Mark My Soul

5. Lacking Trust

Rylan

The next morning found us gathered around a small table in the mess hall, plates of breakfast in front of us. The smell of fresh bread and cooked meats filled the air, a comforting contrast to the stench of the crew's quarters. All of us sleeping in one room. Except, of course, for the woman, she was lucky enough to have her own quarters, as well as the captain.

"So, the healer didn't fully fix your arm?" Calix asked, breaking the silence as we dug into our food. His attention shifted to the bandage around my forearm.

"I was told the healer was given strict orders to only do enough to prevent long-term damage, and to let the rest naturally heal." I reached for a piece of bacon.

"Brutal," Roran chimed in with a hint of a smile. "Definitely Elara's doing."

"Any idea why?" I asked, glancing at the two of them.

"The fuse thing," Calix mumbled with his mouth full.

Roran grunted with a nod, as if that made total sense. After seeing the question on my face, he elaborated. "People in pain or discomfort have shorter fuses. So, she wants to see how you deal with things."

My lips curved on their own accord. If Elara wanted to grate on my nerves, she would have to try harder than leaving me with a burn on my arm. "And you always burn people who want to join?" I inquired, intrigued by their methods. It was a decent one, when there was no other way for them to tell if someone could conjure. Pain often forced out gifts as people tended to shy away from discomfort. Instincts typically took over to protect themselves. However, this also ensured that of those who might have tried to deceive, only the strongest and more skilled would succeed, and they were far more dangerous. Those were the ones the crew should have been concerned with.

"Pretty much," Calix replied, taking a sip of water. "Elara, she's quite the mystery, isn't she?" He nodded towards the door where she had just entered the mess hall, a tray of food in her hands. I couldn't help but follow his gaze, taking in her presence. She moved with a fluid grace.

"She is... captivating," I agreed, my attention lingering on her for a moment before returning to my food.

"You'd think with her looks, she'd have her pick of the crew," Roran mused, leaning back in his chair. "It would be nice having someone when we go those long stretches at sea."

"Yeah, unfortunately for you, the captain prefers a woman," Calix stated, shaking his head. "Anyways, I've never seen her with anyone from the crew. Though she certainly enjoys herself whenever we make stops on land."

I felt like this entire conversation was intentional. They wanted me to know these things. Though was it a tactic to draw me towards her or a warning for me to steer clear?

We were practically strangers, and yet the idea of her with someone else bothered me more than it should have . A tinge of jealousy slithered over me. I released a breath, trying to shake off the irrational feeling.

"Why do you think that is?" I asked, trying to sound casual. "That she keeps away from the crew." If these two wished to fill me in on her, then I had no qualms with that.

Calix and Roran exchanged a knowing look before Calix said, "You'll have to take it up with her."

I reached for my water. "And she has never bent this rule?"

"Well..." Calix began.

"You'll also have to take it up with her," Roran cut in quickly, shooting Calix a warning look. So, perhaps this was not ridged. My favorite kind rule, a limber one.

"Does she always eat alone?" I asked, glancing to where she settled by herself in the corner. With the wall at her back, she had a good view of the room, alert to her surroundings. Was this a vantage point she always took when dining amongst her crew, or was my presence aboard her ship the cause?

"No, not always," Roran replied with what seemed to almost have sounded like sadness.

"Does she usually eat with you two?"

"Sometimes." He admitted. More likely all the time, he just didn't want me to feel bad that my presence likely kept her at bay. So, she saw me as a threat. She seemed to have a healthier sense of caution compared to the rest of them, including her captain.

"Think she's avoiding me?" I couldn't help but ask.

"Definitely," they both said in unison, their eyes meeting in silent agreement.

"Why do you think that is?" I pressed, genuinely curious as to how they might respond.

"She has always been wary of strangers," Calix explained, spearing a piece of fruit with his fork. "And honestly, you seem to ruffle her feathers more than anyone I've ever seen."

I raised an eyebrow, glancing over at Elara, her posture relaxed yet somehow distant. She seemed completely comfortable in her solitude.

"Really? I think I will go say hello, then." I was curious about her, and since I was now stuck on this ship for the time being, I would use it to my advantage, for she was stuck on the same ship.

Roran chuckled, "Good luck."

"Never needed it."

His grin grew. "Trust me. You do now."

Standing up, I excused myself from the table and made my way over to where she was seated.

"Mind if I join you?" I asked, keeping my tone casual.

Elara glanced up at me, her expression cool and distant. "Actually, I do mind." There was not an ounce of warmth in her gaze. She was a poised serpent, ready to strike. Though I doubted she could ever be fast enough to stand a chance against me. And if she was a conjuror, then she was completely helpless.

I scoffed. "You have some sort of problem with me?" 

Her eyes narrowed slightly. "We are not equals here. You're a potential recruit and not someone I intend to waste my time with," she stated firmly. Her words intended to erect some sort of barrier. The woman was really going to pull rank here? Use it as an excuse.

I couldn't deny that her defiance, along with her confidence, was infuriatingly attractive. The challenge of changing her mind didn't scare me. If anything, it would help pass the time. And her whole comment about me being a lowly recruit was just a cover for her coldness, for she didn't seem like someone who cared much for status in that manner. So, what exactly was it about me that had her spooked?

"You don't trust me." I mused, voicing the true issue she had with me.

She openly studied me. "And why should I trust you?"

I smiled, tilting my head as I viewed her. "Because I'm not here to cause trouble."

Elara leaned back in her chair, a glint of skepticism in her eyes. "A man claiming to be a member of the Silver Blades with nothing to show for it, willing to follow me from the bar and then slither his way onto my ship. Sounds like trouble to me."

"I have my skills with a knife to show for where I come from," I countered, a hint of challenge in my tone. There was truth in my words; I was confident in my abilities. "Care to spar?" I suggested, almost daringly. It would give me a reason to touch her for long enough to gauge her strength and feel whether she possessed any conjuring abilities herself.

Elara's lips quirked into a half-smile, her eyes glinting with amusement. "You'll be too busy, I'm afraid," she replied smoothly, rising from her seat. "You have deck scrubbing duty this morning after you clean out the latrines."

"Welcome to the Whispering Gale, recruit." She threw over her shoulder as she left me standing.