The wind was starting to grow colder, fall had begun in earnest and with it came the early chills that would soon give way to the frigid winter months. Tayla was bundled in her fur lined coat as she looked over the fields they passed in their carriage. They were crossing through to the far fields, which at this point in their crop rotation were barren and lifeless. The sodium poisoning had completely spread through this area, now came the hard labor of excavating the salted earth, trying to purify the excess sodium from it and disposing of what was completely unusable. It would be followed by bringing in fresh untainted soil from Fulcrest, the whole ordeal was quite the undertaking.
Tayla glanced around the carriage, it felt off to not see Alnur and Fel beside her. Like a part of her was missing. She kept finding herself turning to meet Alnur’s eyes so they could share a joke that only they would understand. She had laid out Fel’s armor and hair pieces only to realize that they weren’t here anymore. Instead, she found herself in the company of Abigail, the Huntmaster, and Lillian.
She and Lillian still hadn’t spoken yet, and with each day it felt like more and more of a challenge to try. Every time they made eye contact, one of them would break away awkwardly. Lillian was wearing her plated armor, the high collar and large pauldrons of which made for an imposing wall of steel. The overlapping plated skirt however seemed out of place. Though Lillian seemed to care very little about how others viewed her attire.
Abigail cleared her throat, well, not actually but she made the sound of doing so. “Forgive me, my lady.” She said, her hood turning slightly towards Lillian to indicate she was talking to her. “Are you sure you should be joining us? I have heard you are under the weather” She asked politely.
Lillian bristled. “Not you too Abby, I am getting more than enough lecturing from my father on the subject.” She said with a heavy sigh. “I’m fine, it’s probably just stress. Plus, if I’m really lucky I might get the chance to use my cannon to blow off some steam.” Lillian smirked as she chuckled, till her eyes met Tayla’s and the smile vanished like a specter in the night.
“Ah! Well, if you find that the sickness continues I can brew you up some medication that can fend off the worst of it.” Abigail said, trying to cut through the tension.
Tayla turned away from the conversation to crane her neck out the window, in the distance was Nel’Dorn’s carriage, a hideous explosion of ivory and rose gold, with swirling accents and a bulbous shape. The man had insisted on meeting at exactly noon for this survey, only for him to be ‘fashionably late’.
They were almost to the designated meeting place, on a whim Tayla called for the driver to slow the carriage for a moment as she opened the door. Turning to the others in the carriage she shrugged. “I could use some air, I’ll meet you there.” Before the others could respond Tayla disembarked and called out for the driver to resume. The guards that were on horseback came to a halt, looking to Tayla for instructions. “I need some air, feel free to follow at a distance.” She said, the pair looked at one another and with a shrug followed behind at a respectable distance.
Finally alone Tayla cursed under her breath. “Way to go, why can’t you just swallow your pride and apologize to your best friend, you idiot.” She muttered bitterly.
A familiar green skull floated into view. “Well, I accept your apology, bestie!” Dee said while choking back a fake tear. With a dramatic exhale he flew up close to Tayla’s face. “Wow, I feel sooo much better now that we have that off of our chest. Let’s never fight again Taytay!”
Tayla’s face turned to disgust. “What in the hells are you on about now? I was talking about Lillian, you self centered prick!” She cried out, wincing as she remembered the guards tailing her.
“Taytay! What am I going on about you ask? Well, only the fact that I have been your best friend for some time and you still haven’t played my game with me! I’m starting to think you don’t care about getting to know me at all.”
“Oh saints take me now.” Tayla groaned. “Fine, what were the rules again?” She had hoped that Dee would simply forget about this stupid game, and that maybe if she just ignored the fool for long enough he would go away.
Dee spun in place. “You get to ask yes or no questions and then you have to guess who and what I am.”
Taking a breath Tayla tried to consider the best question, then remembering who it was she was asking, she said fuck it and resorted to her gut. “Are you male?” She asked.
For the first time Dee regarded Tayla with his undivided attention, the burning eye sockets boring into her very soul as they stared through her. “Technically, yes.” His tone was serious and grave.
Tayla clenched her fist. “Technically? I thought you said you would answer honestly? If we’re already throwing technically into this then this doesn’t bode well for this game.”
Dee seemed to shift his gaze. “It’s complicated.” His usual bravado was gone in a flash. “What’s your next question?” As he spoke Tayla felt something change about Dee’s voice, before it was like she was hearing a distorted version of Vauhn’s voice, now it had a range and depth that made it seem more distinct.
