Primalcraft: Sins of Bygone days (book 2)

Chapter 19

The snow had melted away as blossoms had started to sprout on the trees. The birds had come back and were eager to reclaim their home while the moist grass attracted newly born bugs. Blake tried to avoid the grass as the morning dew made the dirt into mud and he had no interest in dirtying himself in the yard.

He tried to find a bench that was not drenched which turned out to be a difficult task as it had rained during the night. Blake yawned and rubbed his eyes as the sun blinded him. Why did it always feel like the sun was at it's brightest during the mornings? He let out a shudder as the cold morning air hit his face. He should have worn a thicker jacket.

He soon came to a halt when he saw a familiar redhead on the apparently only dry bench. Dale Hawker slouched in his seat not noticing Blake approaching. He looked better. The bruises seemed to be gone and he wasn't as pale though Blake could still see the traces of earlier horrors in his eyes as they were still filled with melancholy.

"Good morning, Dale!" Blake said gently not to frighten him. A failed effort as Dale winced at the sound of his name and looked up at him with disbelieving eyes that soon turned down to the ground again as he refused to meet Blake's eyes.

Blake decided to sit down by Dale's side without acknowledging Dale's sour expression.

"You look better."

"I look impeccable," Dale huffed in false bravado. "Why are you here?"

"I'm awaiting the result of the trial. It's going down today."

"I'm exiled from the pack, not daft. I know that the trial is today," Dale snorted before frowning at Blake." Shouldn't you be there?"

"No, Elliott refused to take me there. It was dangerous. If they decided to pin Fingal Keir's crimes on me then I would be safer here. The pack will protect me if the witches come to arrest me," said Blake with a shrug.

"Pin his crimes on you? They can do that?"

"Apparently so."

"Bloody hell. I thought I had problems."

"Yeah, apparently they want to punish me with the Rite of Animus."

Dale shuddered at the word, much to Blake's surprise. "You know what it is?"

"Not entirely, but I have seen the result. I went to the hospital taking care of one who had experienced it. The poor fellow had his brain fried. He was a vegetable who could only groan and drool. Not a fate I would give to my worst enemy," Dale muttered.

"And I am your worst enemy?" Blake asked with a smile.

"Please, at most you hold an honorable mention on the list," Dale snorted and Blake chuckled.

"Why did you even go to a hospital holding such a man? It must be a special hospital."

"Yeah, they held a lot of cursed people there," Dale replied.

"That is not an answer to my question."

"Fine, most shifters go to one of the asylums after they get chosen by a wolf. Most of the time there is no other way to determine what rank the wolf is until you get searched with a Noscere spell."

"What is that?"

"The Noscere Arts are used to examine a person's soul. In shifters case, it determines their wolf's rank. It can also be used to detect Dark magic on a soul. Frankly, I am surprised you don't know it as it also is used to search criminals' souls for the guild. If you are guilty of the crimes you are accused of it can be determined immediately," said Dale.

"So that's how they always know if someone has used Dark magic," Blake thought before sighing. "I'm guessing that they did not want to risk it if they wanted to pin the crime on me."