Two Crows Watch from the Gallows Tree (part 18)

He flinched visibly, shaken by the touch and the sudden burst of memories that came with it. Memories that didn't belong to him. Blood and suffering and anxiety--he pulled away, and they retreated to the back of his mind. He could feel them there even so, festering.
Gaius opened his mouth to speak; his tongue felt sore. Had he bitten it? "Thraugr stius vestibule--have--I--" He closed his eyes tightly. "We--is this you--how it felt? No. Not for you..."

"...W--?" She looked at him in bewilderment, but made no move to touch him again. "What?"

He'd been foolish to ask. Of course it wasn't this way for her. He could remember speaking to Haelar, and seeing his ancestors--no, that was Ky's memory. Strithr, then. No--another falsehood. Or a truth, rather. He knew things he shouldn't know. This was another truth.
Gaius rubbed at his eyes, smearing blood on his cheeks as he did so. "...There's so much coming," he murmured, voice trembling. "From all directions, so quickly..."

"What are you talking about?" Ky asked, thoroughly confused and concerned. "Are you alright? Do you need Sera? Or... or... something? What happened?"

"Sera can't help." He raised his head, though it still ached. "I'm alright." He wasn't alright. He was visibly paler than usual and his eyes were red-rimmed, his face streaked with drying tears. His hand was still bleeding. "You've finished the prayer bone."

"You're not alright," she scoffed, looking him over. "What happened?"

He couldn't bring himself to stand yet. He leaned against the desk instead, taking a deep breath. She deserved the truth, he supposed, but explaining that much would take some very intensive processing. Best to keep it simple, then.
"I met a god," he said haltingly.

She was quiet for a moment. A month ago -- hell, a week ago -- she would have thought he was completely off his rocker. But if she could meet a god tonight, why couldn't he? "... Which one?" Clearly not Haelar; not if he was this shaken up about it.

"Froenig." How to make her understand? He could almost grasp the answer, but it slipped away as a flood of other thoughts rushed up to the front of his mind. He winced and looked away.

She was quiet for another moment. "So you're a herald, too, then?"

"Yes." This did change things, extensively. He'd have to call up a solution to the evacuation--a different one.

She sat back on her heels, not sure how to feel. On one hand, she was relieved she wouldn't have to do this alone. On the other, she was stressed that now she was going to have to try to keep him safe up here with her. She'd kind of wanted the security of knowing they were all safe in the East instead. Still. "...What did he say?"

Gaius snorted despite himself and wiped his eyes again. "What didn't he say? He told me everything. Absolutely everything."

"... Which means...?"

"I know everything there is to know," he said with a heavy sigh. "And everything there will be. The god of knowledge and justice has cursed me with what I've always desired."