ShadowSong [Book 1 & 2: Complete] [NaNoWriMo16/17]

Chapter 20 - Too Quick To Judge

The auditorium was mostly empty with the exception of a group in the corner and his mother, standing on the raised platform on one of the edges, speaking with Taylor. Taylor had one elbow cupped with her hand as her other's curled fingers rested under her chin, the very image of delicate, while his mother stood straight-backed, her narrow eyes strangely soft as they gazed at Taylor, listening to whatever she was saying.

Jason steeled himself and approached.

"High Shadowspeaker Aurelia," he said, drawing their attention. "Taylor Flamespeaker. I hope Skypillar's blessings have found you on the day of the second moon's rise."

"Jason!" said Taylor, coming up to meet him. She took his hand, turning and walking alongside him as he marched into the hardened gaze of the High Shadowspeaker. "I've been searching for you. I couldn't find you after the offerings."

"I apologise," said Jason, retrieving the request from his pocket as evidence. "I was asked by Cryophoenix to help set up a meeting place so he may fulfill a request. He has also asked that we make room for Andrew Swiftguide and any he cares for upon temple grounds. They believe that the new Manifested once known as Ella Spiritcaller may pose a threat to their safety."

"This we can do," said the High Shadowspeaker. "Taylor, would you find the High Frostspeaker and see that it is done?"

Taylor's eyes flicked from Jason. "Of course, High Shadowspeaker."

"Thank you."

Taylor gave Jason's hand one last squeeze before she released it and floated off across the ground in her elegant way, leaving Jason entirely alone with his mother.

"Jason." Her voice was low enough that the others in the room wouldn't hear it, but he knew the tone. "When I give you a duty I expect you to fulfill it, not make me look like an idiot in front of the other Speakers when they ask me where my son and the girl he's supposed to be guiding is. Do you understand this?"

"I do," said Jason, wondering if this was going to be a repeat of this morning's lecture. "I have been making every effort to ensure that I meet your standards. This morning's arrival time was--"

"I'm not talking about this morning," said Aurelia. "I went through that with you already. I'm talking about why no one seems to have seen Olivia at the offerings, despite my explicit request that she attend. It was your duty to ensure this was the case, and you failed."

Jason blinked, wondering if he'd heard it right. "Olivia was at the offerings. I--"

"Oh, really?" said Aurelia. "Perhaps if you'd been doing your Other-cursed duty instead of attempting to gather favour with Cryo, you'd have noticed that she didn't show up!"

Jason's mouth snapped shut.

Olivia had gone to the bathroom. She'd said that she'd known where it was--starlight, the whole reason he'd been stuck with her was because she'd been caught in there--and she'd agreed to meet him there. He'd told her to find Ariel, so why hadn't anyone seen her? He hadn't looked himself. He hadn't felt the need to.

He'd just... trusted her to be there.

"Nothing to say?" said Aurelia. "I have a few others searching for her right now. I suppose we'll see if they're more capable than you are of keeping track of a teenage girl, won't we?"

"I apologise," was all Jason could say. "It was my duty and I was negligent. I will search for her now and make amends."

"Amends?" said Aurelia like he'd just offered to buy Skypillar for a loaf of bread. "This was already your second chance. I was lenient this morning, given the circumstances, but on the same day you've let me down again. Shall I remind you of the consequences if I decide you've failed?"