The Librarian and the Assassin, a Sapphic Romance at the End of the World - 44. Chapter 44 - Three

“I knew a trans woman named Xylda,” Bix informed Tawni, “back in Falland. But this Xylda can’t be her, can it?”

Tawni did not know. “I didn’t ask her where she was from, and I only talked to her for a minute before coming home to you. Who was the Xylda you knew?”

“I didn’t really know her. I just know she was part of the Fallandish court. Your Xylda can’t be that Xylda.”

Tawni very much enjoyed Bix saying your Xylda, and it felt like Bix’s hurt had diminished.

The pair ate some of Tawni’s preserved food, and the hours of the afternoon slowly crept by. The daily storm came and went, and when the evening sun was getting low over the western sea, Tawni recommended heading up to the rooftop to watch it set.

Bix thought the proposal sounded very romantic, but she countered with the suggestion of going to the shallows to enjoy the sunset from the beach.

Tawni liked that idea very much, and the pair headed out into the city streets. In less than ten minutes, they were seated on an old park bench with their shoes off and their feet in the sand.

The bottom edge of the sun touched the horizon.

“It’s so beautiful,” Bix stated.

“Like you,” Tawni replied.

The pair shared a kiss.

Over the course of about thirty minutes, the sun slowly made its way down, reflecting on the rolling waves with fuchsia, teal, and gold. The fading light caused the clouds in the distance to take on vibrant green and pink hues that shifted and changed their spectrum as the world grew darker. The sun eventually disappeared, hidden behind the ocean.

“That was stunning,” Bix said quietly.

“Can I take you for a cocktail?” Tawni asked. The question was awkward to say, but it felt good to be able to offer.

Bix grinned. “I’d love to get one with you. Where’d you have in mind?”

“I dunno,” Tawni replied. “Let’s see if one of the local spots seems like a good one to check out.”

Bix grabbed Tawni’s hand, and the pair rose from the bench.

Two blocks from the water, the women heard music coming from a tavern, and they entered. A duo was on stage in the middle of a song.

“Hey babe, would you please order me something fruity?” Bix requested. “I’m gonna run to the little girl’s room.”

The two separated, but Tawni was only alone for a moment.

“Hi, Tawni,” Xylda’s voice said behind her.

Tawni spun to face the woman whom she could not get out of her mind. “Xylda!”

The transgender woman’s hungry eyes moved down Tawni’s body and back up to her face. “Tawni, I want you a little more, each time our paths cross.”

Tawni was thinking the same thing about Xylda. “I told my girlfriend about you.”

“Oooh la la,” Xylda growled. “You know… I have a secret.”

Tawni took an excited breath. “What is it?!”

Xylda grinned. “The reason we keep bumping into each other is not as random as it may have seemed so far.”

“Really?” Tawni asked. “What do you mean?”

“I’m interested in you, Tawni…” Xylda paused before concluding, “because of Bix.”

Tawni was confused. “What about Bix?”

“She knows me, but I didn’t want to simply reveal myself to her, because I can guess how she’ll react.”

Tawni glanced over her shoulder. “Bix is here with me.”

“I know,” Xylda admitted. “I followed you both here.”

“Followed? Why were you following us?”

Xylda did not get to answer.

Bix came raging at her and shoved her away from Tawni.

Xylda staggered back, and her hands shot up in a gesture of surrender. “Bix, wait.”

“Tawni!” Bix roared. “This is the Xylda I know, and she’s evil!”

“I’m not,” Xylda replied, and despite being in a crowded tavern, she knelt on the floor before Bix with her hands still raised. Quite a few strangers’ eyes turned to look down at her, but Xylda was focused on Bix. “I followed your example, Bix, and I escaped.”

Bix’s anger faltered slightly as Xylda continued.

“The queen and king sent me with a group of soldiers to find you and bring you back to Falland, but I used the mission as my means of getting away. I accepted the task of finding you, in order to escape, myself.” Xylda’s eyes shifted from Bix’s confusion to Tawni. “The queen and king of Falland are under the misconception that Bix killed the nobles, and I heard about the poison. Tawni, I know you’re the one who stopped the Fallindish soldiers who were after Bix. I also learned that you’ve gone to see several of the formerly wealthy leaders of this island. I fancy myself a novice chemist, but you are a master.” Xylda looked back at Bix. “I came here to escape Falland, but also to find you and your poison-master. I didn’t expect the two of you to be in love, and I certainly did not expect the chemist to be so beautiful.”

Tawni let out a breath. “You think I’m beautiful?”

Xylda slowly lowered her hands. “I’d say Bix and I have very similar tastes in women.” She turned to Bix. “I’m not your enemy. I’m not here to take you back.” Xylda began to rise from her knees, and she glanced at the musicians on the stage. “Can we go outside to talk more easily?”

The trio went into the streets, and Tawni said quietly, “Xylda, you got away, just like Bix did, and just like the princess Bix helped escape.” She then looked worried. “But wait a second, what about the soldiers you came here with?”

Xylda raised her eyebrows and shook her head. “I don’t know how or why, but a huge contingent of local warriors clashed with the Fallandish soldiers right as our ship arrived. I snuck away as the islanders slaughtered them. I went to the rich families to question them first, but it was clear they knew next to nothing about you, Tawni. And did you know, they’ve given you a name.”

“A name?” Bix repeated.

Xylda nodded. “They are calling her the ghost.”

“So how did you end up finding us,” Bix asked, “if those money-hoarders had no good info about Tawni?”

Xylda smirked. “Discovering anything useful about the so-called ghost proved to be much more difficult… than finding details about you, Bix.” She glanced at Tawni. “After talking to the rich folks, I simply went to the most vibrant neighborhood and started asking anyone if they knew a foreigner named Bix, and multiple people were enthusiastic to tell me about her.” Xylda smiled at Bix. “Seems like you’ve made a lot of friends. Putting it together that you and Tawni lived over in this region was easy to figure out. I spotted you two, and I opted to approach Tawni when she was alone, to soften the impact of my arrival. I expected it to upset you, Bix, but I’m not your enemy.”

Bix was frowning, and her arms were crossed over her chest.

Xylda went on, “Bix, I know you don’t trust me, but I was just a kid too when I was taken by the royals. I’m twenty-one. They snatched me when I was three years old, and I was originally forced to be a prince in one of their arranged marriages.”

“How horrible,” Tawni breathed.

“When I was thirteen,” Xylda explained, “I knew I couldn’t be a boy anymore, and the queen dissolved the marriage I’d been forced into. She encouraged me to start training as a chemist. I was still a member of the court, but I was no longer part of her army of child husbands and brides.”

“The king and queen seem really awful,” Tawni stated in a sad voice.

Xylda stared into Bix’s eyes. “I was so proud of you for escaping. Everyone was furious that you’d gotten away during the fire, and I added my own pseudo-vitriol whenever asked about you, but inside I was proud. Escaping Falland has been in the back of my mind since you freed yourself.”

“I would kill the king and queen,” Tawni said quietly, and the other two women looked at her. “I would travel to Falland, find the royals, and kill them all.”