Page 181 of Unrivaled
CHAY
If you’re not at the feast you’re on the menu.
—Southern saying
26hDay of Autumn’s Son Moon,
Age of the Locways, Year 272
La’Angi Keep
I’d drunk nothing, and yet here I was, feeling like I’d crawled out of a cheap pot of beer ass first to spend more time in the dregs.
Scrubbing my hand over my face, I dragged myself up and opened the tiny window at the end of the room.The basin of water I hadn’t used sat there, clean, the towel beside it with the ineffective soap I couldn’t escape.
Bypassing the soap, I splashed some cold water on my face.Then some more.
The melee was happening today.Last night, they’d declared teams.I hadn’t fought last year, but I knew how it worked, and I’d known I didn’t want to leave it to chance.With teams declared, I’d gone to find my fellows, and we’d developed a plan.
I’d known it wouldn’t be a fast exercise, but I hadn’t thought it’d take me half the night.
The door to my room creaked open and I straightened, my heart breaking into a gallop at the noise.
“Mind if I come in?”Elnyta asked me.
I wiped the water off my face, assessing the seriousness of their expression.Audrey.“Is she okay?”The captain motioned at the door.It wasn’t urgent, then.“You left her with Isolde?”
“I did.”
She was fine, then.I grabbed the towel and wiped the last of the water off my face.My heart was already settling.“Sure,” I said, reaching for a shirt.
They closed the door behind themselves, kicking one leg up against it.“She wants me to leave port.Her father’s three days away.”
My heart was off again, taking the reins.I pulled the fabric over my chest.It was going to happen eventually.
Three days.I felt sick.
“She won’t come with me.”Of course she wouldn’t.I grabbed the tabard I’d worn last night and gave it a sniff.“If she leaves La’Angi, knight…if something happens…I’ve got a lot of friends, and I pay well for favors.”
“If she hears you saying that she’ll be pissed,” I warned them, pulling on the tabard.
“So don’t tell her.”
I slumped down onto the bed, reaching for my boots.“If it becomes relevant, I’ll use any means I can to keep her safe.You’ve my word on that.”It was easy to give, because it was true.Then, because the poor fool of a seafarer just stayed there, gnawing on their lip, I offered, “If we’re driven out, look for her in the west.It’s where my ties are, and Isolde’s.”
Their eyes narrowed.“She didn’t mention that.”
“She’s not thinking about what could come next.”I yanked on my boots with a sigh.“And if she is, she can’t plan to flee.It isn’t a possibility she sees.”
“I got that.”
From their tone, the conversation had clearly gone badly.Not about-to-combust sort of badly, so that was an improvement.“You going to leave La’Angi?”
They blew out a breath.“She made me promise.”
It didn’t sound like a resoundingyesall the same.I didn’t hate the idea of them being nearby if we needed to get out fast.But… “If you’re here, it’ll divide her attention.She’ll be worrying about you.She’s going to need to worry about herself.”
Their brows arched.“Do you really believe that?”
