Chapter 9 #2
What would Duath Nun be like? A country everyone knew of yet understood nothing of. The border lords kept rapt watch over their lands, lest anyone slip by and incite the hostile country into starting a war we couldn’t afford.
The people of Duath Nun would try to kill us if we entered. More bloodshed awaited, more brushes with the Empty.
What was I doing here? I wasn’t cut out for this.
Seth’s voice rose behind me, startling me out of my thoughts. “You’re not a very good watch, if I can sneak up on you so easily.”
“I’m watching for outside threats,” I muttered, trying to see him in the dark.
He joined my side, towering a head above me. The faint outlines of messy hair and tattered clothes caught my eye in the night.
“I, um. . .” He began awkwardly. “You seem distressed about what happened in the dungeons.”
“I hadn’t seen anyone die before,” I answered. “Not like that.” I took a step away. “And I don’t particularly like it when people hold me hostage.”
“I told you I was sorry.” He shrugged. “I had a different plan, but then you presented yourself on a silver platter. Who makes for a better prisoner than a beautiful lady?”
“Wait. Did you get caught on purpose?”
“Yes. It was the best way to get to Acrius.” He folded his arms. “How did said beautiful lady end up here?”
Knitting my hands behind me, I leaned against the tree. “It’s a long story. Seraphim needed a con woman. I’m half decent, and I had nothing else to live for.”
His gaze hardened. “How long have you worked for the Guild?”
“Technically, never,” I corrected, leaning my back against the tree. “I’m indebted to them thanks to the nefarious deeds of another.” I paused, trying to find an eloquent way to put it. “Essentially, I’m their slave.”
“Colorful word choice.” Seth paced around, sizing me up. “If you need a job when this is over, Percy could use a partner.”
“Ha. I’ll think about it.”
He cast me an odd stare, hand on his hip. As my eyes adjusted to the night, his blood-colored irises appeared as red splotches in a sea of black. “Seraphim mentioned your inability to fight. I can teach you, if you’d like. Consider it compensation.”
“I think the word you’re looking for is ‘recompense.’” I corrected. “But I’m not a chthonic.”
“I know plenty of traditional techniques, too. It took years for my magic to manifest.” He leaned back and forth, studying my belt. “You don’t carry any weapons. Do you prefer daggers? Swords?”
I flexed my hands, trying to envision them holding a blade and sweeping through hordes of enemies. A laugh bubbled in my throat, and I held it back.
“Let me think about it.” Staring back toward the camp, I saw Seraphim’s silhouette roll out a mat. “She wanted you, specifically. Do you know why?”
“You haven’t heard of me?” He drew blood from the bandaged wound on his palm and shaped it into a small dagger. “The infamous butcher of lords and ladies?”
“No. I try to avoid powerful people when I’m not selling them cheap trinkets.” I watched him spin the scarlet blade, mesmerized.
“Perhaps you haven’t noticed, but you’re on a suicide mission.” He flipped the blade and caught its handle. “Typically, those with blackened hearts value their lives above the world, and who besides a criminal set to die would risk their necks on a fool’s errand?”
“I guess you’re an altruist who makes a perfect fit, huh?”
“Well, yes.” He grinned, letting the blade burst into droplets of blood that streamed onto the forest floor. Lowering himself into a bow, he spoke solemnly. “Forgive me for our unfortunate meeting. I promise to make it up to you, Lady Aethra.”
“Ugh.” I rolled my eyes. “Did Eleos tell you to call me that?”
“He did. Should I not?” He stood, smiling. “But I mean it. I’m not in the interest of hurting innocents. Least of all, allies.”
“I’ll consider forgiving you.” I tilted my head toward the camp. “You’re going to miss your chance to sleep if you stay here with me.”
“Keep your eyes sharp. Rouse us if you hear a hint of danger.” He turned to go.
“Wait,” I called, and he paused, glancing over his shoulder. “What set you down this path?”
“Killing people with no promise of reward?” He tilted his head down, dark hair falling over his eyes. “I lost every reason to care about my life. And in the process of losing myself, I. . . I decided I could be justice for the people who would otherwise be denied it.”
Staring into the darkness, I dwelt on my mother, on my father. The man who’d beaten me in the Guild’s punishment room. Ainwir.
“I can understand that,” I said, looking back at him. “On both accounts.”
Lifting his head, Seth nodded. He clicked his tongue, and his shaggy dog rose from its mound of dirt and padded to my side. “Keep her company, boy.” Ruffling the dog’s ears, he returned to camp.
The man wasn’t what I expected, in more ways than one. Eyeing his dog, I bent to meet its eyes. “So, you’re Whisper?”
The dog panted in response. Intelligence gleamed in its sweet eyes, and its swift arrival spoke to its training. Maybe Seth used him to track down his targets.
Sitting beside the dog, I offered a hand and petted Whisper when it didn’t shy away. Wincing, I examined the sheer amount of filth covering the poor boy. Maybe I could find time to bathe it while we were in Serifos.
Rubbing its ears, I leaned forward. “I bet you’ll be handsome once you’re clean.” Its tail swished through piles of leaves.
Sighing, I leaned back, and the hound laid beside me. Though Seth had not meant to insult me, doubt wormed its way into my heart and slowly ate away at my core as the night dragged on.
Seth claimed to kill those who avoided justice, finding vengeance for the wronged and ridding the world of hidden monsters. Eleos had devoted his life to studying the Empty in hopes of saving it, and Seraphim championed the dangerous quest to see it through.
Even Percy, small as it was, sang songs to honor those lost and comfort those left behind.
What did I do? Cheat people out of coin? Arrange meetings and deals to suit the Guild and their clients, happily shutting my eyes and ears to who they might be hurting?
“Aethra!”
Startled, I turned to see Percy walking toward me, a satchel dangling between his fingers.
“Something wrong?” I asked.
“But of course something’s wrong.” He frowned, looking down at me, hat pointed toward the dirt. “We were supposed to watch each other’s backs in there, and I let you down.”
I laughed. “You’re hardly to blame for that.”
“Well, I say I am.” He sheepishly pulled on the satchel’s strings. “I picked these up back at the outpost. It’s not the greatest apology, but it does come packaged with my solemn swear.”
“Solemn swear?” I asked, a smile creeping up my face.
“To do better next time.” He offered me the bag.
Curious, I took it and pulled it open. The nostalgic scent of candied oranges wafted from inside. Ainwir used to buy me these little sweets during our travels.
Chuckling, I pulled one out. “Thank you.”
Bowing, he grinned at me. “Keep Whisper company. He gets lonely.”
Pulling out a second candy, I offered it to the dog. Despite his size, Whisper took the candy daintily from my hands. “Good boy,” I whispered, rubbing his head.
Still smiling, I closed the bag, saving the rest for later. What a sweetheart. Between his tone and body language, I’d gotten the impression Percy had been utterly sincere.
A bard tainted by the Empty, with a heart of gold. All my companions were mysteries to solve, their pasts a puzzle.
Pulling my knees up, I stared forward, reminding myself I was supposed to be paying rapt attention.
Serifos awaited us, a mere stopping point on our journey. My mother had dumped me on its streets, and in its outskirts, Ainwir had found me. Most of my life had been spent in its underbelly, learning how to make dishonest coin.
Sometimes, I tried to convince myself I had no other choice. I couldn’t choose my master, nor his profession. I was working with the only skill I knew.
But it wasn’t true. I’d never wanted for more, never thought outside myself. And I’d never felt guilt over it until now.