too much—”
“My grandmother says you could do with some fattening,” Riana said cheerfully, as she walked out of the door. “I’ll be back at noon with lunch, Seranni.”
Then she had slammed the door shut behind her, and I was alone again.
The Narrs meant well, but I couldn’t help bristling at their unsolicited help. I didn’t need charity. Did I?
It was true that I hated cooking, and I was glad of the help, but Mother Narr was treating me like I was helpless. I washed up and sliced myself a piece of pie for breakfast, even as I smarted at the idea that Mother Narr thought I couldn’t look after myself.
The morning passed in a blur of chores. After a quick breakfast of pie—delicious, even if I refused to admit it—I scrubbed my kitchen floor until it gleamed, washed and mended my clothes, and set out my herbs to dry on the windowsill. My small home, though modest, felt like a sanctuary when I kept it in order.
When Riana arrived at noon with more food, I was determined to put an end to the Narrs’ excessive generosity. I accompanied her back to her house, my heart set on speaking to Mother Narr.
The afternoon sun cast a warm glow over the streets as I walked to the Narrs’ house, Riana chattering away even as I stayed silent.
The Narrs’ cottage sat near the edge of the village, its stone walls and thatched roof weathered by time. Smoke curled lazily from the chimney, and the front door creaked open as Riana rushed inside, calling to her grandmother. I lingered on the threshold for a moment more, trying to tamp down my irritation and remember that I was truly touched by the Narrs’ help.
Taking a deep breath, I pushed open the door and stepped. Mother Narr sat by the fire, her gnarled hands knitting a bundle of yarn into what looked like a scarf. The flames cast flickering shadows across her lined face, and she hummed a tuneless melody to herself as she worked.
“Ah, Seranni, dear child,” she said, her voice soft and warm as she looked up from her knitting, her eyes twinkling with good cheer. “Are you here to check on the babe? He and his mother are both asleep, I’m afraid.”
I forced a smile, despite the nervous fluttering in my stomach, and stepped forward into the warmth of the cottage. “I've come to talk to you, Mother Narr,” I said, keeping my voice steady with an effort. “I wanted to thank you for your kindness. I'm truly grateful.”
Mother Narr smiled, her eyes crinkling at the corners as she set aside her knitting and motioned for me to take a seat by the fire. Her eyes softened, and she reached out to pat my hand. “You helped deliver my grandson into this world, Seranni. It’s only right that I should repay the favor, especially when what you have done is so special .”
My heart seized with fear. Had she seen me do my magic? Did she know?
Mother Narr leaned forward and dropped her voice. “I know my grandson would not be alive if it weren’t for your…talents.” She looked me in the eye, leaving no doubt that she knew what I had done.
“I—”
“Of course, if anyone were to ask me what you did; how you saved my grandson, I can only say that these old eyes aren’t what they used to be,” she said, winking. “All I know is that you brought my grandson safely into this world, like the stellar healer that you are.”
I stammered my thanks, but my thoughts were elsewhere. If Mother Narr knew about my magic, who else might have guessed?
Sighing, I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what was to come, and met Mother Narr’s gaze with a determined stare. This had just become ten times more uncomfortable, because I wasn’t sure how she would take what I had to say now.
“While we’re on the subject, Mother Narr, I appreciate your generosity, but I can look after myself. I don't need your charity.”
Mother Narr’s expression softened; her eyes filled with understanding as she reached out to pat my hand reassuringly. “Oh, child,” she said, her voice tinged with sadness. “You misunderstand. We Narrs are a proud people, and we believe in paying our debts. You helped bring my grandson into this world, and for that, I am eternally grateful. The food I send is simply my way of repaying you for your kindness.” She patted my hand again. “Besides, It's the least I can do for a young woman with no family of her own, like yourself.”
“But I’m not alone,” I snapped, trying to stop my voice from trembling with emotion. “I have my father. He'll be back soon, I'm sure of it.”
Mother Narr’s smile faltered, just for a moment, before she quickly turned pitying. “Oh, poor dear,” she said, her voice tinged with compassion. “I know it’s hard, but you must face the truth, Seranni. Your father has abandoned you, run away to seek better fortunes elsewhere. It would be wise of you to wake up and see the truth, child.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” I snarled. “My father loves me; he would never abandon me. You don’t know anything about him, about us.”
The babe in the other room fussed and started to cry, no doubt awakened by my temper. His mother sang him back to sleep and I fell silent, feeling ashamed. I had promised myself I wouldn’t lose my temper; I knew the meddlesome old lady was only trying to help.
A moment passed, and Mother Narr reached out to touch my cheek gently, her eyes filled with sympathy as she did. “I'm sorry, child,” she said, her voice tinged with regret. “I didn't mean to upset you. But sometimes, the truth is hard to hear. And it’s better to face it head-on than to live in denial.”
