Chapter 14
“Are there any rooms available?” Nadine asked in a polite but desperate voice as she stood at the long counter that had been worn smooth by the grease and oil of hands passed over it throughout the years.
“As a matter of fact, we do have one room left.” The short, wrinkled innkeeper said as she turned to the wall behind her and removed the key belonging to the vacant room. Nadine and Jian let out a sigh of relief when she slapped the key onto the old counter. The front desk also served as a bar farther down into the convenient nook and stools stood empty at the bar.
“We’ll take it.” Jian said pulling his purse from his pocket. While Jian paid for the room, Nadine left the desk and took a few restless steps into the main room of the inn. There were round tables scattered around the room with chairs strewn carelessly around them. The chairs were full of people drinking and smoking. There were songs being sung and games being played. At the far end of the room, a great stone fireplace stood with animal antlers hanging over it. Stories of past travels were being told at the fireplace. The room was slightly separated from the small foyer they were in, and to the immediate left of Nadine was the stairway. The stairs were hidden by a wall to the front desk but to the common room it was clearly visible.
“Ready?” Jian asked as he walked up behind her.
“Yeah, let’s go.” Nadine said and began to climb the stairs. When they reached the top, Jian stepped in front of her leading her to the right and led the way to their room which was at the end of a long hall and to the right. Before Jian opened the door to their room, the door behind them opened and a woman in a form fitting green dress came out. Her hair was bright red and curlier than any hair Nadine or Jian had ever seen. Her eyes were bright green and had an angry determination branded deeply in them. Her gold necklace dangled furiously from her graceful neck.
“Good evening.” Jian said the mysterious woman with the red hair walked down the hall away from the couple giving nothing but a scornful glare. Jian shrugged and opened the door, allowing Nadine in the room before him. Nadine walked into the dark and slowly found the lamp when she lit it the room was bathed in a warm light. There was one dark window on the left side of the room, lace curtains hung lifeless in front of it with flowers and spider webs stitched into them. The room was of sufficient size complete with a bed in the middle of the wall, next to the window, a bedside table stood on the opposite side of the bed, a small dresser with an oval mirror stood against the wall opposite the bed, and a desk complete with chair. The walls were stained a light gold, like a tiger’s eye.
“This is such a lovely room!” Nadine exclaimed and Jian came from behind her wrapping his arms around her stomach and resting his chin on her shoulder took a deep breath.
“It’s fitting for such a lovely woman.” Jian said into Nadine’s ear. She giggled and Jian kissed her neck softly, making Nadine close her eyes; her breath fluttered gently from her lips, she melted to his body.
“I hope we find Finn and Anook soon.” She said, sobering quickly.
“I hope I can get some sleep tonight. You’re a very distracting person.” Jian said as he continued to kiss a line up Nadine’s neck. Nadine held Jian’s hands to her stomach and sighed with the knowing she had to resist him.
“We’ll find them tomorrow; I can feel it.”   

