Life After Death

Quinn/Corryn: aftermath of change

{Quinn}

I met Juliet and Corryn at the makeshift cell. Corryn looked exhausted, and Juliet a bit worse for wear. But I wagered we were all tired. It was too late to be dealing with any of this, but it couldn't wait until the morning. Galahad could wake up at any moment, and we would have an innocent, twelve year old boy locked in a cell for reasons he didn't know.

"Dagonet put the others to sleep," I told them. "Did you see Hazel? She said she wanted to sit up with Mikaela."

"No, but I wasn't looking," Juliet replied. "I'm sure she's all right. How's Galahad?"

"Still unconscious, mercifully," I said. "Do you have my ring?"

Juliet took it out of her pocket and handed it to me. It didn't make any sense, but it felt heavier in my hand. It worried me that everyone seemed to trust me with such a powerful artifact. Perhaps I just had to trust them.

"So we can slip this on Galahad's finger?" I asked hopefully. "And then everything will be fine?"

Corryn grimaced. "I don't think this form is here to stay," he explained. "The change spell is too weak for the amount of damage that he's caused. There has to be some other factor."

"Like what?" Juliet challenged. "Corryn, we don't have many options. Hazel? The Torninc? The sun and moon? It could be something he ate this morning for all I know how change magic works."

"He turned twelve today," I offered. "It seems as likely a hypothesis as any."

"Anything else happen today?" Corryn pressed. "I didn't notice anything odd, but I'm dead and translucent."

"You were trying to summon dragons," I mused. "Could you have botched the spell?"

"We could have, but it wouldn't have this kind of effect," he assured me and then glanced through the little barred window. "It could be something small. I don't have any magic to examine his spell further, but if he isn't Galahad now, it shouldn't last long."

"For long?" I demanded. "Corryn, with five more minutes he would have killed Lionel."

"Okay, we'll give him twelve hours," Juliet said, stepping between Corryn and me. "I can keep anyone unconscious for twelve hours. If he doesn't change back then we will proceed with a new plan. Corryn, I would spend that time taking a crack at the library, trying to find what happened and how to keep it from happening. Quinn, you can either stay here and watch him, or you can get some sleep. Does that sound decent to everyone?"

Corryn grumbled about staying up all night, but nodded. I sighed. I wanted to stay with my son, but I was tired. At the very least, I could stay with Mikaela and Lionel.

"What about my ring?" I asked. "It's obviously powerful. Shouldn't someone else have it at least?"

"Who?" Juliet questioned.

And I supposed she was right. If I needed it with Galahad, then I was right here. We needed it safe; the treasury could be broken into. I could defend myself better than most.

"I'm leaving," she yawned. "It's insanely late, and I'm tired and have work in the morning. Lionel will be fine."

She looked around, I suppose for her bag that she had brought with her. Nick must have noticed and dropped it gently at her feet, winking at me before he vanished again. Juliet shuddered as she picked it up off the ground.

"I don't like your estate," she told me. "Far too sentient for my piece of mind."

"You're going to hurt his feelings," I smiled. "And after he was so helpful."