Two Crows Watch from the Gallows Tree (part 12)

Shit, shit, shit—

“Um… I don’t know…” she twisted the knob but didn’t pull it open yet, instead trying to figure out how to smooth over her mess. “Just thinking, like… with the gods waking up… some people are probably… closer? To the gods? So things might start happening to them? And just how you would… know… and stop it.”

"What would be happening? Do you mean physically closer?" He hadn't considered that possibility.

“I hope not.” She glanced over her shoulder again.

"Ky, tell me what's going on, please."

“What?” She looked at him guiltily. “Nothing.” Gods. Why had she come here? Better yet, how could she get away? She was being soooooo suspicious. How could she… fix… this? “I-um-I mean-nothing. Just. Um. Curious. If. Um. Like in theory. If the gods closer to some people — even if they aren't Seers — what that may… look like. And… if it’d be possible to get further away again…”

He rubbed a hand through his hair, giving her a mildly exasperated look. "Let's not do this dance again. Whatever you're trying to hide, you're not doing it very well. Please just tell me."

“It… I need to talk to Tomhas.” She glanced towards the door, then dismissed the idea. She definitely didn’t need to dump this on him after how upset he’d been the last time. “No. I need to not tell him — I’m not supposed to tell you —“ she huffed a sigh and rubbed her face, talking into her hands. “This is so complicated.”

"Have a seat," he suggested.

She whimpered and obeyed, sitting down anxiously. “I can’t tell you — it’ll just upset you and you won’t believe me anyway. But… well… its… complicated. And I don’t know what to do. Its…” she sighed, frustrated.

"You're asking me for help but you can't tell me anything?" He leaned forward. "I can't really help you if I don't know anything. But the library could, I suppose."

“I don’t know, it…” she sighed, rubbing her face. “I want things to stop happening to me. I don’t understand. How. Or why. Or…or…” She sighed again.

"What's happening to you?" he asked quietly.

“Well Rönn… and then the trolls… and now this… its too much.”

"Now what, Ky? What's going on?"

She looked at him, anguished. This was so heavy to carry alone. And yet it wasn’t fair to burden Tomhas with this. And there wasn’t really another option here. She definitely wasn’t going to tell Tadaaki or anyone else. Gaius had the hopes of actually being able to help. But… only if he took her seriously… which based on the conversation just fifteen minutes ago…

“I’m not crazy,” she said. “And I’m not lying.”