“This should do,” said Fay. “I’ll grab a few refreshments and bring them back shortly. How delightful for you to run into friends here at my inn.” Without another word, she clicked the door shut. They all listened for her footsteps to disappear before speaking.
“Does she know?” Abby pried, her voice edged with concern.
“Not outright, no,” Tomias said. “She knows more than she is letting on though. I don’t think she has the same powers we do, but she has something. The woman just seems to know things and I haven’t quite figured it out yet.”
So, he noticed it too. Fay was an odd woman to say the least. It did seem like she knew things that neither of them had spoken about, as if she could feel their inner thoughts with as much clarity as they did when they entered someone’s mind. Only there was no prying, no pressure of someone searching for a way in. Whatever gift she had, it didn’t work the same way and it was unsettling to know so little, to be so vulnerable. Despite being at her mercy, she didn’t feel threatened by Fay in the slightest.
“Well, that’s not troubling or anything,” Burk said. “You think we can trust her to keep such knowledge to herself?”
Kirheen nodded. “I can’t say for sure, but I feel like we can trust her. She’s been nothing but kind to us since we arrived.”
“And from the lengthy discussion I just had with her about the state of the world, it doesn’t sound like she holds any hatred for our kind,” Tomias added.
Abby and Burk exchanged a glance. “Well, I guess we’ll just have to trust her for now,” Abby said. “I hate having to be this cautious everywhere we go but better safe than sorry, right? Speaking of which, you guys are really thinking of going to Val’shar? That is quite possibly the most asinine thing I’ve ever heard. What are you thinking?”
Burk snorted. “Calm down. You’re not going to change their minds.”
“You stay out of this,” she snapped back, her piercing glare enough to silence him. He raised his hands in defeat.
Kirheen shrugged. “Burk, don’t worry about it. I’m getting pretty used to this. Listen, I know this isn’t the safest option, but I needed out. I couldn’t just stay there, and I want to see Val’shar.”
“Hearing about it isn’t enough, you have to see it too?” Abby groaned. “After everything that happened, after everything you went through, do you really want to go throwing yourself into the fire again?”
Kirheen bristled, swallowing back the retort rising like bile in her throat. How could she explain to them why she had to go? It didn’t make sense why she felt so strongly about it, but she felt drawn to the city, pulled against her will. She didn’t plan on getting involved, not directly, but she needed to see it, to fill that empty hole in her soul before it consumed her. “I don’t plan on getting wrapped up in the conflict, but I do want to see what is happening. I want to understand why people hate us so much and in order to get those answers, Val’shar is where I need to be.”
Abby shook her head in disbelief. “Nyson created an imaginary world because he thought it was a better alternative to what was beyond. Back then, the danger was only figurative. Now it very much exists, and while it might not be the Darkness, it’s almost as bad and ten times more unpredictable. You’re walking down a path with no clear idea where it will take you, with enemies you can’t spot, and a power that could have you beheaded at any moment. Is that really what you want?”
“I’m not a child, Abby! I know what I’m getting myself into. It’s not like I’m planning on joining up with the rebellion and fighting for a cause that I can’t even rightfully claim to be a part of. This isn’t my fight to win, but I at least want to understand this world that we’re all living in because this is our world now, and no amount of running or hiding or pretending is going to change that.”
Abby didn’t respond, but her fingers curled into fists as she bundled them in her lap. Her face was passive but her eyes danced with an unspoken anger. Burk reached out slowly, his hand curling around her trembling fists. The touch caught her attention and she met his gaze. He shook his head.
Kirheen stared into the corner of the room, trying hard to lose herself there. She hadn’t meant to raise her voice, hadn’t wanted to start an argument with a friend, but it was hard not to feel aggravated. Everyone had questioned her decision to go to Val’shar and, while she understood the concern, it was driving her mad having everyone doubt her. Even Tomias, who had agreed to come with her, questioned her decision on a regular basis.
