by K Dezendorf
Rose's heart sank. "N-no, I don’t have it yet.”
"Do you not want your Guardian back?” he demanded, his black gaze burning.
“Yes, of course I do,” she said hurriedly. “I just need a little more time.”
His eye glowed red. "You have until sunset. Either bring me the second requested item, or the Guardian dies." The wings folded and he disappeared.
Chapter 22
Rose stared at the empty space as the room returned to its normal temperature, but she felt chilled.
"Shades," Dimitri muttered.
Rose covered her face. "This is all my fault. If Kyan hadn't..."
“Sh-shall I retrieve Billy and Edward?” Vindo suggested.
“Yes, Vindo, please,” Dimitri said. “Rose must return to the human realm straight away.”
Vindo bobbed his head and exited the room.
"Wait, but..." Rose looked up at Dimitri in confusion.
Dimitri placed a hand on her shoulder. "Billy has the ability to time-shift. It's the only way to make sure you have time to do what you need to do. If you stay here you will only have a few hours."
Rose took a deep breath and nodded. "Okay."
About a minute later the door opened and in walked Billy and Edward. "All right, what's going on?" Billy asked.
"You are taking Rose to the human realm at once," Dimitri informed them. "Edward, she is your ward."
After a length of silence, Edward replied, "Fine," and walked over to the painted door.
Billy made the motions to open the portal and Edward just walked right through.
"For all you could've known, I could've put your hide in the middle of traffic," Billy shouted after him. "Damn elf."
For all the stress and worry Rose was feeling, she was still able to laugh at this. How was it Billy and Edward always managed to make her feel so at ease just by being around?
Billy turned back to Dimitri. "Dimitri, are you sure this is wise? You know Markeos is going to be after her."
"That's why you and Edward must keep an eye on her. She will return when she tells you. Stay close, Billy. All other trade, I will work with Vincent."
“The Lore help us," Billy sighed. "All right, child. Let's go."
Rose glanced back at Dimitri before heading over and following Edward through the portal. The trip was smooth and reassuring, and moments later she was back at the warehouse. Billy appeared behind her.
"Dear good gracious be. The shite I put up with for the lot of you." Billy looked up at her. "Did he actually tell you about everything?"
"He told me there was a war going on and-"
Before she could get any further, he started swearing, or at least she thought it was swearing, in another language she was not familiar with. Rose wasn’t used to seeing him this upset. He stomped around the room for a minute or two before turning back to her.
"You're just a child. You should not be in the middle of all this. I was wrong. I shouldn't have gotten you involved in my world. I'm sorry, child."
Once again, Rose was struck dumb. Billy was angry, but not at her. He was angry for her. "I'm the one who begged you to make me your apprentice." Her gaze fell to the floor. “And I should have told you about… my friends.”
Billy shook his head. "It’s not your fault, child. You don't understand everythin’ that’s happening. There are a lot of things I don’t understand about your world. Like why everyone asks ‘how are you?’ as a greeting when they usually don’t give a damn. It's the same with you and the Umbra. You may think you know what it’s like, but you’ve only seen a little of it.”
His eyes were so sad, his shoulders slumped with guilt. “I was afraid something like this would happen, that you’d get mixed up with people who would cause you pain and take advantage of you. I should've known better and I should've told you 'no'. It's my fault."
"Don’t flatter yourself, Billy." Edward stood in the doorway looking in. "She would’ve found a way to stay regardless of your decision."
Billy's eye twitched. "I'm going to go get some mayo for a certain someone. That is, unless they want to continue being an arse." He gave this weirdly smug look at Edward.
"Damn dwarf," Edward muttered.
"I'm not a-" He began to shout but then stopped. "Mayo."
Edward rolled his eyes. "Fine." He walked out.
"That's what I thought," Billy said before turning to Rose again. While he came off like Edward's presence was agitating, Billy seemed to have bounced back from his self-deprecation. "Sorry, child. You do have one blessin’ though. You have an immortal who's sworn to you. If anyone can keep you safe, it's that monstrous pile of sheep's dung."
This brought a weak smile to Rose’s lips, but it was short lived. It was difficult to come to terms with the knowledge that she was, by association, at war with the people she’d come to see as family. While Billy’s concern for her was touching, she couldn’t shake the guilt she felt for the choices she made, and her brain was burning out thinking through things she could’ve done differently.
“Don’t dwell on it, child,” Billy said. “Better to look forward and focus on what you can do, as opposed to fixing what’s already been done.”
Rose took a deep breath, reigning in her anxiety. He was right. There were plenty of things she still needed to do. “Um, if you’re going to the store, may I request some items?”
After giving Billy her list, and after Billy reminded Rose not to let Edward pick on her too much, he left. When she went out to the main warehouse area, Edward was standing there, waiting for her.
"So..."
"So," she parroted.
He got this odd little smile, or maybe it was just odd because he usually looked so surly. "You pissed off Markeos like I did."
She frowned. "All I did was tell him 'no'." And throw a little dirt in his face.
"That makes two of us. And we're the only two.”
