Both of the Lysians then turned to me, waiting for a response.
“I—I’d like that,” I said. It was a chance to get to know another Lysian and learn more about their weaknesses if they had any. Unfortunately, Kole was difficult to pull information from; his mind was like a fortress. So perhaps I’d have better luck with someone else.
“Have it your way.” His entire stance was rigid.
“I’ll return her to her room at sunset. You’re dismissed.” Eislyn waved a hand in the air, shooing him away flippantly.
“If anything happens to her . . .” he warned, and by the intensity, I imagined that his hackles would have been raised if he were a wolf.
“Don’t worry. I don’t break things. That’s your realm.” She spoke with a calm that only fueled Kole’s temper.
He stepped towards her. Eislyn held her ground, not giving him an inch. Though claws slid out from her fingertips in a silent threat to not come any closer. Kole noted them and stilled.
I cautiously moved away, having no idea how far this might escalate. What would I do if they actually physically attacked one another?
“At least I’m trustworthy,” he muttered while turning to leave.
“I’m pretty sure Erik trusted you to protect her when she got herself in trouble with a couple of Lysians.” Her voice dropped. There was anger simmering within her, mirroring his.
Kole paused, and I thought he would turn on her, but he didn’t. A moment passed and then he continued walking away from us. Though he did not acknowledge her response, it was clear by the way he moved it bothered him, his body tight and direct as he left.
“What should I call you? Is Ariana fine?” Eislyn asked, seeming to forget her entire encounter with Kole. Her displeasure evaporated into a smile. The claws retracted.
“Yes, Ariana,” I answered her.
She looked me over with sharp observant eyes. “Well, Ariana. You look like you can use a break. Are you hungry?”
“Am I ever!” My stomach nearly growled in agreement as I smiled. I wanted the Lysian to like me, to see me as nonthreatening. The warmer she felt towards me the easier I hoped it would be to learn something of use.
“Alright. We will go grab a bite and then get back into training.” She looked over her shoulder as if in thought. “Have you been to the west wing dining hall?”
“I—I haven’t really been anywhere, at least not where there are gatherings of Lysians. Normally, I just eat in my room.” I stammered over my words, surprised by her question.
A slow smile spread across her face. “Don’t tell me that you have primarily been around Kole your entire stay?”
I nodded.
Next thing I knew, Eislyn placed an arm around my shoulders and began moving me towards one of the buildings. My new companion didn’t have the same boundaries that Kole had. She clearly was comfortable with little personal space. I, on the other hand, wished to peel her arm from me.
“You poor thing. To think Erik wants you to feel comfortable and safe, yet he placed that large dumb ox as your only source of Lysian interaction.” She shook her head as if she couldn’t believe it.
“He isn’t too bad,” I offered, feeling off-kilter about the sudden change of events. With my time in the Lysian lands, I learned the things Kole responded favorably to, and those he didn’t. His familiarity had become a comfort, and without either him or Erik with me, I felt more out of place than usual. I tried to focus on the opportunity before me. This new change presented me a chance to learn more and hopefully aid in my eventual escape.
“That’s because you do not know how much better it can be,” she stated flatly, apparently not caring for my favor towards Kole.
As we entered the building, her arm finally fell from my shoulder, and I was happy for the freedom of it. Lysians were lethal, and I didn’t particularly enjoy having one of them casually draped over me. A few feet of separation offered no great protection, but it gave me a morsel of peace.
Eislyn led me down an inner hall and then into a diningroom. The hum of conversations and forks scraping plates greeted us as we rounded the corner and entered the room. There were a dozen dark wooden tables throughout the space with four to six seats per table. When we entered, half the Lysians present took obvious note of me. The other half appeared to ignore me entirely, though I was sure they monitored my movements from where they sat.
It was as though I was thrust into a den of serpents, each of them capable of striking me dead. They slithered in place, poised to attack while I followed Eislyn deeper into their stronghold. Even if I used my conjuring, there were too many of them in such proximity. I wouldn’t stand a chance. My heart raced despite my attempt at keeping myself calm.
Eislyn peered at me from the side, though she said nothing. Instead, she turned her attention to an older Lysian female who guarded the kitchen behind her. I followed Eislyn until we stood before the kitchen guard. She had withered skin, her hands covered in scars that came from a lifetime ago. A tie pulled long dark hair with streaks of gray back into a low bun. Her face was set with an unreadable stone expression.
“Good afternoon, Brie. We want three plates of potatoes, turkey leg, and pickled cabbage.” Eislyn smiled at the Lysian.
Brie grunted with the same stone expression, her hazel gaze turning and boring into me before she finally disappeared into the kitchen.
“We can sit over there.” Eislyn nodded to an open table by the wall. She took a seat, gesturing for me to take the one before her.
