A voice startled me awake, and my eyes flew open to see my ex-girlfriend Lacy hovering above me.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, bolting upright.
“You were talking in your sleep,” she whispered in the dark, her robe purposefully gaped open to reveal a strip of pale skin all the way to her navel.
“I was? What was I saying?” I asked in a low voice.
I hadn’t had a nightmare! In fact, I could barely recall the dream I’d been having.
She frowned and crinkled her nose up as if she smelled something disgusting. “You were muttering that girl’s name, Sydney,” she spat. “Who names a child after a city? That’s just tacky.”
She shook her head and started to walk back toward her room. Stopping again, at the edge of the dark hallway, she bent one leg, letting it slide out of her silky robe as she looked back at me.
“You can sleep in my bed if you want to. There’s enough room for two,” she whispered in a sultry voice before turning and sauntering away.
Before Syd, I would have gotten up and followed her, but not now. I think Lacy realized that, or at least I hoped she realized that.
Sydney was in my blood and under my skin. The more I resisted, the more I wanted her… and the guiltier I felt. It was a vicious cycle, and I was getting churned up and spit out by it.
I looked back at the small sleeping mat that had worked its way half under the bench. There’d be no more sleep for me tonight.
Getting to my feet, I began rummaging through my bag for something to run in.
Circling the valley was a nine-mile run that I did most days. Today’s run would just come a bit earlier than usual.
If that didn’t clear the cobwebs out, I wasn’t sure what would.
Changing into a pair of black joggers and a light athletic pullover, I slipped out of the Bryant house and down the steps to leave the mountain.
Huh, no nightmare, I thought to myself.
Maybe this was progress.
6
Sydney
The Dragonborn caverns of Briony looked completely different in the light of day. An engraved strip carved into the stone at hip height formed an entangled design of flowers and dragons.
Gazing outside, letting the cool breeze sweep over me, I heard a knock at my door.
"Come in," I said, expecting Taya.
Instead of my guard, an older, sturdy woman with perfectly coiffed gray hair marched into my bedroom. She wore a dress straight out of Downton Abbey. Her shirt had long sleeves, a lace collar, and tiny buttons that dug into her sagging chin.
"Hello," I said, smiling.
"Yes, yes. You must be Sydney. I am Victoria Angeven, your grandmother's companion." She looked me up and down, a disappointed frown on her pinched face. "It looks like we have our work cut out for us with you, my dear."
She held up a dress before laying it on one of two matching overstuffed antique chairs—chairs that looked way too fragile for a person to actually sit on. After smoothing the fabric, she turned and laid a pendant necklace on the dresser.
"Where is your companion?" She gazed around.
"My companion?" I asked, my brow coming together.
"Yes. Every Prime should have a companion," she told me, her frown deepening even more.
Taya popped out of her room, a robe wrapped around her body. "I'm here, Ms. Angeven. I'm so sorry, I woke up late."
"Hmm. Well, take your charge to the baths, wash her up and make her presentable. Be at the dining hall at seven sharp for first meal. You are to be presented to Briony this morning. Do not be late, and don't forget to wear the pendant!" Her severe gaze snapped back to me a final time before leaving.
I was in no mood to hurry as I made my way lazily back to the open doors leading outside. The dragon ledge was a balcony about three meters wide and two meters deep, carved into the stone cliff, with no railing. Above me, the ceiling arched upward in strips of swirls and other carved and painted patterns.
The sun shone off to my left, warming the western mountainside as well as the fields below. Several crops were being grown in the valley, separated by low stone walls. Nearby on the mountainside, a herd of sheep lay bedded down like cotton scattered among the sparse trees.
Two dragons appeared in the distance as they darted out of the shadows. They dipped low, soaring several feet above the ground, before shooting back up into the sky.
Taya's steps alerted me to her presence. "Welcome to Briony," she said, pride coloring her words. "That's the patrol. They'll land just in time for first meal."
