I closed my eyes and watched the memory back again. “That was my last night in Alderea. The last night I saw Jarut. The night Kel died.”
Her hand slid up my chest to gently brush along my jaw. “There was so much anger in you then. When you left to find Baasch, it felt like—”
“I...don’t want to talk about that,” I interrupted her. “I don’t want you to think about me like that.” For a brief moment, I felt a twinge of relief that our mental connection had broken. That darkness was with me, even back then. I didn’t know.
“Lux, I’m…” she trailed off before sighing softly. “Alright,” she agreed eventually, pulling herself up to kiss my cheek, “we don’t have to talk about it right now.”
“Thank you.” I kissed the top of her head, then slid to the edge of the bed and surveyed our room. The floor around our bed was scattered with various pieces of our armor, still lying where we had dropped them when we returned home. After Miles and Lyn had reached their room at the inn, we had sprinted the remaining distance between Lienna and Mayaan over the following few hours, staying well away from main roads and foot traffic to avoid making a scene with our abundantly enhanced speed. We reached Mayaan before noon and avoided both Elise’s office and Lia’s parents house, instead choosing to return directly to our home to sleep away the previous night's events.
“There is something we do need to talk about, though,” she continued, sitting cross-legged in the center of our bed.
I halted the search for my pants and turned to her with a raised eyebrow. “Oh?” The hard line of her jaw and brow sparked my anxiety as I waited for her response.
“You said we had to go back to Kaldan,” she said quietly. “Why?”
“Val warned us that there were monsters in Kaldan,” I answered. “I ignored her, and our friends paid the price. We have to go stop whatever is happening in Shadowmine.”
“No, we don’t,” Lia countered. “We have no way to prove that thing came from Kaldan. It could just as easily have come from somewhere here in Lybesa.”
I shook my head. “I don’t buy that. There’s no way it could be that big of a coincidence.”
“That’s just it!” she exclaimed, leaning forward with sudden passion. “Everything that’s happened since I met you has been that big of a coincidence! The Strategist’s men looking exactly like the Thralls you fought before? Getting captured by Virram exactly when he needed someone to go to Attetsia? Primes, even the way we met was a coincidence! I just so happened to be sent to the cell opposite yours in the dungeon; a cell you were only in because you just so happened to talk to that one thief girl!”
Each of her points grew more emphatic than the last, and a pit opened in my stomach as I realized how upset she truly was. “That’s not coincidence. That’s the stuff that follows me around, no matter what life I’m in. I don’t know why, but that’s my fate.”
“I don’t think it is, Lux,” she said in a gentler tone, wringing her hands in front of her as she stood up. “I think you’re putting yourself in those situations because you feel guilty for what happened in Hedaat. You’re punishing yourself for what happened to Alda.” She offered out her hand as she took a step forward. “You don’t have to throw away the life you have now to make up for what happened before.”
I took a step back defensively. “I’m not… You’re wrong.” I shook my head as I tried to fight through the sudden rush of memories she had invoked. “Lia, I swear to you, there is nothing I want more in this life than to live it here with you, but—”
“Then do it!” She leapt across the room and took both of my hands in hers. “If you really want to stay here with me, then stay here with me.” Her eyes bounced back and forth as she watched my face intently.
My mouth opened to respond, but I couldn’t find a single word in my defense. All of my primal reactions fought for dominance in my mind simultaneously: run away, double down and fight, crumple up into a ball and cry, kiss her to prove my love. The mental fight was exhausting, but Lia gave me the time I needed to see it through to the end. “You’re right,” I said eventually, turning away to hide from her intense gaze. “I’m sorry. My head is just..soup, right now; I can’t think straight. There’s too much up there for me to figure out on my own.”
Her hand cupped my cheek as she turned my head back to face her, and she pulled me forward for a kiss. I felt her lips curl into a faint smile, and she tipped her face forward to rest her forehead against mine. “I’ve told you this before, and I’ll keep telling you until you finally listen: you’re not alone anymore. We can get through it together.”
