by Lisa Daniels
“Is that your son?” Kelsey asked, surprised because she hadn’t seen any hint of a baby before.
“No, he’s my cousin’s. She was busy today, so she just dropped off the baby to look after until then.” Ella cooed at the baby, who raised a pudgy hand to grab at her black hair. “Ah, don’t tug too hard...”
She said this so normally that Kelsey hesitated. “And Lord Rus doesn’t mind?”
“Of course not. We can offer the hospitality of this place to people in our lives. Besides… it’s not like he spends that much time here,” Ella said, now swaying her arms to try and lull the tiny human ball into sleep. “I’ll tell you once, a hundred times, a thousand times—Master Rus is nothing like that slimeball, Feylen.”
Suppressing the instinct to defend Feylen, Kelsey reluctantly nodded. “He’s a good man. Dragon. You know, I didn’t realize that dragons started off as humans.”
“It’s a power,” Ruby said. “Like your storm witch power. Seeing as we’re talking about that… how is your power getting on?”
“They haven’t found a storm witch to teach me yet,” Kelsey said. “So, I’m just working on controlling my emotions. They… appear when I’m not settled.”
“The sooner you learn, the better. A storm witch is super useful. We have light witches to create our light sources. Air witches to keep us safe from winds. And storm witches, who can summon storms and use lightning as a weapon. The natural energy of a storm provides a lot of money for people who use lightning rather than light witch powers. Usually, skyships have to go out hunting for storms so they can collect the lightning. But a storm witch…? That’s some big circs right there.”
It likely explained why Master Rus had some difficulties in locating a storm witch. He’d told her the last one to graduate from the Six Isles was living on some distant, small island, far away from here, where traders went for exotic animals and furs.
“You could just try to learn by yourself, too. I would,” Ella said, now squinting suspiciously at the baby boy, who had his eyes closed. “I hope you’re not tricking me, little wailer...”
Finishing off the hot chocolate, Kelsey wiped her mouth. “I’m not so sure. It seems dangerous. I don’t want to accidentally hurt someone.”
“So, just practice in a place where there aren’t many people,” Ruby shrugged, before she waved at the other two servants, Tia and Alice. The servants who slept in the other room grabbed drinks before hurrying off to their assigned work chores for the day. They only ever really talked to one another, maintaining a polite association with Ruby, Ella, and now Kelsey.
Which suited Kelsey just fine. Ella slowly walked out of the kitchen with the baby, and Ruby seemed quite content to sit where she was, making another drink for herself. Ruby did tend to spend a long time waking up in the mornings. A question sat inside Kelsey, one that grew with every day that passed ever since Master Rus had taken her out of Feylen’s home. Ever since she’d seen faint glimmers of disgust on his face when she cringed away from him, when she refused to look him in the eyes, when she spoke of herself as a burden.
He had genuinely gone out of his way to help her. She recognized that much. Education, therapy to try and make her question her own actions better. But with his help, she still couldn’t shrug off that look on his face.
She hadn’t imagined it. And she thought it related to why he spent little time with her, other than to ask her progress. Ruby might not be the best person to ask, but Kelsey didn’t exactly have other options, since her tutor and therapist knew next to nothing about Master Rus. “Can I ask you a question, Ruby?”
The dark-haired, dark-skinned girl raised her bushy eyebrows. “Sure. You can ask me anything, you know that.”
“I know.” And I’m grateful for it. “I was just wondering… about Master Rus.”
“What about him?”
Even thinking about asking the question sent a tremor of fear inside. “I was just wondering… why he helped me. I wasn’t the only servant in that place who was maltreated… but he helped me.”
Ruby shrugged. “I couldn’t tell you. He does it sometimes—just helps people out.”
“I could tell you.” A new, rougher voice penetrated the kitchen. Ruby and Kelsey turned, and saw a tattooed, short-haired woman swagger in through the door. Luan. “ ‘Bout why the dragon man goes around helping the little lost souls.”
