They stepped into a part of the cave and a curtain was swept aside gently for them to see the Channeller.
Alaris stopped in his tracks, his eyes filled with a sense of familiarity.
“You,” he said.
The light skinned woman that was lying on the bed looked up at him. Her eyes were deep into their sockets and her skin seemed too light to cover her bones entirely away.
Her sickness must be grave.
That made Belladonna worried about her abilities, but now with Alaris words, that wasn't the only thing she was curious about.
Who was this woman to Alaris? He seemed to know her?
“Mother?” The word was a light whisper, there was doubt etched in there somewhere but there was the person presently in front of him that was putting that doubt at a conflict.
With the help of Leader Tyrek, she sat up on the bed and she blinked. A gentle smile caressed her lips as she focused on Alaris. “I have no children.”
“You look like my mother. An older version of her.”
“You must be speaking of my twin sister. She left this Realm a long time ago. I felt it when she died.”
Alaris looked away, guilt eating away at his heart. It was Belladonna’s turn to thread her hand through his fingers and comfort him, a way of assurance that he wasn't alone.
“She must have really loved you,” the Channeller ended. “Tell me, did she live a good life? Was she happy?”
Alaris' grip tightened around Belladonna’s fingers. He nodded, sullenly.
“Of course she was. Keeping the Heir of the House of Zoter alive, the heir of the Lost Throne. Who wouldn't be happy to help in the fulfillment of the prophecy.”
It was now too difficult to speak.
“I’ll be joining her soon. Finally. What do you need from me? Be quick.”
Belladonna’s heart raced with haste but before she could speak, Alaris did.
“We are searching for the Life Gem?”
The woman smiled. “I am no Bearer. Also the Bearer is dead. I understand that there isn't much you would know because—”
“I know.” He cut her off quickly. She did say she didn't have much time, neither did they. He stepped closer to her, bringing Belladonna along with him. “She is connected to the Life Gem. I was hoping that with the help of the Priest, you could show us the way.”
The Chaneller looked behind Alaris to Belladonna. She entended her hand to her and with a nod from Alaris, Belladonna took her hand.
“You are not one of us,” The Chaneller whispered. “What is your name?”
“Belladonna.”
“A poison.” The Chaneller’s word yanked at Belladonna’s heart. With everything that had happened to her that meaning felt very accurate. She had killed everything that she had touched.
Eli died because of her and her body killed her baby.
That was how poisonous she was.
“Shall we begin?” The Priest asked and the Chaneller nodded.
The Priest took her other hand and the chanting started.
Belladonna's heart raced.
This was giving her terror flashbacks.
There were so many chanting and magic spells that had been done over her recently, she felt overwhelmed by it all happening again, but she reminded herself why she was here. She was here to make things right, bring things back to the way it was.
She was here to bring her Eli back.
There might be no chance for her baby or babies because they were never born to begin with but at least, maybe this would work.
It had to.
At the beginning, Belladonna had planned on begging them to turn back the hand of time to when she had it all, but would they do that?
Was it even possible?
The only one that had ever tampered with time that she knew was Kestra. A powerful soul witch, and they had paid dearly for that.
This gem was the only way. This—
Suddenly her mind faded into absolute darkness. She could feel something tugging at her soul like strings.
She could see her again.
Her long silver hair, her white blinding dress and that dagger in her hand, dripping of blood.
There were different flashes of things she wasn't certain of, things she believed she had never seen in her whole life.
Too fast, too much.
Suddenly, they stopped.
The hands that held her let her go, and she staggered back. Someone held her firmly to himself before she could fall.
That was Alaris, she was sure.
She blinked, looking at the Chaneller for answers then at the Priest.
“You share a strong bond with the object!” The Chaneller sounded stunned, her eyes filled with surprise. She seemed to have more life about her than she did when they had first stepped into this part of the cave, more strength and vibrance. “What does the Bearer want with you to grant you such a connection?”
“Grant me such a connection? What—”
“Where is it? Tell us where to go, we are running out of time.” Alaris said with urgency.
The Chaneller blinked, suppressing her curiosity.
“The Castle, but I am too far from the castle and I couldn't find out exactly where it was.”
“What should we do?” Belladonna was quick to ask.
“If you can get into the castle, then I will be able to show you where to find it.”
“And how would you do that?” Alaris asked pointedly.
“Easy.” She grinned. “I will be in her mind.”
No. Not again. Her head already felt heavy with the thoughts of an unwanted presence in her mind.
“—Just grant me your permission and we can make it happen right now. Let me show you the way.”
It was only then that Belladonna realized something; the Channeller’s hand never left hers.
“Granted.”
The word was heavy but it was all the Channeller needed.