“Do you honestly believe a word she said?” Taryn asked, brushing off Airess’ curiosity. He swallowed the guilt that came along with holding something back from her.
Airess blinked once, scanning him up and down. His heartbeat quickened, realizing she was using her Sight on him.That damn ability. He had almost forgotten about it.
Finally, she replied. “I don’t know, Taryn. The thing she said about being in a cage… it wasn’t inaccurate. What she said afterward about not seeing anything in my future and–and what about thatpoem? It was quite unnerving.”
Taryn leveled a stare at her, eyes trailing down her face. He drank her in. The glow of her gilded irises. The two tendrils of silver hair framing her beautiful face. Her lips were pursed in thought, as if Mara’s words disappointed her. Taryn wished he could kiss the disappointment right off her face–
He stilled. The thought sobered him and he wasn’t even drunk.Gods.
Taryn cleared his throat. “Don’t pay her words any mind. There’s nothing to worry about. You’ll have a wonderful future in Rune,” Taryn said softly. “I promise.”
The barmaid returned with two large mugs of dark ale and turkey legs the size of Taryn’s arm, accompanied by roasted vegetables. The smell reminded him of his earlier years at the Guild when he and Raiden frequented this bar during training.
“Ugh, Gods. I needed this.” Airess said as she took a swig from her mug.
“I thought you said you didn’t like ale?” Taryn asked, intentionally changing the subject.
He recalled that she told him she was only ever offered a small glass of wine on special occasions while living at the castle. The thought alone made his blood boil, considering the reasoning was to keep her body pure and healthy for childbearing.For Arzhel.
The thought alone made his blood run hot with fury. Taryn swore to all five Gods that if he were to ever see the Luciens again, he would rip their hearts out. One by one.
“I’m trying new things,” she said with her fingers clasped together and leaned in. “Here I am, alive and free against all the odds stacked against me–againstus. I believe this night calls for celebration.”
Taryn smirked and raised his mug. “Then celebrate we shall.”
Airess clanked her glass against his and took a sip. She slammed the mug down and wiped her mouth with her cloak sleeve. “This has been the most fun I’ve had in my entire life,” she blurted out and blinked, as if the words weren’t meant to leave her.
Airess looked around and studied the folk around them. Taryn saw the curiosity in her gaze before picking up her turkey leg and taking a huge bite. Taryn smiled, realizing she was trying to emulate the folk around them. He started eating as well, enjoying the greasy food with the tavern musicians playing loudly at the front of the bar.
“And now we will open the floor to any singers who might be in this tavern tonight!” the Human man at the front projected out. The music died down as he looked around for any takers.
Airess’ wide eyes met Taryn’s.
He had come to learn her musical talent of singing, catching her humming to herself through the night when she thought he was asleep. He didn’t mind it, her voice was a melody he hadn’t known he needed, lulling him to sleep with a warmth of a thousand fyres.
One night he had come back to their campsite, and Airess was singing out loud, her back to him as she sat atop of a stone. He waited, letting her get the music out of her system and sparing her the embarrassment of getting caught.
Taryn looked at her now, her face full of angst and longing to perform. She cleared her throat. “Should I…” she trailed off, already losing confidence in herself. Taryn looked around them for any potential threats, any Lucien guards that could possibly stop them, and found none.
“Go for it.” Taryn nodded in encouragement, his eyes bright. Maybe it was the ale and the atmosphere that dulled his usual alertness, but tonight he felt different. Lighter.
Lighter, with her. He wanted her to feel this moment entirely. He wanted to experience thiswithher. The thought surprised him.
Airess stood abruptly and sifted through the folk loitering the front. “We have a singer! What’s your name, dear?” the man asked her.
“Scarlett,” Airess answered confidently, the lie rolling off her tongue like butter. Taryn sat back in his chair, a slight grin on his face as he sipped his beer, nodding to Airess in encouragement as they made eye contact through the crowd. She averted her eyes shyly as the man asked her what song she would be singing. She turned and whispered it into his ear with a smile.
The fiddler began to play a familiar tune. Airess closed her eyes and began to sing a melody so sweet that Taryn’s heart quelled at the sound, singing a distant Runean song he heard what felt like a lifetime ago in his childhood.
Her eyes locked with him while she sang. Surprise coursed through him at how fluent the words flowed out of her. Her voice was like a melody that hadn’t been heard in a millennia, the answer to all his prayers and the center of all his desires. Her voice filled the tavern like sunlight through an old window, gracing the surface of things that hadn’t been touched in ages.
A chair scraped the floor beside him and someone filled the space. “Seat’s taken–” Taryn began as he pivoted his body to face whoever dared to sit near him before his jaw fell open.
“I didn’t think you would mind.” Raiden said, a coldness in his brown eyes. Raiden sat back comfortably with his legs crossed, watching Airess intently. Taryn’s heart thundered with panic. Where one Guild member went, others followed. Taryn masked his panic with indifference and glanced around the pub.
“Don’t worry, I came alone. Though, it won’t be too much longer before the rest catch up.” Raiden glanced between Airess and Taryn, suspicion in his gaze. “You have some explaining to do, Tar. Eryx isfurious.”
Taryn had to think of something that would prove him loyal to the Guild, something that would make sense. “I sold my ring to fund my travels,” Taryn began. “I’ve been tracking–”
