#blackwaldrogue

Lyda looked up, her honey gold eyes meeting Gin’s sapphire ones.  A frown pulled at the witch’s face for a moment before she set down her tools, facing her cousin.  “Apologies, Ginny.  Bu’ y’know I can’ turn it off.”

Gin just waved her hand before sitting down, her head dropping into her hands.  “I wan’ t’ferget it, Lyda.  ‘M still ‘avin’ nigh’mares.  S-she go’ t’ferget it.  She go’ t’bloody ferget it all an’ ah wus left with th’mem’ry o’ ‘er face threatenin’ m’family…!”  Gin stood suddenly, letting out a growl as she spun around.  “An’ now ‘m bein’ scolded fer no’ seein’ ‘er as she really wus.  ‘Ow th’fuck ‘m ah s’posed t’do tha’ when ah’ll ah could see when ah looked at ‘er wus th’face tha’ threatened th’twins…!?”

Her jaw was clenched, frustrated tears pricking at the corners of her eyes.  She was angry.  Angry that she was expected to just be able to forgive the face that threatened her family simply because she knew Belysa wasn’t really the one doing it.  Angry that she couldn’t do that.  But mostly she was angry that Belysa had had the luxury of simply forgetting everything, that she’d caused herself to lose her memory to start over.

But just because she got to start over, didn’t mean there weren’t still consequences.

“Y’said th’Temple o’ Elune ‘ere ‘as some corrupted roots near it, aye?”

“Mm...prob’ly th’fastest route for you to take would be the road from Bradensbrook to the Temple.”  Lyda’s voice was calm, and it seemed to be calming Gin down some.  If only because the witch had been muttering spells underneath her breath to calm her cousin’s mind.  “You’ve no idea where in the roots her body lies, do you?”

Gin shook her head, letting out a frustrated sigh.  “No...bu’ ah can track ‘er, know ah can.”

“The area is heavy with the scent of corruption…”

“Ah’ll find ‘er, Lyda.”

Lyda’s eyes flashed briefly, the only sign of anger the otherwise calm witch would show.  “Calm yourself, Ginny.  If she is at the base of the World Tree, you will need t’go farther north west...towards the Dream Grove here.”  Another flower.

Gin just stared at the map, already plotting her course to the Tree.

“I wish y’wouldn’ go alone, Ginny.”

“Ah can’ put anyone else in danger, y’know tha’.”

“Could ask th’same o’ you, mate.  Didn’ y’give up tha whole ‘Arvest Witch thing?”

The rogue witch smiled, pulling the guard to the side to speak.  “You’ve a purpose.”

“Aye.”

Various bottles clinked together in the witch’s bag as she sorted through it, looking for something specific.  “I may no longer practice...well, fully, but th’Nightmare is dangerous.  Everythin’ is out of balance, Ginny.  One false move an’ you’ll be stuck.”  She pulled out a vial, looking at the contents before handing it to Gin.  “To clear your mind.  It’s loud and distracted.”

“Why d’you always know…?”

“One o’ m’many gifts...”

Gin just rolled her eyes, but accepted the vial.  “Thank ya, Lyda.”

“Mm.  Be careful, Ginny.”  She paused, reaching to brush a strand of raven hair from Gin’s eyes.  “I’ll keep a look out for Terrick...an’ y’know as well as I that Nait is excellent with children.  They’ll know their parents.”

Gin wasn’t so sure, but she nodded in agreement.  “Gotta map o’ this place, d’ya?”