Lin dragged Kojo to her room, her grip on his ear still firm. She flopped onto the bed, facing away from him, and crossed her arms, pouting. Kojo rubbed his now sore ear, wondering why it hurt when he should be immune to pain. The soft, sliver light of the moon, Lunaea, cast a warm glow on the room, illuminating the intricate carvings on the walls and the plush, white bedding. The air was filled with the sweet scent of incense, and the sound of gentle chanting could be heard in the distance.
Kojo tried to liven the mood. Looking around, he cleared his throat and spoke.
"You know, I have to say, the environment in this Temple's living quarters is really different from how I imagined it. I mean, I was expecting something more... austere, but this is actually quite... cozy."
Lin didn't respond, her silence a clear indication that she was still upset. Kojo asked, "Hey, are you that annoyed?"
Lin turned to him, her eyes flashing with anger, "Of course, I'm angry! You disappeared for a whole week without a word. I was worried sick about you!" Her voice was laced with concern and frustration.
Kojo chuckled.
"Ah, come on, Lin. You should relax. There are very few things in the world capable of taking me down." He said it jokingly, but Lin's glare only grew more intense.
"Okay, okay," Kojo said, waving his hands in front of him.
She looked like she was on the verge of tears, and Kojo's smile faltered. He sat beside her, his expression apologetic, "Hey, I'm sorry. It's my fault. I didn't mean to worry you." He gently placed a hand on her shoulder, trying to comfort her.
Lin sniffled, her voice barely above a whisper, "You should have at least contacted me via telepathy. I was going out of my mind with worry." Her eyes welled up with tears, and Kojo felt a pang of guilt.
Kojo's expression turned serious, "I didn't think it would work due to interference, so I didn't try. I'm sorry." He looked at her, his eyes filled with regret.
(See. I've been telling you to start thinking. Now look what you've done. You need to take responsibility for this.)
"Shut it," Kojo said under his breath.
Lin's voice was still shaking, but she managed to say, "Even though you're strong, there's always going to be someone stronger. You shouldn't be so reckless." Her words were laced with concern and a hint of fear.
Kojo nodded, feeling a twinge of guilt, "Okay, I'll try to be more careful." He stood up and stretched, trying to shake off the tension.
As he stretched, Lin's eyes followed him, her expression still soft and vulnerable. Kojo yawned, "Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere. I'm gonna sleep for a while. The bedding here looks comfy. Well, it's more comfortable than the hard, cold stone floor of a cave."
"Cave?" Lin repeated.
"I'll tell you about it tomorrow. And tomorrow, you and I are going to go exploring the city. Just you and me." He smiled, trying to reassure her.
Lin nodded, her voice still barely above a whisper, "Okay." But Kojo was already sprawled on the bed, fast asleep. The soft sound of his snores filled the room, and Lin kissed his cheek then got up, her expression changing as she moved toward the window, grabbing the coat Kojo made for her. Vanishing as a gust of wind blew through the curtains. There was someone she had to meet.
Lin flew away from Eldrida at speeds so fast it was impossible to follow. In order to avoid detection and possibly being followed, she distorted the space around her using light, bending the light to curve around her body and continue in a straight line so she became invisible to the naked eye. She also concealed her arcana and flew above the clouds. Here, above the sea of clouds, the light from the three moons, Aethera's blue light, Lunaea's silver, and Nyxoria's Turquoise, blended seamlessly into each other, creating a stunning kaleidoscopic myriad of colours which she was able to see thanks to her elven heritage. But she wasn't up there to admire the scenery. She had something to accomplish.
It took her five minutes to fly from Eldrida to Portfol. Flying above the clouds ensured that she stayed out of the blizzard. She descended during one of the few times during the blizzard when its effects were mild. She threw her hood over her head, burying the upper part of her face in shadow, and pocketed her hands, moving towards Loch's ship. She saw one of his crew members, an elf named Ophie, leaning on the railing with a bottle of booze in her hand. She had three emerald earrings on her left ear and wore a black crop top that exposed her muscular arms, belly, and back. She didn't seem to be bothered by the cold, but then again, she was an Oceanian Elf. They resided in the much colder environment of the lower depths. The only thing that made her appear strange was that the exposure to the snow, which was water, had made her skin turn blue.
"Hey, I'm looking for Loch. Is he on board?" Lin asked, looking up at her from the ground.
"No, the captain's out," Ophie replied.
"Do you know where I can find him?"
"Depends who's asking."
Lin's emerald eye gleamed from under her hood. Ophie finished her drink and jumped off the railing, landing in front of Lin. She looked at her for a bit, then nodded before turning towards the town. Lin silently followed her. She noticed a tattoo of a Stingray on Ophie's back.
As they moved, Lin observed some people running in the wind, trying to take advantage of this brief period of respite to move objects or do one thing or the other.
They walked, approaching what looked to be a bar. They had been trapped there by the storm and, though at this time they could move to their homes, chose instead to stay.
"I thought the church had teachings on drinks, so it's surprising to see a bar here," Lin said.
"Well yes, the church does put restrictions on drinks, how and when to consume them. But then again, this is a port city, and like all port cities, there are quite a number of foreigners who stay there. They are mostly traders, so few venture deeper into the cities as they can buy and sell everything here at an acceptable price. The church is being somewhat lenient for their sakes. That doesn't mean that breaking any laws here won't get you into trouble, so be careful, princess," Ophie said.
"I'm always careful."
"This advice goes more for your mate and less for you."
Mate? Lin's face flushed a bit.
They walked in, all eyes turning to the entry due to the sudden blast of cold. Ophie's skin had turned back to its tan Olive complexion, and she walked up to Loch, who was sitting at the pub of the bar.
"Hey captain, our guest has arrived," Ophie said, leaning in and grabbing a bottle from the counter.
"It's on him," she told the bartender, indicating Loch as she walked out.
Lin sat beside him, taking off her hood, and ordered a glass of water.
"I didn't peg you as the type to drink."
"And I didn't think you'd actually come back," Loch responded.
"Also, I don't drink. This was just in case Ophie showed up."
"You're really close to her, huh?"
"We've known each other since we were kids."
"I see," Lin said, taking a sip of water.
"Have you thought about my proposal?" she asked.
Loch sighed, his expression unreadable. He tapped the table, and a magic circle appeared under it, affecting the water molecules in the air around them and creating a soundproof barrier.
*****
Later Kim returned to her room. She took if her coat ,hung it on a nearby chair and stretched, Contemplating taking another bath but the sight of Kojo's peaceful face changed her mind and she lay down beside him, snuggling closer to his body for warmth.