Viper's Creed (The Cat's Eye Chronicles)

  She felt Crash grow uncomfortable next to her, and immediately regretted it. Great, Sora, estrange him again, she scolded herself.

  “Brings back memories,” he responded after a moment. “No, I don't like it much.” A silence grew between them, this one more awkward.

  "The only thing I don't like from the sea is squid," Sora said conversationally. She remembered, quite vividly, a doctor shoving the slimy stuff down her throat while she was sick with swamp fever. He had been certain it would cure her, but it had only made her throw up. Just the look of squid made her sick. “I don't like shrimp either. Spongy and tasteless.”

  Crash glanced at her. "I'll keep that in mind."

  Sora settled back and continued vigilantly watching the ocean. The wind picked up a little, and the air began to cool noticeably. A slight mist was gathering. Before long, she was shivering in her thin cloak, though Crash seemed unaffected by the chill, as usual. She looked up at him, and he turned to look back down at her, his eyes flickering that darker shade of green, his black hair tussled by the wind. His jaw was sharp, firm, without the slightest hint of stubble. Their faces were very close together, and she found her eyes lingering on his lips, suddenly noticing how full they were; they looked unexpectedly soft, despite his firm mouth.

  In an attempt to hide her flustered state, Sora turned back to the ocean and crossed her arms. She tried to keep her teeth from chattering as the temperature dropped another degree. She thought she was doing a good job of concealing the fact that she was cold, but Crash's eyes saw everything.

  "We should go inside," he commented.

  She shrugged nonchalantly, though she knew he noticed her discomfort. Maybe he had noticed from the beginning. "If you want," she answered.

  The two stood up and started back to their hotel. The wind began to gust with unaccustomed strength. Now Sora was visibly shivering. They walked down the docks toward their hotel, but her legs were almost numb from the cold bench.

  "Here," Crash said after a moment, and she felt him putting his cloak around her shoulders. She stiffened against it, doubly shocked. The material enveloped her short stature, almost comically. Despite the fact that it was ridiculously oversized, the cloth was incredibly warm, either naturally or from Crash's body heat.

  She pulled the material closer after a moment. It held Crash's scent all over it, a strong odor of grass, woodsmoke, saddle leather, a tinge of sweat and a slight spice that was unique to the assassin. It was a good smell, somehow familiar. She closed her eyes for a moment. She could envision all of those nights under the stars and the days of trail dust. Years and years of it, his entire life.

  She opened her eyes again and found that they were in front of the hotel. It had been a short walk. Slightly disappointed, she allowed Crash to open the door and usher her inside. As she became enveloped by the indoors, she reveled in the warm, bright atmosphere.

  The hotel was alive with sound. The adjoining restaurant was flooded with people, albeit a more expensively dressed crowd than the pubs she had seen outside. No less rowdy, though. Dishes clinked and wine bottles were passed around the tables.

  She handed Crash his cloak with a grateful smile, then looked toward the restaurant. Her stomach rumbled just as her eyes fixed on someone at the side of the room, waving at them animatedly. She recognized Burn and saluted him, then walked quickly over to his table.

  Burn motioned for her to sit down and said happily, "Sora! So good to see you awake!" He chuckled. "We saw you briefly in the room while you were asleep. By the gods, do you snore! I'm surprised there were no complaints!"

  Sora rose to the bait gladly. "We'll see if there are any complaints tomorrow, after all the noise you make!"

  "Me?" The Wolfy sputtered, a peculiar twinkle in his eyes. "I'm sorry, but you must be talking about Crash. I'm as silent as the night itself."

  "I think you both snore terribly loud," Crash said wryly, and sat down across from Sora. "Why do you think I'm always the first one up? I never get to sleep in the first place."

  "Truth is, you're just scared of the dark," Burn smirked.

  "Or nocturnal," Sora muttered.

  Burn laughed outright and Crash gave her a look. It was then that Sora noticed someone missing from their party. "By the way, where's Laina?"

  "Laina? Who's Laina?" Burn said with mock seriousness.

  "Burn....”