Anook woke with the sun in her eyes, the room shining a cheerful cherry glow made by the light that was streaming in her window. She snuggled deeper under her warm quilt and nuzzled her head into the soft pillow with a pleasant moan. Anook drifted back to sleep with a smile on her face again, it was easy to sleep with the soft sheets against her skin. She stayed asleep for what seemed forever and was comfortable. Awakened by a knock at the door Anook slowly swam to the surface of her liquid sleep. The knock came again, a little louder now. Anook groaned softly and rolled herself out of the warm bed, keeping her feet under her, falling to a crouch next to the bed.
“Coming.” Anook said with her eyes still shut; she shivered at the cold room. Anook pried her eyes open before she shuffled to the door and undid the bolt. She opened the door a crack and stood halfway in the opening. Finn stood there and at the sight of her went rigid; he scanned her from head to foot with wide eyes then quickly spun putting his back to her and his hand to his forehead in embarrassment.
“Anook…can you do something about your apparel?” Finn stammered and Anook could see the back of his ears turning a vivid scarlet. Anook looked down at herself and let out a startled cry. She stumbled backwards, tripping over the corner of the bed. She sprang up and tried to run again, tripping over the desk. Anook finally managed to pull the sheet off the bed and onto the floor with her. She wrapped herself tightly in it and cowered in the corner blushing furiously. Finn had heard the racket behind him and turned around in time to see her tripping and scrambling over herself; he was laughing so hard, tears were coming from his eyes and he had to hold his stomach. Finn walked in before closing the door after himself, still laughing, and crouched in front of Anook who looked like a cat that had just been thrown into a pond, angry as hell.
“Stop laughing.” Anook snapped, cowering in her corner under the window. Finn just laughed harder in his attempt to sober himself and in the process fell down onto his back “I am not kidding! Stop laughing at me!” Anook said with a small smile on her face. Finn finally managed to bring his uproarious laughter down to a small chuckle.
“I’m not laughing at you,” he finally said with a sober face and voice. Anook gave him a serious look and he burst back into his uncontrollable laughter. Finn was rolling on the floor laughing and Anook shoved his thigh away with the heel of her foot.
“Yeah, sure you’re not. Come on, get out and let me put some clothes on.” Anook said wrapping the sheet around her, covering as much as she could and cautiously stood up, stepping over Finn’s legs that were sprawled across the dark wood floor. “Come on, get out, I may have answered the door naked but you’ll never see it again, so get out.” Anook opened the door with her free arm and held it open for the giggling Finn, who was still spread out on his stomach.
“I’m going,” Finn pushed himself up, and stood red faced in front of the window.
“Why did you come this early anyway?” Anook asked leaning against the door, the sheet clenched in a death grip under her arms.
“I was going to ask if you wanted to go to breakfast with me, but…” Finn paused and looked at Anook wrapped tightly in her sheets “it doesn’t look like you’re up to going anywhere right now.” Finn started laughing again and walked past Anook.
“Wait! Let me get dressed and I’ll come down with you.” Anook slammed the door in his face and raced to get dressed. She threw on a light-weight, white traveling dress with forest green lining at the neck and sleeves and tied her hair up in a sloppy knot while she opened the door to reveal Finn’s back; his hair was a waving and shining mass falling to his broad shoulders. Anook grabbed Finn’s upper arm and dragged him into her room. She shut the door again and pushed him against it, her hands embedding in the front of his shirt. Anook stopped a breath away from Finn’s lips and matched his quick breaths with her own.
“We have to stop meeting like this.” Finn said before Anook pushed her lips against his. Finn opened his mouth and their tongues joined together in a dance. When Finn raised his arms to Anook’s back, she broke away from him and reached for the door handle next to his waist.
“I’m hungry, let’s go.” Anook said as she opened the door against him, forcing him to move aside. She glided out the door with Finn staring out after her. She turned the corner and went down the steps.
“Oh she is a cruel, cruel woman…” Finn sighed touching his lips with just his fingertips. He went out after her shutting the door behind him.

Nadine rolled over onto her stomach, flaying her arms across the bed, the blankets at her waist. The muffled sound of birds chirping reached her ears. She opened her eyes and looked out the small sliver of window she could see from the angle she was at. A groan rose up from next to the bed and Nadine looked over the left side. Jian was laying on the floor, curled up in a fetal position on his side. A single pillow was under his head and a thin blanket covered him from foot to shoulder.
Nadine scooted over to that side of the bed and stared at Jian’s sleeping form. She stared in awe at the gorgeous man sleeping on her floor. He moved, rolling over onto his stomach and Nadine dropped her arm off the bed, rubbing his back between his shoulder blades. Jian lifted his head ever so slightly and looked at Nadine with sleep-filled-eyes.
“Good morning.” Nadine said sweetly. Jian simply glared at her, finally letting a grunt escape his lips. Nadine took that as an invitation and sliding out of bed, she straddled the small of Jian’s back. She began to massage his bare shoulders, working out small knots, making Jian groan with each push of her fingers. “I say, we go down, get some breakfast, then start out and look for Anook and Finn again.” Nadine said in a voice that could be passed as seductive. Jian rolled his eyes so he could see her and smiled.
“Can’t we just stay here?” He groggily asked as he tried to roll over onto his back. Nadine gave him some room and then straddled his waist when he was laying flat again. Jian laid his hands restlessly on the side of Nadine’s hips.
“Nope, sorry, we’ve got to find them.” Nadine said rolling off him and padding over to where she dropped her pack the night before. Nadine changed from her nightdress to her traveling dress before Jian even got to is knees. Jian was mumbling things under his breath about the evils of women and the world and hard floors; Nadine paid him no mind.
“Come on Jian, treat me to breakfast.” Nadine said as she glided out the door.
“I hate women.” Was all Jian said as he stiffly staggered out of their room; Nadine had stopped to wait for him and held her hand out to him. He took it and they walked to the staircase. They walked down a few steps and Nadine looked down to observe the few morning people in the common room. She spotted a woman in a white traveling dress and a black knot of hair tied at the back of her head. She was talking to a man with dark wavy hair that reached down to the bottom of his neck; it shone like curls after a rainstorm.
“Jian!” Nadine said as she quickly dropped his hand. “Do you see who I see?” Jian looked down to where she was staring with wide eyes of shock. Jian saw who she was staring at and openly gaped at them. While they were staring, the man with the rainstorm hair reached across the table for the woman in white’s hand. Nadine ran down the stares and jumped off the last step.
“Nadine, calm down; Nadine!” Jian raced after her, trying to prevent another legendary fight between Anook and Nadine. Nadine reached the table before Jian reached her.
“Anook, what the hell is going on?” Nadine asked placing her hands on her hips like a mother who had caught her child in the cookie jar. Finn slowly let go of Anook’s hand and drew his own hand back into his lap in fear of what Nadine might do to it. Jian stood behind Nadine mouthing ‘I’m sorry’ and begging forgiveness with his hands.
“Nadine! You’re here! When did you arrive?” Anook said as she rose and tried to give Nadine a hug. Nadine grabbed Anook’s arm and dragged her to the other side of the room. When they were safely out of hearing range Nadine exploded.
“What the hell is going on between you two? You’re supposed to be a princess with strict courting and celibacy rules! If we were back in the courts you wouldn’t even have...” Nadine cut herself off with a sort of horrified look on her face. “Oh my God; please tell me I did not just say all of that…please tell me that’s not what I just did.” Nadine said covering her mouth with her hand in disgust.
“Yes, you just sounded exactly like the way Nurse used to sound. Now please stop, you remind me of a nun.” Anook said holding back her laughter but not her smile. Nadine scrubbed her face with her
“Ok, so what is really going on? Give me all the juicy details!” Nadine giggled and Anook nodded.
“That’s the Nadine I know. I’ll tell you everything later but Jian looks like he’s really about to cry.” Anook started back to the table and Nadine followed. They pulled up two more chairs and the four of them ate breakfast together as a group.

