Chapter 86: The aftermath
The fight with Meliše exhausted Ceremus, forcing him to exert more energy than usual. He had to admit that he had greatly underestimated the sorceress, and he only had his hubris to blame for the outcome.
If he hadn't had that sudden burst of energy earlier, he knew there was no way he could've won. He realized that he'd gone far too long without fighting and desperately needed to getting stronger again. He made a mental note to thank his mother when he returned.
Hael stared at him expectantly, and the king was delighted to see how relieved he looked to see him in one piece. Relief softened Hael's face for only a moment—then his brow furrowed, his jaw tightening as his gaze flicked behind Ceremus. His hands twitched at his sides, as if resisting the urge to reach for his weapon.Though she looked a little beaten up, she was still faring a lot better than Ceremus, which puzzled the guard.
"What is going on?" He asked, his gaze now directed at her. "What is she still doing here?"
What he really meant to say was why she was still alive, but Hael had the presence of mind not to say such things in front of her. In spite of everything, he still had manners and Ceremus found this strangely endearing.
Meliše chuckled ruefully at his words—or better yet—lack of words. "You truly are an amusing fellow." She said.
Hael narrowed his eyes at her before giving Ceremus an accusatory look. "I'll explain later. Right now, I need to clean up and tend to my wounds."
The guard's gaze softened before stepping back. "Of course; I'll go have it prepared for you right away." He said. He gave her a wary look before leaving.
The king, the sorceress, and the bird remained in silence before Loki broke it. "So? What happened in there? I assumed one of you would have to die before the veil could be lifted.
Veils were a tool used by powerful sorcerers as a means to entrap their prey. One of the rules that pertained to veils was their duration. A veil could only be undone once their prey was dead, they themselves died, or they willingly undid it. Loki had a hard time believing that Meliše would willingly undo the veil herself, yet it was the only possible explanation for why they were both here. What he wanted to know was why.
"You're quite the clever bird, aren't you?" The sorceress said, earning a surprised look from the king.