29. Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Malina
“ M al, come on. Stop showing off. You’re supposed to help me,” Kya whined with her hands on her hips.
I giggled at her glaring up at me from the floor, while I balanced on top of the ceiling’s rafter. I had just learned how to wield my own light, and I was proud of it even though it wasn’t a lot.
“Malina, we’re here before daybreak so we can be in the dark. It kind of defeats the purpose if you’re making it bright,” Nikan chided from the other room.
I huffed and let my light go out, allowing the darkness of the abandoned building to wash over us once again. Nikan was having us work with Kya on her terbis abilities. She wasn’t able to wield like Nikan or the other terbis wielders.
I thought her ability was even better though. She could do something most others couldn’t. Like me. Which made training a little more difficult, but at least we could figure out our abilities together.
But Kya was marked for the Trial of the Gods. That was part of the reason we were here training. Every spare moment Nikan had away from his missions, he would spend training us. I think most of it was for Kya, to prepare her for the Trial, but it was also for both of us so we could have the skill we needed to one day be a Roav. Once we hit our staying age in a few years, we’d be going on missions of our own.
I pulled the dull practice dagger from its sheath and fumbled with it as I tried to spin it in my hand like I had seen Nikan do. Clearly, I needed more practice.
The goal for today was for me to learn to stay hidden and for Kya to find me and Nikan in the dark using her ability. Whoever hit the other with one of the practice daggers first got to go to Penny’s bakery at dawn.
I heard Kya’s breathing below me as she navigated her way around the large rocks Nikan had placed randomly in the space. It made my blood race. I enjoyed the thrill of these training sessions. The stealthier I became, the more I looked forward to when I could go on a practice mission with Nikan and prove myself. He said I still wasn’t ready, but I knew it would be soon.
I heard Kya gasp below me just before the sound of her dagger clattering on the stone floor. Nikan’s laughter had me smiling, and I lit up the room once again.
He had snuck up above her and startled her with his practice dagger pressed against her shoulder while he crouched atop one of the rocks.
“And you’re dead,” he sang. “You really need to work on your breathing. You’re too loud.”
“Hey, that’s not fair, Nik. You were supposed to stay still, and I was supposed to find you.” Kya smacked away his dagger.
I smiled and jumped down from my spot on the rafter.
“Not everyone you’ll be looking for will be still. They’ll be moving around, and that’s what you need to feel for. And you need to feel the vibrations through different kinds of rocks. So long as they’re touching, you can sense those right?” Nikan slid down to his feet to stand in front of her, and I came up next to them.
“Yeah. But it’s not easy. I really have to concentrate on each one. It’s not as difficult when it’s through something continuous,” she huffed and leaned back against the rock.
“Then you’ll have to just work harder,” he said.
“Okay, but can she concentrate on her vibrating pebbles later? I’m starving, and I want to get that new pastry from Penny’s while it’s still hot,” I interrupted. Training was important, but food was my priority right now.
“Mal, you didn’t win. You don’t get a pastry.” Nikan raised his brows in a knowing look.
But I knew better. Regardless of who won, he always got us all pastries. “But we both worked so hard today.”
Nikan shook his head, pursing his lips to keep from smiling. Kya and I exchanged a glance, knowing exactly what would convince him.
“Please,” we both said at the same time, giving him our saddest looking gaze.
He rolled his eyes and couldn’t hold back his smile. “Fine. But I get first pick since I actually won.”
“Yes!” Kya and I quietly cheered.
I hadn’t dreamt of that moment in a long time. Everything was so much simpler back then. It was a welcome respite from the usual nightmares, replaying Kya’s final moments over and over. I wished I could have stayed asleep, but I was shaken awake from the peaceful dream.
“Get up.” Nikan ripped the blanket off me and dropped clothes on my chest.
I sat up with a groan.
“Fuck off, Nik,” I grumbled and shoved the clothes off me.
“Not today. We’re going on a job,” he commanded.
I scoffed, throwing up a small ball of light to illuminate my bedroom since it was still dark. “Seriously? I don’t—”
“Malina, I’m not going to let you sit here and rot. You’re a Roav, and you have a job to do. Now, I’ve been more than patient by giving you time. I’ve taken every job to give you a break. I’ve tried helping you, but you won’t let me—or anyone else, apparently. Are you ready to talk now, or are you going to get off your ass and get to work?” His determined stare bored into me.
That wasn’t happening.
I jumped out of bed, grabbed my clothes, and headed to the bathing room to change.
“That’s what I thought,” I heard him say before I closed the door behind me.
Once I was dressed and armed with daggers, I met him out in the sitting area. He looked me up and down then turned and led the way out of my rooms. I obediently, yet begrudgingly, followed.
Thankfully, I didn’t see any sign of Hakoa. It was for the best. Besides, all I could think about was how I didn’t have any demid, and that I needed to get another vial. Hakoa had destroyed the last one I had, and the little I shamefully licked off the floor was only enough to sustain me for that day. Jobs could be days or weeks. I couldn’t go that long without it. I didn’t want to.
Nikan led me to the outer ring of Ilrek to the stables. I couldn’t help but glance in the direction of Daxel’s house, wondering if I could somehow sneak over there to see if he was awake and able to give me another vial. But I knew I didn’t have the time. Payment took awhile.
