Chapter Twenty Six #2
Naal rose slowly, not daring to speak until she was sure her voice would not quiver.
‘It is clear you have made up your mind, so I will not waste any more of my precious time trying to convince you otherwise. But know this, Therion: Azar is coming. Whether you think she is young and incapable or not, she is coming. And I pray that when she does, that your people do not suffer as mine already have. I pray that when flames rip through your city, that you will finally see sense.’
The King of Loros merely smiled, and it sent a shiver up Naal’s spine. ‘I already do.’
???
Kyra
When Kyra had imagined seeing the capital of Loros for the first time, she hadn’t anticipated spending most of the trip hiding in a steel box of a house.
Maressa’s hospitality had been second to none, but after reluctantly sipping on what felt like the twentieth cup of rank tea as they sat waiting for Naal to return, she was about done with staying inside the Astaveron’s oppressive home. And by extension, Blythtrie itself.
So, it seemed, was Naal.
She’d briefed Kyra on the meeting with the Lorish King when she’d finally arrived back at the house, though Kyra had the feeling she had not divulged everything.
Naal was quieter than usual, brooding almost, as they sat later that night at the beaten dining table, sharing a pot of fruity tea that Kyra had found hiding at the back of the cupboard behind rows and rows of Maressa’s disgusting favourite.
Both Selwyn and Maressa were working in the city at the fisheries, catching and deboning countless fish by hand so the affluent fae had fresh produce the next day, without having to get their own hands dirty.
A sweet note had been scrawled by Maressa and left on the side for Naal, inviting them to eat and drink as much as they wanted in their absence, and promising a fresh-cooked breakfast in the morning.
Though they would return to an empty home.
Naal was eager to leave, and honestly, Kyra felt the same. Maressa was exceedingly generous (if not slightly overbearing), and Selwyn hadn’t said one word to her at all in Naal’s absence.
Breaking the troubled silence, and somehow knowing that Naal was replaying the meeting with the king in her mind, Kyra asked her quietly, ‘You don’t think Azar got to him first, do you?’
The light of the gaslamp centering the table cast flickering shadows on Naal’s face as her weary eyes met her own. ‘It’s a disturbing thought. But I would like to think that even Therion has more sense than that.’
‘Well, I haven’t even met him and he sounds like a senseless cunt,’ Kyra said blandly.
As it always did, the vulgar language brought about a smile on Naal’s face, though it was gone soon after. ‘To ally with Azar would be to relinquish his own throne. Therion is far too proud to allow her that dominance over him, no matter if he does sympathise with her cause.’
‘You said his military is immense,’ Kyra said. ‘Would it not be better just to submit to his terms if it ensures we have the upper hand?’
Naal shot her a side glance. ‘I wonder if you would be saying the same if it were your freedom being bargained for? If the Governors of Avaldale owned your life, just to form an alliance against Azar?’
Kyra considered it. Imagined being tied to that bumbling idiot Oswald and his cronies, forced to use her Warden magic for them. The very people who had tried to execute her without a second thought.
Then she remembered Oslan. What she had done, what she had promised to ensure his freedom. ‘I would do it,’ she said without hesitation. ‘If it meant winning the war, if it meant Azar’s reign was ended… I would do it.’
Naal gave a soft smile. ‘Then you are braver and more selfless than most, Kyraena Daeiros.’
‘Or more stupid,’ Kyra mumbled with a shrug. Rosary had said just that when she told her she was going back to see Oslan. But Rosary didn’t know about the blood-bargain. Kyra had never gotten the chance to tell her.
The pink scar on her palm tingled.
‘I suppose you’re right,’ Naal mused thoughtfully. ‘The line between bravery and stupidity is daringly thin.’
Agreeing to find the Eye of the Fifth… Kyra was sure that Naal would have thought it incredibly stupid.
For the first time, she wanted to tell her.
The words bubbled up inside, but just on the verge of coming out, they caught in her throat.
Naal was visibly exhausted. There was a darkness under her eyes that hadn’t been there when they’d first met.
Kyra could not add to that turmoil.
Before dawn could break, Naal and Kyra departed the Astaveron house.
Naal left behind a note on the dining room table, thanking Maressa and Selwyn for their hospitality and apologising for their abrupt departure.
Kyra felt somewhat guilty; she had the feeling Maressa had enjoyed having her house full again.
The night was still very much alive as they snuck out of the townhouse, though the streets were dead and empty.
The rainwater on the cobbled stone reflected the yellow fading light of the moon, and had it not been for the unrelenting racket of the city’s machinery, it might have been a rather peaceful setting.
Following Naal was like pursuing a cloud with no edges, as quiet and lithe as air itself. Kyra was a fucking bull in comparison, and for the first time she was actually grateful for the city’s invasive noise for it proficiently covered the sound of her heavy footfalls.
Naal knew her way around Blythtrie like Kyra knew her way around the back alleys of Avaldale.