Taking a moment, Tayla tried to give her next question more thought. “Are you a child of the Celestials?”
Once more Dee stared at Tayla with an unwavering gaze. “Technically, yes.”
“Fuck! Come on Dee!” Tayla all but shouted, drawing curious glances from her guards as she tried to wave at them that everything was fine. She turned back to Dee and hissed. “Again with the technically shit?”
The skull seemed to sulk slightly. “You just happen to be asking hard to answer questions, I’m not trying to be obtuse!” He pleaded.
Tayla held a hand to her forehead, the startings of a headache were creeping across her scalp. “Not asking the right questions? You are so difficult to understand! Here, let's just get the rest of these stupid questions out of the way! Are you actually dead? Are you really in my head and follow up question is this permanent? Hells, are you even a mortal? Oh no wait, I have one more. Does anyone actually like you?” The words came out of her mouth like a torrent as she felt her headache throb.
Dee simply turned, his voice growing more and more foreign. “Yes, kinda. Yes. Until the link is severed. Not anymore, Technically. And… No.” He sat frozen in the air for a long moment until he shook himself out of his stupor.
As Tayla stopped in her tracks abruptly, she watched the flames of the skull shift and dance. Without warning Dee simply vanished into the air, his voice a distant echo. “I think that’s enough questions for now, I’ll give you a break.” He said, sounding truly saddened for the first time.
Tayla felt ashamed of how she had snapped, even Dee hadn’t deserved that. She tried to apologize, to call out to him, but there was no answer. For the first time since the fight with the Elder Krak’un, Tayla felt alone with her thoughts.
It didn’t take long for Nel’Dorn’s carriage to catch up to her, the demigod had insisted that she ride the rest of the way in his company. Tayla wasn’t in the mood to argue and nodded meekly. If riding with Lillian had been like a punch to the gut, her new riding companions were akin to having a tooth pulled.
Nel’Dorn sat with a relaxed dignity, his glowing aura almost too bright to look at this close up. The Ono Losol sat with her arms crossed, in what looked to be some sort of meditation. Tayla was glad to see at least one friendly face amongst the bunch, Grisha was nervously shifting in her seat while trying to wave whenever they made eye contact.
Grisha cleared her throat and spoke up, “I tried that bakery you mentioned your highness, it was as good as you said.” As the quiet woman talked she constantly glanced over at the literal god she sat across from, obviously weary of drawing his ire.
Tayla beamed. “I’m glad to hear you approved. Let me know if you want any other recommendations, there are so many wonderful shops hidden in the back alleys of the city.”
“Well, if it isn’t too much of a bother. Do you know anywhere I could find some quality pens? The standard issue ones just don’t have the right amount of ink flow, not to mention the grip is bulky.” Grisha froze, blushing as she realized she was discussing stationary in front of an Ono, a god, and queen.
With a chuckle Tayla made to answer when she was beaten to the punch by Nel’Dorn. “On this we agree Mrs. Salt, I find the mass produced pens of the Court to be abysmal.” He reached into a breast pocket and pulled out a hand crafted, engraved pen with a wink.
The three burst into a fit of laughter. Losol opened a single eye, her face spoke to her dismay at the subject of the conversation. Tayla smiled as she addressed Grisha. “Well, I happen to know a coral carver that makes great pens, he uses ink from a critter in the highlands.” She held out a hand with her index finger and thumb touching. “Trust me, you’ll never want to go back to another writing utensil for the rest of your life.”
Grisha was positively bouncing in her seat. “That sounds wonderful. I’ll have to grab one tomorrow!”
Nel’Dorn interjected once more with his usual grin. “Perhaps you could grab me one while you’re at it, Mrs. Salt.” He turned to Tayla. “You have piqued my interest, your highness.”
Before Tayla could respond the carriage came to a halt, they had arrived at the furthest fields. Disembarking, Tayla looked around at the surrounding area. They were only a few hundred feet from the start of the highlands, the fields for their part were lifeless and barren, even the weeds could not find the sustenance to grow in the blighted earth. In the distance stood a collection of small ships, suspended in the air on stilts of wood. Obviously the ships belonged to the families that were charged with the care of this particular field.
There was a plume of smoke coming from the largest of the ships, along with the smell of boiled kelp stew. The door of the ship opened as a lanky man peered across the field and leapt with a shock as he hurried towards Tayla and the others. The man was out of breath as he came to a stop before Tayla. Bowing his head he struggled a greeting between his labored breathing. “My lady, we weren’t expecting you. I’m sorry, we were just grabbing lunch.”
