Chapter 45:
The Man Who Took Me
I whip open our apartment’s front door, the bang from the handle echoing through the building. Trevus twists around on his chair, his attention on me.
I pull the crumpled poster open so fast it nearly rips. ‘Wanted Alive’ is written right above the image of my face.
Trevus leans forward, scanning the page.
After reading for a moment, he rises to his feet, steps around me and closes the door. His leisurely pace stands in contrast to my labored breathing. Is he not concerned?
“Trevus?” Didn’t he read that the reward for my capture is a
thousand gold coins
?
He takes my hand and guides me to the chair. “Sit. Allow your mind to clear.”
I sit on the hard wood. How many people have seen the poster already? How long has it even been up there? I didn’t notice it when we were dancing last night, but it was dark.
Trevus kneels, bringing us eye to eye. “The king’s agents have spread these documents far throughout Versillia and her neighboring lands. To leave Zaybeth in search of a city free of them is fruitless.”
“But what if someone recognizes me?” A reward of a lifetime of wages will surely draw out every local brute.
Trevus holds the poster up beside my face, his eyes moving back and forth. “The resemblance is present, but that may be true for hundreds of five-foot maidens throughout the land. The document is free of your true name.”
That eases my nerves a little bit.
“The Osis flows east, away from Versillia. A venture to Lystra takes well over a week mounted. One must witness your sorcery before making such an investment.” He rests a hand on my shoulder. “And even then, ‘tis a significant pain to transport you against your will. I can attest.”
My lip curls up into a smile and so do his.
“In the unlikely circumstance that you sense danger, defend yourself.” Trevus taps the necklace under my dress. “I shall never be far.”
I nod. Using my connection would mean revealing my sorcery, forcing us to relocate again. That’s preferable to being dragged back to King Tytius, but not a decision I’ll make lightly.
Trevus takes a seat and begins picking leaves off a small bundle of plants. The entire table is covered in green stems, small ceramics and glass bottles. “How was your first day as an apprentice?” he asks.
“Good. I fixed so many garments that Lara warmed up enough to teach me two new stitches.” I reach into my pocket and retrieve the two silver coins. “Best of all, my work netted this.”
“It appears you harbor talent,” Trevus says. “Do you intend to remain in this trade?”
Over the last decade, it was a struggle just to survive and maintain some level of dignity. Sewing was a necessity to keep clothes hanging on my body. Most people already practice their trade at thirteen, but I never had such an opportunity. Being locked in that tower left me so far behind what everyone else my age could achieve. Today was the first time I’ve excelled at something, the first time I could hold my shoulders high with pride in my own accomplishment. “I was made for it.”
“Indeed,” Trevus says. “Marcellus agreed that your stitching is of high grade.”
This morning Trevus mentioned that he survived. I’m glad he’s alright.
I take a stem from the pile and begin picking off the leaves. “What are these for?”
“Thamild oil relieves skin irritation. I shall set up a stall at the river market tomorrow.”
“I’ll help tonight on the condition that you teach me what we’re doing.”
The corner of Trevus’s lip tugs up. “If you expected to share a room and not memorize every botanical species in Ceramaya, you would be wholly mistaken.”
That sounds just fine. I toss the stripped stem into the pile and pick up the next one.
We continue side by side. As the pile grows larger, Trevus crushes them with his pestle and mortar.
Heavy footsteps approach our door. They’re here for me. I twist to face the entrance, my spine stiffening.
The footsteps fade – they’re continuing further up the building.
Trevus rests a hand on my shoulder. “Jade, do not be afraid.” The fear must be written on my face. “‘Tis as I said in Sisarea. I shall not allow anyone to take you.”
He did keep the same promise when we hid in the dark ceiling at Sisarea, when the Cerillis army pursued us at the trade post, and when the wild men grabbed me in the wilderness. I nudge closer to him, resting my side against his. He will keep me safe.
Picking leaves for the rest of the evening keeps my mind occupied, and most importantly, away from the poster.
I head to Lara’s store at sunrise every day, spending my time sewing, cutting patterns and dying cloth. Tailoring isn’t the only thing I learn from watching Lara. She regularly deals with both rushed and impatient customers, and I make mental note of her tricks.
Trevus forages wild plants in the morning, then sets up his stall at the river market in the afternoon. His ointments and oils prove popular. I’m glad he’s on a path free of the sword. He still hasn’t purchased a new one. Though skilled at it, he was never fond of battle.
It’s been two weeks since I found the poster. As Trevus predicted – no one has recognized me so far, but I still can’t help looking back when footsteps approach. A new copy of the poster was put up in the town center two days ago. Snatching it a second time would be too risky, so we left it on the door. Yesterday it disappeared – perhaps carried off by a bounty hunter.
