Page 54 of Of Nightmares & Fire
As quietly as I can, I slip from the bed. Slowly, I pad over to the armoire in the corner and close my eyes as I try to pry it open without noise, but I am unsuccessful. The hinge creaks, and I scrunch up my nose as I jerk my head toward Kyros. His breathing has quieted, but he is, thankfully, still peacefully sleeping. I let my breath out of my mouth and turn back to the hanging garments. It seems Kellan didn’t have many options when it came to women’s attire…
I look down at the thin cream sleep dress, lined with lace and nearly see-through, and roll my eyes. It’s better than nothing, and it’s not as revealing as some I know exist. I’ll find Mortala, ask about my clothes she insisted on taking and washing for me, and then get Kyros food. I’m sure there won’t be many opportunitiesto run into many people… The small oasis can’t hold many people, or we would have seen more on our way in, I’m sure of it. Truthfully, it can barely be called a village with how small it is.
I creep along the wall and sneak from the room without Kyros waking, and I can’t help but smile in victory as I make it to the main tavern without coming into contact with a single person. Though my smile quickly fades as I realize that I also have not even heard anyone. The whole place is empty. Being that it’s midday, I find that odd, but I guess maybe they have different schedules than what we carried out in the palace. Deciding it wouldn’t be horrible if I just ducked into the kitchen and helped myself to a few things, I make my way through the tavern. I’ll make sure that we pay for whatever we use during our stay upon our departure.
Now that I am alone and really able to take in the beauty of the space, I let my eyes wander. It's not like the last tavern I found myself in. Vine plants trail along the wood and clay walls and hang from the ceiling. Large-leaf potted plants fill the corners, and the sun shines brilliantly through all of the open windows, highlighting the lush greens and terracotta coloring of the walls. Truly a paradise. I’m still lost in the vision when I swing the kitchen door open, and a startled Mortala curses me.
“Divine wraith! What are ya doin’ back here girl? Tryin’ to give an old woman a heart attack? For all who burn in Zamiel!? Are you just going to stare at me?” She squawks, throwing her hands up before shaking her head and angrily returning to her cooking.
“I—I’m sorry for startling you. I was just coming to look for some food.” I finally say, and she turns back to me with anirradiated glower, clicking her tongue before she goes right back to chopping whatever the desert fruit is on the counter. “Do you have a platter I can take up to the room—” My words are cut off before I can finish as she whirls around, pointing the sharp end of her knife in my face.
“Hawk can come back here and act like everything is just peachy, but guests comin’ in, actin’ like they deserve everything served up on a silver fuckin’ platter? It don’t rub me right.” Mortala looks down her nose in an angry sneer aimed at me.Hawk?My brows dip as I look down at the sharp object hovering in my face, and I swallow before nodding sternly. My anger building with each bounce of the blade in her hand.
“Is everything not peachy?” I ask pointedly, and she gives a harsh, derisive laugh before slamming the knife down in front of her.
“Ya got gall. I’ll give it to ya. Ya make demands… Come stridin’ into my kitchen… Who do ya think ya are, huh? The damned princess of Eathain? Get outta here. Go spread your legs for that brute of yours, and then ya both can be gone!” The crazed woman bellows while curling her lip in disgust.
I turn on my heel and stomp from the room before she is even done with her thought. I don’t even know what I’m doing. I don’t know how to survive in the world outside of what my father kept me in. I’m not used to the way people talk to me as someone who is not royalty. I don't know how to respond to the anger simmering beneath my skin.
Every step feels as heavy as my thoughts, and a dull ache begins behind my eyes as I make my way to sit at one of the tables. I breathe in the heated air slowly through my nose and out the same way as I clench my jaw hard enough to crack teeth.I can do this.I slide into the chair at the far table, next to a window. It looks out over the water of the oasis. Birds call, and small creatures frolic through the brush below. My anger quickly ebbs as I try to let the beauty that is not the palace ground me.
Although I am not tired, my soul still seems to carry enough stress to weigh my body down. Resting my head on my arms, I watch nature through watery eyes. Loose sand blows off the tops of the sandy hills in the distance, and I can’t help but feel a little like the dunes. Slowly being shaped by the winds steering my life, never truly being the one who carves the path.
