Chapter 95: Chapter 84: Black Mamba

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Nyarlothep was known for its many luxuries the smaller islands could never afford. Parlors that traded pampering for coin, restaurants that served rare ingredients and dishes, theaters with nightly performances. It was obvious that those born in the capital were destined for affluence and indulgence, and the men who made it this far were rewarded with the same.

While the constant travel was bothersome, Cailu had grown quite fond of the grander lifestyles offered in Nyarlothep. It was like coming home each time he was called back—despite San being his designated island. The girls here were of a more refined breed, and they treated him like a king. At least, for the duration of his stay, he felt adequately remunerated for the grueling work he put into this world.

One comfort he enjoyed immensely was the large private bathhouses offered near many of the inns. A few extra Bells ensured no prying ears on confidential conversations. He and Naeemah were so often known to meet in the later hours at these establishments that owners rarely batted an eye.

“What did the queen have to say?” Naeemah leaned her head back against the smooth white ivory stones of the bath’s rim. Her dark hair was loosened from its tight hold and fell around her shoulders. Steam drifted from the water’s surface, tracing her bare throat and outlining the sharp line of her jaw.

Cailu breathed in the steam and exhaled slowly, enjoying the rapid surrender of tension in his body to the bath. “As always, Queen Nehalennia regaled me with many words that carried little meaning.”

“Just a friendly visit today, then?” Naeemah asked, still staring at the ceiling. The small lump in her throat bobbed with her words. “That’s unlike you.”

“Not all useless court gossip. A messenger brought word that another man had arrived on Shi Island. It caused quite a stir, as I am to understand.”

Naeemah’s head lulled to the side, her serpentine eyes widening but a fraction. “Matt made it, then?”

“So it seems. He was a wise gamble after all.” Cailu rolled his shoulders and slid deeper into the water. “It is impossible to gauge the Defiled threat he’ll face there and on Ichi. I’ve not been to either in years.”

“With Magni ruling? Ichi’s surely gone to shit,” Naeemah chuckled, but it didn’t warm the sad gleam in her gaze.

“You know I am a man of my word,” Cailu replied.

“Mmhm. And so I keep my patience.” She breathed deeply, and her breasts hovered near the surface.

Cailu drank in the sight of her as he did each time they shared a similar moment. However, they had never engaged in anything more intimate—they never would. It was an unspoken rule of trust between them. It would stain his spotless opinion of her, and she was well aware of what the others that prostrated themselves at his feet meant to him.

“Anything else you learned in your plays at politics?” Naeemah stretched her arms to either side and crossed one shapely leg over the other. “Or in the queen’s bedroom perhaps?”

You will never stop tempting me, though. Will you? “We’re needed back on San Island. Shulan and the outlying cities are having a difficult time fighting off both Encroachers and Defiled.”

She frowned. “That’s a shame. We’ve only just arrived.”

“Some weeks ago now,” Cailu laughed. They’d shifted back and forth between Nyarlothep and the outlying islands so often that it would make a lesser man’s head spin. The Defiled threat was too much for the Royal Guard and Queen’s Knights to handle by themselves anymore. As much as he and Naeemah could use a reprieve, the fall of the Queen would throw the world into chaos. “But it is welcome knowledge that I am not the only one to miss this place.”

“Not in the least. You know that I’m more accustomed to the palace games and administrative work that comes with it. Traveling and fighting are still newer to my repertoire.”

“No one would ever believe that if they’d borne witness to your skills in combat.” He shrugged and ran a hand through his hair. “You learn quickly.”

“A compliment? Are you feeling sentimental?” A tiny smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

“Perhaps.”

“Should we expect the announcement of another princess in Nyarlea soon?” Naeemah tilted her head and eyed him knowingly. “You were in her company for a painfully long time.”

Cailu chuckled. “What happened to your patience?”

Naeemah sighed. “You order me to remain in [Combat Mode] for the duration of your visits. Staring down nobility in their finery from behind a mask loses its charm after a while.”

