Dusk took a piece of bread as Lex handed it to him. “But I have to go to them for help,” he sighed, trying to avoid saying their name. “Juniper told me to find them and that they would help me. Even Tephyss told me to find Mirinda. I don’t think I have much of a choice at this point. It seems to be predestined.”
“Of course you have a choice!” Tara balked. “You always have a choice! There’s no such thing as fate. Even the religious idiots feel that way, that’s why they have a god called Chaos.”
“But isn’t the other one Order?”
“Sure, but that’s more of a natural order kind of thing,” Tara explained, putting down her drink. “The god of Order is the one that keeps the seasons coming. They make sure everything operates as it was intended to. Chaos, on the other hand, is the one who makes things interesting by disrupting Order’s plans. If she’s real, she’s probably the best of the bunch.”
“But her and Order are intrinsically tied,” Lex replied, spreading jam on his bread. “The one cannot exist without the other. Even within the most chaotic of things there is an order.”
“That doesn’t make any sense,” Tara scoffed, taking another swig of her drink.
“Sure it does. Just because a fish sets out to fly doesn’t mean it’s any less of a fish. And if, by some miracle it succeeds, it gives birth to a new way of doing things, therefore creating a new sense of order.”
“That was probably the most confusing explanation I’ve ever heard.”
“Think of it this way. If a soldier follows the rules, he is part of the order set by the military. But if he breaks the rules, he creates chaos. However, if his rule breaking leads to better results, the military creates a new rule, therefore absorbing the once chaotic behavior into itself and making it part of the order of things.”
“I’m not nearly drunk enough for this kind of talk.”
“It’s all part of the teachings. All the gods exist in contradicting pairs, but they all need one another to survive.”
“I wish there was a place nearby to see those statues again,” Dusk muttered, staring at his food. “I wanted to spend more time there before we left.”
“I’m sure there’s a temple in Greencoast that we can find,” Lex said, looking up over his meal at Dusk. “We’re probably going to be in the city for a little while anyway.”
“Do you think so?”
“Yeah, of course! Even though Inahan is split from Ditania, their religions are essentially the same.” Lex took a bite of his bread. “I think the only real conflict they have is between the royal families. But I’m sure we can sneak out to a temple to satiate your curiosity.”
“We need to stay together and keep a low profile,” Tara warned, cutting into the conversation. “If what that woman said is true, we not only have a war to worry about, but some sort of rebellion going on as well. The Legion isn’t exactly well liked on either side of the border. They’ve raided too many slave auctions on both sides to be a friend to anyone.”
“Why haven’t they taken them out then?” Dusk asked, chewing his food. “We already know where they are.”
“Exactly. We know where they are thanks to Juniper, but that doesn’t mean everyone else does.” Tara sat back in her chair, gazing over the table with the fire to her back. “There are lots of things we know about groups of people that are secretive and hidden. The guild, the Circle, and now the Legion. If we don’t want to end up being tortured for information in prison, I suggest we keep those things to ourselves and stay out of sight.”
“You’re probably right,” Lex sighed. “Although I don’t want it to be true.”
“You’ll come to find out, I’m almost exclusively right.”
Dusk snorted. “I think we all know that’s not true.”
“When have I been wrong? Name one time!”
“Going through Louring Bog to save time,” Dusk replied nonchalantly.
“That was only once and we made it out fine.”
“And not listening to Tephyss’s directions to get to Emerald Deep. And thinking I couldn’t handle myself multiple times. And believing that the cave outside of Watersedge was safe. And…”
“Alright, shut the fuck up before I choke your skinny ass to death,” Tara growled, taking another large gulp out of her tankard. She slammed it down on the table and called out, “Another round!”
Lex gave a sideways glance at Dusk before they both broke into smiles. The man behind the bar brought them all another round even though Tara was the only one in need of another. As he stepped away she pulled all three close to her.
“Snooze ya lose,” she said, shrugging her shoulders before tipping another back with ease.
