by M. Walsh
“She looks lost, don’t she, Dux..?”
“That she does, Slim, that she does,” said another voice to her left. This one belonged to a short man with bushy hair and a pudgy gut. He approached, rubbing his hand against the mutton chops growing down the sides of his face. There was a greedy smile on his lips. “What do you think, Zeke?”
“She been looking for a man all night,” said a third voice. “I heard her.” Appearing between her and the inn was a large, round, and bald man. He was shiny with sweat and shared a similar smile on his fat face.
“Maybe we can oblige her,” said Slim.
“That we can, that we can,” said Dux.
“Don’t see many that look like this one,” said Zeke. “This one is prime.”
Anger mingled with the panic attack Katrina was afraid might take control. Of course, she thought. This was bound to happen. Seba and the surrounding area—a haven for cutthroats, thieves, brigands … and the disgusting mouth-breathers that prey on women.
I can kill the three of them so easily. It would be so quick … or slow. I could make them scream if I wanted …
She thought of Devon. She thought of that man and the open cut up his chest.
She knew she needed to defend herself. But her stomach was spinning, and she thought she might throw up. The world seemed to sway as she felt lightheaded and dizzy. Her strength left her knees, and an image of falling to pieces came again—followed by herself wearing the Enforcer’s mask.
Zeke reached out to grab her. Gritting her teeth, she drew her sword and slashed at him. He grunted and stumbled backward—missing some of his fingers. Resisting the urge to vomit, she swung her sword left and right in two quick movements, hoping she could finish them or scare them off.
Dux ducked. He was fast enough to save his head from being cut off, but not quick enough to avoid getting a slash across his forehead. He fell to the ground, blood pouring into his eyes.
Slim evaded the attack and snarled, “Crazy bitch!”
He punched Katrina in the gut, and she bowled over. Acting on instinct, she countered with an elbow to his face. He stumbled away, hissing, and reached for a knife strapped to his belt.
Adrenaline took over and pushed down the threat of panic. She cut at his leg, just below the knee, and Slim collapsed into the dirt, clutching the bleeding stump. With a swift motion, she brought the blade down on his face and split his head in two.
She turned, and Zeke rammed her with his shoulder. She landed in the dirt on her side, and before she could react, he leapt on top of her with all his weight. The wind was knocked out of her, and she felt her skeleton shudder.
Unfortunately for Zeke, Katrina had managed to hold onto her sword. He landed on the blade, and the point came out his back. He groaned in pain, but that did little to slow him down. He grabbed her throat with his good hand and squeezed.
She twisted the blade, making him grimace, but his grip tightened. He had to know he was dead already, but seemed intent on taking her with him.
From behind, a blade slid into the top of his shiny head. His face contorted—one eye widening, the other squinting, and his mouth went slack. The blade in his head twisted, making the fat man spasm, and he fell to the ground beside her, twitching.
Clutching her throat and choking, she looked up to find Scifer Olc standing over her with a pair of bladed tonfa in his hands. He smiled at her and walked over to the last of her attackers. Dux was flailing on the ground, trying to rub the blood out of his eyes.
“What,” he moaned. “What happened, guys..? I can’t see nothing …”
“I wouldn’t worry,” said Scifer, standing before him. “There’s nothing else to see anymore.”
With that, he slashed Dux’s throat. Blood spilled down his shirt, and he fell flat on his back, gurgling.
Catching her breath, Katrina pried her sword from Zeke’s gut and turned to Scifer, expecting an attack. Instead he looked at her with a pleasant—yet somehow empty—expression on his face.
As if simply stating a fact, he said, “You’ve had better nights.”
11
Lily and James talked more throughout the day as they rode north, trading anecdotes about their time in Graylands. Being the actual traveler between the two, Lily had the better stories—though she was careful not to slip any details that might give away her true nature. Her mood had brightened, and she found herself enjoying the company of the Brother.
After a brief stop in the city of Lacon, they continued on until reaching the end of the line in Gerritsen that evening. Having no belongings beside her shoulder-bag, Lily got off the train and waited on the platform for James to retrieve his luggage.
Outside the station was a wide boardwalk of bars, inns, and stores leading to the docks. The air was cool and crisp from the nearby sea, and a bright moon shined high above. The Gerritsen skyline looked impressive against the purple sky. The city was located in a small gulf in northern Graylands and one of the first inhabited cities of the country. It served as the main port between the country and the Two Empires.
“You want to get a few drinks?” Lily asked once James returned with his traveling case. “Stretch our legs a bit? Is it okay for Brothers of the Faith to drink?”
“Oh, we can indulge,” he replied. “Though I should warn you, I’m bit of a lightweight.”
They went to a Pilgrim’s Stop that was serving a healthy crowd and had a welcoming atmosphere. Leather chairs wrapped around the walls and small, circular tables were placed about. Not surprisingly, most of the patrons were passengers from the train. James offered to buy the first round while Lily found a pair of seats for them. The crowd around the bar was thick, so she knew he would take a while.
She felt excited and energized in a way she hadn’t known for a long time—if ever. This was her last night in Graylands, and her time with James left her more confident than ever. She could do it. She could live among humans in peace. She would still hide her true nature, but there would be no more wandering. No more fear.
