Chapter 23
Chapter Twenty-Three
Emilie
We traveled the rest of the day in silence. Even our last night camping in the woods was stilted and uncomfortable. We hiked as long as possible before turning in for the evening, and no one made an effort to engage in small talk.
When the sun rose the next morning, we were all ready to reach Sage Harbor and have a task to distract us from the unending tension.
Early in the afternoon, there were finally signs of life ahead.
Smoke billowed out of a couple of chimneys, and I could hear the sounds of civilization—laundry whipping in the breeze on the clothesline, a cart with creaky wheels, and a bell ringing over a building where children poured out into the street.
As we drew closer, I was surprised to see so many welcoming faces.
My experience in Murvort had painted a picture in my mind that all their villages would be harsh and unkind, both in their physical appearance and in the spirits of their residents.
But the people in Sage Harbor seemed happy, and while I’d expected our group to stick out as strangers, most townsfolk didn’t give us a second look.
“Do you think they get a lot of outsiders here? With the harbor?” I asked Ladon. Jade probably knew the answer best, but I wasn’t about to ask her another question.
“I would assume so. Before we opened our border crossings, this was the only place to get in or out of Murvort.”
“They don’t have any other coastal towns?”
“There are a few, but they were all guarded by our naval fleet.”
“Why?” I asked. Murvort was far from paradise, but it seemed odd to blockade them almost entirely.
Ladon shrugged. “It’s been that way for generations. It started because of a war between our nations, and it has carried on because every time there was an attempt to form a treaty, Murvort broke it. I don’t recall the last time there was an alliance between Murvort and Osavian.”
“Until now,” I said, eyes tracking Jade as she led us through town.
“Until now,” he agreed. After a moment of consideration, he added, “I hope it sticks this time, but I won’t hold my breath.”
I wished for the same. I had hoped that Murvort might be more reliable without Reyna at the helm, but so far, Jade hadn’t set my mind at ease. How long would it take for her and her brother to betray us?
Slowly, businesses began to pop up between the cream-colored houses with timber frames. Awnings in shades of reds, greens, and blues—all faded and muted—caught the light drizzle, keeping the shopkeepers and their outdoor displays dry.
I found myself searching faces as if Reyna might pop out any second.
But she was smarter than that. She’d been spotted boarding a ship and was probably destined for Wyland, the continent to the west. Even if she hadn’t set sail yet, she would likely be hiding somewhere, not out in the open.
But I couldn’t help but feel her haunting presence.
The street crested a hill and then began to descend. I inhaled sharply as a breeze caressed my cheeks and the sea appeared ahead.
All along the coast, there were ships docked with workers loading and unloading freight. Sails could be seen in the distance as more boats came in or departed. A lighthouse stood atop a cliff to the right, shining brightly through the gray sky.
“The inn is closer to the docks,” Jade said, and her voice sounded unnatural after more than a day of silence.
We walked down the street and the magnificent skyline disappeared as the buildings grew two and even three stories high. But there was still a small sliver of sea that could be spotted straight down the street.
We approached the water’s edge, and just before we reached the docks, Jade turned down a narrow street to the right.
It was less crowded than the main strip, but there were still clusters of loitering merchants and tradespeople exchanging coins and nondescript packages.
For the first time, folks stared at us, and I wondered if they were dealing in illegal substances.
We passed a few unassuming doors and some dodgy alleyways before Jade pushed one open without even knocking.
She knew exactly where she was leading us, though, because as I stepped inside, I found myself in a cozy waiting room.
There was a lit fireplace with bookshelves on either side.
A dozen or so mismatched chairs were arranged around two coffee tables; only two of the seats were taken.
A large bay window displayed the docks outside, though the rain distorted the image.
On the opposite side of the room, there was a semicircular desk where a young woman stood waiting to greet us. “How can I help you?” she asked as we came closer.
“We’ll take two rooms,” Cyrus said.
“We’ll take three rooms,” Jade corrected.
I pursed my lips, but I was glad she had said something. Assuming Cyrus and Ladon were sharing a room, that would’ve left the second for Jade and me to split, and I wasn’t sure I could handle another night of her judgement. I would be fine sleeping alone even in a strange town.
