The Obsidian Palace (Through the Fire Book 3)

by Benjamin Medrano

  “I believe I understand. Now, could you call one of the elementals with which you have a contract for us to speak?” Orissa asked. “It would greatly assist in determining whether or not to help you.”

  “Sure. Not the normal way, I’m afraid, but I can call one with atavism… unless you have someplace for me to create a full summoning circle,” Ruethwyn agreed, feeling a little more relieved.

  Orissa turned her head to look at Lord Noril, and he shrugged as he replied. “I believe that seeing you use atavism would be helpful. While we have space for a summoning circle, I think it is unnecessary.”

  The fox looked at the other elders, who nodded in agreement, then she looked back at Ruethwyn and spoke. “It appears settled, then. We would like to see your atavism.”

  “In that case, do you have a particular elemental you’d like to speak to? I recently formed a contract with a more powerful fire elemental, and I most commonly summon those of shadow, water, and nature,” Ruethwyn said, her back straightening slightly now. This was at least a subject she felt reasonably confident about.

  Orissa paused for a moment, then spoke again. “Water. That should be one of the fey you met in the Frostglades, and they have a reputation for speaking the truth, even if it isn’t the whole truth.”

  “As you like,” Ruethwyn agreed, and took a deep breath, steadying herself for a moment as she prepared her magic, then murmured, “Zaria, I ask for your presence.”

  The sensation that washed over Ruethwyn was different this time. There was an odd… resonance as she felt Zaria’s cool thoughts surge into her, and the tremble of power made her blink in confusion. It was easier to call on Zaria than she’d expected, and Ruethwyn looked down to see the symbols that accompanied atavism running down her arms.

  “You’re part ice fey, you silly girl. Of course you can summon me more easily,” Zaria chided Ruethwyn mentally, and the young woman could practically see the smile on her face as she did so. “Like calls to like, after all. Though this situation is a bit unusual. It’s been a very long time since I saw a spirit fox, and I don’t believe I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting a kitsune elder.”

  Ruethwyn smiled slightly and replied quickly. “I was unaware that the change would allow me to call you more easily, but it does make sense when you put it that way. I came to the Lightweavers in the hopes of getting a contract with a spirit fox to aid in infiltrating the Golden Dominion, but they wanted to speak with one of the elementals I had a contract with. You can use my voice, of course.”

  “Interesting,” Zaria said, taking control of Ruethwyn’s body as she relaxed her mental barriers. The fey’s control gave Ruethwyn’s voice an odd timbre, one closer to the voice which she possessed in person. She caused Ruethwyn to stand and gave a graceful curtsey, one which Ruethwyn wished that she could mimic herself. “As I told Ruethwyn, it has been a long time since I’ve seen a spirit fox, and I’ve never met one of your elders. I am called Zaria, and I greet you all in the name of Frostflower Hall.”

  Ruethwyn could see that the kitsune were a bit startled, and Lord Noril spoke a moment later. “I must say that this is a surprise, I didn’t realize you would be controlling Ruethwyn’s body.”

  “She allowed me to do so, otherwise I would have no control over her body at all. I could make suggestions, which she usually cooperates with, but no more,” Zaria replied, glancing down at Ruethwyn’s body and smiling. “Giving me quite this much freedom is rather unusual, but not beyond reason. Most of the time I wouldn’t want it anyway, though… it doesn’t do her much good if someone does everything for her.”

  “Ah. That explains one of the questions I was going to ask,” Orissa said, watching as Zaria sat. It was incredibly strange having someone else control her body, Ruethwyn felt. She’d given elementals some freedom before, but not to this degree.

  A moment later, she felt herself tense, because she could see more figures had faded into being all around them. Dozens or hundreds of spirit foxes filled the forest, watching silently, many of them with their ears perked up. Zaria didn’t pay them any attention, though, focusing her attention on Orissa.

  “What questions did you have for me? Ruethwyn was uncertain, but I’m sure I can clarify at least a few things for you,” Zaria said, calmly folding one leg over the other.

  “I wished to ask you what the limits of your contracts are. Can she call you forth regardless of your will? How much control can Ruethwyn exert over you?” Orissa asked, her voice slightly cautious.

