Tag: ghosts

Whispering Death (part 25)

A light clicked on in Drina’s mind, and her eyes shot wide. Was I her first lover? The rush of wind against her face registered in her mind. Filled with urgency, Drina ran down the halls. Drina needed to confront her. Her feet carried her against her will towards the main room. Looking towards the door, she felt a tug at her side. 

Pivoting her heel, she flew down the rest of the hall towards the bed area. Stopping short at the entranceway, Drina scanned the room and spotted Hestar. She sat on the bed they slept in earlier, facing away from the door. A flood of relief hit her. Thank god she didn’t leave the building.

Taking two steps forward, Drina paused. What should she say now? Does she need to apologize or thank her? All of her emotions were jumbled and unorganized. 

“I know it’s hard to believe. That after all this time, it was only you.” 

Drina stood still in silence, allowing her to continue.

“It’s silly; this ruse of mine. I wanted to be confident. To invoke desire and be something people wish they could have. It felt good to have the ability to walk into a room knowing you could take anyone home.” Hestar huffed, shaking her head, “Maybe this is my punishment for-.” 

“No,” Drina interrupted, taking a few steps forward. “Nothing you did deserves punishment.”

Finally, Hestar turned to face Drina, tears streaming down her cheeks. “I’m sorry for pressuring you. For dragging you into this. I’ll keep my distance from you to keep you safe. I won’t try to pursue you-” 

Drina’s body moved on its own towards Hestar. Before she knew it, Drina had whipped around the bed to stand in front of her and grabbed her face. To stop the words spewing from Hestar’s mouth, Drina forcefully kissed her with everything she had. Pulling away from the kiss, Drina refused to let her face go. Looking dead in her eyes, she snarled in a weak whisper. 

“Bullshit. I’m not going anywhere and I won’t let you leave me.”

Drina’s anger caught up with her. Her hands shook and her breath was ragged. Whoever was haunting Hestar was going to pay. 

“We are going to find this sicko and save you. I’m not afraid; I’m not going to hide. Until the end, I will be here with you. Nothing will keep me from being with you.”

Kneeling in front of Hestar, Drina ran her thumb across her cheek, removing the tear stains. “You are my first, too. If I didn’t want any of this, I wouldn’t have joined you on the bottom bunk the first night I met you.”

Hestar was speechless. All she could do was stare deeply into her eyes, her lip quivering at her words. The shame and fear shrouded her face. With a hard sniffle, Hestar slowly broke into a smile. “Look at you being all valiant.” 

In return, Drina smirked. “Only ‘cause you give me courage.”

It was the cheesiest thing Drina had ever said. Even Hestar blushed before bursting into laughter. Drina’s face burned brightly, fighting to keep her composure. It wouldn’t have been so bad if Hestar didn’t laugh this hard. In her embarrassment, Hestar grabbed Drina’s face and returned the kiss. It was sweet and passionate. Pulling away, Hestar kept her face close. They locked eyes, unwilling to let go.

“What do we do now?”

It was a good question with an answer Drina didn’t have. She reached up and clasped her hand over Hestar’s. Drina was ready this time to deal with the answer.

“I know you don’t want to talk about it, but we need to find the son of a bitch. Think of all the guys you have had a fling or a spark even, that would do this to you.”

The smile on Hestar’s face faltered. Although she disliked the idea, Hester understood. They weren’t going to get anywhere without talking about it. Removing her hand, Hestar helped Drina to sit on the bed beside her. Unsure where to start, Hestar fidgeted with Drina’s fingers.

“Over the last few years, guys would stray into town. Some were merchants and others amateur adventurers. Because I didn’t want to ruin Lulu’s reputation or the Hostels, I never pursued anyone who stayed here. Instead, I would spend my time at the pub on the outskirts of town. One merchant who frequented our town stayed there, so I got to know him. He would introduce me to his companions, and we’d see each other here and there.”

Drina bit at her tongue, trying to focus on the story she was sharing. Hestar felt the tension and raised her hand to kiss it. “It’s not like how I met you. They would try to court me, take me for dinners or out for a drink, but none took my breath away. When I saw you, I took a risk.”

It was thoughtful of her to try and cheer Drina up, even if it didn’t work well. Grumpily, Drina questioned her further. “After they courted you, what then? Did they stay in town?”

Hestar shrugged with a frown. “That’s it. They would visit week after week, then just stop without notice. The farthest I would generally get with them would be a make-out session or light petting. Nothing super risky or consequential.”

Drina blinked at the news. It explained why Hestar was extraordinarily talented with her tongue, but something was missing. “Wait, they just stopped visiting the town?” 

“Yes. One adventurer I was smitten with, named J’oulin, was planning to move here. He was sure he’d marry me, and I believed him. He left town to return home to prepare. Months went by while I waited for him. He never came back.” 

Hestar turned her head to stare at the ground. Drina believed her feelings were real. A strange feeling crawled up from her back to her neck. There’s no way a man who’d admit such intense intentions for a woman like Hestar would turn on his word. The pain in Hestar’s eyes confirmed that she thought the same. Knowing what they did now, it wasn’t hard to connect the dots.

“Hestar… I’m so sorry.”

With a shake of her head, Hestar smiled solemnly at her. “No, don’t be. I got to meet you; imagine if I’d married him instead. It would’ve been a messy breakup.” 

The mischievous smile on her face made Drina’s eyes pop. Did she imply that she would still chase after her even if she married him? Drina felt the sweat drip down her neck. How did it get so hot in here? Stammering, she continued the conversation. 

“Then, T-there must h-have been someone watching, someone who could see this happening over time for their jealousy to worsen.”

Hestar chuckled at Drina, enjoying how flustered she was. “Naw, no one I knew went there. It’s not a secret that I did, though. Because the pub was close to the edge of town, townsfolk avoided it. Why go there when you could go to the bars and pubs near the market? It’s probably the reason I’m to blame for various misleading things. Of course, the only person who believed me was Alps.”

Shaking her head, Hestar laughed at the memories. “Oh, the stories that man has heard. People would gossip to him often, and he would give me long-winded lectures. ‘I heard you were at that pub again!’ Yadda, yadda.” 

Drina chuckled, leaning her weight on her arm while listening intently. She was caught up in her story that she’d forgotten why they were talking. Even Hestar invested herself into her tale. 

“Every time I told Alps about a new guy in town and their attempts to court me, he would…” Hestar paused a moment when it dawned on her. Her smile faded while her eyes widened and unfocused. A shiver trickled down Drina’s spine; she knew that look. 

Hestar turned from Drina, grabbing the edge of the bed with her hands to stare at the floor with disbelief. “What did Kent say about Marcus? The day we were talking to him at the market?”

Drina straightened her back, frowning. “Kent? The boy who was obviously in love wi-” 

Widening her eyes, Drina gasped. Hestar glanced over, wearing the same look. “Drina, what if the person we are looking for isn’t an adult.” 

It took a moment for Drina to recall the boy. Kent was too nervous, innocent, and insecure for a murderer. Although, the way he was infatuated with Hestar matched the criteria. Looking up at the room, Drina tried to focus on the whispers of the ghosts around her. It was hard to hear them anymore since she began to loosen the restraint on her power. Hardly did they pester her for attention. 

The calm demeanor of their whispers gave no further reason to suspect him either. The careless bodies floated around them in white sheen glimmers. The puzzle irritated Drina. 

“No. We would have spotted him right away. Every contract with gods, traveler or not, gives off a trace. Using power taken and not given; it taints the soul.”

Drina looked down at her hand, the blue veil covering her left eye to show the swirls of her power. Hestar watched, understanding now what she meant. 

“Do all travelers have… This taint?” 

The blue smoke vanished when Drina closed her hand. Scanning Hestar’s face, she was unsure of what to say. Instead, she changed the subject. “Are there a lot of boys around the same age in this town? They all must be friends with each other in one way or another, correct?”

Hestar glanced at the bunk in front of them. “Yes actually. There are a few.” 

“Do boys tend to share the same interests?”

Hestar didn’t respond. Instead, they made eye contact. 

“Who are they?”

Hestar’s eyes softened. The idea that any of the kids would be capable of murder stung. Drina sympathized; if Jeta was ever a suspect… Drina couldn’t finish the thought.  

“Most of the boys who know Marcus and Kent are all kids of most of the shop owners on the market. Commonly they would spend a lot of time together when their parents throw parties or festivals.”

Drina’s gut dropped. “Does Alps have a kid?”Before Hestar could reply, the room went cold. Both of them felt the drastic temperature change, stiffening with alertness. Suddenly, a shadow swirled at Hestar’s side. Catching Drina’s attention was the void-less face of the specter began to take shape, its face wide with an evil grin. Well, Drina frightfully thought, that answers my question.

Whispering Death (part 22)

There was a slight bounce in Drina’s step when she entered the common room. The colorful folds of her wraps swayed with each strut she made towards the counter. Behind her cheerful smirk was a low hum of an upbeat song once sung back home. Ocan could tell she was in good spirits just from the abundant glow on her face. 

    Leaping to her feet, Ocan rushed to her side. Speaking in their mother tongue, she eagerly wanted to know what transpired that morning.
    “Did something good happen?” 

    The playful tone gave away her subtly, one Drina caught right away. Raising her eyebrow, she reached casually for the pot of hot water sitting over a small flame. 

    “Yes. In fact, something absolutely wonderful happened.” 

Ocan gasped with wonder, hooked on Drina’s every word as she poured the water into a cup. After putting in a tea bag and grabbing the handle, she turned to narrow her eyes. “I didn’t die. You still have your sister to take care of you. How lucky.” 

    The look on Ocan’s face made Drina cackle. Her face flatted with absolute disappointment.

“Come on, Lana! We saw you this morning! What happened!?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Nothing happened. We fought demonic spirits that tried to murder us and barely escaped with our lives.”

Drina leaned against the counter and stirred her cup with her pinky. It took everything in her to force the smile away from her cheeks. It was a serious topic that should be met with a serious tone, yet she was unable to. Especially after Hestar walked into the room fresh from a shower. 

Ocan crossed her arms, tired of her sister’s game. “Lie all you want, I know something happened. Besides, I already knew you were in a fight. We helped drag you into the room last night after all the noise.”

The smirk on Drina’s face dropped from the news. “Wait, you saw me last night?”