Tayla motioned for the man to stand. “Our honored guest wanted to tour the far fields, don’t let us interrupt your meal, friend.” She saw the blisters on the man's hands, the dirt stained into his skin so deeply that it refused to disappear even after scrubbing. “You deserve a rest.” She said with a smile, the kind she thought Alnur would give.
The man stood sheepishly as he gave another quick bow to Tayla, then another to Nel’Dorn. “Thank you, please let us know if there’s anything you need from us.”
Before the man could leave Nel’Dorn cleared his throat. “If it isn’t too much of a bother, could we borrow one of your homes for some privacy?” He asked. “Your Queen and I have some matters to discuss and I would like the chance to rest my feet.”
Tayla raised an eyebrow but before she could ask more about the matter the field hand pointed to one of the ships in the distance. “That one with the red and blue flag is my home, if you don’t mind the clutter you are welcome to use it.” He said with a warm smile. “If you haven’t had lunch I could bring you both some stew, if you’re hungry.”
Nel’Dorn nodded. “That would be wonderful sir, thank you for your hospitality.” With a confident stride the demigod started marching towards the ship, he didn’t ask Tayla to join him, but then again he didn’t have to. She wasn’t in a position to refuse the summons of such a holy being.
As they walked in silence Tayla let her mind wander, what could Nel’Dorn be planning, taking her out into the furthest outreaches of the Coast and borrowing a stranger's house to discuss something. The whole thing didn’t sit well with her. Maybe he had brought Tayla out here to kill her, the thought sent a chill down her spine but she quickly shook her head to banish the idea. There were simpler ways to have her killed if one of the Minstella wanted such a thing. But perhaps they had found something incriminating, there were many secrets in the Coast that they kept from the Empire. Though if that were the case, Nel’Dorn didn’t seem the kind to talk it out in secret, he struck Tayla as the kind of man that would proclaim any crimes the Coast had committed from the mountain tops, before raining his divine wraith down upon them indiscriminately.
Arriving at the ship Nel’Dorn held the door open for Tayla as the two entered the cramped house. Tayla’s hair brushed the planks of the roof as she moved into the main room, finding a chair to sit on in front of a wooden table. Nel’Dorn had to stoop to move through the tiny space, though he didn’t seem to mind in the slightest. As the two sat in awkward silence Tayla looked around the boat. It was packed full of knick knacks and trinkets, wooden carvings lined the walls, a padded hammock was located against the wall in lieu of a bed. It was cramped, but it also felt warm and well loved.
A knock came at the door as the lanky man opened the door and passed two bowls of stew to Nel’Dorn and Tayla, afterwards the man excused himself and Tayla once again found herself alone with the demigod.
Nel’Dorn took a bite of the stew and blinked in surprise. “It could use some spice, maybe a bit less salt, but otherwise this is pretty good.” He said as he took another mouthful.
Tayla began to eat, the familiar taste of the stew bringing back memories of her grandmother Rosel making the same stew when Tayla was little. “Everything around here tastes a bit salty unfortunately.” She said as she lowered her spoon. “So, why did you bring me out here?”
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The demigod that sat across from her sighed, and with his exhale, the shining aura that surrounded him faded for a moment. “I was hoping we could talk without anyone eavesdropping. Are you speaking with your brother?” He asked, looking up at Tayla with tired eyes.
“Not at the moment. We are having a slight disagreement.”
Nel’Dorn furrowed his eyebrows. “That’s a surprise. I was under the impression that Twin’s almost never stopped their connection with each other.”
It was Tayla’s turn to sigh as she looked to the side. “We’ve always tried to not overly rely on our connection. My brother and I didn’t want Fel feeling left out.”
The giant across the table smiled. “I wish my own siblings were so thoughtful.” He paused for a moment before growing serious. “Tayla, I want to be frank with you. I brought you here to try and have you see reason, to help me correct the current path the Empire is hurtling towards.”
Tayla lowered the bowl in her hands as she looked confused. “What are you talking about?”
Rapping his fingers across his bowl Nel’Dorn looked out the window wistfully. “The Empire is teetering on a knife's edge right now. You’ve seen the signs of what is to come. The marvels of the old world are finally breaking down, soon we will have starvation and war on a scale that we haven’t seen before. I heard of your research into that area and the figures are haunting. When we first made landfall on this world we could at least rely on the technology of the ancients to help us persevere in those trying times. The war with the Cabal will seem like a minor footnote compared to the splintering of the Empire.” The demigod sitting across from Tayla seemed small and human for the first time as he spoke.
