Chapter 61
CHAPTER SIXTY-ONE
PHOENIX
After another week of training with Oka Oya, I’m exhausted.
That’s why after dinner, I’m stretched out sideways on one of the couches in the conversation pit.
Jax and Bart sit next to me, playing cards.
With my belly full and muscles aching from pain, I’m very close to dozing off to sleep.
But the way Jax’s wicked fingers move as he shuffles cards keeps me alert.
Still no invitation to the last trial.
Vera’s bedroom door opens, drawing my attention away from the game to her. She wears a cape with a hood over her suit.
I frown at the unusual choice of clothing. “Where are you going?”
“I’m heading to the safe house to check on the kids we rescued last time,” she says and tosses one identical cape to me and one to Jax. “I thought you might care to join me so you can see it for yourself.”
I’m on my feet in the blink of an eye. I welcome all and any distraction that keeps my mind from spiraling about the next trial.
We put on the hooded capes and follow Vera outside where the carriage already waits for us. Once we scramble inside, it springs to action.
“Where is this safe house?” I ask.
“In a small town outside Jaakii,” Vera says. “It’s a two-hour ride, which is not the most convenient. But it’s far enough from Caligos to keep the kids safe, so worth it. You’ll see for yourself.”
I nod. Vera radiates calm today, which helps me relax as we ride through the city and then out of it. For the majority of the journey we remain silent. Each of us looks out through the windows, lost in our thoughts.
The roads we take outside the city are narrow, surrounded by deep forests and snowy mountains. Once the sun sets, I can’t see much of the scenery outside the window. But we’re somewhere deep in the forest at the base of two wide mountains.
Finally, the carriage comes to a stop. Vera slides out of her seat next to me and hops out of the carriage with ease. I follow her, and Jax is not far behind.
“It’s a late evening, so unfortunately you won’t get to see the outside of the place,” Vera says in a low voice to us. “But at least you can get a tour of the inside.”
The carriage is parked at the edge of a little village.
A number of small one- and two-story homes are built to make a circle around a clearing.
In the middle there is a tall stone structure with a fire burning at the very top.
It offers enough lighting for us as we follow Vera inside one of the two-story homes. She doesn’t even pause to knock.
“Dominique, it’s Vera.” Vera announces herself the moment she steps through the door.
I hear chatter somewhere in the house, and then a burst of laughs.
Just like the outside of the building, the interior is humble and earthy.
The ceilings are low here too, so me and Jax have to crouch a little as we remove our shoes and leave our cloaks in the entryway.
But it’s warm and toasty here. Just as cozy as Vera’s studio.
A petite, round woman with cheeks red as apples emerges from the corridor leading deeper into the house. Her eyes twinkle and a broad smile blooms on her face once she sees Vera, and then us.
“Welcome! What a wonderful surprise,” she says loudly and then laughs just as loud. “Vera, so good to see you. Have you lot eaten dinner yet? We still have plenty of food left if you’re hungry.”
“Yes, Dominique. We left Jaakii just after dinner. Thank you for your generous offer,” Vera says with a pleasant smile. “I brought Jax and Phoenix with me today. I hope you don’t mind. They helped me during the last rescue mission, and I wanted them to see where we bring those we rescue.”
Dominique claps her hands together. “Oh, dear spirits of the gods, of course we don’t mind!
Please, come in and look around. Feel at home.
” I stand closer to her than Jax, so she grabs my hands and presses her forehead to the backs of my palms. “Thank you so much for helping Vera save those innocent souls. There are so many of them, and it’s horrid what those damn Caligos do to those kids. ”
“Ah…uh, of course. It’s our honor and duty to help in whatever way we can.” I stumble over my words.
The woman lets go of me and ushers all of us into the corridor to follow her.
Wooden stairs weave upward, leading the way to the second floor, but we pass them and enter a modest living room.
An old couch leans against one wall, and there are a couple of matching worn armchairs scattered around the room.
In a corner by the window stands a round little table with four chairs that are all occupied by teenagers.
All of their gazes snap to us, and they pause whatever game they’re playing while they gawk at us with big, curious eyes.
“Where for the love of the spirits are your damn manners?” Dominique slaps her juicy thigh with her small palm. “Excuse these rascals. They forget themselves sometimes.”
The three girls and one boy, each no older than fifteen years old, nod their heads and murmur greetings.
“Don’t worry about that, Dominique,” Vera says with a smile. “We’re barging into your home at this hour. If you want to blame someone for rudeness, blame us.”
One of the girls giggles, and returns to the game. The others follow suit. I recognize the girl now; it’s the one I helped Vera carry out first.
She has put on some weight since I last saw her, and the bruises that littered her skin all over have healed. Her cheeks have a healthy glow when she smiles at the boy in front of her.
I’m rooted in place as I remember that night. Every second of it is still vivid in my mind. The way the air smelled, the sounds the four Caligos made as they died.
“Are you okay there, darling?” Jax’s hand on my shoulder snaps me out of the trance and I blink. “You look like you’re about to throw up or faint. Or possibly murder someone.”
I snort. “Because all these three things are so closely related.”
A casual shrug. “It’s hard to tell with you sometimes.”
Dominique invites us to the kitchen to have some tea. She hums a tune under her breath as she prepares two clay pots of herbal tea that smells of honey and something else I can’t recognize. All four of us sit around a small round table perched by the only window in the small kitchen.
It’s modest like the rest of the house I’ve seen so far. But it’s clean and kept well. I can tell Dominique takes care of her home and takes pride in it. Every kitchen and tea towel I can see matches, and is neatly folded.
