Chapter Fourteen

Unwanted Attention (part 1)

Samara

I watched the muscles on Aryan’s back twitch as we walked along the thin cobblestone path. It had been about ten minutes since we ventured away from the hidden watering hole, and since arriving to the top, Aryan has said little to nothing to me regarding our destination. He simply started walking.

“Where are we going?” I finally asked, finding the way he moved appealing. His stride was confident. Well assured. Like he was ready for anything that might come our away. It made trusting his sense of direction seem like the easy choice.

“I was wondering how long it would take you to ask me that.” He said, his back still the only thing I could see. “But aside from your total lack of self-preservation, I thought it would be obvious.” Aryan slowed, turning towards me.

I shook my head, clueless.

He half-smirked at me, revealing a very cute dimple on one side of his face. “Guess you want me to run around naked.”

As soon as his words hit my ears, I felt my face heat up as I remembered I had undressed him not that long ago—leaving only the tattered pants he wore now.

At my response, Aryan laughed—a deep throaty laugh that, I could tell, was not used as often as it should be. “Relax, Samara.” He smiled, both dimples present now. “I’m just teasing you a bit. Besides, I’m not the only one who needs a new set of clothes.” He eyed me from head to toe before resuming to guide us.

Again, I felt embarrassment at his implication. “What’s wrong with my clothes?” I felt the shorts and t-shirt I was wearing was quite acceptable, but apparently, I was mistaken.

“Seriously?” he stopped and turned all the way around to give me an incredulous stare. “Have you never been to Arcanum?” he asked in a voice that was both serious and joking.

I watched him, confused. “No. I’ve never been here. Aside from rescuing you from Soren’s palace, this is the most I’ve seen of this land.”

“Wait, wait, wait.” Aryan put his hand up, processing my words before he whispered. “So, you have all these… abilities, and you’ve only ever lived in Curio?”

If only he knew the half of it.

“Yes.”

A brief darkness came over him for a moment. It was as if a terrible thought crossed his mind. But whatever that thought was, he didn’t share it with me. And after a few seconds, the darkness passed—he seemed to have shrugged it off. “Well, I’ll tell you now then. People don’t dress like that—” he gave me a pointed stare. “—in Arcanum. Curio’s style is a little more modern, I guess. The point is, if we don’t get some new clothes soon, we’re going to stick out. And unwanted attention is exactly what we want to avoid.”

“Where do you suggest we look? I don’t see anything around here, but trees.”

Albeit, beautiful trees that outlined the zigzag path in an intricate sort of way.

“I know a place not far ahead. If we’re quick about it, we can get there before it gets dark.” With that said, Aryan turned around and led the way.

*****

The light was starting to dim in the sky as we paused momentarily. Aryan looked around, a flustered expression on his face.

“Are we lost?” I asked as I stared up at the trees. Their leaves were skinny, long, and sharp at the point. I ran my fingers along one that fell to the ground, and it felt smooth. It almost reminded me of a rose petal. The texture of the leaves left me smiling.

“No. We are not lost. I know exactly where we are.” He huffed at me.

I almost thought I saw an eyeroll too, but being that Aryan seems to be one whom eyerolling comes naturally, I didn’t think much of his outburst. “This forest is so different from the ones that surrounds—surrounded my home. It’s very interesting.”

There was a twitch of a frown on Aryan’s lips before he said, “Yeah, well, that’s the Thieves’ Forest, for you.”

“Thieves’ Forest?”

“Yeah. It’s like a—” Aryan paused, thinking. “—it’s like an oasis for the less than obedient.”

“Ah.” I nodded, understanding now. “It’s for scoundrels.”

The quickest chuckle escaped his lips and made me smile. When he noticed I heard his muffled delight, he swiftly removed his hand from his face, and kept looking around. Somber, once again. “Sure, I guess you could say it like that.”

In the fading light, I spied a small brook just off the path. I looked at Aryan before saying, “Perhaps a brief break might help. We have been walking for a while now. It wouldn’t hurt to take a moment to…” The slight slitting of his eyes warned me to choose my next word carefully. “…recollect.”

He shrugged and replied, “Alright. It won’t kill us to stop for a minute.”

I led the way to the brook, stopping once I got close enough to bend down and scoop a handful of water into my mouth. I stared at myself in the reflection, looking at my shirt. Maybe I am too conspicuous for Arcanum. And if so, that means we need a place to hide, and quickly. I don’t think we’ll make it too far in the dark. I looked back up at the trees, and realized that the pointy leaves were slight, but many, and would obscure any light that could be provided to us naturally. I could always light the way for us if it becomes too dark, but… I’m not sure how revealing another gift to Aryan is going to make him trust me…

I looked back at my reflection, expecting to see discontentment, but instead, I saw Ailia and Ethan, sneaking away for a romantic moment in the shadows of a cabin wall. They both looked at each other with glee, but the second they looked away from one another, a fear washed over their faces. They eyed their surroundings as if they would be caught at any moment.

“Soon,” Ethan spoke, his cheeks ruddy from their momentary affections. “I promise. I just need a little more time.”

“I know. I know.” Her Irish accent thickened as she whispered. “It’s just… I needed to see you. Even if it was just for a moment, love.”

