Kerys didn’t say anything. She finished her share of the simple dinner and stood up from the table.
“I think I’ll rest in my room for a while,” she said.
“Are you feeling okay?” asked Ari.
She nodded. “I’m fine. Tired from doing nothing all day, I guess.”
Ari watched her make her way upstairs and wondered if he should go after her. Kerys had withdrawn from him emotionally as much as physically over the past few days. He was a little worried about her and had been since they’d first left the Hollow, though more pressing concerns had prevented him from making it a priority.
He started to get up, but Eva took him by the wrist before he could make his way toward the stairs, giving him a small shake of her head.
“I think she might need some space,” she said. “The last few weeks have been confusing for her, as much as all of us.”
“Confusing is a good word for it,” said Ari with a sigh. “The situation was so chaotic for a while, and then as soon as we got here, things became eerily peaceful overnight.”
Eva stood up and set a hand on his shoulder. “You seem tired. Why don’t I take first watch tonight?”
“No, I’m fine,” said Ari. “And don’t you start fretting over me. You’re worse than some of the old biddies down in the Hollow, sometimes.”
He winked at her, and Eva gave him one of her tiny smiles in return.
“I fret for good reason,” she said. “You’ve been a good master to me, Lord Aristial. I want nothing more than to see you safe and at peace.”
“I appreciate that,” said Ari. “Though I feel like I’ve told Kerys the same thing at least a dozen times over. It’s easier said than done.”
“That it is.”
Eva squeezed his shoulder and then retired to her room. Ari spent a few more minutes downstairs, listening to the sound of the wind whipping against the tower’s crystal glass windows and feeling oddly contented. He had a goal, he had people he cared about, and he had a place to call home.
He smiled to himself and headed up to the roof to take the first watch.
CHAPTER 3
The watch felt more like a formality to Ari since they hadn’t encountered any real danger since arriving at Deepwater Spire. Eva had been the one who’d pushed them to keep it up, and he did understand her logic on a certain level.
They were safe for the moment, and there was an element of danger in how easy it would be for them to grow complacent. They needed to stay on guard, even when there were no obvious threats within view. It was the only habit that mattered.
Ari balanced this very disciplined path of thought against the real reason why he’d been so eager to take the first watch. One of the most pleasant discoveries in his explorations of the spire’s roof was a small patch of a green, leafy flower of a genus that he knew all too well.
He pulled the sarkin flower smoke stick he’d spent a couple of minutes rolling earlier in the day out of his tunic and gave it a small sniff. The sarkin flower on Deepwater Spire wasn’t especially potent compared to the stuff around the area he’d originally found the tower in, but it still did the trick.
He decided to risk heading back down to the tower’s kitchen to light the smoke from the cooking table rather than wasting time with his flint and tinder. It ran the chance of alerting Kerys to the scent, who generally frowned upon him smoking, but it was a risk that he was impatient enough to be willing to take.
He held the smoke stick to the surface of the cooking table as he triggered the ward that controlled the level of heat. It only took a second to light, and Ari hurried back up to the roof with it while making a lazy attempt at waving away the residual smoke.
Sarkin flower was a potent and euphoric stimulant, and it made it easier to while away the long hours he spent at watch atop the tower. Ari took a slow, leisurely inhalation—and almost flinched out of his skin at the sound of someone climbing quickly up the ladder to join him.
“Aristial Stoneblood!” shouted Kerys. “Are you smoking sarkin flower? And did you light it inside?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” said Ari with a small cough.
“I just saw smoke come out of your mouth!”
“Condensation,” said Ari. “It’s really… cold out tonight.”
He coughed again, expelling more smoke and giving up the ruse.
Kerys scowled at him and crossed her arms as she stomped across the roof. She was wearing a thin nightgown that Eva had sewn for her during their first few days on the spire, and it did her body credit. Ari only momentarily tried to hide his ogling before giving into it and drinking in the sight of cleavage and curves.
“Sarkin flower is unhealthy,” said Kerys. “The Hollow Lord banned it for a reason.”
“It’s not unhealthy, and the Hollow Lord is not Dormiar reincarnated,” said Ari. “Besides, we aren’t in the Hollow anymore. If anything, it helps me focus and stay awake.”
Kerys wore her disapproval openly on her face, and Ari opted for a compromise of holding the smoke stick to the side and not actively taking hits while she was in his presence. Kerys kept her scowling up for a few seconds before letting out a sigh and moving to stand next to him against the lip of the tower.
The only sound for a couple of minutes was the whistling of the wind, along with the massive waves crashing against the spire’s base far below. The ember of Ari’s smoke stick eventually went out, and he flicked it to the side, knowing that there was enough sarkin flower on the spire to roll a hundred more.
“You didn’t come up here just to chastise me,” said Ari. “If I had to venture a guess, I’d say you’re a little homesick.”
Kerys shrugged. “I suppose so. Not really in the way that you’re probably thinking, though.”
“What do you mean?”
Kerys brought her knees up to her chest and hugged her arms around them.
“I miss the sense of community,” she said. “At least, tonight that’s what I miss. That feeling of having my family and friends, of knowing that I can rely on so many people for so many different things.”
