Escape to the Sea (Tangled Hearts #1)

Epilogue

Sylf

The moment Mithrai escaped, there were only three possible options for handling the fallout of this misadventure. Tomlyn’s arrest narrowed that to one.

Market vendors stop and pause, the busybodies in the heart of the Belly passing to scurry out of my way, staring in a mixture of uncertainty and fear.

It makes sense: Benny’s Dozen are scouring the alleys of the Trunk looking to rip my head off and I doubt they’ve tried to keep it a secret.

But I’m sure it has more to do with the fact I’m armed to the teeth and strutting through the Belly in the minimal midday light available: my bow at my back, the mini crossbow at one hip, my quiver full, and the silver heart dagger gleaming at my other hip, the crow’s red eyes bright like rubies.

There are eyes on me from the shadows, and a seabird circling too pointedly over me. Mithrai even has the audacity to attempt to shit on me from above, as if I wouldn’t easily sidestep such a crude gesture. He flies off ahead of me. It doesn’t matter. In fact, I’d rather Benny know I’m coming.

The tense hesitation of the streets falls away the moment I enter the red light district, the alleys, brothels, and meager building fronts lined with groups of Benny's Boys. Most of them are mid-tier, the lackeys under the Dozen.

As I near the Horns and Tails, there’s a cry from my left. “You killed Ling, you bitch!”

I don’t hesitate as I take hold of the crossbow and fire, the pre-loaded bolt landing in his shoulder. He howls in pain, dropping the shortsword and falls to the ground. I keep walking, reloading the bolt and holstering the crossbow.

When I reach the Horns and Tails, there are no bouncers outside. What a warm welcome. I push the doors open and walk right up the stairs.

Shade is waiting for me, arms crossed, barely contained rage on their face. “You need to wait, or else–”

Sidestepping Shade is easy, but they don't attempt to stop me either as I stride on by. As I near the interior double doors, I take a deep breath and steady my nerves. On the other side, there are voices arguing heatedly. It seems like the Dozen, or what’s left of them, has run off to their boss with their tails between their legs.

I take a moment to allow the hard coldness to spread through me. As I push the doors open, I hear my father's voice in my mind.

“Remember, Little Arrow, when you believe you have become the prey, think of Bodian's hunt with the griffon and let your arrow fly true.”

Inside Benny’s office are the rest of the Dozen, seemingly mid-argument, as Benny stands behind his desk, his hands in his pockets. A dangerous posture, usually. But when he sees me, he gives me a look that used to make me weak in the knees.

“Who does this mountain trash think she is, walking in here like she’s one of us?” Mithrai snarls.

Arna’s great-hammer thuds to the ground in front of her, a mean snarl on her face. “She’s saved us the trouble of huntin’ her down.”

Olmeric, leaning against a wall and flipping a knife with one hand, casually adds, “I don’t see your boyfriends here either.”

Ignoring them, I saunter up to the desk, my eyes fixed on Benny’s beady, calculating ones. My hand naturally sets on the dagger at my hip and I can’t help the purr in my voice as I say, “Hello Benny. I hear your Dozen is… well, no longer a dozen. A shame.”

Benny takes a step forward, appraising me, but not entirely displeased. It makes sense. His Dozen are loyal, but Benny wants the best of the best. He’s likely more annoyed at the disruptions in his command chain than the actual deaths. At least, for my sake, that’s what I’m betting on.

Celine hisses and from the corner of my eye, she draws her dagger and starts towards me. Gavin, however, sets a hand on her shoulder, holding her back with a slight shake of his mop of brown hair.

“Let go, Gavin!” Celine snarls. “She has no right to speak to the boss after killing so many of us and helping that Aurelian brat and the Karstian brute!”

Ah, there it is. The power in the room on a precipice. I can’t help the glee edging in my voice as I turn to her and say, “Oh, thank you for pointing out that eight of you were unable to take down two of us. Well two and a half, I suppose, including the Aurelian brat.” I turn to Benny. “Would you like to know how many of your Dozen I personally killed? Four?” I pause, pretending to think. “Or was it five ?”

