4. Seir
Chapter 4
Seir
I absently listened to the gentle splashes from the other side of the bathroom door as I reorganized our supplies.
It seemed ridiculous, but I was borderline giddy at the thought of getting to make a journey on foot. I’d never had to and had been thankful for my gift far more than not, but actually getting to see a realm as a slow traveler had always held a very specific kind of awe for me.
Never mind that I’d be at the side of such an intriguing woman. Derne was an odd name, but there was little about her that seemed ordinary. I wanted nothing more than to see her at full power facing down an enemy, because if how she performed at her weakest was any indication, she was nothing short of a goddess.
Nobody touched my blades without my permission, not even my brothers, but she’d snatched my favorite dagger from my hand and used it with such deadly precision it had made my blood sing. Part of me had hoped she’d say no when I asked if she possessed any weapons, so I had a reason to lend her one of mine. Such a thought was pure madness, but it held on with intensity.
I shifted around on my knees, trying to calm the sudden pulse between my thighs. She was hardly the first woman I’d come into contact with in recent months, but my body seemed convinced it had to prove that she might be the only one I’d ever really wanted.
Absently, I scrubbed the heel of my palm against the dull, hot ache in my chest that had cropped up at some point after I arrived earth-side. A possible side effect of being summoned and banished again I guessed, as portals never had that effect. Perhaps the food was to blame.
I wanted to see what she had brought but didn’t want to overstep, so I left her bag alone. I’d scavenged enough from the cabin that we had food for a couple of days’ hard travel if necessary, but I could also hunt and had some money besides. There was one good change of clothing for me, and hopefully we could find something better suited for her at the next town. We were both identifiable enough in appearance that we’d have to be somewhat careful, but if Rylan and Vassago could do it, surely I could as well. That meant being mindful of my tail and not showing my sense of humor quite as enthusiastically as I normally would, but I could manage.
I was moving around the table and chairs so I could make up a place for myself to sleep in front of the hearth when the bathroom door clicked open. Glancing up, I caught her wide-eyed expression as she emerged, the filthy old shift in her fingers and her wet hair soaking through the oversize linen tunic I’d found for her.
Which she was wearing as a nightgown. With nothing else.
I inhaled, the mild floral scent of the soap filling my lungs.
“That was more needed than you know, thank you.” Her eyes dipped to the floor, then to the fire. “Can I…?”
I was frozen, unsure exactly what she was asking me. Without waiting for a response, she stepped in front of the fireplace and tossed the tattered garment into the flames, one long leg close enough for me to touch.
The split in the side of the shirt revealed a swath of marked skin. There were bruises and cuts all up and down the strong thigh, and deep red and purple marks splashed across the ankle. Her knee was skinned from how she’d fallen earlier. My fingers twitched, but I kept them at my side, my teeth clenched together at the sight. Anger surged through me, the desire to kill those men all over again rising up. The kind of behavior she’d endured at their hands was completely unacceptable.
“Sorry,” she apologized. “The pants fit okay, but they aren’t very comfortable. I figured if we were just going to sleep…” Foolishly, I could only stare back, grappling between rage and attraction, which made her turn a fascinating shade of pink from her chest up. “The bathwater is cold and filthy, but I didn’t want to drain it after you went to all that effort.”
I cleared my throat and made myself look away from her. “I’ll take care of it. Is there anything in your bag I should include in my count?”
She stared at me, eyes blank as she considered, then gave a short nod. She sank to her knees and dipped her hands into the pack she’d filled at the terrible house. No fewer than three small knives got piled off to the side, including one with a flat end designed to be held between her fingers when she made a fist. The last was a particularly wicked-looking dagger with a blade made from obsidian and finely crafted grip. Pride flared that she’d thought to grab such things in her hurry, followed by excitement to see her use them.
Several tins of food came out next, then an assortment of silver and gold items. She separated the silver utensils from a set of candlesticks, counting the spoons under her breath and frowning as though she would be held accountable for the number. Next was a thin leather belt with an unusual gold buckle that looked far too expensive to belong to any of the men I’d encountered.
The wooden lockbox from the study came out as well. She set it and its key to the side as she sorted through the handfuls of coins and jewelry she’d taken off the men’s bodies.
“Damn,” she swore, finally turning to the box. There was a solid click when she turned the key in the lock, and the lid creaked on its hinges as she opened it. She riffled through the paperwork inside. Reviewing it would surely be a worthwhile endeavor at some point, but she was in no state of mind for that. “I thought there would be more.” There was some paper money mixed in with what looked like receipts of some kind, but not much.
Her hand closed around a carved wooden horse with gold-tipped ears and hooves. She squeezed her eyes closed and clutched the carving to her chest.
“Money isn’t a problem,” I assured her, though my ability to find it like I normally did was in question if I couldn’t access my magic. Regardless, between what I already had when I arrived and what she’d taken, there was coin enough for now and there were items that could be traded.
She handed me a selection of the coins and put the rest back in the box along with the jewelry and weapons. The little horse remained in her hand.
“Here. This is yours too.” I pulled the little spell book I’d taken from her floor out of my pocket and put it in the box. She stared at me.
