“I don’t want to make you uncomfortable. We can do this another time.”
“No. If I do it now I won’t have to tell you two separately. This’ll be easier.” Tara leaned back in her chair. “I’m assuming you’re asking about the comment I made about saying goodbye?” Dusk nodded lightly. “I thought as much.” Tara ran her fingers through her hair, tilting her head back to stare at the ceiling with a big sigh. “Part of my duties with the Royal Guard was to protect the royal family when they traveled. My particular assignment was Princess Nedarya as she had a habit, not unlike you,” she smirked, looking to Dusk, “of running off without telling people. I’d been her personal bodyguard for two years and in that time she’d done very little travelling by herself, not needing my services very often.
“This past year she was engaged with a young noble named Jesper Malkekna, the heir to the city. Her father had forcefully arranged the marriage and she wasn’t pleased to say the least. She did nothing to hide her displeasure and routinely ran off to take long detours during trips to see him. I’m not sure if she hoped to get kidnapped, lost, or both, but she did a good job of making sure we were always a few days or weeks late. Just enough to have half the Malkekna guard searching the countryside for us.”
“She sounds like a handful,” Diana smiled, leaning on her elbows.
“She was. It was one of the things I loved about her.”
Dusk felt his breath catch.
Tara glanced at him and laughed. “Don’t look so surprised! She was a beautiful woman with a fiery stubborn personality. She had the most beautiful blonde hair that she always kept in a long braid and sweet eyes the color of dark honey. Anyone would have fallen for her. I didn’t stand a chance.
“I think she knew for a long time, but neither of us said anything. A betrothed princess and an assassin turned bodyguard isn’t a love story that comes true. But during those trips we somehow found one another. It wasn’t long until we were spending every waking moment together. I did my best to pretend I was just a faithful bodyguard, but she saw right through me.” Tara paused for a moment. “After a time she started to say she was going to call off the wedding and tell her father she loved me. I begged her not to, knowing it would get me executed and her imprisoned in her own room. I tried to push her away, but she just kept coming back. She was so stubborn.”
Tara stopped, her smile faded away and her voice grew shaky. Both Dusk and Diana knew what was coming.
“On the last trip, we were on our way back from Malkekna, having spent the spring equinox celebration there. Nedarya came to me again and told me what she planned to tell her father. We fought and I pushed her away, saying a lot of things I didn’t mean to try to protect her. The very next morning I found her caravan empty. We split up to search for her, knowing she’d probably not gone too far. She was stubborn, but not stupid, and she knew how to stay out of trouble.” Tara’s voice hitched for a moment and she took a deep breath. “But… then I found her. She was laying near a small creek under a tree. At first… at first I thought she was just asleep, but as I got closer I saw the blood staining her white dress. I ran to her, but she was already gone.” Tara squeezed her eyes shut, tears running down her cheeks. “Someone had cut her throat and stolen her jewelry, including her crown.” Tara sucked in a breath, trying to stifle the sobs. “She hated that crown. If they had just asked, she would have given it to them. Her father had gifted it to her as an early wedding present.”
Diana stood up from her seat and came around to the other side of the table. She reached out and wrapped her arms around Tara, pulling her close. Tara resisted at first, but then gave in, burying her face in the linen blouse Diana wore. Dusk sat still, listening to the pain in Tara’s voice as she fought and failed to stop crying. Thoughts raced through his mind. Immediately he remembered everything Tiernan had told him about Nedarya and about his claim that she was now alive and well, having been resurrected using the magic of the dragons. Before the information had been menacing at best, but now it felt like a boulder on Dusk’s chest. Knowing what she had meant to Tara, he felt like he’d have to tell her. What if the next time Tiernan found them, Nedarya was at his side? If Tara found out he’d known all along, she would never trust him again. He didn’t want to lose her trust, but he didn’t want to cause her anymore pain either. Both of his choices seemed grim.
“Tara,” Dusk whispered. “There’s something you should know.”
