Chapter 26
Back in our tiny room, we start to pack our provisions for the journey ahead, stumbling and climbing over each other in the waning sunlight coming through the narrow window.
I won’t deny I’m nervous. So far I’ve faced torture, starvation, the Elvael Forest, a gijire, nevcaei, and one seriously grumpy cook, and now I’m about to brave the Benea Mountains.
They’re just as treacherous as the Elvael Forest, if not more so.
I’ve only ever overheard stories of them from a traveler who would visit Berttom’s bordello from time to time, and none of them were pleasant.
Narrow passages on sheer drop cliffs, creatures that drop from above to devour you whole.
It sounded as if Death himself created the mountains to punish anyone daring enough to venture into them.
Caene notices my silence. “You know I won’t let anything happen to you,” he says quietly, fastening the buckle of one of the satchels he procured earlier today along with the horse.
I look up from the other satchel, which I’m filling with food, and meet his soft eyes.
I’ve noticed the only time I see his eyes gentle and tender like this is when he’s looking at me.
I give him a small smile at him and nod.
“Though it would be easier if you let me make you invulnerable.” His tone is teasing but his expression is almost pleading.
“No.” I leave no room for argument. “I can handle myself. I’ve survived this long with my normal body.
I know how it works, I know its limits. If I accept, my body won’t feel like mine anymore.
That’s all I’ve been fighting for most of my life.
For my body to be mine. Not something to be sold or used or changed or governed by someone else. ”
He opens his mouth to argue but decides against it, nodding as if he understands.
Maybe he does. He didn’t ask for his magic.
It was forced upon him. Maybe we have found some common ground.
He grabs his satchel and places it by the door, ready to grab it in the morning.
I do the same, and we stare awkwardly at each other, unsure of what to do next.
“Well, goodnight,” he says gruffly as he grabs a pillow off the bed, ignoring or not seeing the dagger I had stashed under it, and starts toward the bathroom,
“Wait. Where are you planning to sleep?” I ask, confusion wrinkling my brow. I don’t know why I asked. Or why I should care.
“Same place as last night. The bathtub,” he says. I blink before I burst out laughing at the image of his big frame curled up in that itty-bitty tub.
“That couldn’t have been comfortable.” I giggle.
He shrugs. “I’ve slept in worse places.” I stare at him. I have so many questions about his life, but it’s getting late and we have a long journey ahead of us.
“It’s ridiculous for you to sleep in that tiny tub. I barely fit in it and you’ve got to be at least six feet tall.”
“Six-four,” he mumbles.
I roll my eyes. Of course he’d correct me.
Men and their ever-present need for the world to know they’re tall.
“The bed is big enough for both of us for one night.” He smirks, amusement and something else I won’t let myself acknowledge dancing in his beautiful eyes.
My body betrays me once again however and a pleasant knot forms low in my stomach.
“We’re just going to sleep,” I feel the need to point out, whether for his benefit or mine, I’m not sure.
“Of course.” He bows his head in mock sincerity. I roll my eyes and cross my arms over my chest. He reaches for the hem of his tunic and pulls it over his head.
“What did I just tell you?” I nearly shriek.
He smiles bigger, giving me a flash of a dimple in his right cheek. “Relax little Aelavi. I can’t sleep in my clothes.”
“You can’t make an exception for just one night?” My voice is getting higher. I stare at his incredible body as he strips off his pants, leaving him in just his unusually tight undergarments. They leave little to the imagination. I swallow hard and tear my gaze back up to his face.
“I could,” he says, taking a small step toward me, closing the little distance between us.
“But I don’t think you want me to.” He bends and brushes his lips against my cheek in a ghost of a kiss.
I close my eyes and lean into him, unable to stop myself.
He shifts around me and crawls into bed, taking the space closest to the door, leaving me with the one against the wall.
I grind my teeth together. I refuse to let him win.
I grumble and crawl over him into bed, fully clothed.
He laughs and I roll onto my side, facing the wall.
The mattress bounces and shifts as he gets comfortable.
His massive body leaves very little bed for me.
I do my best not to touch him, but I can still feel the warmth coming off him, can still smell his delicious scent.
It’s simultaneously distracting and comforting and I sink into it before I can fight it.
His breathing slows, the rhythmic sound and the warmth enveloping me quickly lulling me to sleep.
An emerald eye twinkles in front of my face. I wait for it to turn into familiar green eyes.
Caene’s eyes.
Instead, it melts, like snow in spring. Behind the eye is another set, a different set. Dark both in color and intensity. There’s hatred and malice in those eyes.
“I’m coming for you,” a raspy voice says. “You cannot escape.”
A heavy pounding startles me awake. I sit bolt upright, scrambling for my dagger under my pillow.
After a few moments of fumbling, I remember I put it under the other pillow, the one under Caene’s colossal head.
Beside me, Caene springs to his feet and I wrench my dagger from under his pillow.
It’s still dark in the room which means it’s either very late or very early.
The pounding fills the room again. It sounds like someone’s trying to break down the door.
