I set my palm on his chest, locking my elbow to keep him at a safe distance. “I’m worried about your self-esteem, Captain. You’re always so critical of yourself.”
“Say it, Lucia.” He smirks, so ridiculously sure of himself. “Say you love me.”
I cannot deny something significant happened between us on that island in the whirlpool, and it would be a lie to try. However, at the time, I thought those days were all we had. Things are not as easy here as they were there, and previous heartbreak makes you cautious. I cannot just fall in his arms and hope for the best, no matter how much I want to.
“If you’ll excuse me, I have an appointment.” I brush past him, but he catches my hand before I’m out of reach.
“Believe it or not, I had a purpose for visiting you this afternoon.”
“What’s that?” I ask, trying not to focus on the feel of his fingers twined with mine.
“Harold gave me a peek at this curious invitation.” He pulls the cream envelope from the inside pocket of his jacket and flicks it in the air, taunting me. “It’s being distributed to all the nobles in Kalae as we speak.”
Breathless, I demand, “What is it?”
“See for yourself.” He offers me the envelope, and I swipe it from his hand like a greedy child.
I pull the parchment out—even the paper is fine—and quickly scan the document. Waves of incredulous excitement crash over me with every word.
“He’s holding a soirée,” I breathe.
Avery nods, chuckling at my exuberance.
“In our honor…” I whisper.
I scan the invitation over and over again. Right there, on the page, it reads, In honor of Captain Avery Alexander Greybrow of the Greybrow Serpent and Lucia Linnon, professional adventuress and scout, slayer of sirens.
“I cannot believe it.” I shake my head, overcome. “What do I do? It’s next week! How will I prepare? What will I wear?”
Avery laughs and plucks the invitation from me before I crush it on accident. “Take Adeline and buy yourself a new gown from Serena Hanhaust. She has a shoppe in the main district near the restaurants, and she’s renowned throughout Kalae as the best. I’m sure Adeline will be more than pleased to meet her.”
“I have no money.” I glare at him, though there’s not a lot of heat behind it. “But I would, if a certain pirate captain hadn’t stolen my orchids.”
He rolls his eyes. “If a subject can be beat to death, this one has been. And if you’ll remember, I reimbursed you for your loss.”
Yes, and Adeline informed me that practical Sebastian invested every last denat. Thank goodness he’s more scrupulous about choosing a banker than I am.
“Besides,” Avery says, stepping closer and lowering his voice. “I’ll buy you a gown. I’ll buy you whatever you want—you already know that.”
Mother would question the morals of a woman who lets a man constantly shower her with beautiful things, and goodness knows Avery’s already done that for me and more. But what’s one more dress?
“I suppose,” I say as if I’m doing him a favor. Then I give him a suspicious look. “How do you know this Serena woman?”
“Have fun shopping.” He chucks me under the chin in a way that he knows will aggravate me and excuses himself from my room.
“Don’t think I didn’t notice that you evaded the question!” I call as he closes the door.
The captain laughs from the hall. With the safety of the door separating us, I grin like a lovesick fool, and then I catch myself and wipe the expression off my face.
CHAPTER SEVEN
A Curious Shortage of Butterflies
As we agreed, I meet Sebastian by the stables. I give him a hesitant smile, and he gives me a stiff one in return.
Well, this isn’t awkward. Not at all.
While he speaks with our driver, I look around, taking in the castle grounds. The courtyard is huge, and it houses many different buildings. The stable’s to the west, the armory to the east, and a beautiful chapel with dozens of long stained-glass windows stands to the south. The castle’s gardeners have bedecked the winter flower beds with multitudes of purple and yellow pansies, and their cheery little faces almost seem to smile. Rose bushes tower behind the flowers, full-to-bursting with scarlet blooms. Even here in Teirn where it’s warm, it’s a little too early for such a display. They must be charmed to bloom year-round. Evergreen hedges with thick, glossy leaves form tidy borders, and I want to wander their rooms, get lost for the afternoon.
But first, business.
“Are you ready?” Sebastian offers me his hand to assist me into the carriage.
