12. Tahlia

Chapter 12

Tahlia

S weating, Tahlia touched his arm. He shut his eyes and his chest moved in a deep breath.

Tahlia faced the king's brother and smiled. "Here, take my ale in apologies, my lord."

"I'm no lord, but I'll take it just the same." He grinned at her, snatched the ale, and then drank it down in three swallows.

She clapped and laughed like it was the greatest feat she'd ever witnessed. Marius, who was pretending to study the painting, looked like he was about to burst from trying not to roll his eyes or beat the man to death. Perhaps both.

"I have always wanted to meet the most powerful man in Midhampton."

"That's my brother," Jovanyth said, winking, "not me, lass."

"Ah, but he would do whatever you asked, I'm guessing, and that's the best kind of power."

Marius had told her that humans cared for control above all else, and she really hoped that was true for at least this one fellow. If he was, instead, say, more focused on loyalty, this little conversation she was attempting would rankle the king's brother instead of opening him up.

Jovanyth set his mug down and pointed at her. "You are a smart one, aren't you?" His words knocked together like untied urns in the back of a mule cart. "Why don't you sit here and chat with me for a while? Or will your man there get his feathers ruffled?"

She dismissed Marius with the wave of her fingers and sat in the chair opposite the king's brother. "My cousin is perpetually ruffled, so don't even worry about that."

The anger rolling off Marius was almost palpable, but he stayed in character and began to discuss the upcoming tomato throwing with a man and a woman wearing thick aprons stained with dyes.

Tahlia leaned over the table and began to whisper to Jovanyth. "So I heard your brother has a big surprise for the end of the festivities."

A flicker of distrust shaded the drunk man's eyes, but he shook his head and laughed, the sound bouncing off the low ceiling. He rifled through a pack strung across his chair and removed a pipe.

"Where did you hear this, pretty one?"

She smacked Marius's hip, and when he turned, she stole his ale. Marius allowed it and he quickly went back to his conversation with the couple. Tahlia sipped the ale, then slowly licked a drop off her top lip. Jovanyth watched her movements like a lion preparing to pounce.

Don't even try it, pal. Marius will eviscerate you and that will ruin everyone's day.

"I don't remember where I heard it." She tipped her mug back and took a good gulp. When she set it back on the table, he was studying her a bit too closely. "Oh, yes, I do." She laughed, loud and sure as he had. As if she hadn't a care in the world. "It was from that arse-head, Domi. He's always getting his prick into private conversations."

A smile cracked Jovanyth's frowning face. "Liked by the noble ladies, your friend?"

"Yes. He's, um, how should I say this?"

"Blessedly endowed."

Not actually entertained, she slapped the table and feigned being lost in hilarity. He joined in and called for a server to bring them another round.

Tahlia met Marius's gaze for a second. His eyes questioned her, and she gave a barely perceptible nod. Yes, she was all right. It was working.

"My arrogant-as-the-sun brother has something dangerous, I'm sure. It'll be all well for him and shit for the rest of us, as usual."

"Can't you benefit being his sibling?"

"No." He took the ales from the server and handed her one. His was half gone by the time he set the mug back down. A belch rumbled from him and Tahlia forced her features to remain in a vaguely happy position. "The bastard set up a whole series of traps around whatever it is." Leaning forward, he whispered, "Even a siren. There's a damned siren down there under the fortress. Can you believe it?"

Tahlia's body froze. No. It couldn't be. "I thought…" Her mouth didn't want to work and it had zero to do with the ale.

"That they weren't real? Yeah." He barked a laugh. "I didn't think they were either until his arse returned from the north with one. She's horrifying, and that's saying a lot considering she has the body of a goddess and the face of a dream."

"She can kill with a song?"

"Saw it myself," he whispered, leaning too far to the right. He was about to fall out of his chair, the fool.

"Wait. What did you say?"

"I saw her use her song myself."

"You did?"

"Aye. One of my brother's dear engineers lunged to grab her and before anyone realized her muzzle had slipped, she stopped his heart with three little notes."

Goosebumps ran down Tahlia's arms and she shivered.

"Exactly," he said, nodding toward her. "That was my reaction too. See, she can direct the kill and can only take one soul at a time. The man was doomed just because she exudes desire and the poor man couldn't hold himself back. Could have been me. Easy." He upturned his mug and banged the bottom as if more ale might come out if he only tried harder.

A siren. They had to face a siren to get the crown.

