Chapter Four

Kitera was waiting for him in the corridor, alone, blue-sleeved arms crossed, the feeble light of an oil lamp set high in the stone wall casting shadows across her golden-brown skin.

Her eyes demanded explanations before she parted her lips to speak.

“Noah, what the"”

“Kit, I’m too tired for this,” he interrupted her.

“I don’t care.”

A sigh escaped her. She produced a clinking coin purse from her belt. But when Noah reached for it, she held it back.

“Will he be all right?”

 “He’ll be fine,” Noah said.

Kitera waited a beat, then nodded.

Noah snatched the purse and peered inside. It was full of gold marks. There was enough in there to get to Last Snows and back, with plenty more to spare. Without a word he slid it inside his coat.

Kitera suddenly grabbed his shoulders and forced him to stand in the light.

“What are you doing?”

“Gods’ sakes, Noah…”

She was staring at his new mark.

“Oh, that? I wanted it there. I like neck tattoos.”

She shook her head. “Don’t joke about this.”

“I never joke. Don’t be silly. You wouldn’t have a scarf I could borrow?”

“Wait here.”

She went back in the room where Jaden was resting, and she came out holding a black scarf lined in gold. She tossed it to Noah, and he slung it around his neck.

“I don’t think he’ll mind,” Kitera said, crossing her arms again.

Noah wasn’t fond of the gold lining. Actually he wasn’t fond of scarves. But it would have to do.

“All right, why are you a guard?”

“I’m not just a guard. I’m leader of the castle guards.”

Taking that in, Noah couldn’t help but grin.

“Are you serious?”

She shrugged one shoulder, hardly concealing a smile of her own.

“But wait.” He lost the smile. “Michaela said you should be a maid. Keep a low profile. Spy from a distance. You’re best friends with the queen! Where’s the distance?”

“A maid. Please,” Kitera said, voice heavy with scorn, “you know I’m better than that. I have a better sword hand than you ever did.”

“You know I like my throwing knives better. Jack of all trades, master of none, Kit.”

“Excuses.”

“This isn’t about me. Your father"”

“Underestimated me,” she said, pretty brown eyes glaring daggers at him.

He surrendered. “Fine. Be a guard. Good for you. I’m serious. I was just caught by surprise, all right? I didn’t even know women could be guards.”

“They can now, under Tessa’s rule. She’s a great queen, Noah.”

“I’m sure she is.”

“She even hired Bryani, did you know that?”

 A year ago, Kitera’s brother Bryani had left the cult behind to make a life of his own. As an actor. His name was to be spoken carefully, especially around Michaela, who still believed his son was just going through a phase.

“I didn’t know.”

“He doesn’t have to live in the streets with that talentless troupe anymore. He’s living here now. He’s an actor in the castle’s troupe.”

“That’s great, but"”

“No. I don’t owe you any more explanations. Not until you tell me what the bloody hell you’re doing in Veicira pretending to be that poor man’s son.”

Feeling drained all of a sudden, Noah just dragged the letter out of his pocket and gave it to her.

Frowning, Kitera placed the parchment sheet under the lamp’s glow and started to read. Her expression was one of confusion, then understanding, before settling on something dangerously akin to pity.

“I don’t know what to say.” She raised her eyes from the letter.

“There’s nothing to say,” Noah replied quietly.

“You’ve been drinking tonight, haven’t you?”

“Maybe.”

She nodded. “Well, you had a good reason.”

He breathed a soft laugh.

“You need to rest,” she said. “Let me take you to your room.”

“I wasn’t planning to stay,” he said, but followed her anyway.

After a few turns the hallways started to feel like a maze to him, a maze of patterned stone tiles and tapestries, and gold-framed paintings hanging over somber walls.

“You need to sleep,” she insisted. “And think of your horse. He needs to rest, too.”

She had a point there.

Kitera halted when they reached the last door before the hallway ended in a staircase going down. She pushed it open; it seemed much the same as the room Jaden was in, bland, little furniture, no window.

“You can leave in the morning,” she said. “Those stairs lead out to the stables.”

“Thank you. That’s perfect.” He hesitated, thinking of Jaden again. “So… what will you tell her? The queen. She looks smart enough. No normal healer could have cured her brother. She’ll know I’m a fraud.”

But Kitera waved it off. “Don’t worry. I’ll handle the queen.”

She grabbed a large candle from an iron holder on the wall and gave it to him so he’d have a bit of light in his room. He was about to disappear in there when she asked him one last question.

“You’re heading back to Quickrivers in the morning?”

He stared for a second. He’d almost forgotten about it all. The quest. Last Snows.

“No, I’m not, actually. By the gods, I can’t believe I almost forgot to tell you.”

“Tell me what?” she tilted her head.

“Your father wants me to find something for him. Apparently it’s some ancient white magic artefact. He said it’s called a catalyst, so I’m not sure it does much of anything on its own, by definition…”

“Wait.” Kitera’s eyes had gone wide. “White magic? But that doesn’t"”

“Exist anymore, I know.”

 “Well, where is it?” she asked.

“Last Snows.”

“Why now?”

Noah gave a shrug. “Said we had to get it before the Dragon gets it.”

“The Dragon’s after this thing too?”

“That’s what your father said. Try asking Jaden when he gets better, maybe.”

Noah suspected Michaela had a spy in the Dragon’s cult. If he was right, his cult leader and the queen of Fellera had more in common than they thought.

“What does it look like?” Kitera asked, a glint in her eyes.

“That,” he said, “is a very good question.”

“You don’t know?” She raised her hands in the air. “How are you supposed to find this bloody thing?”

“Relax. Michaela told me to try the lord’s manor. I’ve to look for a jewel or amulet or something. I’ll figure it out. I always do.”

Kitera arched an eyebrow. “Do you?”

“I said that to sound tough. You ruined it.”

Kitera looked unapologetic about that.

“I missed you,” he told her.

She smiled, and pulled him into a hug. He wrapped his arms around her tightly.

Her hair and skin smelled like vanilla"exotic soaps and oils she could afford with her new salary, Noah thought.

“I know this title is just a cover up,” he said as they pulled apart, “but I’m happy for you.”

She nodded. “Thank you.”

He stepped inside the room with his bags and candle, but she stopped him.

“Wait. Your letter.”

Noah barely looked at it.

“Keep it,” he said firmly. “Throw it away if you want. I don’t care.”

I already have a family.

Reviews

[Sira YR]

This chapter has me more intrigued. I can't wait to read the next one :). Hurry and post it please

[Catherine]

Thank you!