Chapter Forty-Four

Raimie

When I stepped out of Tanwadur’s study, I slumped before crossing the three steps needed to reach the other side of the hall. Once there, I thunked my forehead on the wall. After a busy night, I’d come here in a last-ditch effort to reason with that stubborn man, but of course, I’d left with nothing but frustration as a reward.

“You’ve still got a head, I see.”

Jumping, I spun to find the speaker. Hadrion grinned at me with a shoulder propped on the wall.

“You’re lucky,” he said. “Dury tends to bite them off when he’s in A Mood.”

For some reason, this made me chuckle, which I’d needed.

“Hello, Hadrion,” I said. “You weren’t waiting for me, were you?”

Rolling his eyes, Hadrion said, “No, I’m just standing in a hallway that I rarely visit by chance.”

Oo… had I made this member of Ren’s family angry too? That would be unfortunate. Even if I couldn’t associate with Tiro, that woman would be a part of my life for a while. How could it be otherwise, given that she was Rhylix’s sister? It was one reason I’d braved the angry bear of Tanwadur.

“I’m sorry. I should have found you earlier,” I said. “You said you wanted to speak with me, and I just ignored that.”

Wrinkling his nose, Hadrion said, “Why are you apologizing? I heard you were pretty busy last night, and I’ve been asleep since then. I’d have been pretty pissed if you woke me up to talk.”

Or my personal insecurities might be raising their head again.

“Nah. I just wanted to catch you before you left,” Hadrion continued. “Ren’s looking for you, and she seemed ready to get you out of here.”

With my face souring, I said, “Oh, goodie…”

Facing Ren when I’d had no sleep didn’t sound fun.

“She’s been mean to you, I’m guessing?” Hadrion asked with a smirk.

“You could say that.”

Crossing my arms, I started for an exit from the house. Better to be looking for Ren when she ran into me than to be ‘idle’. Once we rendezvoused, we could find Oswin together, if he didn’t find us first.

Keeping pace with me, Hadrion said, “That’s good! If she’s mean to you, it means she likes you.”

I drew away from Hadrion, throwing an incredulous glance at him.

“Really.”

With a nod, Hadrion said, “Yeah. It’s a defense mechanism, I think. She’s half-Eselan, you know, so the people she likes don’t usually accept her.”

As I drifted to a stop, I cocked my head. How the Esela were perceived here hadn’t even occurred to me, which had been silly considering a large portion of my own people were part of that race, but even if I had thought of it, I wouldn’t have connected the concern with Ren. When thinking of her and everything she was capable of, her heritage never crossed my mind.

Wait.

“Your sister likes me?” I squeaked.

The amusement that crawled onto Hadrion’s face rose from Nylion as well, which I found interesting. My other half couldn’t have picked up on a social nicety like that, considering how awkward and oblivious he’d always been about such things, but maybe his reaction was in response to how surprised I was, not what I was surprised about.

“I’d be shocked if she didn’t. You seem straightforward, not conniving at all, which is her type of people,” Hadrion said. “Why?”

“It’s nothing,” I said. “I was almost certain she hated me.”

Shaking myself, I dragged my feet through something similar to mud, wondering why Hadrion’s revelation had relieved me as much as it had. Maybe it was because with it, she wouldn’t become a source of conflict between me and Rhylix?

Yeah. That must be it.

As he followed me into the square outside, Hadrion kept quiet. Sunlight had started fighting through the ivy and lattice above the city, and looking over the bowl that contained it, I found myself biting my lip.

My people and I would find allies elsewhere. We had to, but still, I wished it wasn’t necessary. Something about Tiro’s citizens called to me.

Their ingenuity in the struggle to survive. Their refusal to give up. I admired these things, and they made me want to help these people. Badly.

“Raimie?” Hadrion said. “I heard something last night, a rumor about who you are and why you’re here. Do you know what I’m talking about?”

I nodded. How could I not know? While wandering around the city last night, I’d heard the same rumor, and although I wasn’t sure how the news of my identity had gotten out, seeing how Audish citizens had reacted to it had been enlightening, if not in a pleasant way.

“Is it true?” Hadrion asked. “You’re not from Auden, and you… found Shadowsteal?”

Sighing, I hung my head.

“Yes, it’s true,” I said. “Unfortunately.”

Now, the teenager would spit at my feet and walk away. It had happened often enough last night.

When Hadrion rested his hand on my shoulder, I glanced up at him, furrowing my brow when I saw sympathy blazing from him.