  "She went up to change.” He shrugged his massive shoulders. "It's not like she needs help. She should be down any moment now. I decided to wait for you guys downstairs so we could have dinner.” The Wolfy wiggled his thick eyebrows at her. "I expected you'd be starving by now, but then of course, you're always hungry. I still can't imagine how a little shrimp like you can eat so much; it's phenomenal!"

  "Easy for you to say!" Sora teased back. "You eat up all our rations with your huge bulk!"

  The Wolfy laughed loudly again. Apparently he was in a good mood tonight. Sora was glad; she liked it when Burn was happy. Her friends deserved a break. She was about to mention it, but then her eyes landed on a figure standing near the stairs, and the words died in her throat.

  There, looking slightly flustered and a little lost, was Laina. Except that Sora hadn't recognized her at first. Instead of a small, mousy girl, there stood a young woman, just beginning to blossom. Her usual gray rags were replaced by a smart green outfit that accented her soft violet eyes. The exotic mane of hair, now clean, was the color of whitewashed silver and glistened in the light like water. Sora was astounded. Obviously, the girl had convinced Burn to buy her some new clothes; she only hoped they weren't stolen. Laina looked fidgety and uncertain in the pretty fabric, as though she had been much more comfortable covered in dirt.

  Then Laina moved, and the effect was ruined by her awkward, swaggering walk. I could teach that girl a thing or two about walking like a lady... Sora thought, then checked herself. Where had that come from? She herself had hated being proper!

  Laina spotted them and started toward their table with a quick, eager stride.

  "Sora, good to see you awake!" she said with a grin, and sat down next to her. "Those baths are a pain, aren't they?"

  Sora nodded. “But they're so convenient! I'm going to see if my mother can have one installed when I get back home." If I ever see home again, she thought, but didn't say.

  Laina's lips turned up slightly. "I guess you need your mother's permission, huh? That's nice, but I like making my own decisions." Then she shrugged. "One of these days, I'm going to have running water too!"

  Sora was slightly stung by the orphan's comment. Laina must not realize just how rude she had been. Or... or did she?

  Suddenly, a dazzling smile came over the young lady's face. "Oh, I didn't tell you, did I? I saw this lovely green shirt in a store window and I just had to buy it! What do you think?”

  “It's very nice,” Sora said uncertainly.

  “And a waste of money,” Crash stated, without a glance at the new outfit.

  “Crash!” she chided.

  The assassin wasn't looking at Laina, but rather was staring at Burn. “Do you have any idea how costly it will be to buy a ship, Wolfy? This isn't the time to purchase useless accessories.”

  Burn frowned. “A few coins isn't going to make that big a difference in the long run. We can't afford a ship as it is. And we got it at a good price.... Come now, Laina, don't feel bad.” He turned to the girl with a smile. “The shirt looks marvelous on you.”

  “It's the nicest thing I've ever owned,” she sniffed, then shot a glare at Crash. Sora, who could see Laina's bottom lip quivering, quickly decided it was time to eat something.

  "I don't know about all of you, but I'm starving," she changed the subject. She waved a waitress over and asked, "What's on the menu?"

  The woman bowed slightly before answering. "Black pepper tuna steak, slightly charred, over a plate of fresh greens and long-stemmed wild rice. We recommend a bottle of our sparkling white wine, made locally. It is very light on the to
ngue."

  "I'll have that," she said easily.

  "Do you have a room number, miss?"

  "Yes, fourteen,” Sora answered.

  "All right, just let me check here..." the woman flipped through a small book she pulled from her pocket, then nodded. "Ah, the King's messenger, busy job you've got. Yes, your room covers meals. I'll be right back with your food."

  "Wait, I'll have some too," Laina cut in loudly, "but make it shrimp."

  The woman nodded. "Very well, but a special order will take longer."

  "I'll have tuna also," Burn interjected.

  The woman ran a hand through her neat hair. Then she nodded respectfully, as she was paid to do, and turned to Crash with an expectant smile.

  The assassin sighed. "Do you serve anything other than fish?"

  "We have venison, sir."

  "Good, I'll have that then, and a brown ale,” he added.