“There may be such an announcement soon, yes.” Cailu rolled his shoulders and glanced at the ceiling. “There’s something else we should consider.”

“And what would that be?” Naeemah searched for the line of scented oils along the water’s edge and selected her two favorite bottles.

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Lavender and cedar. Cailu didn’t have to look to know. “Yomi’s replacement.”

Naeemah paused, fingers curling around each bottle. “We’ve managed well so far without her.”

“We need another healer.” He shook his head. “As much as I loathe the thought of finding and grooming yet another party member, if the worst should come we should be prepared.”

“For them to couple with another man and leave us out to dry once more?” Naeemah said sourly.

Whether she’d intended it or not, her words struck a still-live wire of anger with Matt. “I will give him the benefit of ignorance just once. But I will ensure he never does something so brash again.”

Naeemah sighed and uncapped the first bottle, tipping its contents free into her palm. She looked at him with lowered lids and a skeptical sneer. “I can say that’s more than you offer your catgirls.”

“Should I have turned you in after I found you trying to poison Magni?” he growled.

“You were different then.” She hummed, ignoring the blatant annoyance in his voice. “But it seems as if the topic of Yomi still aggravates you.”

Cailu leaned his temples against two fingers. Naeemah was the only woman in this world that he would allow this extent of emotional probing. At times it felt as if she abused her power knowingly, but even then he found it difficult to fault her. “Even with his short-comings, I find it difficult to believe he would have done something to so blatantly hinder my group.”

Dabbing the ointment beneath her jaw and across her chest, Naeemah slowly nodded. “Just from my observations, I agree with you. He had nothing to gain from slighting you, and in a fight, it was clear who would triumph.”

“That leaves a second, more disturbing option.” The sound of Yomi’s staff ringing echoed in Cailu’s ears, and he frowned. That girl was the devil incarnate. In his world before Nyarlea, they would have burned her at the stake at the first sign of her Enchantments.

“You believe she forced herself on him?” Naeemah murmured. The disgust on his face must have been more evident than he’d intended.

“Yes.”

“She– would she–?” Naeemah stammered in a rare loss for words. “That’s tantamount to suicide.”

“It is. Should a man report it to the right people,” Cailu agreed. “However, should Ravyn have discovered it first, I could see her persuading him to keep it to himself.”

“Ravyn? That foul-mouthed [Sorcerer] who abandoned us after a month? I thought her and Yomi had fallen out years ago.”

Cailu grinned as the picture came together. “Ravyn is a sentimental type. Her memories are often more important to her than the present.” He shook his head. “Gods above, I think she would still protect Yomi.”

“What will you do?” Naeemah slid her lathered fingers through her thick tendrils, but her rigid spine belayed that she was still attentively listening.

“There is nothing I can do. Yomi is gone. She can use that foul door to travel wherever her heart may take her. The kingdom does not have the resources to use to track her down and apprehend her, should our suspicions prove correct.”

“You could have let me cut her down on the spot,” she suggested nonchalantly.

You have fallen as far as I, Naeemah. “While the world would not mourn the loss of one kittengirl, I fear it would have severed all ties I built with Matt.”

“Then our only option is to find a new healer and let matters lie until you can speak with Matt.” She separated her hair into halves, pulling one section over each shoulder. “She may try to return to him.”

“Let her. I don’t believe she will find the sanctuary she seeks with him.” He traced the scar beneath her right eye with his gaze. One of their first Defiled battles had earned her that mark. “When we return to Shi, I need you to utilize your diplomacy and gather a group of potential healers while I work with the Guild Hall. Interview them, take your favorites into the field, and don’t bring them to me unless you believe they will stay.”

Naeemah blinked and worked her jaw. It was a menial task, but there was no one better for it. After the span of a few heartbeats, she nodded. “Consider it done.” She hoisted herself up over the edge of the bath. The droplets clung against her dark skin, glimmering in the light.

“What can I give you in exchange?”

“The same thing I have always wanted, Cailu.” She stood, wringing the water from her tail in one dexterous movement. “Keep your promise to me.”