I give him a funny look. Since when does he treat me like a lady? Or a girl, for that matter. Unsure how to proceed, I set my hand in his. We both stare at our joined palms for several heartbeats, and then I scurry into the carriage.
It’s an open top sort of trap, more like riding in Father’s wagon but a bit grander with its velvet upholstered seats and all.
Sebastian and I sit in silence until the carriage jerks forward.
“Adeline says you are unsure how long you will be in Teirn,” he finally says.
I watch him for several moments, irked by that particular statement. “Is that what we do now, speak through Adeline?”
Sebastian exhales slowly, taking his time to answer as he always does. He stares at the scenery for several moments before he looks back. His eyes are so familiar; they hold so many memories.
“I don’t know…” He pauses, looking for the right words, appearing both frustrated and forlorn. “How do we return to normal?”
His words neutralize the sharp response that was already on my tongue. Deflated, I look at my hands. “I don’t know.”
We pass several large and elegant houses, all nestled next to even more large and elegant houses, all in a coveted part of the city. Each has a small strip of flower bed directly off their pillar-flanked entries, followed by steps that lead to the walkways Teirn is known for. Past the walkways lie another strip of landscaping maintained by the king’s gardeners, and then there is the fine cobblestone street. It’s strange to view the city as the nobles do, from atop their grand carriages—to see things as they see them for the first time. I feel very tall.
People stroll the streets, but no one is in a hurry or seems to have a destination in mind. Many of the women carry munchkin dragons in their arms or in satchels at their sides. They wear their jeweled pets like accessories, and I notice that many women coordinate their outfits to match their dragon’s scales.
I suppose I’m fortunate that Flink settled on a metallic color. He matches virtually everything. I find the thought amusing, and I smile to myself until I catch Sebastian watching me.
We’re silent for a long while, but Sebastian finally clears his throat. “Are you in love with him?”
The question settles between us, tainting the beautiful late winter day. I continue to watch the street instead of facing him. “I don’t know.”
“But you’ve forgiven him?” he asks, incredulous.
This time, I meet his eyes. “I have.”
Obviously thinking I’m a fool, Sebastian shakes his head. “And what will you do when he fully recovers? Once he returns to the sea?”
His words are an ice dagger in my heart. Of all the things I’ve pondered, this is the one I have dared not face. My life is here, in the provinces of Kalae, with my two feet planted firmly on solid ground—I cannot even set foot on a ship without my anti-nausea charm. But the sea is Avery’s home—his one true love. We have no rightful place with each other, no matter how I might wish it weren’t so.
I shrug because I have no answer. Thankfully, Sebastian does not press for more, at least not now.
We are saved from further conversation when the carriage pulls up in front of the alchemy supply store. Thankfully, for the owner and us, no guards loiter outside, and the windows appear intact.
We push through the door, and a bell tinkles above us. My eyes scan
the room as we wait for the shopkeeper. It’s a pleasant temperature inside, just a few degrees warmer than the outside air, likely regulated with a thermocharm that shopkeepers prefer over fires.
As with most supply shoppes, all but the most common of ingredients are kept under lock and key, and you must go to the counter to ask for assistance. Like Sebastian’s grandfather’s shoppe in Reshire—one of Lord Thane’s many investments, the counter is made of glass cases.
Because the shoppe only has a large front window, there are tiny floating orbs of light hovering at the corners of the cases, illuminating the goods. The charm serves two purposes. It makes the items easier to see, and it also casts them in an enticing, ethereal light. I lean down, already impressed with the stock up front. The shopkeeper has various dried flowers, leaves, and roots—all exotic and hard to obtain. I recognize one with an impressive name.
Unable to help myself though I have no idea where we stand, I poke Sebastian. “Look—Anubish Gramerilianor.”
Sebastian leans down to read the small writing under the name. “Donated by none other than Baron Malcomny of Baywhite.”
“I’ve heard he’s quite the talk of the horticultural community,” I joke. “Did you know he recently obtained a Moss Forest orchid cutting?”
Sebastian offers me a real smile, not one of the tight-lipped fake ones he’s so good at. “Impressive.”
