She awoke to find herself in the low artificial light of the room with the board in front of her. The same ornate pillars surrounded her spiralling off into the darkness beyond sight. Before her was the numinia board she had played at so many times before. Familiarity tickled at her mind taunting her as it groped for understanding. The chair opposite was empty, which was unusual. Hadn’t the hooded dark and slightly built man been there every time she found herself here? She felt she wanted to stand and walk about the room, but she could not bring herself to do so. It wasn’t that she couldn’t move, but rather that some itching memory or thought within her kept her from doing so. It was infuriating that her mind jibbed at her so.

‘I am here again in this place… but for the life of me I can’t remember what this place is…’ she said to herself looking about. The room was the same as always with the pieces about the board as they always were. She regarded them closely searching for understanding. She thought hard, pushing at the taught fabric barrier of that memory. After a moment it gave way to understanding as the thought meandered in.

‘We were playing this game… with the numinia board. It was… it was my move next, wasn’t it?’ she said to the pieces on the board willing them to confirm her thoughts. They didn’t. They stood reticent awaiting a hand to choose their fate for them. The pieces all seemed familiar to her in some way. Do I… do I know you? She thought regarding them. It seemed an odd choice of words and yet something within her said it was correct. She reached forward and picked up the figure of a lioness. It shone with the familiar sheen of polished iron. Yes… I do know you.

‘I must not lose you,’ she said. A tear ran down her cheek as she spoke aloud. It startled her. Why was she crying for a figurine? What did all this mean to her? Her? Me? I… What? What am I called? The questions were the most mocking of all. She realised she could not recall her own name. It angered her and she searched the room frantically with her eyes.

‘Now, now, my love be still,’ came the voice of the man that played the game in opposition to herself. ‘It is alright. You all but need to place the piece on the board and all will be well. You understand? Yes?’ The man’s voice slithered from the shadows of the pillars as he walked forward. His black robes skirting on the tiled floor. As he reached his chair and began to sit the woman glared at him and placed the piece on the board with a heavy hand never taking her eyes from him.

‘Ahh… You always were quick to anger,’ he said and sat. It seemed not to bother him at all that she looked at him as though she would kill him. ‘Remember my love. Those that are quick to anger have lost sooner still,’ he spoke as if she were a child needing a lesson. My love, she thought in disgust. I remember nothing though I am certain I never loved one such as you.

‘Who are you?’ she demanded emphasising each word.

‘You have asked me this every time we have sat at this board. Ey’Vennara, is your name… although you’ve taken to calling yourself Innais in this age I believe,’ he said.

‘Innais… Yes… My name is Innais,’ she said taken aback by his willingness. He looked at her waiting for it to sink in.

‘It is strange that you should choose that name after what you did. But then you were the sentimental type,’ he spoke those last words with an expression that was intended to rial her. It did, but she refused to show it any more than she had thus far.

‘You’ve not told me your name,’ she said changing the subject.

‘Arawn’vyr is the name I chose…,’ he said, reading her face for a reaction. The name escaped her but there was something there, a memory deeply buried that called out to her.

‘I see that your little lioness is making quite a stir on the board of late. Did you really think I would not know it was her?’ he said looking at the pieces before him. ‘But do not fret. I have no interest in her. She would not release my bonds even if I were to have you hung from the very walls of Dayargain. You have raised her well,’ Arawn’Vyr said complimenting her. Stranger still the compliment sounded genuine, warm even. Innais let free the breath she had been holding all this time. She needed to still herself, this was a dangerous man and seemed willing to speak. Perhaps she could get some information from him.

‘Then what do you want?’ she said with directness and steel in her voice.

‘Want? I want to be free my love… free from this prison you made me, free from the confines of life and death, free from the very gods that spat on the path I would walk before I was even born. Freedom Ey’Vennara! Freedom!’ he clenched the sides of the Numinia Board as he spoke. Realising himself he regained his composure and sat back in his chair.

