On Borrowed Luck (The Chanmyr Chronicles Book 1)

by TJ Muir

  He hoped Aldon was good at following instructions. “Just ride along with the guy when he makes his deliveries, and see if you can get to know her. And, well… you know… I want to find out if I have a chance… and how hard it might be to slip in for a little night-fun…”

  Aldon nodded knowingly. “Sure thing. I know exactly what you need.” He looked toward Kirrin, like he was feeling some bond between them, and added, “Want to go down to the docks and see if there’s anything going on?”

  Kirrin paused, pretending to consider the offer. “No. I’ve got to get home. I promised to finish fixing the roof in the morning…” He let his voice trail off, mock disappointment.

  “It’s okay. And I’ll see you later then.”

  “Sounds good,” he lied, clapping Aldon on the shoulder. “Have fun.”

  When he got back to the inn, he could see through the window that his mother was just finishing closing up the kitchen for the night. She usually finished late, because the tavern offered light fare even after dinner was over. Good timing. She would be tired and happy to see him home, but not too chatty. At the last second, he ducked out back before he went in, jumping into the shower.

  A few minutes later, he ducked into the kitchen wrapped in a towel.

  She looked up when she heard the door and smiled. “You’re home.” Then she glanced down, and saw the towel. “How many times--”

  “I know mum. Sorry. I’m going straight upstairs for clean clothes. I’ll just say goodnight now,” he added, ducking around the prep table and giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. “It’s been a long day, so I think I’ll just go right to bed.”

  “Okay.” His mother blinked at him several times, then shook her head, looking bewildered. “Goodnight, then.”

  Up in his room, Kirrin shut the door and stretched out on the bed, still wrapped in the towel. The night air had the tiniest chill to it, and felt good against his warm skin. He lay on the bed, listening to the sounds of the inn. It felt good to just lie there for a while, waiting, but relaxed after a full day.

  Noise still filtered up from the inn, and he could hear music coming from the common room. They were playing a bright song about a man with a broken heart that raised occasional rounds of laughter. The song poked fun at a man who kept getting his heart broken and couldn’t understand why.

  Kirrin got up and threw on some clothes, and a moment later he was out the window. He had promised to be home early. He never said he would stay there all night.

  SOFT BREAK

  Kirrin whistled, low and soft, then waited. A moment later Fern’s head popped out the window.

  “That you?” she asked.

  Kirrin guessed not many people came up to the window, given that it was on the second floor. “Yeah. You said to check first to see if-- well… to check first.”

  “It’s good, c’mon in.”

  A moment later Kirrin was standing in Fern’s bedroom.

  “Out for another walk?” she asked, filling a glass and offering it to him. “It’s just water.”

  “Yeah, I went for a run through the city.”

  “I can tell,” she said, laughing.

  “Oh, sorry. I must smell horrible.”

  “Not too bad. I’ve smelled far worse, trust me. At least you smell sweet, like sweat and grass-- much better than stale beer, cigar smoke, and sweat.”

  Kirrin took a sip of water, and then another, emptying the glass without realizing it. “I like running at night, helps clear my head.”

  “So what’s in your head that sends you running in the middle of the night?” Fern asked, refilling his glass, then settling down on a trunk at the foot of her bed. “Pull up a chair.” She nodded to the desk.

  Kirrin twisted the glass around in his hands, staring at it, trying to figure out what he wanted to say.

  “Girl trouble?” Fern asked, prompting him.

  Kirrin glanced up, felt his face flush, lifted one shoulder in a half-shrug. “Kinda, I guess. Maybe.”

  “It usually is, when a fellow looks like this,” she said. “So, what’s the trouble? Girl dump you? Won’t talk to you?”

  “That’s just it. I don’t know. I mean, there’s this girl, and I kinda like her. Sometimes, I think she likes me, but I don’t know. I just don’t know.” He hated the frustrated and anxious sound of his own voice.

  “So, do you just not know about this girl? Or girls in general?”

  Kirrin blinked, surprised at the question. His mouth opened halfway, then closed. “I dunno. I guess girls in general?”

