Page 10 of The Curse of the Goddess

“You are the one that can’t read…” Maris muttered and took the plate once again. “Thanks.”??

She walked to the table of drunken soldiers and placed the plate. “Special with no onions, enjoy….”?

“Maris!”???

Maris turned her attention to the woman calling her. She couldn’t help but smile when she recognized the young woman at one of the tables. The long black hair and tired eyes were a quick giveaway. “Melvian!” Maris waved excitedly, and just as she was to walk towards her another hand forcefully grabbed her elbow.

She almost lost her footing as she turned around to look down at the smirking, red-faced Skylian soldier. “What now?”?

He laughed, loud and obnoxious, before winking at her. “You seem like you need a break.”?

“At least someone noticed. You could teach my boss a thing or two about caring for his workers.”

“How about you take a break with us, honey?”?

“Not going to happen.” Maris jerked her arm away from his grip and he stumbled forward.?

“Now, now! You don’t have to be so aggressive, sweetie.”?

“Oh, but I do.” Maris stopped moving altogether when he reached for his water. Her frown turned into a menacing smile as the soldier drank. Her eyes sparkled for a moment. The guard grabbed her again, this time, for dear life.?

He gagged as he swallowed, trying to cough, struggling to breathe. He turned to look up at Maris in fear.

Maris watched him, unconcerned by how fast his face turned purple. The rest of his friends had stopped eating altogether and moved to his side. Maris fought to release his grip, and decided to let the water go down.

He fell on the floor and coughed loudly, gasping for much-needed air.?

Maris snorted and looked down in disgust. “That’s what you get.”?

“What did you do?” the soldier asked, standing up and pulling out his sword. “You tried to kill me?”

“How?” Maris gasped when two guards stepped beside her, also drawing out their sword. “Really? He chokes on water, and you think I did it?” she scoffed.

Maris deftly dodged the soldier’s punch, knocking another one aside as she backed away from the fray. Her heart raced as she scanned the chaotic tavern, searching for a way out of the danger.

Just as she was about to be cornered by a particularly aggressive soldier, someone grabbed her wrist, pulling her towards safety. Melvian.

“Come on, Maris,” Melvian said, her voice low and urgent. “Let’s get out of here!”

Together, they slipped out the back door and into the dimly-lit alleyway. The sounds of the tavern slowly faded away, replaced by the distant hum of the town at night.

“Are you all right?” Melvian asked.

Out of breath, Maris nodded as she pressed her hands to her bent knees.

“You need a new job, Maris. You can’t keep working at this sort of place.”

Still gulping mouthfuls of air, Maris scoffed and looked up at her. “Easy for you to say. You are not a Sealian, and your dad helped you get a job at the castle.”

“They were recruiting,”Melvian said.

“And your dad knew right away.”

“And now I know, and I want you to know.” Melvian patted her shoulder, pushing her to stand straight. “The princess’s birthday is coming up, they need extra hands to help out at the castle.”

Maris wasn’t sure what to say. It wasn’t right for a Sealian to be around Oberon castle. It wasn’t a concrete law, but everyone knew that Queen Rionach wasn’t fond of Sealians. It was an open secret that she blamed them for the king’s death.

“I don’t think I can make it inside the castle.”

---