Ocan softened her face, looking at her sister’s scars on her arms. It was quickly brushed away with a mischievous grin, one she knew very well. “Of course! Lulu helped Hestar clean your wounds. Lulu also took your clothes to repair them. You used too much of your power and were frozen. So it was my idea that Hestar stayed to keep you warm.”

Drina stopped stirring her tea and pierced her lips. Turning her head, she glanced in Lulu’s direction. She caught the sly woman innocently smirking and pretending not to listen while mending her garments. Drina clicked her tongue with irritation. If Ocan and Lulu already knew she was in that condition, why did it feel like she was set up? Lulu may have given them trouble but she was just as evil as Hestar.

“Is that so? Good thing you already knew that I would have been fine either way.”

Ocan giggled at her success. She managed to get under Drina’s skin so flawlessly. Drina could only retort with a scoff, turning back to the counter to place her cup down for a moment. Picking up a small cube of sugar, Drina turned it about in her fingers. Despite what she said, Drina was grateful for the warmth. This was the first time she had ever drained her soul well that much. If she was usually cold, to begin with, how cold was she after nearly depleting her power? The thought that death was closer than anyone realized sobered her. Still looking at the cube, Drina whispered enough that only Ocan could hear.

“Jeta, thank you. I haven’t been a good sister to you, but you’ve been a good one to me.”
    Ocan tsked at her, sneaking under Drina’s arm to hug her. 

“To be honest, I was scared when I saw you.”

Drina bit at her lip in shame. Pulling her sister in close, she kissed her on the top of her head. Drina wanted more than anything to ask for forgiveness and to say she was sorry. She opened her mouth but the words got stuck in her throat. How could she promise not to do it again when she knew that she would break it? After all the mess was cleared away, she would come clean and apologize properly. 

Pushing Ocan away from her side, Drina took the opportunity to flick her on the forehead. It was hard enough to shock Ocan and cause her enough pain to respond with an “ouch”.

“That’s for teasing me.” Drina chuckled softly, picking her cup of tea up to walk away. Ocan dropped her jaw in shock before following behind with a pout. 

Hestar shook her head while watching from the table as it rested on her propped fist. “How is it that no matter what is happening, your language sounds so enthralling.”

Drina tilted her head as she approached the table while Ocan walked around Lulu to sit next to her.

“Have you heard it before?”

“No. Like I’ve said before, it’s not easy to approach travelers. It also didn’t help that Lulu discouraged it.”

The sisters flung their heads toward Lulu with surprise. Drina decided to test her theory. “That’s like calling the kettle black, is it not?”

Lulu dropped her hands with a sigh, placing the stitching aside. Unable to ignore the conversation any longer, she folded her hands neatly in her lap with a motherly stern look. 

“Can you blame me? You of all people, know what our kind is capable of. With your power, is it that surprising?”

Her accent was thick and light, indicating that she had been from the eastern side of the continent. It was a pleasant reminder to Drina of the old country. The melody was smooth like warm honeyed milk. Drina felt homesick from her dialect while at the same time, she completely understood what she meant. It was a harsh truth about her people and their customs. Drina looked down at the table for a moment to reflect on her words. If Hestar was this entranced by Drina, imagine if it was with the wrong type of traveler. Not all of them were gentle, kind souls.

Hestar flipped between Lulu and Drina with curiosity before looking to Ocan. “What did they say?”

Drina shot a warning towards Ocan, hoping she would catch it. Instead, the child leaned in and whispered loudly in her ear.
“Drina asked Lulu permission to date you. Lulu said, ‘what do you have to offer our family’. It’s a custom thing.”

With a scowl, Lulu gruffed at Ocan, sending her into a howl. Drina pinched the bridge of her nose with a shake of her head. Out of the corner of her eye, Drina caught Hestar staring at her with a sigh. Their eyes connected while Lulu continued to reprimand Ocan. 

The kindling fire within Drina sparked once more as the corner of Hestars lips curled into a devilish smile. She bit the front part of her bottom lip, sending the memories of only moments ago to flood her mind. Memories she would never forget. 

A cold wet nose tapped her on the elbow, breaking her from the trance Hestar locked her into. It spooked Drina for a moment until she realized who it came from. Glancing down at the hellhound sitting at her heel, it struck a frightening cord. 

The mutt gave a stern glance, one that served as a warning. It didn’t take much for her to understand what kind. Whipping her head towards the window, Drina inspected the position of the sun. It was nearly past noon and they were running out of time. 

It steeled her emotions like a rock. This needed to come to an end and last night’s events gave Drina a clue where to look. Hestar pushed from her chair and stood close to her side, following her gaze.

“What’s the plan now?”

Drina took a long sip of her tea, placing it down half-finished. It was bitter despite the sugar. Raising her hand in front of her, she stared at her hand. Concentrating on her power, she managed to summon a small swirl of power in her hands. The light blue tendrils licked at her skin with a smokey flicker. Testing her soul well, Drina had recovered fully. 

    Ocan gasped, breaking Drina’s concentration. The smoke dissipated from her hand as she dropped her hand. She hardly noticed when Lulu had stopped punishing her for them to observe her. Could they see it too?

    “When did you learn that?” Ocan spoke with wonder.

    “Last night, while she was protecting me. I saw it too.” Hester replied, staring hard at her hand.

Drina’s eyes widened. How were they able to see the power she could summon? Shaking her head, she dropped the question. Now was not the time to get into it. “As curious as we all are about it, now is not the time to get distracted.” 

    Reaching into the small satchel at her side, Drina pulled out a few items and walked around Hestar to sit in her chair. On the table, she placed a small candle, her deck of cards, and her fan. Opening a pocket deeper within, she pulled out the small bottle of red paint she used during her performance. 

    “Lulu, how safe would you say the protection around the hostel is?”

    The color on Lulu’s face drained with only a small hint of fear in her eyes. Her mouth dropped open while she contemplated Drina’s words. Not waiting for her response, Drina opened the bottle and dipped her finger into it. She began to draw sigils on the back of her hands and wrists. 

    “What are you planning to summon?” Lulu’s usually calm voice cracked, unsure of Drina’s intentions.

    “Is it strong enough?”

    Drina locked eyes with her, brushing the line from her mid-forehead down to the tip of her nose. Lulu’s breath had quickened, understanding what she was asking. Looking between the two girls at her side, Lulu pushed from her chair and dropped her stitching. 

    “Come girls. Help me remove gems from each corner of the house. Ocan, you know the spell, correct?”

    Ocan nodded her head, panic spread across her face from the urgency in Lulu’s voice. She looked to Drina for reassurance before rushing to the common room’s corner. Lulu pulled at Hestar’s arm roughly and began to explain the words she needed to repeat. “You need to say these words exactly as I say them. Say them with me, ‘I’shieal Th’iramal kovi’stur’ …” 

    Lulu’s words were cut off as they left the room. This gave Drina enough time to finish preparing her own spell. Lighting the candle in front, Drina paused to take a deep breath. Releasing her breath, she spoke to Wiggles sitting beside her. “Hope you’re still hungry.”

    Starting her chant, Drina had to do her best to ignore Ocan, who was chanting at the same time. Strengthening her focus, the candle’s flame began to swirl. 

Ocan finished her chant and grabbed a small little satchel tied together with a small twine. Running past Drina towards the door, she slowed down to a stop to watch the candle’s flame spiral and change color. The moment the flame touched the base and snuffed out, she continued down the hall with loud footsteps. 

    Drina blinked her eyes several times while the smoke enveloped her face before glancing at the door. It was the first time Ocan had witnessed the spell. There was a reason she held it hidden from her, but at some point she would need to teach her. Without a doubt, Ocan would remember the chant. Drina sighed heavily with a sinking heart. Once a gypsy held the knowledge of a spell, they would never forget it. 

    Standing up, Drina dipped her finger into the paint once more and drew a sigil on her stomach. This time, it was different. During the seance, she used one for calming. Today, she invoked an old god her mother used to call upon. It was one Drina avoided, knowing there was always a cost. It was also a shame it was the strongest sigil she knew. 

    With one last look at the sigils on her hands and wrists, Drina sat back down. Taking the tarot deck on the table, she shuffled it quickly three times and cut it twice in front of her. The sounds of rushing footsteps down the hall signaled that the barrier was removed completely. 

Glancing towards the door, Drina pulled a card from the left pile and placed it down. Lulu was the first one to walk into the common room out of breath. The other two followed, carrying two satchels each. Lulu stood a few feet from Drina, pointing at the floor around the table as Drina pulled the second card. 

    “Quick, place the pouches in the same corners they were moved from. Try to keep it even.” 

    Drina held her hand over the pile and waited while the girls placed the bags in each corner. Watching Lulu, she saw her lips move subtly to chant the spell around her. A small waiver of energy floated past Drina with a disorienting shock. The two spells had mixed with a disturbing collision of powers. Drina grabbed the edge of the table for support at the sudden lurch in her stomach. 

    “Serves you right. Should have waited.” Lulu’s tone was harsh and her eyes stern with motherly disapproval. 

    Drina frowned, grabbing the last card sharply to place it down with a heavy thud. 

    “How much time do I have?”

    Lulu’s eyes were cold. “Not enough for this.”

    “I’ll never have enough, it seems.”

Whispering Death (part 21)

(Hey Ragarootlings! Apologies for the late post, I’ve been dealing with a lot of personal issues which are getting sorted now. I should resume my regular Wednesday postings again. Without further delay, please enjoy!

-Turan)


Stirring back into the world of consciousness, Drina groaned. Her body was stiff and sore, not to mention overheated. It prickled uncomfortably with pain. Why was she boiling up? The sounds of birds chirping outside the window reminded her of the hostel she was staying at. Quickly Drina established that the source of the heat was coming from someone beside her. With a groggy roll to the side, she grumbled.

“Jeta, you are too close again. Move over and give me space.”

Her body ached at the movement which caused her to take a sharp breath in. With a light touch against her arm, Drina felt several bandages wrapped around her shoulder. A vague memory of the night before began to swarm her at once. The attack from the ghosts, her newly awakened power, Wiggles gulping the spirits down with ease. There was so much she needed to process from all the events that transpired. Deep within her thoughts, a sudden hand slid across her chest to pull her close.

