Page 19 of Veil of Vasara (Fate of the Five #1)

CHAPTER 19- NATHON

I closed the doors before any of our dinner companions could weasel their way into the private audience Loria had somehow managed to secure with the Prince.

But a conversation wasn’t necessarily a good thing. I could not yet say whether the nature of it would assist us or become another problem.

I sighed and moved to walk down the corridor, towards the exit.

“Your Highness,” Rhana stopped me.

“Princess.” I spun around “What can I do for you?”

“Would you join us, sometime, you and the Princess, for dinner?”

“Wasn’t one evening in our company enough for you?” It had certainly been enough for me.

She laughed, feigning amusement. “I suppose not.”

“Are you quite sure Jayli there will survive such an affair?” I pointed behind Rhana’s back at the escort. “Between you and I, I think she might choke on her own breath if she spends another minute in my presence.”

“Jayli is within her rights to be cautious. That is her task, after all.”

“Is it also her task to inform me of all the ways in which she’d like to kill me with her eyes?”

Rhana and Jayli were stunned. “No, it’s not, is it?” I confirmed for them.

“But…if you can promise to withhold the deathly glares, then I can promise we will be there.”

Rhana responded, “I am glad. I like your sister. I should like to get to know her better, and you, of course.”

“Naturally,” I grinned.

Jayli tensed up. Gods it was so easy. I despised myself for how easy I found it, and the events that had created a version of myself so well versed in manipulating the emotions of others.

Emotions were always so easy to manipulate, to turn on, to turn off, to use against your adversary, against anyone.

For when people were angry, they were irrational, when they were sad, their will was weak, when they were jealous, they were foolish.

I let out a light laugh at the realisation. Rhana and Jayli glanced at each other.

It was not a tool I would employ, had I not the necessity for it, but it was most useful for situations like this when it could be the difference between my life and death.

I feigned a smile and swallowed before speaking. “Oh, Princess…It’s good to know that one competitor is out of the running.”

“What are you implying, Prince?” Jayli spoke up, viciously.

“I’m not implying anything. I’m saying that my sister and I would be glad to chaperone you during your little evening together.”

“How dare you—" Jayli started. Rhana shot her a look that silenced her instantly.

“Who said, Your Highness, I was out of the running?” Rhana said quietly.

I raised my hands in the air and shrugged. “It tends to be hard to produce heirs without engaging in…certain activities. I have an inkling that might affect your suitability , as these people like to put it… to be Queen.”

Rhana and Jayli looked furious. I wondered, I was waiting, to see if they would say anything.

I knew people feared me, but I couldn’t comprehend the level at which they did at times. They feared me based on stories, stories they had only heard of in passing, never truly read.

“Something to discuss over dinner perhaps?” I tilted my head in question. Rhana gulped. “Don’t tell me you want to revoke your offer now?”

“No, Your Highness. We will arrange something and let you know.”

“Wonderful. I very much look forward to it. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

“Of course,” Rhana said tersely.

Rhana brought her lover here. That was a poor decision.

Love. That was the most dangerous emotion of them all. An affliction that could make people do all sorts of ridiculous things.

But I could not deny that it would make Jayli a truly dedicated escort, someone who was willing and ready to sacrifice her life for the Princess.

Love made people foolish, but it made them brave as well.

It was no matter. This would work to our advantage. We needed more of those.

It was growing darker. If they weren’t already, then the Prince’s men would, by my estimates, begin watching and tailing our every move very soon. Not that it would stop me from completing our task, only make it more tedious.

Tonight, I would exploit the lack of guards at my back, and the lack of sober guards around the Palace after tonight’s festivities. This was the best night to visit and familiarise myself with this…Solar Inn. I doubted my contact would be there so soon, after all, Sarlan wouldn’t ask for a report until at least a few days had passed. Still, I needed to gather all the information I could about the place. The visitors, the entrances, the exits, escape routes, the different rooms, the tables, down to each and every single scratch mark on the bar stools. I needed to know everything. Be prepared for anything.

I considered wearing my own hooded coat to hide my face, but realised its very colour acted as a way of identifying me. It was inevitable that eventually, I would be noticed at the Inn. That wasn’t a concern of mine. I had my reputation to act as a cover for that.

But I preferred to go unnoticed the first time.

I walked back to my room and noticed a servant hurrying away as I approached.

“You,” I said to him.

He stopped and turned around “Yes…Yo…Your…Your Highness.” He was clutching an empty jug of what smelt like wine.

“Fetch me a light coat, mine’s too heavy for this weather.”

“Yes Your…Your Highness.”

“Forget about this,” I grabbed the empty jug from his hands. “Get the coat.”

The boy stared at the jug in my hands with so much bewilderment. I felt as if I’d just ripped his heart out of his chest.

“Go now, please,” I snapped him out of his trance.

