Overflowing

“Where are you all going?” Mira asked Kasian.

She was hiding in the barn, and Kasian was visiting her just before his leave. Mira was sitting down on the pile of straw, the black tomcat Muro sitting on her lap. She was stroking his velvety fur, the animal purring, kneading on her legs.

Usually, only Kasian with his mother used to go to work, the two siblings stayed together at home, taking care of the youngest, but today, she could see that all siblings were packing, the mother taking the youngest onto her back with her.

“I was talking to my mother. Both Thomas and Anna are old enough to start working as helpers somewhere. We were thinking that Anna can learn to do the same things my mother is doing and work in the same household, instead of her, and I will teach Thomas how to care about animals and other stuff. They need to learn how to be independent.”

Mira understood.

“You decided to let them both… go?”

She cleared her throat, feeling guilty again.

“Yes,” Kasian answered. “I was thinking about this many nights, and I just couldn’t find any other good solution. So I thought that maybe it is time to put all things into the proper order.”

“But what about Anna and Thomas? If we stay here, they don’t need to work. They are only twelve and ten.”

“I shouldn’t be here either,” Kasian said. “The real Peter has been dead for months. I understand I made them dependent on me, but that was never my goal. I just wanted them to live a proper life. I want to leave with you. I want to go somewhere far, where no one will haunt us.”

“So…” Mira said, stroking the cat, not looking into his eyes, “when we leave together, you will change your way of life.”

“Probably.”

“Then… that’s good,” she said.

Something did not seem right the way she said that. He wanted to ask her, but he did not have enough time today.

“Hey, can I go to the town today?”

“No,” he said. “We will go together, once everything is ready. We will buy some things we will need for traveling, and we will leave Riverod.”

“Okay,” she said.

“Mira.”

“Mhmm?”

“Look at me!”

She raised her head, meeting his purple gaze.

“What are you hiding from me?” he asked.

Should she tell him what Peter's soul shared with her? If she drops this on him, he will probably avoid her. After all, the real Peter told her, she will be the source of his misfortune. But that was not right! She fell in love with him, how could she ever hurt him? She would give her lifespan to him if she could.

“Nothing. Just… just be careful, okay?” she said. “I don’t feel well today.”

“Should I bring you something from the market?”

“I am fine.”

“Okay then. We are going.”

“Take care.”

They all left, and she stayed in the barn. Lying down on the straw, the tomcat curled next to her, and they both fell asleep. When she opened her eyes, several hours later, it was already time for lunch. The cat was also gone.

She left the barn, going through the hut, but the thing was, she was bored. She was here the whole day since she came, and there was nothing to do anymore. Now, when Thomas was also not here, she did not have someone to talk to. Usually, he would show her how to take care of their animals, and he would request Anna to tell her how to tend to their garden. Anna listened to his brother, although it was clear she was reluctant. But after they worked together in the garden for a few weeks, she was beginning to open up to her.

Every time Mira remembered, she was aware of her because she could feel her true nature, and she felt guilty. Not to mention now, when they both decided with Kasian, they will leave them. They were only children. If they left them in their original world, it would be a crime. But here, it was kinda a normal occurrence. If you had too many children and they were old enough, they had to work too, so the whole family could eat.

She remembered that Kasian said that this family was also poor, but they had a cow and were able to plant a lot of things in their garden. He was constantly bringing them food. His mother told her he was working at the same household as she. Apparently, a rich merchant was living in this town, and he needed multiple people to clean his house or take care of the animals. Was he really so generous with the wages? The rich merchants were usually rich because they were stingy.

Mira put a cloak around her shoulders and decided to check out the Riverod town. There would be no harm in walking in the streets, checking out the market Kasian mentioned.