“I don’t think now is the time Dusk,” Diana stated with a stern look on her face.
“What do I need to know?” Tara gasped, getting her breath under control finally.
Dusk gazed up at Diana who was glaring at him. He shook his head and turned his gaze to the floor. “I’m so sorry for this.”
Tara stared at him expectantly through watery eyes.
“Tiernan… Tiernan told me something before you showed up to rescue me. It didn’t seem important at the time, but knowing this now, you’d never forgive me if I didn’t tell you. Didn’t warn you.” He took a deep breath, trying to calm his heart thumping wildly in his chest. “Tiernan said he brought a princess back to life.”
Tara was dead silent.
“He didn’t say her name, but he did say her brother was Arius. I don’t know anything about the royal family though. There could be other siblings.”
“There’s only one princess in Ditania and that can’t be true,” Tara said flatly, her face filled with anger and hurt. “I don’t believe it. It’s impossible.”
“He claimed he was going to use her to take control of the throne, although I don’t know how. He was really vague about it, but he claimed he could control her mind.”
Diana spoke up, “The Circle being in control of the throne would give them access to unlimited resources. That could spell disaster for the whole continent and beyond if what you say about them is true.”
“He’s lying,” Tara growled. She pushed herself up from her chair suddenly, pushing Diana away. “I don’t believe a word that comes from that fucker’s mouth! What he’s claiming can’t be done!”
Tara turned to walk away , but Diana grabbed her arm. “Tara, wai—”
Tara lurched back at Diana, pushing her off her feet and throwing her to the ground. “It’s not true!” she screamed.
Several men came to their feet all at once, drawing their swords in unison and pointing them at Tara who still stood glaring down at Diana. The guild leader raised her hand, calling off her members. Tara turned on her heel and stomped away, heading for the passage that led to the temple.
“Let her go,” Diana said, pushing herself to her feet. “She needs to walk it off.” The men put their swords away and slowly took their seats once more as Diana turned back to Dusk. “I don’t know if it was wise to tell her all that, but I understand your reasoning. Better she knows now than to come face-to-face with her dead lover unexpectedly. This is going to be really hard for her to process.”
“I feel terrible,” Dusk whimpered, the guilt filling his body like water in his lungs, making it hard to breathe. His chest felt tight and he wanted to cry.
“The truth is rarely merciful,” Diana replied, brushing the dust and dirt from her trousers.
“What do I do?”
“Give her some time. Watch her back when she needs you. Until then, stay out of her way. Wounded animals will lash out even if you’re trying to help them and they trust you.” Diana gave Dusk a quick pat on the shoulder. “Just make yourselves ready to leave this place. The boat will be here soon.” She stared at him for a moment, watching the pain evident on his face. “Why don’t you go see your horse? That might make you feel better.”
Dusk nodded and pushed himself up from his chair. He gave her a brief nod before he walked off towards the entrance to the stables. Lost in thought, his feet carried him all the way to the wooden trapdoor before he realized where he was. He shook his head, trying to clear the guilt away, and pushed the doors open. Maribel saw him from the other side of the room a
nd gave an excited whinny, tapping her hooves on the ground. When Dusk reached her she searched him for the inevitable apple that he always brought her, but when she found nothing she stopped her movements and stared at him with a disappointed look.
“Don’t make me feel more guilty than I already do,” Dusk sighed, leaning forward so that his head rested against hers.
Although she still seemed annoyed at the lack of treats, she softened and leaned into him slightly, sensing he needed comforting. Dusk stayed there for a long moment with his eyes closed. After a while he noticed a cold draft dancing across his exposed skin. He’d forgotten to grab a cloak and the winter cold was seeping through his shirt. Opening his eyes he saw a circle of bright light coming through a board nailed over the broken windows. It looked as if a knot hole had been knocked out of the wood. Curiosity got the better of him and he walked over to it, leaning forward to look out into the road.
