Chapter 14
Tap
The fugue state Phin had gone into at the church had been peaceful compared to whatever this was.
She’d paled, gone still, then collapsed like something had physically crashed into her. It was lucky I’d had our coats on my arm, they served to cushion her fall as I dove to reach for her.
“Phin?” I couldn’t resist calling out to her, even though I knew she couldn’t respond.
“What can I do?” Merry asked, urgency in her tone.
“I’m not sure,” I admitted.
“Let’s get her on the sofa,” she suggested.
I scooped her up, unnerved by the complete absence of her as she continued to blink and breathe, but not respond.
“This is kind of how you were, Merry,” Hailon said tensely.
“Yes, it does seem rather familiar, doesn’t it? It’s definitely no fun from that side of things, I can tell you that much. Does this happen often?”
“I’ve only seen her do this once before. It was triggered by the church bells. There are obviously none here, so I’m not sure what may have caused it. If it’s the same, she can hear us, she’s just … stuck for a bit.”
“Mmm. So very like how it was for me, then.” Shadows passed by the front windows. “Sorry, looks like I have other company, I’ll only be a moment. Hailon, could you maybe make her something to drink? I still have some of the elixir as well, it’s the pink one in the cabinet next to the stove.”
“I’ll come with you.” Seir followed Hailon out the door, leaving me and Phin in one part of the room while Merry opened her lovely stained-glass window and two huge birds came to perch on the sill. It seemed Archimedes, my brother’s black owl, and Belmont, Greta’s raven, were also making a visit.
I sat on the floor in front of the sofa and took one of Phin’s hands in mine. I angled my grip so that my first two fingers could press into the vein in her wrist, the painful flare of the bond reassured by her heartbeat steady under my fingertips.
“One of my sisters-in-law is an alchemist. I’m betting there’s a remedy of some kind she could brew up for you.
She did the same for Merry when she was unwell.
” Phin’s eyes blinked slowly. “We’ve got several healers in the family as well.
I should have thought to ask if you wanted to be examined after having seen this happen at the church. ”
Merry smiled as she approached us again, leaving the window open, the familiars watching us with interest. “Well, there’s no better place for this to have happened, I can assure you that, Phin.
These folks all got a good trial run caring for me in such a state not all that long ago.
I was new to this place, this life, and all the animals decided they wanted to start talking with me.
Problem was, I wasn’t really prepared for it and when they all tried to do it at once …
it kind of broke me for a little while.” Her smile was gentle.
“I’m no stranger to being trapped inside yourself.
If you want to talk to anyone about it …
” She let the thought dangle and rose to help Hailon and Seir with the tea.
Phin’s fingers twitching was the first sign she was coming back to herself, the second a low groan.
“How embarrassing,” she whispered. “I’m sorry.”
“None of that,” Merry insisted. “This is an elixir Greta made for me when things were bad,” she said, holding up the vial with shimmery pink liquid inside. “Do you want to try some?”
“I have a healing ability as well,” Hailon offered. “If it’s something I can mend, I’m happy to help.”
Phin opened and closed her mouth twice, clearly awed by the attention. “No, thank you. I don’t think any of that is necessary, but I appreciate the offer. Odd as it seems, this is pretty normal for me.”
“Well.” Merry handed over a cup of tea. “Should you change your mind.”
“Thank you.” Phin went quiet as she coddled the tea, but she had regained her coloring and otherwise seemed recovered. “The plants,” she said cryptically.
“Sorry?” Merry frowned.
“Some of your new seedlings. I recognize some of them. They’re all poisonous?”
“Yes, they’re for d’Arcan’s future poison garden.”
Phin nodded tightly, the look in her eye positively haunted. I bristled, the bond flaring painfully.
Merry’s cheeks pinked as she took in Phin’s expression. “Oh. I see. I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean—”
“I know you didn’t. How could you? They’re just plants. Please don’t apologize, the issue is mine.”
“Still, I feel terrible. Are you sure you’re alright now?”
“Yes, I’ll be fine.” Phin straightened her shoulders. My chest eased. Whether she thought so or not, she was very strong. Her eyes landed on the birds still lingering on the windowsill. “Are they …?”
“Introduce yourselves to the lady,” Hailon prompted.
She gasped, eyes wide as they communicated with her in their own way. I was excluded again but didn’t mind. I knew Archimedes very well, and Belmont was becoming just as much a fixture in the family as Rylan’s owl.
There wasn’t much space, but they each did their own version of a bow, spreading their wings and bobbing their heads.