  “If I do not wish to come, I can refuse. I can also break our contract at any time, should I feel that she is attempting to abuse it,” Zaria replied, sitting back in the chair and glancing at the kitsune behind Orissa. “When called, I can choose to return should I desire it, but such is not in my best interest. I wish to see Ruethwyn grow, and she doesn’t attempt to abuse my trust. Without the talent for atavism, what she does would be closer to inviting an elemental to possess her, in all truth. It’s a fascinating thing, that mortals chose to expand upon.”

  “Altered possession… that does explain much,” Lord Noril murmured, nodding slowly. “It fits what we’ve heard about atavism.”

  “Perhaps that is where the inspiration for its creation came from. In essence, we elementals have far greater control over the bargains struck with an atavist than the reverse. It’s simply usually in our best interest to assist the atavist,” Zaria explained, then smiled more. “Unless the atavist isn’t someone we like, at least.”

  “I believe I do understand,” Orissa agreed, slightly lowering her head. After a few moments she asked. “What do you think of Ruethwyn as a whole?”

  That prompted intense amusement in Zaria, Ruethwyn noticed, and she flushed slightly as Zaria grinned and spoke. “Ah, now that would be telling, especially since Ruethwyn is here to overhear. That being said, I think I can tell you that I don’t regret making the pact with her. Hopefully that’s enough to answer the question, hm?”

  “I believe that it is,” Orissa agreed, at least a hint of amusement in the fox’s voice. She turned in place to look at the elders and tilted her head. “I believe that I’m willing to agree to her request, if you are each of the same mind. What are your decisions?”

  One by one, the kitsune rose from their chairs and moved to Lord Noril, their voices soft as they began to discuss things. Ruethwyn couldn’t hear them, which surprised her a little. They weren’t so far away that their voices should be so indistinct.

  “They’re ensuring that you can’t listen in, of course,” Zaria told Ruethwyn, ceding control as she backed off. “You certainly do find yourself meeting interesting people, don’t you? This is quite the powerful group to have gathered in one place, particularly for mortals. Though I sometimes wonder if they count as such.”

  “I’m afraid I don’t know how powerful they are,” Ruethwyn replied, letting her gaze play nervously over the group. “I’m not as sensitive to such things as you are.”

  “More likely that you simply lack the practice to be able to tell. I’m not going to tell you if you haven’t figured it out, though,” Zaria replied firmly. “You need to learn to gauge power on your own.”

  Ruethwyn resisted the urge to shrug, instead pondering for a long moment, then asked, ever so hesitantly. “I… I found Your Lady’s summoning name in my consciousness, Zaria. Not Amalla’s, Hers. Do you have any idea why I possess it? I declined her offer to have her intervene, and chose to be reborn instead, so…”

  “You really shouldn’t have spoken of that,” Zaria said sharply, and Ruethwyn felt panic begin forming for a moment before the fey continued. “It’s safe this time, but speaking of it when you aren’t certain such is allowed is a poor idea, Ruethwyn. As for what happened… I have no idea. If She gave you Her summoning name, that is Her own decision. Do not misuse it, for I cannot imagine a circumstance where your body could contain Her essence without destroying you. You simply aren’t strong enough.”

  “I wasn’t going to. She told me th
at it would mortally injure my soul itself if I called upon her,” Ruethwyn said, shivering internally at the thought. Compared to Imris, nothing she had encountered was truly overwhelming. In a way, she supposed it was good to know. “I guess I’ll just wait. If I ever figure it out, so be it, and otherwise I’ll just pretend it isn’t there.”

  “A reasonable decision. Amalla might be a touch put out if she hears about it, though. She’s looking forward to your contract, especially since you should be able to survive channeling her once you’ve reached sixth circle in ice. That shouldn’t take more than a year, with your current talent,” Zaria said, feeling as if she was studying Ruethwyn, then added, “It’s fascinating that you have a fire bloodline as well. I wouldn’t have thought it’d survive your rebirth. Regardless, it appears your hosts have come to a decision.”

