Page 15 of Shardless
Any minute now.
Skye took a step towards her, slowly rounding on her like he would a wounded animal. “You can take a bath. We have hot water.” He watched her closely and smiled when he saw her lips quirk. He had her attention, and he knew it. Bending at thewaist, he caught her eye. “Remember how Ivain had the fire and water crystals in your bathroom replaced? You could run enough hot water to last a week. I think Sarina even has some of that fanged rose oil you used to like so much.”
Taly bounced on her heels, conflicted. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been able to take a proper bath. And hot water would feel so nice right about now. Especially since she was still soaked through and shivering.
Damn wyverns. If she wasn’t careful, she would end up getting sick. That would make earning coin even more difficult.
Taly growled and kicked at the dirt. “Okay. Fine. But just to be clear. I’m in this for the coin.Andthe hot water, but mostly the coin.” She shook her head. She was getting distracted. “I’ll listen to the pitch, but I can’t waste all day there. I’ve got other things I need to do today.”
“Understood.” Skye smiled, standing to his full height.
He offered her his arm, but she pointedly ignored him as she marched ahead. She was irritated, and she wanted him to know it. True, most of her irritation was directed at herself for giving in so easily, but he didn’t need to know that.
Skye heaved out a sigh, looking after her despondently. After a moment, he jogged to catch up, falling into step beside her as they walked towards the manor. He didn’t press her to speak, and when Taly glared up at him, he just grinned and shrugged. It seemed he was wise enough to keep his mouth shut now that she had agreed to accompany him.
As they approached the city gate, Taly spotted a flash of gold in her peripheral vision. Her heartbegan to race, roaring in her ears, but she didn’t dare turn her head to look. Out of the corner of her eye, she could make out the ghostly golden forms of a family walking past them as they made their way into the village. They were ethereal, almost translucent, but no one on the street reacted to their sudden appearance. The villagers went on about their day, completely unaware.
Moments later, a barghest appeared on the road, pulling at its master’s leash. The dog and its owner unknowingly barreled through the spectral procession. The golden haze stuttered for a moment but then reformed around the disturbance, the edges of the strange hallucination even more defined than before.
Closing her eyes, Taly took a deep breath, willing the vision to disappear.Please, please go away. I don’t need to deal with this right now.She swallowed past a lump in her throat, silently pleading with whoever might be listening. When she opened her eyes again, she was relieved to find nothing out of the ordinary.
Skye nodded his head in greeting as they passed a farmer and his young family coming in through the gate, turning when a loud peal of childish laughter pierced the air. Taly didn’t have to look back to know that the little boy sandwiched between his parents had run ahead to pet the barghest as it waited on its master at a nearby fruit stand or that the gentle beast had proceeded to cover the child in slobber. She had already seen the scene play out in its entirety only moments before.
I hope this isn’t a mistake,she thought, staring straight ahead as they turned down the road that would lead them to Harbor Manor.
Chapter 3
-From the personal notes of Ivain Castaro, Marquess of Tempris
The 32ndday of the month Meridian, during the 250thyear of the Empty Throne
It’s been a long time since I took the time to write down my thoughts, but today is one of the worst days I can recall in recent memory. Taly, my little one, is gone. She ran away during the night while everyone was asleep.
I’ve always known that she would want to assert her independence one day. Human lives are so fleeting, and they leave their families so young, so much sooner than any fey could ever dream of sending away a youngling. I knew that when we took her in. I knew and yet now that the moment is here—I wish we’d had more time.
We are all devastated, but Skye is taking her departure the hardest. He believes that the incident in the training yard yesterday afternoon is to blame and set out to find her. Those two have always had a very special bond, ever since we first brought Taly back to the manor. I fear he may have a difficult time adjusting to not having her here.
Sarina is making her own inquiries into where Taly may have gone, and considering my sister’s connections, we should know something soon. Though Taly is stubborn and headstrong—would probably refuse my help if I offered outright—I have no intention of letting her leave my care completely unaided.
Skye let out a sigh of relief as he watched Taly march ahead of him. He’d done it. He’d actually managed to sweet-talk the little hothead into coming back to the manor. When Sarina had suggested he hire Taly as a guide, he’d thought she’d finally lost her mind. And when she still insisted on going through with her plan even after Taly had hidden underneath a tarp just to avoid talking to him, he’d thought the noblewoman was just in denial—too stubborn to accept the fact that the two children she raised together were no longer friends. However, not for the first time, he realized he needed to stop doubting his old governess’ schemes.
Falling into step beside her, Skye eyed the girl walking next to him nervously. Taly was clearly irritated with him, but that wasn’t anything new. When they were growing up, she was always madat him for one reason or another. And to be fair, he had usually done something to deserve her ire.
He shouldn’t have goaded her today—that was on him. Granted, his apology for what he said all those months ago was completely sincere. When she had first left the manor—no explanations, no goodbyes—he had said some things that he truly regretted when he finally managed to track her down. She had refused to come with him, and he had not taken it well. Still, his own remorse aside, that didn’t mean he hadn’t enjoyed seeing her get flustered when he took away her reason to be mad at him before her anger was completely spent.
“So,” Skye said, plastering on a smile as they turned onto Harbor Manor’s private drive. Taly walked beside him, her hands stuffed in the pockets of an oversized coat that made her look far younger than her 21 years. “How have you been?”
“Fine,” she replied in a clipped tone.
“That’s good,” he said, unfazed by her surly attitude. At this point in their relationship, he was well acquainted with her moods. “I heard you took up salvaging. How’s that working out for you?”
“Great.” Again, she kept her eyes trained on the road ahead, and her voice held a note of irritation.
Skye’s smile faltered, but he quickly recovered. “Good to hear.” When she still showed no indication that she was going to pick up the thread of the conversation, he tried again. “I tried writing to you at Jay and Laurel’s tavern, but my letters got sent back. Did you move? Where are you living now?”
“Nowhere,” she said immediately, still refusing to look at him.
“Really?” Skye exclaimed with feigned enthusiasm. He smiled when he saw her start in surprise. “What a coincidence! IloveNowhere. My family has business dealings with the Noones—lovely people, by the way—so I visit all the time. There’s this little bakery at the corner of None of Your Business and Uncomfortable, Stony Silence that sells the best pie. I really think you’d love it.”
