by Travis Bughi
“Emily, get down!” Gavin shouted.
He grabbed her by the shoulder and yanked her back. She nearly fell over as he placed himself in front of her, fists held up and ready.
“Ladies! Bows!” he shouted. “Bows, now!”
“Stop!” Emily yelled.
Amazon hands gripped bows or knives depending on who was closest to the door, and everyone had taken a half step back before Emily shouted, as had Takeo, and Nicholas and Fritjof had taken a second step away from Takeo. Emily recovered from her stumble and pushed Gavin aside.
“I said stop!” she yelled. “He’s with us now! Everyone stop!”
The glare Gavin was giving Takeo withered as he turned to look aghast at Emily. She could see the disbelief in his eyes, and for some reason that irked her. She didn’t have time to deal with his fragile ego or his ability to disregard her opinion like he had in the past.
“He’s with me,” she said. “That one there is my younger brother, and the other is with him. They are friends and family.”
“What?” Gavin stuttered. “What do you mean he’s with you?”
“Should I go?” Takeo interrupted.
“No.” Emily waved. “We’ll be leaving soon anyway. Leda, you said Adelpha is with my older brother. Where are they? I have to speak with them both immediately.”
“The Queen,” Leda said loftily, “is entertaining her guest at the Banshee’s Wail Tavern. Is there trouble? Is it Heliena?”
Emily thought to lie, but realized that would do no good. The truth was coming soon, and it would be rude of Emily to shelter these capable women from it. She needed their help, and they’d already been more accommodating than she could have hoped for.
“There is trouble,” Emily replied, “but not from her. I killed Heliena in Juatwa.”
A combination of gasps and sighs went through the amazons. Emily heard relieved whispers and cries amongst the noise.
“She did it!”
“Stefani is avenged.”
“About time that wench got what she deserved.”
“I hope she died slow.”
“Juatwa! Truly?” Leda gasped. “The East? You really did follow her to the end of the world. Adelpha said you would. And you really killed her? Well done, Emily! I always hoped you would. If she’s dead, though, what trouble do we face now?”
“I’m still trying to figure that out,” Emily admitted. “That’s why I need to borrow Gavin and find my brother. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“Anything we can do?” Leda asked.
“Not yet. I’m sorry.”
“You know where to find us, sister.”
Leda gave Emily’s arm a firm grab, and Emily’s throat tightened. These women were amazing, and Emily felt like she owed them the world.
No words could be put to that, though. Emily settled for a nod and a meaningful stare before she hauled Gavin outside by the shirt. They watched her go, and Gavin didn’t resist Emily’s tug, though he did give Takeo another glare as Emily led them along.
“Hey, pay attention,” Emily snapped her fingers.
“What happened to you?” Gavin asked. “That samurai almost killed you. He helped kill the angels. The angels, Emily! How does that not affect you? Did you also forget he was protecting that amazon you wanted to kill so badly, huh?”
“A lot has changed since then. It’s difficult to explain. Just trust me on this.”
“Emily.” Gavin sighed. “I need an explanation here. You left me on the docks years ago, heartbroken, and now you’re back out of nowhere! Do you know how this makes me feel?”
“Oh yes, your broken heart.” Emily rolled her eyes. “Did my sisters help you mend it?”
“How was I to know you’d come walking in?” he shouted. “You did this last time, walking in at exactly the wrong moment! What did you expect me to do? Just sit on my hands and wait for you to come like some kind of stabled unicorn? You left me! Twice! But never once did my feelings change for you. I love you, Emily.”
“Stop! Please, stop.”
They came to a halt as Emily buried her face into her palm. To her relief, Takeo stayed silent just behind her, but Gavin hadn’t picked up on Emily’s not-so-subtle hints. He was still fuming, having worked himself into a rage, glaring at her like a child in need of discipline.
“Duncan was right.” Emily sighed after a breath. “You are a hopeless romantic, Gavin. We were never in love—I’m sorry—and we never will be either. Do you understand?”