‘I almost have all I need now. That twisted wretch of a blightling has gotten for me the Dragon and the Earth Mother. And this…’ he said pointing to a piece on the Numinia Board. It was a bone carved figurine. At first it appeared to be a wolf standing on its hind quarters. As Innais looked closer she saw that it was a figure wrapped in wolf pelts with the great head of a wolf shrouding the face.

‘I will take back the figure of my lover from him and then she will free me,’ he said smugly. ‘I have won Ey’Vennara. I have won,’ he said contemptuously staring down at her.

‘My name is Innais,’ she said returning the same look he had given her. She looked to the figurine of bone. There was no raven there, only the bone carving of the figure covered in wolf pelts. She was sure she knew what he meant; she had seen him place the obsidian figuring of the woman holding a raven before.

‘There is no raven figurine there,’ she said in a matter-of-fact tone. Arawn’Vyr turned his attention to the board in front of him and turned back to Innais. His features contorted in malice as if it were her that had cheated him and taken it. In fact the piece he searched for appeared on Innais’s side of the board by lioness she had placed earlier. His nose wrinkled and something akin to sneer of hate belied the beauty of his features.

‘Looks like you haven’t won yet,’ she said. ‘And it’s your move.’

Ra’Handa sat slumped against the hard white stone walls of her cell in the Paragon’s Spire in the centre of the city of Dayargain. The cell was large enough for both herself and Blink with a cot each to sleep on. Although the walls of the cell were made from the same white stone as the rest of the city they were darkened by the filth and grime of the previous inhabitants. Blink was asleep on his cot whilst Ra’Handa kept watch. Once they had been brought into the main barracks of the central tower, they were taken several at a time to their respective cells. It had only been an hour or so before Blink finally began to stir. Blink sat up on the cot and looked at his surroundings and Ra’Handa.

‘Where are we Ra? Why are we locked up? What happened to the others?’ he rattled off questions one after the other. He stood and paced the small interior of the cell and tried to peer through the barred window at the wooden door.

‘We’re in a cell in the tower at Dayargain mate,’ she said tossing a broken bone she’d found on the floor. ‘I didn’t think I knocked yer head that hard,’ she said trying to sound playful. Blink scowled at her.

‘It’s not a joke Ra. You know what’ll happen if they take us back to Bonny.’ That she did. She had seen all too often slaves that attempted to escape were always found and brought in to be made an example of. No matter what they always seemed to find them eventually. It was possible to use magic to find them, though how was beyond Ra’Handa’s understanding. She was not a slave, but then The Magpies wouldn’t interfere with Horrog. He was far too powerful for them to cross. She would likely end up hanging from a rope if not made a slave herself.

‘I know it ain’t a joke. I’m not gunna let anything happen to us alright,’ she assured Blink. He looked unconvinced and sat on the cot facing her.

‘You shouldn’t have hit me Ra. I could have helped us get away,’ he said uncertain but with some resolve. Ra’Handa couldn’t help but notice how much sterner he had gotten since leaving Bonny. He didn’t seem like that Blink she grew up with. He’d always had a fire in him, but it was kept so small it was rarely seen by most. She could see that that fire was growing into something larger and threatening. Flames that would either burn him away to nothing or be the offer of warmth and protection. It was the latter she suspected and feared were most likely. Blink didn’t accept his fate and lot in life as he once did. She knew he would have fought and died rather than be taken in. Taken back to the demoralising life he had survived before.

‘You’da been killed Blink. There were more of those tin-can bastards than any of us coulda handled,’ she said.

‘Not just because of that Ra. What about…’ his voice faltered as he choked back the name. Ra’Handa lowered her head slightly. She couldn’t help but feel the shame at having left Nessus behind. It felt as though someone had hung a great iron statue of Nessus about her neck. Its weight was heavy and ever present, but she pushed it away. It wouldn’t serve any of them to be taken by those feelings now. She needed to be strong enough for Blink and for the others. She had to get them out.