“Where’s the job?” I asked Nikan as we approached the stables. If it was a city, I bet I could find a dealer somewhere. It couldn’t be that hard. Not to mention, I already knew of several in various places.
“Ipara,” he said as he went to grab two already tacked horses, clearly having planned this little journey.
Ipara would work. It wasn’t a large city, but it was big enough I knew I could find something. And it was in Gaol. That Nation was crawling with dealers and every kind of criminal you could think of. And the best part was I wouldn’t have to fuck anyone; I could pay with coin.
I had a plan. Get to Ipara, find a way to get away from Nikan for a little while, get a vial of demid, finish the job, and head back to Morah. Simple. Easy.
With more enthusiasm than I had before, I hopped on the horse and Nikan and I rode off to Gaol.
“Where are you going?” Nikan asked, as I tried to rush off around the corner of the building we were staking out.
Thankfully we had made it to Ipara within less than a day, partly due to the fact I rushed to get here. However, I hadn’t been able to get away from Nikan. He had kept a close eye on me the entire time, even as we stalked our target for an entire day, entered the store through the high windows after dark, and took the tome from the locked desk inside. It was a smooth mission, and one that didn’t take long at all. But it was still too long.
It had been thirty-four hours since I’d had demid. I knew it was affecting me, but I didn’t want to admit it to myself. While I did debate on how complicated it was making things for me and others, I wasn’t ready to face what withdrawal might come without it. I still wanted it for now.
Just remember your excuse. He’ll think it’s legitimate.
“I wanted to see one of my contacts about some information on the Paya family.”
Nikan’s brows scrunched. “The Paya family? Why?”
“To learn about their true lineage. Alban and Von talked about it, and I figured since I was here, I’d see what information I could find for them. They’re certain that the family has some false records, and they want accurate accounts of who actually bore one of the children.” I shrugged, my stomach tingling with nerves.
I had never lied to him like that before. Not that most of what I said was a lie. I vaguely remembered Alban and Von talking about the Paya family when they were helping me take Nikan to the healers. But I had never deceived Nikan before, and I certainly had never used the Scholars for my excuse. I was getting desperate, and I convinced myself it wouldn’t do anyone any harm. I would just say that I didn’t find out anything.
He eyed me for a moment, readjusting the book under his arm. I thought he would call me out but, to my surprise, he didn’t.
“I did hear them go on about some kind of familial scandal they were looking into. And that works out anyway. I need to check in on one of my own informants. Let’s meet up at the forest where we left the horses in an hour. That should be enough time for the both of us.”
Thank the Gods.
“Yep. Will do.” I didn’t hesitate, taking off down the alley.
I had mentally mapped out the path I planned to take while Nikan and I had been watching the store all day, obsessing over which dealer I thought would be the best prospect. Having been fully aware I would only be able to visit one, I needed to be selective.
Rhona was the most likely. She was also the only one who didn’t move around, having enough resources at her disposal to bribe the Gaol Watch. She had to have demid.
Eager to get there, I quickened my pace to the other side of the city. Just as dusk was falling, I approached the compound where Rhona handled most of her exchanges. But as I reached for the door, a hand gripped my upper arm and yanked me back, spinning me around and pulling me to the side of the building.
“I knew it…” Nikan seethed, dragging me away.
I pulled against him. “You followed me? Let me go!”
“And let you walk in there just to get more demid? Why do you think I took you away from Ilrek? To hopefully get you away from this shit for a few days and let you see that you don’t fucking need it,” he scolded through gritted teeth.
I groaned. He didn’t understand. I didn’t need it. I wanted it. I wasn’t hurting anyone else, so what did it matter anyway.
“Is Rhona your regular dealer?” Nikan demanded, getting in my face.
If I said no, he’d know it was someone else and probably try to find Dax. He could ruin my access to demid. But if I told him yes, I’d be lying to him again.
I nodded.
Nikan just looked at me like he was disappointed, and it hurt more than I thought it would. I’d rather have his scolding.
“You wait right here. Don’t move,” he commanded, and just to make sure I couldn’t move, he wielded stone around my feet to trap me.
“Ugh, you ass!” I shouted at him as he ran off around the corner.
Shit, shit, shit.
I had no idea what he was going to do. I wasn’t leaving here with a vial, I knew that. Now, all I wanted was to go back to Ilrek so I could meet up with Dax as soon as possible. My skin had already begun to twitch from not having demid after only a little more than a day.
After only a couple of minutes waiting with my feet engulfed by the immovable ground, I felt a rumble just before the entire building came crashing down. Nikan killed Rhona. But more than that, he killed her entire operation. He destroyed her compound.
The sound was the loudest thing I had ever heard, painfully piercing my already sensitive head. The stone of the building collapsed, taking with it any hope I had of finding a vial inside. My imagination spiraled, picturing the demid being wasted.
I could have strangled Nikan. And seeing him come around the corner, emerging from the dust with a glare, I wanted to.
“Happy now?”
“No.” He released my feet. “You’ll just find it somewhere else. But at least I could make it a little more difficult for you.”
“Fuck you too,” I snapped.
I turned and darted back to the horses tied to the trees just inside the forest outside the city. Nikan kept up. He wouldn’t let me out of his sight all the way back to Ilrek.
I had to lose him.