Price of Power

She returned to the home as soon as she realized that she was not in danger anymore. The stone tunnel led her to the sewers and from it on the street, but under the influence of panic, she ran through a few more alleys before she teleported. Her heart still was pounding like a jackhammer, but it was all over. She sat on the floor and took a deep breath. She had that, a clue, she looked over the invitation one more time and smiled, nothing even exploded.

After she decided that she won’t find anything more, she thanked and dismissed the Cleric who called her and went to her office. She had to search one folder, but she didn’t go to the drawers by the wall, just right away to her desk. She had there hidden one more folder with files, or rather their copy. She opened it and saw before her eyes a profile of Lariska Lemoine, but she was interested in something different, namely in her files of eliminations. It wasn’t too big what shouldn’t be surprising because of her young age and she knew for what she was looking for.

She pulled out a crossed-out page with a red 'X', so she remembered well. This person is dead or at least should be. Have Lariska didn’t fulfill her obligations? It was possible that she was just being paranoid, but she had no idea who else could with such ease pick a lock. Besides, these doors which she sealed, only those long aboard called Sayeh could open them, like her. She knew few more Sayeh but was almost sure it was that one. She looked at the clock, it was about to dawn, Octavian already returned from the capital, she should know something or his fiancee.

Caduka was cleaning with a hanky her mechanical eye when on the table fell a rolled letter for which she was waiting for. She put her eye on its place, broke the seal and opened it. She was reading only to get it over with, but when she reached the end she at once stood up and ran to the bed on which Lariska was sleeping. She kneeled and took the horn. She was reading, again and again, hoping she won’t make things worse and when she decided that she’s ready she put the tool to her head. The horn glowed a little, the bloodstains decreased, but nothing more. She stood up, she wasn’t expecting a big effect, but something was happening, it was enough, she should take a nap herself.

She woke up a few hours later and immediately went to see how was Lariska. She was still sleeping, but on the bandages, there was almost no blood. She came closer and started as gently as she could take the dressing off her head. When she wanted to tilt her head, Lariska opened her eyes and her pupils immediately went towards her, Caduka jumped out of her skin.

"What are you doing?" She was lying still and her eyes were staring at her.

"I just wanted to see how’s your scar, I didn’t want to wake you."

She sighed and sat on the edge of the bed, Caduka right next to her and began to unfold the bandage. On its inner side, there still was some blood but dried, and when she took off the last layer she saw the scar covered in clotted blood. She winced despite that she already saw many times open wounds. Then she quickly went off for a moment to come back with a wet towel. She washed with it wound’s area and next she pulled out a medical kit hidden under the bed to apply her a new dressing, much smaller.

"So?" Lariska asked when she was done.

"It looks ...good."

"And you were saying that I will have to lie for a few days."

"And it would be best for you, but it’s healing nicely." At the end she patted gently the wounded spot, she was pleasantly surprised by the effect of the spell.

"How long then?

"Now actually, but there’s still a small risk, though I have something that will cheer you up."

She pulled out of a pocket and gave her an invitation to the Summer Sun Celebration.

"And he will be there?" She asked after reading.

"Possible that he’s already there, but the celebration will take place in few days, we have some time."

"Do you know if someone from the list was contacting Eol?"

"One actually, Atilius. He has a warehouse in which they were or are about to meet, why?"

"If we have so much time we can use it."

There Caduka was at an impasse, from the one side she was afraid that too big exertion can end up tragically for Lariska and from the other ...doesn't matter.

"You just can’t sit on your ass," She said with resignation. "but for your own good let’s wait till tomorrow, please."

Lariska in answer to her mentor’s pleading face only rolled her eyes, but she agreed.

Although the sun was still high on the sky the nightfall was slowly approaching. The weary citizens returned from their jobs to homes and families, only a few shops were still open and the youth was still roaming around alleys. Lariska put on her tail-coat, fastened her belts and took her musket, she had her instruments, she was ready. The day passed her slowly, she knew that Caduka was caring about her, but sometimes she was if not overprotective then just annoying. She was insisting for her to do nothing but lie in the bed, but at least she let her eat at the table and took a shower. There was one mirror in the bathroom, covered like all windows. Like Caduka was ashamed to look at herself. She took the sheet off and looked at her, she had everything in place.

"Tell me," She started, Caduka was right behind her. "do you even know what Atilius did?"

"Velvet said that he’s working on bioprosthesis, you know, mechanical limbs you control with mind."

"It doesn’t sound so bad."

"Not really, but you’re not really interested what Eol did."

"I recognize Atilius, he is a scientist, a good one. Eol does not belong to any district if his death will help us, then so be it."

"Well, there’s one thing, but it’s hard for me to explain this and even understand. I found a mention that if the prosthesis is controlled with brain maybe it could affect it."

"When you said it like that it sounds much worse."

"But I don’t have certainty, we can find out what’s really going on and then I’ll leave the choice to you, are you ready?"

Lariska turned and grabbed her sleeve, they looked at each other and one blink of an eye later they were gone.