She nodded her head. "Adelade." Her eyes went to Detrand and she nodded at him as well, but with a touch more respect. "Sir. You require my services tonight at the docks, correct?"
"Yes, there's a new shipment of goods being brought in."
"And Stefano? Isn’t that his job?”
Detrand frowned. "Not that it's any of your business, but Stefano will stay at the docks to watch over the first set of goods they’re to deliver. You will enter the boat with me and count over the remaining goods, then stay on board to keep an eye out while I renegotiate the terms of our contract. You will also be there in case anything happens. If there is any kind of mutiny or trouble, you will get Adelade to safety."
At this, I huffed and Samira's eyes went to me again, roaming over me curiously. I was used to people staring at me by now but it still made me bristle. I knew what everyone was thinking: why would the master of the city be interested in a puny human like me?
It was a good question but one I tired of nonetheless. I met her gaze with my own, not looking away.
At this, she did turn away, looking up at Detrand. "If that is what you wish, I am yours to command." She gave him a low bow, then turned on her heel. "I will wait for you outside."
I watched her go, wondering what was going on in that head of hers, but Detrand didn’t seem too bothered. He took my hand, tugging me towards the kitchen. "Come eat, then we will leave."
As soon as we entered the dining hall, the servants came out, placing the soup and bread in front of where I usually sat. It still felt strange to be served since I was so accustomed to doing everything myself.
After a moment, Lula entered the room, an exhausted look on her face.
"Are you hungry?" I asked her, smiling. It was always amazing to see her, though she was often attending Elena in her room now.
"Starving."
“Come sit with us." I pat the chair next to me and she sat down.
Within moments, she had food and drink in front of her, passing something over to the server before she settled in. I blanched as my eyes landed on the bloody rag as the server walked back into the kitchen with it.
"How's Elena?" I asked her.
"Fine." She gave me a meaningful look before taking a sip from her spoon.
“I see.” I understood, nodding. She was not fine, under a severe depression, and refusing to heal herself with blood. So far, with the exception of that one day when Elena had met us in the graveyard, she'd refused to come out of her room, and asked us not to speak about her in front of Detrand. She was still upset that he didn’t let her die that night.
He scowled but turned away seeming to understand, and didn't press the issue. Instead, he changed the subject, beginning to converse with Lula about whether she wanted to resume her training with Landon. I was grateful for his intervention and his great patience with us. When I was done, I rose, bending over to kiss Lula on the cheek and promising to spend time with her later. Detrand took my hand, whisking me away after Lula's goodbye, then we were off to the docks.
4
Detrand
I stood on the shore looking out towards the great swell of water as a small rowboat glided towards us, emerging through the fog like a ghost.
Samira stood on one side of me, a step behind, and Adelade was on the other, her small hand in mine. A strange darkness engulfed the harbor and my strigoi senses were on high alert. I pulled Adelade a bit closer, ensuring she was only a breath away from me if I needed to protect her.
I turned my head slightly, just enough to study Samira’s face. Her long, black hair was pulled back but it still blew about her face, catching in her long eyelashes. She was Bronson's replacement and had just come from the Ames de la Terra, a place for reforming supernaturals.
In the time after accepting her, she’d proven to be a vengeful and powerful strigoi, and I knew that she could kill me if I didn’t watch my back.
I also knew that she held a deep-seated hatred for her master and so I kept her, inferring that he was deeply sadistic and cruel, and that her behavior was a result of his training. I held it my responsibility to teach her to control her thirst and bloodlust and that there were ways to live in this world without giving in to the brutality that so often of our kind did.
Her dark blue eyes were intense and they followed the men on the rowboat as they drew closer. Unable to determine if she was hungry, I pushed my senses out gently to discover her mood and her face snapped to me. She had to look up to meet my eyes because even though she was tall for her gender, she was still shorter than me. I held her stare, daring her to say something but she just looked back at the boat.
“We don’t partake of the staff. If these men work for me, you’ll find your meal elsewhere.”
She nodded and I turned back to the small boat, noting Adelade’s curiosity for Samira. This sentiment, curiosity, was a very human emotion. The passage of time for me seemed to bleed one day into another, one person into another. I was, however, finding hers refreshing and, through Adelade’s human peculiarities, was beginning to feel more alive than I had in years.
This was another added benefit to having Adelade in my life and I hoped that it would continue to fuel me for all the days of our lives.
As soon as the boat hit the bank, Samira vaulted over the rocks to land gracefully beside it and then climbed inside. I was more patient with my Firewitch and climbed carefully over the stones, still holding her hand to steady her as we made our way to the boat. Then, grabbing her by her waist, plucked her from the ground and into the boat, and soon we were gliding over the water.
When the rowboat hit the side of ship, I grasped the rope ladder and, after guiding Adelade in front of me, climbed aboard. Captain Williams was waiting for us and he held his hand out to help Adelade climb into the ship.
As soon as we were all settled, he grasped my hand and shook it vigorously. “Detrand, Sir. Good to meet ya. I’ve heard lots of stories about you, most of them good.” His laughter rumbled from deep within his large chest and it rolled out of him with ease.
I didn’t attempt to smile in return but only nodded. He moved forward, ignoring my seriousness and I followed him to the cargo hold with Adelade and Samira at my heels.
“You’ve already seen the goods we’ve moved to harbor?” After I nodded, he continued. “As you can see, we’ve moved the rest up here. Your assistants can count them and then make payment to my porter, John. In the morning, we’ll move these out and collect the ones you have waiting.”
I moved as he talked, mentally counting the boxes and going over the list I’d memorized from the shipping log. I probed him softly and once I was assured that his intentions were honorable, I gave him a nod.
His grin spread out over his face. “Great, now let’s allow the hired help to work their magic and go have a spot of rum, shall we?” He laughed again and my glance at Samira affirmed my feeling that she didn’t appreciate being called the ‘help.’
I took Adelade’s side and, pulling her closer to me, introduced the two. “This is Adelade, she will stay with me.”
He eyed her curiously but, at my responding grin, his smile slipped off his face. My teeth were sharp and gave any living pause, and then I held out my hand to gesture that we move to his office. After swallowing hard, he smiled back at me even though this time it was forced, and he tentatively led us to his office.