Chapter 16 - KAI

The vibrant colors of the carnival spilled into every corner of English Harbour, a dazzling tapestry of life and sound under the warm glow of the Antigua sun. Streamers of gold and crimson fluttered in the tropical breeze, lanterns swayed gently on strings, and the air was alive with music—bright, rhythmic drumming mingling with the melodic trill of flutes and the hum of laughter. People danced in the streets, their movements fluid and celebratory, while the scent of food—smoky, spicy, and sweet—drifted from the bustling stalls that lined the cobblestone roads.

Kai stood amidst the revelry, his eyes scanning the throng of people for signs of danger, though his focus kept flickering toward Tomoya. The wolf's face was as stormy as ever, his expression pinched and resigned, the scratches on his cheek and jaw still visible despite the passing hours. Kai's own face bore similar marks from their skirmish the night before, stinging reminders of their clash. When he'd showered that morning, the wounds had blistered painfully beneath the hot water, but the physical sting was nothing compared to the knot of unresolved tension between them.

Kai prided himself on his patience and kindness—qualities he worked hard to cultivate. But something about Tomoya clawed at his composure. He would never admit to hating the man—hate was too strong a word, too definitive—but the feelings bubbling beneath his skin worried him. It felt perilously close.

His thoughts scattered as a tantalizing aroma wafted from a nearby stall, tugging him toward a table piled high with Caribbean delicacies.

There were golden fritters glistening with oil, their crisp shells encasing a tender mix of salted cod and spices. A pot of goat curry simmered nearby, the rich, earthy scent of cumin and allspice mingling with the sweetness of coconut milk. Platters of grilled fish sat adorned with wedges of lime and fresh herbs, the smoky char perfuming the air. A bowl of rice and peas steamed enticingly, its nutty aroma blending with the fragrant kick of Scotch bonnet peppers. Beside it, a woman ladled a deep crimson sorrel punch into cups, the tangy, spiced drink glistening like liquid rubies.

Kai stopped and inhaled deeply, letting the comforting scent of the food wrap around him. When he glanced back, he caught Tomoya watching him, his dark gaze unreadable. Their eyes locked for a fleeting moment, but Tomoya quickly turned away, disappearing into the pulsing crowd.

Isaac appeared at Kai's side, linking their arms with a grin. The elf rested his ginger head on Kai's broad shoulder and sighed theatrically. "I know we're on patrol," Isaac said, his voice light, "but surely we can eat something?"

Kai smiled down at him, amused by the mischievous glint in Isaac's green eyes. "Alright, I'll treat you," he said indulgently. "Bayu too, if we can find him."

Isaac rolled his eyes, mock-annoyed. "Bayu's busy being responsible, as always. I told him it's fine to take a break, but you know how he is."

Kai stepped up to the stall, greeted warmly by a vendor dressed in a lavishly patterned dress, her wide smile bright against her sun-kissed skin. She offered them a bag of smoked nuts, their spicy aroma mingling with the rich sweetness of caramelized sugar, and handed over cups of sorrel punch. Kai paid, thanked her, and wandered away with Isaac, munching on their snacks as the carnival unfolded around them.

The air was suddenly filled with a flurry of giggles, and a group of fairies swarmed toward them. Their gossamer wings sparkled under the lantern light, their sun-browned skin gleamed with vibrant paint designs.

"Are you guys from the Aetherwing Brigade?" one of them asked, her voice high and lilting.

"Yes," Kai said, his tone polite and official.

The fairies laughed, delighted. One with an especially elaborate hairstyle—braids adorned with tiny seashells—reached out and grasped Kai's bicep, gasping dramatically. "You must work out," she teased, her fingers lingering.

Isaac shifted uncomfortably beside him, and Kai stifled a laugh. "I try my best," he said with a wry smile.

Another fairy chimed in, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Do you have a sweetheart?"

Kai paused, meeting her gaze earnestly. "My only sweetheart is this island, Antigua," he said solemnly. "And I'll do whatever it takes to protect the people here."

The fairies erupted into laughter and squeals, charmed by his response, but Kai gently extricated himself from their attention, pulling Isaac along with him.

"Well, look at you," Isaac muttered, smirking. "Going to choose one of them to warm your bed tonight?"

Kai shot him a scandalized look. "Isaac!"

