Chapter 8
CHAPTER EIGHT
ALINA
Iwatched the group of warriors that surrounded me.
They were so different from the people I knew back at home.
They were put through hell and they were living in this unbearable environment and made it work.
I could not even imagine what it was like to live like that day after day.
Scared for your life, unable to make any plans, making sure that your only possessions are ones you can carry, not knowing where your next meal would come from.
I knew I should not have felt any sympathy for them.
I knew I should have hated them for imprisoning me, but I could not.
Deep down, I knew they were not the problem, but they were not my friends either.
I could sense that each and every one of them had each other's back first, and they had no room for strangers in the small group they protected so fiercely.
They were almost like a family together.
The leader was the absolute reason for such deep loyalty.
It seemed like he was the older brother, despite being nearly the same age as the rest of them.
My gaze fell on Tynan and I caught him staring. There was no warmth in his face, his dark eyes scrutinized me in a strange, detached way. I looked away and picked up my fork. He did not trust me, I could feel it in my bones.
No matter. I had to make it work, I had to make it look like I was not going anywhere. For a moment a flash of panic hit me like a pile of rocks.
Where would I go? Which way should I head if I didn't know where the border was? Could I even survive in the wild with monsters all around?
I did not have any answers. The only thing I knew for sure was that I would never go back to a prison cell. Never.
The conversation was revolving around the news from the capital, I barely listened to it. It was not my plan to go there. I glanced at Frid as she shoved a substantial amount of lamb in her mouth.
“Slow down, will you? You’ll choke on it,” Victor observed, his eyes lingered on her profile and a strange expression appeared on his face.
“Alfrida? Why would you let this small man talk to you like that?” Erin joined in.
“Here we go again,” Sol muttered.
“Who did you call a ‘small man’?” Victor immediately got defensive.
I clenched the cup filled with a yellowish substance. When I picked it up and gave it a good sniff, I could clearly distinguish the notes of grain and a faint sweet scent.
“Try it.” Frid leaned toward me.
I gave her a weak smile and took a sip. My thoughts returned me back to my escape.
Should I try to sneak out in the middle of the night? But first, I need a direction.
I had no money, and the most important thing, I had no map. I bit my lip, trying to solve this puzzle, but the solution was lingering on the edge of my brain. I knew I would have to make a decision and commit to some kind of a plan. Thanks to the gods, I had always been great at planning.
While taking another bite of boiled potatoes, I felt Tynan’s gaze on me. His dark eyes followed every move I made and he did not even try to hide it. He did not trust me, and that was dangerous. He was suspicious of me, I was sure of it.
“And what is your homeland like?” Erin asked.
I raised my head unsure if he was talking to me.
“It’s very quiet. We have a castle on the top of a mountain and fields all around it. The forest is a little further out, and the smell of wild grass comes in through the windows every morning.” I fell silent.
My hands landed on my knees and I could not help digging my fingers into the thick material of my brown pants.
I spent so much time feeling depressed and unhappy.
The loss of my fiance right before our wedding changed everything for me back then.
After a year of avoiding seeing my friends and even my brother, I got back to life, but I never went back to the way I was before.
I used to trudge through my days and cry myself to sleep every night for so long that it became a part of me.
My grief transformed me. I am ashamed to admit it, but I did not want to go on.
I dreamed about accidentally drowning in the river or slipping while climbing the rocks.
I was despondent and brought everyone around me down. And I knew it too.
All it took was for me to lose my freedom to know how privileged I was to have everything I had.
To have my friends and my beloved brother by my side, ready to come to my aid at any moment.
I closed my eyes, regretting everything I had done for the past two years of my life.
Everything I ever wanted to do and never did.
Every person I pushed away, every opportunity I turned down.
I bit my lip, returning back to reality.
“Damn, I would like that a lot.” Frid picked up her kvass, taking a huge sip.
“Alfrida, my muse. You are magnificent!” Erin inhaled.
“Get over yourself,” Victor snapped.
“Don’t pay attention to them. They’re incredibly silly. They’ve always been like this since we were kids,” Frid said.
“Did you know each other when you were children?” I asked.
“Of course. We all grew up together.”
“And you all stayed together after all these years?” I could not help glancing at Tynan.
