Inheritance of Vigour, page 16
“It’s only a day’s journey.”
“A day our quarry could do something absolutely damning and I’ve missed it.”
Iris narrowed her eyes at Wy and clicked her tongue. “Report.”
“I’m just saying we could meet in the city; Solare’s a big place. Even if you’ve pissed off some nobles, no one will find you.”
“I’m stretched thin just making it here; you’ll get over it.”
Wy rolled her eyes and reached into her pocket for a flask. After she took a swig, Wy shrugged. “It just seems like a waste of time to me.”
“The only time you’re wasting is mine right now. Report.”
“Alright, alright. The moon and the princess hired me to track monsters for them. The kind you’re familiar with.”
“Good.” Iris leant forward and her chair creaked at the movement. “What are their habits? Where do they frequent?”
“I don’t know.”
“I’m paying you to learn that!”
“And I will, but not so quickly.” Wy winked and took another swig from her flask. “What you are asking for takes weeks of surveillance. Not a few days. This will take time; just like we agreed when you hired me. If you want to complain, go back in time and punch yourself. It’d be funny.”
“I know.” Iris bit the words and took a deep breath to settle her heart. Power surged underneath Iris’ eyes, but she willed it to settle. Wy was her best bet; she didn’t dare lose control and kill the woman. “Fine. Stay focussed on your work and report when you’ve figured them out.”
“I know what to do, ma’am!” Wy saluted her in a decidedly unflattering fashion. “I’ll ingratiate myself with them and you’ll get your money’s worth. Call it a Wy guarantee.”
“Speaking of that, I have another request.”
A grin flitted across Wy’s face for a moment and she lifted her legs off the table. As she sat up and leant toward Iris, Wy held her hand out. “It’ll cost you.”
“I know.” Iris nodded to the guard at the door and the man grabbed the heavy sack hidden amongst their travel bags. The guard dropped the sack in Wy’s hand and it rattled with the sound of clinking coins.
“Ooh…” Wy grinned at the heft and the expression pulled on her scars. “What do you want, ma’am? It’ll be my pleasure to help.”
“I’m sure it will.” Iris took a deep breath and drummed her fingers on the table. “I want you to sneak into the Sunset Palace and find something for me.”
“As in Lith’s home?” Something flickered across Wy’s face and Iris’ heart sunk. “I’m in. What are you looking for?”
Huh? Iris frowned at the handsome woman’s grin; it didn’t look forced. What was with that look on her face? Surprise and something else… Never mind.
“There is a secret hidden in the palace.” Iris glanced at the door despite herself. If anyone tried to eavesdrop, her guards would have alerted her. But to talk about such things in the heart of the Lithyan Empire… A fool would be the politest thing to call her. Iris lowered her voice and leant in closer to Wy. “I want to find this secret.”
Wy rolled her eyes at Iris’ theatrics. “You know I need more than that.”
“And you’ll have it.” Iris nodded to the guard again, and he fetched a small chest for her. Once he handed it over, Iris placed it on the table and opened it reverently. She twisted the chest and showed Wy the broken silver crown. Once a beautiful piece, time had tarnished the metal. “This will guide you inside the palace. I’m sure a Tracker like you can follow its scent.”
“What is it?” Wy narrowed her eyes at the crown and cocked her head to the side.
“I don’t know.” The lie slipped easily from Iris’ lips; months of practice had honed her skill. She didn’t lie because she wanted to hide the truth from Wy; she simply didn’t dare to voice her belief in case it was wrong.
“I’ll try, but I can’t promise anything. If I can’t work it out, I’ll even refund you—not the full amount, but some. If you’re lucky.”
“I will trust you to not let me down.” Iris shut the chest and pushed it closer to Wy. “This request takes precedence over my previous one. See to it swiftly and report back as soon as you succeed.”
“Actually, I can’t.”
“Why?”
“Was that my name or the question?”
“Wy…”
“Haha!” Wy winked and waved off the glare Iris shot her. “I’ll be busy with your other task, I’m afraid. Hey, don’t give me that look. If I bail here, I’ll miss an important opportunity. Remember when I said they want me hunting monsters? How will I get close if I don’t do what they are paying me for?”
