Heart [ON HOLD]

Chapter 24: Red Dusk

One of the great secrets of life is that all that is really worth doing is what we do for others.
- Lewis Carroll

One day left.

Cora sat in Alastor's tower, dangling her legs over the edge. The rising sun poured over top of the trees, drenching the chill morning in an illusion of golden warmth, even as the hair raising wind whispered across Cora's skin and tugged at her servant's gown.

By dawn tomorrow, Cora's heart would be gone. She could feel it fading, its beat sluggish and shallow, but said nothing to the dwarves. If she brought it up, she'd think too much of it and start to feel the gaping maw of the void stretching open again, and the panic that came with it. It was a feeling that made her shiver like someone walking atop her grave.

There was the light tap of footsteps behind her and Cora felt her heart twitch. Alastor sat beside her without a sound.

"Are they ready?"

Alastor nodded. Cora clutched the edge of the tower a little tighter. Her throat constricted and a quiver ran through her skin. Her magic had improved somewhat in the past few days, as had her combat skills, but she knew it wouldn't be enough. What they were walking into now...

"Could-," Cora stopped, swallowed, and blew out a long breath. "Could you...play me a song? Before we go."

He sat very still for a moment.

"Please," she added. "I like to hear you play."

Alastor closed his eyes before he pulled his pipe from his belt and pressed it to his lips. The melody he played was solemn, but calming. It drifted with the wind and permeated the silence of the morning, something declaring its existence to the world with persistence. When the tune faded, Cora spoke again, this time softly.

"Thank you, Alastor."

"Wait to thank me. I'm well aware my loyalty has always been questionable. Best make sure I choose you before you give me your gratitude."

"I've never trusted anyone who claims to be completely loyal or who says they'll always be by my side, Alastor," Cora said, watching the golden tops of the trees below. "People who make those kind of declarations are the kind who disappoint you. But you admit to it. That's exactly the reason I know I can trust you."

"Strange logic," Alastor said, but nothing else. She knew he could hear the state of her heart, how weak it was becoming, but didn't mention it. His face had returned to it's assassin's mask, without a hint of emotion. Did he always appear this calm before a mission? The subtle tension in his shoulders as he sat was her only clue.

"We're going to get your heart back too you know. You'll be free of her."

Alastor stood up.

"It's time to go," he said, turning away. "We need to leave now to keep time on our side."

Without looking back he stretched out his hand. Cora let the barest smile fly across her lips before taking his hand and letting him haul her to her feet. Their hands fell apart and she let him lead her down the steps and back into the courtyard.

The dwarves were assembled already. Their party was too small for a full confrontation, so they'd decided on a plan that involved as little direct conflict as possible. Disguise and secrecy was the main goal. It had already been decided that the dwarves stood out far too much to be part of the infiltration, and as Tark had explained during one training session, combat and summoning magic was simpler because it drew directly on an individual's ether, however, transmutation was nearly impossible as it required changing the inherent energy signature of the subject. When Cora had asked for a simpler explanation he'd told her it meant that he couldn't change her appearance or give the dwarves human bodies or make her invisible or anything else that involved a fundamental change. What he could do, however, was cast a kind of concealment spell. But that would come later.