by Zen DiPietro
An idea coalesced in her mind, dancing a tango with the broad grin that spread across her face. A young couple walking in her direction slowed, staring, until they stopped a few feet away from her. It was really rather rude.
She transformed her face back to blandness. “What?” she snapped at the gawkers.
The girl squeaked while the young man stammered, “Nothing!” as they fell over themselves to get anywhere but where they were at that moment.
Once they’d hurried out of earshot, she let out a snort of laughter.
Élan blew lightly on her tea, then returned her gaze to Jonas and smiled. She was glad she’d called him on the comm after meeting with Kassimeigh. Joining him for lunch near his office had turned out to be quite pleasant.
“I didn’t realize Trak Engineering had offices in Sanctuary.” Big firms tended to operate in Capital City, while Sanctuary catered to artistic tastes with unique, homespun places. She ran a hand over her head, ensuring that her bun and the scarf covering it were in place. With her hair covered, it was unlikely anyone would recognize her.
“We don’t, really. This is just a small office that I keep for my personal use. I tend to work on special projects, which means I don’t have to be in Capital all the time.”
“You don’t like it there?” She picked up a cracker, smoothed a layer of olive spread on it, and bit into it.
“I do. I just like it here better.” He grinned, and she understood that he was referring to her more than to the city.
She looked away, not wanting to give him the wrong impression. She had no intention of leading him on. Making a friend was one thing, but she didn’t want him to mistake her interest as romantic. She let her attention wander across the cozy café. She’d spent many hours here over the years, and nothing had changed during her months of absence. Retta’s Café offered a vast variety of teas and coffees, in addition to fresh pastries, cakes, and sandwiches.
She and Jonas sat at a small table with mismatched chairs near the front door. Everything at Retta’s was eclectic. Retta’s few tables were accompanied by a couple of armchairs, a couch, and several upholstered seats with no backs. There was even a beanbag chair in one corner. Retta was all about casual flair, which suited Élan perfectly.
About half of the seats were occupied and a soft hum of conversation filled the air. Élan peeked at Jonas, hoping he’d taken her lack of response as a cue that she was not open to flirtation. She wished she could risk asking a question about Kett or sparkle, but that would be too obvious. Her only goal right now was to make a friend of Jonas.
“I’m partial to Sanctuary myself,” she said instead.
“Do you spend a lot of time here?” Jonas’ blue eyes were politely curious.
“Yes.” She smiled mysteriously and took a sip of her tea.
“With Nightfall?”
“Yes. And others, of course.”
“You mean professionally, or . . . ?”
Or did she have a romantic partner in the city. He wanted to know if he had a chance with her. Well, he didn’t, and it would be less awkward for both of them if the reason was that she was already involved with someone.
“Professionally, but also personally.” She held his gaze to be sure he understood her subtext.
“Ah.” He nodded with a rueful smile. “Can’t blame me for trying.”
“I don’t. I hope that doesn’t mean we can’t be friends, though.”
He seemed pleased by that. “I’d like that. I haven’t known many bards. Most of them seem kind of—” He stopped abruptly, looking embarrassed.
“Dramatic? Overemotional? Eccentric?” she supplied. All of those terms correctly described her brethren.
“Ah, well, yes. I’m just a regular guy.” He shifted awkwardly. “Too boring for all that.”
She liked that he characterized himself as the one with the problem rather than the bards. He was correct that bards had a tendency for passion and intrigue. Jonas seemed very solid and centered, and she liked that about him.
“Well, I don’t think you’re boring. I’m glad we met.” She ate another cracker. Retta’s olive spread was a particular weakness of hers. There was something about the briny flavor that kept her eating long after she was full.
“Do you go out in public much? I mean, with your hair covered, I don’t think I’d recognize you.”
“That’s the intent. Yes, I do go out. I’m just careful to remain incognito. At least, I usually am.” She could hardly explain to him that she’d intentionally revealed herself at his party for the purpose of ingratiating herself.
She waited for him to ask about her fame and her disappearance, but he only nodded as if he understood. And maybe he did. Being part of the Trak family, no doubt he’d grown up with a lot of eyes on him, too. But there was no way for him to just disappear like she had.
“Have you ever been to Blind Bob’s?” she asked.
“The bard place? No. An invitation there is harder to get than one to any banquet or award ceremony. Why?”
She supposed that, given his position, he received invitations to just about all of the exclusive events. “You should come by one evening, as my guest. You might like it. I mean, it’s mayhem, but it’s fun.”
He shuffled his feet. Was he nervous? “Well, okay. I could try it.” He glanced at his hand comm. “Oh, dirt. I’m due for a comm conference in ten minutes. I’m afraid I’ll have to go.”
“‘Oh, dirt’?” she repeated, amused. “I thought only ten-year-olds and grandparents said that.”
He chuckled as he pushed back his chair and stood. “An old habit. My parents always said it. In their world, it never pays to offend someone with bad language.”
