Don't Destroy the World

When they arrived at the temple, they were set up in a modest room that looked like a spartan dorm room. The priest that helped them stated that Rowan could share a room with one of the acolytes. Their mother quickly declined, insisting that Rowan shared the room with us. The priest seemed surprised by this but eventually reluctantly agree before leaving.

Ember could see that Rowan wanted to protest but he kept his mouth closed. She gathered he was trying to be on his best behavior so their mother would allow him to train with Knight Vantosia.

Ember had just been glad that the priest left. He couldn't stop sneaking glances at her eye. She got the feeling if he could pluck her eye out and study it, he would.

They were only getting settled in when a different acolyte knocked on the door. This one she recognized as one that had traveled with them.

"Priest Beslen needs to speak with Maiden Ember. He has asked me to escort you."

Ember expected the call to come though probably not as swiftly as it did. She paused and turned to her mother and Rowan. This was as good a time as any to start the process of coming clean.

"Can you come with me?" she asked.

Her mother tilted her head. "Is something wrong?" She gave a quick glance to the acolyte and then back at Ember.

Ember shook her head. "No, but there's more I need to explain. It's tied to why Priest Beslen is calling me."

Her mother frowned but nodded. Rowan had already scrambled to the door. The acolyte didn't say anything more, instead he led them down the hall to an empty room. A few moments later Priest Beslen arrived.

He looked curious at seeing that Rowan and their mother were there but looked at Ember.

"We have a lot to discuss."

"I know," Ember said. "They should hear it as well."

Priest Beslen gave her a pleased smile. "Good. You are much too young to be trying to do everything on your own."

He nodded politely at her mother. "Matron Camila, there is much I need to discuss in regards to your daughter."

"I'm starting to realize that. What is going on?" Her mother said and there was a hint of anger in her voice.

Ember knew her mother wasn't going to appreciate that she had hidden so many things from her. She quickly spoke. "You know how I told you I was a Seedling. I'm sorry I haven't told you more but I was afraid of people knowing before I was registered. I didn't want Lord Felis to force me to be bound to him."

Her mother's expression relaxed a little but her frowned deepened. "I understand that, Ember. But why didn't you come to me and your father?"

"I was afraid," Ember answered. "I was scared if I was found out Lord Felis would come for you and Dad."

Her mother's lips tightened and then she sighed. She walked over to Ember and took her hands. "Ember. I understand you want to protect us but we want to protect you just as much. I can't do that if you hide things from me. Next time, try trusting in us. We're not so weak that we will let you suffer alone."

"I know you're not weak," Ember said quickly. "It's just..." She couldn't say more because in the end she had thought them too weak. And even though she knew her mother was a strong woman her deaths in her past life still hung in front of her.

"I'll try to be better," Ember said.

Her mother squeezed her hand before turning her attention to Priest Beslen. "Did you awaken her?"

Priest Beslen shook his head. "No. Your daughter states it was a priest of undetermined origin that awoken her."

Her mother looked at him, confused. "Then what is your involvement in this?"

"He is going to help me register legally. Once I'm registered then I no longer have to worry about trying to make a claim on me."

The priest nodded. "But before that we have a more urgent matter."

Her mother looked alarmed. "Urgent?"

Priest Beslen raised his eyebrow and looked at Ember. "You haven't explained anything?"

"You moved fast," Ember said and then squared her shoulders. "Finder."

Her mother gasped as the gold map unfurled in front of them.

"This is my ability. It's called Finder's Keepers. It allows me to find almost anything on the map with some parameters."

"It was an ability!" Rowan said and then covered his mouth.

Her mother spun around to stare at her son. "You knew about this?"

Rowan raised his hand defensively. "I thought it was a magic item." He then glared at Ember. "You lied to me."

"Sorry," Ember said. "But I told you I would tell you everything once we were out of Goros. This was part of it."

Rowan looked like he was unsure if he believed her but he calmed down.

"This..." Her mother said as she stared at the map. "You're helping to find that missing girl, aren't you?"

Ember blinked in surprise. "Oh, you heard about that."

"Everyone one heard," her mother said. "I just didn't know you were going to be involved." Her mother looked conflicted.

Ember could guess the thoughts that were going through her head. Her involvement while indirect still put her close to dangerous forces but at the same time a girl was missing and she could help. She decided not to interrupt her mother's thoughts and instead turned to Priest Beslen.

"Do you have her name?"

"Maiden Meredith, daughter of Madam Lily. She is from Kinsey but has been living in Hekral for the last six months."

Ember nodded and peered at her map. Besides the path she took from the gate to the temple, Hekral had nothing mapped. She would have to walk around the town to get the map filled up with details, still, even if she couldn't see the details the dot should still appear on the map.

"Finder, find Maiden Meredith of Kinsey, daughter of Madam Lily."

A moment later a red dot appeared on the map. Ember breathed a sigh of relief when she saw it. It meant the information was accurate and more importantly that Meredith was still alive. Finder couldn't find dead people, not even corpses. Though it could find a gravestone. It was very strange when it came to people and its restrictions. It needed at least a name or an ability to find them which was completely different when it came to items. She had always thought it strange that a corpse wasn't consider a person or an item.

