Sorcerer's hill

25

Keira sat behind the table at the Inn. She was holding a mug filled with something that slightly reminded her of tea - something she rarely drank. Mrs Rivers probably cared more about her health than she thought - not serving her the liquor she wanted. She took a sip and tried not to make a face as the bitterness rolled on her tongue.
Joe snorted in front of her. She raised her eyebrows.
"It's good for you," he pointed at the mug. "The herbs will help you heal your throat."
She shrugged. "Whiskey would do the work, too."
The old man shook his head. She placed her hands on the table.
"How much did you actually know?"
The old man frowned at her accusation. "Not much."
"But you knew something," she pushed. "Or you wouldn't try to warn Thane."
Joe shifted in his seat. "How do you know?"
"How do you think I know? He told me," she rolled her eyes. "You were the one to tell him Seth actually burned the tree down. And that was why he was punished. Not for murder. It was a lesser thing - but for the community equally serious if I understand it correctly."
Joe nodded, not trying to deny it. His wrinkles seemed to deepen within his face, his hands trembling.
"You had the chance to save them. To save them all!" she raised her voice. 
Joe started shaking. She leaned back in her chair. She felt like a bully.
"I didn't think she'd go through with it," he whispered.
"Then you thought wrong," she uttered.
She was kind enough to ask him to meet her early in the morning. That was the only time unwanted ears wouldn't overhear their conversation.
"Why would you do that? Why would you cover for her when you know what she was going to do?"
"Wouldn't you do the same?" He suddenly replied, gaining some of his courage back.
She was taken aback. "What do you mean?"
The old man chuckled. "How young and naive you are." He emptied the whole glass of whiskey in front of him. "This means undying love. She would never hurt me. I know they're hungry for power." Seeing her face, he added: "Magical creatures. Sorcerers being the most intense."
She pondered upon that fact. "Thane isn't greedy for power."
"Because he's seen what it can do to a person. Melanie has always been like that. And even if she didn't give up her immortality for me," a tear escaped his eyes, "I'd still love her. It can only be the stupidity of lovers, maybe she bewitched me. But she was my whole life."
"She was a murderer."
"As is Thane. And Mrs Rivers. And many others you don't even know about. When you lived through the dark times for so long, it's almost impossible to remain without sin."
"But Thane had his reasons." She denied.
"And so did she."
Keira watched the man with a mixture of pity and curiosity. How can he still believe her to be good?
"Don't you think we're actually the same?" Joe whispered, looking at the bottom of his glass. "We both love a person who made some mistakes. Only that we don't see them as a mistake."
She thought about it for a while. Perhaps he was right. Perhaps they really were alike - only that she refused to see his point of view. But even though she tried to imagine Thane do the things Melanie did - she couldn't grasp the feelings she was supposed to feel.
"I guess we'll never find out," she mumbled, checking her phone.
"Let us hope we won't."
Keira shook her head and stood up, leaving the mug almost untouched. She glanced at the old man in front of her. He looked broken. Tired. She sighed and simply walked past him, not caring to say goodbye. She still held him partly responsible, no matter what Thane told her. Things might've turned out differently if he... not that it mattered now.
She left the Inn feeling a bit frustrated. Even though he confirmed her suspicions about knowing much more than he let on, it didn't make anything more clear either.
She took a breath of the fresh air. The early morning was chilly and the street lamps seemed to show her the difference between light and dark. The branches of trees were touched by the warm orange light and still had the coat of night. As if trying to say nothing in the world is black and white. Can anyone be truly considered a villain in the eyes of all?
She thought about how love made Joe blind. What if she was also bound to become blind when it came down to Thane? Would he even allow her to become that way? He seemed too eager to show her he was bad for her, never letting a chance of lowering himself pass unnoticed.
She doubted it would come down to this. They had still so much of a time ahead of them. Still didn't know so many things about each other. And yet, she was sure they were bound for life. How could they not be - after everything they went through.
"Did you get what you wanted?" Thane was leaning against one of those street lamps. She was still surprised at what shaving and a good amount of sleep could do to a person. He still had the mournful cloud above him but he looked different. As if prepared to go through it all.
"Not really," she admitted, walking towards him. "But I guess it doesn't matter now."
The corners of his lips turned upward. She loved it when he smiled.
As they walked down the street together, hand in hand, she wondered how life can change over the course of mere seven days. Now, it was Tuesday. She was already two days past her deadline. It didn't feel wrong, but it didn't feel right either. She felt as if she was watched by something, ready to pull her away any second.