“I know what you mean,” said Ari. It was true for him too, but only to a certain extent. He’d been used to relying mostly on himself long before he’d ever left the Hollow.
“Now we’re here in this strange new place,” said Kerys. “I basically have to rely on you and Eva and trust in whatever plan you come up with.”
“Is that such a bad thing?” asked Ari. “I might blunder through situations sometimes, but Eva is undeniably wise. Also, it’s not like we don’t take your voice into account.”
“I know that,” said Kerys. “That wasn’t really what I…”
She trailed off. Ari brought a hand to his chin and considered his next few words very carefully.
“Is this about earlier today?” he asked. “When you saw us when we were in the middle of, uh, sparring?”
Kerys didn’t say anything.
“I just want to point out that nothing happened between us,” said Ari. “With that said, it seemed to me that given the speed of your reaction, you’d been watching the two of us for some time, Kerys.”
“There isn’t really much else of interest to watch on a secluded stone spire in the middle of the ocean,” she said.
“You know what I mean,” said Ari. “Kerys… You’re aware of the situation between Eva and me. It isn’t fair for you to peep on us and then sulk over what you may or may not have seen in the process.”
He was still choosing his words carefully. It took the majority of his will to keep from bringing up his own feelings for Kerys and how confusing it was for him to have her alternate between reciprocating and ignoring them.
“I wasn’t peeping!” said Kerys. “I just… happened to be watching. Eva and I have been getting along really well lately, Ari. We’ve been talking a lot with each other.”
“About what, exactly?” he asked. His question came out with an edge of intense curiosity that he hadn
’t intended, but he still watched Kerys and waited for an answer.
“Mostly girl stuff, which is none of your business,” said Kerys with a smile. “She’s a really considerate person. You should be nicer to her.”
“I am plenty nice to her!” he said.
“You treat her like a servant most of the time,” said Kerys.
“That’s… not really true,” said Ari. “Was she complaining about that?”
“No,” said Kerys. “But again, that’s none of your business.”
She stood up and sighed, turning her attention to the stars and dual moons overhead.
“It’s more than just that, isn’t it?” said Ari.
Kerys shrugged. “I guess I just feel a little useless. Tomorrow, or the next day, you and Eva will be heading down into the spire together, and I’ll just be waiting up here, hoping and worrying.”
“You are anything but useless, Kerys,” said Ari. “You cook amazing food. You’re crazy smart. And most importantly, you have really big… eyes.”
“That wasn’t the body part you had in mind when you started that sentence,” said Kerys.
“Prove it.” Ari smiled at her and slid in a little closer. “My point is, you shouldn’t let yourself feel like that. We all have different strengths.”
“The difference is that the strengths that you and Eva have actually matter when it comes to surviving,” said Kerys. “If I was strong like you both were, I’d be able to help you. Maybe even protect you.”
“You don’t have to worry about things like that,” said Ari. “Regardless of what’s down there, it’s nothing we can’t handle.”
She furrowed her brow and squeezed her arms around herself a little tighter.
“I hope you’re right,” she said.
“Of course I am,” said Ari. “I’m almost always right, almost all of the time.”
“And so modest about it,” said Kerys, rolling her eyes.
The silence returned. Ari put an arm around Kerys. Her words about having a use and protecting each other resonated with him, even if it was in a different sense than how she’d meant them. He was so glad that Kerys and Eva were with him. It wasn’t that he minded being alone, really, but both of them had a way of drawing out the best version of him. Making him show up and try his best to protect the people he loved most.
“Do you want a good night kiss?” he asked.
“You can’t just offer a thing like that out of nowhere,” said Kerys.
“I can and I did,” said Ari. “And I’ll take that as a yes.”
He closed the distance to her before she could object, lifting a finger under her chin to turn her face toward his. Kerys blushed slightly and blinked several times in quick succession, but she didn’t pull away.
The last time Ari had kissed her was on the day they’d first arrived on Deepwater Spire. She’d been distant since then, and though he was sure she had her reasons, it had seemed so unfair.
He leaned forward, pressing his mouth against hers and running a hand through her hair. Kerys was inexperienced in the methods and mannerisms of love, and the way she moved her lips in response was still sloppy and a tad experimental. Strangely, it seemed to fit her and feel right. It was earnest and open, just like she so often was.
Ari couldn’t resist taking things a little further. He deepened the embrace, pulling an arm around Kerys and shifting his lips to kiss her neck instead of her mouth. She opened her body in answer, breathing heavily and letting out a tiny moan as Ari let one of his hands slide down her back and across her buttocks.
The nightgown that Eva had made for her was both thin and short. Ari pawed at Kerys through the fabric for a couple of seconds before letting one of his hands slide underneath. He cupped one of her buttocks in a gesture that was more possessive than sexual and gave her another soft, slow kiss.
“Ari,” whispered Kerys. “We shouldn’t.”
“We should,” said Ari. “It would certainly give us a satisfying distraction from the boredom of this place.”
He shifted his hand to her thigh, lifting her leg up and to the side. He pressed himself forward into her, letting his erection press against her stomach. He wanted her as badly as he’d ever wanted anything, and he wanted her to know it.