“What of the Celestials? Can’t the Court ask them for guidance? Do they even care about the dire course the Empire is on?”
Raising a hand to his brow Nel’Dorn groaned. “The Celestials left the running of the Empire in our hands. We Minstella are their offspring, when the Empire faces a crisis, or a new need is required of great importance, we are brought into existence with the sole goal of tackling whatever has arisen.” He had avoided a crucial part of the question, looking to the side uneasily.
Tayla steeled her voice. “Nel’Dorn, what has happened to the Celestials?”
Nel’Dorn’s eye began to twitch as he stood up and shouted. “They have told us that they have more important concerns to oversee!” He said with a hint of frustration. “The Gods have lived for thousands of years, and countless more before the saints gave them form. There have been instances where the Gods have gone decades without giving any direct commands. So far it has been seven years since we last heard from them.”
“Seven years?!”
“They are hard at work.” Nel’Dorn’s tone changed as he shifted the direction of the conversation. “Do you know how many new things have been invented since we made landfall on this planet? Specifically, non-magical creations.” He asked.
Tayla gave a puzzled look as she waved a hand. “Are we including Phorebearer technology that was repurposed?”
Nel’Dorn shook his head. “No. You bring a fair point to my question, but I was more speaking about new inventions of mankind's making. The Phorebearer’s technology made our ancestors' creations look like things from the stone age. The point I was making is that the number of new inventions mankind has created in the thousand years we’ve been on this world can be counted on two hands. And even less if you count what was made by the Celestials themselves. That is what I was getting at, that the majority of the advancements we have made were by the hands of the Gods themselves. They toil away in the hopes that one day this world can be as wondrous as our old one, but that takes time and dedication.” There was a passion in his eyes, a fire that seemed to burn inside him at the thought of his makers hard at work for the sake of the people.
Leaning back Tayla rested a hand over her eyes. “So what does all of that have to do with eating kelp stew in a tiny ship-shaped hutt in some barren field?” She asked facetiously.
“This business with the Nightfather has the whole continent in a panic, every day we receive messages from the Cabal or the free nations asking if they should prepare for the return of the Old Gods. The fact that the Nightfather appeared is alarming, but worst yet, is the idea that he did so while breaking the accords that bind the Old Ones. If for some reason their power has waned, if the archenemies are freed from the chains that hold them at bay, we are all doomed.”
“I have heard whispers of the Old Gods, and the ‘accords’ and all that nonsense. But what does it actually mean? Why is the Nightfather appearing such a big deal? The Coast is loyal to the Empire, we aren’t in open revolt, we didn’t swear ourselves as agents of chaos!” She said, her frustration boiling over. Her whole life she had been only told half truths and white lies about the true nature of the world and the horrors that lived in its corners. She finally saw the opportunity to know more and she wouldn’t let it slip past now.
With a grimace Nel’dorn met Tayla’s gaze. “We don’t have the time to go over everything. But I can give you a quick version of events. When the Celestials first arrived on this world it wasn’t as barren as they expected.”
“You mean the Faefolk and the Wyrmkin? Or the Vex?”
“They weren’t the only ones. While the Vex are an odd bunch, humans that seem so far removed from us that they might as well be a different race altogether. No, there was something else. What do you know about the history of the Void?” He asked abruptly. Seemingly glossing over the fact that what he had just asked was bordering on heresy. The look on Tayla’s face must have reminded him that she couldn’t have known much, despite that being contrary to the fact actually. Better he not know of her history lesson with Dee.
Continuing on he cocked his head slightly. “The main thing you should know is that the void is overseen by three beings, eternally locked in a power struggle. That was until the Celestial’s arrived and found that one of them had already made this world its home, having crossed partially into the material plane somehow. It burrowed deep into the fabric of the world and happily devoured the thoughts and minds of those unfortunate to not have the benediction of the Celestials. In the early days the Celestials pushed back at the hungry reach of the Old One, it wasn’t malicious by nature, but its appetite was endless. After a time people even began to worship the Old One, paying tribute to it, and in return it granted anyone who was willing a piece of its power. The cost was great and always led to the poor soul going mad and dying a gruesome death.
“You see, the Old One had one crucial flaw, it couldn’t understand the minds of mortals. It knew basic core instincts, but when it came to emotions, and higher constructs of thinking; honor, nobility, dignity. It was at a loss. The Celestials used this to their advantage, they bargained with the Old One, thus forming the first accord. Not a written document, but a living breathing oath in the Voidtongue, it was unbreakable and powerful enough to keep the Old One completely at bay.”