“I am starting to pity your sister for having to deal with you as a bedmate. You are a total bed hog, not to mention you yell at her all night.” Hestar’s body connected to her and embraced her tightly. “Is Jeta her real name?”

Drina frowned, furrowing her brow with her eyes still closed. “I am not a bed ho-”

    It took a moment before it dawned on her, the person sharing her bed was not Ocan. It was Hestar. Stiffening, she shot her eyes open and turned to make sure she wasn’t dreaming. Sure enough, Hestar was staring back at her with a smirk. The sun had brightened the room and bounced off the strands of blonde flowing hair that splayed across the pillow they had been sharing. Her soft violet eyes locked with hers threatening to lure her into their depths. Drina felt the heat radiating from her face. Too close! 

In a panic to push herself up, pain erupted all over her body. Drina winced and grabbed at her shoulder with a growl. The soft linen sheets and blanket covering Drina slipped off her chest, exposing her unclothed body. Hestar sat up with a concern, brushing hair out of Drina’s face. 

    “Are you ok? Don’t move so fast. You took a lot of damage fighting yesterday. Some of the burns haven’t healed fully.”

Drina grabbed handfuls of the sheet in front and covered herself. Her voice cracked while she spoke in a harsh whisper, “W-why am I naked?” 

Drina turned to Hestar for answers and got an eye full of her body. Hestar was also unclothed and unhindered by the covers. It was clear her concern was more important than modesty. Drina felt her jaw drop in a stupor. It was the first time seeing a woman she felt attracted to this close and naked.

    “I had to remove your clothes to look at your wounds. You don’t expect me to put you to sleep with dirty cuts and burns so they can get infected, do you?

    Before Drina could break from the spell she was under and reply, a giggle came from the entrance of the room. Standing there was Ocen and Lulu. The timing they both couldn’t have been any worse. Lulu had several clean towels in her arms and dropped them on the bed nearby. Having just entered the room to check on Drina’s wellbeing, she gave a shake of her head. Ocen couldn’t hide her excitement, giggling uncontrollably. Lulu rushed back to the door and shoved her around the corner quickly. Looking back once more, she narrowed her brows. “Honestly girls!”

    Drina felt all the blood drain from her face. Stammering a bit, she finally yelled out after them. “It’s not what it looks like! We didn’t do anything!”

    Hestar broke out into a hearty laugh, unable to help herself. There was nothing Drina could do now to convince her sister that she was not intimate with Hestar, especially after seeing her like this. Hopeless, Drina flopped back against the bed and covered her face with embarrassment. Hestar fought to speak through the last remains of her laughter.

    “Drina, relax. You are right, nothing happened. Last night you were so cold after I removed your clothes and cleaned your wonders. I was worried you were going to die, so I joined you to help warm you up.”

Hestar crawled partially over top of her and grabbed at her hands. With a light pull, she peeled them away from Drina’s face to uncover her lips. Kissing them tenderly before pulling away with a more serious tone. Her voice was barely a whisper.

“In all seriousness, I thought I was going to lose you.” Hestar reached up to Drina’s hair and brushed it away from her face once more. The memory of the night’s events was fresh in her mind. Drina removed the rest of her hands, looking up at Hestar. Because of her power, it was normal for Drina to be as cold as the dead. How easily she had forgotten that no one else would be used to it. It was one of the reasons Ocen slept so close to her while they were out on the road traveling. She too would often worry that Drina would drift off in her sleep and never wake up in the morning. Reaching up to touch Hestar’s face, Drina offered a tender smile.

“Don’t worry, I am here now. We are lucky to still be alive.”

Drina caught the scarring on her arm. With curiosity, she let go of Hestar’s face to inspect it. “What did you do to heal it so quickly?”

“Healing salve. Lulu usually keeps it for things like this. Not that it happens often, but anytime someone shows up at her doors with injuries or wounds, she would tend to them. No questions asked. Now knowing that she is a traveler, it’s really no surprise.”

Drina reached around Hestar to rub her arm, nodding. Everything had made more sense since she learned the truth about Lulu’s past. Ever since the first day they arrived, Drina suspected that Lulu knew more than she let on. Yet at the same time, it wasn’t much of a concern. With a heavy sigh, Drina remembered the fight she had with Ocan in Lulu’s office. She must have known what she was saying in their dialect too. Dropping one hand on Hestar’s back, she used the other one to pinch the bridge of her nose. Drina was ashamed of her behaviour. How could she have been so childish? There was much she needed to correct. The blood-bind contract, saving Hestar, breaking the bind with a vengeful spirit, and apologizing to Ocen. All the wave of embarrassment slammed into her gut, twisting it into a knot. How was she going to apologize to Ocan now after she had seen her naked in bed with Hestar? Too many emotions flooded Drina at once that she couldn’t focus on just one. Instead, she peeked through her fingers towards Hestar. 

There on her side was Hestar shamelessly laying beside her exposed. It took everything in Drina to keep her eyes from drifting from her soft violet eyes peering back. Not that it was any better. The look of adoration shifted quickly into a look of lust. The blood that had drained her face earlier had raced back into her cheeks from the sight. This had become a very dangerous position.

“Well, since you are feeling much better and no one will be disturbing us for some time,” Hestar raise an eyebrow as she adjusted her position closer to Drina’s face. In a small voice that sent a shiver throughout Drina’s spine, she continued. 

“How about we finish what we started in the alley?”

Whispering Death (part 20)

Hey Raga-rootlings. I just wanted to say thank you so much for reading and supporting me this far. Originally this story was supposed to be short, maybe even like 10 chapters. But here we are! Part 20! It has been a journey for sure! I hope you are all enjoying it as much as I am because we’ve made it past the halfway point and now are nearing the downfall of the series. Hold your buckles and tighten your shoelaces, because it’s going to get dark from here out. Well, sort of. See you all for the next update!

-Turan

_______

Drina was lost. It was not easy to trek across an unknown town, especially at night. Not only was it much bigger than Drina had realized, but filled with several surprises. There were roads to dead-ends and alleyways that back-tracked in the wrong direction. Whoever had built this city needed to get their head checked. Although Drina thought the worst, she could tell by the change in designs of houses that there had been several large expansions from the quick growth. Good for the population of the town, not good for her to navigate back to the hostel. Drina not only had to stop and turn around multiple times, she would need to duck and hide from the spirit as well. Quickly it floated about the streets, passing through walls and buildings with ease. This added an extra challenge of keeping hidden, knowing that at any time, it could pop out and attack her. It had been a while since she had last seen it, giving her a little more confidence. The pendulum spun faster, indicating she was getting close. Tired and weary, Drina took a deep calming breath. Soon she would put an end to the night and make sure Hestar was safe. Then she could rest.

Drina pressed her back against a wall, preparing to walk out from the shadows. Just when she thought she was in the clear, she spotted the spectre floating into view. Biting her lip, she tsked. How was it following her so closely? Once it passed by, she ran across to the adjacent alleyway. Skidding to a stop, she caught her breath as another one on the other side floated into view. Glancing behind her, she knew there was no way it couldn’t have jumped from the other road to get here. Had it broken off into several ghosts or may be called in more? Now she had more to worry about. She could hardly defend herself against one spirit, who knows how she would fair against several.

Kneeling behind a trash bin, Drina closed her eyes and held her fan still until she felt the presence pass. How long could she keep this up? Sooner or later, they would catch wind of her trace and follow it straight to her. And now with several more of them floating about, she was running out of time. Taking a deep breath, she prepared to run. With a quick check to her fan for directions, Drina peeked over the bin to make sure the passing spectral was out of sight before bursting into a full run. No sense in trying to be stealthy anymore.

Running close to the sides, Drina didn’t pause to check around the corners before running down the street. The air in her lungs burned hot, pain erupted all over her chest and legs. Finally, she recognized a building and smiled. At least she was close to somewhere she’d recently been. Hope fueled her, pushing harder through the pain. Her legs were weak and sore already from walking all day in the market. Drina knew if she stopped now, she wouldn’t be able to push on.

Ahead of her Drina spotted Alp’s restaurant, causing her to yell out with relief. She knew where she was now! Running past the building she continued on into the market. Freedom was so close yet still a few blocks away. A fresh wave of renewed energy hit her with a jolt. Homestretch, she thought victoriously. With a sharp turn, she burst into the middle of the street and spotted two spectral ahead. How careless, Drina thought while sliding to a stop. The two beings turned, locking their hollow eyes on her. There was no way to avoid them now. Turning to run the opposite way, she spotted a third coming out from behind a building. They all were aware of her presence now. Drina was going to be surrounded if she wasn’t careful. Stepping backwards she pivoted back down the street she came from, making a sharp right on the first street she could. She didn’t need to look back to feel the beings hot on her trail. They had the upper hand since she was already exhausted. That and they were dead.

Tingles on her spine warned her as she weaved to the left, taking an alleyway to avoid the several blasts that whizzed by her. Drina yelped, coming face to face with another one. The spectral was already prepared, firing a bolt right at her. She ducked in time to avoid it, the heat blasting her from above. Rolling beneath the entity, she sprang back to her feet and bolted. All Drina could do was run. Several more blasts flung past her from behind, hitting the buildings around her in a puff of black smoke and fire. Holding her breath, Drina jumped through it, landing out into the open street market. Pushing herself up, she dodged to the side to avoid another attack. Each bolt was hotter than the other. One mistake or one direct hit and she was done for. Hope filled her while she ran. Not far ahead was the opening of the market intersection. The side of the hostel was in view, meaning she was not too far away. Drina was almost there. The sudden lightness around her made her grin. The spectrals disappeared, leaving her be as she ran. Almost crying out in a chear, it felt like she had won this round. At least until she heard a cry from behind her.

“DRINA!”

Coming to a halt, she turned around in horror to see Hestar running behind her. The spectral didn’t stop their attack on her because she was close to the hostel. They stopped because they found a new target.

“Hestar! Stop!”

Drina cursed, pivoting to rush to her side. The spectres gathered, building their attacks to fire on the unsuspecting girl. Drina wasn’t going to make it. In a fit of fear, she unflipped her fan and threw all her power into it. With a prayer, she closed her eyes. Please, let me save her.

