“I did what I had to do!” She fired and he raised his hand, his claws sharp and the light from the gem glowing on them. “Ka'el of the Second House!”
He stopped.
“It wasn't a betrayal! I am using him to get us medicine and help with our survival.”
Alaris scoffed, keeping his gaze on Ny’ka so as not to miss anything.
“A son of the Second House is helping the revolution against the White King they wholeheartedly serve. Your lie infuriates me. Try again!”
“No! I’m telling the truth. Please talk to him—” She tried to speak to Belladonna, but Alaris blocked her gaze.
Belladonna frowned.
Speak to him? Say what?
“Speak the truth and maybe I’ll spare you.”
“It is the truth! He is a bastard of the House and they are not kind to him. He is easy to fool.”
“What was he promised?” After all, even a fool has to be fooled with something.
“The crown when we win… and me as his wife. I intend to give him none but his help is great, so I endure.”
Belladonna and Alaris watched her, not convinced but Alaris was the one to act upon it. He pressed his hand over her chest where her heart was beating beneath, his skin glowing red hot and he burnt off the leather.
“Kill me and there will be no Chaneller left!”
Alaris paused, pulling away, his hand still hovering, heat and pain cascading down her skin.
“I am the only one left! If you kill me, you will be trapped in this cave forever, unable to cross.”
“We will find a way.”
“Eventually, but it will be too late.”
“We have Uza.”
“He is only a Priest, there are limits to what he can do.”
With anger brimming in his eyes, Alaris folded his hands. “How good of a Chaneller are you?”
“Better than nothing.” When she saw his rage increase, she quickly added, “Better Than a Priest, and I swear by Ina that all I have told you is the truth!”
It was hard for Belladonna to keep quiet while they argued, but she did it anyway. She knew that if she were to speak, her desperation to keep Ny’ka alive would spill out from her words and she would have the upper hand. If the Chaneller was indeed dead, they needed one that would path their way to the land of the Dead, and bring Eli back.
If Ny'ka was the only Chaneller they had, she couldn't then just watch while he killed the only hope she had. This was the only reason she had come to this realm to begin with.
But she kept her mouth shut because as much as she needed Ny'ka, it was necessary to find out where she stood.
“I only took the gem there to find out what it is. He is trying to help me find out what it is. I swear we have done nothing to it.”
He smirked. “Desperation does not smell good on you, Ny’ka.”
She frowned, anger swindling in her eyes as she struggled to free herself from him.
“I’m not desperate, I’m only telling the truth!”
He pushed right back against the cave wall, holding her still with an unimpressed scoff.
“Well, I am not convinced. You still smell of a traitor!” His gritted, his angry face only a small distance from hers. Then he pulled away slightly. “Lead the way to the caves, you shall train another in Channelling, while you do, you will have the chance to convince me of your loyalty and importance. If I am not convinced when you are done, you are sure to meet your end.” He grabbed the bag from her. “My eyes are ever on you, my claws will never be far from your heart. Never forget that.”
Her face knitted into a frown and he pushed her to the front. “Go!”
She obeyed, rage burning in her but she was too helpless to act upon it.
She hated him, just like he hated her.
He should have died at the White King’s hands, he and his useless female.
Now they have both come here to ruin her plans.
She hated them!
They got to the others soon.
At first, silence reigned.
Then a roar like they had won the war.
The people were filled with joy and so much happiness.
They chanted that the Heir had returned, lifted him on their shoulders, and praised him like he was a god.
Ny’ka watched with rage.
She had been here fighting for them all her life and never had they given her such treatment.
Their hope had returned and hers had died.
____
____
“I don't like him,” Alaris said again. “I didn't even know we could heal with flames. I didn't know it was something we were capable of doing.”
After the people had celebrated the Heir’s return, Alaris and Belladonna had gone back into the Cave assigned for them. It was the same way they had left it even though they had been gone for a Moon. Time in Gaya’s Garden was different from the time in this Realm. It was slower and that had its consequences.
The people had been faced with an attack in one of their hideouts while Alaris was gone. Now they were preparing just in case another would be brought upon them.
They had to be ready.
They had learnt that Leader Tyrek had gone to the other hideouts to bring the survivors to the caves.
While they waited for the Priest to return from his collection of herbs, Alaris paced back and forth in their section of the cave, speaking of how he hated Lord Jyris for delaying them.
They had taken their baths and were now clean.
Belladonna didn't want to think about him at all; she couldn't think about anything but the fact that soon, she would be seeing Eli again.
They had a Chaneller to bridge a channel from the Spirit Realm to this one, a wizard to help, the Life Gem to breathe life into it, and the Death Gem to seal off his death.
Everything was perfect.
She would see Eli today!
Priest Uza was probably the happiest to see them back. He bowed and praised his “Savior”, chanting that the “Heir had returned”.
Ny'ka was brought into the cave moments later. Alaris had told no one yet about what she had done but with the guards assigned to her, rumours had been spreading.
Many didn't think towards the line of betrayal though. They all knew that the leader’s daughter didn't take a liking to the Heir and that had to be the reason he had appointed guards to her, so she wouldn't kill him in his sleep.
It was a wild guess, one they didn't even fully believe but at least, it was something.
Now with four of them seated on the floor with the two gems placed in the middle, it was time to bring back a being from the Spirit Realm.
“Shall we begin?” The Priest asked.