Isaac scoffed, shoving a handful of nuts into his mouth. "Don't look at me like that. Although now I'm curious—did you have a sweetheart back in Lagos?"

Kai thought back to the long, sweltering days on the farm, his hands rough and calloused from plucking ripe mangoes and cutting sugarcane under the relentless Lagos sun. The market days had been no easier, filled with the scents of tropical fruits and the chatter of bargaining voices. He could still hear the kind-faced aunties who would pause by his stall, their eyes appraising him with an almost maternal delight once they realised he was a dragonborn.

"How strong you must be," they'd cooed, their voices rich with admiration. "And so kind, too. Handsome as anything!"

Some had leaned in conspiratorially, pointing at his fine-featured face, "Look at those eyes of his, so piercing! They must see straight into your soul."

Even his father had once broached the subject with a rare hint of pride. "If you expand the farm," he'd said, his tone measured but firm, "you could marry well. Take a wife—or several. Concubines, even. It's tradition."

Kai had laughed then, a tight, hollow sound, and shrugged off the suggestion. He knew the weight of those expectations. If he fell in love, married, and settled down, his life would be the farm, forever. Even before he'd joined the Aetherwing Brigade, something restless in him had whispered that he was meant for more. A life beyond the confines of the earth he tilled and the skies he only dreamed of soaring through.

Now, standing amidst the vibrant chaos of the carnival, Kai looked down at Isaac. The elf's eyes glittered, reflecting the lantern light, their warmth tinged with curiosity.

"I've never had one," Kai said simply, his tone carefully neutral.

Isaac's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Are you lying to me?"

Kai tilted his head, a small smile playing at his lips as he leaned closer. The noise of the carnival faded into the background, leaving only the space between them. Kai could feel Isaac's warmth, could see the faint dusting of freckles across his nose and cheeks, like constellations on pale skin.

"I'd never lie to you," Kai murmured, his voice soft and steady.

Isaac guffawed. "Whatever, I for one had many a sweetheart."

Kai chuckled. "Let me guess, London mermaids?"

Isaac guffawed, nearly doubling over. "Mermaids in the River Thames? Are you mad? They'd keel over from the piss and sewage." He straightened, an impish grin lighting his freckled face. "There are no mermaids in London. I had trysts, thank you very much. If you must know."

Kai laughed, shaking his head. "Not sure I want to hear about your trysts in detail, Isaac."

The cheeky glint in Isaac's eyes only deepened. "So, the first one I ever had—her name was, uh... well..." He trailed off dramatically, his expression caught between mischief and mock hesitation.

Kai quirked an eyebrow, skepticism plain on his face. "Are you the one lying to me now, Isaac?"

Isaac choked on the last sip of his sorrel punch, coughing as he sputtered. "You're one to talk! Expecting me to believe you've never felt the touch of another woman? Really?"

Kai's lips curled into a teasing smirk, his amber eyes glinting. "I never said that. I said I've never had a sweetheart. There's a difference."

Isaac froze for a beat, his freckles standing out against his pale cheeks. "Oh."

He perked up almost instantly, his mood swinging back to its usual playfulness. "Then maybe you should go proposition one of those fairies! They seemed plenty interested—"

Before Isaac could bolt into the throng of carnival-goers, Kai caught his arm and pulled him back, firmly but gently. "We're here on patrol, Isaac. I will do no such thing."

Isaac mock-sulked, dragging his feet dramatically. "You're no fun," he muttered, before suddenly lighting up. "Hey, so out of the four of us in our squad..."

Kai blinked, his brows knitting together in genuine worry. He already didn't like where this was going. "What?"

Isaac grinned, mischief radiating from him. "Imagine if we were ladies. Who would you pick to marry?"

Kai's deep laughter filled the air as he shook his head, quickening his stride. "You're impossible sometimes."

"TELL MEEEEE!" Isaac hollered after him, voice rising theatrically over the vibrant chaos of the carnival. "KAI! TELL ME—"

The crash behind him was sudden, loud enough to drown out even the cacophony of drums and laughter. Kai whirled around, his eyes landing on Isaac sprawled comically on the ground, tangled in his own limbs. Standing beside him was a tall figure, immaculately dressed in the sharp blue livery of the Aetherwing Brigade.

