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Avin

“What happened?” whispered Enydd. Avin glanced at her, then back at the man that lay gasping on the floor. “I don’t know.”

He’s dying.

He glanced back at Enydd, feeling more helpless than he ever had before. She blinked at him for a moment, then moved suddenly. “I can help.”

She scooted forward and pulled a vial out of her pocket. “It’s an elixir.” (@inkhorn , Jared said Enydd had an elixir. IDK how she uses it or what it is, but now would be helpful).

Avin eyed her curiously. Enydd must have caught the question in his eyes and the raised eyebrows in the room. She said timidly, “We had to solve riddles, then the Holy Man would grant us one wish.”

Sounds like something from Sran Ekkel. Or maybe there’s still black magic in Colondai. Whatever it was, the man’s coughing eased, and opened his eyes. “What’s going on?”

“Maybe you can tell us.”  Avin looked into his eyes for any sign of a concussion, but suddenly the man leaped up, almost knocking Avin back. He looked around wildly and stepped toward the door.

“Let me through,” he ordered them. “I can stop this.” Avin stood up. He couldn’t go out there.

“Didn’t you start this?”  Lorcan stepped up behind him.

“No. When Ku’s in danger and unconscious, her hive tends to go out of control. It’s not something that could’ve been helped. But I can help her.”

It could be.

“You’re kidding, right?” Jade scoffed. Avin didn’t pay attention. Lorcan walked around him until he was in front of the man, between him and the door. “I can’t let you.”

Avin’s eyes looked from one to the other.

The man sidestepped, trying to get around Lorcan, but he matched the man step for step. The man’s hands balled into fists and his eyes smoldered. “I can end this. The swarm will retreat, and the danger will pass. You just have to hold out till then.”

Lorcan’s face set into hard steel. Avin stepped into the man’s line of vision. “How long?”

He felt the tension in the room tighten, and Lorcan looked at him. Avin held his stare.

“I can use the elixir,” The man was saying. “It’ll only take as long as it takes for me to find her.”

“You know it will work?”

“She’s my sister!”

Lorcan chuckled. “That green-skin’s your sister? Tell me how that works.” He muttered softly. Avin’s jaw set. What did it matter what color she was?

The man started forward with a restless motion. “I’m going.”

Lorcan stepped in the way again. “No, you’re not.”

“He’s got to.”Avin looked at the room full of people. “Get back from the door. Jade, you open it for him. Shut it as soon as he’s through, like your life depends on it.” Because it does.

Suddenly, the man was gone. Vanished into thin air. Avin looked around. The room was completely silent.

In only a few moments, the rasping chewing noise of the bugs against the door quit. In another moment it swung open and the man reappeared, a green woman with long ears just behind him.

Avin could feel every eye in the room widen at sight of her. Every stare reminded him that he was half Colondite. The ring on its chain around his neck felt cold and heavy. [The ring’s a symbol of his Colondite origins].

Lorcan stepped forward, his hand lingering near on of his insinuated weapons.

Don

“Don’t.” Avin’s voice was low and hard. Lorcan threw a look at her, mistrust and anger lingering in his steely eyes. “That bug swarm was her fault.”

“So?”

Avin looked past  Lorcan to where the man and his sister were standing. His sister shrank behind him, but fear and shame were slipping under the protection of anger and a sharp reply. Avin caught her eye, and he smiled at her, the barest of half-smiles.

Suddenly the anger vanished, taking the fear with it. Only shame and sadness were left, and a kind of dull weariness.

She stepped from behind her brother and bowed low. “I’m sorry for the trouble I caused.”

Avin stepped back melting in to the shadows by the wall and watched. A movement by his elbow made him look around. Someone was beside him.

~~

@Irishcelticredflowercrown IDK about Lorcan’s part. Hopefully you like it okay. 🙂

@anyone, Avin’s free for interaction, if you want. Otherwise don’t bother.

I’m gonna pull Alaric, I think. I’m doubting it’s a good idea to have him out of context of his story.

Maybe replace him with someone who will be helpful??? IDk, I don’t have much time.