“WHAT DID YOU DO?” Euripedes exploded at Pistos.

He took the letter she was waving, it had the brand of the Chancellor’s office on it, which was causing her outburst. Euripedes had always been suspicious of the man, now more than ever not least because of Atio and the Chancellor's arguments the day before his death

“Calm down Euripedes this is just a follow up to the conversion we were having at the-” She noticed him cutting off the word funeral, she appreciated it. “The other day.”

Euripedes searched her feelings, the gift of Teia normally would search for any lies detected, it worked as a way to feel the other person’s uncertainty, guilt and other emotions on a base level. In this case, the close friendship between Pistos and Euripedes allowed her more leeway, leeway she declined to use. She had yet to allow her connection to Atio within the Gift to fade and was afraid anything more than surface level usage would cause it to fade. Detecting lies was far more than surface level usage

“Pistos, the funeral was a month ago, I doubt you have been visiting the Chancellor once a week for 4 weeks following up on a singular conversation.”

“Euripedes, Atio’s death has had consequences that are bigger than us. It is hardly unlikely for me to work in tandem with the investigation. Besides I wanted to talk to you about Atrophes” Pistos walked back to his desk.

Euripedes sensed the tension growing in Pistos, something was off with him, she noticed the slight arch in his eyebrows and the way he radiated conflict. She sat and studied him for a few seconds.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

“And what is it that you wanted to discuss?” Euripedes said back to him in an undertone that signaled she had felt his inner turmoil, but that shouldn't surprise him as much, these days it was harder not to be in a state of inner turmoil.

“Atio had said that Atrophes would serve well in the Knights of Teia, and I am inclined to agree”

The topic of Atio was sensitive, his death had hit this room harder than anything else could’ve but to deprive Euripedes to hear of Atio’s judgment regarding Atrophes would’ve been a heinous crime.

Euripedes relaxed herself before she spoke slowly, as reminiscent of the mannerisms she had picked up from Atio as possible, her coherent thoughts and methodical actions had been drilled into her by Atio after all.

“I tend to agree with you two, but are you suggesting for me to take her on as my apprentice?”

“As your student, Atrophes would do well in Intelligence, and it would be good for her, but being your apprentice comes with great responsibilities, train her for a bit and we’ll see then” Pistos drew breath “besides I don’t want her to be too far from me, couldn’t bear to not have her pres-”

“ALRIGHT! I get it”

Slowly the two began to unload laughter, something so scarce these days, it felt nice like two friends enjoying a moment of solace from the world crumbling.

The world was crumbling, everything they had built up was coming down and it was in moments like this that Pistos and Euripedes missed the feeling of Atio beside them the most, whether it was his skills with a blade, skills with a mind or quiet laughter.

His presence alone would’ve been enough but the absence of it was all the more grueling for in the face of the crumbling life that they were leading, they needed nothing more than the familiarity of his quiet figure, his slow methodical voice and his cranky demeanor.

The laughter that echoed through Euripedes’ mind felt like a phantom of days gone by, it had been a month since the funeral and more since his death and yet the ghost of his last stand was etched in his mind.

She slowly withdrew her laughter hearing Pistos do the same as she began a silent prayer to any god that was listening to save him from the tears which were inevitable.

The Gift of Teia certainly let Euripedes know that Pistos felt the same. She said in a quiet voice not much different from before but certainly shakier

“I’ll talk to her, don’t worry but do let me know what you discuss with the Cha-Chancellor”

She left the room silently just seconds before she registered the unwinding of Pistos, there was nothing they wanted more than to see the face of Atio.