VOIDWALKER

by M. L. Brooks

  “You won’t be going alone. I’ll be there and Dahlia will be there,” said Alfein.

  “Do you know what you’re going to do when we get to Guardia?” Adair asked to Dahlia.

  “I don’t have any friends there, but I can probably pick up a job in a tavern pretty quick. I kind of stashed a lot of money on my way out, so I think I’ll do fine,” said Dahlia.

  “How would people in Guardia react to a Fae person?” asked Alfein.

  “It might be better if we could disguise you. Fae are the stuff of storybooks and legends to us. We know in Lumina that their royal family is Fae but most people take it to mean that they are pale skinned or excessively rich or something other than actually an immortal race,” said Adair.

  “But if I’m wearing a disguise, how will the ladies see this handsome face?” he asked jokingly, turning his head to the side and striking a pose with his jawline.

  “Trust me, your charisma will speak for itself,” said Dahlia, touching his arm flirtatiously.

  Adair laughed. They finished up breakfast and then parted ways around the house to pack up their things. Adair went through the pantry and tried to put together enough food to get them at least to King’s Cross before they would need to restock. When everyone was ready to go, they set out on the road. Emin waved them off. Rose stayed upstairs and wasn’t seen again before their departure.

  CHAPTER 20

  In the skyline, Adair could see the crystal of Guardia shining brightly in the daylight. They approached the city slowly, exhausted from their long journey. When they arrived at the gate, the guards waved them through without issue. Getting to the Noble’s Quarter would be more difficult without proper identification.

  The group walked through the marketplace and down toward the docks. Adair wanted to get home and check in with her mom before they did anything else. It was midday when they arrived at the tavern. A few people sat at a table, eating and talking, but the pub was largely vacant.

  “Mom?” said Adair as she looked over toward the bar counter.

  Miri had her back turned and was stacking up some bottles when she heard Adair’s voice. She spun around, her bob of golden orange curls spinning with her. When she saw Adair, her cheeks turned pale but her expression stayed blank. She quickly looked down, wiped off her hands on her apron, and then walked out toward Adair.

  Adair extended her arms to hug her mom. Miri pulled her hand back and slapped Adair across the face. Dahlia and Alfein were both taken aback. Adair clutched her cheek as she looked down at her mother.

  “I thought you were dead! They told us you were befallen by bandits on your way to Fort Blackrun. It just didn’t make sense, and now here you are. Why didn’t you tell me you were alive?” asked Miri.

  “I had to lay low for a while after the incident. I can’t talk about it in the open. Can you put up my friends for a few nights while I check in with the king and see if I can clear everything up?” asked Adair.

  “There’s no room here, honey. I’ve been busy. Even rented out your old room,” said Miri.

  “What did you do with my stuff?” asked Adair, offended that her mom would rent out her room.

  “Sold some of it, used some of it as scraps. I kept a few things. If you want to check the armoire upstairs, I think I kept your old uniform,” shrugged Miri.

  “You said you’ve been busy. I used to be a waitress and dancer, do you need some help?” asked Dahlia.

  Miri looked Dahlia up and down and then replied, “Come back tonight and I’ll give you a trial run. Make sure your tits are out, it’s good for business.”

  Adair rolled her eyes at her mom’s comment. Without continuing the conversation, she went upstairs and into her mom’s room. It was a normal room with a bed, an armoire, and a few other pieces of furniture. You could tell by the four-poster bed and some of the other subtle details of the room that the business of the pub more than sustained Miri. Adair walked over the armoire.

  She opened it up and rifled through her mom’s clothes until she came upon her old work uniform. The fabric of it felt familiar to her touch even though it had been many weeks since she had left it behind. Checking the pockets, she found a small leather folder. Inside the folder was a thick piece of parchment that was labelled indicating her identity and position which allowed her to pass freely throughout Guardia’s different districts.

  Adair plucked the passport from the pocket of the uniform and then closed up the armoire. She went back downstairs. Alfein had a drink in hand and was chatting with Miri and Dahlia at the bar counter.