‘Nessus told us to leave. Whatever that huge sack of muscle and horns was it was going eat us like it did the others from The Proving,’ she said ignoring the tugging weight of shame as she spoke.

‘At least we could have tried. I could have used the sword again like last time,’ Blink said.

‘How hard did I hit you on the head?’ Ra’Handa said incredulously. Blink looked at her surprised. ‘The first time you used that thing you tried to kill me. An with those big toad things you went wild and wouldn’t listen; not to mention the way you was in the caverns. It’s bad news Blink.’

‘I’m getting the hang of it. When we were fighting Pavreck I…,’ he was cut off by Ra’Handa.

‘You what? Played with him and the golgeists for sport?’

‘Well, I was stronger, wasn’t I?’ he barked back.

‘You remember what Nessus said. You’d be swallowed up by it if you kept using it,’ she said. Blink recoiled at the mention of Nessus. She felt guilty for saying their name, but Blink had to listen for once.

‘Not if I can control it Ra. We wouldn’t need to keep running and hiding,’ he said.

‘Blink that thing is no good. Ya hear me? No good!’ she was becoming angry herself and the gruffness of her half-orc voice was winning out over the playfulness she usually tried. People tended to fear her more unless she smiled and joked.

‘Ra. I’ll not be the weakling that gets knocked around anymore. Good or not, that sword came to me and is mine. I’ll get us out of this mess you put us in.’

‘Me? I put us in this mess?’ she said standing and collecting the bone again from the floor. She wielded it like a small club. Blink too stood up and they faced one another, heat permeating between them. ‘You’re the fog-headed idiot that opened a damn magic box for some damned sword. You’d be dead a hundred times over if not for me!’ she said and slammed the bone against the hard stone walls shattering It. The fragments skittered on the floor by their feet. Blink stared at her trying to hold his ground and Ra’Handa started back daring him to say another word.

‘Oi! You two shut yer mouths in there!’ came a voice and a heavy thud from outside the door. It was one of the guards. He walked to the door and looked through the window. ‘Capt’n Bornwald will be taking you to see the Neverset King soon so keep it down or I’ll have to come in there an’ make you. You wouldn’t wanna see the Neverset all beaten and bruised now, would ya?’ he said with a sneer through the bars. Blink and Ra’Handa scowled back at him and remained quiet thereafter. We’re not done talking about this Blink, not by a mile. And who’s this Neverset King? Dayargain’s not had a king since the war centuries ago with Ishtarik. Whatever was coming next it worried Ra’Handa. Just when they thought things couldn’t get worse or stranger they did. It was as though someone were tightening manacles about her wrists with every move they made; just one more turning of the screws that would seal their fates. No, not yet. There’s no such thing as fate, she thought. You just ended up where you did and had to make the most of it. She slumped back down on the stone floor where the shattered bone fragments were. She sorted through them with her eyes making her choices carefully and slid the two sharpest of them into her boots.

Brigid had refused to leave her companions and the remaining town’s people of Tory behind at the docks to be at the mercy of the Daybreakers. She knew all too well where they would be taken and what would happen there. When Dellwier had first joined them, she had wanted to get back at him by sneaking into the barracks and setting off small cracklers in the sleeping quarters. Brigid had learned to make them from one of the adventurers that passed through when she was a youngling. They had come from the far lands to the East in the archipelago. Her fascination with explosives and exploding runes grew from there. Innais had protected her somewhat from retribution, but Bornwald still kept her in one of the cells for a week to make sure she had learned her lesson. Dellweir stayed with her despite the protests and demonstrations of his character. Once the enormous gates of the central white stone tower closed, he escorted her back to the guild.

‘Was it not enough that you had to join those hypocritical hog’s scum? You had to let them take all those people too?’ she said as they walked through the streets of Dayargain. Some folk eyed them knowingly as they walked. It was not a new sight for them to see Brigid scolding Dellwier or Terrick when she had the chance.

