Tugging up the tops of her knee-length boots, she took a hesitant step forward. The city looked daunting. She knew nothing about the area, or the people in it, hopeful that their customs might be similar to those of the Vor’shai. Humans were not quite so different from them. It seemed as if it would be simple enough to blend in.
Delicious scents filled the air around her, wafting to her nostrils from a nearby tavern. It was late. From the stories she’d heard of human culture, any fine dining establishments would be closed for the night, leaving the streets in the hands of the drunkards and thieves to roam about. She recognized a man standing outside a well-lit building to be wearing the Tanispan military uniform. How fitting, she rolled her eyes. The first place they stopped along the way and it happened to be a tavern. So far it was exactly as she expected. Edric would eat his words when she saw him next. He didn’t know their soldiers as well as he liked to think.
Intent on making her appearance more masculine, she moved across the street with a pronounced strut. Men didn’t move with the same fluidity as women. She would never pass for a man if she glided along the ground with all the grace forced upon her while growing up. If only Faustine could see her now! Her heart would burst in shame and vexation. Aiva chuckled quietly at the thought.
Pushing open the tavern door, Aiva couldn’t mask her initial surprise at what she saw there. It was a mess. Dirty. Tobacco smoke hung thick on the air, choking her with the smell. Near the back she caught sight of Callum seated at a booth, surrounded by his men. Overcome with curiosity, she strode forward, slipping into a booth not far away, head angled down to avoid anyone seeing her eyes. Kaemin or Callum would see through her disguise instantly. Any of the others she might be able to fool.
“You have to let us buy you at least one drink,” a man laughed, patting Callum jovially on the back. “You are a married man now!”
“Yes, which is exactly why I should not be here.” Callum looked dejected. Annoyed by the banter being passed along the table among the men.
“He’s just in a foul mood because the wedding night was interrupted.”
“Captain, they didn’t at least give you a few minutes with the bride?”
“You need more than a few minutes with a woman like that!”
Aiva looked away, disgusted. They were talking about her! Those filthy, no good, rotten scoundrels. She was their Princess! Not an object for them to think of in their perverted fantasies. Callum remained silent through most of the uncouth comments before finally breaking in, his tone firm. “That is my wife you are speaking of. And your Princess. Have a bit more respect – and maybe some class. We are soldiers. Not bandits.”
She was happy to hear him stand up for her honor, though it came as a surprise to hear him speak in her defense. After everything she’d said and done, it seemed fitting for him to allow their vulgar conversation to continue. He had no reason to do otherwise. Besides, he was a man, and a military man at that. She expected him to have as many things to say about her as the others, or worse.
A human waitress came by the table, smiling down at Aiva. Her red hair was cropped short, the neck of her blouse open, revealing. Scandalous to Aiva’s eyes. “You look like you could use a drink.” Aiva blushed, embarrassed for the woman. She wanted to put some clothes on her. To cover her from the eyes of the men seated around the room.
“I – ” she paused. Damn. Running her hands along the pockets of her pants, she realized she had no coins. In her haste to leave the palace in Escovul, she’d neglected to bring any money. She’d never had need of it before. Her parents had always seen to anything she’d ever wanted which required purchase. She wasn’t sure Tanispan currency would even be accepted in Carpaen. “Maybe later,” she sighed, dismissing the waitress with a sharp wave of her hand, ignoring the disdainful scoff she received in return.
This was a nightmare. She was trapped on a journey with a group of military dogs who called themselves soldiers. No food, no money. How could things possibly get any worse?
Out of the corner of her eye she could see someone standing up from the table where she’d found the men. Horrified at the possibility of being discovered, she ducked her head down, recognizing the figure moving past her table to be Callum. When he passed, she let her eyes follow. Curious. He looked sad. Lost. There was no sign of enjoyment in his expression the way she could see on the other men, laughing and joking, their lewd remarks sparking flirtatious laughter from the barmaids. In a way she felt sorry for him. He appeared absolutely wretched.
