| |
Seru watched as Aurelia negotiated with the burly cook for salmon from his grill in exchange for the tiny purple gemstone ring on her pinky finger.
Aurelia held her hand up with wide eyes. She obligingly slipped the band from her finger, sparing a glance to Seru.
He nodded his consent, his arm looped around Thalasia’s waist so he wouldn’t lose her in the crowd. He wasn’t about to step between Aurelia’s eager excitement and food to teach her the art of bartering.
Aurelia bounced on her toes, thrusting the jewelry at the man with a toothy grin. “Deal.”
Thalasia’s fists clenched as she peered over each shoulder, her silver eyes watching the passersby glancing from stall to stall. An array of colored awnings decorated stalls boasting wares from all over the isle. Her gaze flicked back to the vendor as she shoved her hands into the front pockets of her capris and whispered to Seru, “Have I ever mentioned how much I don’t like crowds?”
“Once Aurelia has her fish we can break off into the side streets to search for that room, if you prefer?” he offered in a hushed whisper.
Thalasia nodded. Although she kept her hands tucked into the pockets of her pants, her fingers tapped nervously against her clothed thighs as her eyes flitted around the market.
A twitch of a smile lit Seru’s face as he watched the Matriarch negotiate and regale the sweaty dwarf of their appetites.
With some reluctance he allowed her to swindle him out of every filet he had on the grill. She left the man flustered no doubt amazed at her ability to sling the haul over her shoulder with ease.
“Want something else?” Aurelia asked more to Seru than Thalasia.
She was clearly enjoying the festivities, and he hated to dim her shine. It was the first time over the last two days of their journey she’d truly smiled. “I think we’re going to secure accommodations for the night,” he said, turning to find the appropriate indicator for lodgings off the main strip.
“You’re welcome to join us,” he quickly added as her face began to fall. “Or stay and enjoy the market. Just try not to part with too many valuables too obviously.” Seru caught her by the wrist. “Remember, we don’t want to draw attention.”
“Yeah, yeah ... okay.” Aurelia shook her arm free and rolled her eyes at his words of caution before turning to venture back into the fray.
Inhaling and exhaling a couple of deep breaths, Thalasia closed her eyes for a moment. Opening her eyes, she glanced around, and then peered at Seru before turning her attention back to the market. Much more relaxed than she had been a second ago, she asked, “Do you think we could find a place for clothes first?”
Seru watched Thalasia intently as she calmed herself, surprised with her efficiency and self-discipline. He raised an eyebrow at the request, but consented without much fuss. “Whatever the lady wishes.” He smiled down at her. “Any place in particular catch your eye?”
“While this is my general go-to, it won’t quite do for ...” She gestured toward the sky to indicate Pteryrina, home of the Sirens. “And I’d really prefer not to have to come back here.”
He nodded before sweeping an arm to clear the way. “After you.”
Hesitant, she stepped further into the bustling crowd, careful to keep her wings tucked in tight beneath the cloak. Her eyes scanned the local store fronts as they passed a variety of species. A mermaid selling seashell trinkets. A djinn dancing barefoot to a satyr’s flute, its face concealed behind a sheer veil. An amphibian fisherman duo offered fresh filets of fish and odd baubles raised from the deep of local lakes and rivers, each with a tale attached. A canine laid out foraged herbs, nuts, and berries of all shapes, colors, and textures in woven sacks.
They continued past buildings that lined the way consisting of an inn and tavern, a music shop, and a karaoke bar named Zancle’s Rock. She smirked at the name and followed one of the rickety road signs pointing in the direction of a lake and clothing boutique.
Seru trailed just behind her, observing the multicultural mob they waded through. There were small clusters of major species, but most individuals registered as unique. He didn’t remember so much variety existing during the war. The earthbound had been busy in bringing about their world of peace and commingling. Luckily, that allowed them to blend right in.
He traced Thalasia’s gaze to the karaoke bar, a curious choice but not out of the realm for a siren—especially for one with a voice like hers. He wondered how an establishment like Zancle’s Rock was run and what happened when the patrons’ vocal battles got out of hand. He cringed inwardly.
With a quick nod to Seru, Thalasia stopped in front of the small shop and stepped through the doorway.
