RUN!
A cold blade presses against my neck.
“Hands down, Dom.”
Nik’s level order so close to my ear makes my pulse race. It’s a hauntingly familiar feeling, and everything narrows to that blade resting against my pulse. I swallow, feeling the razor edge scrape the knot in my throat. Slowly, I hold my hands out, away from my spells.
“I’m sorry, Dom,” Janessa says, her remorse plain on her face. “He said to alert him if anyone with a necklace like that walked in. Never imagined it’d be you.”
My spells are already being pulled from my neck before Nik searches my pockets, finding my emergency spells easily. My pack is kicked away, and the knife briefly lifts before he pulls my arms behind my back, circling my wrists in iron shackles. Only then does the chatter in the inn die as all eyes turn to me.
A firm hand on my shoulder spins me, bringing me face to face with Nik. He looks almost bored, his expression as flat as ever.
“How’d you know I was here?” I ask, feeling numb from Janessa’s betrayal.
“Olbric said you were heading home,” he says. “You once told me you were from Airedale. It wasn’t hard.”
My stomach sinks further as he scoops up my pack and bow. This entire time, I misjudged him. I thought he was hot on my heels, tracking me through the woods. Instead, he just hurried ahead to ambush me here. There’s no telling how long he’s been sitting here, waiting.
“Your horses are outside?”
I swallow my disappointment. I’d been expecting a fight when he finally caught up to me, and instead, he’s ended it with nothing but a blade and an order. “Just one horse. I sent Valar back to the Crux with a courier.”
“Ma’am, would you see that Dom’s horse is taken care of?” Nik asks. “You can add any expense onto my note.”
Janessa nods, but her eyes are wide as she looks at the irons around my wrists. “What sort of trouble are you in, Dom?”
Wish I knew. Dread’s settled like a rock in my stomach as Nik steers me towards the stairs. “We’ll be departing tomorrow morning to go find out. Would you mind drawing Dominai a bath? He’ll be sharing my room tonight.”
“Of course,” Janessa says faintly.
Nik’s hand lands on my shoulder before he pushes me up the stairs. Feeling numb, I go without a fuss.
Pinnacle
When someone without magic discovers that you are a wizard, it can lead to interesting interactions. Some people view us as a threat; others view us as a challenge. Others still just want to be with us for the sheer thrill of it. Whether you indulge that curiosity is entirely up to you.
Magic Philosophy by Namina Kimathi
Please note that this chapter deals with emotions surrounding religion and religious trauma.
“ARE YOU ALRIGHT?”
Alix’s question draws me back from my thoughts. I realize I’ve stopped halfway through dressing, my citran held loosely in my hands. In the few days that have passed since the ball, I can’t shake the feeling of... something off between the two of us. A persisting sort of awkwardness that neither of us seem to know how to address.
I shake the thought away and pull my top on as I force a smile. “Fine. No, not fine, actually. A little nervous.”
“So you’re going, then?” Alix asks through a yawn.
I go to tie my hair back only to rethink the decision and leave it down. “I think it’s about time I made an appearance.” The thoughtof attending Pinnacle kept me awake last night, but I’m not sure why Alix seems to have slept as poorly as I did. “What were you up to last night?”
“Talking with Allis.”
I make a quiet sound of sympathy. After I left the ball with Samira, I apparently missed out on some choice drama. The gossip is that Allis and Tevares got into a bit of a... discussion. I’m not sure who started it or what it was about, but Allis tried to end it by throwing a fist, and the scuffle had to be broken up by Shykh Ramzi. Allis has barely spoken to anyone in the delegation since, and I wonder if that’s not why Alix tried.
At least an almost-fight has tamped down some of the talk about trying to force the two of them into a political marriage.
“Good thing it’s Pinnacle. Seems like we could all use a day off,” I mutter. Pinnacle is a weekly day of rest and worship for all of Cairish, which means a mandated break from the talks for everyone else.
