14 20 Seasons Pass (14)

Aria stepped into the house quietly, shifting the 'acquired' training sword around her belt until it was out of sight. Stealthily she slipped her shoes off, careful not to make a sound before tiptoeing further in. but her sneaking was cut short, when an athletically built woman stepped in her path, her blonde hair done up into an intricate braid that rested in the nap of her neck. She crossed her arms across her chest, her face was rife with agitation.

"Hello Aria, how was your day?" her voice was restrained as if she was holding in an intense fury.

"Uh, what do you mean?" Aria replied warily.

"Oh? Then would you care to explain what in the name of the Dragon Lords possessed you to trapeze around the city unattended?!"

"Oh… No real reason, Telsa."

Telsa's eyes narrowed. "Inside, now."

Aria obeyed, but her eyes were hard like agates. She stomped inside and sat down in the common room, Telsa sat opposite of her.

"How many times do we have to tell you two that outside isn't safe, Aria?"

"Doesn't mean you have to treat us like prisoners." Aria spat.

"You aren't a prisoner, Princess." Another voice intoned from behind. Aria turned in her seat and saw a thin, angular man with horsetail black hair and featureless black eyes. She shuddered, every time he looked at her, she felt he was looking through him.

"Easy for you to say, Graver. You aren't the one cooped up in this hole."

"Yes, because we adults have a cover to maintain." The man sat beside Telsa, his eyes boring into her. "Speaking of which, I heard of a very interesting tidbit of information. Of a guard having an encounter with a nonhuman in the guard barracks. One that leaped the height of the outer wall as one would hop over a stream."

"The guard was probably blind drunk," Aria answered acidly.

"Really? Care to explain that sword tucked behind your back then?" He gestured to the bulge in Aria's cloak, barely perceptible amongst the folds of cloth

Aria swore.

"Have you lost your mind, Aria?!" Telsa roared, standing up in her seat. "Do you have any idea what kind of problem this caused? The human church is burning the city as we speak, not to mention the people in it. Worse still, your sister is out there, yet to return."

It was Aria's turn to stand up. "The amulets you gave us to hide who we are. There's no way they can identify us with them."

Graver snorted derisively. "Like a child, you blather on about matters you know little of." He pointed at the choker at her throat. "Those medallions are as fragile as glass, any focused magic can pierce the veil they create. You act like an immortal because of it is not only childish but reckless. You put everyone here in danger."

Aria ignored his comment, seething anger racing through her blood like liquid fire. How dare he? How dare he insult her to her face? It wasn't enough that they locked her up like a bird in a cage, they had to degrade her like an infant. Aria stormed off, cloak billowing out behind her as she went for the door.

"Where in the blazing hell do you think you are going?" Graver muttered contemptuously.

"I'm going to look for my sister, then both of us are leaving."

"You will do no such thing." The lean man stood up slowly. "You've caused enough trouble today. I will go find Rhosyn, then we will have this discussion again."

"You sure your going to be a man enough to punish her too?" Aria turned on her heel and gave him a glare. "Think you have the stones to talk down to your beloved?" A flicker of annoyance crossed his face, but for only a moment before receding back to his calm expression.

Before any more words could be said, the front door crashed open, its hinge cracking from the impact. Aria turned and saw his sister, panting raggedly as if she had just climbed a mountain. She looked up at the three of them, tears welling up in her violet eyes as she choked back tears.

"Rhosyn?" Telsa ran to her side. "What has happened? Where is your veil?"

"No. no, no, no," she said through gasps of air. "It doesn't matter. You have to help me find her!"

"Find who?" Aria asked, horror dawning on her as she saw the scratches and cuts on her sister's face.

"They caught my friend! Please, we have to help her before they kill her!" Rhosyn broke down into fitful tears, collapsing under her own weight and leaning against Telsa's chest.

avataravatar