The chime on the door Thalasia pushed through brought his attention to their destination. He filed in behind her, his eyes taking in every detail.
Her eyes drank in the sight of the boutique from the various gowns, suits, and everyday items hanging in numerous places. Instead of going straight for what would’ve been her personal preference, Thalasia headed over to the gowns. She perused them until she found a white flowing dress that tied at the shoulders, had a deep V neckline, a low scoop back, and a silver belt.
Seru stayed by the door, his eyes focused on the curtain behind the counter. He kept Thalasia in his periphery as he took a few steps forward. The champagne fabric shifted, but no one appeared.
His hackles rose, someone was watching them. “Thalasia ... get what you need and let’s go.”
He didn’t like it here. Didn’t like the sudden, barely spiked anxiety. His eyes wandered over the shelves behind the counter, along some folded fabrics, and around a few books. Nothing amiss. A large orb with the sheen of a pearl rested within a delicate metal sculpture. It distorted his reflection and gave off a strange aura.
Noting the slight bit of tension rolling through him, Thalasia nodded. She swept quickly through the boutique and collected two more items. Once done, she went to the front counter and laid all three items atop it.
“Hello?” she called out as she reached into the inside pocket of her pants and removed a tiny purple pouch.
The sweet scent of lotus blossoms filled the air. A mist seeped into the boutique from beneath the door.
Appearing out of nowhere, the shop owner spooked Seru and slipped past Thalasia unseen. “What a lovely choice, miss. It’s certain to sweep your intended off their feet, revealing what’s directly in front of you.”
Before she had a chance to respond, it turned its attention toward Seru. “My, my ... what exquisite color-changing scales. You must be the last of little Verie’s saint beasts. The last remnants of her still clinging to this world, if I’m not mistaken. It’s an honor ... almost as captivating as the blue feathers on your siren friend.”
Thalasia gasped, shuffling back from the counter. She clutched the tiny purple pouch to her chest. “But ...”
It spared her a glance out of the corner of its eye and continued on as if no disruption existed. Its gaze swung back to Seru. “What a treat to have two such rarities enter my shop on this most unexpected of days. Truly a blessing from the gods.”
Unnerved the strange, ancient creature could see through him, Seru blinked. The perfume intoxicating the air in the enclosed space became hard to breathe. Agitated, he backed into the door like a serpent coiling in on itself, his fangs bared in a desperate, fearsome display, the chime creating narrowed slits in those stormy eyes.
“She was so fond of discarding the parts of herself that she didn’t care for. You, however, are the crown jewel of all her misguided efforts,” it stated, almost as if reminiscing of a time long past. But clearly its memories remained as vivid as if they happened yesterday. “A fragment of the former Matriarch given flesh. All that rage, all that hatred molded into such a magnificent monster of destruction. And so close to being set free ...”
Seru’s fractured collar emitted a bright silvery glow amid the golden glyphs. The creature appeared to take delight in his unbidden response. It had to be casting some form of spell, something slowly raising his beast from the depths.
Whatever magic had held fast to the door to the boutique released. A startling electricity infused in the air, sparkling along their exposed flesh, raising hairs, feathers, and even the threads on the fabric of their clothing. Seru bolted as soon as the door opened.
The shop owner stood there unphased, hands clasped neatly behind him, while sporting an unnerving smile. “I do so look forward to your next visit.”
Unsure of what had just occurred, Thalasia stood there speechless as she stared at the closed door. Nothing she’d done seemed to register to Seru. Her gaze drifted to the shop owner. She hissed at the creature and ran off after Seru.
He darted so quickly through the crowd that she nearly lost sight of him several times as he ran aimlessly across the maze of rickety bridges. There didn’t appear to be any focus to his direction.
She chased after him as best she could. Free of the crowd, her heart raced beneath her chest as she spotted him rubbing his arms crouched down by the water’s edge. His breath fogged with the mist in short, quick bursts. He grinded his jaw.
Clasping the pouch in her hands, her brows drew together. Thalasia approached him gently, sure to keep some distance between them. His earlier warning replayed in her mind. As much as she wanted to reach out to him, she didn’t dare stray too far from his concern. “Seru?”
With a deep growl and his fangs extended, he snapped at her. Dark clouds churned behind his white eyes. His shoulders slumped as recognition seemed to set in. “Please ... stay back.”