Once our cups are full of delicious tea that tastes just as good as it smells, I’m restless to know what this place is. Vera is so secretive. She only gives away her cards one at a time.
“What is this place?” I look between Vera and Dominique. I jerk my chin at the hostess. “And who are you?”
Dominique smiles at me. Only now do I notice she has a gap between her two front teeth. “This is my home. And I’m Dominique Cortesa. I’m a seamstress by trade.”
I shoot Vera a glance. “I see you trained her well in your ways.”
Vera giggles. To Dominique she says, “You can tell them, Dominique. They’re dear friends I trust.”
Dominique barks a laugh and slams the table so hard the pots rattle. “Apologies, apologies. We tend to be extremely careful with new people. You can never be too cautious when it comes to safety.”
“I can understand that,” I say.
“You’re an expert con woman Dominique,” Jax says, tapping his chin. “I must say, I couldn’t tell you were kidding.”
Dominique blushes and giggles at Jax’s praise. It takes everything in me not to roll my eyes. I don’t get how women are so easily charmed by this slick bastard.
“I’m a seamstress by trade. At least, I was before Vera recruited me,” Dominique says. “In the past, long time ago, they used to train Caetras here, in this mountain village. It used be a huge secret, as most of the Caetra-related things are, so our village is not even on the map.”
“Ah, that’s an excellent spot for a safe house,” Jax says, his eyes wide with excitement. “This is genius, Vera.”
“I know,” Vera smirks.
“Who owns this village now, then? The government?” I ask and take another sip of my tea.
Dominique laughs again and shakes her head. “Oh dear, not at all. It’s always been a private business, training Caetras.”
“It belongs to me,” Vera says calmly. My jaw drops. She taps a finger on the table. “My mentor passed it down to me, together with the studio.”
I knew Vera has connections and resources, but owning the entire village in the mountains on top of the studio in the city…I’m baffled.
“Wait,” I say, frowning. “Are you training these kids to become Caetras, too?”
Vera sighs and shakes her head. “I’m disappointed you even have to ask me this, Phoenix. Of course not. The youth are free to do whatever they please with their lives. That’s why we have people like Dominique here, who are masters of various trades and can teach kids useful skills.”
Shame heats my cheeks.
“Yes, indeed,” Dominique says cheerily. “I teach sewing, knitting, and crocheting classes. We have woodworking, blacksmithing, cooking, fishing, and even businesses classes with a retired merchant here. It’s a small, but thriving, community.”
I toy with my cup. “That’s very nice.”
Two girls burst into the kitchen, laughing. When they spot us, they fall silent and quietly go over to one of the cupboards.
“If you’ll have chocolates, you better share them with the rest!” Dominique scolds them.
Giggling, the girls grab a box from the cupboard and rush out of the kitchen. They seem happy, and safe. Nothing like the kids we found in that damn warehouse. And all because of Vera and her generosity.
“So, this is what the Savage King is all about,” I say.
Ver shrugs. “One of the many things.”
“You’re like a badass vigilante,” Jax says with a huge smile. “I must admit, you might be the coolest person I know.”
Dominique and I laugh. Vera rolls her eyes, but gives in to a laugh with us eventually. Sharing the tea and a laugh in this small kitchen makes my chest swell with a familiar, warm feeling.
It’s been so long since I felt this way. I almost forgot how good it feels, how beautiful life is when I’m full of this feeling.
The true intention of your heart, its purest desire, is to make a home, and live every day making an impact. Lorca’s words surge to the front of my mind.
Before I can control it, a sliver of hope blooms somewhere deep within me. Maybe this could be it. This could be a beginning of something meaningful for me, rather than the start of destruction—
I crush that damn hope like an annoying worm under my foot.
Maybe in another life, this would have been it. Something I could be a part of.
But in this lifetime, my parents are dead, and the man who’s responsible for it still lives and thrives. Keeps people like me in his ironclad grip.
“Come on now, it’s time to get back on the road,” Vera says once we finish our tea. “Thank you, Dominique, for taking us in so last minute. I’m glad to see the children are doing well.”
Dominique waves her hand. “Don’t be silly. You’re always welcome here.”
It’s approaching midnight by the time we get back into the carriage. Once we’re moving, I turn to Vera and ask. “Does Noire know about this? Did Kitajo?” Vera nods. “Are they the ones who put you on it? Why isn’t the government doing this instead of you?”
Vera shakes her head. “This started way before I even met Kitajo. Because Caligos are everywhere—Order of Ezkai and House Dzuni included—I always protected Savage King operations from everyone. If Noire or Kitajo would have gotten involved, if they have involved Ezkai…the word would get out eventually and then all I have built would crumble.”
“Vera, that’s a huge burden to carry on your own,” Jax says. “You know, we’re a team now. Cursed Trio. Correct me if I’m wrong, Phoenix, but just like we work to together to help you win, we can work together to help save these kids from Caligos.”
I nod. The way Caligos are running this country to the ground, the way they pry and use people, fucking kids to enrich their coffers, irks me.
It’s too close to home. Reminds me of King Francis.
The smile Vera awards me with feels a lot like home. My heart sinks.
“You really want to help?”
Jax and I exchange a glance.
“Fuck yeah,” I say with a shrug. “Clearly the last trial is not happening anytime soon, and I would love to do something else than be whipped by Kazh, verbally and physically, from sunrise to sundown.”
“Well, it’s good you offer,” Vera says slyly. “We have another huge rescue planned soon and could definitely use more hands.”