“I’ll help how I can,” he said. “Most people won’t be happy you’re here, but give them time. With that and me doing what I can for you, they’ll come around.”

That was the opposite of what I’d expected, and it made my voice thick as I said.

“Thank you.”

“Sure!” Hadrion chirped. “Now, I believe that’s Ren, arguing with your friend on the other side of the square.”

When I looked where he was pointing, I winced.

“It is,” I said. “I should break them up before they get into a fight but first…”

I clapped the teenager’s arm, squeezing it.

“Seriously, Hadrion. Thank you,” I said. “I thought I’d never find a friendly face here.”

Grinning, Hadrion said, “Well, we exist! I promise. We’re just rare.”

He brushed my hand off of him.

“Would you go calm my sister down? She looks like she’s about to murder someone.”

Laughing, I hurried to do as the kid had asked, waving goodbye over my shoulder.

I hoped I’d get to see him again. He was a ray of sunshine in this otherwise dark place.

----------------------------------------

The trip back to camp took much less time than last night’s journey. Sure, I was having this feeling because I was familiar with the terrain now, but even still, I wondered if on our first foray, Ren had taken the long way out of spite.

Whether she had or not didn’t stop me from bowing to her when tents, the sea, and several ships come into view.

“Thank you for providing us with safe passage,” I said. “You didn’t have to go out of your way, but I’m grateful that you did it anyway.”

“It wasn’t as much trouble as you might think,” Ren said. “I need to finish the scouting run that you and Rhy interrupted yesterday, and this beach is in my assigned territory so…”

She shrugged, and as I straightened from my bow, I considered what I should say next. It would have to be short and sweet. I should report what I’d learned to Marcuset and Gistrick, so I didn’t have time for anything more, but with such constraints, how could I alleviate the tension between me and Ren?

“Listen,” I said, rubbing the back of my neck, “about what happened with your father-”

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

Ren shot a hand up, shaking her head.

“Let’s not go there. In fact, we should pretend it never happened,” she said. “Everyone’s tempers were raised, so we all did and said unwise things, including me. So…”

Turning her head aside, she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

“You’re Rhy’s friend, and even when we were kids, my brother was a good judge of character. I should trust him when he says you’re a good man, especially after hearing that you went out of your way to ask my people how you could help last night,” she said. “I know I can be a little abrasive at times but…”

She kicked at the dirt before meeting my eyes.

“Can we put yesterday behind us? I’d like to start fresh. Try to get along, at least.”

My chest felt so warm and fuzzy that I had to smile, even as I wondered if the sensation was coming from me or Nylion.

“I’d like that,” I said before pressing a hand over my heart. “I’m Raimie, just a simple boy who once had a simple life, and now, I’m supremely lost in a complicated land.”

With a beaming smile, Ren said, “Well, I’m Ren, and I call this ‘complicated land’ home. Maybe I can help you adjust to it.”

“That would be nice.”

I glanced toward the beach before smirking at Ren.

“I’d invite you into camp again, but I don’t think you’d want to come.”

Snorting, Ren covered her mouth, although her eyes twinkled above her hand.

“No, I have things to do, and once I’m done with them, I should go home,” she said. “Someone has to talk Dury into working with your people, after all.”

“Ha! Good luck with that,” I said. “I understand how impossible that might be after apologizing to him this morning.”

Ren went still, even as she lowered her hand.

“You apologized to him?!” she said.

With a nervous laugh, I shrugged one shoulder.

“Sure. It seemed the right thing to do, and I thought it might make things easier between us,” I said. “Should I not have?”

“No! That was… good. Yeah. Good,” Ren stammered with her face turning pink. “You didn’t have to-”

Coughing, she pounded on her chest for a moment before jerking a thumb over her shoulder.

“I’m leaving now,” she said. “When I can over the next few days, I’ll return with updates.”

“Sounds good,” I said. “Good luck today, Ren.”

With a look of supreme confusion, Ren said, “Thank… you?”

Then, she ran into the forest, and cocking my head, I stared at where she’d disappeared.

What was that about? I asked. I’ve never had someone go so quickly from hostile to flustered around me before.

I couldn’t fully comprehend what Nylion sent back to me. The best I could do was translate it as a shrug, although that didn’t seem exactly right.

“From how horrible that woman was acting toward you last night, you forgave her quite easily,” Oswin said. “Can I ask why?”

That was a good question, one I wasn’t sure how to answer. This morning, Hadrion had primed me for easy forgiveness by revealing the reason behind his sister’s antagonistic behavior, but there had to be something more to it as well.

