Chapter 23
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
TYNAN
Fuck! What the fuck was that?
I stood in the corridor in disbelief.
Why did I even touch her? That was a terrible idea. At what point did I stop thinking?
I clenched my teeth and approached Frid’s room. When I found the right door, I banged on the chipped paint of the wood with all the built up frustration I still carried.
“What the hell?” Frid swung the door open.
“I need your help,” I said and watched her face drop.
“Did she run away?” the girl asked.
“No, not yet. I need you to stay with her.”
“Got it.” The girl went back into the room and picked up her jacket before closing the door behind her. “What are you up to?” she continued.
“I’m going to talk to Erin,” I answered.
Frid nodded and followed me.
When I finally left the tavern, I stayed for a moment, soaking in the warmth of the sun. I touched my chin feeling the stubble on my face and frowned.
Was she threatened by me? Why didn’t she stop me? Did she feel the same need I felt every time I looked at her?
She did not stop me, but I knew that I would rather slice my own throat than force myself on a woman.
I cursed again and crossed the road, walking toward the center of Riolle.
When I came to the building we stayed at the last time we were in the city, I quickly surveyed the first floor through the large window.
I observed the lonely customers who occupied the tables in the dining area.
A familiar blond girl walked between the tables giving refills of kvass.
I entered the tavern and took a seat close to the stairs.
“What can I get you, handsome?” the blond purred.
“How come I don't get a similar greeting?” one of the men shouted, and the whole room shook with laughter.
“Kvass,” I said, ignoring the rest.
When the server returned with a tall glass filled with pale yellow liquid, I leaned closer to her asking about Erin. The girl quickly nodded and looked toward the stairs.
“Third door on the left,” she said quietly before moving away.
“Did you get yourself a hot date?” One of the customers snorted.
“Hey, Silvi, when’s my date?” another man shouted.
I left a generous tip before finishing my drink. While the regulars were still preoccupied with the server woman, I slipped up the stairs and quickly found the right room. After making sure no one was around, I stopped at the door and knocked.
“I knew you’d change your mind, naughty girl.” Erin appeared in the doorway attempting to appear seductive.
I lifted an eyebrow and watched his face drain of all color.
“Ty, man. Where you been? I’ve been looking for you everywhere.” Erin straightened.
I glanced past him, noticing the unmade bed and multiple glasses on the side table.
“Having fun?”
“Of course not. I’m on duty. That wouldn’t be appropriate.” Erin’s eyes shifted.
“Do you have something for me?” I returned my gaze back to him.
“They want you in the capital, man. They really want the girl,” he said.
“Did they say why?”
“No, man. They said that you should bring her to the capital and report directly to the head of defense,” the young man responded.
The head of defense. The fifty year old man with a carefully cut beard and a hawk nose immediately came to mind.
He worked directly with the council. In all the years I served in the capital, I had never seen the man up close.
We were too insignificant for someone like him to notice.
But, I guess Alina was important enough.
“What else?” I asked.
“They’re going nuts there. Apparently, no one expected that she was still alive,” Erin continued.
“And?”
“They told me to fly back with you, with no delays,” Erin said.
“Aright.” I turned away, heading back to the stairs.
“Hey, where are you going?”
“I’ll be in touch,” I said over my shoulder.
“What? You can’t do that. This is serious.” Erin protested.
I was already halfway down the stairs when Erin shouted.
“You’ll get us all killed!”
“If anyone asks, you haven’t seen me,” I added without looking up.
“Damn you, Ty!”
A wave of fresh air hit my face as soon as I opened the front door. The chilly air calmed my agitation, but also introduced the sense of urgency that I could not easily place.
My eyes landed on Riolle’s citizens who filled the narrow streets.
People who had their lives figured out. Each and every one of them had their difficulties, small achievements, jobs, families, and friends.
They had homes they could return to. We had nothing.
Our clan would not accept us after what we did.
There was no place we could go to escape the council.
I continued walking, watching my surroundings and making sure I was not followed.
This way of living had become the norm for all of us long ago.
In many regards, we had already been living like outlaws, things would not change much.
But, the decision was not for me alone to make.
I paused by the entrance to the old, derelict inn and looked around. Everything seemed quiet.
Later that night, all of us gathered around the table in the dining area.
The long haired boy served us dinner and the smell of the meat cooked with vegetables gave a hint of a decent meal.
I looked at my friends preparing to break the news.
Sol sat with his arms crossed on his chest while Frid fidgeted with her belt, and Victor looked out of the window, bored.
Alina picked the spot beside me and the smell of lemon and something sweet immediately filled my head.
She had her hair up in a bun and I could not keep my eyes off the loose coils that gently touched her neck and cheeks.
The contrast of her porcelain skin and the bright red hair was compelling.
A vision of her lying under me with her hair spread over a white pillow, ready for me to take her, clouded my head and I had to force my mind to return back to reality.
I picked up my cup and took a sip of the strong kvass that the kid with long hair just placed in front of me.
“I saw Erin,” I started without further delay.
Everyone stayed quiet.
“They want Alina back in the capital. They were not expecting her to be alive,” I continued.
“Told you.” Victor smirked.
Alina fisted her hands, wrinkling the fabric of her pants.
“I’m not taking you there,” I said, and a heavy silence followed my words.
Alina’s lips parted. It took extra effort for me to look away.
“I can’t expect all of you to follow this path. I don’t want you to risk your future. If any of you want to part ways, now is the time,” I said.
“Fuck, Ty.” Victor raked his hand through his hair.
“I’m going with you,” Frid responded.
I looked at Sol, whose face remained a mask of calmness.
“You don’t have to do this,” Alina breathed.
“It’s about time. I’m sick of the council,” Sol stated.
“Are you sure?” I asked.
“Yes,” he said.
I returned my gaze back to Victor, who nodded, giving Frid a quick glance.
“Fuck it, I’m in,” he said.
“Are you sure?” I repeated the same question.
“I don’t want you to get in trouble.” Alina shook her head.
“It’s too late for that,” Frid responded.
“You could let me go and tell them I escaped,” Alina continued.
“They’ll execute us for treason,” Victor snorted.
“Even if it wasn’t your fault?” Alina asked.
“Girl, why do you think we were chasing you all over the wastelands?” Frid chuckled.
“I . . . didn’t know that.” Alina lowered her head.
“What do we do?” Frid’s eyes met mine.
“We can’t stay here.” I looked at all of them.
“Where are we going?” Frid asked.
“I need to think about it.” I exhaled.
“Is it possible to cross the border?” Alina offered, her eyes shifting from face to face before stopping on me.
“I’m not sure,” I said.
“They brought me here. There should be a way.” Alina pressed.
I thought about everything I knew about the border.
When was it deemed off limits for the general population?
It happened when the council came to power and the reason they gave us was that the border was magically sealed to contain the spread of the disease.
It made perfect sense, but it seemed that the council was still crossing the borders and traveling to the land of commoners.
No surprise there. People with power always took as much as they could get away with.
I leaned back in my chair, unsure of where to go next.