I jerked away from her touch, my heart pounding in my chest as I rose to my feet, my fists clenched at my sides. “I think I should go,” I said, my voice trembling with emotion. “Thank you for everything, Mother Narr. But please, don’t send me anything else. I can’t accept it, not anymore.” I paused. “If you need me to have a look at the babe, please send Riana to call for me, otherwise, I shall not be visiting again.”
I walked back to my house, my heart still pounding. My skin felt hot, and I couldn’t stop my pulse from thrumming. I had said all I wanted to, yet I still felt like going back to the Narrs and shouting some more.
As I walked past the mayor’s house, I saw the curtains twitch in the window, drawing my eye. Voren stood at the window, watching me go. He raised a hand in greeting, and I nodded, glad that I didn’t have to stop and talk. I had been sure he’d seen me yesterday when I had healed the Narr babe with my magic, but if he had, wouldn’t he have approached me by now?
Another thought had ice forming in my veins. What if the only reason Voren hadn’t come to speak to me was because he was waiting to report me to his father, the mayor? The head of each town and village in Telluria was legally bound to report magic users in their communities. What if Voren’s father had already written to the authorities? The army could be on their way to Vilusia right now.
I hastened my step. For now, it would be better to pretend that I was ill. I could hide out at home, and continue to sneak away to the tower. I would take a few days to learn all that I could from the mage’s tower, and then I would run away. Even though I had dreamed of it, now that the time had come, it broke my heart to consider leaving the house where I had grown up. But this was the only way. I had to leave Vilusia and find a safe place to hide until I could join Father.
I hurried home and locked the door behind me, feeling marginally safer. I had a desultory lunch, followed by a stew and the rest of the bread and cheese for my supper. I organized the rest of my healing supplies—magical and mundane—mended my clothes, and dozed lightly, passing the time until dusk fell.
That evening, I couldn’t shake the sense of foreboding. After supper, I prepared my herbs and packed a small satchel with essentials. If the worst happened, I needed to be ready to leave at a moment’s notice.
Slowly, Vilusia ground to a halt all around me, the sounds of the town dying down as my neighbors and friends blew out their lamps, called out their goodnights to each other, and shut their doors. I waited until an hour had passed after the last sound, when I could be sure that everyone was asleep.
The moon hung low in the sky as I slipped out of my door, drawing it shut behind me. A silvery glow hung over the snowy streets, and I drew my cloak tighter around me as I hurried to the tower.
My breath fogged in the cold air, and I kept my head low as I hurried toward the woods.
The forest loomed ahead, its shadows deep and still. The mage’s tower was a sanctuary, a place where I could lose myself in study and escape the growing tension in the village.
I could almost feel the warmth of the fire that would be waiting for me, and I was sure Kael would have a mug of hot tea waiting.
Smiling to myself, I kept my head down and hurried on, my steps light and silent.
“Seranni.”
I jumped and clapped a hand over my mouth to muffle my scream. Spinning around, I saw Voren materialize out of the shadows, stepping forward to meet me in the street. He had evidently been waiting by the window for me to pass and had stepped out of his home as soon as he saw me. He had on a warm woolen jacket against the cold wind and the snow.
“What are you doing here, Voren?”
“Shouldn’t I be asking you that?”
I shrugged, struggling to think of an excuse for being out of bed at midnight.
“Collecting herbs,” I said finally. “Some of them only grow near the forest, and when I was lying in bed, trying to sleep, I remembered that I’d forgotten to harvest them…”
I trailed off, my lie sounding too unbelievable, even to my own ears. Voren said nothing, only blowing on his cupped hands to warm them.
“Let me escort you,” he said, and I stifled my curse. If Voren was tagging along, there was no way I could visit the tower tonight. Uneasy, I took a step back, shaking my head.
“I’m not sure—”
“If the herbs are so important, I don’t mind making the trip with you,” Voren said with a smile. “Helping out the citizens of Vilusia and all that. Just think of it as me being in training to be the next mayor.”
With a sigh, I turned away, my mind whirling as we both walked to the woods, Voren falling into step beside me.
As we drew close to the forest, I pointed to a bush near the clearing, pretending it was the herb I was looking for. “I’ll just harvest some of that—”
“I’ll help you.”
As I plucked leaves randomly, trying to make it seem like I knew what I was doing, Voren drew closer, until he stood at my elbow.
I tried to ignore the uneasy feeling churning in my gut as Voren stood next to me, a slight smile on his face and his eyes alight with familiarity.
As I turned to look at the bush again, I felt Voren’s eyes on me, his gaze lingering with an intensity that made my skin crawl. I shifted uncomfortably under his scrutiny, the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end as I tried to shake off the feeling of unease that had settled over me like a heavy cloak.