  Fern smiled at him, her tone changing, becoming gentle. “So you’d like to learn, right?”

  “Yeah, I guess so.”

  Another change in tone, this time becoming business-like, but still warm. “Well, how much have you got?”

  “Huh?” Kirrin asked, confused.

  “How much money do you have?”

  “Oh.” Kirrin said, feeling awkward and foolish. He had come thinking he might get some advice. He hadn’t planned on this. But in a split second, he reached into his pocket and stood up. He slapped down two silver crowns on the trunk next to Fern. “How much will this buy?”

  Fern looked down, whistled softly. “Laddie, don’t you worry. That’ll carry you plenty. More than enough for tonight- for quite a few nights.” As she spoke, she reached out and took his hand, patting it gently, reassuring.

  SOFT BREAK

  Kirrin untangled himself from the mess of blankets and pillows, lifting himself up on one elbow and hurling them back up onto the bed.

  Fern laughed, panting. “A little worn out, are ye?”

  Kirrin turned to look at her, damp and sweaty. “Not completely. Want me to prove it to you?”

  She squealed, as he lunged for her, tickling the spots he knew were her most sensitive. She squirmed away, laughing before he could hit her worst spots.

  “You’re a quick learner,” she said, perched on the edge of the bed. “I’d have never guessed you had such a talent just a few weeks ago.”

  “I’m a very fast learner.”

  “And you had an excellent teacher,” she shot back, tossing a pillow at his face. “I’m thirsty.” She reached for the pitcher of water. She emptied the glass, then refilled it and handed it to Kirrin. “Here.” After he had drunk his fill, she nodded toward the wreckage. “Give me a hand putting the bed back together. Pick the mattress up and let’s get it sorted first.” She shook her head, laughing, as she bent over to pick up the mattress that had slid halfway off the bed. “Boy don’ know his own strength,” she muttered playfully.

  A moment later the bed was back together, and the two of them flopped down on it. “Oh, be a good fellow, and grab that plate of fruit over there,” she said, nodding towards the table.

  It was fruit and cheese, and Kirrin didn’t think he had ever tasted anything so delicious. He watched Fern pick up a cherry and bite into it, letting her teeth sink into gently, holding it between her lip.

  Kirrin couldn’t resist, and leaned in to kiss her, taking the rest of the cherry.

  “Do the pair of you never stop?”

  Both of them jumped, surprised.

  Ch’hikk leaned against the wall just inside the window. Fern looked worried, but she saw from his face that this was someone Kirrin knew, and relaxed.

  “Girlfriend?” Fern asked, glancing back and forth between the two of them.

  “No. Hard to explain.”

  “I was going to say that this would explain your original problem.”

  “Get dressed. Time to train.” Ch’hikk said, picking up Kirrin’s clothes from the floor and lobbing them at him.

  Kirrin looked at the pile of clothes, then at Ch’hikk, feeling awkward.

  “Please. I’ve seen plenty of naked bodies- even yours.” she said. “Get dressed, or run naked. It’s all the same to me.”

  Kirrin’s jaw dropped. When had she seen him naked? Had she spied on him at home? Had she followed him to the swimming hole? Or worse, had she bee
n watching him when he was with Fern?

  “Hurry up,” Ch’hikk said, sounding impatient now.

  “Where are you going? What is she training you for?” Fern asked. “Is this normal for you?” she added, grabbing her own shirt and pulling it over her head.

  Kirrin wasn’t sure if it was supposed to be secret. On the other hand, Ch’hikk was standing in the middle of a strange girl’s bedroom. He looked at Ch’hikk, wondering how he was supposed to answer the question.

  “I am a shadow dancer. Kirrin is my student. Very sloppy, but slowly learning finesse. Not so hard to explain,” she said with a smug nod toward Kirrin.

  “I just didn’t know if I was allowed to tell,” Kirrin mumbled as he climbed into his pants.

  “Tell. Not tell. Your choice.”

  “Aren’t the shadow dancers secret though?”

  Ch’hikk shrugged. “Not entirely secret. But not common knowledge, either.”

  Kirrin frowned at the lack of clarity that offered.

