“Absolutely not,” she said in horror. “I simply do not do that sort of thing.”
“What about those two, sitting at the bar?” Naclana suggested. “I think the blonde one is kind of cute.”
Aazuria took a quick glance to appease her cousin. “I don’t know. I suppose they’re okay.”
Naclana sighed. “You’re absolutely no fun, Zuri.”
“This just isn’t right,” she told him firmly. She refilled her wine glass and stared at the dark liquid with a melancholy look. “When I met Trevain, it was magical. There was a moment when time stood still. I looked into his eyes, and I just knew. I knew that there was some special connection. I knew that he needed to be a part of my life.”
Naclana smiled. “Did you ever think that maybe it was just because you were subconsciously recognizing that he was related to your best friend? Maybe you were just seeking the familiar. You saw Visola in his face, and you were enchanted because of the feeling of security and affection that Visola gives to you. Maybe it had nothing to do with the fisherman. It was transference.”
“Transference?” Aazuria questioned.
“Yes. Let me look up the Wikipedia article so I can better describe it to you.” Naclana pulled out his phone. “’Transference is a phenomenon characterized by unconscious redirection of feelings from one person to another…’”
“That seems silly,” Aazuria objected, between sips of wine.
“Another definition is ‘the redirection of feelings and desires and especially of those unconsciously retained from childhood toward a new object,’” Naclana read triumphantly. “Now tell me that doesn’t sound like what you did with Trevain. Visola was a childhood friend who had always been true to you, and the moment you recognized some of her qualities and physical attributes in a man, you thought it was fate. Your mind was quick to trust him and care for him, because of previous patterns of thinking. You already trusted and cared for someone like him, so it was easy. It was effortless.”
Aazuria groaned. “You have been spending a lot of time with Dr. Rosenberg, haven’t you?”
“I sure have!” Naclana said cheerfully. “I think he is cute, too. Anyway, the point is that you need to come out of your shell, Zuri. Sometimes it will be difficult, but you must meet new people, and step out of your comfort zone. Don’t just fall in love with the first guy you meet, because he reminds you of the person you love most in the world.”
“I suppose I did do that,” she mused.
“Yes,” Naclana said, studying the article. “It seems like you got lucky, though. It seems like most women are prone to falling in love with men who are like their fathers.” Naclana shuddered. “Thank Sedna you didn’t do that, Zuri. We’d all be dead.”
“I do not think we were ever in any danger of that happening,” Aazuria assured him with a grimace. “I have made many mistakes, but that will never be one of them.”
Just then, the waiter returned with two martinis. He spoke to Naclana in Greek, before setting them down on the table with a smile.
Naclana grinned and leaned forward. “Well, would you look at that, Zuri! You’re already getting hit on.”
“What?” she said, staring at the drinks in confusion.
“These drinks are from the two handsome men sitting over by the bar. It seems like they think you’re cute,” Naclana told her.
Aazuria turned to look back to the men with surprise on her face. They smiled and waved at her. She turned her face away quickly in embarrassment. She noticed that her cousin was lifting his martini glass and smiling at the men in a very encouraging way. “Stop it!” she told him harshly. “This is immoral. I can’t do this sort of thing. I’m a married woman.”
“Divorced,” Naclana corrected.
“Perhaps I will be, soon! But I have not actually signed the divorce papers yet…”
“But you will, won’t you?” Naclana urged.
“I don’t know!” she repeated, a tortured look on her face. “Can we please change the subject?”
“Sure,” he said in disappointment, sending an apologetic look to the men at the bar. “So, tell me more about this Leviathan dude. I get that he’s got some impressive talent when it comes to warfare. Not many people can stand up to you the way he did—without ever showing his face! But what exactly happened between you guys, way back when? He basically just dumped Visola for you?”
