A Forest of Secrets

Chapter 28

The battle at the border of the forest was still raging at sunset; Wyn and Laurentius were still inside the lab, tinkering amidst one or two mild explosions followed by not so mild curses.

As they waited, Jo and Alaric, alone in the common room of Koldo's pod, discussed Volstad's motives; Alaric didn't believe him, or like her, he didn't want to. Maybe his loyalty to the Onturian church ran deeper than he let on. She didn't even want to imagine how he'd react if Volstad was right, if they'd been responsible for Gerard's death... his world would shatter.

"And you have no reason to suspect Laverna? At all?" Jo asked him, after a long pause. She couldn't let the subject die just like that. She still didn't believe Volstad, but doubt was starting to take root in her head.

"Even if he was telling the truth, which I honestly think is unlikely: the High Priestess doesn't have that much power. She answers to the Keeper of Blood, she'd never go against his will," Alaric rubbed his eyes; he looked tired, their sleepless night was starting to catch up with him.

"But isn't he very old? He can't have much time left," Jo wondered out loud. The head of the Onturian Church, the man in charge of keeping Ontur's Holy Blood in a vial at the Cathedral of Mist, was at least ninety years old; he didn't have the aid of any magic, at least that she knew of. "And what he said about Gerard--"

"Jo, we just met the guy. I'm not saying I don't understand your doubts, you have no idea how much I understand-- his words... made me doubt. I'm struggling. But I know Gerard would've said something to me. Even if Volstad is telling the truth, Gerard clearly didn't think helping him was a worthy cause. I trust his judgment," he said, reaching into his pocket; that was where he kept the ashes. He'd need a safer place for them, what if the flask broke on their way out of the forest? She held his hand. He looked at her, then gave her a sad half smile.

"Then I'll trust him too," she said, smiling back. Gerard... he might have been the one who killed her mother, but she knew in her heart he wasn't a bad person. Her mother did a terrible thing, she had been dangerous-- for all she knew, Gerard had saved her own life. She wouldn't tarnish his memory by trusting Volstad. It must've been more difficult for Alaric, she thought as she rose her palm to caress his light brown hair; if Volstad was indeed telling the truth it meant that Laverna, a woman that apparently had been like family to him, had betrayed Gerard's trust. A woman like that... was capable of anything. Just like Volstad, a small voice in her head answered, a man who killed his King to stop whatever it was Laverna was allegedly planning. She wished Koldo hadn't dismissed Volstad so quickly, she had so many questions. But the answers might have been all lies. For all she knew, both of them could've been lying. She grunted in frustration-- there was no time to change her mind anymore, whatever the truth was, she prayed she was doing the right thing. And, for Alaric's sake, she hoped Volstad was lying.

As the sun started to set, Koldo waltzed into the common room; a golden coat of paint traced his many tattoos, making them shine like molten gold over his skin. He was carrying their backpacks-- in his hands, they looked like ridiculously tiny purses. Koldo handed one to Jo and the other to Alaric; the young man reached into his pocket, retrieving Gerard's ashes. He opened his backpack, then wrapped the flask carefully around a piece of cloth, nesting it inside the bag. The ashes would be safe, at least.

Wyn and Laurentius followed right after, their hair drenched in sweat, their hands blackened by the dust of the dark rock that might save – or destroy-- her soul. She was keen on thinking it'd save her, she didn't have much choice: the other option was to panic. She didn't have time to panic anymore. Wyn locked eyes with Jo for a moment, then nodded briefly in her direction: they had succeeded. In theory. She'd find out soon enough if they'd been successful indeed.