We end up following the caravan into a large square. On the way, we pass a man hawking sandals, a woman who insists I need a beaded shawl, and a little boy trying to sell me a “genuine” charisma charm. The square is even busier than the streets.
Not that being in a new place makes me nervous, but the sun is beginning to creep lower in the sky.
As I debate which way we should go, Flink sits on his haunches and sticks his snout in the air, taking in all the smells the new city has to offer. I look around, hoping to find some clue as to where we ended up.
“Have you found yourself lost, lovely Lady Adventuress?” a man says from behind me.
Instantly on guard, I turn. Even though I’m a medium height, the owner of the voice towers over me. He wears a drab brown vest and trousers just a shade lighter, and though he knows who I am, his dark eyes and warm complexion lead me to believe he’s Elrijan. His features are too sharp to be considered handsome, but there’s something compelling about him nonetheless.
“Are we acquainted?” I ask, though I’m sure I’ve never met this man.
“No, my lady. I’m afraid your infamy has followed you all the way to Stali.”
That little statement makes me uneasy, but we’re not that far from the provinces, not yet at least. I suppose it makes sense that there are those here, especially near Kalae’s border, who will know who I am.
“I’m afraid I’m at a disadvantage,” I say, still leery of the man since he came out of nowhere. “You know who I am, but I do not know you.”
He smiles, and though the expression appears genuine, there’s just something about him that sets me on edge. For one, it’s impossible to tell how old he is. At first, I’d pegged him to be far older than I am, perhaps twenty-eight or twenty-nine, but now I’m not sure. He might be older than I estimated—or he might be younger. It’s disconcerting.
“My name is Akello, and I am at your service.” He bows like a man accustomed to our Kalaen ways, with one hand on his back and the other stiff at his waist.
I study him for another moment and tighten my grip on Flink’s lead. “Are you in the provinces often, Akello?”
He gives me a cryptic shrug that does nothing to ease the slimy feeling of dread making its way through my veins.
“Please do not think me presumptuous, but may I escort you to dinner, Lady Lucia? If I am not mistaken, this is your first time in Stali, and the city has much to offer.”
I begin to shake my head, but the man is already hailing a carriage. The driver cannot be older than my youngest sister, Kirsten, who is only eight. No matter, the boy steers his single donkey toward us. The small wagon is just large enough for two, more a trap than a carriage.
“I’m sorry. I must find my companions.” I’m already hedging backward.
Isn’t this a lovely position I’ve found myself in? I cannot hurry away when I do not know the right route—who knows where I’d find myself? And I believe it’s smarter to stay here in this busy square than end up in a deserted district when night falls.
Akello fixes his eyes on me and gives me a wry smile. “I’ve come on too strong, haven’t I? You’re looking to make a hasty getaway.”
The boy in the trap looks between the two of us, fidgeting with the reins.
The humor in the man’s eyes eases my worry, even if only slightly, and I roll my shoulders. “Perhaps a little.”
He ducks his head in amusement.
“Forgive me,” he says, and then he looks up, pinning me with his gaze. “I admit I was surprised to find you here, my lady, and I’m afraid my zealousness got the best of me.”
Though I never know how to answer when people say things like that, I offer him a small smile.
Akello waves the trap away. With a frown, the boy clucks at his donkey.
“Wait.” Akello flicks the boy a gold coin. “For your trouble.”
The young driver’s eyes light, and he leaves with a grin on his face.
After speaking with him, I don’t feel as uncomfortable as I did a few moments ago, and I’m just debating asking him if he could help me find the others, when I hear my name called from across the square.
And there Sebastian stands, looking put out as he scans the crowd. A smile tugs at my lips, and I’m struck with intense affection. We’ve been through a lot in the last few years, but somehow, we’ve come out of it unscathed. He’s still here for me, and he always will be. Just like I’ll always be there for him.
Akello follows my eyes across the square, and he frowns. “Friend of yours?”