“I wish that was all that happened,” Aazuria said, polishing off her wine. She considered having the martini that had been sent for her, but was unsure. She glanced back over her shoulder at the men who had sent the drink. Would it be considered a sign of sexual interest if she drank the beverage? Would it be considered rude if she did not? She decided to be cautious and pour herself more wine. “After I rejected Prince Taranis’ proposal in 1585, he joined with our enemies and brought hell down on us. He convinced his father to let him lead their armies, and single-handedly ruined my home. For five years, he helped Ker-ys to obliterate every part of my country—he used their numbers, combined with his strategies. It was cruel, wanton warfare, for no purpose other than revenge on me and Visola. He would attack small villages on the outskirts of Valhalla in the middle of the night. All the men would be killed, and all the women raped or abducted. We could no longer stay there and subject our people to that kind of life. So, we left the North Sea and headed for the Bering Strait. We abandoned our beautiful Valhalla, and founded Adlivun.”
Naclana stared at her with wide eyes. “Do you mean to tell me that Leviathan is the reason for Adlivun’s existence? He is the reason we all were forced to leave Europe?”
“Yes,” Aazuria responded. “So you see why I was so nervous when we pulled up to Fort Triton today. I was not just feeling a lack of confidence due to my divorce, missing daughter, and best friend. I had good reason.”
“Childhood trauma caused by Leviathan,” Naclana said with a nod. “Of course. It made you temporarily revert back to the mental state of your youth, and feeling helpless again.”
Aazuria glared at him. “Okay, you need to stop hanging out with Dylan Rosenberg. I can only handle so much therapy before my head explodes.”
Naclana laughed. “If you don’t want therapy, then take my advice. I’m your advisor, therapist, and friend for the night, and you have to listen to me.” He reached out and pushed the martini toward her. “Drink this, and then go over to that handsome man at the bar and say ‘hello.’”
Wrinkling her nose, Aazuria reached out and grasped the stem of the drink between her thumb and forefinger. “Must I?” she pleaded.
“Yes. You’re in a foreign country, Zuri. Leave all your family problems on the other side of the planet. Leave all your political problems under the surface of the sea. Just relax and let loose. Have a little fun.” Naclana glared at her. “If you don’t, I’ll pull a Visola, and force you.”
“Fine,” she responded hesitantly. She picked up the martini and tossed it down her throat. She rose to her feet, and grasped the table for support, noticing that she was slightly tipsy. “I’m going to say hello!’”
“And I’m going to follow you and translate!” Naclana said encouragingly.
Aazuria took two steps towards the men sitting at the bar. They smiled at her with welcoming looks on their faces. She froze. “No, I can’t,” she said, turning abruptly on her heel to head in the opposite direction.
Naclana grabbed her arm. “Zuri! What’s wrong with you?”
“There was a man,” she told her cousin softly. “Bain Tangaroa. I worked beside him on the bridge for weeks. He was brave, and strong, and funny. He had lost his wife, and he was a single parent, like me. He was pursuing me, and my defenses were falling. I was letting him into my heart. A little at a time, I was opening up to the idea of trying to love someone new. It was easy. He was so charming, and he was really getting under my skin—but then… he died in my arms, there on that bridge.” Aazuria fought away her tears. “I like having Trevain as my husband, because it keeps me safe. Even
if I have to share him, it’s better this way. There’s a whole world of heartache out there for me if I step outside my comfort zone.”
“But Zuri…”
“No. I need stability. I can’t lose anyone else. Just let me be.” She yanked her arm away from her cousin and ran toward the balcony. When she was outside, she rested her arms on the railing, breathing the fresh night air. She stared up at the darkening sky, and was greeted by her familiar constellations. She remembered how terrifying it had been to wake up in Antarctica and see unfamiliar stars. Maybe Naclana was right; she really did cling too much to the comfort of the familiar. It was what she needed to do to get through the day.
“I cannot fathom why anyone would ever want to divorce you.”
This was spoken in a masculine, heavily-accented voice, from a man who had followed her out onto the balcony. She turned to look over her shoulder warily, with a hand on the knife that was concealed under her clothing. She noticed that he was one of the two men who had been sitting at the bar, the one with brown hair.
