Hell Hath No Fury - Book One

A Secret Exposed

Ava had fallen in love with Safriti. Undis had been the most beautiful place she had been to. She said that about every new city she visited but still, Undis was breathtaking. The stone streets were expertly set, with intricate patterns forming the path around the city. The stone houses were a feat of architecture. Ava was obsessed with the grey color from the buildings and the ground and how they contrasted with the bright pops of color found around other parts of the city. In banners and flags, shop windows, and Safritian garments. Tuni explained the stone paths and the stone houses were signatures in Safriti, rock, and limestone being an abundant resource for building. Each region of Safriti had their own colors that were then displayed throughout the city and in the local's clothing.

There were also wooden structures lining the city and some of the repairs done on the stone houses were done with wood. Tuni informed Ava that the people of Safriti had been banned from using stone or rock on any future buildings or repairs. This was because razing became less effective when met with stone. The wood structures lining the city meant that even if the stone houses stayed up, the town would not be functional if the soldiers were to burn it down. The thought saddened her, it was one of the most awful things she had ever heard. Needless cruelty in the name of peacekeeping.

She had assumed she wouldn't be able to go down to Undis, like in Clabonne, but Tuni informed her Undis was different. It was a busier port and because of that, a large group of foreign settlers was inevitable. The Baethan guard was a little more lenient and Undis was a small union of all continents. Before getting down, Tuni had given Ava one of Morgana's coats. It was a sleeveless one with a hood. The combination made no sense to Ava but Morgana usually wasn't in the business of making sensible fashion choices. Tuni advised her to keep her head down and her hair covered when they were onshore. The Baethan guard may have been more forgiving around Undis but they were still itching for an excuse to unleash their training on unsuspecting citizens. Covering her hair and her face ensured they had a lower likelihood of being discovered; her red hair being the biggest tell that she was Eloxian.

Ava ended up accompanying Tuni around the city. They stopped a variety of different places and she helped Tuni stock up on things that were needed in the infirmary. Ava, as always, asked too many questions and Tuni patiently answered them all. Ava apologized profusely many times for all of her questions but Tuni brushed her off. She said they were even, Ava used Tuni for answers and Tuni used Ava to reach tall shelves. Tuni guided her around the town's shopping district and although Ava didn't buy anything they did spend a large chunk of time window shopping. They had feasted on different delicacies sold by street vendors and Ava even found some selling jerky. It was hard to resist buying some, so she didn't. Theo would now have two drawers filled with it.

The Undis trip also served as a job opportunity for Ava. Tuni, who had heard of Ava's recent long and boring stint as cabin girl swooped in with a solution. According to Tuni, Ava had been a big help with both Morgana and Theo and their injuries. Ava had proved she could work well in a crisis and Tuni wanted to train her to take on an infirmary on the new ship, once that happened. Ava was ecstatic and she could not wait to ask Theo. It wasn't until they had set sail and Theo was done with her captain duties that Ava even got the chance.

Ava had peeked into Theo's quarters to see if the captain was there, she was. Ava let out an excited squeal and ran into the room. Theo's head snapped up from her bent over position, head slamming into the open wardrobe door above her. She rubbed her head and groaned then raised her eyebrows at the squeaking redhead.

"Guess what?" Ava asked and sat on Theo's desk.

Theo made another noise, disgruntled at the fact that Ava ignored the injury, "Chances I will get this correct are slim. Any chance you'll just tell me?"