No Solace (The Flames of Retribution - Book 1)

Chapter Nineteen - On the way to Janesport

After Larimar hauled me unwillingly out the door, he and I made haste to the ship waiting at the docks. There I learned that Larimar had left me with a companion named Ursula Nadli. I met her as soon as we boarded.

She was pretty but not in an obvious way. Her long dirty-blonde hair was tied back in two ponytails with purple ribbons. She had pale green eyes with just the faintest blue tinge, and a slender figure. Her face was delicate, with a sharp chin and a slight downward slant to her eyes. Her skin tone was similar to mine, although hers looked paler. She seemed rather small and childlike in stature, but I guessed her age was somewhere around eighteen - older than me by two years, at least. She had this confidence in her posture that made me think she'd had more experience in life.

I had to say, I was a bit jealous.

Her smile was kind when we exchanged greetings but there was a sharpness to her gaze. In those brief moments she'd sized me up, but I wasn't sure of her verdict. She gave a slight bow, The movement drew my attention down to the tattoo on her right shoulder, made bare from the cut of her sleeveless white blouse. The tattoo was simple and elegant yet somewhat whimsical in appearance. The design was a red bird in flight though its body was formed like a crescent moon. The wings were spread high and wide. She was from the order of the scarlet tanager. It was, ironically, a bird that once lived in Sanfelton before the war. Though brightly colored, tanagers were rarely seen or heard. She was an assassin for the Trine.

"Yes, that's right," she confirmed with a quick grin.

I blushed, not having realized I'd said that aloud.

"Dr. Larimar, is this the one?" she nodded towards me, making me cease my fascinated scrutiny of her tattoo. A mischievous glint lit up her eyes for a second as she extended her hand. "Hello, Kaashif. My name is Ursula. I was supposed to go as Talesina Sera's handmaid before the plans changed."

"Actually, I'm-"

"Sh...sh..." She put her palm over my mouth. "I know who you are."

My embarrassment colored my response with awkwardness as I returned her greeting with a stiff bow. Then I asked, "With the change of plans, why did Doctor Larimar call you here?"

Larimar cleared his throat. "A young Calashan noble normally has at least one female companion to serve him. If you go to Sanfelton without a lady, it will look odd. It's odd enough that you won't be going with a guard. Her story is that she's been given to you as a possible bride by her family and must serve you while you are in school."

"I'm quite excited," Ursula added before I could express my confusion about how a female servant would be useful to me. It would mean that I would be responsible for someone who could die.

I made a wan attempt at a cheerful expression as my mind set into worrying. "Oh, are you?"

"Why yes, this is my first international assignment! I was so upset when I learned I wouldn't be going with Talesina Sera."

Great. She wasn't experienced. That would mean we both were going into this affair as green as two saplings.

My expression must have seemed doubtful, because Larimar said, "She's trustworthy, don't worry. She knows a lot about being a mage, plus she's an expert assassin. You won't find one better."

An expert assassin, he said, but otherwise she was like a rookie Librarian - still in the stacks until our meeting.

She grinned and shrugged as if Larimar had said she was good at embroidery.

As we headed towards my cabin, I noted that she didn't look like she was from Beltrit. No, if anything, she looked Sanfeltonian. "Where are you from, Ursula?"