“Fine. But you will see to my request immediately upon your return.”
“That’s what I planned. Now, turn that frown upside down. It won’t take that long.”
Iris rolled her eyes and waved the Tracker away. “Go. I expect good news when next we speak.”
“And it was nice speaking to you, too.”
Wy leapt to her feet and grabbed the chest. When she strutted to the door, the guard opened it for her and earned himself a wink from the carefree woman. Iris waited for a moment before walking over to the cottage’s window and staring out. Wy packed the chest into her saddlebags and mounted. Before she rode away, Wy turned the window and waved with a chuckle.
She’s a clever one, Iris thought. Or she’s done that every time, even when I haven’t watched her leave. Wise or a fool? Let’s hope she’s the former. I’ve spent far too much on her otherwise.
It didn’t take long before Iris lost track of Wy. Her eyesight struggled with long distances, but even that was an improvement. If only the improvement hadn’t cost her so much. Iris banished the maudlin thoughts from her mind. None of that mattered now. Not when she found a path to achieve everything she wanted. Hopefully, her efforts—and Wy—wouldn’t ruin the Followers.
CHAPTER TEN
The carriage pulled to a stop just inside the walls of Dran, a town on Dragello’s border.
Azure stared out the window in silence. An old stone wall surrounded the settlement, and it boasted scars from battles long past. Watchtowers marked the corners of the wall, ever vigilant for signs of Dracalian forces. Stone and wood mixed in the houses, and Dragelloans strutted through the streets with their pale complexions and fair hair.
With a twitch of her eye, Azure glanced at Riti. The woman poked her head out the window and openly gawked at the town. She had refused to explain where exactly she sensed Squall. If Azure didn’t need her to keep healing her leg, she’d teach the woman a lesson about being so evasive. Riti pushed open the carriage door and climbed out. Agil followed her closely, and Azure stifled a grunt as she shimmied over to join them.
When the scorching sun beamed down on Azure, she shaded her eyes with a hand and scanned the town. “What are we going to do?”
“Well, we’ll start by asking around.” Riti stretched her back and flashed Azure a smile that withered when she noticed her dark expression. “Look, it’s nothing fancy, but everyone will remember Squall. His wave patterns climb up his arms and his eyes swirl—not things you’d see every day back in the Alliance, let alone Dragello. If someone’s seen him, we’ll know.”
So much for sensing him, Azure thought. Does she expect us to stop at every blasted settlement and ask nicely?
Azure narrowed her eyes at Riti, but forced her voice to remain calm. “Fine. But let’s ask about Veyor, too. He might not stand out as much as Squall, but he has these scars on the right side of his neck and shoulder. Someone might recognise him.”
“Good plan!” Riti clapped her hands and walked over to her guards. As Maeve divided the guards into two groups. One would guard the carriage and their belongings. The other would accompany them.
No, Azure thought. I’m not strutting about town with an escort. I’m not a bloody sheltered noble!
Azure stomped back to the carriage and grabbed her pack. As she moved back, Riti eyed her. “What are you doing, Azure?”
“I’m going for a stroll.” Azure pushed past Riti and Agil. “By myself.”
“Wait! That’s not wise! We don’t know the town yet. What about deciding on a meeting place?”
“Have fun with that.”
Azure limped away and Riti let her go—she couldn’t have outrun them and they knew it, but they didn’t make her try. That was nice of them, at least. Stalls and merchants hawking their wares lined the streets of Dran. A bustling crowd flowed through the town and children ran between everything, their laughter flitting through the cacophony. For a town constantly vigilant for attacks, Dran boasted a lively atmosphere.
As she passed a stall selling fresh vegetables, Azure stopped and eyed the merchant. “Have you seen a Chosen boy with waves running up his arms and swirling eyes?”
“Huh?” The woman blinked and shrugged. “No, I haven’t. How about some fresh carrots?”