“Except for Erin. He showed up much later and we still can’t get rid of him. He’s like a nasty, lingering cold that won’t go away,” Victor murmured.
“You would know about that. And I’m not here for you, trust me,” Erin chuckled.
“That’s a good point. Why are you here? Why are you constantly here?” Victor leaned over the table.
“What do we do next?” Frid asked Tynan.
The leader, who did not look like he was paying any attention to the conversation, gave me a quick look and placed his elbow on a table.
My gaze fell on a scar that was clearly visible behind the collar of his shirt.
The thin, silver line traveled down from the side of his neck and disappeared behind the thick, brown material.
“We have to wait for our orders,” he responded.
“Don’t they want us back in the capital?” Victor asked.
Tynan did not respond but I understood him perfectly. He was not sure if they needed to go back to the capital, because whoever they worked for might want me elsewhere. Another prison, perhaps.
I looked down to my plate, determined to eat as much as I could.
After dinner, Frid escorted me outside and we walked through the busy, narrow streets.
Everything was so different from how things were back at home.
Many people wore flying suits, even children.
There were others, too, who wore regular clothes.
Women in loose and light colored undershirts with tight leather corsets hugging their figures and men displaying simple suede suits in all shades of brown.
It was getting dark, and many shops were closing when we entered one of them.
My gaze darted to the multiple hangers in the back and an assortment of leather suits in different sizes and colors.
The store was so crammed with stuff that it was physically impossible to move around with ease.
The thick smell of leather and a faint hint of dust hit me all at once.
“Tailors are extremely rare and very respectable. Try to do everything he asks and respond to all of his questions. I once knew a person who didn’t get their suit the first time because the tailor didn’t like his attitude,” Frid whispered as we waited by the counter.
“Why are they so important?” I asked quietly.
“Because tailors are partially seers and partially mages. They make the suits that will last you your whole life and mold to your body when you shift.” She stopped talking when a man stepped into the room.
The tailor looked like he was a hundred years old with his stooped shoulders and crooked back. His skin was like dark brown parchment paper, thin and frail.
The ancient man’s gaze landed on me at once. I shifted my weight from one foot to another, not sure what I needed to do. Then the tailor approached and walked around me, scrutinizing every line, every curve of my body. I relaxed my shoulders under his stare unwilling to be intimidated.
“Tomorrow at twelve.” The man walked back the way he came, without so much as looking at us.
“Is that all?” I released the breath I did not know I was holding.
“That was quick.” Frid ushered me to the exit. “You’re lucky, it took me two weeks to get my flying suit,” Frid said when we left the shop behind.
“I don’t have any money to pay you back.” I broached the uncomfortable subject.
“I told you. You saved my life, it’s the least I can do,” the blond girl responded.
I looked down at the small, polished rocks of the partially paved road, almost sick to my stomach. I hated deceiving her.
“Frid!” someone shouted, and both of us stopped.
“Gods damn! It's Erin,” Frid muttered.
The young man sprinted toward us, dodging the crowd.
“Well, well, well, Alfrida. Here you are. I have been looking for you everywhere,” the blond man started saying.
“Hey.” Frid scowled, and gave me a quick look.
“Would you like to join me? I’m going to get some drinks,” he said.
“Not today, I’m really tired,” Frid responded.
I moved away, giving them some privacy. My eyes landed on the windows of the small shops and moved over to a curious looking poster.
I took a step closer, making sure Frid and Erin were still talking.
It was a detailed drawing of a land called Talman.
I was in the city of Riolle which was surrounded by wastelands.
Another city was further to the north. The capital and a cluster of smaller settlements were down in the south.
Further to the east were the sacred dragon lands.
The area behind the borders of Talman was marked as The Fall.
I narrowed my eyes, trying to figure out the best way to get there.
I did not know what The Fall was, but I had to figure it out.
Only then did I manage to see the writing that decorated the empty spaces around The Fall and the empty spaces to the west. The writing said, “You may die,” while the same writing on another part of the map said, “No return.”
I pursed my lips, looking away. Frid would not be happy when she learned that I had escaped after everything she has done for me. But, I will not go back to prison to save someone else’s feelings.
Worried that I would appear too suspicious, I turned back to Frid. Erin was still trying to convince her to get drinks with him. But Frid would not budge, and slowly we walked back to the tavern.