He balked, and Emily swore she could see her words crush his soul. It hurt her to watch, but she’d known this moment was unavoidable. All the time she’d been away from Lucifan, she’d hoped that Gavin had washed away his feelings for her, but it seemed he hadn’t. And since Emily didn’t like torture, she went for the swift kill.
She reached back, grabbed Takeo around the head and drew him in for a kiss.
Their lips touched, and Takeo kissed her like they were alone in the frigid North once more, long and deep. He held her firmly, yet gently, while she pulled him closer to her. Their lips did not part this time, but they still breathed deeply as their hair intertwined. When they released each other, they did so slowly with Emily’s fingers still lingering on Takeo’s cheek.
After that, the group walked in silence, and Gavin’s eyes never left the ground. Emily was thankful for the silence. She was only just realizing the depth of her indifference.
She could remember when Gavin would touch her softly and her blood would run hot. Or when the feel of the stubble on his chin would make concentrating hard. Or how he’d kissed her, and how grand it had felt. Everything in her memory told her that those feelings should linger, yet she felt nothing.
There was no guilt when she’d kissed Takeo in front of the former knight. No hesitation. When he’d come running down those stairs in the tavern to hug her, she’d raised a hand without thought. Her boundaries had been set before she’d known they were established, and now they blocked those old emotions the knight’s presence used to spark.
I have changed, she thought. I don’t even know when it happened.
Takeo, Nicholas, and even Fritjof honored the silence that passed between Gavin and Emily. She was sure they all had questions, many most likely, but they held their tongues. Emily was especially grateful that Nicholas could do it, because that was not the Nicholas she remembered from her childhood.
He said nothing, not even when they reach the Banshee’s Wail Tavern where their brother was supposed to be.
“I’ll go in first,” Emily said. “All of you stay. Don’t come in, especially you, Takeo. My brother can draw a gun faster than I can speak.”
None argued, and Emily entered.
It was still early morning, so the tavern was all but deserted. The vast majority of the patrons were those left over from the previous evening’s festivities. A small group of gnomes sat quietly around a table, nursing their heads over warm bowls of soup that drifted steam up into their nostrils. A minotaur was passed out, leaning against a corner, snoring loudly enough to disrupt Emily’s thoughts. A lone leprechaun was hunched over a short stack of parchments with a monocle in one hand and a quill in the other. Behind the counter, Emily recognized a creature known as a satyr; the short half-man, half-beast regarded her with a nod of his horned head. There were even a few humans, but none she recognized.
Emily frowned and went to the bar. The satyr came over dutifully and pulled out a wooden mug, which he began to wipe with a cloth. Emily knew he expected her to buy a drink, but she carried no money.
“I’m looking for a gunslinger and an amazon,” she said. “I was told they were here.”
The satyr’s eyes never blinked, but he did roll his tongue and suck on his teeth. In his hands, the mug continued to rotate as the rag swept across its surface.
“Look, I don’t have any coins,” Emily started.
The satyr turned around, showing her a very hairy backside, and Emily choked on her next words. At first, she
was so stunned that she didn’t know what to do. Then she got angry. She’d forgotten how rude greedy people could be.
“Hey!” Emily reached across the counter and grabbed the little satyr by the shoulder, “I was talking to you!”
She yanked him around, and he had the gall to look offended.
“Don’t touch me!” he snapped. “I don’t work for free!”
“Listen!” Emily shouted back. “The gunslinger I’m looking for is rich enough to buy your tavern three times over. All gunslingers are, and I can tell you that he would pay well to know that I’m here! He would want to know, immediately, that I’m looking for him.”
The satyr shrugged off Emily’s grip and sucked his teeth again before saying, “How much would he want this?”
“Go ask him,” Emily said and cocked her head towards the rooms. “I’ll wait here. I promise.”
The satyr snorted, but hobbled off on his backwards legs. She could hear him muttering under his breath, probably something about her, but chose not to pay attention. Instead, she unslung her quiver and bow to place them gently on the counter.
It took perhaps a full minute before Emily heard heavy footsteps thundering down the tavern’s hallway.