Tayla interjected, her eyes wide at the story she was hearing. “How did that even work?”
Nel’Dorn permitted himself a smirk. “As you already know, the language of the Void is a powerful and lucid thing. The same phrase can have layered meanings that are almost impossible to fully comprehend. The Old One could only perceive the most basic and simple understanding of the accord, while the Celestials used their humanity to weave deeper and deeper meaning into the same words they spoke. The Old One was out maneuvered and left powerless. For a time. That was until it found a loophole.” His face grew dark as he seethed with anger.
With a gasp Tayla spoke quietly. “That was the birth of the Old Gods.”
“Exactly. The accord had held the beast at bay for centuries, and the world knew peace; that was until it did the unthinkable, splitting itself into five pieces. Each piece was its own entity and embodied a core belief that humanity shared. Inevitability, possibility, probability, unity, and chaos. In time these new beings took human hosts of their own and used their new higher understanding of reality to find more and more blindspots in the accord. This led to a war with their agents, and the birth of the Faceless. That was when I was born, my purpose was to face the threat of the Faceless and bring them to justice.”
“What stopped the war?” Tayla asked, she felt enthralled by the tale, the taboo nature of the history only made it seem all the more tantalizing.
“We reached another accord.” Nel’Dorn said bitterly.
“What?! That’s it?”
Nel’Dorn shrugged. “Both sides saw that continuing the conflict would only lead to mutual destruction in the end. The focus of the second accord was ‘balance’. The Old Gods were bound by this new ideal, to this day they seek to ensure that nothing tips the scales of the world too far in any direction. The Celestials swore not to raise a weapon directly against the Old Gods, lest they be struck down in self defense. This protection famously didn’t apply to the Faceless, who were left without direction and guidance by their maker, a forgotten weapon of the war left to fade into the annals of history.”
“So that left you and the inquisition to track down the remains of the forces of chaos and bring them to justice. Seems a bit sad to me honestly.” Tayla winced as the words left her mouth, she had picked the absolute worst person to show any sympathy towards the archenemy.
To her surprise Nel’Dorn nodded solemnly. “Aye. They are poor souls indeed. Created for war and discarded soon after. Their maker left them with a primal need for fresh genetic material, they literally have to consume the DNA of other beings to survive. Though from time to time I met some that turned themselves in, hells some even swore on the Celestials that they would serve the Empire.”
Tayla raised an eyebrow. “What happened to them?” She asked cautiously.
Nel’Dorn shook his head slowly. “The decree of the Gods are clear. The Faceless pose too great of a threat to be left unchecked. They have the ability to assume anyone's identity, some can even absorb the memories of those they consume, perfectly blending into their new lives until such time as they can strike and cause the most pandemonium. It was theorized that if left to their own ways, the Faceless would infiltrate every body of government within a decade. If that was allowed to happen the Empire would never recover.”
“Nel’Dorn, you have told me more information then I could have ever dreamed about. To what end? You fear the Nightfather is breaking the accord, but for all you know he is only carrying out the need to bring balance.”
Reaching into his pocket Nel’Dorn pulled out an idol that caused Tayla’s head to burst with pressure with just a glance. She quickly clenched her eyes and turned. Nel’Dorn seemed unphased as he placed the idol on the table. “The Empire needs time. Time to track down your sibling, time to understand what the Nightfather has planned, most importantly we need time to do this without the Empire collapsing in on itself from the panic and fear that is starting to take root. This inquisition could take months, say what you will about you Twin’s, you are good at covering your tracks. My gut tells me that you hold little love for any god that isn’t the All Mother, that’s fine Tayla, I’m asking you to help me because of that love. The Court needs someone to blame, a bogeyman to parade through the streets and to show that the Gods are still watching from on high.” He said as he idly fidgeted with the profane idol.
It dawned on Tayla finally. “You absolute monster…” She shook in her seat as the full scope of the situation came into view. “You want a scapegoat.” She pointed at the idol, which she now saw as some effigy to the primordial chaos. “Is that your evidence of corruption? Huh?” Her voice was indignant, shaking with anger. “What was your story you were going to try and pass off eh?”
