“Basil?”
I look up, and Keen bends down, cupping my face. His thumbs wipe the tears from under my eyes, “It’s alright, Doll.”
“No. No, it’s not.” I shake my head and climb to my feet. His hands are falling from my face. “I’m so sick and tired of this damn place!” I stomp my feet and close my eyes.
I’m done.
“There, there, Doll,” Keen whispers, wrapping me in his arms. My fingers dig into the back of his leather vest.
“You just need some sleep and a hot bath.” He kisses my cheek and holds my hands. “Come along.” Keen smiles and I just want to hit him upside his head.
I wipe dirt, hair, and sweat off my face and take a proper look at what's spread out before us.
I gasp.
Keen chuckles, “Welcome to Steelwind. Home of the finest brothels around.”
My head jerks so quickly to gawk at Keen, I think I got whiplash. What in the Gods does he mean by brothels? Aren’t those whore houses? An awful feeling lights up in my belly.
Keen brings my hand up and kisses it. Never taking his eyes away from mine, “Relax, Basil. I don’t use brothels.”
I stare back in front of me and feel a heat blaze across my face. “Why would I care,” I mumble. Why indeed?
“Never said you did, Doll. I'm just letting you know.” He squeezes my hand and laughs softly.
Am I jealous? Actually, jealous of his past? How can that be? I shouldn’t be feeling this way.
“Let’s go to the Howling. Best Inn around, and it’s closest to the springs.”
I nod. What else could I say? It’s not like I know where we should go.
I blink my eyes, looking at what lays below me. The Mountain is carved into a bowl, and the city of Steelwind sits inside of it with the Castle far in the distance. From what I can see, shops and who knows what else is carved into the mountain’s sides. Trees and bushes are everywhere. Dark gray in color, they move with the wind. A gust bellows from the other side, causing a whistle-like noise to pierce the silence from here.
This is positively amazing. The path is smooth and slowly descends down into the heart of the City. The closer we get; the more people seem to be out. Their clothes range from dark gray to green with some slight touches of colors here and there.
Every building or shop we pass is made out of rock but the people. Not a friendly face around. They all look scared. Like the wrong breath of air could end their lives. I go to speak, but Keen slightly shakes his head.
No talking then. What is up with people? Is every city like this? No, Rosewell was a place of activity and laughing people.
Another ten minutes and a few narrow alleyways later, we walk through a door carved right into the mountain.
“Welcome to Howling!” A gigantic man with no hair and a beard hanging past his waist bustled over to us.
He squints in the fading light, “Keen? Is that you old chap?”
“It is indeed, Howl.” Keen chuckles and shakes the big man’s hand.
“Been a while, my boy.”
“You don’t say?” Keen says.
His big black eyes lock on me, and I slip behind Keen, just a bit.
“And who’s this?”
Keen squeezes my hand, “A friend.”
“A friend, you say?” Howl chuckles and winks at me.
I grow red and stare down at the smooth rock floor.
“I need a room, Howl. You got any?”
“Sure do. This way.”
I look up as warmth and noise reach me. It’s not as loud as Rosewell, but at least people are talking. Tables and chairs take up most of the room, and we have to squeeze in between a few.
The people stare at us with hate-filled eyes, and I step closer into Keen. I can feel their gazes burning holes in my back as we make it to the bar.
Keen pulls out a stool for me, and I sit my ass down, keeping my arms close to my body. Keen has his front to my back, caging my body in, and I feel a little better.
“Are the springs still included in the room?” Keen asks as Howl places a set of keys on the bar.
“It is,” Howl says. They share a glance, and I feel Keen tense behind me.
“Hanging day was last night.” Howl murmurs, picking up a rag and wiping the spotless bar down.
I watch as Keen’s fingers go white from gripping the bar.
"And?” Keen murmurs.
Howl shakes his head.
“Food than a bath, Doll?”
“Sure,” I mumble.
What exactly happened? I'm more confused than ever.
A bowl of steaming soup and a mug are sitting down in front of me from a young boy. I hope it's water. Yep. I drown the whole thing, straining to listen to Keen and Howl. But Keen’s in the seat next to me now, and their whispered words are too quiet for even me to hear.
I watch them closely as I eat what I think is potato soup.
Some silent single must pass between them because Keen stands up and holds his hand out to me when I’m finished with my food. Alrighty, then. Can this get any weirder?
CHAPTER TWELVE
Keen pulls me through the room and out the back door.
"Hey. What's going on?" I mumble as we follow the cliff face.
"You're going to love the springs." He says, and his eyes get extremely wide, and his eyebrows go way up.
He’s trying to tell me something. What that something is, I don’t have a clue, but I keep my mouth shut.
We follow the cliff face for some time, passing by doorways and stairs in the rock wall. I’m so tired and just want to go to sleep, but apparently something is going on that I don’t have a clue about like always.
Keen comes to a stop in front of yet another doorway carved into the mountain’s side. Being people of air, you would think they wouldn’t have built their homes and such inside a freaking mountain. That’s just asking for trouble, in my opinion, and doesn’t really make any sense. He gently pulls me down the dark tunnel, and I just have to ask.
“Where are we? I mean, this place doesn’t make a lot of sense.”
Keen shoots me a guilty look and bites at his bottom lip. “This is one of the seats of power for the Terra Kingdom.”
My mouth gaps open, and I’m completely confused. We go around a bend, and I blink my eyes as a bright light that fills my vision.
“What are you talking about? I thought you said we were going to Steelwind?” I study at Keen, feeling baffled and hurt. Why would he lie to me? Why do people lie in general? It causes more harm than it does good.
Voices up ahead have us both keeping our mouths shut, and I look away from Keen. We come into a vast steamy room. The heat has sweat starting to bead on my face. It’s stuffy in here, and I can hardly see through all of the steam.
I keep my mouth shut as Keen pulls me along the outside of the room. I can hear water splashing. Is this the bathhouse? It’s public?! My blood heats and red spreads along my face, just thinking about getting naked with Keen.
I curl my fingers and get rid of that thought. He lied to me. If he lied to me about something as trivial as which town we are in, what else could he have lied to me about? I say a whole lot of shit. I’m starting to get pissed the longer I think about it. I grit my teeth and follow along behind him. What else am I to do?