◆◆◆
After the meal it didn’t take long for Tara to drink herself into a stupor, something she hadn’t been able to do for a long time. With no small amount of coercing, Lex and Dusk finally managed to get the drinks away from her before taking her by the arms and leading her up the staircase to her room. It was sweaty work dragging her up the stairs. She was denser than she looked and by the time she was in bed and the door closed, the pair of them leaned against the wall, trying to catch their breaths.
“Why is she so fucking heavy?” Lex wheezed.
“She’s probably made of rocks,” Dusk puffed with a smile. “She certainly acts like one most of the time.”
“You’re definitely not wrong,” Lex replied, returning the smile. “Hey, I know we just got all of our exercise for the day, but do you want to go out on a walk with me?”
“Right now?”
“Sure. Why not? It’s a nice enough night.”
Dusk couldn’t stop the fluttering feeling in his chest at the thought of having some quality time with those blue eyes. “Yeah. I’ll go.”
They quickly grabbed their cloaks and weapons from their room before heading back down to the main floor. Once outside, Lex took Dusk’s hand and led him out towards the sea. They’d crossed the main part of the peninsula two days ago and now the ocean lay in the west instead of the south. Lex led the way through the ramshackle buildings and out into the tall seagrass that covered the sandy soil. Beyond the lantern light of town their eyes adjusted and Dusk found himself staring up, blindly trusting Lex to lead him. Gartha was slowly beginning to fill a large portion of the sky while the stars gladly took the rest. It hadn’t been long since sundown and he could just catch a glimpse of the bright shining light that was the Crystal Moon as it moved towards Gartha. When Lex stopped Dusk nearly ran into him.
“Sorry,” Dusk apologized, taking a step back. He glanced out and saw that they were standing in waist high grass at the edge of a glowing white sand beach, the waves crashing against the shore.
Lex’s fingers tightened around his. “You really love those stars don’t you?”
“Yeah,” he replied, tilting his head back once more. “I could stare at them forever.”
“I know the feeling.”
Dusk looked back to see Lex staring at him with a soft expression. He blushed immediately, but hoped Lex couldn’t see it in the dark.
“Dusk, there’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you,” Lex began. “I… I guess I’m not sure how to say it.”
Dusk’s heart dropped immediately. Thoughts began to race through his head. He should have known this was coming. Lex was getting tired of him. Or maybe he’d done something to upset him? Quickly he raced through all the conversations they’d had in the past two weeks, searching for something he’d done or said wrong. Could it be Lex was tired of waiting for him to figure himself out? Not that he could blame him, Dusk was getting tired of it himself.
“Whoa there,” Lex chuckled, grabbing Dusk by the chin and pulling his head up. “I can see that brain of yours running in circles. It’s nothing bad.”
“Sorry…” Dusk whispered, keeping his eyes on Lex.
Lex leaned in and gave him a soft kiss before he pulled back a few inches. “I think I love you, Dusk. Or well, I know I do.”
Dusk’s heart skipped a beat and then began to do a strange series of patterns that he thought for sure meant he was dying. He didn’t know what to say. Everything in his brain had left all at once leaving a void of raw emotion. It took a moment before he realized Lex was watching him.
“Maybe I should apologize,” Lex sighed. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”
Before Dusk could think he reached forward and wrapped his arms around Lex’s neck, pulling him in for another kiss. This one however, was nothing but passion, confusion, and excitement all wrapped into one. After a long moment he finally pulled away, breathless.
“I guess that means you’re okay with it?” Lex asked, grinning like a fool.
“I love you too, Lex,” Dusk replied, his eyes sparkling in the starlight.
He pulled Lex in tightly once more, their lips pressed together in an instinctual dance. They stayed that way for a long time, their hands slowly wandering over one another. Dusk forgot the world around him, his cares, and the crystal still embedded in his chest. At that moment there was only Lex.