“I knew it wasn’t just a dream.” Rose slowly approached him. “I thought I was going crazy, or maybe it was something magic related. But it was you the whole time.”
“Do tell.” He looked as though he expected this. Maybe he’d been waiting for it.
“Somehow, when I’m asleep, I’ve been seeing the things you do. Like when you saved Bal from Markeos. Or when you found Kyan.” She pressed a hand to her head as she thought back even farther. “You were trapped. For years. Trapped in a… horrible place. That’s why you hate humans so much. Because of what they did to you. That’s why you jumped off that building. You were so alone.”
“Not entirely.” Edward was the one to take a step forward this time, until he was within arm’s reach. “Occasionally there was someone there with me. Someone unseen, but very real. A voice that kept me sane, and kept me going.”
Rose flushed, astounded that all that time she believed she was dreaming, she’d been witnessing real events. “You were the one talking to me,” Rose remembered. “When I was being attacked by the troglodyte.”
He nodded. “And you did a great job of sending him running.”
Rose rubbed at her temples, her head aching from the multiple experiences which now had all new perspectives. “How did this happen?”
Edward shook his head. “I’m not sure. Though I’m curious what else you’ve figured out.”
“Well, like I said before, you’ve been time-shifting. You’ve been… using it to change things… or save people? Like you saved me. There’s no other way you could show up at just the right moment.”
His eyes drifted down to her arm which was still in a sling. “I would say I missed the mark, just a little.”
“It also explains how you’d always act strangely, and confused whenever I didn’t act a certain way or do certain things.” Rose peered at him. “But I thought time traveling was impossible.”
“It is. At least, the way you’re thinking of. Billy can explain it a lot better than I can.”
“And what about the fact you look different to other people?”
“So, what do you really look like?”
He shook his head. “Enough about me. What you need to focus on now is getting stronger. Markeos is after you. Don't think for an instant he's ever gonna forget your name or face. He's gonna have his lackeys all over looking for you. And you can be sure they’ll be rewarded for bringing you back dead, or worse, alive."
Rose shivered. "I didn't think Paragons were that touchy."
"Only a few."
“What about Lore?” She asked, seeing him stiffen at the name. “He’s the reason you're immortal, isn’t he?”
Edward’s nostrils flared. “I don’t need you saying that name.” It was the first time he ever sounded so cold.
Rose bit her lip, and looked away from him. “Sorry.”
He gave an audible sigh. “That’s not something I care to talk about. Even on a good day.”
“I get it. Some things are just too painful.”
Maybe that was why Macklass never shared such a crucial part of his past with her. Her heart once more ached at the thought of him. Had he been there, would he have just silently stood by and let his father crush her arm? No, there’s no way. He loved her. He still did.
“Why didn’t you tell me about my friends? You were so vague, why didn’t you just come out and say it?”
“Because you wouldn’t have believed me,” Edward told her seriously. “I knew already, from experience.”
“I don’t buy that,” Rose said insistently. “Every time we talked, you’ve never been straight with me.”
His lips tightened into a thin line, and it was a while before he spoke. “There is a heavy price for what I do, and I’d rather you not have to pay it.” When she stared expectantly at him, he shook his head. “That’s all I’m saying on that.”
Rose took a deep breath and released it in a rush. Once more, she felt like she had more questions than answers. Answers he wasn’t ready to give. Worse yet, she had more immediate problems.
"There’s still something else I have to do. I don't have time." She walked by him towards the kitchen.
"No, but you will when I'm done with you."
Rose stopped and turned to look at him. "What's that supposed to mean?"
He raised his hand and she felt the flux of mana. One second he was there facing her with his hand out, the next he was standing beside her with his blade at her throat. She froze, holding her breath.
"And you will have plenty of time," he whispered near her ear. "So first, we learn how to slow it by hastening you."
He removed the blade, sheathing it. She released her breath, feeling both awestruck, inspired, and irritated all at once. Edward stepped away from her a couple paces before turning back to her.
“There are two kinds of people,” Edward said. “There’s the people who, when faced with death, the world slows down, and they have all the time in the world. The other, everything goes by in a blur. They act without being consciously aware, and only until it’s all over do they know what’s happened. Time magic is all about taking the first concept, and making it your reality. That feeling you felt, when I had my blade at your throat, I’m sure you know it well.”
Rose’s throat was tight as she inclined her head slowly. Markeos, the troglodyte, Chad… she squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, determined to beat down the trepidation she felt. She used to think running was her best chance at surviving monsters like that, but she was getting so sick of being afraid. She shouldn’t have to run.
“I want you to harness that feeling,” Edward said. “Master it to shape the world around you. Like everything else, you’ll have to start small. Focus on just you.”
He placed his hands a few inches apart and Rose felt his mana at work. From between his hands a clump of dirt materialized.
"Focus on the projectile," Edward instructed. "Focus on your mana. Focus on the speed that it's hurling towards your head. Focus on all the muscles in your body, how quickly they react. Feel the flow of time, and the flow of everything surrounding you."
Rose did as she was told, and focused. She breathed in her mana and focused it.
"You know it's coming towards you. You know you can react." And with a quick flick of his wrist he spun it straight at her face.