She had to walk for a while to get into the town square, but the weather was great and people to busy to notice her. The square was now full of open market stalls, and it was bustling with life. She was walking around, looking at the multiple goods people were selling. From the fresh fruits and vegetables to the pastries and dairy products. Some were selling jams, others fragrant herbs. Fine clothes and leather boots caught her eye. She even found one stall selling wire jewelry. Compared to the goods in her original world, this was nothing special, really, but it still made her heart beat faster.

She stopped before one of the stalls, which was selling multiple trinkets.

“What are these?” she asked, pointing at the charms hanging on the leather string.

“Oh, good eye, miss,” the old lady selling in the stall said. “These are the metal charms which will keep you safe against misfortune. Wear one around your neck or in your pocket, and it will ward off all evil.”

“But…”

Wasn't magic banned in the Silgorod kingdom? Were not these trinkets considered part of witchcraft?

Mira lowered her voice: “Is the church fine with selling these things?”

“My dear, I am glad you asked. These are the medals of St. Benedict, which were blessed by our head priest! Of course, you are safe to wear it! Would you like to buy one?”

“I don’t have any coins on me, right now,” Mira said. “But I will return in the afternoon.”

Mira turned away, thinking. What did the blessing do in this world? Nothing? Or was it also some kind of magic? From what Severian told her, the magic slowly disappeared from this kingdom, and only religion remained. They should not have any special powers.

A big carriage was going across the street, two horses pulling it. Multiple people stopped to look at it, some even whispering and pointing fingers at it. The person who was sitting inside was definitely someone rich. Maybe the merchant who employed Kasian with his mother?

Mira followed after the carriage. She saw it was going through the main street to the big house standing right next to the square, probably the most expensive plot of land in this town. Only the church had a better location, standing nearby, with its tower high.

Mira approached the house. She saw a middle-aged man stepping out. He was definitely well. His clothes were new and clean, and he had a big, round belly hidden under them. She did not see any people like this here. The majority of townsfolk had to work the whole day and were not overeating, so they were able to stay lean. This person did not have to work manual labor for sure.

She saw as he entered the house and wanted to turn and return to the hut, but a loud noise got her attention. The sound of breaking echoed through the open window at the house, followed by a loud woman's scream.

Few people crossing the square stopped there, turning their heads.

“You filthy wench!”

Another shattering sound escaped outside.

People now stop pretending they are not interested. Instead of standing on the square, they moved near the house, standing before the main entrance. Mira also stepped closer.

“Should we barge inside?”

“Don’t you hear that poor woman screaming?”

They did not care one bit about privacy or trespassing. The townsfolk just went straight into the merchant's house, either trying to help or get a good look at the drama happening inside. Mira followed them, pulling a cape over her head. If this was the house where Kasian and his mother worked, his whole family should be there, right? She did not want them to recognize her.

She stepped inside, but what she saw made her speechless. The scene unfolding before her eyes made her stomach drop. The merchant was screaming and throwing his expensive things around, shattering them. His half-naked wife was on the floor, covering herself and shivering in fear. Next to her, a young man was crouching – Kasian.

The merchant's wife was having an affair with Kasian. Now it was crystal clear why Kasian was always able to get so much food and care for his whole family. The lonely wife gave him anything he wanted. The merchant arrived home unexpectedly today and caught them. Because of his shouting, Kasian's mother with siblings came down, seeing everything.

Swayed by her mixed emotions, Mira was not able to think clearly. What should she even do in this situation? Shove out the audience? Pity the family seeing their son in the true light? Stop the argument? Ask the merchant for forgiveness? Prevent the possible murder? Or cause it?

Her head spun. It felt like her mind was trying to remember something that was missing in its respective place.

“A married woman!”

“With a village boy!”

“I wish I could wed my daughter to him, this wench does not deserve that!”

A sense of familiarity enveloped her, but she was unable to grasp what was causing it. Trying to remember only made it worse. A strong headache descended upon her, thumping in her temples.

“How could you?” Kasian's mother shouted at him. “Didn’t I raise you to know better than this! You brought shame to all our family! How will we be able to find work in this town now?”