‘They aren’t all that bad Brigid, and they want to talk to those villagers about what happened is all,’ he said trying to mollify her temper.

‘Aren’t all that bad? They do little to help the city or the surrounding settlements, they hoard all the oldest knowledge of this country and the south, and they let the guilds do all the real heavy lifting. Not that bad,’ she scoffed. ‘Besides you don’t put people in cages when you want to simply talk to them. Are you that dense?’ she added.

‘There’s more going on than all that. There are fewer of the Daybreakers every year and the golgeists don’t seem to let up. The noble families just aren’t having the children they once did. Of course, we need the guilds to help manage things,’ his tone exasperated by the same old arguments they always had. Why did she not understand or even try to? he thought awaiting her sharp words to come.

‘Manage things? You mean how my parents managed to get killed at the border where the towers are fewest?’ she said, her feet stamping on the cobbled path as they walked.

‘I know it isn’t fair Brigid. But the Daybreakers weren’t to blame for their deaths,’ he said failing to smooth things over.

‘Of course, they’re to blame!’ she yelled turning on him. ‘It’s their job to support the borders not the guilds. And now they spend all their time in the city or their precious tower! It’s their fault Dellweir!’ People walking past stared at them as she yelled. Dellweir nodded to them and cleared his throat. Brigid’s eyes burned through Dellwier never leaving him.

‘It’s not that simple Brigid. There are things you don’t understand,’ he said.

‘Then enlighten me oh holy warrior of the dawn,’ she mocked. She wasn’t willing to give him an inch and she never had, even when they were younglings. Dellwier looked around and nodded awkwardly to those staring. He gently grabbed Brigid’s arm and lead her away from the busy street. She roughly pulled away, ‘Let me go,’ she and Dellwier obliged. He looked tired she noticed, there were dark rings around his eyes, and he sighed exasperated with the situation. Brigid tried not to show her concern. She certainly wouldn’t give him that satisfaction.

If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

‘You must promise to keep this quiet Brigid,’ he said at last.

‘I’ll make no such promise Dellweir,’ she refused.

‘Why must you be this way?’ he said annoyed.

‘You know very well why,’ she began but was cut off by Dellwier.

‘At the cost of helping your friends you would let petty feelings stand!’ he said. Brigid was taken aback a little. Dellwier had treaded carefully with her since the death of her parents and worse still when he joined the Daybreaker and fell in love with Terrick. How dare they fall in love and leave her. It was just another betrayal. Another way they had cut her out.

‘Well then what is it? I’ll still not promise to keep any Daybreaker secrets,’ she added quickly.

‘Very well,’ he said giving in far too easily and not without more than a little exasperation. ‘There is a reason there are fewer Daybreakers than before. As I said the noble families haven’t been able to have children as easily as before and it’s only those of the blood that can… give themselves over,’ he said awkwardly.

‘What do you mean give yourself over? If you’re speaking of your bloody vows and oaths, you can be done with games. Speak plainly about it or I’ll leave,’ she snapped. She was in no mood for his sense of duty and secrecy. Besides it was no secret that oaths must be taken to join. Oaths to protect and serve the coming light of the world. Oaths to retain the strength and power of the noble blood of the past. It was nonsense used to maintain the status of those in power, especially within The Council. She had hoped Dellweir would be above all that. But then he went and joined them.

‘We aren’t allowed to talk about it ok! Just give me a minute,’ he pleaded. Brigid rolled her eyes and crossed her arms in from of her. She looked more like that bossy little girl from their childhood than ever. ‘When we join our blood is tested. Only those descended from the oldest orders and families can join. The rest are turned away and usually end up in the city watch,’ he said keeping his voice low.

‘Is that all Dellwier? You brought me in here to tell me how special you are that your blood passed their silly test?’ the boy infuriated her to no end. How could she have even been friends with such a preening, self-important buffoon?

