by Jade Mere
Oddly, Gale didn’t seem concerned. She sighed, shuffled to the door, pulled it open. Tahki followed her. A woman stood on the porch. Her long brown hair hung in damp clumps. She leaned her pale body against the rail and smirked. Tahki’s eyes settled on her breasts, which were round and full and hardly contained under her tight blue shirt. He had never found breasts particularly interesting, nor had he found attraction in how curved a woman’s backside was, yet he felt he couldn’t look away from her. She was gorgeous. The kind of woman other men or women might buckle at the knees looking at.
“I thought you’d be taller,” the woman said. “But you’re prettier than I imagined. Guess D didn’t exaggerate that part.” It took Tahki a moment to realize she was talking to him, and another moment to realize he was still staring at her chest. He felt heat rise to his face and forced himself to meet her eyes.
Gale grunted. “I thought you weren’t coming until next week.”
The woman shrugged. “You know me. I’m full of surprises.”
Gale wiggled her jaw. “When a gingoat surprises its rider by acting out, it usually wins itself a good beating.”
“Charming as always,” she said. “I got a letter from D. He’s moved up the timeline and needed me to come early.”
“He never mentioned anything to me.” Gale folded her arms. “So why are you here?”
“I just told you. D sent for me.”
“I mean, why are you at my house? You looking for handouts?”
Though Gale’s tone was full of apparent loathing, the woman laughed. “I knew D wouldn’t tell anyone, and I didn’t want to surprise Rye. You know how he gets. Figured I’d stop in here first, let you soften the blow.”
“I’d rather crap out a brick than do you a favor.”
The woman pushed her way inside. “It’s a favor for Rye. You and I are on the same team. We want the same thing. Might as well play nice, right?”
“If you wanted to play nice,” Gale said, “you would have stayed in Edgewater.”
Tahki cleared his throat.
The woman turned his way. “My name’s Hona. I’m Dyraien’s advisor. And you, you must be Tahki.” She clicked her tongue. “Tahki. I like the way your name sounds. D talked a lot about you in his letters.”
“Glad to meet you,” Tahki said. He wondered what Dyraien had written about him.
Hona pressed a finger to her lower lip. “You look worn out. I hope D isn’t pushing you too hard.”
Tahki stifled a yawn. “No, he’s been very generous with me. I had a late night, that’s all.”
Hona gave him a wry grin. Her expression reminded him a little of Dyraien. “Oh? And what kept you up so late?”
Tahki rubbed his wrist. “Work.” And the fear of being eaten by a dead cat.
“Be careful,” Hona said. “Too much time in that castle will drive you crazy.”
Tahki forced a smile. It seemed the small circle of people who knew about the castle grew every day. At first, he had felt like he was part of something special. Now, the secret felt less important. Less exclusive. He wondered why Dyraien had been so adamant about Tahki’s silence. Maybe it was the color of his skin after all. Though he’d been treated with respect, he was still a foreigner. He would always be a foreigner here.
“How’s Rye?” Hona said.
Tahki shifted his weight. First Hona had mentioned she didn’t want to surprise Rye, now she was asking about his well-being. Why would Dyraien’s advisor be worried about Rye?
“Happy,” Gale said. “No thanks to you.”
“That’s what Dyraien wrote.” Hona folded her arms. “I didn’t believe it. Happy and Rye aren’t exactly synonymous.”
“Fancy word use,” Gale said.
“I’ve been practicing. Tuning my manners all ladylike.” Hona wiped her nose with her arm.
“You’re going to see him, aren’t you?” Gale said.
“Of course. You don’t ignore someone you love.”
Tahki’s mouth dropped a little. Love wasn’t the kind of word you threw around the workplace. He had never seen Rye take an interest in anyone, but maybe there had been a reason for that. Maybe Hona was Rye’s lover. Or wife. Rye never gave any indication he preferred men.
Hona scrunched her nose. “Does he talk about me?” Tahki pressed his lips together and waited. He didn’t trust himself to speak.
“Why would Rye talk about you?” Gale said.
