“I need a disguise.”
Corvus stared at the ashen-skinned elf incredulously. He burst into their workshop just as they were setting their things down and preparing for bed.
“For what? You’ve been getting on just fine.” Corvus said.
“Just give me one.” Vos’iin hissed through his teeth.
“Listen, if this is all so you can make another fucking mess—“
“There won’t be a mess this time.” The elf slammed his fist into the door frame. “I need this.”
Corvus leveled their brow. He was strangely desperate. Perhaps they could take advantage of this situation and lessen the tension between them.
“Sure, I can cast an illusion over you, but I need your word that you will stop beating the piss out of our captive.” They raised a finger just as Vos’iin opened their mouth to speak. “All of this shit we got going between us also has to stop. No point in killing each other before the target arrives.”
“Deal,” Vos’iin stepped forward. “Cast an elven glamor over me. Just like the ones in the city.”
They could have laughed. It was insane, how a subterranean elf would want to look like their sworn enemy. Reigning in their amusement, they held their hand out towards Vos’iin. The elf didn’t hesitate to take it.
Within the hour Vos’iin appeared as any average elf. Corvus skimped on the hair but ensured he was well and truly painted multiple shades more brown than gray. They also had to extend the glamor to his eyes given that surface variants were rarely born with amber irises.
They went to bed after this, not wanting to further their engagement with Vos’iin any longer than necessary.
The disguise disgusted him, but Vos’iin was also pleased. Now it would be far easier to approach the elven woman. No longer would he concern himself with obscuring his identity.
He sat in his usual corner and allowed himself to rest.
* * *
Veleria winked at her growing audience of children. They all clapped when she nailed another gourd. Having set up a small number of questionable produce, the boy who had offered her a single silver piece to show him what the “magic elf lady” could do, was quickly trying to gather more items for Veleria to hit with her flames.
“Aw, man, I’m gonna haf’ta run back home!” The boy shouted, though Veleria waved her hands in front of her.
“No need! Sorry to run on you, but I have an appointment to keep.” She said, eliciting boos from the circle of kids around her. “You can’t guilt me into more party tricks. Go back home you rascals.”
Veleria ran off with a trail of high-pitched farewells behind her. As she jogged towards the water wheel, she laughed to herself, and heard Caellach pitch in his thoughts.
They enjoyed that.
“When I was a little girl I would have loved to see something like that too,” said Veleria, however quietly. As she slowed into a fast walk, her thoughts drifted to what Cromwell had said and she forced herself to focus. Those kids couldn’t laugh if they were dead.
We will find him.
Veleria felt herself smile. It was strange, hearing Caellach in her mind as she did now. He had come out of his shell since their agreement. Not by much, but enough to allow Veleria to see her passenger as more than just a cosmic creature of unspeakable power.
Nearing the mill, she paused when she saw another elf standing by the wheel. The clothes were identical to what the stranger had worn the previous night. She walked up to him cautiously.
“Hi, sorry, are you the guy I met last night at Marty’s?” She asked, holding her hand out for a handshake.
The elf kissed the back of her hand instead.
“Rather informal,” he said, “I must admit I find it charming.”
“Ah, well, I’m not really the fancy type.” She placed her hands on the straps of her pack. “So, what can you tell me about this kidnapper…Oh shit, I should probably ask you your name first.”
Although he laughed innocently enough, internally Vos’iin was cackling. It was as if the gods had gifted her to him personally. She reminded him of Veleria Garris…The one he couldn’t have.
“It’s just Syld. And you?”
Veleria hadn’t actually come up with a name. She was too worried to use the one Adrian had given her nearly half a year prior, so when one was pushed into her mind by Caellach she took it.
It was painfully familiar though she did not know it herself.
“Valenne,” said Veleria.
He savored it, “a beautiful name.”
As this new persona, Vos’iin fiddled with his bracers. He would have liked if Corvus hid his armor but it seemed that this elf did not know the difference. Or if she did, she was willfully ignoring it.
“As you heard last night, the killer mostly strikes at night. I have been investigating some of the alleyways and other notable locations that people have reportedly gone missing from.”
