Claimed by the Clan

It was a busy restaurant, one of the few in town. Cera gazed freely, the sight of so many unfamiliar faces unnerving. The locals returned the glare.

Cy swore as he noticed the crowd's focus shift to them. "You should have been brought in from the back."

Cera couldn't help but see him as an older lady now that he had revealed his identity to her; she was careful, like a marksman, and most likely very dictatorial. Who was she to fool? He was rather bossy, of course.

As a number of elderly women approached them with intrusive questions, she heard Cy growl. Although Cera believed he had no intention of following through, he accepted their invites to tea. Then someone handed him a chair, and he stood on it with a frustrated expression.

"Pay attention!" Cy sounded almost bored as he said. Cera is the new one we have on board. I'm going to look after her with Perla. She is now one of us.

At his comments, the locals poured more ale and cheered. Unspoken was the fact that she was finally free from outside interference. The clan had claimed her.

"Well?" As Cera was thinking, she was startled to find a boy who appeared to be Perla's age approaching her. "Cera? I take it that you're the new girl? He was obviously a member of the clan because he wore his symbol on his cheek. His eyes were charcoal, yet his long lavender hair was a shade lighter than Cy's.

She nodded, sensing that his query was really a formality. She was startled by his gloomy gaze as he surveyed her. He was studying her.

"And you are." Cera made an effort.

"That's Argent." Near her ear, Cy's voice interrupted, "He commands our main force." She let out a gasp. However, the ages were illogical. Both boys nodded in greeting as Cy locked eyes with Argent.

"He may be physically older, but I have more experience, so I'm clan head," Cy clarified after noticing her perplexity.

Cera wanted to inquire about herself, but she held back because she believed a good commander would not openly challenge her own authority. In addition, Argent was still watching her.

For her benefit, Cy added, "You have a special advantage." "Sides, Carmine is only providing you with a portion of his men, not all of them."

She pretended to comprehend and nodded once more. She understood the value of projecting confidence in whatever she was doing here.

At last, Argent spoke. "I've heard wonderful things about you from Carmen. I have faith that my men will be well taken care of.

"Obviously," she responded, exuding queenly composure. "You can trust me with your faith."

Fortunately, before Argent could ask any more questions, Cy ushered her inside the kitchen. She thought her interview with the young leader had been just as terrifying even though he had not possessed the sage's quirkiness.

"Hey, sister!" Cy summoned the kitchen.

A young man looked up as he chopped carrots. She's playing for fun. She will return in a couple of hours.

Cy let out a sigh. But, Saku, we're really hungry. And we've traveled this far. Do you have any food for us?

Saku, the waiter, arched his brows. "Have a piece of gold?" he shot back.

Cy sighed once more as he glanced at Saku and then Cera. "All right."

Saku grinned. "Just because of blood ties, don't expect any cheap deals." You scoundrels steal all the leftovers, which is already awful enough. After making one more cut with the knife and gathering the carrots into a dish, he rushed out to take orders.

"Sit down," complained the cook. "And stop talking, Cy; you're useless."

Although Cera was shocked by the harsh reception Cy received, she reminded herself that his prickly demeanor was likely disliked by others. And clan leaders are unworthy of respect? A caustic voice in her head asked. The server and cook were probably simply being impolite.

Cy moaned as though he had to endure this every day. Pointing Cera to the seat next to him, he sat at the kitchen table. "Do you have any meat, Willem? I am famished.

The cook gave him a fierce look. He offered a bucket that had been on the ground for a while and added, "I'll give you this." Cy casually remembered it from his visits the day before and yesterday.

Raw shrimp were within it. Cy gave a shrug. "Give me a heaping helping of rice, and I'll take it." He piled all the shrimp onto a big metal tray that he had stolen. Cera could smell a slight, foul smell, but Cy ignored it. She questioned whether he was even aware that it was decaying. He used his fire to singe the shrimp, so it didn't appear to matter. The dish took on a cooked, pink hue. Cy then covered the mixture with a good number of spicy, hot Eastern spices, which were so strong they overpowered all other flavors.

Then he tackled the food, a bowl of rice. Before her rumbling stomach persuaded her that iffy food was preferable to none at all, Cera watched with suspicion.

"You're not getting any gold for that rotten shrimp," Cy told Willem after they had both devoured the dinner, Cera much more slowly because to the nerve-numbing, tear-inducing seasonings.

Willem didn't appear overly depressed. "To make up for our losses, Perla will simply need to work two shifts."

"You wouldn't!" Cy yelled in jest. He looked over at Cera. "I believe it's time for you to locate Perla. I need to return and take care of certain clan matters.

Uncertain of the purpose of assisting Perla with market ingredients, Cera nodded. However, she thought it would be an opportunity to familiarize herself with her new environment.

Jogging back into the kitchen, Saku rattled off a number of commands to Willem, who insisted that he slow down. The waiter, in his twenties, rolled his eyes. You would think that by now you would understand it. No.

Cy chuckled. "You old tool, Willem. An elderly dog with no new tricks, isn't that right?

Cera came to the conclusion that they were all simply rude to one another, and it was OK in some way. She questioned whether she and Cy could ever joke around like that without losing their cool. Most likely not.

With an evil smile, Willem gritted his teeth. Maybe I'll offer you pig slop tomorrow, clan leader? If you're searching for new tricks, that will make you ecstatic.

As Cera left through the back door and headed toward the marketplace, she could feel a vein throbbing in her temple. Whatever trash Cy was made to consume would also be her meals if they continued doing so. Furthermore, the inedible could not be made edible by fire.

As she walked the marketplace, seeing lots of vendors but no Perla, she felt angry at the world. You're where? She was annoyed that Cy hadn't given her clearer instructions, so she mouthed to herself.

"Are you trying to find someone?" She was startled out of her reverie by the question of a young guy selling custom goods. Wearing a sky-blue tunic that gleamed in the sunlight, he was a simple-looking young man. He looked at the black tunic she had borrowed from Perla and smiled warmly at her.

"Well," Cera considered whether or not to trust him for a moment before concluding that there was no risk involved. "Yes, I'm trying to find Perla, the sister of the clan leader."

The man's eyes widened with affection as Cera's sensitive gaze picked them up instantly. He was in love with Perla, she surmised. His expression was trained to be neutral. "For what purpose do you need her?"

"I'm meant to observe her shopping," Cera said haltingly. Cy's directives. I think he has no idea what he's doing.

As he opened up, she sensed his response and applauded to herself. Cy wasn't much liked.

The man admitted, "There are times when he is just plain irrational." By the way, my name is Slade Quan. The primary clothing vendor in the village. Cera twisted her lips ironically and added in her mind that there was a guy who had a crush on Perla.

Although it's well known that Perla is always training in the neighboring forest, she tells her brother that she comes here after lunch. You'll need to find her on your own," Slade informed her. "And you probably don't deserve to find her anyway if you can't handle it."