"This place is amazing," I breathed as a large Eton dragon passed only meters away from me. Its large wings sent a gust of air swirling my hair and flapping the hem of my t-shirt.
More dragons flew in the distance, the morning sun reflecting off their scales.
"People are riding those dragons? You said they're on patrol?"
Her soft laugh was a welcome sound. "Yeah. We have to keep a tight grip on our territory. Make sure no one comes near the valley—no one, Dragonborn or mundane."
I looked out over the green fields and flying dragons. Here in Briony, we could live our lives without fear of being spotted or caught out unaware. Dragons could just be dragons.
Maybe… I might like it here.
Aaraeth tugged to be free, and when I released her, she barely touched the ground before diving off into the sky.
"Come on." Taya tugged at my arm. "She'll be fine. Let's go wash up like Ms. Angeven said."
“Angeven? Like Headmistress Angeven?” I asked.
"Yeah, Victoria is her sister," she smiled and tugged on me again.
I pulled on shorts and followed my guard, who wore only her robe, as we left the family apartment. Outside the main door, in a wide alcove, sat a different guard than last night. He watched us but kept quiet.
A small electric car the size of a golf cart sat next to the exterior wall. Instead of getting into the EV, she walked the wide sloping tunnel deeper down into the mountain. The space was just large enough for two of the cars to pass each other.
This morning, the area was bright with electric light that outshone the glowing baskets. I thought of their strange orange glow from last night and pointed one out to my guard. "How do those work?"
"Oh, glows? They're kind of like glow sticks. They give off light before having to recharge in the sun. I think they're some kind of phosphorescent mineral," she told me before turning off the main route and down a set of steps.
The air became moist and warm as we entered another door. It led into a vast natural cavern filled with a thundering sound of a waterfall which pooled before running through a carved channel. There were no electric lights to lead our way. Instead, the cavern was lit by tall black lamp posts that dangled glowing iron baskets above us.
Both men and women wearing primarily robes and slippers strode purposefully along the worn path, chatting as they went. They either stared curiously or deliberately looked away. I didn't pay attention to them. I was enthralled by the cave.
Stopping, I gazed up into the darkness above the falls, and the spray glazed my face and hair with tiny droplets.
Taya pointed and raised her voice to be heard over the rumble, "That water's straight out of the mountain, collected in drains and diverted here. Part of it is pumped up to tanks to deliver pressurized water for the living spaces and the kitchens. The rest comes through here into the baths before joining other filtered wastewater and going out into the fields for irrigation."
"So, this is clean?" I asked.
She frowned, "Yeah, it gets filtered through the rock. It has to do with the ancient laws."
"Ancient laws?" I finally asked, but Taya didn't hear my question above the thundering water. She turned to cross a curved stone bridge that spanned the river and I followed.
Once across, I noticed the men and women were separating into different directions. Taya and I followed the other women into a low arched corridor. At the end, it opened up into an elegantly car
ved room with a high arched ceiling and thick pillars. Natural light filtered in through small skylights brightening the room. Between the posts were four separate shallow pools, and off to the far right sat a small circular pool. Steam clouded the room as it rose from the pools.
Taya hung our towels on two empty hooks.
"Taya?" I poked her arm, hesitating. When it came to order and cleanliness, I was a bit neurotic after working amid animals and diseases with George for so long. "Taya?" I asked again.
"You don't need to be shy…"
"It's not that… but how clean is it to bathe together like this?"
She rolled her eyes, the diffused sunlight shining off her hair. "Dragon’s teeth, Sydney! It's fine. It's constantly being flushed out with a current." She pointed to the slightly shallower side, "Look, fresh water is flowing through that slot."
I pursed my lips before pulling off my shorts. In the middle of lifting my shirt over my head, Taya whispered, "Great. Lacy's here."
I tugged my shirt off and snapped, "What?"
"I didn't want you to be caught off guard. She's clear across the room, in the baby pool, so don't worry about it," she told me under her breath.
