Moongrace

Part 26

"You know, there is something strange about all this. First, I didn't hear her talking even though she moved her mouth and the dog took her commands. Secondly, she knew the dog was unsafe the moment you said that you would kill it." One of the men said. Then he switched to the common tongue:

"Who are you? What you doing here?" She could clearly hear that he was not perfectly good in Lecish. When she didn't open her mouth, he got angry: "Answer!", he shook her on her shoulder. She shook her head.

"Maybe she is mute as well?", the other guy suggested.

Eleeza shook her head again, this time decisively. The two of them sucked in air.

"Did she just understand what we were saying?", one asked. Then towards her:

"Can you understand us?"

Timidly she nodded. She heard the heartbeat of the men rise.

"Tell us why! Who are you?"

She pointed to her mouth and shook her head. Suddenly she heard one man move and lift an arm, probably over her head. Then she felt magic, afraid she stepped back and bumped into the other man.

"Don't worry. He is just checking if there are any spells on you. He has the gift to remove them. Even though his magic skills are very poor and he can remove only small ones."

She got excited, could he really remove the Queens spells from her? Maybe even the spell that made her blind? She moved back to her old position and the man lifted his hand over her again.
But before he could do his magic, the moon rose and its light shone on them.

The world around Eleeza got bright. The moon gave her strength and reassurance. But her gut suddenly to told her to run away, to flee from those men. Yet she was so curious, she burst of questions about the Otherworld.

"Stop!", the man called. Then he moved his hand to her face.

"Look at this! Something is gleaming beneath the blindfold. Girl, do you have magic? And if you do, what is your gift? Has it something to do with your eyes? You wouldn't hurt us with your eyes, no?"

Eleeza shook her head, regretting it in the same second. Maybe that had been her chance to go. To make them afraid of her eyes and then try to find her way back. But now it was too late. Slowly she removed the blindfold. The sight took the others aback.

"I really want to know now who you are! Meino, see if you can make her speak!"

Meino spread his hand above her and she could feel magic around her. Searching magic, stopping at certain spots. Then it centred over her mouth. Meino released the magic again and it streamed back to the moon.

"It had been a badly woven spell over her mouth. And there are several others, all very much powerful. Nothing that can ever be removed... I really wonder who could do such spells. It must have been somebody very powerful. But otherwise her aura is very pure, untouched."

Turning to her, Meino asked: "Now tell us, who are you?"