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

Chapter 11: Quietus Est

Necromancer?

Terry blinked rapidly while Denys Farano stared her down. So he did know. Either he'd seen the corpses she'd raised from the corner of his eye, or Gemella had spilled the beans. Damn it. She'd already thought she'd heard the girl talk about skeletons, but a part of her had been in denial.

"I'm not responsible for any of this," she defended herself quickly, determined to get rid of any suspicion while she still had the chance. "For the curse. I can't... I can't even control those monsters."

"Calm down," said the innkeeper. "I'm not some peasant with a pitchfork and a hot temper. If you cast this curse, you wouldn't accompany a lord on a quest to break it. Besides... It would be rather stupid to forget to make yourself immune to your own curse, wouldn't it?"

Terry had to admit the man had a point. She sighed in relief, thankful her head would remain attached to her body a little longer. Farano was a sensible man fortunately for her. It did not, however, stop her from worrying about whatever it was he'd need her help for. Would she even be of any use in her tired state?

"I can try to help you if you need it," she began slowly. "But I'm..." Positively exhausted. "...A bit tired. If you're looking for a magical solution to a problem you have, it remains to be seen how much I can actually do for you right now."

She remained vague on purpose, unwilling to tell a stranger, no matter how friendly, just how out of it she was. Denys Farano didn't strike her as a bad man; he seemed just a father and innkeeper trying to survive. But as long as he believed Terry capable of summoning spirits and undead creatures to kick his ass, he wouldn't try anything funny. If there was one thing to avoid, Terry understood, it was showing weakness to people you hardly knew.

"I don't know how complex what I'd have you do is, Miss Kalister," Denys said, gaze still serious. Then, he looked away, making for the staircase to the first floor. "Come, both of you. I'll show you what I'm talking about."

Denys Farano climbed his staircase and Terry figured she'd follow. Not before sharing a glance with Audren, though, who, in turn, glanced at the sword he carried. It wasn't difficult to figure out what he was thinking. If this goes wrong, we can handle him.

Terry hoped it wouldn't come to that. It would be cruel to rob a child, one who'd fled from a war, lost her mother and witnessed the apocalypse, of the one parent she still had. She trailed after the innkeeper, watching his back: he was perfectly vulnerable to an attack if she or Audren intended to strike. Not necessarily smart on Farano's part. But maybe, Terry thought to herself, he trusted them not to betray him.

That, in Terry's opinion, was impressive.

She and Audren followed the innkeeper through the candle-lit hall of the first floor, past rooms reserved for his guests. Behind some closed doors, she heard quiet conversations; behind others, a dead, empty silence reigned. Some doors were, in fact, open, and Terry saw Farano wave at a woman reading a book in one of the rooms.

"How many guests do you have?" Audren asked softly, giving the woman his own sheepish wave.

"Six left, not counting you two, my daughter and myself," the innkeeper answered. "We have just enough food and drink for now. If we need more, I'll send Gem to gather what she can."

Terry thought about the men they'd locked in the mayor's storage room, but decided against telling Farano about that incident. A young girl couldn't be sent to face off against bandits; best to let her scour abandoned stores at her leisure, which, considering her immunity, would be less dangerous for her. With the thought of the bandits in the back of her mind, the mage wondered how it was possible the end of the world could bring out such different sides of humanity. There were those men in the mayor's residence, brutal and selfish, men who'd slaughtered innocents to ensure their own survival. And then there was this innkeeper, looking out for his guests and his daughter, willing to allow strangers into his space and help them.