Kai's breath hitched. The man's uniform gleamed in the lantern light, adorned with a collection of medals so numerous it was a wonder the fabric didn't sag under their weight. His golden-blond hair glinted like sunlight, and his eyes—so crisp and blue —swept over the scene with an air of cold detachment.

"You could have hurt me!" Isaac grumbled from the ground, his freckled face scrunched in indignation.

The figure ignored him entirely, his attention snapping to Kai. His posture was ramrod straight, his hand extended in precise, military formality.

"Lukas Kowalski. Sylph."

Kai stared at the man's hand, his own instinctively moving to take it as he blinked in surprise. A sylph. Here? And not just any sylph—this man looked every inch the decorated soldier. Sylph's were air elementals usually hailing from Eastern European countries. As far as Kai knew, Squad 14 were the only squad dispatched in Antigua currently.

"You are the leader of Squad 14, yes?" Lukas's voice carried the clipped precision of a Polish accent, each syllable as sharp as the gleam of his medals.

Kai squared his shoulders. "I am. I wasn't aware Aetherwing had dispatched another squad to Antigua."

A flicker of shadow passed over Lukas's face, his expression tightening as if the very thought displeased him. "I am with the Polish faction, Squad 9," he said, his tone matter-of-fact but brimming with implied superiority. "We have received troubling reports—accounts of your squad's performance issues. Antigua remains in grave danger."

Isaac, who had just finished dusting off his trousers, let out a derisive scoff. "Does this look like danger to you?" He gestured broadly to the vibrant scene around them: couples spinning under the warm glow of lanterns, music weaving joyfully through the air, and the tantalizing aroma of street food wafting through the throng. "We're handling it pretty well, if I do say so myself."

Lukas didn't even deign to look directly at Isaac, offering him only a cursory glance before turning back to Kai as if dismissing him entirely. The deliberate slight made Kai's jaw tighten.

"From the reports we've reviewed," Lukas continued coolly, "that is not the impression we have. There was a monster attack in Falmouth, despite the so-called powerful wards your team was responsible for maintaining. That failure," he said, the word hanging heavy like a hammer poised to fall, "is unacceptable."

Kai's fists clenched at his sides, but before he could respond, Lukas stepped closer. He placed a hand on Kai's shoulder—firm, deliberate, and entirely unwelcome.

"We are here to ensure the mission in Antigua succeeds," Lukas said, his cold blue eyes locking onto Kai's. "But understand this: our hope is that we will not need to intervene." His voice dropped to a lower register, carrying a weight that seemed to chill the warm night air. "Remember, you are recruits-in-training. Just as you were inducted into Aetherwing—" His grip on Kai's shoulder tightened briefly before releasing. "—you can be removed."

The words hit Kai like a blow, not for their threat but for their sheer audacity. His instincts screamed to shove the hand away, but he held his ground, his expression unreadable. He wouldn't give Lukas the satisfaction of a visible reaction.

Isaac, however, had no such compunction. "The hell is your problem?" he snapped, stepping forward. "We've been out here risking our necks for weeks. Weeks. Maybe if you'd been around to help instead of sitting pretty back in headquarters, you'd see we're doing just fine without your pompous—"

"Isaac." Kai's voice cut through the air like a blade, sharp but calm. Isaac fell silent, though his freckled face was flushed with indignation.

Lukas glanced at Isaac as though he were an irritating insect, then returned his attention to Kai. "We will be watching," he said, his voice as crisp as his polished uniform. With a sharp nod, he turned on his heel and strode into the crowd, his boots clicking against the cobblestones.

Isaac let out a low growl of frustration, running a hand through his messy ginger hair. "What an absolute—"

"Let it go, Isaac," Kai said, though his own anger simmered just beneath the surface.

"Let it go?" Isaac exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air. "Did you hear the way he talked to you? Like we're a bunch of children playing pretend!"

Kai exhaled slowly, his gaze fixed on the direction Lukas had disappeared into. "It doesn't matter what he thinks."

Isaac huffed but didn't argue, instead falling into step beside Kai as they resumed their patrol. The vibrant energy of the carnival felt muted now, the joy and warmth seeming almost out of reach.

Kai's mind churned with Lukas's parting words. You can be removed. It wasn't fear that tightened his chest but determination—a steely resolve to prove Lukas and anyone else doubting them wrong.

For now, though, he pushed the thought aside. There was work to be done.