“Right. We ended up with three silvers and a few coppers. Maiya? Can you give him the money box?”
His friend nodded, handing Riyan the metal container. The man opened it and stared for a long moment.
Does he know? Then the man nodded. “Go, wash yourselves off and head to bed.”
“You’ll need your rest, girl,” Tanya said. “Tomorrow, we begin your magic training.”
Maiya’s eyes predictably lit up at her words. She grabbed Vir’s hand and stood. “C’mon, Vir. Let’s go get washed up.”
“Oh yes, one more thing,” Riyan said before they left. “Boy, from now on, carry katars in the obstacle course. I am increasing the difficulty, and you will need them.”
“What did you do?” Vir asked, panicking.
The man flashed him a grin. “You’ll see. Continue practicing diligently. You should see results soon.”
Vir let Maiva guide him to the grotto, his mind fretting over Riyan’s words. But the sight of the grotto served as a great distraction. He’d been looking forward to soaking in the hot spring pool for days. The feeling had only grown stronger on the ride home until it nearly consumed his thoughts.
He did feel bad about sneaking away a whole silver and forty coppers from under Riyan’s nose, which was tucked safely away at their cave stash to the south. It was Riyan’s money, and Vir hated the thought of stealing from anyone. After much discussion, they’d agreed that an emergency fund would be useful, should they ever need it. If they didn’t, it’d all be returned to Riyan. And if they did have to use it, they’d pay him back some day. With interest.
They each split to rinse off the smeared makeup and salty brine they’d picked up on Bakura’s ship, then reconvened after.
Maiya had a towel wrapped around her entire body, with another tightly wrapping her hair, while Vir wore a single towel around his waist.
The moment they sunk into the water, their towels clung to their bodies, warming them, and all of their worldly concerns floated away.
“I dunno how I lived without this,” Maiya said dreamily.
“We’re so spoiled,” Vir replied in the same tone. “How are we ever gonna survive once we move out of here?”
The question went unanswered, floating above them like a dark cloud. The future was uncertain. Where would they go after they fulfilled their debt to Riyan? Vir feared the time would be upon them soon. Though, he figured that whatever favors Riyan wanted, he’d wait until Maiya mastered her magic. As for himself, Vir was positive he still had a long way to go.
“What a trip, huh?” Maiya said as she lazily floated around the pool, on a slow collision course with Vir. He grabbed her ankle and gave her a gentle push, sending her away.
“Surely was,” Vir muttered, trying—and failing—to avoid staring at her. Something hot welled up inside his chest.
He shook it off and forced himself to think of the man who’d stirred up trouble for them at Saran, making what should’ve been an idyllic trip a harrowing one. What did the guy want? And did Vir need to be wary of them in the future? So many questions. No answers.
“I’m spent,” Maiya continued. “I… I just wanna go home, y’know? To Mom and Dad. I miss them. I miss them a lot.”
“Yeah… I do too,” he whispered. “Maybe we can ask Riyan to let us visit Brij soon, now that we’re stronger.”
“You think he’ll let us?”
“Maybe not now, but hopefully soon. That was his promise to us, after all.”
Maiya fell silent, no doubt thinking of her parents.
Vir reflected upon all that had happened lately. It was hard to believe it’d been less than a week since they’d left for Saran. It felt like a whole month had passed. But above all else, what weighed on him most was the encounter he’d had in Bakura’s ship’s hold.
For the very first time in his life, he’d met a real demon. There was no doubt in his mind, now. The four-armed giant who’d entrusted his baby self to Rudvik… was a demon. And the giant had been protecting him.
Which probably meant…
“Maiya?”
“Mmm?”
“What do you think about demons?”
Vir heard ripples in the water. Maiya righted herself and walked over to him. Vir averted his eyes. “Uh… your towel.”
She looked down and gasped, quickly retying her towel around her, blushing madly. “W-W-What’s on your mind, V-Vir? Is it the slaves you saw on the ship?”
He smoothly ignored her mishap and continued. “I mean, just pretending of course, but what would you do if I was a demon?”
She tilted her head, confused, before comprehension finally dawned on her. She strode closer and enveloped Vir in a deep hug. “Doesn’t matter what you are. Prana scorned, Ashborn, demon. You’re you. My bestest friend. That’s never gonna change for me. No matter what.”
Vir’s shoulders sagged. He felt like a chal. What was he even worried about in the first place? That Maiya would suddenly think less of him? That she’d abandon him?
“Sorry,” he said, returning her hug. “Should’ve known better than to ask.”
She broke her embrace and shook her head. “No secrets between us, yeah?”
“R-right,” he said, unable to fully meet her gaze.
“Do you… You really think you’re a demon?”
“I have to face the facts. I can’t say for certain, but those demons in the hold matched Rudvik’s description of the giant, except for the four arms and, y’know, the giant aspect. I don’t have any proof, of course. Just hunches.”
There was one more detail too. Something he’d almost forgotten. When he’d glimpsed into Ekanai’s memories, back in the Godshollow, he’d seen the Reaper’s body. And it wasn’t human. Ekanai’s arms were gangly, grayish, and far too long. It’d felt natural in the vision, since those were Ekanai’s memories, but it was definitely weird.
What am I? Who am I?
“The boy and the girl are back. You have failed,” a robed figure said to his partner, who’d just entered a small cabin. The structure was a makeshift thing, hastily constructed and utilitarian. Built more for hiding its occupants from prying eyes than for comfort.
“The plan didn’t work out as intended,” the black-bearded man said, hanging up his cloak. “Didn’t expect the locals to interfere on their behalf.”
“That is because you hired poor help,” his seated partner said, fingers rapping upon a small wooden table—one of the few pieces of furniture in the room, along with two beds and chairs. “No matter. There will be other opportunities to ascertain what these two mean to the general. There’s been a complication on my end as well. I believe Commander Tanya has moved in with them.”
“So now there are four. Tanya, huh? She’ll be a tough one to deal with.”
His partner shook his head. “Make no mistake, our mission is not to deal with the general. We are her highness’s eyes and ears, nothing more. There will be other opportunities. We have remained hidden from Riyan’s eyes until now thanks to Shadow Blend, but the Talent can only do so much. I fear our time is limited. Ensure you report your failure back to her highness,” he said, handing him an oversized orb. And not just any orb.
The man took the priceless crystal and activated it. A moment of silence. Then two. His dread mounted. Then a low, husky feminine voice spoke. A voice that sent shivers down his back.
“Yes? Report.”
“I… I have failed, your highness. The boy and girl landed in jail, but managed to escape.”
“I see,” came her curt reply. “Eliminate them. Both the boy and the girl. Kill them at the earliest opportunity. Do whatever it takes. Your lives are expendable.”
“As you will, your high—”
Princess Mina Hiranya cut the call.
40A MEJAI’S FIRST LESSON