Chapter 11
Chapter Eleven
“Ido not want her at risk.” Boreus told Light, still holding Autumn by the hand, not looking at Auster where he was on his knees on the floor in front of them. “He puts her at risk by breathing in her vicinity, and you want to grant him admission into her head?”
“No,” Light said flatly. “I do not want to do that at all.”
“Then—”
“This will not be comfortable, Season of Change,” Light transferred her attention to Autumn. “Know that I only do this to protect your life and that of others.”
“I accept this, Highest.” Autumn let Boreus go, stepping towards Light and past Auster. “I will do as you have commanded.” Light gestured to her own feet, and Autumn knelt, bowing her head. “Your will, Highest.”
Light sighed, but reached out and laid a hand on Autumn’s brow, nodding up at Courage, who took Light’s hand and reached out for Auster’s head.
Auster’s eyes went wide, but he couldn’t evade Courage’s reach with how his head was, and Courage managed to make contact.
The room froze, and time started doing strange things. Running backwards within the area of the connected Highest, but being utterly unchanged otherwise.
He could do nothing that would jeopardize the woman he loved. So Boreus backed away and sat on the sofa, watching closely.
But he had no idea what was happening. Other than time running strangely, there was no outward indication that anything was amiss.
“Transference,” Boreus jerked his head up, only to look directly into Intellect’s eyes.
“Autumn’s memories are being transferred from her mind and translated through Light before they are restored to her, and the translation of them is passed through Courage and given to the East Wind.
It is the alternative to having him directly in her mind, though it is substantially more painful. ”
“For whom?” Boreus asked.
“Both of them,” Intellect answered simply, gesturing at the tears on Autumn’s cheeks. “Imagine your mind being turned inside out repeatedly, or being shocked over and over as information is forced into it, essentially.”
“I will not worry for Auster,” Boreus said. “His head is so hard, I doubt this will even make an impression.”
“Light will see that it makes an impression.” Intellect nodded in his direction. “Though I imagine what happened to the Prism Blade at the hands of the Song has made an impression as well.”
“What?”
Intellect pointed to the window, where Boreus saw a tiny sliver of the Song poking itself into the room, clearly watching what was happening. “It is a fast friend, a staunch protector, and has decided that the East Wind cannot draw his weapon until Autumn is safe.”
Boreus smiled over at the Song. “It is Autumn’s friend, and I will never mind her having another friend to help protect her.”
“It was too close this time.” Intellect said. “If the Song had not been there, this could have been a disaster.”
“Chaos put her there.” Boreus wasn’t going to fight with the fifth most powerful being on the Mountain, but he would happily send Intellect into the breach for Autumn. “He would have known Auster was there.”
“I have never understood his motivations.” Intellect shook his head. “Light will speak with him; she has more patience with his circles than the rest of us do.”
Time was still funny around the four, but the oddness was starting to fade as Courage pulled back from Auster’s head, leaving him to clutch at it and groan.
Light opened her eyes and nodded at Boreus, before lifting her hand from Autumn’s head. She collapsed to the side, into Boreus’ arms, whimpering slightly.
“Shh,” Boreus cradled her in his arms. “Come and rest, love. You’ll feel better soon.”
She shut her eyes tightly and nodded. Boreus rose and looked at Light who just waved a dismissal without speaking. Boreus bowed and left the villa.
He carried her back to the Bastion, back to their rooms, where a cup of Light’s pain remedy was sitting on the bedside table. Solace was there, sniffing at Autumn and letting out that sound between a purr and a growl.
“She’s going to be alright, Solace.” Boreus laid Autumn down on their bed and helped her sip the pain medicine. Autumn made a face, but drank it all, going limp as the pain faded.
* * *
Autumn was called to the summit first thing the next morning. Boreus tried to go with her, but was blocked by Urania, saying that Autumn had been called specifically.
Which left him with nothing to distract him from wanting to go back to the villa and punch Auster’s face in. The Highest were handling it, but Boreus couldn’t trust him any longer and he had loved Auster.
That pain sat right in the middle of his chest, making it hard to breathe. He’d never thought Auster could do something like that. Trying to take Autumn’s life. He never would have believed that of his partner.
But that was what had happened. And Boreus hadn’t been there to protect her, it had been the Song that had saved her. Boreus rose and dressed, leaving the Bastion with Solace in tow.
He went to the spring, sitting on the edge and waiting to be noticed. The Song lifted its head from the water, a piece of the void sprinkled with stars.
“Thank you for saving her.” Boreus’ voice wasn’t silver, and it wasn’t gold. It was brass, cheap, but honest, and he tried to sing thanks to the Song for saving her life.
The Song listened, swaying slightly as Boreus ran out of breath and fell silent. Solace leaned on him, and Boreus petted the feathered head. “That was all I wanted to say.”
The Song was silent for a moment, but the notes came back. The Song had been frightened for Autumn; she was a friend, the Song’s only friend, and it would never allow her to be harmed.
“I would be your friend, if you would like another.” Boreus said softly. “We could all be friends together.”
The Song hesitated. Notes going questioning and scared. It had a friend like him once, but it had been caged after that, and had never been allowed to sing against Magic.
“I will never cage you,” Boreus tried to be as sincere as possible. “You are free, and you are meant to be free. I will work together with Autumn to be sure that you are free always.”
The Song changed, happiness threading through the notes. It had another friend, another part to the chorus, and it was happy.