Discordant Note | TBATE

Chapter 107: To Silver

Toren Daen

My feet made no noise as they hit the floor of the Cistern. Instinctually, I quested out with my senses, trying to get a gauge on who was here. The last time I'd seen Naereni and Karsien, they'd been chatting with Renea before I'd left for the clinic. Part of me expected to sense them down here.

I frowned as I sensed only one lifeforce in the cistern. And from how it was thundering, the person clearly wasn't in good shape. The intent that infused the air spoke of despair and death. I felt my anxiety spike at the clear sign of distress, revving my mana and rushing toward the center of the Cistern. If someone was hurt, I needed to be there to heal them.

I skidded into the main chamber of the Rats' hideout, expecting some sort of bloody mess. Maybe there would be blood on the walls, or signs of battle strewn about the old structure.

Instead, I was greeted by Wade alone, pacing back and forth in the center of the room. His brown hair was a mess, and he wasn't wearing his glasses. From the sight of his wrinkled clothes, I could easily guess he hadn't washed in a while.

Apple the skaunter–whose lifeforce I could now sense now that I was closer–was curled up on the sofa, watching Wade with glistening eyes.

Wade whirled when I entered, his bloodshot eyes honing in on me. I paused, surprised by the intensity I saw behind them.

I remembered the last time I'd spoken with Wade. He had been in a rage, distraught by the capture of his family at the hands of Mardeth. He'd blamed me for that, and perhaps rightfully so. I'd antagonized the Doctrination, after all.

Oh no, I thought, finally thinking of the implications. Wade's family was in that basement, weren't they? I realized with rising horror. Did I see one of them on the wheels and racks? Were there corpses amongst the brutalized dead?

"My mother and sister are alive," Wade said, reading the horror on my face. "Thanks to you, I suppose. For bringing in Bloodstone Elixirs." He walked around the sofa, falling into the cushions. His muscles seemed to simply give out as he slumped, utterly exhausted. Still, his heartfire thundered.

I opened my mouth, grasping for words like a fish on dry land. "That's... that's good. Better than what could've happened."

Wade closed his eyes. "Was it better?" he asked breathily. "My rats refused to go into that basement, Toren. Refused. They've never done that before. And once the bodies were carted out..." He shivered visibly. "My familiars wouldn't go near those, either. It smelt too wrong to them. But Naereni told one of my summons what you were doing."

"What do you mean?" I questioned, feeling confused.

"My sister," he said quietly. "Kori. Naereni said you accompanied her to the hospital. And I sent my rats after you. The clinic was full before you started working. She only got in because of you."

I felt a sense of pride at what I'd managed to accomplish, but as my mind caught up with Wade's words, that sense was doused by worry. "Your mother?" I asked.

"She was among the survivors," Wade said, closing his eyes tight. "But she hasn't woken up. Only Kori did."

I thought of the little girl–Kori's–weak grip as she clenched my hand in terror. Her mute expression as she slowly drifted off to sleep under the effect of my music. Her blithe-green skin and patchy hair.

"It would have been better if she stayed asleep," I said quietly, images of that torture room burned into my retinas. "She saw more than she ever should."

"What was it like in there?" Wade whispered. "Down in that dungeon?"

I felt my throat constrict, my lips suddenly very, very dry. Wade looked at me with empty eyes, not needing his glasses to find me.