Sympathy or not, she couldn’t go to him or do anything to comfort the troubled thoughts in his mind. He couldn’t know she was there. That – and she hated him. His depression was likely caused by his guilt. Shamed by the fact that he’d been discovered. Let him suffer. He deserves so much worse.
As long as he was away from the others, he was a danger to Aiva’s ruse. There was no one there to distract him from looking around the room and seeing her. Rising from her seat, she began to inch toward the door.
Halfway across the room, Aiva caught sight of a barmaid making her way to Callum. Blankly, Aiva stood. Rooted to the floor. This would be the true test of his character. At this point, she had no expectations that he would be loyal to her. His wife. If he knew she was there…
The woman was attractive – for a human. In Aiva’s opinion, there was no comparison to even the most homely Vor’shai female. Callum hardly seemed to notice the girl approach. He stood, rigid, but made no move to retreat. To walk away would be rude. He wore the uniform of the Tanispan military. It wouldn’t do any good for him to be slighting the humans in their own land.
Aiva cursed her inability to hear what was being said between the two. The barmaid appeared quite smitten with him, stepping in closer. To Aiva’s surprise, Callum distanced himself, moving around the woman to make his way back to where the other men were seated. He stole a backward glance, his eyes lifted to focus on the room beyond the waitress. In that brief instant, his gaze met with Aiva’s, halting his motion. Horrified, Aiva turned toward the door, hastening to get out into the street before he could come after her. Stupid! She’d only been there for a few minutes and she had already been exposed. Of all the people who could have discovered her, why did it have to be him?
A wash of dizziness came over her in the rush of getting to the door. Unsteady, she bumped into the frame, almost knocking over a man standing just inside. Angered by the jostle, he pushed her away, sending her sprawling as she tumbled through the door onto the tavern porch. At the commotion, several patrons turned to see what was going on. She scrambled frantically back to her feet, stumbling out onto the gravel of the main road.
“Aiva?”
She didn’t know what to do. The city was foreign. There was nowhere for her to hide. Her only choice was to stand her ground and face him.
Defiant, she spun around, fists clenched, lips pursed. “I don’t want to speak with you, so just go back inside and play with the waitresses like the other men.”
“What the hell are you doing here?” he exclaimed, quickly closing the distance between them. Gruffly he took her by the arm, pulling her out of the road to stand beside the horses. “How did you even get here? Are you trying to get yourself killed? You are going home. Right now.”
“I am doing no such thing,” she scoffed. “You forget who you are talking to. Now unhand me. I will not be tugged about like a ragdoll.”
“Edric and your father will kill me if they find out you are here.”
“They should kill you regardless of where I am. Now let me go!” Her voice echoed down the street. Reflexively Callum released his hold on her, staring down at his hand as if only just realizing he’d touched her.
Another wave of dizziness struck Aiva, worse than before. Trembling from muscle fatigue, she felt her body start to fall forward, powerless to stop it. The ground was closing in quickly. To her relief and disdain, the impact never came. Instead she found herself dangling from Callum’s arms, unable to
stop her legs from shaking, vision spinning uncontrollably.
“Aiva, what is the matter?”
“Nothing,” she lied. She needed food. At least a drink. If she didn’t consume something soon, the dehydration would send her into unconsciousness.
Callum peered into her eyes. She hated to think of him being able to see her misery. But there was no way to conceal it. She was sick. “When was the last time you ate?”
Illness left her defeated. She wanted to argue with him, but she couldn’t. He was the only person who could help her get food and water. There would be time for hate later when she was able to stand on her own again. “Not since before the wedding,” she sighed, sinking into the support of Callum’s arms. “I have been hiding in the supply wagon since you left Escovul. I know there is food in there, but I couldn’t get the crates open.”
Cautious not to force any sudden movement to spark another bout of dizziness, Callum helped Aiva over to the wagon, climbing inside to set her down on one of the crates to act as a chair. He knelt in front of her, concern evident in his eyes, reaching to his belt for the canteen attached there. “Drink this,” he stated, pushing the container into her hands. “Please don’t run away before I come back. I am going to bring you some food.”
