SHATTERED CROWN

CHAPTER 008: The cysts.

Camyre’s POV

The bar had been a constant over the past few days and I had become accustomed to the hustle and bustling. The past few days had seen the place swell with more than the usual rabble—farmers, wandering tradesmen, and drifters all whispered strange rumors over their tankards of mead.

"They say he is the lost heir," muttered an old man in a corner, his voice low but not low enough for Camyre to miss. "They say he holds power over the very earth itself, and with a flick of his wrist, he could raise it to the sky."

Another scoffed, shaking his head in disbelief "Aye, and maybe the moon is but a silver coin, ready to be plucked from the heavens."

These rumors had become more rampant over the past few days and I was shocked at the rate at which they had spread, I was neither a lost heir nor could I lift the earth with the flick of my wrist, I could barely even hold these damn trays steady with how much I had been worked for the past few weeks, luckily I had already gotten a little and a week more and I would be done with the tavern.

“Camyre, boy, another round of ale for the lads,” the loudest of the group ordered and boisterous and I couldn't help but sigh and wonder if these men had any jobs or responsibility other than to be here all day and prattling like tavern wenches.

Grabbing another tray filled with beer and ale from the oak counter, released a sigh as I was getting a bit nauseous from having to listen to them speak and speculate about me in such a manner,

Whatever I had done, happened almost a week ago and it still circulated throughout the village nonstop, I barely even knew what I had done at the time, thinking about it, sunrise to sunset at the same time staring at the pearl that might have done something to me.

Dropping the als on the table with a smack, a few sputters splashed on the men, but they didn't mind as they grabbed the cups and downed them as they continued to laugh and be merry.

I rolled my eyes and turned my back on them before heading to the other side of the tavern. It was getting rowdier by the second as the day seemed to come to an end, with more crowd, more noise, and more others that needed to be taken, I wondered what was the celebration held for.

"’Tis said the king’s son shall be crowned anon, and mayhap we’ll be granted some days of feast and merriment in honor of the occasion," Renora explained and I nodded my head, that sounded like the more needed reason for a celebration.

I resumed carrying cups and trays, with at least five on both hands. I sighed as the sweat dripped down the side of my face, wiping it away and moving forward, this might as well be the busiest night I had ever experienced but at the same time, there seemed to be a bad and strong premonition that hung in the air, how I recognized or could even tell was beyond me but somehow, I could.

A frown formed on my face as I felt the cold winter breeze from an open window. It sent chills down my spine. I glanced toward the door as though expecting something or someone to waltz in any second. The noise all around me seemed to die down, like distant and muffled sounds that were irrelevant as I stared at the door.

The next moment the door was blasted open and a great deal of force pushed me back. I crashed against a table surrounded by men who stood to their feet at the sudden disturbance. The ringing in my ear intensified and I groaned in pain struggling to get up on my feet.

The tavern had been thrown into a taste of chaos as the only voices I heard were muffled shouts, “The cysts are here, the cysts are here,” bouldered men and women ran in a hazardous manner as they pushed over each other just to get out of the bar, crashing through windows and finding any escape route.

When I finally came through, I stared at the door to see a dark ominous figure, in an al black rob and behind them were four others, this must have been the cyst they had spoken about but I wasn't ready to find out who they were or what they were doing here in the first place.

I jumped up to my feet and began to push my way toward the back of the tavern which was my usual station but once I arrived, I felt another blast from behind me which sent the surrounding members flying in all directions.

The force had thrown me through the curtain, a voice called out to me from the windows, “This way, this way, you need to hurry, we don't have much time,” the little girl who was not more than ten summers beckoned. Without hesitation, I grabbed my cloak and the rest of my belongings which were all tied inside of them, and jumped out of the window.

“Let's go,” she began to run into the night, and for a second I hesitated before the shouts from the tavern resonated in my ear which got me moving. My mind was racing as the image of those cysts popped up in my mind and what power they seemed to possess, they weren't the friendly type and I would rather take my chances with the friendly little girl I had never seen before.

The shouts had become more distant and I reverted from glancing back and followed the little girl into a hut that was farthest from the tavern, she slammed the wooden door behind her and bolted it.

Gasping for air as I doubled over, while she barely had a single sweat on her shiny smooth skin, the room we were in was lit by the single lamp by the corner of the room which highlighted her features. “What were those things?” I asked through ragged breaths.

“They are called the cyst,” she said as she moved over to a wooden shelf by the corner, her hands slowly gliding against the walls and the shelve as though she was looking for something in the dark, she grumbled under her breath of how she couldn't find it, “A powerful entity that has lived for a thousand years, there's no time for storytelling, they are here for you, yes!” she exclaimed, throwing me in more confusion at her weird behavior, all she said made absolutely no sense to me.

Why would they be after me, who was she anyway? Questions ravaged my mind but she wasn't answering any of them but moved to hand me the item in her hand.

“You are in danger and you need to leave this village as fast as you can,” it was a letter and I had more questions as I stared into her gray eyes.

“Who are you?” I asked with a frown.

“They call me blind Lorwein, now run,”