Opening her eyes, she swished it hard in front of her. Blue light sparked, conjure in a flash of swirling light and released as she flicked her wrist. To her surprise, the fan created a powerful current, dispersing the blasts with a blue smoky blade. All the ghosts flew back, clearing from above Hestar. The wind was strong enough to stop Hestar in mid-run. She covered her face to protect against the kicked-up sand from the current.

Drina watched in shock, renewed by the ability she never knew she had. Holding her fan in front of her she laughed.

“I take back calling you a curse!”

Quickly she rushed to Hestar’s side. Concentrating this time, she poured her energy into the fan with a quick burst. Aiming the attack, she swished it directly at two spectators side by side nearest to her. The blast hit them with surprise and flung them into the walls behind them. With a hard impact, it turned them into puffs of black smoke. It dissipated quickly, leaving no trace behind. Drina didn’t know if it was enough to destroy them for good, but it was enough for her. The tingle against her skin warned her once more of an incoming attack. She turned to bat off a bolt coming from the side. Flowing her energy became second nature to her as she connected to her fan. With a backhand swipe, she knocked it to the ground. Even though she had a way to fight the entities, there was no telling for how long.

Grabbing Hestar’s hand, she yanked hard toward the hostal. It was difficult to dodge all the while trying to defend them from bolts at the same time. At least Hestar didn’t fight her from being pulled, pushed and guided through the streets. It must have been a strange sight to behold. Drina powered her fan preemptively, waiting for the next attack when Hestar whispered harshly.

“W-when did you learn to do that?”

It was a bit of a surprise at first Hestar. Could she see the flashes of blue currents releasing from her fan? Drina pulled them out of the way from a blast before releasing her attack on the spirit. It cut the being in half with an otherworldly wail before bursting into a puff of smoke. Drina shot a grin toward Hestar before replying to her. She couldn’t help slather her words with a bit of cockyness in her tone.

“Just now. Seems there are a lot of things I can do on a whim.”

Her heroic moment was cut short when a bolt flew at them. Using less energy, her light blade only deflected a small portion of the attack, allowing the rest through. The small chunk hit her right in the shoulder, causing her to drop her fan with a shriek. Drina dropped to her knee, reaching up to put out the fire around her clothes. A large chunk of her skin was blistering and charred. Unable to move her arm, they were defenceless. Hestar dropped down to see the wound, tears streaming down her face. Looking about she couldn’t see where any of the attacks were coming from. She was terrified.

“Drina! What do we do now?”

Before Drina could respond, several of the entities gathered in front of them slowly. They built a small circle around them, preparing to attack. Thankfully the trusty bark of Wiggles shattered a few of them as he leaped in to save the day. The charred black demon dog leaped out in front of them, his slimy tongue slithering about. He crouched low to the ground and waited for them to attack. There were four beings remaining and gathering energy to attack at once. Hestar held Drina tightly, cheering at Wiggles.

“Good boy, Wiggles!”

Drina watched dumbfoundedly. What was the mutt planning to do? Taking all the attacks at once? Apprehensive, Drina watched the several bolts launch towards them. She thought for sure they were done for, bracing against Hestar. With a crackle, a small ethereal swirl opened in front of Wiggles. His jaw unhinged, opening with a powerful vacuum. It sucked everything in the air in front of him, pulling the flaming balls of fire into the void. Happily, the mutt ate all the attacks, snapping his jaw shut. With a loud gulp, he licked delightfully at his chops.

Drina watched with wide eyes. This beast was horrifying in so many ways. She didn’t know what to think of him anymore after all she had witnessed. With a turn of his head, the mutt nodded at Drina. Without any words, she understood what he meant. It was time to leave.

“Let’s go. Wiggles can take care of this.”

Drina pushed herself up with the help of Hestar, grabbing her fan with her other injured arm.

Hestar smiled, wrapping her arm around Drina for support while they hobbled towards the hostel. “Wiggles, huh? I thought you didn’t like the name.”

“Right now isn’t the time to talk about this. Besides, if you knew what I did, you’d be afraid to upset that dog too.”

Several more spectators began to form around them with dark swirls. This pushed Drina to urge them fast.

“Right now, we need to run.”

Letting go of Drina, Hestar followed her pace. They dodged a few blasts, the doors of the hostel insight. Almost there, Drina chanted in her mind. The distance to the hostal door was within her grasp when the prickles on her skin intensified. Hestar screamed, startling Drina to whip her head back at her.

One of the blasts struck her leg directly, tripping her to the ground. Before Drina could step forward, another blast hit the ground between them. She stumbled backwards to avoid it, wedging distance between. Drina looked over her shoulder towards the door. It was so close, yet she knew they weren’t going to make it at this rate. With several spectators in the sky, Drina looked up with rage. With a cry of agony, she released the last of her soul well at once. Leaping to Hestars side, she picked her up with unearthly strength. Several blasts came at them in a hurry. Drina knew they were panicking. Using her power, she gathered it all in her legs and ran. The sheer force in her push-off crushed the earth beneath her, leaving a small crater behind.

Drina bolted towards the doors. Several attacks launched at them in a flurry, missing Drina as her body glowed with power. With all of her weight, Drina launched her body into the door. The doors busted open with a shower of splinters from the impact. It did nothing to soften the blow from the speed. Hitting the floor with a slide, Drina let out a loud grunt. The wind was knocked out of her making it hard to breathe, but she needed to know they were safe. She turned to the entranceway, holding her breath at the horde of spirits flung themselves after them. The beings’ attacks bounce off an invisible barrier, stunning and deflecting them off. A few even shot at it to no avail. The darkened entranceway lit up, revealing the full moon in the sky beyond. Each of the spectres had flown off into the night.

They made it, they were safe. With that knowledge, Drina collapsed. Her head smacked the floor hard and her world went black.

Whispering Death (part 18)

Daylight was burning away quickly and Drina was losing hope. They spent what little time they had visiting different vendors asking about Marcus, the boy who was saved. Very little information could be said that both Drina and Hestar didn’t already know. Marcus went missing not very long ago before the festival started. Everyone had different theories as to how it could have happened. Some said it was the king’s spies who crept in on their territory while others blamed the gypsies. Few were even bold enough to say Drina was part of the conspiracy. It took a bit of time to calm Hestar down from such comments, her ruffled feathers making Drina smile. Her passion to defend her was admirable, yet they didn’t have time to deal with this. Any arguments caused were only delaying them further. 

The market had slowed down by the time they made their way to the last vendor. It was a younger teen whom Hestar knew. “Hey Kent, where is your dad today?” 

The young lad stiffened at the sight of Hestar walking towards the stand. Kent nearly dropped the food he was serving as the customer reached for it before it could fall. They scoffed at his aloofness, complaining as they walked away. Kent had forgotten all about them at this point.

“H-hestar! It’s good to see you!” Kent checked his outfit in a rush, wiping his hands on his apron. Clearing his throat to lower his tone, he tried to appear more manly. Drina frowned. His obvious attraction for Hestar was clear as day. The thought of this boy pinning for Hestars attention posed a minor threat to Drina. Her mind knew he was too young and that he held little to no chance, yet she felt the cold nip of jealousy. Glancing towards Hestar, she already seemed aware of his crush. She smiled warmly, waiting for him to finish talking while they reached the counter.

“Oh, uh… Hey there. He’s busy today and left me in charge today. I manned the entire shop alone. Looks like I gained his confidence to be a manager.”

Hestar nodded enthusiastically while she tilted her head. “Oh, that’s impressive. Maybe one day you will take over the business too! Seems like you grew up into a reliable man!”

Kent puffed out his chest at Hester’s compliment, almost making Drina scoff aloud. Was he that gullible? Hestar gave him a wink, then promptly introduced Drina. 

“You may have heard of my friend here already, right? She was the one who did the seance at the festival and saved Marcus.”

The boy’s face faltered a bit while Hestar continued, “Drina and I were wondering if you knew anything about him at all.”

“Uh.. sure. I know Marcus. He’s my friend. I wouldn’t say he was a close friend, but we talked often.”

Any previous feelings Drina had against this kid dispersed. Right away she was on the attack, eager to learn more about their relationship. “What did you two often talk about?” 

Kent suddenly crossed his arms bashful. “Nothing important, just like… you know … girl stuff. He mostly was bragging about a girl we like, saying he was going to date her first because he was older than me.” His face burned brightly as he avoided looking at Hestar. 

Drina frowned even deeper. “Do you know anything about his disappearance?”

Kent widened his eyes at the question. “N-No, I don’t. He just sorta went missing one day. At first, I thought he might have asked H-.. the girl we like out first, but when I saw her walking alone, I thought he stopped coming by because he got rejected or something.”

Drina leaned in over the counter, peering at him with intensity. “Why would you think that?”

Kent took a step back into the wall of his stall, intimidated by Drina’s aggressive questions. Hestar reached her hand out and touched Drina’s arm, frowning at her. “Don’t mind my friend here Kent. She’s a little overly concerned; we all are.”

Lightening her smile towards Kent, she asked him the question. Gentler than Drina had. “Why would you think the reason was the girl?”

Drina took a step back from the counter, allowing Hestar to take over. Kent relaxed and took a moment before he sighed. 

“Marcus came here to brag again the day before he went missing. Told me he was going to ask her out and that he was going to prove how big of a man he was. He wasn’t quiet about it either. I told him he was just full of it and he got angry with me. He left and then a few days went by where he didn’t come around. I… I didn’t think much of it. The reason dad isn’t here today is that he’s with Marcus’ family. They are really good friends and so he went to help them out as much as he could.”

Hestar lightened up, this time eager for his answer. “What did they find out? Did your dad tell you?”

Kent shook his head. “All he told me was that Marcus doesn’t remember anything. He doesn’t remember anyone at all. Claims he has amnesia.”

Drina’s heart sank. Turning her attention to Hestar, she could tell she felt the same. 

“Thank you, for letting us know kent.” Hestar reached into her pocket and pulled out a pouch of coins, “Here, in case you didn’t make much in tips. Treat yourself to something tasty, ok? And don’t forget to close up proper or your dad won’t let you run the shop again.” 

Kent took the coins with a little shock, nodding his head feverishly at her request. Hestar blew him a kiss before turning to walk away. Drina couldn’t help but shake her head at her with astonishment. With one last look towards Kent, his hand still hung in the air unmoving, Drina turned to follow Hestar. 

Falling in close to her side, Drina nudged her. “How can you be so shameless? Poor kid.”