He squeezed her pale fingers and smiled. “I needed to see you too.”

Suddenly, their image rippled, and then, they were gone.

I could feel my brows pull together as I tried to figure out why the vision dissipated. It didn’t take long to remember that Aryan was next to me, retrieving a drink from the water below.

“Samara?” Aryan’s face showed a flicker of concern before hardening once more. “Are you alright?”

I smiled, nodding. “Yes. Why?”

“You were breathing kind of hard for a second.” His eyes scanned me as if I had an injury he hadn’t notice before.

“Sorry.” I looked away from Aryan, not quite ready to reveal the full spectrum of my visions. “I’m just a bit tired.”

“Right…” he spoke, disbelievingly, but didn’t press as I thought he might. “Well, let’s get going then. It’s already much darker than I anticipated. I remember the rest of the way from here.”

I nodded, feeling just the tiniest bit of guilt at lying to him. 

*****

A lit torch in the near distance alerted us that someone was close by. I thought Aryan would try to hide behind the cover the trees provided, but instead, he walked straight towards the light, gesturing me to follow suit.

“This is the place.” He half-whispered. “I know someone who owes me a favor.”

As we got closer, I finally noticed, the hut-like cabana. It was camouflaged against the forest. The platform was made of the wood of the trees while the roof was spherical and covered with sharp green leaves. The hut had a bar-like feel. It was open with two levels, and boisterously loud. The balcony had a simple railing with people sitting in chairs with a small table holding their mugs. And as we walked onto the platform, I could see a single thick pillar in the middle of the room. Only, it wasn’t a pillar, but the trunk of a tree the owners had built around. They even added stairs to it so that it led up to the second floor.

“Stay close.” Aryan murmured as he made his way to the bartender like he’s done it a thousand times.

I did my best to stay near but found my gaze drifting to all the different kinds of men and woman in the room. My powers were going haywire as I realized that nearly all of them were using glamours.

Jauni… And… Everyone was staring me down, but one woman, in particular, was glaring at me like I had personally wronged her. …Something else. What could she be?

“Looking for a good time, Miss?” A man with long red hair asked me.

He wasn’t wearing a glamour, but he was certainly not human. A Halfling? I thought, remembering Aryan’s previous comment about my abilities.

I was about to decline his invitation, when Aryan grabbed my wrist, and growled at the man, revealing for the quickest moment, his true face.

The man stumbled back, looking at me with a curiously frightened expression. “My mistake.”

“I told you to stay close.” He turned that growl on me.

“And I did.” I replied, feeling his anger was misplaced. “That man wouldn’t have harmed me.”

Aryan scoffed. “Were you born this naïve?” I raised a brow at him, and his shoulders slumped in defeat. “Just… come on.” He tugged my arm all the way to the bar, letting me go only when he met the eyes of the barkeep.

“Aryan…” he spoke low. “What the hell are you doing here? From what I’ve heard, you’re not too popular now-a-days.”

“Yeah, well, I’m calling in that favor, Alois.”

Alois stared me up and down before rolling his eyes at Aryan. “Of course, you are. Let’s go somewhere more private then.” Alois turned his head and nodded silently to the other bartender before bending his head to our left.

We followed him through a door in the far corner of the room. It was warm and lit by the fire on the opposite side. There was scarcely a thing in the room except for a desk with paperwork, and a chair and table for guests. All-in-all, the room was probably the most unremarkable thing I’ve encountered since entering Arcanum.

“So, tell me, Aryan, what brings you to Quintessence?”

“Quintessence? That’s quite a name.” I couldn’t help but comment.

Aryan shot me a look, but Alois ignored him, a spark revealing itself in his dark eyes. “A worthy name for a place where anyone who arrives can be their true selves.” Alois was a bulky man, with muscles that coursed throughout his entire body. He had a mocha coloring to him that reminded me of a horse. Quickly, I was proven right as his glamour came undone before my eyes. He had long black hair, and his eyes—all the way up to his eyebrows—were shrouded in black as well as his mouth and nose. His ears were pointed straight up—not slanted like Aryan’s. It was so very interesting to meet another kind of Jauni.

“Yes, this certainly seems to be a place where a person can be themselves.”

Alois stared at me with fascination before turning to Aryan. “Beautiful and smart. How’d you trick this one into following you around?” Aryan glared at him, making Alois laugh heartily. “Ah, yes, I nearly forgot how single-minded you can be. Fine. Spit it out. What is it that you want from me?”

“Alois, we need a place to stay for the night.”

His friend stopped smiling then. “I’m not sure I can do that, Aryan. Words been going around about you. Soren wants you bad, and…” Alois’ eyes settled on me for a moment. “…if I had to guess, you must be that girl that helped him escape. He wants you bad, too.”

That took me by surprise. “Soren wants me?”

“Assuming you’re who I think you are, yeah.” Alois looked back at Aryan. “Which means, you two are bad for business.”

“Alois—”

“The answer is no!” he snapped. “I’m not going to put my place in jeopardy for whatever the hell you two are in!”

“You owe me, you bastard!” Aryan’s temper was rising higher than I’ve seen it so far. His fists were clenched so tightly, I was sure it wouldn’t take much more for him to do something we would both regret.

Before I could think of a better plan, I stepped between the two men.