She stood, too. She eyed the leftover crackers and spread on the table. She’d take those back to Blind Bob’s with her. No way she’d let them go to waste. “And I hang out with some of the most crass, poorly behaved people on the planet.” She grinned. “You might want to rethink your friendship with me. You could pick up some shocking habits.”
He gave her a crooked grin and she suddenly liked him all the more. “I’ve always wanted to live just a little dangerously. I think I’ll give it a whirl.”
They said their goodbyes and Élan smiled as she left Retta’s with her little bundle of olive spread and crackers. A straight-laced person at Bob’s. Oh, this could be so very fun.
Kassimeigh’s mission required stealth and patience.
Only two hours after leaving Sanctuary, she landed her kite in a thick patch of trees to avoid detection. She crouched down in a spot that gave her a view but concealed her from anyone who might glance out at the tree line. She waited. Finally her target moved away from the others and toward the trees, most likely thinking about some bladder relief. She remained silent, crouched low with her weight balanced evenly so she could spring.
When he got close enough, she launched herself at him, catching him entirely by surprise and pinning him to the ground. The familiar buzz of contact reverberated through her.
“What the hell, Kass?”
Arc’s voice wasn’t annoyed, just surprised and puzzled. He peered up at her curiously. She grinned before moving aside so he could sit up.
“I wanted to see you,” she answered.
Other people would ask more questions, but Arc simply dusted himself off and grinned back at her. “I won’t complain about that. Your greeting was new, though. What’s the plan?” He glanced out toward the training field where the archers continued to practice, but no one seemed to be looking in their direction.
“I’m kidnapping you.”
“Oh?”
“I’ve left word with Will and our assistants in case someone goes looking for you. I don’t want to panic anyone. So I guess it’s less a kidnapping than an authorized day of leave. But calling it a kidnapping sounds more exciting.”
Arc picked a leaf out of his hair and stood. “Agreed. Kidnapping it is.” He paused to give her a considering look. “I like it wh
en you’re unpredictable. It’s new.”
“Was I that stodgy before?”
“I wouldn’t say stodgy. Just . . . hm. Very respectable. Decorous.”
“Right. I guess that’s still how I operate in general. But with you, well . . . other stuff.”
Arc laughed. “Perfect.”
She gestured to the kite and they both sat.
“Where are we headed?” he asked.
“For some personal time. We’re past due.”
“Too true. Do I get to know where we’re going?”
“Killyton. Know it?”
“No.”
Good. She liked the idea of showing him something new. “It’s a sweet little coastal town. Relaxed, easygoing. Touristy. Very pretty.”
“So we’re going to play tourist?”
“Yes.”
“I love it. One thing though, before we take off.”
She started to ask what, but before she could get the word out, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a long, slow kiss. She opened her eyes and found him smiling at her.
“Hi,” he murmured before pulling away.
“Hi,” she returned, trying to catch her breath. She straightened and threw her shoulders back. “Off we go, then.”
She had to use a little more speed than Arc cared for, but she compensated for it by buffering them from the g-force. Killyton was a good distance away from Apex, since it was on the southern coast of the mid-lats, and she’d need to return Arc to the fortress that evening. He had duties in the morning, and she could only kidnap him for so long. She had her own things to do the next day as well. They just didn’t have the time for leisurely travel.
She got them to Killyton in only two hours. She landed on the edge of town and leaned the kite up against a wall. Then she secured it with a wisp of mana. No one was likely to try to take it, but if they did, they’d get a moderate jolt for their efforts. Nothing terrible, just a good zap to make them rethink their thievery.
“Hungry?” she asked him. She had no idea if he’d had lunch yet.
“Nah.” His gaze roamed over the little cabana-style buildings. Many of the souvenir shops and eateries were open-air. And why not, given the wonderful ocean breezes? Other buildings had walls, yet maintained an easygoing, beachy sort of architecture.
“I’ll just change, then, and we can go for a walk, if you like.”
“Sure.”
She found a public restroom and ducked inside. She stripped off her shoka and put on a pair of tan shorts and a green tank top. She pulled her hair into a ponytail, then folded her shoka and tucked it into her backpack. She’d stored her sword in Sanctuary after buying the shorts and tank top. She felt comfortable in the clothes, yet a bit naked without her sword. It was strange not to feel its weight on her back, like something was missing. Her hidden daggers compensated only slightly.
She shrugged into her backpack and walked outside to find Arc. He emerged from another restroom and gave her new outfit a good once-over.
“Nice. You should wear shorts more often.”
“Maybe the shivs should consider a shorts version of the shoka?” she teased.
They both took a moment to envision that. They shook their heads at the same time. “Definitely not,” he said with a grimace.
He took her hand and they strolled down to the waterfront. The smell of the ocean was wonderful. Kassimeigh inhaled deep lungfuls. She greatly enjoyed Killyton. It had a lovely anonymity, since no one remained there for long. People always seemed more relaxed than they did in the cities. The views were gorgeous and the breezes gave an illusion of utter freedom.
They walked hand in hand, enjoying the view of gentle blue waves rippling across the ocean’s surface. The sun dappled the waves, making them twinkle. Other couples walked the same path that they did, and a family of four bicycled right around them.