"I've decided," Thane said, suddenly. "I'll go to Ireland."
"Ireland?" she repeated, surprised. "That was faster than I thought."
"I always wanted to visit it there," he admitted. "But I guess I didn't want to leave things unfinished."
"Which is not the case now."
They saw as the Sun started to rise. The hill above them was the first one to enjoy the warm light and slowly, it was coming down to the village. It took only a few moments before the golden streams touched their skin.
"When are you leaving?" she asked, trying to sound casual.
"Tomorrow."
"What?" she stopped in her tracks. "Isn't that a bit soon?"
"I don't care," he shrugged. "I feel it's the right thing to do."
She looked at his face, calm and assured. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the sunlight. She sighed. "I've got a more important question."
"Hm?"
"Will you return?"
He opened his eyes and took her other hand. She looked into his eyes, looking for any kind of hesitation. She couldn't find any. "I will."
She knew he needed time. It was the right thing to do. Nothing would help him as much as leaving the place he was bound to for most of his life.
"Just to be sure," she chuckled. "You will return while I'm still alive, right?"
He laughed and pulled her close. "How could I miss my chance?"
She punched him lightly on the shoulder. "Well, you better not. Because I'll find you if you won't come back."
"Is that a promise?"
She leaned closer and brushed her lips against his. "It's a threat."
He pulled her closer and they kissed. It wasn't a passionate, hungry kiss. It was reassurance. She felt herself melt in his arms and didn't mind it at all. Suddenly, her phone rang. It was the strangest sound she heard in the whole week and it startled her at first.
She pulled away with a smirk and looked at the screen. It was her boss.
"Keira Lester!" his voice almost made her jump. "Are you gonna pay us a visit or did you leave the Earth?"
She couldn't help but chuckle. "I'm sorry, got caught up. Tomorrow, I'll be ready."
Thane raised his brows. She shrugged.
"And," she continued talking to the phone, "I'd like to discuss with you the next approach I'd like to take - in regard to my work."
"You are really something," he snorted. "What makes you think I'll listen to you? I said a week of holiday - not ten days out of signal-"
"I understand," she purred. "I can explain it. Let me just say," she gave Thane a wink. "I'll give you the best story you ever heard about."
They exchanged a few more formalities and their call ended. Thane listened to it with anticipation.
"So you're leaving, too?"
"Just to take care of a few things," she mumbled and started walking again. "I, too, don't like to leave things unresolved."
She decided only recently. Even though she could never come back to her old way of life, knowing what she did, she found it reckless to leave everything behind her. After all, she loved her job. She liked Oxford and her way of life. It's true it never made her feel as alive as when she was in Rosehold - but it was her life. It was something she worked hard to achieve. It was her pride, her home.
Rosehold helped her fill the pieces she didn't know she missed. It gave her a sense of belonging. Her friends were going to remain here. Thane was there. She had so many reasons to stay. She even considered it during the week, playing with the thought of actually living there.
But she couldn't pretend it would be rational. She still had things to do. Her things.
She could make it work. It was a matter of preparation and organization. She wouldn't leave Oxford - but she wouldn't leave Rosehold, either. She could do a month here, work from home and another month go to the city. It wasn't entirely impossible - as she learned later from the villagers. More of them actually left Rosehold for work - even though it was only occasionally.
"How will you do that?"
"I want to keep my job," she stated. It was one thing she was sure about. "But I want Rosehold to remain a part of my life. So I'll ask about the possibilities of how to make things work. People do their jobs from a distance all the time. I'm sure I'll make it work."
He intertwined his fingers with hers and frowned. "He misses you, for sure. Calling you so early in the morning."
"You forget to count a large number of missed calls." She smirked when his frown deepened. "I bet his wife wasn't happy about that."
"I didn't ask," he snorted.
She gave him a kiss on the cheek. "But I said it anyway."

The light was going through the window. It touched her skin and her brows frowned in dissatisfaction.
She moved her hand and the covers in front of her moved, denying the slightest stripe of light to touch her cheek.
"That's better," she murmured. She liked talking much more now, enjoying the sound of her once again young voice.
"Do you think it's wise?" The old woman hissed next to her. "You've made quite a scene."
"Somebody had to," she laughed deeply, enjoying her lungs stretching at the sound. "I'm sure it's already calmed down. You know me."
