In the dead of the night, the wind didn't exist and the dark celestial sky held a bountiful of stars scattered like baby's-breath. At the highest point of the Carena in the crow's nest, Naomi leaned against Cassien's shoulder in a side-sitting position, silver silk tangled in waves around her shoulders. Their hands were entwined, memories floating between them.
Every chance they had, Naomi would retell Cassien the first time they met, their nights in Tudor, everything she could think of. Since their reunion in Harsbach, his memory had come back slowly, bit by bit, recalling more with each passing day. When there was nothing left to share, they held one another in a peaceful, comfortable silence.
They were due to arrive in Redgorn in less than a day, and since their departure, Naomi had scarcely seen Kaelen. Aryn had decided to come clean to the ship's captain about Radriel's presence, and they stowed him away in a more secure cell in the lower bowels of the ship under a watchful eye. But Kaelen seemingly existed like the last shadow of a sunroom, vanishing around each corner as if she were deliberately avoiding her.
Not only that, but the closer they got to the capital, the tighter the knot in Naomi's stomach became. It was no longer a distant threat or only a mere name, it had now become an inevitable destination that loomed on the cusp of the horizon. The second they arrived, Alistair or his loyalists could appear at any moment; even the local guard or militia could be under orders to seize them if they were recognized. Luckily, Darius had an aptitude for disguises, and had prepared for each one of them with alterations.
This was it. There were no second chances, no second guessing, no take-backs.
"What are you thinking about?" Cassien murmured, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.
She hesitated. "Are you still planning on… killing Radriel and Kaelen?"
"You still disagree with it."
"Yeah, I do. I know you guys have your suspicions and it's 'them or us,' and I get it, I really do. But…"
"But 'what if?'" Cassien finished for her. "It's not as if I'm looking forward to doing it. It's still a life. I know. Except we caught her lying, and that means she could be hiding something else. I can't risk that sort of danger for any of us."
Naomi looked at him. "I know you can handle… 'it.' You've done it before. You've fought in battles before and you're stronger than I am. But Cassien, I-I.. I can't. Once that line gets crossed, I can't go back. It's.. It's.." She trailed off, body shaking.
He shushed her gently, pulling her into his chest and tightening his embrace. Her voice was small, muffled by his shirt. "Please, Cassien. Just… Just wait, okay? A little longer. We'll keep our guard up, and if there's no doubt about it, then do what you need to do. But not until we're sure."
They stayed in their intimate hold for a long time before she felt the slight nod of his head. "I'll talk to Darius and Thom."
She let out a deep breath of relief against his chest. "Thank you."
"But, Naomi…" Cassien shifted her away slowly, his eyes intense. "This is her last chance. If there's even a second where I think you or anyone else is getting hurt, that's it. I won't hesitate to end things."
Naomi nodded slowly. "Okay."
"Okay." He kissed the top of her head again. "Is there anything else that's bothering you?"
Naomi thought for a moment, her face twisted with worry. "So much has already gone wrong before we've even reached enemy territory."
She looked up at him, brows pressed in a downward curve. "I'm terrified."
He squeezed her hand. "Me too."
"You don't sound or look scared."
Cassien let out a deep breath, looking up at the night sky. "I've learned to not let it take over me. I turn it into a tool - fear pushes me to do better. It pushes me to protect you, myself, and everyone else."
Naomi nuzzled into the crook of his arm. "I'll protect you, too."
"I know."
The corners of his lips tilted into a small smile before disappearing. His brows furrowed, and after a long moment, he spoke again. "But if I hold back on those two, you need to promise me something."
Naomi looked at him questioningly. "What is it?"
"If any of us are in danger and you have to choose between yourself or anyone else to survive, whether it's me, Aryn, any of us…" Cassien's gaze met hers, wholly serious and intense. His grip on her hand tightened slightly, and he tugged her closer. "Pick yourself. Run in the opposite direction and don't ever look back."
"W-why are you saying this?"
"We need to be realistic. There's a good chance that not all of us are going to make it back to Calypsa. I need to know that you'll choose yourself."
She swallowed the lump in her throat. "You know I can't promise that."
His hand cupped her cheek, lost in the pale glacials of her eyes. "You can and you will. Promise me, Naomi."
