Chapter 10 #2
“Is it?” I keep my tone calm and cross my arms over my chest, tilting my head at him.
His eyes soften and the anger seems to melt away.
But that bothered look—like he’s trying to hold back—remains on his face.
My heart aches for whatever demons he’s fighting.
Resigned, I sigh and say, “Alright, I’m supposed to have tea with Alys, so I’m heading home to wash up. ”
“Do you want me to walk you home or—”
“No, it’s alright. Stay here and get your training in.”
He nods and gives my hand a squeeze before we go our separate ways.
After freshening up, I head out to pay Alys a visit. I can’t stop thinking about the way Tiernan confronted Ava after she challenged me. I understand he only wants to protect me, but I can’t help but think that it only made me look even weaker.
Alys awaits me in her sitting room, and a smile stretches across her face as she adjusts the colorful silken scarf around the front of her hair. “Good to see you, sweetling,” she says. “No Tiernan today?”
I shake my head, regretting the movement as it makes me dizzier. Sinking down into the armchair across from her, I respond, “I just needed a moment to myself.”
Surprise colors her face. “Sounds like we need some tea,” she says. “I’ll be right back.”
Moments later, she settles in the chair across from me again, her steady gaze on me. I gnaw on my lower lip, suddenly questioning my decision to have a casual afternoon cuppa rather than resume training.
“Anxious?” Alys asks me.
“Hmm?”
She leans forward and places her mug on the tea table before pointing toward me. I follow the direction of her finger, to where my knee bounces up and down. Immediately, I stop, signing my apology.
Alys leans in, concern creasing her forehead. “Do you need to talk?” she motions.
I shake my head. “No—I just …” The words flutter right within my reach, teasing me. “I should be training. I should be running. I should be—”
She very gently holds up a hand and signs, “You are allowed to breathe for a moment.”
Yet when I try to take a deep breath, it feels like a boulder is crushing my chest.
“I can feel the pounding in your head, sweetling; I’m not even sure how you can keep your eyes open with that pain.”
“I’m accustomed to—” My brows dart up as realization sets in. Maybe I misread her words. “Did you say you can feel my headache? Has your healing returned?”
A smile adorns her plump face as she nods, and happy tears glisten in her eyes.
It’s been a mystery why her recovery has been so slow given her Healer blood.
But since the poison had also drained her of her healing capabilities, she’s theorized that it was no regular poison, but one targeting magical blood specifically. A poison that was magically made.
I beam at her. “That’s incredible, Alys.”
“Thank you, sweetling. With that said, I’ve prepared a stronger tincture for you. Since you’re exerting more energy, you’ll need a more concentrated dosage. I have a week’s worth for you already and I’m working on more.”
“Alys, I don’t want you to overexert yourself. I’ve been fine with the tinctures from the apothecary.”
“It isn’t a problem. It’s been nice to feel useful again.” She smiles. “Now tell me what’s bothering you.”
I gnaw on my lip again, and my fingers find their way under my wrist cuff, running along the seam.
I try to think of what’s not bothering me.
“I hate that I still can’t control the dreamwalking very well.
I’m terrible with sparring and dagger throwing—I don’t even dare to pick up a sword.
I want to prove to your daughter that I can defend myself Outside, but I’m not so sure myself. ”
“You’ve been able to defend yourself and Tiernan before.
You just need the motivation. Healing didn’t come all that natural to me, you know.
” The surprise must be all over my face because Alys chuckles and signs, “So that’s proof there’s hope.
It took a lot of moments where I had to use my healing, or moments where I accidentally used it.
What I did was keep track of what exactly happened in those moments.
What I was feeling, doing, thinking … Things like that.
So that the next time I tried to intentionally tap into it, I was able to recall how I felt when I accidentally used it. Does that make sense?”
I nod. “It does. Thank you, Alys.”
“And how are rune studies with Oksana going?”
“Not bad. We mostly focus on me breaking her light shields with them, and fortifying them as well. But she’s given me a small book of symbols that I look over every day at home as well. It’s useful to have a good memory, I guess.”
“I’m glad you’re recognizing your strengths.”
I smile and take another sip of my tea. Alys does the same.
