“The realm is changing at an unprecedented rate. Your arrival has certainly complicated matters, although I struggle to believe that a single outsider could have such an extensive effect.”
Aged with silver hair, the long-eared elf sitting before Veleria creased his forehead between skeletal fingers. She merely stood with her hands held behind her back.
“The sorcerer boy our soldiers caught in Tsutulah had already murdered his parents and half the damned town. Given his age, it’s unlikely that he was conceived within the Arbiter’s window. Which begs the question…If the Lord of Balance is acting outside of his patterns.”
“Tell me, why do they call this so-called deity the Lord of Balance? His decisions do not appear balanced.” She asked calmly.
The elf waved his hand dismissively.
“Mortals and their pointless terminology. The point here is that we have sorcerers being born at a rate we’re failing to keep up with.” He tapped the table in front of him pointedly. “You do understand why this is a problem, do you not?”
“I…” She paused. “I don’t, actually.”
With the bridge of his long, crooked nose held between his pointer and thumb, the elf sighed aloud.
“What is that servant of yours even teaching you? These sorcerers the Arbiter imbues are born wrong. They cannot be integrated into any civil society.” He stood up and paced around the table, his eyes averted from Veleria’s own. “There is a way to sever them from their birthright, which I suppose is why they call him the Lord of Balance given he placed such contingencies in effect.”
“What exactly do you intend for me to do about this?”
With a pause, the elf looked to Veleria with a sour look marring his otherwise sharp features.
“I would like the Arbiter to know that he is no longer the only God with any teeth in this realm.”
The room grew dark, with the elf morphing into a Caellach that began to pace. Shaking her head, Veleria reminded herself once again that she was her own self.
“Did you actually confront him? The Arbiter?”
Caellach shook his head.
“No, although I have sensed him on occasion. My decision to leave behind this realm came some time after this affair, although this business with Alk’Hath and these sorcerers has reminded me.” The former king held his chin. “Then, of course, his reaching out…Baseless warnings from a bygone era. I thought I had made it abundantly clear that I had no interest in his dealings.”
Veleria crossed her arms over her chest. This was all new to her, although given that she and Caellach occasionally crossed their thoughts it started to feel familiar.
“Back when you were king…Did he warn you like he did in Lindow?”
“No.” Caellach stopped his pacing to face her. “Which is why this is all the more concerning. It pains me to admit this, but we may need to confide with Edgar on these matters. I have been gone too long to understand current affairs.”
Veleria agreed. When she later woke, she found Adrian sitting beside her. He looked much better now than when they had left Lindow. All of his nails had grown back, his thigh had mostly healed, and he had filled out somewhat. Most of the damage inflicted upon him had turned into scars, although Adrian assured her it would only make him “more attractive” to the ladies back home.
“Good morning,” he told her.
“Good morning,” Veleria replied. She moved to stand, but Adrian gently took her wrist. She raised an eyebrow towards him.
“We’ll be in Almor within two hours or so. Will you be staying with me?”
She found that there was something in his expression that she had missed. Was it longing? The way he looked at her reminded her of the subtle hints Caed had often given her while they were in the mountain.
Not sure what else to say, she nodded in agreement.
“If you’ll have me,” she said.
“Of course,” Adrian grinned. “Didn’t I tell you that you were always welcome?”
Veleria offered him a wry smile in response. They hadn’t traveled together in a while. In a way, she had forgotten how different he was to those she had surrounded herself with in his absence.
The two of them cleaned up their camp amid small talk.