Sequel: Thicker Than Water ›
Status: Completed
Shattered Truth
VII.
I hear a commotion from the darkened archway and watch a group of people talking quietly amongst themselves. Then I hear a woman scream. A Cloud Elemental, I think her name is Arista or something, hangs limply from one man's arms. Her pale blue eyes stare lifelessly towards the sky and there's a dart sticking out of her neck.
"Where's the man she was with?" someone in the crowd asks. The man holding the dead girl shakes his head. "Whoever was there with her is gone now. Someone went out the window." Everyone starts talking at once. I see Kingsley disappearing through the ballroom doors. I want to follow him but suddenly my father is at my side, his expression grim.
"I want you girls to come home," he says. We're ushered out of the room, then out of the Talaos Manor and into our carriage. I lean back against the seat, staring out the window. And that's when I see three cloaked figures hop swiftly over a garden wall and head for the pier.
***
I keep my hood up as I wander the docks. I find myself occasionally glancing around, and realize I'm hoping to catch sight of Kingsley.
"Lost, little one?" a large man sneers. I stop. I've wandered too far, and now find myself in the seedier part of town. I turn away from.the man amd begin to walk back the way I came.
"Here now what's the hurry?" the man asks. "Didn't you know there's a fee for walking in these parts?" Some other nearby men laugh, and the big man talking to me.slowly draws a long knife.
"There must be a fee for being ugly too," I say. "That's why you're broke." The man's eyes narrow to cruel slits. I sense others moving in closer to us, like sharks sensing blood in the water.
"That kind of mouth is going to get you into trouble, lad," the man warns me.
"Lad?" I whisper indignantly. I can feel the other men around us just itching for a fight.
"Listen, you worthless little trogladyte," I say, "it would truly be in your best interest to let me go." This earns more laughter. I grit my teeth. Mother would probably die of a heart attack if she knew I was here. This was the closest thing to real trouble I've ever gotten into. Well, if the crowd wants a show...
"You've tried my patience," the big man growls. He advances. "Give me your purse!"
"Don't have one," I say dismissively. He's standing right in front of me now, and he leans in, bringing his knife close to my face. I retreat farther inside my hood.
"Then I'll just have to take other payment." He grabs my hand and places the blade against my finger. I try to jerk away but he's too strong. He frowns at my hand.
"Ah, not a lad at all I see," he says, noting my still red and polished nails. A most unpleasant look comes into his eyes. I feel the beginnings of true panic building in my stomach.
"Let me go," I whisper. He suddenly twists my wrist, and slashes his knife across my palm. I scream from pain and surprise. I ram my booted toe against his shin, and he releases his hold on my wrist enough for me to jerk away. I turn to try amd run, but my foot catches a loose cobble and I fall to the ground. Pain shoots through my arm as I try to brace myself, and my hood falls away.
I see the ocean churning faster and turning stormy in response to my fear. I twist around to see the big man bearing down on me with murder in his eyes. I don't think as he grabs me roughly and yanks me to my feet. I just react. A powerful wave slams over the pier and onto the street. It engulfs the startled man, and he's tugged forcefully away from me. The wave recedes, dragging him with it. I see him.struggle, but it's useless. The wave carries him out to sea. I face the gathered onlookers, heart pounding, expecting another attack. But they all look at me warily, suddenly not so eager to rob me. I catch sight of a hooded figure walking swiftly this way from the other end of the street. It's that odd faceless girl that's always hanging around with Kingsley. I wonder if she's going to meet him now. Curiosity seizes me. The girl slips inside a tavern. The stinging in my hand reminds me that I need a bandage. I debate whether or not I should follow her, when I see Kingsley walking hurriedly through the crowd of people. He too goes to enter the tavern. I dart forward, and the uneasy crowd parts.
"Kingsley!" I shout. He pauses with his hand on the door. He stares at me, dumbfounded.
"Giselle? What are you doing here?"