“Wishful thinking on my part,” Hona said. “After almost a decade, you’d think he’d forgive his only sister.”
“Sister?” Tahki blurted.
“Older sister,” Hona said.
Relief washed over him. He tried not to let it show and took a deep breath. He wondered why Rye had never mentioned a sister. He’d never mentioned anything about his family. Tahki assumed he’d been an only child, maybe even an orphan.
“Have the kid take you up,” Gale said. “I’m busy.”
“If you say so.” Hona turned to Tahki. “All right, green eyes. It’s just you and me. I’ve been traveling all night and could use a bath and some ale.”
AS THEY walked through the afternoon fog, Tahki thought about the document papers Sornjia had hidden under his pillow. If Gale saw them, she’d throw Sornjia in a meat pot. He knew he should send Sornjia home, but what if the black cat returned and he needed to talk to someone? Hona’s arrival proved he still knew next to nothing about Rye, so he couldn’t confide in him.
“You’re quiet,” Hona said. “After spending weeks locked up in that castle, I thought you’d love the opportunity to talk to someone new.”
“Sorry,” Tahki said. He’d wanted to talk to her, but every question he thought to ask seemed intrusive, because they were all about Rye.
Hona flicked her hair. “I’m going to ask you something.” It wasn’t a question but a statement, like she was preparing him.
“All right,” Tahki said.
Hona licked her lips. “Are you and Rye involved?”
Tahki felt a twist in his gut. “What do you mean?” He knew what she meant.
“I mean, are you two having sex?”
The question was so absurdly blatant. He wanted to appear casual, like he wasn’t embarrassed or upset or confused, but a lump rose in his throat and the hairs on his arm felt like tiny needles, and he knew his voice would shake when he spoke. “No. We’re not… involved.”
“Why not?”
Tahki pinched his brow. Her voice sounded strangely petulant. “I don’t know how to answer that,” he said. They were almost to the castle, and he hurried his pace.
Hona matched his speed. “You like him, don’t you?”
“Why would you think that?”
“D told me you’ve taken a liking to Rye.”
“We work together, that’s all.”
“D also said he’s taken a liking to you.”
No one back home would dare mention these things out loud. The entire conversation left him feeling exposed. Yet a small part of Tahki delighted at the idea Rye might be attracted to him.
“I’m making you uncomfortable,” Hona said as they reached the front doors. “Listen. Things are going to get unpleasant when we go inside, but no matter what happens, I need you to know that I love my brother, and all I want is for him to be happy.”
Tahki didn’t have time ask questions. She walked inside the castle and held a high-pitched note for five seconds, calling Dyraien’s name.
A minute later, Dyraien jogged down the steps.
“I’ve just put Mother to bed,” he said. His tone sounded more impatient than angry.
“How is Old Loopy doing?”
“Please refrain from calling the queen ‘Old Loopy.’” Dyraien ran a hand through his hair. “She’s getting sicker each day. How is the council?”
“Impatient.”
“How long do we have?”
“A month.”
“Shit.”
“They would have given you to the end of the year, but you
missed the last meeting. They’re going to ask for the queen’s resignation.”
“They’ve become bold in her absence. I remember a day when just the mention of my mother’s name would send them cowering under their desks.” Dyraien sighed. “Do they suspect anything?”
“It’s been almost ten years since Queen Genevi has done anything noteworthy. When someone with such a fierce reputation suddenly vanishes, all people have is their suspicion. It’s only thanks to her reputation they’ve stalled this long.”
Dyraien drew in a slow breath. “What about my people?”
“The people want an election. They like the idea of voting for a leader. There are already three candidates lined up.”
Dyraien appeared calm, but Tahki didn’t know why. If he’d followed the conversation correctly, Dyraien only had a month to complete the castle to try and get in good standing with the council before a new leader would be elected.
“You still want to go through with this?” Hona said.
Dyraien held his head up and flicked a strand of blond hair from his eyes. “Of course. You’re not getting out of this that easy.”
