The Arcana

Last Rites

I called a meeting as soon as I was dressed properly to alert the others. My mind was reeling and a plan was beginning to form as I worked silently. I packed a small satchel full of knives and poison. I knew I had to tell the others but I felt an instinct to keep the part about seeing Arik a secret.

I knew I had to go meet Aurulius' demands and I was scared out of my mind but as long as it saved Him...

"What did you call this meeting for?" said so and so.

"There.. was an occurrence last night.."

"What kind?" said Lockewood suspiciously.

"The kind that involves all of you."

That set everyone on edge. Lockewood wiped his face and I could see he hadn't yet shaved.

Dustin didn't look at me when he said, "Look just come out and say it, whatever it is, can't be as bad as we all are imagining it to be."

I took a deep breath to calm my nerves and said slowly, "Does anyone here know a man by the name of Aurulius..?"

The room went very still, deathly still. Uh oh not a good sign.

His name is quite famous you know.

Shut up old hag...

In response the woman in my head laughed at my attempt of pushing her away.

After two heartbeats had passed, Analeigh was the first one to regain composure.

"This isn't good we need to act swift and now, he probably wants her," she pointed in my general direction.

"I told you this was a bad idea to get involved with the poison princess! Every time someone does they always either die or get the short end of the stick and I say we just surrender her and hope for the best."

Ouch, looks like Analeigh doesn't like me. But she was right, Aurelius just wanted me and this was my battle to fight, no one should have to get hurt because of me...

"You know better than I, Analeigh that that was not an option for us." Lockewood gave her a pointed look as if to say 'stop being a child' but she had a point and I knew after this meeting I had to act fast, before they all could.

My time here had been short but I still nonetheless had an attachment to them that made me feel safe and comfortable.

Derik looked over to his sister and said quietly, "I think we should consult the Fool for any last minute changes we should make to the plan. Every second on the battle field might be our last if we mess up just  one time.

It was then that I noticed that he wasn't here and I saw this as my chance to leave without detection so I volunteered my services of 'search and present'. But as I was walking out of the meeting room for the last time I touched the door and turned around one last time.

"In a couple hours at dawn, the barrier will completely be down and then all hell will break loose. So you better be prepared and you better make it count."

And then I left them to contemplate the last moments they might have as I went to go talk to my friend, the Fool.

~

I found him sitting in the Sanctuary like the last time when Tobias showed me this place. I quietly sat down beside him in a pew and didn't say anything for a long moment.

"You probably already know don't you, everything?" I kept my face foreword but I could tell astonishingly that I had his fullest attention for the first time since the day we had met.