by Katie Zaber
Xander studies the bottle more cautiously. “What is this?”
“Spiced wine. Townsfolk gave it to us.”
“Townsfolk. Where and who?” Brynjar asks.
“Capo’s Secret. She wanted to warn a bartender. Think she called him Blue. A man named Sean gave us food and drink. We couldn’t be more grateful. I didn’t eat too much today, only had one piece of pizza.”
“Pizza?” Megan got people to make her pizza? I need Ciara to make a pie.
Brynjar, Tristan, and Xander give me a look like That’s the question you ask? What are you crazy? Besides, what is pizza?
“Yes, pizza. I never had tasted anything like it. She showed the cooks how to make it. They liked her. She made them feel equal.”
“You guys had pizza. You couldn’t bring me a slice? I haven’t had that in eight years.” Stuffed crust, oozing with gooey cheese, pepperoni, bacon, and sausage. Oh God, I’m hungry.
Mana tilts his head. “You’re from her town?” Pausing, he studies me and states, “You are related to her.”
Megan didn’t tell Mana she’s not from Dalya. What else has she kept secret? “Yeah, I moved to Capo eight years ago. Our moms are sisters. She’s my little cousin.”
“She didn’t speak about anyone from here or there, or anyone she cares for. She wouldn’t give names. She only said how much she missed her family. The only person she spoke openly about was her mother, and she had nothing kind to say. I suspect she still lives far away, from how Megan and the king spoke.”
“Yeah, my aunt is still there. I still can’t wrap my head around my uncle being alive. I saw him in a coffin. They piled six feet of dirt on top of him. It sounds impossible that he’s alive, let alone the king.”
“Megan said the same thing. After she awoke from what the king gave her—”
Brynjar cuts him off. “Potion to speed up her Fae side.”
“Yes. She changed fast. She barely looked like a halfling when I brought her to the castle. After the potion, she looked Fae. When she woke, I took her to the king. He wanted to speak to her in private. Five minutes later, four other guards and I see her bursting through the throne room’s doors, running down the halls, ignoring the king’s orders. She gave us a good chase. We found Megan in Kilyn’s room; that’s how she became involved in this mess. Megan tried to protect her. She never knew how dangerous her life would become.”
Xander passes the bottle to me, to give back to Mana. He’s been keeping his eye on me the whole time, ready to swat the bottle out of my hand if I dare take a sip. The bottle feels light in my hands, but it is full. It’s as if it’s weightless. I pass it to Mana. He tilts his head, offended that I did not accept his drink, thinking it’s out of hostility. “I stopped drinking. I gave it up. I can’t have a sip.” I really, really, really want one.
He nods, understanding without need of further explanation. He takes a swing and passes it back to Brynjar. “The king wants her dead.”
“Wait. You said the king is her father,” Tristan says.
“Yes. He is evil. I protected her the whole time from him, mostly. I didn’t know she was his daughter until after we chased her around the castle. After seeing them together, her aunts and cousins, it’s easy to see she is his true heir. Plus, he announced it to everyone.”
“How d’you end up with blood on you?” Brynjar asks.
“The king sent three assassins to kill her. They were fellow King’s Knights. The same rank and same skill set as me. All of them slicers. I don’t know where Megan got that knife. Maybe Kilyn had it. If she didn’t stab him… the three of them had me surrounded. One had his back to her. She shielded Kilyn the whole time. I saw him drop. Gave me time to focus on the other two. She didn’t just slit his throat, she practically hacked his head off after stabbing him in the neck. Blood splattered all over the room.”
“She mentioned killing people, but I didn’t realize how bad it was.” It’s no wonder she is in shock.
“That’s not the worst of it.” Mana takes a long swing, then another, and another. “After we clean up, she will tell you everything. Just know she’s not doing well. I’ve been a soldier for decades. I’ve seen horrific things, but what happened today? There isn’t a drink to ease her mind. There’s too much pain from too many directions.” Mana closes his eyes and leans his head back against the chair. “Oh, do any of you know a blacksmith that could remove my torc? It will show everyone I work directly for the king. I need to remove it.”
