Heart of a rogue

* Chapter 18

The door to the guest house clicked softly behind Declan and Lucille as they stepped inside. The weight of the evening hung heavily between them, a thick silence settling over the room as they moved towards the small sitting area. Declan gestured for Lucille to take a seat, and she sank onto the worn leather sofa, her mind still spinning from the revelations at dinner.

Declan joined her, sitting close but not touching, his gaze fixed on her with an expression of quiet concern. "That was a lot to take in," he said softly, his voice a soothing balm against the turmoil of the evening.

Lucille nodded, staring at her hands in her lap. "I never knew. I always felt something was missing, but I had no idea it was because of what they went through to have me. And the way they treated me—it all makes sense now."

Declan reached out, gently placing a hand on hers. "It's a lot to process, especially knowing they were dealing with so much more than they let on. But now we have a clearer picture of what's at stake and what we need to do."

Before Lucille could respond, there was a knock at the door. She looked up in surprise, her heart quickening. "Who could that be?"

Declan stood and moved to open the door. Abel, Alani, and Joshua stood in the hallway, their expressions a mix of worry and determination. They entered the guest house, the air crackling with the same tension that had marked the evening.

"We were curious about dinner," Abel said, his voice grim. "Do we have at least some sort of lead now?"

Lucille gestured for them to sit, and they gathered around the small table, the room filled with the low hum of anxious conversation. Declan took a deep breath and began recounting the events of the evening.

"Lucille's parents revealed a lot tonight," he said, his tone measured. "They told us about the sorceress they encountered, the costs of using her magic, and how it impacted their lives."

Abel leaned forward, his brows furrowing. "What kind of costs are we talking about?"

Lucille nodded, her voice trembling slightly. "My mother lost her ability to feel pure joy. She's always been in a state of melancholy. She also has a shortened lifespan and permanent physical weakness. And there's something about memory loss—my father can't recall parts of their past, which has haunted him."

Alani's eyes widened. "That's... incredible. I had no idea the price was so steep. But why didn't they tell you sooner?"

"It was their way of protecting me," Lucille replied. "They didn't want me to know the pain and guilt they carried. But their decisions, their way of handling it, ended up hurting me in the end."

Joshua shook his head, frustration evident in his eyes. "It sounds like they were trying to shield you from their suffering but ended up pushing you away instead. We need to focus on finding this sorceress. She's our best chance to lift the curse, but we must be careful of the costs then."

Declan nodded in agreement. "Exactly. We need to prepare ourselves for what's to come. We'll need to gather supplies, research the forest, and plan our approach."

Abel, always the strategist, pulled out a notebook and began jotting down notes. "We'll need to identify the best routes through the forest. It's likely the sorceress has placed wards or enchantments to keep unwanted visitors away. We should also prepare for potential magical defenses."

Alani looked thoughtful. "And we need to be ready for anything. If the sorceress has been hiding for this long, she's likely cautious and may not take kindly to strangers."

''You can smell magic right?''  Alani asked, to which I nodded. 

''Yes, but it's very hard.'' I paused, ''It's a very different smell, like nature but with a spicy undertone. It's hard to explain.''