“I think you’ve been stuck out in Zastrad for too long,” Eno said with a grin of his own. “You’ve been away from Sirelis and people like yourself for too many years. I know I haven’t been here long, but Zastrad feels…lonely.”
Vale nodded. “The country itself is isolated and the villages are sparse. The people, they don’t seem to be close to one another. They value independence and self-reliance here.” She snorted. “That and they’re probably afraid that a trusted neighbor will one day kill them in honor of the Dead God.”
“Isn’t that a good thing?”
“No matter what bullshit they spout, it’s still human instinct to fear death and to cling to life.” Reaching out, she rubbed the neck of her horse. “I think that’s why they do KoD here. You know, there’s an incredibly low incidence of death from using that in Zastrad. Only the people of Caspagir are dying in droves because it’s not controlled and monitored by the church experts. In Zastrad, people use KoD to get close to their god, but not to die.”
Eno shook his head. “I struggle to understand this country. How could they thrive and grow if everything revolves around death?”
Vale reined in her horse and looked over at him, a strange smile on her lips. “Isn’t it true for all of us? Including those who grew up worshiping the Goddess of Life. Even she can’t stop death. She has to bow to the will of her brother, right? It’s a race. How much can we all do, see, live before the Dead God comes calling?”
He didn’t like that she was right. The reminder sent a chill down his spine, not so much for himself but for Rayne, Caelan, and Drayce. He didn’t want to think of his friends and lover no longer being alive. They were vibrant points of light that would just go on forever, protecting Erya and all of Thia.
But that wasn’t true, and it hurt.
“What’s it like living in Stormbreak? I’ve never been there,” Vale asked suddenly. She nudged her horse, starting them forward toward the pasture again. The abrupt change of topic had him stunned speechless, but he couldn’t deny he was grateful. He suspected that maybe she hadn’t changed the topic for him. Something in her expression left him wondering if she was tired of death.
“I don’t think it’s all that different from living in Sirelis,” Eno stated. He urged his horse forward to catch up with her. “There are only a couple of hours in the early morning when the city is quiet. That’s when I used to go for my morning run. The rest of the time, the city is busting at the seams with people rushing to jobs or shops or whatever. It’s even worse in the spring when all the pilgrims arrive for the week-long celebration to honor the goddess.”
Vale grinned over her shoulder at him. “Busy?”
“Insane. Traffic is clogged at all hours. Every hotel, inn, and restaurant is packed. Organizing the security details around Caelan takes weeks to pull together and it still feels like it’s never enough. It’s the one time of year that I wish he could simply hide in the Towers until they all leave, but he’s expected to make numerous appearances all week, putting his life in constant danger.”
Eno smirked to himself. Oddly enough, it was the one time of year that Rayne seemed moderately calm and relaxed. All his arrangements for Caelan’s appearances were settled well in advance of the pilgrim’s week. As long as Caelan showed up, gave his speech, smiled, shook hands, and posed for pictures, Rayne had nothing to worry about.
“Do you have your own place? Or live in some kind of barracks?”
“Apartment in the Royal Towers, just a floor below Caelan.” Vale flashed him an impressed face that had him rolling his eyes. “It’s nice, and the closeness allows me to be on call for him at all hours.”
He’d be the first to admit that he was grateful that Caelan tended to be something of a homebody, though. It had been years since Caelan had impulsively attempted to sneak out of the Towers without him or kept strange hours. All of that had likely been attributable to Drayce whispering in his ear.
For the most part, Caelan kept a very regular schedule and seemed to prefer playing video games and watching movies with Drayce in his own apartment over venturing out into Stormbreak and putting his life in danger.
Vale sighed. “Waiting around for someone. That sounds like a sucky existence.”
“I see it as protecting the man who will keep my home vibrant and growing into the future.” Besides, Caelan was a very conscientious person. He was aware that not only his life, but Eno’s life was at risk every time he stepped outside the Towers. He didn’t take unnecessary risks if he could help it.