Of Starlight and Ashes

Chapter Three

Gratia was a town with a cobblestone path the led right from the forest to a huge fountain of sparkling blue water. The town stunk, and it was easy to see why. There was food rotting on the pavement, and there were many people injured or sick. There was the faint smell of bakery food that broke through the putrid smell of the town.

"Isn't that smell delicious?" Zeno asked with a large goofy smile. "Laeo makes the best bread around." I grimaced at his words, carefully eyeing the curious strangers who kept looking at me.

"All I can smell is the rotting food," I told him quietly. I spotted a young girl tugging at the skirts of a light haired young woman, pointing at me with wide blue eyes. The young woman looked at me and sent me a small wave. I smiled and inclined my head, before turning back to Zeno. "Everyone is staring at me."

"You're new," Zeno explained with a nonchalant but strained shrug. "It's rare to have newcomers in this town. Very few people travel through Uldrid anymore."

"What do you mean?" I asked curiously. Why wouldn't people who were free roam the world? I would if I could. Niyx would be gone in a second. If he thought it was safe, Nero would do it as well. Or he'd accompany Niyx or me to keep us safe. But secretly, I knew he'd love to see the great expanses of the world.

"It's become too dangerous," Zeno said grimly. "Unless you're trained in magic or weaponry, or you're part of the High King's army... People would be assuming you were either a messenger from the High King himself, or bloody powerful at the moment." I cracked a smile at that. How could anyone think that someone as tiny or inconsequential as me could be powerful?

"Zeno!" a severe voice snapped. "What are you doing?" We both turned around to see a shorter, blue eyed girl glaring up at Zeno with a look befitting his worst enemy. But Zeno rolled his eyes as if what she was saying mattered little.

"I'm showing this traveller through the town," he replied equally as severe. They stared each other down for a moment before Zeno remembered I was there. "Celaena, meet my betrothed, Sage. Sage, meet Celaena the traveller."

"Pleasure to meet you," I smiled. It was anything but a pleasure, to be honest. She was glaring daggers at me as if I had stolen her favourite toy and broken right in front of her. And Zeno was completely on edge, which inadvertently put me on edge.

"Where are you from?" was the only response I was given. I watched her carefully as she turned to Zeno. "She better not be one of those Rebels you cover for! I swear I'll send a letter to the High King myself!"

"For something as small as some random traveller being seen with your betrothed?" I asked, instantly stepping to Zeno's defence. "That won't cause either of us to get into trouble. The High King would see it as an inconvenience and likely order a punishment to you." The colour dropped from Sage's face and she glared once more before storming off.

"Well, now that that's over," Zeno said with an embarrassed laugh, "let's go find my mother." I followed after him, trying to hide a smile at his embarrassment. We had only just met and we seemed to be becoming fast friends. He reminded me of Nero a little, with a bit of Niyx's warm personality.

"She was... interesting," I toned in, grinning when he sighed. "I've never met anyone quite like her."

"And I hope you never do again," he replied with a scowl. "She's not the sort of person you like being around." His scowl was suddenly replaced with a smile, and before I had the chance to ask him what he had meant, or to question why he was still betrothed to the girl he so obviously disliked, he called out to a woman with black hair streaked with grey.