It was definitely wine, and strong wine at that. The pungent smell of the remnants in the jug travelled up my nostrils.

Ardica Wine?

Who in this Palace was drinking Ardica?

I largely pretended to drink. It was much easier than you would think to fake drunkenness. To pour the liquid from your mug on the floor, or into an adjacent cup, or swap it with that of an inebriated person’s. Being drunk was too dangerous. Especially for me. But pretending to be drunk, that was highly useful.

But Ardica. That wine was possibly the strongest I’d ever encountered. The fateful day I had consumed it, in an effort to blend in with other locals present, I ended up sweating and profusely vomiting in a backstreet, rather than fulfilling my task.

I remembered the punishment for that one. Ah yes. One of his finest, and most unique. If I wanted to be a drunken fool, he’d said, then that is what I’d be. I was force-fed the beverage for a whole week. I purged my guts up so much, I was convinced I might actually die. I never touched the stuff again, to blend in or no.

But this was a whole jug. Completely empty.

The boy returned with a coat less than perfect for the occasion. It was far too small and bright gold, but I didn’t have the time to be captious.

“Perfect. Now, you can bring this back to wherever you got it from. Where was that by the way?” I held out the jug to him.

The boy was clearly trying to decide whether revealing or concealing the information would cause him more trouble.

“Come on. Where?”

He gulped and blinked several times. “I’m n…n…not sure that I can s…say, Your Highness.”

I wouldn’t threaten a child. I would do plenty, but I would not do that.

“Fine. Go then.”

The boy walked off, looking behind him as he did, as if expecting one of my daggers to be launched into his back at any moment.

I placed the glaring coat around my shoulders. It was certainly a lighter material than the ones I had brought with me and was lined with dark golden thread around the edges, the same colour as its clasps, in the shape of a leaping Chimera. I lifted up the hood.

Hideous.

It served its purpose. My pants were largely covered by it. However, my boots were still visible. That certainly granted me the luxury of some unusual glances, but I arrived at the Inn undetected.

It was riddled with people. I could immediately see why this place had been chosen to exchange delicate information. It was hard to hear your own thoughts in here, let alone the sound of people speaking to one another.

Music was sounding from the furthest corner of the ground floor, near the bar. Four men, two playing stringed instruments, one playing a flute and another singing with an accordion, were joined by several of the Inn’s visitors. Moaning and giggling could be heard from several corners, as people embraced, fondled, and I was quite sure, even had sex out in the open. Almost all the tables were occupied, surrounded by people talking, laughing, teasing, mocking, flirting, and shouting. The raucous space carried the scents of sweat, alcohol, and…yes, that was Papaver. The smoke of which clung to the air as tightly as the lovers clang to each other. Here, a blatant truth swam through the air, stuck to the walls, and clung to the tables. That many would drown in something sour for the search of something sweet.

I walked up to the bar.

“What will you have?”

Avoiding eye contact with the man I replied, “Whatever you recommend.”

“Not fussy huh? I get it…all does the same thing anyway.”

I thought about Ardica.

No. It doesn’t.

I turned around and leant against the counter, taking in the whole room. The upper floor seemed just as lively. The far side of which was visible through the flimsy railings framing it, leaving a large square space, from which either floor could be viewed from the other.

My eyes rested on a man, chugging mug after mug of liquid, dripping down his chin, through his sparse facial hair and onto his clothes. Several people cheered him on.

I grabbed the unidentified alcohol laid at my back, quickly thanked the bartender, and made my way up to the commotion. The man had sunk back onto the table, barely conscious.

“I bet he can,” one of his encouragers said.

“No bloody way, he’s not got it in him.”

“Two rays says he does.”

“Five says he doesn’t.”

“Ten for each of you to leave us alone,” I spoke up.

They all turned to me.

“Leave you alone, ey?” one of the men said. “He must be good if you’re willing to pay that much for him.”

The others burst out laughing.

“Fifteen sunshine…since you’re so desperate,” a woman propositioned.

“It’s five now. That’s my final offer. The next will involve less money and more…violence,” I replied.

The eight or so individuals looked at each other and laughed again.

“Nice try, Mister, but you’re messing with the wrong crowd.”

“Ahhh…but that’s my favourite kind of crowd to mess with.”

“What are you on?” another man laughed heartily.

“I’m telling you, that Pap fucks with the head, just like it does with you, Roni.”

“I’m not on anything actually,” I interrupted their dawdling. “You’re beginning to waste my time. I don’t like waste.”

“Yeah, he’s definitely high,” the first man said.

“Time you fucked off now,” Roni made a move to hit me. I placed my mug down on the table behind me.

With little effort, I grabbed his outstretched fist, pulled his arm towards me, and smashed my own fist into his shoulder socket.

A loud thud confirmed I’d dislocated it, as intended.

Roni started screaming and fell to his knees.