  “I’m going to speak directly with the king,” said Adair as she went out the door.

  “Do you need any back up?” asked Alfein.

  “I’m ready to just be over this whole thing. I think I should be fine,” replied Adair.

  “Ok. We’ll just be around here. I’ll try to keep my ear to the ground in case things go wrong” said Alfein.

  “Thank you Alfein. I’ll see you later,” said Adair, heading outside.

  When she got outside, Adair started heading back toward the Noble’s Quarter. The young woman took a deep breath in, feeling the fresh ocean air fill up her lungs. The smell of salty sea air, fish and industry filled her nose. Being in Guardia gave her a sense of calm and belonging. She was happy to be home. The walk up to the Noble’s Quarter was a familiar one. At the gate to the Noble’s Quarter, a group of guards came over and checked her paperwork.

  They looked at her funny and whispered back and forth to each other.

  “Captain Titanborn? We thought you were dead!” one of them muttered distrustfully.

  “I’m alive and standing in front of you right now. I’m on my way to the king to debrief on what happened. You’re welcome to escort me there if there’s any concern,” said Adair.

  “No, no… Just head on through,” said the guard as he handed her paperwork back to her.

  Adair headed through the large archway that lead into the Noble’s Quarter. On the other side of the arch, the city made a distinct shift. The streets were cleaner, the shops were nicer, and everything felt a little grander. The magnificent crystal floating up by the mage’s tower reflected its blue lights across the quarter as it slowly rotated in its spot.

  In front of the castle were many wagons and soldiers. They were dressed in red cloaks clasped at the shoulder by a jade green tangle of thorns. About half of them were women. These were soldiers from New Valar. Attendants from the castle were busy receiving the Valarians as their guests which allowed Adair to walk inside freely.

  She made the trek up the stairs to the throne room where Mitchel stormed out and stopped her.

  “No! No! No! The king is not seeing commoners today,” he shouted at Adair.

  “I am Captain Adair Titanborn, and I am here to meet with my king,” she intoned.

  “What? Adair was slain protecting the Prince. You won’t make a fool of me here, imposter!” cried out Mitchel.

  “Get out of my way,” said Adair, shaking her head and pushing past him.

  Mitchel called for the guards but by the time they ran in she was already halfway across the throne room. The king shifted in his chair, seeing Adair’s approach. Four guards swarmed around her with spears pointed toward her.

  “Your highness! I am Captain Adair Titanborn. I am here to apprise you of what has happened since my departure from your castle,” yelled Adair.

  “Put your spears down you imbeciles, this woman is above your station,” barked the king.

  The guards put their spears down obediently and returned to their stations. Mitchel, red in the face, slid out of the room. Adair walked toward her king, offering him a deep bow.

  “Is there a place where we can convene privately, your grace?” asked Adair.

  “Just around here,” said the king as he led her behind the throne room.

  Inside was the king’s personal chambers. He had a large four-post bed carved from the finest wood Adair had ever seen. There were tables, chairs, shelv
es, armoires, and many other decorations assembled in his room. Upon the wall was a portrait of him and his wife. Hidden behind screen paneling were a servant’s cots, where the personal attendants may retire when waiting for their lord to return.

  Adair spent the next hour recounting for the king what had happened since she had left the castle. She left out a number of details surrounding the planes melding together as she was not sure how to articulate all of those events to another person. Her story culminated at the point where Ivor confessed to accepting payment from Prince Flavian and Nathaniel in exchange for killing Prince Abel and her team. The king nodded along with an interested expression, but he did not seem surprised.