‘It isn’t like that Brigid. And so what if I am special? If it means I’m able to become one of them and change things as we always said we would,’ he said chiding her. Oh how she wanted to hit him across the head at that moment. If she hadn’t broken her arm she very well might have.

‘Well get on with it then,’ she said hurriedly. Dellweir sighed and seemed to search within himself for a moment.

‘When training is done, we… we’re bonded to the Neverset King,’ he spoke the name carefully as though someone might hear or as though he expected some aberration to be summoned by it.

‘Neverset King?’ she said derisively. ‘Dayargain doesn’t have royalty, not for centuries since the war with Ishtarik,’ she added. It was common knowledge in the city and farther still across the world. The city and its people destined to hold the borders with the cursed lands of the south. Their king giving his life in the final battles with no heir to take his place. The city had been ruled by the Daybreakers and The Council since.

‘We’ve always had a king… it’s just that only the Daybreakers are allowed to know about him,’ said Dellwier seriously.

‘Honestly Dellwier, you expect me to believe that there is a whole royal line being kept secret in the tower that none in the city have ever known about all these centuries. Is this some kind of trick to delay me? Do you think so little of me?’ she was tapping her foot and biting her lip slightly.

‘No Brigid… not a whole line. Just the one king. The same king from the war with Ishtarik,’ he said. Brigid looked at him confused and angry.

‘It was many centuries ago. He’d be nothing but bones,’ she said willing herself to hear him out.

‘It’s the same one… I saw him with my own eyes when I took my oaths,’ he said with his face downcast at his feet. Whatever the oaths entailed Dellwier looked as though he carried its shame with him always. The city knew the oaths they took, they were nothing to be ashamed of, they were sworn to protect the lands and rising of the new dawns. If anything Brigid thought the shame lied in the failures as true protectors though it seemed unlikely Dellweir felt this way about that.

‘Dellwier… let’s suppose I believe you. Which I don’t. How is he even still alive and commanding a city? And moreover to what purpose? And would a visible king not be more effective that one hidden away? For that matter how does this help me get my friends out?’ she said after a time. She felt furious with him for agreeing to something so ridiculous as a ritual to join the Daybreakers and yet at the same time longed to comfort her old friend. Somewhere in those tired forlorn features she saw the boy she had considered a brother.

‘He isn’t alive Brigid… not really. They… bring him back… when they need information or for him to give orders,’ he said swallowing hard between the words as if trying to keep them down.

‘He’s an undead!’ she exclaimed. Dellweir motioned for her to be quiet. He looked afraid and searched the street to see if anyone had heard.

‘Sort of… he doesn’t stay awake long,’ he said.

‘That is lunacy even for you Dellweir. He would burn up in the lights of the city. And why in the light would the Daybreakers be party to such a farce, no matter their uselessness? Moreover, The Council would never allow this when they are meant to collectively make decisions’ she said angry with the insult to her intelligence. How could he really think her dense enough to believe such a tale? It pained her to think that; to even care what he thought of her.

‘It is the truth, Brigid. I have told no lies. As for The Council most of them know about it and the newest certainly enforce His will. When so much is lost from those times what better advantage is there than one that lived in them. He is the greatest defence we have against the cursed lands and The Corruption,’ he said with conviction. Although to Brigid’s ear it sounded more like dogma drilled into him from his training. How could The Council allow something like this? Innais was a member after all, she would never be so brazening as to go along with this… although she has not been herself for a long time, her thoughts came swiftly in that moment.

‘You sound the fine toy soldier reciting that,’ she said looking down her nose at him, couldn’t believe him. She couldn’t believe that such a thing could go on unnoticed. How dare he lie to her so?

‘It is the truth still as I have said,’ said Dellweir.

‘If that’s true Dellwier then I need to get my friends out of there now,’ she said. Though she still did not truly believe him, it sounded more like madness or some trickery the Daybreakers had dragged him into. Although, it was true either way that she must free her companions from that awful place.

