Lies of the Line

Chapter 6

Adrienne and I were sitting in the common room of an inn in Cephille on the most uncomfortable chairs I had ever come across. She was rambling about what she found at the markets down by the coast while I stared blankly at the wall across from me. I stopped listening and hadn't been able to find the motivation to tune back into her story. We had ridden through Lamorence the morning after I had come back, and the sight of the mourning flags and the people in black was salt on an open wound. We didn't stay long enough for anyone to notice who I was, and for that I was grateful. There were only two days until the funeral and I still only knew what the immediate future held for me.

I abandoned my thoughts when a man walked toward us with two keys in his outstretched hand. I had forgotten that Adrienne had already checked us in. She looped her arm through mine and picked up her bags before walking with me down the hall to the inn's rooms.

"This is us." She spoke gently as if she was talking to a child.

"I know that." I pulled my arm away from hers, and with my bag, walked through the door frame. I noted the two beds across from the door and took in the view of the window looking out over the town above the bed on the right. I chose the bed shoved up against the wall under the window.

I continued my path into the room before setting my bag on the bed and opening it. Placed carefully on top of the folded jackets, pants, and everything else I had packed was the necklace. I swallowed the lump that rose to my throat before pulling it out and draping the chain over my fingers to get a better look at the bauble on the end. Visible was the folded piece of parchment with my name written beautifully across the front in the handwriting of my late father. I opened the clasp with my thumb and looped the rest of the chain around my throat before slipping the clasp through the metal ring and letting it fall.

Adrienne followed me into the room and took a seat on the other bed. She watched me intently as I held the last thing I had of my father. I rose from my spot and walked to the mirror that rested upon the vanity. My hair was tangled after being tossed by the wind on the journey here. I ran my fingers through it, snagging on several knots in the process before I got up and grabbed my brush from my bag, and ran it through my hair until it was smooth. I pulled the curls to the back of my head and untied the ribbon from the handle of the brush before tying it around the queue, so my hair fell down my back and was out of my face. There wasn't a sundial in this room, but without checking the time I decided that I would leave to meet with my aunt just to leave the stuffy room and escape the looks of concern whenever I moved.

"I'll be back before sundown." I mumbled the sentence at the door not caring if Adrienne heard me before shuffling out into the hall.

I passed through the hall before I turned to the front room. I cut across the room and to the door before leaving the building entirely. Griff was eating in the stables behind the inn. I patted him on the nose, breathing deeply through mine before pulling the wooden gate open and leading him into the middle of the rows of stalls. I strapped his saddle on and tossed my leg onto his back before hoisting myself up and guiding him out of the stables by the reins.

The warped stones displayed their age through the dips and bumps. The houses loomed over the street blocking out most sunlight and giving the air a cool feel as shadows moved about the street. When people hung an article of clothing out to dry or dusted a rug over the railing it interrupted the small stream of light that passed over the buildings.

 A few men and women were out selling and buying fruit and clothing from wooden shops. The last merchant cart was placed next to the tailor shop that marked the line of permanent residences that were owned by the people of Cephille who were trusted more than the wishy-washy sailors that came to town annually. Marine's Bay sparkled in the sun as the buildings split on the left side of the road to provide a path to the ports. Fishermen and sailors docking or setting off for their next destination crowded the ports.