Azure limped away and ignored the merchant’s disgusted grunt. She repeated her question to half a dozen different stalls, to no avail. It was enough to make her want to give up, but it didn’t her to try a little longer. Azure rounded the corner into a new street and spotted a variety of shops waiting for her. She asked merchant after merchant, but none of them had seen Squall. They even looked annoyed by how she asked without buying something.
By the time she stepped up to a forge, Azure’s face had settled on a permanent scowl. A burly woman watched her approach, and she matched Azure’s scowl once she heard the question. “Get out.”
“You haven’t seen the boy, then?”
“I said. Get. Out.”
Azure balled her hands into fists and glared at the smith’s back as she walked away. Every muscle in her body begged to burst into action and teach the bloody smith a lesson. Every muscle except those in her leg. With a deep, shaky breath, Azure limped away from the forge. She stumbled to an alley a short distance away and collapsed against the wall.
Breathe… Azure thought. Slowly. Bloody oath, this sucks. I haven’t had a proper fight in what, a few months? I need to hit something. Really hard.
Trusting Riti was a mistake, a small voice whispered in her mind. Who knows if she can actually sense the boy? Never trust others. Those filthy, worthless mortals. She refuses to heal your leg to control you.
“Hah…” Azure grabbed her head and pressed it hard to silence the voice. “Why am I getting so worked up over a single failure?”
Azure slid down the wall until she sat on the ground. With a long sigh, she stared out at the street and watched the crowd flow past her. Some Dragelloans wore weapons on their belts or strapped to their backs—actually, most did. But there was something else they all shared; a penchant for animal tooth jewellery. Some wore earrings, but necklaces adorned nearly every neck and the wearers displayed theirs proudly over their clothes. The sight stirred Azure’s memories, and she frowned.
I’ve seen one before, Azure thought. She rummaged through her memories and recalled a strange old woman living in a town attacked by bandits. That’s right. Ursula was her name. Ursula something… Scaleheart! That’s it!
Azure pulled her pack off her shoulders and rummaged through it. It had been so long ago and during a dark time in her life, so she might have misplaced it at some point. But the old woman had given her a necklace as thanks for saving her granddaughter and claimed it would be useful. She couldn’t remember having it back in Solare, but she felt something right at the bottom of her pack.
With a shake of her head, Azure pulled out a tooth necklace. The tooth was big; it had to belong to a giant monster. A small stone rested beside the tooth on a simple string. While she wasn’t the best judge of fashion, the necklace hardly seemed impressive enough to convince anyone to help her. But if everyone in Dran loved tooth jewellery, one might buy it off her.
Azure climbed to her feet and stared down at the necklace in her hand. “That’s right, there were words I had to say. Something to do with Ursula and a hearth? Was it ‘Ursula rests before a hearth’ or something?”
So much for my minstrel training helping me memorise things, Azure thought. Though, I guess I wasn’t in the mood back then.
Azure shrugged and limped out of the alley. She pushed her way through the crowd and a faint smile quirked her lips. She’d have her revenge. Azure approached the forge and fought to keep her smirk off her face. The smith hammered a sword into shape on her anvil and Azure waved to catch the woman’s attention. The smith stopped her hammering with a nasty scowl and dunked the sword into a nearby water barrel. With a growl, the burly woman stomped over to Azure and folded her muscular arms. “I told you to get out!”
“Look at this.” Azure lifted Ursula’s necklace and the smith’s eyes widened. “Ursula Scaleheart rests before a hearth.”
The smith’s face rampaged with emotion. Her surprise gave way to a warm, inviting smile. “What can I help you with, dear?”
“Uh…” Azure blinked at the burly woman and let out a long breath to give her mind a moment to catch up. “Have you seen a Chosen boy with wave patterns and swirling eyes?”
“I haven’t, sorry. But I don’t get out much, either.”
“Okay.”
“Have you tried asking the chief? He keeps track of all important visitors.” When Azure shook her head, the smith pointed down the street. “He lives that way. You can’t miss his mansion. I hope you find him, dear!”
