Page 19 of The Eye of the Fifth
But she was already in the air, leaping over the table and shoving through the crowd, heart in her throat. The bard blanched when he saw her advancing toward him, realisation dawning on his skinny face as he lifted a hand in surrender. ‘I didn’t-! Wait-’
She ripped the instrument from his hands, a smallish riq with four strings, and smashed it to the ground, snapping the neck clean off. The bard jumped down from his chair and backed against the wall as she turned against him and said in a dangerously low tone, ‘Don’t sing about shit you know nothing about. Or next time it won’t be the riqthat I break, it will be your legs.’ He nodded fervently, a dark stain appearing on his trousers.
The tavern was near silent as she pivoted back to the onlooking crowd. Her hood had fallen from her head, and by the looks on every single patron’s face, they knew exactly who she was.
Breathing heavily, she glowered at them, daring them, any of them to say a word.
Rosary was at her side in an instant, just as the angry barkeep who had shouted at Sofia pushed through the crowd. ‘Get out,’ he spat. ‘Your kind isn’t welcome here.’
‘We were just leaving,’ Rosary said coldly, and Kyra felt her hand close around her own. ‘It smells like piss in here anyway.’
The barkeep’s round face turned even redder. ‘You’re not welcome either! If I see either of you in here again, I’ll get the Union involved. Get. Out.’
Rosary bowed mockingly. ‘You won’t see us again, trust me.’ She dragged Kyra by the hand out of the tavern and into the streets, not stopping until they were down an alleyway and out of clear sight. Kyra didn’t bother with her hood again, and soon her spiralling hair was sopping wet.
Rosary dropped her hand and rubbed at her temples. ‘What are you doing, Ky? You’re lucky he didn’t call the Union then.’
The bard’s song was ringing in Kyra’s ears. ‘I had to shut him up.’
‘He’s a fuckingbard,Kyra. A bard! Why do you give a fuck what he sings about?’ demanded Rosary, throwing her arms in the air with exasperation. When Kyra did not reply, she said, ‘I know you’re angry but this recklessness is beyond idiotic-’
‘My grandmother saved my people and the humans talk about her as if… as if she’s somecriminal.’
‘I didn’t think you gave a shit about your grandmother,’ Rosary retorted.
‘Don’t throw that in my face,’ Kyra snapped. ‘It’s because of Win that the humanswonthe Great Earthling War! If she hadn’t made that bargain with Zarynth’s queen, if she hadn’t forfeited her kin’s magic, ourbirthright,the fae wouldn’t have survived. The humans kept theirmagic, they triumphed and the fae were banished from Avaldale, and theystillsomehow made my grandmother the villain.’
‘I know the story, Ky,’ Rosary said quietly.
‘Then tell me when did it get so fucking twisted?’ Kyra demanded. ‘How did the fae end up as the villains, the outcasts, when they were the ones being slaughtered by the masses just for having faith in the Four Mothers? How did my grandmother become hated by both fae and human alike, just for ensuring her people survived the war?’
Rosary said nothing.
‘I never agreed with Win’s decision to keep us segregated from the rest of the city,’ Kyra said. ‘But what she did for our family, for the fae… she doesn’t deserve the hate.’ She looked up at the sky and let the rain shower her face. ‘My own parents were murdered based on nothing but ignorant hatred. All because the humans of Avaldale were taught to loathemy kind.’She slid down the wall and pulled her knees tight into her chest, as if she might hold herself together better that way.
After a moment, Rosary joined her. Her head fell onto Kyra’s shoulder. She didn’t speak, but Kyra didn’t need her to. The comfort alone was enough.
Time passed slowly as they sat there like that, neither one moving, neither one talking. After a while, she felt Rosary’s head slowly lift. ‘Kyra,’ she whispered, but her voice was now filled with caution.
Kyra peered up and immediately saw why. To their right were three figures, their faces covered with varying demonic masks, and all carrying some sort of weapon. Blocking their escape to the left were three more of them, all in similar attire except one, whose sneering face was unmasked and staring at them with a swaggering sort of triumph.
As Cristian Bates stepped forward, pointing his short blade at Kyra, he said with a mocking smile, ‘The unbeatable lone wolf, cornered in an alleyway. What threats do you have for me now, fae-slut?’
Chapter Six
The Earth Warden
???
Avaldale, Vrethian.
Kyra.
Apparently Cristian’s egohadbeen badly hurt.
Kyra gave a low, deliberate laugh as she stood. ‘Feeling brave now my blade’s not at your groin?’ She lowered her voice to barely a whisper, her next words meant only for Rosary: ‘When I say run… yourun.’
Rosary pinched the back of her arm in protest.