For a second, Hona tensed. “I wasn’t trying—”
Dyraien gave her a cruel grin. Hona fell silent, and again Tahki felt like a wide-eyed child watching his parents argue over a matter he couldn’t understand.
“Nothing has changed,” Dyraien said in a soft voice. “Do your job, and don’t ever second-guess me.” He looked at Tahki for the first time since they’d started talking, and his expression lightened. “Tahki, would you join us for dinner tonight?”
He’d never been invited to dine with Dyraien before. It caught him a little off guard. “I’d be honored.”
“Excellent. We can hear about your progress.”
Tahki felt the area under his rib cage flutter with anticipation. He had made no progress and doubted he would anytime soon, not with the black cat roaming the castle.
“You can use my bath,” Dyraien said to Hona.
Hona shook her head. “Not before I see him.”
“Do you think that’s a good idea?”
“I think it’s a horrible idea, but I’m going to see him.”
Dyraien shrugged. “Very well. But behave yourself.”
Though Tahki wasn’t invited, he followed as Dyraien took her to Rye’s workroom. If they minded his company, they said nothing.
The overturned boat blocked part of the doorway. Tahki startled when Dyraien spun around, grabbed his shoulder, and pushed him not so gently into the room first. Rye was reading a newspaper at his table but looked up when Tahki stumbled in. Their eyes met, and Rye grinned. Tahki smiled back. But then Rye’s face twisted into a horrible frown.
“I don’t get a smile?” Hona said.
Tahki stepped out of the way.
Hona touched the underside of the boat. “Looks nice. Think she’ll be water-ready by next spring?”
“Get out,” Rye said. “Get the fuck out of here.”
The hatred in Rye’s voice surprised him. He’d never heard Rye use foul language before, not even when they’d gone to see Zinc.
“Let’s keep it civil,” Dyraien said.
Rye stood and faced him. “You did this on purpose.”
“What ever do you mean?” Dyraien asked.
“You knew what bringing her here would do to me.”
Dyraien held up his hands and repressed a grin, like he got some pleasure out of this. “She insisted. There was nothing I could do.”
“Come on, Rye,” Hona said. “We all work together. I’m trying my hardest to make amends. Why can’t you do the same?”
Rye barked a cold laugh. “You want me to be more like you?”
Hona stepped forward. “I didn’t say that.”
“You did.” Rye’s voice was steady now. “All right. I’ll be more like you.” He laid the newspaper on the table, pushed in his chair, and walked gracefully out of the room without looking back. A moment later, Tahki heard the front door open and close.
Tahki made to go after him, but Dyraien grabbed his arm.
“Trust me,” Dyraien said. “You don’t want to be around him when he’s like this.”
“Why?”
Dyraien released him. “Help me with dinner. We’ll prepare something nice for Hona. And then we three can sit down and have a talk.”
TAHKI WATCHED Dyraien slice a row of carrots in a series of quick jabs. The tick of the knife against the wooden cutting board was the only sound in the kitchen. His skin felt clammy from standing over a steaming pot of boiling potatoes. The scent of honeyed pork filled his nose. Dyraien had done most of the work preparing the meal. He chopped every vegetable with a kind of showy elegance, as though a court full of people watched and applauded him. His fingers moved almost too rapidly to follow. Once, he threw a potato in the air and it landed across the blade of his knife directly in the middle.
Tahki wondered exactly how much of his upbringing had been traditional. Did Dyraien know how to sword fight and shoot a pistol? Could he dance? Hunt? Did he know about taxes and diplomacy?
The potatoes bobbed up and down. Tahki swirled them around the hot water with a spoon. He didn’t mind helping with dinner. A month ago he might have, but he found a certain satisfaction in these small tasks. He also found Dyraien’s kitchen tricks and princely smiles charming, and at that moment, he felt guilty for suspecting Dyraien had something to do with the Zinc incident.
“You like to stare when you think no one’s looking,” Dyraien said.
Tahki moved his eyes back to the potatoes.
“It’s all right,” Dyraien said. It sounded like he was smiling. “I don’t mind you staring at me. I’d like to know you better, Tahki. I’d like to know about your family. Your upbringing. What you want out of life.”