  "Yes, sir, very good," the woman nodded again, then glanced around the table. "Is that all?"

  "Yes, I believe so," Sora returned the smile. The waitress bowed one more time before walking back to the kitchen.

  Sora looked at Crash curiously after the waitress was out of sight. They were sitting next to each other, so she leaned in close to speak. "I take it you don't like seafood?" she asked quietly.

  "What?"

  She leaned a little more toward him. "I said, so you don't like fish?"

  "Not especially," he replied in an equally soft voice. Then a wicked glint lit his eyes. “Unless it has long, slimy tentacles and suckers, with tiny black eyes that have been boiled in soup...."

  "Oh, hush!" Sora laughed. "Are you describing yourself? I think I've seen a few tentacles under that cloak...."

  The assassin grimaced. “You're very clever.”

  “I learned it from you,” she grinned.

  “We'll have to put a stop to that.”

  Sora's grin widened. “You could always throw me to the sea.”

  Crash laughed. "That wouldn't work. As I recall, you're a very good swimmer." The compliment was unexpected. He had adopted a deep tone that Sora had never heard before. It sent shivers across her skin and she shifted in her seat, strangely excited.

  “I could teach you," she said.

  “Why don't we have our first lesson in the bath?”

  Suddenly Burn cleared his throat from across the table. Crash quickly backed away from her, saying shortly, “Another time, then.”

  Sora nodded and sat back in her chair, looking around the room, avoiding her companions' eyes. What had just come over her? Teasing the assassin...!

  Their order was brought soon after this exchange. The four ate in silence, too busy scarfing down the delicious meal to say anything. Sora felt that she could have eaten two plates of food, or perhaps three. She even drank her glass of wine, which left her warm and slightly light-headed.

  Once she was through, she sat back with a sigh. Her friends were already finished and wiping their mouths with their napkins. Briefly, her eyes glanced over the populace of the hotel; all were high-class and richly dressed. Sora couldn't help but feel slightly out of place in her worn garments, but so far, no one had cast them a negative glance. That was the reality of being a peasant, she reminded herself. She was also invisible.

  "So what do we do now?" Laina asked.

  "Find a ship, of course," Burn answered. "What else? We'll just have to look around until we find one that's going to the Isles. If we can't do that, we'll see if we can buy one."

  "Oh, that should be easy!” Laina agreed. She looked around at them expectantly.

  “Not so easy. We need to make more money somehow,” Crash said. "We'll start tomorrow, sell the rest of our equipment and see if we can find any work for hire."

  Sora sighed, wishing things could be easier. She'd never had a real job before. She tried to think of what she was skilled at, besides riding horses and fighting. Not much. Perhaps she could find a few sick people to treat... but she wasn't half as skilled as a true Healer, and she didn't have the supplies that her mother always used. Her Cat's Eye didn't naturally cure the sick; it only worked on the plague, and so far, that didn't appear to have spread to the coast.

  "How are we supposed to make that much money in just a few days?" Sora asked.

  "I grew up by the sea,” Crash commented. “There is plenty of coin in this city, if one knows where to look. Better to work honestly than to attract the attention of the guards. The King's army patrols these docks, and they are not fools." The assassin gave her a meaningful look.

  She nodded, but her thoughts were of Volcrian. He was following them; she could feel it in her bones, like an oncoming storm. Her nightmares had been getting worse. She couldn't tell if they were connected to the Cat's Eye or not, but she could see his face in her dreams, as clear as a painting, even though she had never met the man in real life.

  And she could also feel a boiling hatred grow within her every time she was reminded of him, the mage who had murdered Dorian. She had never hated anyone before; it was surprising that she could have so vicious an emotion toward a stranger.

  Something caught her attention and Sora looked at the door. A red-haired man and woman had entered the room; they looked almost identical. She frowned.

  "Why are there so many people with red hair?” she asked, wondering if her other companions had noticed.

  Burn nodded thoughtfully. "Where have I seen red hair before?"

  "I know where I've seen it," Crash replied. "Sora was flirting with a young, red-haired street entertainer in Mayville."