“What is the latest report on the troops I sent to Genavine?” The hooded figure asked the guard as they strolled up the sunny outdoor hallways.
“None have reported back yet my Liege.” The guard answered as the shadowed form crouched down in front of a bird on the side of the walkway. It was holding birdseed in its hand for the bird to eat while instructions were given to the guard, straight from the shadow.
“I want you to find me the name of the best hit-man in all of Storm Island. When you find it, I want it so I may enter and control their mind. I want certain people dead and I want those people dead now.” The figure shrouded in the crimson cloak said. The tropical wind blew and the figure turned to face the wind with a comfortable smile.
“Beautiful day isn’t it? It would be a shame to waste it. Is there anyone in the dungeons today?”
“Yes”
“May we torture them outdoors today? It’s such a nice day, I would hate to be cooped up inside.” It asked in a hopeful voice.
“Of course my Liege, whatever you wish is my wish as well.” The guard marched off, after giving a short bow, to the dungeons to pick up a victim.

Andrew scurried through the grounds of the castle which was once again inhabited by the King and his family. With the roll of parchment clutched tightly in his hand Andrew stopped to speak with no one and to see nothing; his job was fulfilled and he was to see the King. He picked his way through the familiar castle to where the King took his calls and did his business and knocked on the door.
“Come in.” a rumbling voice commanded from the other side of the door. Andrew opened the door with a flourish and stepped inside. He gave a short bow to the King and scampered to his side.
“Your Majesty! I have the information you’ve requested.” Andrew held up the scroll clutched in his fist.
“Well let me see it you fool!” The King said with impatience and excitement. Andrew handed him the paper and explained everything as the King read it.
“The prisoner’s name was Robert Higgins; he came from Sheron City, just like the sorcerer. He was a respected hit-man among the thieves there. His mother’s name is Noelle Higgins; she’s a woman of herbs and ointments there. I could not find who hired him though, Highness.” The King finished reading the parchment as Andrew spoke. He looked up and said,
“Order some troops together, send their commanders up here so I may give them orders.”
“Yes sir.” Andrew squeaked and he rushed out of the room without bowing. About half an hour later, five generals were at the door of the King’s room. General Elun knocked on the door and the rolling voice of the King beckoned them in. The five generals shuffled into the room and each gave a bow to the King. He rose from his chair as the bows were given and went to the bookshelf behind him. He retrieved a long roll of paper tied securely with a black ribbon. The King untied the roll as he walked to a large planning table in the corner.
“Come here, I want to show you something.” The King said, unrolling the paper flat on the table, securing the ends with heavy figurines. Without a word, the generals walked to the table and spread around it to see what it was that the King was showing; it was a map.
“This, as you all know, is where we are.” The king pointed a large, gnarled finger to a dot on the map, then slid his finger to another dot and pointed to Storm Island and said, “This is where I want troops. How long do you think it would take for you to get there and how many troops can we spare?” The King asked looking expectantly at the generals.
“Your highness?” one of the generals asked, clearly confused.
“I want troops on Storm Island; I want the source behind the latest attack destroyed. Put the troops there undercover.” The king said as he walked back to his desk. The men looked at each other and began to confer silently about what the king wanted. Finally General Elun spoke up to the king.
“We think we can spare three fully armed troops and still make them look inconspicuous.”
“Good; who will be leading them?” the generals all looked at each other and shrugged.
“I guess I could do it, Sire.” General Elun said.
“Set out immediately.” 


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