Marked

Chapter 6

Roe wasn't surprised that Kian had a place in the upper districts. What did surprise her was how modest the interior was.

It was a simple, two-roomed apartment, with one area for the kitchen and living room and a separate bedroom hidden behind a closed door. It was significantly larger than where she lived, and previous tenants hadn't bruised the walls with damage. There were no stains or cracks, and the windows had simple lace curtains and thick, weighty shutters. A small couch in the living space boasted velvet cushions that looked untouched. Behind the sofa was a round table with four matching chairs, the naked surface matching the walls, which looked like they had never been touched.

Kian had been on edge during their trip, his head on a well-greased pivot, eyes watchful. He didn't utter a word but instead focused on scanning the rooftops around them, nose flaring as he tried to detect the scent of anyone following them. When they got inside, he shut the door quickly and moved towards the singular bedroom in a swift motion. He gestured for her to enter, so she followed him, hesitating slightly at their sudden proximity. The bedroom was reasonable, with a simple bed, two armchairs, and a small table between them. There were no windows. Kian sat down in one of the chairs and waved a hand towards the other, indicating that Roe should sit. She sank into the generous cushion, and Kian lit the candles in the room with a flick of his wrist.

Roe and Kian sat facing each other for a moment, neither breaking the silence that had curled up between them like a sleepy feline. Kian appeared to be relaxed, leg crossed over his knee, hands resting on the arms of the chair, but she could see the vein pulsing in his neck and the strained set of his jaw.

Roe rubbed her hands against the tops of her thighs nervously, her legs jittery, and her mind jumbled. It had been one thing to be next in line to be marked, but it was another to be actively hunted. She had hoped that the weaving paths and twists and turns they had taken as a precaution had been enough to shake whoever was on their trail.

"So what do we do now?" Her heart was still pounding; from the exertion of getting here or her fear, she couldn't tell.

Kian loosed a breath, replying, "I know where there's another copy of the book."

Something in his tone told her she wasn't going to like this. He continued, "My father has quite the collection."

The realization sunk into her like a stone tossed into a lake, sudden and disruptive.

"I'm not doing that."

He paused, fixing her with a hard stare. "You don't know what I was going to say."

"I don't care. I've never been over the wall, let alone inside the Palace." Irritation at his persistence bloomed behind her eyes. She bristled for a moment, trying to calm her fluttering heart, taking a few deep inhales while shutting her eyes.

"You won't have to go alone." He leaned forward in the chair, urgency in his voice as if trying to persuade her to see reason.

"There's a masquerade ball for Samhain at the end of next month. We'll gain access to the castle then, sneak up to the palace library, and get the book."

Her eyes snapped open at that, and she retorted, "How do you know the other half is even in the city? Or that it even exists?"

"I had it once. My mother gifted me both halves of the amulet when I was very young. She told me to keep half for myself and give the other half to someone I loved. I didn't know what it was for, then. I don't know if she did either."

"What happened to the other half?"

"I gave it to someone." He could no longer feign relaxation. His eyes were swirling with darkness, an unreadable look upon his face.

"What happened to her?" Roe asked softly. His eyes were glued to the
floor as his mouth turned downwards into a scowl.

"She was murdered. When I found her," he cleared his throat, "It was missing."

A pang of second-hand grief struck Roe's heart.

"It's not just about finding the other half," She inferred, and he shook his head.

Roe had never been in love, but it wasn't hard to imagine what it might be like to lose a partner. The icy wall around her heart melted just a little bit. Kian didn't meet her eyes for a while after that, and she wondered how long ago he had lost her. From the pain behind his eyes to the way his body was almost vibrating with tension, she imagined that it wasn't too long. Or maybe he just loved her that much. She felt sorry for him and sorry for herself. His grief was so reminiscent of her own, and deep down, she had the urge to comfort him in some way, knowing how lonely of a feeling it was, how isolating.

"Don't look at me like that." He said suddenly, shaking her from her thoughts. His eyes were no longer pained, and the steely look returned.