Faye woke up in a bed with her hands bound in front of her. Sunlight shone through an open window, lighting up the barren room. Where am I? She sat up, squinting. Jyri sat at a table across from her, scribbling something in an open book. He looked up, and closed it, pen still in hand. "You're awake."
"Where are we?" Faye asked. "Why are my hands tied?"
Jyri pointed his pen at her. "Because you, filthy witch, are on your way to the prison in the King's Palace."
"What!"
"Magic is illegal. King Lyon is firm on that." Jyri's lips curled into a wicked smile. "You know what he likes to do to witches who use their magic."
Faye narrowed her eyes. "I'm not a witch."
"Really?" Eyebrows raised, Jyri leaned forward. "What are you then?"
Faye ignored the question. "How did you get us away?"
Jyri studied her, then dropped his pen next to his notebook. "We need to leave quick, before word of this gets out to other cities."
"We?"
"I've got to take the criminal to the King, right?" Jyri stood up, collecting his pen and book. He shoved them into his knapsack. "And I suppose I owe you, for saving my life."
"Just a bit," Faye said. "What was wrong with you anyway?"
"Not now." He slung on his pack, then grabbed Faye by the collar of her shirt, and yanked her off the bed. "Let's go."
"What about my pack?"
"It's in the saddlebag."
"Saddlebag?"
Jyri wrapped his hand around her arm, and led her outside the inn, his face twisted into a sneer. He pulled her through the noisy crowd that had formed outside. People shouted crude things at Faye. Others cheered Jyri.
He dragged her over to a horse. Keeping one hand gripped around her arm, he pulled a rope out from the saddlebag. He tied one end around her cuffed wrists, and the other to the horn of the saddle. Jyri curled his lip at her. "Have fun keeping up."
He commanded the horse forward, and Faye stumbled behind, trying to ignore the cheers that followed them out.
They didn't speak the entire way through Acren City. Every now and then, someone would stop and stare, but at least the cheering died. They walked through the streets, passing familiar shops and pubs. As they passed an orphanage on the outskirts, something in her throat swelled up, and she swallowed.
Once out of Acren, they hit bright, green meadows. Faye broke the silence.
"What did you tell them?"
Jyri stared straight ahead, out towards the grassy hills. "I told them I was working on King Lyon's orders."
"What!"
Jyri nodded.
"And they believed you?"
"Not at first, but I had proof."
"Proof?"
"I showed them a badge. Your mayor could tell it was real."
Faye frowned at him. "How'd you get a real badge?"
Jyri ignored her, instead focusing his attention on the dirt path.
"Why were you dying?"
Jyri didn't answer that either, but glanced at her from over his shoulder. "We'll arrive in Serult in a few hours. You'll be safe there."
She gritted her teeth. "Could you at least untie my hands."
Tugging the reigns to a stop, Jyri dismounted the horse, and picked at the knot in the rope around her wrists. It took a few tries, but he got it off. Faye rubbed at the imprints left in her tawny skin. Jyri undid the rope around the saddle, then patted the seat of it. "Want to sit in front?"
"I can't steer a horse."
"I'll be steering it."
The top of Faye's head barely reached the horse's shoulder. She eyed it, before turning to Jyri. "You'll be sitting behind me?"
"There's enough room." Jyri wrapped the rope around his hand, and slipped it in the saddlebag.
Faye didn't doubt that, but knots tighter than the rope formed in her stomach. Why did he have a badge?
Her feet ached, so she allowed Jyri to guide her onto the horse. He climbed up after her, a little too close for comfort, and commanded the horse to trot. Faye gripped the horn of the saddle, scooting away from Jyri.
"You're not gonna tell me anything?" she asked.
Jyri shifted. "According to the map, this path will lead us straight there."
Faye tightened her grip. "I saved your life."
"And I saved yours," Jyri said, his tone sharp. "I'll give you some money, alright? I'll leave you in Serult, and we can pretend we never met."
"Fine."
