>>6287694“Water,” the old man croaks as you lead him through the forest, “Do you have any water?”
“I’ve got some,” Elle says softly, opening her satchel and taking out a small flask. She pauses, glancing across to you before moving any further. You nod, holding out your hand for the flask. Taking it, you raise it to the man’s lips and allow him to drink. “Sir,” she asks as you’re passing the flask back to her, “May I ask your name?”
“I would rather not give you my true name,” he replies tersely, “But when I was initiated, I took “Adrammelech” as my secret name.”
“Not much of a secret now, is it?” you remark dryly. Perhaps it’s your imagination, but the man seems to smile faintly, ruefully, at your joke. Before you can say anything else, though, you feel a chill run down your spine. It’s that same feeling you had all the while you were coming here, the feeling of being watched from afar. This time, though, it doesn’t feel nearly so far away.
The temptation is too great. You turn, casting a searching gaze out into the forest. You had been expecting to see, at most, a flash of pale flesh as the horned woman ducks back into hiding. Instead, you see her in full view – standing in the open, staring straight back at you. There’s a wariness in her eyes, almost as if she’s expecting you to be the one who runs and hides. When you don’t immediately flee, she starts to slowly, cautiously approach.
Even blindfolded, you can see Adrammelech trembling in fear of something that he can only sense. Elle’s eyes are wide with awe, her mouth open in a silent gasp of amazement. It’s only Gratia who stands firm, her face carefully neutral even as her eyes betray the faintest hint of hostility.
Time passes in a lethargic daze, each second stretching out until it seems like hours. Finally, the horned woman draws close enough to reach out and touch your face. You know what she really is, you KNOW what the sacred moonlight would reveal, but just for a moment you allow yourself to forget. The hand on your cheek is warm and soft. That’s all that matters.
After a long moment, the horned woman seems to notice Elle. Though nobody has said a word since her arrival, she seems to implicitly understand who the young oracle is. Reaching up to her hair, the horned woman unties something – a length of ragged red ribbon – before holding it out to Elle. Neither moves for a few seconds, or perhaps an eternity, and then Elle tentatively takes the ribbon. With numb, clumsy hands, she ties it around her throat like a makeshift choker.
Finally, the horned woman moves to study Gratia. The two stare at each other for a long time, each seeming to wait for the other to act first – or, perhaps, to flinch.
In the end, it’s the horned woman who turns and silently stalks away.
[2]
