Page 41 of Riftborne
“I guess it’s not so bad. We probably should have done this a long time ago.” She turned to me, rolling her eyes and giving me the smile I hadn’t seen in weeks.
A wave of relief washed over me.
“So you like it?” I asked a bit too eagerly.
“Well, I didn’t say that. But I understand the need for some structure around here. We all know it’s not my strong suit.” She walked over to her desk and sat down.
“I do have a question, actually,” I said, following her.
“Hmm?”
“What is this? I’ve never seen it before.” I held out my hand to reveal the mysterious blue-violet stone.
“It just came in yesterday, actually.” She smiled and observed it proudly. “I’ve been trying to get my hands on a piece of it for some time. It’s called arcanite.”
“It looks as though it’s alive.” I held it up to the flame of acandle and peered through the lights that danced within. The sharp exterior refracted a kaleidoscope of colors onto the wall.
“It’s very rare. Some think it’s simply a conductor for essence. Or that it can store it. No one really knows for sure. But things seem to thrive around it.”
“How does it work?” I asked. I’d never learned about this in school. I wondered where it came from.
“It’s a bit of a mystery, but I have a few experiments in mind. I was going to bury one of the stones in a plant box in the greenhouse and see if it enhances the growth rate or yield.”
“Interesting. We’ll have to keep an eye on it.” I gave her a slight smile and wandered back to my station. I hoped I’d be here long enough to see the effects, but part of me was hopeless.
Ma stayed silent for a while, rifling through some parchment. Eventually, she sighed and looked up at me.
“Listen Fia, I know things have been tense lately between us. I don’t want you to think I’m upset with you. I’ve just been trying to process everything. You know how I feel about the Guard. After everything that happened with my brother… I mean, I won’t lie, I’m a bit terrified–”
“No need to be. I’m not training with the General anymore,” I interrupted her, desperate for things to go back to normal between us. I couldn’t get there fast enough.
Her eyes widened.
“I–well, it just wasn't working out.” I gave her a half-smile before looking down. A tinge of sadness tried to creep in, but I shook it off.
Ma just stared at me. I slid into my desk chair and leaned back, giving her a look of reassurance.
“Fia… I don’t know what to say. You wanted to try. I get it. I think it was noble of you. I do…” She gave me a sympathetic look. “But selfishly, I’m so relieved that you’ve ended it. You have no idea how worried I have been about you. I don’t trust him. There’s something about the General that doesn’t sit right with me. I don’t think his intentions are good.”
Ma leaned over the desk as her head shook. The lines of her face seemed softer.
“I understand. It was a mistake.” I sighed. “I just want us to be okay again.”
Ma nodded and smiled at me, letting me know that we were on the same page. The rest of the day breezed by in perfect monotony.
I shuffledto the back of the shop, making sure the cauldrons were cooled before grabbing my bag. Ma was waiting for me in the front, leaning against the door frame and quietly humming to herself. For the first time in weeks, the tension in her posture was gone.
“Tell Osta to come by soon. It’s been forever since she’s pranced around the shop, distracting you from your work. I miss it.” Ma chuckled. Things felt deliciously normal.
“I’ll let her know. I’m sure she misses your relentless taunting just as much.” I laughed and reached for the door. She nudged me playfully as we stepped outside.
The evening breeze had a crispness to it. I wrapped my arms around myself to keep the shivers at bay. Ma turned around to lock up. The sun was barely visible above the horizon and the street buzzed with city sounds as people made their trek home from work.
I glanced over to find Ma staring off to the left with narrowed eyes.
“Fia,” was all she said.
My body flooded with fear. The General was walking towards us with his usual confident gate. The air froze in my lungs.
