When All is Lost

11.

Nate and I slip into the darkness under the palace gate and make our way down the familiar thoroughfare. The houses loom over us as usual, and the shadows are thick. I can feel the sprites flowing through them like water and I'm comforted by their presence. We've never left the palace alone before, and I'm conscious that if ever my role of bodyguard was essential it's now. Nate has no idea how much training I've received, I quietly hope he never finds out. He tugs up his collar beside me, partly to hide his face but also to keep off the brutal wind that's howling against us. I reach up to do the same, tucking the mass of dark curls into my coat to stop them whipping at my face. My movement attracts his attention, and he glances over, I offer a smile and he laughs, shaking his head.

"I can't stop smiling." He says with a grin, I laugh feeling the same. "There are so many things I need to be thinking about, focusing on, but all I keep coming back to is you."

I beam at him, amazed that he could feel that way. Maybe it's the adrenaline or the strangeness of the whole thing, but something about that kiss has thrown me to the wind and I'm having difficulty pulling myself back together.

"Are you saying I'm a distraction?" I grin, teasing.

"Oh, definitely." He laughs, I pull us off the main street where there is little chance to talk as we move through the alleyways and courtyards of Nine Tails. While I am familiar with this district, I'm not careless enough to risk losing focus as we travel through it. It's home to pirates, thieves, and unregistered magicians. Everything dark and sinister comes to rest in Nine Tails.

We hit the water sooner than I expect and in turn, we are hit with its stench. Sewage and waste from the tannery yards empty out here and it's like walking into a wall of death. I pull my coat collar around my face as Nate does the same and we share a look, it's never been this bad before. We sidle around a few buildings, hugging the walls in places to avoid the mess in the streets, and then we are jumping over streams of the stuff. It feels like the whole district is sinking into the sea. I can see Nate's mind working and am relieved I don't have to worry about it, the Kingdom's welfare is his job.

I pause as we reach a courtyard. Ahead is the building I know my father uses, beside it, three floors up, nestled between buildings, an airship hovers. It's stunning, sleek and beautifully cared for. I can tell from the design that it's a few generations old but it still takes my breath away. I've always loved airships, something about the combination of engineering and magic fills me with awe.

"Charlotte" Nate whispers, noticing where my attention sits and I drag it away.

"Hold a second, I want to make sure we're safe," I whisper back to him. The courtyard ahead has far too many places for someone to hide.

I call Inkspot to me, I want his protection now. He appears, slipping around my neck and nestling in my black hair. I can feel him trickle through it like a river over rocks. What I don't feel is any sense of danger, instead, he slips smoothly over my skin. Soothing and calming my nerves at what might follow.

I open the door and we slip inside, stopping dead at the sight before us.

We've entered a den of angry pirates. For a moment I'm on my guard, doubting my father and instinctively shift into a defensive stance.

The room is hot, a fire burns brightly in a corner and there are over 20 bodies in front of us. Scanning the room, I notice fairies, their sharp features accentuated as they ready to fight. They hover over hobgoblins, stubby round figures holding clubs double their size tipped in glass, nails, or shards of metal. Behind them, there are elves, pixies and a salamander, his lava-like skin the main source of heat. In the middle of them all Adam's barman is watching us, his blond hair unruly and his blue eyes shining with interest at us. As I recognise him he shakes his head at me, as if asking me to keep quiet.