It wasn’t long before he found himself lying in the soft grass with Lex beside him. He pulled at the pin holding Lex’s cloak and then his own before working down the buttons on Lex’s shirt. A hand reached up and slid across his fuzzy chest, sending sparks of electricity shooting through his body. He pulled away from Lex for a moment, staring deeply into his eyes. Lex stared back. In his eyes Dusk could see everything he’d always wanted. It felt like home.
Twenty-five
“Never let me drink that much again,” Tara wheezed as she staggered back to the other two. It was the fourth time they’d stopped for her to vomit that morning.
“You really should try to eat something, it might help,” Lex urged, taking out a piece of jerky from his pack.
“It’s not worth it,” Tara gagged as she looked at the food. “It’ll just come right back up.” She glanced back up at Lex, her cheeks puffing out before she turned around and vomited again.
“You’re not allowed to drink at all anymore,” Lex muttered, a look of revulsion on his face.
Dusk however, was blissfully unaware of Tara’s state of grossness. He was a few feet ahead, leading Maribel with an unfading smile plastered on his face. The day was new, the sun felt warm on his skin, and he knew good things were just around the corner. Their long journey to Greencoast was almost at an end and he had everything he could ever want. Sure there were unsolved issues with Tephyss and a war going on, but nothing could darken his mood. For once everything felt like it was falling into place.
Before long Tara finally stopped puking and managed to get some water into her system, although she still looked worse for wear. They stopped for lunch at the base of a grassy hill amongst a few saplings sheltered by the rise. To Dusk's surprise he found the tree’s buds already beginning to swell on the tips of the branches. It seemed that with the heat of the ocean and the southern wind, spring was merely weeks away. They ate without much chatter amongst themselves, content to enjoy the sunlight with their backs against the warm grass. Dusk didn't want to leave when the time finally came, but at the top of the hill he found something new to be excited about.
There, no more than a couple of miles away, was the city of Greencoast Port. The buildings were densely packed, pressed up against the ocean and spilling out into the grasslands. Docks erupted from every edge, stretching out into the water to be filled with sailing ships of all shapes and sizes. A well cut road ran into the city from both ends, but the group found themselves near neither. Somehow they'd managed to pass through the middle of everything instead and would need to turn further west to find a gate through the wooden wall that surrounded the town. Some houses and small farms laid outside of the wall, but the majority of the city was contained inside. Even from a distance Dusk could see people moving in and out of the gates with carts and wagons. There was also another encampment they would need to pass through.
"Keep a low profile, let me do the talking," Tara commanded, pulling herself up taller. "We'll find this White Raven Tavern in no time."
Tara was right. She got them through the gate without issue, claiming to be traveling to see family with a made up surname. The guards didn't even bat an eye before they rushed them through, wanting to get back to their gossiping. Once inside Dusk felt himself clinging to Maribel again, the buildings pressing in on all sides. He loved the way the city looked from the outside, but being inside the gates was like being swallowed whole by a monster. Lex noticed and stayed close beside him, keeping his cloak hood up as Tara had instructed. They passed merchants, shops, smithies, and food carts piled with things roasted on sticks. A small part of Dusk wanted to dash in every direction to see it all, but he was having a hard enough time breathing as it was.
At long last, after a few stops for directions, they found themselves near the docks. In front of them was a rather large tavern with a large painted sign hung across the second story. On it was a white raven carrying a golden flower in its beak and the name 'White Raven Tavern' in looping letters. Dusk stared at the sign, wondering why it struck him as familiar, but he couldn't place it. He knew he'd never been there before. Thinking back, he couldn't decide if maybe Juniper had described it to him or not. But after a moment the feeling faded and he breathed a sigh of relief. After months on the run, he'd finally made it.
Together they stepped up to the tavern, leaving Maribel with the stable boy to be fed and cared for. Dusk stood in front of the door, lifting a hand to pull the handle, but stopped. His heart was pounding in his chest with excitement and dread.
