PENUMBRA (how the flowers grow)

30. Forsythia

"Anticipation"

Getting Vess alone turns out to be startlingly simple, almost deceptively so. Tuluvey was skeptical about the plan, but so far, it's worked just fine. It's worked because no one is a god, not even Vess.

They met in the rose gardens on the outskirts of town. Vess sits on one of the carved stone benches, legs crossed primly as if waiting for a lover. She smiles serenely when she sees L'gaoia approach, Tuluvey, Alinrou, and Vetsalla at her side. Hidden in another part of the garden, Flix, Eggel, and Xaniphe lie in wait.

"Princess L'gaoia," Vess greets, lips quirked into a smile. "I see you've brought friends. That wasn't part of the agreement. I didn't have any friends on me to bring."

Probably because you killed the closest one you had.

"I think you already know how this is going to go, Vess," L'gaoia says stiffly. "No need to play with formalities."

"Do I?" Vess cocks her head. "I want ten thousand gold. That's the deal. I don't want to wait for your father's money, either."

"You're not going to get my father's money," L'gaoia promises. "I have it right here." She nods over at Alinrou, who, scowling, drops the two bags of coin at Vess's feet.

Vess arches an eyebrow. "Two bags? Ten thousand gold won't fit in two bags."

"Check it."

Vess pulls open one of the bags and grabs a coin. She runs her thumb over the flat of it and sends L'gaoia a withering glare. "These are glamoured. Do you really think I'm that stupid?"

"No," L'gaoia smiles slightly. "I do think you're cocky."

Vess scoffs and sits up, flicking the coin back into the bag. "Go get the girl. Now. She is mine by rights."

"Perhaps," L'gaoia says slowly, "but we aren't in Shasan."

Vess's face tightens. "Is that how we're going to play this?"

From her spot curled around Vetsalla's feet, Ag'druch meows. Silvery light shoots out of nowhere and hits Vess in the back. Eggel drops the shield of invisibility and he, Xaniphe, and Flix join the fray.

Vess lurches forward and hisses. Shadows curl around her and Tuluvey calls to the flowers. The branches on the rose bushes grow rapidly and curl around the shadows and Alinrou hacks at them with his enchanted sword. Some of Vess's vines start to solidify and curl around their legs, digging into their skin.

Tuluvey steps back to stand by Vetsalla, fiercely concentrated on combating Vess's shadow vines. Vetsalla stares at Vess, eyes glowing faintly. Ag'druch wraps around her legs and purrs.

"Now," he hears Vetsalla call out.

Flix prepares a spell and fires it at Vess. Vess deflects the ball of light and sends it flying off into the distance. Eggel's attempt ends up much the same as Flix's. Xaniphe fares much better. Her type of magic is no spell and fireballs can't be deflected so easily.

Vess's purple coat goes up in flames and she shrieks and wastes her energy casting a spell to tear the coat off her. Xaniphe whoops. The twisting vines lose their strength and Alinrou slashes up the last of them with ease. More shadows pop up, but it's only just sundown out in the open, and there isn't much for them to grip onto. Vess jerks her hand to the side and Tuluvey nearly falls flat on his face. Vetsalla catches him and he watches everyone else recover from their shadows getting tugged on.