by Eden Redd
The mage sank into his thoughts. The possibility that Freya did this to him was one of his first thoughts. He remembered how she taunted him as she escaped. She promised she would hurt him and Nia any chance she could, but doubt lingered. It had only been a few months since their fight. Knowing Freya, she would be making a big show of it but he hadn’t heard a peep from her. Trystan thought that she may have been so busy with her studies at the Shadow College that she wouldn’t have time to come after him. If it wasn’t Freya, then who would go through the trouble of putting him to sleep and having some strange tattoo inked into his chest?
“I feel we may have a lot to talk about. No need to rush it. I believe you may have to contact everyone you know and tell them you’re okay.”
Trystan nodded, “Thank you.”
“Your welcome. On your next visit, you will have to tell me about the night you fought off the dead. The video was a bit blurry but everyone back at Sapphire Cove saw it. They put a picture of you above the bar at the Serpent Inn.”
Trystan thought back to his old watering hole. The bartender hated him because he always asked for water and turned it into ale to save money. Now he wondered how they would treat him if he walked into the place.
“Can you walk, Master?”
Trystan nodded. He stood up slowly and the weakness had subsided. Sylk put her arm around his waist and walked alongside him.
Gwen looked to master and familiar and couldn’t repress her grin, “Don’t be a stranger. Stop by any time.”
Trystan and Sylk looked back and returned the smile. The two exited the shop into the morning sun.
***
Fingers tapped at the small wooden table. Trystan clenched his fist whenever a few patrons would look over at the nervous mage. He had been sitting for about ten minutes and the waiting was driving him mad. Looking down at his phone, he watched as it charged slowly on a charging plate. He thought about how Nia sounded when she finally heard his voice. She was elated and nearly in tears the moment he spoke to her. Waiting at their favorite café only made time move slower. Glancing down, he watched as his cell phone read 20%.
Trystan took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Spreading out his senses, he could feel Sylk monitoring him from his arm, her inky body shifting when he turned his head in her direction. Searching, the mage mentally touched Bella. The slime was still peacefully sleeping on his left arm. She had not stirred since they woke up this morning and the mage was growing more and more concerned. Thinking back, he should have had Gwen look at her and make sure she was okay. Now he sat and wondered if he should prod her awake.
“One problem at a time,” Trystan whispered under his breath.
Opening his eyes, Trystan looked down at his charging phone. A whispered curse rose up his throat seeing the charging level was still at 20%.
“Can I get you anything?” said a voice above him.
Trystan’s head swiveled so fast, the waitress took a tiny step back, “Oh…Hi…Two coffees please,” The mage stammered.
The waitress with a small lizard on her shoulder nodded and quickly walked away. The mage put his hands to the side of his head. The morning was already a strange one and he had to keep it together. The soreness in his muscles made him edgy and his heart beat with confused uncertainty.
The front door to the café opened. Trystan’s heart leaped in his chest when he saw red hair. Nia nearly rushed him when their eyes connected. Trystan could not tear his eyes away as Nia moved to him with open arms. Dark circles were under her bloodshot eyes. It looked like she had been crying a long time. Trystan stood up to meet her with arms outstretched.
Arms entwining and bodies touching, Nia let her guard down and her shoulders shook. No words were said as they held each other. The fire mage buried her face into the water mage’s neck. The outside world faded from their embrace for a long moment. It was Trystan who broke their hug and put his hands on Nia’s shoulders.
“I’m okay,” The mage said quietly.
Nia nodded and wiped away a tear. They sat down, fingers taking hold of each other’s hands. The waitress had two coffees but hanged back as the two mages gazed into each other’s eyes.
“I know you’re wondering what happened but we should be careful about what we talk about.”
Nia nodded, “I sort of know what happened.”
Trystan stared.
Nia continued, “After you disappeared, someone called me from an unlisted number. They told me that they will return you in three days. If I spoke about it to anyone then you would never be seen again.”