The rest of their trip was filled with silence, occasionally broken by chirping birds. At one point, Jyri stopped the horse. Faye turned around. His eyes were shut, and he had one hand over the side of his head. "What's wrong?"
He shook his head, eyes still closed. "Nothing," he muttered, and flicked the reigns, continuing on.
Shortly after, Jyri stopped again.
"You okay?" Faye asked.
"It's just a headache."
Judging by the pained look in his eyes, Faye had her doubts. "You sure that potion worked?"
"Seeing as I'm still alive." Jyri rubbed his head. "I haven't slept in awhile, is all."
"Do you think you'll need a doctor?"
"I can't afford a doctor!"
By the time they arrived in Serult, Faye had taken over the reigns, because Jyri kept complaining about the sun being too bright.
"There's an inn over there." Faye jerked her head towards a two-story building, with a sign that said Inn.
"Thank Odis," Jyri muttered, holding his hand over his eyes.
After handing the horse over to the stableman, Faye stepped inside, and walked up to a man standing behind a counter. Jyri trailed behind her, eyes half-closed. Faye slid a few bills out from her shoe. "One room, two beds."
The innkeeper gaped down at her. "Why is one of your eyes gold, and the other blue?"
"Why are both of your eyes brown?" she asked flatly. She held up 50 loti. "Do you have a room or not?"
Frowning, the innkeeper took the money. He gave her and Jyri each a key. "Upstairs, to the right."
Once in the room, Jyri fell onto the nearest bed. After lighting a candle on the table with magic, Faye walked over to feel his forehead, but he pushed her away.
"I'm just trying to help." She crossed her arms, looking down at him. "You probably need to eat."
"I don't feel like it," he mumbled. "I might throw up."
Faye flopped into a chair, and watched him fall asleep. She pulled the rest of the money out from her shoes, and thumbed through it. I really need a new cloak. But the amount she had was only enough for a week's worth of food. Her eyes wandered towards the pack Jyri had tossed aside. Surely his wallet was in there?
I shouldn't.
But he owed her. It was because of him she was even in this predicament. She should be back in Acren, far away from whatever mess the man was in.
I really shouldn't.
Several hours later, Faye returned to the room with a bag looped around one arm, holding a teapot and a cup. Although still in bed, Jyri was awake, and sat up. He folded his arms. "Where have you been?"
"I got tea from downstairs." Faye set the teapot down on the table. "I also bought herbs to help with that headache." She pulled out peppermint and ginger from the bag, and set them aside.
"What else is in the bag?" he asked.
Back turned, Faye poured tea into the cup.
"Well?"
"Stuff." Faye opened the packet of powdered ginger, and sprinkled it in.
Jyri pushed himself up and rolled out of bed, holding his head. He reached for one of the bags, but Faye swatted his arm away. "Don't snoop through my things."
"Your things?" Jyri asked. "Or someone else's things you stole?"
"I don't steal things."
"No? Instead you steal money to buy things. Or did you use magic?" His voice changed from disgust to curiosity.
Faye grabbed the bag. "I bought this with my own money, thank you."
Jyri pressed his lips flat, and wrinkled his brow. "I thought you didn't have money."
Faye put her hand out towards his chest. "Go back to bed."
Nudging her aside, Jyri walked over to his pack, and, pulling out his wallet, thumbed through it. "Why is half my money missing?"
"Because you owed me. For risking my life to safe yours." Faye raised an eyebrow. "Remember?"
For a second, Faye thought Jyri was going to yell at her. Instead, he regarded her for a moment. "Where's what you haven't spent?"
Faye hesitated before reaching into her pocket, and shoved a wad of bills in his palm. "Take it."
Jyri flipped through the bills, frowning. "You can go ahead and leave now. I don't need you anymore."
"Except for the part where you can barely stand. You wouldn't have got this far if it weren't for me."
Rubbing his face, Jyri plopped down on the bed. "How long have we been here?"
"A few hours."
Jyri swore.
"What?"
