Maggie
exclaimed as soon as she understood. Kelsey glanced over at Roland,
who shook his head to indicate that the translation was still
incorrect .
“Closer,
though, ” he
replied.
“The bird is
saying Megan ’ s
name, ” Kelsey
informed Maggie. She and Maggie both concentrated and listened
again as the bird spoke.
“Greetings.
Megan is taking good care of your soul, ” Maggie finally said as she
stood upright.
Kelsey turned to
Roland who nodded that the translation was correct. Kelsey repeated
the bird ’ s
speech and said the phrase aloud as she reflected on the sounds the
bird had made and how they translated into human speech. After
about a minute, she turned to Roland. “ What does that
mean? ”
“What it sounds
like it means: Megan is taking very good care of your
soul. ”
“My soul? ” Kelsey asked in
confusion. “ How
did she get it, and why isn ’ t my soul with me? Am I hearing
you correctly? Or is this part of the sorcerer ’ s spell? Is the spell confusing
my hearing? ”
“You heard me.
Didn ’ t you read
the contract you signed before you left? ”
“Read it? It
was, like, 30 pages or more! Of course I didn ’ t read it. I was preparing for a
quest and didn ’ t have time for that! ”
“Read
what? ” Maggie
asked.
“The
contract, ” Kelsey replied.
“You probably
should have read it, ” Maggie said with conviction as she shook her head
solemnly .
“It ’ s not as if Megan
isn ’ t trustworthy, ” Roland said
helpfully.
“That ’ s
not the point. She has my soul! ” Kelsey exclaimed. She threw her arms up in the
air and dropped them again as she cursed.
“Not all of it.
She only has a piece. You still have most of it. ”
“That ’ s
still not the point. She shouldn ’ t have any of it without my
permission. ”
“But you did
give her permission when you signed the contract, ” Roland explained. He cocked his
head to one side and stared back at Kelsey with a confused
expression on his face. His rust colored fur fluttered in the
breeze as he waited for her to respond.
Kelsey looked around in
exasperation. Her whole situation felt absurd. She saw the raven
sitting in front of her with feathers so black that they reflected
a deep shade of blue in the sunlight. Death was at her side, and
his fans were off in the distance, talking among themselves,
excited to be so near their idol. Then there was Maggie, who seemed
to have a natural ability to talk with the birds. Finally there was
the fact that she had accidentally sold off a piece of her soul.
That last bit of information was what pushed her over the
edge.
“I can ’ t believe
this, ” Kelsey
said.
“I believe
it, ” Maggie
said with conviction. “ Contracts are binding. ”
Kelsey took a
step backward and put her hand on her forehead. The concept was
dizzying, and she was upset with herself for not reading the
document that she had carelessly signed. She had been too
interested in getting started on the quest to pay attention. She
had also trusted Megan. They were supposed to be friends. But
friends don ’ t
steal each others ’ souls.
Kelsey’s mind
rapidly considered the options. Was it possible that Megan was
working for the sorcerer? Yes, it could be possible. She could be a
double agent. But then Kelsey had traveled with her before and
didn ’ t think it
was true. Roland also wasn ’ t as concerned as Kelsey thought
he should be. Surely, with all of his knowledge, Roland would be
able to determine Megan ’ s true character. If Megan was
dishonest, Roland would know, and Kelsey trusted Roland to tell her
the truth. So, if Megan wasn ’ t dishonest, and Roland trusted
her, then perhaps there was a reason for taking a piece of
someone ’ s soul.
There had to be a very good explanation, and the only one that
Kelsey could think of would be to help the other person stay
alive.
“I suppose that
if I get mortally wounded in battle, it would be a good idea to
have a piece of my soul in
exclaimed as soon as she understood. Kelsey glanced over at Roland,
who shook his head to indicate that the translation was still
incorrect .
“Closer,
though, ” he
replied.
“The bird is
saying Megan ’ s
name, ” Kelsey
informed Maggie. She and Maggie both concentrated and listened
again as the bird spoke.
“Greetings.
Megan is taking good care of your soul, ” Maggie finally said as she
stood upright.
Kelsey turned to
Roland who nodded that the translation was correct. Kelsey repeated
the bird ’ s
speech and said the phrase aloud as she reflected on the sounds the
bird had made and how they translated into human speech. After
about a minute, she turned to Roland. “ What does that
mean? ”
“What it sounds
like it means: Megan is taking very good care of your
soul. ”
“My soul? ” Kelsey asked in
confusion. “ How
did she get it, and why isn ’ t my soul with me? Am I hearing
you correctly? Or is this part of the sorcerer ’ s spell? Is the spell confusing
my hearing? ”
“You heard me.
Didn ’ t you read
the contract you signed before you left? ”
“Read it? It
was, like, 30 pages or more! Of course I didn ’ t read it. I was preparing for a
quest and didn ’ t have time for that! ”
“Read
what? ” Maggie
asked.
“The
contract, ” Kelsey replied.
“You probably
should have read it, ” Maggie said with conviction as she shook her head
solemnly .
“It ’ s not as if Megan
isn ’ t trustworthy, ” Roland said
helpfully.
“That ’ s
not the point. She has my soul! ” Kelsey exclaimed. She threw her arms up in the
air and dropped them again as she cursed.
“Not all of it.
She only has a piece. You still have most of it. ”
“That ’ s
still not the point. She shouldn ’ t have any of it without my
permission. ”
“But you did
give her permission when you signed the contract, ” Roland explained. He cocked his
head to one side and stared back at Kelsey with a confused
expression on his face. His rust colored fur fluttered in the
breeze as he waited for her to respond.
Kelsey looked around in
exasperation. Her whole situation felt absurd. She saw the raven
sitting in front of her with feathers so black that they reflected
a deep shade of blue in the sunlight. Death was at her side, and
his fans were off in the distance, talking among themselves,
excited to be so near their idol. Then there was Maggie, who seemed
to have a natural ability to talk with the birds. Finally there was
the fact that she had accidentally sold off a piece of her soul.
That last bit of information was what pushed her over the
edge.
“I can ’ t believe
this, ” Kelsey
said.
“I believe
it, ” Maggie
said with conviction. “ Contracts are binding. ”
Kelsey took a
step backward and put her hand on her forehead. The concept was
dizzying, and she was upset with herself for not reading the
document that she had carelessly signed. She had been too
interested in getting started on the quest to pay attention. She
had also trusted Megan. They were supposed to be friends. But
friends don ’ t
steal each others ’ souls.
Kelsey’s mind
rapidly considered the options. Was it possible that Megan was
working for the sorcerer? Yes, it could be possible. She could be a
double agent. But then Kelsey had traveled with her before and
didn ’ t think it
was true. Roland also wasn ’ t as concerned as Kelsey thought
he should be. Surely, with all of his knowledge, Roland would be
able to determine Megan ’ s true character. If Megan was
dishonest, Roland would know, and Kelsey trusted Roland to tell her
the truth. So, if Megan wasn ’ t dishonest, and Roland trusted
her, then perhaps there was a reason for taking a piece of
someone ’ s soul.
There had to be a very good explanation, and the only one that
Kelsey could think of would be to help the other person stay
alive.
“I suppose that
if I get mortally wounded in battle, it would be a good idea to
have a piece of my soul in
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