“Are you okay, Dusk?” Lex asked from behind him, placing a hand on his shoulder.
“What if this was all a mistake?” Dusk blurted, spinning around on the spot. “What if there’s no one here to help me? What if it’s another trap?”
“There’s only one way to find out,” Tara said, grabbing the door handle. “We’ve got your back if anything goes wrong.”
“What if… what if this is it? The end of our journey together?”
Lex and Tara both stayed silent, their gazes resting on his.
“I’m not done with you yet,” Lex replied finally, giving Dusk’s shoulder a squeeze.
Tara nodded. “I’m sure we can find more trouble to get into around here if need be. Besides, this isn’t the only thing you have left to accomplish.” She jabbed a finger forward and tapped the camouflaged scale on his chest. “There’s still more than one mystery left to solve.”
Dusk looked at the pair of them before giving a stiff nod. He couldn’t have asked for better friends or companions on the road. They’d hadn’t been together long, but he didn’t know what he would have done without them. Turning back around he took the door handle from Tara, took a deep breath, and pushed it open.
Stepping inside Dusk saw there were sailors, travelers, and soldiers of all shapes and sizes. A few of them glanced up from their tables as the door opened, but most kept to themselves. The atmosphere was boisterous and in one corner a man was playing a lute with his case open at his feet, a few coins glittering in the lamplight. It was one of the largest taverns Dusk had ever been in and people darted back and forth delivering drinks, food, and whatever else the patrons required. At one end of the room was a dark wooden bar with casks on either side. Behind it stood a fierce looking woman with jet black hair, ebony skin, and a mean-looking scar cut across her jaw on the left side. She darted back and forth filling tankards, stacking trays, and yelling at anyone who got in her way. Tara immediately zeroed in on her.
“She’s probably the one we want to talk to,” she said, never taking her eyes off the woman behind the bar. “But let’s be careful about it. There might be people listening in for rebellious talk.”
Without waiting, Tara strode up to the bar and leaned herself over it, finding a somewhat casual stance that looked like she was trying too hard to be sexy. Dusk and Lex shook their heads, but stepped up beside her a moment later.
“H
ey there pretty lady,” Tara began with a sweet melodic tone. “What’s a gal gotta do to get a drink around here?”
The dark haired woman stopped dead in her tracks, put down her towel, and crossed her arms with an intense look on her face. “Probably pay for it like everyone else. You know… with coins?”
“How much is it to ask your name?”
“That’s three gold in these parts,” the woman replied without a blink.
“It must be a beautiful name to command such a price.”
“I don’t deal with time wasters.” She turned back and lifted an arm. “Maria! Get these bozos off my bar!”
A petite woman with long braided brown hair dashed up. She looked disheveled and overworked, like she was in a constant state of panic.
“Now hold on just a minute,” Tara said, trying to keep her voice even although Dusk knew she was getting agitated by the quick dismissal. “We needed some information and we wanted to speak with the lady of the house.”
“You’re talking to her and you’re wasting my time.” She looked to the petite woman again. “Maria, get these idiots a table please or kick them out.”
“Are you Mirinda?” Dusk blurted before she could run off. “We need to talk to you about the Legion.”
She turned calmly back to Dusk, ignoring the frightened look on Maria’s face. “If you say that name one more time in my tavern I will bury you somewhere nobody will ever find you,” she said through a smile with gritted teeth. “Now get out. I don’t want to see you in here again.”
“But…”
“Out! Before I call the royal guard!” she roared, turning her back to them.
Tara scoffed and turned away, crossing her arms. Lex began to follow, but Dusk didn’t move.
“Juniper Benbow sent me.”
Slowly the dark haired woman turned back around. She stared at Dusk for a long moment, looking him up and down. Without a word she walked to the end of the bar and retrieved something from under the counter. Setting a brass key on the glossy surface, she slid it across to Dusk.
The Crystal Key: An LGBTQ+ Fantasy Series (The Crystalline Chronicles Book 3) Page 20