Guinevere's Grail | ✓ [BOOK 2]

~ 22 ~

EURION DIDN'T SEE CHALICE for a long time. The druid didn't come back before she went back to sleep, they weren't there when she woke up. Guards fed her scraps, but for at least three nights, Chalice never showed.

As the days went on, worry for her friends chewed at Eurion. She was the only one among them without any sense of the others' wellbeing, and it was driving her mad, but it would've helped if she could've at least seen Chalice. Even if they didn't remember her at all, even if it hurt, at least she could see their face.

She was picking at a stale piece of bread when she heard a guard approaching, and she rested her cheek against her palm. "I'm not hungry today," she murmured.

"That's a shame, I got you fresh fruit."

Eurion's head snapped up and her heart drummed against her ribcage. She leapt to her feet as soon as she saw Chalice standing there, and gripped the iron bars.

"Chalice, where have you been?"

"You're not my only responsibility, you know," they told her, passing the bowl through. "The Queen needed me."

She ducked her head and took their offering, no longer questioning where it came from. If it was Chalice offering it to her, there were no tricks. Eurion was certain of that.

The bright pink berry she set on her tongue tasted sweet, but still sour enough to enjoy. "Why did you bring this? I'm sure most prisoners don't get this treatment." There was still a glimmer of hope that maybe Chalice would remember. Even if it was only a feeling they didn't understand, she had to believe they weren't gone. And it didn't feel like they were, they brought her fresh fruit, after all.

All the druid did was shrug, but Eurion took it as evidence. "I had extras. And I guess if we were friends before... I might as well share."

A small grin stretched over Eurion's face, and she popped a slice of melon into her mouth. "That sounds like you know you should like me. I don't think you agree with locking us up, Chalice."

They shuffled on their feet. "I have no reason to think that. The Queen helped me, I owe her."

"But you don't." When they gave her a look of confusion, she continued. "She brought you back to life, but you didn't ask her to. And the only reason she did it was to turn you into her puppet, because she knows how strong you are. She doesn't want you as her enemy, Chalice, so she turned you into her servant."

"I volunteered," they insisted. They twisted their fingers together, glancing behind them like there was something there. "I told her I'd help, because I was grateful. I'm not doing anything against my will."

"Aren't you?"

They blinked, and Eurion set the fruit aside to hold the bars again.

"You look scared," she told them. "You're looking over your shoulder, you're hiding yourself, you aren't letting yourself choose. Agreeing to someone who intimidates you isn't exactly volunteering, Chalice. It's not like you to accept threats."

"But it is." They stared at the floor. "I'm not the Chalice you know. Maybe they wouldn't do what it takes to survive, but I would."

Eurion reached out, but they pulled away. "That's exactly what Chalice does. They survive. But they would rather die than give up who they are. You just don't know who you are anymore. Let me show you."

"No, it's fine."

"It's not fine." She managed to clutch their wrist through the bars and pulled them closer, staring fiercely into their eyes. "I know you're in there, Chalice, and whatever is keeping you prisoner, I promise I'll get you out. Titania didn't let you rest in peace, but I'll make sure you at least get to live as yourself, do you understand?"