ALL NOVEL Chapter 1.20
“A title is like metal: it has an arbitrary value established by you humans. And just like metal, you can choose not to accept its value. But if everyone else does, it will be precious to them, and you won’t be able to convince them it’s not"
The Emissary's words made little sense. Nene had asked her about the legitimacy of a witch who was also a Saint, but Jiriel had gone off on a tangent at some point and started talking about herself instead. Regardless, her suggestion was clear, but accepting it was out of question. It was foolish to give so much weight to mere words, spoken by euphoric, drunk and ignorant folks who did not know the teachings of the Church. As much as it bothered Nene that someone would compare Adanara to her dearest Elora, she knew better than anyone. She had studied witches extensively and lived under the same roof as a Saint. The difference was obvious, it wasn't up to her to convince the people of Kumhar. She knew the truth.
Sitting alone in the mayor's office, her mind had begun to wander. The room smelled of Sonhir's pipe smoke. The manor was noisy and chatty being back to normal activities and the city guards were training yet again on the rooftop. Impatience was consuming her, the offer from the night before intrigued and worried her. She checked her clothes to make sure they were in order. After spending the whole night dancing with Oto, she had fallen into a deep sleep and woke up late that morning. Her subsequent chat with the Emissary had predictably taken a long time, so she had rushed to the manor and hadn't had too much time to worry about looking adequate. She should have taken a bath to get rid of the smells of the festival night... Since Inquisitors spent most of their careers travelling, they were taught practical skills rather than etiquette or decorum. However, the Prioress would have scolded her for appearing in front of the equivalent of a noble in such a state and condemned her to clean shoes for the entire dormitory as punishment.
«Here you are!»
Sonhir entered the office, pipe in hand, smoking greedily. He was as radiant as the previous night and couldn't stop smiling.
«Good morning, mayor, sir», she said.
He looked at her, perplexed. She hadn't gotten used to the local customs yet, so she often got that kind of reaction. The man opened a drawer at his desk and took out a flask and two small ceramic cups.
«Wanna a drop?»
«No, thank you»
The mayor helped himself. He drank his morning booze and looked satisfied. Then he walked to the window and peered out.
«They’re late...», he grumbled. «Oh, well. Let us talk, Nene»
He sat down in front of her. His mannerisms were quite different from when she had first met him. Was it because he had finally slept peacefully or had he revised his opinion of her?
«You talked about a job»
«I did. But I want to wait for Adanara and Nila before telling you about it. Meanwhile, there is something I wanna ask you»
«What is it?»
The man craned his neck towards her. He glanced at the door several times and seemed rather uncomfortable.
«The stories about the Inquisitors, are they true?»
«I don't know what you’re talking about», she answered.
«Oh. Well, yes, it makes sense… I'll explain. Legends go around here, some from far away, others from the past. They are often hard to believe. For example, there's one that tells of an Inquisitor who incinerated monsters with a single look»
«Inquisitors practise no magic. Magic is the work of the Evil One»
«The Evil One?»
«You don't know its name?»
The man nodded in denial. He looked intrigued, and Nene was happy to share the Church's teachings with someone. She knew by then that the people of Kumhar were just ignorant, which made them more vulnerable. Educating them meant protecting them.
«The Evil One is the enemy of the natural order of things. It deliberately subverts God's plan to destroy it, corrupts human souls with promises of power and then plays with their lives. It’s the force behind the plague of the damned. The Furies, as you call them»
«What would "God's plan" be?»
«The… The world as we see it»
«Interesting. So the Furies have a master. That’s the point, right?»
«Yes, you could say so»
«I see. Perhaps our ancestors were not just superstitious, after all»
«Sir, do I remember correctly or did you mention Saint Arianna yesterday?»
«Of course, it's one of the legends I told you about. Do you know about her?»
Sonhir took a small key from his pocket and opened a drawer with it. He looked around warily, hesitating to take out the contents.
«I'm about to show you something. Promise you won't tell Jiriel»
«What? Why keep it a secret from her?»
«Because she would go berserk and steal it! That unhinged woman is unstoppable when she sets her mind to something!»
The mayor went back to his original self by turning purple with anger. There seemed to be a complicated relationship between him and the Emissary. Nene sighed.
«I can promise not to go and tell her about it, but if she asks me, I have no intention of lying to the her»
«You really like to make things harder than they should, huh? Fine...»
