The Catalyst

Chapter 23

Squinting at the midday sunlight that poured in the common room, Noah sought a table as far away from the windows as possible, the shade better suited to his headache. Grunting, he flung himself into a chair, leaning his elbows across the table, head in his hands. Few patrons occupied the surrounding tables, yet their conversations still irritated him as he massaged his temples.

"Ale?" a serving girl asked him.

"No," he begged, "no more ale."

She nodded in understanding and a few moments later waltzed back with a pitcher of water.

"Thanks," Noah said.

A few sips later he looked up to find Dharkan stumbling by his table, long hair messy, rubbing his eyes. He pulled himself a chair and Noah winced as it rattled against the floor tiles. Dharkan dropped in the chair with a sigh.

"Where's your girlfriend?" Noah asked.

Dharkan massaged the back of his neck. "Still sleeping. Your boyfriend?"

"You know, it was almost funny the first time. Keyword here is almost."

"Whatever. I can never remember his name. Joe, Jack, Jennis . . ."

"Jaden."

"That was my next guess," Dharkan said.

"I don't know where he is. Maybe he's cheating on me."

"Can't say I blame him."

Noah narrowed his eyes at the absence of adornment over Dharkan's black shirt. "Where's your old lady necklace?"

Dharkan frowned as his hand rubbed at his neck, then he glanced around suspiciously as if someone could've snatched it just now. Noah rolled his eyes.

"Kitera probably has it. Come on." Noah finished his water in one go and groaned his way back up. Everything hurt. He really needed to take it easy on the ale next time.

Dharkan led the way to the room he shared with Kitera, knocked twice then opened the door.

"What is it?" Kitera half-sat up, clutching the blanket to her chest, stifling a yawn.

"It's gone," Dharkan said gruffly.

"What's gone?" Kitera asked, looking significantly more awake now.

"The bloody catalyst," Dharkan said.

Noah closed the door and leaned against it, his head throbbing. "I don't suppose you have it, then?"

Kitera shook her head. "Let me get dressed. Where's Jaden?"

Dharkan glanced pointedly at Noah. Realization was starting to sink down Noah's belly, and he had to combat a wave of nausea.

"I don't know. Our room's empty. I assumed he'd gotten up before me, but I haven't seen him."

"Gods' sakes, Noah!" Dharkan raked a hand through his hair. "Care to explain why we were trusting that boy in the first place?"

Noah briefly shut his eyes, the nausea and headache coalescing into a monstrous pulsing all across him. He didn't feel steady enough to start thinking about what Jaden could've done.

Kitera saved him from it. "Calm down, Dhark. I trusted him too. This isn't all Noah. Besides, let's not jump to conclusions, all right? Let's go look for him before we lose our shit."

And they did look for Jaden, but he wasn't anywhere, and his horse Silver was gone too. Their mood was somber as they got ready to depart. Noah wished he had a breakfast inside him, mostly so that he'd have something to throw up.