LOREN
”Well, if it will do nothing, then why do you care if I plant it?” The more Ronin spoke, the more sure Loren was that the other man wasn’t in his right mind; whether the blight had progressed, or it was something else the Launceleyn couldn’t say. After all, the king had been through his fair share of tragedy, and the summoner wasn’t his favorite person at the moment, so it would hardly surprise the librarian if the other man had gone a bit crazy. When Ronin cursed the gods, however, Loren felt the faintest stirring of fear. Still, it didn’t stop the Launceleyn from planting his flower.At which point Ronin surged forward, and Loren flung himself between the charging king and the Rose. But it passed harmlessly through: what it was, the Launceleyn couldn’t say exactly, but it had no substance to it. Something to consider another time, when the actual king, not his projection, wasn’t cackling, a sound that caused a shiver to pass down the librarian’s spine. Loren's eyes darted between where the illusory Ronin had been and the real one and blinked a Knowing that an actual, physical attack might be imminent—and wanting to block out the sound of the other man’s laughter—Loren conjured the strongest and tightest earplugs he could directly into his ears. There was something he wanted to try, but he’d only resort to it if reason failed. Which it very much might, given how Ronin was acting, so even as the summoner spoke he prepared another spell. ”Ronin, you’re not well. Come on, let’s go. I’m sure Remi is worried about you.” It was weird not being able to hear his own voice, just the vibrations, and he was sure he sounded odd, but it was necessary. And the laughter had cut off, or at least Loren couldn’t hear it anymore.
A beggar's book
outworths
a noble's blood
