Casting Runes Part 6

“Why the hell should I?”

Yes, why indeed? Jordis did not really know what to answer, but then the words just burst out of her mouth: “I helped that boy, Mika. Would I have done that if I was all cold, aloof and cold-hearted?”

Now Liam slowly faced her, confusion in his eyes that shone with questions unspoken.

“Why did you help him, then?”, he finally asked quietly, his voice raspy and choked. Last time they had spoken, he had asked her in the very same tone: “Will I ever see you again?”

That was now fifteen years ago and they both knew it, as Jordis flinched and something like pain flickered across Liam’s eyes. But his voice was unforgiving now, as he repeated his question: “Why did you help Mika?”

“Because what they did was wrong!”, Jordis hissed, “By the runes, he is just a boy. Well, if you know him that well, maybe he is not “just a boy”, but still, an obviously poor child stealing an apple is no offence that should cost a hand. No matter what.”

A small smirk appeared on Liam’s lips and she had the impression he laughed at her, so Jordis growled: “What is it?”

“Fifteen years ago, you would have asked “What is it, you arse?” Just in case you forgot.”, he answered amused and very pleased with himself.

Now Jordis shook her head not knowing how by the runes he had come up with this. She just lifted an eyebrow in a silent question, but Liam waved her bafflement aside and asked: “Alright, I’m waiting as you asked me to, but what for?”

Again, she had no words to answer his question. Jordis took a deep breath, mostly to play for time, but she could not think properly while Liam watched her like that, having caught his whole attention.

“So?”, he asked and Jordis snorted angrily. Suddenly Liam laughed and she did not have the slightest idea why.

“What is it?”, she asked again, but he only tilted his head with a grin, looking at her in anticipation so that his one earring dangled, the last wooden hint that he had been a rune caster apprentice, too.

“What is it, you arse?”, she finally said and Liam’s grin even broadened, while Jordis winced in complete surprise. Where had that come from?

“Now I see that you’re still under that lump of metal and aloofness. Somewhere at least.”, Liam joked and tucked one brown wisp of hair behind his ear while still looking at her in a way, that…gave Jordis the creeps. She did not know why.

Now that was a lie. She knew that this was clearly not the same look he had given her fifteen years ago, but instead something very different, something she did not want to give a name to. But she knew exactly what it was. Interest. Affection. A dream long since gone.

“Come with me.”, Liam suddenly asked of her and Jordis was not entirely sure that he had really spoken these words out loud, but instead thought them to be her imagination, a ridiculous young girl’s dream, until he reached his hand out and repeated them: “Come with me, Jordis. There’s so damn much you need to know.”

“But…I cannot. I have to go to the Grand Caster to receive my consecration.”, she slowly stammered and immediately saw his face darken.

“The Grand Caster? Oh shit. Girl, you don’t know the half of it.”, Liam cursed harshly and then stared into her eyes as he pleaded: “Come with me and you’ll learn of things you won’t believe at first. But trust me, it’s the truth.”

Jordis for once shied away from anyone, which she had not done for years. She had to go and receive her consecration to be able to help her parents, but the Grand Caster had always been the source of gossip and mystery, nobody really knew him, really knew anything about him, so Liam’s words made her wonder what it was she did not know.

She was torn between her sense of duty and her insatiable curiosity.