Nightspun (#ONC_2020)

Chapter 9 - Regret

Sybil's heart filled with dread.

Her mother was dying.

Her anger over her crop being demolished swarmed into sorrow over the thought of a bigger worry. The High Lawmaker stood only metres away but Sybil couldn't move. She couldn't speak. She could barely breathe. The only thing she could do was listen to those fateful words over and over in her mind.

The royal Sunstress is dying. Siara is on her Last Days. Just like Grandmamma was.

How was she supposed to feel? Did this sudden news suddenly fix all her resentment or was she even justified to have these feelings in the first place? She was a mess of conflicted emotions, unsure of how to truly understand what to do.

"Where is she, Amira?"

Sybil froze, clenching her eyes shut to try and quell her emotions and lessen her Sunspell's glow. As for the two Stormspell elves: they had changed tactics and were now trying to see what was going on through the gaps in the shed.

"I don't-"

Amira began before a sharp slap echoed around the clearing, silencing her and igniting Sybil's raging magic yet again. Before she even realised it her feet were moving towards the clearing, ignoring the harsh whispers of the two Stormspell elves trying to get her to come back.

"I saw you, y'know. With her on that bench. I'm surprised your little friend confessed to you so easily about what happened. Then again Truthseeker potion isn't exactly easy to come by."

"I didn't. I swear I didn't."

But Amira's scream told her all she needed to hear.

Dewdrop burst out at the first signs of her anguish, piercing through the Cloudswell veil protecting the trio before fading into sundust. Sybil knew it was true. She just didn't care. She had tasted the Happyroot juice and confessed not because some dumb potion forced her to but because she needed to. Just like...just like the need to see Siara one, last time. 

She couldn't be there for her Grandmamma. There was no way she was going to waste another twenty years longing that she had another chance to say goodbye to Siara too.

"No, wait!" Claud half yelled, tumbling forwards just as Sybil made herself known to the two Nightspell elves.

Amira's eyes mirrored her own. Pricked tight with tears and deathly pale as her auntie had her pushed up against the shed, a red mark searing her face. It was as if she was dealing with an annoying weed, ready to pluck her out of the ground and drag her kicking and screaming to Waterdown. But once the two Stormspell elves tumbled out of the gap in the shed the High Lawmaker dropped the act and her niece.

"Ah, there you are Caster Nightspun. I assume you overheard the news. Very well. I can head straight to Waterdown with the both of you before the Solar ceremony begins. The High Suncaster will be most pleased-"

"I'm not going. Not until I see my mother."

The word felt unfamiliar on her tongue, like the tainted Happyroot juice that was too sweet and syrupy to be made by an Outcropper. But the High Lawmaker wasn't having any of it. 

"Excuse me? You don't have a say in this. Neridia needs a royal Sunstress. With your mother deathly ill we don't have time to squabble. You are the only successor and it's time you took responsibility for your-"

"My what, High Lawmaker? My mistakes or yours? My bloodline or your bias? My useless father or my self centred mother? No. None of that matters right now. All that matters is that I want to see her and I want to still try while I have the chance."

"You have a duty to your country! To Neridia!"

Sybil let out a deep breath and hoped she didn't regret her words.

The only duty I have tonight is to Siara Nightspun."

Naisi stuttered, unable to find the words or stop her hands from shaking in anger, lingering over her now broken Red Ire rune.

"How dare...you two….you two…" 

Niasi lunged for her still quivering niece, attempting to find some way to salvage her trip but Sybil stepped to the side and slapped the leftover rune out of her hand. Her eyes went wide only for her expression to coil into a narrow smile.

"Over there. You two, yes you pair of sneaks. Are you both...Stormspell elves?"

Sybil cursed under her breath, lowering her hands still sparking with latent Sunspell. She had hoped the confrontation would allow them a few minutes to escape but obviously not. They had gotten trapped by the jackanape patch.

"...yes, ma'am." Claud said meekly, grabbing his twin by the cloak and turned him right back around.

Malik unfortunately, wasn't graced with common sense.

"What of it?" He said grumpily, not appreciating being forced to lower his head.

Sybil could see the vicious look in the High Lawmaker's eyes, the very same look she gave before the night she lost her chance at achieving her dream. 

"What in the Laia are you two doing here? Are you the two who...I should have you arrested for breaking curfew!"

Amira coughed, directing her aunt's attention towards her instead despite her obvious fears. She was sporting an ugly rash of singed skin, a light frost lingering over it as her beloved night tried to soothe the pain where it could. If Sybil didn't know better, she'd guess Amira had Feversun again. That made Sybil furious.

 "I invited them here myself, High Lawmaker. Unfortunately, they got lost so...I sent Syb out to look for them."

Sybil knew her bluff wouldn't last long. She had to put her Nightspun training to use and spin a quick fib.

"We were hoping to get their assistance in harvesting our mandraroot crop. Special circumstances considering the quota is tomorrow and neither Amira and I can be in two places at once now we're aware of the situation."

Sybil's voice was tinged with Sunspell, her voice laced with calm persuasion as if she knew exactly what she was doing. It was a trick she had learned from Deerstalker herself and it was one she had only recently perfected for the very occasion that had seen her kicked out. 

This was why the Astral Three had gone awry. She dared to try and change history and make people believe in it. Sybil had been told to use it and now here she was trying to spin an unconvincing tale long enough to let two Stormspell elves she only just met to get away. 

But Niasi wasn't fazed.

"I see. So you decided to enlist in the help of the two backwater ruffians who destroyed your crop in the first place mere minutes after you've heard you won't be able to harvest them?" 

The two girls shared a glance and prepared to run. Sybil didn't notice the particular rune in Niasi's hand or why Amira eyes looked so determined to stop her. All she knew was that her Nightspun skills had failed her once again and the High Lawmaker intended to make her remember it.

"No one is that well prepared. Least of all Outcroppers like you. You all truly are useless."

Niasi flung the Gathering rune down with a vengeance and darted out of the way as light burst forth from its core. Only once her Sunspell burned like a thousand suns did Sybil remember why this rune was so feared, so recognisable, so forbidden to use.

It was how Amira had lost her arm.