Page 43 of To Free a Soul
“Oh, how true that is,” Lindiwe answered with a dark smirk. “Get off your arse and help. If you sit here much longer, sulking like a bratty child, then you’ll be sure to wither away.”
Katerina scoffed. “Good.”
Unbelievable!Lindiwe palmed her face with one of her hands in frustration.And I thought speaking with Duskwalkers was hard. At least theytry, even if they often fail.
She brought her other hand up and massaged her temples wearily, the conversation sucking all the energy out of her. Finally Lindiwe let out a sigh and then reached underneath her feathered cloak to a pocket sewn inside it. She fished out a stone with an Anzúli symbol etched on it and held it out by its thick red twine.
“Look, we got off on the wrong foot,” Lindiwe conceded, reaching out to give the talisman to the woman. “I come with a peace offering.”
From the corner of her eye, Katerina assessed it, then backhanded it so hard it flung out of Lindiwe’s grasp and landedon the ground. “I don’t want anything from you. I don’t want your hexes or spells.”
Holding back a growl, Lindiwe stomped over to the talisman, picked it up, and held it out to her again. “It will warm you. You’ll no longer need to worry about winter, and I have medicinal herbs that will fight back any sickness.”
There was even a bathing oil Orpheus would need to apply to her body to hide her human scent. All instructions for everything was noted on a piece of parchment.
“I-I’d rather freeze to death.”
“No, you wouldn’t,” Lindiwe bit out. “Frostbite is a horrible affliction, and the possible death from it is long, painful, and disorientating. How would you like your fingers and toes to rot and fall off while you’re still alive?”
Okay, so maybe they wouldn’t actually fall off, but they’d definitely rot, and she was hoping that frightening the poor woman would make her see some sense.
It worked.
“F-fine.” She snatched it from Lindiwe’s open palm and curled her hands around it. “Now wha–”
Katerina’s lips promptly shut when the symbol glowed pink, and she proceeded to shudder with a blissful moan. She held it tighter and brought her knees further up, like she wanted to encase her body around it completely.
It wasn’t necessary. Just holding it affected the whole body.
“All you need to do is wear it on your person,” Lindiwe explained as she pulled a pouch of herbs from her cloak pocket. “The tea is easy to make with a campfire, and it’s best if you swallow the ingredients. It should energise you, as much as keep you well, and you only need a pinch, so make it last.”
Pouting, Katerina swiped that from her palm as well with her head turned away.
For a few heartbeats, the only sound shared between them was the crackling of the fire. Lindiwe drew her gaze to the tiny, makeshift shelter of logs that was barely enough to keep out the rain. It only looked big enough for Katerina and Orpheus to lie down together, with little space between them.
Space she doubted Orpheus would allow.
It’s a shame Weldir can’t see through Orpheus’ ward clearly.He could only see through the outside of the magical blue dome, like one peeking in through a window but being stuck outside. The canopy of trees often made it impossible to know what was going on. They couldn’t check on them properly, and Lindiwe couldn’t spend every minute of her days watching them in person from within the forest.
“Well?” Katerina bit out, and she narrowed her stare on Lindiwe. “Is that all?”
“A thank you would be nice.”
“Why should I thank you?” Katerina huddled further around the talisman. “You’re only keeping me alive to help him. Nothing you’re doing is actually for my benefit.”
Lindiwe’s stomach twisted into a horrible, sickly, nauseating knot because... she was right. The guilt of that was a burning slice against her heart and spirit, and she had to hold back the tears that threatened.
All the anger she’d held onto for the woman due to her less than welcoming behaviour instantly faded. Katerina had every right not to trust her, nor to be amicable about her assistance or presence.
Because all Lindiwe was thinking about was the happiness and wellbeing of her son, at the cost of Katerina’s life.
But I really do hope that once she has a warm and safe home, with an abundance of food and water, she’ll come to care for Orpheus.It was hard to grow tender feelings for someone when the environment was less than pleasant.
Lindiwe understood that.
If she’s happier, maybe she’ll trust him.He already seemed to be rather affectionate with her, near purring as he rubbed his skull against her black hair and cheek while holding her.
It was more than Lindiwe had ever gotten.
