DYON
I lean against Naz's bedroom door as I wait for her to return from her meeting with Hoku. The wounds on my back considerably less painful than this morning, only a slight discomfort as the door presses against it. This is entirely due to the fact that after the meeting we had about the stone, Naz looked at me annoyed and ordered me to get that healed so that I wouldn't complain during our trip.
First of all, I don't complain. I just like to voice my pain or discomfort to anyone who is around me until I feel satisfied or, the most common response, I'm told to shut up.
Second, I know why she had me healed. It isn't because I "complain," which I've established I don't, but because she feels guilty for punishing me.
Not that she would ever accept it. She would rather sit in an ice bath for hours, which is torture for her, than admit to it.
But, I know.
I know the internal struggle she deals with everyday. The need for power and the price that it tolls on her soul. I know the ghosts that haunt her past, because they haunt mine too.
I would gladly take the punishment over her losing what she has fought tooth and nail for, knowing it would break her.
"What do you want now?" Naz's low authoritative voice says as she approaches her door.
I move out of the way as she opens her door, and we both go in, "Nice to see you too. I just wanted to get more logistics about this plan of yours."
Her room is a perfect reflection of the woman she is. It's strong and bold with dark colors of orange and red, all the tones creating a mirage of fire. It's smart and decisive, the neat room with walls covered in perfectly organized books a shadow of the brain within. It's beautiful with the careful yet delicate decorations.
I plomp down on my favorite chair, as she sits down on plush red leather chair behind the dark wooden desk on the opposite side. "Logistics. Since when? You usually pretend to listen to my thoughtfully laid out plans, before rushing into whatever it is, and doing whatever you want...usually the opposite of what I planned. Or did you forget?"
I smile, "Yes. How could I forget all those times I accomplished what we set out to do. What can I say, I don't like to overthink things."
"More like you don't like to think." She laughs, the richest sound to my poor ears.
I pretend to grab my chest in pain, "Harsh. Maybe I want to be more like you this time." I stare into those eyes of silver. After a breath she looks away.
"Fine. My plan is still on the works. But, so far it is simply to find the stone."
"Yea. For some reason I gathered that."
She clenches her jaw, "after we find the stone, we have to figure out a way for me to use it. Remember from the book I gave you for your birthday how it talked about the Cariak and the Nine Immortal Queens?"
"Of course." I lie. That book. Sweet, sweet Nazareth. Most people in our regiment give fun gifts, like a paid night at the brothel, a custom weapon, even clothes. Naz's idea of a good gift is a book heavier then she was, and as boring as trying to converse with Zey. The best part was the inscription: It's your birthday. General Nazareth.
I hide a smile, "But, just to recap, what about the Cariak?"
Naz rolls her eyes, "I knew it was a waste to give you such a great gift."
"I'd look up the definition of what is considered great in one of these books of yours." I chuckle.
"Whatever, you have no appreciation for books. The Cariak chooses who gets to use its power. So, even if we find it...I still won't be able to use it."
"I'm not really hearing a plan."
"The plan is to follow Zey and find the stone. That is the most important part. Once we have it ..." She takes a pause wincing as if it causes her discomfort to continue. "I have read about this ancient creature, a myth most likely, who once served the Nine Immortal Queens, and was the one who provided them with the Cariak. The last immortal being in the world. If we find this creature it might be able to tell us how to use it without being chosen."
I bite my top lip, understanding why she made that face...she knew I would react just as I am about to.
I could see the ember in her eyes start to warm, "If you want to laugh, go ahead. Please, don't let my hours of research and careful planning stop you."
"Naz. I mean, you have to be kidding, right? Not only are we following someone we cannot converse with, who maybe heard a rumor about a possible stone, which might end up not being the Cariak. Seems far fetched, but I get it."
Standing up, I make my way to her, leaning on the desk in front of where she sits, "But, now you are telling me that even if by some miracle the stone is the Cariak and by another miracle we find it, you can't use it, and we have to go to another search of a mythical creature. That sounds more like a plot to a book than a plan, you have been reading far too many books." I burst out laughing.
"Even if we don't find this creature. I rather find try to find the stone, then to have someone else find it and succeed. In the end, if I cannot access the power, I would rather have it than not." She looks up at me with her red eyes.
I'd really done it now.
"I'm sorry if my plan doesn't sound appealing to you, Major. I don't need your approval for my decisions. Get out, and get ready. We leave at first light tomorrow." She says with a coldness that gives my skin frostbite despite the heat radiating off her.
I reach out to touch her, "Naz, look I'm…"
She shoves my hand away, slightly burning my skin as she does, and goes to her window. Before she heaves herself to the roof she says, "Shut up, and get out of my room. You are dismissed."
******
As I walk towards the brothel to try to drown out the conversation with Naz, I run into Zay. He has finally showered the stench of the travels off him, and smiles at me when I approach him.
"Hey Chatterbox, come on, you are coming with me." I pull him with me.
As we arrive, the gild and boys of the brothel already know my favorite table, and give us both big cold glasses of ale. "I'll be right back handsome," One of the girls, Frida, I think was her name, whispers to me as she puts the glass down. She has light blue skin, and spiky horns across her head instead of hair. A namaith.
"I'll be waiting." I wink.
Out of the corner I see Zey roll his eyes.
"What? Upset they aren't paying you attention?" I take a gulp of my ale.
He follows suit, and shakes his head laughing silently. We both know creatures throw themselves at him both inside and outside the brothel. The bastard doesn't do anything because of his silent vow. He won't allow himself any types of pleasure until he has fulfilled his promise.
