Chapter 7
Loral i
O ne thing Lorali hadn’t considered when she claimed her right to a gallows bond, though she hadn’t considered anything at all, was the overwhelming stares and watching eyes that would be on her at all times. Especially as she walked with Athera’s most wanted at her side. She was used to attention when in her robes or doing official work for the Order, but when the robes were off, she could blend with the crowd. Not anymore. She presumed that’s what always happened when one made a public spectacle of themselves—they became the talk of the town. Anyone who had been there that day had seen her face, heard her name, her role in the Order. And word spread like wildfire. Their stares lingering over the thick tattoos inked across the back of her hand that matched Eldric’s own. It was a brand for anyone to see, one even her cardigan could not hide. While it was unsettling, she could tolerate it. Would tolerate it. Her companion, on the other hand, looked as if he were about to crawl out of his skin .
“Everyone’s staring.”
“That’s what happens when you’re a wanted criminal.”
“It’s what happens when you’re a wanted criminal who gets caught . People didn’t know my face until two weeks ago.” He frowned with arms crossed, matching each and every stare with a glare of his own that turned them away in an instant.
“Shouldn’t have gotten caught then,” Lorali quipped back on instinct, causing Eldric to nearly choke on his tea.
“Right. On that note, I’ll be seeing you.” She nodded and turned on her heel. There was little time to think about the lingering eyes—it was her one day off this week and there was shopping to be done, sponsors to be found for the next year’s Veridian, and a little treat from her favourite cafe in the upper district with her name on it. Today, she’d take any bit of comfortable solitude she could get.
“Don’t be late!” he called after her.
She prepared for the slight tug in her chest. They knew how to fix the pain they were going to face, that there was an end in sight when they finally came back together. It made it dealing with it in the moment easier. She couldn’t help but roll her eyes with a smile, adjusting her basket as she kept walking.“I won’t.”
** *
Lorali made her way to the northern edge of the city that housed her favourite bakery. From there, she would head to the market for food and start gauging which businesses were interested in helping with Veridian before enjoying her walk home. She refused to acknowledge the pain that awaited her until she saw Eldric again. It would be a perfectly normal day. She hadn’t realized how much she’d craved it until she was finally alone, having pushed through the entire week with little time to stop and just breathe. Some small part of her had wondered if she would ever have a perfectly normal day again. But as she pushed open the bakery door and the smell of fresh baked treats hit her nose, she knew it was a baseless worry. Excitement bounded within her, overjoyed that she could bring such an opportunity to the first shop she had ever spent her hard earned coins at when she moved to Athera.
“Welcome to Emillian’s— Lorali .” Flora’s typically cheery voice seemed to freeze in an instant as Lorali let the door shut behind her.
“Hi, Flora.” She waved as she stepped up to the counter, the first customer of the day as usual. The young girl’s eyes instantly went to the swirling black ink on her hand. Lorali lowered it, tugging her sleeves down at Flora’s lingering stare.
“So it’s true.” Flora’s voice was strained. “You did it. I didn’t want to believe it, told papa and mama not to believe the rumors, but it’s true. You saved that...that thief .”
Lorali opened her mouth but couldn’t object. Could not offer any explanation to the young redhead before her. So, she nodded.
“I did.”
Flora swallowed and pressed her lips together, wiping her palms on beautifully embroidered skirts she refused to hide with an apron.
“Papa says you’re not welcome here anymore.”
Lorali blinked, confused.
“What? I’ve been buying bread from Emillian for years, before he ever moved to the upper district—”
“And the thief you saved, the thief you married? He’s been stealing from us for far longer. Our neighbors too. Papa told me so. He said you knew, and you still saved him.”
“Well—yes, but it’s more complicated than that—”
“Now you bear the mark of a thief too—you share his sins,” she said, looking to where Lorali tried to hide the dark inked scrawl on her skin with a shake of her head.
“That’s not true, that’s not what this is, this— ”
“Papa says you’re no longer welcome, Lorali.” The young girl’s face was sad as she glanced behind her to the kitchen. “You should go before he realizes you’re here. He’s not very happy.”
Lorali was at a loss for words, looking between the girl and the kitchen behind her with a sinking feeling that this might not be the first time she encountered this today.
“O-Okay,” she breathed, nodding as she released her fists to keep calm. “Tell Emillian that I’m sorry. That if he wants to talk about it, he knows where to find me.” Lorali did her best to smile as she placed a small coin on the counter before turning to go. “As a thank you for all these years. May Ostara’s light shine upon you.”
“We don’t need your blessings or your coin,” Flora said, pushing the coin back her way. “Goodbye, Lorali.”
She did not take the coin back, making her way out the door and back onto familiar streets that had never seemed so daunting. With tight shoulders and measured breaths, she prepared to go about her day that she now knew with certainty would be anything but normal.