He took a book out of the drawer. It looked worn and was crudely made. He handed it to her. Nene flipped through it delicately and read a few lines. It was written in the ancient language of the Principality, like many historical treatises and Church texts. It took her some time to recognize what was written since it was worded differently from the version she knew, but the book was about Saint Arianna.
«This… is impossible! How did it get here?»
«This, my dear, is a book. If Jiriel finds out... She’s a sucker for those»
Apparently, books in Kumhar were extremely rare. The Emissary owned a couple, but she would have for sure rushed to hoard more, given the chance.
«So this is the legend of Saint Arianna? I read a different version»
«Can you read?»
«Yes, of course. Isn't that... normal?»
«Are you kidding me?! Not many people can do it in town. Back when I was a child we even had a school, but then trade decreased... We had to sacrifice something»
«I saw an old abandoned building, in an alley after the crossroads where the city well is located. Is it related?»
«Obviously. I know what my grandfather told me. He used to say that his father helped build that church. That Holy Arianna lived there for a while»
«The Saint... was here?!»
«The legend in the book says that she could heal the Furies just by touching them, and that she was escorted by knights in shining armour. Then one day she left to help other villages, but never came back»
Nene stared at the book. That text could have been fiction, but the story was at least plausible. It was known to the Church that Arianna, after her excommunication, had fled beyond the borders, together with some fanatics loyal to her. She was curious to know more, but Sonhir would not allow her to study his precious book, much less consult it together with the Emissary.
«Could I borrow it?»
The man reached out to his treasure and glared at her. He put it back in the drawer and locked it.
«Nothing personal, but if Jiriel puts her hand on it, it’s gone forever»
«What if I gave you something in return?»
The mayor almost choked on the smoke from his pipe. He snorted and coughed. His coughs gradually turned into laughter. He laughed out loud, holding his belly with one hand. He was having so much fun it was getting annoying.
«My dear, what are you talking about? You can buy an entire farm for the price of a book. Maybe even more»
«Are you serious?!»
«I am. This is why we had to end the school. Travelling scholars ask for massive fees. Books are prohibitive, and the few like me who know how to read unfortunately don't have time to teach young’uns. Except for Jiriel, but she prefers to spend her time playing around!»
Someone knocked on the door. Without waiting for a response, a nervous-looking young man entered. The mayor banged his fist on the desk, furious.
«Come in», he said sarcastically.
«The witch… She’s here», the guy replied, his voice faint.
«Let her in»
Nene turned towards the door. After a few moments, the image of her nightmares appeared before her eyes: a long padded red-brown dress from under which sharp-toed leather boots emerged. The sleeves of a white shirt were barely visible, partly covered by a heavy cloak made of dark green fabric. Her frame felt imposing. Her raven hair was loose, down to her elbows, and topped by a huge, wide, pointed hat that matched her dress. It was truly a witch straight out of a creepy fairy tale. Adanara’s look made her shiver.
«Welcome! Make yourself comfortable», said the mayor. «Bring more chairs for the guests, you idiot!»
«Yes, of course!», the boy replied.
«Oh, is she here already?» Adanara grumbled.
«Hi Nene», Nila greeted.
Unlike her sister, Nila was wearing one of her usual cute dresses. But why had Adanara dressed like that? Was Nene witnessing the birth of a monster? Maybe the city was in danger and she had let her guard down like a fool. Her anxiety grew even more thinking that she had both her cross and the silver dagger with her. Should she have used them?
The assistant came back bringing two chairs. The sisters took a seat on either side of Nene. She felt surrounded, trapped. Adanara's eye-catching hat blocked the sunlight from the window, casting its gruesome shadow over her. The feeling of disgust that reminded her of the bone of Ormel grew stronger than usual.
«Oh, here you are! Haha!»
The mayor rubbed his hands. He looked happy in a disturbing way. Nene tried to calm down: Adanara could do no harm, not with her and the Emissary nearby. But was that the case? Was her presence enough of a deterrent for a hag who dared to practise witchcraft under the nose of the Church?
Nila touched her shoulder. Nene flinched.
«Are you okay?»
«I... didn’t sleep well tonight», she lied.
«Did you eat too many sweets?» Nila teased her.
«Maybe…»
«Same», Adanara said. «Those candies are so good... But my, do I regret eating so many»
«Are you enjoying our town?», the mayor asked. «We have good food. How is life at Sevika’s?»
