Why was she there? How? She was with Kin’jal, so she’d have known what the Order was doing that night. Why hadn’t she helped? Was it because she didn’t know the true nature of the Order? Did she disapprove of his actions? But that didn’t make sense either. She knew he wouldn’t help demon haters.
No, she must’ve had some larger agenda. Something I don’t know about.
When she appeared, Vir had been so euphoric, he nearly jumped with joy. Which was, of course, what made him blurt out Tia’s name when Maiya had shaken her head. The embarrassment of that moment was still fresh in his chest.
When Maiya pretended not to know him… Even knowing she must’ve had a good reason for it did nothing to alleviate the pain in his chest. It was stupid to feel that way, and yet the emotions refused to abate.
Vir shoved those thoughts aside, but his other thoughts were hardly more pleasant.
Really thought I could show Tia…
Vir was living proof that not all demons were evil, wasn’t he? They’d shared mead, fought together, and even saved each others’ lives. Wasn’t there a bond there? Something that couldn’t be broken by revealing he was a demon. What difference did it make? He was the same person underneath.
How wrong he’d been. Vir was now sure—nothing he said or did would have changed Tia’s mind. It was like arguing with a brick wall.
Perhaps if I’d approached it differently…
Maybe in some pub after a few drinks. Or after he’d saved Haymi’s life? Maybe then? Tia might have been more reasonable. But after all they’d said to each other—she’d stabbed him—could there ever be peace between them again? Did she even deserve it, after what she’d done?
As bad as that was, he’d stabbed Maiya.
No, that wasn’t right. Maiya had forced her way into his attack. What was he supposed to do?
How could she have taken Tia’s side? Where was she when Tia speared me? She defended the princess, why didn’t she defend me?
He was her best friend. He’d grown up with her. He left breadcrumbs for her to follow.
This isn’t like me… Vir’s consciousness started to dip in and out.
He felt ridiculous for harboring such thoughts. Maiya was undercover and clearly had good reasons for it. There was a simple reason for his anguish. He’d hurt his best friend, and no rational logic cut through that guilt.
I don’t deserve her.
He’d hurt the girl who’d remembered his birthdays, who’d defended him when everyone else had abandoned him. She’d been with him through thick and thin. And he hadn’t even ensured she’d be okay after. Yes, Haymi would’ve healed her wound, but Vir couldn’t say for certain. What if Tia turned on Maiya? What if she was bleeding out on the floor at this very moment?
Gods, I need to go back for her!
It was impossible, of course. Badal would never turn their Acira around, and Vir wouldn’t be able to fight in the condition he was in. He’d simply have to live with the consequences of his actions, even if he could never accept what it meant.
Like the consequences of attacking Tiyana Matali.
And then it all made sense. Maiya’s actions. Her intervening on Tia’s behalf.
Vir knew exactly what happened when one harmed a princess. He already had one country out for his blood. The last thing he needed was another. Impoverished as they were, Vir somehow doubted the Crown Prince of Matali would allow his transgression to go unpunished. Not to mention Haymi and Vason. If they didn’t hate him before, they certainly would after he’d harmed their charge.
That was why she stopped my attack. She was trying to protect me. The realization only served to make his guilt cut deeper. Why did it take me so long to notice?
Even with Maiya’s intervention, Vir half expected a new bounty out for him. Unlike Princess Mina, Tia knew Vir’s Mercenary name—she could make life quite difficult for him if she chose to. Maybe she’d even pursue them back?
The lingering worry had Vir glancing over his shoulder in case any Acira pursued.
What a fine mess this is.
Vir would never have guessed Tia was royalty. She’d never once acted like it. He’d always assumed she was the tomboy daughter of a high-ranking Sawai family, who’d run away from home in search of adventure. What princess would be insane enough to fight a Brood Matron?
It took some time for Vir to come to terms with the night’s events, but the night was long, and the demons stopped often to regroup and allow their Acira to rest.
At their first break spot, Vir allowed an Order healer to treat him. To his surprise, the healer was a Life mejai who’d brought along a dozen orbs. Far from the Voidlands as they were, the healer’s C Grade Mend Flesh made short work of the damage. Without it, Vir would have been looking at weeks of recovery.
The relief from the pain helped clear his mind, restoring his mental state to something resembling normalcy.
The group took to the skies again, and Vir returned to his thoughts. Once the shock wore off, there was only one emotion that remained in his heart. Loneliness. Like a gaping hole in his chest.
He’d been so desperate to make friends, he’d ignored the warning signs Tia had given off. The red flags, the obvious danger of signing on with demon haters. But at least he’d always had Maiya. She was his anchor in the ocean. His safe harbor from the storm.
After the night’s events, he couldn’t say when they’d meet again, and that fact was not one he could simply accept. It’d linger like an anvil, weighing down his every action. Like losing Neel…
And while he’d found the Pagan Order, they couldn’t truly take her place. Nobody could. There was something different about his relationship with them. He hadn’t ever been to a pub with Badal. Hadn’t shared in the revelry like he’d done with Spear’s Edge. He hadn’t chatted for hours under starlight like he’d done so many times with Maiya. It felt stiffer. More transactional.
He’d just have to give it time. He knew that. He knew, and yet he yearned. For Maiya.
But Fate was never so kind, was it?
By the time the Acira set down in Balindam, Vir was barely conscious. The night’s toil, his injury, and the long flights had all taken their toll, and all he wanted now was to sleep.
Then his boots touched grass, and when he beheld a crimson-haired girl that waited for him, the raging emotions that had just quieted came rushing back.
“Hey, you.”
Maiya!
“You took it too far, Tia,” Vason chided, casting a worried glance at the princess. Hours had passed after their battle, and Tiyana hadn’t budged from the jail. Balarian Guards had blocked the hole in the wall, and Vason stood guard at the entrance. She was trapped.
“You did,” Haymi piled on. “I can’t believe you said all that.”
Tia ground her teeth. “I just… I guess I got a little angry.”
“A little!” Vason exclaimed. “You stabbed Apramor, Tia! That was low, even for you.”
“He’s a demon. You can’t… You can’t trust their kind. And you two shouldn’t have kept secrets from me. If there’s blame to be had, you share it equally.”
“He wasn’t just some demon,” Vason snapped. “This is the guy who saved Haymi’s life! Who, need I remind you, also saved our butts fighting the grakking Brood Matron? You know, the monster you recklessly pitted us against?”