In slow motion, the dirt clod came towards her head. Rose's eyes widened and for a moment, or maybe several, she got lost in its motion as it spun through the air. Even her heartbeat seemed to beat a slow, steady beat, the feel and sound oddly magnified. Then the dirt hit her in the head, spraying everywhere, and everything returned to normal.
Edward placed a hand on his hip. “You lost your focus.”
Rose rubbed her stinging forehead. “It was a lot.”
"Lesson one, don’t get lost in it. You need to stay in control." In moments he had two more lumps of dirt in each hand. "I can do this all day." He hesitated, then said, “You’re gonna get hit a lot, and it’s going to hurt. Are you okay with this?”
Rose was startled, and it took her a few moments to figure out why. This was the first time she could recall Edward ever asking a direct question. She gave a wry smile. “You’re asking permission to hurt me?”
“I’m asking permission to train you in a way some would find barbaric,” Edward corrected. “I know from first hand experience pain is an amazing motivator. But I won’t if you’re not comfortable with it.”
Of course… if Rose had been seeing through his eyes, he no doubt had seen through hers. He already knew and understood her trauma as well as she knew his. Rose wasn’t a stranger to pain, and she was not afraid of pain itself. She was more afraid of where and what it was coming from.
Edward was safe. She could trust him.
Plus, time magic was an essential part of her Wayfinder training, and if Edward was willing to spare his time teaching her, she wasn’t about to refuse.
Rose focused her magic and readied herself. “Take your best shot.”
For what felt like several hours, Edward hurled dirt clods at Rose, expecting her to dodge them. He hit her quite a few times, and they hit hard. It seemed like forever when finally the door opened and Billy walked in. Rose got distracted by his entrance and one of the dirt clods exploded against her face.
"Oh, oh dear gracious!" he exclaimed looking at Rose. "What are you doing to the child!?"
"Hey, Billy," Rose greeted. Her face and shoulders were a throbbing mess. She touched her cheek and immediately regretted it. "Ow..."
"Dear gracious!" Billy repeated. "Edward, you're supposed to be watching her."
"I am," Edward replied. "I'm watching her dance."
Billy swore loudly, shaking his head before approaching Rose. "Come on, child. Let's get you in the bathroom and get you cleaned up."
"I don't want to,” she said quickly. “I want to keep learning, and trying." At his bewildered expression Rose assured him, "I'm fine, Billy. I'm okay. Everything's fine here."
"You don't have to be intimidated by that… elf, lass," Billy told her.
"I'm not, trust me. I'm just determined." She wanted to see this through.
Billy stared at her sadly before glaring back at Edward. "You get half mayo." He stormed off towards the kitchen.
"What! Hey," Edward called out. "I didn’t do anything she didn’t want. Full mayo."
"Three quarters!" He slammed the kitchen door behind him.
Edward glared after him and folded his arms, looking much like a sulking child. He muttered several unintelligible words and Rose wondered if a language as pretty as elven could possibly have curse words.
“You two are adorable, you know that?” she commented, grinning.
Edward redirected his glare at her. “You get an extra hour for that.”
Trying hard not to laugh, Rose breathed in, focusing her magic to hasten herself. "Shall we get back to it then?"
Edward looked at he
r for a moment, nodded, and they returned to practice. Rose was watching Edward's face between throws and... she thought he was enjoying it. Not the throwing projectiles part, but seeing her use her magic to avoid them. At one point she made a pretty spectacular dodge from a surprise attack and she swore she saw him crack a smile. He got off several more hits on her, but Rose definitely noticed improvement over time as she started avoiding more and more of them.
After what seemed like hours of this Billy came back out of the kitchen. "Dinner! I'm calling it! No more, both of you!" He looked at Rose. "Okay?" Rose quietly nodded and he sighed. "Into the bathroom. Let's clean you up."
As she got into the bathroom and looked in the mirror, she was shocked to find she wasn’t completely filthy. Not a speck of dirt to be found. Her face was swollen and scratched up, but Edward had avoided hitting her busted arm. The rest of her body was also tender and sore.
Billy had her lean down, carefully placing his hands on her face and doing his healing magic, bringing some of the pain and swelling down. He even fed a little extra healing into her broken arm. Rose sighed at the soothing warmth.
"There you go," he said, once the bruising was gone. "There's only so much I can do. I'm not a miracle worker."
That reminded her, she still had the herbs from Addrick. She pulled out the bottle. “Addrick gave me these for pain.” Which was good because the pain in her arm was starting to return.
Billy squinted at it. “Ah, numbweed. That’ll do it. Leave it to Addrick to give you something like that. He’s an excellent commander, but a bit fussy.”
You’re one to talk.
Rose and Billy sat down with Edward to have dinner. Just as she finished her sandwich, she felt it. Edward’s energy formed around the table for a second, then focused on the fork sitting near his arm. The fork bent upward and lunged at her.
It was easier going into that state. She moved her head to the side, admiring the light playing off the metal, as the fork went whizzing by. Continuing to chew, she mustered the most smug smile she could. Billy reprimanded Edward, shouting at him, 'not at the table!'