Chapter: 568 – The Spark of Hope

Tala only went as far as to leave the cafe in which she’d met Master Saliocas before willing herself into her sanctum. From there, she was able to ‘see’ where Master Jevin was, partially because he was highlighting himself with his aura, and partially because Tala knew exactly where to look.

There was also… something odd about the area, as if something else was there, but she couldn’t perceive it properly.

It wasn’t a void, or a true absence, she just got the sense that something was there, just out of sight.

Regardless, she shook herself and then willed her body to the superficial, appearing beside Master Jevin and Eskau Meallain.

The elf had a spread of food before her, almost all of which were—“Cookies? Really?”

Tala almost laughed, but Eskau Meallain shrugged. “I can’t say I’ve gone to many bakeries through the years, and Master Jevin offered to have a selection brought.” She picked one up and took a bite. “I must say, even without any intrinsic magic, they are rather delicious.”

The woman’s words were sincere, but Tala still detected an odd sort of tension within the other Eskau. “What’s going on? Master Jevin didn’t poison the cookies as a prank or anything, did he?”

The man’s eyes widened. “I would never desecrate any dessert in such a fashion. To do so would be the height of heresy.”

Tala grunted. “Fine, fine. So? What’s going on?”

Eskau Meallain grimaced. “I’ve… I’ve been seeing eyes watching me, from the corner of my vision. They’re never there when I turn and look.”

Master Jevin sighed. “I thought she was simply getting jumpy, but just before I reached out to you, I saw them too. Like two points of utter nothingness, watching me with disapproval.”

Tala allowed her mind to briefly pore over all that she could perceive. Nothing stood out as being unusual. “So… that’s why you reached out?”

Master Jevin shrugged. “I do have much to do, but yes, that was the main impetus that pushed the issue.”

Eskau Meallian glanced Tala’s way, clearly wishing to shift the subject. “Did you really forget about me?”

Tala shrugged. “Not technically. I knew that you were in good hands, and I had faith that he’d let me know when I needed to get you. Therefore, I honestly didn’t give you much thought.”

Master Jevin chuckled. “That means, yes, she forgot about you.”

Tala grimaced and gave the Reforged a mock-glare. “You aren’t helping.”

“Oh?” He seemed genuinely surprised. “And here I thought watching over your arcane prisoner for two days was incredibly helpful and generous of me.” He cocked one eyebrow at her.

She sighed. “No… you’re right. It definitely was of help. Thank you for taking your time and attention to keep her.”

“Of course.” He smiled and gave a slight bow. “Her moral compass is quite literally non-existent, but—”

Eskau Meallain cleared her throat. “Excuse me, we discussed this. What is best for my House—and what my Pillar commands—is what is right. They are my moral compass.”

Master Jevin shook his head, clearly falling back into something that they’d gone back and forth on many times already. “That is not your moral compass, Lain. You can’t offload moral responsibility for your actions onto others.”

She scoffed. “Aren’t you the one who said you’d have tortured me if not for your civilization? Isn’t that you offloading moral judgment?”

He shook his head once more. “We’re going in circles, yet again. My morality is firm, and I would find such judgment upon you quite moral, but I am also willing to restrain myself to the strictures of society. My compass exists and is my own, and I am willing to defer to others on occasion.”

Eskau Meallain waived that off.

Tala, however, was stuck on one thing. “Wait, wait.”

They both looked her way, questioningly.

“Lain?” It was her turn to cock an eyebrow. “Really?”

Master Jevin colored slightly then grimaced. “A necessary shortening during a lengthy discussion. The use of titles becomes tiresome when talking for long periods.”

Eskau Meallain sighed. “And I believe that titles are a part of who a person is. I suspect that he began using a shortening of my name—not even my true name—to annoy me. I’ve been ignoring him.”

Tala’s eyebrow didn’t lower. “I see.”

He cleared his throat. “Now, I do not wish to subject myself to whatever presence is monitoring her any further. Please take her away.”

The elf had a small smile on her face. “Careful, Devouring Tree, or you might start growing flowers.”

The man sighed and shook his head. “Flowers are the bait of the vegetative world. I have no need for such.”

“True, true.” Eskau Meallain nodded sagely. “After all, you never know what you might draw in and entice.”

With that, she turned and strode from the room.

Tala watched the elf go, then shook her head. “I feel like I missed basically all of the context for that.” After another moment, she sighed. “And I am not inclined to ask.”

Master Jevin scowled even more, before grimacing. “She’s dangerous, Mistress Tala. Her attitude and worldview are pernicious and infectious. I know you are using her to forward real gains in various areas, but please be careful about listening to her too much.”

Tala nodded. “Oh, I am aware, Master Jevin. She still will sing the praises of my kidnapper and enslaver with even the smallest prompting.” After a moment’s hesitation, she added. “I will say one thing in her defence, however. She isn’t without a compass. It is exactly as she says. Her House and her Pillar are the final arbiter of right and wrong to her. Nothing else matters, and nothing else ever will. Her great turmoil in these last years seems to have been due to the fact that those each were in conflict with themselves, and that ambiguity and disjointment was distressing to her on a foundational level. My survival…” She sighed. “My survival has given her a way of bridging that seeming contradiction, and it worries me just a bit.”

He nodded. “I can see where you are coming from, and I am glad that you will be careful. She is a powerful creature, and not to be underestimated.”

“I most certainly will not forget that.” Tala chuckled.

She gave Master Jevin an appropriate bow, thanked him once again, and then willed herself and Eskau Meallain back to Tala and Rane’s sanctum.

The elf stutter-stepped as she arrived in the raised plaza, turning to glare at Tala who was already sitting on the ‘control’ throne.

“You could have warned me. I was in the middle of a step.”

Tala shrugged. “You didn’t have to go strutting off as if you had somewhere to be. It was a bit silly of you.”

Eskau Meallian hesitated for a moment, then sighed. “Very well. You are likely correct. I was simply ready to be out of that man’s presence, and he wouldn’t allow me to leave his sight before your arrival. Since you were there?” She shrugged. “I took the opportunity to depart.”

“Well, please don’t do that again. Remember what happens if you leave my oversight without having repaid your debt to Reality?”

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

The elf stiffened, then grimaced. “I don’t need you reminding me that I am being watched… But very well.”

Tala smiled and gave a singular nod. ”Good.”

Eskau Meallain frowned. “I forgot to grab my cookies.” She frowned, then looked hopefully at Tala. “Could you? Would you? From your throne?”

That brought a huffing laugh to Tala’s lips. “Very well.”

She looked to the superficial and saw Master Jevin eyeing the cookies on the plate. With a mischievous grin, she pulled all of them into her sanctum.

Master Jevin paused, having just extended a hand to take one. He then sighed. “It is probably better for me anyways.”

Tala chuckled, then sent the cookie he’d been about to grab back to the plate.

That drew a full smile to the Reforged’s lips. “Thank you, but if I get fat, it’s your fault.”

She withdrew her perception even as he took a bite.

Eskau Meallain was already biting into her own cookie, pulled from the pile brought before her.