She could have a life.
“Evening ma’am,” said a gravelly voice behind her. She groaned inside, already knowing who was standing there. “I’m Byron Stark. Captain Byron Stark.”
She said nothing, hoping he might take the hint and leave.
“I saw you on the train,” Stark continued. “You’re pretty cute.”
She dragged out the silence before looking up and asking, “Are you talking to me?”
“What’s your name?”
“Not interested. That’s my name. Get lost.”
“Whoa, whoa,” Stark said, holding his hands up. “I mean no harm, ma’am. Just trying to be friendly is all.”
“Yeah,” she said. “And I know what ‘friendly’ leads to.”
“Come on,” he said, sitting in the seat she saved for James. “You’re not being fair. Why don’t I buy you a drink? There’s no need to be in attack mode.”
“I already have someone getting me a drink, thank you.”
“What..? The White-Vest..?” He let out a dismissive laugh she found grating. “Look, why don’t you come hang out with me and my friends? We’re Sentry Elite. We can show a fine young woman a far better time than some cult freak.”
She scowled and felt the impulse to throttle him right there. She held herself in check as James returned with the drinks. “Excuse me,” he said to Stark. “But I was going to sit there, sir.”
Stark gave another of his mocking laughs. “Seriously..?” he said to Lily. “You’re taking this guy over a Sentry Elite? You can do better.”
“Sir, there’s no need for—”
“What are you doing talking to her anyway?” said Stark, now at James. “Aren’t you White-Vest loons a bunch of eunuchs anyway? The hell you going to do with a woman?”
Stark seemed to anger himself and stood up. He slapped the drinks from James’s hands and pushed him. At the bar, most of the other Sentries were cheering him on—only a few half-heartedly suggested he
stop. He shoved James again and looked like he was about to hit him, when Lily decided she’d seen enough.
She snatched Stark’s wrist before he could strike. He pulled, but couldn’t get free of her. He snarled and tried to hit her with his free hand, but she caught his fist. Her grip tightened, and Stark moaned in pain as the bones in his hand began to crunch. She then grabbed his throat and shoved him against the wall.
Her crimson eyes dark and her voice cold and deep, she growled, “You don’t touch him.” Confusion on Stark’s face turned to fear. “Go back to playing with your boyfriends and leave us alone.”
With a hiss, she threw him from the wall, and he landed in a heap on the floor. The tavern went silent and everyone, including James, stared at her with awe. Lily took a breath and cleared her throat before helping James to his feet.
“I guess we should go,” she said.
She apologized to the bartender for the mess, and they left. Behind her, the other Sentries burst into laughter at the fallen Stark.
* * *
They rented a room around the corner from the Stop. Because of Gerritsen’s high turnaround of people coming and going by ship or train, the inn was a simple place built to accommodate as many patrons as possible. The room was a square with two beds and little else.
Upon entering, Lily dropped her shoulder-bag on the floor. After lighting a lantern on the mantelpiece, she plopped down on one of the beds. James, however, was too excited. He wouldn’t stop talking about their confrontation with Stark.
“That was incredible,” he said. “How did you do that?”
“Oh, you know,” she replied, shrugging. “Graylands can be a dangerous place. Girl has to know how to defend herself.”
“I’ve never seen anything like that,” he said, sitting on his own bed. “He was twice your size!”
She shrugged again.
He took off his glasses and wiped them with a handkerchief. For a moment, she thought he was done with the subject, but he continued, “Unbelievable. His acting like that, I mean. I never would’ve expected that from Sentry Elite.”
“You do know a lot of those guys only join because they want to kill things and get girls.”
“Disgraceful.”
“So,” she said, hoping to change the subject. “Where are you going tomorrow?”
“Hm..? Oh, yes—I’m heading east to Lorenya.”
She nodded, only saying, “Oh.” Although she didn’t say, the truth was she knew almost nothing about the Two Empires or the countries within them. James could’ve told her anything and it would’ve been the same to her.
“Do you know where you’re going?” he asked. “Have you even decided?”
Feeling embarrassed, she said, “No. I was just winging it.” She chuckled and scratched her hair. “Would you mind if I went with you?”
“I wouldn’t mind at all, Lily.”
They both smiled, and there was silence. They looked at one another, and in that moment, Lily sensed something. Something unspoken, but shared between the two of them. The only other time she felt something like it was during her brief time with Krutch. James must have felt it, too, because he blushed.
“That reminds me,” he said, standing up. “I should charter the ship now, before it gets too late.”
“Do you want me to go with you?”
“No, not at all,” he replied, his face still red. “It shouldn’t take any time. I’ll, er, I’ll be right back.”
Lily was left by herself to take in what just happened. She felt it, and she knew James did. But it wasn’t like Stark or drunken fools or the scum she fed on. He cared about her, but would never presume. Whatever he was feeling about her, he wouldn’t dare expect anything of her. He probably wouldn’t say anything unless she suggested it first.
The question was how she felt about it. She cared about him. He was kind to her and gave her something she didn’t think was possible. There was something endearing about his outlook—so positive and optimistic. And he was handsome.
