Eternal Beasts

Chapter 19: Ancient Magic and the Power of Destiny

Jared looked from her extended hand back to her face, thoughts churning. Unlike Nikeera, who had nothing about her holding him back from falling for her, and wanting to be with her, there were so many questions about this Daughter of the Storm Shattered Seas. So many things that had happened to him within the last twelve hours that would make a sane man turn and run for the beach, ready to swim the channel between Nar Mobius and that port city.

And yet, the ancient mageborn had made sure the griffons couldn't be brought back without her. If he left now without fulfilling the Ritual with her, then, Primary Dictum or not, this trip truly was for nothing!

"Please," Sioned said, her voice now touched with a hint of quiet desperation when he had hesitated to accept her invitation. Her hand turned slightly to become more inviting.

"You are all I have dreamed about since I was five. Destiny and fate both have finally brought us together. Let us not squander our opportunity, Jared. Please, let me help you restore the griffon flights to glory!"

Jared drew in a final breath as he studied her in the gloom. Then, nodding, he took her hand.

Like it had in the Dictum chamber in the ruins, one instant they were in the stable. And in the next they were standing in a large room filled with the warm light of several large glass and wicker storm lamps. It took only a single look at one of them to see it burned without oil.

Tucking that tidbit away, Jared let his eyes sweep over the rest of the space in a lightning quick reconnoiter even as, with a nervous laugh, Sioned said:

"Welcome to my prison!"

A circular chamber atop the tower which dominated her father's fortress, Sioned's 'prison' was more like an open concept loft high powered socialites in gentrified former industrial sections like to live in, than a dank, dark cell.

There, in one corner was a large, ornate bed, another held a small kitchen with a place to eat, another a bathroom with a toilet, and finally a rather well-equipped workshop with shelves of reagents, a work bench with a mortar and pestle, a small oil-fed burner and hundreds of different sized glass and crystal containers. A look up yielded a second level consisting of a broad stone walkway braced with stone arches and a conical tiled roof, more work spaces and study books perched on or beside large dormer windows, which, in the day, would fill the space with sunlight.

"Quite the space," he said with an appreciative nod, noticing the tall wardrobes by the bed acting as closets as well, and the rough hewn stone the walls and arches were built with, giving the whole space a rough medieval feel. Which, considering Ethaeron seemed locked in a constant medieval state, made complete sense.

"Thank you," Sioned replied, looking around the space herself. "I never considered I'd eventually have you visiting it. I had always dreamed of somewhere green and beautiful for our first time together."

Abruptly she gasped.

"Oh, I promised a bath together, didn't I?"

Jared turned to look at the upright tub, meant to be sat in, not laid down in.

"You suggested it, certainly. But, unless your magic can make us both about half size, we're not fitting together in that champagne glass you call a bathtub."

"What?" Sioned stepped to Jared's side. And immediately made a sharp noise of disappointment.

"Damnit," she hissed. "I was so looking forward to ... well, nevermind. I, I could make it bigger, I suppose."

Jared looked at her, his expression thoughtful.

"May I be blunt, Sioned?"

The mageborn woman turned to look at him, her eyes wide.