The bright daylight blinded him temporarily, but as his vision adjusted he could see that the clouds had rolled in once more. The fresh snow from the night before reflected all the diffused light making the day look much brighter than it actually was. Across the road the temple stood surrounded by gravestones, their tops blanketed with fresh snow. Dusk’s eyes caught a shape that seemed out of place amongst the stones before realizing there was a person standing in the graveyard wearing a long dark brown cloak. The hood was pulled up and he couldn’t make out their face, but as he squinted he caught sight of a long furry tail flicking back and forth under the cloak.
Nine
Cyrilo took a seat at one of the wooden tables in the guild sanctum across from Dusk. A few men at the other tables were staring, but nobody said anything. Diana and Tara were still missing, and after a while Dusk noticed a couple of men stand up and make their way out of the room.
“Have you eaten?” Dusk asked, shifting in his seat.
“No,” Cyrilo replied, keeping his gaze turned towards the table.
“Neither have I. I’ll get us something.”
Excusing himself for a moment, Dusk jogged up to the bar and requested breakfast be brought out for the pair of them. He turned back only a few steps before he saw Lex step into the room, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. The bartender was slightly annoyed when he changed it to three, but there was no helping it. Dusk waved Lex over and they both took a seat at the table with Cyrilo.
“Changed your mind?” Lex asked, yawning.
“More of a realization really.” Cyrilo lifted his gaze and looked at the pair of them. “There’s nothing for me here and now that I have my independence, it would shame Eiran’s memory to stay since he worked so hard to free me. I think this is the only good choice I have left.”
“Being a last resort for someone always gives me confidence in the morning.” Lex cracked a sly smile at Cyrilo who couldn’t resist returning it. “I’m glad you came to join us. You deserve a better life. You told me about your homeland a little that night and I could hear the longing in your voice. I hope you can find a way back to it someday or to somewhere that makes you feel just as good.”
“That’s kind of you to say, Lex. But going back home isn’t a choice for me anymore.”
“I keep forgetting you two know each other,” Dusk interjected.
“Oh, I forgot to ask Dusk. Is this some sort of underground tavern?” Cyrilo asked, looking around the room. “I’ve never heard of it.”
“Well, don’t panic,” Lex replied, holding out his hands. “But this is the sanctum of the thieves guild.”
“What?” Cyrilo hissed, trying to keep his voice low. His ears went flat on his head and Dusk heard his claws dig into the table. “You didn’t tell me you were working with them! Do you know how fucking dangerous they are?”
“Honestly, not that dangerous,” Lex scoffed, leaning back in his chair. “You don’t have anything to worry about. I’ve been living here for weeks. We’re in good with the guild leader.”
At that moment the two men that had stepped out came back with Diana in tow. She took one look at the three of them and made her way to the table. Dusk stood and held his hands up.
“Diana, I can explain.”
She pushed him aside and walked over to Cyrilo who had stood up as well. She threw her arms around him and pulled him into a hug, playing with one of his ears as she did so. “Cy! It’s so good to see you!” She pulled away from him, holding him by the shoulders. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you outside of the Armadillo! What are you doing here?”
“Diana?” Cyrilo seemed beyond confused, his tail twitching nervously behind him. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“You two know each other?” Lex asked, leaning over the table.
“She’s one of my regulars. I see her every week like clockwork. She's probably one of the most annoying people I know.” He turned back to Diana. “What are you doing in the thieves guild, Diana?”
“Oh, I run the place,” she replied nonchalantly. Cyrilo’s jaw fell open, but she lifted a finger to his chin and pushed it closed. “I didn’t tell you, in order to keep you safe. I know how much all of you at the Armadillo like to gossip. Especially that Margaret. She’s the worst of the bunch. If I had told you, the whole city would know and then I’d have to kill you.”
“You can’t be serious...”
A man stepped up to the table and sat a tray full of food down with three tankards. Diana turned towards him and put her hands on her hips. “Bentley, who am I in the guild?”
“You’re the boss, boss,” he replied, confused as he rubbed his hands on his apron. “Is this a test?”