"I did," the old lady nodded. "But I'm not sure who am I sitting next to, now."
"How long has it been?"
"Two months," the old woman hissed. She couldn't help but let the rage come out. The questions were eating her alive for the past weeks. "Why did you kill them?"
"Collateral damage."
"Don't try to mock me," Mrs Rivers snarled. "These were calculated deaths. And I can't say it was good riddance."
"Kayden was bound to die the moment he shook his hand with mine."
"I agree with that," Mrs Rivers sighed, disgusted by the woman. "He should've been smarter. As you should've been."
"I'm the same person," the woman exclaimed, not allowing the old crone to spoil her mood. "I'm just as I used to be."
"What about Joe?"
For the first time in weeks, Melanie's face flushed darkly. Her beautiful skin was covered in a breeze of sadness and Mrs Rivers could swear she saw Melly for a while. But the woman coughed and her face was once again as beautiful as if carved from ice.
"He was my lifelong companion," she admitted slowly. "And it was a wonderful journey."
"So you don't feel sad? He died out of grief. For you. Days ago." The lady leaned forward as if examining an animal.
"Sorceress cannot afford to be sad. Emotions are filled with actions. And I need to lay low for a while."
Mrs Rivers smiled sadly. Melanie still had some of her heart left. She could see it in her face. Mourning a loss was one thing, but Melanie accepted it too fast for her to be fooled. That cold exterior could hide nothing from her.
"What do you want to do next?"
Melanie stood up and walked to the window. She slightly moved the curtains, her golden hair bathing in the sudden light.
She saw her village in the first touch of autumn. The trees were covered in orange and red, the roads muddy and mist spread far ahead.
"I'm leaving for now. I'm done with Rosehold," she sighed.
"Where?"
Melanie let out a silent laugh. "You don't need to know."
"Perhaps I don't," Mrs Rivers also stood up, "but I want to make one thing clear."
Melanie turned around, watching her old acquaintance with bewilderment. She smiled. "And what is that?"
Mrs Rivers didn't return her smile. "We're even now. There's no more debt. We're becoming strangers once you set foot out of this Inn."
Melanie didn't stop smiling. "I see you got braver, my darling."
Mrs Rivers didn't reply, waiting for her agreement. Melanie patter her on the shoulders.
"I can promise you two things," her voice melodic. "We're truly even. And there's nothing we owe each other."
"Good," Mrs Rivers shook her hand from her shoulder. She turned around to leave.
"But," Melanie called out and watched with satisfaction how Mrs Rivers froze in her movement. "We're never going to be strangers. There's too much ahead of us."
"Not for me," Mrs Rivers hissed. "I'm out."
"You are," Melanie didn't deny that. "But we both know it's not the end for you. We'll meet again."
Mrs Rivers turned to face her, her voice stern. "I won't let you hurt them. They're my people. You're alive purely because of my mercy."
"Your mercy?" Melanie laughed. She looked at her, pity written all over her face. "You protected those insects for so long you've forgotten who you really are. Am I right?"
Mrs Rivers pursed her lips.
Melanie continued. "There always has to be a balance in magic," she purred. "As long as you're alive, there has to be someone who can challenge you."
"Or we can live in peace," she sighed.
"You gave them everything," Melanie sneered. "Your horse, your powers... your line became exceedingly difficult to beat."
"What about your line, then?"
Melanie turned once again to the window. "They don't seem to realize the connections. But who can blame them? The history is a messy thing only a few of them remember."
"I think it's better for them not to know. They hate you anyway."
Melanie smiled wickedly. "We'll see about that."
As she looked out of the window, she saw a couple walk down the street.
She scoffed and crossed her arms. "A Sorcerer and a Protector."
"A match made in heaven," Mrs Rivers said warningly.
"Or in hell," Melanie stated. "Time will tell."
Mrs Rivers turned to leave, for real this time. She couldn't help herself and steal one last look at her rival. "When did you find out about me?"
Melanie didn't turn back from the window. "I know the storyline about you and Sela is true," she admitted. "But after the years, it became too romantic for even me to believe. Why would you come to me for help if not to keep me on a leash?" She turned from the window, her face confused. "Did you really need saving back then or was it just you tracking me down?"
Mrs Rivers didn't reply for a while. When she turned around, Melanie could see a small smile. "I wish you peace, Melanie."
"What feels like the end," Melanie whispered, her voice promising, "is often the beginning, Rhiannon."