Allaria's head felt clear. In fact, it felt too clear, and too quickly. As the stairwell came into focus, the rush of sensation was too much. She stumbled, giddy, and pressed against the wall for support. As she closed her eyes, mentally gathering her reserves, she felt a hand on her arm.
"Allaria?" came a voice, filled with concern. With the speaker so close, the voice brought with it a strong and nauseating smell of cheap beer.
Allaria opened her eyes, and looked up at her friend Dara, seeing the worry in those half-elven eyes. She gathered herself, glad to see her friend and not wishing to worry her further.
"I am " she stopped, rethinking her wording until she was clear on what had happened." I am fine dear friend. Thank you."
Dara nodded, the worry not quite leaving her face. "When you slipped the necklace on, your eyes glazed over. Are you back to being you?" Dara asked. Inside, Karyn was growing concerned that something might be possessing Jon. The wording of her reply seemed off somehow. Even given the filtering effect of Allaria's speech it didn't seem like something Jon would say.
Allaria smiled grimly, hearing her friend's question. "So, it is as I thought then. That would explain the amount of dirt in this stairwell we seem to find ourselves in. A secret passage of some kind?"
"Don't you remember? I opened it and you followed me in. You tripped over your own feet and we both fell down the stairs. At least you got a soft landing." Dara grumped.
Allaria did remember something, but it was vague, nebulous, skirting the edges of her mind. Elusive. As she reached out for it, it flitted from her mental grasp. Something about a week in her life? No, that didn't make sense. Or did it? The amulet of mind had restored her mind, but had she been someone else? For a week? Or was it someone else was going to be her for a week? The thought was intolerable; being turned into someone else for any period of time.
Still, she found that she could not remember anything clearly since retiring to her chambers the previous night. She could pull out mere snatches of that morning, nothing more.
One thing was inescapable. Her behaviour must have been so off, that Dara had sensed something was wrong, that she was not who she was supposed to be, and had taken steps to rectify it. Allaria was not sure who else she could trust, but her best friend was apparently one of those she could.
Allaria looked across the stairwell to the pedestal that had held the amulet. Kneeling before it to properly examine it, she spoke to Dara. "I am fine dear friend. The amulet has restored my clarity of mind, restored me to myself. I cannot thank you enough for saving me from whatever ghastly fate the person who so corrupted my mind did intend.
"How did you know?" This last, she directed to Dara, turning her head to meet her gaze.
Karyn's mind was racing as she took in what Allaria was saying. That it wasn't Jon in there anymore. That somehow the amulet had transformed Jon's mind into Allaria's completely? Would taking the amulet off restore Jon? Could she get it off Allaria? Should she wait for a better opportunity? Would Jon come back at the end of the week, when they left, if she did not take it off? What does she say to her?
Karyn's mind was a jumble of conflicting emotions and alcohol. So,. When she opened her mouth to reply, everything came tumbling out at once.
Dara belched, long and loud.
