Episode 3 Part 3 Sneak Peek #6

The promenade stretches out before you, seemingly becoming longer with every step you take. Even with the statues behind you, the air remains hot and thick. You feel as though you are dragging yourself through mud. The buildings glisten with the variegated, oily sludge. The closer you get to the citadel, the more concentrated it becomes. Where once it was contained to walls and roofs, you now find puddles of the stuff oozing across the flagstones. A sunken garden has been invaded entirely, filling it to the brim and turning it into a hazy pool.

Even for someone with your history—the events you have witnessed, the devastation you have seen—what happened here is on a scale that is near incomprehensible.

“How many people died here, do you think?” you murmur, your voice hoarse.

“I don’t know,” he replies, his breath short and uneasy.

You pause, chewing your lower lip. You recall Quirinus meeting Zenaida on the docks yesterday morning, his indifferent tone as he broke the news to Zenaida. His clear attempt to manipulate you into sending a message to Umbria. Looking back to last night, Lethalis seemed more concerned about the Astrial and Diradan being inaccessible than mourning the untold deaths.

You’re missing something. Diradan must have counted a whole regiment of expert brightwardens among their numbers, but even the most talented couldn’t have held back what happened here. How did anyone survive this?

“It doesn’t add up—”

“It never does with mages—and I don’t care to speculate. It’s not our job to investigate what happened here.”

“Quirinus said—”

“I wouldn’t trust anything that comes out of that man’s mouth. Sabien doesn’t often lie, but he is a master of misdirection. You never know how he’s twisted the truth to suit his purposes.”

You frown. Something niggles in the back of your mind. “I’ve been wondering about that. Seems like you know him rather well.”

Aeran draws to a halt. “I don’t want to talk about this.”

[CHOICE] 1. [PERSUASION] “And I thought we were past this. Do you trust me or not?”
2. “I’m sorry. I won’t pry.”
3. Give up without an apology. After everything that happened last night, maybe he will take the hint.

Aeran turns and lets out a long sigh. He pulls down his kerchief, unmasking his face. “I do,” he says firmly, his gaze meeting yours. “Gods know I do. But this isn’t something I can explain easily or quickly—”

“Then try. Don’t shove me away. Not again.”

A muscle in his jaw twitches. He doesn’t like your tone, and—if you’re honest—maybe he’s right to be upset. You have the advantage here and you are using it to twist his arm. But if he truly trusts you, he could be able to speak freely.

“I know him very well, $firstname, because I’ve been in a position where I had to work for him and his subordinates. Not a pleasant experience and not one I want to repeat—”

“You worked for him?” You blink. “When the hell did you do that?”

“I don’t know,” he grunts. “Half a decade or so ago. It’s been a long time. I never wanted to come here. I never wanted to take Zenaida’s offer. I knew the moment we stepped foot in the city, Sabien would find his way to us. I don’t care how this spat between Umbria and Sabien turns out, I don’t care whether Lethalis or Solarath levels the city in pursuit of their goals. I only want to be left in peace.”

The pain in his voice runs deep. There’s a wound here that hasn’t healed, the kind that is better left alone. You have enough of those to know when no amount of trust or love is enough to fix it. Inwardly, though, your mind is racing with questions. Aeran’s distaste for Quirinus was apparent from the moment you encountered him on the docks. You assumed it was because he hates the Guild and anything associated with it on principle. What if it’s the other way around? Is his hatred for the Guild born out of his hatred for Quirinus?

Just another reminder of how poorly you know him.

“I’m sorry,” you say quietly. “I didn’t mean to pry. But Aeran, you know you can tell me—”

“And I told you I don’t want to talk about this. Please, $nickname. Can we move on?”