“A pack of chaos worshiping cultists living on the fringes of the Coast used the injury of their king to sabotage the yearly ritual of the Twin’s. Having tracked them down with the help of the Queen of the Coast, the heretics were brought to swift justice, their corpses will be displayed in the capital as a symbol of the Gods mercy.” He said, his voice monotone. It was a practiced speech, and as much as Tayla hated it, it was an effective one. Turning the blame to extremists and radicals, allowing the Coast to appear as a beacon of the Court in their cooperation and extradition of the perpetrators. The inquisition would vanish, the eyes of the Court would turn its gaze back to more pressing matters, life could return to normal. All it would cost was a half dozen innocent lives.
The fact that Tayla was even considering it at all was enough to cause her to want to vomit from the shame. She allowed the Tranquility to wash over her as she tried to get her emotions back under control. The more she thought of the deal the more she saw the horrible necessity of it. She glanced down at her wrist, the eldritch runes dancing their merry jaunt to unheard music. ‘Grant mercy to those most in need of it.’ Was this the moment Dee had sworn her to? She couldn’t exactly ask him, considering the intruder had been silent since earlier. The thought came to her to contact Alnur and advise him on the situation, but in doing so she would condemn him to the guilt of having to play a part in this horrible scenario. That left her alone to make the decision, and once more she hated that she was even giving it such a serious consideration.
Looking down she saw the half eaten kelp stew. The man she didn’t even know the name of had welcomed her into his home, fed her, respected her, only for her to be considering whether she was going to cosign him to death for false charges. The sick churning ravaging her stomach grew more and more intense. The Tranquility spread out, a calming numbness creeping out from her chest. With a calm voice she whispered just loud enough to be heard. “Give me a few days to consider this proposal.”
Nel’Dorn’s face shifted between emotions as he eventually settled on a look of bleak determination. “I understand. For what it's worth, this wasn’t my ide-'' He shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. I will wait three days, if I don’t hear from you by then I will take your silence as an approval.” He stood up and moved the table aside, reaching down he drew a small circle with charcoal from his pocket. With precise strokes he drew a series of numbers and runes. Laying his hand gently on the circle the blackened marks came to life with power, the floorboards warped and weaved out of the way as he placed the proface idol inside the dark recesses of the ship's underbelly. As his hand was pulled free the mark shifted hues as the wood warped once more back into place. With a hand he wiped the remains of the mark away before sliding the table to its rightful place.
Despite her sour mood and the calming of the Tranquility, Tayla still found herself surprised at the sight of magic. “What was that?” She asked without thinking.
“Truth be told, I am rubbish at casting the divine arts, which for a demigod probably sounds odd. But in its place, I have found that I have a knack as a Sigilsmith. Now, we should be going, we still have to inspect the fields.” He said, trying to sound a bit more upbeat.
Tayla followed along, her mind still in the throes of weighing the value of innocent lives. As she stood at the threshold of the door she looked back at the floorboards under the table with a heavy heart. Somewhere deep down she had already made the decision to sacrifice these people, at this point she was just trying to rationalize it. “All Mother forgive me.” She muttered to herself as she closed the door. Sealing the fate of the owner of the house.
◆◆◆
The wagon rocked gently as Grisha looked out the window nervously. The inspection had gone well, but for the life of her she couldn’t tell why she had been called on personally to attend the inspection. She glanced over at the demigod she sat across from, his face as unmoving as a statue. Suddenly Nel’Dorn spoke up without warning. His voice carried an immense weight behind it as he continued staring down. “I have a mission for you Ms Salt.”
Grisha looked around frantically. “How may I be of service, my lord?” She stuttered.
“The queen seems to trust you. To that end, I want you to get close to her so you can keep an eye on her.” As he finished speaking he looked up and locked eyes with Grisha.
“But sir, I can’t-”
“Mrs Salt, I noticed that you’ve used up the rest of your data cap. I can’t imagine how hard it must be for you to not be able to see your darling wife and daughter. This is such an important period in Izzy’s life.” The hard look in his eyes told Grisha everything she needed to know. This was an order, and if she didn’t follow it she could kiss ever seeing her family's faces again goodbye.
Swallowing loudly Grisha nodded her head slowly. “Of course sir. I live to serve.” She said, her voice hollow and empty. Trying desperately to be as small as possible.
Nel’Dorn smiled broadly. “Excellent. I’ll inform the queen that moving forward you shall be acting as our direct liaison. You can leave the data sifting to the others on the team, we want the queen and her needs to be your utmost focus.”
Grisha could barely make out Nel’Dorn’s voice over the roar of her heartbeat in her ears. On the brightside, she could now put ‘spy’ on her resume. So that was something.
