CHAPTER 14 #3
I had no answer to that, so I simply noted his white-collared shirt, with the top two buttons undone and the sleeves rolled up, paired with black trousers.
He gave a quick shake of his head. “Let’s go.”
“Why don’t you have a sentence mark?” I asked, staring at his exposed forearms. Mine was clearly showing, and I wondered if our hosts would ask about it.
“I have one, just not on my arm,” Reagan said as we began walking down the hallway.
It was strange how mages were marked on their skin with their sentence, as if they needed a constant reminder of their offence.
“Where is it?”
He brought a hand to his chest, two fingers tapping over where his heart should be.
I grimaced. “Did it hurt?”
His tone was a shade too flat when he answered. “Less than you’d expect.”
“How much longer do you still have?” I asked.
He seemed to hesitate briefly. “The sentence will end on my next birthday.”
“That’s soon, right? Somehow, I imagined it would be way longer. Maybe I just assumed from the way your staff spoke. When is your birthday?”
Reagan gave no reaction as we reached the stairs, and I realised we were about to meet the Barrows again. I should have been wondering how that conversation would go, rather than prying.
“In three months,” he replied dryly, stopping when we reached the ground floor, a hand grasping my elbow. “Jane, remember when I told you that there are people who wouldn’t be so welcoming to a human?”
I nodded, sensing the shift in his tone.
“We might find some of them here. So, stay close to me. Let’s hope none of them has a death wish.”
I swallowed hard. Reagan’s hand moved to my lower back, and we resumed our walk to the foyer.
At first, I didn’t understand his sudden change, but then I heard muffled voices as we neared the entrance.
“May I ask which locations you’re planning to visit?” someone asked.
“You’re being ridiculous, Roak,” Alameda spoke with an exasperated tone.
“Apologies, my lady, but I must disagree. They are not to be trusted. There are laws for this.”
“Your concern is noted, Roak,” Coriander said, his tone mildly dismissive.
We entered a different foyer of the castle, finding the three figures there. Roak was about to reply, but stopped himself, his gaze fixed on Reagan.
Alameda turned to face us with a tight-lipped smile. “Jane, you look stunning. Red is really your colour. And Reagan—” She turned to him and tilted her head. “Thank you for being on time.”
Reagan narrowed his eyes, but I didn’t think he was looking at her.
“Thank you, Alameda. You—”
I was interrupted by a sharp gasp, already knowing its source, likely prompted by my casual address of his lady. He actually made me miss Barracus.
“Is something wrong, Roak?” Reagan’s voice was deceptively calm, his eyes crinkled. “You sound upset. Care to share?”
I held my breath. The staff leader looked unperturbed despite the clear threat in the Mage Lord’s tone.
Bold. Or stupid.
“He was just leaving, as should we.” Coriander turned to his staff leader. “Thank you, Roak. We should be back before dinner.”
The man bowed slightly and left the foyer without another word.
That was unmistakable aversion, unsettling enough that I had to control my expression as the Barrows faced me.
Reagan kept his attention on Roak until he was out of the foyer, then asked, “Is that how your staff treats guests?”
“Roak has his concerns with humans, but we don’t think the same way,” Alameda replied, meeting my gaze. “We apologise for that.”
Coriander continued, “Jane, no offence to you, I hope you know. But it is not common to have a company like yours. We are delighted to have you, but it is not like that for all.”
Reagan chuckled bitterly. “She’s not supposed to take offence at that?”
“It’s fine,” I said. “I suppose he’s not used to humans.”
The staff leader hadn’t been the first to seem uncomfortable with my presence in their territory. But unlike in Mountheim, I was a guest here and had done nothing to earn his distrust.
It left a bad taste in my mouth, and for once, I had to admit Reagan was right. There was a visible conflict in the situation. I didn’t know if it justified his behaviour. I didn’t know enough, and I didn’t want to stir unnecessary conflict, not when he had plans that relied on the Barrows.
I met Reagan’s gaze with what I hoped was a reassuring expression. I had a feeling he wasn’t used to yielding. But he did, letting out a deep exhale.
“Shall we?” Alameda asked, and we turned to the arched exit.
Reagan kept his hand on my lower back, and I hadn’t expected to welcome the reassurance as much as I did.
As we stepped outside, I gazed at a stone stairway that descended the rocky hill on which the castle stood, leading toward a cluster of streets and houses in the distance, all lining the coast.
On this side of the castle, a harbour city stretched beyond the reach of my sight. The sky above us was awash with vibrant hues of yellow, blue, and grey. A fleet of ships loomed on the horizon. In the ocean.
