Chapter Seventeen

Jaden

 

In Kitera’s room the servants had tended to the hearth, and it roared and crackled, chasing away the chill of night. A vase full with freshly cut yellow roses and red chrysanthemums stood on the nightstand. Breathing in the sweet scent, Jaden turned to Kitera.

“You believe he might try to leave without us?” Jaden asked.

The lavender dress had been swapped for a pair of tan breeches and a linen shirt--Kitera intended to be prepared for riding.

“He might,” she said quietly.

A sigh escaping him, Jaden went to sit on the bed next to her. Admiring her profile, his gaze lingered over the tiny shimmering studs, one in her nose, and many more along her ear, bright and pale against the darkness of her skin and hair.

“Do you like them?” Kitera asked.

“They’re beautiful.”

She smiled. “The Azurian fashion. My mother has them, too, and my siblings.”

“Did you ever live there?” Jaden asked.

“No, but my mother did, when she was young. She describes the city of Azuria as a place where every single street offers something sumptuous to behold--palaces, temples, theatres everywhere. And even in the winter you can be comfortable outside without a coat on.” Kitera voiced a faint laugh. “I think she misses it sometimes.”

“I can’t blame her,” Jaden replied.

 They decided they should take turns.

Jaden insisted upon taking the first one, letting Kitera fall asleep with her uncanny ease.

Does the burden of betraying a friend trouble not your dreams?

Crossing the room, Jaden poured himself a glass of water from the silver pitcher and sipped it while staring into the fire. The flames, leaping from the grate, licking at his chest, searing, a woman’s scream…

Shuddering, he turned away from the hearth, wishing he could forget those images, knowing he could not.

Yes, he mused, staying awake was preferable, though the waiting was long.

 

***

 

Still formidable thanks to rigorous maintenance brought about by the Fairlocks’ wealth, the manor was nonetheless very old, with creaking floors and door hinges that sometimes lacked proper oiling. Though Noah undoubtedly attempted discretion, Jaden heard him all too well when he returned to his room.

He heard again when, in the middle of the night, Noah left his room once more.

Jaden hurriedly woke Kitera.

“My turn?” she muttered in a groggy voice.

“No. I think he’s on his way to steal it. Come on.”

Shaking off sleep, Kitera stepped in her boots, stomping to make her feet touch the floor. They rushed to the hall in time to see Noah turn a corner. They went after him, Jaden snatching an oil lamp from its bracket.

Peering into the corridor, they saw Noah stepping inside a room, leaving the door ajar. Jaden thudded along, Kitera in tow.

“How do we play this?” she whispered. “We can’t hide from him, you’re not a good enough spy for that. No offense.”

“None taken,” Jaden said.

As they simply showed up in the doorway, Noah cast a guarded look over them.

“Why the hell are you following me?”

“We heard noise,” Jaden stated, “thus came to investigate. May I inquire on your roaming about my grandfather’s home in the small hours of the night?”

They swept in with the lamp, a spider-shaped glow vanishing from Noah’s arm.

The room was clearly one for storage; to get to Noah they meandered across draped furniture and rows of fluffy dresses hanging from poles. Noah stood before a dusty vanity, atop which sat an ornate jewelry box. Necklaces, bracelets and earrings had been tossed aside, revealing a fake bottom.

Noah was silent as Jaden inched closer with the lamp, but the set of his shoulders was tense.

Inside the fake bottom was nothing but a tiny note, scrawled on a bit of parchment.

 

You’re too slow.

-          D

 

Flush behind Jaden, Kitera let out a surprised laugh.

“What’s the meaning of this?” asked Jaden, for once sincere in his confusion.

Noah ran a hand through his hair, his eyes finding Jaden. “The meaning of this is that I’m a terrible person and I was going to steal something from your grandfather, but it doesn’t even matter now because someone beat me to it.”

“Well… what was it?” Jaden asked though he already knew.

“An ugly necklace,” Noah laughed, “and a supposed catalyst for magic, which my cult leader wants. Seems I took too long after all, and he sent someone else for the job.”

“What someone?” Jaden asked. “Who’s D?”

“Kitera’s stupid boyfriend,” Noah answered as he busied himself replacing everything the way it was, sending jewels flying back into the tacky box, and shoving the note in his pocket.

“His name is Dharkan,” Kitera informed.

Jaden frowned. “I don’t understand. Earlier, my grandfather brought you here to show you the necklace?”

“Yes,” Noah said.

“So between then and now this Dharkan appears seemingly out of nowhere, steals it before you can and escapes, without anyone noticing his presence at all?”

Noah and Kitera exchanged a long-suffering glance.

“Sounds like the kind of thing he would do, actually,” Kitera told Jaden.

“I’m going after him,” Noah announced. “Tonight.” He pushed past them, making his way out.

A few instants later, Noah stood in his worn black coat, bags slung over one shoulder, surveying Jaden and Kitera as they met with him outside Kitera’s room, all packed up and ready to go as well.

“You’re coming? Why?”

“We’ve come this far together,” Jaden replied, “I would keep traveling with you.”

Averting his gaze, Noah said, “We’ll need to ride hard and fast.”

As they struggled to keep up with Noah, who adopted long, rapid strides, Kitera explained to Jaden: “Dharkan’s demon is a horse.”

“I see.”