  “So what is a shadow dancer? What do they do?” Fern asked, looking at Ch’hikk curiously.

  “Right now, this shadow dancer is going to run, and train this very sloppy student.”

  “Oh, so that’s what you’re out doing every night,” Fern said. “Training.”

  Kirrin nodded, as he pulled his shirt over his head. “Mostly. Yes.”

  “Is it fun? Can I come?”

  Both of them looked at Fern. Kirrin wasn’t sure which of them was more surprised.“What?” he asked. “You can’t come. It’s hard. You wouldn’t be able to keep up, and besides, you might get hurt.”

  Kirrin turned to look at Ch’hikk and saw a scowl on her face. At first he thought it was because of Fern’s question, but he realized she was frowning at him, not Fern.

  “Come then. Shoes for running. Be quick.”

  Kirrin could tell Ch’hikk had slowed her usual pace so Fern could keep up. She changed a few of their usual routes, also. She found places where Kirrin could do something harder, while Fern had an easier option. Kirrin practiced swinging from one pipe and landing on another one. While he did that, Ch’hikk taught Fern the same basic moves Kirrin had started with.

  “Good,” Ch’hikk said, watching Fern. “Light feet, soft hands.

  Kirrin frowned, and almost lost his balance.

  “Sloppy,” Ch’hikk said over her shoulder.

  “This is fun. I like it,” Fern said. “It reminds me of climbing and playing in the quarries when I was little.”

  “Come,” Ch’hikk said, breaking into a run, moving on to their next destination.

  And then to the north terrace, sprawled in the grass. Kirrin was a little less winded than usual. He wasn’t sure if Ch’hikk was holding back or if he was getting into better shape. Maybe a little bit of both, he decided.

  This time, though, Ch’hikk didn’t vanish after their relaxation. Kirrin opened an eye and turned his head slightly to see his teacher watching Fern.

  On the other side of him, Fern stretched her arms out against the grass. “I feel like I could drink in the whole earth,” she said.

  Kirrin didn’t know if she was thirsty or having some mystic experience that was beyond him. He glanced back at Ch’hikk though and saw that she looked satisfied, nodding.

  As if she sensed she was being watched, Fern opened her eyes and sat up. “Thank you,” she said to Ch’hikk. “This was just what I needed. I rarely do anything that’s-- different, relaxing, like this is. Most of the girls just want to do girl-stuff. Hair, clothes, men. I forgot there are other things as well.”

  Ch’hikk nodded. “Change is good. Change pace, change direction. Gives perspective.”

  Fern nodded, looking thoughtful. “May I run with you again?”

  Kirrin opened his mouth, about to protest, but Ch’hikk answered before he could think of what to say that wouldn’t sound mean or selfish. “Come whenever you like to join. You are a good runner.”

  Kirrin was torn in more directions than he could count and couldn’t sort through the range of conflicting emotions welling up inside. He wasn’t sure he liked sharing either of them, even though they had had fun out together. He also felt a flicker of resentment at how easily Ch’hikk took to Fern and how readily she praised and encouraged the girl.

  SOFT BREAK

  A few days later Kirrin caught up with Aldon down by the docks, losing at cards as usual. Kirrin wondered if Aldon would ever realize he was a bad gambler. Kirrin stood back from the table and waited to catch Aldon’s attention. After a particularly bad loss, Aldon looked up. He looked relieved, as though Kirrin had just saved him.

  “I gotta go, guys,” he said, getting up from the table. “I’ll win it back next time.” He made his way around the table as though he had just escaped a terrible fate. “Let’s go outside,” he said as he got closer to Kirrin.

  “It feels nice out here,” he said, once they were outside and had walked a little ways down the road, stretching. “I sat at that cursed table way too long. Got a stiff neck for it.”

  Kirrin didn’t bother asking about how the game went. He already had a pretty good idea, and he had no interest in hearing Aldon whine all night. So he waited, playing Ch’hikk’s tactic of silence.

  “Oh, right,” Aldon said, catching on. “You want to know about Jenny.” He chuckled as he said her name.

  Just hearing the sound made Kirrin want to take a shower.

