Nathaniel trailed Eris down a narrow hallway, the flickering candlelight casting shadows along the stone walls. The air was thick with silence, broken only by the soft sound of their footsteps against the stone floor. As Eris turned a doorknob, the door creaked open with a low groan, a sound that seemed to echo.
Stepping into the room behind her, Nathaniel felt a wave of curiosity over him. The space before him resembled a cosy library where shelves crammed with tomes and scattered notes sprawled across sturdy desks. With a lingering glance around the room, Nathaniel turned back to close the door, the heavy tumbler locking into place with a resounding clunk.
Nearby, a match struck. Light flared and spilled out into the darkness, briefly illuminating Eris’ solemn expression before she moved to a table in the center of the room. Quietly, she touched the flame to several candles lined along its wooden surface, until the room glowed in soft amber.
Once the door was closed, Nathaniel turned back towards the centre of this study room of sorts. His attention went more towards Eris. He was curious as to why she wanted to speak to him in private. Perhaps it has something to do with yesterday's interaction or something about the expedition that they talked about making notes. There was only one way to know and that was to ask. His heart thundered in his chest, curiosity or fear of her answer he couldn't tell. Still, he forged on to ask.
“So what is the matter Eris? he speaks softly to her, waiting for her answer.
She shook out the match and set it aside, her gaze lifting to meet Nathaniel’s.
“There was… something else.” Her voice came softer and more hesitant than she’d intended.
“The intruder left something with the gemstone.” Her hand slipped into her coat pocket, brushing against parchment paper.
“I don’t want to alert just anyone yet, but…” Drawing it out, she carefully smoothed it open with her fingers and made her way around the table. Stopping just before him, she offered it out, her eyes fixed on his.
“Lady Rovella read it as well.”Nathaniel looked into her eyes, the tints of amber from the lit candles made her blue eyes sparkle. It was then that he could see the weariness that she was trying to hide. The quietness was only interrupted by the sputter from the small flames that lit the candles. She stood holding out the parchment.
“That is for the best, it could be dangerous for all we know.” he softly spoke.
Reaching for the parchment, his fingers brushed along her as he carefully took the parchment out from Eris' fingers.
“Thank you, Eris, for trusting me with this information.” he politely said, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. His eyes flicked to the parchment that he was holding.
“Do any of the other Sages know?” he asked just before he was about to read it.
Eris gave a faintest shake of her head in response, gently biting at the inner edge of her lower lip. Her gaze dipped to the letter in his hands, lingering there.
Nathaniel's brow furrowed as he read. There wasn't really much that stood out. He was almost sure that he couldn't really spot anything, then he saw two of the symbols that were drawn in the margins.
“Enchantment runes… he muttered to himself. His gaze went from the parchment back to Eris who was close to him.
“These sealing runes. I wonder if these symbols were somehow linked to the gemstone.” “Perhaps these runes were actually a seal for whatever was stored inside of it perhaps. Once the gemstone makes contact with someone the seal breaks and the person gets whatever’s stored.“Eris nodded, her brows knitting together as she turned the thought over in her mind. Her gaze drifted toward a shadowed corner of the room, unfocused, as if she could make sense of the hurried words more clearly in the dark. Nathaniel noticed how her gaze went to the dark corner of the room. He had a feeling that she was wondering if someone was hiding in the shadows. It was only natural, she only just had an intruder in her room.
“This date.” he leaned over so he was closer to her, his frame mere inches from hers. Eris blinked, the shift pulling her out from the depths of her mind, causing her to refocus on the letter. With a slight adjustment of the parchment, he angled it so the contents were towards the light allowing both Eris and himself to both see.
“Were there any reports on activities that happened on this date?”Eris glanced up, meeting his eyes.
“Well… the blight-born attack was yesterday…” her voice trailed, memories of the prior day flooding her mind—the Princess, her wound, the drain of healing her, the suffocating pressure of raw, untamed magic that pulsed through the air like a living thing with a mind of its own. Then—news of a second death. The town going into lockdown. Eris hadn’t even been able to pay her respects to the two who had passed yet…
She sifted through the rest of the day, trying to find something she might have missed.
