It took a great while, but eventually, Abar made it back to her rock chair. “So, how was it? What did he say?”
Kel-Khadar still said nothing, but observed Samasira with what she believed to be utter confusion turning into genuine interest.
Samasira was eager to share what Faroah had conveyed to her. However, she remembered nothing of the encounter and would remember even less in the days to come. They had been forewarned about this by Faroah’s attendant, who had greeted them at the end of their climb and led them to the visitors’ tent. Nonetheless, the feeling of having lost something vital was nothing short of disturbing. And so, Samasira returned from her audience none the wiser but fundamentally changed. All that she retained from her Oracle audience was a singular witch rune, faintly carved into her left palm, hardly readable amidst all the cuts, blisters and blood:
“What does it mean?” asked Abar, reaching for Samasira’s hand to look at it herself.
“You did that? Or he?” asked Kel-Khadar.
“I honestly don’t know,” admitted Samasira. “It’s like Mariam said, I can’t remember anything.”
“Maybe you wanted to leave a message for yourself,” suggested Abar. “What does it say?”
“Hang on, one moment,” Samasira pulled her hand back under the blanket and looked at the borman. “Kel-Khadar?”
“Yes?”
“Can I please sit next to you?” She was still terribly cold, and he was a big bulk of fur that radiated heat.
“Yes.”
Abar looked up immediately, but then hesitated. “Me too?”
“Yes.”
With that, Samasira huddled to the right and Abar to the left of Kel-Khadar.
“Hey, Kel-Khadar?” asked Abar. “Do we look like two borminna now, with all the furs?”
He looked down at her, then at Samasira and back, actually taking the question seriously. “No.”
Both girls burst into laughter, which left Kel-Khadar quite irritated.
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