This woman.
“I accept your offer to move into your studio for the duration of the trials,” I mumble.
She smirks. “Glad to hear you came to your senses.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
PHOENIX
Vera’s studio is at the heart of Bussek. The street is bustling with life even though it’s past midnight. We pass many different art galleries and colorful entertainment establishments on the way, people cheerfully chatting and laughing, unburdened by life.
I can’t lie. I envy them. What would it feel like to live carelessly?
I have so many questions about Vera and her craft. And when we reach her studio located at the end of the street and enter it, even more questions bloom in my mind.
We leave our shoes at the entrance and enter a spacious common room. The back wall has floor-to-ceiling paneled windows that open up to a modest, yet lush, back garden. Right next to it stands a long wooden dining table with chairs. In the middle of the room there’s a conversation pit with plush cushions thrown around a round low table.
There’s a fireplace, and the walls are lined with bookshelves full of books and other curious knickknacks. So many different plants are perched in every corner, it almost feels like we’re outside.
On the left wall, there are three doors, and on the right, two. It’s a damn big studio. Especially for one person. One of the doors on the left opens and a young fae woman with silky smooth chestnut hair and dark almond-shaped eyes blinks at me, surprised.
“Oh,” she says. Her eyes dart to Vera. “Is that?—”
“Hojo, this is Ezkai Lieutenant Phoenix Wildarrow, the contestant ofVal’taz Ezkairin,” Vera says.
Hojo’s gaze snaps back to me, eyes wide. She presses the fist over her heart and bows at her waist for me. “It’s an honor.”
I clear my throat. “Good to meet you, Hojo.”
Vera walks over to another door. She gestures for me to follow. “Come over. I’ll show you the room you’ll be staying in and then you can meet the rest of the crew.”
Behind the door, there is a narrow corridor and wooden stairs that lead to the second floor. It’s modest upstairs, only a corridor with five doors and a thin window at the very end.
I don’t expect much from my room, but when Vera opens the door and gestures for me to go inside, I’m blown away.
Of course, it’s not as big as my room back in Wetra, but it’s still spacious enough that I’m not sure I need all that space for myself. It’s bigger than my studio in Yursus. A huge bed rests in the middle of the room against the wall, light green curtains draped all around it for privacy.
The view from my window opens up to the mountaintops looming on the horizon. It’s beautiful. There’s even a private bath connected to my room.
“Oh, wow. That’s…kind of you to allow me to stay here,” I say, turning to Vera.
Her face doesn’t reveal much. She shrugs. “You’ll have all the comforts you need here, and I’ll ensure your safety.”
I’m the Decarios out of the two of us. It’s funny she’s the one who will protect me. I should be able to defend myself.
“I’ll let you settle in now. Once you’re ready, come downstairs. Are you hungry? We’re about to have dinner.”
I nod. Nothing like almost dying at the hand of the assassin who commits suicide in front of you to get the appetite going. Vera closes the door behind me and I’m alone.
I fall onto the bed, and it swallows me. It might be the softest, most comfortable bed in the world. I never want to leave.
Vera’s so young, yet affluent. I know Caetras are an important part of Ekios society, but she must come from a prominent family. Or do these sorts of riches and her interest in politics come from sharing the bed with the Ezkai General?
I doubt all Caetras are involved in securing the future for Ekiosh people, or passing laws.
Against my deepest wishes, I roll off the bed and hang my new dress in the closet. I don’t have much with me, so it takes me five minutes to unpack my bag.
I gently place my bow at the bottom of the closet and cover it with the cloth. It’s the only thing that matters, my only valuable possession. Together with the most beautiful set of arrows Daegel gifted me after I graduated the Ezkai Academy.
