I escaped from the festivities as soon as I could without drawing attention, which took a while since the head of the village kept introducing me to his daughters. Finally, after mentioning something to Tamner, the parade of eligible women stopped.
I slipped past the front line of huts and walked around to Tamner's, my mind still full of what John had told me about the plants. I shivered despite the heat. To be able to feel my power, my talent, but not be able to use it. For most necromancers that would just be torture, but for me? To have it build and build -it would literally kill me.
The fire was barely burning in Tamner's hut. Poe still lay on his pallet of furs. His skin didn't look as pale or sickly as when I last saw him in the early hours of the morning. His breathing was even and stronger as well.
Poking the fire back to life, I added another log before pulling my bag closer to search through it. I was looking for the Reinhardt book I'd brought with me. I knew it might be a long shot, but I had to see if it contained anything about those plants the witches were growing.
I read and tended the fire as the singing and dancing continued outside late into the night. I shifted, trying to find a more comfortable position on the rug by the fire when I noticed Poe studying me from across the room.
"You're awake!" I jumped up, moving closer to him. "Do you need anything?"
He frowned at me, raising a hand to his head. "Something for the pain?"
I smiled. "Sure, let me go find Tamner-"
He grabbed my hand. "It can wait. Tell me what happened. How'd we end up here?"
"Here? You mean you didn't bring us here?"
He started to shake his head, but stopped, wincing. "No."
I sat back down next to him. "But that doesn't make any sense."
Poe closed his eyes and tried to sit up.
"Don't, really. Let me go get Tamner. We can figure out what went wrong later."
He gave a small nod and I jumped to my feet, rushing out of the hut. I had to navigate the mass of bodies as people danced and moved around the massive bonfire. I ran into John before I found Tamner. He held a rough, carved cup out to me.
"Ez, have you tried this stuff?"
I waved him off. "Have you seen Tamner? Poe's awake."
He sobered instantly, turning to scan the crowd as well. "There." John pointed to where Suon and Tamner sat with the Naekas.
"Thanks-" I started to step away, but he stopped me.
"I'll get him. Go on back."
I nodded and turned around. I grabbed some food and stepped back into Tamner's hut. Poe's eyes were closed, but he moved a little. I sat next to him, setting the food carefully to the side.
"Tamner will be here in just a moment," I said.
He nodded, but didn't open his eyes.
"How long have I..." he trailed off.
"Three, almost four days," I said.
He looked at me, blinking. "We need to get back," he started to sit up again, but stopped, staring past me. His eyes widened in surprise.
I followed his gaze to see John standing in the doorway.
"Tamner is on his way, just thought you'd like to know." John ducked out, leaving Poe and me in silence save for the crackling fire. I could see the tension in Poe's body as he fought to stay upright.
"A witch. In the half world..." His voice had the harsh sound of anger but it lacked energy.
"John isn't the same as the other witches. He actually helped me escape the warehouse." Even before I finished speaking, I saw disbelief on Poe's face.
"He is a witch. As much as I want to end this damned war, you can't trust them. Blood-thirsty monsters who've killed hundreds, if not thousands, of Necromancers. To bring one here? To the sacred Half-world?"
I leaned back, licking my lips. "John has had plenty of time to kill me: While we've been here, at the warehouse, even when we were roommates in college." Poe looked at me sharply, but I kept going. "He hasn't done anything but help me the entire time. He may be a witch, but he has been nothing but a friend to me."
Standing, I walked out before I said something I might regret. Tamner passed me, giving a worried look before heading in to see his patient.
I sat, bracing my back against the side of Tamner's hut. I couldn't fault Poe's reaction. He'd been protecting me since I was born, and John was a witch. There was no way around that.
We had to get home, and John had to come with us. The information he had on the plants and other witches was too valuable. But if my family's reaction was anything like Poe's, they would probably kill him on sight, instead of listening.
John sat next to me and passed one of the roughly carved cups into my hand. "You look like you could use this."
I looked at the cup in my hand for a split second and downed the contents without a second thought.
"Wow, I didn't think you needed it that bad!" John laughed as I finished the drink. It tasted like stale beer on the verge of going to the dark side, but my lips were immediately numbed as the warmth spread through me.
"Thanks." It wasn't a solution to my problems, but it made me feel a little better in the moment about having to deal with them later. I didn't need to think about how my family would react to John until we had a way home.
"How is he?" John asked.
I shrugged. "Tamner's with him now."
"Do you think he'll be well enough to create a portal home yet?"
I shook my head. "I don't know."
Tamner came out, leaning heavily on his staff. He took in the sight of us, sitting next to the door of his hut. "He is as well as he can be. He sleeps now."
"Thank you."
Tamner left us, walking back into the hut. I looked out into the night, at the still dancing villagers and tried not to feel. Poe would be alright. Now, all we had to do was find a way home.
"Come on," John said, pulling me to my feet. "Let's get some more of this awful beer."
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YAY! I made the update time! With the week I've had, I'm super proud of myself for this one!
Alright! Now that I've found my groove, Thursdays will be Legacy's new update day. So stay tuned. Early Access to 8.4 will go up some time before tomorrow morning. Thank you for all your comments and votes! They go straight through to my phone, and always brighten my day. :)