The Shadress (MCD x Reader)

Ch. 28- Spell Removal

Once again, sorry for the lateness. Life has been hectic! :,)

Laurence was kind enough to walk me home that night. Given the amount of emotional stress, as well as all of the physical stress I recently went through, I was a little shaky on my feet. Not to mention that those stress levels were only compounded by the altercation with the brunette.

By the time I got home, the moon was completely overhead, and I was exhausted.

Jace wasn't anywhere to be found, except that I couldn't care at that moment. I simply thanked Laurence and then immediately went to bed.

Aphmau had asked to see me as soon as the sun was up the next morning, but she had to leave her message with Jace as that day – and the others following it – passed by in a hazy, sick blur. I could almost describe it as if my vision was literally tinted green.

My stomach was constantly growling, but anytime I tried to eat, it would come up a few minutes later. I was constantly tired; however, I could still do everything normally; it was just slower and took a bit more effort.

Regardless of my condition, Jace informed me that Aphmau reported she just experienced another memory – though she wouldn't tell him what it was. He told her that memories don't behave like that, and the way he said it to me made me think it didn't inspire any confidence in her other guards either.

He also told me that as soon as Garroth got back and was filled in on the situation, he took it upon himself to watch Aphmau very closely ever since. To which, he said, Aphmau protested thoroughly and was subsequently outvoted.

In spite of the rest I probably need, I currently find myself climbing the ladder to Lucinda's work station in her home. My strength has mostly returned, though I still find a shakiness to my movements every once and a while.

Once I pull myself up the final rungs, she's already at her counter, moving around potions and books. I presume it's to clear a space for our work.

We haven't been alone like this for several years, a time period in which I'm not fully sure she remembers. But reminiscing is not the point of my visit, and I step up to the empty space now in front of her. The distance between us is still silent, an unspoken question lingering in the air around her that we pretend to ignore.

"You brought the Ujish Itmone artifact, correct?" Her voice is soft and melodic, but cuts through my thoughts swiftly. She turns to me expectantly.

I dig it out of my pocket and set it on the counter. "Your pronunciation could use some work."

"Shut up," she hisses. "It's been forever since I've tried to speak it, okay?"

"Fine, but I'm just telling you that the little girl 25 years ago spoke it better." I chuckle as crimson eyes narrow.

"Well then, how good is your witchcraft?" She moves some of the bottles into the empty space in front of me and props up one of the books so that we can both read it.

I grab a bottle of moon water from my other pocket and add it to the collection before mindlessly sorting the bottles and other supplies into categories. "You've seen how good it is, and it has not suffered in all that time."

"I remember when you'd lift me up with the smoke that resonates with your magic, but I don't know if I've seen you use witchcraft." She pauses her work to stare at me again.

I return the gaze with a soft smile. "I would do that, yes." She was small, just five or six. I would use my magic to play with her, lifting her into the air and creating play sets. The little girl with bright orange hair would laugh and tumble from the smoke towers onto the grass.