This morning Lara is cutting a set of curtains, and I’m following up with a hem – a fold and stitch to stop the material fraying.
“Salts,” Lara curses under her breath. I slide to her side of the table. The curtain has been cut skew, making it impossible to hem without sewing on extra cloth. Her shears slipped.
There’s a lot on her plate today already. “I’ll patch it before hemming,” I say.
Lara stands, her chair shoved back so fast it topples over. “I have cut hundreds of curtains, but my patience for it has only shrunk.”
I lever the chair upright with my foot.
Lara stands at the window, looking out onto the street. “I’ve run this shop for thirty years. It’s a long time. The silver must keep flowing, but I wouldn’t mind sleeping a little longer in the morning.”
Her message isn’t lost on me. This room alone stretches thirty feet across, and the connected storeroom packed with dye and material is at least half the size. This store is twice as big as Jenia’s in Antiock, and even that one blew me away. I’ve already imagined rearranging the desks to make them easier to traverse. Three wooden mannequins stand across the windows, each sporting Lara’s most exquisite designs. I’d double, maybe even triple that number. I will become the skilled tailor she needs to take over this store.
Two months ago, I was waking up every morning in the tower cell, imagining that I’d spend the rest of my life confined in that room. Just having freedom seemed so far out of reach. Now, a map leading to having my own store lays at my feet. It almost seems too good to be true.
“Lady Norah ordered new curtains for her mansion across town,” Lara says. “My knee isn’t cooperating today. Do you remember our time at Maddison’s home?”
I grab the recording stick, the measuring tape and some chalk. “I’ll handle it.”
“She lives in the eastern enclave. You won’t miss her residence, for it’s a testament to their great wealth. She’s interested in a good product, not a low price. Only suggest our best, as nothing less will satisfy her.”
“Will do.” The door snaps closed with the push of my foot. I paid close attention to Lara during our last three home refurbishments, and I’m eager to prove myself capable of handling this responsibility.
I start towards the eastern enclave, following the flow of the Osis. Walking under the midday sun, I recap Lara’s process from the last home refurbishment. First comes introductions and discussing Lady Norah’s ideas. Second is planning out one room with her. Last is measuring the window sizes throughout the house.
I soon reach the eastern enclave, a wealthy area separated by a shoulder high wall with an open gate. Every building inside the enclave is impressive, each home sporting beautiful domes and tall spires. One mansion is particularly magnificent, a tall four-story building capped with a massive dome of fine glass triangles – Lady Norah’s residence.
I knock on the oversized purple door that curves with the building. A tall man in a black jolcan opens it from the other side. Long dark hair rests across his large shoulders. His eyes lower to me, his lips turned in a disinterested frown. “Lord Asarus and Lady Norah’s residence,” he says.
While he may look like a Ceramayan, his accent holds a hint of Versillian. “The lady ordered curtains from tailor Lara,” I say. “She’s expecting me.”
He shuts the door in my face. What? Is he coming back? Is only Lara herself welcome?
A moment later the door opens again, this time revealing a middle-aged woman with long silky black hair. She’s dressed in an expensive purple-gold jolcan, the design clearly Lara’s work. This is Lady Norah. “Good day! I’m so pleased you’ve arrived. Please come inside…” she trails off, waiting for my name.
“Jade, Lara’s apprentice.” I follow her through the grand door.
The man from before slams it behind us, the thud making my body flinch.
“Coranius, that door took William four weeks to carve. Would you please be more careful,” Norah says.
“Yes, Lady.” He turns and walks off, disappearing down the passage.
She shakes her head. “You’ll have to excuse Coranius. My husband only hires men of his own country, and pickings are slim.”
I follow her up onto the impressive circular staircase. “Your husband is Versillian?”
“Yes. How did you place Coranius as Versillian?” she asks.
“His voice still carries some of the accent,” I say. “My partner is Versillian too, and I lived there for a while.”
“Well, that’s lovely. They certainly do have the most exquisite way of speaking.”
The thought of Trevus’s voice and his sweet words makes me smile.
Norah and I step into a lounge filled with furniture, fine woodwork and small statues. Three tall windows offer a view over Zaybeth’s wall out into the grassy countryside. The entire mansion is built against the city wall, stretching high above the ramparts.
She gestures to the curtains that frame the view. “The sun has faded last year’s maroon set to pink. It doesn’t match the room at all. Purple would be far more tasteful.”
“We can do that,” I say. Expensive purple dye is usually reserved for people’s best formalwear. Using it on fifty large curtains will cost a fortune, but I doubt it matters. “Do you have a preferred style – frilled, straight or layered?”
She runs her fingers across a couch. “What’s this called?”
“Those are pleated layers. We can make curtains in that style, but all the extra stitching will take a few additional weeks.”
“The design is beautiful. If I’m impatient, I’ll regret it.”
