The Wolf and the Necromancer: Chapter 4

When Ryza came to, she was warm and truly didn’t want to get up. She couldn’t remember a night when she had been this comfortable. Groaning softly, she tried to roll over but it was hard to move. She tried again but she wasn’t making any progress.

Opening her eyes to figure out the cause of things she found herself face to face with Snow. Snow was fast asleep across from her, mouth half open and snoring not too quietly. Ryza glanced back and saw one of Snow’s arms slung across her own, effectively pinning her in place against the bed and her.

Conscious and aware of the situation Ryza did her best to move and release herself from her grip. It wasn’t easy and Snow was so deeply asleep that no matter how many times Ryza protested or aggressively whispered her name it didn’t stir her. But finally, she was able to lift her arm and wiggled out of the bed.

Rolling backward she almost fell onto her back but landed awkwardly on her feet and hands. Sinking down to the floor and laying down, catching her breath she sighed. Rubbing her face and huffing she felt a small pressure along her chest. She looked at Shriek as he rested on her chest. He stared at her rubbing his face with his tiny pink hands and then pressed his nose against her chin.

Picking him up slowly she watched him scurry around her hands and slowly up her arm. He kept going until he rested on her shoulder and curled up in her clavicle. “Did you sleep well little one?”

He rubbed his nose against her neck and cheek lightly sniffing at her. Shaking her head, she sat up slowly and managed to stand up. She glanced at Snow who was still asleep in the bed. She remembered being stuck in her bear hug of an embrace and looked away quickly going toward the door. “Let’s go investigate our surroundings. Maybe find food as well,” she said scratching his back gently.

Leaving the room, she walked down the hallway and back toward the stairs. Most of the doors they’d passed already were open and empty. As she crossed the stairs, she caught a window and saw the sun hanging in the air. It was maybe mid day if she was guessing the timing properly.

She could hear the echo of voices downstairs but there weren’t many. Descending the stairs slowly she tried to make herself scarce but she realized that looking like she did stuck out in the Sanctum. As she came down she saw a child, a little boy, running between the tables with a rag. He was wiping them down and bringing utensils and dishes toward the back.

She could vaguely smell something like a soup being cooked nearby. That and bread. Shriek sat up sharply at that smell and she nodded, “You and me both little one.”

As she finally came down the stairs she heard a clatter and something shattering. Wincing at the noise she could hear yelling. The owner of the inn, “Dammit Luke! I told you not to pile things so damn high!”

“I’m sorry mom,” came a mumbled reply. “I can. I can fix it.”

“No you can’t. Go home. Get out of here!” Leah shouted and then Ryza watched the boy run out of the inn.

She felt some sympathy for the boy but shook her head. Going to the front counter she glanced at a bell on the counter and before she could move Shriek scurried down her arm, ran to the bell and pressed both paws onto it hard. The sharp ding was annoying and she glared at the rodent.

“Get back here,” she hissed.

He got back into her hands when Leah stomped her way out. Her eyes were narrowed in a glare squarely focused onto Ryza. Her eyes flicked to Shriek and then on her face. “Get that rodent out of this place.”

“He’s well trained. And starving. I just wanted to see if there was any food leftover or how soon the fresh food will be finished.”

“Give it another ten minutes,” she said. “A silver per bowl. The inventory is limited now.”

Ryza grunted but nodded. “Fine.” She found her purse and put two down on the countertop. Glancing at Shriek she backed away from the counter and stepped outside for a moment. The warm air washed over her, a cool breeze on the wind.

A man walked past and waved at her, “Afternoon! Father smile upon ya.”

She waved and watched him go down toward the well and start a conversation with another man as he walked. She heard words like trouble and crops and even hyenas but stopped paying attention. People were moving around like any other village, walking horses, children running around, and some people haggling for prices. It was normal. Quaint. Safe even.