Just… stop.

I curse you to always run after those women you adore so much, but never feel any satisfaction, until you feel crazy. Until one day, you will do such a thing that someone will make you pay for it with what is most precious to you.

Who said that? What was it?

A sharp pain stung her head as if a thunderbolt had split her head open. Mira went blind from the pain.

It is not in your fate to give out your whole years for him. You shall be the one to bring about his doom.

“STOP!”

The havoc in the merchant's house quieted down at once, surprised by a sudden loud shouting. People standing around her moved away, creating a free space around her.

Mira dropped to her knees, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Kasian recognized her voice immediately. “Mira…”

“How dare you?” she screamed. “How dare you?”

If this were the old Mira, with her heart broken countless times, she would accept this, although it would still hurt. It would not be the first time she would see him with a different woman, after all. But now, with her memories wiped clean, she did not expect this to happen. Her heart broke for the first time in this world, and it bled. It felt like an ancient wound deep inside her had opened. It hurt… hurt like nothing before.

The souls of the dead descended upon them, waiting for the orders, ready to receive the payment. Mira, full of pain and anger, did not think about the consequences.

She gave the order. The powerful magic poured out of her, destroying everything. Her eyes bled, turning red, and her long hair turned silver.

“Wait,” Leonard said. “What happened after that?”

Mira looked at him with her red eyes. She was sitting on the bed in the inn, Leonard on the empty chair next to the desk.

“We were forced to leave the Riverod,” she answered. “Because I stopped the lifespan transfer, I think that the two family members died as they were supposed to in the beginning. As for his other two siblings, Thomas and Anna, I do not know. I doubt they were able to work in the merchant's house, and I doubt anyone would take them after that incident. They are on their own.”

“So… now you do not remember almost anything from your previous life?”

“I do not remember almost anything from this life either,” Mira said.

They both went quiet.

A door opened, Kasian stepping in. One look at his face, and Leonard knew he was listening behind the door. Ignoring him, he came to the Mira, kneeling, taking her hands into his.

“You chose this memory to be the core of your existence?” he asked, his voice broken.

Mira nodded slowly.

“But why?”

“To not forget my own sins,” she replied.

“I wish I could reverse your magic,” Kasian said. “I wish I could turn you back into a human and make you remember.”

“I don’t want that,” Mira said. “Me giving those memories away means I wanted to forget them. The only thing I wish is to stop the pain in my head. But that is also just a useless wish of mine. Either way, I don’t think there is a mage powerful enough who would be able to reverse the damage I did.”

“But there is,” Leonard said.

Mira with Kasian looked at him.

“Didn’t they say that the Moon Princess is the most powerful holy saintess in the whole world?”

“But she is not a saintess,” Mira objected.

“Exactly! You told me she is nothing but a witch. Is a witch and a mage not the same thing?”

“You think she will use her magic to save me? Why would she?”

“As a saintess, she should be helping other people, right?” Leonard said. “That is what saintesses do.”

Mira rolled her eyes.

“To be honest,” Leonard said, “I am thinking I want to go to the capital of Lunaria. We will cross the border tomorrow and end up in Lunaria, anyway, why not go there? We will need to find a way to survive, and capital will have the most work. We can find some jobs there.”

“I think it is worth a try,” Kasian said.

Leonard looked at him, unsure if he was mocking him or agreeing with him. Well, this was a first. This had to mean something.

“But another reason is, the Silgorod priests are all about the prophecy about the Red North Star and the calamity it will bring. Wouldn’t it be better to have the Moon Princess on our side, then?”

Mira sighed. “I am also interested in the corpse we found today. I want to know what is happening with Lunaria's priests.”

Leonard smiled. Mira was being honest now. He exchanged glances with Kasian. Their Miss Necromancer was finally obedient.

“Deal done?” he asked.

“Fine,” Mira grumbled, “we'll go at dawn.”