The Song of Blood and Bone

Chapter Seven

The Inn that they decided on smells like rotting wood and ale, but it was a place to stay. Unfortunately the keeper only had a room with two beds for the four of them. The floor seemed better than the beds anyway. The sheets had several stains and the pillows have an awful stench to them. However the floor wasn’t perfect, there was so much dirt and dust that you could hardly tell the color of the tile.

All four of the walls had a picture or a tapestry that hung neatly on the wall, it is the only neat thing in the room. In the corner is a small table that held matches and a candle stick. Above that is a window that watches over the ocean. The best part about the room is the view and all of the agreed.

“So who will get the bed and who will have the floor?” Avyil asked.

“We can deal with that later, but for now Lith and I are going to secure our ride to Havana. Avyil if you don’t mind can you train Aliyah?”

“Aye, aye captain,” Avyil said sarcastically. Its true though, since they found Sandgulf Hayden has been cranky. Perhaps because they got to it a few days earlier, he was mad. No one knew why, but something was under his skin.

“Can you bring back supper?” Aliyah dared to ask. “If this is what the rooms are like I’m terrified of what the food will look like. Hayden nodded than left with Lith trailing after him.

Avyil and Aliyah both looked at each other. He already had an evil grin on his face. “Get into your stance,” he said with his hands behind his back. Aliyah slid her right foot back and dug her heel into the ground to give her more balance. She ducked her head slightly behind he raised fists to provide an easier block.

Without any warning Avyil began to attack. She ducked and twisted her body forward, putting all of her body weight into the punch but he side stepped and swung at her. Aliyah moved to the left then the right to avoid the hits, with grace she went to trip him but he anticipated it and she knew that so mid movement she changed her stance and swung for his face. Her fist connected with his cheek, but they kept going. He attacked on her left but she easily dodged. Jumping back she barely missed his second attack. She dodged his next attack than swung low. She hit him in his ribs.

Aliyah grunted as he got her in the jaw but she put the anger towards fighting back. Eventually her movements became quick and swift, her body found a rhythm attack, dodge, attack. They fought and she started to feel the air around her move with their movements, she could hear Avyil’s steady breathing. Everything around Aliyah came to life, the stench ten times stronger, but you could also feel the joy coming from Avyil. As he made each move she could feel every muscle stretch and move. Every attack she could feel the pounding in her chest as her excitement rose. The two seemed to be dancing a dangerous dance, but it was as graceful as a ballet. Their moves synced with one another as they kept fighting.

Eventually they lost track of time and the door opened to reveal Hayden and Lith. Lith went to speak but Hayden stoped him. He watched the dance until Aliyah landed another hit on Avyil, but he bounced back and begun a rapid attack, Aliyah dodged his advances until she missed his foot. She feel to the ground with a soft thud but she got back up and attacked relentlessly until Avyil was forced on the bed. Hayden and Lith erupted in applause.

“Do you have your Fae abilities now? No human would have been able to land a single hit. Something changed, didn’t it? You’re attacks went from sloppy to elegant in seconds.” Avyil mused with a smile on his face.

Aliyah nodded than realize her canines were sharper. And her body felt different somehow almost lighter. “I could feel everything, hear everything, see everything. It was amazing, I have never known that feeling.” The men chuckled. Hayden moved to the center of the room. In his hands is a pot of stew that has a delicious smell. “You are the bringer of good news , I’m starved.” Aliya licked her lips, which only then did she realize the cut. The taste of iron filled her mouth.

“Don’t worry Avyil looks worse than you. So did you find out what your special ability is?” Aliyah’s brows furrowed. She forgot about that part, what if she was the only one with no special abilities? Lith handed her a bowl and she began filling it. She looked at Hayden.

“No I didn’t. Does that mean I don’t have one?” Her voice was filled with worry but she didn’t know why. After all she had only thought she was mortal so why were abilities so important to her now?

