I turned around and rushed back the same way I'd walked a moment ago, passing the same people, the same planted pots and eventually Tom who was still talking to the lady in the window. I stopped for a moment and told him I was going to get us a room and let Frank out, trying my best to hide my emotions. To my relief he was too busy entertaining the woman to notice my flustered state and I hurried onward.
Entering the tavern I got us two rooms, one for me and one for Tom. The anger I felt was not really towards Canan, but directed to myself. But I wouldn't buy him a room.
I had been an idiot, letting him fool me and take advantage of my weakness for appreciation and compliments. I had fallen too fast and too hard for a man with no intentions to be what I wanted him to be.
As soon as I entered my room I let Frank out and tossed him a piece of dried meat before collapsing on the bed. The tiny dragon swallowed it whole, looked around and stretched his legs and wings before he took to the air and circled around for a moment, then placed himself in the window—peering down at the crowded street.
"I'm sorry you have to hide in the bag Frank," I mumbled, "But people might try to steal you if they see you." He peered back at me for a moment then resumed to stare at the commotion outside. "But don't worry, we'll be leaving soon, and then you can fly as much as you want."
I layed on my back staring up at the ceiling, wondering what I should do now. I needed that money to free my brother from his prison, but time was not on our side. He would be transferred soon, and when that happened it was too late. I was searching for a needle in a haystack, that much I knew. Suddenly everything felt overwhelmingly difficult and tears started to fall down my cheeks.
I must have fallen asleep. Fully clothed and with my boots on I woke by the sound of someone entering my room. That someone was Canan. "You asleep Blue-eyes?" he asked in a hushed whisper.
"Yes," I mumbled sarcastically and moved to the edge of the bed to remove my boots.
He chuckled and moved to pat Frank by the window, where he had curled up to sleep in the moonlight. "So, two rooms," he began, "was that an invitation for me to join you in here, or a message for me to leave?"
Straight to the point, I thought and felt my heart beat faster in my chest. "That's up to you," I answered as I pulled off the second boot and placed them by the end of the bed before lying back down and turning my back to him.
"Is it?" he asked, his tone serious and with no sign of humour.
"Yes, you may leave to go about your business or sleep on the floor," I said before pulling the blanket over my body.
"I see," he said and sighed. "Taking the whole master and servant thing a bit too seriously, aren't we?"
That was a joke, I knew that. Typical Canan thing to say to lighten up the mood, but his words hurt. "No, Canan," I said softly, "I could never do that to you."
I heard his footsteps moving across the wooden floor, the planks protesting from his weight until he reached the bed. I held my breath as he sat down on the edge. "Tell me what this is about Illon, what happened today?"
I decided to stay quiet, but eventually I felt his hand moving to brush my hair from my face. The gentle touch made me question everything I had seen later today, and I wanted to forget all about it. But I couldn't. I had seen him kiss a woman, and it wasn't just a quick peck on the lips, it was a deep kiss with tongues. The kind of kiss you share with someone you love.
"I don't know what to do," I whispered.
"What do you mean?" He asked softly and continued to move his fingertips gently caressing my face.
"I need money, and a lot of it, but that bloody heir is nowhere to be found and now I've heard rumours that he wants to stay hidden from the public, and I would feel awful to force him into something he doesn't want to do," I paused and sighed, "just because I'm selfish and need the gold."
He was quiet for a moment, and then he asked the question I was predicting would come. "What's it for? The gold?"
I decided to sit, resting my back against the wall and patting at my side, inviting him to come and sit beside me. It was a long story and I needed to see his reaction while I was telling it. He did as I asked and as soon as we both were comfortable I began.
"I left my village years ago, but I wasn't alone. My brother joined me," I told him with a smile on my lips, reminiscing our excitement as we reached the city for the first time. "He was a bit of a troublemaker though, he always talked to the wrong people, got into fights and gambled a lot."
"Sounds delightful," Canan snickered and I rolled my eyes at him.
"You'd like him," I snickered.
"So what happened?" he asked as he casually placed his hand on my thigh. I felt my body tense up, my heart started to race and my mind told me to brush him off. Don't let him play with you, a voice warned inside my head.
"He got arrested," I answered quickly, "and I need the money to bail him out before he gets transferred to prison for good."
He peered thoughtfully at me, "how does that work?" he asked, both of us knowing full well that the system didn't work like that.
"I made an arrangement with one of the guards," I mumbled lowly, which made Canan snicker to himself.
"Not so innocent after all," he said with a wide grin growing on his face.
Annoyed, I punched his shoulder, "he's my brother!"
"And family is important," Canan agreed. "But you will never find the heir, sweetheart, so you need to get that gold somewhere else."
I slumped down and rested my head on his shoulder, forgetting my anger and my broken heart. "I don't know what to do."
"I have a suggestion, but I'm sure you won't like it," he said, pulling my body closer to his. He was warm, comforting and calm. Everything I was not. "I will gather some people, and we will go to rescue my friends in the village."
"And then what? Are you telling me to loot those people's homes?" I muttered.
"I am," he said calmly. "They deserve it after what they did to us."
I sighed and nodded against his chest. "Let's see what Tom has to say about it in the morning."
He seemed content from my answer, and I watched him as he bent down to untie his boots, kicked them off his feet then turned to face me. "I'm not sleeping on the floor Illon," he said before he grabbed my arm and pulled me down with him.
The bed was narrow and I had to lay half my body on top of his for him to fit in it. Resting on my side while he lay on his back, my head on his shoulder, my hand on his chest and my leg on his. We were so close I could hear the steady rhythm of his heart. He was mesmerising, but I reminded myself that he was only doing this because we needed each other. Or did we?
"Why do you even need me and Tom?" I asked, "I'm sure you could find enough men to help you out."
"I don't," he said, "but after what you told me I thought you could tag along. You helped me, and now I return the favour."
I closed my eyes and tried to push back the dark thoughts gathering in my head. "So if we decide to walk east instead?"
"Then you'll walk east," he said with no emotions deceiving him. And that was all I needed to hear to know that the flirting was just that, casual flirting to tease me and brighten our moods. Nothing more. So I left the bed and grabbed some blankets, receiving a questioning glare from him.
"I'll sleep on the floor," I mumbled as I arranged a pair of blankets for me to sleep on, "the bed is too small."
The room fell quiet after that and just as I thought he'd fallen asleep his baritone voice proved me wrong. "You won't find him Illon, just move on. Find another solution."
"How can you be so sure?" I hissed, "I'm a skilled tracker."
"I'm sure you are, you've come far," he added softly, "but that's not my point. I know you won't find him, because I know him."
I sat up straight and stared right at him, "you know him?" I gasped, "All this time and you never told me?"
"As you said, he doesn't want to be found," he sighed, "but after we cleared the air and you told me you didn't want to force him back to the castle I decided to trust you."
"Why?" I asked and moved a bit closer to him.
"Because you're about to take off on a pointless journey again," he said with a sad smile on his lips. "And I'd rather have you join me."
I rubbed my face and sighed, yet again. But when our eyes met mine were full of determination, "I will go with you, and I will let go of the thought of the heir. But tell me this, was I close to finding him? Is he here?"
Canaan chuckled and reached out his hand for me to grab. Gently we both stood up and he peered down into my eyes, he hesitated, searching for some kind of answer in my face. But then he opened his mouth and spoke, changing everything with one sentence. "You're holding his hand right now."