With a flustered sigh, she flicked her eyes back to Abby. “Listen, I’m...I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you, it’s just ever since Sanctuary, it feels like everyone has been doubting me, treating me like some delicate, breakable, easily corrupted waif with no concept of the world or how to handle the situations to come. And maybe, just maybe there is some truth to that, but considering past events, I’d like to think I’ve proved myself more than a little capable.” Her hand wandered to the scar on her arm, a scar that burned with an icy ache, fingertips gliding over the rough line of raised skin. “I just need everyone to stop trying to protect me. I need to do this, not for any of you, but for myself. I’m not asking you to agree with my decision, but I need your support, not your ridicule.”
Abby met her gaze, her brows knit with concern as she weighed her words. She let out a sigh, her shoulders slumping. “I’m sorry. This has been incredibly selfish of me and I apologize for that. I just worry about both of you, our friends, our mentors. Everyone has drifted off into the world. We’ve already lost friends. It kills me to think about losing anyone else to the madness out there. You’re right though, we can’t exactly hide from this. Not anymore. As you said, this is our world now.”
Tomias cut into the conversation. “What were you two planning on doing? If you ended up here, it means you’re heading south yourself.”
Burk nodded. “It would seem that way, but only for a time. Once we hit Hearther’s Cross, we’d planned to head east. We were hoping to get passage to Miridin, to get away from this place before we get swept up in any mischief.”
“Have plans changed?”
Abby shook her head. “Not likely, but each day brings new surprises. Running into you both being one of them.”
“Hopefully a good surprise,” Tomias smiled.
“Of course it was,” Burk laughed. “We’ve missed you both!”
The tension in the room burst like a bubble and it was almost like being back in Sanctuary. They had their friends back, a small snippet of their life from before. Kirheen had forgotten how important it was to have something familiar, something that reminded her of home.
“Tomias, I figured you’d be here, but I’m a little surprised Garild didn’t tag along. How is he?” Abby asked, broaching the subject with care.
Kirheen grimaced as if she’d sniffed spoiled milk. “He wasn’t well when I left. I don’t think he quite knows how to handle all of this change.”
“We noticed. We tried to talk to him before we left, but he didn’t seem to want anything to do with us. It’s hard to see him like that.”
“Tell me about it,” Kirheen said with a huff. Before she could continue, the door creaked open and a young boy stepped into the room, carrying a tray nearly overflowing with food.
“Sorry to intrude,” he said, keeping his eyes on the tray. “Fay told me to bring you this.” He nearly tripped on his way to the table and all of them shot forward, ready to stop his fall. Luckily, he caught himself at the last second, and only managed to lose a single pastry. He watched it hit the floor, eyes wide, as it rolled away beneath the table.
“Don’t worry. We won’t tell Fay,” Tomias whispered. He winked and the kid smiled sheepishly, setting the tray down and shuffling back out of the room.
Kirheen bent forward to inspect the tray. The variety was astounding, everything from sweet cinnamon bread, to sticky buns, to little fruit filled pastries. She plucked one of them from the tray and took a bite, savoring the sweetness of
it as it coated her tongue. “She really is eerily nice,” Kirheen remarked around a mouthful of pastry.
“Probably plotting to have us all killed,” Burk added with a grin. “The fatter we are, the better we’ll hang.”
“Death by cinnamon bread,” Tomias said, staring at the bread in his hand lovingly before taking a bite.
“It really is nice to see you again,” Abby smiled. “We’ve really missed everyone. While it’s nice to know we no longer live under the thumb of a maniacal mad man, I do sometimes miss life back there, you know. It was…simple.”
Kirheen nodded. “It was, and yet it was far more complicated than any of us could have realized.”
“We really shouldn’t waste this opportunity, just being back together like this. I say we do something fun, you know, before you go running off to a city very likely to kill you,” Abby gently chided, winking as she said it.
“Will there be mead?” Burk asked, grinning mischievously.
