Completion of the Whisper

Chapter Forty-Nine.

White Giver and red Taker

Combine by heart

I stared at those words but before I was able to make a sense out of it, I heard noises from outside the chambers. From the corridor.

I didn't not know why, but I took the moonstone and put it in my dress just in the middle of my breasts underneath my chemise, then Mirella and I rushed outside.
"What's going on?", I asked.
Beyron, who had been speaking with some guards in low and rushed tones, turned to me and said "We received word that troops of Assdirn Flenn are attacking."

"Phylon?", my voice was rough.

No.

"Yes, Beyron said and glanced at Joridall and Mirella. "Bring Lady Adriyele to her chambers immediately, we are on lock-down."
"What, wait, no. You cannot-...", I reached for Beyron as he wanted to follow the guards that had informed him, but he turned to me and said "Just for now. For your own safety until the castle is cleared. Then I will come and get you, Milady", he paused, and continued, his voice lower "Get your armour and your weapons."

And so, I did. Had it not been for his last words, I wouldn't have gone to my chambers, but now, I was running through the castle back to my rooms.

Joridall positioned himself outside my door while Mirella helped me to get out of that ridiculously white dres, to strip down to my underlings and the chemise and into my gear. Weeks on the battlefield had taught me to get ready as fast as possible, and while I turned to the mirror to get rid of all those hairpins that held my long hair back and up, I tried to reach out for Nyshard.

'Where are you?'

I pulled out another pin.

'Nyshard?'

Another pin.

'Nysh?'

No answer. But... something was different. Not... blocked. No. Just... different.

I pulled my hair in a high ponytail and began braiding the lengths of it, but then I stopped, staring wide-eyed at my own reflection.

My shard was gone.

The ear stud Dylana had given me was gone.

Frantically, I looked around, almost stumbled in my haste, but there was no ear stud. No shard.

No way to reach Nyshard.

I cursed violently and Mirella, who had received my bow and my knives for me, eyed me in a strange way.

"I... lost something", I tried to explain my outburst and she nodded to a cabinet "This here?"
"What?", I crossed the distance and got over to her, but when I realised what I was walking towards to, my steps faltered. The Drakaae Rya Ridyel.

And surrounding it, only barely sensible, was a spark of Nyshard's aura. A shield. I touched it, and it was gone.

"What on Slad's tits...", I mumbled and reached for the sword. Last time I'd seen it, Nyshard had carried it. My fingers brushed along the sheathe, the hilt, and came to rest on the red stone.

Red... Taker. The Drisla.

"Oh fuck."

The Giver and the Taker. I had no idea what it meant, but I had the feeling, that the Moonstone might not be only one part of the artefact. Maybe, it was about both stones...