The woman behind the counter frowned. “I only have one room, I’m afraid.” Seeing our unhappy faces, she quickly added, “It has two full beds and a couch that can be used as a bed. I’m sorry, but with the storms coming in, the town is packed with travelers who’ve extended their stay.”
So other inns were likely to be full too. Fantastic.
Jade scowled and looked around the waiting room, as if hoping she could bully someone into giving up their room.
Before she took any drastic measures, Cyrus told the receptionist, “That’ll be fine. Thank you.”
The receptionist handed over a key and pointed us in the direction of the staircase leading to our room.
“I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’d like to clean up before we do anything else,” Cyrus said.
We agreed and followed him up two flights of stairs and down a hall that led to our room. As promised, there were two beds and a couch tucked into a cramped space. There was just enough room for a dresser with a mirror hanging above it and a single nightstand nestled between the two beds.
The floors creaked as we entered, and rain pelted the small circle window that let in minimal light.
Cyrus dropped his bag on the first bed and lit the two lanterns hanging on either side of the room. “Ladon and I can take this bed,” he said, unfazed at the prospect of sharing a bed with his brother. Although he was a king, he was more generous and altruistic than most people I knew.
“I’ll take the couch,” Jade said.
The couch was short and looked uncomfortable even for someone of her height. She wasn’t very tall, but there was no way she’d be able to stretch out completely.
“Are you sure?” I asked. “I don’t mind sharing the bed.”
“I’m positive.” She dropped her sack on the floor and pulled a cloak from inside. She threw it on and tied it under her chin.
“Where are you going?” I asked.
Her hand was already on the doorknob before she responded, “Out.”
Once the door closed, Ladon scoffed. “I don’t trust her.”
“Me neither,” Cyrus said.
I was still undecided. I wanted to trust her, but she made it so difficult. “Is anyone else hungry?”
We hadn’t eaten a proper meal in days, and the scent of food had trailed us through town.
“Definitely. Cyrus, do you want to take your turn in the shower while Emilie and I grab something to bring back?”
Cyrus looked between the two of us and nodded. “Yeah, that sounds like a plan.”
Back outside, the rain was coming down even harder. Ladon looked both ways down the alley, and I followed his gaze.
“Did you have something in mind?” I asked.
He grabbed my hand, and the breath caught in my chest. If anyone saw us… Wait. No one knew us here, aside from Cyrus, who was occupied upstairs, and Jade, who had run off to who knew where.
He smiled as he watched the realization sink in.
I intertwined my fingers with his and squeezed.
“Come on,” he said, pulling me behind him.
I followed closely in his footsteps, my eyes falling to our connected hands every so often. I liked the way his warm hand felt against my icy one. The rain had soaked into my skin already, and I could’ve kept my hand dry by sliding it into a pocket, but I refused to let go of this cherished moment.
We walked past a dozen food stands along the docks before we settled on one. We huddled close underneath the awning while waiting for our turn to order. Holding his hand made my heart skip a beat, but snuggling against his chest in the middle of the market kicked my heart into overdrive.
When the cook turned to us, we ordered four plates with a variety of seafood and veggies over rice. He had a handful of different sauces, so we decided to try one of each and waited while he grilled everything in front of us.
“Should we stop there next?” Ladon asked, pointing over my shoulder.
The stand next to us had a pyramid of barrels stacked ten feet tall, each of them with a small tap jutting out.
“Wine?” I guessed.
Ladon nodded. “Looks like it.”
The cook finished preparing our meals and wrapped them up, placing them in a fabric tote so we could carry them easily.
It turned out that each of the barrels at the next stop held a different fruit wine. Ladon let me choose, and I decided on the black currant.
As we started our walk back to the inn, I sighed.
“What’s wrong?” Ladon asked. He carried the food while I had the wine bottle, our free hands still melded together.
I lifted them. “I wish we didn’t have to go back. I wish we could spend a little more time together, just the two of us.”
Ladon brought my hand to his lips and gave the back a gentle kiss. “Soon, princess. When we’re finally free to be together, I’m going to take you on a date and show you off to everyone in Renoa. They should all know that you are mine.”
I liked the sound of that, but they needed to know that he was mine too.