Lovely Dark Things

FOURTEEN (RUBY POV)

"You should've stayed on the ship," I growl angrily while trying to fix the gauntlet of the corsair amour Teilan let me borrow. The salty and moisture-laden fresh air of the ocean has hardened the leather and I'm struggling with the buckle while the sun rises over Sethai beach and the dark elves get ready for the battle, excitedly. The light is grey because of the clouds and it's cold despite it's summer, but the advisor is comfortable thanks to my cape. Iselen smiles and moves closer to buckle the gauntlet, kissing my cheek gently. Lovely dark things swirl inside my chest again and the warm tickling sensation spreads through my limbs, soothing me. It's becoming increasingly difficult to stay angry at her, damn it.

"You told the Queen that you'd remain by my side to protect me against chaos demons. Picture it: they could attack the ship in the middle of the sea while you're here finishing the cream of Lothern aristocracy," she whispers quietly.

"I won't be able to protect you while you hide in a cave because I'll be too busy stabbing the Phoenix King on his back."

"But you'll be closer to recue me if necessary..." I stare at her raising an eyebrow, not fully convinced that her statement is right because those demons want to kill her instead of kidnapping her, and she smiles shamelessly. "I don't want to be away from you, babe. Don't worry, I'll stay inside, protected by two cabin boys while you do... well, whatever you have to do."

"Okay," I sigh in resignation. "You won't go outside till I come back and won't do anything stupid no matter what happens."

"I'll only watch, I promise."

"You know this could be a trap set by our enemies, don't you? This could be the worst mistake of our life." The advisor shakes her head while checking if all the buckles on my armour are securely fastened with efficient movements. "You're a pretty squire."

"Thank you," she answers smiling amused. "It's not a trap, Aethis of Caledor can't wait to get the throne and marry the High Priestess, he'll do whatever necessary to succeed, and she... Alarielle understands what's happening and she knows it's serious." Suddenly, one of the cabin boys who's watching the path from the top of a small hill waves is hand. "Is that the signal?"

"Yes, the King's army is getting closer from Shimmersward. They caught the false spy in that fortress, the guy Teilan sent to them with fake news, and I guess Aethis is a great actor and has played perfectly the role of a distressed warrior, anxious due to the terrible news, and asking for his lord's help to defend the coast against the attack of the evil elven pirates. He's even exaggerated claiming that several ships and thousands of enemy soldiers are threatening the kingdom to make sure the monarch was coming with all the generals and the most famous heroes of the army. Let's go, we should hide in the cave, those cabin boys will monitor their movements from the top of the hill, lying between the bushes, and will come to protect you later while we attack them."

"What do you think they're doing to our spy? I hope they didn't kill him," Iselen whispers concerned, crawling inside the small hole in the rock wall and squatting down near the entrance.

"Aethis promised that he'd lock him in a cell to release him later, after we win the battle," I answer following her while other dark elves hide in their caves. My girl nods, looking calmer, despite she knows as well as I do that he could be dead, Aethis wouldn't hesitate to stab him to make the story more credible or the Phoenix King could've ordered to hang him after questioning him last night when he arrived followed by the army. Well, we all must make sacrifices for Baalberith, that's how things work in our country.

Light is getting brighter outside, waves crash against the sand and seagulls shriek while our ship rocks in the distance, clearly visible for those idiots to fall in our trap. I take a look at the advisor out of the corer of my eye, she looks fine, a little pale and tired but that's normal, we've been working hard these past days in the city, firstly, and getting ready this decoy later. Eonir's death didn't affect her the way I thought, maybe because this time I was the killer and not her, and she didn't like the elf. I think she's not having nightmares about the guy she stabbed in the park anymore but I can't be sure; Iselen is good at hiding her feelings if she believes they could be a problem for me. I extend my arm and my hand covered in leather cups her cheek.