I felt my stomach churn as flashes of my rampage in the Attetsian plaza came unbidden to the forefront of my mind. “I can’t put all of that on you, Lia. Not—”
“Stop it,” she insisted, poking my bare chest with her finger. “I’m not some weak little girl you have to protect anymore, okay? I can handle it. We can handle it. Together.”
“You’re right,” I murmured. I took a long, deep breath in through my nose, finding comfort in the faint mint aroma of her hair. “You’re right,” I repeated, taking a step away from her and patting myself lightly on my cheeks. I leaned back and forth on the balls of my feet as I breathed out the last of my anxieties. “I love you, Lia.”
“I love you, too,” she said, wrapping me in a tight hug.
I basked in her warmth for a moment, then gave her a soft pat on the back. “We can talk more about this later, but there are some other people we need to talk to first.” I returned to my forgotten task of getting dressed, finally finding my pants hidden beneath my breastplate. “You should tell Marin and your parents about what happened. Your father probably shouldn’t accept any jobs that take him more than a day’s travel out of Mayaan until we get a better handle on what’s going on out there.”
Lia nodded as she crossed the room and slipped out of her nightgown, searching through her wardrobe for a more appropriate outfit. “And while I do that, you’ll go into town to meet with Elise?”
“Right,” I answered with a grimace. “She needs to know what happened to her employees.”
“I can come with you, if you want,” she offered.
“No, it’s fine. I’m sure your parents want to see you, and I need to requisition some more building supplies from Elise anyways.” I sighed as I buttoned up one of the few casual shirts I owned. “I just don’t know how to break the news to her.”
“Aunt Ellie is tougher than she looks,” Lia reassured me. “It won’t be a pleasant meeting, obviously, but she can handle it.”
I crossed the room and slipped my arms around her waist. “Alright. I won't be long, hopefully.” She gave my hands a light squeeze of acknowledgement before I turned and made my way to the door. I lingered for a moment as my eyes fell on my strewn armor pieces, and I momentarily considered donning the full set before I left; I owned little in the way of clothing beside a few ill-fitting donations from Marten’s closet, and I often found myself feeling overly exposed when wearing anything other than the protective leathers. With a shake of my head, I pushed the feeling away and made my way to the front door, where I retrieved my cloak before beginning my trip into town.
Had I been on the way to meet anybody else, I would have been worried it was too late in the day to find them at work, but my past experiences with Elise told me she would be in her office well into the night. My brisk jog into Mayaan proper brought me to Three Barrels just after the sun had dipped below the horizon. I paused momentarily at the front door, took a deep breath, and pushed into the lobby.
The front desk attendant warned me that the late hour meant Elise was most likely too busy for an impromptu meeting, but I was quickly led to her office when my presence was announced. “You’re back early,” she greeted me as soon as we were alone in the office. The serious formality of her tone was off-putting in contrast to her usual playful, overly flirtatious demeanor, and she watched me with tight eyes as I sat down opposite her. “You have news for me
, I assume?”
“Yes,” I answered gravely. “I’m afraid it’s not good news.”
She sighed. “I’ve held out hope these past two weeks that all of my people were miraculously alive and unharmed, but...I think I’ve known.” She steepled her fingers and leaned forward onto her desk. “Tell me what you found.”
“I don’t exactly know how to say this, Elise,” I started. “It’s a difficult—”
“Tell me what you found, Lux,” she repeated, her voice now low and intense.
I swallowed hard and gave her a small nod. “I believe all of your missing crew is dead. I found their scattered bones alongside the remains of your caravans. There was a...beast of some sort that had made its den a few miles off the road in the Midlands. It was hunting travelers for food.” I paused, letting out the breath I had unconsciously held in my chest. “The beast is dead now, too.”
“I’ve heard rumors of monsters roaming northern Kaldan lately,” she said quietly. “I assumed they weren’t true.”
