Two Crows Watch from the Gallows Tree (part 9)

He nodded curtly. "I here till high sun tomorrow, remember."

She shivered. "Will they come into other realms?"

“I’ll tell them,” Pratik promised, then turned back towards the wall.


“I thought you said they stay in their own regions?”

Rönn nodded and turned back toward the forest.

"That's what I thought. But borders have changed over the centuries. What do they consider theirs now?"

Pratik made quick work of the trek back. He hesitated on the third floor landing as he realized he was still shivering. Should he go for more layers? Gaius would probably think him a fool if he showed up shivering in his pajamas. He headed up to his room.


“I don’t know,” Ky huffed. “I didn’t think they existed until two weeks ago — I know next to nothing about them. Hopefully they’re not actually waking up.”

"Like I said to Pratik," Ada said, "no Seer bleeds unless they've been contacted directly, so...Hopefully I'm just sick."

Ky sighed and nodded. “Hopefully.” They rounded the corner so that Gaius came back into view.

Gaius was sitting up in his chair, eyes bright and alert. "Good, good. One of you drag a table over here, and find a quill and ink." He leaned forward. "What else have you brought?"

Ky decided it was easier to be muscles than capable of explaining, so she plopped her stack down on one of the chairs and went for a table.

"We got three more about gods and symbols," Ada said. "And this faded one."
Gaius took the old book off her stack, running his fingers over the cover. "This will be very useful, yes. These are some of the first stories ever written down--formerly told only by mouth during the tribal era. I expect they'll be some of the most accurate."

Ky puffed up a bit that her gut had been right. She let go of the table with a little sigh of relief to be done with its weight. “Where’s the paper?”

"There should be some near the back," Gaius replied, scooting the chair closer as best he could. "Writing supplies, too." He reached into his pocket and drew out a thin silk glove, which he fitted over his left hand. Then he took the corner of the old book's cover and opened it.

(Lmao what a nerd, just having that with him)

Ky obediently went in search of them.

Pratik materialized a moment later, dressed in day clothes and bundled up with a cloak.

(He's a book snob on the next level)

Gaius didn't look up, already devouring the words on each page. He took about ten seconds per page, tapping his maimed fingers on the table as he waited for something to write with.
Ada gave Pratik a wary look. "So you talked to the goat man?"

“Yep.” Pratik nodded. “He said he’d hang around until high noon tomorrow then he’s leaving.”

"Good, gives us time," Gaius said absently, turning another page delicately.
"What was he like?" Ada asked.