Water's Reflection or Hero's Guilt

Chapter Forty-Five

          The air was heavy with incense, warm and sticky; as Terrance followed Ume and entered Madame Lyss' house, this tropical aura struck them immediately. Passing through the hallways, he looked over his shoulder for a moment, to check if they were all there. After Lyss' test, he had grown a bit wary of the woman's tricks and feared that she might do something to upset him. But none had happened yet: they were all there. Adam walked right behind him, Lupine at his side. Michael Westwind carried his daughter as per Terrance's instruction. He observed everything, curious about this Madame Lyss they were visiting. Terrance had told him as little as possible. Sir Laurent Byzantine was on the rear of their group. His armor clanged rhythmically on the floorboards as he walked.

          No one spoke, not even when entering the room where the old woman waited. Her other servant, Yehma, stood besides her, ready to speak for the Librarian. Madame Lyss looked the same as before, her beads and feathers had not changed, nor had her colored kerchiefs that covered her white hair. The woman smiled.

          “Hello Lougriss,” the voice of Yehma sounded as Madame Lyss spoke through her.

          “Hello,” Terrance muttered curtly. His right hand rested on his satchel, in which he kept a small soulbottle. He glanced around the room to make sure there was no one else here—there wasn't. Madame Lyss did not have some trap or ambush waiting for them. Still, he did not remove his hand, afraid that somehow, she might steal the satchel or the bottle.

          “You bring many,” Madame Lyss noted and slowly motioned at the group of people that took their place next to Terrance, opposite her. “Why is this?”

          “It's not safe outside. You might have noticed that Bigwaters lies in ruins.”

          “Ruins? No. It has not come so far yet. The city has fallen into chaos,” said the old woman. “I have heard of darkness rising. Those from the Seven Kingdoms either stay or flee. Those who stay pray for some sort of savior. Those of Tal Ikurín do not pray. They try to arm themselves... Will you be their savior, Lougriss?”

          “I don't care about them,” Terrance said harshly.

          “Then why are you here?”

          “I want to save June. That is all I care about. Bigwaters may die—the whole kingdom may burn, and me with it. I don't care. As long as June is safe...”

          Madame Lyss remained quiet and did not answer. Her gaze slowly shifted from Terrance to his companions; it lingered at Sir Byzantine, then turned to the Royal Mage and his daughter.

          “Terrance does not trust you,” Maya said suddenly. “He thinks you don't really have a way to save June.

          “Maya--” Terrance growled, but the little girl would not be discouraged.

          “You do think that,” she told him. “You think Madame Lyss wants to trick you. But that's not true, and I know it. You want to help us, don't you?” she asked the Librarian.