Hestar stuck her tongue out a little. “What? I can’t have a little fun once in a while?” 

“With a lovesick boy? I would say you are being mean.” Drina sighed with disappointment. “What I don’t understand is how any of that relates to Marcus going missing. Bragging about being in love with you and asking you out? Should I worry about the competition?”

Hestar burst out into a laugh, peeking to make sure they were out of view from Kent before linking her arm with Drina’s. “Competition? Naw, no one stands a chance with me in this town while you’re around.”

Drina fought a smile that won the corners of her mouth as Hestar continued to tease her. “Also, I couldn’t help notice how much you grilled Kent. Was someone a little jealous?”

“Jealous?” Drina feigned ignorance, “I have no idea what you are talking about. How could I be jealous of a kid who’s in love with you? Who even said I was in love with you. I’m a poor traveler in the hands of a gentlewoman who’s showing me around town.”

Hestar giggled. “Oh, so I guess it was my imagination. Pity. I adored you too.”

With a hearty laugh, the girls walked down the street towards the hostel. With nothing else to do, Drina hoped that after a good night’s rest, they could get an early start in the morning. Although something bothered her deeply about the news Kent shared with them. Why would someone kidnap a young kid like that? There was no way it could have been a coincidence. Drina rolled the thought around her tongue before clicking her tongue. 

“Hestar, do you know anything about anyone disappearing in the past?”

With a frown, she shook her head. “To be fair, we have a lot of traffic and transient people. Anyone who stayed at the hostel didn’t usually stay for long. I also never got close to anyone in town aside from those at the market. Even then, I’m a regular customer to them, nothing more. I don’t go out to the pubs much either.”

“But you’re adored by so many people here. Every vendor and shopkeeper brighten up when they see you.”

Hestar psshed, “All because they know I bring coin and business to their doors. Nothing more than that. The only person I have close to me is Lulu. She is like a mother to me. Gave me purpose in this town. I just do what I can to help the hostel and put all my time into that.”

They walked a moment in silence when finally Hestar stared back deeply into Drina’s eyes. “Do you think once we solve this mystery, that you may stay here at the hostel? With me?”

Drina’s heart skipped a beat. Could she possibly see a future with her here in this town? Drina broke into a grand smile, unable to hide her excitement at the possibility. 

“You’ll have to convince Ocen. She’s keen on leaving as soon as we can to catch a ship at the eastern sea out of Castromnia.” Drina bit at her lip, unable to finish her sentence without being giddy. “You know she’s damn near impossible to reason with.” 

Drina felt a sudden pull on her arm, stopping her in her tracks to face Hestar full-on. They stopped in the middle of the empty street as Hestar wrapped her arms around her hips, pulling her in close. 

“Do you think she’ll say yes?” Brushing her nose against Drina’s made it hard to think. Sliding her hand up along Hestar’s neck, Drina chuckled. 

“It’s a high probability. The odds even look good in your favor.”

Drina closed her eyes to lean in for a kiss when a dangerous tingle trickled up her spine. Shooting her eyes wide, Drina paused. Where was that feeling coming from? It felt the same as before as if someone was watching them and they weren’t happy about it either. This triggered an idea. Drina broke from Hestar’s embrace and grabbed her hand tightly. Pulling her down the street Drina scanned the sides of the road looking to find the alley they shared a kiss in before. 

“ Drina… What are you…”

Drina remembered that feeling from before. She stopped short in front of the alleyway entrance, recognizing the surroundings. With a quick glance around, the coast was clear from any followers. Drina pulled Hestar into the darkness. Hestar raised an eyebrow with a knowing smile. “Wow, can’t wait to get your lips all over me, huh?” 

Drina pushed Hestar against the wall, her confidence based only on her suspicion. This might be the best way to draw out the spectator watching. “More than you know.”

Pressing against her body, Drina dove in for a steamy kiss unhindered. Releasing the grip on her energy, she tried to keep her attention on any malicious presence. All the while trying to keep up with Hestar’s tension. It was much harder in practice than she thought. Hestar’s tongue explored her mouth thoroughly, her hands taking part in the excursion. The feeling of her hand against Drina’s exposed skin sent shivers throughout her core. 

On second thought, this was a bad idea. Drina groaned into Hestar’s mouth, unsure how to slow the spiraling train of pleasure she started. All she needed was to replicate the same response they got last time and she could follow it. Wherever the spirit lingered, the owner wasn’t going to be far behind. The only issue other than the one at hand was that Drina didn’t know any spells to attack, only to protect herself. The best thing she could do was activate her powers, and quick at this rate. Hestar’s hands weren’t going to wait, and Drina’s will was breaking. Taking a steady breath, Drina began to channel her power towards her eyes while she moved her hands along Hestar’s body. 

It was a challenge to focus, especially since Drina had never had to control her power alongside a second task. She thought she had it balanced when Hestar proved her wrong. Breaking from their kiss Hestar nibbled along her neck. Growling, Drina braced herself by planting both her hands against the wall behind her. Opening her eyes, Drina could see her breath in the air. The way her energy chilled the air was drastic. Hestar paused at the base of her neck, feeling the sudden change in the air.

“Are you ok?”

She pulled Drina’s face to hers, spotting the change in her eyes. It must have been working. Drina clasped her hand over the top of hers, whispering weakly. 

“Don’t stop.”

As much as Drina was struggling, they needed to keep going. It was taking much longer than she expected for a reaction and it almost made her doubt there was even a stalker. Hestar smiled wickedly, unaware of her hidden agenda: use them both as bait. 

“Need me to take the lead then?” Her voice was laced with allure, although Drina didn’t quite understand what she meant. Drina spoke with an absent nod. 

“Yes.”

Hestar grinned, pushing Drina off her and flipping them around. The sudden change surprised her, and even more so when Hestar grabbed her leg. With a firm grip, she held Drina’s leg against her hip. It took Drina a moment to realize what she had agreed to. Oh! She meant ‘take the lead’ as in… sexual lead…

Drina swallowed hard while Hestar traced her hand along her side. From the side, she then brushed her fingertips along the inside of her beltline. Chanting internally, Drina kept eye contact with Hestar while focusing her power. The world shifted to the hazy film, giving shape back to the ghosts that floated about them. Hestar pressed in close to give her a tender kiss, all the while her hand snuck down into her clothes. For the first time in Drina’s life, she was praying for the ghost to show up. What was taking so long? This wasn’t how she wanted to spend her first night with Hestar! 

Prepared for Hestars sweet slender fingers to invade, Drina finally felt the small prickle against her skin. In an instant, it flared from a small trickle to a bursting loud blast as the stalker had finally spotted them. 

With a heavy sigh of relief and fear, Drina shoved Hestar hard into the other side of the alleyway wall. Within the confusion, Drina turned towards the dark alley and whispered darkly. 

“Run.”

Whispering Death (part 8)

The night had dragged out so slowly for Drina, her hands amply dealing out her tarot cards into a simple splay. It was another typical reading, making it harder for her to act neutral. Glancing towards the tent entrance, she hoped that someone would come to release her from her prison in hopes that she could head to the main event soon. Although she was anxious to perform in front of hundreds of people, she also felt insecure and timid. Never in her past had she done anything to the likes of what she was about to do tonight in front of another living being. Any time she had played with her powers in the past was when she had been alone and hidden from eyes to pry. Most of it was spent in the wild forest near her little village. Deep within the thicket, she had made a little hut where no one could find her. Stealing candles and incense, she would then commune with the spirits in hopes to appease them into leaving her be. 

Only after years did she learn to tame her ability, and shortly after her parents had passed that she suppressed it entirely. To boldly state the way she had in front of Mr. Gafrald was only because she grew cocky while putting up a front. Now she needed to put her money where her mouth was. While she read off the fortune to the older lady in front of her, the flap behind her opened and a young boy held his hands up to flash 10 at her. In ten minutes she was to make her way to the main tent in the center of the festival. Giving a small nod in reply, she returned her focus to finish reading quickly. 

“And you will find the man of your dreams. Look in the fall after the last leaf has fallen. I am sure you will know by then. Now I usually take questions, however, my time is up. I am needed on the stage. Will you be attending the performance?”

The women looked offended by her abrupt reading, changing quickly to excitement at the mere mention of the seance. “Oh yes! I have never been to one before. We haven’t had something like this in over 30 years.”

Drina had suspected that the last time someone had been here would have been from her family. They used to travel around before she and Ocan were born. It had stopped after Drina’s ability had become apparent. Still, she offered a smile while standing up to help escort the women out of the tent. “Then I am sure it will be the talk of the town, and you can say you were there.”

They both laughed, although Drina’s had been a well-practiced and rehearsed laugh. After saying it to each and every client of hers, it had become a habit and skit. The moment she stepped past the fabric’s edge, Drina dropped it and quickly turned to gather her things. She had no time to waste and needed to start preparing herself mentally. Pulling out a small mirror within her satchel, she placed it on the table after cleaning up her cards. Next, taking out a small bottle of red paint, she dipped her pinky into the liquid and brushed it on her face. From her mid-forehead to the tip of her nose, the color stood out drastically. Taking a candle from around her, she placed it in front of the mirror. It had been a while since she had practiced the spell of protection and while she stared at the flame she took a shaky breath in. 

Lightly chanting, she watched the flickering of the candle flatten out into a straight point. Unblinking, she continued to stare off into the light, looking past it and through the window of the flame. The color of the flame shifted, the middle of it beginning to darken while the orange circle around it. In a slow counterclockwise motion, it began to spiral, quickening as she began to speed the chant up. Drina’s eyes burned and sweat began to trickle down her temples, yet she persisted. It was nearly complete while the spiral squished into a flat spiral, slowing down as it moved. The moment it had touched the base of where the wick had started, the flame snuffed into a puff of white smoke. 

Blinking several times, Drina stopped chanting and sighed with relief. The smoke had floated slowly towards her, smudging the paint along her nose. Like a white powder, it softened the drastic paint on her nose and gave a soft red taint to her skin. Drina watched the mirror’s reflection of the process, completing her spell once the smoke dissipated. Taking out her eyeliner, she fixed her makeup to give a smokey appearance around her eyes. Although the spell was necessary for not only herself but for everyone else around her, the makeup was mostly for dramatic flare. With another dab of the red paint, she drew sigils on the back of her hands and on her stomach. 

