Siren Song (The Fated #1)

15 | Sell-Sword

The Airlea reached Nokos just before nightfall. The sun cast an eerie glow as it set behind the line of buildings that stretched beyond the docks. The shadowed alleys seemed darker, the townspeople rougher. Kain took his time securing his sheathe around his waist as he eyed the buildings, a certain amount of uneasiness raising the hair on the back of his neck.

Before Inna's Cove, how long had it been since he stepped foot on land? He'd visited plenty of towns, but rarely did he go as far as to exit the ship. His nerves gave him the feeling that he was balancing on the edge of a knife and that one wrong step would lead to disaster.

Despite this, he took a deep breath and bid the others farewell. Promising to be back soon, he climbed down to the dock--they'd decided against lowering a gangplank--and started into the village. His hand stayed near the hilt of his sword as he paused at a few shop stalls to inquire about where to find Artemios' contact. Within the hour he'd managed to find the merchant and strike a deal over the Airlea's cargo.

Afterwards, he made his way to a tannery, knowing that he'd need something more than his tunic and trousers if he was going to pose as the ladies' guard. Thankfully, the shop was still open when he arrived. The owner, a gaunt old man who was far too eager about Kain's request, quickly brought his attention to several different chest pieces. After some deliberation, he settled on a long-sleeved, white undershirt and a hardened leather cuirass. The protective piece covered his entire chest, back, and the majority of his arms. The rest of which were covered by a set of leather bracers. It was nothing fancy, but enough that he'd have some protection when they confronted Iliana's captors.

His part of the shopping done, Kain took advantage of the man's offer to change in the back, then set out to visit a few dress shops. It took some time, but he eventually managed to find a number of expensive-looking traveling dresses. They were simpler than the gowns most nobles wore, but fancy enough they'd fit the image Kain was attempting to give the girls. With the encouragement of a few coppers, he managed to arrange for the clothing to be delivered to the Airlea.

It was when everything was handled and he was making his way back to the port that the shouting reached his ears. Kain slowed despite his intentions to keep walking. His senses focused on the cries of, "please, leave me alone," and "I don't want any trouble," called out by a distinctly feminine voice. The source was a dark alley that led away from the market street. Hesitation fluttered through him. There was something about the woman's voice that urged him to go help despite his knowing that it was best to keep walking and avoid drawing attention to himself.

I shouldn't, he reminded himself. I'm here for Iliana, that's all.

With a muttered curse under his breath, Kain took off towards the voice. When he rounded the corner, his hand instinctively pulled on the hilt of his blade.

The situation was exactly what he'd imagined it'd be. Standing with her back to the wall was a terrified woman. The dying sun cast a faint glow over the alley, showing off the light olive shade of her skin. She wasn't from Eol. The three men surrounding her, were, however. They wore ragged clothing and their frames showed off sharp bones and hollowed cheeks.

"Now, now, no need to get like that," the first said, his voice a mixture of amusement and exasperation. "We jus' wanna give ya a hand, girlie. Yer 'ere to buy somethin', ain't ya? You an' tha' man of yers been lookin' for sum' poor lad ta do yer dirty work... Me and my boys 'ere, we're just lookin' to take ya up on tha'."

"Yeah! We jus' wanna 'elp ya," the second echoed.

The woman looked far from reassured. She pressed herself backwards, the fine material of her dress looking completely out-of-place against the wall of a dirty alley. Her eyes fearfully skipped between the men, her fingers clutched around the handle of a small blade. The weapon hovered in the air between her and those that'd encircled her. Kain had the distinct feeling, however, that it was only because they allowed it to be. There wasn't a single ounce of tension in the men, betraying their lack of fear.