Caspian finally broke the magic circle and Mythos left its bounds, heading for her quarters while keeping on a sharp conversation with her grandfather. I followed behind, not expecting any trouble -- I sensed that Quentin could wipe the floors with all of us there if he so wanted. Mythos occasionally looked my way, and each time I moved further back, not wanting to intrude. In one tense moment, Mythos unwrapped a pile of the sidearms she fancied, holding one in a sure grip, her eyes locked with Quentin's.
Finally, after a long moment, she wrapped up the small arsenal again. Quentin said some last words, and then headed towards me and the door. At that time, he turned to look at me with hard grey eyes.
"Don't let her fall, 'Winged Knight'," he hissed, as my eyes widened in shock. How did he know...?
*****
Lancaster's eyes boiled with silent fury as Mythos showed he and Sarah the guns. Sarah looked to have a small smile on her face as she checked out the stash. The joy was fleeting, however, as Mythos made clear her intent to leave Amber. Again, I moved out of the door to give them privacy, but I could see the tense look in both of their eyes from time to time, and eventually I was called in. "Go to visit with Jenner at the Church," said Sarah, and so we did.
Jenner rolled up the carpet to reveal a more permanent magic circle than the one that Caspian fashion. I had to believe that this was not something that had been sanctioned by Grandmother. Suffice it to say that Jenner wove his peculiar brand of magics well -- almost too well, in fact, as my first inclination was to Turn the wraith back to the underworld. Seems that it was fully under his command, and truly an air spirit of some type, not undead. As we left, he asked that I return to see him again, and I said I would.
We returned to the castle and I began setting the wards. Mythos sat on the bed, finally laying stiff as a body on a marble slab. She stared at the ceiling.
You don't look comfortable," I said. Let me comfort you, I meant.
She did not answer.
"Would you like me to lie with you?", I asked. Again, no response, but then there was a sigh, and she put the pillow over her head.. "What would you like?" I asked one final time, and the response was a soft snore. I smiled, removed her boots and other restrictive clothes, and wrapped her in the blanket before settling back in my chair.
*****
"My name's not really Mythos, you know," she said some time later, startling me out of sleep. "I gave it to myself. My foster parents called me Martha. Sarah said she'd named me Samantha."
I smiled. "I like Mythos. Seems very... exotic, unknown. Which you are, to me." I dropped my head a moment, and looked up again, feeling a burden inside that I had to let go of. "Mythos, may I ask one thing of you?" She agreed.
"If you plan to leave here, or go into Shadows, could you... tell me first? It would pain me greatly if I was to find you gone again." I looked at her, and she seemed to look the same as I felt, but then smiled. "As long as you do the same," she said.
I could only agree.
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