In Another Life- Chapter 8

An hour before heading to the shop, Lady Penny and Vince had managed to sneak onto the Synx’s cemetery. Somewhere far back, hidden behind a large wilted tree sat Euno’s tombstone. Lady Penny coughed as they approached. The air felt thick, thick in weight, thick in something eerily similar to poison.

“I can remove it.” Vince said. He tied a cloth over his face, and held his hand out.

“Absolutely not. As your lady, I must accompany you.”

“As your fiance, I must keep you safe.” Vince said.

Lady Penny looked away, as Vince’s arm went around her and grabbed the small sack she held in her palm.

“Give that back right this instant!” She whispered. She stood on her toes, reaching for the sack as he held it higher.

The closer she got, the more aware Vince got. He cleared his throat, stepping aside heading to the grave.

“It’ll only be for a moment, my lady. Please bear with me.” He said.

Lady Penny crossed her arms. Looking at the sky.

“Why can’t he just listen to me?” She quietly grumbled.

Vince dashed some dust Lady Penny had created onto the flower. Its stems had completely wrapped around the tombstone. As if it was unwilling to let go. The more powder Vince used, the denser the air became. Lady Penny heard him cough. Moreover, a torch’s light was emitting from afar behind her.

“Do you see that?” A guard shouted. Three guards look her way. Lady Penny crouched. Hoping that the other tombstones a few feet away would provide her with some cover. She held her breath as she got to Vince. The flower that was once holding on so tightly had weakened.

“Why are you here? I asked you to stay back.” He coughed. His eyes had strangely become a little red. He raised her hand to rub his eye, and she caught his wrist. “Don’t.” She whispered.

“It’s bothering me.” He grumbled raising the other. Lady Penny grabbed his other arm. The sound of the three guards suddenly speaking startled her enough that she fell on Vince. Her hands pinning his wrists down.

“This place has a putrid smell.” One guard coughed.

“I agree. Perhaps we saw nothing.” Another said.

The longer they lingered, the harder Vince’s heart began to pound. His hands curl into a fist, just holding out. It took another minute for the guards to leave, the smell, the sight of the withered tree, and graves all around had them too creeped out for another look.

Lady Penny glanced at Euno’s tombstone. The single flower appeared to have unwrapped. It had decayed and the air felt less dense than it was before.

“My lady.” Vince whispered out.

She looked back at him. His gaze, his lips, the reddening in his brown ears, and her own cheeks began to flush at their position. She pushed herself to the side, getting up quickly as she let out a quiet breath. As Vince took the flower and safely placed it in a clean sack, she looked at her hands and smiled. She cleared her throat, catching herself and looked back at him, “Ready?”

He nods. He held his arm out and naturally she took it.

“Splendid. To the shop we go to.” She smiled.

***

In an alleyway a street away, Lissana had met the two there. They watch Olse with his usual hooded cloak slip through a stony wall. He was being accompanied by a man in a servant uniform.

They get to the wall, Lissana puts her palm in it and nothing seems to budge.

“Perhaps it’s magic?” Lady Penny asked.

The moment she put her hand on the wall, it was as if it was trying to suck her in. Half her body got sucked in.

“Be careful!” Lissana whispered. Her hand held onto hers and soon enough she began to get pulled in as well. Lady Penny reached out from behind, grabbing Vince’s hand as well. His hand curled around hers, squeezing it softly.

They fall onto a wooden floor. Some sort of magic shop. Potions on the shelves and a woman sitting at a desk, reading something off a card. As they hid behind some shelves, they listened in, “I believe that an obstacle will be in your way.” The woman said.

She glanced towards Lissana. “And fate can only support one of you.”