  “You’ve had an incredible adventure. I am sure you know this, but Prince Flavian is next in line for succession. It isn’t unheard of for one Prince to plot the downfall of the other for his own political movements. It would dishonor the family name for me to bring him to trial. I would like to welcome you back to the city as a hero. We’ll come up with a more palatable way to discuss your riding dragons, slaying spiders, defeating ruthless bandits to avenge our fallen prince. Yes, I like this. Then we shall hold a ball, two nights from now, in your honor. We can introduce you as a couple with Prince Flavian to Queen Petra as she arrived in full Valarian escort to broker a continued peace. This is perfect!” ranted the king, almost not even speaking to Adair anymore.

  “Your highness. I can’t marry Prince Flavian. He murdered his own brother!” exclaimed Adair.

  “Keep your voice down! You would only be so lucky as to marry my son. I will set up the ball, and we can take this plan a step at a time. If you mess this up, there are many ways I can bring ruin to your family,” threated the king as he shook a finger at Adair.

  Stepping back, Adair recalled the words Rose had spoken to her, and she realized she had made a mistake in returning to Guardia. The king would never bring his own son to justice. He had simply swapped one son for the next in following his schemes. She would play along and go to the ball, meet with Petra, and figure out what she needs to do to take revenge from there.

  “Of course, my lord. I have one request. Am I still eligible for back payment on my wages? I’ve returned to Guardia and lost my home and belongings,” asked Adair.

  “You may well be queen someday, we’ll take care of anything you may need. Speak to Mitchel about accommodations and getting something appropriate to wear for the ball,” ordered the king as he headed out of his chamber with Adair.

  “Mitchel!” shouted the king, snapping his fingers.

  Mitchel peeked his head through the door and then scurried over to the king.

  “Yes, your highness?” asked Mitchel.

  “See to it that Adair gets anything she needs. She is a lady of the castle from this day forward,” said the king.

  He put his hand on Adair’s rear end and pushed her toward Mitchel.

  “Right away, your clarity,” assented Mitchel.

  Leaving the throne room, Adair discussed her situation with Mitchel. He nodded courteously and then lead her outside of the castle and down the street. Not even a full two blocks away from the castle was the King’s Inn. It was a large establishment with an outdoor café in front and a bar inside.

  Mitchel introduced her to the innkeeper. He paid the innkeeper a hefty sum of coins, and then gave another pouch of coins to Adair. The innkeeper was a kindly old man who led Adair around back where they had a series of gray stone suites. He guided her up an outdoor staircase to a spacious penthouse suite. He unlocked the wooden door of the penthouse and opened it up for Adair.

  There was a beautiful bed covered in navy blue blankets and powder blue pillows against the far end of the room and a balcony overlooking the street. The innkeeper handed her the key to the room and then went back down to tend to his bar. She looked around the room for a minute and then came back out and locked the door behind her.

  Walking down the street, she kept her eyes open for a dress shop. At the end of the block was a shop called the Fanciful Feather. It had a big sign out front advertising their tailoring services. In the window were several dress forms decorated with dresses and hats. She opened the door, a bell jingling above as she entered.

  “Hello! Did you need something?” chirped a young sales assistant with mousy brown hair and pointy features.

  “Yes, I have an event coming up in two days and I need a dress made right away,” said Adair.

  “That’s a really short time frame. I will have to check with the dressmaker to see if that’s something he can do,” replied the sales girl.

  She turned around and shuffled to the back where the workshop was. Adair walked around the shop while she waited. The windows let plenty of natural light in on the sales floor. There were rolls of sample textiles hanging from the wall and several styles of garments and hats in various stages of completion. With her head hung down, the young girl came back out.

  “I’m afraid that’s just not enough notice,” said the girl. She leaned in and whispered, “If you don’t mind a common girl like me sewing the dress, I can do it for you.”

  “That works,” Adair whispered back as she handed the girl a handful of coins.

  The girl’s eyes lit up as she was handed double the cost of any of the expensive dresses that were in the shop. The sales assistant pulled out a string and took measurements of Adair and wrote down the room number where Adair was staying at the inn. When they were done, Adair went to leave. The girl apologized loudly, putting on a show for the dressmaker in the back.

