Thief of Souls

Chapter Four

"Hey... w...ke up! M...ng ... don't think shes wa... up!"

"Move over you oaf!"

The last words were so clear to Siori, she jolted awake, a cold sweat running down the planes of her back, her breath shallow as a puddle after a light rain, her heart clenched tighter than her hand to her mothers in her youth.

"Mung?" She whispered and she coughed at the dryness of her mouth. She gagged tasting salt and brine. It felt as if she had swallowed the whole ocean. glugging it down like a thirsty sea god only to regret her decision.

"Oh good your awake!" Two cheerfully relieved voices said and the twins popped into view, Bean holding a tall glass of water and Mung a wet rag.

"I have to say though," Bean said as she handed Siori the glass, "I'm kind of disappointed you didn't call out for me first."

"Only because you were being useless," Mung remarked, feeling Siori's forehead as she downed the refreshing water. She nodded, seemingly pleased with the fact her temperature wasn't too high.

"Oh, you! I'm not the one who dragged her into the ocean!"

"Well, you barely gave us any cover or time!"

"Where are we?" Siori interrupted the twins bickering if only for the sake of the headache she was starting to nurse. She sighed squeezing her temples, shooting the twins a dark look. The water had only relieved it a small measure and if the twins continued arguing as they had, it would reverse even that progress.

"Oh uhm Court Two if I'm not mistaken? I had to take you rather quickly through an underwater portal. Sorry about that." Mung answered with a sheepish laugh, the wet rag she carried flinging droplets of water onto the white bed sheets.

She looked with dazed eyes at her surroundings. There was the simple bed, upon which she laid. A single light, its source an oil lamp which sat squarely on a sad nightstand, its flickering light just as gloomy. A painting of an oceanic landscape crawling with colorful fish hangs on the wall lonely-like, the opposite of the darkened room sealed by the dark curtains blocking off the outside world.

She drew her knees to her chest, drawing warmth as she took in a shuddering breath, taking a mental checklist of her body. Everything felt fine, albeit slightly bruised but her head felt something awful.

"But where in Court Two? Is this your house?" It did not give off the aura of somewhere these brash twins would live ant mentally, she had already crossed out that possibility. "Have I been asleep long...?" The twins snickered and she gave them another quick look that startled them into answering.

"No silly! This is Lapias' Inn." Mung crosses her long arms. "She owes us a favor so she won't betray our position to anyone. But she'd probably rather have us out than in," Mung giggled and Siori was suddenly certain that the history between the twins and this mysterious inn owner was long and filled with plenty of annoyances.

"We were just waiting until you were hale and healthy enough to leave. But you were out for probably three days!"

"Three days? You don't seem very alarmed by this fact?" The words made Siori want to leap from her bed, but she stretched her fingers, a method she had learned from her icy brother when her fear or anger was getting the best of her.

"Oh yes! Because we were expecting it!"

Bean appeared by her side, a steaming plate of rice and squirrel fish presented quite nicely in one hand, a napkin in another. Siori was surprised to learn that the girl had even left in the first place, so occupied as she had been with her twin's words.

"The magic of the vortex is hard for most first-timers. You seem to be particularly weak in that aspect though."

"Mhm, so weak we had to drag you across Court One. It's hard being a wanted fugitive sometimes," Bean cried dramatically after handing Siori the platter, flumping onto the bed and jostling Siori's shoulders as she nearly spilled the delightfully textured dish. She glared, but the girl didn't even notice.