Azure stumbled away from the forge and ducked back into the alley for a breather. Why had the necklace changed the smith’s attitude so swiftly? No, it didn’t matter. If it worked, she’d use it to her advantage. At least she had a lead now. Azure limped through the crowded street and spotted a mansion towering over the smaller houses ahead. Unfortunately, the building wasn’t the only thing she spotted.
Riti and Agil stuck out of the crowd like a sore thumb. It was mainly the guards keeping a perimeter that forced the crowd to part around them, but they would have stuck out because of how Riti gawked at everything. With a sigh, Azure limped over to Riti. As she approached, a guard reached for his sword and she cocked an eyebrow at him. When he recognised her, he blushed and lowered his hand. If he’d tried something, she’d show him she wasn’t defenceless despite her leg.
Maybe I haven’t calmed down completely yet, Azure thought.
“Oi, Riti!” Azure pushed past the guards and Riti turned towards her. “I have something you want to hear.”
Riti rolled her eyes. “And hello to you, too, Azure!”
“We should ask the town chief about Squall; he keeps track of important guests.”
“Really…?”
Azure narrowed her eyes and glanced at Agil, but the bespectacled woman deliberately turned away. “You didn’t…”
“Yup. We were told similar. Sorry for knocking the wind out of your sails.”
“How’d you hear that?” Azure balled her hands into fists and scanned the packed crowd. Did they have a necklace of their own?
“Now, I don’t want to assume anything by your tone, but I’m going to. It sounds like you went to some lengths to find this out.” Riti’s mouth quirked into a smile and Azure nodded tersely. “Well, turns out—and I know this isn’t your strong suit—but if you’re polite, people are more willing to help you out. Shocking, isn’t it?”
“And it turns out there are some people won’t hit you if you shut up right now.”
Bloody oath, Azure thought. Why am I pissing off the one woman who can heal my leg?
“Haha!” Riti grinned and turned around. “C’mon, let’s go meet this chief.”
Riti led the way down the street, and Azure limped beside Agil. The bespectacled woman fidgeted and still refused to meet Azure’s eyes. Did she fear her that much, or was she just normally weird? As they drew closer to the mansion, Azure shook her head. Perhaps her time in Solare had corrupted her perspective, but it didn’t look that impressive of a building. Only a pair of guards stood at the double doors and they hadn’t even thought to close the doors completely. The guards stared nervously at their group as they approached, and a young man tightened his grip on his spear.
“H-halt!” the guard said, only to flush when his voice cracked.
“Oh, sorry!” Riti gestured for her guards to stop. “We don’t mean to alarm you. We were hoping to see the—”
“Look at this.” Azure pushed past Riti and shoved Ursula’s necklace in front of the young guard. His eyes crossed to look at it and they widened. “We want to talk to the chief. Take us to him.”
The guard stepped back and glanced at his fellow, who shook his head. “I-I’m sorry, but the chief is busy. We could pass a message on, if you’d like.”
“Ugh… Ursula Scaleheart told me she was resting at her bloody hearth and you would help me if I showed this blasted thing!” Azure drew herself up to her full height and stared down at the young guard. “Are you telling me she lied?”
“W-what…? The Scaleheart?”
The open door pulled inward and revealed a tall, stocky man with a bald head. He ran a hand through his bushy beard and frowned at the guards. “What’s going on here?”
“S-sir!” The young guard bowed awkwardly without taking his eyes off Ursula’s necklace. “They want to speak with you! She has Scaleheart’s necklace!”
“I can see that, boy…” The chief inspected Ursula’s necklace and the young guard gulped. But he misplaced his fear as a wide grin broke over the chief’s face. “Come in! Let’s chat in my study!”
Before anyone could react, the chief turned on his heel and strode back into the mansion. Azure pushed past the guards and followed him inside, leaving Riti, Agil, and Maeve to trail behind her. The chief led them down a hallway and stopped at a door. When he opened the door, he revealed a charming study. Half a dozen empty chairs awaited them, and the chief gestured to them with a wide grin. Azure stalked over to the closest chair and plopped herself down with a sigh, thankful for the chance to rest her leg. Riti and Agil took their seats, but Maeve elected to stand behind the pair.