«They are all very k-kind»
«We were late ‘cause a seamstress insisted on giving me these», the witch pointed to her clothes.
«Good, good. I think I owe you an apology. Erm... I hope you understand that, as the mayor, I was worried! I tried to keep my city safe, you know?»
«Can we... n-not think about it anymore?», Nila replied.
«Yes, every time I do, I feel like punching you», the witch added.
Sonhir looked down, ashamed. In his eyes, Adanara had gone from monster to saviour in the span of a few days. Nene wondered if it was all an elaborate plan on her part to get into the good graces of the people of Kumhar. But it was impossible to fool the Emissary. She had to keep calm and trust her angel.
«In that case, I'll get straight to the point. The reason I invited you here...»
The mayor cleared his throat. He took three rounded iron pins from his pocket, on top of which was engraved a stylised deer.
«I am offering you a spot in our city guard. You’ll be paid in food, accommodations and credits, as you prefer»
«The city g-guard? We don't know how to fight!»
«What’s credit?», Adanara asked.
«Credits to the city. You can collect them however you want, by purchasing anything that is publicly owned and for sale. A house, fields, whatever. There isn't much money circulating here, we save it for trades»
«You will essentially allow us to settle here in exchange for our services»
«Correct. And don't worry, we don't need soldiers. Your role as guards would only be an excuse to hire you officially. What you will be doing would be something more… suitable for you»
«That is?»
«Come on! You are the only ones who ever managed to do something against the Furies for generations! I'm asking you to protect my city from those things»
«Our cure, it's experimental. F-further studies would be needed»
«I will finance your studies, then. I will give you everything you need as long as you keep people safe from monsters»
«Nila, wait», Adanara interrupted them. «Does this mean I have to work with her?»
«Nene is fundamental!», her sister protested. «Only she can… d-drive away the Evil One after we have extracted it»
«The Inquisitor is a renowned monster hunter. Of course, I want her on your team»
«Someone has to keep an eye on you», Nene said.
The witch almost growled in anger. Their "reconciliation" the previous night didn't mean much. Deep down, they both still harboured resentment and mistrust.
«How will you fair without your angel? Am I crazy, or is it only thanks to her that you didn't suffer like a pig the second time?»
«Ada!»
Nila lunged at her sister, furious. The witch looked intimidated for a second but immediately glared back at Nene.
«Don't worry about me. If it helps save the damned, I will find a solution together with the Emissary», she answered.
Adanara's expression changed to one of amazement. For the first time since they had met, Nene felt like she had earned a modicum of her respect. Not that it mattered. A witch's esteem was worth less than nothing, but it was better for everyone if they had managed to cooperate. The mayor cleared his throat. He left the extinguished pipe on the desk.
«So are you refusing?»
His tone was strangely calm. It didn't sound threatening, yet it seemed to scare Adanara. Nene took advantage of it to try to calm the waters and show her moral superiority.
«If the witch doesn't get in my way, I'll be happy to serve this city»
Nila nodded at her sister, who turned purple with anger. Meeting the mayor's gaze, however, she sighed with a defeated look.
«Whatever. All I care about is going on with the experiments»
«And help the d-damned», Nila added.
«Excellent. You'll see, Adanara, you'll be happy here. There are already rumours about you. The good sort»
«What do you mean?»
«You know how people are, they always exaggerate. Haven't you wondered why someone gave you clothes for free this morning?»
She looked at her clothes bewildered. Nene swallowed another bitter pill at the thought that the locals were bringing gifts to the "Holy Witch", as customary in the Principality with an actual Saint.
«You're a heroine», her sister teased her.
«Stop it. Don't… Don't talk as if I did it all on my own»
The two exchanged a smile. Sonhir rose awkwardly from his chair, complaining of aches and pains from the previous night's revelry. He opened the window. The fresh morning air swept away the smell of smoke.
«Ladies, I'm counting on you. Bring me a list of what you need and I will try to accommodate. Always carry those pins with you, so everyone will recognise you as city guards»
«Is the angel playing a role too?», Adanara asked.
«You mean Jiriel? Why do you call her “angel”?»
«Uh, wings?»
«She looks very similar to the Archangel, protector of the Church», Nene explained. «Don't you… think she doesn’t look completely human?»
«Of course I can see that! But I knew nothing about this “Archangel”. Are there others like her?»