‘I think… I think they’ll be ok so long as they give them what they’re looking for. Your friends stole something they need,’ he said.

‘What do they need?’ she asked thinking of Blink’s belongings in her pack. When she and the others had ran from the tunnels, she had picked up his bags. He had been too caught up in the fight and his need to protect them he would not have even thought about his belongings. Why do I have to play nurse to such fool hardy men? She swore she would not be like those other silly girls fawning over men and doing everything to take care of them and there she had been, picking up after them so they could play at hero.

‘A small statue of some kind, a woman with a raven,’ he said. Brigid shifted uncomfortably in her place.

‘And if they don’t have it?’ she asked trying not to give herself away.

‘Then I… I don’t know,’ he said weakly. ‘I suppose they’ll… let them go,’ he said sounding unsure. There it was… he was an idealistic idiot after all. Let them go, honestly did he really think that would be the case?

‘I doubt that very much Dellwier. Don’t be a fool,’ she scolded. ‘I’m going to talk to Innais and see what she can do,’ and she turned to leave. Brigid stopped short before entering the throng of passers-by and turned back to Dellwier. ‘Just keep them safe Dellwier. Don’t let anything happen to them until I can come up with something. You understand?’ and she walking away without waiting for his answer. Dellwier slumped hopelessly against the wall of the alley. She doesn’t understand. Now that I’ve taken my oaths I can’t go back. Why couldn’t I just tell her that?

From across the street standing amongst the crowd was a cloaked figure bent over and leaning on his gnarled staff. He watched the alleyway closely as a young woman in breast plate left her companion there. She looked angry and worried, her pace quickening as she walked away through the crowd of people. The cloaked figure remembered that one well. One of those that would pay for the insolence, their insult to the true power of the world. The cloaked figure watched and waited as another emerged from the darkened alleyway. A Daybreaker, a young man at that. The cloaked figure moved back into the shadows least they be recognised by the young man. This was fortuitous indeed.

Brigid moved quickly through the streets of Dayargain. She was still covered in the filth from the sewers and the caves surrounding Tory. The people that passed her and that knew her weren’t surprised by her appearance. She had never been like the other girls in the city preening over their looks or who had the latest fashions. Foolish girls the lot of them. They’d do better to burn their corsets and learn something useful rather than relying on half-brained men to care for them. At least this is what she thought as some of those same girls giggled behind gloved hands as she passed by. It didn’t bother her at all. She never really wanted that for herself. No… not one bit.

She ignored some of the folk that tried to stop and talk with her and others she politely waved away. She needed to get to the guild as soon as possible. There was far too much to discuss with Innais and even more that she needed her help with. Though needing her help made her stomach sink it was most necessary. She would have to endure the woman to make herself heard as best she could.

When she arrived Brinn grabbed her tightly around the waist and refused to let her go. The embrace was so unexpected in Brigid’s haste that it caught her off guard and she found herself holding the dwarf in return. The guild hall was surrounded by tables and several patrons making her feel at home once again. She began to feel the tears welling up in her eyes and she wished she could set them free. It surprised her that she could feel such emotion about the place after such a brief time away. She supposed that the events had taken a greater toll on her than she had expected. Bridgid chocked back the tears welling in her eyes. She herself had her own oaths; she would not shed a tear; not now as they were for but one purpose in her mind. She would allow herself to cry but once for the dead and at no other time. There was much to be done that tears could not remedy. Swallowing them hard she turned to Brinn.

‘Dear Brigid I was worried sick that we had lost you too,’ she said fussing over her. ‘Oh! And that god’s awful smell. I heard you had crawled out of the sewers by the docks, but I’d never have believed it until now!’ she said ushering her to a seat and getting a damp cloth from the bar. She began wiping at Brigid’s face, the smears of grime and sweat from the journey still marked her face. She hadn’t had time to think about the way she looked or smelled for that matter. Brinn’s matronly crooning and cleaning of her face was comforting. She didn’t want it to change, and she wished that she could forget all she had seen over the days that had passed. She longed to lay in a hot bath for hours and let it sooth her aches away. Brigid felt guilty for that, wishing that she could leave behind her duties and responsibilities. You are still a little girl! Wishing you could go on back to playing in your workshop and having Brinn fetch you treats and bathe you! Fool! Stupid, stupid, stupid!

