Of Noble Chains (The Ventori Fables)

by Miles, D. L.

  Mel pouted, her cheeks reddening with anger. Zia just shook her head, and the woman walked off. Neither of the girls knew what to do about that; no human had ever stood up for a Specter for.

  Chapter 5:

  Zia woke up at six the next day, completely eager for it to start. And as she was dancing around her room, she remembered that she had no way of contacting Aeryn, since they hadn’t exchanged phone numbers, or anything else for that matter. Her pace slowed as she stared at herself in the bathroom mirror, hand in the air and ready to apply another coat of mascara.

  “Crap,” she whispered. She quickly finished getting ready and headed downstairs, the smell of bacon enticing. As her foot touched down on the first floor there was a knock at the door.

  “Who could that be?” Cashel asked from the kitchen.

  “Dunno,” Zia called back, knowing her mother wasn’t in there too. She usually slept in late, even with her afternoon naps and going to bed before the sun. “I’ll get it.”

  She padded over to the door and swung it open, very un-Tracker like, she thought, but who would attack at half past six in the morning? The wind blew her hair back as she came face to face with Aeryn, a smile on his lips.

  “Great, you’re up,” he said, inviting himself into her home with a single step. Zia was pushed to the side as he looked around the hallway, unaware of the intrusion. She thought he seemed a little too eager to investigate an average household.

  “What are you doing here?” Zia asked, hoping her father wasn’t about to come around the corner. She shut the door behind her, wanting to make Aeryn leave, but not wanting to, at the same time. Maybe she could just—

  “Hello,” Cashel appeared in the kitchen doorway, metal tongs in hand. “Who might you be?”

  “Good morning,” Aeryn said, reaching a hand out, “name’s Aeryn.”

  Although he was confused, Cashel took the man’s hand. With a glance up the stairs he turned back to the Tracker and said, “Please keep your voice down, my wife is sleeping.”

  “Gotcha,” Aeryn laughed and continued to inspect the various photographs on the walls and little knick knacks that decorated the hallway. Zia was given a strict look from her father, asking her to explain but she merely shrugged, her brain trying to think up a good lie to save herself. How could she explain knowing Aeryn, an older man, and not admit he was Ventori and also her mentor?

  “I’m just here to pick Zia up,” Aeryn said, eyes falling over a particular family photo that included Donataen, “take her to—“

  “Work!” Zia tried not to shout but it still came out like a scream. “He’s here to take me to…work.”

  “Oh, I see,” Cashel eyed the stranger in his home, “and what is your relationship exactly?”

  “I’m her m—“

  “Man! He’s my man,” Zia laughed and grabbed onto Aeryn’s arm. “Surprise, I have a boyfriend.”

  Aeryn didn’t react like Zia had thought he would. But then again, she hadn’t had enough time to think any of this through. Aeryn wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer, but not too close as to upset Cashel. Zia blushed, never having a real man like him do that before. Suddenly it was even harder to lift her head to look her father in the eyes.

  “A boyfriend?” Win’s voice drifted down the stairs. She stood at the top, bathrobe draped around her as she began to descend. Something about the fading flowers on her cuffs made Zia’s heart sink.

  “Yup,” Zia swallowed, her mother’s eyes piercing into Aeryn.

  “Where in Havilan did you meet?” It was Cashel doing the questioning this time. His scrutinizing Medean blood came out in full force then as he lowered his eyes towards the fake couple.

  “Oh, calm down Cash,” Win shushed, “we’ve never met any of her boyfriends, just be happy you know what this one looks like.”

  Cashel grunted at his wife, clearly unhappy with her words. Zia took a deep breath ready to explain and thank her mother for her understanding when Win said, “Now you don’t have to waste any time tracking him to place a bug on him.”

  “No bugs please,” Aeryn joked as Win shot him a superior smile. And here Zia thought her mother was frail. “Cindy doesn’t like them much.”

  “Cindy?” Zia heard herself asking. They weren’t even dating for real and she felt appalled she already sounded like a jealous girlfriend.

  “My horse,” Aeryn explained, gripping Zia’s waist just a little bit tighter, “she’s fine around mosquitoes, but she hates anything bigger.”

