A Clove of Fates

9. Floating On The Surface

The god glowed in the warm ljos-wick light. His smile flickered like the flames did, and his eyes were just as bright. There was no doubt that he was divine.

I felt lighter in here with him than I had before. His magic, I knew. Fraed had warned me about it before we entered. It came in waves. Sometimes I would be floating on the surface, and all of a sudden I'd be swept under, pulled this way and pushed that way. It made me nauseous. Fraed told me that it would be easier if I just gave into it. But I couldn't. My hatred for him burned too hot for me to let go of it now.

I also loved him, I think. That was his magic too. I had to remind myself of this. It is just his magic.

"Jarelis." With my name came another wave, punctuated by his soft grin. The room flickered momentarily. "You're here for Elke, aren't you?"

I hadn't ever found men to be interesting in this way before, but he made the words hard to find. "Yes. Elke." The fire inside of me flared. It was out of place in this room filled with magic and charm. I wondered how it would feel if I simply released it. Would I finally get to ride one of the waves instead of getting pulled under? I swallowed, banished the thought that was not mine. "We are here for Elke."

"You're her sister, correct? Aeska hasn't told me too much about you." Heillar sat back in his chair, kicking his feet up on the desk that sat in between us. "Of course, if Aeska told me about everyone of his little playmates, we'd never talk of anything else."

I tried to recall the memories that I must have shared with the god of children, but came up empty. Which was normal. Hardly anyone ever remembered being his friend after growing up.

I blinked. "I'm not here for...small talk. I want my sister back."

He stared at me without speaking for a moment. "Your sister is a wonderful specimen."

I grit my teeth. A sharp flash of nausea. A pang I felt in my lower abdomen. "Don't...call her that."

He raised an eyebrow, but waved his hands to disregard my statement. "You want her back, I understand. But I'm not done with her yet."

"And when you are?" This came from Fraed. I had forgotten he was in the room.

The god sighed. "I don't know. Maybe I'll never be done with her. Or." He sat upright, leaned into us, half his face in shadow. But still, how he glowed. "Maybe she'll just end up like the rest of them."

I closed my eyes, the images awaiting me were gruesome. And yet I could not open them, my eyelids were too heavy. They took up all the space in my head, leaving no room for words.

Fraed spoke for me. "Please. You can't."

I heard the chair squeak when Heillar sat back once more. "I can't. Why can't I? Am I not Heillar, God of Charms, First Born of The Divine? Am I not the most powerful of my brothers and sisters? Am I not in the air that you are breathing now, in the magic that binds your familiar to your person?"