“So you speak English,” Aazuria observed, after letting her eyes roam over the man’s body. She determined that his posture did not seem threatening, and allowed herself to turn back to gazing over the sea. The moon was just appearing over the horizon in the distance, and casting a line of shimmering light on the water.
The man moved to her side, and began contemplating the view with her. “I fear that I do not speak English as well as my mother tongue,” he confessed. “But you are a lovely woman, and I will try my best to find the greatest English words I know to appear charming to you and express my infinite admiration.”
Aazuria turned to glance at him skeptically in the moonlight. “So, is this what you do? You prey on emotionally vulnerable woman in bars, flattering them and bolstering their wounded egos until they inevitably decide to escape their woes in a wild night of sexual depravity with you?”
He blinked. “I was just going to invite you to play darts.”
“Oh,” she responded, turning back to the water.
He cleared his throat. “My name is Dmitri. My buddy and I would love if you would join us for a game—in fact, your cousin is already playing with us. However, if you are not in the mood for darts, we could absolutely do that other thing you just mentioned, if you are so inclined. I am always up for a ‘wild night of sexual depravity.’”
Aazuria sighed as she leaned on the railing. “Thank you for the offer. I don’t think I’m really in the mood for darts right now.”
“So, that other thing?” he prodded.
She rolled her eyes before glancing at him. “No. Not that either. I was just—ah, never mind.”
“Why don’t you tell me what’s ailing you?” Dmitri asked her. “I am happy to provide a listening ear.”
“Look, Dmitri. You’re very charming. I know my cousin said I was getting divorced, but it’s not true.” She shrugged. “I don’t think I’m going to sign the papers. So, I’m still a married woman.”
“That does not bother me,” he said, moving closer to her. He gazed down into her eyes with a lustful look. “Your husband is not here now, and that means that I am the lucky one who gains the pleasure of your company. I thank the gods for my good fortune on this day.”
“Sweet Sedna,” Aazuria said with dismay. “I have had far too much wine. You are starting to seem like a good idea.”
“I am a good idea,” he assured her. Moving even closer, he placed his hands on her waist. “Allow me to demonstrate…”
When the strange man began to lower his mouth to hers, Aazuria was temporarily frozen in shock. Just before he could make contact, her reflexes came alive and she stepped back and twisted out of his grip defensively. She placed a hand on her chest where her heart had begun racing with fear. She was more nervous than she had been a few hours earlier when she nearly started a small amount of nuclear warfare.
“That’s not going to happen,” she told Dmitri firmly, “but thank you for the sentiment.”
“Can’t blame a fellow for trying,” Dmitri said with a deep laugh.
Aazuria shook her head in exasperation. “I’m going to go inside and see if my cousin is any good at darts.” She left the man on the balcony, and headed back indoors. She stopped by her table to collect her glass of wine, and took another generous mouthful. Upon arriving at the dartboard, she was surprised to see that Naclana and the blonde man were laughing and having a great time at the dartboard. She stood a few feet away and observed for a few minutes as the two men took turns at throwing tiny projectiles. She smiled. It seemed like her cousin was really enjoying himself.
Naclana noticed her, and ushered her over. “Come on, Zuri! Give it a shot. It’s lots of fun.”
“No, thank you,” she said politely. “I’ll just watch.”
“Is the lady afraid of embarrassing herself?” Dmitri asked, coming to stand beside her.
“Hardly,” Aazuria scoffed.
“It is fine,” said the Greek man, with a playful smirk. “Women are often not skilled at this sort of thing. Let me show you how it’s done.” Moving to the dartboard and retrieving the darts, he stepped away to an impressive distance. Biting his lip and squinting, he tossed the first dart. It landed directly in the center of the board, causing a cheer to go up from the onlookers in the bar. He threw his hands up victoriously, as if he had just won a great athletic competition. He was obviously enjoying the attention.
Aazuria tried to conceal a smile at the man’s silly antics. She crossed her arms over her chest, trying to appear aloof and unimpressed. Everyone in the bar drew closer to watch as the man stepped away even further and set up his second throw.