“You’re new here.” A raspy voice startles me from my thoughts, and I turn to face a man with dark hair cropped close to his head and russet eyes narrowed in curiosity. “Just passing through, I assume?”
“Um, yes. I am.” I say, shifting in my seat. The look in his eyes as he surveys me causes trepidation to crawl up my spine. I don't give him any more information, but I see how his eyes skitter down over my body and the lack of clothing I forgot I was wearing. Heat blooms in my cheeks.
“I’m Karnnen. Mind if I join you?” He asks, but he sits across from me before I can answer. “Where are you headed?” He continues, and his eyes dart around the room like he’s watching for something, or someone. Worry builds as more people enter thedining area and keep their eyes fixed on me too. All the men are dressed similarly to the one in front of me, as though they are about to head out into the desert and not coming in for dinner at the end of a hard day's labor.
“I, um, we are headed—” I stumble over my words. Something about this man feels off, familiar almost, butdangerous. His jaw ticks while waiting for my answer that won’t come, and the way his eyes keep flicking to the hall where the bedchambers are has my inner warning bells chiming loud in my ears.
“Take the food. Get outta here before ya find even more trouble.” Mortala claps her hands in my face, shoving a plate of fruit, cheese, and bread into my hands. Confusion puckers at my mind as I blink out of my panic and at the multiple sets of eyes staring back at me. Whispers hidden behind hands and looks of judgment skating over my body. I look down at my lack of regular clothes, and heat explodes across my skin as my fingers wrap around the edges of the plate. The man in front of me leans back, his arm slung over the back of the chair.
“Aw, come on, Mortala. Can’t you see we were getting to know each other? Someone this pretty doesn't need to be traveling alone… I just wanted—”
“I'm not.” I cut in. “Thank you for your concern, but I need to get going.”
I don’t thank the cranky old woman. Nor do I try to make eye contact with anyone else who witnessed any of the conversation with the man or Mortala shooing me out like vermin. With my chin tucked low, I try to hurry from the tavern and make my wayback into the room where Kyros sleeps. Before I make it to the hall, though, a hand wraps around my arm, stopping me.
“Careful out there, sweetheart. You don't know what kinds of monsters lie in waiting out in the desert.” Karnnen says wickedly, as his eyes trail the length of my body and then linger on my lips. I tug my arm from his grip and pin him with an incredulous look.
“Thank you for your concern, but the monsters I travel with are far more intimidating than anything that could be lurking out there. I can promise you that,” I say with vexation bleeding into my tone. He narrows his eyes on me, a silent smirk lifting the corner of his mouth, before I turn on my heel and storm away from him.
I’m not sure if Karnnen says anything else; my pulse is too loud in my ears to hear anything else. I don’t know what time it is or how long I was in the dining room, but as I burst through the door of our bedchamber, Kyros hurls himself from the bed. Shadows leaping from his skin and coiling around his arms like whips at the ready.
“What is it?” He says, eyes wild and red. “Are you ok?” I nod but am unable to speak through my nerves. He takes the plate of food, discarding it to the side, and with nothing left in my hands, they tremble as they drop to my sides. I can’t steady my rampant heart. His hands press against either side of my face, the warmth matching the fire in my veins. My eyes flick between his and his drawn brow, the stern press of his lips. My hands cover his as I take a deep breath and close my eyes.
“Did something happen?” He asks after amoment of silence.
“I—I don’t know.” I open my eyes, and his thumbs score lines over my cheeks.
“We need to keep moving. I’m sorry I fell asleep.” He looks over to the window and how the sun is beginning its descent in the sky. “We can leave at nightfall.”
“You needed rest too. I’m fine, really,” I say, pressing my lips together and trying to shrug out from under his intense gaze. He allows it, and I pull open the armoire and take out one of the tunics and breeches. When I turn back toward Kyros, he is still intently studying me; I let out a shaky breath.“I’m fine.”I say it again, and even I can’t tell if I am trying to convince him or myself that it is true.
“Tell me.” He doesn’t relent.
“It was just a strange conversation,” I say, and he closes the distance between us.
