But that was weak, boo-hoo, soKai plastered on the stupid grin his mother despised.“Ah, c’mon, don’t go bringing Da into this.”
She sighed, the door slamming shut behind her.
He waited.Released a breath, let his shoulders relax, counted his fingers.“Arright,” he called, knocking on the closet door.“She’s gone.”
The closet flew open and the unfortunate carpenter Kai had stuffed in there nearly fell out.There was a joke there somewhere, but Kai let it slide.
He stood, brushing himself off before pointing at Kai.“You drew that out.”
“It was funny,” Kai said, shrugging.
“For you.”The man, one of Hilo’s apprentices, rolled his shoulders and accepted the unfinished cigarette Kai handed him.Kai was relatively certain his name was Wade.“You get to leave.I’d be stuck dealing with her if she’d’ve caught us.”
The reminder made his chest swell.Yes, he got to leave.
The shouts of the Cetos crewman reverberated above him.They would be docking soon.He fussed over his hair, his earrings; patted the wardstone, warm and electric, in his jacket pocket.
“Well, then,” he said, winking.“Speaking of leaving.”
The carpenter stepped forward.Stopped.“Will I see you again?”
Kai smiled with all the coldness of his new station.“I hope not.”
Oseidos Shrine loomed ahead on a tidal isle off the coast of Lodestone, a quaint little city famous for its ancient connection to both Menon and the Sun God Sowelan.Featuring not only Oseidos off-coast but also Caelos up in the mountains (before it got torched, anyhow), and also Soliz, a large shrine to Sowelan, to the east, Kai and his brothers had visited this part of the world once or twice when his mother was still trying to cosy up to the Archpriest.
Lodestone had some great bars, but he’d have to give them a miss this time, being condemned not only to stay on Oseidos for the immediate future, but also to be very good.Mostly good.He only hoped it wouldn’t take him long to get his land legs back: having grown up on ships, he always walked a little wonky for a few days after returning to dry land.He intended to make a positive impression on the Archpriest that didn’t involve bumping into any walls.
Dusk settled over them, bathing the sea in soft violet shades.Kai stood at the bow, jaw set and eyes forward as shouts rang out on the ocean wind betweenCetosicrewmembers.
His brother Hilo crept into view, his tall wiry form casting a shadow onto Kai that was meant to feel intimidating.He actually intimidated Kai the least: due to their animosity towards their older brothers, Kai and Hilo had become unwilling allies more than once.Zeroing out the intimidation factor was the fact that Hilo was cradling the Cetos’s resident cat in one arm.
“The Warden of Oseidos arrives,” Hilo said, sarcasm slathered on thick; he cocked an eyebrow at the Cetos’s crew, clearing and mopping the deck like Oseidos’s priesthood gave a shit what state the ship was in.“With all the pomp and circumstance he deserves.”
“And a cat and a prick as my retinue.”Kai scratched the cat behind its ears.“I’ll at least miss this fella.”
Hilo let the cat climb onto his shoulders and stepped up onto the railing, one hand wrapped around the thick rope securing the jib sail.“You tell Lady Ione what she’s missing, too.”
“Would’ve been a match made in heaven,” Kai returned, rolling his eyes.Hilo had only introduced himself to House Artem’s daughter during a festival before he hurled a marriage offer at her parents.He was still sore at their resoundingno.
An architect and a supposed goddess.Good fucking luck, Hilo.Although Ione Artem’s divinity was, if anyone asked Kai, a crock of shit: if Menon wanted to inject Herself into a mortal body, She wouldn’t have chosen some spoiled brat.
Hilo stepped down and thumped Kai’s shoulder.“Enjoy your new station,Warden,” he said, smirking.“But I hear the Archpriest is hard to please.”
Kai let that go, not wanting to expend energy on a spat.He had, after all, always been content to be thought of as stupid.Stupid was safe: aside from a target he might willingly paint onto himself – a joke, a snide comment – his brothers happily forgot about him.
But being hired as a master of wards meant his brothers would see him only as a threat now.
It was Archpriest Saros himself, along with a smattering of priests and guards, who awaited them at the docks.He had a spryness to him that made him seem much younger, mischievous, despite the tufts of grey hair like dandelion fluff and the old burn scars darkening his hands and one side of his face.Most high priests were burned in some way, testaments to their younger-days battles with Sowelan’s Moths, but Saros smiled at them like he’d never suffered a day in his life, white-blue eyes crinkling as he scanned his guests.
“Welcome!Unearthly Light, welcome!”Saros opened his arms, the sleeves of his pearly robes fanning out like butterfly wings.He held out a hand for Kai’s mother to take and kissed the backs of her fingers.“Admiral Malia, a pleasure as always.Thank you for taking the time to visit our fair shrine.And for your generous donation.”
As though Mam was the one who blacked out twice while crafting the wardstone.Glory to Malia.
Her Ladyship clasped Saros’s hand, all aristocratic charm.“The pleasure is mine, old friend.Our family lives to serve Her Holiness.”
“My gods!”Saros finally noticed Kai, who straightened his posture so hard his neck clicked.“And this is Kai?Welcome to Oseidos, and thank you for your service.”He clapped Kai’s shoulder hard.“My, but you’ve grown.Do you remember me, boy?I last saw you when you were only this big.”At this he held out a hand, thigh-high.
Kai cleared his throat, drumming up his gentry voice: northerners tended to have trouble understanding the rougher Coralpool accent he earned growing up below deck.“I do remember, and thank you for the opportunity.I look forward to serving the people of Oseidos – and now the people of Caelos.”
