Page 19 of Snake Eyes & Bad Luck

Dinner’s always a touchy subject. Everest Dalethorn the Third waited till they were sat at dinner, when they were alone, to tear into her. He didn’t hesitate to slap her at any time growing up, but she feared meals with him most. The pain was easier to take than the slow and steady chipping away of her soul.

“Now I know yer hungry,” he muttered, swiping his mouth on the back of his sleeve.

“I am,” she confessed with pink tinted cheeks. Dropping her attention to the bowl of food, she found a spiced jambalaya. Heavy notes of tomato, paprika, thyme, and she could point out the chunks of sausage mixed in with rice. The first puff of steam when she hoisted it out of the bowl licked her cheeks and her stomach growled in response.

“Atta girl, go on, eat.” Callum wasn’t even engaging with her, fully focused on wolfing down large portions of it. She glanced up through her lashes, witnessing him licking his fingertips clean of their ruby and orange tint. He plucked shrimp out of the bowl and sucked them out of their tails. She gave in when the heavy garlic and softened bell pepper hit her tongue.

Significantly better than porridge, and much more sustaining than the fried bread they had at the tavern.

Avelina didn’t realize she was crying until the world blurred and she had to use the back of her wrists to dab away the rivers flowing down her face. She sobbed. Sniffled and sucked in air then ate some more. It was terrible that she felt safer eating a meal with a man who literally threatened her life than her own father. The revelation crashed over her and she gave in completely. Avelina joined him in shoveling food into her face while she bawled her eyes out. I miss Tala. I’m not afraid when I’m with Tala. I miss my house with my books. I’m not in danger when it’s just me and the words. I miss people smiling at me when they see me on the streets. I’m not a monster when I was only Avie. I miss my life with my best friend and no horrors that lurk in my shadow!

A cotton swatch of fabric was handed to her across the table. She stopped, nearly to the bottom of the bowl, and stared at the dangling patch of stained brown cotton from Callum’s claws. “Sorry, darlin’, I’ll have Neddy go easier on the spices next time.”

“No,” she gasped, taking the cloth to dry her face. “No, no this is wonderful.”

“Yeah?” He tilted his head, eyes studying every inch of her face.

“Yes, this is magnificent, don’t change a thing!” She dabbed her eyeline tenderly before clutching it to her chest. Once again, so weird. He’s strange! Avelina let out a wheezy laugh as she realized how silly she looked. Red in the face, eyes glassy, tears streaking her cheeks? She was a mess. “I was just throwing myself a pity party, I suppose.”

“Thinking of all the things you miss from your life before becoming an outlaw?” He teased with a wicked smirk. All Avelina could do was pout and nod vigorously. He snorted, “What’s top of that list?”

“I miss my best friend,” she confessed. “I miss Tala.”

He hummed, nodding to himself. It felt good to say the words out loud. I miss her so much. It lifted a weight off her chest, even if he thought her weak or silly for it. She wasn’t there to make him think of her as tough or to prove anything. Avelina was stuck here until Callum decided he didn’t need her anymore.

Or I escape.

Then a heavy thunk echoed off the walls of the cabin as an opal was dropped onto the table. Avelina gulped loudly as Callum slid it across the table. Her right hand shot out to grab it, and he grabbed her by the forearm. His claws dug into her skin, leaving skinny, red lines in their wake. She straightened up, her attention glued to his face.

“You get one message.” He locked eyes with her, holding up his dagger in the other hand. “Understand?”

She nodded vigorously, the cool touch of the opal to her palm a flicker of hope. It was a flame, small and delicate in her belly as she curled her fingers around the stone.

“No. Funny. Business.” He spoke the words out curtly before slowly retracting his nail. She dragged the stone over top of the table and brought it up to her lips. Please, be there. Please hear me. I only get this once.

“Tala. Please don’t freak out. I’m okay. There was an incident at the Stronghold. Do! Not! Go to the Stronghold. I’m…I’m in Gloomsdale.”

The stone was snatched out of her hand and put back in the bag. She opened her mouth to fight, but he raised a finger. “That’s all you get. Ya earned one, for that fear spell. But if ya want more than that, yer gonna have to earn it.”

“How? You got any other Paladins you want scared or is this just a plot to get another kiss?” she spat, high off the adrenaline of getting to send a singular message to Tala. Goddess, I’m starting to sound like her. Her face exploded in red as she realized, that he said earn it. Price has definitely gone up. Her overactive imagination kicked up all the dirt that had settled in her mind as she gaped at him. He eyed her with befuddlement until she made the mistake of letting her gaze fall to his lap. No! Stop that.

But she couldn’t. Imagined all the things she’d do to get back the things she loved. What am I willing to do for the comforts of my previous life? Or just to see my best friend again? She wondered if that was who she was now, a warlock willing to pay the price. Avelina played through all the scenarios in her head where Callum demanded something of her…kill, he would tell her to kill someone. She’d have to wake up covered in blood again. Her heart picked up speed as panicked images of dead people clawing their way out of the mud filled her head.

Callum snapped two fingers in front of her face, and she blinked back to reality. “You do that a lot and it’s startin’ to weird me out, darlin’.”

“Sorry,” she blurted out reflexively. Everything moved so fast, she missed the murmur of sounds from his pocket, like Tala was responding back.

“And stop apologizin’ all the time. I certainly won’t ever apologize to you,” he scoffed with disgust etched into every pinched feature of his. Avelina truly woke up to glare at him.

“But you have apologized to me.”

“No, I haven’t.” He put up a hand, stopping her from pointing out he literally said ‘sorry’ about the spice levels earlier. Guess that doesn’t really count. He leveled a frustrated gaze at her before he continued. “Secondly, no, I don’t need kisses from you. Nor am I about to let you pay off debts like that. I’m not such a desperate, sad man that I take pussy that isn’t offered in actual desire. If you want that bodice ripped, we can talk about tearin’ up the mattress but, until then, yer gonna pay yer debts like everyone else.”

“With wet work,” she grumbled, partially relieved…partially devastated. I am going to have to kill people. Great. This won’t haunt me for the rest of my life.

“Just work for now. We’ll work up to wet when I’m confident yer gonna take the fuckin’ shot. Chicken shit, castin’ fear on them Paladins and then lettin’ them get away.”

Avelina threw up her arms, huffing and puffing. Callum ignored her mini temper tantrum, taking up their bowls.