Blood and Ivy

Chapter 27

Synne released the breath she was holding.

"If you didn't give them back, what happened to me?"

The Naiad studied her through its sightless eyes, "You took them back... unknowingly."

Synne scrunched up her eyebrows, "How could I even do that?"

The Naiad stroked her face, the claws having receded back into its hands.

"Siphon."

"I'm sorry, I don't know what that means."

The Naiad snickered and floated behind her. It came around the other side with a new face. Laysa's face.

"You came here because you wanted something from us."

Synne looked into Laysa's empty eye sockets, trying to push her nausea down. She nodded, sure the Naiad could somehow see her.

"I need a tear so I-"

"You wish to suppress." The Naiad laughed. "We will not give you one."

The Naiad disappeared from sight again. Synne swallowed.

"Without it I will die." She tried to stop panic from seeping into her tone.

The Naiad reappeared wearing Synne's face, though her skin was gray and ashy like that of a corpse.

"We are stupid, you and us. We once gave you a mother's warning, now we warn you twice of death. Suppressing destiny will kill us. We will not give you our tear."

Synne dug her fingernails into her palm, trying to keep a steady voice, "What am I supposed to do then? Just burn up from Codominance?"

Spontaneous combustion didn't sound like a fun way to go.

The Naiad shook its empty head, "Siphon."

"I don't know what that means!"

Synne screamed it at the Naiad only for the water around her to disappear leaving her to fall onto the grass with a wet thud. It was dark and she was soaking wet. A cold breeze sent shivers down her spine.

She rolled on her side and coughed water out of her lungs. She was lying near the pond. Synne was confused and pissed off. The Naiad had created more questions than it had answered. She contemplated jumping back in and demanding the tear but her exhausted body suggested she may not make it out alive a third time.

She dragged her soggy body up and started towards the manor empty handed.

Coming up to the front of the manor she avoided walking past any windows. Surely no one would be awake but knowing her luck, Synne decided to be overly cautious. She softly knocked on the front door, hoping it was enough that Laysa would hear.

The door creaked open and in the threshold Rolo's tall figure was illuminated.

Synne's jaw dropped, "Shit."

"Oh shit indeed."

Even in the dim light Synne could see lines of anger on his face. He grabbed her arm and dragged her inside, her clothes leaving a wet trail. He led her to the conference hall and slammed the doors.

"What the actual fuck were you thinking?"

Synne swallowed, unsure of how to reply.

"Well?"

"I thought I wanted to live. It doesn't matter though, it's not like it worked." The solemn reality hit Synne. No tear, no potion, no her.

Rolo's face softened slightly, "It might not be a death sentence. You must have some sort of chance or the Naiad would have eaten you alive."

Synne scoffed, "The Naiad is insane! It was going to kill me! It said I was a thief and wouldn't shut up about some siphon. I shouldn't have gone, I knew it wouldn't help me."

She shivered, looking longingly at the empty fireplace. She felt like a sulking child.

"How did you know where I was?"

Rolo had a weird look on his face but he quickly covered it, a hint of anger returning.

"I heard Laysa muttering to herself while she paced."

Synne groaned, "Don't do anything to her, please. None of this was her idea. I made her let me out!"

Rolo crossed his arms, "Yeah, I gathered that by the way she burst into tears at the sight of me."

"Oh." Synne looked at him, he hadn't immediately tortured Laysa? Maybe she needed to give him some credit, but only a little.

"You should have told me."

"Why? Because you've been so much help? Getting moody, leaving, kissing."

Rolo looked truly shocked at her outburst, "I apologized."

Synne laughed, "Like that means anything! You've barely been here and I have to go against a seasoned mancer in days!"

He ran a hand through his hair, "I had business to take care of for the Baron. And the kiss... I don't usually do that. I felt like I had been spelled by someone... but I know you're too inexperienced for an enchantment like that."

Synne winced, "Thanks, I think. But what does that mean?"

Rolo's eyes narrowed, "It means something else is at play here, I'm trying to figure it out. I would prefer it if it didn't happen again."

"Same here, cowboy. Who would enchant us?"

"Who... or what. Tell me more about what the Naiad said to you."

Synne shrugged, "It just said siphon a few times. Not a lot else."

Rolo scratched his chin, he hadn't shaved in a few days and the stubble had started to accentuate his features.

"I'm not familiar with the term, I'll need to do some digging. In the meantime don't mention this to anyone, including your vampyre, they have loose lips. And I would avoid spending too much time with that sort of riff raff, should the Baron find out he'll be pissed."

"Why haven't you tried to stop me from seeing him?"

Rolo's emeralds met her own eyes, "Vampyres are fickle creatures, but they aren't inherently evil. He seems to be helpful, besides biting you but he can't exactly turn you twice. You're immune now."

"Hmm." Synne hadn't thought of it like that before, not that Caser had tried to turn her since but he hadn't mentioned it. Vampyrosis must be like any other virus then. "How did you stop the change?"

"Our mage did. You catch a case of Vampyrosis early enough you can halt it before it gets to far. If it reaches your organs before you stop it, the afflicted will die. You can't survive when half your heart lives in another dimension."

"Can I meet him? The mage?" Synne's interest peaked. Could he help her with her predicament?

Rolo dug his hands in his pocket, "If you live long enough. He's in the mountains collecting herbs. But for now you need to go to bed. Don't think getting your ass handed to you by the Naiad gets you out of training tomorrow."

Synne groaned and hauled her damp form to the stairs. A serious migraine was setting in at the thought of running in 5 hours. She had a lot to think about though, she needed a new plan to get her magik under control. Tomorrow's training session she could let her mind wander but tonight she needed sleep.