Kai Drakon's Arc

Chapter 6 of 30

Ire helped Scarlett to her feet. Scarlett cradled her stone-heavy arm against her ribs. Kael wiped honey off his fingers and looked at Kai. "Go," Kael said. "We've got her from here." Kai hesitated. The spear was still in his hand. Scarlett would not meet his eyes. "Where are you taking her?" Kai asked. "Back to the tavern," Ire said. "She sleeps in the cellar tonight. Tomorrow we talk about what she owes Azure. Coin, work, both." She looked at Scarlett. "You'll pay her for every goat." Scarlett nodded once. Kael stepped closer to Kai and put a hand on his shoulder. Kael was Kai's oldest friend, the one who had put the silver spear in his hand two nights ago. He squeezed once, hard. "You did the job," Kael said. "Now go do the other one. Azure's been alone in that loft all night thinking the worst." Kai swallowed. He gave Kael the spear. Then he turned and ran. The road into Mosswood was empty. His boots hit the packed dirt in a steady beat. His tail dragged once and he lifted it clear. He had left Azure at the tavern hours ago, told her to stay inside no matter what she heard. She would have heard the shouting from the pasture. She would have heard nothing after. He pushed through the tavern door. The common room was near empty. The hearth was down to coals, the fire banked low behind the black iron grate. Azure sat on the bench closest to it, knees pulled up, apron still on. Her tail curled tight around her ankles. She stood the moment she saw him. She crossed the room and pressed her forehead into his chest. Her horns bumped his chin. She did not speak. Her hands closed on the back of his jacket and stayed there. "I'm alright," Kai said. "I'm here." "The goats?" "It was a woman named Scarlett. A vampire. Ire knows her. She drinks from a cup at the tavern." Azure pulled back to look at him. "She killed them." "She admitted it. Kael and Ire have her. She won't touch your farm again." "You hurt her?" "Silver spear. Her arm's half stone. She'll live." Azure took that in. She looked at the coals for a long moment. "Good," she said before blushing hard in realizing how she clingy she was to basically a stranger. She quickly let go and stepped back to cover her face in embarrassment. “I-I’m so sorry! That was very clingy of me. I was just so worried and I’ve never been in this situation-“ Kai couldn’t help but laugh at how adorable Azure was in freaking out and shook his head. “I’m sorry. You’re just so cute and you had the right to be clingy.”