Feeling as if we are making progress, even if it’s at a snail’s pace, I go back to my browsing. The shoppe seems to specialize in flora for the alchemists, apothecaries, and herbologists. Yet there are gemstones, jewels, and coils of Elven chain for the magicsmiths as well. The owner has several animal ingredients—harpy and greater cockatrice feathers, will-o-wisp fluff, and scales from several different types of elemental greater basilisks, just to name a few.
One case holds nothing but crispy insects. A shiny purple beetle catches my attention, and I study it, slightly repulsed.
“Hello, there. I’m Dante,” a friendly-looking brown-haired man in a sharp jacket says when he steps from the back. He has an attractive dimpled smile and is quite handsome for his late twenty or so years. “If you’re looking for butterflies or moths, I’m afraid I’m all out.”
I wrinkle my nose. “What are those used for?”
The man laughs at my expression. “Dandruff tinctures, mostly. Apparently, we’ve had an epidemic in Teirn because I cannot keep any in stock.”
“We’ve come to sell,” Sebastian says, “But I don’t believe we have either butterflies or moths.”
My partner looks at me for clarification. I shake my head and dig into my satchel for the pouch where I’ve kept the items I gathered from the island in the whirlpool. “Sorry. I do have some rather strange mushrooms, though.”
With great care, I set my items on the counter. I have a little of everything: dried flowers, lots of leaves and roots, a great amount of strange, now wrinkled, red mushrooms, and various other things that would look like rubbish a toddler collected if you weren’t interested in the art and business of alchemy or herbology.
With every specimen I place, the man’s expression grows more surprised. He takes a mushroom and looks at it with a magnifying glass. “Where did you find this? I’ve never seen one before.”
I shrug. “An island past the circular archipelagos, about a month to the south of here.”
The man slowly lowers the mushroom and magnifying glass and says in an awed voice, “You’re her—the siren slayer. Scout extraordinaire. The king’s new favorite swashbuckling adventuress and soon-to-be darling of the royal court.”
Swashbuckling?
Never mind that. I flash Sebastian a look that says, “See there. I’m special.”
He looks incredulous.
“Um, yes? I’m Lucia.” I do a little curtsy bob. I think I’m getting the hang of it.
The man’s eyes travel to Sebastian, and he steps back, overwhelmed. “That must make you Captain Avery Greybrow.” He thrusts his hand out in greeting. “It’s an honor to have you in my shoppe, Captain.”
“Er…no,” I interrupt. “This is my business partner, Lord Sebastian Thane. Of the Reginae Thanes,” I feel the need to add, just to give Sebastian’s title a little boost.
Sebastian shakes the man’s hand, less than amused.
“Oh.” The shopkeeper nods, looking mildly disappointed. “But you must have been on the ship with them then, yes? Did you see Lucia slay the sirens?”
“No,” Sebastian answers curtly.
The poor man’s elation dies away, leaving him looking rather pathetic and sad.
I lean close in a conspiratorial manner. “He was in Reginae, attending to a matter that I’m afraid is still of a rather lock and key nature—if you know what I mean.”
I give the shopkeeper an exaggerated look, and he slowly nods, his face lighting again as he gives me a friendly wink. “Of course.” He turns back to Sebastian. “Well, it is an honor to meet you as well.”
“The pleasure is mine,” Sebastian answers wryly.
“So…” I wave my hand over the eclectic grouping of island paraphernalia.
“I’ll take it all,” Dante says immediately. “Even if it’s just for my own personal experiments. But I must be honest with you. Since I have no idea what most of it is, I don’t know how much to offer for it.”
“It’s not every day you have the darling of the king’s court offering you first choice of her bounty,” Sebastian says, his voice terribly serious.
The shopkeeper sighs and nods. “True. A thousand denats?”
Sebastian frowns.
“One and a half—” Dante stops when he sees the look on Sebastian’s face. “No? No, of course not. Two…yes? Two thousand denats?”
I try to hide my glee. I would have happily accepted seven hundred and fifty and run out the door, squealing like a pig in a fresh bog of mud.