Without the chance to even give him that, Seru shot to his feet and took off again.
This time, she didn’t chase after him. Giving him space, she let him go and dropped to her knees, her body giving way to the vision that sat on the edge for the last minute.
In her mind, she saw the same green-winged siren she’d seen upon her arrival appear. As well as a small village of guilers ... and smoke. As quickly as it appeared, the images left.
Slouching, Thalasia allowed the tears to fall. She didn’t need to hide them. She was alone. And she deserved to be.
It was her fault.
He’d gone with her to the shop at her request. It had been to appease her. She was to blame.
For all of it.
She had to truly let him go. He’d be better off without her.
Thalasia sat back on her feet and wiped the tears away. It would be difficult, but she could keep him at arm’s length until they went their separate ways. It was the best way to keep him safe ... at least until she freed him for good.
Then everything would be finished, including the curse she brought upon good people.
Cleaning the rest of her face, Thalasia stood and headed for the inn. A few things had come of this, but the price hadn’t been worth it. She weaved across several different bridges avoiding people as much as possible.
She arrived at the inn and hardly took notice of the innkeeper’s species. It was hardly important for the task at hand.
“Good afternoon, Miss ...?”
“Thalasia,” she replied automatically.
“Oh! Yes, yes. We have your room all prepared.”
None of the words that left the dainty young man’s mouth passed her ears. She didn’t need to know any of that. All she cared about was where Seru had ended up. She’d given him the privacy he asked for, but she wouldn’t leave him alone. She couldn’t. Not when the situation could’ve been avoided twice over.
If they hadn’t gone to the store. If they’d left when he expressed his unease. She’d been selfish in her actions and Seru had paid for her decision.
Thalasia blinked at the key presented to her by the innkeeper. Oh, right. She clasped her hand around his and hummed a light tune. Locking eyes with the young creature, she continued the song until his gaze swirled indicating a successful manipulation. “What room is Seru, my gentleman friend, in?”
“Second floor, two-oh-seven, at the end of the hallway.”
“Thank you.” She collected the key she’d been given for her room and headed up the staircase to the second floor. Her shoulders sagged as she approached his room. She touched the door briefly and slumped to the floor.
Tucking her legs in close, Thalasia rested her head on top of her knees. Releasing a heavy sigh, the weight of the last two days dragged her down and pulled her into a restless sleep.
Aurelia smiled at the small band of children, her violet eyes intent on following their demonstration. A young faun leapt gayly about a series of geometric markings etched in the soil while her trio of friends rolled a handful of bejeweled dice to determine their task and place.
The colorful dice skittered across cobbles before rebounding off the nearby fountain. The amphibious boy hopped the shapes depicted on the winking dice face. As he positioned himself behind the faun, he readied himself, crouching low before springing clear over her antlers. The children all squealed in delight.
A mangy feline, fur hopping with fleas, collected the dice, raced over to the dragon-shifter, and pressed them into her palm. The scratchy kitten bounced with glee as Aurelia’s dice yielded a seven-prong star. “What does that mean?”
As the question escaped her lips, a static sizzled over her skin. She straightened abruptly, head jerking to see if she could manage to spot Seru among the crowd. Something had distressed him. He needed her. Or else this peaceful market would soon be leveled by the first saint beast appearance since the war.
War would surely explode, if Seru were discovered, alive.
She leaned up on tiptoe and attempted to peer around the taller townspeople with little success. The eager kitten tugged at the hem of her dress, pointing to the seven-pointed star atop the roof. Aurelia craned her head, shielding her gaze from the intensity of the sun. Her eyes found a slew of barrels beside the building. Using the edge of the fountain as a stepping stone, she cloud-stepped from the ledge of the barrels, swung from the sign proclaiming the abandoned building a church, and somersaulted to the rooftop, garnering herself applause and praise from the children and a better vantage point.
Steadying herself on the starry spire, she easily spotted a shape she thought to be Seru fleeing across the main strip before disappearing down an alleyway. She searched his path and found no sight of Thalasia. With a curse, Aurelia jumped down. Startled gasps from passersby did little to deter her. She left her day’s haul and what remained of the cooked fish to her tiny admirers and raced after Seru.