  “You ride a horse?” Win asked, curious.

  “Easier to get around,” Aeryn’s eyes drifted over Cashel, “perfectly safe though.”

  Hoping to avoid any further conflict, Zia said, “Dad, the bacon’s burning!”

  Cashel’s eyes widened and he hurried back into the kitchen. Win moved into the doorway to giggle at her husband, but made sure to keep an eye on Aeryn.

  “Anyway,” Aeryn said as he turned to Zia, “I think we have to go.”

  “Right,” she agreed and freed herself, rather unwillingly, from his grip. She dashed over and kissed her mom on the cheek before throwing on her favourite pair of boots. “I’ll see you later!”

  “Stay safe!” her mother called out as she passed by Aeryn. Suddenly, his hand shot out and he grabbed onto Zia’s arm.

  “Hold on,” he said and just as Zia looked up to see what he wanted, he kissed her. Zia didn’t hear if her mother reacted, she was too busy trying to figure out what was going on. Rinehart the Unbreakable was in her hallway, kissing her. And it wasn’t like any other kiss she had ever experienced; of the four boys she had dated in high school she had only kissed two. But this was nothing like those; those were desperate boys, and she’d had the control. This was a man, and his kiss was gentle; he held all the power. This was something Zia wasn’t used to.

  Their lips parted and Aeryn slowly smiled, enjoying the expression on Kehzia’s face. It was a fun mixture of surprise, anxiousness and attraction. He turned to her mother, who simply raised one thin eyebrow at him.

  “It was nice meeting you,” he said and he grabbed onto Kehzia’s hand, pulling her out the door. Aeryn felt triumphant as he held onto her hand, as if kissing her had proven something to himself, to Donataen or maybe it was to their parents.

  “What was that?” Kehzia ripped out of Aeryn’s grip and turned to face him on the cobble walk, only a few feet away from Cindy who was already shimmering in the early morning light.

  “I wanted to convince them,” he explained, “we are ‘dating’ aren’t we?”

  “Yeah but…” Kehzia looked down and then back up at him quickly. “That wasn’t necessary.”

  “No,” Aeryn shrugged and turned around, “but it was fun.”

  Zia’s face was burning, her mind racing after that kiss. Something about it had made every part of her body tingle, her stomach twisting in all sorts of directions. Something about it made her angry too. She looked up to see Aeryn fiddling with something on a big black horse.

  “Well don’t do it again,” she ordered him, “not unless it’s my idea…wait…I mean…”

  “I know what you mean,” Aeryn sighed, sounding almost exhausted with her. “Now come on, we’ve got work to do.”

  “Okay,” Zia accepted that Aeryn was in charge here, even though it was hard for her to do it. It was hard for her to try and stop her face from turning as red as it was, but she easily forgot about it when she watched Aeryn’s horse, Cindy begin to change.

  One moment, she was standing in the shade, but as the sun came over the high tower of City Ark she began to sparkle. Cindy, once a black charger, turned into a glittering glass steed, starting from her tail until the line of magic came to her nose. Zia gasped, amazed.

  “No way,” she said, watching the horse trot on the spot after its transformation, “you have a Seraphic Steed? No. Freaking. Way.”

  Zia jumped towards Cindy, hands hovering over the clear mane. As her eyes drifted up and down the horse she st
opped at its white saddle, noticing something was missing. She asked, “Where are her wings?”

  “She’s just a baby,” Aeryn held his hand out for Zia to hoist herself up but she didn’t move, “she’s still got about a hundred or so years before she gets her wings.” He leaned closer to the horse’s head and finished, “She hasn’t even picked night or day yet!”

  “That’s okay though,” Zia said, running her fingers through the sparkling mane. Cindy huffed, tickled by the light touch. “Technically they don’t have to choose a side, right? They’ll just stay black at night and clear in the day.”

  “She’ll be picking day,” Aeryn said, shoving his hand out to Zia again. This time she took it, and allowed him to help her onto the steed. She didn’t need the help, since Zia had been riding horses since seventh grade, but she wasn’t going to refuse any chance to get closer with Aeryn; as long as it was on her terms, that was. “She never fully changes at night.”