‘Aye now my little lion. None of that ya hear,’ said Brinn softly. She put the cloth down and gently rubbed Brigid’s face. She only now realised it was scrunched up in anger, holding back tears, guilt, and shame. ‘You’ve always bin far too hard on yerself. I know what’s in that head’a yours,’ she said knowlingly.

‘It was awful Brinn… They’re all…all…’ Brinn waited patiently for her to finish, ‘Brinn… I have to speak to Innais. She needs to know and do something right away.’

‘Aye, that she does but now isn’t the time to speak with her,’ Brinn said sternly but not unkindly.

‘Not the time?’ Brigid asked incredulously.

‘Innais is… it is best we speak about it later,’ Brinn said preparing to move Brigid on to her quarters for rest.

‘Brinn I’ll not go anywhere until I’ve spoken to her,’ she demanded almost stomping her feet. She motioned to stand and winced at the pain in her broken arm. Brinn immediately put down the cloth and examined it, her expression now that of a healer, analysing, calculating, looking at a problem to be fixed rather than a person to be healed.

‘This is broken girl. You’ll not be trapsing off anywhere til I’ve set it ya hear me,’ she said stubbornly.

‘I have to speak with her now Brinn. The arm can wait,’ she said doing her best to sound womanly and not at all the sullen girl arguing with her nursemaid.

‘Innais is busy girl, and now don’t you be arguing with me! This’ll wait and your wounds come first. I’ll not have any more fuss from you,’ she said sounding every bit the nursemaid disciplining a child.

‘Too busy to see me, is she? That self-indulgent flattering doll Innais will hear me and hear me now Brinn. The whole city is in danger!’ Brigid said sidling Brinn away and storming off toward Innais’ quarters. Brinn followed suit trying to stop her and what few patrons there were in the guild stared at them. Some grinned at the comedy of the stout redheaded dwarf chasing after her whilst older patrons shook their heads at the familiar sight of Brigid refusing to be put in her place. Brigid reached the door but not before Rhett’Sa and his hulking mass stood before her barring her way. His arms like twisted tree trunks folded in front of him. He silently stared down at her from his tremendous height.

‘Move Rhett’Sa! Now!’ She demanded never flinching for a moment. The giant of a man looked shaken by her command and shifted ever so slightly. Brigid held his gaze, and his discomfort grew. He reluctantly moved out of her way, and she forced open the doors with a bang and entered the office.

‘Oh fine guard you are being bullied by a wee girl,’ said Brinn waving an exasperated hand at him. Rhett’Sa nodded in acknowledgement of his failing and took post at the door as Brinn closed it behind her.

Once inside the office Brigid was prepared for a litany of arguments and insults between herself and Innais. I’ll show her not to ignore me or the needs of the people. What could that ninny-headed old woman really have that is more important to do than… Brigid couldn’t finish the thought. Just as she was about to hold her ground and demand answers from Innais the woman did the most unexpected thing of all. She embraced Brigid in a tight squeeze and held her for a time. Brigid couldn’t move, she was too in shock for anything else. Even the throbbing pain of her broken arm became a dull thrum. In all her years she had not once ever remembered being hugged by Innais. At least not since the death of her parents. Innais loved her, of that Brigid knew, a very cold and distant love but a kind of love, nonetheless. She had always been hard, calculating, and demanding the best of her; affection was just not part of their relationship.

