Chapter 23
"Are we sure we don't want to go to Diviel now?" said Eli. When it was clear that everyone was awake, they had all gathered around the fire in reluctant discussion on what to do next.
"I mean," Eli continued, "it's not that I mind this lovely tropical vacation, but perhaps we could get a head start." His hair was mussed from sleep, his cheeks flushed in the heat as flames danced across his features. Aveline's mouth quirked slightly despite herself.
"The idiot brings up an important point," Ari put in, somewhat thoughtfully. He had the list of royal names in his hand and was scrutinizing them as he spoke. Eli beamed, not seeming to comprehend the insult. "We need to catch these sons of bitches."
That was Ari's wounded pride talking, Aveline immediately decided.
"You're both being stupid," said she, glancing to Jamie for support. Jamie nodded emphatically. "You read the note. They know they're being followed, which Ari confirmed today when he went running after them like a psycho. We need to lie low for a little while."
"Fine." Ari rubbed his forehead. "For now, all we can do is gather information. Ask around town, read what they have in here... I want to know everything we can find out about these kidnappers by the the time we leave. Is that clear?"
Lyla inclined her head. "Crystal."
"Good." Ari blew out a breath, returning his gaze to the list in his hands. He started, suddenly, and Aveline watched his eyebrows furrow in the way they always did when he found something. "Avie, what was the name of that serving girl we talked to at the Tarrah? The nervous one."
"Ayka." Aveline remembered her well; there was something about her jittery attitude that provoked both pity and suspicion.
"Yeah." Ari's features scrunched in his concentration. "Uh, her name is on this list."
"What?" Aveline crawled towards her friend, peering downwards at the paper. Sure enough, Ayka's name had been scrawled in the right hand column. "I can't believe it."
Ari hummed in agreement. "This is either a strange coincidence, or she's involved. I mean, it's not like Ayka is so common a name."
Eli removed his chin from the study of his hands. "You met this girl at the Tarrah?"
Aveline nodded. "She acted strange when we questioned her. Almost... frightened."
"We could go back and talk to her again," Lyla suggested. Aveline pursed her lips.
"We're following Tristran's clue right now," she resolved. "Besides, if Ayka is part of it, she'd be long gone by now." Would they find Ayka in Diviel, perhaps? Aveline had no idea.
She focused her gaze on Jamie, who had said nothing as she uncomfortably studied her hands.
"Jamie, do you have anything to add?" Aveline tried to sound encouraging and gentle. While Ari's persuasion tactics could be effective elsewhere, if there was any way they were going to get information out of Jamie, somehow she didn't think it would be by scolding her. Aveline reminded herself to have a conversation with Ari about the subject later.
Jamie shrugged timidly. "Did you get any information from that Ayka girl?"
"She told us where to find the Kibetian royal family so we could talk to Princess Leilani."
"She wasn't very forthcoming," Lyla added. "She was very reluctant to share her knowledge."
"Anything else?"
Aveline couldn't remember. It was times like these that she wished she was a better focus. Then she glanced ruefully at Ari and remembered that this was what he was for.
"Uh..." Ari closed his eyes as he thought, digging the toe of his shoe into a puff of sand. "She thanked Aveline for defending her from those goons. She mentioned that she could get in trouble for speaking with us."
"Get in trouble?" Jamie's head fell slightly to the side. "That's a bit odd. Who would she get in trouble with?"
Ari raised his chin. "Well, we weren't about to ask-"
"I learned something interesting while I was doing my own investigating at the Tarrah," Jamie continued. "The inn is funded and technically owned by the monarchy, but apparently it's a family business for a lot of the workers. In fact," she said, "a lot of the staff are related."
"Why is this relevant?" Ari questioned. "Are you suggesting Ayka had some part in this?"
Jamie lifted her shoulders. "The prince was seen at the Tarrah, and Ayka obviously knew something. But she didn't say anything... she was protecting someone. Her family, perhaps? Think about it," she pressed. "How else would they be able to smuggle a dozen kidnapped royals into the inn-"
"Unless the employees were in on it," Lyla finished, lifting her hands to her mouth. "Goodness."
Aveline groaned. Why hadn't they thought to investigate the staff?
Jamie picked at a loose thread on her skirt, a bit too forcefully to be casual. "If I were you, I'd be pretty curious about Ayka's family right about now."
Aveline faced Ari to get his input. He was eyeing Jamie with clear suspicion.
"Fine," he said, finally. "If you wish it, we'll look into her lineage. Together." He gestured to the open mouth of the cave with his chin. "There's bound to be a records building in the village. Should we go?"
-
Twenty minutes later, they were doing just that.
