Ty felt a cooling shadow fall over him. He opened his eyes to see Prism staring down, a soft expression on her scarred face. He smiled at her, but it quickly turned to a grimace as spikes of pain dug their fingernails into his back like an over-enthusiastic lover.
‘I feel like a human pincushion,’ he replied, swallowing. Even that slight movement was enough to send another wave of white-hot agony along every nerve in his body.
‘I might be able to help with that,’ Prism told him, holding up something round and blurry.
Ty squinted. ‘What is it?’ he asked, reaching out for the object.
‘One of the apples I picked up from Bargle's garden.’
Ty's hand froze in mid-air. ‘I thought they were poisonous to anyone not pure of heart.’
Prism took a large crunchy bite from the fruit and made a show of eating it.
‘Do I look like I'm pure of heart to you?’
‘But... how?’
‘I don't know where Ayelen gets her ideas from, but these aren't the apples of Hesperides,’ she told him. ‘I’m not sure what they are really, but I do know they do have some magic to them. Look at my leg!’
Prism pointed to her thigh, where her trousers had been sliced clean through. The flesh beneath was unscarred, devoid of even the pockmarks that wracked the rest of her body. The wound she had suffered earlier had completely vanished.
Ty reached out and touched the smooth flesh. He looked up at her face again; really looking at her this time. The tiny craters left behind by the plague were still there, whitened by age, but they were much fainter now.
He gasped. ‘How is this possible?’
‘I don’t know,’ Prism shrugged, ‘but it’s amazing, isn't it? I wish we could go back and get some more, ‘cos this is my last one.’
‘I can't take the last one from you, Pris,' he said. ‘You keep it. Finally, you can be free of your scars.’
Prism smiled and shook her head. ‘I’m kinda used to them these days,’ she said. ‘And besides, who doesn’t want to look unique.’
‘But...’
‘Hey! What did we swear to when we were little? We promised we’d look out for each other, didn't we?’
‘We did,’ he agreed ‘And we always have...’
‘...And we always will,’ she finished, cutting him off. ‘So, it’s settled then. Come on, eat up your greens. And then get some rest, give the magic a bit of time to work.’
Ty took the apple reluctantly, and Prism folded her arms, waiting. He took a small bite, chewed and swallowed. His next bite was larger, more enthusiastic.
‘There, see? No poison, just a sweet juicy apple – like I said.’
‘Thanks,’ he said in between eating.
‘Don’t mention it,’ she said, getting ready to leave.’
‘Where are you going?’
‘Don’t worry, soldier, I'll be back in a bit. Someone has to scout up ahead, see what's what.’
‘Okay, Pris,’ Ty said drowsily. ‘Don't be too long,’
Prism gave him a mock salute, but the fighter didn’t see it. Within the space of a couple of heartbeats, he was snoring softly, the core of the apple falling from his hand. She reached over and gently kissed his brow. ‘Goodnight, sweet prince,’ she said, before walking away and straight into Ayelen, who had been watching the entire exchange.
‘You never cease to surprise me,’ the cleric said.
‘Good,’ Prism said, giving her a wink. ‘I like to keep you on your toes. Look after him, princess, and remember what I said I'd do to you, if you don't.’
‘He’ll have my full attention,’ Ayelen promised, inclining her head.
Prism smiled gratefully before slipping into the shadows and the passageway beyond.
To be continued…
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Hehe, I just bought tavern talk! I've been eyeing this game for so long, and I've been really looking forward to it!! I'm thinking about doing some fanart in the future, so yee!!
