“It’s early days,” Kaja said. “You can’t expect to find answers right away.”
“True enough. Though, with so many studying it, we’ve gone through most books on other languages. There are similarities to some, yet nothing matches exactly. The closest we’ve found are runic languages of the Northern Territories, across the Siren Coast. But, like I said, no identical matches.”
“It’s better progress than I was expecting” Aloisia said. “It’ll take time. Time we don’t have.”
“Father Silas mentioned sending for the scholars. If the language is magical in nature, if it is indeed witchcraft at work, then we may find nothing on it in our books. Such things are the remit of the Mage’s Guild.”
“The Mage’s Guild is in Ephroditia. Would they even come when called upon?”
“I don’t know. If the Modäiti was the one ordering it, then I think they would. Her sister is the queen, after all.”
Kaja shook her head. “I still don’t get why they sent for her. If witchcraft is involved – though I doubt it – why not send for the scholars in the first place?”
“Tradition.” Tristan shrugged. “Father Silas presides in our trials; the Modäiti presides for Ephroditia. And the entire realm. It’s within her right to be involved.”
Aloisia rose from her seat and poured herself another dram of ale. Beyond the open shutters, the Dead Woods groaned. She meandered to the window at the back of the house. “I saw it again. The blue light. In there.” She indicated to the forest.
“The blue light?” Kaja asked. “Like you said in the trial?”
“I kept seeing them yesterday, before…” The images flashed before her eyes again; the flickering blue lights, the humanoid shadows, Brighde’s body covered in markings.
“So, when you tried to leave before the hunt…?”
Aloisia nodded. “It was a chance to find it, to find out what it wanted, to find out its involvement.” She turned back to them. “It can’t have been a coincidence. There was a flash of blue light right before Brighde screamed.”
“I agree,” Tristan said. “There’s something supernatural behind all this. And those blue flames were in the centre of it.”
“Magic has been gone for centuries.” Kaja glanced between them. “Everyone knows that. This land has been barren of such things, even before the Harteryn line secured the throne.”
“Not all magic,” Aloisia countered. “The Scholars of the Mage’s Guild still study it.”
“Quintessence, they call it,” Tristan added.
“I know,” Kaja said. “I mean magic like what you are speaking of: witchcraft. Dark magic. The scholars just study books. Real magic, the kind which kills people and destroys lands, are things of story books. Tall tales told to scare children into behaving. But that’s all it is: stories.”
“What if it wasn’t?” Aloisia asked. “What if it was only dormant? And now, something has awoken it.”
“Or someone…” Tristan said.
Kaja scoffed. “Superstitious pair, you two.”
“If it wasn’t real, they wouldn’t still have charges for witchcraft.”
“Witchcraft isn’t real. No one practices it. Not truly. Those who claim to are charlatans and nothing more.” Kaja breathed a laugh. “This whole thing has really gone to your heads.”
“You didn’t see what happened, what we saw,” Aloisia snapped. “What are you saying? If none of this is real, then is Fynn guilty?”
“Now, come on, you two.” Tristan rose as Kaja did, moving to stand between the two huntresses.
“Of course not!” Kaja shouted. “I just think there is a rational explanation. Something which doesn’t involve the fantastical imaginings belonging in story books.”
“Yet you were the one, moments ago, speaking of the darkness in a bear’s eyes.” Aloisia sneered.
“I didn’t mean it was magic. I only meant it was weird.”
“Are you both done?” Tristan looked between them. When neither spoke, he continued, “I know there has allegedly been no magic for centuries. But just because one cannot see something doesn’t mean it isn’t there. We believe in the Divines, don’t we? And we cannot see them. Magic could be real, and it could be the explanation behind this. There are also things separate from magic which could explain this. For all we know, these things could be from the City of the Damned.”
“Don’t say such things,” Kaja hissed under her breath.
