Flower Falls and Crystal Calls

Carved in Stone

Chapter 45

For the next thirty minutes, Elle paced in front of the door and continued to try and cast low-level spells. She tried to ignore the way her heart was throbbing with an ever-growing ache as she would turn and catch either Laer's or Yeul's eye. She was just grateful that neither of them said anything, even if there was a lot she could read in her friend's eyes.

He must have finally gotten tired of seeing her walking back and forth, and decided to approach her. Before he could say anything, Elle held up a hand. "Please don't. Not right now. I don't think I can handle more than guard duty."

He sighed and shook his head. "I was going to suggest that you let me take the hallway. I can't stand here and watch you without the need to pace too."

Elle stared at him in shock for a second before she let go of an involuntary chuckle. She finally shook her head. "Sorry, yeah, that sounds like a plan. I can almost feel my magic returned enough that I can summon Bahamut. As soon as I have him out, I'll set him to patrol over the compound. That should be enough to keep anyone not already here away."

Laer nodded and gave her a wry smile. "Yeah, foe and ally alike."

Elle's eyes hardened slightly. "That's the idea. Right now, it would be better to be safe. We can figure out anything else when Caius returns. As far as I'm concerned, you and he are the only ones I would be willing to even let in this end of the building."

Laer gave her a confused look, but when all she gave him back was a determined glare, he nodded. "He made it clear enough that you're the one in charge. You tell me to jump, and I'll ask how high."

Elle's irritation fled under his smirk. She rolled her eyes as she gestured to the door. "Don't go far. I need you close enough to hear if I call for help. Oh, and stay inside. I don't want Bahamut to get overzealous."

He saluted and gave her a grin. "Trust me, I don't want to get on her bad side either."

"His!" Elle's voice came out harder than she intended it to, but Laer just gave her a wink.

"Uh-huh, you keep telling yourself that."

She wasn't even given a chance to respond before he ducked out the door. It wasn't until he was gone that she realized he had probably done all that on purpose to help her calm down. She smiled at the empty doorway before she turned and summoned forth her eidolith.

Over the next several hours, Laer would check in occasionally, but there was no response from Bahamut. She hadn't been able to keep her eidolon summoned for the whole time, instead, calling her out periodically to check the area. Thankfully Laer had gone to retrieve some supplies before night had fallen. She was grateful when he brought back a few ethers as well as blankets for Yeul and food.

Elle was too worried to eat, but she did knock back an ether and summoned Bahamut once again. With what he had brought, she hoped to be able to keep her out until the warriors returned.

As the night wore on, so did Elle's nerves. No one had penetrated to where they were, but she knew several had tried. She wasn't sure if it was to check on the Seeress or for any other nefarious purpose, but it only took a few well-placed fireballs for Bahamut to send them all running. Elle couldn't see through her eidolon's eyes, so she didn't know who it had been, but she did get a sense whenever anyone tried to enter. At least Yeul was safely asleep on a pallet in the far corner.

It was near dawn when Elle was shocked from her anxious thoughts by a roar from her eidolon. It was quickly followed by a wave of pain that didn't make sense at first. It wasn't until she realized that it had come down her connection to her partner that she realized what it was. Bahamut had not been attacked, but she was in pain nonetheless. There was only one reason Elle could think of for the continued wails.