“Emily!” Adelpha cried out.
A tall woman with straight, black hair cut to shoulder length burst into view, running as fast as she could while struggling to slip a leather vest over her broad chest. Emily had time to get out a laugh before she was tackled off her barstool and knocked unceremoniously to the ground.
“Emily!” Adelpha shouted in her ear.
“Adelpha!” Emily shouted back.
“You’re back! You made it! You’re alive! You’re here!”
“I know!”
They squeezed each other tightly as they rolled on the ground, laughing so loud and hard that the gnomes grumbled and the leprechaun looked up from her parchments—even the minotaur stirred and snorted—but Emily and Adelpha didn’t care. They let their joy be heard, though Adelpha was much louder because she was squeezing Emily so tightly she could hardly breathe.
“Emily! Is it really you?” came a familiar voice followed by the clink of spurs.
“Abe!” Emily choked out and laughed.
Abraham Stout strode down the hall, swinging a long overcoat over his shoulders while sliding on his wide-brimmed hat. His pistols shined at his side, slapping against his skinny thighs as he paced.
“I would have come running, too,” he replied, “but that greedy satyr demanded payment!”
Emily was about to tell Abe why until he pounced on the two of them, pushing out the last bit of air in Emily’s lungs. Her grin was still wide, though, and she wiggled one arm free to wrap it around her older brother. Her eyes, already wet from before, became blurred, and her nose clogged. She had no voice for a moment, not even once she could breathe again, and the only thing she could do was giggle uncontrollably and hold the two as tightly as they held her.
“Tell me,” Adelpha said. “Please tell me you killed Heliena.”
“I slit her throat myself,” Emily replied.
“Oh, yes! Good! Chara’s soul can finally rest in peace. I knew you could do it, Emily. I knew you would!”
“Abe,” Emily choked out. “I have news for you, too.”
“What is it?”
“You two have to let me go first. I think I’m bruising.”
They released her reluctantly and shared another laugh as Emily wiped her eyes.
“I brought company,” Emily said. “One you’ll be happy to see, the other not so much.”
Adelpha and Abe both clenched their mouths shut, ready for violence, and Emily found herself chuckling again.
“No, no!” she raised her hands. “Everything is well. Nothing but friends. It’s just that the latter one used to be an enemy. Do you remember the samurai named Takeo Karaoshi?”
Abe’s hand went to his forehead. Adelpha’s face turned sour.
“Heliena’s pet?”
“He was a slave,” Emily said, “but he’s mine now . . . and I am his.”
Adelpha and Abe both gaped, but only Adelpha made noise as she sucked in air. They both looked more alarmed than before.
“You can’t be serious,” Adelpha asked.
“I’m going to shoot him,” Abe grumbled.
Emily pushed them both and said, “Stop it! I already ran into Gavin and went through this exact same thing! I’ll not put up with it from you two. Takeo’s saved my life more times than Quartus, and I wouldn’t be here without him. You will put aside whatever you think of him and give him the fresh start he deserves. You shoot him, Abe, and I’ll stab you in the heart. And then I’ll have to stab Adelpha because she loves you like I love him, and that won’t help anyone. Mother and Father will be very upset if you mess up the happiness they’ll get from seeing Nicholas.”
“The, the what?” Abe’s mood changed in an instant. “Did, did you say—”
“Nicholas!” Emily shouted. “Bring everyone in.”
Nicholas came in, followed by Fritjof, then Gavin, and then Takeo.
It was then that Abe broke into sobs.
Chapter 20
They took a table that was both large enough to accommodate them and as far from the other patrons as they could manage. Abe wasted no expense, purchasing roasted behemoth stew and spiced bread for everyone. He sat next to his brother, wiping red eyes with one arm and wrapping him tightly with the other. Nicholas, for all his talk of resenting his older brother, was bashful and at a loss for words.
“I demand to hear your story first,” Abe said, squeezing Nicholas’ shoulder. “I want to hear it all! What do you want? Ale? They have fine ale here. How about some for you and your friend?”