“No, your special abilities will manifest and develop throughout the weeks. Mine developed when I was hunting with my father.” Lith said, he thew his bowl on the table. “My father and I had a few arrows left and we were on our way back to the village. That’s where we were confronted by a mountain lion. He attacked and my father fought the best he could, he was beat badly so without any thought I turned.”

“Mine were developed when I was in a battle, all of my allies were killed. I had was able to stop their breathing by cutting of the air.” Aliyah sat down to listen discarding her bowl on the table.

“What about you, Hayden?”

“I’m tired.” Hayden replied.

Hayden laid down on the floor an wrapped himself in a thin grey blanket. He turned toward the wall away from everyone.

Without saying a word to anyone Aliyah walked out. She went down the narrow hall to the door where she was greeted with fresh air. The air smells of the sea and it made her head fill clear. She looked around and noticed a little tavern. So she went there. Immediately after walking in she was greeted by the smell of wine. The bar had an open seat so she helped herself.

Several people began to look at her with confusion. “Ale,” she told the hostess that gave her a dirty look, she noticed everyone was looking at her men wear, but she didn’t care. Aliyah found it more comfortable that dresses and corsets anyway.

“Who might you be?” A man next to her asked. So she looked towards him. His honey suckle skin, deep green eyes and black hair mesmerized her. He truly is a handsome man. Aliyah chugged her ale and immediately felt the effects.

“Lillian, and you?”

“Ronald.” Aliyah smashed her lips into his and he pulled her hair. Her arms wrapped around his neck as she felt his hand up her thigh. Within a second the man was ripped away from her and there stood Hayden as angry as ever. Aliyah signaled for more ale and the hostess filled her glass. This glass was no different from the last, she gulped it down.

“What are you doing?”

“Getting drunk, Hayden.”

“Why?” Hayden asked clearly fuming but Aliyah filled her cup and drank more.

She scoffed at him. “Why do- do you care? Humph?” She hiccuped than started giggling.

“You need to stop!” Aliyah finished her third glass and set it down.

“Now I will. But i will not go back to that retched room. I cannot be there with them with you.” Aliyah looked at Hayden and bit her lip, forgetting about the cut.

Hayden looked at her and c****d an eyebrow. “And why not?”

“Oh look more ale!” Aliyah drank every last drop before belching. She looked back at Hayden. “Because of my desire for you. Rowyn died nearly a week ago. But I felt so trapped with him. But you I feel free!” Aliyah hiccuped again. “ I feel so comfortable so happy with you. And I’ve only just met you!”

“We’re mates, Aliyah. We’re supposed to be together, we’re supposed to be with each other.” Hayden said quietly. His eyes revealed sadness in them. Aliyah hiccuped and looked at Hayden, truly looked at him for the first time.

Her breath caught in her throat, mates are Fae’s soulmate they’re made for each other specifically, but Aliyah didn’t know why. She got up and walked out swaying back and forth as if she’d fall any moment, but Hayden was right there trying to balance her. She walked to the woods behind the tavern and fell on her back. The stars were barely visible through the clouds but she still caught glimpses.

Hayden laid down next to her. She debated for a minute what she should do until her body took over. Aliyah sunk her teeth into Hayden’s neck. Her new canines easily cut through the skin. She knew nothing of Fae customs so she didn’t know why her body burned to do that. Hayden returned the favor and bit her. Aliyah’s sucked in a breath as she felt something snap into place.

Chills were sent up her body as Hayden’s hands felt her every curve. He stopped at her breasts. Hayden looked Aliyah in the eyes and she suddenly felt so drunk. As fast as she could she turned away and vomited all over the place. Instead of yelling or cursing her Hayden held her hair for her and rubbed her back. She leaned into him when she was done.

Sweet tunes filled the air as Hayden began to hum. Even with her back to him she could see his smile plastered on his face. She closed her eyes and began to drift to sleep.

……………………

Aliyah woke with a pounding headache, she had never been drunk before, but something told her this was a product of the ale. She she had been tipsy but never drunk and she knew this would be the last time. She rolled over to see Hayden who was still asleep. The two identical holes in her neck made her remember what happened last night.

