"I hope at least one of you knows how to cook," I grab my cloak from its place hanging over the door, "because you're on your own tonight."
"Wait, why?" Caspian asks. His face is flushed pale, and he fidgets with a string on his shirt.
"I'm having dinner with an old friend, Cas. Relax." Seeing the uneasiness in his face, I decide to add, "I'll just be across town, if there's really that big of an emergency, you can come find me."
He takes a shaky breath and leaves the room, footsteps headed downstairs.
"He'll be fine." Davy assures me.
"Should I make some sandwiches or something real quick for you?"
"Anna, I was a kitchen boy. I know how to cook. We'll be fine. Go, have fun."
I take a quick look back before I leave the two behind. Davy gives me a little wave, then closes the door.
Coraene gives me a wide smile as she swings open her door. "I feel like I should warn you, I do have someone staying with me for a while, so if he walks in, don't be surprised."
"Oh, believe me, I know the feeling." I laugh a little, thinking about Caspian and Davy.
"Cora?" A gruff, yet familiar voice calls around the corner.
"Hold up." Coraene gives me a look of apology, then turns in the direction of the voice. "Yeah?"
The knight that was looking for Caspian- Caspian's brother- rounds the corner. My heart stops for a good thirty seconds before I can finally tell myself to regain my composure.
"Hello, sir." I manage to force out a small greeting while praying that Caspian and Davy have enough sense to stay at home.
"Miss." He nods in my direction, before flashing Coraene a questioning glance. I give her the same look. "I believe you mentioned that you have guests?"
"I had guests." I make up a lie that I hope he'll believe. "They left about a month ago. You know, sir, when you live as close to the coast as I do, it's not uncommon to take in people who wash up onshore."
"Yes, miss, of course."
Coraene senses the tension between the knight and I and decides to cut in. "Eetu, this is Anna. She's an old friend of mine. We're having dinner together tonight."
"I'll leave you to it." Eetu gives us a little nod and turns back around, disappearing behind the corner he came from.
"No, come on back, eat with us!" Coraene calls him back. He awkwardly sits next to her.
"What're you doing here?" I attempt to ask Eetu casually, like I'm not screaming inside. I've dragged myself into too much drama.
"He's staying with me for a while." Coraene answers for him.
"I though you had other places to search for your brother?"
This time Eetu actually speaks up. "My men left without me. They also took my horse. Cora was nice enough to let me stay until I could get back on my feet."
"Hey, you could always use more help at the shop, why not hire Eetu?" Coraene perks up.
"What, he can't work with you in the convent?" I dodge the question with a joke.
"You're a nun?" Eetu turns bright red.
"No, it's an old joke of ours." Coraene explains.
"Okay..." Eetu checks out right about there.
We sit in silence for a while, until a knock at the door makes us all jump.
"I'll get it." Coraene offers. As she leaves the room to go answer it, my heart drops to the floor as I imagine who it could be.
"Anna? Can you come here please?" Coraene calls.
"Nice formally meeting you." I nod toward Eetu. He doesn't nod back.
"Anna!" Davy speaks louder than he should.
"Quiet! Quiet!" I shush him. "Cora, I've got this, go back to Eetu."
Coraene looks at me quizzically but complies.
"What was that about?" Davy raises an eyebrow at me.
"Cas's brother is in there!" I whisper, praying that Eetu didn't recognize Davy's voice.
"Damn." Davy's response is a little underwhelming. "Cas isn't gonna be happy about that."
"I don't think any of us should be happy about that!"
"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. Come on, I've already wasted enough time." Davy reaches for my hand.
"Woah, what do you mean?"
"It's... it's Cas."
I turn so that I can yell into the doorway. "Cora, I'm gonna head out! There's a bit of an emergency at the shop!"
"Okay, have fun with that!" She yells back.
"What's wrong with Cas?" I ask as I let Davy drag me down the streets. He's in a panicked run that I have a hard time keeping up with.
"We were just eating dinner and he just stopped and stared at his food for a while..." Davy has to take deep breaths between every couple of words, "and he... he just started shaking and crying and wouldn't stop. I had to come get you before he did anything stupid."
"Let's hope we're not too late."
YOU ARE READING
Caspian Jones
Fantasy*READ THE NOTES FROM A DRAGON SINGER SERIES BEFORE THIS ONE* Caspian Quillsnake has it all. The cushy royal life, his best friend, Davy, by his side. But Caspian has a secret. When his uncle, the only one who knows Caspian's secret, is attacked, C...
