Chapter 251 - Mixed news
Scarlett sat at the table in her quarters on the Rising Isle, poring over a weathered old Zuverian tome. It was something she’d used on occasion to practice reading the ancient script, but now was the first time she could truly comprehend its contents. Mostly, though, she was reading to distract herself, an effort that was only marginally successful as her mind kept drifting back to the events unfolding in the empire.
The day had crawled by without word from Gaspar, leaving Allyssa and the others to stew in their anxiety over the ongoing attacks. Scarlett, while not worrying per se, couldn’t shake a nagging sense of unease. She despised the feeling of not being in control, even though she’d long anticipated the Cabal’s assault.
Enduring a dull, persistent throbbing behind her eyes didn’t help matters. The headache had continued plaguing her ever since Thainnith’s legacy was jammed into her frontal lobe. She’d tried resting at noon, but it had only helped so much.
With a sigh, she idly thumbed through the tome, allowing the once-alien symbols to crystallise into meaning. The soft rustle of turning pages filled the room, a soothing counter to her otherwise racing thoughts.
Without warning, a flash of light erupted in the center of the room. As it faded, a figure materialised — a woman with vibrant purple hair, draped in emerald robes and clutching a watch-like artifact in her hand.
“Ah, excellent. I’ve found the right place,” the newcomer remarked, her gaze sweeping the room before settling on Scarlett. “Pinpointing your exact location can be surprisingly tricky.”
“Miss Ward. I was not expecting another visit from you so soon,” Scarlett said.
“Yet here I stand,” Yamina replied, her eyes flicking to the tome Scarlett had been reading. “Oh, so you do understand Zuverian after all. I was wondering whether you were fluent or not.”
“I am.” Scarlett closed the tome and slipped it back into her [Pouch of Holding] placed on the table. “What brings you here, Miss Ward? Given the current situation in the empire, I assumed you would be otherwise occupied.”
The wizard nodded, a hint of weariness seeming to bleed into her voice. “The Mistral Observatory is in a frenzy, everyone scrambling to assess the situation on the continent. I have managed to steal a moment for myself and thought to pay you one last visit. I suspect opportunities may be scarce after today.”
Scarlett regarded her thoughtfully. “…Indeed. I will be returning to Freybrook as soon as I am able, making future meetings unlikely. That said, I have unfinished business here on the Isle. I will return when circumstances allow.”
She still hadn’t found the answers she needed related to Arlene’s quest, after all, not to mention all of her dealings with the council. They still owed her.