Alameda told me how Erisea was a thriving market for seafood, and how the countryside plains provided ample space for plantations and farms. I assumed this would be relevant to the trade Reagan wanted to discuss. When I glanced at him, his nod confirmed my assumption.
“Of course, not all the estate is as established as this city,” Alameda explained. “The harbour city is the heart of Erisea, but Cor and I have to travel the countryside constantly to address the problems that hinder progress there.”
“What type of problems?” I asked, noticing some of the folk nodding and waving at the Barrows.
“It’s not all businesses that are set for success in Erisea,” Coriander said thoughtfully. “Some deal in rare materials. Others just lack the funds for the initial investment. We find a different case in each town we visit.”
“Any trouble lately?” Reagan asked.
“The same,” Alameda replied, her usual easy smile absent. “Most of our incidents are still caused by wanderers.”
Reagan gave a quick nod. “And beyond people?”
“Not often,” Coriander said. “Our main hazard is the sea spiders clinging to the hulls of the ships, but the wards keep them at bay.”
Erisea’s lord spoke in a sympathetic tone that left me thinking.
I waited for them to walk past us.
“Do they know about your situation?” I asked Reagan.
He dipped his head in my direction, an arm sliding around my back as if to draw me closer. It nearly brought me to a standstill. It would have, if he hadn’t dropped it before ever reaching out.
“They know I’m facing a sentence,” Reagan murmured, unfazed. “It’s something hard to hide, and they know about the attacks we’re getting, but no specifics.”
I inclined my head, the meaning in his words all too clear. Yet I found myself distracted. He’d almost pulled me closer. Did he even realise it?
Alameda turned back to us. “Would you like to see the beach?” she asked, waggling her eyebrows.
I blinked. “Hm . . . yes.” My neck was already craning as I tried to glimpse through the buildings before us.
“You look like you’re enjoying yourself,” Reagan said, only to my ears.
“I am. I’ve never seen the sea before.”
His eyes stayed on me, surprise plain in them, and I shrugged.
“So today will be a first for you,” he said. “Let’s hope it’s very special.” His voice held that familiar sardonic edge, though not the usual mockery.
“I’m walking through a hidden city next to three mages. I think this is special enough.”
That earned me a chuckle.
We reached the last building and stepped onto a sandy pathway a few metres from the water.
Frothing waves lapped at the shore, covering the sand. The salty wind was gelid as it brushed past us. It carried a clear trace of winter.
Coriander and Alameda removed their shoes, leaving them on the sand and moving closer to the water.
“You will love this, Jane,” Alameda beamed. “The sea can wash away your deepest worries if you let it.”
“Until a sea spider bites your leg,” Reagan whispered as we removed our shoes.
“We’re not going in, right?” I asked.
He raised an eyebrow, glancing at me with a hint of amusement. “Are you not fond of water?”
“I’m just not dressed to swim.” Nor could I if I wanted to.
“We’re not swimming,” he said flatly. “Just enduring sand between our toes for the next two days. Hope you enjoy that.”
I snorted.
The cold touch of wet sand met the soles of my feet. When the water rushed up to my ankles, I hissed. The splash was icy and faster than I’d expected.
In seconds, the hem of my skirt was soaked up to my knees, the fabric clinging to my skin as I tugged it upward.
“That’s a proper welcome from Erisea to you, human,” Coriander beamed.
Their clothes were wet too, clinging to their forms as the sea continued its invigorating assault.
I pulled my hair from my face, stepping back, and completely missed the person behind me until I collided with her shoulder.
“I’m so sorry,” I said, spinning to face them.
Two women glowered at me.
I stiffened, my shoulders rising instinctively. They didn’t respond, just continued walking in the opposite direction. One of them tugged the other farther away.
Discomfort burnt across my face.
“Come on, let’s walk,” Reagan said, nodding toward the Barrows.
We fell into step a few paces behind them.
“Could they tell I’m not like you?” I asked, knowing he had noticed too.
“They shouldn’t. They probably overheard Coriander.”
“But you said once that you can smell it on me,” I reminded him.
“Yes, but they shouldn’t be able to recognise it unless they stay really close to you. Enough to sense you. I wouldn’t think too much about it. Some people still resent your kind since the war; it has nothing to do with you personally.”
“What war?” I asked, meeting Reagan’s blank stare.
“The Shroud War that happened centuries ago, back when the mageborn and humans weren’t separated. It lasted a few years, and thousands of us were captured and burnt alive by humans. Millions of humans were killed, too.”
“I’ve never heard of this war,” I said.
“You wouldn’t have,” Reagan replied. “Humans don’t remember it.”