But that was the great thing about a place like the Solar Inn, nobody could hear him.

“You fucking bastard…I’ll…ahhhhhhhh. Fuck! You broke it…You’ve fucking broken my arm.”

“Relax, Roni.” I leant forwards. “It’s not broken, it's dislocated. Get one of your lovely friends to reset it for you.”

“You think we’re healers or something?” the woman said.

“I think you could have afforded a healer if you’d spent less on alcohol, and bets.”

“Fine, give us the five each that you promised. For the healer.”

I highly doubted those forty rays would be used for a healer.

“No, I don’t think so. My new offer is this.” I clasped my hands together. “You leave with intact joints, how does that sound?”

The first man went to speak, the woman stopped him, dragging Roni along with her.

“Leave it, this guy’s fucked in the head.”

I laughed to myself. She wasn’t exactly wrong about that.

Once they’d slank down the stairs, I picked up my mug and slid into the seat across from him. His head was thrown back, leaning against the wood panelled wall. His eyes were half open, half closed. He didn’t seem to be aware of anything that had just happened.

“You never told me there was a post-ceremony celebration,” I said.

His dark red hair was stuck to his sweaty face. “Who the fuck are you?” he barely got out.

“I’m hurt. After all, you recognised me so easily earlier.”

Elias turned his head indolently and snarled, his upper lip rising as his left eyebrow sank downwards. Then he rolled his eyes so far back into his head, I thought for a moment he was about to pass out.

“What do you want?” he said, confirming he was still conscious.

“Isn’t the pleasure of your company enough?”

“It’s not even enough for me, for fucks sake.”

“Well, it must at least be an improvement from your previous companions. Nothing quite like crushing loneliness to lure in the snakes.”

Elias guffawed into his mug. “Yes. And here you are.”

I took a fake sip. “He was right then.”

“Who?” He sounded lethargic.

“That Captain. You are the saddest man I’ve ever seen.”

He laughed. One harsh crisp laugh. “Better sad than a maniac.”

“Is it?” I raised my brows.

“What are you doing here?”

“You’re the only person I recognise here. I didn’t feel like drinking alone.”

“Really? All you’d need to do is remove that hood of yours and you’d have” – he paused to swallow – “people begging for your attention.”

“Yes… but you’re far more intriguing.”

He turned his body fully around and placed his arms flat on the table, one on top of the other. “What is it that you want to hear mmm? What, you want to talk about my tragic past? You want to know my darkest secrets? Think you can use them against me? Is that it? Let me tell you something, Vulture .”

I winced at the pseudonym. Fortunately, he couldn’t see that as I looked down.

The Vulture, the Bird of Death. People referred to me by that alias far more often than my actual name or title.

“You can’t,” Elias continued, his surly expression unyielding. “Because for that to happen, I’d have to give a shit about people finding out about my secrets. I don’t.”

“You won’t mind sharing them with me then, will you?” I looked up. My hood still covered the sides of my face. Anyone who walked by wouldn’t be able to recognise me, but Elias had a full view of it.

“Here’s the short version. I was born a Duke, and I was good at it. I was the perfect little Duke. Yes, Your Highness. No, Your Majesty. If it pleases you, My Lady, and do you know what?” He pointed at me. “I fucking loved it. Gods, I loved it.” He slammed his fist down onto the table.

“I did everything they wanted. Everything they asked. If they’d ordered me to cut off my own finger, I would have asked, at which knuckle? I was even engaged to a noblewoman. She was from one of the highest-ranking families here. Then one day…” He interlaced his fingers and squeezed his hands as if making two fists.

He leant back suddenly, shaking his head.

“You know, I must say, I’m impressed with your ability to remain so cognizant and bite your tongue while you’re this intoxicated,” I said.

Elias chuckled, “I did that too.”

“Did what?”

“Lied. All the time. I spoke bullshit fluently. You’re clearly a fucking expert at it.”

“Why thank you,” I smiled. “One day what?”

“One day." He paused and looked past me as if remembering those events. “One day it all went to shit, they all died, and you know what they did? Nothing. Absolutely fucking nothing.”

“Who died?”

Completely ignoring my question Elias continued, “You know, you said you wanted a leading role, didn’t you? Or was that the woman with you? It doesn’t matter because it won’t last. You’ll have it, sure, you’ll hold it for a while and then." He slammed his fist on the table again. I wasn’t sure if he intended to startle me or was just incapable of controlling his emotions.

Either way, the sound was far too familiar for me to flinch.

“Somebody takes your place. Could be anyone. Your best friend, your family, your lover, someone you fought alongside, fought for. It’s all the same…the point is…you’ll lose your role, and that’s if you don’t lose your head first.” And Elias had lost his. Once a Duke, now a Lord. I wondered if he cared. Despite how fervently he was speaking, it didn't seem the loss of his title was the cause of his anger.