“I want to complete the castle,” Tahki said.
Dyraien laughed. “It’s comforting to know you share my goal.”
“I’m sure Rye shares it too.”
Dyraien stopped cutting. “Rye doesn’t know what he wants.”
It seemed pompous to speak for Rye, but Tahki didn’t dare challenge him. Dyraien had known Rye for almost ten years.
“Your ears must have been itching,” Dyraien said.
Tahki peeked up at Dyraien, but his eyes were focused on the door. Rye slouched into the kitchen. He leaned forward slightly, shoulders tense, dark circles under his eyes. He stood across from Dyraien.
“Can we talk?” Rye said to the prince.
“You know you never have to ask,” Dyraien said. He glanced at Tahki. “Will you run and fetch flour from the dry storage?”
It was an obvious busy chore. If they had wanted privacy, they could have just asked. But Tahki obeyed and left the room. Instead of fetching the flour, however, he slid into the room next door. He didn’t want to spy on them, but he needed to know more about Dyraien and Rye if he wanted to figure out the mysteries of the castle. At least that’s what he told himself.
A thumb-sized hole cracked the wall where he could see into the kitchen. Tahki pressed his eye against the smooth obsidian. It cooled his forehead and sent a brief chill across his face.
“You’re angry with me,” Dyraien said. He diced a clove of garlic without looking at it.
Rye slid into a chair and rubbed his temples. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because you dwell and brood and mope like it pays to be depressed. If I had told you Hona planned to arrive early, you would have gone to stay in Edgewater, and I need you to keep working here.”
“That wasn’t your choice to make.”
“I hired Hona because I thought it would be good for you,” Dyraien said. “You’re not the only one with a shitty childhood, you know.”
“I will not make amends with her,” Rye said. “So stop interfering.”
Tahki had never heard anyone talk to a prince that way. What surprised him more, Dyraien didn’t seem upset by his tone.
“And you call me
a stubborn ass,” Dyraien said.
“You know what she did, and you know how I feel about her.”
Dyraien scraped the garlic into a bowl and set it aside. He laid his knife on the table, walked over to Rye, then brought their foreheads together. Rye’s jaw clenched, but he didn’t pull away.
“I’m sorry,” Dyraien whispered. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.” He removed his head and kissed Rye’s brow. Oddly, the gesture didn’t stir any feelings of jealousy. The way Dyraien touched Rye was different from his usual flirtatious touches. It wasn’t sadistic or deviant or manipulative. It was brotherly, kind, sincere. Possibly the most genuine emotion Tahki had seen Dyraien display.
Embarrassed by his intrusion, Tahki moved away from the wall and went to fetch the flour.
TAHKI SET the polished wood table with white plates and silver utensils, and then Dyraien reset it properly, amused that Tahki had put the knife on the wrong side. They ate in one of the larger rooms with a big red rug in the center. The table sat six people, but there were only four chairs. A tray of pork and garlic potatoes covered half the table. Dyraien also supplied two bottles of wine and three glasses. Hona joined them, but Rye had gone to Edgewater. Whatever Hona had done, it must have been bad, because Tahki remembered Rye saying he wanted to avoid the town when he could.
Tahki glanced around the room in search of the black cat.
Dyraien cracked a handful of lightning roots and set them upright in a clear vase. They all helped themselves. Hona ate fast and in large forkfuls. Dyraien held his fork between his thumb and index finger and took small bites. Tahki knew the proper way to hold a fork and knife but decided not to show his manners. He still had a persona to keep, and that persona hadn’t been raised in a palace.
He bit into a modest hunk of sweet and salty pork. On top of charming, Dyraien was also a brilliant cook.
“I’d like to purchase a piano,” Dyraien said.
Tahki swallowed. “A what?”
“A new musical instrument unlike any I’ve heard before. A piano’s sound is so complex, so elegant. I’ve been in love since my last visit to the capital. It’s amazing the kind of emotions a person’s fingers can produce. You’ve never heard one, Tahki?”