“Unfortunately, it seems they are,” I answered. “It was unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Armored like a monstrous crab, with bladed forearms and powerful hind legs.” The image of the beast’s skeleton made me shudder, and I pushed the thought away, keeping the information to myself. “I have no reason to believe there are any more of them around, but it is a possibility.”
“I see.” We sat in silence as she processed the information, her brow furrowed in deep concentration. “What did you do with the bones? Are they still there?”
“I burned them. It was the best I could do, given the circumstances.”
She nodded. “Thank you, Lux. While it was the outcome I dreaded most, just knowing puts my mind at ease, in some small way.” She cleared her throat and brushed her hand over a stack of papers at the edge of her desk. “I’d already written letters for the families, were my fears to be realized. I suppose I’ll have to send them out.”
“I wish there was more we could have done for you, Elise,” I lamented.
“Nonsense. You and Lia have saved a lot of lives with what you’ve done, I have no doubt,” she said, waving off my concern. “Now, we need to discuss your payment. Is there anything you need? Money? Supplies? Information?”
“There is something, actually. I’m building a forge, and I need materials: mortar, stone, and a supply of raw iron.”
“Done,” she answered immediately. “I’ll have it delivered to Marten’s by tomorrow evening. I trust you can take it from there.”
“Yes, thank you.” As the silence returned to the room, I stood and glanced out the window behind her at the dark sky. “I should be getting back now.”
“Of course,” she nodded. “Thank you again, Lux. Give the Corells my love.”
“Of course,” I echoed. I turned to go, but a thought held me in place. “Actually, there’s one more thing.” She nodded for me to continue. “Lia and I met some friends on the road. They were attacked by the beast as well and lost some loved ones in the encounter. I promised them that, should they need to contact us, they could just get a letter to you and you would pass the message on to us.”
“I’ll inform my staff,” she assured me.
“Thank you.” I made my way to the exit, turning back to her one more time. “Goodnight, Elise.”
“Goodnight, Lux,” she called out, giving me a small wave. As I left the room and closed the door behind me, I let out a long, hissing sigh. Elise had handled the news better than I had hoped, but despite her strong facade, I knew it hurt her more than she let on. My Detection scanned out through the building as I prepared to leave, and I caught a quick glimpse of her holding her head in her hands as she began to cry. I withdrew the mana from her office immediately and focused it specifically onto the road back home, feeling embarrassed to have witnessed the emotions she clearly wished to hide from me.
I met the edge of Lia’s Detection as I entered the forest, and I felt her perk up immediately. How did it go?
Better than I expected, given the news, I answered her. How about on your end?
Fine. My parents are just happy we’re safe, but Marin says she wants to see one of the monsters for herself.
I rolled my eyes for no one’s benefit but my own. She wouldn’t think that if she’d been there.
I tried to tell her that, but...you know how she is.
I do. The Corells’ house came into view ahead of me, and I slowed to a jog as I approached the front door. I knocked lightly on the door, then entered without waiting for a response, moving to the living room where my family was waiting.
“Lux!” Marten yelled as I came into view. “You’re still alive!”
Hana scowled as she prodded him in the ribs, but I laughed at the outburst. “I’m just as surprised as you are, Marten.”
“Tell me about it, Lux!” Marin begged, leaning forward excitedly. “Tell me about the monster!”
I resisted the urge to scowl at her. “Marin, this might just sound like adventuring tall tales to you, but it’s real. A lot of people died because of that thing; we’re not going to sit around telling stories about it.” The room fell uncomfortably silent, and I realized I may have been too harsh in my response. “Plus, you’ll learn more than enough about it when we start training again tomorrow.”
“Training?” Marin said, confused. “You just told me I was trained before you left!”
Lia and I shared a raucous laugh. “What, you thought you were just finished? For good?” I asked between laughs. “You’re never done training, Marin. Besides, you might be trained enough to deal with any regular thug, but that’s not the problem we’re dealing with anymore, is it?”
