A Hollowstone Deceiver changes his shell only once a year.” “What’s the worst that could happen, Yvlon? And before you answer-what’s the worst that could happen to us? But let’s just settle one thing: you can’t pretend you’re the odd one out every time we get called crazy or tactless. “If I were you, I’d stop after the Order of Solstice incident.” Yvlon’s severe look didn’t deter the half-Elf one bit. How tactful were you when the Silver Killer of Izril was punching her way out of Nerrhavia’s Fallen? They said you left five hundred dead on the first day.” “In-we were separated, so you didn’t see me, Ceria.” Half the time, he just makes fun of you without you knowing. And so Ceria slipped in a comment with a grin. It was just…in the milliseconds of time where he could have said that and gotten an elbow and irate look, Pisces didn’t. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to say it or he was trying to be nice. This was the perfect moment for Pisces to interject a comment about Revi’s tact still exceeding Yvlon’s fist in your gut. Ulrien was in his way, but Revi? Typhenous is tactful.” “ Griffon Hunt? Between them and the Halfseekers or Silver Swords, I suppose that makes the most sense to Erin, but honestly-Halrac? Not tactful, just irritable. She rolled on her way to breakfast, and Yvlon snorted. Maybe you should intern with Griffon Hunt or something. Ksmvr looked at Pisces, Yvlon, and Ceria.Įrin eyed the other three. Haven’t the Horns taught you any tact yet?” “But how would you hear them? Also, that is not an insult, Miss Erin. “Hey! I heard that! You’re supposed to whisper insults, Ksmvr.” Pisces watched as a young woman in a wheelchair slowed to glower mock-angrily at Ksmvr. Ksmvr observed as Yvlon tossed a napkin roll at Ceria. Her recovery rate is substantially less than an Antinium Worker or Soldier.” Doesn’t it feel shorter? Erin’s been back from the dead fifteen days.”
Ceria took a huge bite of yesterday’s soup and talked as she chewed. Pisces’ comment over breakfast was casual, but the rest of the three adventurers sitting at his table reacted. And he told himself he wouldn’t wait for her to ask but tell her all he’d seen. How…pathetic was that? Yet, day by day he waited, and Erin Solstice recovered from her death. But he was also afraid of just saying it. And Pisces Jealnet, as he sat, eyes red for lack of sleep but unwilling to rest, swore to himself again that today would be the day. …Then he looked at the ceiling of The Wandering Inn and felt the comfortable sheets, the safe place where Erin Solstice was alive around him, and the guilt and relief redoubled. And before he tumbled out of his bed, thrashing and shouting, then grateful for the spells, Pisces felt just a moment of relief. Then he woke up with the collar on his neck and the Emir Riqre was staring down at him. He still dreamed, sometimes, that this was all an illusion. So had Yvlon, to an extent, and Ceria had navigated the deadliest nation of above land- and fought an Adult Creler. Ksmvr had fought his way out of an arena and led a rebellion. He was only grateful that the other three had not suffered worse. It was he, after all, who had proposed going to the Village of the Dead for the Helm of Fire and begun this entire debacle. Even so, he would have given that role to no one else. Not because she was any less tough or enduring, but because she did not suffer fools nor travesty.Īnd Ceria? Pisces thought she might have survived it, just like him. Not that any of it had been good, except the death of a few monsters calling themselves men.īut better it was me than the other three. That was Pisces’ conclusion at the end of it. Unlike anything else that had happened to him, though, this was the hardest thing to talk about. The entire past might be better if he had been more honest with his feelings. That was another reasonable conclusion, until you saw a shadow hanging on his shoulder even in the daytime. Perhaps their recent experiences had changed him for the better. A hesitation that was more visible the longer you noticed old habits that didn’t resurface. An absence when he might normally interject witty observations into conversation like one interjected air into veins.
So, yes, given the circumstances, it was entirely forgivable not to see the changes in him. He lied in words, actions, and even to himself. The clues were all there, but you know how he lied. It might be difficult, even for someone who knew him, to spot the difference at first.
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