“It’s wonderful here,” Arc said. “I see why you like it.”
She hummed in agreement.
“How are things going for you at the keep?”
She frowned, the spell breaking a little bit as she connected her thoughts to the reality beyond Killyton. “Fine, in most regards. Busy.”
Since Arc was not directly involved in the sparkle investigation, he knew nothing of it. She felt uneasy about keeping something so central to her current life from him, but Ina had been clear that only essential personnel should know about sparkle. Secrecy was hardly new to Kassimeigh, but keeping a major event from Arc was. Being beholden to the legal system could be tough on a relationship. She hoped it never came to that for her and Arc.
He gave her hand a light squeeze. “Things at the fortress are on an even keel. Will’s been busy with the mine collapses. Bow training is going well. The hierarchy and organization have really settled in. It’s good to see the Guard so well developed.”
“You’re talking like I’ve been gone for months. I was in Apex just recently,” she reminded him.
“I know. But time seems to stretch out much longer when you’re not there.”
Aw. Somehow he managed to make statements like that without sounding lame.
“I’ve missed you, too,” she assured him.
He stopped walking and wrapped his arms around her. She snuggled against him for a long moment. Instead of starting to walk again, they simply turned with his arm around her waist and looked out at the water.
“Excuse us!” A woman’s voice called out.
Kassimeigh looked to her right just as Arc pulled her back a step so a family could bicycle by them on the narrow path. The mother led, and three kids followed her. The father brought up the rear.
“Thanks!” he called as they cycled away.
Kassimeigh watched the family as they retreated. It was good to see them all out together, enjoying the outdoors.
“Ever think of having kids?” Arc asked.
Kassimeigh blinked. “That came out of nowhere.”
“Not really. We were just looking at kids.”
Okay, that was true. But she hadn’t expected him to ask about her intentions toward motherhood.
“Izzy asked me that same question some time ago, and it made me put some thought into it. I’ve been thinking about it ever since you and I got together, really.”
“And?”
“And I’ve never pictured myself as a mother. I love kids. I just don’t identify with having my own. I can’t imagine being pregnant. I don’t think motherhood fits into my life.” She searched his face, but his features didn’t give anything away.
“Is that okay?” she asked.
“It’s how you feel, so it has to be.” He shrugged. “I always figured I’d eventually want kids, but so far the urge hasn’t hit me. I think I’d be fine with not having them, if that’s how you feel.”
“Really?” She’d been concerned by the issue. She’d worried that Arc might feel strongly about having them, which could have created major problems between them.
“Yeah. We both have a lot in our lives already. If kids aren’t something you want, we’ll still have plenty to enjoy.”
She let out a small sigh of relief. She’d never found the right way to lead into this conversation, but now that they’d had it, she was glad.
“We would have had cute kids though,” he reflected.
She laughed. “We would.”
“Your fantastic hair and my awesome dance moves,” he added.
“Your dance moves are not awesome.”
“They are. You just haven’t learned to appreciate their amazingness.” He squinted at her. “Do I need to break them out right now?”
“Please don’t.”
“Because I would.”
“I know.”
“Okay, then. But know that I could, at any moment.” Indeed, he seemed poised to start dancing.
“I do,” she assured him.
They laughed together and began walking again.
“So the kids thing is settled,” he said thoughtfully. “What abo
ut the soulbond thing? We said we wanted to find out more.”
“Actually, I’ve made some inroads on that.” She gave him a bright smile, pleased to have something to tell him. “I told Finn about our bond, and that we’re willing to be the subject of scientific research. He practically did a dance of joy.”
Arc laughed. “Dr. Finn Sparks, at the Capital Lab?”
She nodded.
“I bet he did. What about Luc?”
“He is very, very in.”
“That’s great. I’d love to find out more about how this thing between us works.”
“Me too.” She suspected that soul bonds were somehow related to the ability to use mana, but so far she had no empirical information. She hoped they’d be able to collect it. “It also means we’ll need to be together for days at a time, so that we can be the test subjects.”
“Oh, now that’s a shame.” He pasted on a look of abject sorrow.
She ignored his theatrics and remained deadpan. “I know. We just need to get to a point where we can manage some vacation from our jobs.”
“Your jobs are more of an issue in that regard than mine. When do you think that will happen?”
She ran a hand over her curly ponytail. “I’m hoping within a few weeks. I’m working on something now that will need resolution first.”
“Ah. With Aunt Ina?”
She stopped walking and looked at him.
He shook his head, smiling. “Come on, now. I know the signs of hush-hush operations.” He tugged her hand to get her walking again. “No worries. My aunt has worked in politics my whole life, and I know how it works. It doesn’t pertain to me, so I’m not in the loop. I get it.”
Oh, that man. If she didn’t already love him, she’d start now. He never stopped being exactly what she needed.
“Thanks. Hopefully it will be resolved soon.”
He looked like he wanted to say something, but thought better of it. Instead, he ruffled her ponytail, ruining the smoothing she’d just given it. “I think I’m starting to get hungry. Where do you recommend for an early dinner?”