"We already almost lost each other once. That can't happen ever again."
"And keeping you safe is my top priority, more than getting revenge on Alistair. So in order for me to do my part in stopping him, I need you to help me. Choose yourself, even if it means leaving me behind."
"But-"
"Naomi," Cassien leaned in, pressing his forehead to hers. His voice was a low growl, barely contained with desperation. "I cannot do this without your word. I cannot think. I could not live if there had been a choice between us, and you didn't."
After a long consideration, she answered in a trembling voice, "Only if you promise me the same. If it comes down to you or anyone else, you have to run, too. If I get trapped in a ditch and a tide is about to swallow me whole, you don't jump in there to die with me. Okay? Because just as much as you couldn't go on without me, I can't either."
Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.
"So oddly specific," Cassien gave a shaky laugh, and Naomi swore for a second that his golden eyes looked wet. "I promise."
"Okay," Naomi nodded slowly. "I promise."
The two moved in at once, their lips meeting in a deep, warm affirmation. They kissed each other like they were trying to memorize the feeling, the scent, the taste of one another, as if it might be one of their last. A shared promise between the two, to choose themselves over the other if it came down to it.
They said nothing else, but both knew the other was lying.
**
They arrived before the sun finished rising over the sandy hills in the distance of Seraveth's desert.
Unlike Augustine's swarm of dry acacia, pale smooth stoned architecture and cool colour palette, Redgorn was like an open sprawl of bronze and ochre. The air shimmered with waking heat, sand sweeping from the hills in the background. At the front of the docks was a massive entrance nearly thirty feet tall, a wooden arch design at the top fortified with iron and held up by pale yellow marbled columns. Even in the early morning, dock workers were already busy hauling cargo carts through the gates and into the city.
Along the gate was a perimeter wall made of sandstone bricks that spanned the entire length of the city, with patrolmen standing guard at the top. Flat-roofed buildings sat in rows of dried red-clay and faded sandstone, some buildings rising in height as spiraling towers in the distance. Above all else sat the palace looming over the city, twice as big and grandeur as Calypsa Castle. Dark brown flags stamped with a hissing cobra stood proudly at the height of each of its towers, and even from a distance, Seravethian warriors dotted the tops of the palace. All of it was exotic, unknown, and completely intimidating.
Before the crew could notify them of the arrival, Naomi and the others slipped off the ship quickly, faces hidden beneath plain desert cloaks and donning their altered clothing. Thom walked a pace ahead of everyone else with Radriel close behind, a cloak draped heavily over his shoulders to hide the rope that held him like a leash.
Cassien watched the docks with a sharp eye, and noticed up ahead that one by one, workers and civilians were stopped by guardsmen. He watched as some turned over papers before they were allowed entry.
"Wait," Cassien said in a low voice, and the group slowed down to turn to him. "It looks like they're requiring some form of identification."
"I have some papers forged," Darius responded, shuffling around in his pockets.
He pulled out a small array of cards of a thick, yellowed material. The information scrawled onto it looked authentic enough to the naked eye, but Kaelen immediately shook her head.
"That's not going to work," She pulled down her hood, red hair shining in the rising morning light. "Maybe it would've half a year ago, but identification stamps were added in recently."
Radriel cackled. "Should've done your research better."
"Shut it," Darius scowled before swearing under his breath. "I can fix it, but I'll need-"
"Don't bother. Follow me."
Darius and Cassien looked at one another, suspicion drawn on their faces. To their surprise, Aryn spoke up. "I think we should trust her."
The two looked at him simultaneously. "What?"
"We don't have the time or materials to fix this now, and the longer we stay standing around whispering," Aryn gestured subtly at the group with his hands. "The more suspicious we look."
Darius gritted his teeth. "Fine."
Kaelen took the lead, bringing the group into the line that slowly shuffled forward. Most were allowed entry, a few were turned away with looks of confusion and nowhere to go. Naomi felt her stomach twist at the uncertainty of Kaelen's plan, forcing her feet forward. She felt a strong hand reach for hers, squeezing - and she didn't need to look up to know it was Cassien as always.
As the line shortened, Darius shot a look at Kaelen's back. "This better not be a trick."
