Eat

“Yes! That one suits you!”

“Are you sure? It feels a bit tight.” Kier stands atop a stool, gazing at himself in a tall mirror.

“Oh, not at all! It shows off these thick, powerful muscles.” The flamboyant shopkeeper traces his eyes up and down Kier’s frame, lingering on his broad, rounded shoulders.

“Alright then—I’ll take it.” He removes the leather tunic he was trying on.

When we left the imperial bank, we looted a small pouch of coins from my father’s vault and went on a shopping spree. We packed our bags with food, and we’ve been purchasing new leather clothing for our journey. God knows we need it. The shopkeepers here seem to think we’re beggars, but their demeanor changes the moment they see our shimmering gold coins.

“Kier, we should get going. The sun is setting.” I glance out the window.

“Ok, sounds good.”

I want to leave Elrus before nightfall. If my father has sent soldiers after us, they won’t be far behind. They’ll surely check his vault and realize we took that strange stone tablet. Even now, I can feel it weighing heavily in my bag. What sort of dark artifact could it be? Why was it in his vault? I can’t wait to get to Fardalla and hopefully find answers. According to Kirnon, my father has connections to the Fardallan royal family, and the king might have the answers I seek.

“Well, now we’re dressed nice enough that we won’t be turned away at the Fardallan gates.” Kier laughs as we exit the shop.

“Yeah. It was awfully kind of Kirnon to give us his banquet invitation, but we’ll have to look the part if we want an audience with the king.”

Kier pulls his map from his bag while we dart down a dark alleyway.

“There are two routes we can take to get there. We can take the western path back through the forest, or we can go east through the coastal highlands.”

“Fuck, I won’t go back to that disgusting forest with its sexual flora and that perverted old sorcerer. God only knows what monstrosities we’ll encounter if we return.”

“Alright—east it is.” Kier smirks. “It’ll take us a few days to reach the Fardallan border. Let’s set up camp once we’ve left the city limits.”

I nod and follow as he leads the way. At the edge of town, we begin our ascent along a gravelly path hewn into the towering cliffs encircling the city. I’m not sure I could ever live in a place like this. Nestled at the bottom of such a steep valley, the buildings are in the shade for most of the day. That said, these gray stone structures have a stately aura that I’ll miss. This is a nation with a long, distinguished history.

By the time we reach the top of the cliffs, the sun has set behind the horizon. A few stray streaks of pink and orange light are splashed against the dark sky, but even those will be gone soon. I turn and take a final look at the ancient kingdom before following Kier into the rocky expanse before us.

“This road leads to the coast, but we shouldn’t travel in the dark.”

“We can camp here then.”

We set up our tent and light a small fire. Sitting beside Kier’s hulking frame, I cuddle in close for warmth. He wraps a muscular arm around my petite body, shielding me from the elements.

“We should’ve taken more gold from the vault.” I look up at him.

“Nah, we need to stay nimble. Out here in the wild, gold won’t do you much good.”

“I’m sure my father’s soldiers will check his vault, and they’ll see we’ve taken the tablet. If they know we’ve talked to Kirnon, then they’ll be able to guess where we’re heading next. Hell, I wouldn’t be surprised if he tells them himself.”

“Then we’ll just have to stay one step ahead of them.” He gives my shoulders a playful squeeze. “Once we’re in Fardalla, we should be safe. They maintain tight borders. The only reason they’ll let us in is because we have Kirnon’s banquet invitation.”

“I suppose you’re right.” I yawn. “Let’s get some rest.”

As I crawl into the tent, my mind drifts back to the filthy sexual escapade I had with Kier back at the bank. I’m not proud to admit it, but reliving the experience gets me hard as hell. I’m so tired now though…we definitely aren’t going to have a repeat of events tonight.

I’ve just gotta get some rest…

✦ ✦ ✦

We rise at the crack of dawn and resume the trek. The gravelly path snakes around boulders and ancient trees, eventually leading us toward the coastal cliffs. From this high vantage point, the ocean stretches out to the horizon like a vast, glittering canvas. I’m filled with a sense of awe as the sound of crashing waves envelops our bodies.

The path travels along the cliffs, and there’s a sharp vertical drop down to the water below. I peek off the edge, feeling dizzy and realizing a fall would be fatal. Dark, pointed rocks jut from the waves below like spikes made of black iron.

But to the other side of me, a far more serene landscape unfolds.