Episode 3 Sneak Peek #12

This is from a branch on either Aeran's high romance or high friendship route. I am still working through these variations and pushing the content towards a bottleneck.  We'll see if next week if I'll have non-Aeran focused content for once. 😅

“Implicitly because they want to, or implicitly because they’re compelled?”

You pause, your fingers in the midst of knotting the cloth. Your eyes dart from Aeran to Malsara, noting the fury on both their faces.

“Do not presume to understand the inner workings of House Anaxas,” she says coldly. “Rasmira loves Her Grace like a daughter. She is dear to many of us. Our dedication to her remains, blood oath or no blood oath.”

You trade looks with Aeran. “Does Rasmira know, then?” you say quickly, heading off any further arguments. “About Lethalis? About what Zenaida intends to do?”

“They know enough—that is all I can say. We are fortunate to have their support. Should we be spotted moving through the corridors this morning, they will do what they can do squash any rumours before they spread. Not only do we have Solarath to contend with, but we must avoid alerting Lethalis to our movements at all costs.”

Aeran snorts and inspects another arrow. Malsara’s frown deepens and she retreats further down the steps into the foyer, staring at the flash of Alassar steel as if it will bite her.

“These aren’t going to hurt you, you know,” he says irritably, running a thumb across an arrow’s fletching before stuffing it into his quiver.

“Pardon my caution. Alassar may have its uses, but I do not care to be in its presence.”

“Planeswalkers… You’re all the same—”

“Meaning?”

“I’ve never met anyone more uncomfortable around Wayfarers and Alassar than a Planeswalker. Doesn’t matter whether they’re Rhesainian or Faran or even from Erethar—”

“Perhaps it’s because we see the world differently than others, Kellis. When you’re attuned to Nashira’s sphere, you can feel the planes between spaces. It is the plane we walk when we transport ourselves across time and space and it is always present. To cut my connection to it is tantamount to losing my senses. I do not like it.”

Aeran rolls his eyes and places the last arrow into his quiver.

“Now, if you’re finished?” Malsara says testily, turning her dark gaze on you. “We’ve delayed long enough.”