“She’s Rhy’s sister and the daughter of an important town’s leader,” I said. “Keeping our relationship amicable seemed like a good idea, even if I’ll never get anywhere with Tanwadur.”

That was a reasonable explanation, right?

“Makes sense,” Oswin said. “And there’s nothing else?”

Clicking my tongue, I broke off from staring at the forest, glaring at him instead.

“There’s nothing else,” I said. “You planning on telling me what you learned last night?”

I might have caught a flash of worry on the spy’s face before his expression returned to neutral, but if I had, it had been such a short glimpse that I immediately doubted what I’d seen.

“Certainly, sir,” Oswin said. “Would you prefer an oral report, or may I have time to compose a written one?”

If allowed to read the report, I could add it to my mental index, whereas something spoken would only stick with me for a few hours so…

“Write it up for me, please,” I said. “If it’s not too much trouble.”

Giving me an odd look, Oswin said, “It’s no trouble at all, sir. I’ll bring it to you later. I’m assuming that you mean to find your family now. Let them know you’re safe?”

Right… I should probably do that.

“First, I have to speak with the people in charge of those soldiers,” I said, waving toward camp, “but yes, that’ll be next. Why do you ask?”

Smirking, Oswin said, “I can’t watch your back if I don’t know where you are, can I?”

As he ambled toward camp, I frowned after him. Why would he think I needed an extra set of eyes when among my allies?

Did that really matter, though?

I hurried after the spy, separating from him when we entered camp. It took me longer than I’d like—my body was loudly crying for sleep, and any delay in getting it couldn’t be healthy for me—but I eventually found Marcuset and Eledis on the beach.

The two were sparring with practice swords. I wasn’t sure why they’d chosen to fight here, where the footing would be loose and treacherous, but it was an impressive display.

With sand flying as high as their hips, they were showing an impressive mastery of the blade, which somehow didn’t surprise me. I’d expect it from the commander, of course, but for my grandfather, if I’d learned anything in the last few months, it was that my family was never what it seemed.

Watching the two, I stripped off my armor, leaving me in a loose tunic and pair of trousers, before piling it, Silverblade, and my pistol at the feet of a nearby audience member.

“Watch that for me, would you?” I said.

I waited to get a nod before trudging through the sand toward the older men.

Marcuset caught sight of me first. Hesitating with a block, he got jabbed as a reward, and I winced.

I probably should have announced myself earlier. Oh, well.

“Commander. Eledis,” I said, nodding to each as I stopped. “May I join you?”

I planted my staff in the sand with a smile. Sure, I was tired. Sure, I should tell these two what had happened last night before finding a bedroll, but how could I pass up the opportunity to test myself against the commander of Ada’ir’s armed forces?

Or former commander, I supposed.

“Your Majesty! You’re back,” Marcuset said. “How did your visit with the locals go?”

Making a face, I said, “I had mixed results. Can we discuss them in a minute? I’d like to work off some frustration.”

Lifting the staff, I got in a ready stance, but neither of the older men moved.

“You want to fight us?” Eledis said.

Although the way he’d put that made it seem more like a statement than a question.

“Yes. Is that a problem?” I asked.

After a moment of consideration, Eledis shrugged.

“Not for me,” he said. “Marcuset?”

As always, a hint of sarcasm had infected his voice when he’d spoken the commander’s name, but instead of ignoring it like he typically did, Marcuset winced this time.

“If it’s what you truly want, I won’t protest, Your Majesty,” he said.

“It is.”

Shaking his head, Marcuset raised his practice sword, followed by Eledis, and after a breathless pause, the other two blurred. Even having raised my staff to block, something walloped into my chest, and stumbling away from it, I tripped, scrambling backward until a shadow fell over me. Blinking to keep sand out of my eyes, I huffed when I saw that Marcuset had stopped Eledis from bringing his sword down on my head.

With a cocky grin, my grandfather said, “I think you might need a new weapons tutor. Taking you down was far too easy.”

Marcuset pushed him back while I got to my feet, brushing myself off.

“Not at all. Rhy’s doing very well, thanks,” I said, “but he can’t teach me in the same way that practical experience can, which is why I asked to join you. I’ve fought with two people at once, back when Dath was training with me, but I’ve never defended myself on such loose footing before. So, let’s go again. Get me the experience I might need to avoid death in a true fight.”

Drawing even with Marcuset, I lightly tapped the back of his head with my staff.