I stand on my tiptoes and give Sebastian an exaggerated wave. “From the time we were little.”
“Your business partner, I assume?”
I give him a sideways glance. “That’s right.”
“I figured, seeing as how your captain is at sea.”
This time, I narrow my eyes. “You certainly know a lot about us.”
The man steps a smidgen closer and leans down suggestively. “What can I say? I’m a fan of your work.”
Sebastian finds me, and his gaze automatically falls on Akello. His expression hardens, and he strides to us, narrowly avoiding the traffic in the busy street.
Narrowing my eyes at the man across from me, I step back. “Captain Avery, and I, we’re…”
Well, that’s difficult to explain. But we are certainly something.
“Engaged?” Akello asks, but from the humor in his eyes, I can tell he knows the answer.
“Well, not exactly, but—”
“Is he courting you?”
“I’m not sure you could say that precisely—”
A slow smirk builds on Akello’s face, one that makes me more than a little uncomfortable. “And he did leave you when he went back to sea, did he not?”
I square my shoulders to him. “Yes, but it’s—”
“Complicated?”
Growing quite agitated, but wanting to appear anything but, I take in a long, deep breath. “I suppose you could say that. But Avery will meet me as soon as he’s back to the mainland.”
Sebastian’s halfway to us, and he stops to let an elderly woman pass in front of him. I wish he’d hurry up.
Akello takes another step in. “Indulge me, if you will. What’s the sign of a good captain?”
I cross my arms and wait for him to continue.
“You don’t know? Well, I will tell you: they value their ship and crew above all else. So, tell me, what does your Avery love more. You? Or the sea?”
A lump forms in my throat, and I try to swallow.
He lowers his voice to a whisper. “There’s not a lot of water in Elrija, my lady. What makes you so certain he’s coming for you?”
Before I lost the dagger, I was confident. But now?
“Because he swore he would,” I say with a lot more confidence than I feel.
Akello laughs under his breath and steps back, creating much needed distance between us. “The word of a pirate.”
I bite my tongue and glare at him.
“Pleasure meeting you, Lady Adventuress. I do hope our paths cross again.” He gives me a friendly look that feels anything but and walks away, nodding at Sebastian before he slips into the crowd.
“Who was that?” Sebastian asks as soon as he reaches me, gesturing toward the street.
That vague feeling of unease returns. “One of my admirers.”
Sebastian rolls his eyes. “I thought we left that in Kalae.”
“So did I.”
“We need to find the others before they get too far ahead.”
I tug on Flink’s lead and follow Sebastian, but I glance over my shoulder as I leave the square. There is no sign of the man.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Something Foolish
Built on a hill, the Stali Caravanserai is the highest building in the city beside the fortress castle. It’s lovely with lush gardens of pink Elrijan hibiscus and graceful, statuesque palm trees. A shallow, rectangular pool of water takes up most of the courtyard, w
ith a wooden footbridge spanning it. There’s koi in the pond, and tiny, golden frogs rest on thick lily pads.
It’s nearing twilight, and men in crisp linen trousers and jackets light the iron hanging lanterns.
With its white stone construction and artisan-crafted iron balconies, it’s by far the loveliest inn I’ve ever stayed in. Scattered around the pool, half a dozen caravans have stopped for the night. They have their wares available to the public, and people meander through, looking at the goods and enjoying the beautiful evening.
The hot day has cooled to the perfect temperature, and the smell of blooming jasmine is in the air.
Avery would love it.
I rub my chest, willing the fresh bout of worry to go away. I feel every single mile I put between us, every hour, every minute.
Gorin discusses something with our group, and though I’m standing with them, my mind is too busy to pay attention. We stand at the entrance of the caravanserai, and a boy has already collected the mules and my donkey. He promised our luggage would be taken to the lobby and would be waiting for us at the front desk.
Elrija certainly knows how to do posh.
“Three days at the most,” I vaguely hear Gorin say.
Sebastian shakes Gorin’s hand. “Safe travels.”