Greedily she gulped down the water, watching Callum dash off across the street toward the clamor of the tavern, glancing back to her as he entered. For a traitor, he was being surprisingly thoughtful. She’d expected him to be more hostile. Angry with her for dragging his secrets out into the open. Why he was wasting his time bestowing kindness upon her, she didn’t understand. Maybe this was his plan. To try and convince her that he was a changed man. But she was the daughter of the great Leyna Levadis. She wouldn’t be so easily fooled by his tricks.
A short time later Callum returned, offering her a warm roll of fresh bread. She took it, tearing off a piece and placing it in her mouth, savoring the flavor on her tongue. Callum watched her, an odd expression on his face.
“What are you looking at?” she asked him, taking another bite of the bread. Shaking his head, he lowered his gaze to the crates behind her, slowly lifting himself into the wagon to sit beside her.
“I was afraid you wouldn’t be here when I came back.”
“Why would I run away?”
“Why would you do any of the things you have done the last few weeks?” he asked. “You are… I don’t know what happened to you after I left, but you certainly are – different.”
“I am not the only one of us who changed. You are nothing like the boy you used to be.” She bit down into the bread, distracted by the taste, reaching for the canteen to wash down the dry substance. “Am I supposed to believe that your profession has made you into what you are? Arrogant? Pig-headed?”
“I – I am neither of those things. But you are impossible, Aiva. If either of us is guilty of arrogance, that flaw would fall on you,” Callum drew in a breath, as if contemplating continuing, but thinking better of it.
She stared at him, insulted. “Me? Arrogant?” she sneered. “How dare you.”
“Oh, but you are,” Callum laughed. “Before I left for my training you were so kind. Innocent. Always thinking of others before yourself. Now you have this idea in your head that the world revolves around you. Everyone should listen to you because you are the Princess and you can treat people like worthless ants but in turn they have to love you for it.”
“That is ripe coming from the great Captain. Heroic leader of our military. I may be guilty of some harsh words, but I never slept with a pirate.”
“Nor did I!” His voice was loud. Hurt. Aiva stared at him in shocked confusion, surprised to hear his sudden change of temperament.
“You admitted to it,” she said quietly, no longer sure whether it was a wise idea to keep pushing the matter. “I asked you at the reception and you told me it was true. Which story am I supposed to believe?”
“I gave you no story, Aiva. Though I would like to know who did. You asked me if I was involved with Ireni. Involved, yes, but sleeping with her? I admitted to no such thing. You didn’t give me a chance to explain myself. You twisted my confirmation to fit with the insanity you built up in your head and getting anything else through your thick skull once you set your mind to it is impossible.”
Flustered, Aiva tried to think of anything to say in response. To throw something else in his face. There was nothing. She was beginning to second-guess herself. He wasn’t cleared of the treachery by any stretch. There was much to be implied by his supposed involvement with the pirate wench. “Then tell me what your relationship was with her.”
“I’m not discussing this right now,” he shook his head, pulling an apple from inside his pocket to toss it distractedly into Aiva’s hands. “At this moment, I need to get the men back out here so we can return you to Tanispa. I am in enough trouble without adding to it. Your parents have probably already noticed you gone. They will be worried sick.”
“So you would turn around and waste another four days worth of travel to take me back? Do you have any idea what could happen to my sister in that amount of time? I came to help save Shaelyn, not assist the enemy escape.”
“I will promote one of my men to commander and have them continue without me while I see you home safely.”
“You were directly ordered to head the rescue mission,” she pointed out. “Edric is counting on you to command the ships to Luquarr. The mission requires your continued presence.”
“Then I will have one of my men accompany you back to Tanispa.”
“You would trust these men with me, alone, away from all society?”