Great! Nothing like meeting up with your man's ex-girlfriend—naked.
I didn't mind being naked—I minded being naked in front of Lacy—knowing everyone here probably knew what happened with her, Ashe… and me. Would all these women be comparing us? Judging? Lacy Bryant had been Ashe's almost fiancé. Even thinking about her made bile rise in the back of my mouth. She was everything I wasn't. Classy, perfectly put together, and not to mention curvy where women are supposed to be curvy.
To top everything off, Lacy had warned me that Ashe would come back to her. At the time, I hadn't believed it, but now that we weren't technically together… I wondered.
Did these people know that Ashe dumped me?
My heart began to pound and my eyes glossed over with fear and embarrassment. I fought the urge to cross my arms over my chest—wishing I looked like her – with big boobs and broader hips.
Sucking in a shaky breath, I purposefully turned my back on Lacy.
I reminded myself that I liked my body. I liked my toned arms and long legs, with pretty hands and feet ending in curved white nails. My stomach was flat unless I ate a lot. I had a small hooded belly button that I'd begged George to let me get pierced—which never happened. And before this moment, I always thought my chest was perfect, big enough to look good but small enough to be able to run and lay on my stomach.
"Hey!" Called out a familiar voice that brought a smile to my lips as I looked up.
Olivia approached, wearing a pale blue robe that highlighted her perfect mocha skin. She nearly danced across the tiled surface before squeezing me in an embrace. I hugged her back awkwardly since I was naked and all.
"Sydney!” she shrieked. "Oh my god! When I saw your text, I nearly fainted! I'm so glad that you're here! I have so much to talk to you about, but…" she shook her head, pointing to the door, "my mom's waiting for me, but I'll give you a quick rundown of the baths! Is this your first time?"
I nodded.
Pointing to the right, she said, "That empty pool is cold, then warmer, and the left one is the hottest. That pool in the corner is for women with babies or little kids." She widened her eyes. "Oh shit, yeah, Lacy's here! Just ignore her. She hangs out with all her married friends, so you won't see her much. Girrrrrl! I am so glad that you're here! I've been bored stiff. I thought things would be cool with Nate in guard now and living here—but all he does is work! But you're here!"
I let out a sigh of relief, "Same. I missed you so much! What are you doing now? Can you stay and join us?"
She shook her head. "No, my mom'll kill me if I'm late for first meal, but I'll see you there, right?"
"Yeah, I'll see you," I said, sadly watching her go.
I turned to talk to Taya but found her standing across the room talking to an older brunette woman.
On my own, I dipped my toe into the middle pool but then opted for the hot one. Stepping down into the water, I regarded the climbing vines that grew out of wide terracotta pots, giving the space a jungle-like feel. However, I wasn't paying great attention to my feet and didn't realize the stairs ended in a drop-off. I'd committed to a step that didn't exist, and before I knew it, I found myself plunging down into the scalding water. When my feet did hit bottom, they slid out from beneath me. I sank into the water with a cry before scraping my back against the bottom of the pool.
When I popped up to the surface of the burning water, the room had gone silent.
All the chatting and noise had stopped, and everyone was staring.
Then the whispering started.
Lacy's eyes met mine as she smirked and raised her eyebrows in disdain.
Thankfully, Taya stepped between us, blocking my view of that witch before reaching down to help me climb out of the water. I felt my cheeks flush and pretended to ignore everyone as I pulled myself out to sit on the edge before standing.
Nearby, an older woman with short grey hair scowled, shaking her head at me as she climbed up the steps. Her face was wet from my splash.
"Mundanes shouldn't be here," she spat under her breath.
"I'm so sorry," I told her. Instead of replying, she shook her head and stormed off.
Three other middle-aged women frowned disapprovingly as they climbed the steps on the far side.
My red flesh steamed from the boiling water as I followed Taya carefully over to the middle pool before entering it much more gracefully from the side.
"Smooth. I know you love making a splash," my guard laughed, low enough for only me to hear.