  Ruethwyn’s gaze snapped up to the kitsune ancestors as they began dispersing slightly, allowing her to see all of them again. They were watching her, and after a moment, Lord Noril cleared his throat and spoke. “We believe that allowing a contract between Ruethwyn and one of us is permissible. Orissa, you have the right to choose first, whether it is you or another who wishes to take your place.”

  Ruethwyn smiled in a little surprise, though not too much. She’d thought that the kitsune would likely agree, once they knew enough, but she hadn’t been certain. Zaria seemed amused as well, as she teased, “If you thought they’d agree, why were you so worried? Regardless, I believe that it is time for me to go. You’ve gotten what you needed, and things like this are best done without onlookers like myself. I expect you to call me sometime soon, though. I’m not willing to be left wondering about what you’ve been up to in your quest.”

  “As you wish,” Ruethwyn replied, and the patterns across her skin faded as Zaria left. Meanwhile, Orissa had turned to face Ruethwyn again, studying her closely.

  “I believe that while Ruethwyn is deserving of our aid, she does not have the fortitude or need for the assistance of someone like myself. As such, I believe that one of our younger kin should be given an opportunity,” Orissa finally said, turning her head toward the crowd of spirit foxes surrounding them. “Eretha, you wished to see more of the world, did you not? Would you be willing to accompany Ruethwyn for a time, and allow her to channel you via atavism? This is not a requirement, of course.”

  A slender spirit fox emerged from among the others, this one about the same size as Orissa, but with subtle differences to its fur, and with eyes that were pink rather than blue. The figure looked at Ruethwyn for a long moment, then nodded its head, speaking in a slightly higher, almost fragile voice. “I am, Orissa. Her deeds have shown bravery, and she has gained Korima’s affection. I think I would enjoy accompanying her.”

  “It’s settled, then,” Lord Noril said, smiling warmly at Ruethwyn and her companions. “Ruethwyn, are you willing to accept this?”

  “Of course. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Eretha,” Ruethwyn said, rising and giving a curtsey of her own, though much less polished than Zaria’s had been. “I must say, I’m not certain that I can even use atavism with a spirit fox. It’s going to be something new to me.”

  “And to me as well. That is something wonderful, after a fashion,” Eretha replied. “Still, shall we go? I know that Korima was not pleased to be left behind.”

  “She never is,” Rithara said, speaking for the first time in a while, a smile on her face.

  “That’s the truth,” Ruethwyn agreed, looking up from Eretha’s gaze to see that the foxes had all vanished, and many of the elders had already started walking away. Lord Noril approached and offered his hand, smiling warmly at her as he did. Ruethwyn took his hand and shook it, marveling at the gentle strength he exuded.

  “It’s been an interesting experience meeting you, young lady. I do hope your quest goes well,” Lord Noril said, then looked at Sir Pendas and added, “I believe that she should be welcome in the clan in the future, if that’s what she chooses.”

  “As you say, Lord Noril,” Sir Pendas agreed, bowing his head.

  The elder turned to leave, and as he did, Ruethwyn wondered what that was about. But after a moment, she shrugged, turning to follow Rithara and Sir Pendas out of the Spirit Forest.

  The experience had been interesting, and she needed to figure things out with Eretha.

  Chapter 21

  “This is a very odd sensation,” Eretha said, feeling bemused as Ruethwyn took another sip of cider. “It is nice to be able to taste food again, though. I missed that.”

  “I can only imagine, if you’re not material anymore,” Ruethwyn replied, shrugging slightly as she set down the mug on a nearby table. “As for the sensation, I really don’t have any concept of how it feels for you.”

  She was sitting in a chair as dozens of kitsune came and went through the town square. A couple of bonfires had been started around the square, and Ruethwyn had been a little shocked at just how many people there were around. There were a handful more humans and elves in town than she’d thought there would be, but even so, there probably were a couple thousand kitsune living in or around the town in total. She was just thankful that the locals didn’t seem intent on introducing her to all of them.

  As it stood, the evening was going well. A couple of deer had been brought in by hunters and were being cooked in nearby houses, with food being brought out and piled on tables in the square. Plenty of people had brought additional food, which had led to Ruethwyn piling a little more onto her trencher than she’d expected to. She’d still managed to finish it all, somewhat to her surprise, and only a crust of the trencher was left. Music was playing, and at least a few people were dancing, and she found the sight of how many kitsune used their tails in their dances an oddly fascinating sight.