“So, tell me, Seranni,” Voren said, his tone casual but with an underlying edge that sent a shiver down my spine. “Are you well rested after all the excitement yesterday?”
I forced myself to maintain a polite smile, despite the rising sense of dread that threatened to overwhelm me. “I’ve been well, thank you,” I replied, my voice steady despite the tremor of fear that danced beneath the surface. “Had a good long rest, and I’ve been keeping busy with my chores and my studies.”
Voren nodded, his expression unreadable as he studied me. “That’s good to hear,” he said, his tone deceptively casual. “You always were so diligent, so focused on your studies. Ambitious and driven, that’s what you are. It’s one of the things I’ve always admired about you.”
I felt a knot tighten in my stomach at his words, a sickening sense of foreboding settling over me like a dark cloud. There was something in his tone, something in the way he spoke, that set my nerves on edge, that made me instinctively wary of his intentions.
“And what about you, Voren?” I asked, trying to deflect the conversation away from myself. “How has your training been coming along? Your father must be looking forward to leaving the mayor’s responsibilities to you.”
Voren smiled, but there was something cold and calculating behind his eyes, something that sent a chill down my spine. “Oh, you know me,” he said, sounding cheerful. “Just the same old, same old. But enough about me. There’s something I’ve been meaning to talk to you about, something important.”
I tensed at his words, a sinking feeling settling in the pit of my stomach as I braced myself for what was about to come. There was no avoiding this.
“What is it, Voren?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. Now, he would say he knew about my powers, and tell me he had written to the army…
Voren took a step closer, his face now serious and his gaze piercing mine. “It’s about us , Seranni,” he said, his voice low and urgent.
I blinked.
“You know I love you,” Voren said, grabbing me by the shoulder. “I've loved you for as long as I can remember, and I can’t stand the thought of you being with anyone else.”
I felt the breath catch in my throat. When would he finally understand that I didn’t see him that way? How could I make him understand?
“I... I don't know what to say, Voren,” I stammered, my voice trembling. “I told you, I’ve always thought of us as just friends...”
Voren’s smile faltered, just for a moment, before he quickly regained his composure, his expression once again carefully neutral. “I understand, Seranni,” he said, his voice betraying none of the feelings that I knew must be lurking just beneath the surface. “But please, hear me out. I know how you feel, but I truly believe that we’re meant to be together."
I felt a surge of panic rising within me. I had thought he’d gotten the hint when I had brushed him off the other day, but it seemed I would have to be more direct for him to understand.
“Voren, I’m sorry, but I could never feel that way about you. Never ever.”
“Are you refusing me because of your magic?”
My blood ran cold, and I stared at him in silence, even as he went on.
“If you’re afraid your magic will be a problem when we marry, you don’t need to worry. I know you’re thinking of me and the pressures upon me to be a good mayor, but you need not worry about inconveniencing me, you’re more precious to me than my position—”
I shook my head involuntarily, clapping my hand over my mouth to keep in the snort that wanted to escape. The man was delusional.
Voren, however, took it as a sign that I was overcome with happiness.
“It’s true, I don’t care about anything else—”
I had to cut him off. “Voren, I can’t marry you. It wouldn’t be right.”
Voren's smile dimmed, and his grip around my shoulder tightened, making me wince.
“Because you’ve been living among us as a secret witch, you mean?”
“What—”
“But I know you had no choice.” Voren said, smiling at me, even as my heart pounded. “You didn’t want to lie to us all, but it was the only way for you to stay with me. If you had revealed your powers, you would have been forced to leave Vilusia.” He nodded, as if pleased with his conclusion. “I was very impressed. Besides, it’s not like your magic hasn’t helped us all. You saved the Narr babe with your powers, Seranni.” He looked down at the herbs I was crushing in my hand. “Are these for another potion?”
I seized the excuse I had just been handed. “Yes,” I said. “And I must go home to check on it. Thank you, Voren, I have all the herbs I need,” I said, patting the pockets of my cloak. “Now it’s time for us to return home.”
Would it be enough? I took a step, but Voren caught my wrist and I stumbled, coming to an inelegant stop before him.
“Marry me, Seranni. I could make you very happy. Just say yes.”
I shook my head, fear touching me for the first time in the conversation. He was being so persistent, as if he had heard nothing I had said. In the moonlight, Voren’s eyes glittered with madness .
I had to distract him. Placate him, until I could escape back to town, where I could put a locked door between us.
“I... I need some time to think, Voren," I said, my voice barely above a shaky whisper. "I can’t give you an answer right now, not when I'm so confused and unsure of what I want.”
