+- World of Pern (https://pern.second-pass.net/forum)
+-- Forum: Fort Territories (https://pern.second-pass.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?fid=7)
+--- Forum: Fort Weyr (https://pern.second-pass.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?fid=123)
+--- Thread: [G] [C] 741.12.23 | A Ghost (/showthread.php?tid=4777)
741.12.23 | A Ghost - Helyna - 24.Dec.20
Helyna read the note again for the third time, trying to figure out if this was some sort of cruel joke. It wasn’t likely—Sariel was about the sweetest person Helyna had ever met, and Cazan wasn’t the sort to play jokes. Besides, neither of them had any way of knowing about this.
She stared at the sketch again; a windswept and unkempt appearance and slightly haunted expression stared back up from the page. Just like the note, it seemed to have been made in a hurry. It didn’t look like him, but it had been ten years, and this was a quick sketch, not the man himself.
What’s the harm in checking? If he is a liar, we can easily determine that, and give him to the Weyrleaders to deal with for wasting time and upsetting multiple goldriders. The gold’s voice was calm and rational and Helyna wanted to scream.
What if he isn’t? How is that even possible? Helyna rose abruptly, walking away from the table and pacing. “He’s dead, Iliyith. Vondal died 10 turns ago.” But who else would use that nickname? And why?
The firelizard chirped from the shelf it had perched on, reminding her it was still there. She’d forgotten entirely. Crossing back to the desk, she wrote a brief reply and tied it. Iliyith helped her give the flit directions to take it back to Cazan, and it popped between with another chirp.
Pouring herself a drink, she looked back at the scraps of paper on the desk, then swallowed the shot of whiskey. Hopefully her hands and face wouldn’t give away her nerves, she thought, as she set the glass down with a clink and went to get her flight gear.