Page 66 of Beyond The Maples
She nods at the map of our current continent spread out above one shelf. "Pick a border, any border," she says in that irritating sing-song voice.
I stare at her. She gets up, taking the plant with her and plops it into one of the tiny glass jars. She takes out another jar and grabs a handful of dusty roots and leaves from one, a few spindly looking things from another. She hobbles over, plopping them into my lap. I raise a brow at her.
"For clarity of mind. Crush it up and sprinkle a little in your food or water every once in a while, should help with the memory for you... and your friends," she says, lifting her eyebrows. She hands me the cloth I wrapped the plant in, and I take the roots and wrap them up firmly.
She escorts me to the door. I'm just about to open it when I decide to try out one last question.
"The barrier. Does it really kill anyone who tries to touch it or pass through it?" I whisper. This question seems heavier than the others, but I had to ask for Farra.
She looks at me, wrinkling her nose like I've asked a silly question.
"Of course not, child. Magic in its purest form, does not pick sides. It protects," she says it with that same cheeky tone, and I swear for a second I see a white light pulse in her icy blue eyes. Her grin only widens as she catches my recognition, showing off her missing teeth.
In a daze, I open the door, and thank her before scooting outside.
"Say hi to your friends for me, and come back and visit soon! Especially if you bring more gifts!" she chirps, and doesn't wait for a response before closing the door.
I hurry down the street, wanting to distance myself from her house, just in case. I realize the probability of someone following me––a no-name, low-level training cadet––is almost zero. But almost zero isn'tzeroso I'm still anxious.
I take a roundabout way to the city square where Leo and Farra said they'd meet me. Idly, I wander around looking at booths for some time, but I don't see either of them.
As more time passes and I realize I probably look suspicious walking in circles, looking at the same stuff over and over again, so I start my way back. Maybe they forgot? But that thought doesn't hold much weight. They had drilled our meeting spot into me before I left, to make sure I met them.
Dread starts to curdle in my gut. What could've happened that would make them take off? Did someone find out where I was? Why would that even matter? There aren't rules about fraternizing with old ladies, right?
I hustle back to base, and head straight to the dorms. Convincing myself nothing bad has happened. Maybe I just missed something? Maybe officers came through town, and they needed to get back to base?
Taking the stairs two at a time, I make it to our floor as fast as possible.
The door to our room is wide open, and immediately I know something is wrong.
I walk inside, and all the breath is stolen from my lungs. Our room has been ransacked. My mattress is up against the wall, bedding stripped. Farra's is in a similar state. Everything we own is in a heap in the middle of our tiny room, some of it torn or broken.
My organs feel like they're twisting around themselves. I stand suspended in the chaos for a moment.
What the hell happened?
Where are my friends?
I start picking random things up in the room, like they will clue me into what's going on. I bounce back and forth between waiting here, or going on a rampage through the compound to figure out where they are. Neither is a great plan, I realize. What if something's happening? I can't just stay here and do nothing.
But then, what if me running around everywhere only makes us look that much more suspicious?
Minutes pass before I make the decision to hunt them down. I run down the stairs, almost falling in my rush. I open the entrance door and run smack into Leo.
"Leo! Where have you guys been? What happened!?" I say, relief filling my body.
But the look on Leo's face makes that relief vanish all at once. He's pale, his usual golden skin completely lacking any colour. His eyes are bloodshot, and his nose is crusted up with blood.
"Leo, what happened? Where's Farra?" I ask, putting my hands on his shoulders to try and steady him. At the mention of her name, anguish takes over his face, and a strangled sob creeps out.
Shit, we're right out at the entrance of the building. I fumble for my keys again, and pull him inside, not being overly gentle as I begin to haul him up the steps. I need him to get it together, but I also need us to be away from prying eyes.
We get up to my room; I flip my mattress over on my bed and command him to sit.
I walk over to the door, shutting and locking it.
I sit on my knees between Leo’s legs and look up at him, trying to meet his eyes. He looks like a ghost of himself.