"Old Durny boy tried to cage her and that went really well, too." Jovanyth chuckled and shook his head. "Had to bargain with her. You see, our family has a history with the sirens…" He set an elbow on the table and leaned his chin into his hand.

Was he passing out? Right here, right now?

Marius made his way over and jerked his head toward the door. "We have to get going."

Jovanyth lifted his hand, his ale-glazed eyes half open. "Enjoy the madness and stay out of my brother's path if you know what's good for you."

Tahlia swallowed, murmured a thanks, and left quickly. Marius was right behind her when they emerged back into the sunshine. Dark clouds rolled in the distance, and thunder rumbled over the sound of the crowd.

"Don't talk now," Marius said as they forced their way through the masses toward the line of guards dressed as they were. "We'll walk the outer edge of the crowd until the parade starts, then branch off."

Ten tidy rows of pipers, flag bearers, and folk with small drums lined up. Guards dressed as Tahlia and Marius were—in the ornate clothing and ridiculous hat—created a boundary between the crowds and the musicians. People wearing fine gowns filed in behind the musicians. Perhaps the local nobility or simply the wealthy of the city? Durniad would be among them.

Tahlia tugged at Marius's sleeve. "Did you hear what he told me? Any of it?"

"Not now."

They passed three other guards.

"Fall in line," one of the other guards barked at them, making Tahlia's stomach clench with worry. His bushy eyebrows furrowed as he studied them. "You two smell like an alehouse."

Tahlia grinned and shrugged. "You can't tell me my cousin and I are the only two sneaking a drink today."

Master Eyebrows scowled, but the guard at his side elbowed him.

"Lay off, Sergee. Everything's fine."

"All right, but I'm watching you."

Marius nodded at Eyebrows. That man had no idea that he was trying to intimidate the Shadow of the Shrouded Mountains, a Fae warrior who had taken down countless pirates, enemy armies, and more. It was laughable that the fellow thought he was in a position of power. Granted, he could sound an alarm before Marius or Tahlia had the chance to dispatch him to the afterlife, and this was meant to be a quiet mission…

Tahlia marched obediently between Marius and Eyebrows, who snarled at a woman who had let her child run into the street.

The music began and all Tahlia could think about was Jovanyth's mention of the siren's song. Sure, one could block one's ears, but many stories claimed sirens had the ability to send their power into your very bones. No rolls of cloth stuffed in the ears would stop such a magic.

Tahlia recalled a little storybook she'd seen in the market once when she was maybe ten or eleven years old. The story had included some truly dismal poems, including one about a siren. The whole thing had been penned in blue ink and it stood out in her mind's eye like she'd seen it yesterday.

She sings, she lures,

You listen, you lunge,

Into the cold blue-black, you go,

She'll drag you low, low, low,

Into the sea's dark arms you flow,

Pulled to pieces,

Knocked utterly senseless,

A song, a touch, and you're a memory forgotten.

She snorted at herself, darkly amused. Great work remembering that horror but missing Fara's birthday last year. Oh, gods, how Fara would be sounding the alarm if she knew that a siren was involved in this venture to Midhampton.

"Almost there," Marius whispered.

"What?" Eyebrows leaned forward to frown at Marius across from Tahlia.

A tomato soared from the crowd to the left and splashed onto a piper's head.

"Eh! Not time yet!" the piper shouted, his complaint backed up by several others calling out and shaking their fists.

"All these people have tomatoes already," Tahlia said, more to herself than anyone.

"Yes," Eyebrows said gruffly. "Of course they do. Have you never been to the Tomatina Festival?"

"Not to the one here in Midhampton."

"There are no others."

"No, there's another one. In, umm, in Deigs."

The guard who'd elbowed Eyebrows made a huh sound. "Really?"

Another tomato flew overhead. A shout followed. Two more tomatoes dashed across the gathered humans. One smashed into a woman who laughed and wiped her face. The other hit a drummer. The drummer threw a punch at a man to his right, who hit him back.

"Get up there and get them marching again," Eyebrows ordered Marius.

Marius nodded and started off with a glance in Tahlia's direction. Without waiting for a command from the actual guards, she followed Marius.

A little girl with bright blue eyes slipped from her father's watch and ran into the parade, dashing behind Tahlia. Tahlia whirled and snagged the girl's arm. She eased her away from the pipers and the men Marius was barking at, then deposited her into her father's arms.

"Thank you, guard."

"Of course," Tahlia said.

She wanted to study the human's face, looking for differences between human facial features and Fae's, but there was no time. She couldn't lose Marius. Whipping around, she took off to find her spot behind him again.

