Sea of Secrets

Chapter 11 - Mira

With the celebration of the Baro Bunch's first bounty together, Nikolai wanted to celebrate the next night with dinner at Miss Braithwaite's Inn. It was one of few Inns of the Slums since most tourists didn't bother venturing to the poor streets when visiting Davor. According to Nikolai, Miss Braithwaite had known him since they were both young kids, but she didn't like him much.

She narrowed her eyes at him as Nikolai entered the crowded Inn, Kai and I followed closely behind, "Mr. Baro...haven't you been permanently banned from this establishment?"

He scratched at his bald head, "I do not recall a 'permanent ban', maybe just a temporary one."

Nikolai turned nervously around to Mira, who only returned a sharp look, but Kai nodded then whispered, "I'll get us a table."

After a sly grin, he slung an arm around Nikolai and faced Miss Braithwaite. "I'm sorry for my friend's past behavior. To make up for it, why don't we give you a nice tip?"

She looked past Kai and over to Nikolai, "Who is this?"

"A member of our team." Nikolai boasted, "The best hunters in all of Davor."

"Damn bounty hunters," Miss Braithwaite murmured, then rolled her eyes and pointed to a table in the corner, "Don't start any trouble with my customers, or you're never coming back here."

She'd made that same threat each time they'd come, and almost always, Nikolai ignored it. The bunch sat down at the table, and Nikolai ordered for us, without asking what the two others wanted.

He held up three fingers, "Fish Stew for all."

Miss Braithwaite didn't say a word, not even a nod, as she retreated back to the kitchen.

Kai took out a brass pocket watch, clicking its cover open and close repeatedly, Nikolai waited in anticipation for the food, and Mira watched as a little baby began to wail for its mother. Its everlasting screech filling the Inn.

Suddenly Nikolai threw his fists on the table in a fit of rage, "The hell is taking so long? We've been waiting for almost an hour, and now we've got a baby whining, and we have no food."

Kai showed the face of his watch to him, "It's only been a few minutes, Captain."

"And my stomach is howling!" He shouted, and some customers turned to their table.

Mira kicked him from under the table, "You are going to get us kicked out." Finally, he kept quiet, his legs fidgeting up and down as he bided his time.

Then she looked at the crying baby, it's beady eyes staring at her. Hesitant, Mira stuck her hands over her face, then uncovered them and whispered, "Peekaboo."

But the baby's face remained unchanged, still wailing. Mira uncovered her hands again, another Peekaboo, and finally, the baby's face began to soften, its little mouth curving to a smile, and when Mira did it once more, the baby began to let out a giggle. Mira's own face began to lighten at the sight.

As if just noticing her baby's crying had ceased and tracked her baby's stare, the mother glanced behind to see Mira's grinning face...along with Nikolai.

Nikolai and his immature bounty hunters, she'd probably thought, sworn to protect the city, but lazily sitting in the Inn. And now they are complaining about the wait.

The mother shot Mira a look of disgust, shielding her baby's eyes, and Mira's whole chest tightened. After a strained breath, she reluctantly turned back to the boys at the table, and her face was colder than ever.

"Look around," Nikolai grunted, "Everyone's scowling. Maybe Miss Braithwaite isn't the best cook, huh?"

Mira rolled her eyes. "They're scowling at us."