“That sounds reasonable,” Sebastian finally agrees, nodding.
“Again,” Dante says, catching my hand in a debonair way that would make me blush if I were the blushing sort. “It was a pleasure to meet you.”
“You too,” I say, grinning. There’s something immensely likable about this man, and the fact that Sebastian doesn’t care for him is a happy bonus.
Content with the success of the outing, I leave with enough money in my satchel to buy my choice of Serena Whatever’s gowns without using Avery’s money. As we’re leaving the shoppe, I turn, about to ask Sebastian a question, and accidentally plow right into a man as he enters.
“I’m sorry…” The words die off when I take in the stranger’s face.
“Quite all right,” the man who watched me from the pier assures us. Without so much as a backward glance, he steps around me and makes his way to the counter.
Sebastian touches the small of my back, helping guide me out of the shoppe, and I jump as if stabbed.
“Are you all right?” he asks, genuinely concerned.
I mumble something, but my attention is on the man.
“Afternoon, Sam,” Dante says, friendly in a familiar way. “What brings you by?”
The man lowers his voice, but I can just hear him as we’re walking out of the shoppe. “I’m looking for a wildwood larkwing. Do you know anyone who has one in their stock?”
“Hmmm,” Dante hums with thought. “Remind me again—is it a dragonfly? Moth?”
Before the man answers, he shoots me a look over his shoulder and then leans close to the shopkeeper. “Butterfly.”
***
My mind is still on the man in the alchemy shoppe when we step out on the street. I’m rational enough to know it was a coincidence, but the meeting was still unsettling.
I’m so deep in thought, I don’t notice the commotion ahead of us.
“Let’s go this way,” Sebastian says quietly as he steers me in the opposite direction.
I look up, taking in our surroundings. A man in ratty clothing shakes his fist at a pair of guards. He’s almost incoherent, bu
t a few phrases stand out—goblins near the city, larks singing from trees, underground masquerades. It’s all gibberish, but he’s adamant they listen to him.
Pulling out of Sebastian’s grasp, I linger for a moment longer.
“Come on, Lucia. You don’t need to watch this.”
“What do you think is wrong with him?” I whisper.
Sebastian shakes his head and frowns.
“I didn’t think they allowed beggars in Teirn,” I add, keeping my voice low. “I thought they shipped them off to Fermall.”
I’m only partially joking.
One of the guards clasps the man’s shoulder, trying to calm his tirade. I watch the scene for a few more moments.
“They have the larkwings! Why do you think the goblins are here? They’re going to attack during one of the masquerades!” The man yells at the guards, louder now, “Why won’t you believe me? Don’t you care about the city?”
“We’ve been over this. There are no tunnels under the streets, Giacomo,” one of the guards says, losing patience. “The goblins aren’t getting into the city, and there are no masquerades.” But he doesn’t seem so sure about that last part.
Giacomo grabs the man’s jacket. “I’ve been there. I’ve seen them.”
When he sees the guards aren’t going to help him, he begins yelling at random people. Left with no choice, the guards arrest him and drag him toward the castle. The man’s hollers fill the street long after the trio turns the corner.
Sebastian whistles low.
“Sounds like someone should stay away from the night floss,” he says, speaking of an illegal stimulating elixir that can be found at the caravans if you know the right people to ask. It does seem something has addled the man’s mind.
I take one last glance over my shoulder at the now empty street as Sebastian steers me to our waiting carriage.
CHAPTER EIGHT
When Good Dragons Go Bad
Courtiers overwintering in Teirn do strange things. For example, because they have nothing better to do, they eat six tiny meals dispersed throughout the day—which means they’re eating all day long. The queen insists we have breakfast, morning tea, luncheon, afternoon tea, an early evening sampling of wine, cheese, and various fruits, and finally a late evening supper that isn’t served until almost nine. After that, we retire for several hours of “spirited” conversation and eventually wander to bed around midnight. No one bothers rising before nine in the morning.
Wildwood Larkwing (Silver and Orchids Book 3) Page 5
