With every turn of the wagon wheels, Meyriv grew more agitated.

Sweat beaded on his forehead.

“What could she possibly stand to gain by luring me in?”

Traumatic memories from his cursing ran through his mind.

He began to tremble, but he forced himself to feign relaxation and observed the landscape they passed by. Desperately, he watched for a narrow canyon or ravine he could disappear into.

He looked over at Sanae; She was asleep.

There!

He sprang to his feet and prepared to jump, but Sanae immediately sprung to her feet and seized his arm, holding him down.

“Release me! This is a trap!” He snarled

“No, it’s not. She just wants to talk to you.” Sanae said calmly

“You are in league with her! How long since you agreed to betray me?!”

“I’m not betraying you! I’m simply helping you not overreact. She promised that she only wants to speak to you, nothing more.”

“And you are naive enough to believe obvious lies! What could she gain by speaking to me? Release me or I’ll have no choice but to retaliate!”

“She also explained that your bark is worse than your bite.”

Meyriv seemed to wilt. His power had still not recovered from regrowing his hand. His threat was empty and she knew it. His knees buckled and he sunk back into the cart.

“Please, Sanae! I saved your life! You have to believe me! Nothing good can come from this! Last time I saw her she watched as everything I had was torn from me!”

Sanae simply looked on with pity and sadness.

“Iwan, has your Patron ever seemed vengeful or petty?”

“She’s always treated us fairly. Never punished anyone for not making offerings.”

Sanae nodded and turned back to Meyriv: “Are you certain of her intent? Or are you merely projecting your own personality?”

Meyriv was silent. His eyes seemed dulled, his face a mask of despair.

I was ‘fair’ too. Fairness only benefits the innocent.

- - -

Meyriv lay motionless in the cart.

He barely noticed as it slowed to a halt.

Stone trees surrounded them, tens of meters high.

“This is as far as I go.” Iwan announced. “Follow this path.”

Sanae hopped out of the cart and tugged on Meyriv’s arm.

Meyriv resigned himself to his fate and stepped onto the rocky path. He followed Sanae listlessly.

Despite his lack of resistance, she kept a firm grip on his arm, as if he might attempt to bolt at any moment. Not that he didn’t consider it.

He recognized this path; He’d walked it almost every day, once. Along the way, the trees became progressively larger.

They got to the cliff. A thin stone stairway led to the top.

Finally, they reached the meadow. Meyriv began to tremble with each step.

The trees now stood hundreds of meters tall. They appeared almost as pillars, holding up the sky itself.

The lights on the branches flickered and pulsed in an aurora of shifting colors.

In the center of the meadow stood a chair of woven branches where Rynisia sat; her piercing emerald eyes glowed softly in the evening light. The air felt heavy and sharp with her presence. Sanae felt a shiver down her spine; Meyriv was trembling uncontrollably.

She spoke as they drew near:

“Thank you for bringing him without conflict.”

Rynisia inclined her head towards Sanae, who nodded nervously. “Yes…uh, your grace”

“Call me Ryn” She said with a smile

Meyriv’s voice trembled as he interrupted:

“Why have you brought me here? Have I not suffered enough? Does thirst for vengeance drive you to exact ever more interest from a debt long since paid?!” He spat.

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“Are you finished?” Rynisia softly replied

Meyriv opened his mouth and closed it again. He could think of nothing more to say.

“I brought you here to forgive you.”

Shock appeared on Meyriv’s face, followed by disbelief.

He clenched his hands until the knuckles were white as he shouted.

“I’m not going to fall for whatever trap this is! I’ve already been reduced to this pathetic shadow of myself! I’m not letting you humiliate me further!”

“So be it.” Rynisia said with an edge.

A tremor echoed down his stolen conduit, like a distant waterfall. Then the flood arrived. Power rushed into him, more than he could contain. It radiated outward, burning him as it escaped, flowing into the ground. The grass glowed and quivered, soaking in the energy. Along with the power surged pity, determination, and other, less familiar emotions; all were woven together by a singular thought:

DO NOT DOUBT MY SINCERITY, THIEF!

Meyriv’s legs lost all strength. He fell forward. Someone caught him before he hit the ground.

His voice caught. “Why? What...what can you possibly gain?”

A kind voice spoke near his ear. He realized Rynisia was holding him, keeping him from falling.“A friend...assuming you’re capable of that.”

Tears streamed from his eyes;

And for the first time since he’d been cursed, they were entirely his own.

---

It was a long while before he felt strong enough to stand again. He awkwardly tried to escape her embrace. She laughed and let him go.

Still dazed, he walked a distance away and lay in the grass.

What spell did she cast? Why did I lower my guard?

He watched the glowing lights above shift and sway.

While it is possible to deceive with such direct communication...I do not believe it was deception.

I have felt something like that before. When was the last time I cried on someone’s shoulder?

He remembered. As a young boy he had cried on Linia’s shoulder when he couldn’t bear to study any longer. His father had eventually dismissed his teacher for being ‘too soft’.

She’s probably dead now, after so many years. His heart sank. He was shocked when he began to cry again.

I let down my guard for a moment, and now I’m this fragile, broken wreck?

Rynisia’s voice chimed from nearby:

“To the contrary, you are less broken now than before.”

His voice was raw; “You can hear my thoughts?”

“Not always. You were thinking quite loudly; my garden has excellent hearing."

Her assertion irritated him, but the feeling quickly faded.

He sighed;“I surrender.”

She laughed, the melodious sound echoing around the meadow.“What are you surrendering? This was never a conflict.”

“Whatever game you are playing, it is beyond my understanding. You win. What do you want from me?”

“Swear fealty to me.”

“Why would I do that?”

“You asked what I wanted.”

“And if I refuse?”

“You may freely leave. I will not force you to serve me.”

He laughed mirthlessly,

“Where would I go, seeing as I cannot abide groups of people. All that is left to me is to hide in the wilderness. Maybe find another cave to rot in. Perhaps if I wait long enough, the spell will break.”

“And if it never does?”

“At least I will avoid further pain.”

“Do not stagnation and solitude become pains of their own?” She said patiently

“Better that than the clawing agony.”

He turned and began to walk away.

“Instead of avoiding groups entirely, you could heal the injuries of those around you. I could return to you the power you stole. In exchange, would you agree to help me with some ongoing tasks?” Rynisia offered

He froze mid-stride.

His eyes narrowed, “What are these tasks?”

“The details vary, but they shouldn’t involve going anywhere too populous. You can refuse after learning the details if any of them seem too risky.”

“That’s quite a step down from an oath of fealty.” He said warily

“I set a high price initially to aid in negotiation. Merchants do it all the time.” She said with a laugh

“I know, but I didn’t expect that sort of thing from...” he mumbled under his breath.

Fine, I accept.” He said.

“Excellent! We have work to do.” She said with a brilliant smile

He felt power begin to course through his no-longer-stolen conduit, gradually increasing.