Changeling

Chapter 9

My curiosity almost won over self-preservation. Harbingers, auspices...birds? I wanted to know all about it, however it would do me no good if I were dead.

"I saw you. I saw you talking to him. He gave you something. Did he pay you to bring me here?" I asked accusingly.

Ariton's face paled with revelation. "That's why isn't it?" He released me understanding why I ran.

"You're one of them, aren't you?" I spat out.

He patted the air with a calm down gesture, "No, no of course not. Just listen to me for a moment."

Some of my pain had seceded allowing me to sit up on my own and scoot a few feet from him. "How could you? How could you do this to me?"

"Please listen. You have it all wrong Calliope. That was Cason you saw me meeting with. He's a friend. He's helping me."

"Helping you what? Abduct me and kill me?"

"No Calliope...he's helping us. Helping me save you."

"Bullshit. I saw you take his money."

"You saw me take this." He held up the small leather satchel.

"He paid you for me." I accused, completely ignoring his explanation. My years spent around some of the most unsavory people and parts of human society took over and influenced my interpretation of events.

"No." He loosened the tie on the small bag with urgency, opened it, then poured its contents onto the sand. It was a bundle of herbs. "He gave me this. It's medicine to heal your wounds."

"What?" I stammered. "He brought me medicine... one of the Others?" I was slow to process what Ariton was saying.

"Yes, and he will be back later with some clothes and supplies for you." He looked down at the sand and drew an x in it with his index finger before meeting my eyes once again. "I left the cave before you woke so I could meet up with him and make arrangements for some clothing and supplies you need. I knew seeing him would shock you. I needed more time to explain to you...certain things. I didn't think you would wake and see us speaking in the forest. For that I'm sorry. So sorry. Fortunately, Cason had this on him because you're in need of it now more than ever."

He picked up the small bundle of herbs and held them up to me. It wasn't any type of medicine I was familiar with. Not a pill or a tablet merely a collection of dried plants. I supposed it fit with the primitive nature of this place. I truly hoped that bundle of dead weeds could help me.

"It's not your fault," I said. He smiled shyly. Actually, it was his fault. I'm not sure why I felt the need to admonish him of his guilt. Perhaps it was the regret in his eyes-- it triggered a weakness in me. He triggered a weakness in me.

"Look, there's a lot to explain but Cason is a friend. He's part of a group, an order of the Others, aiding us in saving you. We were supposed to meet up last night where you saw us this morning. Obviously, that didn't happen. It was good fortune that you found the cave so close to where we planned to meet. At first light I went out to seek him, hoping he was still near, thankfully he was. We need him."

"Who is us? And why exactly do I need saving?" These were questions I needed answers to.

"I promise I'll answer all of your questions but let me take you back to the cave first. We can't stay out here all night." He said, while looking around as if something or someone would come bounding out of the trees at any moment.

I was unsure I should give him my trust again. Sensing my hesitation, he slid over to me and took my hands in his. "I know you have no reason to believe me, but I assure you, I mean you no harm. I only want to help." He reached up and pushed a stray strand of hair behind my ear exposing the raw flesh on my cheek and he sucked in air at the sight of it.