Raiya’s Tree House. Time until the Priest from the Church arrives: one day and a half.

It was afternoon when I left the Herbologist’s room. I was nowhere closer to finding a way out of this place than I was of understanding the nature of the power I just received. The words I heard last night before I woke up to find that crystal, reverberated in my mind. I spoke the forbidden words, albeit by coincidence. I received the gift of power. Now I had to find a place where land meets the seas.

Or did I have to find it? Why should I follow some unknown murmurs? I vowed to never owe anybody any favors…

I found myself wondering if I could leave this tree without their help. My legs mechanically took me to my room. I found myself sitting on my bed, hands tightly curled into fists. I hated this feeling of helplessness. I was in a warlock’s house. A house I couldn’t leave without her permission. A Priest from the Church would be here in two days. I didn’t have much time to devise a plan of escape.

Time!

No I mustn’t rely on a gift given by a stranger. I needed to think of another way. Perhaps I could simply ask Raiya to let me leave.

I got up and headed for her study. She’d been eavesdropping on my conversation with Agatha earlier. Both women were conspiring against each other. I had to use that to my advantage.

“What do you want?” I heard Sisha’s eerie whispers invade my mind. I was taking the stairs leading to her study.

“I have some news for Raiya,” I said. “Tell her I spoke to Agatha.”

Hisses and growls ensued. “Very well, come in,” the cat demon’s whispers reached me once again. I heard a door creaking below the stairs. When I reached it, bright lights welcomed me. The dark corridor we once took had disappeared. There was only a room, as spacious as the living room above it. Raiya sat in a desk, scribbling something on long parchment.

She stopped what she was doing and hurriedly stacked the parchment in a drawer as soon as I came in. She looked at me and smiled. The two women were indeed too similar… I bet they’d make a great duo if they cast their differences aside. Raiya threw her long hair over her shoulders then spoke.

“Sisha tells me you got the Herbologist to speak.”

I didn’t know whether she was feigning ignorance or she genuinely didn’t know what I spoke about with Agatha. I couldn’t risk telling her what I saw. When Agatha motioned with her chin toward the door earlier, I’d stopped time and inspected the hall. Raiya was indeed behind the door, listening in on us.

“She reckons I’ll team up with her against you,” I said. I tried to remain calm. I had to show her I was on her side. At least for now, since I didn’t have any better choices.

“So? Get on with it already!”

“She thinks I can steal the ghost’s bones,” I said. “She has a way to contact the Church and get them to come and collect them.”

“And you believe her?” Raiya asked.

“The Church will risk offending the Covenant for the bones, won’t they?”

“I believe so,” Raiya answered. “But what will happen to you then?”

“She said she’d fake my death. The church will be delighted to have the bones back. She thinks they’d forget about me if that happens.”

Raiya seemed thoughtful for a while then spoke. “Do you believe a word she says?”

“Yes, I believe her,” I said. “She stole something from the Church. She didn’t say what it was, but you know their rules. That’s why she was sentenced to death, or to be handed to Jory anyway. She’s willing to do whatever it takes to be pardoned.”

“What do you suggest?” Raiya asked, jerking her head sideways. Was she speaking to me or to her demon?

I remained silent for a while until the cat said, “she’s talking to you boy,” then I cleared my throat to speak.

“She wants to be imprisoned. I suggest you don’t do it.” Raiya let out a vicious smile. So she’s heard everything we spoke about… She cast a quick glance at the parchment she’d been writing on. I had to risk it now. I won’t have any better chances. By my calculations, I had about twenty seconds to get to her drawer. That was more than enough.

“So what do you –“ The world stopped moving.

I ran to her drawer and drew the parchment she was writing on. I didn’t bother reading it. I stuffed it under my shirt and ran back to my initial position.

“ – suggest we do?” Raiya finished her question.

“She’s trying to manipulate me to turn her in,” I replied. “My guess is that she needs something from your dungeon, perhaps the bones. She might think she has a way of escaping the tree house without your knowing.”

“Sharp boy!” Sisha said. His whispers made me feel as though a sharp needle stung my brain.

“Stop it Sisha!” Raiya snapped. “Forgive him, he’s a bit on edge today. Truth be told, we’re all on edge today.”

“Why?” I asked. The witch cast a quick glance at the drawer. Shit I mustn’t let her see that. Stop! Stop!

I fumbled under my shirt and took the parchment out. It was worn and creased. I unfolded it and read it quickly. I only had enough time to skim through it. Words like tree people, this year’s champions, unusual news from Zvedin by the east… Zedd lies…

The clock started ticking. Shit I only had ten seconds left! I ran to the drawer and stuffed the parchment in then ran back to my initial position.

