Tales of a Shifter (P5) The White Mountain

Chapter 60 - Loss Of Faith

Chapter 60 – Loss of Faith

Nearly two days later she walked the halls and marched into the Sanctum, head held high, utterly determined to finish her morning Divination's.

She had been sleeping more poorly and every time she made a move to toss away an article of Eris clothing or move his shoes off the floor at the edge of the bed, she found that she simply shifted his things instead of discarding them.

The struggle was infuriating and finally she pressed herself into returning for Divinations. She knew the Calm of prayer would help her. She just had to try harder.

Her ribs throbbed, and there were bruises on her body that she didn't care to acknowledge. Her nose and face were puffy, but relatively unfazed considering how viscous the fight had been.

Hours after her confrontation with David there had been a buzz of conversation. Most of it she had ignored, but she knew that there were people who were very angry with her for maiming and embarrassing their would be leader Brother David. His ear and scalp wounds would be seen to by one of their healers. And If David had received help quick enough it was likely that he still had an ear to use. But it was clear that his injuries had let him indisposed to the morning Divinations.

Or was it his hurt pride that held him bound?

She didn't care. She put David from her mind.

Ann glanced around the Sanctum, clocking all of the bowed heads, and the tense whispers that touched the air. Many Brothers and Sisters looked at her, then glanced away before she could catch their eyes.

She cared not what they were thinking, or what they felt about her. She also made no moves to step further into the room, until she had placed her Aurora around her back.

She had taken to wearing her Aurora at her back as she traversed the Halls for fear of getting caught unawares in a surprise blitz.

It was utterly terrifying to spend every waking hour in these quiet battles, peering over her shoulder to see the dagger like gazes that chased her through the halls ever since she had been officially elevated by the Counsel. And by Hovel.

She knew she was partly paranoid, but she also knew that she was being hunted.

The cruel whispers, and the sudden icy probes and jabs of the other Mana users constantly checking to see if her Aurora was up. Checking to see if she was protecting herself with her Will. She shuddered to think of the humiliation she would suffer if she let her guard down for one second and relaxed her Aurora out in the open.

She knew the attacks would come swiftly. They would come in multiples. Wards. Ann knew that to be burned by the Ward of another Alchemists was as humiliating as a spit to the face...and as painful as a blade to the soul. And she had no doubt that many of her fellow Children of the Sun, burned with the desire to inflict both on her, or anyone they felt was not their equal.

Taking a moment to settle herself, Ann descended from the stairway.

Aurora in place, Ann neared the central Mats at the head of a group of nameless Alchmists and slowly dropped, painfully to her knees. Stifling a moan, she folded her robe above her head. The cool fabric of her cowl blocking out the light and then she closed her eyes and let her mind wander. She didn't feel comfortable enough to bow onto her hands and knees so she sat up right, and bowed her head.

I give you my Strength

I give you my peace

I give you my Life