Chapter 5 Kailia
Kailia
Why were pants so godsdamn constricting?
That was all Kailia could think as she tugged her cloak tighter around herself, navigating through the streets and trying to avoid as much of the Esbat crowd as she could. She missed her usual dress. It was much easier to move in and gave her more range of motion.
That, and she liked the feel of daggers strapped to her bare thighs rather than atop fabric.
Everything about being dressed in these fitted pants and tunic felt off and foreign, but the worst part was the boots. Her toes curled at the thought, missing the feel of the dirt and earth beneath them. She couldn’t feel any vibration of movement, and that was unsettling.
It was fine. She could do this for a few hours. Get through this night, with all these people around her…
Hoping she blended in well enough, she kept moving.
It seemed like the best time to venture beyond her smoke and ashes.
Everyone was hidden in cloaks and shadows, most with hoods up to conceal their features, as part of the Esbat festivities.
Despite all that, she hadn’t felt this exposed in ages.
Her fingers itched for her bow, and she felt too bare without a quiver at her back.
She understood the irony of more clothing making her feel so… naked.
With a new moon, only the stars shimmered above them.
Lamps along the streets were lit by fire Fae and the Avonleyans descended from Anala, but even those flames were low, just enough to allow people to see as they meandered.
The smell of food filled the air, and her stomach took notice.
She hadn’t eaten since yesterday when she’d stolen bread and apples from a cart beyond Aimonway.
She’d feel bad about it if she knew how to feel regret, but that was a trivial emotion that served no purpose.
Nevertheless, the aroma of roasting meat made her mouth water, and she wondered if she could swipe some of that before the night was over.
No.
Blend in.
She needed to blend in if she wanted to have any chance of getting close to him, and getting caught stealing would definitely hinder her plans. Not that she’d get caught, but it was an unnecessary risk.
Keeping to the outskirts, she paused to observe the crowd and figure out what she should be doing. Surely he would be recognizable in the masses, right?
Children giggled and ran, playing games with one another.
Some had sugary treats in their hands, while others had toys that twinkled like stars.
Adults wandered too, conversing with one another, drinks in hand.
Most of them appeared to know each other, even with their faces hidden by the night and shadows.
They ambled among the various vendors, exchanging coin for wares.
The atmosphere felt a little lighter as the city shook off the last of the winter season and stepped fully into spring.
As if this Esbat was a new beginning for nature too.
Steeling herself, Kailia stepped farther into the throngs of people, avoiding any physical contact as much as she could.
She still kept to the edges. She was fairly small, and she used her size to her advantage as she slipped among the bodies.
Making her way to a section of vendors, she took in the merchandise.
Luxurious fabrics. Perfumes and tonics. Trinkets and jewelry.
She meandered, trying to look interested as she did. Touching silk and studying small statues. It wasn’t until she paused at a crystal jeweler that she finally overheard anything useful.
“What time is the address with the king?” a female was asking another.
“At the top of the hour,” her companion answered. “We’ve been assured members of the Avonleyan Guard will mind our stands while the Fae attend his address. They should be here any moment.”
The first female nodded, and her hood slipped back, revealing some of her features. She worried her bottom lip, sky-blue eyes alight with emotions—a mixture of curiosity, anxiety, and excitement if Kailia was interpreting them correctly.
“That one is beautiful, isn’t it?” the second female said, and it took Kailia a moment to realize the Fae was speaking to her. It also took her a moment to understand what she was referring to.
Looking down, she found her fingers hovering over a necklace. It was simple enough. A black leather cord with a single blue crystal. It was rather lovely, but she’d never had use for such things.
“It’s blue kyanite,” the female offered, pulling her hood back and giving her a bright smile. “It helps channel your self-worth and opens your mind to more lucid dreams.”
Kailia nodded but didn’t speak as she ran a fingertip over the crystal. Her dreams were lucid enough, and self-worth? She knew where her value lay. The necklace was beautiful in its simplicity though. Trivial, but beautiful.
She hissed as an arm brushed hers, the physical contact jarring. Her hand already halfway to her dagger, she forced herself to stop.
“I have noted this business requires a stand-in so you may attend the address,” a guard said. He didn’t wear the cloak of the festivities. Instead, his black and silver uniform was on display to clearly mark who he was.
“Yes, please,” the females answered in unison, quickly gathering small satchels and pulling their hoods back into place before setting off without a backward glance.
The guard glanced down at Kailia, his brow creasing slightly, and she pulled her hood up more.
“Are you Fae as well?” he asked. He didn’t give her time to respond, not that she would have anyway. “If you are, your presence is requested in the city center.”
He gestured to the north, and when she still didn’t respond, she watched him shift on his feet. It was subtle, but she could tell he was uncomfortable. Silence did that to most people.
Clearing his throat, he stepped into the merchant space. “If, uh, you’re not, you’ll have to wait until the females return to make a purchase.”
Nodding, she continued on, heading north anyway. She wanted to hear what the king had to say.
The closer she got to the city center, the harder it was to avoid being touched. Bodies brushed against her, and she ground her teeth, her skin crawling with every bump.
The street opened into a central square, and she sucked in a deep breath as the people spread out. There were still too many, but at least she could breathe here, not to mention keep her distance.
There was a platform in the middle, but it was empty.
She’d expected to see the king sitting there on a grand throne of sorts.
People milled about, most of them Fae she presumed.
It was hard to tell the difference between the Fae and the Avonleyans.
They all had slightly pointed ears along with enhanced speed and senses.
They all had their magic, and some Fae were more powerful than others, depending on bloodlines.
The fact that they were so similar was something she planned to use to her advantage.
She stumbled suddenly when someone ran into her, and she couldn’t help but think she wouldn’t have stumbled in her bare feet.
It was these godsdamn boots. And all these people.
She’d been prepared for it on the streets, but not here, at this moment.
She certainly wasn’t prepared for the hand that caught her upper arm to keep her on her feet, not as the feel of fingers wrapping around her flesh made her want to scream.
A haze fell over her vision, and everything in her zeroed in on the touch that felt like a searing brand, just like any other time someone touched her.
It wasn’t real. She knew that. It felt the same no matter who or what was touching her.
It was the touch itself that made her want to crawl out of her skin and scream and die.
It made her want to be someone else completely.
Purely on instinct, she grabbed a dagger at her thigh and spun, breaking his hold on her. Her hand came down, the blade sinking into a male forearm. It wasn’t until after the male yanked his arm back, her dagger slicing a wide gash before coming free, that she realized what she’d done.
In front of far too many people.
But no one else had seemed to notice the small female at the back of the crowd. They were all facing the platform, anxiously awaiting the king.
A drop of blood slid from the blade, hitting the ground at her feet, and she lifted her chin defiantly as she stared into the depths of the dark hood. She couldn’t see his features, but her hood had slipped back in her near fall, revealing her face and the braid that hung over her shoulder.
A stupid, careless mistake.
The male took a step forward, lifting a hand as if to reach for her, and she raised her dagger between them, the warning clear. She wasn’t sorry she’d stabbed him, and she’d do it again.
He stilled, his hand frozen between them for a moment, before he dropped it to his side. Without a word, he turned away from her, striding into the crowd.
Kailia tracked him, absentmindedly wiping her dagger on her pants before placing it back in the sheath at her thigh. They weren’t her usual daggers, so she didn’t really care if it was clean or not. She rarely had use for them.
Reaching behind her, she pulled her hood back up, tucking her braid out of sight and mentally calculating how much longer until she could undo the plait.
The male was still making his way through the throng of bodies, and others were keeping pace with him on the edges of the crowd. It was almost as if they were—
Fucking Temural.