Helena's eyes changed for a second, she looked angry, more angry than Lia had seen her before; but she also looked scared. But then her eyes suddenly changed, the emotion was gone and she was back to being her smiley self.
"You are Varithorn right?" she asked. Adonis, Fuju, and Lia all looked at each other in bewilderment.
"How did…" Lia began to ask.
"I would recognize the heir to Niepe, even with all that get up to protect yourself, Althea told me that you were coming," Helena answered, looking proud of herself and flipping her hair back.
"So you have been in contact with Althea?" Fuju asked.
Helena scoffed, "of course I have Fuju, what do you think I would neglect my morning meditation?" She said in a snarky manner. Fuju narrowed his eyes on her.
"That isn't what I meant. Helena our reports said that you were losing your blessing as well as your connection to Althea," he said.
"That's crazy!" Helena said gasping loudly, "is something like that even possible?"
Lia looked downward, not trying to give anything away but definitely feeling shame well up within her.
"Oh I see…" Helena said, "I'm sorry to hear that…" Lia had inadvertently given herself away.
"Listen Helena we heard some strange things have been going on so we came all this way to help, is there anything you know that may be able to help us?" Lia asked.
"Anything strange…" Helena said looking around the room, "well there is one thing," Helena motioned for them to come in close. The party did so. "A number of the druids have been taking baths in the hot springs that come from the mountain leaving them with a disgusting smell on them…it's very off putting and smells strange," Helena answers. Lia's shoulders immediately sunk.
"Useless," Fuju said, "this was a waste of time." Fuju began to walk away, Helena waved at him as he left.
"Helena are you sure?" Lia asked.
"Yeah it's really not great!" Helena replied.
Lia sighed and shook her head. Adonis opened his mouth to speak.
"Well then, Helena, why did you call us here?" Adonis asked. It was a good question. Lia had wondered as well. If there was no strange occurrence or anything like that, then why bring them to the Blessing of Love in the first place? Something didn't add up.
"Why? Because we are friends!" Helena replied, "even if I am truly unable to take part in the festivities I still want to spend time with you, especially Adonis," she said blushing.
"While that is very kind, you know that those of us here are searching for…" Adonis began to say.
"But this might be your last festival!" She yelled a little louder than necessary. "I just wanted to spend some more time with you…" Helena said softly and grabbed Adonis's arm.
Adonis sighed and looked to Lia, "would you mind letting me have some time with Helena?" Adonis asked.
"Adonis…" Lia began to reply.
"Please…I think it would be for the best. I'll catch up with you back at the ship," Adonis said, shaking his head. Lia knew there was no way around it. Helena held on tighter to Adonis' arm.
"Alright…be careful and Helena please treat him kindly," Lia asked.
She nodded excitedly. Lia looked towards Varithorn and the two of them continued out of the room. Lia looked behind her for a moment to see Helena happily holding Adonis's hand and laughing and jumping up and down. Even though Lia did not like Helena, she always treated her brother well. It made her smile just a little.
"This is strange…" Varithorn said, "things aren't adding up."
"I agree," Lia replied, "something is wrong here. I know Helena, there is a chance she truly does not know anything, but that doesn't mean nothing is happening."
"Or it could be someone is manipulating her…did you see that change in her expression?" Varithorn asked.
"It was definitely odd…" Lia replied. She had mixed feelings about that event in particular, in some ways it was exactly like something Helena would do. In other ways it was extremely out of the ordinary, it was hard to tell if it was suspicious or just Helena being Helena. The pair found Fuju pacing outside in the hallway with Telluides looking at home with the same old strange smile.. Lia could tell he was deep in thought. Varithorn tried to walk over to him but Lia quickly pulled him away.
"It is best to leave him be for the moment," she said, "he needs some time to sort through whatever is going on."
"Does he always pace like that?" Varithorn asked.
"Only when he is stressed," Lia answered.
They continued walking off to the side to wait and spend some time thinking as well, when they heard the voice of Rijin coming from their pockets.
Lia put away her sending stone and looked at the other two, "how could there be a reaver in the Blessing of Love and Helena didn't mention it?"
"Maybe she didn't know?" Varithorn replied.
"Impossible," Fuju answered, "Helena knows everything that goes on around here. It is literally whispered in her ear constantly."
"Then she chose not to tell us…why?" Varithorn asked. Again things were not adding up. The council was meant to have dropped in and been the one investigating, they were meant to curate everything that happened and yet that continued not to be the case. Every step of the way someone had been one step ahead of them, curating their steps, whatever was going on was not an investigation it was an ongoing coverup.
"Helena has reasons for everything. Veiled truths are her speciality. If she doesn't want us to know then she won't explain. From the moment we entered into the room I started casting different spells covertly to try and get a lay of the land, unfortunately nothing seemed out of the ordinary from an arcane sense," Fuju said.
"I can concur," Varithorn replied, "I'm sorry to say this now but I cast a spell of honesty around her, everything Helena said was true or at least it was what she really believed."
"It was good thinking but that might not have even worked. Althea might have counterspelled for her," Lia replied.
"If Althea is talking to her at all," A voice said. The group turned to see Telluides standing there. "I'm very sorry to interrupt but I think I might be able to help."