“Was it a man or a woman? Did they give a reason?”
Nia looked down at their hands holding each other, “They disguised their voice. I couldn’t tell. When I asked why they were doing this, they said nothing and only repeated if I talk about it then they will never give you back,” Nia visibly holding back tears.
Trystan squeezed her hands, “I wish I had more answers…,” Trystan told her about the morning, the spiral tattoo, missing time and seeing Gwen.
“Do you think Freya did this to you?” Nia said with a concerned stare.
“I don’t know. She tends to show off when she’s mean. For her it’s all about displays of power and dominating. If it is her, then she has changed tactics.”
Nia leaned in closer, “What about the book you mentioned? Or the ghost?”
“I don’t know but that is why we need to be discreet. Something is going on and they seem to be focusing on me. I don’t want you or others to get hurt so we need to keep this between us.”
Nia nodded, “It has been torture. Everyone has been asking about you. I had to tell them that you were studying privately on your own. They could tell I was lying. Reeko and Sunara have been checking on me constantly.”
“For now, we will have to keep them in the dark,” Trystan looked into Nia’s sad eyes and grinned, “I’m happy to see your crying eyes.”
Nia let out a small laugh, “Stop it. You’re being a fool.”
“I can’t stop being a fool for you,” The mage smiled.
The waitress brought over two cups of coffee and placed them on the table with a smile. The mages took the warm coffee and sipped. The conversation turned to lighter topics. Trystan continued to hold Nia’s hand, afraid to let go for a second. The fire mage would squeeze his fingers, letting him know with unspoken words that she felt the same.
Trystan smiled but in the back of his mind he worried. Memories from faint nightmares prowled his thoughts. Not knowing what had happened to him only deepened mysteries he wasn’t ready to fully explore. Staring at Nia only pushed him to want to protect her.
Sunlight poured onto the couple through café windows. Trystan basked in it while keeping dark thoughts to the edge of his mind.
Three
Trystan slid a book onto a shelf while holding another open book in his other hand. Eyes scanned the page as his hand dropped and picked up another book. The library was quiet with hardly a soul moving about. The peace was welcomed as the mage worked and read at the same time.
Behind him on a table sat three open books, each turned to different pages. The cart next to Trystan was nearly empty. Glancing down at it, he finished reading a page and placed the open book on the table with the other three. It would only take him a moment to restock the cart and come back. Taking hold, the mage pushed the cart back to the main hall to gather more books left behind on tables and floors.
The silence caused him to reflect as he strolled. It had been a month since waking up in woods with no memory. The days grew shorter and the air carried hints of darkness and frost. The streets carried less people as the warmth of their homes kept them inside. Next week was the Feast of Giving and Trystan had no idea where he was going to celebrate it. Thoughts of Nia floated into his mind and he looked forward to spending the time with her.
When Trystan wasn’t in class or working on projects, he spent his time at work, studying anything he could find on the Libro Nocte. The librar
y had a frustrating wealth of conflicting knowledge on the tome. The mage tried to pick through it in hopes of something making sense but the mystery only deepened. The book was believed to be written before the Mana Cataclysm over ten thousand years ago. Some other sources spoke of the book as a recent blip in history when it came to arcane knowledge. Trystan found it difficult to get pass the egos of some writers and mages as they discussed the subject. Great debates were held if the book even existed. Trystan couldn’t break away from his own memories as he glanced at the book deep under the library. It was real and somewhere in the world.
Trystan stopped at a desk covered in books. The mage began placing small stacks on his cart, his mind a million miles away. Life had returned to a relative normalcy. The fear and uncertainty seemed to bleed away from Trystan and Nia. Trystan could see how they had relaxed and carried on as if nothing had happened. The only reminder between them was every time they were naked they glanced at the spiral tattoo over Trystan’s heart. Nothing would be said but they both knew deep down it carried a shadowy weight in the back of their minds.