“Seranni—”
Forcing a smile, I cut him off, despite the sickening feeling of dread that gnawed at my insides. “I appreciate your understanding, Voren,” I said, stopping my voice from shaking. “But I’m afraid I must be getting home now, I’m feeling very sleepy,” I blustered, faking a yawn and freeing my hand from his grasp.
I stepped away, and had gone only a few paces when Voren spun me around with one hand on my shoulder.
“Voren—”
“Is that all you have to say to me?” he demanded.
Fear sank its claws into me, threatening to consume me whole as I turned to face him, my heart pounding in my chest.
“Please let me go, Voren,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
Voren scowled, his eyes flashing with a fury that made me flinch instinctively. “You ungrateful bitch!” he spat, his words dripping with sudden venom. “Any woman would be falling all over herself to bag me, and you dare to reject me?”
My anger surged, the fire burning away my fear as I met his gaze with a steely resolve. “Then go marry one of them ,” I said defiantly, tearing my hand from his grasp. “And leave me alone!”
Voren’s face contorted with fury, his hands balling into fists at his sides as he took a step toward me, his eyes burning with a dangerous light.
I turned and ran, my heart pounding in my chest as I fled into the safety of the woods, the sound of Voren’s angry shouts echoing in my ears as he gave chase. I ducked under branches and hid behind a the trunk of a huge tree, clamping my hands closed over my mouth, hoping to calm the sound of my panicked breathing. I peeked around the tree and nearly gasped.
Voren was right there.
“You'll regret this, Seranni,” he snarled, his voice low and menacing. “I'll make sure of it.”
When he moved deeper into the forest, I scrambled away, in the opposite direction.
The air hung heavy with the threat of impending danger, my heart pounding with a mixture of fear and desperation. The forest was cloaked in a thick veil of darkness, the moonlight casting eerie shadows across the tangled undergrowth as I stumbled through the dense foliage.
My heedless flight was loud and Voren found me easily, changing direction to chase me again.
I could feel the weight of Voren’s gaze burning into my back, his footsteps echoing ominously behind me as he pursued me through the labyrinth of trees.
“Stop running, Seranni,” he called out, his voice a twisted echo in the stillness of the night. “You have to come to me in the end, anyway. You can’t hide from me forever.”
I quickened my pace, my breath coming in ragged gasps as I darted between the gnarled trunks, the branches clawing at my skin like ghostly fingers. I knew that I couldn’t outrun Voren, that he would catch me eventually, but I refused to give up without a fight.
“You can’t force me to marry you, Voren,” I shouted back, my voice trembling with anger and defiance. “I'll never love you, no matter what you do.”
But my words fell on deaf ears, swallowed by the oppressive silence of the forest. Voren was relentless in his pursuit, his footsteps growing louder with each passing moment as he closed in on me with unnerving determination.
I quickened my pace, trying to keep my footsteps from echoing through the silent forest as I desperately sought a way to escape Voren’s clutches.
And then, just as I was thinking that maybe I could actually outrun him, Voren was upon me, his hand closing around my neck like a vice as he dragged me to a halt. He swung me around to face him, and I cried out in pain. I tried to scream, to call out for help, but he silenced me by tightening his hold on me.
“Shut up, Seranni,” he hissed, his eyes blazing with a dangerous fervor. “You’re coming with me, whether you like it or not.”
I struggled against him, my heart pounding with terror as I fought to break free from his iron grip. But Voren was too strong, his fingers digging into my skin with a cruel intensity that left me gasping for breath. When he let his hand drop an inch, I sucked in a breath of cool air, the relief making my eyes sting.
“Please don’t do this, Voren,” I pleaded hoarsely through my sore throat, tears streaming down my cheeks as I stared into his cold, merciless eyes. “You can’t force me to accept you.”
But he only laughed, a hollow, mocking sound that sent a shiver down my spine. “You don’t have a choice, Seranni,” he sneered, his grip tightening around my neck until I thought it might snap in two. “Either you marry me, or I’ll reveal your secret to the authorities and collect the bounty on your head.”
My blood ran cold at his words, the implications sinking in with a sickening weight that threatened to crush me where I stood. The army was forever on the hunt for witches and mages, offering large rewards to anyone who helped increase the number of magic users in the army.
Most mages and witches volunteered for the army and collected the reward that followed, but some chose to hide, like me. And so, the army offered bounties to those who turned in magic users.
If Voren exposed me, there would be nowhere left for me to hide.
Desperation clawed at my chest as I searched for a way out of this nightmare, a glimmer of hope in the darkness. But try as I might, I could see no escape. I scratched my nails down Voren’s hand, but he clung on, and I was losing air…
And then, just as I was beginning to lose hope, I heard it—a low growl echoing through the trees, a sound that sent shivers down my spine. A figure leaped to the ground before us, and I was startled to see his eyes blazing with an otherworldly light.
It was Kael.