“Skies,” Ruby whispered, placing a hand on Kelsey’s shoulder. “Why are you here?”
“I’m here for the storm witch.” Luan folded her black-sleeved arms, grinning as she took up a masculine stance. “We got places to be.”
Luan wore a sneer as Ruby left the room, glancing back every now and then with open hostility. Luan held out a hand to stop Kelsey following suit. “Nuh uh, girl. Looks like you’re already dressed to impress. You’re staying with me.”
Swallowing down fear, Kelsey reluctantly made her way back to the cupboards, distracting herself by making another drink. She already needed the bathroom as it was, but remembering what they said about the air witch—that she sucked the breath out of people’s lungs, that she retrieved “confessions” from criminals… Kelsey didn’t want to have to stare at Luan too much. Or give the woman an excuse to use her powers.
“Yeah, I’ll have a coffee. Black,” Luan said, as if expecting Kelsey to make something for her. Sighing inwardly, Kelsey began preparations for one. “Right, so before we leave, I can answer for you that little question you were asking the help.”
“Do you know Master Rus well, then?” Kelsey kept her conversation polite, her body guarded.
“Well enough. You’re not the only one he’s tried to save.” Luan stepped uncomfortably close to Kelsey, watching her prepare the drink. Her breath was practically on Kelsey’s neck. “He does tend to make the quiet, weak ones his pet projects.”
The words stung, and Kelsey couldn’t quite hide the tremor in her voice. “What do you mean?”
A brief pause. The hissing sounds of the kettle filled the room, as it warmed up from the stove fire. The kettle dangled from a metal bar above the fire.
“It’s a thing he does. Out of guilt. I may not know everything about him, but I do know that he used to have a sister. One that fell in with the wrong man. Sad, really.” Luan didn’t sound sad in her voice, which gave the story a cruel edge to it. “She was a dragon shifter, but she loved the man so much that she allowed him to grind her to a tiny, tiny point. Until she just didn’t understand the abuse, or didn’t want to understand it.”
A chill went through Kelsey. She turned briefly to face Luan, and the girl’s dark eyes were wide, and magnetic. Pulling Kelsey’s attention. “She was… abused?”
“Yes. He tried, you know. They say he didn’t, but from the time I’ve associated with him, I know that he tried sky-cursing hard to get her out of there. But once you get past a certain level of breaking down someone’s spirit, they’re gone.” She glanced towards the kettle. “Think it’s done, now.”
Hastily, Kelsey made it, her mind expanding from what Luan had told her. She didn’t know what to think or feel about it, so she said, “He helps people who are… abused… like his sister?” Handing the coffee to Luan, she watched as the air witch sniffed at it.
“Something like that. I imagine it gets tiring, watching so many people not stick up for themselves. Life’s already hard without making it worse by yourself, you know? So many people out there to put you down. Why do it for them?” She drank the coffee and let out a sigh. Draining it completely, Luan twitched her lips in an approximation of a smile. “Thanks. Come with me.”
Kelsey considered the words, her pulse picking up. Her trepidation around the air witch was drowned out by a new, growing curiosity. One that made her want to know just what exactly Master Rus thought of her. And by that extension, Luan.
She’d now figured out what about Luan scared her. The woman just didn’t care about softening her words. She was cruel. But not like… not like Feylen. “What do you think
he thinks of me? What do you think of me?”
“Sure you want me to answer that?” Luan led her out, now walking towards the nearest sky docks. “Since, no offense, you are the victim type.”
Although Kelsey flushed at the statement, she set her jaw. “I want to know.” I’m just not sure if I can handle it.
“No, you don’t.” Luan said nothing more for a moment, and they continued walking across the cold, stone ground, nearing a huge, stationary ship. “I can see it in your face. You’re not ready.”
On the ship, called the Elegant, Kelsey found herself surrounded by people, deckhands in a hurry over preparations, and spotted two women sitting in the alcove, talking. Two air witches? Lord Rus was there, too, buried within a group of people, none of whom Kelsey recognized.