“Do you want the same in every room?” I unravel my measuring tape and span it out across the window.
“Yes. Everything must match or I’ll lose my mind,” Norah says.
“That’s fine with me.” I mark one side of the recording stick with chalk to make note of the hundred-inch width, then add five half marks on the other end for the fifty-inch height.
“I’m off for tea with a friend.” Norah steps back into the passage. “I’ll be sure to tell Coranius not to bother you,” she says. “The only room that’s out of bounds is my husband’s study. He’s so insistent no one disturb his notes that he took the key with him before leaving yesterday. Perhaps you could fix his study when he returns to town next month. You’ll know the door by his portrait.”
“Of course. We’ll complete the study when he’s back,” I stretch the measuring tape across the second window.
“Excellent.” She heads out, her footsteps echoing through the wooden passage.
I soon finish with the lounge and head to the next room – another lounge. This place is large enough to get lost.
I work through the rooms clockwise to keep my bearings – starting with half the north wing and then the south. The sun is well on its way down by the time I reach the last hallway.
A huge painting catches my attention as I walk past. My body freezes as I lay eyes on the man in the portrait. That long face, that light brown hair, those ghostly green eyes. The hairs on the back of my neck stand straight.
I step back, retreating away from the image of the huge man until my back hits stone. My body feels short, small like I was ten years ago, with this man looking down at me – he took me.
Him and his militia invaded my village posing as traders. I remember the screams when they revealed their weapons, the prickling fear that ran down my back and through my limbs. They followed
his
command, rounding up everyone before the hall. “Continue to hide the sorceress girl, and you shall endure a great suffering,” he said.
Everyone pointed in my direction, and the man’s gaze fell upon me. I was ten years old. Never had I felt fear like that day. He’s the reason I was dragged screaming and crying from the only home I knew. He’s the reason I was imprisoned for a decade in Antiock. He’s the reason my life fell apart.
This is the portrait that Lady Norah was talking about – her husband. My eyes turn to the study door at the end of the hall – the one he so adamantly didn’t want disturbed. What’s he hiding? I twist the door handle. It’s locked.
I push harder. The door remains sturdy.
“That room is prohibited,” a deep voice makes me jump. I turn around. Coranius stands at the other end of the passage.
“Right. I’ll-I’ll be off then.” My mind is racing so fast I can’t piece together an excuse. I hurry back down the hall.
He raises his hand, blocking my path.
I stop. He’s nearly as tall as Trevus, towering well over my short figure. I can’t slip past him.
“You must be searched,” he says. “‘Tis the lord’s policy.”
I grit my teeth and raise my arms up, not wanting to spend a moment longer in this place. Just get it over with.
His hands trace my frame from top to bottom. My necklace is just visible under my collar, and it catches his attention. He threads it out from under my dress and examines the onyx-like stone.
“It’s mine,” I say.
“‘Tis unusual to conceal such an exquisite piece,” he says.
“I wear it for personal reasons.”
He grunts and releases the pendant.
I tuck it back under my dress and follow him to the front door. These hallways I walk through are owned by that man. Lord Asarus – I finally have a name for the one that abducted me all those years ago. I can’t get out of here soon enough.
Coranius opens the front door, and I nearly leap past him. I hurry down the road, breaking into a sprint the moment I’m out of sight. It’s nearly evening. Trevus should be at the apartment – my sanctuary.
Asarus is Versillian. At some point he moved to Zaybeth, the city of immigrants and exiles, and married a local. Though he was the man that led the invasion of my home village, I never saw him in Antiock.
I skid around the corner. My recording stick and measuring tape were left abandoned beside the portrait, but none of that seems important anymore.
I cross over the Osis bridge. Why launch a mission to abduct me to begin with? No one had come to our village searching for a sorcerer before him. It was rural, largely isolated from the rest of the world. He didn’t discover my connection upon arrival. He already knew exactly who I was and what my connection could do.
I reach our apartment building and race up the stairs, shoving open the door. Trevus is mixing oils at his desk. He turns in my direction, quickly standing at the sight of my disheveled state. “What has occurred?” He curls his fists. “Who frightened you?”
My knees are still shaking. Asarus isn’t even in the city. I shouldn’t be so nervous. I close the door and sit on the bed.
Trevus kneels before me and takes my hand. “Jade…”
“I saw him again- his picture.”
“Who?”
“The man who took me-” I pause to breathe, “took me from Mephia.” Being in his mansion wasn’t dangerous, but seeing his face again after so many years brought me right back to that horrible day.
Trevus’s expression hardens. That’s why Asarus fled to Zaybeth – Mehlia’s death. Asarus knew of the king’s fondness for her. King Tytius was so enraged that he charged into Mephia in an attempt to hold the entire nation responsible. The lord that recruited Mehlia would have lost his head long before that had he stayed in Versillia.
