More clothing had arrived for Cromwell to reinforce. Other items were also received, weapons that Veleria preferred, plus food, water, and other comforts for Caed. Since she had started a training regiment under the lich, she had asked Caed if he would prefer returning home. He did not, stating the weather, although Veleria came to realize there was more to it than that.
The sorcerer had been reading all that was available to him. Due to his goddess he had a proclivity towards the past, and Cromwell appeared content to discuss these matters with him. There was also, naturally, their gravitation towards one another. Veleria had someone else to talk to other than the lich.
Several weeks passed before Veleria could demonstrate some of her training. As it was the first thing she learned, she showed Caed that she could bleed without burning everything her blood touched. This was something he was not particularly impressed by, though it was more that he disliked when Veleria harmed herself for any reason. He did, however, tell her that she was more or less presenting at a normal temperature now.
It was during her next subject that a letter arrived, penned by Adrian Giarmund although Cromwell was rather quiet when questioned about it. The man had started his journey back towards Almor due to ‘unforeseen circumstances.’
Some time after they received Adrian’s letter she caught Cromwell in the midst of conversation. This was something he was rather skilled in, as he was able to split his attention amongst multiple objects and familiars. She found him in one of his rooms addressing an unseen other.
There is movement along the Southern border.
She paused, keeping herself hidden beyond the doorway.
Are you certain they were one of hers? Silence. The fool removed the mask, and Raker did see him.
Veleria could feel her blood boil.
I will send a familiar along his route.
What followed was more silence, then Veleria made a face when Cromwell directed his voice into her mind.
You were unseen until you allowed emotion to leak. As you will most certainly ask, then I regret to inform you that Meredith did not request Adrian to return.
Veleria entered the room with a grimace on her face. She asked, “can we do anything?”
My familiars will trail his path. Should he face any danger, then I will do what I can.
She wanted to protest, but looking at Cromwell she knew better. It was best to allow him to examine the situation first.
Fret not, Veleria. His influence is important to my work. Unless she has completely lost her mind, then even Alk’Hath would not wish him lasting harm. This may have nothing to do with her.
Veleria certainly hoped not. There was her and Caed, certainly, but Adrian was purely mortal. Any one of her sorcerers could overpower him.
“I’ll leave this to you, then.” She said, though it hurt her to do so. “On another note, last night I was able to move a little flame along my fingers. Caed saw it, too.”
This is good. A small fire will become a raging one in time. I would like you to dedicate some time to self study, for I must divert my attention to my familiars for a time. Is this acceptable?
“No problem, I can do that.” She turned to leave, but gave Cromwell one last concerned look. “Please protect him.”
* * *
Caed was smoking when Veleria found him later in the day. He held a rather large book in his other hand, though he snapped it closed the moment Veleria came into view.
“Lord Cromwell will be busy for a while.” Veleria said, pressing herself against Caed and resting her head against his chest. In response, Caed ashed his cigarette and placed the book down to embrace her.
“You sound uncertain. What’s on your mind?” He asked.
“Adrian…That letter he sent, I think he got tricked into returning home.” She sighed. “Cromwell is gonna look after him.”
Caed combed her hair through his fingers. He hummed as he reviewed what she told him.
“Sounds like ya gotta trust the lich on this one.” Pulling her close, he kissed her forehead. She stood on her toes in response, taking Caed’s lips against hers before pulling away. “Hey, ya want some company tonight? With how hard you’ve been working lately…”
Veleria smiled at him, “sure, but give me a few hours. I want to try a few things on my own.”
Caed offered her a waning smile of his own before he picked his book back up, “try not to push yourself too hard.”
She left him then, and headed towards the room she and Cromwell had been training in. Most of the hidden doorways were no longer kept as such. Earlier when they first started, he told her that he kept them secret to dissuade Caed from witnessing their first exercises. They had been rather crude. She was cut, stabbed, choked out, and even drowned once, though the latter was more intense than the others given that Cromwell had somehow moved liquids from a container directly into her windpipe. Mortals breathe, and as a natural behavior it took Veleria far longer than the lich liked to forgo the experience.
It made her feel like she was still somehow dead. Not breathing, that is, though the act of speaking still required it.
In the empty room she sat on the floor. With her hand held in front of her, she focused, keeping in mind what Cromwell had taught her.
Your heart is your center.
That was her starting point. Sorcerers and wizards of the realm were forced to use an exterior source. She, on the other hand, had one that burned continuously within her. It was ‘self-perpetuating,’ as Cromwell put it. She felt it pulse, then pulled, bringing that energy—that movement—into her arm. Next she visualized her blood as fuel and her fingers as the starter.
Veleria snapped her fingers and produced a minor flame. As if it were a living being, a snake even, she began willing it between each of her digits, ensuring that it did not lick at her gloves. This minor act had given her a lot of trouble the first time. She could feel the source in her chest, but failed to do much with it, until Caellach had given her a small push. Her body was a branching network of veins that acted much like the leylines of the realm, and all Veleria had to do was visualize that network.
Then she could manipulate her source into filling those veins and using them as vessels.
She did just that as she fed the flame in her palm. It grew in size until she could will it around herself like a sash. She centered it at her chest, condensing it down into the form of a malleable sphere, before allowing it to dissipate and return to her center.
Veleria would continue these exercises for several hours. Later, she returned to her room to find Caed waiting for her.