Chapter Five - Incorrigible
The coldness of the apartment is still present, bitter and stinging. Though Rowan didn't seem
to mind the cold, much to Mara's envy.
"Oh wow… this is an apartment." Rowan says, scanning the cramped box Mara calls home.
"Thanks" Mara responds before putting a hoodie on and grabbing some sweatpants. "Make yourself
comfortable" Mara says before disappearing into the bathroom. Rowan looks around taking in the
cold, thankful for her outfit of choice. She then spots the tome open on Mara's counter and
curiosity takes over. She strides over carefully, half expecting the tome to jump out at her.
When she reaches it, she can only see a glimpse of the page before the tome slams itself shut
causing Rowan to nearly jump out of her skin.
"What was the noise?" Mara asks while leaving the restroom.
"Your stupid book! I tried looking at it and it closed on me." Rowan says, frustrated at the
fact she has just been scared. Mara walks over and opens the tome and smirks at Rowan.
Mara chuckles, "books cannot close by themselves."
"You have seen far more unbelievable things than a book that can close itself. Besides what
even is written in this book? I have not seen a language quite like it." Rowan scans the page
seeing symbols that do not match any alphabet in the world.
"I am not sure, though some of the pages I do know what is said on them." Mara says while
flipping through the tome and then stopping at a page. "This one is for the companion ritual."
Rowan thinks for a second while looking at the page she cannot read but Mara can, "have you
tried making a translation or a cipher from the pages you do know?"
"No."
"We should get on that then, cause if we can form a proper cipher, we can hopefully learn a
little more about this book and what it entails. I am thinking that these symbols are just made
up by whoever wrote it. As a way to keep the contents secret". Mara simply nods along as Rowan
speaks.
"Why can I read some of the pages?" Mara asks.
"I am not sure, perhaps you are meant to read it, chosen by the author. Some magical folks have
used encrypted language that others can read through enchantment. Think like they gave you the
encryption key."
"I seriously doubt that, look around you, I mean I stock shelves for a living."
"The world works in mysterious ways Mara, have you considered that perhaps there is more for
you in this world?"
Mara simply glares at Rowan unsure of how to respond. "We should begin." Mara eventually says.
The following hour is one where Mara would find a word, tell Rowan what said word is in English
and have Rowan write it down in both the language and English. Luckily the alphabet that the
tome uses is twenty-six letters, further cementing Rowan's theory that the "language" is more a
secret code than a new unknown language. As soon as the final character is deciphered the paper
bursts into a bright green flame reducing the paper, and the cipher with it, into ash.
"What have you gotten yourself into Mara." Rowan eventually says, still in shock.
"I do not know…" Mara says waving the smoke away.
"Well, I am even more interested in this. That flame, it was the same color as the current
around your left hand. Which tells me that there must be some kind of ward work going on. We
should try to find some literature on this topic or maybe try splitting the cipher into two
pages. I wonder if the ward counts if we take a picture of it." Rowan's speech gets faster and
faster as she begins thinking about the implications. Mara starts to space out as she becomes
overwhelmed by Rowan's incessant thinking aloud. Confused by the constant talk about "ward
architecture" and "ciphers." She is way in over her head, and she would like for it to all
stop. She stares out the window into the dark night, the only escape she has. The night outside
is endless black, broken up by the gleam of stars that manage to break through the branches of
the tree. Her reflection staring back at her, she looks exhausted and in distress, the center
of her pupils have a small red dot in each that pierces the dark. The hair on Mara's neck stand
up and she feels like she should run away, yet she is frozen. That is until Rowan moves in
front of Mara breaking the trance.
"Helloooo Mara you there." Rowan says, trying to get Mara's attention.
"Yeah sorry, what do you need."
"I think we should pause for tonight, you look pretty tired."
"Yeah, I thin- "
"Can I stay here tonight?" Rowan cuts Mara off.
Mara pinches the bridge of her nose and says, "do you not have somewhere to sleep."
"No, my last place was with my master, but she is dead and I doubt the shore men have left.
They tend to stalk places that they have raided waiting for the hapless apprentice to return."
Mara sighs, "fine but you will be sleeping on the floor, on the dirty laundry pile if you
want some cushion."
"Well, it beats not sleeping." Rowan says while getting up and looking around. "Mind if I sleep in my underwear?"
"You have not slept? How long ago did your master die?"
"About three days ago"
"Three days ago?!?!? You seem to be taking it well if your master just died."
"Well, I think I am still in shock, I am sure it will all come crashing down soon. Anyway,
underwear yes or no, I would be more comfortable sleeping in my underwear."
"Yeah, sure do what you want." Mara says while getting up and taking a blanket off her bed and
tossing it to Rowan before she started to strip. After Rowan finds a suitably comfortable spot
on the floor Mara turns off the lights and settles into bed, bidding Rowan a good night.
"Can you put your left hand under the blanket? the current is too bright for me to sleep."
Rowan says after about 15 minutes.
"Rowan you are incorrigible." Mara responds before putting her left hand under the sheets.