Denial of the Whisper

Chapter Forty.

A/N ok. so this chapter is a monster. please forgive me for any typos you may find. love, MJ

Chapter Forty.

The last and final day of Berthyan had officially been cancelled, and I didn't see Caaln, Brayhd or Nyshard for three days after the attack from the Circle. Another Council meeting had been called in, but Dylana said she didn't expect a good outcome.

And that bothered me.
Dylana was always cheerful. But right now, she wasn't, not anymore. Before the three men had left, Nyshard had come to my room to tell me that they would be gone for a few days, and that I should stay inside the castle as best as I could. It was the same like always, but for the first time, I took it seriously, I promised him to stay inside the castle grounds and stay with Dylana or Srandi during the days.

During those three days, I made myself busy with mostly helping Srandi prepare more potions and balms and planting new herbs, as she needed to refill some of her vials.

But when the three men finally arrived back in the castle, I saw neither of them, they only called for Dylana and stayed in Nyshard's study for the rest of the day. I only knew that, because the guard who brought me to Srandi's house and picked me up again, told me that when I asked him if anything had happened.

And the longer they stayed in the study, the worse my expectations got. When no one was at dinner, I knew, that something was wrong.
I went straight to Nyshard's study, but the guards stepped in front of the door, when I approached. Just as I was about to ask if they could let me enter, the door was pushed open. Brayhd looked at me for a moment, then he nodded.

I walked into the room behind him, and several sets of eyes stared at me.

No one spoke, so I started "I was just wondering if everything is alright, because none of you was at dinner."

Caaln, who leaned against the wall, with his arms crossed in front of him huffed, and looked at Nyshard, who was staring at the map on the big table in front of him, his hands planted on either side of the big scroll, ignoring me.

Dylana was the only one who looked at me, a small smile on her lips.

No one moved, no one said something.

Unsure, I looked at every one of them, Caaln, who was now only looking at Nyshard, Brayhd, who had turned towards me, wearing an unreadable expression. I glanced at Dylana, who then just averted her eyes. And Nyshard... he ignored me, but he didn't look up, instead he studied the map, frowning. Suddenly, I felt his aura rise a bit and instinctively, I made a step back, remembering that I've come here, unsummoned.

"Okay. I... understand. I'm sorry for interrupting. Good night."

I turned around and walked to the door, opened it in a swift movement and was just about to leave when I heard Nyshard's silent, demanding voice. "Adriyele, meet me in an hour in the corridor in front of my rooms. We need to talk."

Exactly one hour later, I was climbing up the staircase to Nyshard's rooms, heart pounding high in my chest. I felt his aura, it was dark, so incredibly dark again, but I was able to tell that he suppressed most of it. It made me wonder what had happened. Had the Council just refused to help with the Circle again? But why were they gone for that long then?

When I reached the first step, I saw Nyshard leaning against the wall, looking at me patiently. He then nodded to another staircase, and I followed him upstairs, steeper and steeper the staircase wound itself upwards, until we reached the end of it and entered a room.