Chapter 10
CHAPTER TEN
ALINA
My hands were shaking under the table. Cold, blinding hatred was all I could feel.
For the first time in my life, I felt a loathing so deep and consuming that it physically hurt.
My mind was drawing incredibly violent pictures of the things I wanted to do to that man.
His calm and measured voice. His beautifully shaped, dark eyes.
How could someone so striking outside, be so rotten inside? Like a poisonous snake with exquisite patterns, or an exotic flower with toxic nectar.
I made an effort to look down and clenched my hands into fists. To get my freedom back, I was willing to do anything. Even if it meant that I had to lie, steal, or hurt someone. None of them were good people. They were determined to take me back to those who imprisoned me. I had no choice.
“I’m sorry you feel that way. But she saved my life and I want to pay her back,” Frid said.
My eyes returned to the girl with the two thick braids. She was so strong and very brave. It would not feel good to harm her. I did not like deceiving her either. But the others meant nothing to me.
Tynan stilled, watching Frid.
“Ty’s right. You’re making a mistake,” Victor said.
“Of course, you would side with him,” Frid snapped and stood up. “Let’s go!” She turned to me and I got up, following her.
We got to the tailor’s store exactly on time.
My eyes darted to the window. The people of Riolle, mostly children playing and older men smoking pipes, seemed to enjoy being outside.
Multiple street taverns had their doors open, the owners inviting passing pedestrians to an early lunch.
I half expected Tynan to follow us, to stop whatever was going to happen, but he did not.
My lip curled when I thought about how mad the man was when we left.
Frid was an opinionated and independent woman, and whether she knew it or not, she was going to help me.
I looked back at the rows of suits made of heavy leather in different shades of brown.
A sudden noise startled me as the tailor appeared in the doorway.
“Now, give us some privacy,” he said directly to Frid.
Frid froze for a moment, then walked to the exit. As soon as the door closed behind her, the small man looked straight at me.
“I know who you are,” he said quietly.
“Yes?” I asked.
“But you don’t know yet,” he said, then continued. “Normally, I would match the color of the suit to the natural coloring of the beast. But that would not be wise. Would it?” He picked up a suit that was hidden behind the stacks of premade leather.
My eyes darted to the beautifully made lines of tiny stitches in the black material. The folds of the leather on the front made an exquisite design that almost created a vee shaped pattern on the chest.
“This is so beautiful!” I touched the supple, buttery soft leather sleeve.
“It must fit you like a glove. The suit will adjust to your body, no matter what might happen to your form. Although, you must know that I don’t recommend women who are expecting a child to wear it.
First of all, the change is not recommended for someone expecting, and the suit may rip,” the man explained.
I gaped at him. Was he suggesting that I was going to have children?
In my current state, I was not sure if I would even make it to tomorrow. Children were not a part of my short term plan, or any kind of plans, actually.
“I am not expecting, nor am I planning to.”
“Not yet,” he said calmly.
I frowned. If the man was a seer, he has not impressed me so far.
“Another thing, princess; there is no running away from your destiny. What is for you, will not go by you. The future is never set in stone, it is fluid in all its probabilities. I can see many roads, but there is only one way for you. Trust that he would burn the whole world to find you again,” the tailor said.
“I don’t understand.” I took the suit from him.
“Yes, I suppose you would not.” He was deep in thought.
“What else do you know?” I asked.
“You should change. I’ll give you some privacy.” With those words, he left the room.
I stood for some time, unsure what to think about all of that.
After a moment of indecision, I walked to the corner of the shop where a screen separated me from the view of the people outside and a mirror was hung on the wall behind it.
I stripped off the simple clothes Frid bought for me and put on my new flying suit.
The leather was sleek and soft and very form-fitting.
The new sensation of my body being protected and shaped in a way that was most comfortable was unusual, but not unpleasant.
I sighed and looked in the mirror. A young girl with bright red hair, braided and secured atop her head, with bright eyes stared back at me through the cloudy glass.
The leather hugged my body, and it was a little awkward being in such a tight outfit, yet it made me feel confident and strong at the same time. It felt like it was a part of me.
I wondered how much money Frid had to put down to buy it for me. I bit my lip, and for the first time, a weak sigh of regret passed my lips. I touched my stomach as I took a deep breath, forming a new resolve. I had to be strong and finish what I started.
When I finally left the store, Frid whistled.
“You look . . . amazing!” she exclaimed.
“This suit is a work of art. Thank you for buying it for me!” I said.
“The old man did it for free.”
“What?”
“Yeah. He said something about not forgetting about him when the time comes.” Frid added.
“I . . . don’t know what that means.”
“Me neither, but I was not going to turn down his generosity.”
“That is very unusual,” I responded.
“It sure is.” Frid moved ahead of me, as the street would not allow both of us to walk side by side.
I looked at her strong back thinking that from this point on, there was nothing stopping me from disappearing into the crowd. I could step aside and make a run for it. I only had two more days until Erin reached the capital, and that was my last window of opportunity.
“Are you coming?” Frid turned and I followed her. “Don’t pay attention to Tynan. He has a history with girls, especially the pretty ones.” Frid gave me a quick look.
“What kind of history?” I asked.
“He was engaged and she dumped him when a wealthy man from another clan asked for her hand. I don’t think he’s recovered all the way. He has trust issues, that’s for certain,” she explained.
Too preoccupied with my own thoughts, I barely understood what she was saying.
I looked around; if I was going to make my escape, it had to be tonight, after everyone went to sleep.
I returned my gaze to Frid and felt like the worst person who ever walked this earth.
She was helping me, she was protecting me from her messed up friends, and I was going to betray her.
I was going to take the suit that will probably cost her many disagreements with her group, and disappear in the middle of the night.
“Really?” I asked.
“Yes, the truth is that he . . .”
Frid was still talking but my mind was distracted by my upcoming escape. I would need to get food and water, but I could not have the others suspecting anything.
“I’m sorry to say, but he’s stubborn, too. One would probably be after everything . . .”
Frid gave me a long look, so I just nodded.
One of the weak points of my plan was not knowing which direction I was going to take.
Also, I was worried about not being able to fly throughout the whole night.
I had never done it before, I had never needed to exert myself to such a degree.
Every time I went flying at home, it was for pleasure and I never had to struggle with endurance.
I would simply land and take a break; bathe in a river, or stretch out in the middle of a meadow, completely naked, basking in the sunlight.
I bit my lip, following the girl who was still talking beside me, hearing nothing she was saying.