She scrunched her nose up and glanced at Shriek as the man passed. “I knew we were near the Sanctum but still. They’re so friendly until they find out we’re mages. And then they’ll turn on us like an angry mob.”

Walking forward slowly she folded her arms. As she walked she got more and more looks but most of them were friendly waves or nods. Ryza wondered what they thought she was. Maybe a mercenary or a soldier. The idea of being someone like that made her laugh.

“Could you imagine little one? Me as one of the Rogues,” she said glancing at Shriek. “Maybe in another life that was the path I was allowed to take. But it’s not.”

She wondered how many of them even suspected her of being a mage. Even beyond that, she wondered how many in this village itself happened to be a mage. Right under their own noses. They’d never expect one of their own to be one. It was hard to believe that this was their real face. Isaac and Hector were the exceptions to the rule, not the norm.

A shape blurred past her and she raised her eyebrow. Focusing on it she saw it was a child. The boy that she’d seen in the inn. He was running with determination in his eyes. “Where do you think he’s going?” she mumbled to Shriek.

Shriek’s nose twitched and she nodded. “Right. Not our place to look into it.”

Turning around she walked back inside and waiting on the counter were two bowls with hunks of bread stuck within them. The money was gone. Tearing off a corner she handed it to Shriek who began to dig in immediately. Holding them gingerly, she felt the heat through the clay bowls and moved quickly. Going to the room she opened the door and Snow was still asleep. Still snoring.

She set one bowl, hers, on the ground and took the other to the bed. She brushed her hands across Snow’s forehead. She brushed the hair back slowly and then lowered the bowl under her nose. “Come on Snow. We’ve got food,” Ryza whispered. “And we need to get a move on.”

Snow’s nose flinched first and then her eyes opened. Brilliant blue sapphires. “Hey Ryry,” she mumbled.

She was groggy as she moved but started to sit up and one of her hands came up to take the bowl. She chomped down on the bread and started eating. Satisfied Ryza went back to her own food and picked it up and started eating, periodically giving pieces to Shriek to chew on.

“Old guy was right. This is good stuff,” Snow said spooning through the soup.

“On that we agree.”

They ate in silence until their bowls were empty and the bread was nothing but crumbs. Shriek jumped into them and picked through whatever crumbs he could get his hands on. Ryza watched him go and chuckled but turned her focus onto Snow who was stretching and getting her bearings again.

“You slept like a rock,” Ryza commented.

“A well slept rock,” Snow added and grinned. “What about you?”

Blinking rapidly, she cleared her throat, “I slept fine.”

“Awesome. So what’re we doing?

“We’re going to hunt down my brother’s research. Starting with his journals. He was raised near Noria but I know he spent some time here before our mother’s plan started. I’m sure he hid his research before we were reunited.”

“The Sanctum’s a big place. Where do we even start looking?”

Reaching toward her shovel Ryza grasped it and the runes lit up in time with her eyes, “Thanks to leftovers of my brother’s spirit I can figure things out,” she said twisting her hand on the shovel and getting to her feet. “But to do that we need to leave this village.”

“Right. Don’t want anyone freaking out and calling mage. Especially if we need to run right?”

“Exactly,” Ryza nodded. “Are you ready to go now?”

“Yep,” She popped out of the bed to her feet and stretched her arms above her head.  “Let’s go necromancer book hunting!”

Ryza blinked slowly bathed in her excitement and did her best to smile back. Getting up and sliding her boots on she dug Shriek out of the soup bowl. He was content if a little wet. Placing him on her shoulder she reached for her cloak but it was plucked off the coat rack. Snow wrapped it around her shoulders and let it settle.

Ryza stared at her shapeshifting companion and glowered, “Snow.”

“Ryry.”

Closing her eyes, she waved at her, “What is this name you’re using?”

“A nickname Ryry. I’m guessing you’ve never really had one before.”

“No,” Ryza said slowly. “I take it I can’t make you stop calling me this.”