When I asked him if he's ever been with anyone, he nodded, but quickly looked away, ending that conversation as soon as it started. I'd always wondered who got him to break his vow for even a second.
"I'd always meant to ask you this. So, on that great big silent vow of yours, you made sure to include not indulging in certain entertainments, yet you can drink...and look, but not touch?" I say as I finish my glass.
Zey shrugs his shoulders, which seemed to say, "I guess so."
The namaith, Frida, no wait I remember Daisy, comes back with two more glasses of ale. Flirtation written all over her body. "Daisy darling, how are you?"
The flirtation she possessed whooshed out as soon as the last letter slipped out of my mouth. "My name is Elki, you arrogant bastard." As she slams the drink on the table and saunters away.
That's what it was.
I hear Zey's soft laughter, as I drink more of my ale, "There's plenty more fish in the sea."
Grey eyes, and soft lips wander into my inebriated brain. Traitorous alcohol, you are doing the exact opposite of why I sought you out.
"So, you think this plan of her's is dangerous?"
We both knew who I was referring to as Zey solemley nodded.
"Ugh," I put my head my hands, "I wish we could just leave here and never look back. I'd take care of her where, if she'd just let me." My words slur.
Zey pats my back. I look up to find him with his lips pressed together in concern.
"Yea. I know what you're thinking. She will never give up. She will never care for me like I do her." I sigh as I order another cup of ale.
I wipe my mouth, "She's mad at me ...because I questioned her plan."
Zey raised his eyebrows with a smirk, as if to say: when isn't she.
A bubble of laughter and a hiccup exits my mouth, "You are so right. She is always mad at me. Who needs her anyway." The words empty without true meaning. I needed her.
An alluring Haza male, with lazander skin, and long deep purple hair drops off the round, and I pull him onto my lap, "Hey gorgeous, tell me what I have to do to get you tell me your favorite story."
The Haza male laughed, "Well, how about you give me a kiss."
I grab his hips and press my mouth to his, hard, as if with this kiss I would forget that somewhere along the years I fell in love with my best friend.
******
A crash jerks me awake.
I lay naked entangled with the Haza male from last night.
My head is killing me.
"Ugh, what time is it," I mumble as I try to get up. Sharp needles stabbing my brain.
I wince as I take in the glow of the early rising sun.
First thing tomorrow morning….shit.
I jump out of bed, and scramble to put on my clothes, to find that the male is passed out wearing my shirt. For Queens sake.
I run out, shirtless, towards the stables, where I find Zey on top of his horse smiling widely and shaking his head as I approach.
"Good…" I gasp for air, "She isn't here yet."
"Oh, she is." Naz says behind me.
My heart thunders in my chest as I turn to find her with smoke coming out of her nose, "Naz, darling, you read...ooooffff."
I clutch my stomach where she punched me.
"You couldn't have warned me there, mutey." I groan, but Zey just shrugs with a smug smile.
"Next time you want to whore around, and fill your blood with poison make sure you don't have a commitment the next day ...and don't you ever call me what you call your conquests. Put on a damn shirt, we are leaving." She growls, sparks coming out of her fingertips.
With a snap of her finger a servant hands me a bag full of clothes and I pull out a shirt.
"So, who's ready for an adventure," I say as I jump onto my horse, wincing at the pain in my head and, now thanks to Naz, my stomach.
Naz's horse covered with dragon skin rides ahead, Naz just looks back at me, an dragoness embodied, "Dyon, try to keep up. If you complain once, Zey will make sure you regret it tomorrow, when we workout."
"I don't complain."
"Sure. Keep telling yourself that."
I look at Zey, "So how far is this place?"
Zey just stares at me.
"Ugh, fine Sir Complication. Hold up one finger for about a week. Two fingers for around a month. Hold three for more than a month."
He quickly holds three fingers.
"More than a month? Where are we going?"
Naz pulls the reins, "Dyon, will you stop pestering Zey. We haven't been riding for more than ten minutes and you're already complaining."
"Again, I'm not complaining. I don't complain," At my statement Naz and Zey laugh, "I just want it to know where we are heading."
"I had Zey write it down yesterday. We are going towards the Kiri Sea. When he was out scouting, he heard that in that area there is a woman, whom like everyone else, saw a blue falling star land in the forest, but unlike everyone else she went to investigate. She hasn't spoken since."
I nod my head, "Sounds pretty legit."
Naz looks at me, the fight from yesterday still in her eyes, "Yea, I told you this yesterday."
This would be the moment to shut up, but I barely slept, I'm hungover, and annoyed, "No. I asked you to tell me, and you just gave me a vague plan. I asked for details."
"If you hadn't sounded so skeptical, and laughed at what I had told you...I might of told you more."
I growl, "if you had told me more, I wouldn't have laughed."
Naz stares down at me, her eyes on fire, "I would tell you more if you thought before you acted. Your actions last night confirm I was right in not telling you. I never know what you are going to do. I can't rely on your whims."
Wind tumbles around us, my horse gets tense for battle, "You can't rely on my whims. When have I ever let you down."
"You do every time you don't listen, and do whatever you want." Her hands spark red.
We are staring each other down, breathing hard, when Zey whistles, and breaks our trance.
Naz, closes her eyes, and takes a deep breath. When she opens them, the fire has cooled, "I will not argue with you further. This is way too important to waste time squabbling like children. Lets go."
The pain in my heart felt as sharp as a knife wound. She didn't trust me.
I had to prove her wrong.
The scar on her face the painful reminder of when I had failed her before.