Using the small mirror as she took a few steps back, she adjusted her clothing. Her pants had been loosened to flow more as she stepped, but her top had to be altered more. Taking her wrapping, she removed the portion covering her torso, and instead fastened it to drape down along her back. The sigil needed to be exposed, meaning a whole lot of skin she was not used to uncovering was now available for all to see. Placing her hands on her hips, she groaned in discontent. “Well, at least if it doesn’t work out, I can look good while doing it.”

Kneeling back at the table, she placed everything back into her bag and wrapped it around her to leave. Stepping out from the front of her tent, she took a moment to take in the fresh air and look at the moon as it brightly shone above. She only had a little amount of time left to meet backstage. Thankfully the pathways were barren. Everyone had made their way to the event of the night. Smirking, she walked off with an even pace, not quite in a hurry to arrive on time. Passing by several of the other gypsies and travelers alike, she noticed several of them gaping in awe. Greeting them in a partial bow, they returned the acknowledgement with a smile. It must have been a while since they had seen an outsider from their bands, especially one who was well acquainted with their customs walking amongst them. It gave her a bit of courage to strut with pride. 

A call from behind her shattered that just as quickly as it came, causing her to turn with surprise.

“Drina! Hey!”

Running ahead of Lulu and Hestar towards her was Ocan wearing a bright smile. Mixed emotions flooded her at the sight of them all, especially with the way she was dressed. Anger that Ocan was not in the hostel being protected, fear after the fight they had earlier, worry that her powers would overwhelm her sister all crashed into her as Ocan threw herself into Drina for a hug.

“What are you doing here?! You’re supposed to stay out of sight!”

Ocan scoffed in a dismissive way. “I am not going to stay inside while you get to perform! Besides, I miss being able to watch you work.”

The way she sported a pout almost made Drina laugh if she had not been struggling with complex feelings. Looking up at Lulu with an icy glare, she was reprimanded in reply.

“How could you be so cruel? She just wants to support you, as do we all. Don’t be so hard on her. When do you start?”

Drina puffed her cheeks, moping in her defeat. “In just a few. I had to take some time preparing.”

Looking behind Lulu, Drina spotted Hestar ogling her, biting at her lip while she did. The look set Drina’s face on fire, something she had completely forgotten about in the presence of her sister. Suddenly feeling discomfort, she pulled Ocan to stand in front of her to break Hestar’s line of sight. “I, uh, don’t think you should all sit too close. I will warn you now, it will get very chilly quickly.”

Ocan leaned into Drina grinning ear to ear with excitement. “Does that mean I get to watch?”

Huffing angrily, Drina wrapped her arm around Ocan’s neck to pull her along her side, heading back towards the main stage. “It looks like I don’t have much of a choice. But so help me, if you cause Lulu any trouble, it will be you next I will be contacting from the spirit world.”

Ocan laughed, not taking her sister’s threat seriously. They all continued to walk together and in the short window of time Ocan had with her, she spouted all of the things she had done with Lulu back at the hostel. It was as if they had never fought at all, giving Drina comfort knowing that they were ok. Still, she knew she would have to apologize sooner or later, but the contact and conversation calmed her nerves. Maybe this was what she needed all along, was just knowing her sister was nearby. It didn’t completely fix her fimble confidence, however. With the persistent tingling sensation of being watched from behind, Drina had become highly aware of her every move. Casting a glance over her shoulder, she caught Hestar absently checking her out as they walked. Lulu intercepted the look with a motherly warning look, making Drina’s gut drop. Keeping her attention forward like a child who just got caught, Drina could hear Lulu vocally giving Hestar shit.

“Honestly, you two.”

Finally arriving at the tent, Drina paused to kneel in front of Ocan. In a low enough voice where only Ocan could hear, she whispered to her.

“Are you sure you want to be here?”

“Yes. I have never seen you use your power like this. I want to be here for it.”

Drina took a long deliberate exhale while looking at her sister’s face. Reaching into her satchel, she dug around for a crystal and placed it within her hand.

“Listen carefully. If it gets too overwhelming, hold this in your left hand and channel it into the crystal. I can deal with it later for you. If this is not enough..”

Ocan flicked Drina on the forehead, breaking the frown on her face. “Lana, I will be fine. Don’t worry so much about me.”

Drina looked over at Lulu, considering her sister’s words. Hestar watched with confusion yet something in Lulu’s eyes made her wonder. It added further suspicion that Luly nodded with understanding in reply. Puzzled, Drina didn’t get a chance to question Lulu when Ocan pulled her face back to her.

“Please be careful.”

Smiling, Drina held her hand, rubbing her thumb against it. “I always am. I love you.”

    “I love you too.” Flipping back to the common tongue, Ocan shouted in a cheer. “Go show these folk what you are capable of!”

    Drina stood up with a laugh, standing back from her sister. Lifting her arms, she motioned at how she looked, slightly turning side to side for Ocan’s approval. “What do you think? Too much?”

    Ocan scanned her, reaching around her to remove the fabric around her that hung down around her back. Grabbing her satchel as well, Ocan slung it around her shoulder, stuffing the extra clothing within it as well. Stepping back she took a second look at Drina’s further exposed midriff. It took everything in her not to catch Hestar or Lulu’s expressions as her sister nodded with a smile. “There. That’s better. You can see the sigil clearly that way.”

    Drina’s face fell as she looked down at her stomach, touching at the bottom of the shirt wrapping. It was separate from the secondary wrap Ocan had just removed. “What are you talking about? It didn’t cover it in the first place.” 

Instead of replying to her, Ocan gave her a wink instead, rushing to stand beside Lulu quickly before Drina could stop her. Clicking her tongue, she leered at Ocan for her slyness while catching her glancing Hestar’s way with a grin. She just wanted to get her to expose more for Hestar’s sake, but there was no more time to argue with her.

Drina turned to Lulu with a sigh. “I’ll meet up with you at the hostel after. I will be a little late collecting my pay for the work tonight.”

Lulu nodded and before Drina could walk off, she spoke up. “Won’t you be cold?”

Drina smirked confidently over her shoulder. “Don’t worry, I won’t feel a thing.”

If there was one thing she knew she could deal with unhindered, was the effects of her own powers. The cold was the least of her worries.

Whispering Death (part 7)

Light traffic flowed along both sides of the stalls within the market. It was a straight street in the middle of town with all sorts of vendors. Despite her hunger growling at her, Drina took her time to peruse the selection. She was not one for impulsive buying and wanted to make sure she was getting the best deal. However, the more she saw, the harder the choice to settle on meals had become. The smell and selections displayed were mouth-watering, several of the stalls displaying juicy meats and steaming vegetables with rice. She had almost made it to the end of the street where she would have to loop back through once more when she spotted Hestar. 

Her heart dropped causing her to turn to the closest stall, attempting to blend alongside a couple while she cast a glance past them. Hestar was sharing a laugh with one of the vendors, picking up fruit as she inspected it. Drina was out of range to hear the conversation they had yet she didn’t need to. Every action Hestar made was clear that she was an extraordinary conversationalist. The way she held herself, the sly smile she offered while making a witty remark. It was all mesmerizing for Drina to watch. A voice broke through her thoughts, drawing her attention back to the stall. 

“Ma’am, are you going to buy it?” 

It had taken Drina several moments to realize she had been holding an item from the table while oogling Hestar. Blushing, she looked back at the table of jewelry, placing the brooch within her hand back onto the table. It was a gaudy flower bejeweled with several glinting gems, one that Drina would never wear in a lifetime. Taking a second look, she spotted a small necklace with a crescent moon. Her thoughts briefly brushed over Ocan’s face as she reached for her coin purse. Taking the necklace, she placed the money on the table in front of the vendor. Overpaying them, she didn’t wait for the change while in pursuit of Hestar who was now moving along to the next table. 

Curiosity ate at her as she watched through the crowd while Hestar moved between each vendor with ease, joking and buying things here and there. It was amazing to see her skills in person even with the random passer byers. How she easily spoke to anyone and everyone with grace inspired Drina. Hiding behind her fortune-telling skills, Drina was at a loss when starting a conversation with a stranger. Why was Hestar interested in her when she could have anyone around her? It hurt just thinking about it, yet Drina had only just met her and shared one kiss. Why would a complete stranger like her think twice about her existence? Drina stopped in the middle of the street at the thought. Was it only because of the fortune that she even considered staying to help save her? Ocan was right, she had been selfish. None of this would have happened if it wasn’t for her whim. 

An ache in her chest made her swallow hard. Right now, all Drina needed to do was focus and complete her contract with the festival. Finding the killer was important so Hestar could live and then they could move on. About to give up on her attraction to Hestar, Drina had completely forgotten to take cover when she turned around to make her way back towards the hostel. Their eyes made contact and Hestar’s face brightened, her smile bigger than any other she had during all the previous exchanges. Drina panicked, turning to her side towards another vendor. This one was a bookstall, holding several racks of leather-bound assorted books. Grabbing the first one she saw, she turned it open to a random page, burying her burning face from Hestar’s eyes. It was already too late since she took her time to approach her. 

Standing beside her, Hestar leaned in close to her ear with a whisper.

“Fancy novels?” 

Running her hand along Drina’s arm, she pressed her body in close against hers while reaching for the book within Drina’s hand. Having the warmth of her body so close, Drina held her breath while shivers ran along her body. There was no resistance as Hestar turned the book to read the cover, causing the blush on Drina’s face to deepen.

“Didn’t take you as a fan of boat structures and history.”

Drina was at her limit of how much more embarrassment she could take. Not having a retort, she closed the book and placed it back on the shelf. Between the connection and her behavior the previous night, she didn’t know what to say. If she could dig her head in the ground, she would take that option. Turning, she broke through Hestars tender touch and made her way through the crowd. It was a mistake to follow her, Drina thought. It was no surprise that Hestar was hot on her heel, catching up to her to wrap her arm around hers. The natural way she did it was almost as if they had done it many times before, or at least she had. 

“Why are you trying to run away? Here you are, stumbling across me at the market where we can spend the day together. If I didn’t know any better, I would have thought this was fate.”

It caught her off guard. How would this be considered fate? Pausing their walk Drina turned to face Hestar. It was hard to hold any ounce of confidence with how direct she was. “Meeting you in the market when your job is to drive in business hardly seems like fate. Finding you where there are people seems natural.” 