“What...” Kelsey began, but stopped when a grumpy-looking woman stepped in front of her, with a lock of blonde in her otherwise dark hair.
“This is the storm witch, Luan?” the woman asked.
“Yes… but she’ll need some practice,” Luan said. “Kelsey, this is Alex. Alex, Kelsey. Both of you are Undercity dogs, right?”
Alex’s lips twitched. “Hopefully not from the same kind of background I had.”
“You’re from the Undercity?” Kelsey raised an eyebrow.
“Straight from the jail, yes. Before that, I worked in a baby farmer’s house.”
Kelsey winced at that. She’d heard about baby farmers. They’d take an unwanted child for some coin. Speculation remained just as to what happened to the child after it’d been handed over. “My parents were clockmakers. They owned a shop.”
“How did you get up here? I was sprung out of jail before they executed me. Meridas over there—” Alex jerked a thumb over at a tall, regal man, “wanted a witch to help heal his sister. And I was the one for the job. Life witch, at your service.”
Remembering from her tutor that there was a very prominent life witch active in the Six Isles, Kelsey nodded. “Oh! I’ve heard about you. You helped cure something very horrible, didn’t you? And you went on a journey to that place, Zamorka. With...” she hesitated. “Is this the same ship that went to Zamorka?”
“The very same,” Alex said. “Welcome to the Elegant.” She pointed over to the two women sitting in the alcove. “Over there are two talented air witches, Evelyn and Rukia. And there...” she pointed at a dark-haired woman who shared similar features with Meridas, “that’s Meridas’ sister, Vash. And his ex-wife, Natalie.”
There really were quite a lot of people here. Alex continued rattling out names, but Kelsey had phased out slightly, unable to concentrate. So many important figures here. So many people, some whom she had heard Master Feylen admire or insult. She remembered Master Feylen once wanting to try and buy Meridas’ pet life witch.
“Why am I here?”
She cut through the noise, and Luan simply pointed in the direction of Perran Rus. “You’d best be taking it up with him. I was just supposed to bring you here.” Before Kelsey could ask or beg Luan to stay with her, since Luan was the only familiar face right now, even if she happened to be scary, the witch strolled over to join the other two air witches in their alcove. Alex, meanwhile, had been swept up by Lady Vash, leaving Kelsey to pick her way over to Master Rus.
All the while, as she watched him, she thought about the sister he must have loved and lost. Someone who died. Details were hazy on the death, but it was likely related to the abuse she had received. Beaten to death? Suicide? She had a little window into Perran Rus’ soul, and it felt strange to be able to picture him in that light. Not as some police officer, or a dragon, or somebody who didn’t care. But as a man who had someone he couldn’t save.
Maybe that was why she had seen something in his eyes that resembled disgust.
Because she reminded him somewhere of his sister. Of his failure to save her. And perhaps… his sister’s own failure to save herself.
It seemed like such a strange thought to consider, but it’d been over a month since she was thrust into his house.
A month to distance herself from Lord Feylen’s shadow and to understand that, yes, it was okay to step out into the light, and it wouldn’t burn her in the process.
She just needed to keep reminding herself that things were okay.
Since she was told to ask Master Rus the reason for her being there, she approached him, even though she felt anxious at interrupting whatever he was saying to his men. No matter how many times she reminded herself that he wasn’t Lord Feylen, she still experienced a hitch of fear, addressing someone without permission.
Doing things alone was scary.
“Um, excuse me, Master Rus?” she said, too quiet at first. He continued his conversation with the dragon shifter known as Meridas, and she just wanted to slink away. However… he hadn’t heard her. It’d be stupid to react like that. She just needed to make herself clearer. “Master Rus?”
“Yes?” He turned instantly to look at her, one eyebrow raised. An instant little smile appeared on his lips. “Good to see you’re here.”
“Thanks. But… why am I here? I was just wondering, because I thought you were planning to continue my education in the house.”
