Scarlet Soul

Chapter 7/1: A Challenge

Chapter 7/1

Kayla could not afford to waste time doing nothing as the partner she risked her life to avoid leaving was put through a test that was probably similar to hers. She decided to listen to their conversation or rather, to Faerendal's monologue, hoping that he does not notice that she is there.

It might be that he simply did not care if she learned of what he was talking about, of course, but she was just as shocked as he was when he said the God's name. Was the boy a Wielder? Truly? How could one hide such a secret?

"Damn it!" Faerendal rested his head on his hand and made it possible for her to sense the gem inside his flesh. 'Good gods,' she almost sighed. 'could this get any worse?' "Get out." the man ordered. He was not keeping his voice down anymore and it didn't matter to him. Kayla cringed when she heard the boy okay hurriedly and prepared to pounce back into her former position.

"Wait, sit." the wizard groaned, silently this time. "You can't leave." He obviously hated that fact but there was not much he could do about it.

"Boy," Faerendal's voice was darker and heavier than ever before, "wash yourself quickly and get dressed. I need the vampire for this." He needed a translator. Of course. Kayla may have been the only person who knew the boy this well and could somewhat understand him. Did he plan on getting her to spill everything she knew? She slipped back into the living room and pretended to occupy herself with the flowers placed in the vase on the table they ate on earlier: even if the wizard knew she had been listening in on them, her companion certainly did not.

The atmosphere in the room turned uncomfortable as soon as the two stepped into it and took their positions on the chairs surrounding the table. "Okay kids, we are going to have a talk, right now." again, the two were unable to defy the man's will. Edrich looked at the girl and hoped that she did not know enough to actually make the situation worse than it already was. Depending on what the man had to say, he might have to attempt murder again or die trying to kill him.

"Girl, tell me how you met the boy. If you lie, you're dead. I don't care for your cursed blood or whatever bonds you have with this kid." The mention of her cursed blood sent a shiver down her spine but she had to admit that the fact that the man knew who she was did not surprise her as much as it should have. She was slowly getting used to having her reality shattered and replaced by things that she could never expect. Her life was on the line and she could not tell whether the wizard was bluffing or had he actually been capable of revealing a fraud or a mere lie that easily.

She should've ran. What was she thinking? This man was barking up the wrong tree- there was nothing she could offer him because she did not know much, either. This was all too much to take in in just a span of a few minutes but the upset face of the man interrogating her made her decide that lying was, after all, something she absolutely must not do.

Had she been calmer she would have been able to tell that he needed her alive- there was no way he could get something out of Edrich alone. She would have finally realized why Edrich never spoke even when his life depended on his words.

"First, do you really not know his name? A given name would do, I do not expect you to know his natural one." That question again. Edrich has never been this tired of hearing it. The room was getting smaller with each word the man spoke and it was getting harder for him to breathe. He could not do anything.

"Yes."

"That's not good enough. I want a full, detailed answer." He was terrifying and Kayla found herself obeying: "As I have said before, He did not speak to me since the moment we met. I have no knowledge of what his name could be and I have been addressing him as 'you' up until now." She spoke way too fast and it was hard for Faerendal to catch but he immediately asked the next question. "Is he capable of using magic?"