The whole room bursts into an uproar, weapons starting to draw. Benny merely sits back on his heels, inclining his head slightly to Jace, the Tarth’an cleric.

“Enough.” The cold, raspy voice through the mask makes everyone in the room freeze mid-step or -throw. “She is marked by the Crow. We will wait for the boss to give a verdict.”

Marked by the Crow? My grip on the dagger tightens slightly. I was starting to suspect, but… no. Focus on the here and now.

The room falls into silence, everyone staring at Benny. He rocks forward on his feet, starting to make his way around the desk. As he moves, the Dozen scurry to the far sides of the room behind me, giving us a wide berth.

He stalks towards me, but I hold my ground, setting a hand on my hip and staring him down. It’s uncomfortably close, where I can smell the cigarette smoke on his clothes and make out the small thin scar along his jawline. But this visit is one of necessity and I only have one shot—I have to make it count.

A few more seconds pass until he finally, in his smooth, even voice, commands, “Go wait downstairs.”

I don’t break the eye contact as the Dozen file out of the room. Some leave noisily, storming out like Mithrai and Arna, but others, like Gavin and Jace, stroll out as if they were walking down the street. An… interesting ensemble, to say the least.

The door closes and Benny waits a moment before his head tilts. “I can’t decide if I want to kill you, or…”

“Or fuck me?”

Benny’s thin mouth curls, chuckling. “Oh, I always want that, Atrea. But that’s nothing new.” His gaze drops to my lips as his thumb skims my jaw. I push his hand away with the back of my hand. It’s that or stab him here and now.

His dark eyes flash dangerously but he—thankfully—steps back, leaning against his desk. He pulls out a cigarette and lights it up, turning his head to blow the smoke away from me. He takes another drag, looking at me as if he’s trying to puzzle me out.

“I can’t decide if I want to kill you or praise you. Showing up my Dozen like that—it’s a bad look. But then, maybe I’ve been sitting on my laurels after Fayne’s death. The problem is I can’t afford either.”

“Good thing I’m in your office, then.”

His thin mouth curls upward again. “Oh? I admit this is surprising. I heard you and Tomlyn were partners.”

This is too easy. I don’t even have to hide my annoyance as I roll my eyes. “He got arrested by the Vinitoran guard.”

Benny flicks the cigarette over an ashtray on his desk, eyeing me, almost unsure. “And what makes you think he won’t hand you over to the guard as well?”

“Because he likes having his head on his shoulders.”

Benny barks a laugh and makes a gesture with his hand, a plush chair off to the side levitating slightly off the ground and settling behind me. He gestures for me to sit. I adjust my bow and make a show of slowly lowering myself in the chair, moving the mini crossbow across my lap. It’s loaded, and with my hand resting on it, the threat is plain.

I tilt my head ever so slightly, giving him a nice glimpse of the long stretch of my neck. His dark gaze drops and I casually readjust, unable to stand his gaze for any longer than necessary.

He takes another drag of the cigarette and blows it out in my direction. Annoyed, I wave the smoke out of my face as he points the fingers holding the cigarette at me. “But I still want to kill you. My Dozen is what it is. But you interfered in a very important job and helped Tomlyn break our arrangement.”

“Tomlyn was your fall guy and we both know it. Unfortunately for you, he was also smart enough to figure that out. Besides, by the time I showed up, he’d already been off with the Aurelian brat for a few days.”

“Mm, and he could have made it back home, except for that part about stealing something that I was very much interested in.”

The magical necklace that gave passage to the Sea of Possibility. What does Benny want with it? From what my Father has said, the Sea tends to be hostile or outright reject humans. Or is there someone else who asked Benny to get it? If that’s the case, then the only one with deep enough pockets to go after an Aurelian is… well, another Aurelian. Interesting.

“You can attempt to kill me,” I say, changing the subject. “But I know how much you hate wasting resources.”

His head cocks. Good. My instincts are correct; Sometimes you give the dog the right bone. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

Tomlyn is four days away in Vinitore, in a castle on the cliffs, gallivanting around with the prince like they’re in a story in a land far, far away.

Whereas I’m here, in Yaventown, alone and hunted. There is only one option to survive, and I am never the prey.