With a sigh, she decided not to push the matter when he returned. They just met and still had a long voyage ahead. For all she knew, the Faith required its disciples to be celibate. And she was half-succubus. She didn’t even know whether she could have someone without hurting them.
If nothing else, she thought, they’d be friends.
* * *
Time passed, and James hadn’t returned yet.
Lily paced around the small room, wondering how long it would take to charter a ship and reassuring herself there was nothing to get worried about. She told herself James was probably still flustered and taking his time as much as anything else—just collecting his thoughts and deciding how he felt about her.
She glanced out the window and bit her lower lip. There were still plenty of people walking around the boardwalk. She told herself nothing could or would happen to him with so many people around. It wasn’t even that late. As long as he stayed on the boardwalk, he would be fine.
Then why does this feel wrong?
She paced around some more. As her anxiety grew, the room seemed to shrink and get hot. Feeling impatient, she left the inn and headed to the docks herself, hoping somewhere along the way she’d run into James. As much as she tried to remain calm, she found herself close to running.
Although the boardwalk was still alive, the docks were quiet when she reached them. The ships were tied up, sitting silently in the bay with their sails down. The only sound was the waves and creaking of boats. If there was a place to charter a ship, it was closed for the night.
Finding the docks so deserted only made Lily more nervous. She turned and headed back the way she came, telling herself she had just missed James and he was probably back at the room.
Returning to the boardwalk, she told herself nothing would happen to him with so many people around. If someone was mad enough to do something in the open, help would come.
Then why was she so troubled? What was it that gave her such a terrible dread in her gut?
She watched the people walking about—hopping from bar to bar, buying things in the open shops, or just enjoying the night air. The moon shined, and all seemed calm and as it should be. It was cool and crisp and reminded her of nights she spent passing through cities like Canton or Garland or Beacon …
With a chill, Lily realized this was the type of night she preferred to hunt. This was a night where predators were lurking.
Looking at the various faces around her, she knew some were watching and waiting. Watching for a victim, waiting for a time to strike. A crowded area could even be an advantage—someone could easily be snatched without notice.
Taking a breath, she walked along and thought what she would do if she was hunting. She would lure her prey to someplace secluded and dark, either away from the boardwalk, or perhaps in one of the darkened alleys.
She soon found herself drawn to a narrow alleyway not far from the docks. Only a few paces in was nothing but darkness—as if there was another world just beyond the threshold, separate and hidden.
Looking into the shadows, Lily sensed something familiar and knew what she would find: a heart filled with malice. Around the back, her dread was confirmed.
There she found Byron Stark. And he was not alone.
He stood over a beaten and bloodied James.
“You thought that was funny, didn’t you, you little bastard,” Stark said. “Not so funny now, is it?”
“You piece of shit!”
Stark barely had time to register her presence before Lily was on top of him. He was tackled into a pile of garbage that crumbled around them. Anger and fury overtook her, and she pounded and clawed at his face with an inhuman hiss.
After slamming his head on the ground, she turned to James. His face was bruised and bloody, and his suit was rumpled and stained, but he appeared otherwise unharmed. She tried to stir him, but he only groaned and didn’t move.
She was going to find help, when Stark wrenched her hair and elbow
ed her in the kidney. She was thrown to the ground and kicked in the stomach.
“Who do you think you are, you crazy bitch?” he snarled. He dragged her up and threw her into another pile of garbage. “I’ll teach you respect, slut! When I’m done, you’re going to wish you …”
Stark stopped in his tracks. Lily’s skin faded to a pale, ashy gray. Black claws grew from her fingers, and her growling mouth revealed gritted fangs. Her eyes glowed furious, burning red. He backed away as an inhuman noise emerged from her throat—instinctively grabbing at his side for a weapon.
She let out a guttural snarl and pounced on top of him. He had triggered a terrible fury in her heart and awakened the orc half of her. Her strength and speed increased three-fold, and she threw him from one end of the alley to the other. She slashed with her claws and bit at his neck.
Stark tried in vain to fight her off, but even being a warrior with experience fighting demons, he could not have been prepared for what he was facing that night.
With a hiss, she lifted the Sentry over her head and slammed him into the ground. Looking at her beaten opponent, she sneered and spit on him for good measure.
Regaining some control of herself, she turned only for her heart to jump into her throat and a terrible jolt shock her spine.
James stared at her, backed to the opposite wall, pale and eyes wide. “What,” he choked out. “What in heaven’s name are you..?”
Lily froze, her mouth hanging open. “James, I …” she began, her voice harsh and deep. “I can—I can explain..!”
She approached him, but he darted away, as though he didn’t even want her to touch him. He circled around, trying to keep his distance. “You..! You’re not human! You’re some kind of monster!”
“No!” she said, trying to force her claws to recede and will her skin back to its human shade. “I mean—yes, but … you don’t understand..!”
“Stay away!” he screamed, backing further away. “You’re a creature of the Black! A deceiver and liar!”
“No! I swear to you, I wasn’t—”
She stopped to warn him Stark was getting up. Looking back, Lily couldn’t say whether Stark meant to attack James or if he was too dazed to realize what he was doing.