«Apparently»
«I always thought of her as some sort of forest fairy. Either way, it's up to her to decide. Although she’s technically a citizen of Kumhar, she always does as she pleases and doesn’t respect any authority. But she is our guardian, and for this we are grateful. You'll have to deal with her on your own»
The mayor invited them to leave his office claiming to have other commitments. The guards in front of the manor gave way to them. Some of them even saluted Adanara. Nene stopped to observe the facade. The scaffolding was gone, the artist was nowhere to be seen, and the colours were still vivid. It was a representation of the huge tree and groups of people dancing around it, playing flutes and drums. She smiled at the thought of how such an image would once have made her shiver.
«Nene?», Nila called her.
«Yes?»
«D-don't you think it's strange?»
«What, exactly?»
«The building I showed you, near the tavern... That's a c-church, right? If there is a church here, how the mayor doesn't know what an angel is?»
«I suspect the church was built by followers of Saint Arianna fleeing from the Principality. Arianna was excommunicated because she refused to recognize the truthfulness of the Archangel's teachings. It makes sense that her followers didn't mention Him to the locals»
«That’s my Saint», Adanara said.
«Arianna could perform miracles, but it was then discovered that such miracles were made possible by a contract with the Evil One. I wouldn't look up to her, if I were you»
Arianna's story was one of the most popular in the Principality. It was told far and wide to warn people about the power of the Evil One. No one was safe from its influence, even a Saint could fall victim to desire or lust for power.
«You think Jiriel will help us?»
«I don't know. The Emissary is inscrutable. I will ask her as soon as possible»
«Wait, wait... are you really into this?»
Nene stared at the witch, trying to understand her ulterior motives, but couldn't. That woman was exasperating, still, she had to make the best of it.
«Of course I do. My sacred duty is to save the damned»
«And you don't care... doing it “my way”?»
«The Emissary approves of your methods»
«The Church doesn’t»
A twinge in her head caused Nene to grimace. It was so exhausting to think about those arguments, so tiring… But there was an explanation for everything, for sure. The only certainty was that Jiriel had shown her the way, and she was set to follow it.
«There is a chance that the Church may have misinterpreted the Archangel's teachings. Church scholars are humans, therefore fallible»
«You always have an excuse at the ready», the witch grumbled.
«I'm glad you're giving us a second chance», Nila said. «T-thank you»
The herbalist hugged her gently. In an instant, Nene forgot all the tension she had felt that morning. She returned the hug, earning a glare from Adanara’s part.
«We should make the equipment list together»
«We don't need your help»
«W-why not?»
The witch bit her lip. Nene smiled triumphantly: tickling Adanara’s jealousy over her sister was a bliss. It was mean, but that obnoxious hag deserved it.
«To cure the damned, we will first have to find and capture them. I think that's why the mayor wanted me involved»
«Should I muzzle you, hound?»
«No. But I’d gladly accept suggestions on how to act. Usually... well... The damned hand themselves over of their own accord, in the Principality»
«Right. And you kill them on the spot. It's easier that way»
«I don’t...!», she shouted, then tried to get a hold of herself. «I will think about safe ways to capture the damned while avoiding hurting them»
«I'll help you», Nila offered. «M-maybe Jiriel has some suggestions. I could come and visit you in the afternoon»
«Of course», she smiled.
«Shouldn't we worry about our stuff, Nila?»
«You can come too»
Adanara snorted. She turned her back to them and walked away from the manor. Nila apologised a hundred times for her sister's behaviour and finally chased her. Nene set towards home, eager to clarify her doubts with the Emissary. She had so many questions to ask, and such a bad headache…
Jiriel was holding the unusual hat purchased from Oto. She was so fascinated by it that she looked like she was about to drool over it. Unfortunately, the boy had returned home at the most inopportune moment, with his hat on his head, and had distracted the Emissary from their talk.
«Is she always like this?», Adanara asked.
Nene sighed. She got up from the floor and approached the angel. She grabbed the hat, catching her attention. It was an opportunity not to be missed.
«My Lady, can we go on?»
«Go on with what?»
«You were telling us how to deal with the damned»
«Ah, yes. All right. Oto, thank you. I’ll play with it later!»
She returned the hat to the boy, who sat at the table, munching on some biscuits left over from the festival. Nene had the sisters sitting on the armchairs in front of the fireplace. She had loaned a quill from the mayor and some sheets of paper. They were precious commodities around there, Sonhir had reminded her countless times. To convince him, she had to promise to keep Jiriel in check had she gotten out of control in the future. Not that she could keep her word if the circumstance arose.