Callum paused, turning his gaze to the sky. She was getting under his skin. It was obvious in the way he struggled to even his breath, teeth gritted. “I can’t allow you to come with us. This is dangerous, Aiva. While your heart is surprisingly in the right place for once in wanting to help your sister, our enemies won’t be fighting with wooden swords. They don’t care who your parents are. They will kill you, without mercy, regardless of your station.”
Sliding forward on the crate, she started to follow Callum as he climbed off the wagon, his hand outstretched to prevent her from coming closer. He stopped, eyeing the street uneasily. Her being there had him on edge. It gave her an odd pleasure to see him so nervous. “You will take me with you. There is no other option.”
“I will not.”
“What if I command you to?”
“Your parents’ orders supersede yours, and they would demand me to bring you home.”
“My parents are not here to demand anything. In their absence, you are obligated to follow my wishes, and I command that I stay with you and your men.”
Breathing in sharply Callum clenched his fist. He couldn’t argue with her. Aiva knew he would have no choice but to follow her order. To boldly disregard her command would be treason, and he had already accumulated one charge of that account. Callum couldn’t risk building his crime any higher. “You force me to concede against my will,” he stated with strained calm. The disquiet he felt at the thought was becoming more noticeable in his every movement. “I will send one of my men to Tanispa with word of your whereabouts. If a courier manages to locate us with a counter order from your mother, you can be assured that I will have you on a horse back to Tanispa within an instant, and will not pay any heed to your protests. Are we clear?”
“A courier from Tanispa will not find us, and you know it,” Aiva chuckled to herself. Victorious. At times she enjoyed the power she held. “Admit it. You are only upset by my presence because I will throw off your plans and find the evidence I need to prove your true nature to Edric and my father.”
“That is where you are wrong, Your Highness.” He ignored the sharp glare from Aiva at the biting tone of his voice. “All you will discover while accompanying my men and I is the truth of what the world is really like. That life isn’t about fancy dresses and jewels. That sometimes we are forced to do things we don’t want to do
and no amount of begging and pleading will get us out of it or ease our conscience once the deed is done. The world is a cruel and unfair place, Aiva. You are in for a rude awakening.”
Aiva tried to step down from the wagon, her path once again blocked by Callum’s hand harshly pushing her away from the edge, nearly causing her to tumble backward. “You will let me out of here,” she stated firmly. “I know you intend to stay here in Kaipoi for the night. We should find an inn with available rooms.”
“You are right. We are staying in Kaipoi for the night. You, however, will not be sleeping at an inn.” Callum snatched up the outer fabric of the wagon, untying the ends to pull it shut across the open front. From inside Aiva could hear him tying the straps, securing it in place.
“What are you doing?”
“Tucking you in.” He sounded muffled. Outside the wagon, footsteps could be heard, making a circle around the perimeter before coming to stop again at the front. “Get comfortable, Princess. This will be your bed for the evening. We start moving again at dawn.”
“I beg your pardon?” Aiva exhaled. She was horrified at the thought of staying in that wagon for another night. It was cold. Dirty. After what she’d been through, the least he could offer his Princess – his wife – was a warm bed in a clean room.
The wagon shook somewhat, a creak signaling Callum’s ascension onto one of the horses drawing the supplies. His voice drifted through the fabric, calm and decisive. “When my men are finished eating, I will inform them of our unexpected guest and advise them to show you no special treatment on this journey. You speak harshly against the men who protect your family and if you think you are better than our soldiers, then you can let your actions speak for your claims. I, for one, am tired of hearing you talk. I suggest you lay down and close your eyes. Tomorrow will be a long day.”
Hands perched on her hips, Aiva stomped her foot angrily, appalled by Callum’s lack of respect. Her parents would hear about this when they returned to Tanispa. That she was certain of. But as long as there was no one there to make Callum do otherwise, he would never change his mind. She would be trapped inside the wagon until morning. “I will see you imprisoned for this when we return to Tanispa.”
The Myatheira Chronicles: Volume Two: Beyond the Veil Page 16