I snort. “We’re both blacksmiths.” I point to Brynjar, who has zoned out into the fire. “You worked hard to get that?” I ask him. He has no other badges signaling his rank, so the gold torc must be it.
He grabs the gold torc with his hand, running his fingers over the smooth, shiny metal. “I spent my whole life rising to the rank of King’s Knights. There is no higher rank than pure gold in the king’s eyes.” He releases the torc, his lips curl into a small sneer. “My life has more meaning than that.”
Chapter Thirty - Megan
The girls move quickly into action without any questions. What we are, who we are, whose blood we’re wearing, nothing. They are here to help, support, and give their love, anything they can offer. It makes me cry even more. I need them. Seeing them alive gives me more hope than anything in this world. They know me inside and out. They love me without any conditions.
I missed them.
“Kilyn, it is normal for me to wash your hair. Relax, love. Rest,” Ciara says while trying to keep Kilyn seated in the small tub.
“Kilyn,” I say, trying to muster a smile. “You’re not a servant anymore. You’re a child. Where we come from, children get baths. Sit back and relax. Ciara gives great hair massages.” She settles down, still unsure, but she allows Ciara to wash her hair with no additional protest. Her frown melts away with each movement from Ciara’s gentle hands.
Sarah sips a cup of coffee from a plain ceramic mug. I sit next to her, our backs resting against the corner wall, far away from the tub. Dana is busy sorting clothes from our packs and making the hideaway room a private bedroom for Kilyn. It’s the perfect size for her. The room is five by four. It’s small but has enough space for her to sleep. It will make the addition of Mana and me into the tight cabin easier.
“Any of that blood yours?” Sarah asks.
“I wish.” Tears fill my eyes. “No. All the blood spilt today was by my hands, including the ashes.”
It takes Sarah a moment to realize my implication. That I had to burn people. “I’m sure there was a just reason, self-defense.”
“No. The ashes weren’t in defense, but a demonstration.”
Her rich, milk chocolate brown eyes hold no judgment.
I thought if anyone would judge my actions, it would be Sarah. Nothing against her, but it’s in her nature to examine and interrogate. It always has been. However, now she doesn’t do either. She sits with me in silence, sipping her coffee as I hold back as many tears as possible. My hands clench the mug tight. I need something to hold.
Sarah puts down her mug and gives my knee a light squeeze. “I know you. Don’t forget we are in this together. We came together. If needed, we leave together.”
No words could mean more from Sarah. They are simple but to the point. She won’t let me fight anything on my own. She’s here for any challenges that come and will go down swinging by my side. To know she will put her life on the line for me is only a testament to our friendship, our bond. I know Ciara and Dana stand by those words too. I don’t have to ask. Their actions alone prove how much they care.
“All right Kilyn, get dressed. Your bed is all set up. Lucky you. You have your own bedroom. The rest of us have to sleep with the stinky men,” Dana says, showing Kilyn to the little hideaway.
Kilyn giggles.
“Megan, I have your water heating. Sarah, can you ask the guys to empty the tub?” Ciara asks.
Sarah nods and leaves to fetch the men.
Kevin and Xander come in to carry out th
e tub and bring it back empty. Tristan and Brynjar follow them, getting more water. I’m glad they gave Mana a break. He needs to rest. It’s clear they want to say something, but it’s not the time, with me caked in mud and blood. They leave, not wanting to either disturb or upset me any more than I already am.
Dana comes out from the closet, just in time for my bath. “I told Kilyn a little bedtime story. A shortened version of Beauty and the Beast. She fell asleep halfway through. It’s crazy. She’s almost as tall as I am, but she looks like a ten-year-old. You freed her from your father?” She sucks in a deep breath. “I can’t even wrap my mind around what you’ve been through. What she’s been through.”
Berry tea spills out from my shaking mug. I can’t hold it in anymore. The dam of emotions breaks open. The mug falls to the floor, shattering into pieces. I try to collect the broken remains, but Sarah swats my hands away and cleans up my mess. I sob. Collapsing inward, I crawl into a ball on the cold wood floor. My arms are now wet, lying in the spilled tea.