She knew precisely where to turn to avoid the late-working humans, knew exactly what alleyway would lead to where, and it wasn’t until they’d gotten to the seafront where the tide crashed against the jagged rocks at the edge of the bay, that Kyra realised they hadn’t set foot on a main road once.
Kyra didn’t know how she’d done it. Perhaps the correct path was being whispered in her ear by the wind.
Surprisingly, even Kyra recognised the place from when they’d disembarked the Thilene just a couple of days ago.
The tide had been far out then, leaving them a clear, sandy beach from ship to shore.
Now, it was almost completely in, and though the water wasn’t deep, the waves crashed against the rocks as though they had a personal vendetta against them.
‘Mind your step,’ Naal warned as she hopped from rock to rock, landing with ease. Kyra followed her exact footsteps carefully, clumsily clambering rather than hopping gracefully as Naal was.
They must have been halfway across when Kyra spotted the longboat.
One of the men waved an oar enthusiastically in the air, and she was sure it was the same, young raider who had kindly given her the blanket the first time they’d voyaged on the Thilene.
Jak, his name was, if she remembered correctly.
‘Damar again?’ Kyra said, surprised that the captain had not completely tired of them.
‘They have been waiting for us to return,’ Naal replied.
‘You must have paid him a fair amount for that.’
‘Mmm,’ Naal said, somewhat distracted, then paused in her rock-leaping and turned around. ‘Did you happen to notice that Kawai was not present when we last sailed with Damar and his crew?’
Of course she’d noticed. It had been a particularly dull voyage without him. She nodded casually.
‘I believe there is a reason for that,’ Naal said.
‘When Kano was born and his Warden powers realised, I travelled to Blythtrie to meet with Maressa and Selwyn. Kawai would have been just a boy then, ten or eleven. I remember meeting him, and when you and I first sailed under Damar, I recognised him right away, despite the man he has grown into now. Though… he did not reflect that same recognition. Either he truly did not remember me, or he feigned ignorance.’
‘Okay…?’
‘Maressa said King Therion suspected Kawai was responsible for Kano’s disappearance. I would imagine the kingsguard are on high alert for any sign of either of them, which is why Kawai would not risk coming this close to the capital. By staying away, he protects his brother’s whereabouts.’
‘So… you think he can tell us where Kano is?’
‘I believe he is the only one who knows. And whilst it will not be easy to attain the information… it is certainly doable.’ She paused as the waves crashed against the rocks they stood on. ‘Did you like him?’
Kyra narrowed her eyes. ‘Why?’
‘Gaining his trust will be imperative in finding Kano,’ Naal said. ‘Men can be… easily persuaded. If you get my-’
‘You want me to whore myself for information?’ Kyra interrupted. ‘That doesn’t seem very Warden-like.’
Naal was affronted. ‘I would never ask that of you, Kyra. He seems to be a good man. And his attraction to you was obvious, only a fool would have missed the signs. We can use that to our advantage.’
Never did Kyra imagine that the Air Warden could be so duplicitous. Amused, she lifted an eyebrow. ‘That’s extortion, Naal.’
‘Sometimes, we must do what needs to be done for the greater good,’ Naal said slowly. ‘In time, Kawai will understand why. As will Kano.’
It would be a lie to say she hadn’t thought about Kawai since meeting him.
And despite her reservations about men in general…
the thought of spending some more time with him excited her.
She cleared her throat. ‘Fine,’ she said with a dramatic sigh.
‘I’ll seduce the sexy raider. But don’t expect me to be happy about it. ’
Naal gave a small smile. ‘Noted.’
They began again toward the little boat where Jak and another raider waited. Kyra carefully watched her own feet teetering on the edge of each stone she stepped on, until one sea moss covered rock sent her foot sliding down, throwing her off balance and falling with a loud splash.
‘Fucking Loros,’ Kyra swore under her breath.
A great wave washed over her, leaving her sopping wet and spluttering on sea water. The water wasn’t cold by any means, but she was now soaking from head to toe, boots and all. A tiny white crab appeared from a rock’s crevice and just stared at her. ‘What are you looking at?’
She shooed it away and it burrowed itself into the sand.
Naal’s hand was there in an instant, and Kyra took it gratefully, allowing her to pull her to standing once more. Her mouth was a thin, wobbling line. ‘Would you like me to dry you?’
‘No, I’d prefer to stay wet.’ Naal raised an eyebrow and Kyra rolled her eyes. ‘Yes, Naal, dry me please.’
Naal nodded with satisfaction. ‘As you wish.’ Her hands moved with perfect precision and grace, and a wind twirled around Kyra as though she were in the eye of a tornado.
In a few seconds, she was dry again, though her hair had been whipped out of its twist and was hanging in a swirling mess around her shoulders.
She didn’t care enough to attempt to tie it back up.
When the rocks finally levelled out, and they clambered into the awaiting long boat, Kyra plonked herself down next to Jak and mumbled, ‘Not a word about what you just saw. Understand?’
He blushed, nodding quickly with a nervous grin as he and his shipmate set about rowing them back to the ship.