The day had begun with the celebratory feast. Her humiliating rush to bring her discovery to the Prince. Meeting Nathaniel afterward—and allowing herself that rare moment of joy on the dance floor with him. And then… the attack. Elara seeking her out. Guard Kain’s unnerving escort. Priestess Ranni stepping in where High Priestess Tia had not. Charlotte guiding her safely home.
Nothing else. Nothing she had heard, anyway.
She shook her head, frustration tightening her features. Too many pieces of the puzzle were missing.
“Did you hear of anything?”Nathaniel was no longer looking at the parchment, no longer interested in the runes that were on it, now his attention was on Eris. He pondered her simple question, sorting through the events that he had, for her to trust him he'll have to be honest with her.
“Well, after the dance we had in the inn, and the time we came back here to work on taking notes.” He folded the paper up, placing it onto the table that was close to him. His intention was clear: he would tell her everything that happened during his night, as a way to help build up trust between himself and her.
“I'm going to be honest with you, no secrets between us.” he spoke softly as his eyes met hers.
“After I left here. I came across Ayel and Prince Flynn with a few others.” he ran through what happened that night.
“We found the death of the guard, the one who died defending the Princess of Lunaris.”“Flynn asked me to carry the body towards the Temple of Seluna. Where they could be put to rest. I was accompanied by a squire and a priestess of that temple.” then he remembered all the blood and gore that covered him as he carried the corpse through the frozen tundra.
“After I set the body to rest so the priests could handle it, that was when the lockdown happened, so I didn't leave Seluna until the lockdown ended.” he took a small breath as he finished.
Eris listened in silence, her gaze fixed on him as he spoke—brows drawn together in sympathy. She didn’t want to imagine the gruesome scene he’d come across, yet the thought lingered at the edges of her mind.
“Regarding this Gemstone and these runes. I suggest that we should let Prince Flynn know about this.”Eris turned her gaze back to the parchment, silently studying it under the firelight.
“Yes, I think so.” She replied softly, reaching out and slipping the parchment back into her pocket.
“At the very least, he should be aware of break-ins.”Her eyes drifted past Nathaniel and to the door behind him, though her mind was already somewhere far more distant.
“I’ll scour my library for every book I have on enchantment. See if we can find out what the other runes mean.” She paused, her gaze sliding back to him.
“If something is sealed within the stone, it must be dangerous… but perhaps the runes don’t complete a seal?” Her fingertips brushed against the cold gem inside her pocket. Still, it remained silent to her touch.
Nathaniel nodded, his eyes not leaving her face.
“That’s a good idea, I have brought some tomes with me at the inn. I can have a look through them to see if there can be some that could help us with this mystery. Or if you need help here I'll be happy to assist.” he politely said to her.
“Probably best to keep the Gemstone under lock and key.”Returning her gaze to him, a faint, hesitant smile lifted on her lips.
“Agreed… I suppose I'd better go find the Prince.”“If you are looking for the Prince, he should be easy to find as long as Ayel is close by his proximity” A small chuckle erupted from his throat. Eris’ smile grew—a quiet, breathy laugh escaping her.
“Ayel is almost a lost puppy to the Prince.” he turned round to the door that Eris and he came through, then turned back to her.
“We should head back, Nesna might be getting a bit worried about us being gone.” “Eris, I know you hardly have any magic left at this time, you need time to replenish your magic.” he stepped closer to her.
“But, as long as I am here, I will keep you safe. I will help you in what way I can. We are all here to help you.” his tone soft as he tried to ease the tension in her.
Eris blinked, caught off guard by the gentle sincerity in his tone. Unbidden, warmth crept into her cheeks, and she was grateful for the dim light that veiled it. She dropped her gaze quickly, fingers finding the nearest candlestick as though it demanded her immediate attention.
“You’re kind to say so,” she murmured, her voice soft as she busied herself with snuffing the flame, then moved on to the next, letting the slow ritual steady her thoughts.
“It’s… nice… having people to lean on here.”Something unfamiliar. And a little terrifying.
Her hand hovered over the last candle as she glanced back at him. A faint smile touched her lips,
“Let’s not keep Nesna waiting.”Pinching the final flame, the room sank into darkness. For a breath, all she registered was the faintest outline of him beside her. Stepping forward, her shoulder brushed lightly against his before she found the door and pulled it open. The glow of the hallway spilled in, and she slipped through—grateful for the excuse to turn her attention back to business.
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