“No more than you can make me give you back the cloak,” she said covering her body. “I think it fits me.”

Ryza stared at her as she put her hands on her hips and did a quick turnaround. She couldn’t deny that it did look good on her. But as she looked at her she felt a tightness in her chest, “Be that as it may. That is mine. It’s special to me. A reminder of my brother. The last of my family.”

Snow’s face fell as she took it off quickly, “I’m sorry Ryry. I didn’t know.”

“No and it’s not your fault. But maybe. It’s better for you to wear it,” Ryza said slowly holding onto her shovel. The rune’s light faded away and Ryza’s eyes returned to their now silver tint. Thankfully toning down the constant glow had become second nature.

Snow frowned as she looked at her, “Are you sure? Especially if it’s like a family thing.”

“I’m sure. Plus, you’re right. It looks great on you,” Ryza said and took a slow breath. She let it out feeling the tightness fade away.

“I wonder what you’d say Ryze,” she mumbled.

“I didn’t take you to be this sentimental, little sister.”

Her heart skipped a beat and she whirled around her eyes suddenly glowing brightly. She glared at the small room that they were occupying. Her eyes darted back and forth but they were alone.

“Ryry what is it?” Snow asked. “You okay?”

Ryza glanced at her and she was clearly trying to understand what had happened. But Ryza wasn’t sure if it was real or not. Maybe she was hallucinating. Or maybe she finally losing her mind like her mother had. “It’s nothing Snow. I’m just, still waking up I guess.”

“Well don’t fall asleep at the wheel. I can’t do this tracking magic thing or whatever,” she wiggled her fingers at Ryza.

“I’ll be fine for the spell. Let’s be going,” she said glancing at Shriek who rubbed against her face.

They walked back into the main lobby of the inn, leaving the key on the counter. Ryza glanced around wondering where the owner had gone. But she didn’t linger on it too long. She started walking toward the edge of the town with Snow on her heels. As they passed in the opposite direction of how they entered, going toward

“Wait, didn’t we need to grab horses or something?” Snow asked. “I didn’t think walking to the hiding spot was a good idea.”

“Tracking first. Not many wild animals handle magic well. I’d rather not risk spooking them and wasting time and money.”

“Fair point,” Snow shrugged.

Ryza broke off the road and went into the grass. Tromping through the grass they found their way going toward a forest. Snow sniffed the air and then made a face.

“Blegh. Hyenas. Hate those scavengers.”

Ryza looked back at her, “What do you mean?”

“I can smell them,” she tapped her nose lightly. “Part of the whole curse thing. Enhanced senses across the board including smell.”

“What do hyenas smell like then?”

“Like carrion. And dirt,” she scrunched her nose up again. “And sarcastic whiny laughter. If that has a smell. It’s weird. I got used to it after a while. What?”

Ryza had been staring at her intently now, one hand over her mouth. Lowering her hand Ryza blinked quickly and then shook her head. “I’ve never seen anyone like you. I want to study you. Well, not study. But. You’re magically fascinating.”

“Oh, am I huh?” she winked at Ryza. “And it’s not magic. It’s a curse.”

“What’s the difference?”

Snow started to think about it and then shrugged, “I’m not a mage? At least I’m pretty sure I’m not. When I close my eyes sometimes, I see the wolf staring at me but nothing more than that. Haven’t had mage hunters on my back.”

“You haven’t?”

“Nope. Even with some shapeshifting things have been quiet,” Snow shrugged again. She started to say something else when she froze going still. Her ears twitched and she looked toward the trees. She took a step forward, listening intently. Ryza stared at Snow but was starting to piece something together.

“What do you smell?”

“Hear,” Snow said absently. “Those damn hyenas. They’re chasing something. Someone. A little boy. He’s in trouble. Come on Ryry!”

“What? Snow wait!” She reached after her but Snow was already sprinting toward the forest leaving her behind. Sighing heavily Ryza shook her head and started running after her.