Whispers From Below

Chapter 20

I was to rest for a couple more days before being allowed back out. Walking into Poppy's shop she embraced me in a massive hug squeezing me against her breast.

"I am so happy you have made a full recovery, I missed you so much. Now it's time to catch up on things."

Acting like nothing happened, like she had no idea the secret she found out about me being trained. She sent me out on a few deliveries for the day then had me grinding seeds and berries.

"Alright Lily, you have to head to class."

Pouting at her, "please can I just stay for the day?"

She was grinding her berries and chuckling. "If only you could, soon enough you won't have to go to class anymore then you can be here all day alright?"

My eyes rolled back so far in my head, "fine"

"be safe, have a lovely day."

I was a bit late getting to Kent's class, he was speaking about Aaniks the tiny woodland spirits that protect the forests. They stay hidden from everyone though some people have been able to catch a few glimpses of them.

I took my seat right in front of the golden haired boy I nearly forgot about, he watched me as I got into my seat. Kent did not draw any attention to my being late, he just went on with the class.

Binx was nowhere to be seen, he must have been somewhere in the shadows. I guess news has not been announced yet that Blagden is coming to Ernaline in the next coming days. Kent would have been talking about it, I could not stop thinking about it.

If this went downhill it is all my fault because the king wanted to save one girl's life. The weight was heavy on my shoulders the past couple days, my thought was interrupted "yes Cyrus?"

Kent was answering someone's hand being up, he was looking through me though. Cyrus, the name of the golden boy, fitting. "Do you think the Aaniks can fully turn on people like it seems as most of the other peaceful forest creatures are?"

I didn't turn around, just looked forward to Kent. "It's possible, but also not so much since Aaniks are spirits, not living creatures. So it's highly unlikely. If they were to they would have by now, but with how the world is I cannot be sure on that answer."

The world is changing is his normal answer to most of these creature questions now, and it'll be even more so any moment. Focusing on a spot on the black board I tapped my finger and foot until the end of class.

Wanting to see Em, I ran to Ione's class. On my way there I spotted her with a huge smile on her face as she came to me and hugged me tightly.

"I missed you so much! I am so glad you're feeling better Lily."

With her hug I felt a bit calmed, "I am so glad I am too Em."

She gasped "I need to tell you! Cyrus! That's the golden haired boys name!" She was nearly yelling it "shhh, I know I just found out in class."

A smirk crossed her face "well now you gotta make your move! Being gone for a few days some of the girls had tried making theirs."

"Gods Em, you are too much sometimes" smiling at her "common Lily you gotta try." She sounded winey, "we will see."

Getting to Ione's class, missing this green house I allowed my nose to be filled by the scents of flowers and dirt before taking our table. Ione's face was beaming when she saw me, she must not have known anything. Poppy was keeping her promise.

"Lovely to have you back Lily."

Class went on as normal, but during class I had a thought that had come up to me in reading a while back. Mithridatism, when someone takes small amounts of poison to build an immunity to them.

After being poisoned once, having it happen again was not in the cards ever again. I decided while taking clippings of different herbs, that will be my training. Without Ryland knowing, I will learn the taste and smell of poisons and gain a tolerance to it.

Demanding to be trained that night, needing to not be set back at all from what happened. After training I went under my bed looking through the herbs I had, and took small amounts of the poisonous ones. They tasted absolutely horrible and made me feel worse. Nearly throwing up everywhere, though making sure I held it down while drinking a few glasses of water.

After a week of taking the herbs I was able to have them more easily. The different side effects calmed down a bit as well, just meant I needed to up the dose a small more amount and then they would become a normal thing I do every day.

Walking to Kents class the guards in the city were spread out a bit heavier, patrolling everywhere. In his class room he was sitting on his stool stuck in a thought I could practically hear.

He was about to tell us about the Blagden merge. Sitting at my table he gave me a look that said if I do not have to be here if I don't want to. Though holding my ground and keeping my seat the rest of the class came in. They were quiet, waiting for him to start speaking.

"A big topic in the class this year is about how the world has been changing." He sighed standing up pacing the front, "word has been told that those from Blagden are allowed into Ernaline and starting to settle at Thornegrave."

A wave of shocked faces and gasps rushed through the class. "There is no need to worry, things are under control, besides those of that country were only banished there because of their essentia and got left there after we overthrew the Sutara. Many of our families were once there as well. They are no more than what we all are."

He was right, there should not be fear. But there still was, especially because of their rulers, the King and Queen resented what the Sutara did so much they started a mass genocide on any mordl. In their land as well as lands farther away. The people of Blagden who were left there probably feel betrayed from everyone that lives here. Or maybe there's more that we just don't know.

Which there was, the possibility of them wanting to take over Ernaline. That meant more pain for me and other mordls that still survive in the country.

Chewing on my lip my mind went back to this all being my fault. The only mordls I've known were the ones in Kardama, and they were horrible to me. Even with that, they don't deserve being killed for what they are, no one does.

"Your parents will speak to you all more about it later when you are home I'm sure of it. The news just came out not that long ago.With that being said, no one is allowed outside of the walls and there is now a city wide curfew. Everyone is to be in their houses by sundown."

Bursting through Rylands study he was sitting at his desk, "this is all my fault. Everything. You should have let me die."

Pounding his fist on to his desk as he stood up "letting you die was not an option, if you died we would be at a full on war. This decision to have them come here is to prevent that. Differences are going to be settled and this will be handled. You only need to worry about one thing."

He took out what seemed like an onyx plate, but looking closer it was an eyeless mask, glossy black and reflected like a mirror. "Becoming someone to fear. This mask is what you will wear during training and anything you are sent on."

Handing it to me, I flipped it to the side that would be against my face, where the eye holes would be there was a thinner glass that could be seen through that took their place. Flipping it back and looking at my own face in the reflection I grinned.

"You will be something even the King of Blagden will fear Lily. Stop blaming yourself for things that were out of your control. Start worrying about making tomorrow and the next better. Those are the days that matter."

"I want Jace back."

His head hung "I know Lily, he will be back in time." Wanting to throw a fit I just spun on my heel and left. Putting the mask away into the floorboards and went down to the bakery.