Shaking him awake to confirm her thoughts she began to panic. He sat up immediately and looked around.

“What’s wrong?”

“What happened last night? I mean I think we completed the mate bond but I don’t know. I don’t know.”

“We.. we completed the bond. Nothing can break it now. I’m sorry. I should have stopped you.”

Aliyah was relieved, more than mad and she didn’t know why. She got up and looked down on Hayden. “We should get our stuff so we can leave.” Hayden nodded and smiled at Aliyah. It was only a pity smile. The boys saved them a trip back to the stinky room. There they were standing at the back of the tavern looking at them.

“Nice for you to join us,” Lith said angrily. “We were worried about-“ he stoped dead in his tracks when he noticed the mating mark. He smiled at the two of them. It was rare to find your mate so young, but Aliyah must be one of the lucky few. “Mates. I cannot believe you finally sealed the deal. I mean its only been a few days but normally with mates its instant.”

“Stop, lets go please.” Hayden said. The rest of the way to the boat the were silent. They boarded the boat silently. Aliyah opened her mouth to speak but closed it and leaned against the rail of the ship. Hayden leaned next to her but didn’t say a word.

“It will be a two week boat ride, we’re lucky its not longer. We’ll dock in a few towns to refresh and gather more food. There are beds under the dock.” Hayden said while still looking out to the sea. The captain began to move the boat. Aliyah was surprised at how slow it moved, she had never been on a boat though she wanted to.

It wasn’t as fun as everyone says it to be, but the excitement of going to a new land kept her spirts up. Lith grabbed the railing beside Aliyah.

“Can I talk to Aliyah? Alone please.” Aliyah looked at Hayden. His stance suggested a hard ‘no’ but he nodded his head and walked below deck with his bags.

Aliyah turned back to the water, she had a feeling she knew where this was going. “I know its hard Aliyah, the mating bond. In your circumstance it must be very difficult. I have been in that position before. My wife died, she was murdered by my mate. It gave me rage and hate for her, but I still completed the mating bond. From there we decided to separate. I couldn’t deal with the pain she caused.”

“Hayden didn’t kill Rowyn, did he?” Aliyah looked at Lith searching his face for answers.

“No, he didn’t. I was explaining I know the feeling and guilt of completing the mating bond even though you just lost someone you love.” Lith put his hand on Aliyah’s shoulder and gave her a small nod. In all honesty she didn’t know how to feel. She didn’t know much about mates but she had a feeling it was more complicated.

“I loved Rowyn, but I didn’t feel free with him. I had to stay there because he was there, but it is not like he told me to stay. It just felt like I needed to stay, like I had an obligation to. Do not get me wrong I do love him and I was happy but I was missing all of this,” she fanned out her hand to the vast ocean. “In a way I’m glad things changed, but I’m also upset the way they happened. I should have told him my desire a long time ago, in my heart I couldn’t. Now I have these feelings of regret and guilt.”

“If I could suggest something.” Aliyah didn’t know why she was listening to him or spilling her secrets but it felt nice. So she nodded. “Give Hayden a chance, he’s a great guy.”

The endless possibilities rolled around in Aliyah’s head, a future with Hayden or a future without him lost in solitude. She didn’t know what a future with him would look like but as of right now she knew they would have to be friends, companions. Though she undeniably felt a connection to Hayden she needed to have proper time to grieve. Rowyn had been a big part of her life after all, it didn’t feel right to explore a different relationship.

With that out of the way and decided she looked out to the sea. Its beautiful dark blue waves peacefully bounced off of itself creating a chain reaction. Lith left Aliyah to stand there for a little while to bask in the beautiful scenery. Soon she’d have to begin training, but she didn’t want to. Her ‘sea legs’, she head one of the men say, were non-existent. So for the next 30 minutes she spent walking up and down the side of the boat trying to get balanced.