Caene grabs his sword from its resting place on the floor beside the bed, kneels back on the mattress beside me, and swings the door open, grabbing the person on the other side and throwing them down onto the bed.
He holds them by the collar of their shirt while pressing the blade to their throat.
It’s too dark to make out any features of the person.
“What the fuck do you want?” he growls.
“They’re coming,” a man’s voice says breathlessly. The panic in it is clear as day. “They’re coming for her.”
Recognition dawns on me in the darkness. “Aelric?”
“I’m sorry Vayna. I came as soon as I could. I had to wait for that bastard Bayo to go to sleep.” He sounds furious. Caene releases him, strikes a match, and lights the lamp on the bedside table. Aelric sits up as Caene begins to get dressed.
“What’s going on?” I ask. “Who’s coming?”
“The Exalted. The Montbeths. They came here about a week ago looking for their kin and a woman matching your description. They offered a large reward. Fucking Bayo . . . he contacted them as soon as he saw you last night. They’re on their way.
They’ll be here soon. You must go. You must go now!
” The desperation in his voice has me leaping from the bed.
“I’m going to fucking kill him,” Caene growls as he grabs the satchels, slinging them over his shoulder. Then with his sword in one hand and my hand in his other, he drags me from the room. Aelric follows close behind. “This is why he insisted on staying for fucking breakfast.”
“I’m sorry. I should have told you sooner.”
I stop on the stairs, wrenching my hand from Caene’s. I turn to my new friend and place my hands on his shoulders.
“Listen to me. This isn’t your fault.” Caene snorts behind me. I glare at him over my shoulder. “They were coming for us sooner or later. Bayo made sure it was sooner.” He doesn’t respond, but he nods. Caene grabs my hand again and pulls me along behind him down the stairs.
We run through the empty tavern toward the front door, the only door in or out of this place Aelric says, but Bayo is standing in our way.
“You ain’t goin’ nowhere, my lovely. The reward money I’ll gets for turnin’ you in will run my inn for a year.
Maybe I can even afford that maid.” He smiles.
He’s still absurdly pleasant but now it’s just plain creepy.
Caene drops my hand and the bags. Without word or hesitation, he runs his sword to the hilt through Bayo’s gut, the blade shining with blood on the other side. A shocked squeal escapes my lips.
“You betrayed us. You betrayed her. If I had more time, I’d peel the skin from your bones bit by bit until you prayed for Death’s mercy,” Caene snarls with his nose practically touching Bayo’s.
He wrenches his sword back with a disgusting squelch and lets Bayo drop to the floor, his eyes wide, his hands pressing on the wound, trying to stop the flow of blood.
It’s plain to see from how much he’s lost already there’s no hope for him.
“Aelric,” he wheezes. “Aelric help me. Please.”
Caene grabs the bags, slinging them across his wide chest, and steps over Bayo’s dying body, pulling me behind him.
Aelric follows us, barely sparing a glance for his boss.
I can’t help but feel a small amount of pity for Bayo.
He needed money. I can’t fault him for that.
People will go to desperate lengths when they have little hope.
We race out into the cold night, Aelric close on our heels. As Caene secures the satchels to the horse I’m trying not to think about riding, I turn back to Aelric, taking his scarred hand in both of mine.
“I’m sorry about Bayo,” I say to him, unsure if the sentiment is warranted.
Aelric waves his free hand. “He was a bastard as a boss and as a human being. He just finally got what he deserved.”
“But you’ll be out of a job now.”
“Bah. You’ve tasted my cooking. I’ll find work!” he says with forced enthusiasm. "I'll be fine."
“We have to go,” Caene says behind me.
I throw my arms around Aelric’s shoulders and pull him into a hug. His body stiffens, but soon his arms come around my waist, and he squeezes. “Thank you. I hope to see you again, my friend,” I say to him. I truly mean it.
He steps away and clears his throat. “Away with ya!” he states, putting on fake bravado. I see right through it. “And you!” He points to Caene with a stubby finger. “You take good care of her. You keep her safe. Or you deal with me!”
Caene’s nod is solemn as he places his hand low on my back. Even now the touch sends tingles down my spine. “You can count on that.”
Aelric nods once and turns, running back toward the inn. “I’ll stall them as long as I can!” he hollers over his shoulder.
I face Caene and the horse.
Damn. Horses are huge. How the fuck am I supposed to get all the way up there?
Caene notices my hesitation but doesn’t comment.
He steps up to the massive beast, grabs its mane, jumps, and swings his leg over the animal’s back.
He looks down and holds his hand out to me.
I take it and follow his steps closely. Grip the mane, jump, and swing.
I’m much less graceful than he was and almost fall off the damn thing on the other side.
He loops his arms around my waist with a chuckle while I settle back on the beast.
“You’re going to have to sit farther back than that.
” He pulls me back so I’m nestled between his thighs.
I swear I hear a low groan come from him, but before I can examine it he makes a clicking noise directed at the horse and it takes off running like the wind.
A squeak comes from my throat, and I hold on to the horse’s mane for dear life.
Caene’s laugh rumbles through me as we disappear into the cover of night.