When she finally discovered Seru’s hiding spot—an inconspicuous inn called the Flight of Fancy—the static had turned to tiny currents lashing out to bite her the closer she came. She captured a glimpse of Thalasia at the counter. Apparently bluebird had chased him down as well, but how much had she seen? Did she cause Seru to lose control of his beast, or had the collar malfunctioned once more. The subtle scent of lotus blossoms stood her scales on end.
In an instant, she knew where they’d been ... Meraki, home to a skinchanger renowned for his sight and ability to unmask disguises almost as well as he crafted the continent’s finest magically—imbued clothing. Had the two of them taken her suggestion seriously?
With a disgruntled snort, Aurelia decided to weave around the side of the inn and gain entrance to Seru’s room without catching the siren’s attention. She didn’t have time for another fight or one of the bird-girl’s sarcastic rants. She needed to get to her regent before his control slipped beyond the point of no return.
She cast a look quickly down both directions of the narrow alley before cloud-stepping her way to the open window on the second floor. She glided effortlessly through, finding his scarred form shivering atop a strange length of pillow on a wooden frame. She approached with caution, slow and steady, though he no doubt sensed her presence long before her outstretched palm brushed against his skin.
His hand immediately found hers, clasping it tighter than she would have liked. However, he didn’t turn to greet her. It seemed to take every bit of focus he had to soothe his beast into pressing itself around the walls of his skin. Not unlike a cat leaning into its master in search of affection, though the beast instead searched for a way out, an opportunity to break free of its humanoid prison and return to the world.
The serpentine creature slowed its hunt for freedom at her touch. She disrobed and curled her form around his arched back, wrapping herself around his significantly larger frame as much as possible. She allowed her radiant power to manifest, and a soft glow soon intensified until every vein illuminated with golden light, flowing from her into him.
Seru shuddered as the power cloaked him. A pained rumble vibrated through him as his overactive muscles turned from liquid to solid and retook their proper form. Each wave of power eased the tension in him, a gentle ebb and flow.
After a time, exhaustion claimed the saint beast. Aurelia eased up on her expenditure of power a little at a time until she could feel his heart beating strong and steady within his massive chest.
Reclaiming her gown, she marched over to the door, where a shadow eclipsed the light filtering in from the oil lamps in the hall. She unceremoniously jerked the shoddy wooden slab open.
Thalasia’s eyes opened wide as she caught herself from falling. Wringing her hands together, her gaze flicked from Aurelia to Seru. “Is he okay? Tell me he’s okay.”
“Are you feeling okay?” Aurelia asked incredulously. She hadn’t expected the woman to be a nervous, fidgeting mess. With a roll of her eyes, she stepped aside, tossing her head in his direction. “He’s fine. See for yourself.”
Offering a brief appreciative nod, Thalasia rushed across the room. She knelt down on the ground beside the bed and gently stroked Seru’s cheek.
He twitched in his sleep, exposing prominent fangs in response to her touch before resettling.
“Sure you want to do that?” she wondered out loud, her hands on her hips. Bluebird really was strange. She couldn’t decide if the girl was fearless or reckless. “I said he was alright, not harmless.”
“I’m not sure of a lot of things, right now. But him ...” The words fell off. Thalasia sat back on her feet and watched him for a moment before standing. Her shoulders sagged as a heavy sigh escaped her mouth. “I don’t suppose you heard anything around the market.”
Aurelia shrugged nonchalantly. “Oh, you know, just rumors of a bride and groom fleeing their fitting at the local watering hole. Take it you two lovebirds made a new friend of that many-faced shifter lording over Lake Lucent.” Her eyes narrowed as she cast her gaze from someplace out the window back to them. “Thinking I might pay that treacherous queen a visit ...”
Facing Aurelia, Thalasia tilted her head and blinked. “What? Bride and groom? I didn’t ...” As if Aurelia’s words finally registered, she glanced back to Seru. Her cheeks flushed. “Oh, no ... we ...” She sighed again. “If that’s where the shopkeeper came from. I didn’t even see it come in.”
Thalasia rubbed her temples. “Instead of thinking of revenge, why don’t we check out Zancle’s Rock? It’ll likely be the best place to gain some information.”