Chapter 28 #2
I slink into the shadows and watch him stalk towards the docks.
Cal dons his role as Captain of Corinth with expert ease, the mask of the menacing warrior slipping perfectly into place.
There aren’t many people milling about today, but those that are sidestep quickly to clear a path for him.
The soldiers spot him coming, straightening to attention as he approaches.
He doesn’t need me for this part.
Magic tingles across my skin before I can turn to make for the tavern.
Slow, heavy footsteps sound on the cobblestones behind me, my hand instinctively drifting to the ivory-hilted dagger sheathed against my hip.
The man stops beside me, the hoods of our cloaks concealing both of our faces, but I recognize him instantly.
“What are you doing here, Kieran?” I spit out.
“Same thing you are, Ivy. Securing passage to Amale.”
“Why aren’t you already across?” I turn to face him, taking in the brown roughspun of his cloak hood as he stares ahead towards the river, the ruby color of his region nowhere to be found.
“Don’t worry, Marks and his faithful following have already crossed.” Kieran meets my gaze, his russet eyes accentuated by a large, circular bruise covering his socket.
“You look like shit.” The words escape my mouth before I think better of it.
“Yeah, well you told your boyfriend about what happened at the summit all those years ago and he decided to turn our performance for Marks’ spies into a real fight.”
“He’s not my boyfriend,” I correct. “What performance?”
“Of course he didn’t tell you,” Kieran scoffs. “Don’t say anything, Kieran. I’ll tell her, Kieran. Bullshit.”
Finished with his mocking, he turns and heads into the weathered tavern. I follow quickly behind him, growing agitated at his lack of answers. Reaching out, I grab ahold of his arm and spin Kieran to face me.
“What the fuck are you talking about?”
“You’re going to want a drink for this.”
Kieran pulls from my hold and stalks to the bar, flagging down the barkeep to order two tankards of ale with a fake smile.
Beers in hand, Kieran directs us to a large table along the side of the wood paneled walls.
I pick a seat, pulling out the woven-bottom chair facing the door as he slams the tankards down and sits without removing his hood.
“Start talking,” I command.
He takes a long gulp before wiping his mouth on the back of his shirt sleeve and motioning for me to do the same. I comply— only because the drink has never left my sight since Kieran acquired it—and I drink down the slightly warm, foamy hops without breaking eye contact.
“You might be,” he leans in to whisper his next words, “a god, but you’re not the only special person here.”
I force my face to remain neutral and unfazed by his declaration. I don’t know what Kieran knows—or thinks he knows—but he won’t get any information from me.
“And I suppose you believe yourself to be special?”
Kieran reaches a tanned hand under the hood and runs his fingers through his tangled mess of wavy, auburn hair.
“Yeah, Ivy, I am. Believe it or not.”
There’s a pain in his voice that isn’t normally present. He’s unkempt, uncomfortable … un-Kieran.
“You’re the heir to the Ruby Region. Of course you’re special,” I scoff.
“No. I’m special because my mother made me so. Just like yours made you.”
Kieran tugs down the collar of his tunic exposing a small crescent-shaped birthmark just under his collarbone before lifting his tankard again. My composure slips at his revelation.
“Take another drink, Ivy. People are watching.”
I lift the ale to my lips with shaky hands and force myself to take deep gulps of the hoppy liquid as I try to think. Kieran is aevus. Kieran is at the very least part-god, at the most, fully a god.
“We’re on the same team,” he says.
I don’t trust him, but when I next meet his eyes over the rim of the tankard, my magic finds truth in them. He’s not my enemy—not this time.
The door to the tavern swings open, and I know it’s Cal before I even see the figure step through the threshold.
His large frame blocks out the flickering light from the torches that line the village streets.
The hood of his cloak covers his face entirely, but a hush falls over the patrons nevertheless at the menacing sight of the man in black.
The magic in my blood sings in his presence as he lowers the hood and steps towards us.
“Holy gods,” Kieran mutters, eyes going wide. “I sensed your power before, Ivy, but now …”
“Now what?” I ask cautiously.
“It surged when he walked in. It wasn’t like it was at the ball.”
Cal pulls out the chair beside me, his knee brushing against mine as he sits.
“Does she know?” Kieran locks eyes with Cal, his face a mixture of hesitance and hope.
“There was kind of a lot to cover, Rollins. I didn’t exactly get through everything.” Cal chuckles and lifts my tankard of ale to his lips.
“Anyone want to clue me in on whatever it is you two are discussing?” I ask, annoyance lacing my every word.
“Ivy,” Kieran starts, “before I say this, I need to remind you that there is a tavern full of people whose eyes are still on this table.”
I feel Cal stiffen beside me, his broad shoulders squaring to appear larger.
A quick glance around the room confirms Kieran’s statement.
All around us, patrons are pretending to sip on their drinks as if they aren’t sitting on pins and needles waiting to see if the fabled captain will bring trouble to their doorsteps.
“Go on,” I urge.
“Meet your newest travel companion. I’ll be with you two the rest of the way to Amale.”
I cut my eyes to Cal. There was plenty of time for him to warn me and yet he didn’t, though this was a surefire way to make sure I couldn’t stab Kieran. The dark purple bruising on the heir’s face is another clue that we must need him alive. Cal would have killed him already otherwise.
“I am armed at all times, even in my sleep. And what I’m capable of wielding is even more deadly than a blade. Do not fuck with me, Kieran.”
I let the magic in my veins come up to the surface. I can’t call to it here, but if he really can sense it as he claims, I want him to know that my threat is serious.
“He’s not stupid enough to do that again. Are you, Rollins?”
Kieran meets Cal’s challenging stare for only a moment before he swallows thickly. From the corner of my eye, I can see the corded muscle in the captain’s forearm twitch. He’s using his power on him again.
“That’s enough of that, boys.” I say flatly. Both men turn to face me, the air between them growing less tense as Cal’s magic retreats. “From this point on, I am in charge. You will do what I say. Both of you.”
Cal lets out an involuntary grunt, clearly pleased at the idea of being ordered around by me. Gray fire burns in his eyes as they boil the blood in my veins, the serpent on my skin slithering to life at the promise of his magic.
“Only if you two cut that shit out.” Kieran rises swiftly and throws back the remaining ale before slamming the tankard on the wooden table. “I’ll see you at sunrise.”
Once Kieran stalks out of the tavern door and into the night, I turn to face Cal. I need a moment to tamper down my magic before I can speak.
“I can fight my own battles,” I remind him.
“That fucker deserves worse than that. Lucky for him, we need him, otherwise he’d be dead.”
I lift the tankard to my lips and take a moment to gather my thoughts as I finish off the warm amber liquid within. Soldiers from the docks, fresh off their shift, begin to filter into the tavern signaling the start of my role in this ruse. The part I tell myself is only for show.
“You’ll explain his part in all this tomorrow?” I ask, taking his chin in my fingers and angling his mouth downward toward mine.
“I promise,” Cal says on a breathy exhale.
His lips find mine, the first act in tonight’s production that ends with me leaving this place clinging to his body while his hands roam over all the places he intends to thoroughly explore.
Prying eyes watch us with a curious intensity that tells me that I was right. Word of the captain’s activities will be the talk of the port city by the time the sun fully rises over the Facet Mountains—and we’ll be long on the other side of the Alloy by then.