Regius (41 page)

Now though, he ignored the ghosts
calling, forbidding them to distract him from his course. Ruby eyes
fixed forward, he walked on Zinc Sea, the realm allowing things
that wouldn't be possible outside of this place. While he didn't
need to eat or sleep, he knew that once he'd get out of the Valley,
he'd have lived to be a month older in the amount of about a
day.

The water wrinkled away around his
feet, soft bells filling the air around him, resonating through the
emptiness the Valley offered him. The ghosts were leaving him
somewhat alone for now, only appearing from time to time to see if
he would stop and sing for them, their grimaces clear on their
smoky figures as he refused.

He could see Cobalt City. The ghosts
were showing him what the place had looked like back when the
Regius had first entered Zinc. Back then, aside from the Palliums,
all people had been Civilians. A secret Datura was in on and knew
better than to repeat. Only a small group of Civilians had been
bestowed with the strength the blood that is blue offered, using it
to show the others the path to destruction. From there on forward,
everything was just history.

Being privileged to all this knowledge
had taught Datura to only speak when someone asked the right
question. Because when they did, he could know for certain that
they truly wished for the answer. Of course, the others weren't
aware that the ghosts showed him history, confirming facts lost
through tales and rumors.

His thoughts were cut short as his red
eyes landed on his destination. He entered the ruined building that
would become the Rangers tavern later on in the future, or more
accurately, his present. Allowing the Valley to slowly fade away
from around him, he saw the ghosts replaced with living people.
They barely took notice of him even though the Keeper appeared out
of thin air. He assumed many of them were drunk, or just couldn't
be surprised by anything when it came to Zinc. Either way, Datura
didn't care about them, it was the one man that did notice him he
was focused on.

The music playing in the tavern was
rough and anything but soothing. The person that sang was clearly
aware he had vocal chords and didn't mind using them to the limit.
It was a throaty voice, his words sounding sensual to Datura's ears
even though he didn't articulate all that well. The heavy guitar
accompanying him trembled its way through the Keeper's body, and
although he wouldn't listen to this type of music often, he could
see what the people in the tavern liked in it.

He knew his presence here was wrong,
and that the person he was currently moving towards would cause the
Altors to call the Keeper a traitor. Yet, he couldn't help but feel
some sort of amusement wash over him as the dark music spoke, the
man he sought raised an eyebrow at him curiously when he noticed.
As he came to stand beside the Regius, a few heads turned. Not
surprising, really. It was clear Datura was Altor and not Ranger.
Why would an Altor approach a Regius tracker?

"Rhamnus." Datura greeted, lifting his
palms up in the air to show he wasn't here to pick a fight. Pursing
his lips, the tracker turned his body towards the Keeper while
remaining seated on the barstool. Blue eyes overwhelmed with
curiosity trailed over Datura's body, and the tracker then smirked
carefully.

"You're a hard one to kill, aren't
you?" Never did the Keeper think he'd have an actual conversation
with this man. "Clearly you aren't here to have me try again, so
perhaps I can offer you a drink while you explain what it is you
want from me." Apparently now was the time they would talk instead
of fight.

Not even taking a moment to think
things over, Datura sat himself down and nodded at the tracker.
"Whatever you're having."

Rhamnus raised an eyebrow. "You sure?
I drink my whisky dry."

"Just because we fight the good fight,
doesn't mean we can't handle our liquor." Grinning at Datura's
words, the tracker motioned for the bartender to tend to the
Keeper.

"What do you want?" Thankfully, the
tracker clearly had no intention of dancing around the
subject.

"Calycanthus. The Altors claim he died
on Regius territory." Datura clipped out.

"And you don't believe them?" It was
offered as a question, but the Keeper knew there was more to be
added. "Smart." Feeling his body tense at that statement, Datura
noticeably inhaled, leading the tracker to chuckle softly. "So you
yourself questioned the boy being alive or dead?
Interesting."

"He did not come into the Valley."
Datura murmured. "While that gave me strong suspect to believe him
to be alive, it doesn't take away the fact that he could have
passed on peacefully."

"Why did you seek me out,
Datura?"

"You're the best tracker in Zinc." It
was the truth, not even the Altors could deny that fact. It was a
sure thing that Rhamnus had located Acacia and given the info to
the ghost assassin.

"You know I'll ask something of you in
return."

Datura gritted his teeth,
nodding, "Yes.
What's
your price?"

Rhamnus eyed the Keeper
carefully, most likely trying to gauge his reactions to each and
every little thing. "You. You're the price. I will find Calycanthus
if you allow me to escort you to Xania." Datura opened his mouth to
say something, but Rhamnus shook his head. "Willingly. You'll join
the Regius,
willingly
. No fighting, Keeper." Rhamnus allowed Datura to see some
anger build in his tone of voice. "I don't have time for it. If you
want me to find Kalmia's offspring you better listen and agree to
what I want in return." Then the tenseness in the tracker
dissipated. Leaning back in his stool, Rhamnus threw back his
drink, giving Datura a relatively simple shrug. "I do have other
people to track, you know."

He couldn't help the curiosity,
"Who?"

"Join the Regius, and maybe Xania will
tell you."

"You swear you'll find Calycanthus?"
Datura demanded. "You'll bring him back to me?"

Rhamnus smirked.
"Regius honor."

Datura rolled his eyes. "So it may as
well be a lie." Sighing, the Keeper looked around the tavern, the
people in it no longer interested in what was taking place between
himself and the tracker. The fragility he'd felt when hearing
Pieris say that Cali had perished, washed over him again as he felt
Rhamnus' stare on his face, the tracker's offer resonating
repeatedly through his head. Licking his lips, he ignored the Altor
within himself and whispered, "I've got nothing left to
lose."