77th of Autumn, 514 AV
Her fingers twitched in the depths of her pockets, seeking warmth as they coiled within her palms. The slave at her side, who was not Lucian, stepped away from her at the sight of tensing shoulders, and she resented him for it. She longed for Lucian's presence, his understanding that came without the spoken word, for their history bound them together and made him a slave she could think highly of. He'd been the brother her own brother should have been, and Alexander Lynint was her enemy because of Lucian.
The slave was silent, demure. From the corner of her eye, Adrienna glared at him. He was useful only for this task, and then she hoped to never see him again. Daylen, he had said his name was. She never wanted him to cross her path after this. He could return to the house, to her brother, and there would be nothing else between them.
Their task was a simple one: find the source of the Chalice, acquire it, and return home. For this reason, Adrienna was loaded with what gold she had left, tucked into the backpack slung over her shoulder, and she fidgeted with growing the need the longer it took.
It had been nearly a season since her last dose of Fizz, and she longed for more. Lucian was gone. She needed something to help her, before she was forced to move on and take upon another slave. She wanted the bliss that the infernal drug brought to her, and she was willing to deal with Rhysol himself if that was what served her purposes. Certainly a god of evil would give her what she hungered for if she promised him everything she had.
"Are we there yet?" They'd walked long enough, Adrienna felt. Kenash was not a small city, certainly, but it wasn't so large as for them to be lost. The slave nodded before stating the affirmative. Adrienna was pleased. Angry, but pleased. Lucian would have done better. "Point me to it, and then go home."
The slave complied. He lifted his hand, and it shook. "The Caged Sun," he told her. His voice was sleeker than Lucian's had been and admittedly, Adrienna was stirred in her grief and disgust.
"Leave," she demanded, and the slave backed away as if afraid of the snake's bite. He didn't run, but his retreat was swift. He'd be home within a couple bells, she was certain of it.
The Lynint continued on her way, hands burying deeper within her pockets, and she kept her head up to watch the buildings. Her eyes set upon the Caged Sun, and she was taken aback. It was more a residence than anything else, and it stood out amongst the buildings for the simplicity of it, although, as per the Lorak's instructions, it was in pristine condition. Adrienna considered it, and then she discarded any notion of confusion. She wasn't here to be curious about a building. She was here to ease grief, and cork the welling rage before it exploded and she did something as cruel as what had been done to her, and to experience just one more night of bliss within the confines of her business before the terror swept up and she was kept awake by imaginary monsters.
Fizz would be a crutch. The Chalice would save her.
Adrienna strode forward with intent, rapped quickly upon the door, and stepped within, unsure of what to expect. Behind her, the eyes of the city that she had ignored watched, before sliding away.
Her fingers twitched in the depths of her pockets, seeking warmth as they coiled within her palms. The slave at her side, who was not Lucian, stepped away from her at the sight of tensing shoulders, and she resented him for it. She longed for Lucian's presence, his understanding that came without the spoken word, for their history bound them together and made him a slave she could think highly of. He'd been the brother her own brother should have been, and Alexander Lynint was her enemy because of Lucian.
The slave was silent, demure. From the corner of her eye, Adrienna glared at him. He was useful only for this task, and then she hoped to never see him again. Daylen, he had said his name was. She never wanted him to cross her path after this. He could return to the house, to her brother, and there would be nothing else between them.
Their task was a simple one: find the source of the Chalice, acquire it, and return home. For this reason, Adrienna was loaded with what gold she had left, tucked into the backpack slung over her shoulder, and she fidgeted with growing the need the longer it took.
It had been nearly a season since her last dose of Fizz, and she longed for more. Lucian was gone. She needed something to help her, before she was forced to move on and take upon another slave. She wanted the bliss that the infernal drug brought to her, and she was willing to deal with Rhysol himself if that was what served her purposes. Certainly a god of evil would give her what she hungered for if she promised him everything she had.
"Are we there yet?" They'd walked long enough, Adrienna felt. Kenash was not a small city, certainly, but it wasn't so large as for them to be lost. The slave nodded before stating the affirmative. Adrienna was pleased. Angry, but pleased. Lucian would have done better. "Point me to it, and then go home."
The slave complied. He lifted his hand, and it shook. "The Caged Sun," he told her. His voice was sleeker than Lucian's had been and admittedly, Adrienna was stirred in her grief and disgust.
"Leave," she demanded, and the slave backed away as if afraid of the snake's bite. He didn't run, but his retreat was swift. He'd be home within a couple bells, she was certain of it.
The Lynint continued on her way, hands burying deeper within her pockets, and she kept her head up to watch the buildings. Her eyes set upon the Caged Sun, and she was taken aback. It was more a residence than anything else, and it stood out amongst the buildings for the simplicity of it, although, as per the Lorak's instructions, it was in pristine condition. Adrienna considered it, and then she discarded any notion of confusion. She wasn't here to be curious about a building. She was here to ease grief, and cork the welling rage before it exploded and she did something as cruel as what had been done to her, and to experience just one more night of bliss within the confines of her business before the terror swept up and she was kept awake by imaginary monsters.
Fizz would be a crutch. The Chalice would save her.
Adrienna strode forward with intent, rapped quickly upon the door, and stepped within, unsure of what to expect. Behind her, the eyes of the city that she had ignored watched, before sliding away.