  After meeting with the dressmaker, Adair sent a messenger down to Miri to let Alfein and Dahlia know that she was doing well and would be staying in the Noble’s Quarter for now. She invited them to come up and see her the next day.

  Then she went back to her room and sat down on her new bed. The sheets and blankets were the softest she had ever felt but even amongst the luxury she couldn’t help but think about Nathaniel and Prince Flavian. She wasn’t ready to relax until they were brought to justice.

  CHAPTER 21

  The king sent around servants and messengers in preparation for the big ball. He even delivered Adair a set of the armor they made for her departure parade. Petra and her court were to be in attendance of the ball, as well as the courtesans, nobility, and upper merchants of Guardia. The day of the important event, the whole city was in an uproar. Everyone was excited for something fun to celebrate.

  In the mid-afternoon, Adair heard a knock at the door. She had exchanged several messages with the girl in the dressmaker’s shop and had been expecting it to arrive soon. She strode over to the door and opened it wide. In front of her was the sales assistant whom she had spoken with at the Fanciful Feather. In her arms was a pale-yellow box wrapped in a big silver bow.

  “I’m so glad you showed up! I was worried I would have to hunt you down,” laughed Adair as she invited the girl in and took the box.

  “My mum and I doubled up on it. She worked during the day and I did everything I could at night. Selecting fabrics, patterns, cutting, sewing, adding final touches. I almost didn’t finish it on time,” said the girl.

  “Well, thank you. Are you a seamstress?” asked Adair.

  She untied the bow, carefully rolled up the ribbon, and opened the box. Inside was a pale coral pink dress. A shear peach sash wrapped around the waist and across the shoulders, pinned on one shoulder with a sparkling diamond broach in the geometric shape of Guardia’s emblem. Adair ran her hands across the dress, feeling the drag of the fabric against her fingertips.

  “Well, the shop owner doesn’t let me. He says women don’t have the eye for detail expected from an artisan, but I still watch his techniques. My mum’s an excellent seamstress, but she doesn’t have the money to open a shop. I learned most of what I know from her really. Did you need help changing?” asked the girl.

  “Sure. What’s your name?” asked Adair.

  “Emele,” replied the shop assistant.

  Adair dressed down
into her underclothes as Emele pulled the dress out of the box and gently shook out the fabric. Emele carefully untied the sash and helped Adair slide the dress on. After it the dress was on she tied it up in the back, fluffed out the skirt, and then tied the sash back into place. Adair spun around and checked herself out in the mirror. It was an expertly made dress. She thanked Emele again and then sent the young lady on her way.

  Adair braided her hair back, washed her face, and applied a few of the cosmetics that had been left in the room on her face. She finished getting ready and decided to head out to the castle. She would be early to the party, but it would give her time to meet with Petra.

  Inside the castle, a brunette woman in Valarian red approached Adair.

  “The queen wanted me to greet you, right this way please,” said the Valarian woman.

  Adair followed her down a hallway to the side of the main landing. They went up a flight of stairs and then reached Petra’s room. Valarian guards and dignitaries were all over the hall, talking and getting ready for the evening. Inside the room was a regular bedroom suite. Petra was sitting in a black and grey pantsuit by the window. She had her hair tied up into an elaborate up-do with red ornamental jewels pouring off long pins that poked out of the back of her chignon.

  “Wow! You look stunning,” said Adair to Petra.

  “I know,” said the queen as she rose out of her chair.

  “I managed to talk to the king about everything yesterday,” said Adair, changing the subject.

  “How did he react?” asked Petra.

  “He didn’t care. No one is going to miss Bosh Ragan, but no one is going to punish Nathaniel or Flavian either. Now the king plans on introducing me as a lady of the kingdom, and then matching me off with the prince,” said Adair.

  “Are you prepared for that?” asked Petra, rubbing her temples.

  “No. I’m here for revenge and then I want to get back onto my life,” said Adair.

  “How about I suggest to the king that the prince marry me and then I throw him in with my concubines?” asked Petra with a laugh.