Chapter 14
When Zhan had demanded a more comprehensive version of the lie that Weredra and myself were feeding him, we had no choice but to continue lying with bits of truth thrown in.
I know that must sound like a jerk right now, but please keep in mind that I couldn't tell the truth without the consequences Weredra had warned me about, so, when Zhan had asked us to come clean, Weredra had concocted another story. She had told Zhan that she had remembered that she came from a long like of magic users. This revelation had both scared and worried Zhan. "You can do magic?" He had asked, his eyes widening and brows rising.
"Little things." She had replied and explained how because she was a child, her powers were limited to parlor tricks.
"Then how did your parents get caught?" He had asked, recalling what Weredra had told him when we had found her in the cave.
See, this is why one mustn't lie. Once you lie, you have to keep lying to hide that one lie, yes, that first one.
Anyway, it was too late now to fix it now. Luckily, Weredra was a master liar, "Senior gege, what have you been hearing about magic users?" She had asked, directing her cute deadly pout at Zhan, "My parents were not dangerous. Also, using magic draws from the soul, tiring it and can't be done very often. My parents specialized in the use of herbs. They made pills for minor illnesses, boosting energy and sometimes for jest. They used magic to increase their vitality and strength." She had elaborated.
"But what does that have to do with the whole curse business?" He had pushed, looking between us. It was my turn to speak, and with a little help from Weredra, I had explained, "Zhan ge, last night, after you had fallen asleep, and Weredra had remembered her past, she had woken me up and showed me some pills that her parents had left with her."
I had pulled out some multicolored pills from my pockets and shown them to him while Weredra was telling me which one was which in my mind. After I had gone over each one and explained its significance, Zhan had continued to look dejected. "Why did she not wake me up..." Zhan ge had asked, but before we could answer, he had continued, "What does that have to do with what happened earlier?"
"She gave me these pills for safekeeping. When the guards were questioning us, I just popped a puke-inducing one into my mouth unnoticed."
"And I made up a story. I know lots of stories about curses." Weredra had interjected.
"Then what about..." He had started again. Zhan, it seemed, had a lot of questions, and Weredra was a little short on patience, so the little devil had done what she did best: Magic. She had made Zhan forget his next question, and he had fallen asleep a minute later.
"I can read his mind too. Trust me. It is better this way." Weredra had shrugged when I had looked at her disapprovingly and continued, "Anyway, didn't you ask for your gifts because you wanted to do something for your kingdom?"
Weredra was right, I realized. For, by making Zhan go to sleep, she had made it easier for me to do what I had planned to do all along. "Yes," I reply and put on my mask. When I strap my sword to my hip, Weredra tugs on my pants, "YiJun, there is something I need to tell you." She hesitates, and when I nod, she goes on, "It feels like I am losing my memories."
"What do you mean?" I can't keep worry out of my voice. What can I say? Except that I had grown attached to her.
"I can't recall how I ended up in the cave where I granted your wishes." She replies with downturned lips.
My heart sinks, "But I presumed that you are invincible. You have magic to grant wishes and change forms." I state, and she nods, "Yes, I am strong, but I am not invincible. And I can only switch between this and my true form" She pauses, her eyes lower, "And I can turn invisible." She adds dejectedly.
I can sense that there is more and wait patiently, and a few moments later, she starts sobbing, "I am finding it hard to recall the events of last night as well. I remember speaking to you after Senior gege slept, but I can't recall what we talked about."
Fuck! I don't remember it either! Am I losing my memories too?
"You are not." Weredra says, looking guilty as fuck, "I remember wiping your memories of our talk."
"What!? Why would you do that?" I enquire, feeling a little betrayed.
Weredra's eyes brim with tears again, "I must have shown my vulnerability to you. I hate to show my weakness."
But that's exactly, what you are doing right now, Weredra!
"Yes, I am," She says, reading my mind, "but I somehow trust you now. I know you are on my side."
"Your side?" I repeat, and she nods, "I think what I have forgotten has something to do with you."
"I don't follow, Weredra," I state, taking the bed; she sits next to me. "I don't know how to explain it. But my gut tells me that I should help you with your quest. I feel like what is happening to me is connected with you."
I feel a little offended, "Are you saying..."
"No, I am not blaming you or your wishes." She interjects even before I can voice my thoughts, leaving me aggravated.
"Weredra, can you please stop reading my mind when it's just the two of us? I mean, I know it comes in handy when we are in a pickle," I stop and look at her tear-stained cherub-like face and lose my drive to continue.
"I am sorry. I won't do it unless absolutely necessary." She assures and holds up three middle fingers next to her head. Then smiling, she fetches my boots. They look a little different from what I had been walking around in for the past few days.
"They will take you where the problems are brewing." She informs, pointing at the pointy ends of the boots, "And lead you back here, you know, in case you forget your way back."
"Aren't you coming along?" I demand, for I was sure that Weredra would follow me wherever I go, but she shakes her head, "I will stay here and keep an eye on Senior gege."
The mention of Zhan reminds me that he had been very reluctant to reveal what the Senior guard had told him, "Weredra, did you hear what that guard told Zhan ge?"
"Yes." Weredra nods but doesn't elaborate. By now, I know that if she doesn't explain on her own, she won't offer it even if I were to push her for it. So I let the matter rest. Instead, I ask, "So, is there anything else that you want to gift me?"
She nods and closes her eyes. A blue pearl, the size of a peanut, appears in her palm. She hands it to me and snaps her fingers. This time, a brown leather strap appears on her palm. Weredra smiles appreciatively. She takes the blue pearl from me and slips it inside its lapels. Nodding, she pulls my wrist closer and wraps the accessories around it.
"What's this for?" I enquire, caressing the soft material around my wrist, and she smiles mischievously, "Just think of it as a part of me."
"A part of you?" I repeat, sounding utterly ridiculous even to myself; Weredra nods. "What you will see, I will see. What you will hear, I will hear." She turns towards the wall in front of us and snaps her fingers again. A window pops up on it, "This will be your secret way in and out of here. Remember, only you and I can see it. Once you have taken care of the problem, the boots will guide you here. When you are close enough, it will appear before you and let you in."
I nod; Weredra closes her eyes once again, and a thin pale blue mesh appears in mid-air, hanging in front of my face. She plucks it from the air as if she were plucking a flower and hands it to me as well, "This is a disappearing cloak. The parts that it covers will become invisible."
I turn in my fingers and comment, "It's a tad small to cover a grown man." and catch her eyes. She huffs, "Be grateful for what I am giving you." She states, sounding like my nanny, Aunty LiFen. I nod and bow, "Thank you, my lady. I am grateful for these magnificent gifts of your benevolence." I chirp.
"That's more like it." She says fondly, "Good to know that you are pleased." She adds, returning the bow.
I like this, bantering with her, and can't help wanting to tease her a little more. I hum and give her a thumbs up. Then, like always, I complain, just for kicks, "You will be able to hear and see what I can, don't you think it's a little intrusive?" I cross my arms over my chest, and she chuckles, "Junior gege, now you are acting like a hypocrite. You were disappointed that I won't be tagging along, weren't you?" She coos, pulls me by the collar of my shirt, and unexpectedly gives me a peck on my forehead.
"Gross!" I exclaim and laugh before pulling her into a quick, tight embrace, which she returns. Then, before things can get awkward, I stand up, pull out my sword, check out my blindingly beautiful reflection, and jump out the window that had magically appeared in the brick wall just moments ago.
{Word count: 1662}
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