The King's Messenger

Chapter 4

Messengers set out himself, dripping a trail of water. Miraculously, nobody had been around to see him and Eden emerge from the water, and so he left the mask off for the moment. He would put it back on soon.

His first order of business was to check on Kalis and her family. The presumed flash producers might know that she was involved, depending on how well they knew their employees. There wasn't much point running, he figured. Either they'd gone to silence her immediately or they didn't know. The thought didn't fill him with much warmth.

The docks soon gave way to dirty streets, and the mask went back on. As always, he could feel thick, lingering eyes, made worse by the fact that he was sopping wet and missing his cloak. At least it was warm out; the hot sun pulled the water out of his clothes and memories of the cold water out of his mind.

It was essentially a straight line and then a left back to Kalis's home. He moved with urgency; not running, but not quite walking either. He stood outside her door shortly. There was no sign of damage on the door- well, none that hadn't already been there- which he took as a good sign. He knocked.

"Just a moment," called Kalis's voice from within. Footsteps sounded, the doorknob twisted, and the door creaked open.

"Milord?" said Kalis, eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she looked him up and down. "You're all wet!" she exclaimed in surprise.

"Just a bit," Messenger said.

"What happened to you?" Kalis asked.

"Well-"

"Begging your pardon," Kalis interrupted. "Would you like to come in, milord?"

Messenger looked down at himself. "I wouldn't want to tread water all over."

Kalis's expression softened. "It's alright. Just leave your shoes out, if you would, milord."

Messenger hesitantly did as she said, stepping inside her home.

"Him again?" Elai asked sourly from the table. "Why's he all wet?"

"Show some respect," Kalis hissed under her breath.

"No, it's fine," Messenger said. "Kalis, I have something to discuss with you. We may not want an audience to hear," he added, inclining his head toward her children. It seemed he'd caught them at dinnertime. "It won't be long."

"You heard him," Kalis said to her children. "Scurry off for a moment."

Elai sullenly herded Melle and Yonah away, though with the size of her home, there was only so far they could go. Messenger could feel their eyes on his back like a ray of sun.

"What is it?" Kalis asked anxiously, twisting the hem of her dress subconsciously.

"Do your employers know you're Lias's wife?" Messenger asked.

"I didn't go an' tell them, milord," said Kalis, "but we've got the same name. Fisher. Lias used to be a fisherman, like most folk 'round here. We're not the only two with that name in the refinery."

"Good," Messenger said, mostly to himself.

"Why do you ask?"

"I visited the refinery after I left today and asked a few questions. They... didn't like me asking around. They threw me in the harbor for my efforts," Messenger explained, pulling on his sleeve. "I feared they would go after you. Has anything unusual happened?"

"No, milord." Kalis realized an inconsistency in Messenger's words. "Today?"

"What about today?"

Kalis frowned. "Surely you mean yesterday, milord."

Now it was Messenger's turn for confusion. "Yesterday?"

"We met yesterday, not today."

Yesterday? He'd spent over a day in the water, then. Damn.

"Are you alright, milord?" Kalis asked, concerned.

"Yes, yes," Messenger replied, distracted. Shit. If Lias was alive, he didn't have time to waste. It had been stupid of him to get caught.

Kalis hesitated. "Did you... find out anything? About Lias?" she asked, voice full of hope and dread.

"I make no promises, but I think he could be alive," Messenger said. "But I need to know more. There's something under the refinery. Is that where they make flash?"

Kalis stiffened. "I don't know nothin' about flash, mi-"

Messenger cut in. "I need to know. What's underneath the refinery?"

Kalis stood still, wringing her hands. Finally, she said, "They make flash down there. That's all I know."

"Did Lias work there?"

Kalis's silence spoke the answer before she did. "He... on occasion, milord. But only because he had to! We barely make enough money, and with the king's taxes-" She shut herself up before she overstepped further. "Please, milord. We're good subjects, good people-"

"Don't worry," Messenger said, holding a hand up. "It's not my business."

Kalis stared, uncomprehending. "You mean... we won't be jailed?"

"Not for that," Messenger said.

Her relief was palpable. "Thank you, milord, thank you."

"It's fine," Messenger said uncomfortably. "I need to get back to work now; sorry for interrupting your meal."

"Of course," Kalis said, dazed. "Yonah, Melle, Elai, we're done. Come eat," she called.

Messenger let himself out, cringing as he pulled his wet socks and boots back on. He stood, and the door opened behind him once more.

"Do you need anything before you go?" Kalis offered. "Tea? Dinner?"

Messenger turned and hesitated. He hadn't eaten since this morning... no, not this morning, yesterday morning, though he'd had more than enough to drink.

"Not now," Messenger declined, his stomach protesting his words. "I have little time."

"Of course, milord," Kalis said. "Thank you again."

Messenger nodded to her and departed. He heard the door close as he left.