“I will say, I’m very surprised yours is still attached to your body,” I couldn’t help but admit.

“That’s the first honest thing you’ve said all evening.”

The fact he was actually correct was unnerving.

“I’ll drink to that,” he added, grabbing the wine in front of him. Ardica wine.

I was now also surprised his heart was still beating.

“Why is that?” I asked him.

“Why is what?” Elias asked, losing trail of the conversation.

“Why is your head still attached to your body?”

“They’re waiting for me to be useful, aren’t they?” he murmured into his cup.

“Something you intend on being anytime soon?”

“Fuck no.” He wiped the back of his mouth with his forearm.

“How long do you think you’ll last?”

“I doubt any of us have long left.”

I frowned and moved closer to the table “What do you mean?”

Elias seemed dazed. “Mean by what?”

He’d be unconscious within minutes now. “That we all don’t have long left.”

“Did I say that?” Elias asked.

It was difficult to tell if he was using his drunkenness as an excuse to avoid the question, or if he had genuinely forgotten his own words, but still I answered, “Yes, you did. You’re far too expert a drunk to have alcohol affect your memory.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he grumbled.

“I thought you said you used to lie, not that you still do.”

Elias didn’t seem to care enough about his own life for a threat against it to work.

“You shouldn’t listen to the ramblings of a drunk man.”

“Only they’re not ramblings, are they?”

Elias, shockingly, managed to stand up. “I’m leaving. I’m far too drunk to deal with you for a minute longer.”

“You mean you’re far too drunk to keep your mouth shut for a minute longer?” I glanced up at him.

He leant on the edge of the table as he stumbled past me towards the exit. “Listen, Vulture. That’s all you need to do here…listen.” His breath smelt so strongly of alcohol it felt I was drowning in it.

“Ingenious advice,” I replied.

“It really is.” He threw me a broad smile, then stumbled off, out of the Inn, and into the night.

The fact that man was still breathing was proof anything was possible.

I found myself wondering who the contact would be, what they’d look like, if I’d know them. I often did. Sarlan always sent his trusted advisors and spies to do these sorts of jobs for him, all of whom I was familiar with. But occasionally, there would be someone unsuspecting. A young boy, a woman or an elderly man sent to do the task. I had a feeling it would be the latter this time, since we were in Vasara, which meant the risk of recognition was too high. But I could never be sure.

I listened. I moved around and listened. I heard nothing of consequence. There were many nights like that in places like these. Sometimes you could spend forty nights in one and hear nothing. This was a waiting game. It always was.

Because on the forty first night, you might overhear something, even for the briefest moment, that could afford you with vital information. Information that might just save your life, that might just change everything.

I had automatically assumed, for some time now, that everyone was lying. Lying about everything. They lied about how their day was, who they loved, who they hated. They lied about their ambitions, their fears, their desires, their woes. They lied about their intentions, their feelings, their thoughts. In this world, people treated truth as they treated sorcery, a substance to be afraid of, to be wary of, to shun.

I wouldn’t have said that Elias was being entirely truthful either, both with those around him and with himself. I also didn’t consider anything anyone said under the influence of alcohol to be a true honesty, but an accidental one.

Was his reference to our ephemeral state due to his disdain with this place, this city, its game players, or was it something more?

My gut told me the latter, and if Elias was keeping it a secret, and able to keep it, then it must truly be concerning.

I pondered all of this on my way back to the Palace. There were many things I had to inform Loria of. Elias’ words, Rhana’s impromptu dinner invitation, and I had to find out what the Prince had said to her, what he had wanted.

The darkness shrouding the streets told me we were deep into the night now. I’d have to wait until morning to discuss it with her.

But I was restless, I was not quite ready to sleep yet. I needed to think. I needed to understand. There was something I was missing, and it was gnawing at me like an itch I couldn’t scratch.

We were staying as guests in the West Wing of the Palace, where the majority of chambers were situated. The South Wing was where the throne room had been, as well as rooms, from what I could gather, for official business and meetings. The East Wing was littered with chamber rooms, rooms designed to entertain, to host, as well as the gardens. And then there was the North Wing.

The hallways were still. I had been right, the Palace’s security was rather lackadaisical tonight, but there were still several guards with keen eyes glancing in my direction.

Putting on my best impression of an intoxicated person I asked, “Sir, would you -elp me please?”

The guard, covered in golden armour and an amber cape recognised me instantly.

“Certainly, Your Highness.”

“Thank you. Thank you.” I put my hand on his shoulder. “I’d like…a stroll. Yes. Mmmm. A stroll… in the Palace gardens. Where are…they, ex…exactly?”

“Let me show you.” The guard walked towards the East Wing and led me through a series of corridors to one which ended in an open archway.

Without saying anything, the guard bowed and left. I waited until he had disappeared completely both from my sight and hearing range, and went outside.