  “What do you mean?” Zia slid back on the saddle, ready to let Aeryn in front of her but he moved her forward. “And what are you doing?”

  “It’s easier for the small one to be in front,” Aeryn said and he jumped up, legs coming around Zia’s. “And she doesn’t have a Fallen Form at night; she just looks like a regular horse.”

  “Oh,” Zia said, very aware of Aeryn’s arms around her. He flicked the reins and Cindy took off, her glass hooves clinking on the pavement. Zia held onto the horn of the saddle, trying to focus on anything else that didn’t involve Aeryn.

  As they rode in silence, Aeryn found it hard not to compare Zia to other girls he had ridden with, which wasn’t many. His previous love had been bigger than her, but she fit perfectly between his arms. Even he wasn’t sure why he insisted she sit up front.

  But she had listened and got on, a blush still clear on her cheeks. Something about that made Aeryn happy, knowing he could so easily get past her barriers. What do you think of that, Donataen?

  Aeryn flicked the reins to move faster, and Cindy obeyed. The steed picked up her pace as they passed by pedestrians and cars and other riders. He would never admit it, but Aeryn missed New Havilan. What he didn’t miss were the memories.

  Maybe after he was done with Zia he would be able to move on.

  Maybe.

  Chapter 6:

  Zia was first to get down from Cindy, partly because she felt like she was about to burst into flames being seated with Aeryn, and partly because she just really wanted to know what they were doing at the Redcreek Bridge. But her quick escape wasn’t as elegant as she had hoped and her knees buckled, toppling her to the ground.

  “Are you alright?” Aeryn laughed at her as he stepped down from Cindy, careful to avoid his student. He never offered her help up but she didn’t care; Zia shot up from the dirt and quickly brushed herself off.

  “I’m like ice,” Zia declared and calmly rested her arm on Cindy. Despite her cold appearance, the glass of her mane was actually quite hot. The steed whinnied and shook the girl off, deciding to trot towards the grass. “So uh, what are we doing here?”

  “Read the news lately?” Aeryn moved closer to the bridge where Zia finally noticed a few bouquets of colourful flowers and melted candles surrounding a frame. One flower was out of place though, sitting directly in from of a photograph; a single red rose. As she approached, she saw the image of a smiling young woman. The short news article flashed in her mind and she stopped following her mentor.

  “This was the girl that jumped from the bridge,” Zia said, taking a careful step towards the photograph, “the Ventori from the other night.”

  “You’re half right,” Aeryn glanced over his shoulder and allowed the breeze to blow his hair in front of his eyes, “but she didn’t jump willingly.”

  “How do you know that?” Zia’s heart skipped a beat, thinking that maybe he was involved in the woman’s death. But she pushed aside her paranoid thoughts, they were too ridiculous. Her brother always told her she was too nervous. “Judgmental” was his favourite word to use.

  “This is your first test,” Aeryn sauntered halfway down the bridge. Zia quickened her pace to catch up and followed him to the very end; keeping a careful eye on her surroundings. “You know she didn’t jump off here, so what happened?”

  Zia nodded at him and began to look around, trying to notice every little detail.

  Aeryn knew there was no way Zia would pass this test. But that was part of why he chose this as her first official case; because it would teach her a few valuable, and hopefully lifesaving lessons. He watched as she first looked around at the wooden planks, as if afraid she would step on any evidence should she move.

  He stepped backwards and leaned against the side of a support beam, trying not to chuckle at her. She shot him a look and he crossed his arms, already defensive. Suddenly she looked past him, as if there was something there and he stupidly fell for her trick.

  Aeryn swiveled his head around to look over the river but all he saw was the Northern Sun, nothing that should have gotten her attention. Quickly he turned back to face Zia, feeling like an idiot.

  “What is that?” Aeryn asked Zia, noticing the notepad in her hand. She flicked it shut and shoved it back into her jacket pocket, not intending him to see it.

