A Dark and Starless Night

Chapter Thirty-Five

There was no bringing a carriage across the desert. Oasian horses had been purchased for the group and Eve sat atop the stallion she had been given. The horse was the only solace to her day so far.

While she was made for the heat of a desert, it wasn't comfortable when she was a shell of herself thanks to exhaustion and the relentless chatter of Lord Hal and his companions. They were rowdy and constantly leering at Eve and Ali when they thought they weren't looking. It was a wonder they bothered to stare at all when both of them were carefully covered to avoid the unrelenting glare of the sun and the bite of any sand whipped up by sudden gusts that often tore through the desert.

Eve and Ali had fallen back, two guards behind them, the rest – as well as Rik and Fin – acted as a physical barrier between them, as well as a conversational one. It was an achingly long journey as they had to stop regularly to hydrate. Whenever they stopped, the elegant yet muscled horses grew restless, most likely restless at having to wait.

Eve tried not to feel to smug that her friends were flushed and sweating while she was only covered in a light sheen of sweat, her clothes clinging to her skin. The Zyrnan desert was nowhere near as big as the Lone Desert in Teryon, but even a desert this small could kill the unprepared. With the crown prince in their party, there would be no chance of that.

They reached the town at the edge of the desert not long before dusk. As they made their way off the sand and onto grey-stone streets, they moved into a coolness that pulled a sigh of relief from the group. The coolness came from the streams and rivers that ran through the town, paths beside them. Eve marvelled at how crystalline the water was and smiled at the children who played and laughed in the water. They didn't have far to travel within the town before they reached their accommodation; a beautifully designed stone building with flower boxes in each of the many windows.

Eve was sad to part with her nameless stallion, even if it would only be until they were headed back across the desert. She didn't let herself think beyond then, when she'd have to return to the horse to the stables he'd been rented from. She stroked his neck as she handed the reins to one of the guards and she quickly headed to where her friends stood.

"When can we start?" she said, feeling a thrill of excitement at the possibility of finding the one person who could alibi Don.

"Oh, Eve, I am utterly exhausted and I can smell myself," Ali said, looking close to tears. "I need to have a bath. At least an hour long."

"I have to second that sentiment," Fin said, wiping sweat from the back of his neck.

"I'll join you," Rik said, rolling his eyes at the others. "Just give me an hour to get freshened up."

"You should do the same," Fin said, quickly ducking away before Rik could slap the back of his head.

Eve didn't spend long in the room she was sharing with Ali, quickly wiping herself free of sweat and changing into a fresh set of clothes. She wore a rose-pink coloured shirt and a loose, cream pair of trousers. She pulled her hair back, tying it loosely at the nape of her neck. She took a small bag, tucking a coin purse into it as well as the key to her room, although Ali assured her that she'd be awake. Eve didn't believe it, knowing that Ali would fall asleep the moment her head hit the pillow.

Once she was ready, she headed down to the inn's bar. She nursed a glass of wine while she waited for Rik and when Lord Hal and his companions entered the bar area, she did her best to blend into the surroundings. Luckily, they were too engrossed in themselves to pay her any notice. She peeked over her shoulder at them, allowing herself to look closer at the men who accompanied Lord Hal. She'd never seen any of them before, but she knew the type based on their appearance; perfect clothing, appearance overly maintained, drinks from the top shelf.

They talked quietly but every now and then forgot themselves, speaking loud enough that she could hear them. It was then she realised that one of the men was from Dusten Island. She should have guessed as much from the bronze colour of his skin and warm brown of his hair. Dusten Island was infamous for its involvement in the slave trade. So, when the man said the word it caught Eve's attention.

"This country could make a lot of money trading in slaves," the man said, settling back in his chair. "You have an impressive military and navy. The slaves taken would pay for themselves and then some."

"I couldn't agree more," Lord Hal said, his smile wide. "Why do you think I invited you here?" He laughed and his companions joined him. "Lord Woodrione thinks he can get things moving in Teryon."

Her stomach dropped and her heart started to race. Slaves in Zyrna. And Lord Woodrione was involved.

"Ready to go?" a familiar voice asked, and she jumped at Rik's sudden appearance.

He had washed and changed, having cleaned all traces of the desert off. His hair was still damp and pushed back. The deep blue of his shirt complimented him well and Eve made a conscious effort not to blush. She nodded and jumped down from the stool, feeling nerves and excitement not all related to the possibility of finding Lee.

By some measure of luck, they managed to avoid being spotted by Lord Hal as they made their way out into the street. It was colder now – much colder – and she was glad she'd worn a long sleeved shirt. She glanced up at the sky while Rik asked a passerby for directions to the parts of the town where the nightlife was the best. She smiled at the stars that twinkled over her. They were much brighter here than in the city and she felt soothed to feel them over her.

"Let's go," Rik said, offering Eve his elbow. He was blessedly warm and she took advantage of the heat that radiated from him as they walked east.

The further they went, a strange silence stretching between them, the more she felt she had to say something – anything – to fill the silence.

"Did you know Lord Hal wants to start a slave trade in Zyrna?"

She regretted the words as soon as she'd blurted them out. It wasn't an ideal conversation topic on what otherwise might have been a romantic walk, if not for the motives behind it.

"What?" he asked, turning his head in shock. "How do you know that?"

"I overheard him and his friends. One of them is from Dusten Island."

"There's no way he could actually go through with it. There'd be no support at court for something like that."

"You're not that naive," she said, incredulously. "Money is a powerful motivator, especially for those who don't have great standing at court."

"I'm not naive," he said, cheeks flushing and jaw clenching. "I just don't know how you could think that my father – or I, for that matter – would let something so abhorrent happen. You obviously think so little of me."

"Well," she said, feeling flustered and frustrated, "sometimes it feels like you don't care about anything going on in the country. You're more interested in what horses are running or who's willing to gamble with you."

He stiffened and stopped walking, extracting himself from her. "And then why is it you've deigned to remain friends with me when you think of me like that?"

"I don't have an answer for you."

His eyes flashed with anger or hurt. "Then allow me to relieve you of the burden of my friendship."

He turned on his heels, shoving his hands into his pockets. His shoulders were knotted together and Eve felt something in her ache as she watched him go. She should say something, or chase after him, but every minute she spent doing that was a minute wasted in the search for Lee.

She took in a deep breath, ignoring the prick of tears, and continued into town.