As I’m about to speak again, I catch sight of brown leather boots and trousers the color of moss appearing behind Alys through the wooden balusters of the staircase.
Ava’s face emerges from the walled portion, recognition sinking in as her gaze snags on me.
She rolls her eyes and heaves a deep sigh.
She retreats up the stairs just as Alys turns toward her.
Uncomfortable heat pools in my chest as Alys faces me again. Her expression seems uncertain, conflicted.
“Your daughter loathes me,” I sign silently.
“No, she loathes me. Not you. She doesn’t even talk to me unless she has to,” Alys signs back, her lips unmoving.
I don’t get to question her before she hastily continues, “There are a lot of behind-the-scenes things with her father and the panel. A lot of debate about who should be on the team dispatched to the Outside and when it’s going to happen.
It’s almost like Carys and the councilors all over again. ”
My heart drops into my stomach as sadness washes over Alys’s face.
“Still nothing from her?” she asks, speaking again as she signs.
“The same. It’s as though the connection has a crack in it.” I’m uncertain how to better explain. “I just want to believe she’s alive and well.”
“Me too, sweetling. Me—”
Sunlight pours in through the door as Dayfyd enters.
He seems to startle at the sight of me, but his momentary surprise melts into a softness that I cannot quite place.
“Hello,” he says with a gentle smile. “I didn’t know you’d be here.
Good timing. I have something for you.” He walks closer to the seating area, and my brows rise, my curiosity piqued.
“And hello to you too, my darling Elviera,” he says to Alys.
Fine lines appear at the corners of her eyes, her lips curving sweetly as Dayfyd drops a kiss onto the crown of her head.
It’s hard to believe that these two have been separated for years and seem to have so easily picked up right where they left off.
As Dayfyd disappears up the stairs, I turn my curious gaze to Alys who simply smiles at me.
I have an inkling that she knows exactly what Dayfyd has for me.
Alys shifts, sliding her hands over the top layer of her colorful wrap skirt.
It’s nice to see her dressing in a way reflective of herself and her culture, rather than what’s expected of an assimilated Erleyan.
We’ve asked her if she would prefer that we call her Elviera, but she’s made it clear that Alys is an important part of who she is.
She lifts the cup of tea to her lips again and takes a dainty sip. My curiosity is getting the better of me, and just as my lips part to ask if she knows what Dayfyd has for me, he reappears at the bottom of the steps.
In his hand, he clutches a colorful handkerchief.
His shoulders are rigid, the smile on his lips pulled too tight.
I slide closer to the edge of my seat as he closes the distance with long strides and briefly regards me with what looks like apprehension in his hazel eyes.
“I believe this belongs to you,” he signs one-handed.
Hesitantly, I hold my hand out and he places the kerchief in my palm.
It’s surprisingly weighty and thrums strangely, warming my skin through the fabric.
I peel the kerchief open to reveal a smooth opal stone, pearly white beneath mesmerizing iridescence.
With each gentle tilt of my hand, the colors shift—purple, green, blue, pearlescent white.
“It’s beautiful. What is it?” My eyes find Dayfyd’s again.
“A moonstone,” he says. “No one truly knows how it works, but Alys and I believe that it should be with a Dreamwalker. It’s been sitting in my drawer for years.”
We’re quiet for a while as I admire the stone, sliding my fingers over the smooth surface. A moonstone. I want to ask him what it’s been doing in his drawer and why it should belong to a Dreamwalker, but I feel too awkward. “Thank you, Dayfyd.”
There’s a semblance of sadness or something else behind his smile. Does he regret giving me the stone? I wrap it gently but keep it nestled between my hands.
“Right,” Dayfyd signs. “I must get going again. Nice seeing you, Durvla.” He passes by his wife, stealing a quick kiss before hurrying out of the house again.
Eventually, Alys and I shift into normal conversation. We talk about Taig, Alys’s family, the community garden, which seems to be faring better than any plants Outside.
The clock on Alys’s wall reminds me I need to get going, but she insists I take a tincture before leaving.
By the time I return to our house, there’s no trace of my headache. There’s still the mild dizziness that often clouds my vision, more so since I’ve started training, but I just deal with it. This morning, Chiyo volunteered to pick up Taig from school, so I have a moment to practice my daywalking.