With Jeni gone and on her way home or her next patient, things slowly started returning to normal for the White Moon Café crew and their fearless leader. Beth kept up with the health regiment laid out before her by the good witch, and admittedly, she started feeling a little better, not only physically but also mentally. She still experienced some weird dreams here and there, but she never expected to rid herself of them, especially given her track record for finding danger and adventuring. One can only see so many things before they start showing up in the form of daydreams or nightmares. Thankfully, they weren't causing her to jolt awake in the middle of the night, covered in a cold sweat and wondering if it was just her vivid imagination or a foreboding premonition.
Even though Beth was feeling better, most of the staff still trod lightly around her. At first, she thought it was somewhat humorous how everyone treated her like she was on her deathbed, but the gestures quickly grew old. Harper and Justice were arguably the worst of the bunch. Harper would sneak into Beth's room while she slept and pick out her outfits, laying them on the dresser so Beth didn't have to do it herself. Justice would deliver breakfast in bed every morning, which was nice, but after all the bed rest, the last thing Beth wanted to do was spend another waking minute on that tired old mattress.
Pax, despite being known for his immense laziness, would even jump out of his chair every time the boss entered the room just to open doors or pull a seat out for her to sit on. Arvid, still embarrassed about the episode that took place the day Jeni left, did his best to avoid the female staff members. Beth didn't mind that part so much because at least it kept their resident handyman busy. Anytime she would enter a space, same with Harper and Justice, Arvid would quickly declare something that needed to be fixed and then dart off to make it happen. Needless to say, the café looked as if it had been almost entirely renovated since Jeni left. At the end of the day, Beth loved her work family and would do anything for them, but she couldn't hide the fact that she was craving some time away, at least to secure her own sanity.
"Oh boy," she winced at the thought of how everyone would react if she told them she wanted to take a week or two off to go questing. "Yeah, I'm sure that'll go over great." That night, she had a dream that she set out to do precisely that, but a few hours into the excursion, Harper and Justice popped up from her travel supplies like little stowaways. Even though this was the furthest thing from a nightmare, the dream surprise was enough to jolt her out of deep sleep. Beth glanced at the moon outside her window, realizing it was still the very early hours of the morning. "Perhaps if I lock the door now, I won't have to worry about—"
"Lock the door?" Harper said softly. She was laying an outfit on the dresser for Beth to change into when she got up.
Beth wasn't caught off guard often, but Harper walking out of the shadowy corner gave her a little scare. "Damn, Harp! How long have you been standing there?"
"I'm not sure I want to answer that, given the hostility I'm sensing here," Harper quipped back. She had that tone a child has when they backtalk their parents, knowing they did something they shouldn't have.
"Harper, so help me—if you don't tell me how long—"
"All night, alright! Happy?" Harper made her way to the door like a scorned puppy. She looked tired like she had just woken up herself.
"All night? You have to be kidding me! What do you do, just come in as soon as I fall asleep and—and—and then what? Just sit there in the chair?" Harper didn't say anything. "You know what—I'm not sure I want you to answer that."
Harper couldn't hide the guilt from her face. Typically, she would sneak in an hour or two after Beth fell asleep. She would then pick out the clothes, lay them on the dresser, and sneak back out—but this particular night, she felt tired, which prompted her to sit in the chair propped up in the corner. She must have fallen asleep, but after hearing the disdain in Beth's voice, she doubted whether her best friend would actually believe her if she told the truth. "I'm just trying to help," Harper finally blurted out.
Beth paused, still slowly working herself awake—despite wanting desperately to go back to bed. However, given the situation at hand, that was likely not going to happen. She felt the anger rising inside but did her best to quell it. Beth took a deep breath and groggily collected her thoughts. The last thing she wanted to do was say something she'd regret later, but the current spell of cabin fever she was trying to work off wasn't helping. "Yeah, I know," she finally said with a sigh.
"I'm sorry. I know this isn't easy for someone like you—" Harper started.
"Someone like me? What the hell is that supposed to mean?" For some reason, Beth instantly took Harper's words the ill-intended way, and just like that—she was back on the offensive.
"Calm down, would you?" Harper dished the attitude right back. "I mean someone who does everything for themselves and all those around them. Someone self-sufficient, someone who likes danger and adventure and is never one to turn away from a perilous situation, no matter how scary or stupid it is. If you're going to attest to those facts, I might as well call Genevieve back down here to check your damn head!"
"Oh," Beth untensed her muscles and relaxed against the headboard. "I'm sorry, Harp. I'm feeling a bit like a rat in a cage lately."
Harper took a deep breath and walked over to Beth. "No need to apologize—I can't say I understand what you're going through, but I get that it's difficult and uncharted territory. It's just that you do so much for everyone else around here; we all feel like we have to step up twice as hard to be there for you."