"We're not open yet," The shopwoman said immediately, pointing to the horizon, where the sun hadn't yet completed its ascent over the ocean. She was rather young- and beautiful, roses dotting her slim cheeks, and as she started to shut the door in their faces, Eli's hand shot out to stop the swinging wood.
"We're here on official business." With his other hand, Eli straightened his expensive jacket, making sure his kingdom emblem- Kaidia- was on clear display. "I'm sure a pretty lady such as yourself has other things to do on such a fine morning," he wheedled, and Aveline recognized the small pout he gave her underneath his eyelashes. "But I was wondering if I could steal a few moments of your time and look at one or two of your books?" His lips quirked. "We're in dire need, you see, and you're the only one who can possibly be of service."
For a moment, the woman simply ogled them, and Aveline worried Eli's fake charm hadn't worked. Then she cracked her door open a tad further. "You have five minutes."
"Perfect. You have no idea how much this means to me," Eli gushed. Aveline rolled her eyes.
"Yeah, yeah, we have to go," she said exasperatedly, grabbing ahold of Eli's sleeve and pulling him away from the woman into the shop.
There were shelves and shelves of books, more than they'd ever have room in the library on the Merchant. Aveline scanned the titles along the different racks, through all of the names arranged alphabetically. All the kingdoms in the Detache were required to keep thorough records of the family trees of their citizens. It was mainly to keep track of royal bloodlines, Aveline knew, but it could come in handy in situations such as these.
"I found Kibet," Lyla piped up a few rows down. "It's a good thing Ayka is an uncommon name, because that's all we have to go off of." Aveline followed the sound of her voice until she caught up with Lyla, who was pulling a dirty volume off of a bookshelf. She blew a sheet of dust off of the cover before opening it. The cloud billowed into Aveline's face, and she coughed, waving the particles away. Gross.
The rest of the group caught up to them as Lyla flipped through the pages.
"They can't be bothered to clean once in a while?" Ari complained. "It's disgusting-"
"Ayka Hapsburg." Lyla glanced up. "Does that sound right?"
Jamie stiffened, and Aveline took that as a confirmation.
"That's her."
"That's strange," Lyla remarked suddenly.
"What?" Ari almost ripped the book from her hands, and then stopped himself. Aveline hoped that meant he was learning some form of manners.
"It's shown here that she's of royal blood. Distant, but... she has monarchical roots in her family tree," said Lyla. "Except I've never heard of the Hapsburg family before, and I'm required to know of all the royal lineages."
"Excuse me," a soprano voice warbled through the shelves, and Aveline distantly realized that the woman at the front desk was wandering through the corridors. "I have to open shop now."
"Just grab it," Aveline urged. "Let's go."
Lyla's features contorted in horror. She released the book and it landed with a loud clatter back on the table. "You mean," she gasped, scandalized, "steal it?"
"Oh, for Heaven's sakes," Ari groaned. With one hand, he scooped the volume up while opening his jacket with his other, deftly shoving it underneath the fabric. He slipped out the back door without making a noise, and Aveline hurried to follow, ignoring Lyla's shocked stammering as they spilled back out into the sun and onto the street.
They slowed as they integrated with the moving crowd of villagers, and Aveline sympathetically patted Lyla on the shoulder.
"It's for a good cause," she offered unconvincingly. Eli snorted from behind her, and Aveline reluctantly turned her attention to him, hanging back as the others strolled ahead.
"What is it?"
"Nothing." He flashed her a grin, sticking his hands in his pockets.
"You did a good job flirting with the shopwoman," Aveline forced herself to say. She wasn't inclined to stir his ego- not at the moment.
"Yeah?" He chuckled. "You don't think it was too much?"
"No, I thought it was great."
Eli darted his gaze to her sideways, as if suspicious. "Hm."
"What?"
Eli tucked his chin, and she caught sight of his dimples as he mischievously studied the ground. "I kind of thought for a second that you might have been jealous."
Aveline burst into laughter. "You thought wrong."
"Hmm... did I?" He smirked, nudging her with his elbow.
Aveline pushed her shoulder against his in retaliation, belatedly realizing that she was encouraging him. It was becoming so easy to fall into Eli's casual, teasing coquetry, and she reminded herself to have some caution. She was here on a job, not to be swayed by charming palace guards. Getting attached only created problems.
She'd be careful, she assured herself- without much success as she allowed Eli to lead her down the village square, his hand hovering around the small of her back.
**So, things are developing- both in the mystery and relationship-wise. What's your favorite ship so far??
I'll probably be posting twice next week, probably Tuesday and Friday, so keep an eye out for that. Vote if you liked, and as always thanks for reading!!**