Their hands are busy bracing, moving, and holding me up. I… I don’t move at all. Not on purpose. I have no thoughts on what body part to move, to lift my right foot or step with the left, nothing. It’s an automatic response. A machine following instructions I can’t hear. Their words are muffled by my cries. They give directions to my deaf ears and somehow, the shell of my body moves to the tub. Where my mind is, I can’t say.
Hot water touches my skin. The assassin’s blood mingles with the water. It’s beautiful at first. Flecks of blood fall off, tinting the water pink, until thicker patches of dried blood and mud combine, turning the clear liquid into a cloudy reddish brown. But all the blood won’t come off. It’s like a permanent tattoo, covering my whole body.
I scrub.
More salty tears pour down my face, mixing in with the hot water. My nails won’t scrape the blood off my skin. The blood won’t come off, no matter how frantically I scrub. It will never leave me. I’m forever soaked in blood. That’s what a war is. That’s what I did. I spread death, blood, and madness because of the fucking king.
“Megan, stop! You’re scraping your skin off!” Dana grabs my hands, holding them firm. She won’t let go.
I cry, “No! It won’t come off!”
Sarah takes me by the shoulders, giving me a little shake. “Megan. Megan. Let Ciara wash you. It’s okay. Try to relax. Breathe. Try. I know it’s hard. Close your eyes. Focus on breathing.”
“The blood won’t come off. Neither will the ashes.” Tears steam down my face. Did I make the right decisions? The image of their wrinkly hands won’t leave my mind. I am forever covered in ashes and blood.
“Megan, it’s all coming off. The ash is almost out of your hair. My God, it’s grown. Who braided it?” Ciara asks.
“Kilyn. Cut it off.”
“What?” Ciara asks, walking to the front of the tub in shock.
“They will hunt women with long curly red hair. Chop it as short as possible.”
“Going pixie. I like it,” Sarah says. She always wears her hair cut short. “Smart. No one can grab it. You should color it too. Same with you, Ciara. You don’t want to become a mistaken target.”
“She’s right,” I say. “They gave Mana a vague description of a redhead who may or not have Fae traits. I must have had enough Fae features or else he could have taken you. He didn’t know he was even looking for the king’s daughter. Just a redhead.”
She grabs her hair as if to protect it. “I’m not cutting it. I will dye it blonde, but no cutting.” She picks up a knife and then begins to hack off my hair. She slowly saws through it and then holds it up for me to see. “Can’t go back now. It looks cute.”
She gently washes what’s left of my hair. Her hands gingerly rub my head, relaxing me. I close my eyes, drifting asleep for a second. Hands pick me out of the tub to dry me off. All three work together as I stand limp like a rag doll. They dress me in a t-shirt and help me step into pants. I’m so much more comfortable sitting in clean clothes. I don’t want to move. I’m not sure I can.
“All right. Go get the boys. It’s time for Mana to wash up.” Ciara starts heating more water.
Sarah leaves the cabin again. A minute later, they come in. Kevin and Xander take the tub and pour out the dirty reddish-brown water while Tristan gets another bucket of water. I haven’t left my spot.
“Megan, you cut your hair,” Mana says, waking me from a distant place.
“I’m going to dye it too. You need to remove your torc. It will paint targets on our backs.”
“I talked to Kevin. He will help take it off tomorrow.” Mana tilts his head, studying my hair. “Wise. Looks good.”
“Ciara, you do the same,” Tristan says with no hesitation. Mana must have told them.
“Dying it, yes. Cutting it, fuck no. I will never cut my hair. Plus, we look nothing alike. I understand the red hair being an oddity. I’m thinking blonde.”
Tristan’s eyes light up. He reaches for her, running his fingers through her hair. “I’d hate for you to cut it, but if it keeps you safe… I like blonde.”
Behind her, the men lift the kettle of water into the tub once more. Ciara has a smaller, more manageable one heating.
“All right. The tub’s filled. There is more water here to wash off, soap, and a towel,” Ciara says. The only man who will receive a sponge bath from Ciara is Tristan.
“You need help?” I ask, since I needed someone to pour water over my head.
I can feel Kevin glaring at me.
Mana shakes his head. “I’ve washed up after battle many times now. I’ve always done it by myself, unless I was unconscious.”
