NOVEL NEXT Chapter 86 - Simon: Ambiguous Answers
Well, I got my answer. It was not the answer I had hoped for, though. Looking back, it was a stupid and reckless thing to poke at that particular wound, and when her response was so empathetic and, despite appearances, decidedly unlike Allea, something in me gave.
Thankfully she covered well for me, while I gathered myself. I would not want to let them see me like that. I am supposed to be the leader, and part of that is to be stoic and calm in any circumstance.
Looking back on her actions instead of focusing on my own, I had to admit she was good. Really good. Her response to the interruption was so much like my friend, it almost made me doubt myself.
There is a fact about Allea however that she couldn't have known… “Or chose to ignore.” a voice in the back of my mind whispers, but I quickly silence it. Nothing good comes from heading down that train of thought… she is a monster, after all.
Allea hates hugs.
So assured, but newly conflicted about how to feel about her assistance, I continue with the plan as offered by Kallion, asking everyone in turn a question, and this time sticking to simpler, matter of fact ones.
Harry got asked which side of the stairs he stumbled down on this morning. He took a long while to answer before responding that his headache was too bad to remember. Which is a reasonable answer, but not a definitive one.
Nathan’s question was about which one of them got cured first this morning. His response of “Harry” was accurate and delivered without as much as a hint of hesitation.
Moving on to Ellie I passed by Kallion who gave me a meaningful nod. Had he watched the display with the fake Allea? Or was there something about one of the two coming up that gave him reason to suspect them? He did mention the possibility of there being more than one shapeshifter mingling with our group, but that thought really makes me worried.
I mean… If our group has so much trouble dealing with a couple tier one or two shapeshifters… how can the kingdom, or indeed any humanoid realm, hope to be free of their influence? Less benign dungeons would have resulted in us with slit throats for letting our guard down in a situation like this, not a silly game of three questions.
If there were organized groups of shapeshifters out there, would the inquisition be able to handle them? Are there Devil cults out there with the means to infiltrate society and direct it in a like manner?
With that brief bout of existential dread to accompany my thoughts and distract me from earlier events I arrive in front of the blonde bard, who fixes me with a self assured smirk and goes “So, you gonna pop the big question, big man?”
Sigh. Bards.
“Right. The chords you used this morning to cure your hangover. Play them.” I order, and she nods swiftly and moves her hands towards the strings of the instrument hanging around her shoulder. She plays a quick series of three chords that sound… well, somewhat correct, but also slightly off. Damn I should have gone with something else. I nod towards her and continue towards Astrid.
“You about done?” she asks. “I'm bored. Let's wrap this up.”
“Sure.” I respond. “You can simply tell me where we met Kallion for the first time.”
She rolls her eyes at me, and responds.
“Same place we met Allea. The Guild HQ main hall. Ya done? We good now?”
“Sure. Let me talk to Kallion really quickly to get our answer ready and then we can move on.” I try to placate her, to which she grumbles but nods.