I whispered back with an embarrassed laugh, "Just kill me. Right now." When we were settled, she handed me a clump of scented herbal goop. I examined the pale green lump. "What is this?"
"Soap," she said, as she worked it into her hair. "Well, it works like soap; it's just ground-up plants and herbs."
"We stick to the old ways," said a tan woman who neared, wading through the hip deep water. Her blond hair was clipped into a thin knot on her head. She had a few lines around her eyes but looked younger than my grandmother but older than Durand. I struggled to identify her even though we’d met somewhere before. "Sydney Lambert, I thought that was you. I'm Cat Brooks, we met briefly before, but it was so tense and…" She cringed and didn't finish her sentence. "I'm Rebecca's mom… and Logan's too," she told me brightly.
Cat glanced around before meeting my eye again. "Don't worry about them," she said. "They don't know who you are." She narrowed her eyes, "I'm surprised that you're shielding yourself here. You almost feel like a mundane."
My brows came together. "Shielding myself?"
She nodded and began edging toward the side of the pool. "I've got to go, but we’ll talk later. It was nice seeing you again!"
Most of the women had begun to leave, and I wondered what the rush was.
Taya scanned the room as she leaned against the edge beside me, her hair wet but tied up into a knot on her head.
"Here comes trouble," she warned under her breath.
My eyes searched the room, finding Lacy on a course to pass only feet away.
"She won't stop," I told my guard.
But I was wrong.
Lacy paused next to us in her red robe, and so did two other women that walked with her. I braced myself but didn't meet her eye. Instead, I smiled at the chubby baby in her companion’s arms, opening my mouth to try to get a laugh out of the little guy.
"Sydney, so nice to see you," Lacy said in a sickly-sweet voice, pulling my attention from the plump infant. "I'll tell Ashe that you're here… except he probably won't want to know. After all, he slept at my place last night and probably will again tonight."
I had to swallow several times to keep myself from grabbing her freaking ankles, pulling her into the water, and drowning her.
Taya laughed and shook her head at Lacy. "You are so despe
rate… and so full of crap. No way! No way is Ashe with you. If he was at your house, it was because of your brother, Corbin. He and Ashe are thick as thieves."
"Whatever… Tay-ya. As if you know anything." Lacy sniffed before turning on her heel, her entourage in tow.
"What a bitch," murmured my guard under her breath.
My chest heaved as I watched Lacy walk away. Suds ran down onto my forehead, and I wiped at them as Lacy and her group disappeared.
Turning, I asked, "Does anyone know that we… that we aren't together?"
Taya's brow creased. "Um… yeah, like you guys aren't supposed to seal the deal until you're eighteen. That's like hot news. Everyone knows that."
I sucked in a shaky breath. "No, like more than that."
She shook her head before checking her watch. "No, but you're gonna have to tell me later. Crap! We need to hurry. If we're late, Victoria will rip us a new one."
I dunked myself into the water, scrubbing at my skin. The slight current helped to rinse the bubbles away.
When I finished, Taya was already out, standing beside the pool with my towel.
I had no robe, but I had clothes. I dried myself as best I could before pulling on my shorts and t-shirt over my damp skin. As we hurried out of the baths, the busy waterfall room was empty.
Taya set off at a quick pace, making me run to keep up with her.
"What's up with the bathhouse? Is that like a Dragonborn tradition, or do people have like regular showers and stuff in their… uh caves?"
The sound of Taya's crock covered feet as they slapped the steps was the only noise until she spoke. "Yeah, it's like tradition. Supposedly, it's a bonding experience to bathe together and use the natural cave water or something like that."
"Why not give people water in their… apartments or homes or whatever."
Taya snuck a quick glance back at me. "Because it's just not done. Also, you need to stop shielding yourself. It makes you seem like a mundane. But if people know you're Dragonborn, then you just look like an asshole—like you have something to hide."
Hard Boiled Page 6