With a great, dramatic effort, the man studied the dartboard, drew his arm back, and threw. When his biceps and pectorals rippled with the motion, Aazuria noticed for the first time that his body was finely muscled, and his physique was extremely athletic. She smiled in appreciation, and quickly brought her wine glass to her lips to hide this expression. The bar was filled with clapping and yelling, for his second dart had landed cleanly in the center of the bullseye, touching his first.
Dmitri pumped his fists in the air, shouting words in Greek that Aazuria did not understand. However, they seemed to get the crowd even more riled up. He took several steps further back, and leaned against the bar. He ordered five shots, which the bartender lined up and poured in a stylish fashion. Dmitri drank all five shots, in quick succession, spun around three times and did a backflip, and threw his dart toward the board.
Of course, it landed directly in the bullseye once more. The entire bar erupted in applause and shouting again, and several of the men moved over to clap Dmitri on the back and congratulate him on his impressive victory. He turned to Aazuria smugly. “See?” he shouted above the uproar of the crowd. “It’s a very difficult and manly sport. Not for pretty little ladies like yourself.”
Aazuria felt her entire body twitch. She finished the contents of her wine glass and wiped the back of her hand across her lips. She marched across the bar, until she was standing in front of Dmitri. “I’m impressed,” she told him sweetly, touching his chest in a suggestive way. “You’re so manly. So skilled. I’ve never seen such a display of dexterity.”
“What can I say? I’m a natural,” he boasted. “I could show more of my skills upstairs…”
“Maybe,” she said with a smirk. “Unless I beat you.”
“What?” he said with a quizzical look. “Beat me?”
Aazuria smiled and moved away from the man, to the very opposite end of the bar. From where she stood, the dartboard looked tiny. However, she reached under her skirt, and withdrew a slender knife that had been strapped to her thigh. Chewing her own lip thoughtfully, she waited until everyone had cleared the area. She set her throw up, aimed, and fired.
The sound of gasps echoing through the bar was enough to let her know what had happened. Reaching into her bra, she pulled out another knife. She squinted to aim, and threw again. More ga
sps and sounds of wonder echoed through the room. Finally, she reached up to her darkened hair, and pulled out her barrette. She pulled the decorative sheath off the accessory, to reveal another knife. Winding her arm back, Aazuria threw once more. This time, there was only silence. She walked forward to see the result of her throws, and was met with shocked looks from all of the patrons in the bar. She was pleased to see that each of her throws had perfectly sliced Dimitri’s darts in half.
“Zuri!” Naclana said in awe. “How the hell did you do that?”
“I was trapped in a metal box for seven years,” she told her cousin. “I did not have very much to do.” She stepped forward and retrieved her three knives.
“You are magnificent,” Dmitri told her, approaching her with his blonde friend. “I have never seen such skill. Have a drink with us.”
“Please,” said the blonde man. “It would be an honor.”
“I think I should probably head to bed,” Aazuria told them. “I have a busy day tomorrow.”
“Really? What do you do?” Dmitri asked.
Aazuria smiled. “I run an empire.”
“She’s a dancer,” Naclana corrected quickly. “She’s highly trained in the art of ballet. Zuri, why don’t we stay and have a drink with these fine gentlemen?”
Seeing the hopeful look on Naclana’s face, she realized that he was hoping to get lucky with Dmitri’s blonde friend. Aazuria groaned. “Fine,” she relented. “One more drink. But only because I don’t get to spend quality time with my cousin very often.”
“I love you,” Naclana told her seriously. “You’re my hero.”
“Then bring me more wine,” she commanded, but there was a playful undertone to her voice. She allowed Dmitri to guide her to his table, and pull her chair out for her. Sitting down, she felt the room spinning slightly. Her entire body was tingly and light, and warm. The stresses of the day had disappeared, and she was enjoying herself. She had finally relaxed. Naclana was right, she realized once more. She needed to take time off more often. Maybe if she spent more time with Trevain…
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