72 Summoning Circles

HAELAN'S POV

It's almost midnight when I came back to Brandenburg. My night of liberty and merriment almost turned into a disaster after Stellan saw me in a dress. If it wasn't for Galen, Stellan would have caught up to me again. Since things have started to get more complicated, I have to find the map to Caluso right away. Besides, I wouldn't want to spend another time with Galen in the palace. The more I know him, the more frightening he seems to be.

In the warriors' chambers, I quickly took a bag of clothes, a water receptacle, the remaining three Yereah's potions, and the pouch of pastries given by Madam Eleanor. Picking up a thicker cloak, I took a glance on the empty beds of Jacomus and Atrius. I know I should've said a proper farewell, but I guess, this is better. Quickly, I went straight to the library to find any map going to Caluso. However, in case I do not find one, I'll be forced to travel on foot blindly.

I was buried in piles of books on the bed cushion I laid on the floor as I look for directions to Snow Mountain. While I flip some pages, I sensed someone at the door who seemed hesitant to enter. Moments later, I heard a knock on the door. And when I opened it, it come to my surprise to see Atrius.

"Did you just came back?", I asked Atrius who's still wearing his outdoor cloak.

"Yes, the festival isn't even done yet. Jacomus is too drunk that I left him asleep at the chamber's doorway", Atrius answered. As usual, he's wearing an explicitly woven tabard with precious stones as buttons.

"What brings you here at this time of the night?", I asked as I stood by the door. He doesn't seem drunk to have been mistaken to come here.

Atrius took a peek in before staring at me blankly. "Have you been sleeping here?", he asked.

"Of course not", I denied. "I'm just keeping myself entertained for a bit", I said as I let him in.

Atrius slipped inside and stood in the middle of the room full of books. He stared at the bed cushion I placed on the floor. Then he faced me with an intriguing look. "People around here are so used to seeing just men all the time, that they fail to notice what you are. But, If one look closely, they'll see it. I know it's you Agalea", he told me with his glassy eyes.

I clenched my teeth as I clear my throat. "What are you talking about? I'm not Agalea", I honestly declared.

"Are you still going to pretend?", Atrius leaned on the table nearby as he pull out his string of beads from his pocket. "I first noticed your absence in the chambers every night. You have never slept there ever since we arrived. Then I realized, you don't join us and all the other men in the healing spring for baths. You're very careful with your actions, that you spend more time alone especially during the dead of the night", he said as he graze the beads looking down.

"Anyone does that, I suppose", I implied hoping I could make an acceptable excuse.

"When we went to your Uncle's Inn, I landed to a conclusion that my intuitions have been correct after hearing Freya address you as a woman. Lady Emilia's testimony strengthened my assumptions when she gave me an impression that you… and Agalea are the same person .", Atrius uttered. "The girl who the healer soul travelers are after", he added

"I am not Agalea, Atrius… ", I said again.

"You still think I would believe that", Atrius furrowed his brows as he bombard me with his veracious accusations. "I am your friend, you can trust me", he lifted his finger up and brushed it on my cheeks as he show me the remaining powder dusts Martine placed on my face earlier today.

I took a deep breath and lifted my chin up as I face Atrius. "I am not Agalea, because I am Helena, and I am not an ordinary healer soul traveler, I am a Celestial healer. Agalea is the owner of this body that I possessed", revealing my identity to Atrius would be something I'd regret. However, there's no other way to escape his doubts and continous interrogations unless I reveal the truth.

We sat on the floor cushion and talked. Atrius looked dumbfounded at every second I entailed my real story. May not be all, I unveiled every single detail that he needs to know.

"So you don't know why Agalea is being hunted by the healer soul travelers?", he asked.

"No. We don't ever personally know who we soul travel to.", I said. "She's living a quiet life as a servant in that inn. How can I suspect an innocent girl?", I asked.

"You mentioned that you keep coming back to this body.. don't you think it's odd?", Atrius asked bewilderly.

"I do. But, I never get so much concerns since I always go back to where I belong", I answered. "What's the matter?", I asked as I notice how interested Atrius is. I thought he would become flustered and aloof after finding out that I lied, but instead, he become more curious.

"So.. why is she being hunted by your kind..", Atrius wondered as he toss me a book. "Lady Emilia said that Agalea is indifferent amongst the other servants there. She marked the walls, and even the furniture with some kind of circle formations.", he explained as I check the book he tossed me. "Those circles doesn't have much difference in Greco. We call them summoning circles. Seemed to me, that Agalea… that girl called upon you to possess her body.", he clearly said. "Initially, I thought it's a magical form of sacred space between the host and the soul traveler. I was mistaken because of that", he said. Then, Atrius took out a book and opened it. He tapped on a page with two souls in the middle of circle formations. "She's a witch and she's attracting healer soul travelers", he added.

"Agalea's a witch?", I uttered. Then lifted the armcuff on my wrist. "The man who attacked me specifically aimed for this." I said as he took a closer look. I didn't told Atrius about my assumptions that Agalea's armcuff can turn back time. I decided to keep that secret for a while.

"Well then, keep that for a while, whatever that is", Atrius said with a nod. He deeply sighed as he pinch the bridge of his nose. Despite he's being trusting and all, the frown on his face and the lines on his forehead goes to show that he still have his doubts.

"Are you still doubtful of me being a soul traveler?", I asked.

"I understand the part that you were able to get in Brandenburg because of the failed apotropaic spells… and you were able to pick out a sceptre because you are Tris' daughter… your powers define your capabilities as a Celestial Healer..", he uttered.

"But?", I asked as I lifted my brows.

"If you're a soul traveler, you should have a mark.", he said. I knew it, he needs to see a proof of my honesty.

"A mark?", I asked. Then, I remembered the swirls that I found on my body.

"They say, healer soul travelers engrave a swirl of entrance to the body they possess. It disappears when they leave", he explained.

"I do have that", I stood up and loosened my brocade coat to show my markings. When he noticed it's scarred in somewhere private, his face turned red as a tomato and turned away.

"No, no no. You don't have to show it.", Atrius nervously said. "So what are you going to do now?", he asked as he waited for me to close my coat.

"I'm going to Caluso, find my way back home to Aelmere before my act of possession turn Agalea's soul to dusts.. from there, I can finally know what happened to my mother", I explained. I chose not to tell Atrius that my father is here, for it might bring more misunderstandings.