Chapter 7: The Veiled Woman

Cateile jumped to see over the guards who were lined up along the dockside. Flocks of watermen, deckhands, and soldiers began disembarking from the Lusidian ships. She tried to see any sign of a woman who may somewhat look like the Queen of Lusidor, but to no avail. She didn't have enough view to see all the members coming from the ships. With her view limited, she refused to give up.

Struggling to move closer, she ducked behind a guard, who had been repositioned by the flow of the crowd. Cat was still mindful of her sister searching for her, so she tried to ensure she stayed hidden. The wind from the sea violently flipped her cape, threatening to reveal her identity. She clutched her veil tighter as she tried to patiently wait. She swiped away brown curls that had escaped from their braids underneath the hood.

Just as she anticipated the Queen might step off from the ship, someone seized her arm tightly and spun her around.

"Kilik!" As another wave of travelers came from the ships, the guards she stood behind were forced to move backwards. If it weren't for Kilik's timely arrival she would have been pushed into an onlooker.

"What are you doing here?" Cat was now crushed into his brawny chest. His warm breath caressed the top of her head. His arms were circled around her, his palms outstretched to prevent anyone from colliding into her back.

"I suppose I can't say that I'm sneaking out. Now can I?" She rolled her eyes and repositioned herself to look up at him.

"You're going to get into trouble for this? You know, don't you?" His deep hazel eyes showed amusement in them. His arms were folded across his chest now that they were able to get space between them.

"As long as you don't tell."

"As long as I don't tell… or her?" Kilik used his thumb to point over his shoulder into the now dispersing crowd. Peeking around him, she could faintly recognize a familiar figure in the distance. Nara was still search for her and she was getting closer by the minute.

"Come." Kilik grabbed her hand and began escorting her through the mass away from Nara.

After they were free, he navigated her through the stalls of vendors lined along the streets. Cat laughed aloud as they began running through, trying their best to avoid colliding with anyone.

Kilik was taller than she at around six feet, so it took her extra strides to keep up with his. The sides of his head were shaved low but his locks atop his head were starting to come out of the bun with every bounce of his stride. They stopped only to look at a few jewelry stalls.

Kilik was a serious Heza who had seen the cruelest of circumstances. However, with Cateile, he still showed a playful side. When in the palace he dared not act in such a way with her father present. Although the two were promised to wed, it was not set in stone until their wedding was announced. Therefore, Kilik was still obligated to act in such a manner as a gentleman.

Daylight slowly started fading as they scoured the city. Cateile has spent an unexpected afternoon with Kilik parading the seaport streets. If they didn't leave now she feared that they wouldn't make it back to the palace in time.

"Over here!" Kilik was waving from the front of a tavern some distance away from her. Cat had been observing a silver pendant at one of the vendor's stands. It was oval shaped with rubies surrounding the outside of the adornment. A long silver chain was attached to it. She remembered her father had a similar one like it but previously lost it a few months ago while out on a skirmish.

"How much for the trinket?" Cat handed the pendant back to the shop keeper and began removing one of her gloves. She dug around in her cloak pocket in search of the sack of coins she had stashed away.

"Two crimsons, my lady." The shop keeper extended the trinket back out to her as she awaited the payment. Cat fumbled around some more before snatching out the bag of coins. With it came a mysterious black dust from her pocket.

The black dust cloud filled the air before her, igniting both the shop keeper and Cat into a coughing frenzy. With her free hand she tried to cover her mouth and with the other she swatted away some of the dark mist. After a few more coughs, she slightly bowed her head apologetically to the shop keeper and exchanged her rubies for the trinket.

Cat began brushing her clothes off, attempting to rid herself of what she assumed were ashes. Trying to keep her eyes on the direction towards Kilik, she made her journey over to him. Feeling a little dizzy, she continued to wipe the dust from her face.

The streets slowly began whirling around her. Her vision was beginning to blur. She must have inhaled some of the ashes, she thought. A natural reaction. She would simply wash it off at the Tavern.

Cat noticed her pace had reduced. She was barely away from the shop keeper whom she'd just paid. Attempting to find something to focus on to clear her mind, she peered down at the ruby trinket in her hands. It was beautiful, she thought. Her father would love the gift she had gotten for him. She would simply just have to hide how she got it.

Kilik was running over to her now. She was in the center of the street.

Passerbys bumped into her as she stood in the way. She wasn't going to make it to him, she thought again. She was losing her balance and her body felt extremely weak. She couldn't hold on much longer. Why did she suddenly feel so drained?

Someone crashed into Cateile's shoulder hard, making her stumble. The passerby caught her just before she could hit the ground, both hands planted firmly on her shoulders to steady her. When she looked up to thank them and excuse herself, their eyes met. It was the veiled lady from earlier.

The crowds around her seemed to stop in time as their eyes connected. The lady's eyes were a deep purple unlike Cateile's dark brown. They were mysterious to her. She felt as though this young woman was staring into her soul. She was fixated and could not look away!

Those deep purple eyes slowly started to glow, entrancing Cat. She blinked slowly to try to correct her vision. Surely her eyes were playing tricks on her. This time, Cat firmly shut them and shook her head to try again. When she reopened them, her vision was pitch black. She had lost consciousness and her eyes, too, were now glowing.