“Yes Bentley, and you passed with flying colors. Take the rest of the day off,” she said with a wave of her hand.
“Really, boss?”
“By the gods, no! You know better than that! Get back to work!”
Bentley’s face dropped and he hung his head low as he turned back towards the kitchens.
“See? I’m definitely the leader.”
“And an ego-maniac I see,” Cyrilo scoffed. “Do you make them give you compliments every hour too?”
“This is why I always liked you Cy,” she replied, reaching up and playing with one of his ears again. “You’re so honest and as cute as you can be.”
Cyrilo reached up and grabbed her hand firmly, pulling it away from him. “I’m not on the clock. You want to touch me, you pay like always.”
Dusk stood watching the pair of them bicker. It was a new side to Diana that Dusk hadn’t seen before. She seemed playful and flirty, a far cry from her usual commanding facade that she kept up at all times. Even after just a few days he knew she was a shrewd business woman, but it seemed like there was still some child in her after all.
“You’re no fun, Cy!” Diana pulled out a chair and sat down at the table. “Come on, sit down and tell me why you’re here then.”
Everyone took a seat and Lex began to pull food and drink towards himself. Dusk and Cyrilo however, did not.
“Oh, I invited him,” Lex said between bites of food. “We’re taking him to Inahan with us. His contract has been paid off. You’re looking at a free man.”
“Did you think to maybe ask me first?” Diana scowled at Lex, obviously perturbed. “Getting you three on that boat with that damn horse was hard enough, but getting a Rhyka on there will be a miracle.”
“Why is that?” Dusk asked innocently.
Diana gave a sideways glance at Cyrilo, an apologetic look on her face. “Well, Rhyka aren’t exactly popular in this part of the world. I’m afraid there are a lot of leftover prejudices from wars with the southern continent where the Rhyka people hail from. Ditania is not the greatest place for non-humans.”
“Isn’t that why the Crystal Gate was built? As a sign of peace to the south?”
“It was a great show of peace over a thousand years ago,” Diana laughed. “But the world has been at war before and after the gate. The prejudices in Ditania run deep because its kings tend to have a lust for bloo
d.” She turned back to Cyrilo. “I’ll see what I can do to get you on the ship. You might have to be hidden away if they’re boarded, but the captain doesn’t seem like a prejudiced man.”
“Thank you Diana. There’s no reason to stay here anymore. It’s time I got out before someone sells me off again.”
“I’ll miss you at the Armadillo, but I’m glad you’re finally free of that place.” Diana leaned forward, wrapping her arms around him, pulling him into a hug. After a moment she pulled away and pushed herself to her feet. “Well, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go down to the docks and speak to the captain. Again.”
Diana made her way back across the room and up one of the passages. Dusk sat silent for a moment looking to Cyrilo who was still sitting, staring off into the distance. Lex was working his way through his plate with record speed, seemingly undisturbed by anything that had happened.
“Cyrilo?” Dusk asked, pulling him from his thoughts. “I’m glad you’re coming with us.”
Cyrilo paused for a moment, shifting his gaze to Dusk. “Do you still wish to see Eiran’s resting place?”
Dusk was caught off guard. He sat back, his thoughts racing. He knew Tara didn’t want them leaving the guild again and now she was off somewhere, upset about what he had told her. But he also realized how important it was for him, and he had his answer. “Yes,” he replied simply.
“We go tonight. I’ll take you.”
◆◆◆
The day had slipped by without a sign of Tara or Diana again. Dusk thought he should probably let them know where he planned to go, but it seemed they were otherwise preoccupied. He’d caught Lex up on the story of Princess Nedarya that Tiernan had given him. Lex was sufficiently surprised as well and asked many questions, all of which Dusk couldn’t answer. It seemed that Lex had a thorough knowledge of the royal family, but he was surprised to hear about Tara’s romantic involvement, stating she would have been executed on the spot if they had been caught.
The Crystal Key: An LGBTQ+ Fantasy Series (The Crystalline Chronicles Book 3) Page 7
