Rahina's POV
At last, the drinking session Tavik and I had been planning was finally happening. It was supposed to be the day after the banquet, but we were both too exhausted, so we pushed it to the following Saturday instead.
"You've been here long?" Tavik asked as he stepped into the hideout. I had arrived earlier than him.
"Just got here," I replied, leaning back casually. Then my eyes drifted to the bag he was carrying. A rich, savory aroma immediately hit me, making my mouth water. "What'd you bring?"
He smirked and lifted the bag slightly. "Grilled chicken, girl. And some old-era potato chips."
"Damn, that smells so good. No wonder it's driving me crazy," I said, already reaching for the things he brought.
I started setting up our drinks while he unpacked the food. I had even sneaked a couple of glasses for us, planning to return them later like nothing happened.
"Let's start," he said, popping open a bottle with a practiced motion.
Meanwhile, I spread the food neatly over a banana leaf, arranging it like a makeshift feast. "Wow, this looks like a boodle fight. Eating with our hands like this just makes it better. Good thing you brought two chickens. We're definitely getting full tonight."
"Rice is there too. Eat first," he added, nodding toward a wrapped bundle.
"Oh, right. You really thought this through, huh?" I teased, noticing two sets of spoon and fork already prepared.
We ate first, tearing into the chicken with our hands, occasionally laughing when the juices dripped onto our fingers. We made sure to save some for later as snack. Once the rice was gone, Tavik wiped his hands on a cloth and reached for the bottle again.
"Your turn," he said, pouring a drink into a glass and handing it to me. "Try it."
I took a small sip first, testing the taste, then finished the rest in one go. "Huh… why is it kind of sweet? It doesn't taste like normal alcohol."
He chuckled, leaning back on his hands. "Yeah, drinks here are different. Sweet, but strong. Good thing there's no wind tonight. If you get hit by a breeze while drinking that, you'll get drunk instantly."
I laughed. "So wind is the secret to getting wasted fast?"
"Oh, for sure," he said, grinning. "I remember one time, a guy from the office said he was feeling hot and asked someone to fan him. The moment the air hit him, boom. Knocked out cold."
We both burst out laughing.
Then I noticed Tavik's gaze drift to something behind me. His expression shifted slightly, like he spotted something interesting.
"What are you looking at?" I asked.
Instead of answering, he tilted his chin toward a direction.
I followed his gaze.
Almi.
He was hiding behind a tree not too far away, peeking at us like he wasn't sure if he should come closer. His eyes met Tavik's, and I turned back to Tavik with a silent "What's he doing here?" look.
I sighed and raised my voice slightly. "You can stop hiding. Come here."
Almi hesitated, gripping the edge of the tree. He looked like he was debating whether to run or stay. I stood up, walked over, and grabbed his arm gently.
"Come on," I said, dragging him lightly. "Sit here."
I gestured to my seat, but he shook his head quickly. "I cannot… I feel embarrassed."
I crossed my arms. "Your choice. Sit down or we kick you out."
He froze for a second, then quietly sat down without another word.
I smirked and moved to sit on a fallen log about a meter away from the table, stretching my legs out comfortably.
We resumed drinking, passing the glass around as the conversation flowed.
"Tavik, let me ask you something," I said, swirling the drink in my glass. "Can workers stay outside the palace? Like rent their own place?"
He scratched his chin. "Yeah, I think so. But there's a catch. Monthly inspections. Inspectors can show up anytime."
"Wait, what? Why?"
"They keep a duplicate key," he added, raising his brows. "So even if you're not there, they can enter. Just to check if you're okay… or if you've got a 'live-in' situation going on." He even made air quotes with his fingers.
I blinked. "Seriously? And it's random? No warning?"
"Exactly."
I leaned back, exhaling. "That's… kind of invasive."
While we talked, Almi sat quietly, holding his glass with both hands. His eyes moved between us, clearly trying to follow the conversation, but his confused expression gave him away.
"Do you know any place nearby?" I continued. "I want my own space. What's the point of earning if I've got nothing to show for it when I go home?"
"There's a place a few meters from here," Tavik said. "I can take you there when I'm free."
I grinned and reached out for a high-five. "Knew I could count on you."
Our hands slapped together, a little louder than necessary. The alcohol was starting to kick in. Everything felt lighter, almost like I could float off the log.
Almi shifted slightly, about to stand, probably to offer me his seat, but I raised a hand quickly.
"Hey. Stay there."
He immediately froze and nodded, sitting back down obediently.
"By the way, girl," Tavik said, pouring another round, "how's life inside the palace?"
"It's… okay," I replied, rolling my eyes. "They think I have amnesia, so they assume I forgot everything. I mean, how am I supposed to explain the truth, right?"
He laughed. "Yeah, no one would believe you anyway. Might as well just go along with it."
"Exactly. And now I've been assigned to deliver the prince's dinner every night."
"Ooooh," Tavik teased, wiggling his brows. "That's something."
Right then, Almi suddenly choked on his drink, coughing into his sleeve.
I leaned forward. "What happened to you?"
"Nothing. Do not worry about me," he said quickly, avoiding eye contact.
Tavik glanced at him briefly, a knowing look flickering in his eyes.
"So," Tavik continued, smirking slightly, "the prince doesn't have a crush on you or something?"
I scoffed. "How would I know? He barely talks. And the setup is like this..." I gestured with my hands, outlining an imaginary long table and distance between seats. "We're far apart the whole time."
"At least it's not awkward, right?"
"Not really. I just leave after he finishes eating. Honestly, I think he's just bored and I happened to be the unlucky one assigned to him."
I downed my drink, then suddenly remembered something. "Oh! I found this candy the other day. It looked familiar, so I bought it. When I tried it—boom. It tasted like a candy cane. Sweet with that menthol kick."
Tavik leaned forward. "And?"
"The seller said it was invented by a five-year-old kid."
He paused, then smirked. "Yeah… that means someone like us probably ended up here again."
"By the way," I added, pointing at him, "why are you the only one asking questions? How about you? What have you been up to?"
He laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Same old. Actually, I skipped work today. Needed a breather. No one here really gets me… until I met you." He raised his hand again. "High-five."
I chuckled and met his hand again. "Guess we're stuck here, huh? Nothing to go back to anyway. Our old bodies are probably gone. Worm food. Just bones now."
"Worms? Bones?" Almi suddenly spoke, his voice filled with confusion. "What do you mean, Rahina?"
I leaned closer to him, lowering my voice near his ear.
"I told you before, didn't I?" I whispered. "I'm not from this place."
He turned to me immediately, eyes wide. "What do you mean?"
I pulled back slightly, studying his face. "You wouldn't believe me even if I told you."
"I told you already," he insisted, his voice steady despite the tension. "Even if it is not the truth, I will believe it. Please… tell me now."
I hesitated.
For a moment, I glanced at Tavik, silently asking for his input.
He gave a small nod. "Go. He looks desperate."
I took a deep breath and turned back to Almi, locking eyes with him.
"Listen carefully, Almi," I said, my tone serious now. "I'm only going to say this once. Whether you believe me or not… that's up to you."