The sun was hiding behind a dark grey cloud. A cold wind blew and the trees rustled in the breeze.
Aurelia's sapphire eyes stared straight at Corvus, expecting an answer. She crossed her arms over her chest as if trying to cover herself. It had no effect.
"I haven't been avoiding you," Corvus said, his voice quivering a little.
Her pink lips turned into a pout.
"Then why were you staring at me from a distance whenever I visited the palace and practically running away?"
She placed her hand on his cheek. The warmth felt pleasant, and Corvus leaned into it.
He opened his mouth, but no sound came out.
"Was it because of the brothel?" Her words were sharp like knives.
Corvus winced as she pulled her hand away.
She let out a deep sigh, then put on a soft smile like she was trying to talk to someone fragile.
"I can't imagine what it's like for you. Being born with a timer," she paused and glanced up at his spider visage.
It was resting on his shoulder. She reached out her hand but stopped short, feeling the tiny spider hair, remembering when he touched her oleander visage.
"Do you take pride in it?" she asked.
A question that had a simple answer for generations. It was indeed an honor. His essence would live on in Valerica and the child that would be born. If it's a girl, she'd eventually be the next matriarch after Valerica. If it's a boy, the cycle continues.
He scratched his forehead. Lying was complicated. He had to lie about the system and his lack of poison magic. Those were crucial to his survival. But his feelings on the other hand, were about the trust between him and Aurelia.
"I don't."
Her mouth formed a small 'o'. She had phrased it as a question, but it was purely rhetoric. An Avern always took pride.
"I don't know what to say..." Aurelia averted her gaze and stared down at her feet. Her father had told her something and she had to do it.
They sat in silence for a minute. She broke it. Her hand reached for his.
"You and Kaelith were blowing off steam, huh... do you think he feels the same way about the Viaticum as you?"
"Maybe," Corvus said.
He squeezed her hand, a soft and comforting sensation.
"I suppose he had other things on his mind," he sighed.
"I heard from my father that he was researching something."
She started caressing his fingers, trying to soothe him, trying to make him trust her.
A shiver passed through his body. The research she was talking about was in that chest, the one with hundreds of victims. Corvus rubbed the back of his neck without looking at her.
"What else did he say?" Corvus asked.
She kept rubbing his fingers like a loving girlfriend. "I wasn't really paying attention... but he said it might help with the sickness that's been going around."
Corvus tilted his head. "Sickness? What do you mean?"
Aurelia finally turned towards him and looked him in the eyes with a sad smile that felt off. "A few hundred people have died from an unknown poisoning. It's not of magical origin, so the inquisitors didn't take interest in it. Not to mention only the homeless died."
She leaned forward, putting both hands on his shoulders. "Do you think we can go into Kaelith's room and search for that research? It might save a lot of lives."
A cold feeling in his stomach washed over Corvus. His gut told him something was off about her. Maybe she was involved in her father's plan. Then a tightness in his chest hurt him. Was she just trying to use him?
"Um, I don't know... it would be rude to enter his room without permission," he lied.
She frowned.
"But more people could die."
She pressed her chest against him. Aurelia was trying to make him bend to her will. Her hot breath was tickling his nose. "
Don't you want to save people?" she said.
He was stuck between a rock and a hard place. He needed to get closer to her, to use her actually. But she was also doing the same.
"I do. Let's go then."
Corvus already had the sigil in his pocket, the one capable of blinding a visage, so it wouldn't do any harm to let her see the failed experiments.
Aurelia smiled brightly and grabbed him by his hand. She was leading him to Kaelith's room. This all but confirmed his suspicion. The only reason for this charade was that she wanted the sigil for herself or her father.
A guard interrupted them.
"Miss Oliva, you're not permitted in the palace this close to Viaticum. I'm obligated to escort you out."
Aurelia turned to Corvus, expecting him to step in.
His lips were pressed together in a slight grimace. Deep down, he wanted time to think his choice regarding the sigil through, but the temptation of bonding with Aurelia was immense. If he got poison magic, he could cast that sigil. Then he'd actually have some strength.
"Excuse me. Valerica invited her here," Corvus said.
The guard was puzzled.
"For what reason?" she asked.
Aurelia also tilted her head.
"For a private language learning lesson by me," he said.
The guard let out a confused hum.
"You're teaching Lady Valerica?" she asked.
"I find that hard to believe."
Corvus shrugged, "You're allowed to check with my sister. Shall we go together?"
It was a gamble. The guard might say yes and ruin everything.
"Of course. This is an important matter. Follow me."
She turned around and led them to Valerica's room.
Corvus's hands started to feel clammy as Aurelia whispered to him, asking him if this would work. There wasn't a snowball's chance that Valerica would back up his story.
Knocking on the door, the guard opened it after receiving permission.
Valerica was sitting at her desk, a pencil in her hand and glasses on her nose. Corvus didn't even know she wore glasses.
"You're early Corvus," she said.
Then she looked up and saw Aurelia standing next to him with an awkward smile.
"What's the meaning of this?" Valerica said.