deadly nightshade

6

~Nightshade's POV~

In the doorway of the chamber, Astrid and Irri were looking extremely defensive. Their eyes darted around the room, trying to spot someone other than me and Cicero.

"Where's your accomplice? Reveal yourself traitor!" Astrid growled, glaring at Cicero with rage. It was quite unlike her, she was totally readable. She was pissed! Irri was staring at me, her icy blue eyes piercing me like swords.  Not a bad thing to be honest.

"I spoke only to the Night Mother!" Cicero retorted back at Astrid. "But she didn't speak to me, no no, she spoke only to her! To the Listener!" He motioned wildly at me, and Astrid's blazing eyes moved to me. She looked me up and down, as if we were meeting for the first time once again.

"What are.. what kind of trickery is he pulling?!" Her voice was giving me chills, she was truly angry. I couldn't even bring myself to defend myself, or Cicero for that matter. He was on his own. Suddenly, out of nowhere the same sharp pain hit me, and the world faded again as the voice was all that I could hear.

"Meet with Amaund Motierre in Volunruud. Accept his contract, and then return to me." The voice spoke, and the only thing I could see was the Night Mother's face glow softly. The glow was so comforting, despite the ungodly pain in my head.

"I must be..." I tried to mutter out a sentence, but the words just wouldn't come to my head. "She told me there's a contract in Volunruud.. a man named Amaund Motierre."

As my vision returned to me, I felt people beside me. I looked to see Irri and Cicero, holding both sides of me to mae sure I didn't fall. Upon seeing I had come back to reality, Cicero backed off, but Irri stayed near just in case.

"I've never heard of Amaund Motierre, but I've definitely heard of Volunruud.." Astrid spoke, looking deep in thought. I glanced at Cicero, who appeared as if he would explode from glee.

"Should I go take that contract.. or..." I said absentmindedly, rubbing my head to try and ease the pain.

"No.. no.. I.. I need time to think about this. Go do something else.." Astrid quickly replied, looking quite puzzled. She motioned for Irri to follow her, and they both left the room.

"Haha! You are the Listener! You are the Listener!" Cicero was cheering happily, a huge smile on his face. I couldn't help but smile back. Though, something else was on my mind.

"Hey hey, listen." I said, getting his attention. It was weird, usually it took much more than that to get him to focus. Whatever, I'm not complaining. "Is it normal for a Listener to get headaches when the Night Mother talks to them?"

"Headaches? Cicero has never heard of that happening to a Listener before." This was one of the few times he sounded unsure, which made me a bit anxious.

"Well, it hurts and I don't like it." I tried to act tough, but my true insecurities were shining through. Cicero caught this, and gave me a reassuring smile.

"No worries, dear Listener! Cicero thinks it shouldn't last forever!" I hoped that statement was true. How long can I bear that. Hopefully she doesn't talk to me often.

"I hope.. but that's not important right now." I sighed, heading for the door, but before I could reach it, I felt a hand on my shoulder. Startled, I froze, and I looked behind me. Cicero was standing directly behind me, giving me the most intense stare I've ever seen in my life.

"Listener, don't do anything you'll regret." He said, in a tone so serious it made my heart skip a beat, "Promise me that." I was in so much shock, the only thing I could muster up in response was a nod. Afterwards, he instantly went back to his usual cheery self, and he bounded back to the Night Mother. What in the world have I gotten myself into..