"I appreciate the gesture, and you guys have been phenomenal, but—"
"But?" Harper said quickly, almost sounding disgusted.
"But—I'm good. I just need a little breathing room right now, that's all. You guys also have to trust that if I need assistance with something, I'll ask."
Harper laughed as if she was watching something hilarious. "Oh, come on, sweetie—we both know that ain't true. It'll be a cold day in Hell before you, of all people, ask for help."
"Yeah, that's probably true," Beth agreed with a half-cocked smile, "But regardless, you have my word that at this given moment, I am perfectly capable of getting my own clothes and..." Beth glanced at her bedroom door, "I can make my own coffee!" she yelled loud enough, sensing that Justice had her ear pressed up against the keyhole. Her booming voice caused the young girl to topple over on the other side, giving her position away. "Although it's all greatly appreciated—I just need some 'me' time, okay?"
"Okay," Justice whimpered from the other side of the oaken door. "I'm sorry..."
"No apologies necessary, anyone. Look, we can talk about this later, or better yet—not at all. Let's just try to pretend like everything is like it used to be, deal?"
Harper scoffed but then felt the voice of reason. "Alright, fine. Deal."
"Deal," Justice declared from beyond the door, sounding slightly relieved.
"Great. Now, if you'll excuse me," Beth hopped out of bed and led Harper to the door. "I'm going to change my lock and try to get a little more sleep before the sun comes up."
"Change your lock?" Harper tried to resist, but Beth kept leading her, "Are you serious?"
"For heaven's sake, Harp—No! But I'm really starting to consider it."
"But, Beth—"
"Goodnight, Harper," Beth said, opening the door. Justice had already vacated the premises, careful not to test the waters with her idol any further. "I'll see you in a few hours."
"Whatever, but I'm not going to bed. I'll be in the kitchen if you need me," Harper turned but saw nothing but the heavy wooden door slam shut in front of her face.
Kitchen, your own room, the pond, I don't care where you go—just stay out of my room until further notice," Beth, reeling in her moment of victory, hopped back in bed and covered herself up.
Now, lying in the hushed embrace of her chamber, Beth found herself wide awake and dwelling on Jeni's revelation about two lifeless forms. As she mentally positioned herself in the shoes of one of those figures, the identity of the other became an elusive puzzle.
Her mind drifted back to the cavern. If Jeni's words hold any truth—which, frankly, Beth sees no reason to believe they don't—then she, herself, was likely to be one of those inert bodies. The pieces of the enigma seemed to be slotting into place, albeit with disconcerting clarity.
Beth's gaze flitted to her left ring finger, where the presence of the sky-blue band caught her eye. Then, her attention shifted to the amulet. What a mysterious ordeal it was—being whisked away into the depths of that cave by one of the valiant warriors.
What cataclysmic clash could render two souls motionless, locked in an eerie limbo between life and death?
A ripple of unease courses through Beth as she lifts her heavy eyes. Yet, strangely, her restless movements are not directed at the amulet; they're fixated on the ring. Despite adorning her finger for eight long decades without falter, it's the first time she's felt compelled to fiddle with it. She let the urge take over and soon found her fingers dancing with uncertainty that mirrored the tangled web of her innermost thoughts. "Geminos...Ring?"
She felt dizzy but otherwise fine. This was a bizarre occurrence, however. "....and...a—and the statue," Throughout her extensive travels, Beth had encountered countless random statues, each one stranger than the last. Yet, amidst the myriad of peculiar sculptures, they had always seemed inconsequential to her, mere background noise in the tapestry of her adventures. However, a newfound insight now dawns upon her.
Contemplating the peculiarities of these statues, Beth realized that not a single pair of them bears identical expressions or poses, at least from what she could recall. It's as if each one told its own unique story through the subtle nuances of its exceptional craftsmanship. This revelation sparks a flicker of curiosity within her, igniting a desire to delve deeper into the mysteries that surround these seemingly mundane yet intricately crafted figures. Could they hold the key to unraveling the fabric of her existence?
Most definitely, she thought.
Having already paced around the room for a good bit, Beth had been certain that something had to click. Yet, despite her fervent hopes, the elusive revelation remained stubbornly out of reach. With each futile circuit, frustration gnawed at her resolve, leaving her grasping at wisps of insight that refused to materialize. But now, with her will reignited by the newfound strength of her healed body, Beth resolved to leave no stone unturned until she found the answers she sought. Sure, it was bound to piss off the others, but she did enough for them—now it was time that she did something for herself. As she prepared to venture forth once more, a steely determination settled over her, driving her onward in pursuit of the elusive truth that had eluded her grasp for far too long.