“And stop shielding me. I don’t need it.”

Scowling at me, Marcuset nodded while rubbing his head.

“All right, then,” Eledis said, lifting his sword. “Once more.”

I did better this time, but that wasn’t saying much, considering I’d near instantly landed on my ass during the first clash. Still, while I took a few blows on my knuckles and arms, I managed to land some too.

For some reason, this frustrated Eledis, as evidenced by his eagerness to take advantage of any openings he saw. After Marcuset and I got a series of strikes through his defenses, he retreated for a moment, watching me attack my once ally, before leaping back in.

“What happened with the Audish natives?” he grunted. “You said you had mixed results?”

He wanted to get into that, did he? Was it meant as a distraction, something upsetting enough for me to make a mistake?

“I did. Some among them seemed neutral toward us, but others, most notably this group’s leader…”

Catching the cross guard of Marcuset’s sword on my staff, I grabbed his wrist before twirling my weapon, and the commander’s blade went flying. Disarmed.

As he backed off with his hands raised, quickly retreating to the line of people watching the fight, I snapped my eyes to slits. That had been far too easy.

A glancing swipe at my thigh drew me back to the fight and my grandfather’s question.

“They hate us here, Eledis,” I said.

With his face twisting, my grandfather jabbed at my face, a blow I barely avoided, and I couldn’t argue with Nylion when he sent anger surging through us. When sparring, one didn’t go for such a debilitating hit unless one knew their opponent well. What the fuck, Eledis?

Backing off, my grandfather said, “Are you sure it wasn’t you they disliked? You can be off-putting at times.”

This, coming so soon after what he’d done, froze me solid, and with a fierce smile, Eledis lunged for me.

As he came at me in slow motion, I wasn’t sure what fell over me. Maybe Nylion took over. I could see that being the case, considering how often he’d done it in similar circumstances, but it didn’t feel like I’d handed him the reins. No, this felt more like a hand… or maybe instinct had moved me.

Much faster than I should have been able to, I swayed sideways, letting Eledis’ blade pass a breath from my arm, before slapping a hand to his chest. The barest puff of light aided me in shoving him backward, and as he stumbled away, I swept my staff behind his knees, pulling it free when he fell. I used it to hop over him before driving it toward his neck. It stopped a hairsbreadth from his skin.

Panting, I blinked at my grandfather’s popped-wide eyes for a moment, working through what had happened.

White light. Had I accessed Ele? But… Bright-

Clearing his throat, Eledis lifted his hands above his head, and I jumped, removing my weapon from him before offering him a hand. Once he was on his feet, though, I maintained my hold.

“It wasn’t my fault,” I said before letting go.

Rotating in a circle, I looked for Marcuset, wondering where he’d gone. Everything I’d told Eledis? He needed to know it too, and I didn’t trust my grandfather to share what I’d said without skewing it.

“Where did you learn that move? It was impressive!” Eledis said. “When I’ve had time, I’ve been watching Rhylix’s lessons, and he hasn’t taught you anything like that yet.”

Was he trying to make up for the shit he’d just pulled? Gods. He should know that sort of thing didn’t bother me anymore, not from him at least.

“I must have picked it up from a book at some point,” I said.

Facing camp, I noted a flurry of movements not far into the tents, and when it resolved into Oswin, sprinting free of them, I raised an eyebrow. What had him in such a panic?

“Mastering a skill takes more than reading about it,” Eledis said.

Clicking my tongue, I said, “What can I say? Maybe Nyl practiced it in our mind after I saw it in a book. He doesn’t have anything better to do right now.”

Stopping at the edge of the crowd, Oswin furiously waved at me, and I frowned. What-?

“…Nyl?” Eledis asked.

Panic jolted through me from my other half, and on reviewing what I’d said, I slammed my eyes closed, fighting to keep my breathing even.

With carefully feigned cheer, I said, “Mmhmm! You know, nil as in nothing? There’s nothing in my brain?”

I’m so sorry, Nyl.

“I… see,” Eledis said.

Why did he sound troubled? He didn’t know about Nylion…

Did he? Gods. What if he’d torn me and my other half apart?

Making a face, I shook my head. My relationship with my grandfather might be antagonistic at times, but he’d never hurt me like that.

I could feel him working up to ask another question, but not only did I not want to hear it, but Oswin’s frantic antics on the crowd’s edge had become troublesome.

“Excuse me, Eledis,” I said, “but I should see what has the spy in our midst so agitated.”