“We initially wanted to get you trained enough that you could help protect our family if Virram ever sent guards after us again,” Lia explained. “If the rumors are true, and that monster really did come from Kaldan, I think he might have some bigger problems. But, clearly, so do we.”
“Until they can put an end to those problems, we need to make sure we can keep everyone safe here. Which means a lot more training for you,” I added. I turned to Marten and gave him an apologetic smile. “I hope you don’t mind that we’ll be stealing your business partner away from you again.”
“Oh, I suppose that’s alright,” he answered, rubbing his chin. “I’ll have to dock her pay, of course…”
“What?!” Marin yelled, jumping to her feet. “You hardly pay me anything as it is!”
“When you consider your free room and board, you’ll see you get paid more than a fair wage!” he countered. “What do you think you need so much money for, all of a sudden?”
Hana shook her head as they continued to argue. “They do this all the time,” she said, her voice nearly drowned out from the shouting match. “I think it’s their way of showing affection for each other.”
Lia laughed. “As much as I’m sure we’d both love to stay and watch, we should be heading home now.” She turned and gave me a knowing smile. “We had a long day of traveling today.”
“Yeah, I’ll definitely sleep well tonight,” I agreed. Despite the fact that I had been resting all day, I was still exhausted all the same; the manner of our awakening coupled with my meeting with Elise had left me both mentally and physically worn out. “It’s nice to be home. We’ll have to have another dinner soon.”
“Anytime,” Hana smiled as we all stood up to say our goodbyes. “We still have plenty of bihorn from your last hunt.” She gave us each a quick hug as Marin and Marten continued to argue, having switched topics from payment to their division of labor.
Our movement caught Marin’s attention, and she immediately spun towards Lia with a beaming smile. “I’m glad you’re home,” she said cheerily, wrapping Lia in a tight hug. “You’ll be here tomorrow to pick me up for training, right?”
“Bright and early,” she answered, hugging her back. “You don’t get the mornings off anymore.”
“I’m ready!” she crowed, hopping backwards and pumping
her fist. “Just you wait! I’m going to be beating you before you know it, Lux!” She stepped forward to hug me in turn, popping multiple joints in my back and shoulders.
“Oh, really?” I said, patting her on the back. “You seem awfully chipper for someone who was just complaining about more training.”
“I wasn’t complaining!” she exclaimed. “I was just...surprised! I want to get stronger like you two, and I know that means more training! I’m ready.”
“Okay then,” I nodded, stepping back in line with Lia. “Tomorrow morning it is.”
“Glad to see you both home safe,” Marten said to both of us. “Even if it means more work for me.”
“Oh, speaking of work, Marten—I’m having some more building materials delivered tomorrow. I hope you don’t mind, but I asked for them to be delivered here.”
“I’ll have to start charging you delivery and storage fees, at this rate!” he grinned.
“I suppose that’s fair,” I chuckled. I put an arm over Lia’s shoulders and looked over the group one final time. “Alright, time to head out. Goodnight, everyone.”
We were met with a chorus of goodbyes as we took our leave, stepping out into the cool night air and beginning our trip back through the forest. “So,” I said, pinching Lia’s shoulder lightly, “a long day of traveling, huh?”
She shrugged. “I thought it was an easier explanation than ‘we sprinted the entire journey back in a few hours, slept all afternoon, and fought through some weird magic issues we don’t really understand.’”
“That’s true,” I chuckled, pulling her tighter against me as we walked. “Do you have any new plans for Marin’s training?”
“I’m not sure,” she said, tilting her head to the side. “I think I want to do more strength training with her, without any enhancements. She should probably learn some basic magic that isn’t enhancements, too.”
“I think we could all use some practice on that front,” I agreed. “But if that’s the case, we’re going to need a place to train that isn’t our front yard. I don’t want to have to rebuild our house because I sneezed during Fire practice.”
Restart Again: Volume 3 Page 32