She didn't bother to look back. "It's not - and I'll expect a grovelling apology when we get through."
They reached the front, standing face to face with two guardsmen wielding glinting pointed halberds and wearing bronzed armour, a serpent imprinted on the front chestpiece. The lower half of their well-tanned faces were obscured with a red cowl that doubled as a hood.
One held out his hand in a halting motion. "Identification papers."
In a fluid motion, Kaelen raised her right forearm and let her sleeve fall, revealing the bulge of her flexed muscle. On the inside of her wrist was a patch of skin that was marred and oddly mismatched, shaped like a snake - and Naomi realized with a jolt that it was a branding.
Kaelen twisted it towards the guard. "They're with me."
Recognition flashed in the guard's eyes. He straightened, and the two guards shot a wary glance at each other. Wordlessly, they waved them through. The others could barely believe it, and Naomi held her breath until they had safely passed beneath the threshold of the gate. Further in, the smell of salt slowly overtaken by market spices and dust kicked up by hauled carts and dozens of walking feet. None of them spoke until Kaelen took a sharp turn into a shaded alley, shielded from the eyes of the public.
"What did you do?" Darius asked in disbelief, reaching for her arm.
Kaelen jerked away, annoyed. "Don't touch me. And it's none of your business - it got us in and can get us more if I play our cards right. You can apologize any time, by the way."
"More?" Thom was intrigued. "Like actual hot food and boots that fit properly?"
"I think she means more like weapons and armor," Cassien said.
She adjusted her sleeve. "Both, if we're lucky. But if that's gonna happen, then there can't be any more backtalk or questioning what I'm doing. We're in my city now, so if we want to make it to Alistair, you'll do exactly as I say."
A tense silence hung between them, and Naomi spoke first in a firm voice. "She's right. We're in her turf now, and she's the best bet if we want to be prepared."
Darius grumbled under his breath but didn't protest any further, and Thom shrugged. "As long as we get something hot to eat, I don't care who we're following."
Cassien bit back the urge to argue, recalling his last conversation with Naomi. He motioned for her to continue.
Kaelen glanced at Naomi, something unreadable passing across her face before she turned away. "Glad I have your permission. Stay close, keep your heads down, and don't speak unless I say so. This place isn't like anywhere else we've been."
Kaelen led them through the winding alleys and down the city blocks, and Naomi lifted her cloak to shield her nose from the drifting dust. It had barely been more than twenty minutes since they departed from the docks, yet the streets of Redgorn was already alive with cutthroat energy.
Some figures were cloaked from head to toe, some wearing only baggy slacks and grimey shemaghs that hid everything but hardened eyes - yet the one constant was that nearly every individual had some sort of weaponry attached to their hip or back. Naomi watched in passing as a pair of mercenaries argued over bottles of moonshine between them, angry voices rising until one slammed their fist onto the stall's counter. One bottle tilted, rolling to a crash in a wasted spill. The merchant glared back, and a hand moved to the hilt on their hip.
The group pressed onward, and she could hear the sea of shouts and distant clanging from behind them. She turned her head back for a split second to witness a sword swinging downwards, replaced with an arc of blood spraying in the air.
Between the altercation, a young child - dirty, malnourished, and probably no older than seven years - darted between the distracted men, snapping a bag of coins from the counter. Before he could run, a scarred hand gripped the back of his shirt. The child screamed as they were yanked into the chaos, and Naomi recoiled in horror. Her legs halted, pulling away from Cassien's grasp.
"Naomi-" Cassien called out, but she had already slipped away.
She barely took more than a few steps towards the commotion when a cool shadow seemingly materialized beside her, and an arm slipped around her shoulders. She struggled, but the grip was firm, steering her from the carnage.
Her eyes were shielded from the horrific sight, and it was Darius who spoke. "We can't help them."
"That- that child," Naomi gasped, heart hammering in her chest. "T-t-they just grabbed him."
"I know," He responded in a heavy voice. "But we can't draw any attention to ourselves. Let the city guards handle it."
She felt Cassien's familiar warmth wrap around her hand. He didn't say anything - he knew there was nothing that could be said to comfort her at that very moment. The three rejoined the others, but Naomi could still taste the blood in the air.
If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.