Finally, that catches my attention. I turn to our guide. “Wait. Where are you going?”
“To Kysen Okoro,” he says slowly, likely because he already explained all this once. “I’ll be back by sundown tomorrow.”
“Kysen Okoro?” I ask. “Isn’t that the king’s city?”
A strange expression crosses Gorin’s face, but only for a moment. “That’s right.”
Before I can ask him what business he has there, Yancey says, “Is it the location of Elrija’s main guilds?”
“All except the fishermen’s association. It’s located in Tilbarro, near the Dranyan Sea.”
“Let me come with you.” Judging from Yancey’s tone, it’s not a request. “Thanks to your border guards, I’m short on basic supplies.”
Gorin thinks about it for a moment. Though he wants to object, he finally agrees.
We say our goodbyes, and Gorin and Yancey head toward the stables to collect their mules before their things are taken inside.
Sebastian, Adeline, and I stand together, looking at our surroundings. For the first time in a long while, we have nothing to do.
“There are worse places to take a short holiday,” Sebastian says after a few moments.
He’s not the only one who thinks so. We’re surrounded by couples. Couples strolling hand in hand. Couples tossing coppers into the koi pond. Couples sharing sweet kisses when they think no one is looking.
There are young couples, old couples, and couples of all ages in between. It’s nauseating.
Adeline catches my eye and shares my look of frustration. There will be none of that for us.
Well, there could be for her, but she’ll have to make the first move on Sebastian.
Looking at the situation objectively, as I am able to now, I see why I never knew how Sebastian felt. Because he is like stone—idle. If Adeline doesn’t corner him, they’ll stay in their current friendship forever.
If I had been more forward, if I’d been braver, we would probably be together now.
Thank goodness I wasn’t brave.
“I’m tired.” I tap Flink to get his attention and start inside. “Let’s secure our rooms.”
The lobby is horribly ostentatious, but it is pretty. The floors are shining white marble, and at the center is a decorative tile mosaic done in vibrant, rich shades. Floor-to-ceiling windows surround the room, draped in blood red velvets. At the back is a polished black granite counter, and several attendants wait to assist guests with their various needs.
“Welcome,” a woman with a warm, easy smile says. Like the men outside, she wears an outfit of cream linen. “How may I be of assistance?”
Stepping up to the counter, Sebastian says, “We would like three rooms.”
The woman nods and opens her ledger. “Names please.”
Sebastian tells her, and her eyes flicker with recognition when he gets to mine. Surely I don’t have another fan.
“Would that be Lady Lucia Linnon of Reginae?” She leans over the counter and smiles at Flink as she adds, “Lovely dragon.”
“Um…thank you. And yes, I’m Lucia Linnon.”
Without explaining her strange reaction, she scratches something into her ledger and hands us three keys. “Enjoy your stay. If you require anything, please inform any of our staff, and we will do our best to accommodate you.”
Shaking off her odd reaction, exhausted and sore from the ride, I take my key. “Do you have a bathhouse on the premises?”
“The finest in all Elrija.”
“Perfect.”
“I’ll have your things brought up right away,” she assures us, and then she smiles at the patron waiting behind us.
I turn to Adeline and Sebastian. “I’m tired. I’m going to drop Flink off at my room, visit the bathhouse, and then go to bed.”
“You should eat,” Sebastian says.
I wave his concern away. “I’ll scrounge up something.”
Adeline demurely coils a loose strand around her finger, not quite looking at Sebastian. “I was hoping to try that restaurant we passed—the one with the outdoor terrace. It smelled just lovely.”
And looked insanely romantic.
Sebastian, clueless as always, nods absently. “That sounds fine. Come with us, Lucia. Don’t be a killjoy.”
Silently, Adeline begs me to decline.
“You two go on.” Before Sebastian can argue further, I give them a quick wave and head to the winding staircase at the back of the building. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
The truth is, even if I didn’t feel for Adeline’s plight, I have no desire to eat, and I’d be terrible company. All I want to do is wash the donkey hair and desert off me, lie on my bed, and obsess over the dagger I lost.