"How did breaking the fight up go?"

"I think I bruised an arm. Accidentally, of course."

Tahlia grimaced. "It's not easy to be careful, I'm sure." He was easily three times as strong as a human male.

The music continued, and the marching carried on until the parade had snaked its way through the streets. They kept in line as much as they could until their fellow guards began to pass flasks and skins of various blends of alcohol to one another. Then order started to fall apart pretty quickly.

They came to a wooden stage, one of several they'd seen throughout the city streets.

"You two, up, up, now," Eyebrows demanded.

"Why isn't he drunk yet?" Tahlia whispered as he shoved them toward the stage.

"Because it's a mission and nothing is ever easy."

Tahlia grinned wryly and walked up the three steps to the stage, where a woman in a long red gown embroidered in tomatoes was finishing up a song about sailors, storms, and a dance that had apparently stopped a flood.

"And here they are!" the woman shouted, gesturing to Tahlia and Marius.

Marius froze, his glare admirable considering the hat currently residing on his head.

The woman grinned. "Ah, I see that he is the storm."

The crowd's noise coalesced into a great cheer for Marius.

Tahlia elbowed him. "See? I'm not the only one who thinks you are rather delightfully stormy. Also, I think we need to drop the cousins cover and play this up as a couple."

Marius turned his scowl on her and she giggled.

The woman clapped her hands three times and the crowd quieted somewhat. They came closer to the stage, holding baskets of tomatoes.

"The lass must be our dancer, then!" the woman said.

Another cheer went up, and Tahlia bowed dramatically, glad her perfectly ridiculous hat had a chin strap. She wouldn't have wanted to lose it.

She was having the time of her life.

"Let's see what you can do, Storm!" the woman ordered.

Marius stood there, as calm and deadly as he ever was. The mass of people booed him and waved fists.

"The tomatoes will come next if you don't get to work," Tahlia said to him out of the corner of her mouth.

"This is madness. We need to get back to the street and get to the goal."

"I doubt this group here is going to let us off the hook." Tahlia jerked her chin at the people in the front row. Their faces were flushed with sun and ale both, and their eyes were just crazy enough to worry about. "Stomp around and growl. You're good at this. It's just another day at the job for you, love."

He growled all right and it didn't sound human at all. A hush began to sweep through the folks gathered close. She had to do something. Now.

She began skipping around Marius. "What a lovely day at the coastline," she sang, making notes up as she went. A few people laughed and one shouted something about Tahlia's arse. She only sang louder. "A lovely, lovely morn!" Gods, her voice was a tragedy, but she had to give it all she had. "I can't imagine there ever being a terrible moment of weather with the sky like this!" She tapped the top of his head, then leaned up and kissed the end of his nose.

The crowd burst into cheers and warnings of the storm to come, even as the actual sky overhead rumbled with real thunder.

"Come on, now." She poked his ribs on her next go round.

Marius, his tunic tight across his broad chest and his eyes unblinking, stomped his foot and the whole stage quaked. He lifted his head and let out a weak growl. Good. He'd realized his last one was far too feral to be a sound a human male would make.

"Ooooh!" the woman cooed and clapped, urging the crowd to make more noise for the storm.

Marius stomped again, then lifted his other foot and did a little double stomp.

"Oh, that is scary," Tahlia said to the gathering, clasping her hands at her chin dramatically.

"Flood the town!" the woman demanded. Then she leaned close to Marius. "Lift her over your shoulder, man. You should know the traditions. Where are they getting guards these days?"

She sounded beyond exhausted with them, and Tahlia couldn't help but chuckle. Marius rolled his eyes, then lifted Tahlia onto his shoulder.

"Spin her 'round!"

"Toss her down!"

It was a chant that all the people took up. Tahlia laughed as Marius did as commanded. He pinched her leg lightly and grumbled, "You are not allowed to find this entertaining."

"Sure, Master Guard. Sure."

She laughed harder as he cradled her, tossed her into the air a bit, then caught her, all to the happy cheers of the crowd.

"Now, dance him into submission!" the people cried out.

The woman clapped her hands over her head in a steady rhythm that the city folk took up quickly. It became a deafening drum of palms as Marius set her down. She pretended to lift a make-believe dress and danced about Marius with steps that matched the clapping. The rhythm sped up, faster and faster, until Tahlia was out of breath and nearly falling into Marius. He caught her, and if she hadn't seen it herself, she would never have believed it, but Marius actually grinned. His eyes danced as surely as she had as he dipped her low and kissed her fully to the excited cries of the crowd.