The Butterfly Effect

{-Beika-}

That was it, the full story—and she could do nothing but accept it, since it came straight from Serafina.

“I thought it was the kind of thing I’d never have to tell you,” Serafina remarked, slowly. Maybe she was trying to make it all seem a little better. “I’d hoped that this moment would be far from now, if not never happening at all. But… there’s always things outside of our control. I suppose I should’ve known from the start that it was only a matter of time before they found us.”

Beika only slowly nodded. She didn’t know what else to say, or what to feel. She was a homunculus, meant to be used by Adidell to get rid of magic. Serafina was practically a spy, more or less only doing what she was now as a cover story. Beika felt like a couple of things made sense but, at the same time, that a giant rip had just formed in her understanding of who she was. At least she could take fake reassurance in the fact that this wasn’t lies coming from someone hoping to trick her; this was all truth, for better or worse.

Knowing that there was really only one course of action, she cautiously asked, “What are we going to do now..? They don’t sound like the kind of people that are just going to go away when we’re not there…”

“There is something we can do, isn’t there?” Titham prompted. He showed his nervousness more than she did—but he was just as aware of what the true answer was.

Serafina sighed. “I’m afraid that, if they know this much, there really isn’t a lot. The best course of action… it’s probably going to be cutting all of our ties with each other. Each of us needs to go somewhere where none of them are going to find us—places that they don’t already associate with us.” The worst part is that she kept considering it. “It wouldn’t take too much for me to close the inn. Titham’s birth parents are doing a bit better now, with some money from the inn, they should be able to take care of him. Then Beika… she couldn’t stay with him, it’s just going to put all three of them in danger. I suppose Enebish and Imena might’ve planned for something like this. They might know of a safe place for her to go.”

Beika was not, though, just going to accept that part. “I don’t want to go and I’m sure Titham doesn’t either! Isn’t there something else we can do?”

Serafina shook her head. “If there’s one thing I know about Adidell, it’s that they don’t stop just because things get a little more difficult. To fulfill their goals, they’ll do anything. I feel like, ultimately, even splitting us all up might not be enough…”

“H-hey, now, don’t go jumping to conclusions just yet!” Enebish said quickly. For once, something they said actually made Beika feel better. “There’s always other options. We don’t have to resort to the worst case scenario right away.”

Imena, though a bit hesitant, shrugged. “She has a point, though. No matter what you can do now, it’s only a matter of time before Adidell comes back again. Then we’re right back to square one and I might not be there to rescue you that time.”

“But we can try, right?” Enebish clearly didn’t want the honest answer, and neither did Beika. Honesty would undermine all of the points they were trying to make and assure her that, yes, things were hopelessly out of her control. “I think I know what we can do to get them to back off for a little while. From there, the three of you can think of a more permanent solution to the problem—one that still means you all stay together.”

Serafina didn’t seem too convinced. “And what, exactly, are you planning?”

“You’re going to have to wait and see.”

…

They walked together back to Ilystalos, and entered the Lost Lamp Inn through the same backdoor they’d left from. Then Enebish gestured for all of them to stay there, whispering, “I think you’ll know when it’s safe to come in.”

“Don’t do anything stupid,” Imena mumbled right as they left. Did she acknowledge the fact that, when she sighed and went to sit down, she’d chosen a spot right by the door?

Louder, they all heard Enebish remark, “You know, I thought that you guys would’ve figured out when something was a lost cause. Guess that just means you don’t have anything better to do with your time, huh?”

Apparently both of the intruders from before were there—Beika heard two other sets of footsteps and she definitely heard the voice of one of them.

“It’s you,” he hissed. There was a subtle sound, one she knew to associate with scrapping a knife against something. “If you know what’s good for you, you’ll stay out of our way. Unless you’re here to give us some information…”

“No, I think I’m going to keep what I know. But before you try to attack me, I want to ask you one thing: did you realize anything strange about Ilystalos when you first came here?” Despite what she was imagining Enebish was facing, they sounded completely casual.

“The fact they allow magic to roam unchecked? The fact this whole place is a walking disaster waiting to happen?” the second of the past intruders asked.

“No. Did you ever stop to question why there were so many guards?”

“What?”

“The guards. Border towns like these tend to have soldiers making sure no one starts any trouble, sure, but there’s more of them than what’s needed. And did you notice that the path to the Lake is closed off right now, also guarded by soldiers? Do you realize what that means?”

Both of the men stayed in silence.

“The royal families are meeting together at the Lake, along with a couple other officials from both sides. Do you really think they’re just going to let them go without protection? And what do you think they’re going to do, when they find you? When they realize you’ve attempted kidnapping and armed violence? When they hear what you’re involved in and who you work for?”

There was a brief pause, then the first man remarked, “Like we’re going to believe whatever tricks you’re using!”

“Your loss, then. I guess you’ll have to learn the hard way what happens when someone blows Adidell’s cover…”

That seemed to get them thinking a little more. There was more silence, before the sound of footsteps could be heard.

“This isn’t over,” the second one warned. “We’re coming back as soon as the royal families leave, got it? And next time, the homunculus isn’t going to have you to protect it.”

“Maybe not, but you’ve already lost the element of surprise,” Enebish remarked. “And that’s pretty much the only thing you had going for you. Get on and go before I decide to be a little less generous and tell someone you’re here.”

Then there were two surprisingly relaxed sets of footsteps, and the opening and closing of the inn’s door. After a moment, Enebish poked their head inside to where the others were and gestured that it was alright to come out.

“I don’t think they’re going to try to bother you for a little while longer, at least,” they offered.

Serafina sighed. “But it’s not going to be forever.”

“It’s long enough to figure something else out, right?” Beika prompted, desperate for an answer. “However long it takes for us to come up with a good solution to all of this?”

“I’d say it’s definitely long enough for that,” Enebish reassured her. “It’s probably going to be a few months before they’re going to try again, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re sidetracked then, too. As soon as I know, I can let you know if the royal families are going to the Lake for New Year’s—that’ll probably be what decides if Adidell does something then or after.”

After a moment, Serafina nodded. “Please, let us know.” Turning her attention to Beika and Titham, she said, “Maybe I… did jump to conclusions a bit there. I’m sorry, you two. It’s… been a while since I had to fear what happened when they came. I didn’t have anyone I wanted to protect back then, either…”

“I think I understand,” Titham said.

Beika mumbled something, but it wasn’t an agreement; she couldn’t find herself forgiving and forgetting this whole ordeal any time soon.

“I’ve got to go soon, but I’ll ask Day to send someone else to keep an eye on you,” Imena decided. “Someone who can turn into a sparrow or something—maybe Mazel could help, I don’t think she’s needed for anything right now. But you can probably relax a little—well, however much you can, given the circumstances—when there’s someone around who’ll spot Adidell a lot quicker.”

“Thank you.” Serafina gestured to a table at the inn. “Would you like one last meal before you go? On the house.” She looked at the kids again. “And I’ll be willing to answer any other questions you have, too. I think I’ll keep the inn closed for the rest of the week—give us some time together, and plan what we’ll do when the time comes.”

Enebish grinned. “I think that all sounds like a great idea. Take advantage of this time while you have it—you don’t know when it’s going to be gone.”