With its romantic, exotic atmosphere, I cannot imagine a more depressing place to stay, but it’s the only respectable inn in Stali. Not so long ago, I worked as a barmaid at whatever establishment would take me. I suppose I’ve become spoiled in the last year.
With a sigh, I push my door open and peer inside, dumbfounded.
“Fancy, Flink,” I murmur. “Looks like we’re moving up in the world.”
The room has an entry with a tiny bubbling fountain. Through the archway, there’s a large sitting room. A huge urn filled with brightly-colored, tropical flowers sits next to a balcony, and their floral, almost citrus fragrance fills the air.
Flink’s talons tap on the stone floor as we walk inside. He sticks his snout up, sniffing the painfully romantic chamber.
“If you destroy anything, I will be forced to make armor from your hide,” I inform him.
He blinks at me, looking innocent as can be. Laughing under my breath, I unclip the lead from his harness.
I pass right through the sitting area, past the balcony with its gossamer curtains billowing in the breeze, off to see if the bedroom—more specifically the mattress—is as grand as everything else, but a knock at the door stops me.
Flink, curious, waits by the entrance, probably hoping our visitor comes bearing gifts of food. Oddly enough, the man does.
“Good evening, my lady.” The attendant wears a warm smile that must be taught to all employees upon hiring. “I was instructed to bring you refreshment.” Then, nodding to each thing on the wooden tray, he says, “I have chilled cider, espresso, honey cakes, and an assortment of seasonal fruit.”
My stomach rumbles despite my earlier resolve to skip dinner. “It looks lovely, but I didn’t ask for food to be brought up.”
“You are Lady Lucia, correct?”
“I am.”
“Then it’s yours.” His smile never falters. Perhaps they’re charmed on all the attendants’ faces. “Sent from Lord Thane.”
&n
bsp; Sebastian must have decided I couldn’t possibly feed myself. I hold out my hands to accept the tray. “Well, thank you.”
I set the food down on the table by the fountain and rummage in my pouch for a tip.
The man bows in thanks and closes the door. “Pleasant evening.”
I glance down at Flink, who’s eying the honey cakes with dragonish glee, and gently swat his snout. “Get your nose down. Those will make you sick.”
The dragon follows me back into the sitting room and gives me a reptilian glare when I place the tray on a high counter. He can reach it, of course. But he’s lazy, and standing on his back legs would require a degree of effort.
Before I leave Flink here so I can search for the bathhouse, I pick at the fruit. I’m just debating which piece to try first when a strange snuffling noise drifts from the only room I haven’t explored.
Startled, I look toward the pitch-black bedroom. It’s dark outside now, and the curtains are drawn. Flink lowers his head and tail and lets out a soft warning growl. Fruit forgotten, I reach for my bow, glad I didn’t leave it with my things, which haven’t been brought up yet.
I nock an arrow and creep toward the dark bedroom. I have no free hand to carry any of the lamps which burn merrily from several tables scattered about the sitting room, so I’m at a disadvantage. Flink nudges past me, taking the lead. Some light shines in from the sitting room, illuminating the foot of the bed. The frame is swathed in netting—to protect against mosquitoes I’m sure, but like everything else in this wretched place, it has a romantic look to it.
Nothing lunges at me as I wait for my eyes to adjust. Once they do, I can just make out the source of the noise. Atop the covers, a man lies stretched out on his side. I shake my head to clear it, sure I’m seeing things. My mind is playing tricks on me—cruel tricks at that. Because the man has a heartbreakingly familiar look about him.
I creep forward, arrow still at the ready, and nudge the sleeping man’s foot with my knee. It’s probably a misunderstanding, that’s all. Somehow the attendant at the desk already assigned this room and forgot to write it in her ledger. It will give the man heart failure if he wakes to find a woman with an arrow trained on him.
Lily of the Desert (Silver and Orchids Book 4) Page 4