Tomias perked up. “Music?”
“There has to be something in this dusty town,” Abby mused. “What do you say, Kirheen? One night of fun before we go back to doom and gloom?”
“I-I’d actually like that,” she replied, relishing in the thought of having one night where she didn’t have to feel guilt over her decisions. One night to not think about the city, to not think about the past or the future, to focus on her friends and enjoy the freedom she’d sacrificed so much for. “So, tonight then? I can ask Fay is she knows a good spot for us, one that’s safe. I’m sure she’d have something in mind.”
Tomias groaned. “Does this mean I have to change out of my bathrobe?”
They all laughed. “You probably should,” Kirheen said.
Burk stole another pastry and rose to his feet. “So, meet us out front come sundown? We’ve got some shopping to do in the meantime, so we’ll leave you alone for now.”
“We need to sort through our stuff and do the same. We lost half our supplies on the way here. We’ll meet up with you later.”
“Well, until then,” Abby said. She rose from the couch, following Burk out into the hall. Kirheen didn’t miss their interlocked hands as they slipped from the room. They’d almost lost each other back in Sanctuary. It was nice to see that they’d grown closer, that despite their freedom, they’d still picked each other in the end. That bond hadn’t been wrong.
“It’s good to see some familiar faces,” Tomias sighed, reclining back in his seat.
“It really is. I’ve missed them. It’s good we get this time before we leave.”
“Are you worried?”
“About what?” Kirheen asked, tensing at the question. She never knew what to expect from him and it set her on edge. It was just as likely to be something innocent as it was to be something very personal. He had a need to understand, to pry at her feelings. It made her feel vulnerable and open. Talking about her feelings did not come easy, perhaps never would. She’d locked them away behind so many walls to protect herself from harm. There were times it felt like she’d done the job too well. It seemed too difficult now, the key too far out of reach. It was something she needed to face. Or become nothing but thorns…
“Not seeing them again. Does it worry you?”
It did worry her. A part of her knew the danger of the path they walked. They’d already had a close call in the swamps, and they could have easily lost their lives. She’d let her mind skim over the event, to disregard it, to push it aside. She didn’t want it to sway her from her resolve, to let doubt creep in and corrupt the choice she’d made. How long could she simply ignore it though? How long could she hide? “It does. I know something could happen, that I might never get the chance to see my friends again, but I’ve accepted that, at least as much as I can.”
“That easy, huh? I worry about it a lot. I worry that one of these days I’m going to wake up alone.”
Kirheen had no words. She lowered her gaze to the half-eaten pastries on the table, her stomach twisting into knots. “I don’t know how many times I have to say it. You don’t have to come with me.”
“It’s not that simple,” he said softly, his words tender and filled with grief. It broke her heart. “But we don’t have to talk about that here - not now. I’m sorry for prying again. I know you don’t like when I do that.”
“Don’t apologize. I think… I think it might be good for me,” she said.
“Let’s just have fun tonight. We’ve got enough to worry about as it is.”
“You’re right.”
He chuckled. “I like when you admit that.”
Kirheen rolled her eyes. “Let’s go find you some clothes. You are not going out in your robe.”
Tomias strutted out of the room as proudly as a peacock, chin held high in defiance. They spent the rest of the day restocking supplies and readying themselves for a night of fun. Try as she might to forget it, the lure of Val’shar loomed in her mind and in her heart, a sweet song she’d never be able to ignore.
CHAPTER 16
“Samira,” Ella shouted, rising from her seat in a flurry of yellow fabric. “These are our guests. You had no right to-”
Samira scoffed, hands coming to rest on her hips. “Oh, please. We have a group of smuggled refugees show up on our shores and you thought I’d stay away? How very naïve of you.” She seemed completely unfazed by the alarm and discomfort she’d caused by simply walking into the room. Garild felt sick, the world set to swaying by the onslaught of power that had wracked his brain. The sweet siren song still thrummed in the back of his mind, lulling his panicked emotions into a false sense of security. He didn’t think it possible for any one person to possess such power. She’d completely dominated his mind, breaking through his barriers without so much as batting an eye. Had she the desire, she could have easily broken his mind before he’d even known she was there. The thought alone was terrifying, and he didn’t seem to be the only one afraid.