Trystan continued to visit Gwen once a week. The ink witch would take long moments of inspecting the spiral before they would turn to discussing normal everyday events. There was no change to the tattoo. Trystan tried to not think about it but looked forward to seeing Gwen each week. Trystan stacked his cart high as he remembered he had to see her after work.
Walking back to his area, thoughts floated to Bella. The slime familiar continued to sleep. Trystan brought it up to Gwen but she informed him that it can happen from time to time with slimes. After all the previous events from the prior month, the ink witch seemed to think that Bella needed some extra rest. Trystan could feel that he could wake her but instead let her sleep. If she wasn’t awake by the Feast then he would have no choice but to wake her, even for a little bit.
Picking up one of the open books, Trystan went back to reading and letting his other hand touch a closed book on his cart. He did this just in case Mistress Jenny happened by and accused him of loafing around. When the mage felt a presence behind him, he quickly pulled a book from his cart and tried to find a home for it.
“Hi Trystan,” said a voice from behind.
Nonchalantly Trystan turned around and looked up from the open book to slicked black hair and pointed green ears. Tilting his head down, he saw the serious pointed green face of Reeko. The goblin looked up with a half-smile but his eyes seemed a little wide.
“Hi Reeko. What can I do for you?” Trystan said as he closed the book in his hand and placed it on the cart.
“I wanted to stop by and talk to you for a moment. We haven’t really run into each other lately and Nia told me you were at work. Is it okay to talk?”
Trystan looked down the hallway and turned his head side to side for any sign of Mistress Jenny. When the coast was clear, he smiled at the goblin, “My boss isn’t around so sure. What’s on your mind?”
Reeko’s face took on an uncomfortable grimace, “I’m not sure how to ask this so I’m just going to say it. I have been looking for roommates. I asked Nia but she said she would move in as a roommate if you moved in as well. I asked another to move in so it would be four of us.”
Trystan was a little shocked. He knew from Nia that Reeko owned a penthouse across from the college, “Roommates? Are you hurting for coin?”
The goblin’s brow turned into a V for a moment before melting back into his forehead, “No. It has been a little odd having the entire place to myself. My family is very communal so this has been a different experience for me. I have several bedrooms so everyone would have their own room.”
“Thank you for offering but I doubt I could afford to stay there.”
Reeko gave an understanding nod, “I already worked it out. You don’t have to pay rent. Everyone would put the same amount of coin in a pot for supplies, shopping and whatever else is needed. The amount of coin per person would be low so you wouldn’t have to worry.”
Trystan scratched at his head. The goblin stood before him clearly uncomfortable. It must have taken a lot to get him to work the nerve to visit the blue mage. Nia had visited the penthouse and sometimes couldn’t stop talking about it. Trystan did like the idea of living a little more comfortably then the small dorm room he called home.
“It sounds good. I’m willing to give it try,” Trystan said with an upbeat tone.
Reeko nodded again and gave a faint smile, “You can move your stuff in this weekend. Do you have plans for the Feast of Giving?”
“Now that you mention it, no.”
“We can celebrate everyone moving in. I’ll have everything prepared. We can sit back and enjoy ourselves by stuffing our faces.”
Trystan found himself grinning. The Feast of Giving was such a lonely holiday for him year after year. The few warm times was when Nia’s family would invite him over. Thinking about those few times made him feel good.
Reeko’s jaw tightened slightly and he looked up to Trystan with a hint of embarrassment, “Trystan…..I never properly thanked you for what happened in the catacombs and the party,” The goblin stuck out his green hand.
Trystan hesitated, “I didn’t really do anything. Professor Hart was the one who saved us.”
“You are too modest. You brought Professor Hart and freed us. You stayed at the party and saved people while everyone else ran away. I have a lot of respect for you and I want us to be better friends.”
“Thank you Reeko. I would be honored to be your friend,” Trystan reached out and shook his hand.
