20. Esther #3
“I’ll always be by your side,” he’d promised me, but I wonder how true that holds now. How long will he be under Dahlia’s enchantment? What if I can’t free him from it? What if we never meet again?
I home in on another table as I dunk a portion of the bread into the stew.
“I heard that the Kingdom of Caldom has fallen,” one of the women on the older man’s lap whispers as she leans over, giving the other man an eyeful of her tits before sipping on her ale.
My ears immediately prick. “Apparently, they were attacked by a water beast. What was the king’s name again…
” She clicks her fingers together, the tarnished jewelry around her wrist rattling. “Kain. He was killed by it.”
I can sense Regent watching me carefully, and I clench the spoon tighter as I scoop another two mouthfuls. I hate how perceptive he is. Now that he knows soldiers are after me from Caldom Kingdom, I’m certain he’s linking any ounce of information together. And all I can do is feign indifference.
“Your information is wrong,” the man sitting across from her scolds.
“Are you calling me a liar?” She clicks her tongue.
“No, misinformed. I heard it wasn’t the beast that killed him but one of his own commoners who has yet to be caught.
” The stew misses my mouth. Is that what Dahlia is telling people and claiming to have happened?
That I killed him. “There’s a nice bounty on her head.
I saw a printed portrait, some red-haired girl, no more than twenty.
Soldiers have been passing through villages with her description.
If they don’t catch her soon, it’ll instigate a war.
They can’t just come onto our land and demand to go through our homes.
Absolute bullshit. Those from the South always thought they were better than us, though. ”
“Wow, they must have some serious issues over there if they can’t even keep their commoners in check.” The other woman laughs but quickly sobers up the moment her old man croons.
“I’m glad I’m not in the army anymore. His cousin, Dahlia Seranto, has taken over his kingdom.”
“What?” The other man’s laughter dies.
“I had to fight an army she led over a decade ago. It was messy and merciless,” the veteran says with a tormented tone.
“They’re ruthless. Between her and her husband and whatever other legions they have, I believe they’ll come over here and try to claim Ethera’s docks.
I mean, sure, we’re not as large in size, but we’re closest to the east side to set sail to Graftore.
I heard Caldom’s seedlings are barely sprouting anymore, and they depend on imports so it’s motivation enough. ”
“I guess it doesn’t matter why they want it.
I bet you any amount of gold pieces, like all the others, they will try.
But Dahlia would be wise to exercise caution.
Our princess married King Saldom from the East after all.
No one can challenge his military hold or power.
He’s renowned to be one of the most powerful greers. ”
“It’s fucking pathetic that we have to depend on the East and the King of Graftore, because our king is so fucking old. King Saldom will only bring us warfare, even if he has taken her as his queen.”
My stomach sinks, and I no longer have an appetite. I push the bowl away, refusing to look in Regent’s direction, even when I can feel the weight of his questioning stare. All that bravado from taking out those three men has been completely sucked out of me.
Politics and warfare are always discussed, but what everyone is in agreeance with is King Saldom is to be feared. But what weighs so heavily is the twisted lie around my master’s death.
My alleged murdering of the man who was like a father to me has so quickly spread even this far. How the fuck will I make it back into the kingdom? How many of them believe Dahlia’s story?
Does Blaze? Was he chasing me out of free will? He, too, was dedicated to Master Kain. Selena? Barbados? Those whom I housed with? What if Dahlia turned them all against me? What if, although I didn’t kill him myself, I led that calamity to him simply because he was hiding my existence.
I think of the lives I took yesterday, gleefully so, that sprout of darkness within me fueled and growing by the day, the blood of each man, water to its well.
Wasn’t this what Master Kain tried to warn me away from?
That because I was Felia blessed, I was naturally lulled into dark magic?
What if I’m exactly what all the stories imply about my kind?
No better than messengers of Felia and death.
“And what, you think you have all this kind of gold to bet, ey?” The man with a hook for a hand flips over the table.
“I think it’s time we go to our room, darling,” Regent says as the three men behind us begin to brawl.
“Bed? I thought we don’t spend coin on places with comfy beds or a sturdy roof?”
“I can’t promise this establishment has a sturdy roof. However, I have been, in your words, a tight ass.” He offers me his hand. Through the deception of his mask and the mental fuckery of him still intending to sell me, I find myself slipping my hand into his, grateful for the reprieve.