The Curse-breakers of Avondor || ONC 2022 || ✔

Chapter 10: The Innkeeper's Theory

Terry hated not being able to figure out what people were saying.

Granted, she had herself to thank for it. The Karanthian language had been an elective she could've chosen at the Institute. Had she taken that chance, she wouldn't be feeling so lost now, keeping an eye on the Karanthians and the words they seemed to be saying to Audren.

Gemella's father had allowed them to enter and had quickly shut the door behind them. Then, he'd motioned for Audren to follow and the lord had helped him drag one of the wooden tables in the common room to the inn's entrance to block it off. Gemella had danced around them full of excitement, a waterfall of indecipherable words spilling out of her mouth as she did so. Terry figured she was sharing her day's adventures with her father; she thought she could identify the words 'magic', 'Cursed', 'skeleton'.

But that was mere guesswork.

Forcing herself to be as unbothered by not being able to understand as possible, the mage made good use of being neglected for the moment to study her surroundings. As was typical of urban inns, the building wasn't large, but she deemed it cozy enough. Inns could be unhygienic and uncomfortable, with loud-mouthed, unsavoury guests and food that upset your stomach. This inn, however, had an atmosphere she'd call pleasant.

The end of society had rendered the room a tad chaotic: Terry could see multiple chairs had been taken apart, their wood used to board up windows, and the tables stood scattered haphazardly about the room. An abundance of candles brought light to the shadowy space, illuminating the cold stone floor and the wooden stairs leading up. She noticed an old man seated on the other side of the room, dark eyes observing the visitors as he absent-mindedly played with his moustache. Judging from the cards laid out on the table in front of him, the arrival of Gemella and her guests had interrupted his card game with the girl's father.

Terry had no mind to approach him and figure out if he spoke Avondorian or not. Instead, she found herself a table in the corner of the room and took a seat. Now that she was no longer raising the dead, running for her life or arguing about the decisions she'd made, it dawned on her how tired she was. Black spots danced before her eyes, an ache pounded in the back of her head. She was convinced that if she tried to get up now, she'd succumb to dizziness and fall to the floor.

She needed rest, that was all. A moment to sit and come to her senses, a moment to try and feel human again. She'd experienced death four times and she hadn't even had lunch yet.

She needed some time to relax and not do anything, if only for a little while. She couldn't tell how many minutes had passed when Audren and Gemella's father joined her at her table. The girl herself had rushed towards the old man and engaged him in his card game. Terry supposed her father had told her to win for him.

She studied the innkeeper, the serious expression on his face. It appeared he'd agreed to talk to the strangers who'd entered his inn. Good, Terry supposed, for a chat with him could be useful. The selfish part of her, however, would have preferred slowly drifting off to sleep.

"My interactions with my guests have taught me your language," the innkeeper said, Karanthian accent lacing his words. "Or at least, enough to make myself understandable. My name is Denys Farano. I'd like to know who you are."

"Audren of House Menez, Lord of the Mountains." Audren spoke without hesitation, words almost monotonous. It must've been his standard introduction.

"Terreia Kalister," Terry introduced herself, mostly because she couldn't get away with not doing so. "Mage."

Denys Farano nodded solemnly, taking in this information. He turned his attention to Audren. "Before I let you in, you claimed you want to break the curse."