“Do you know how many people have gone missing?” Veleria asked, choosing not to point out to Syld his odd verbiage. During the previous night she had never once heard that the people were killed. Yet, this elf seemed insistent on the term. It may be a simple act of misspeaking, but still Veleria kept it in the back of her mind.
He already gave her a minor case of anxiety.
“Seven,” Syld replied.
“In how many days exactly?”
“Over the course of the last two months, from what I understand.” He nodded.
Cromwell had lost Adrian three months prior. It was inconsistent with the knowledge she had, but Veleria wanted to tie the two together regardless.
What if his kidnapper got bored and started offing folks? Was that possible? Veleria had never met Corvus.
“That is a lot of people. Do you think it’s just one individual doing all this?” She asked.
This was a targeted question. Another had been seen alongside the sorcerer, although Cromwell had not managed their features before his familiar was dispelled.
“Hm…” Syld held his chin. “Perhaps, but seven people, even in two months, is a lot for one person.”
Veleria reseated her pack on her shoulders, “can you show me some of these locations you found?”
“Sure. Follow me,” said Syld as he walked past her.
He brought her to a few locations that held little detail. Once she found traces of blood, drying splatter behind a planter that made her wish Caed was with her. One touch and he could tell her who spilled it.
No wonder the sorceress had sent Raker after the man. He was insanely useful in moments of low confidence. Not that she wanted to think of him like that, as she did like Caed for the man he was rather than what he was capable of.
Veleria jotted down a few notes. Her handwriting was terrible—not even Wren could improve it—but it was legible, something that “Syld” found interesting.
A suspiciously semi-illiterate elf was an abnormal find. He, himself, had to be taught upon his purchase. Common was not taught to his kind, and even his own language was rarely granted to lowborn of his sort. He knew for a fact, however, that all surface elves were enrolled in courses once coming of age. He had never seen one misspell so many words.
Blood is concerning, thought Veleria.
It is, Caellach replied.
While within her own mind, she kept Syld in view.
What do you think? Is this guy a magus?
Caellach went silent for a moment. While he considered their charge, Veleria stood up to put her things back in her pack.
No, he isn’t. But there is something about him that is incorrect. The magic is different than what I knew of the elves, but I suspect a glamor of sorts.
“Wait, you could sense that this whole time? How come I can’t?”
Veleria blinked several times. Sheepishly, she smiled at Syld who only stared at her. She coughed.
“Thinking out loud.” She said.
“What interesting…Thoughts.” Syld cleared his throat. “Are you ready to move on?”
While it is true that you and I share this body, I am still separate from you. The magics of this world are less pronounced in nature than what I understand innately, but I spent many years with the ancient elves and as such, I can sense the leylines of this world. Relatively.
Huh, Veleria knit her brows.
Caellach continued, You are of this world, lending you a natural connection I lack. I am merely using you as a conduit to reach out to that which I am incompatible with.
I wish you could extend that to me. Veleria sighed as she followed along behind Syld towards their next stop.
It appeared as if Edgar intended to teach you. That would be best, still, for I can only sense so much. Without you I suspect I would be just as blind.
“Althalos said…” Veleria stopped herself. She was talking out loud again. It was so easy, and thankfully Syld appeared to have not heard her.
He did hear her, of course, though Vos’iin chose not to mention it this time. What an interesting name she was invoking. To herself? No, she was talking to someone, but Vos’iin did not know who. While the elf behind him returned to silence, Vos’iin wondered.
Had the lich sent someone other than Veleria? Some semi-illiterate elf woman? Or was she citing literature and actually just speaking amongst herself? If she was here on orders from Cromwell then things did change somewhat. He still wanted her for himself, but at least he could tell Corvus that he was holding her for more reason than simple desire.
She was also entirely incompetent if she was communicating with someone else. This did not fit the MO of the lich. He was the only one who could go toe-to-toe with Alk’Hath and come out on top.
He could keep playing this game with her or he could herd her towards the house. If she could mentally communicate with another, then that complicated matters, and he would have to get Corvus involved before taking this elf captive.
He chose to continue the game. Playing it safe was best.