Broken Silence

Malina could still feel waves rolling over her head, and the feeling of being pulled under the water. She clung to Kane's arm, and could tell from the way he was trying hard not to lean on her that he was dying of exhaustion. She found an inn nearby and helped him get there, putting him in a seat and moving to the front to find the innkeeper. It was quiet and run-down, but Malina and Kane were too out of shape for anything better anyways. Their clothes were still dripping wet and with the sun gone, they were about to freeze. Malina found the innkeeper sweeping up by the stairs. She approached the woman and tapped her, startling the poor woman. The innkeeper lit up when she saw them.

"Oh, you poor things!" she exclaimed.

"Our ship wrecked, and we, well, Kane swam quite a distance to get us here," Malina explained. "Do you have rooms available? We have money."

"Available?" she smirked. "Darling, we haven't been completely occupied in years. I can barely keep a customer. I'll get you the key right now."

"Thank you," Malina said, with a smile.

The innkeeper kept glancing at her as she dug through the drawers for the key, seemingly searching Malina's face for something. She barely paid Kane a second glance, the way she was glued to Malina. Eventually, she leaned against a post with the key in hand and said something.

"Your smile," she started. "It reminds me of someone I knew quite a while ago. Several of your features remind me of him, actually. What's your name, child?"

"Malina," she responded, hearing Kane stand up behind her. "Malina Everett."

The kind innkeepers expression changed, going from confused, to shocked, to somewhat angry.

"As in Percival Everett?" she asked. "Very tall fellow, dead in the eyes, traded his brains for brawn?"

"I suppose, yes," Malima frowned. "He's my father."

"Your father?" she repeated, in shock. "Percy Everett, settle down with a family?"

Malina tilted her head to the side, slightly confused. Her father hated traveling. There were a few select places he'd visit, but she couldn't imagine how and why he'd know anyone around there. She didn't seem to like him very much, either.

"Do you know him?" she asked.

"Know him?" the innkeeper smirked. "Yeah, I knew him. He was a real winner, wasn't he? Following that horrible little blonde thing around like a puppy while she yelled at him and ordered him to do things. Made a woman feel like the most wonderful person in existence but he was gone the next morning-"

"Thank you very much," Kane interrupted loudly, taking the key from her hand.

He seemed slightly alarmed, but smiled at the woman and slipped an arm around Malina's shoulders.

"This has been lovely, but we really are a mess," he said. "Thank you again. Let's go, Mouse."

Malina followed him up the stairs to their room, which was small, but clean and comfortable. She sat down beside him on the bed, still confused as to what that woman was talking about. Kane didn't even acknowledge it, suddenly pulling his shirt off over his head and falling back on the bed to take a few deep breaths. She was suddenly distracted by that, slowly picking his shirt up and spreading it out to dry.

"You're not going to sleep in wet clothes, are you?" Kane asked.

"Oh," Malina blushed. "Well, I wasn't sure what else I could do."

Kane lifted his head to look at her, raising a brow, and she blushed again.

"I mean, I could, but I wouldn't want to make you uncomfortable," she stammered.

"I'm not the one who would get uncomfortable," Kane shrugged. "Whatever you prefer."

Hesitantly, Malina undid the back of her own dress, stripping down to her undergarments.

"You don't wear a corset," Kane noticed, though this time, he was the one who was embarrassed by his own sudden words. "Forgive me, that was out of line."

"No, that's alright," Malina giggled nervously. "No, I don't. Only on special occasions. My father doesn't like corsets. He says it's dangerous, deforms the ribs, and is the sole reason women are seen as weak. They can't fight very well in a corset. They can't even touch their toes."

"You don't need one," he said plainly.

Malina blushed hard as she climbed into bed. Kane put an arm around her and pulled her in, and for the first time, she felt the intense sensation of skin on skin. Her cheeks were hot and she had goosebumps, but it was in the best way. It was nice to finally feel warm. She curled up and buried her face into his chest as he ran his fingers through her hair gently.

"How are you feeling?" he asked quietly.

"Confused," Malina admitted.

"About what?"

"I was so afraid a few minutes ago," she muttered. "But I feel safe with you. And comfortable."

"I won't let anything happen to you," he said.

"But what about when we go back, and it's all over?" she frowned.

"Then for the first time, we'll both be happy," he chuckled, kissing her forehead. "You don't think I'm just going to drop you, do you?"

"You're not?"

"Of course not. Not unless you turn me away."

Malina felt fluttering in her stomach again, shifting a little closer to him, if that was even possible. He kissed the tip of her nose lightly and moved his fingers back to her hair, combing through the silky locks.

"Kane?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you for saving me," she told him. "And everything else. You didn't have to. If anything, I'm holding you back right now."

"You're not holding me back," he said. "I wouldn't even be here had you not helped me. You're a kind soul, Malina. It's in your nature. It seems you take after your mother in this sense. I haven't known her very long, but I can see it in both your eyes. Your father too, in fact."

"My father?"

"Yes," Kane nodded. "He's not exactly as warm and open as you and your mother, but I know he didn't give me that money solely because you told him to."

Malina cracked a smile and he kissed her once more before they both went silent and fell asleep.



Malina let Kane sleep in later than normal, since he deserved it. Their clothes had dried overnight, and though she wished she didn't have to put the same thing back on, she quickly slipped her dress back over her head. She took a moment to admire her small waist and hourglass figure in the mirror before picking up her boots and starting to lace them up. She'd never really noticed it until it was pointed out. Before, she was too busy worrying about how much she hated her hair or how she was a little chubbier than she liked sometimes.

She pulled her mother's locket out of the bag and flipped it open, an image of baby Scamp appearing all bundled up in a blanket with Max and Owen standing by him, looking like they were plotting something against the baby. She flipped through a few more images, but all of them were of her and her brothers. She thought back on that one image of her father when he was young. It couldn't have been just that one. If she'd had the locker that long, there had to be more of them when they'd been younger. She shut the locket and examined it, opening a plate on the back to examine the inside, where the images were generated.

"What are you doing?"

Malina looked up and saw Kane looking down at her curiously, dressed and ready to go. She quickly explained it all to him, then looked back at the locket.

"It looks like something small is jammed in there," she said. "It must be blocking everything from a certain time and before."

"I see," he said, kneeling down next to her and picking at the thing she was talking about. "You'll need pliers to get it out. I'll help you later, alright? For now, we should be on our way."

"You're right," Malina nodded, standing up and giving him a bright smile. "Let's go get your sister."