“Nice to meet you,” she whispered.
“What mischief are you two up to?” I asked.
New friend coming. Old friend. Archimedes sent, blinking his round gold orbs before turning his head back her direction. Phin frowned at his words.
“Those are different things, yes?”
Same.
I sighed, sure that there would be no progress had if I argued with him. “If you insist.”
Belmont rarely spoke to me directly, but he made that loud knocking sound particular to corvids and blinked several times as he stared at me with his one good eye.
“Have you come to deliver a formal invitation to visit d’Arcan, then? Or just examine the new residents of the crossroads.”
Yes. Archimedes put his wings out and fluffed his feathers, blinking at me as they settled again. Cheeky bird.
“Tell Rylan I’ll consider it.”
“Oh, you really should visit soon if you haven’t,” Hailon enthused.
“The new dormitory is well on its way, and I think Magnus and Grace may be moving into their new house soon. I can’t believe how much they’ve gotten done despite the cold weather.
It must have killed Magnus to use the city’s masons and other craftsman.
They’d have moved in months ago had the stone kin been the ones in charge of building the structures. ”
“They really do work incredibly fast,” Merry nodded. “Days is all it took for these cabins to be all but final finishes.”
“When was the last time you went to d’Arcan, Tap? Was it the wedding?” Seir asked, smirk on his mouth. He was instigating again.
“You know it was.”
“Then you’re overdue. Surely going there is nearly as safe as coming here.” My brother winked at me as he crossed to the window to pet the birds.
“What is d’Arcan?” Phin asked.
“A collegium in Revalia,” I explained. “My brother Rylan’s institution. They teach various skills to budding mages.”
Belmont made the knocking noise again.
“Belmont’s bonded, Greta, is the alchemist Tap mentioned. She lives there. She’s mated to Vassago, another brother of ours,” Seir explained.
Phin’s brow crinkled the slightest bit at the word mate, but she nodded slowly. “I remember seeing Revalia on a map.”
“Well, just let me know when you’re ready to visit,” Hailon said. “I’m there at least a couple times a week, I’m happy to accompany you.”
Phin nodded, eyes gone a bit glazed. I squeezed her hand and she turned my direction, giving me a reassuring smile.
“You really do have the most gorgeous hair color,” Hailon commented. “Mine’s gone mostly white, but the silver tone to yours is just lovely, Phin.”
“Thank you.”
I was not overly wise in the ways of women, but I could see Phin warming to the casual conversation, though she still looked a bit dazed. It seemed as though it might benefit us all for Seir and I to go find something else to do, if only for a short time.
“Seir, would you walk with me to the ruins? I’d like to check on something.”
He glanced between me and the women, who had all gathered around on the little sofa. “Sure. Is Coltor there?”
Merry nodded. “Last I saw him, he was taking care of something at his hut. You may pass him on your way.”
“Perfect.” I looked to Phin. “Alright?” She nodded.
The moment Seir and I were out the door, he groaned. “They were just getting to the good stuff. You’re terrible at identifying when to leave a conversation, brother.”
“It seemed like they could use a moment to get better acquainted,” I said.
He huffed but cheered again as we started down the path. “What are we looking for?”
“Cracks. Gaps. Anything unusual.”
“You mean exactly what Coltor looks for every single day?”
“More eyes, and all that.”
He narrowed his gaze. “You don’t really have anything to check on.”
“Nothing specific. Though I do want to know if any of the dormant portals here have been behaving strangely or if I’m dealing with an anomaly.”
My brother kicked at a clump of dirt and chuckled. “You owe me some good gossip for this.”
“I suppose I have some of that. I keep forgetting, I need to pass a message to Coltor. And perhaps you or Hailon could take it to Magnus as well.”
“A message?”
“Yes, from Tormund.”
Seir stared at me, perplexed. “Have you met him, then?”
“Yes. He was guarding the church in Aymonroux.”
His head tilted to the side. “He was?”
“Yes, he introduced himself when I went back without you. Seemed very amused I’d returned.”
“I’m disappointed I missed that.” He sulked for a brief moment, then brightened again. “I’ve earned a jar of pickles from Hailon and now gossip from you. I’m gathering owed debts all over the place. Must be my lucky day.”
I wondered if my brother ever noticed that fortune was nearly always in his favor, but said nothing. I just enjoyed the fresh air and sunshine he’d been right to suggest we get.
Not that I’d ever tell him so.
It wasn’t until we walked out of the boundary of the glade and into a more heavily forested and rocky area that we came across Merry’s stone kin mate, Coltor.