“Lord Asarus – have you heard of him?” I ask.
“‘Tis not a name I have knowledge of,” Trevus says.
“He went through great effort to find my home and abduct me. It’s like he was personally convicted to ruin my life.”
“A great number of persons desire control of your sorcery,” Trevus says.
“That’s true now, but it wasn’t back then. No one beyond my village even knew of my existence, not even the Council of Six. No one but
him
.”
Trevus rises to his feet, his gaze on the wall as he thinks it through. “If you wish to interrogate him, I can facilitate it.”
“He’s out of town for a long while,” I say, “but he left the instruction that his study shouldn’t be disturbed. I was walking through his mansion when I discovered his portrait.”
“Who occupies the residence now?”
“His Versillian guard Coranius, and his wife Lady Norah.”
Trevus opens the window shutter. Candles and lamps light the adjacent buildings, and the streets buzz with activity. “If you so wish, we shall go at midnight,” he says.
That study could hold the answer to why he took me, to why he upended my life. “I have to know.”
Author’s Note:
Thank you for all the comments. I enjoy reading them.
Father?
I know. I want a Trevus in real life
Could he be her father? Is that why he knew about her power?
@CandyWest95 Same
Do we know who her father is?
I don’t why, but I feel he is related to her somehow
Oh shit😭
AWOOP 🫢
Oh, to protect her and help her have a chance to learn how to use her power.
@rileysing though if you can get past the rough exterior they will love you forever and do anything to protect you lmao
very much so
He’s so sweet
The greatest sign of love lmao
Did the six know there was a seventh? Or didn’t they just not know who the seventh was?
She’s so scared… and she’s usually pretty tough
He cares…
But it was only the one who abducted her when she was a child… though he didn’t see her.
I’m gonna be honest I’m kinda hoping there’s some kind of twist where the guy doesn’t have any ill will towards her or desire to send her back to Versillia… like maybe since arriving in Ceramaya he’s grown as a person and moved away from his Versillian hate of other groups.
Maybe it was a systematic search for her? like how in Avatar the Last air bender the fire nation knew the avar would be among the air nomads then the water tribes so targeted them to take out the avatar?
She’s going to get in trouble for that… and it’s weird to do that
Yeah, it’s totally normal to run home after being stopped trying to get into a prohibited room then being looked over
So he’s not suspicious hmm, or he just saw her behavior as a risk like she might have been trying to steal or something
Oh no, if they search her they’ll find the julite
She sure does know how to get herself into trouble doesn’t she… shouldn’t you be avoiding that man
How did he know she was there in that village? And why is he in Ceramaya now?
Nice some info!
She recognises him… but not in a good way I guess
Especially for someone who spend many years in a tower cell… it’s massive
This woman really is rich…
As I thought, informal attract formal and formal attracts informal…
Assuming either side is open to the other side not following the same social etticite
So he’s not her husband… I wonder if he’s the one who took the bounty poster
Oh he’s suspicious of her is my guess…
But then I though Trevus knew his servant was Jade and he didn’t lol
She sounds really pleasant
Oh he’s Versillan is he, that’s trouble…
Well that’s really cool
She’s learnt a lot in the short amount of time she’s been working there. Jade is very smart!
Oh this is a chance for Jade to both make some decent money and prove her skill in the trade
I’m
Only 2 months and so much has happened, in glad Jade has some happiness now
I love Jades confidence about this! She should totally suggest changing the layout.
Her mind and body may be starting to show the effects of her older age. It may be why she was so impatient with Jade asking to be an apprentice, since she had enough issues to worry about with the business.
Oh no, that sorta thing sucks!
I’m also guessing Trevus isn’t that violent a person at heart, joining the guard was as much about belonging as it was fighting…
It’s also safer if he’s not out fighting since he’s less likely to be harmed or to bring harm to the both of them from people unhappy with his fighting…
Lmao giving Jade even more social skill!
it’s only going to be harder to force her to travel against her will
He was reminding her of the times he’s kept her safe… that he won’t let harm come to her if he can help it
Yeah, but he does love her and I think he means well in trying comfort her
It’s also supposed to be reassurance that she’s not alone, he’s there to help her and protect her. That he won’t let anything happen.
The fear of being hunted will take a long time to fade… she’s been through a lot.
Aw, sharing knowledge is sweet as well as taking an interest in what the other is doing and helping where they can.
Oh he’s going to trade in plants nice, an herbalist
Yes! It’s amazing news!
The way this dude speaks, I like it but across as odd sometimes lol.
I guess he’s reminding her it’s not just him who think highly of her work. I don’t really think that’s what people do, it’s nice in a way tbh. Not just saying you think someone’s work is good but bringing up that someone else thinks highly of it.