"We have to keep moving."
"You have to rest." Cup in hands, Faye strode over to Jyri, and placed it on the nightstand next to the bed. "Drink this. It'll help."
Jyri ignored the drink. "You don't get it. If I don't keep moving, they'll catch me."
Faye sat down on the second bed, facing him. "Who's they? Who's after you?"
Jyri picked up his cup, and raised it to his lips.
"The law?"
He put the cup back down, avoiding her eye.
"And you get mad at me for stealing?"
"I'm innocent!" Jyri snapped.
"And I'm just trying to live!"
Tea ignored, Jyri picked up his pack and, slinging it over his shoulder, made his way out the door.
Leaving Faye alone. She waited a few minutes, in case he changed his mind. But he didn't return.
It wasn't the end of the world. For once, Faye could sleep with a roof over her head. And she couldn't remember the last time she had bathed. A shower sounded nice. She yanked off her shirt, and untied the strip of cloth that bound her wings. Wincing, she stretched them out, and tugged her left wing towards herself. The long side of it was twisted inwards, and no amount of pulling could straighten it out. It didn't help that some of the feathers never grew in.
The door clicked, then creaked open. Faye covered her chest with her shirt, and Jyri stepped in. His hand slipped off the knob, and he stared at her with widened eyes.
"Shut the door!" she hissed.
Jaw slack, he fumbled to pull his key out from the lock, and closed the door.
Faye hugged her arms around her shirt, across her chest. "Do you mind?"
But Jyri only had eyes for her wings. His mouth opened and closed a few times. "You... You have wings."
"Really? I hadn't noticed."
He smiled. "Amazing."
An awkward tension filled the air. Face warm, Faye looked down at the wooden floorboards. "I was going to take a shower."
Jyri stopped staring at her wings, and finally seemed to notice her covering herself. He mumbled an apology, and hobbled back over to the bed, collapsing face down into the pillow.
Faye gathered clothes, and locked the bathroom door behind her.
After her shower, she folded her wings against her sides to bind them, and dressed in her new loose-fitting shirt and pants. Jyri hadn't moved from the bed.
He squinted at her, and sat up. "Where's your wings?"
"Tied up."
"Why?"
"So I don't get persecuted."
"Obviously,"Jyri said. "But it's only me. I don't care if you're a half-fairy. I thought those were lumps on your back. I didn't know you were hiding wings under there. Feathered wings. On a fairy." He smiled. "You must be part Faelis dylumi. They're a rare breed."
Faye shifted her weight onto one foot, and rubbed her arm, eyes downcast.
Jyri must've sensed her discomfort, and he explained. "I had an interest in magical creatures. I studied them a lot, back in my teen years." Faye was about to ask why he stopped, but he continued on. "Why haven't you flown away from here, like the others?"
"I can't fly," Faye mumbled. "My left wing is crippled."
Jyri furrowed his brow, eyes on her side. "Keeping them tied up will only make it worse."
"I can't risk anyone seeing them. You know what happens to huminals around here."
Jyri didn't seem to have anything to say to that.
"Why'd you come back?" Faye asked.
"It's cold outside." Jyri ran his hand through his hair. "I've decided to stay tonight, but I'm leaving first thing in the morning."
"Where are you going?" Faye asked.
Jyri pinched his eyebrows together, and scratched his jawline, as though pondering an answer.
"Well?"
"Dorendi."
"You're leaving the country?"
"I have to."
"Why?"
Jyri studied the bare wall, biting his lip. "I don't know when the side effects of that potion will wear off." He glanced over at her, and smiled. "I'd like to have someone who could help steer the horse, in case I get tired again."
"I'm tired of not getting answers." Faye raised her voice. "Why are you leaving the country?"
Jyri went back to staring at the wall. "Change of scenery." He turned to look at her. "Are you coming or not?"
"What's in it for me?" Faye asked.
"I'll keep you fed." Jyri eyed her. "From what I've seen, you need it."
ns 15.158.61.48da2