"Maiden Ember, while it is good to see that you found her, this doesn't give us much to go on."

"I can lead you-"

"Absolutely not!" Her mother said. "Just show the map to them and have them look. It should get the guard into the general vicinity."

She knew that was possible. But... She glanced at the dot and shook her head. "That won't work. If the guards wander around the area it's possible the kidnapper will notice and kill her."

Her mother's eyes widened and she shook her head. "And if you go, they'll notice you. You'll be in danger. I won't sacrifice my daughter's life for someone's else."

Warmth filled Ember's chest at her mother's words. It felt good to be protected even if she knew she would still have to defy her.

"There's another way," Ember said. "I just need to fill out the map. It fills in when I go to a location."

"That sounds even worse," her mother pointed out.

"No, I have a plan," Ember said, quickly explaining. "Justine and I can look around near the area. We don't have to be close, just in the general vicinity so I can have the details mapped then once we're finished we can return and give the information to the guard or Priest Beslen could. I rather they didn't find out I was involved until I'm registered."

"What if you're noticed?" Her mother shot back. "It's dangerous."

Ember shook her head. "If it's just Justine and I then no one will think anything about it. It'll just seem like we're going for a walk around the city. We could even pretend to be looking for housing or something similar depending on the area."

Ember could see her mother had another denial on her lips and Ember quickly grabbed her mother's hands, squeezing them. "Please Mom. Let me do this. If it was me, I would want someone to help if they could."

Her mother looked at her and then sighed. "Fine. You can go with Justine but I'm coming with you."

"Mom that's-"

"If it's too dangerous for me then it's too dangerous for you."

Ember clamped her mouth shut.

"I want to come, too!" Rowan inserted.

"No," Ember and her mother said in union.

"There's risk and unnecessary risks," her mother said. "You'll stay here." She turned to Priest Beslen. "Since you have my daughter running around doing dangerous things I hope you will at least keep my son out of danger."

Priest Beslen's lips twitched. "Of course."

Her mother glared at the priest but nodded.

"We should send for Justine."

There was a knock on the door and everyone stiffened. Priest Beslen hurried to the door, cracking it open and then opening it wider as a familiar figure stepped inside.

"Justine! What are you doing here?" Ember asked, startled.

"I was around," she said with a shrug and shut the door behind her.

"You were eavesdropping," Ember said. "Did you follow us here?"

Justine only grinned in answer.

That was...alarming. It was the second, no, third time, Justine had followed her without her knowledge. Ember was starting to wonder if she had some sort of invisibility skill. She knew stealth was part of her abilities but this wasn't like any sort of stealth she had seen. Besides, wasn't Night Orcs abilities supposed to be weakened in the day?

Priest Beslen looked amused. "Then should I assume that Madam Justine knows about you as well? I have to say, for a secret, there are quite a few people who know about it."

Ember sighed. She was also starting to feel that way. "We should get going and maybe find a more secure location for the next conversation."

"Before you go there is one more thing," Priest Beslen said. He glanced at Justine. "Can you stand guard outside? I wouldn't want anyone else eavesdropping."

Justine let out a huff and then left the room again, standing guard. Ember frowned. She didn't like the idea of that since it would pretty much be a beacon that there was something secret going on but it was already too late for that. As long as she wasn't connected to the missing case, she should be fine.

"I wanted to talk about your registration. I have two nobles that would be willing to take you on as their Seedling. I can give you information about both for you to look over. They are willing to give you free reign but they will expect you to help them if they call on you in return."

Ember frowned. "You didn't mention I would have to do something like that."

"Of course, there will be a price. The noble is essentially giving up their spot for you. It's a small price to pay."

Ember frowned. She didn't like that but he was right. Noble houses were given a set number of spots they could use to awaken Seedlings beyond those that any of their direct line was afforded.

"Can think on it?" Ember asked.

"You can but I wouldn't think too long. I don't know how long your Seedling abilities would go unnoticed."

Ember nodded. Since Hekral was one of the places a person could register it meant there were people here who could discover a person's abilities. It would only take running into them to be found out. Besides that there was also the Thorn Knights. They had an uncanny ability to sniff out unregistered Seedlings.

"There's one more thing," Priest Beslen said. "I heard that Knight Vantosia is interested in training you. He also has an untaken spot. He might be willing to register you."

Ember frowned and shook her head. "No. I don't want to be bound to the Royal Family if I can help it and being bound to a knight is practically the same."

"It was just a thought," Priest Beslen said. "I'll take to you about the nobles once you've returned."

Ember nodded and then turned to her mother.

Her mother was staring at her. "You've grown quite a lot, Ember."

Ember didn't know what to say to that. While for Priest Beslen she always spoke like this but for her mother this must be jarring.

"I have," she said.

Her mother continued looking at her before turning to the door. Her jaw was clenched. "I suppose we should go."

Ember wanted to say something but she had nothing to say. She was not the girl her mother remembered and she couldn't pretend to be. She turned to the door. "Yes, we should go.

It was better to focus on what she had to do now. Now, it was time to tour the city.