The Way We Fall

Chapter 109 (Roche)

Verita was still hunched over one of the book covered wooden tables in her chambers when Roche awoke. The librarian uncurled with a low groan, her old back popping loudly like she'd been in that position for hours.

"Did you get any sleep?" Roche asked, feeling worried when Verita's expression darkened. The librarian took her glasses off and sighed.

"None," she admitted quietly, "I've been here all night and I haven't found anything about regular illnesses that turn people to stone."

Roche made her way over to their stove, lighting the wood with a flicker of inkblood. She cracked some eggs in a pan, hoping she could give Verita a good breakfast before she left.

"Do you think it's inkblood related?" she asked, her mind straying to the Council. It had been ages since they'd tried any major attacks against Tigris. This seemed like the perfect move against her.

Verita rubbed her face tiredly, squinting at another text from between her fingers. "It certainly seems that way. But I haven't heard of any incantation that can turn people to stone."
"There's definitely nothing like that in the book you gave me," Roche replied, sliding the seasoned eggs off the pan. It was a luxurious breakfast, but Verita needed it after the long night. The librarian nodded gratefully at her ward as she tucked into the plate. Roche carried her breakfast in one hand, her stomach growling. Last night, she'd given the stolen bits of Tigris' dinner to Medea before the alarm bells went off and she had to go see the stone victims. She still hadn't gotten much of a chance to get to know the woman well, and she looked forward to it.

She hadn't met many inkbloods who hadn't been trying to murder Tigris. The timid, quiet, steely woman was a pleasant change from the magnanimous inkbloods on the Council.

"Where are you off to so early?" Verita asked. Roche cringed, hovering in the doorway. She'd been hoping that the librarian wouldn't notice that she was earlier than usual.

"Tigris has some extra laundry that I didn't get to do last night," she lied, holding up her breakfast, "I'll eat as I go."

Verita pressed her lips together disapprovingly. Roche turned before her guardian could see the lie written on her face.

"Very well," Verita replied to Roche's turned back, "Come back soon. I need your help finding this threat to Tigris."

Roche promised she'd return quickly and darted out of the library, towards the hidden hall she'd stowed Medea.

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Medea was curled up in a small ball in the corner of the darkened tunnel. It was pitch black. The light incantation Roche had summoned the night before was nothing more than a glowing speck now. She fed her inkblood into it, making it swell before she neared the sleeping woman. Her foot caught on a jagged stone and she fell forwards, barely managing to keep the breakfast from falling to the ground.

Medea awoke at the sound of the commotion, her eyes flaring wide as she shot upright. Roche felt the woman's inkblood stirring a moment before a concussive wave blew towards her.

"Skuedo!" Roche summoned a shield quickly, holding it over the breakfast plate as her body went flying, smacking into the opposite wall. Her breath left her in a rush.

Medea had climbed to her feet, her eyes wide with horror. The woman pressed herself against the wall, her breaths coming out in quick gasps.

"It's just me!" Roche croaked, probably a moment too late. She hacked, trying to regain her breath, pointing towards the intact plate of steaming food on the ground. "I brought breakfast!"

Medea didn't fully relax, but she stopped pressing herself against the wall from Roche. Her entrancing blue-grey eyes were no longer glazed with fear. She nodded stiffly, sinking back towards the ground, hugging her light tawny arms close to her chest.