«Nene, I thought I'd made myself clear! Killing the Furies is a no-no!»
«My Lady, no! That's not the point!», she explained. «We talked about it a few days ago. We were discussing how to catch one alive!»
«Without getting ourselves killed»
«And w-without hurting the p-patient»
«Right, right. Chill out, will ya? You know, sometimes I get distracted. Then, suddenly, it’s a different season…»
«Please, do focus. This is important»
«I get it, I get it... Actually, I don’t. What do you expect me to tell you? To capture a Fury, immobilise and tie them»
«They're not exactly friendly…», Adanara observed.
«The Church uses silver to restrain them, but it is not an easy thing to come by»
«Pft! Silver! Always thinking about metals»
Nene took out the large cross she kept under her cloak and showed it to the Emissary.
«Inquisitors use tools like this to repel the Evil One. You used it yourself!»
«It is not silver, you silly. It’s Oroel»
«Say that again?»
Jiriel took the cross from her hand. She held it up to the light as if to look at it better. Adanara grimaced at the mere sight of it. Apparently, the process devised by her father was not without consequences, but at least the worst symptoms of damnation were driven away together with the presence of the Evil One.
«There's a little bit of Oroel in here. Like the one inside you. It's not enough to have any effects on the environment, but to the Evil One it's like... an unbearable stench, kind of»
«C-could you explain yourself better?»
«Let me think for a moment…»
The angel crossed her arms, immersed in her thoughts. Oto shrugged. He and Nene had witnessed that scene several times: the Emissary often argued that human language was not enough to express her knowledge, so she retreated into deep meditations, pondering how to put it into words.
«This explains the stench I smell when you're around», Adanara said.
«Yes, happens to me as well», Nene replied. «Your stench reminds me of an old mouldy bone kept in a museum»
«Don't start arguing again», Nila scolded them.
«I got it!», Jiriel shouted.
They all stared at her. She had a triumphant expression, her wings quivered with how excited she was.
«Oroel and... the Evil One are a bit like the cold and heat. When it's a hot day you yearn for a little fresh wind. This is the fresh wind», she said, pointing at the cross.
«Really?! You call this an explanation?!»
«Don't you understand, Ada? They are like opposing forces. They hate being in the same space. Oroel puts a bit of himself into some objects and people, and they become weapons against the Evil One»
«What about you?», Nila asked. «A-are you also... one of these forces?»
Jiriel shrugged as if it were nothing of consequence.
«Yave didn't ask me to do anything after creating the world. It said I could stay here and do whatever I wanted. I'm no longer interested in those two's bickering»
«So… what should we do, My Lady?»
«To capture a Fury? I told you, use a rope. You've seen that it's safe to touch them. They are not dangerous... unless they bite»
«The mayor told us that in the past they appeared in the forest», Adanara insisted. «We don't know the area, and if Nene is to be our armed wing, we need to know what to expect and how to defend ourselves»
«In this regard, my Lady, we were wondering if you would be willing to accompany us»
«No»
Jiriel's immediate and blunt response left them at a loss for words. Her enthusiasm, her childish energy were gone in an instant. The angel who shone with a strong light, whose wings swirled full of colours, was motionless, kneeling on the ground, staring at Oto.
«Y-you really can't? It would be useful and… Nene would be safer. Am I wrong or did you help her heal Pranav?»
«I don't feel like leaving town», she said.
It was a blatant lie. Nene regretted even daring to think that the Emissary was lying, but what else was she supposed to do? Jiriel didn't want to leave Kumhar without giving them an explanation. Was it just a simple whim of hers?
«Are you serious?! Would you let your pupil suffer rather than leave the house?»
«What's the problem? Capture the Furies, bring them here, and I'll help Nene heal them. Easy, right?»
«My Lady, it would be much easier to do it on the spot. Especially if we were to go into the forest. It would be difficult to move with a cart in there to transport the damned»
«Then I will teach you to drive away the Evil One on your own»
«You… what?»
«When the Evil One tries to talk to you, the little piece of Oroel in you chases it away, whether you want it or not. The reason it makes you feel bad is because you welcome him. But then Oroel goes “Nooo! Away from my stuff!”»
«I... welcome it?»
«Everyone welcomes him. Don't you think it's human nature to have desires? He promises to make them happen, of course you welcome him!»