Hestar slid her arm down to hold her hand as they continued a slow pace through the market. The sound of the crowd was as loud while ghostly spirits began to float around. Drina’s heart was pounding fiercely making it difficult to maintain her composure. Glancing about she worried that people would stare at them, judging them in secret. This had no effect on Hestar, who spoke confidently, unhindered by appearance.

“And you don’t seem like the kind of person to walk through a crowd like this. Was there another reason you were looking for me then?”

Scoffing, Drina stopped them turning towards her. “I wasn’t looking for you. I was… taking a walk and happened to spot you.”

Hestar smirked devilishly, her teasing taking root causing Drina to sigh in mild frustration. This woman, Drina thought as she pinched the bridge of her nose. Calming herself down, Drina pulled them to stand off to the side of the oncoming traffic. Searching for the words, she needed to properly apologize to Hestar for her attitude the previous night. The fact that Hestar still wanted to spend time with her, be alongside her, and even holding her hand made Drina feel even more guilty for her rudeness. 

“Hestar… about last night.”

With a shake of her head and a finger to Drina’s lips, Hestar interrupted her. “No need to apologize. I can be a little pushy sometimes and you have your reasons to be closed off.”

She leaned in towards Drina with honest eyes. “Truth be told, I can’t stop being infatuated with you. When I see something I want, I will do whatever it takes to get it. Lulu told me I needed to give you space, so if I haven’t given you enough distance please let me know.”

Drina dropped her jaw with shock. Had she left to go to the market so early because of her? Although her gut begged to keep her at arm’s length, her heart spoke differently. Drina would be lying to herself and everyone else if she denied her desire to seek out Hestar’s affection. Touching the side of Hestar’s cheek, Drina offered a grin. 

“I guess there is no point in battling it.”

As if on cue, Drina’s stomach rumbled loudly, reminding her of the skipped meal that morning. The surprise on Hestar’s face confirmed that she was able to hear it as well as she broke out into a giggle. Drina joined in, rubbing the back of her head from her awkwardness. 

“Since you know your way around here. How about maybe joining me for a meal?”

Biting her lip, Hestar nodded. “I would love to. Come, I know this amazing little kiosk off the beaten path that is to die for!”

Being led through the crowd, Drina smiled while looking at their interlocked fingers. It brought her a small amount of joy knowing that since they started holding eachothers hands, they had not let go. After grabbing a small meal at the hidden kiosk just behind a few stands, they both took their time walking around to peer at shops. Although Drina had been full from the food, Hestar had taken her to several other vendors with treats and delights, buying her small samples for her to taste. She found it hard to say no, especially since Hestar’s excitement had won the day. Finishing their round, Drina looked to the sun knowing that soon it would be time to head to the tent. Without having to say a word, Hestar seemed to have picked it up as well. They began to walk the path leading both towards the Hostel and the festival grounds. 

Walking in silence, they resumed holding hands while the streets began to pick up in pace. Despite having talked the entire time together, Drina felt at a loss for words. She didn’t want to leave her side just to have to go and sit in a small dim-lit tent. With a heavy sigh, Hestar gave her a sideways glance. With a sudden tug, she dragged Drina into the entrance of a nearby alley. It had happened so quickly that Drina had no time to react and as soon as her back touched the wall, her mouth was invaded. A small sweet tongue had slipped in as they kissed passionately. It was intense while voices exploded around them. Drina quickly wrapped her arms tightly around Hestar, wishing their exchange didn’t have to end. Sadly she knew she needed to let her go, pulling away from their last lingering kiss.

In the darkness of the alley and the piercing volume of the spirits, Drina barely caught the inaudible whisper for her. Watching her lips move, Drina barely caught her words.

“I’ll see you at the festival.”

Drina pushed off the wall to watch as Hestar skipped out of the alleyway. Looking about, she touched her fingers to her lips. It made Drina gitty, licking at her own, the flavor of the kiss still savored in her memory. Taking her time stepping out of the alley, her gaze followed Hestar until she turned the corner out of her view. The spirits surrounded Drina while she dreamily stood in a daze. Some out of the orb-like state they tried to draw her attention towards them. She had hardly been paying attention, batted one out of the way like a hindering fly. There was no way they were going to trample on her parade, yet one managed to yell directly from behind her. The sudden break of the boundary and urgency in their warning pierced the air. Whipping her head back towards the alley, the voice stopped entirely while she scanned around and the empty space. She could have sworn that she felt the presence of someone physical, not including the ghosts. With a small chill up her spine, Drina took off towards her little tent.

Whispering Death (part 6)

A scream surfaced through Drina’s mind. It called out to her causing a spike of anxiety. Reach out into the darkness of her dream, she tried to grab for the invisible hand she knew. Voicelessly she cried out back to the void, panic running a cold chill throughout her body. No matter how far she reached, the voice was locked behind the shroud of endless space. The scream increased in volume the more Drina pushed to reach out, almost to the point of deafening when a jab to her side startled her awake. With a gasp, Drina grabbed the dagger she had under the pillow and wiped it out towards the assailant who had poked her. Stopping the tip inches from her sister’s face, Ocan waited unflinching and unamused. 

Drina dropped the dagger with surprise, the disorientation now fading. It took her a moment to take in the surroundings of the hostel where she remembered that they were staying in. Half rolling over, she wiped at her face realizing she had been panting and sweating in her sleep. Calming herself down, she suppressed her emotions as the subtle whispers quieted down. Did she have a nightmare? Was Ocan here to help calm her down? Taking one final deep breath in, she sat up to look back at her sister. Ocan’s arms were crossed while she waited, her glare just as sharp as the dagger she held to her face. 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to threaten you in my half state.”

With a deeper frown, Ocan replied only in their native tongue. It was low and quite, meaning only one thing. She was upset at her.

“That is not what I’m mad about.”

Staring dumbfoundedly, Drina waited for her to continue. When she didn’t push further, she sighed heavily, pressing the topic. 

“If it’s not that, then what?”

Ocan pulled out a small pouch of money and threw it at her sister. It hit Drina hard in the shoulder causing her to grunt at the pain. It took a few seconds to realize it was the money she had used to pay for the meal last night.

“How could you be so rude! Lulu has been kind to us and you are being so cold.”

With a controlled breath, Drina closed her eyes to keep from getting angry. “That’s the problem, Jeta! We are getting too comfortable. We can’t get too close to these people.”

“She is a good person! Lulu has fed us and is taking care of me while you are working at the festival. She only wants to help us.” 

Drina dropped the coin pouch at her side, reaching for the dagger to place back under her pillow. It was true that Lulu had done her a huge favor while she was doing the fortune tellings during the evenings. Ever since they had arrived into this town, Drina had been too lenient. “And that is why I paid her. Service given is a service paid. Once I finish the contract tonight, we are leaving here. It’s not safe to stay-” 

Before she could finish her sentence, Ocan cut her off. “No. You may not trust her, but I do. I’m staying here.”

Without waiting for a reply, Ocan turned and began to walk away. Drina’s pit dropped. What did she just say? Grabbing the coin purse, she leaped off the bunk and rushed to follow.
    “Jeta. Jeta!”

Ocan refused to face her, turning the corner to the front entrance. A small shiver of fear trickled throughout Drina’s body. Breaking into a light jog, she caught up to her sister in the middle of the hall, grabbing her wrist tightly to stop her. Turning Ocan to face her she continued in a hushed whisper, containing her fear in her voice. 

“What do you mean you’re staying? We are leaving to head towards the Eastern Sea once we are done here. If we stay too long we’ll-”

Ocan broke the grip she had on her wrist. “We’ll what? Actually be happy? Meet people we like? I see how you look at Hestar and you have been losing control of your powers. We can’t keep running away. You can’t keep running away.”

Drina felt the whispers once more as her blood began to boil. “Running away? I am not running away. We are in danger from those who killed our parents. I am trying to save us!”

Ocan scoffed. “You are just paranoid.”

Drina watched as Ocan turned to continue towards the common room. Flabbergasted by her back talk, she clenched her fist as her body shook from rage. Paranoid? When did she think this? All she wanted was to keep her alive and safe. She did what she had to. Unable to control her powers, she watched as several figures floated about, calling to her as they pleaded for help. Drina couldn’t focus enough to hear their words as she stomped off towards Ocan. Unsure how many people were around them, Drina grabbed painfully at the back of Ocan’s neck to drag her to the back office where Lulu sat. Throwing Ocan against a small chair, Drina slammed the door shut behind them. With all the swirling ghosts and overwhelming wails of their cries, Drina could hardly hear herself think yet she needed to get things set straight. They were not staying another night in the hostel.

“Tonight, you are to pack up our things and meet me at the tent on the fairgrounds. We are leaving and that is my final say. You may think I am being paranoid, but you are naive.”

Ocan rubbed at the back of her neck, staring at her with terror. Drina knew she had never been this aggressive with her before, but she needed to be firm. Ocan stammered as she tried to gain the confidence to argue. “What’s the point in leaving tonight. We are in no rush. If you wanted to leave that badly, why not just go now?”

Drina gritted her teeth. “I have to fulfill my end of the bargain. After the seance, we leave.”

Ocan’s eyes teared up as she pushed out of the chair to stand in Drina’s face. 

“When you want to selfishly do something, I always have to listen, but when I want to stay you tell me no. You want to leave so badly, then go. I am staying.”

Drina growled, her voice growing stranger with each word she spoke. The volume of her voice was no longer hushed in the thralls of her temper. Out of all the times, Ocan decided to defy her now? “Selfish? You think I wanted this? I am trying to stop fate and you think I am being selfish? Death is on the line!” 

The whispers around her began to echo her words as the otherworldly voices chimed in. The swirls of spirits darkened the room as Ocan coward from Drina. Her eyes began to dart around the room, surprised at the sudden change in Drina’s appearance. Drina had no idea what she was seeing when a sudden hand touched her shoulder. Between being startled and calmed, the room shifted to sudden silence. If not for Lulu’s hand to stabilize her, she would have almost puked at the instant shift of energy. 

“Ok, I think that’s enough out of both of you. You need to calm down and take some time to ground yourself. I understand this is a sibling matter, however, I fear any longer and things will be said and regret will ensue.”