  Ruethwyn had also spotted Jael among the crowd, though she hadn’t recognized them at first. In fact, the only reason she’d noticed Jael at all was because of how often they shifted their body. One minute, Jael was a tall, muscular redhead, the next, they were a shorter brunette making eyes at Tadrick, and the next, an eerily kitsune-like version of Ruethwyn that flirted with Korima and nearly got punched. It was a little entertaining to watch Jael go, but incredibly easy to lose track of the kitsune if you stopped watching for even a moment.

  “Rue? Who’re you talking to?” Korima asked, resting in a nearby chair. Sella was eating her own food slowly as well, while Tadrick was chatting with an attractive brunette near a bonfire.

  “Ah, Korima… always sticking her nose into things,” Eretha murmured softly, and Ruethwyn didn’t try to hide her smile, figuring Korima wouldn’t know what she was smiling about.

  “Eretha, of course. She was commenting on the taste of the food, since she hadn’t experienced it in a while,” Ruethwyn replied, glancing down at her arms and the faint red patterns across them. It was strange to have an elemental ‘summoned’ when she wasn’t expending mana to do so, but it wasn’t a bad feeling. It helped that it felt like it wasn’t any different from another summoning, and Eretha wasn’t nearly as alien as many elementals were.

  “I thought so, but I wasn’t sure, since we are right here,” Korima said, her tone pointed. “It would be nice for you to be clear about that.”

  “She can talk to me mentally, and while I could just sort of… think at her, I don’t like to do that. It doesn’t feel as natural as talking aloud, and she knows who I’m trying to speak to,” Ruethwyn said mildly, looking at Korima. Then, to Eretha’s amusement, she added, “You don’t need to be so jealous, you know.”

  Sella snickered as Korima protested. “I’m not jealous!”

  “No, you’re just trying to get over being left behind again, and the resulting sulking,” Sella said, grinning broadly. “It isn’t Rue’s fault that you weren’t allowed to go with her, and you know it.”

  “Did not! Besides, why are you so relaxed about it?” Korima demanded. “It would’ve been neat to see!”

  “She’s quite wound up about this, isn’t she?”
Eretha murmured softly. Ruethwyn didn’t respond verbally, simply sending her agreement in return.

  “I’m relaxed because it really isn’t a big deal, Korima. Ruethwyn was meeting with your ancestors to see if they’d be willing to give her some help. They granted their help, and things turned out well. As far as I’m concerned, that’s all that matters,” Sella replied patiently, setting her trencher aside for the moment. “Are you saying that your story matters more than Rue succeeding?”

  “No! I mean… it’s just that I want to know what’s going on, and…” Korima floundered for a moment, looking quite chagrined. Then she abruptly changed the subject, looking at Ruethwyn and asking, “So, can you use the avatar thingus when you’ve summoned Eretha? If so, can you show us? I’d love to see it!”

  “Yes, I’m able to use it, but I’m not going to. Not at the moment, anyway,” Ruethwyn replied, smiling a little more as she glanced at Sella in amusement. “From what Eretha and I have determined, we’re pretty sure that we can change my shape, or at least pull off the illusions I’ll need to conceal my appearance, and that’s quite good enough.”

  “But… I want to see you when you’ve gone all kitsune-like!” Korima said, giving a pleading look. “Please?”

  “No,” Ruethwyn replied, crossing her arms and glowering at Korima.

  “Why not?” Sella asked, leaning forward. “I mean, while I’m not as curious as Korima is, I have to wonder why you’re being so firm.”

  “Because I’m fairly sure I’d become something close to a kitsune,” Ruethwyn said, then gestured toward her behind. “While I might not be too worried about that, I really don’t want to grow a tail abruptly and have it run into my dress. That sounds incredibly uncomfortable.”

  “Oh, well… that would be unpleasant,” Korima said, looking a little put out as she protested. “You could’ve said that was why you were refusing, you know! It sounded like it was for an entirely different reason initially.”