Myrr: Reincarnated Timemage Assassin

Chapter 64: The Sins Of The Past

"You'd be surprised..." I mutter, thinking of all the times lately that things haven't gone the way I expected. "Wait, hold on a second. What exactly is your relation to Romy? She must trust you if she made you the Vice-Secthead."

"Trust...that's a word." Elina's voice is heavy. I get the feeling that their relationship is not simple. "This is the Rainstopper Sect. Everyone here knows Romy Rainstopper."

"But Romy doesn't trust everyone here. As a matter of fact, I always got the impression that she trusted almost nobody from the Rainstopper Sect." I hone in, searching for Elina's eyes. It's difficult to read her mood without being able to see what's behind the mask. "You must be special."

"Hah...yes, I was...special." Her laughter isn't happy whatsoever. Completely empty of mirth, it mocks the very idea. "I think you're the one who's really special though. Last I checked, Romy-" She pauses, choosing her words carefully, "The Secthead doesn't have a child. You...don't look like her. And even if I were to believe that she did, I know that she would never want her child to enter the Trials. So tell me, why should I help you?"

Someone's changing the subject.

I find Elina's blue eyes to be quite clear in this moment. The sunken darkness behind them is being penetrated by her intense gaze. Now it's my turn to choose my words carefully.

"It's my choice. I need to win the Trials for my own reasons. Even if you don't want to help, I'll do it anyways." My words make her eyes tense up. Did I mess up? "But you stepped in for a reason out there. Tell me why you helped me, and I'll tell you why I need to win the Trials."

"Very well then." The healer splays her hands out, palm up towards me. "To be honest, I knew you weren't like her. But I also know that the Secthead adopted a child. I was curious so I watched you during the 2nd Trial. And I saw some interesting things."

"Interesting things?" I'm not quite sure what she means.

"You might not be related to her. But you're just like her in some ways." Elina's voice turns just a little bit less sad. As if the wan sun is peeking through the thick clouds. "I saw you holding back. You could have heavily injured the other candidates with that spell of yours. Why didn't you?"

"If I killed them I would have been disqualified." My answer makes her pause. It's the truth but she doesn't seem to realize I'm not being modest.

"Hmm...I don't think so. You're more like her than you think. The Secthead was similar." Abruptly, the wall comes back up. Still though, I remember the fading warmth in her voice and I think something's changed in Elina's demeanor. She seems...taller.

"What do you know about Romy?"

"Nothing...and yet...everything...I suppose. More than you, anyway. Enough to know that she also was provoked by the Trials to do things she regretted. In the end, it was too late, even if she tried to stop. Are you going to make the same mistake?" Elina says and even my brain can't make heads or tails of that statement in my sleepless state. Seeing my eyes blink blankly, the healer waves me off. "Go to sleep, Myrr. Your girlfriend is taking up the only bed so it'll have to be the floor, but I doubt you're going to notice the difference."

"She's not my..." I start to answer, but my body is already moving as if on its own to the ground. As I rest my head on my arms, there's a gentle wind on my face and someone pushes a pillow under my neck. Already, I'm drifting away. But a thought comes to me as I lie there, dreaming.

She knows my name?

#

Sundered lives.