By the time my brothers and sisters realised the threat, it was too late. Ceallach an Eòlas had gone too far. There was nothing they could do. But he knew about me—though his books hadn't taught him everything—and he came to me with a proposition.
He was willing to stop the corruption from spreading further. All he wanted was my home. He wanted Dunhă.
Chapter 47
Ash
Ash didn’t know what had happened between Doran and Levi, but something had changed. Doran kept his distance, and Levi, most curious of all, was watching him without blushing. They had gone outside behind the inn to wait for Naavah Ora. This close to Z’rasie it was warm, but Ash had grown up along the border. He could take a bit of heat. It was the heavy silence between Doran and Levi that was getting to him.
Doran leaned against the inn’s wall while Levi watched him from the other end of the building. The change made Ash cringe. He wasn’t any good at solving conflicts, but even he could sense the unspoken words between them.
Levi busied himself with his knives, twirling them through his fingers with such speed Ash worried his breakfast might come back up. But he wasn’t watching Doran, and Ash took his chance.
“What did you do?”
Doran shrugged. “I didn’t do anything.”
“You followed each other like puppies yesterday. You didn’t get too grabby, did you?”
Doran frowned. “No, of course I didn’t. Don’t be—”
“Don’t tell me not to be stupid, I saw the way you looked at each other yesterday. You’re avoiding him. Let me ask again—what did you do?”
Doran’s face was impassive, eyes focused on the ground. “Nothing. It’s complicated.”
Ash crossed his arms. “Those are two completely different things.”
“They’re not. But—” Doran sighed. “I told him. About Rhys.”
“Why would you do that?”
Doran had told him everything several years ago, when they both got so drunk they couldn’t stand. Doran was a weak drunk, but Ash could hold his liquor. The next morning, he’d remembered every word, while Doran had remembered enough. Ash didn’t believe for one second that Doran had done it on purpose. Accidents happened and sometimes the outcome wasn’t fair, but Doran didn’t understand that. It was infuriating how much Doran blamed himself, but Ash didn’t get anywhere. He’d tried. Doran didn’t want to hear it.
Doran leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes. “Because he asked. He’s told me so much. He couldn’t bear to remember even his own name when we met, Ash. I owed him a bit of my own truth.”
Ash sat on a tree stump and let his hands fall through his legs. “He’ll come around. He’s got it bad for you, mate.”
Doran scoffed. “I don’t think—”
“You never do. Trust me on this. He’ll get over it.”
“Don’t lecture me on not thinking.”
Ash grinned. “Who else would know better what they’re talking about?”
Ash watched Doran try hard not to watch Levi, who still watched Doran while pretending to pay attention to his knives. It was a confusing morning.
“What are you going to do?” Doran asked.
“About what?”
“That merchant. What did you say his name was?”
Ash yawned. That same issue had kept him up until the early morning. “Kult. I’ll find him in Alt Võina, and I’ll make him pay. That’s what.”
Doran stifled a yawn. It looked like he hadn’t slept either.
“You’re not one for revenge, Ash. You’re not the type to go after people.”
“He’s not just making my life a little difficult by demanding higher taxes for us poor shopkeepers. He’s set a trap for me, paid bandits to bring me in, and they’d have killed you. This goes beyond using my explosives to kill a family. He’s made it personal.”
Doran thought for a moment, then nodded. “You know he’s not an idiot, right? If you go after him he’ll be waiting for you. You won’t even get near him.”
“I’m not that stupid, either.” Ash was surprised how hurt he sounded. “I’ll watch him, learn his routine. If it looks too dangerous, I’ll wait.”
He closed his legs to allow a fluffy grey cat to jump on them. The cat turned around a couple of times, curled up, and purred. Ash scratched its ears; at least the cat didn’t think less of him.
“You’re not an assassin. Kult might have actual mercenaries who are better at this than some bandits. They’re probably watching his house at all hours.”
Ash shrugged. He could be patient when necessary.
“As I said, I’ll wait. He doesn’t have to die right now, just… I don’t know, Doran. He’ll send more bandits after us if I don’t do something. We’ve already got the army of the undead plotting to kill us. We don’t need anyone else against us.”
“I don’t think they can plot. They just carry out someone else’s orders.”
“That doesn’t make me feel any better.”
Doran smiled. “And I think it’s too late to get Kult off our trail. He really wants you dead.”
Ash laughed. “Just like old times.”
“Don’t get yourself killed. It’s nice to have you around again.”
Ash nodded but stayed quiet. He didn’t make promises he couldn’t keep.
I was selfish. I was arrogant. Ceallach had grown more powerful than any human before him, but he was still just one man, whereas I was a god to my people. I thought I could control him.
I was the goddess of the dead. I had powers he didn’t dare dream of.
Chapter 48
Levi
Levi was glad Doran had recovered a little overnight. It was good to see him joke around with Ash; he may have believed he deserved pain, but he found joy in life too.
Levi had wanted to stay up last night and wait for Doran to come back, but he’d fallen asleep. By the time he woke up, Doran’s bed was still empty but the sheets had been crumpled as if used. Someone had pulled the blanket over Levi while he’d slept. Doran could pretend all he wanted—he cared. About life, about staying alive, about this fight Naavah Ora had talked them into.
Maybe he even cared about Levi.
Doran was distant this morning. Levi didn’t know what to make of the story Doran had told him the night before. Doran couldn’t have killed his brother on purpose, there was too much guilt in him. He wasn’t the type to kill people he loved. Unless… Levi regretted killing those people in the village, too, but he’d still done it. He hadn’t been given a choice. Doran’s circumstances were different. It had meant to be a prank. An innocent prank that had gone wrong, through no fault of Doran’s. He’d only been a child, after all.
Doran needed time to accept that Levi knew. Levi understood. He could give Doran space if that was what he needed. After all, Levi still struggled to hear his own name at times and Doran hadn’t pressed him.
When Naavah Ora joined them, Levi looked up and sheathed his daggers.