Drina opened her mouth to retort when Lulu placed a firm hand on her hip.

“This can wait until tomorrow. For now, I think you should cool your head before you work tonight. Ocan will stay here and help me around the hostel until then. Besides, the poor girl is shaking.”

It had not occurred to Drina how upset she had caused her sister to be until she looked over to see her sobbing in silence. Closing her mouth, she was sobered by her actions. Releasing her power in full with no control, letting her anger control her emotions, and yelling at her sister all had taken a toll on her. If it was not for the strange power that had calmed her down, who knows what damage she would have wreaked. They still had unsettled matters to discuss, yet before she could continue, Lulu turned her around and shoved her out of the room. With the quick close of the door and the click of the lock behind her, Drina stood in a stupor in the common room. Did she just get shoved out away from her sister? The nerve of her! She stood at the door, clenching her firsts to pound at the door when Drina caught several people in the common room staring with concern. 

Maybe the walk Lulu had suggested was a good idea. Dropping her hands to her side, she awkwardly rocked a moment on her feet before turning to slowly make her way back into the shared bedroom. Picking up her pace to her stuff, she freshened up, changed a few garments then made her way out of the hostel. When she had finally made it a few blocks away from the building, she had slowed down to smack her forehead. What was she thinking! She had nearly endangered Ocan and herself by that stupid argument. Already exhausted, she leaned against the side of the closest building and crossed her arms. This had been the first time they had ever fought. Was it really that important to Ocan that she wanted to stay? Although it wasn’t 100% true that she was being selfless, Drina did want to spend more time with Hestar. 

If only she had not decided to read her fortune, they would have already been on their way out of town and looking for small jobs here and there to save for the trip. At least now, Drina would end up walking out of town with enough coin to pay for a boat ride out of Castromnia and still live comfortably. With a huff, Drina knew there was no turning back now. With her name on the line and Lulu protecting Ocan from herself, they were going to have to stay another night. Looking around her, the roads were quiet with only a few people heading off towards the market. With the entire morning to herself, Drina clicked her tongue. Maybe she could do a little shopping for necessities, and perhaps a trinket to give as an apology to Ocan. Her stomach gave a hungry ripple, reminding her that she still had to eat. Pushing off the wall, she felt the coin purse on her hip and followed the shoppers.

Whispering Death (part 3)

The sun had come all too soon as Drina felt the poking at her side. Grumbling, she rolled over into the guard of the bed. 

    “Give me a few more minutes, Ocan.” All throughout the night she had struggled to sleep, Hestar’s lips the only dream she could conjure. It made for a very uncomfortable rest, one she wished to have spent the extra coin to sleep in her own bed instead of staring with her sister. It never bothered her in the past to sleep beside her, she cared very much for Ocan. Drina only just wished for solace to her pent-up tension and being in close quarters only made it embarrassing. She expected to hear the voice of her sister retorting, yet the voice speaking made her jump.

    “My, what a little sleepy head. If you keep on you’ll miss midday.” 

    The owner of the hostel Lulu stood just near the foot of the bunk, Ocan smiling beside her as they waited for her.

    “This one has been up for hours now, helping around while she waited for you. Poor thing was hungry but wouldn’t eat until you got up. I don’t usually do this for all the guests, but I made lunch for you both. On the house, yet the next meal will cost you.”

    Drina rubbed at her eyes to remove the sleep, sitting up with a stretch. “You didn’t have to do that, we brought food we could eat.”

    Before Drina could fight her any further, Lulu waved her off. “Nonsense, this is also to help thank Ocan for her help cleaning this morning. When you are fully up, we will be in the common room.” 

    Lulu chuckled light-heartedly, patting Ocan on the back as she turned and walked towards the hall. Drina quietly psted, catching Ocan’s attention before she followed. It was a look of concern, hoping she would understand her worry. Ocan returned her look with a wide grin. She checked around her before leaning in to whisper in their mother tongue.

    “It’s ok, I helped her cook it and no one is around. I’ll be safe until you join us.”

     Her tone was no more comforting than Lulu, they hardly knew anyone here and she wandered about casually without her around. What has gotten into her? Drina flopped back down on the bed, staring at the roof with a frown. It was really no surprise really though, since Drina was also being careless. Loosening up on her powers, kissing Hestar, and allowing Ocan to just leave her sight? These were things she would never have done in the past. Either way, there was no changing the present, only just pushing on to the future. Siting up on her elbows, Drina looked over to the other side of the room, where Hestar’s bunk was in view. It was empty as were all of the beds. Everyone must have been out and about with their day, and here she was being lazy. For a brief moment, it all felt nice. With a huff, she decided to get up, grabbing the bag at the head of the bed to pull out soap and some fresh garments. Taking everything with her, she went into the shower area and cleaned herself. Both her and Ocan only had few clothes, and mostly wore their travel gear. At least the hostel here had a place to wash their clothes if they chose to. For now, this would be enough to head down to the festival and seek out the leader who ran it. Maybe she could score a spot to make some money. It would help them continue their way and even afford boat fare.

    Finishing up, she slung the bag over her shoulder and made her way to the common room. Ocan was right, the place was empty and the only voices she could hear was the two of them.  Entering the common room, there was a divider in the middle separating the eating area and the lounge. The left side held several couches lining around the walls and a few chairs in the middle around a playing table. The right had counters and ovens to cook with tables about. Drina thought about if she had taken up the offer to follow Hestar last night, which couch would they have continued on. The thought made her blush, her steps quickened as she rushed over to the table beside Ocan. A small meal had been plated for her, causing her stomach to growl at the sight of it. When was the last time she had a full meal other than the dried lizard jerky she had made over several days in their journey? Two full sausages cooked over a grill, a heaping pile of rice and egg, and a baked yam overfilled her plate. 

Without greeting them, Drina grabbed her fork and knife and cut into the sausage. The moment it hit her lips, she let out a moan as the flavor took over. It was juicy, tender and easy to chew. Hardly finished chewing, she shoved her mouth full of rice before swallowing it all. Taking the glass to her side, she guzzled the freshly chilled water before grabbing the small dinner roll beside her plate and tore a chunk out of it. Lula’s laughter filled the room, startling Drina at first. She shot her eyes up at her, watching her wipe a tear from her eyes while she chewed slowly.

“Both you girls! The way you eat, it’s like you have never eaten food before!”

Ocan giggled, watching Drina as she slowly chewed at her bread. “Drina makes us jerky from whatever she catches. It tastes dry and gritty. Sometimes we find berries or fruit but those are always bitter.” 

Drina couldn’t help but feel offended. With her mouth still full, she complained loudly. “Ahhh, you eat it though! Sorry it’s not as yummy as this.” 

Grumpily, she took another swig of the water. It was relieving to have something so fresh and not just from their bota. Lulu laughed alongside Ocan. Drina knew she meant well, yet the sting still hurt. Turning back to her food, she shovelled a few more mouths full of rice and ate the rest of the one sausage. Cutting into her yam, she caught Lulu’s eyes. 

“Do you know anything about the festival in town?”

Lulu’s smile faded a little at the mention of it. “Yes, the Steaua lunii festival. Are you here because of that?” 

It wasn’t originally the reason why, but after Hestar’s reading and the danger she might be in, Drina couldn’t stop the feeling that they were meant to be here. “At first no, we were only to pass through. But, since we are here, I might as well find work.”

Lulu suspiciously eyed her, leaning back in her chair like a defensive mother.

“How did you hear about the festival?”

Drina slowed her chewing, the feeling of a kid being caught doing something bad chilling her. She looked to Ocan first, then back over to Lulu. “One of the guests spoke of it.”

Ocan perked up. “Was it Hestar?”

Drina’s eyes shot wide. How did she know? She was sleeping the entire time they had spoke! She dropped her jaw as Ocan grinned.

“She came to say good morning to me before she left while you slept. Asked me how I slept. She’s really pretty.” 

Her face flushed red at Ocan’s comment. Yes, Hestar was indeed, yet why did she stop to ask Ocan how she slept? Was it because of her nightmare? At least now the cat was out of the bag as Drina looked to Lulu’s disappointed frown.

“Hestar. That girl is trouble! Always sticking her nose where it shouldn’t be. You be careful of that one. She may be like a daughter to me, but she stirs up whirlwinds like the gods themselves!” 

Rubbing at her chin, Drina tried to hide the grin on her face. Oh she stirs up something alright, she thought naughtily. Lula tsked, picking up her thoughts as she waved at her hopelessly. Ocan bounced between them, unsure of what she missed. Drina smiled at her dear sister. 

“Well that was very nice of her. Maybe we will see her again tonight.” At the same time a small voice spoke within her, and maybe pick up where we left off. Lulu shook her head, uncrossing her arms to fold her rag she had on her to clean. 

“If you’re going to the festival, what kind of work do you do?”

Drina stuck a small piece of yam in her mouth, chewing as she thought. There was no use hiding their origins since Hestar already knew. Plus with more of their kind, maybe they could meet someone who could help give safe passage to the next town over. Drina knew it was all a gamble, and she was hoping she was placing down the right cards. 

“I can read fortunes.”

Ocan spoke out abruptly, excitement getting the better of her as she yelled it loudly. 

“She can also commune with the dead! She’s really good at it!”

“Ocan!” Drina slammed her hands to the table, looking about as she lowered her head.

Lulu reached out to touch Ocan on the shoulder as she pouted. Slouching in the chair, she apologized. “Sorry.”

Lulu nodded. “It’s ok child. You must not talk much about yourselves that you got carried away. It happens.” Looking over at Drina she continued. “You will definitely be able to get work then. Most of the participants are entertainers. But you must be careful, the town may accept your kind here during the festival, but once it is over you won’t be as celebrated.” 

Drina huffed with a frown. “I know. Being part of the event will just put a target on our backs. Will we be safe enough to stay here a few nights longer?”

With a grand smile, Lulu reassured her. “It will always be safe here for travellers. You have my word.” 

“Good. Would you happen to know the person in charge? I’ll head out as soon as I am done with this meal.”

    Lulu stood up from the table, grabbing the water jug to refill it. “It seems that I just so happen to.”

    With a smile, Drina nodded. Good, at least she won’t waste much time. With the festival celebration lasting only a few days, maybe she could stop whatever danger was riding in the not-so-distant future.