Chapter 209 - Subterfuge
Scarlett couldn’t speak for how the Followers of Ittar and their Quorum dealt with deacons who neglected their duties, but she did know that having Raimond’s assistance helped her avoid a nasty confrontation.
She hadn’t been aware of his proficiency in illusion, but his ability to conceal her and Rosa’s appearance proved a great help. A spell from him was all it took to mask their escape, and the Dawnbringers were too occupied fighting the demons flooding out of the rift to notice anything.
Supporting the unconscious Rosa, Scarlett exited the increasingly unstable interstitial space. Contrary to Scarlett’s fears, leaving the space was far less disturbing than entering it, without any sign of that eerie grey-and-white void that had pulled her in before, nor did Rosa’s departure cause any unusual reactions.
Scarlett’s primary concern now was finding safety. Raimond would maintain their cover for a while longer before making it seem as though they had made their escape, like Malachi. He had also promised to take care of Fynn when he arrived. While Scarlett was uncertain about the specifics of how he’d do that, she trusted Raimond’s ability to deliver on his promises.
As for if she trusted Raimond himself, the jury was still out on that. She always had a hard time deciphering what went through that man’s head.
At least it seemed he believed enough of her story and felt it compelling enough to collaborate with her, despite the risk it put him in. Given what Scarlett had asked Fynn to tell Raimond in order to gain the man’s help, that outcome wasn’t entirely unexpected, but she’d had some doubts. She knew Raimond was supposed to be a good person, but ‘goodness’ could manifest in various ways. She hadn’t been certain if he would approve of Rosa’s efforts to aid villagers, considering what the Tribe of Sin’s views on those serving Ittar.
There was still the possibility that Raimond was deceiving Scarlett in some fashion, but she doubted that. Nevertheless, just in case, it might be best to develop some measures for dealing with such a situation in the future.
Right now, however, she was too exhausted to think about that, and other concerns took precedence.
Concealed under a veil of invisibility that Raimond had cast on them, Scarlett and Rosa made their way through the empty streets of Crowcairn. Relying on her enchanted glasses to navigate the darkness, Scarlett struggled to move Rosa to the nearest house. Briefly leaning the bard against it, she then pulled out and consumed one of the last of Allyssa’s stamina potions.
The potion’s effect was minor, but at this point, everything helped.
Glancing down to the spot where the invisible Rosa was lying, a frown appeared on Scarlett’s brow.
In addition to everything else she needed to discuss with the woman, she intended to make sure Rosa paid her back for these inconveniences. Beyond just the physical strain and the symptoms of mana exhaustion she was experiencing, dragging the bard around like this just felt so undignified.