‘Freyanna! I was so worried you would not return from The Borderlands,’ she said and pulled away regarding Brigid. Her eyes watery and holding back tears of joy. She was smiling solemnly as though she had woken from a terrible nightmare. ‘When Brinn told me you were gone for the frontal lines I feared the worst. Come now sit, sit,’ she said indicating a chair in front of her desk. Brigid did as she asked whilst she searched for words and understanding. Freyanna… she thinks I’m my mother? Is she playing at some kind of cruel game? That woman! Brigid felt rage within her, but it was halted by the sadness of her mother’s memory. That had been what happened. She had gone to the frontal lines when of the Isles of the Borderlands was destroyed. They had begged for assistance but bickering of The Council and the Daybreakers meant it came too late. No… Innais is hard on me but never cruel…She loved mother like a sister and would never do this.

‘Innais… I’m Brigid. Not… not my mother,’ she said her face imploring Innais to explain. Innais looked at her confused. ‘Brinn what’s wrong with her?’ Brigid asked the dwarf as she went around to Innais’ side.

‘Brinn why is Freyanna saying such things? Brigid is just a girl,’ the powerful mage and leader of the guild looked as though she may fall apart any second. Brinn smiled at her and reassured her, ‘Oh she’s just a little mixed up is all. Frightfully scary down by The Borderlands after all,’ said Brinn. Innais nodded turning away, a hand to her mouth thinking hard.

‘Yes… yes I suppose so,’ she looked at Brigid again, ‘You are alright aren’t you my old friend?’ she said concern written across her features and in her posture. Brinn stepped in before Brigid could say otherwise.

‘Innais I think Freyanna could use a once over from me to make sure ey? How’s about you set to making some tea for us?’ she said and gently lifted Innaise from her seat and pointed in the direction of a small kitchenette attached to the room. Once she was out of sight Brinn turned to Brigid and said in a scolding whisper.

‘Now listen ‘ere girl, when I tells you to do something you best remember that I do it for a reason. Innais ain’t well as you can see,’ the dwarf looked like she was about to wave a finger at her as she spoke. It seemed it took a great effort for her to restrain herself of that.

‘But Brinn she thinks I’m my mother. Besides you never tell me anything so how was I to know she was like this?’ she said.

‘She didn’t want you to know. Not yet anyways,’ she said and looked back toward the kitchenette. There came the banging of cupboards and clashing of cups and saucers. Gods she was noisy, where was that poised and deliberate woman that would have talked Brigid down for making such a ruckus as that?

‘I know it must hurt that she thinks you’re ya mother and I’m truly sorry ‘bout that, but you must play along,’ she said with more softness in her voice.

‘What’s wrong with her Brinn?’ Brigid swallowed the thoughts and feelings of her parents and changed the subject.

‘Sickness of the memory… cannot be fixed I’m afraid. It started a year or so back, least that’s what she told me. I’ve a feeling her pride has kept it from me longer than that. It was brief in early days, only a few minutes or so and only in small ways. Forgetting where she put things and what day it was and the like. It’s worse now. I’ve not seen her gone like this longer than a couple of hours. I don’t know when she’ll come back to us now,’ Brinn said with a ring of hopelessness in her voice. Brigid had rarely heard the dwarf speak so. She saw everything as a problem that could be fixed. If she were truly unsure of what to do now it must be dire indeed.

‘Are you sure there’s nothing we can do?’

‘Maybe… it doesn’t seem like the usual memory sickness. She told me that when she is gone like this, she goes somewhere else. Someplace dark with columns. There’s someone there… he makes her play a game on a board with little pieces all about. If we can find him, we can find Innais and bring her back,’ she explained. Brigid looked at her incredulously. It couldn’t be the same thing, could it? Is Innais somewhere playing at a numinia board with someone?

‘What is it girl?’ asked Brinn bringing Brigid out of her thoughts and back into the room. Before she had time to explain she was cut off by the clinking of cups and Innais walking into the room.

‘I’ve the elderflower tea you love so much Freyanna,’ she said sweetly looking at Brigid with a fondness that made her shiver inside.