Decoy Danger

A clap of thunder startled Shila, but she tried her best to stay cool and collected. After convincing Mylo that she was strong enough to join his gang, she couldn’t show that she was afraid of a silly little storm. Still, it made it hard to get any sleep. No one else had a problem, so Shila quietly excused herself to sit in a corner of the living room.

Queenie had left Mylo’s lap and scampered off to hers, curling up against Shila. She was glad of it, honestly. Petting Queenie’s soft fur helped calm her down. She heard heavy footsteps approach and knew it must have been Mylo, so she quickly straightened herself out and pretended she was fine. He didn't seem fooled though, eyeing her warily.

"You look pale," he said.

"I think I just am pale," Shila said, forcing a laugh. "Lady Emory always told me to stay away from windows, because I get freckles in the sun and she thought it was ugly. And she didn't like the color my hair was in the sunlight."

He didn't say anything, but furrowed his brow.

"What else did she say to you?" he asked, leaning against the doorframe.

"It would probably just upset you if I said," Shila said.

The wind outside was picking up and there was another clap of thunder, making Shila jump this time. She was glad he couldn't see how red she was in the dim candlelight. When she looked up at him, his expression was a little softer. More concerned.

"Are you scared of thunder?" he asked.

"No, of course not," she said a little too quickly. "That's silly. It's just thunder. Nothing to be afraid of.
I just can't sleep."

She doubted he was fooled by that, but he didn't call her out on it. Instead, he left the room for a moment and returned a couple minutes later with a box.

"May I?" he asked, gesturing to a spot on the floor by her.

"Please."

He sat down and opened the box, revealing an old chess board with wooden pieces.

"Do you know how to play?" he asked.

"I do," she said. "I'm not very good, but I like it."

"It's alright, as long as it passes the time."

As they sorted out the pieces, Shila realized that he likely wasn't interested in playing chess in the middle of the night. He was doing this to calm her nerves. They played for a little while, and since Shila had a hard time keeping up he would occasionally point out different strategies or suggest possible moves she could make.

"You're a natural at this," she remarked as she took his pawn.

"It's just a game," he shrugged.

"I meant strategizing," she said. "It's much more than a game for someone like you."

"Well, I guess I have to be good at it," he said. "I have a lot of people depending on me."

"You're a good leader," she said. "I haven't been here long, but they all talk about you like you're a king."

"Nah, they pull their own weight," he said, a little embarrassed. "I'm just someone who brought them together."

"They appreciate you," she insisted. "So do I."

He seemed surprised by her last statement, but kept his eyes on the board as he took one of her knights.

"I know I haven't been easy to be around," she said. "I'm sorry. I'm usually a lot nicer. I guess I'm just sort of fired up. There's a lot I've kept inside for a long, long time. I'm eager to get it out. I'll try not to be too much trouble for you."

"It's okay."

There was another particularly loud clap of thunder and Shila jumped again. Queenie's claws were digging anxiously into Shila's arm, which certainly didn't help. Mylo watched as she let out a deep exhale and pretended nothing happened.

"It's okay to be afraid of a storm," he told her. "Lot's of people are."

"It's not the storm itself," she admitted. "I don't know how long you've been in Oakheart, but do you remember five or six years ago? There were some riots, but it wasn't the rebellion. It ended up being a fake group that the authorities put together to make the rebels look like dangerous heathens?"

"Yeah, I remember," he said. "A lot of people got hurt. It only made everyone angrier."

"I was home alone at the time," she said. "My father was out helping people find safety. I was around fourteen years old and it was the first time I saw violence like that. Not the last, but it was the first. The sound of the thunder reminds me of all the smashed walls and shattered glass. The next day, when all those people were injured in the street and all those homes were destroyed."

"I understand," he said. "It's okay. You don't have to explain yourself."

She cracked a smile, then looked back at the board. She made her next move, staring for a few seconds to see if she was seeing the pieces right.

"Checkmate," she said.

"You learn fast," he chuckled.

"You let me win," she said with a smile. "It's obvious."

"Yeah, I did," he admitted, "But you did make that last move completely on your own. It was a good one."

She was feeling a lot calmer now, and in turn Queenie was calmer too. As they cleaned up the board, she actually felt like she could get some sleep. Only a couple hours, but it was still something. She woke up to Queenie butting her head against Shila's face, waiting to be fed.

It was still raining outside, but it had decreased quite a bit. As Mylo told her, they'd be able to get on the road soon. She was almost a little nervous. If she saw the Emorys again, what would she say to them? Would she even be able to turn against him, or had years of submission to them softened her too much? She figured she could stab and she was definitely street smart, but she wasn't a fighter.

She sat in front of a mirror and pulled a brush through her long hair before tying it back in a braided half-bun, letting the rest fall down her back. Trina was quick to ask Shila to do the same with her hair, and Shila happily obliged. Working as a lady's maid, she had learned all sorts of hairstyles and braids that she could do in just a few minutes.

Mylo found them as Shila was tying off Trina's elegant plait. She admired herself in the mirror for a minute before leaving the two alone. Mylo checked over his shoulder before speaking.

"You're sure about this summer house?" he asked.

"The last time they discussed it, that's where they were going," she said.

"And when we get there, you're sure you can get us inside?"

"I'm sure," she promised.

"Okay. Looks like we'll be on our way, then."