Isa was quiet as a mouse, hands clasped over her belly as she took in breath after shaky breath. Her blue eyes looked almost black, her pupils dilating with her fear. Barog also seemed to be feeling the ill effects of her greeting, his eyes downcast, the fingers of his right hand fidgeting with the rings on his left. If he felt it too…
“You know, you could have simply asked them,” Ella growled, crossing her arms over her chest. Rand shifted nervously, watching the situation unfold with growing concern. He was poised to spring into motion, prepared to break up their spat if it escalated any further.
Samira, instead of defending her actions, turned her eyes to Barog, her lips curling into a vicious grin. The dismissal made Ella bristle with anger, but she took her seat, sharing her disapproval by way of a spiteful glare. “My, you came out of retirement so soon, my dear Barog,” Samira purred, shifting her curvy frame towards him. “And here I thought you didn’t like me anymore.”
Barog managed to raise his head, flashing a smile her way as he met her piercing gaze. “Perish the thought, my huntress. You always knew I’d return to you.” Trista scoffed from across the tab.
“Lying has never suited you, love. Besides, I know the only thing that could have pulled you away from a life of leisure was a pile of gold, and it is gold alone that sees you here before me.”
Garild glanced between the two, sensing a tangled history he wasn’t sure he wanted to know about. Instead, it was Trista who asked, “I assume you two know each other?”
Samira let out a smoky laugh. “Oh, there was a time when Barog greatly desired to be my lover.” Barog let out a curt cough, his gaze wandering around the room as he tried to avoid eye contact with anyone.
“And how did that work out for him?” Trista asked, grinning.
“Not so well. Shortly after a rather vulgar proclamation of his intentions, he came down with a curious case of clucking.”
Garild looked from face to face, wondering if it was a reference to something he didn’t understand. The others looked just as puzzled. “Clucking?” he q
uestioned.
“Yes. For the week that followed, Barog found himself clucking like a chicken any time he came near a woman. Everyone thought him mad, despite how hard he tried to explain himself. I hope you’ve recovered from your experience, love. I know how traumatic it was for you to suffer so.”
Barog let out an aggravated grunt while everyone else laughed at his discomfort. He rose from his chair, his normally jovial attitude turned sour. “You’ve not changed at all, Samira.” He trudged from the room, defeated by her words.
Samira’s dark gaze trailed him to the edge of the room, her expression passive as he made his way down the stairs. She shrugged her shoulders. “It seems the man child has feelings. Who knew?”
“Not I,” Trista said.
Samira smiled and then her gaze flicked to Garild, boring into him intensely. Those dark pools pulled him in, the siren song in his mind thrumming in response. “I apologize for my...unexpected greeting. I realize it must have caused quite the discomfort for the two of you. It wasn’t my intention. Regardless, I’m intrigued by what I’ve seen. I’d like to speak with you further when you have the time. Perhaps after you’ve had a look around, you can come speak with me.”
He gave her a quick nod, trying to ignore the pleasant hum of power along his skin. He wanted to be closer to her, to bask in that radiant power. It pulled at him, at every fiber of his being. It took everything he had to keep himself in his seat. She returned his nod and strode away, the fabric of her dress swirling as she went. The melody in his head melted away and the sudden silence brought a wave of melancholy, an ache in the center of his being.
There was a collective sigh of relief as she disappeared down the staircase. “Well, she was interesting,” Isa said.
Ella frowned, shaking her head. “I’m so sorry. Had I known she’d just show up like this… You had no time to prepare yourselves.”
The Allseer Trilogy Page 44
