Patrol 4: Storm & Calm

Chapter 29

"D'merdon, can you hear me?" T'kanna asked, a hand on either side of his face, turning his head one way and then the other as she checked his ears.

"Yes," he replied quietly. "Thank you, T'kanna."

"You should get checked by a healer."

"He's busy with Vania," he replied, standing. He sighed, one hand going to his face. "Gods, I'm stupid. I provoked that bitch, and now look. House burned down. Luckily none of the others were hurt. Who knows what she did to Vania..." He began to walk to the door, but T'kanna's hand on his arm stopped him.

"D'merdon. Wait. Tell me what happened." She gestured for him to sit. "I promise, the healer knows to come here first once he's done with Vania; you'll know how she is soon."

He sighed and sunk into the chair. "We were in her room. Talking. Bitch decided to join in. We argued. I made her mad. She did something to make Vania collapse, then lightning struck the house. The thunder from it destroyed my hearing. A'lyra was able to get everyone out before the roof fell in."

T'kanna nodded. "Good. I'm glad everyone's okay."

"Vania—"

"Will be fine. She's collapsed before, after being controlled. Did you see or notice anything that would indicate this time was different?"

"No. But—"

"She'll be fine." T'kanna offered him a glass. "Water?"

"Thank you," he said softly as he accepted it.

"You're lucky—your house is mostly stone, so as long as they're able to fix the roof, it should be usable. Of course, until your house is fixed, you're welcome to stay here. I assume you and Vania will share—"

"Vania will stay in the violet room. You already have it warded, plus it's where her hammock is. I'll stay in the room beside it."

"D'merdon?" T'kanna asked, sitting in the chair across from him, resting her hand on his knee. "Is everything okay?"

"No. No, it's not."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No. Not really."

T'kanna smiled gently at him. "Then you don't have to. Just know I'm here, whenever you need me."

"Thanks, sis."

She squeezed his hand and they sat in silence.

Finally, Eddin spoke, the words tumbling out of him quickly, "The woman I love is losing herself to an evil goddess; Vania thinks the only way to stop it is to kill herself. Our house just burned down. I had a fight with Mother. The powers I've had all my life, that are part of my identity, aren't actually mine. The bitch slum queen of the underworld is part of Vania's family. The city's falling apart, as is our lives. I don't know what to do."

"What makes you think you need to do anything?"

"Because I can't just do nothing." Eddin stood. "I'm going to go check on Vania."

T'kanna also stood. "I'll come with you."