Samira hesitantly walked into the library to join Ana and Lily. Her mind was racing with the vague memories of her childhood. Victoria's logic made sense; she was so similar to Firewater and Silkie. Three hybrid monsters. There had to be some sort of connection between them.
She thought about her adoptive mother, Jolder. She could visualize her face perfectly, but not her parents from her childhood. All of it was so fuzzy and vague. Her chest turned to think about her birth parents. Before she even realized it, she was opening a book on the shelf.
Samira blinked. The words felt familiar, yet so different. She strained her eyes to focus on one word. The language structure was similar to modern Rieflehemian with major variations in word and letter structure. She glanced at Lily, who was trying her best to decipher the words.
A bit of relief washed over Samira. For some reason, she feared being connected to those two goblins. Feared the memories and life she thought she lived were fake. It would have led to her spiralling even more. She set the book down and let out a deep breath. She glanced towards the door, at her waiting audience and shook her head.
It was a mix of reactions from Claire, Victoria, and Elsie. Victoria and Elsie wanted her to be able to read it, while Claire seemed relieved like Samira. The redhead walked forward and offered her hand to Samira.
"How do you feel?" She whispered to the lamia. "Okay with this?"
Samira shook her head. "Not sure. It makes sense that I would be connected to them. But I don't know…"
"Yeah, it would make sense." Claire smiled softly. "Too much sense."
Samira tilted her head. "What do you mean?"
Claire giggled and guided her out of the library. "Too much sense for the Gods. Nothing can be too simple with them."
"I see. I guess I don't have enough experience with them to get that joke." Samaria smiled and let herself be pulled along.
"Damn," Elsie muttered. "I was hoping she'd be able to read it. It looks a lot more complicated compared to today's language."
"Me too," Victoria exhaled. She glanced at Toni, then at Jasmine. "Well, I believe it's time for me to leave. Maybe I can scare them off your tail."
Jasmine opened her mouth and stepped forward to speak. She found herself stopping. She wanted to join Victoria to whittle down their numbers even more, but she hesitated. Victoria's expression alone made her stop. The spy shook her head with a cold, dead expression.
"Best if you stay here," Hannah was quick to pick up on Victoria's expression. It was one she was far more used to. "Let Victoria work. She may be annoying and a liar, but she's reliable."
Victoria nodded. "I'll tell you when you can join me. We'll see if I can get their numbers down in time, but expect to hear from me in a week."
"Sorr-" Jasmine tried to speak.
"No, not your fault." Victoria turned to Toni. "I should have been more honest about the plan and the situation. Used to keeping a lot of it from this little guy and his mother."
"Hey!" Toni pouted. "How much have you kept from us?"
"More than I could ever tell you." She leaned down and gently kissed his forehead. "Be good, Toni. I'll be back in a week. Do not stray from this hallway and the path to the stables."
"Right, the magical traps." Hannah mumbled. She reached out her hand to Victoria. "Thank you for coming to our aid. And not killing me over bringing Toni to Restol."
"You're welcome." Victoria dropped her smile. "But thank me after we get through this."
She then turned to Jasmine. "We have a lot to discuss after this is over. I need to apologize, and so may you. We'll worry about it later. Right now, the safety of those we love matters."
Jasmine nodded. "Right."
"And hopefully next time, Ursa lets me pet her." Victoria's expression betrayed her attempt at brevity. It was cold and serious, so unlike her words or tone.
"I doubt it." Jasmine said with an equally cold tone. There was a brief pause between them before Victoria turned away. Jasmine's confidence and pride took a hit from her earlier stunt, but her image of Victoria had softened. She, too, still had a lot to learn.
"Jazz?" Claire asked after Victoria completely disappeared. "That was pretty badass."
It wasn't what Jasmine expected. She glanced at Claire with confusion. "What was?"
"Uh, well, the gamble you made. And confronting her." Claire got red-faced as she explained herself.
"I was wrong." Jasmine shook her head. "I could have put Ursa out of commission because of my pride."
"Where is Ursa?" Hannah tilted her head and looked around.
"Still!" Claire insisted and picked up Jasmine's hands. "You held your ground."
"I agree," Toni joined in. "Not many people can talk to Victoria that way. Well, Claire did too."
"Yeah, but mine was for an apology, not about her being a liar." Claire retorted.
"Still impressive!" Toni was bouncing on his feet. "Though, I hope she is okay. Fifty women is a lot, even for her."
"I don't need the flattering." Jasmine shook her head. She lost her cool at Victoria. She needed to work on that. "But thanks. I hope she's okay too. I want that apology."
While they were talking, Hanna looked around for the Ravian. She found Elsie examining the tapestries in the hallway, likely deep in conversation with her sister. It wasn't until she made it a bit further down the cleared hallway that she found Ursa.
"Ursa?" Hannah poked her shoulder. "You good?"
"Hmm?" Ursa blinked and pulled her attention away from the depiction before her. "Yeah. Just still trying to wrap my head around how this stick of a man is the Tyrant."
Hannah glanced at the painting. She could see why. The man sitting in the shade of a tree looked so dainty and thin. He truly would fit right in with the men of today. She turned and glanced at Firewater's human depiction. It was like night and day between the two.
"Yeah." Hannah titled her head. "He kind of reminds me of Lily. The glasses and dark hair."
"I can see it." Ursa exhaled. "My people hated his actions, but idolized his feats. He took on an army himself, the pinnacle of a warrior. Yet he looked like this?"
"Yeah, imagine Lily turning into the Tyrant." Hannah giggled. "That would be a crazy transformation."
"Maybe," Ursa mumbled. The painting beside it had all three and another woman. The Tyrant, Firewater, Silkie, and the unknown woman posing side by side for a picture. "Must be his wife."
"Yeah," Hannah examined the woman. Her hair had streaks of black running through her blonde hair. She was quite beautiful and was holding the Tyrant tightly. "Her and their child were the reason He changed. I get turning to anger, but why at the Gods?"
"Cursing his fate? Blaming them for their deaths?" Ursa questioned aloud. "I am not sure."
There was a moment of silence as they kept looking around at the paintings. They were filled with the happy memories of His time and life. The young boy slowly maturing into a man. Hardened over a decade of fighting by the end of it.
"He looks so happy in all of these," Hannah muttered. "Especially when He's with his wife. I can see how He fell so hard…"
"Fell in what way?" Ursa raised an eyebrow. "Fell to anger or for her?"
"Both." Hannah giggled. "She's taller than Him, too."
Ursa shook her head. "The pinnacle of warriors, by the way."
"Never meet your heroes, or, I guess, standards?" Hannah chuckled. "I don't know if the Tyrant is a hero in your people's eyes."
"He isn't." Ursa had a small smile. "The pinnacle we strive for as warriors. In case a person like Him rises again, we'll be ready."
"Smart." Hannah grabbed her hand. "Come on, let's join the others. I bet there are some comfortable beds here."