I hold up my hand.."Brawling. Naturally." He grimaces.
"You need to clean that. Quickly." He glances at the door, and then back to me, his brow wrinkled in thought.
"Come here," he says. "I can bandage that for you."
"Where's the man she was with?" someone in the crowd asks. The man holding the dead girl shakes his head. "Whoever was there with her is gone now. Someone went out the window." Everyone starts talking at once. I see Kingsley disappearing through the ballroom doors. I want to follow him but suddenly my father is at my side, his expression grim.
"I want you girls to come home," he says. We're ushered out of the room, then out of the Talaos Manor and into our carriage. I lean back against the seat, staring out the window. And that's when I see three cloaked figures hop swiftly over a garden wall and head for the pier.
***
I keep my hood up as I wander the docks. I find myself occasionally glancing around, and realize I'm hoping to catch sight of Kingsley.
"Lost, little one?" a large man sneers. I stop. I've wandered too far, and now find myself in the seedier part of town. I turn away from.the man amd begin to walk back the way I came.
"Here now what's the hurry?" the man asks. "Didn't you know there's a fee for walking in these parts?" Some other nearby men laugh, and the big man talking to me.slowly draws a long knife.
"There must be a fee for being ugly too," I say. "That's why you're broke." The man's eyes narrow to cruel slits. I sense others moving in closer to us, like sharks sensing blood in the water.
"That kind of mouth is going to get you into trouble, lad," the man warns me.
"Lad?" I whisper indignantly. I can feel the other men around us just itching for a fight.
"Listen, you worthless little trogladyte," I say, "it would truly be in your best interest to let me go." This earns more laughter. I grit my teeth. Mother would probably die of a heart attack if she knew I was here. This was the closest thing to real trouble I've ever gotten into. Well, if the crowd wants a show...
"You've tried my patience," the big man growls. He advances. "Give me your purse!"
"Don't have one," I say dismissively. He's standing right in front of me now, and he leans in, bringing his knife close to my face. I retreat farther inside my hood.
"Then I'll just have to take other payment." He grabs my hand and places the blade against my finger. I try to jerk away but he's too strong. He frowns at my hand.
"Ah, not a lad at all I see," he says, noting my still red and polished nails. A most unpleasant look comes into his eyes. I feel the beginnings of true panic building in my stomach.
"Let me go," I whisper. He suddenly twists my wrist, and slashes his knife across my palm. I scream from pain and surprise. I ram my booted toe against his shin, and he releases his hold on my wrist enough for me to jerk away. I turn to try amd run, but my foot catches a loose cobble and I fall to the ground. Pain shoots through my arm as I try to brace myself, and my hood falls away.
I see the ocean churning faster and turning stormy in response to my fear. I twist around to see the big man bearing down on me with murder in his eyes. I don't think as he grabs me roughly and yanks me to my feet. I just react. A powerful wave slams over the pier and onto the street. It engulfs the startled man, and he's tugged forcefully away from me. The wave recedes, dragging him with it. I see him.struggle, but it's useless. The wave carries him out to sea. I face the gathered onlookers, heart pounding, expecting another attack. But they all look at me warily, suddenly not so eager to rob me. I catch sight of a hooded figure walking swiftly this way from the other end of the street. It's that odd faceless girl that's always hanging around with Kingsley. I wonder if she's going to meet him now. Curiosity seizes me. The girl slips inside a tavern. The stinging in my hand reminds me that I need a bandage. I debate whether or not I should follow her, when I see Kingsley walking hurriedly through the crowd of people. He too goes to enter the tavern. I dart forward, and the uneasy crowd parts.
"Kingsley!" I shout. He pauses with his hand on the door. He stares at me, dumbfounded.
"Giselle? What are you doing here?"
I hold up my hand.."Brawling. Naturally." He grimaces.
"You need to clean that. Quickly." He glances at the door, and then back to me, his brow wrinkled in thought.
"Come here," he says. "I can bandage that for you."