  “Okay, so here’s the deal.” Aldon walked a few feet away and turned around as though he was about to hatch some master plan. “I didn’t talk with Jenny, like you said. I mostly chatted up the other girl that works with her, Netta. I wouldn’t mind getting me a little something from her,” he said, with another chuckle.

  Kirrin nodded, taking a deep breath and trying to be patient while he silently wished Aldon to hurry along.

  “So Jenny - she don’t got a guy right now. She was sweet on one of the grooms, but then he saw her kiss a fellow at their harvest dance and he h’aint spoke to her since then. Netta thought she was sweet for SOMEONE, but h’aint heard much about it, so it didn’t sound very serious. She’d be a hard ‘un to catch though. Every time I show up, seems she’s rollin’ her eyes or makin’ some excuse to leave. Netta says that’s just how she is and not to be bothered for it.”

  Kirrin nodded, feigned interest, playing along. “So, do you think I might have a chance?”

  Aldon shrugged. “Could be. Seems a bit uppity to me, but she remembered you from the market when she tried the sweets.”

  “She did?” Kirrin asked, curious despite himself.

  “Yeah. She said ‘what a coincidence. I just had some of these same candies, given by the nicest fellow with adorable freckles.’ Or something about like that,” Aldon said, mimicking Jenny’s voice.

  Kirrin laughed. Maybe when it was all over he might track her down for real. She was pretty, in a girlish way. Not at all like Miral who was a bit of a tomboy (WORD), or Fern’s athletic grace. He shook his head, bringing his attention back to the conversation. “So I could maybe sneak in to visit her, you know, surprise her like?”

  Aldon nodded, looking thoughtful. “Yeah. I s’pose you could. It sounded like she might be sweet for you.”

  “What’s the house and grounds like? Would it be easy to slip in and find where she is?”

  “Yeah,” Aldon said, nodding. “Probably be pretty easy. The place is pretty open and the servants come and go, like. She shares a room over one of the storehouses, with Netta.”

  Kirrin let out a sigh, so the house itself wasn’t heavily watched. Good. If he could just slip past all the open areas. But having the pretense of being smitten with a girl might just mean a thrashing and getting tossed out with a warning.

  “Oh, ‘cept for the dogs,” Aldon added.

  “Dogs??” Kirrin asked, feeling his plans crumble. “What dogs?”

  Aldon shrugged. “Seems the old man likes his dogs. Special bred. Crelian watchers. Pretty small for a watch dog, but that’s
what they’re bred to do. Has a handful that he leaves loose at night. Seems they’s smart and knows who belongs there and who don’t.”

  Kirrin swore under his breath. So he either had to risk crossing a lot of open space during the day-- or the dogs at night.

  “Don’t sweat it. We’ll figure a way to get your girl,” Aldon said, misreading Kirrin’s frustration.

  After several days mulling over the situation, Kirrin lay in the grass, watching the Da’har’s house and listening to the wuffling from the other side of the tree.

  He tossed out some beef jerky and listened for the sound of licking and chewing. A moment later two beady eyes peered into the bush at him. Kirrin held out another bit of jerky, “Here ya go, fella… that’s a good boy…” he whispered, encouraging the dog. This was yellow-collar. There were four others, each with a different colored collar, blue, green, red, and black. It had taken Kirrin a few weeks to befriend each of the night watchers, and it had slowed his progress considerably. Now, each of them recognized his scent, knew he always had treats, and let him pet them.

  Satisfied the dog wasn’t worried, he got up and made his way closer to the house, yellow-collar trotting along behind him, wagging his tail. Kirrin made a tour of the house, peeking in windows wherever he could. By the end of the night he had a good idea of the layout on the entire ground floor. He also climbed up a few trees near the house so he could get some sense of the upper floor.

  Now that he could get up close to the house, he planned to make a few trips out to watch and get a feel for who came and went, and the timing and routines of everyone in the house. He slipped down the tree, where yellow-collar and blue collar were waiting, tails wagging. He tossed them the rest of his jerky and headed back toward the lane.

  “Interesting use you have for your new skills.”