«What should I do?»
«I can teach you to answer back, as I do. This way you will be the one to tell him to leave, not Oroel, so it won't hurt»
«There are bandits in the forest», Oto said. «Are you sure you wanna go? In the past, hunters always went there in packs. This year, however, no one has»
«It’s not like we want to», Adanara replied. «But it might happen, according to the mayor»
«Oh, of course you will have to go into the forest!»
Jiriel jumped on her feet with a loud thump. She got dangerously close to the witch, who retreated against the back of her chair.
«Huh? What? Are you rambling again?»
«Ada, Ada, I made you a promise, didn't I? That I would teach you to control yourself»
Nila stood up and approached her sister. Jiriel for some reason sounded threatening.
«Don't call me that», the witch complained.
«My friend Kora lives in the forest. She can help you. You should go and see her»
«Who are you talking about?»
Nene interjected, fearing that the Emissary was bringing another witch to the table. Who better than a hag could instruct another in the blasphemous arts? The last thing she wanted was to be around yet another servant of the Evil One.
«Kora, she's a friend of mine. She too has received a gift, but she knows how to use it as she wishes. Unlike our sweet Ada!», Jiriel teased her.
«Is she a witch?»
«She didn’t get her gift from the Evil One, but I think she can help you anyway. She understands this stuff better than me»
«Jiriel thinks she saw fairies in the forest», Oto elaborated. «There are tales about them, about magical people who live in the woods»
«They do exist, Oto. I talked to them. They offered me tea. They are very nice»
«Oh, great. Now she sends us looking for fairies…»
«My Lady... Are you serious?»
«I am! Nene, you do believe me! Do you? Please?»
She hesitated to answer. It seemed more plausible that the Emissary had misinterpreted some nomadic people nearby as fairies, or that she had encountered some evil creature but couldn’t recognise them as harmful.
«Let's hear it. Where can we find your fairy friend, exactly?»
«You know that very tall tree you can see over there, where the sun sets?»
«How couldn’t we?»
«Kora lives there. Say hello when you find her. Tell her to come and visit me»
«Wait a minute, don't talk like it's already decided! My Lady, I disagree! Training a witch could be…»
«Come on, say it!», Adanara urged her.
«My sister is not dangerous!», Nila protested. «Nene, enough with that!»
«Without a teacher, sooner or later she'll go “poof”, and then you’ll miss the times when animals went wild and people couldn’t sleep», Jiriel explained. «A Fury will look like a puppy in comparison»
«S-s-she will… g-go “poof”?»
«She will become like… a monster out of control. The power of the Evil One is too much for a mortal to hold forever»
«And what would the solution be?», Nene asked.
«Shut up, would you?»
Adanara looked away. She had already tapped into her blasphemous power on other occasions, with disastrous consequences for both her and those around her, but she didn't look like she was willing to give it up.
«Excuse me?», Nene bitterly answered.
«It’s none of your concern, anyway», the witch added.
«Go to Kora. Oh, I can't wait! Who knows what you'll be capable of! Nene, you'll see, it will be so cool! It’ll come in handy. Capturing the Furies will be so much easier and bandits... you could just blow them away! Witches are useful. Like, super powerful!»
As much as she tried, Jiriel couldn't sound convincing. It was so obvious that she didn't care about anything other than seeing Adanara become a real witch, the kind who talks to animals, forces them to serve their will and causes torrential rains or droughts on command. Nila took her hand. Her brow was furrowed like she was scolding her with just her gaze. Why? She stared at her motionless.
«Y-you can't expect my sister to trust you if you don't do the same»
«But, Nila… it's not just about her. What if... what if the Evil One takes her away from you again?»
«Kora did not receive her gift from the Evil One», Jiriel repeated, annoyed.
«It's up to you to decide. I'll help her no matter what. Please, it would mean a lot if you were there too»
Nene sighed. She knew she had a soft spot for Nila, and Nila seemed aware of it. She could convince her of anything, yet she never sounded malicious. Was trusting the Emissary's judgement the best course of action? It should have been obvious, she shouldn't have even questioned it for a moment, especially since the angel had already given proof of wisdom once before. Was it her, Nene, on the wrong?
«What do we do, then?», she asked the witch.
«What do I know! I have to think about it»
«Come on, Nene, take notes. Write everything down, we have to organise your lil’ trip!»