The goblin held the mage’s hand, “And just to clear the air, I admire and respect Nia. I know you two are seeing each other and I just wanted to tell you that Nia is important to me as a friend. She was the first fellow student to approach me and talk to me without fear in her eyes. I have no other intentions toward her.”
It was Trystan’s turn to feel uncomfortable. He had seen the look of attraction on the goblin’s face more than once but now he felt stupid for not giving him more credit, “Thank you Reeko. Nia is very special to all of us. I know you have only the best of intentions.”
Letting go of each other’s hand, mage and goblin stood awkwardly for longer than an average moment.
Reeko spoke first, “I will let you get back to work. The doorman knows who you are. Stop by anytime to see the place before you move in,” And with that, the goblin turned and walked away.
Trystan turned to his cart and picked up a book. Despite the oddness of Reeko’s visit, Trystan enjoyed the thought of staying in a penthouse. Maybe he would do it for a year and see how the other half lives. Smiling, the mage went back to work feeling lighter than he had felt in a while.
***
Trystan sat in the plush leather chair as Gwen leaned over him with her cell phone. The Ink Witch had decided to take pictures of the spiral tattoo with every visit to compare them and see any changes. Trystan thought it was a great idea and happily exposed his chest for the photo shoot.
“It looks like it is getting a hair smaller. I’ll compare it next week when we take another photo,” Gwen said after snapping the picture.
“Thank you, Gwen,” Trystan said cheerfully.
“You are in good spirits. I would like to think it is because of my pleasant company,” The Ink Witch put her phone away.
Trystan sat up, “That could be part of it. I have been feeling a lot better lately.”
Gwen smiled, “Your mana pathways have been brighter.”
“You can see that?”
“It’s amazing what you can see when you open your eyes,” Gwen smirked.
“Thank you again for all your help,” Trystan said as he closed up his shirt.
“You continue to thank me. I’m just keeping an eye on you and making sure you’re okay.”
“Well it’s also because it’s good to see you. Aside from Nia, I don’t know anyone else here from Sapphire Cove.”
The Ink Witch stood up with kindness in her eyes, “I
feel the same. Thank you for helping this city feel like home.”
Trystan looked to Gwen and for a space of a breath, he couldn’t take his eyes off of her.
“How’s Bella?” Gwen asked as she turned away.
“She is still asleep,” Trystan said as the spell was broken.
“It has been a long time. Maybe we should have a look at her?”
Trystan looked down at his arm. He began to miss the blue goo girl lately. With a mental push, mana prodded the sleeping slime. At first, Bella didn’t move. A second push and the slime stirred. Mist slowly slipped out from Trystan’s left sleeve until a torrent came flooding out. Gwen watched the mist as it took a womanly shape and Bella appeared.
The blue slime stood, eyes lost. Trystan reached out and touched her shoulder. The slime turned her transparent head to him, a gentle smile blooming on her lips. Then as if a light was turned on, Bella looked at her master with adoring eyes.
“Master, so good to see you,” Bella said in sleepy tone.
“It’s good to see you. You have been asleep for a long time,” Trystan stood up from the plush reclining chair.
“I must have been more tired than I thought,” The slime said and her eyes turned to Gwen.
The slimes expressions shifted to wonder as she stared at the Ink Witch, “Have we met before?”
Gwen kept a polite smile, “Maybe in a past life. How do you feel?”
Bella moved her arms slowly, “Tired but otherwise I’m well.”
“Your master has told me a lot about you. Do you remember anything before the ruins he found you in?”
Bella looked down, deep in thought, “Only bits and pieces. I have memories of the ruins and some fragments of my former master.”
Gwen stepped closer, eyes drinking the slime in, “Has Trystan been a good master to you?”
“Oh yes. He is a kind and generous master. I do love him so,” Bella said without hesitation.
Trystan eyed the back and forth. He felt like this was a private conversation and had an urge to leave. Gwen looked to the mage as if she was reading his mind and gave him a comforting smile.
