Both Bahari guards are leaning against the oak’s knotted trunk, garbed in dark blue tunics and battle-ready boots that rise to the knee, gold buckles polished to a high gleam. Carrying spears everywhere they go, they’re ever ready to dive into war, and I’m ever ready for them to leave me the hell alone.
Thing is, they have no idea how to lighten their steps, and they trudge after me—more likely toluredanger rather than frighten it away.
I can no longer lurk or go privately about my business. Every move I make ischaperoned.They even stand outside the door, close enough to hear me pee while I’m using the latrine.
I sigh, studying my toast half wrapped in the waxy material Cook packaged it with. It came accompanied with a forced smile that never met her eyes and only poured salt in my wound.
“Is that nice?” Vanth asks, eyeing my toast.
“You’d know if you hadn’t insulted Cook by telling her she undercooked the veal last night,” I say, but all I get in response is a grumbling slur of words that bring me more satisfaction than they should.
I’d usually be having breakfast with Baze at this time, a thought that sits like lead in my chest. Though it’s been a few days since I showed him therealme, I just can’t bring myself to face him.
No breakfasts, lunches, dinners, training ...
Nothing.
Baze knows full well how much I struggle with my identity. I air that frustration with him every morning. Bastard had the antidote this entire time and chose not to use it.
Real friends don’t do that to each other.
The guards mutter between themselves about how much they can’t wait to get back to the South, and I take another bite, anticipating Vanth’s question before it ruptures from his mouth.
“Weren’t we supposed to set sail yesterday?”
“I still have things to take care of, Vanth. I’m a very busy person, you know.”
I don’t bother mentioning my deep-seated fear of stepping over my Safety Line; a leap I intend on ignoring until I’m all out of avoidance tactics. I haven’t been shoved out the door yet, and I’m hopeful Cainon will send those ships ahead of my arrival—buy me a little more time to ease out of my shell.
“So far,” Vanth proclaims, pinching the bridge of his thin nose, “all you’ve done is pick flowers,plantflowers, debark a tree, shed a bramble of all its thorns, collect rocks, accost a gardener for seemingly doing his job, shave moss off a boulder, pluck fungi off a pile of horse shi—”
“That reminds me,” I interrupt, rummaging through my knapsack with my spare hand. “Those mushrooms need to be cured, but first I’ll have to collect some thermal water from Puddles. Fingers crossed I have an empty jar in here somewhere or I might have to dart back up Stony Stem ...”
They groan in unison.
“Found one,” I announce, waving it around. I shove it back in my bag along with the remainder of my breakfast, right next to the rock I finished painting in the early hours of the morning while I was struggling to sleep.
I smile to myself.
It’s the perfect addition to my wall—the final piece in my current reach. With so much unfinished business storming over me,thisis something I can control.
This rock belongs in its home, but I can’t place it with those two at my back, nosing in on all my business.
I close my bag, sling it over my shoulder, and stand.
“We off again?” Kavan asks, lifting a lazy brow while Vanth stifles a yawn.
Perfect.
I’ve been luring them everywhere since well before sunup, darting up and down Stony Stem on several occasions to retrieve things I’d purposely forgotten. I even got them to carry a few rocks up my tower—ones I’ve been eyeing for a while but were too heavy for me to haul.
I’ve never heard two grown men grumble so much.
I should be nicer to them, but the way their eyes crawl across my skin when they think I’m not paying attention has sown a caustic seed.
“Yup. Places to be, things to do. You sure you two don’t want to just ... sit this one out? I can swing by and pick you up later. Maybe bring you both some of the servant’s gruel?”
They push off the tree, sighing in perfect, disgruntled symphony. “We’re coming.”
