Alabaster Cities (Kings and Thieves Book #2)

Chapter 10

"As soon as we get back, you leave," Ben complained, pulling her into an embrace. "We'll come visit you soon."

Lyla giggled, self-consciously wiping at the moisture underneath her eyes. "I'd like that a lot."

Jamie began to tear up as she turned to say goodbye to her brother, and Lyla and Aveline backed away to give them some privacy.

Lyla swiveled around to watch them as the carriage pulled away from the castle. Tristran's hand was on Ben's shoulder as they waved, their figures growing gradually smaller into the distance.
The castle; pointed spires, marble-streaked stone that was soft to the touch, with the spot on the roof pediment that was Lyla's favorite- looked so familiar to her as she left it behind once again. There were so many things that she was saying goodbye to; some good, some bad. It felt like déjà vu, running away like she had so many months ago...

It was only a few moments before the village buildings came into view, crowding her view of the palace, and she could only see the pointed tips of it in the distance. She sat back into her cushion and glanced at Aveline and Jamie on the seats next to her.

She wasn't alone this time. She had her friends on either side, and she could not be sorry for that.

The ride was only about five minutes, but Lyla still found herself about to doze off on Aveline's shoulder by the time they reached the docks. The sun was just beginning to poke out of the horizon, barely visible over the ocean in the distance. And in front of it, sitting atop the calm waves, rested The Merchant in all its glory.

Lyla felt a grin spread across her cheeks as she hopped down from the carriage, her slippers sinking into the sand. The vessel had been newly glossed and polished, and looked just like new. Beautiful carvings of shells and curving, lacy swirls looped around the prow. Without mussels and salt to coat its wood, the dark cherry color shone against the water.

Lyla exhaled as she walked up the ramp, taking in the familiar sight of the deck. Sometimes in the evenings last year, when Eli was here, the crew would play soft melodies on their instruments and everyone would dance together on deck. Ari had tried (and failed) to teach Lyla a Nuellian folk step right there, by the wheel.

Inez certainly seemed happy to be back. She greeted the crew with laughter and hearty slaps on their backs. Lyla smiled uncertainly at them; most of them were foreign and did not know her language, but they were nice to have around all the same.

Ari was already hard at work, retying one of the sails when they found him on deck. He wiped his forehead with his sleeve and grinned at them.

"It took you long enough." This was the Ari Lyla knew; leather belt, shirtsleeves rolled up past his forearms, a smudge of dirt on his cheek.

Aveline rolled her eyes at him, thus completing the familiar picture of the pirates in Lyla's memory. "Tristan and Ben give their best." She glanced behind her. "Jamie, you can have your old room if you'd like. Do you remember where it is?"

"Of course I do," Jamie managed a smile. "I'm going to freshen up, but I'll join you later."

Ari's eyes followed the willowy brunette as she scuttled below deck, and Lyla pretended not to notice.

Aveline pursed her lips as she faced Lyla. "I'm sure you're exhausted."

Lyla nodded, warmth settling in her stomach as she thought of her cozy little room downstairs. She started to edge towards the steps where Jamie had gone, sleep already crawling up her limbs. "Is everything good here, then? Do you need me for anything?"

"Wait, Lyla." Ari stopped her, straightening and wiping his hands with a damp rag. "Just a moment."

Lyla tried to keep her eyes open. "Hm?"

Aveline hesitated. "There's something we wanted to tell you ab-"

The creaking of wood from the other stairwell cut into her sentence, and everyone's heads automatically swiveled towards the top of the steps. A small boy Lyla had never seen before stood there in a linen chemise that was clearly too big for him, the sleeves drooping far past his wrists. His dark hair, uncut, flopped messily into large, saucer-like eyes that only seemed to stare.

There was a brief pause in which nobody said anything. Lyla blinked, suddenly awake.

"Uh, who is this?" Surprised, she faced Ari and Aveline who gaped at the youth as if they had never seen one before. "I thought Inez took the children to an orphanage."

Ari recovered first; he dropped his hand before he could tangle it in his hair. "She did. We're watching these boys as a favor to a friend."

"There's more than one?" Lyla didn't mind; she got along with children fairly well, if she did say so herself. "Well, that was very kind of you to take them in." She beamed at the unmoving boy. "What's your name, sweet?"

He didn't answer her, and after a few seconds he turned around and scampered back down the steps.

"Shy, isn't he?"

"Uh, yes." Aveline seemed to come back to herself. "Apologies, Lyla, we'll let you go back to sleep."

"Deal." Lyla covered her mouth with a yawn and headed towards the opposite stairwell as the ocean breeze ruffled the back of her hair. She'd long ago stopped trying to decipher the mystery that was Ari and Aveline; they did what they pleased and shared what they wanted to, when they wanted to.

That was just fine with her for the time being. Lyla found her bedroom; it still smelled nice, like candles and something fresh, and she was content to silently mull over the endless heap of mysteries that surrounded her as she fell asleep.

**This was kind of a transition chapter. Next stop- Verignes! Hope you liked, and don't forget to vote!**