  Sora looked at Crash in confusion as she searched for the memory, and then the vision of aqua-colored eyes came to her mind. "A pretty flower for a pretty lady."

  "That... that was more than a year ago, Crash!” she said, surprised. “And that's not fair. I wasn't flirting with him. He just gave me a flower."

  "He was flirting with you, then. Not a big difference," the assassin said flatly. "What matters is that he looked incredibly similar to that man who was talking to you yesterday by the docks."

  Sora immediately remembered the large crow. Her eyes widened. "Could it be the same man?" she asked. It seemed impossible, and yet....

  "Most likely,” Crash replied, raising his drink to his lips.

  “But that doesn't explain all of the other people with red hair,” Laina said.

  Now Sora was confused again. What were her friends getting at? She looked dumbfounded until Burn chuckled.

  "All the different races have similar features, Sora," Burn said. "Harpies all have pale blond hair, and Wolfy mercenaries all have my same height and build...."

  She looked at him. "So you're saying the redheads are one of the Races?" she asked. "But which one?"

  "Dracians,” Crash nodded.

  "Dracians?"

  Burn leaned forward. "Yes, you can tell by the red hair and jewel-like eyes; also that awful sense of humor." The Wolfy grinned. "Of course, that's just their outside appearance. They can change on a whim if they want."

  Sora was interested. "Really? How?"

  "Well, they sprout giant dragon wings, and grow scales." Burn took a sip of his drink. "It's supposed to make their magic stronger. They have elemental magic, you know. Each Dracian specializes in a different element: Wind, Fire, Earth or Water. Wolfies are so much more efficient, in my opinion."

  She sat forward, suddenly excited. "So these redheads are Dracians?" She would have never suspected! "What should we do about them?"

  "Nothing at all," Crash answered.

  "They'll just get us in even more trouble than we're already in," Burn agreed. Then he gave Laina a stern look. The girl was staring at the red-haired couple. “They're bad news for all of us. Dracians have a knack for causing trouble. They enjoy mischief," Burn continued.

  Laina remained silent. But Sora didn't like the look on the girl's face.

  “Well, everyone, I'm heading off to sleep,” Burn said abruptly, and gave a mighty yawn. “I'd suggest
you all do the same if we want to be up bright and early tomorrow. Work doesn't wait around in a city like this.”

  At the mention of sleep, Sora let out a giant yawn and stretched. He had a point. "I guess I'm tired too," she agreed, and the wine was making her more sleepy. She stood up and turned to Laina. "Are you coming?"

  "Yeah, I think I will.” The thief followed, also standing up. "Tomorrow is going to be interesting."

  I hope not. Sora looked at Crash, wondering if he was going to join them, but he shook his head. Ah, well, it's not like he sleeps much anyway, she thought. With that, the three went upstairs.

  * * *

  Crash watched them go.

  Volcrian was getting closer, the assassin could feel it, and their money crisis was only slowing the four travelers down. He shook his head. He had been running from the mage for so long. Always running. Crash couldn't remember a time when he hadn't been looking over his shoulder. He couldn't even remember how long it had been since he had killed Etienne, the mage's brother. Years, for sure. If he had only known... if someone could have warned him, before he had taken the coin.... But then somebody else would have done it, and who knows, perhaps there would still be a plague.

  He took a sip from the strong ale in his mug; a dark, thick alcohol that tasted like it had been brewed in a tree trunk. It was good by other pub's standards, and complimented the steak. Too bad the meat's flavor had been overshadowed by the smell of fish from his companions' dinners. Crash had never liked seafood. He had eaten far too much of it as a child and outgrown the taste.

  Slowly, his mind turned to the members of their party, and he grimaced as he remembered Laina's new clothes. The girl was nothing but trouble. She whined and complained, then sniveled at every harsh word. But he disliked her for other reasons—reasons that the girl herself probably didn't understand. Reasons he couldn't share with Sora without revealing too much of himself. The girl certainly had Burn under her thrall, but Crash wasn't fooled.

  And what of this journey? he pondered, his thoughts turning to his moment in the courtyard with Sora, her admonition and their embrace. Silly of him, to have grown sentimental. It was not his usual state.