Scars of Alera

8.

The Golden Cavern is alight with fire lining the torches on the walls, and the music resonates through the entrance and into the marketplace. I stand in the entrance, watching the people gathered inside as they dance and laugh with one another.

A shiver runs down my spine as I remember the last time there was a party at the Golden Cavern. It was the night before Will Marule made himself known in Adaymos; it was the night Alyx was killed.

I search through the crowds of people in the Golden Cavern. Krysta stands against the bar and stares into space wistfully. She's all alone, ostracised by the village because of her involvement with Ethii.

It seems unfair that while this hasn't dented Ethii's reputation, nobody wants to associate with Krysta. They'll whisper in the shadows, they'll call her ruined goods.

My stomach twists with guilt. Even though she hurt my sister and did this to herself, she was my friend and her life is now over. I know what it's like to be the outsider.

Somebody appears beside me, so close their arm brushes against mine. I turn to look at them, a chill running down my spine as I crane my neck to meet his gaze. If he were to do anything, everybody would see. He can't hurt me, not now.

"What do you want?" I ask, clenching my fists so he can't see the way they shake.

Ethii Toledano doesn't move; he stays beside me with his arm brushing against mine. He doesn't look at me, talk to me, or even acknowledge that I'm there, but when I take a step to the side so that we're no longer touching, he grips my upper arm to hold me in place.

"Ethii." My voice shakes. "Please let go of me."

"I'm not doing anything wrong, Alera," he says. His fingernails dig painfully into my skin. "I simply want to talk to you. Can we walk?"

Alarm flares in my veins. "No." I try to pull my arm away but he won't release me. "I don't want to walk with you, Ethii. Please let me go."

His fingernails dig in deeper. "Fine. We can talk here, in front of all these people."

I swallow. "I don't want to talk to you at all, Ethii."

"You don't have much of a choice, Alera," Ethii hisses, spinning me around to face him. He steps closer so that I'm trapped against the doorframe.

"What do you want from me?"

"You've ruined my life." He leans closer, his breath hot against my face. "Do you realise that?"

I wince and turn my face away. "Why don't you marry Krysta instead?"

"You think I care about that?" he scoffs. "Once Mr Marule returns to the palace and he tells people about me, there is no chance I will ever get to sell my garments there."

I should've known he didn't care about Imelda. All he cares about is his stupid garments collection.

I gulp. "And you're going to ruin mine, you're going to make nobody want me. I already know that. My celebration is tomorrow, and you're going to make sure nobody turns up."

His face stretches into a grin but it is anything but friendly. "Your celebration will commence as usual, Alera." A chill runs down my spine. "But don't underestimate me; I have a few tricks up my sleeve."

Alarms go off in my head. "What are you talking about?"

"Where were you the night Alyx died, Alera?" he tilts his head sideways, eyes drilling into me.

I try not to flinch. "I was in the Golden Cavern. You can ask anyone, they saw me."

He quirks an eyebrow. "Alyx didn't die while you were in the Golden Cavern, Alera, that's when he was found. Mr Marule said he was killed several hours before that. I've been asking around, and you were nowhere to be seen."