War of the Heart

Merari

Warning: Upsetting Content

'Why didn't you tell me?'

The Chèr clutched the letter in his shaking hand. Though his demeanour was different from then, she was uncomfortably reminded of when she was revealed to be an Eseterrian.

She sat a little straighter in her chair. 'She's my friend and I'll keep any secret for her she desires. Although... I didn't know this would be how she used her power.'

He scowled and turned to face the wall. His grip loosened and his other hand adjusted his collar. As usual, he refused to let his perfect grooming fail him.

'You don't know what she's like... What she does to people.' As steady as his body remained, his voice wavered, like a little boy talking about the monster under his bed. 'The spirits are far from perfect and they give her the material she needs to win you over. She gets into your brain and you realise she's right and they're wrong. Until she thinks she already has you fully wrapped around her finger and goes one step too far.' He clenched his fist and his tanned knuckles lost their colour. 'And then it all comes tumbling down.'

'Arcane's a smart girl. She'll see soon enough.'

'And then what? Gadeden has tried to claim another Eseterrian, so she won't help her. We don't know where they're hiding, so we can't help her—though I doubt she'd want a spirit's help.'

In a swift motion, he was in front of Merari, grabbing her shoulders. The Eseterrian flinched as Encyclopaedia flashed before her mind's eye. They had the same minty smell in their breath, though at least Tiresias was darker.

'She's up against a spirit, Merari. If she changes her mind and tries to come back, she'll be stamped as a traitor. And even though she loves Arcane, the cause and her twisted justice will always come first,' he said.

Merari squirmed in his grip and wriggled her way out. He let out an angry breath and sat back down. His green eyes skimmed the page again, then he leaned back, defeated.

She took the letter, folded it and slid it into her dress. It burnt her skin, imprinting her failure onto her. In her foolish misinterpretation of the prophecy, she'd encouraged Arcane's sentiments. She'd believed the distance would keep her safe and protect her. It had all gone so wrong. Merari feared for her best friend's life. Arcane was the smartest girl she knew, but she couldn't best a destruction spirit, especially not in her current mental state. She twirled the pendant of her necklace in distress, sinking in the worrisome scenarios within her head. All to hide the worst one of all.

At the fastest pace she could, she marched through the palace. Guards hurried after her, begging her to slow down. Merari did no such thing. She raced through the halls—now sparsely filled, thanks to the attack. She tore through the garden in all its chaos. She reached the woods and kept on going until she reached the wooden hut. Its door groaned as she pushed it open.

'Oh, hi, Ponyeva, how'ya doing?' Pio greeted her, polishing his shoes.

Merari walked straight past him, grabbing the Leere sat next to him. Nora let herself be pushed into the wall with a raised eyebrow. Her unperturbed reaction was the Leere's way of showing power, Merari knew it, and longed to wipe that expression off her face.

'Ponyeva! Maybe, uh, let Miss Nora go?'

Merari's eyes remained fixed on Nora, every fibre of her being aching to... what exactly? She couldn't beat the Leere in a fight and wasn't that type of person in the first place. Verbally challenging her was a damning move in front of onlookers and could ruin any hope of securing her as a future ally. So, with a glare that could cut metal, Merari stepped back.