Two Crows Watch from the Gallows Tree (part 15)

"It does taste good, though."

"He doesn't appear as horrid as he is." He polished his glasses yet again. "But he said I could either tell him about you or be forced through the veil. Which I'd rather not experience. A forced departure from this plane is permanent and rather painful."

“… yeah.” Jerica admitted with a dip of her head.


“Wait you can force people through?” Ky’s eyes snapped to his face. “Can you force him through?”

"Have you tried salmon yet?"

He wrinkled his nose as if he'd smelled something awful. "I wouldn't try it, no. It requires a lot of will to tear planes like that."

“No.” Jerica shook her head. “Ash said I can try whale tonight though.”


“But it’s possible?” She pressed. “Could I do it, if I willed it hard enough?”

"Really?" His eyebrows shot up. "Interesting..."

"No." He shook his head. "You haven't passed yet; you don't have a connection to the other plane yet."

(But she could maybe because of Haelar)

“He said I’m not gonna like it.” She shrugged.


“But I can interact with you all,” she pointed out. “Isn’t that a connection?”

(Ohoho Ky out here on a suicide mission to wrestle Michael into a black hole)(maybe Septimus too for funsies)

"It's not usually used for food."

His brow furrowed. "I suppose so. But not..." Septimus sighed. "You go ahead and try, when you see him. I'd rather you didn't but if you must. Let me know how it goes when you've joined the dead."

“That’s what he said.” She hesitated, then shrugged. “I didn’t know that. Can’t back down, though. Then I’d just look stupid. So imma eat it anyway.”


Ky looked at him coldly. “I’ll try again, then. Until one of us finally goes through the veil.”

"Good luck," he chuckled.

"Bold words are rarely tangible," he said dryly.

Jerica smirked a little. “Thanks.”


“Mm.” She looked at him disdainfully, resisting the urge to reach up to feel for the rune. It was still there. It had to be. And she couldn’t tip her hand. Though she was going to push her luck. “Just because you’re too scared to do anything about your spawn doesn’t mean everyone is.”

"What sorts of inns did you stay at on the way here? Very high end?"

"I am scared," he retorted. "You should be too. But it's not just because I'm afraid."

“Mm… I mean… not really? Like. They weren’t shoddy. But they weren’t fancy. No need for all that. Levin’s not with us and the rest of us are reasonable humans.”


“No,” she agreed. “Because you chose to feed me to the wolves. That’s why.”

"Is the chieftain who came with you not very picky, then?"

"No," he said curtly, drawing himself up. "Aren't you presumptuous. Just like your father."

“Yes.” She also drew herself upright, though she was still dwarved by him and it was more pitiful than intimidating. “I am like my father. Both of them. And I’m proud of that.” Proud that he didn’t like her. That felt more like a compliment than anything.

(Autocorrect got me. It was supposed to be "picky")


"Hrmf." He glared down at her, opening and closing his left hand. "You shouldn't speak of what you don't understand, child. You don't know me."