“You don’t want to keep it?”
I shrugged. “I flipped through it while you were sleeping, but there’s nothing in there that I didn’t already know. Whomever it belongs to has some very eclectic knowledge.”
“Such as?” She picked it up and thumbed through it, brow furrowed. “I read through it several times, but most things I couldn’t make heads or tails of.”
“That is where you learned how to draw a circle, yes?” She nodded. “Well, that’s a good example. The sigil collection is incomplete, and many are drawn wrong. The one for me was close enough it worked, but most would not.”
“Oh.”
“We can go through it more thoroughly if you like. When you feel up to it.”
“Okay.” She seemed skeptical of my offer but put the book in the box.
After packing her bag back up, she crossed to the bed and climbed under the sheet, a fierce yawn making her jaw crack as she leaned her back against the headboard. “I shouldn’t still be tired.”
I chuffed, stuffing my spare change of clothing into the bag of supplies and tying it off. “When was the last time you got any kind of decent rest?” She only blinked. “That’s what I thought, Derne.”
“Hailon.”
Her chin was propped up on her knees, which she’d pulled to her chest. “What?”
“Derne is my family name. If we’re going to be traveling together, you can call me Hailon.”
Something fizzed behind my breastbone with the gift of trust she’d just bestowed upon me. I could understand completely why she’d given me the alternate before, and, having spent quite a lot of time with the fae, I knew what trust she was extending by allowing me to know her actual given name.
“I stand by my statement that you require ample feeding and rest, Hailon .” The letters tasted sweet on my tongue. “Both can be found here.”
Her mouth twitched, the closest I’d gotten to a smile. “Noted, Seir .” I laughed aloud, the sound of my name from her mouth providing a ridiculous thrill. “Do you have a surname?”
“I have not adopted one. They are not common or required in Hell.” I thought of my brothers, how after being on earth so long, one had adopted his old name as his surname and another had chosen one in a language he was fond of. Perhaps I’d borrow one of theirs.
“I see.” She glanced around. “Where will you sleep?”
I spread my arms. “Right here by the fire.”
“But there’s not even a rug there, only floor. No blanket, no cushion.” A deep frown pulled her pretty features into harsh lines.
“I’ve had far worse,” I assured her. And I had. Rocks and dirt, the fiery pits… several places came to mind. In comparison, a cozy fire and worn wooden planks were downright comfortable. Having seen her previous living quarters, I knew she could relate on some level and did not begrudge her the comfort the single bed afforded one bit.
“That’s silly. Here.” She climbed off the mattress, pulling one of the pillows and some bedding with her. “There’s plenty.” I moved aside and let her maneuver the blankets into a comfortable pallet. She looked it over critically, her hands on her hips, her face relaxing once she was satisfied.
“Much appreciated, kind lady.”
She flushed that pink color again but said nothing as she returned to the bed. A deep sigh followed the rustling of her getting situated under the quilt once more. I made a round of the cabin, stopping in the bathroom to wash up quickly and drain the dirty water from the tub. I made sure the lamps were extinguished and the fire banked before curling up in the little nest she’d made for me.
Soft floral notes from the soap she’d used lingered in the fabric, along with the tang of old blood from before she’d cleaned up. I buried my nose and inhaled, enjoying the contrast.
Her voice was barely above a whisper and heavy with sleep as she said, “It took twenty-three days for them to bring me here. We went through at least three dense forests, and the road went up like we were climbing mountains twice. Once we went so high my ears popped on and off for most of the day. The air smelled of salt water for nearly a week before we got to Olinbourg.
“They gathered wagons and supplies the whole time. We started with one wagon and three men. There were six wagons and twenty-eight men by the time we arrived, but I don’t think anybody but the three in my wagon knew I was there. They were very careful to keep me hidden and gagged.”
“It’s very canny of you to have kept track of things like that.” My heart thumped behind my ribs, strangely heavy. She had impressed me several times already. I would never underestimate her intelligence or ability if this is how she managed through extreme circumstances. I rubbed the heel of my palm against my shirt, frowning as I pulled in another deep breath of lavender and iron.
“They kept my eyes covered, so I’m not sure if my timekeeping was right. They only allowed me out of the wagon after dark, but it always seemed long enough it felt like a day had passed between.” She frowned. “Do you think it will take that long to get back?”
Her shadow danced behind her on the wall. “I don’t know. Collecting such an amount of people and goods along the way is certainly time consuming in itself, but people doing nefarious things often take routes that double back or go inefficient ways to lose anyone who might be following.” I ground my teeth together. Evil was certainly not exclusive to humans, but they had developed some of the most creative ways of expressing their darker nature I’d ever seen. Which, as a resident of Hell, was saying something. “I’ve never made that journey without some kind of portal or sifting. Never been to Ravenglen proper at all, that I can remember.”
Her head bobbed gently, her voice thoughtful and quiet. “We should leave as soon as possible.”
I smiled. I liked her spirit, though I worried her body wasn’t quite ready for the trek. “We will. Rest yourself, Hailon.”
“Good night, Seir.”
The crackle of flames and her soft breathing lulled me into a doze and perhaps the first truly peaceful sleep I’d had in ages.