“You need to learn how to be a storm witch,” he said, the smile increasing upon his lips. “And the nearest storm witch is a long distance away—in the higher islands, where people rarely dare to go. Though they are more prepared to go to the little islands than to Zamorka...”
Oh. She was here because he’d found someone to train her, and people to take her. Her stomach fluttered slightly in appreciation, and perhaps something else. There was something about his offhand dedication to her welfare that affected her, though she couldn’t fully explain it. Perhaps it was just the impression that someone cared, even when they didn’t have to. Like it took no effort to think about someone else.
Like Ruby and Ella making her a drink in the morning, even if she didn’t ask. Luan’s honesty, very rare in a place where no one wanted to reveal their feelings. “How far out are these islands?”
“Around five days. I also need to come—there’s rumors of a notorious criminal hiding upon one of them. The Zamorkan embassy that’s established itself in Azarus are appealing to our precinct to track down a dangerous fugitive—someone from some cult that’s been causing them a lot of troubles.”
“When you say ‘dangerous’, would this be… risky?”
“Life isn’t without risks,” Master Rus replied. “But it’s nothing a dragon can’t handle.” He winked at her, before gesturing to Meridas he’d be back to talking with him in a moment. He stepped up to Kelsey, saying in a low voice next to her ear, “It’s good to see you muster up the confidence to talk. And the look you’ve got now—it suits you.”
Look? Kelsey wasn’t exactly wearing anything different or acting different. But under his gaze, she felt more confident somehow, more like she was worth something.
And that was a very, very good feeling to have.
Chapter Four – Perran
They set sail to the distant islets, and Perran found his attention drifting more and more to Kelsey as the days slipped by. He was tasked with something extraordinarily important, to make sure that their first true cross-country mission between the Six Isles and Leavenport went well. It would break the ice. Maybe teach people here to be less afraid of Zamorkans, and in turn, attract Zamorkans to move here. Their magic would be welcome. The Six Isles relied on their witches for their trade, their crafting of light and lightning, and the heat they made at nights when temperatures dropped beyond reasonable living conditions.
He would find this fugitive, no matter what it took. But in the meanwhile, he wanted to study Kelsey, to see how she held herself in interactions with the others upon the ship.
Honestly, the changes he saw made him so proud. Where was that hunched, timid, beaten-down woman from before? Absent in her daily interactions, as she stood tall and straight, wearing a smile on those plump lips of hers. He liked watc
hing her, though was careful to turn his eyes away when she looked at him, so she wouldn’t catch him staring. He didn’t want her to feel under pressure from his scrutiny.
It made his insides ache, too.
This was what his sister might have been able to transform into, if she’d just allowed him back in her life. If she didn’t feel such a rotten, desperate need to be with her abuser. There was a reason why Perran specialized in victims of domestic abuse in his line of work. It wasn’t like they asked him to do it, but he would volunteer for jobs like that on top of his regular duties. Out of some twisted, burning desire to help someone like he should have helped his sister?
Probably.
He wouldn’t exactly deny that. Just not admit it to anyone else, though he suspected most people he associated with on a regular basis knew. They just didn’t bring it up in conversation, which was fine by him.
“You know, you stare at her way too much. It’s frankly quite disturbing,” cut in Meridas’ voice.
“I’m just hoping she continues being like this,” Perran responded, without shame. “Many people want to change, but very few are willing to take the steps to manage it.”
“Ah.” Meridas nodded in understanding, before his eyes softened when resting on Alex, his partner. “Yes, I heard about your new rescue. What happened to the last one?”
“Didn’t take.” Perran shrugged. “I left her alone, had her promise to keep in contact with me if anything went wrong, and the next thing I find out, she’s back with him, because he’s sworn to change his ways.”
“Her choice,” Meridas said. “Her life.”
“It’s a rotten choice to make,” Perran replied. “No one should voluntarily choose to torture themselves in this way.”
Meridas sighed as small droplets of rain began to penetrate the air bubble around them. “Maybe we should go inside and discuss this further. Drinks are on me.”