The witch looked at the parchment and frowned. I shouldn’t have done that. I should have developed my skill further before attempting this. Raiya looked up and the creases between her eyebrows tightened.

“Why are you out of breath?” she asked.

She’s onto me, shit. Shit, shit shit shit shit! Say something, think of something clever to say. Tell her something, Anything!

Raiya was looking at me apprehensively. I hadn’t said a word and I couldn’t think of anything either. My mind suddenly became blank.

“Helloooo! Anybody there?” Raiya waved her hand toward me.

‘Snap out of it, will you?’ a kind voice spoke to me. I recognized it as the one that gave me the gift of power. I shook my head. I had a pretty good excuse in mind now.

“When Sisha spoke to me, I felt a needle pierce through my brain. My heart’s been racing ever since. I suddenly felt tired and breathless.” I heard the cat demon’s hisses in my mind. It disturbed me even more. I fell to my knees, trembling all over.

“Stop it!” Raiya yelled.

“That’s what it feels like to withstand my clear voice!” Sisha mocked. His voice was clearer in my mind now. It wasn’t a whisper anymore. It was a clear, deep hoarse voice that spoke to me, a terrible thing to hear as well. It felt as though the echo of the loudest voice you could imagine vibrated in your mind.

I clutched my head and screamed. Raiya ran to me and put her hands on my aching head. She muttered something and the pain subsided.

“I broke the link between you and Sisha,” Raiya said. “Come on, get up!”

She helped me on my feet and led me to a chintz armchair in her study. I let my body fall and took a long sigh of relief.

“What was that?” I whispered. I was out of breath, gasping for air that seemed to have deserted me. I thanked my stars for my ability to improvise. I was rid of Sisha and Raiya didn’t suspect me anymore. She was worried now, two birds with one stone!

“Demons have strong minds,” Raiya explained. “They usually keep their voices down when communicating with lesser spirits. He’s not in a good mood today.” Raiya stroked my hair then went on. “I’m sorry Zedd. I shouldn’t have let him in on our conversation!” She wasn’t speaking to me this time. She was shouting at the air, probably for Sisha to hear.

“Is he still here?” I asked.

“He shut me down too,” Raiya said. “He’s probably gone to the forest to hunt. He’ll cool off in a bit.”

“I feel weak,” I lied. It was now or never. I didn’t underestimate Raiya. But with the cat gone, I could read more of that parchment.

“Stay here,” Raiya said. “I think I have something for you to eat in this office.”

Raiya went for a cabinet on the opposite side of the armchair. She had her back to me. My heart raced. I was about to do something risky. My hands trembled and my feet wouldn’t respond. I urged myself to calm down. Now wasn’t the time to second guess and overthink.

‘Stop!’

Raiya was frozen in place. That was my queue.

I stood up and dashed to the drawer. I put the paper on the floor this time. Raiya would think she dropped it when she rushed to save me from Sisha’s terrible voice. I was thinking of plan B before the A. Plan A consisted of putting the parchment back where it belonged.

I skimmed through the parchment’s content then went back to place. It was a tedious process. I thanked the heavens I asked Raiya to get me something to eat. On one hand, she had her back to me as I ran, back and forth, between the armchair and the foot of the desk. On the other hand, she’d brought me some food to replenish my strength after the spell had emptied me.

The contents of the parchment, although unfinished, disturbed me greatly. I couldn’t show the warlock that I despised and didn’t trust her anymore. Thank the gods I was tired and had a good reason for it. When the warlock finally regained her seat by the desk, she cast a quick glance at the parchment and found it in its drawer, half closed as she had left it.

I ate the biscuits she handed me and drank the entire carafe of peach juice.

“Feeling better?” Raiya asked after a while.

I nodded. “Have I paid back my due?” I asked. I was referring to the payment for saving Agatha’s life.

The warlock smiled and nodded. “Can I bother you with another request?” she asked.

She was definitely trying to keep me busy. The contents of the parchment confirmed my suspicions. “I was willing to ask you for a favor myself,” I said. “Perhaps we could consider your request payment for my favor?”

“What is it you want?” Raiya asked.

“Teach me about magic.” I said.

“We won’t have time for that I’m afraid,” Raiya said, dismissively. “I’ve already contacted the Priest I told you about. He’ll be here tomorrow by nightfall.”

So soon?! I fought not to show my surprise.

“Then just give me the general directives,” I said. “I won’t get in your way.”

“Why the sudden interest?” she asked. Shit, was I too straightforward?