  “Nothing,” Zia said, beginning to look around the bridge again. She couldn’t admit she was trying to use a cheat sheet, and that just last night she had written down a few notes on this very case. Or maybe she should? Would Aeryn be impressed that she thought there was something off about what appeared to be an open and shut case? She told him the truth and added, “Great minds think alike, I suppose.”

  “And fools’ rarely differ,” Aeryn smirked at her. Zia’s smile faltered and blood rushed to her face. Okay, she thought, not exactly the reaction I wanted. “Now tell me what you’ve got so far.”

  “Alrighty then,” Zia whipped her eyes all over the bridge, looking for something, anything, that could impress her mentor but found nothing earth-shattering. “She didn’t jump.”

  Aeryn rolled his eyes and began to walk towards Cindy, his motions almost a jerk. “Well maybe I’ll call the good Father Killian and tell him to cancel your acceptance. Because if that’s all you’ve got…”

  “No,” Zia shouted, jumping towards him, “no, wait! I have more…I just…was starting is all.”

  “Then finish.” Aeryn squinted his eyes at her, and she felt them bore into her.

  “Okay,” Zia turned her back to Aeryn and gripped the boards that protected, or maybe simply blocked her, from falling off the edge, “these were broken within the past four nights; there’s heat coming off of them, see?” She held her hands back from the wood as Aeryn approached, mimicking her position. “That means that a Caster put them back together, so that nobody had known they were broken.”

  “That doesn’t mean it wasn’t a suicide,” Aeryn feigned skepticism, “maybe there was an accident that required a Specter.”

  Zia shook her head, “It’s unlikely. Even though this is the bridge leading down to the South, they rarely employ Specter’s or clan members. All construction is done by humans, since the Work Accord of ’42. Specter’s only come in if it’s absolutely necessary, and I can’t imagine they would find putting up some boards ‘absolutely necessary’.”

  “Huh,” Aeryn said, eyeing his student. He hadn’t anticipated her to actually know that, and he certainly hadn’t anticipated her to notice the heat, or have notes on the case already. “What else ya got?”

  Zia smiled at him, obviously happy to have left him surprised. She continued, “There’s also a bit of Caster residue left in the cracks.” She slid her finger down one small line in the woodwork, barely noticeable by anyone else’s standards. When she held up her index finger it had a thin coating of blue dust, the very same he had found last night.

  “Huh,” Aeryn said again and silently added, thought it would have blown away.

  Zia continued her analysis without needing any more prompting.
“I also looked into some other articles on it; they said that the ball had finished at about one in the morning, but her time of death was estimated to be at about four. She was found in her gown, so what happened to those three hours? Also—“

  “Where did you find the time of death?” Aeryn removed his hands from above the boards and crossed them over his chest. “I don’t recall that being in any article.”

  Zia laughed nervously. “Well I read it online…I guess it could be wrong.”

  “I’ll pretend that’s the truth…for now.”

  “Anyway…I read in the er—article, that she had been found with deep cuts, that the coroner assumed was done by the rocks down below.” They each peered over the edge at the calm waters that covered jagged points. It was a likely theory, Aeryn thought. “But really I doubt that, they looked more like they had been done by knives. The cuts were a little blue-ish too, so I think it was a Caster knife.”

  Aeryn laughed and shook his head. How could she have known all this already? He figured she must have hacked into the Archives…but to do that required great skill. Then he remembered something Donataen had told him.

  “You know your father’s password,” Aeryn mumbled, “I should’ve guessed.”

  “That’s not true!” Zia suddenly wheeled on him, a wild look in her eyes. “I would never endanger my father’s work in the Archives for my own gain.”

  “Then how did you read the coroner’s report?” Aeryn held up a hand to stop her. “Oh, I’m sorry; how did you read the coroner’s ‘article’?”

  Zia didn’t blush as he had anticipated. Instead she said, “I think that’s for me to know and you to…not know.”

  “That’s fine,” Aeryn said, “I’ll find out on my own eventually.”

  Zia had wondered if she should have told Aeryn just exactly how much access she had to the city archives. But if she did that, it was admitting to hacking into their computers, and worse, having to tell him how she did it. When she had told Iscah about her own profile and security access card her friend had thought she had amazing computer skills. But it wasn’t that at all.