“No, thank you,” Nicholas mumbled. “I prefer mead.”
“Oineus!” Abe yelled at the satyr across the tavern. “Mead for my brother and his companion! Make it your finest stuff! He’s returned home! Anyone else? Anything? Anything at all? What about you, Takeo? What do samurai drink?”
Takeo’s lips pursed and he shook his head slightly. He became interested in his soup and peered down at the chunks of floating meat. Meanwhile, Gavin stared into his own soup, and Adelpha squinted at Abe with one annoyed eye.
“Can you stop embarrassing everyone?” Adelpha asked. “I swear you’re turning more into your father every time I visit.”
“What?” Abe balked. “I can’t be excited? My brother is home after two years of hearing nothing. How is it I’m the only one shouting at the top of my lungs right now? He could have been dead for all I knew. Dead! Mother is going to be so happy, Nicholas. I can’t wait to see it. She’ll cry for hours, just you wait and see. I swear, I’ve never been so happy. You’re alive, little brother!”
He laughed, and Nicholas swallowed. The satyr appeared with two mugs of mead and passed them out at Abe’s direction. Fritjof took a sip, but Nicholas downed the entire mug in a few gulps.
“Yes, Mother,” Nicholas grumbled.
“This is good stuff,” Fritjof piped up. “Thank you for your generosity, Abraham.”
“My pleasure! I assure you it’s no trouble. None of it! Now, the story! Come on, Nicholas. I know you’ve told Emily already, but I want to hear it from you. What will it take? Another mug of mead? Done! Oineus! Mead!”
Nicholas was served his second mug of mead. He stared down into the bottom of it for a few moments before downing that entire one, too. It was then that Emily decided to save her little brother; he’d suffered sufficiently.
“We all have a story to tell, Abe,” Emily said. “Nicholas is a little nervous, huh? How about you start, and we’ll all go around. I have a lot of questions, too.”
To her relief, he accepted, and as the stories went around, Emily got a brief summary of all that she had missed.
Abe and Adelpha were still trying to make things work. She’d come with the amazons one year ago, and then again this time, and to the slight chagrin of both Mariam and some of the am
azons, they had spent nearly the entire time together, alone. It was not ideal, but it was the only acceptable option. Abe could not become an amazon, and Adelpha would not leave her people as Mariam had.
Beyond that, things were going well. Abe’s gunslinger career always took a hit during the weeks he spent with Adelpha, but with behemoth migration season lasting as long as it did, he made enough that the family could live in a level of comfort that had always been beyond them. Father and Mother still farmed, but it was a hobby now, rather than a necessity. When Abe revealed that Father was still using a wooden plow, Emily guffawed, and even Nicholas chuckled as he coddled his third mug of mead.
During his less busy seasons, Abe had taken up blacksmithing. He claimed he could now smelt his own bullets, though their quality wasn’t quite up to par with what he could purchase in Lucifan.
He lamented over the difficulties of being home without his siblings—wondering where they were and if they were all right—but admitted that the family managed to keep morbid thoughts to themselves. Emily asked about the letter she’d sent before she’d entered Juatwa—the one explaining about Nicholas and her—but Abe said no letter had ever arrived. All this time, they’d lived wondering what had become of the Stout family’s youngest members.
“I’m so glad to have you back.” Abe wrapped an arm around his younger brother. “You, too, Emily. I swear that I’ll forever count this as one of the happiest days of my life. We’re together again, all of us! I’m so happy.”
“Me, too, Abe.” Emily smiled.
“Me three,” Nicholas mumbled.
Emily’s ears perked at that, and she looked him over, trying to decide if he was lying, but then she realized that she didn’t care if he was. Lies or not, Abe and her parents had already suffered far too much. Nicholas, with no intention of repaying the kindness they’d showed him, had left them broken and distraught. The least he could do was let them rejoice that he was alive. So long as Abe didn’t pry too much into Nicholas’ reasons for leaving, no feelings needed to be hurt.
Good boy, Nicholas, Emily thought. Be the better man they think you are.