“I’m serious,” whispered Kerys. “I’m not ready.”
Ari let one of his fingers slide into her panties, which was apparently enough stimulation to elicit a quiet, pleasured moan from her.
“You feel ready,” he whispered into her ear. “And it’s not like we have to go all the way. We can fool around, like we have before.”
He kissed her and gave one of her big breasts a generous grope, only barely resisting the urge to pull her nightgown down and free it completely.
“Eventually, we’ll go too far,” said Kerys. “I’m just not ready yet. I’ve told you before… I want to be married, first.”
Ari was aroused enough to briefly entertain the idea of pitching a marriage proposal to her, there and then, but he managed to come to his senses. He knew Kerys well enough to know that it would only upset her.
He forced himself to take a step back. His previously discarded sarkin flower smoke stick was lying nearby, and he scooped it up with a shrug.
“Might as well finish this, then,” he said.
Kerys rolled her eyes, but she was still smiling, and there was a glimmer of gratitude in her expression.
“I did enjoy the kiss, you know,” she said. “Goodnight, Aristial.”
“Why don’t I walk you to your room?” he suggested. “Maybe help warm your bed up for you?”
Kerys almost seemed like she was considering it, and Ari felt his hopes rising in the instant of silence that followed. She opened her mouth, hesitated, and was about to answer when a scream came from one of the tower’s lower levels.
He was moving before his mind had even had time to process the situation, leaping the distance down the ladder to the tower’s interior without bothering to set his feet into the rungs. The scream had come from farther down, and when he reached the second floor, he threw open the door to Eva’s room.
She was thrashing in her bed, flailing and kicking at invisible enemies and completely tangling herself in her blankets. Ari grabbed her by the wrists, taking a blow from her elbow in the process.
“Eva!” he shouted. “Hey, it’s okay! You’re having a nightmare.”
“Myth!” screamed Eva. “Not… again. Please!”
Ari took her by the shoulders and gave her a firm shake. She flinched away from him, but her attacks subsided, and her deep blue eyes finally opened and focused on him properly. She was wearing her nightgown and completely soaked in sweat, strands of her silver hair plastered messily across her forehead.
“Lord… Stoneblood?” she muttered.
“You’re dreaming,” said Ari. “From the sounds of it, it’s not a pleasant one, either. Here.”
He shifted so that he was sitting on the bed with her, and let Eva’s head rest across his lap. Kerys had caught up with him, and she stood watching from the doorway, her expression hidden by her silhouetted features.
“I’m sorry, milord,” whispered Eva. “I… should not lose control like that.”
“It’s okay,” said Ari. “I’ll stay with you until you feel better. Kerys, do you mind taking over the watch for now?”
“Of course,” said Kerys.
She hesitated, staying where she was for a couple of seconds before heading up to the roof. Ari ran a hand through Eva’s hair, wondering what else he could say.
CHAPTER 4
Ari took over the watch from Kerys when Eva’s breathing grew rhythmic and even and finally went to bed a few hours after that. The extra time they’d had in the five days they’d been stranded on Deepwater Spire had left them with the opportunity to upgrade the accommodations of each of their rooms. He now had a thin sleeping pad stuffed with scraps of cloth and leather, on top of his pillow and blanket.
He drifted off quickly and s
lept in late enough to be the last one downstairs the next morning. Kerys was cutting up a few pieces of mango and some leftover dried apples from their old supplies for breakfast. Eva was dressed in her white corset and looked surprisingly rested given the events of the previous night.
“You look like you’re feeling better,” he said. “Ready to find out what lies below?”
“I am,” said Eva. “My apologies for what happened last night.”
"It’s not your fault,” said Ari. “I know what it’s like to have bad dreams.”
Eva flashed him a small smile but only held his gaze for a second before looking away.
“In regard to our current task, I think we should take our time and remain wary,” she said. “We do not want to rush too far ahead when we are essentially exploring blind.”
“You’re right, even if it’s probably the most boring approach we could take,” he said. “Let’s open the hatch, take a look around, and then figure out what our next move is going to be.”
He stuffed a variety of supplies into his pack, including the rope, a makeshift torch, a full waterskin, and a small amount of dried beef left over from their old food supplies. After strapping Eva’s scabbard across his back, he pulled the pack on and headed outside.
They ate the mango strips as they left the tower, heading a few hundred feet to the north to where the hatch was located. Ari and Kerys had spent about an hour the day after they’d found it clearing away more sand and bird droppings in case there was anything else to find on that section of the roof. There hadn’t been, but the cleaning left the roof around the hatch visible from afar, making it easy to find again.
The essence lock was a small circle in the center of the hatch inscribed with intricate runes. Ari repeated the procedure he’d performed every day for the last week, pressing his hand down flat against it and willing the small amount of essence within him that he could safely expend into it.
This time, the essence lock burst into light, glowing for a couple of seconds. A click came from the hatch, and Ari couldn’t help but smile as he reached for the handholds that they’d carefully cleaned off. The hatch swung freely as he pulled it upward, which was a little surprising given how long it had likely been sealed for.
Vision Voyage (The Weatherblight Saga Book 2) Page 2