I nod. Sarah and Dana give me a hand standing, since I must look reluctant to get up. I try hard to think and prepare myself for the bombardment of questions as we walk to sit down by the bonfire.
Kevin speaks before I can sit. “Is he really your bodyguard? Can we trust him?”
“Yes. He never hurt me. Mana protected, guided, broke rules, and almost died for me. I know my enemy—or at least my main enemy. Multiple people plan my death, but not him.”
“Who? Your father? I’m still not clear what you mean. Megan, I remember when he died. It’s not possible.” Dana wasn’t at his funeral, but she met him when we played together as children and knew when he died.
“He faked his death. I’m unsure what he took, but he told me he had to come back to fight a war. He said he couldn’t bring my family because it wasn’t safe. But I don’t think he wanted us here at all.”
Sarah asks, “Did he bring us here?”
“No, I don’t think so. He said he doesn’t know who brought us here, and he doesn’t know what us means. He knows I came to Capo with friends. The less he knows, the better. He seemed upset and intrigued about how we arrived. He said he heard rumors of me last week. I think someone brought us here—more or less me—and you guys caught a ride. He called it something with a T. He said he lost the knowledge, whatever that means.”
Everyone exchanges looks for a minute. Even Kevin sits back. Who brought him, and could it be the same person who brought me?
“Brynjar, did you bring us here?” I ask him. That’s my first of many questions for the man.
“No, I did not. More questions.” He rubs his brow. “Start from the beginning. Mana already knows.”
I try to keep my voice even, trying not burst into tears while retelling the horrors of the Paradise Kingdom Castle. Nunda howl in the distance. Somehow, they don’t scare me as they used to. Actually, in a way, they comfort me. They at least are true to their animal instincts. They act like animals and nothing more. They don’t cheat, scheme, hurt, or kill for amusement or power. They hunt to provide for their families, to sustain themselves. People change so fast and on a whim. I’m not sure I will ever be able to predict an accurate outcome. At least with the nunda, I know they will eat me if given a chance. It’s what they do.
I finish telling them about the past two days, but before
I can explain what happened today, Mana comes out, carrying the tub by himself. Brynjar goes to help him manage the door and carry it the rest of the way to the dumping area. He’s dressed in the clean linens Kilyn packed. He cut his hair short too. There’s no more ponytail. Kilyn or Ciara will have to help him even it out, I don’t think he had a mirror. His silver locks are gone just like my wine hair. We are going to have to cut and dye Kilyn’s too. Just to be safe.
“You’re in time to talk about today,” I say when he and Brynjar join us around the fire.
He nods, taking the seat next to me where Brynjar had originally sat. With his gift, Mana knows my emotions are high. If I lose my place, he can help. Kevin takes notice of where he sits, showing a hint of anger.
After he settles down, I attempt to finish our story, starting with lunch. The whole time I recap, a choir of nunda sings their nightly hunting song. All I want to do at the moment is howl along with them. Scream and holler at the three full moons that hang above me, mocking me.
“We found your clever note, then stopped by Capo’s Secret to warn Blue. Afterward, we hiked here, dodging nunda by slicing into the trees. We were baffled when we arrived. I recognized the area, but couldn’t see the cabin.”
“There’s too much Fae in you now. When you first visited, you were almost all human. The wards protect against any uninvited Fae. It makes them see a tree,” Brynjar says, poking at the fire. He gets up and paces, digesting the information. “We need to get to the Gold Coast region, to the city of Delmont. Hire a ship and sail far away from any mainland. I’m thinking the Ka’Pamau island chain.”
“Agreed,” we say in unison. Then we sit back, not knowing what else to say, and listen to the nunda’s eerie song.
Chapter Thirty-One - Kevin
This guy. This motherfucker. I’m supposed to trust him? The same piece of shit who took Megan in the first place?
I don’t normally listen to my gut. My first instinct and impulse is usually dead wrong, but my stomach has been twisted in a knot since it was decided that we would let him slice us back to Capo for all of our last-minute supplies. It’s a mistake. We shouldn’t trust him and we shouldn’t be back here.