Siren

Siren - Chapter 21

Mallach did not seem the least bit fazed by Hazari. Although she was nowhere near as tall as Sterling, Clara still felt nervous around her. Her hood was still down as the large wooden doors to the castle creaked open, revealing a flood of light through the entryway. A crisscross pattern showed over Hazari’s face as she stepped in front of Jupiter, seemingly ready to take on the world.

She had a sword in her hand, and a large spear on her back. After the hatched iron gate lifted, she cautiously stepped forward, her features tight as her golden eyes scanned the moat ahead of them, the stairs leading down into the city, and all that lay beyond.

“It is safe.” She said, and Clara could not help but be captured by her deep voice once again.

“Let’s go.” Replied Jupiter briskly, his hood making a flapping noise as he pulled it up against the wind. Mallach swore as the first bite of the winter air sank its teeth into him, vicious and not letting go. Octavious and Raven were hit not soon thereafter, but Clara, despite the attention it would bring, welcomed the familiar lover back into her arms by discarding her jacket and tying it around her waist.

Clara was behind Hazari, at the side of Mallach, and Raven and Octavious flanked him. It was as though they were all acting as a shield for royalty. It was quiet at first, but as they came closer to the market district, the noise increased tenfold. It was then that Clara noticed Hazari’s pointed ears. They twitched as she listened, and Clara was fascinated.

“Hear anything interesting, Harazi?” Jupiter asked, sounding almost proud. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched Clara, lips slightly parted in wonder, as Hazari replied “The price of fish has gone down. That is all.”

Jupiter strayed back a bit from Hazari, his black cloak fluttering in the wind beneath his jacket.

“As learned as you are, for a woman, she is as much a man to me as Mallach, or Raven or Octavious. She has the strength of ten men, the speed of a spotted leopard, the hearing of a dog, and the ability to track of a lion.”

Clara had no idea what a lion was, but she thought it must be ferocious if it had anything to do with Hazari.

“You speak of me as an animal. You know I don’t like that, Jupiter.” She warned. “I am not of belonging to ye.” Her eyes were focused on the road ahead, Clara knew, but she felt the stinging gaze as if it was directed at her instead.

“Yes,” replied Clara, “you should not treat anyone as if they were animals. Well, unless they were, such as a demimal, and…”

“I did not ask for your defense.” Said Hazari, and Clara promptly withdrew anymore words she had intended to say out loud.

She held on to Mallach’s hand, and he could tell her feelings had been hurt. He drew his arm around her, placing a gentle kiss on her cheek.

Everyone was stopping to turn and look, which made Hazari’s job all the more difficult. She heard Jupiter’s name being said all around her, as well as Mallach’s. Her long arms spread across the market road. She was not afraid to push people aside.