Vasil slid down the wall with a low groan.
Faust sighed and waved his hand. That was not very nice of Aris, but he’d made his point. The wind halted at his silent command and brushed against his face in apology.
Faust closed his eyes and brushed back against Aris’s wind, their magic quivering. The High King touched his chest and the marking pulsed with magic beneath his fingertips. Aris lingered a breath longer, leaving with the sound of a thunk near Vasil again.
Faust opened his eyes and raised his eyebrows. A nick the size of a gold coin rested next to Vasil’s head and a few strands of the deity’s hair floated down to the wooden planks.
“He is angry,” Vasil said.
“He must think you have hurt me,” Faust said, his expression neutral. Vasil didn’t appear affected by the attack. “You should heed his warning. I will not stop him next time.”
Vasil pursed his lips.
Roe cleared his throat.
Faust bit back a smile. Roe’s eyes were wide. “Do not fret, Roe. Aris is a bit… anxious.”
Vasil grunted and stood, brushing himself off.
“This Aris must be something to do that from afar,” Roe said, eyeing the mercenary.
“You will understand when you meet him.” Faust smiled. “I doubt he will let the battle in Cennon drag out long.”
Footsteps and the patter of paws creaked along the wood in the hallway.
Vasil jerked his head to the doorway.
Earl knocked on the paneling of the door frame. “May I come in, Lord Arcus?”
Faust wasn’t as decent as he’d like, but he thought Earl wouldn’t judge him for it. “You may.”
Earl opened the door and motioned with his hand. A wolf’s tail flicked as the animal sat out of sight.
Faust twisted the sheets in his hands, his nerves fluttering, relieved the wolf remained in the hallway. He wished he had the hairpin Ignas gave him. He settled for rubbing at his rough fingernails.
Earl stepped through the open door with a sigh of relief. “I am pleased to see you awake, my lord. I was about to set off for Cennon. You gave us quite a scare. Our supporters were quite upset when they learned you had suffered at the hands of Relan.”
“I feel much better,” Faust reassured, his gaze overshooting Earl to another man in the doorway. He was fair-skinned like Earl, but his hair was a dark mess of curls.
Earl tipped his head back to gesture to the man. “This is Omar Selva, my helmsman and best friend. He will fly the Volliare you were on to Zara.”
Omar rubbed at the back of his head with a nervous laugh. “Sorry about my rough flying, m’lord. Roe really gave it to me after you collapsed. Said it was my fault.”
Roe huffed. “It was. You should have seen him.”
“I’m sorry, all right? I got too into the moment.”
Faust did his best to hide his amusement. “I can see why Ignas dislikes flying.”
Omar made an indignant noise. “That fucker already feared the sky.”
Faust narrowed his gaze and ran his fingers over the sky stone in the cane.
Wind carved a notch in the wall by Omar’s head.
The helmsman shot his hands out in front of him and coughed. “I-I mean Lord Walder was already afraid of heights.”
Earl smacked Omar with the journal in his hand. “You will do well to watch your tongue, Omar. Next time it might be your head.”
“Noted.”
Roe wore a cheeky grin.
Faust feigned innocence. “I humbly request you fly level.”
“Where’s the fun in that?” Omar asked.
Earl shook his head. “You will do well to fly straight, Omar. If you damage the airship or cause Lord Arcus any more strife, you know what the captain of said Volliare will do to you.”
Omar swallowed. “I’ll fly level.”
“Good, now get going. Prepare for lift off. You will leave once Lord Arcus is ready,” Earl ordered.
Omar saluted. The man’s lips slid into a grin. He grabbed Earl by the collar and kissed him.
Faust’s jaw dropped.
Roe growled. “Omar!”
Earl grunted and kicked Omar’s shin.
The helmsmen squawked in pain, skipping away with a chuckle. “I better see you before you leave, Earl.”
Roe stomped to the doorway, grabbed Earl’s notebook from his hand, and chucked it after Omar. It thunked against the floor, missing its intended target. “Keep your hands off him!”
Omar’s laughter echoed.
Roe whipped his gaze back to Earl.
Earl shifted on his feet, avoiding Roe’s gaze. “I will speak with him later.”
“Speaking better be all you’re doing.”
Faust stared from Earl to Roe and back again. “So, is Zara the captain of that Volliare?”
“Y-Yes,” Earl said, obviously glad for the change in subject. “I will continue to prepare for our departures, if you will excuse me.”
Roe snatched Earl’s hand.
“I will see you before I leave, Roe. I promise.”
“You better.”
Faust watched Earl. The guild master’s gaze held so much love for Roe. It was a wonder Faust hadn’t noticed it sooner.
Earl left with the wolf.
Roe closed the door with a heavy sigh.
Faust decided it was best to let that interaction slide. It seemed to bring about far too much tension.
“Why do you not lay more claim to Earl, healer?”
Faust wanted to crawl into a hole. Vasil needed to learn how to read a situation.
“You have no business in my personal matters, Vas,” Roe snapped.
Vasil shrugged.
Faust cleared his throat. “Is it possible to bathe before we liftoff?” He could still feel all the dirt and grime under his sweat. It was disgusting. He needed to be presentable even as a merchant.
“I think that can be arranged, my lord. If Duke Baldwin escaped, we will most likely meet him when we see Captain Zara,” Roe said. The healer gave Vasil a side glance. “Out with you. I can handle the rest. You have done enough and overstepped a boundary if a sky stone user is after you.”
Vasil huffed, his expression flat.
“You may continue to guard outside, but you may not come inside until I say I am ready,” Faust ordered.
“I will prepare your bath,” Vasil announced.
Faust blinked. He could not see a powerful deity doing something so mundane as preparing a bath.
The deity walked to the far side of the room and pushed two large wooden doors open, revealing an elaborate bath. Vasil sparked the water stone on his belt and the large sunken bath filled with water. The deity’s fire stone sparked next and steam hovered in the air. Flames lit, illuminating the space with a soft glow.
Faust stared. It didn’t feel right for Vasil to do this for him. It was as if the deity expected a reward with this act.
Roe put his hands on his hips with a stern crease to his brow. “If you think that means you can bathe with Lord Arcus, it is out of the question.”
Vasil turned with a dark look. “Even I know when he needs privacy. I will not make advances he does not wish.”
Faust was grateful for Roe’s intervention. “Then I request you bathe elsewhere while I do the same. You still have blood in your hair.”
Vasil tugged at his hair. “There was a cleanup of the town not too long ago.” The deity grinned, and ran a hand through his hair, amused with himself.