“This last bout with Sisha made me apprehensive,” I said. Thank you cat demon for being in a bad mood today! “I want to at least learn how to defend myself against probes and strong minds trying to invade mine.”

Raiya’s expression changed from that of mild interest to that of intrigue. I was afraid I’d blown it up. The warlock was too careful, unlike Agatha who played a game she wasn’t good at. Raiya’s eyes fixed mine for quite a long time. Perhaps it was a second, I don’t know, but to me it felt like an eternity. An eternity in which her large emerald eyes asked me: what are you getting at Zedd Darkstar?

Gods I hated that name. From all the names she could pick, she picked that one. She finally looked away, down at the piece of parchment that protruded from the half closed drawer. She knew I lied to her about hearing those voices, but she had no way of confirming it.

“I’ll help you open your Conduits,” she finally said.

“Open what?” I asked.

“Conduits, they act like veins for your blood. Instead of blood, magic Essence flows through them. But you won’t fully open them unless you regain your memories.”

“What do they have to do with my mastering of magic?” I asked.

“I can’t tell you that, Zedd,” she bit on her lower lip and quickly glanced at the parchment. “I’ll instruct the Priest to help you regain what you lost.”

“Can I just leave this place without the need of an escort?” I asked. I had to confirm my suspicion. I was a prisoner here. I just had to get her to say it. That would put some pressure on her too. With some luck, she would forget about me, not to arouse my suspicions. It would also give me some more time to plan my escape, I hoped.

“The Church will be upon you in minutes,” Raiya answered. “You can’t hide from them without a proper disguise.”

“And the Priest will offer that?” I rose from my chair. My knees wobbled as I attempted to get closer to the warlock’s desk. I used that spell too many times. I fought not to show my weakness. Raiya would suspect I used magic. The cat demon’s voice wouldn’t have affected me that badly.

“How can you be sure,” I went on, “that the Priest won’t turn me over to his superiors?”

“He won’t,” Raiya said, sounding a bit annoyed by my questioning.

“According to you, my crime is worth a war between the Covenant and the Church. What makes you certain that this Priest won’t use me to his advantage?”

“I can’t tell you that Zedd,” Raiya retorted. “Besides, He won’t know you by your real name.”

“My real name is irrelevant,” I blurted out. “They know the one eyed freak that escaped the Crucible. They know what I look like and my crime. What’s a Listener anyway?”

“I can’t tell you that either,” Raiya said. She became stern and quite scary to tell you the truth. “Do you want my help or not?”

“Help me open my conduits,” I said. “And let me leave without an escort. I’m in a different continent now. I can take care of myself. I’ll help you with that request of yours in exchange.”

“Where would you go?” she challenged.

“I’ll stay away from big cities. I’ll hide in caves until the Holi Wars are over. They won’t be looking for me after that.”

Raiya smiled, or rather smirked. “I can help you with one or the other, which one would you like?”

My heart sank. An ultimatum, either I get some more Essence to, hopefully, help me master my new ability or I leave the tree house. Accepting the former would mean I needed to use magic more than I needed to leave this place. This, I suspected, would expose my secret.

Leaving this place without opening my conduits had its drawbacks too. Sisha could find me in the woods and capture me again. Something told me the warlock didn’t need my services any longer: the parchment I read, although incomplete, was proof of that. The warlock was smart, too smart. I had to get to my objective without arousing her suspicion.

“Forget it,” I said. “I don’t do well with ultimatums. I’ll go with that Priest of yours. You can forget about my help with Agatha as well.”

I turned on my heels and went for the door.

“This is goodbye then,” Raiya said as my hand touched the door handle.

I opened the door and left without a word. I took the stairs to the living room, feeling as though I swallowed a mouthful of ash. My throat felt dry. The living room upstairs seemed to turn around me. I haven’t accomplished anything. This scheming game was too much for me. I had nothing to offer. I was still a prisoner here. My fate was sealed. I was about to be handed to the Church by the very person who saved me from it.

“Or you can find out how Agatha’s contacting the Church and blocking my probes from reaching her room.” Raiya had suddenly appeared in front of me.

‘Good job,’ the lone voice that spoke to me after I received the gift said. ‘She suspects the other woman now.’

“What do I get in return?” I asked.

“I might ask the Priest to stay where he is for a while,” Raiya said.

“And you’ll help me open my conduits?”

Raiya frowned.

‘Too much?’ I thought.

‘Give her time,’ the kind voice answered.

“Fine,” Raiya reluctantly said. “Only if you tell me how Agatha’s tricking me. You have until nightfall.”

The woman with long silver blond hair dissipated. ‘She was using an astral projection,’ the kind voice said. ‘Get to work or you’ll never leave this place a free man.’