by Rae Brooks
Very slowly, Taeru raised his hand and ran a hand through his hair. Aela knew that gesture, and she knew that meant that he was trying to figure something out. Perhaps he still thought that she looked familiar. “No, of course not. Though, I admit I was unsure about coming here, especially since you’re new. I thought maybe you’d found some other way to learn about Dark District.”
She wanted to hug him so much that it hurt. His eyes were bright, alight with unspoken emotion, but he seemed a little worn. He very much needed attention, and he had no one to give it to him. The book flitted across her mind again. Perhaps if Taeru found his way to the prince of Telandus, he would get it. She pushed the thought away for now. “Ah, no. The people here are very busy. I was happy to find someone who agreed to the arrangement.”
He quirked an eyebrow at her. He was definitely trying to figure out more about her. There was a suspicion in his eyes that grew with every word. She felt nervousness snaking up to her throat. “You asked other people?”
“Some,” she lied.
A slow breath escaped his lips, but he nodded his head. He obviously didn’t deem the strange feeling he got from her to be threatening. “Alright, well, I’m sure you know some of the places. This is obviously the tavern, and I’m sure you’ve seen some of the market areas. Anything specific you wanted me to show you?”
A bookstore had been the first on Aela’s list, but with those suspicious eyes, she didn’t want to be too quick to default to books. Taeru had known that Aela loved books more than anything, and that might be just enough for him to make the connection. “Just show me the best place to get food and what have you. I just need general information.”
He nodded, as if he thought this was a reasonable gesture. She thought again how kind it was of him to show her around, especially when he couldn’t have been completely at ease in Telandus. Oddly, Taeru didn’t seem at all inconvenienced. He brought her to a few stalls in the market place that she’d been using, and then he showed her the smaller stalls, that he mentioned had better food—and prices.
They walked, and she tried desperately to think of a way to strike up a conversation with him. After this was over, she didn’t want him to vanish and never think of her again. No, he needed to feel like Aelic was an acquaintance worth calling on again. “So, your name is Kilik—do you have a family here?”
Of course you don’t, she thought dryly. He glanced back at her, as if she’d just asked him a very difficult question. “I… well, yes and no.”
No! The answer is no! You do not have a family here! You are not from Telandus! You have a family in Cathalar, with a little sister that you love very much and who misses you so badly that her chest might explode, you stupid boy!
She said nothing, though, only offering him a mock confused smile—hoping that he would elaborate. When he said nothing, she decided to prompt him further. “Do you mean that some of your family is here and some of them are not?”
“I have no relatives here,” he answered truthfully. “But, I do live with a group of people that are sort of like a family. I can take you there,” he said brightly. “The healer will be someone you want to know the location of.”
The healer? Aela felt her heart speed up. The book had said that he’d lived with the healer in the other kingdom. The odds felt strange, and she could feel panic burning in her chest. Coincidences like this did happen, she reminded herself. “Ah, that would be lovely,” she said courteously.
As they walked, Taeru was the one to continue the conversation. “What about you? You said you only just arrived—so I take it that means that you don’t have family here?”
Well, actually…
A smile flitted across her face at the quick bit of humor, and then she removed it—not wanting to look like a mad boy who smiled at nothing. “Ah, no. I came here with a friend. We are only staying until we can get our bearings, and then we will be heading back home.”
“Where is home?” Taeru asked swiftly. For someone who hadn’t even given a last name, Taeru certainly was curious about Aelic. Aela wanted to hit him upside the head. She didn’t have space in her mind to be remembering all the history that Leif had briefed her on.
Finally, though, she collected her thoughts and spoke swiftly. “I’m originally from Kandal. I have a father and brother there. They own a small farming business. It’s pleasant, but I prefer to travel.” She was impressed with how fluently she told the story to the one person that she never thought she’d tell it to.
“No mother?” Taeru persisted.
Aela felt a frown trying to make its way onto her face. What kind of stranger asked about a mother that had been left unmentioned? She ought to tell him that her mother was a crazed lunatic, and that the subject was very painful. “No,” she answered curtly, “she died—when I was young.”
“Did she?” Taeru mused, and Aela thought he might be smirking.
She felt a little insulted, after all, laughing about the death of another person’s mother was not acceptable. “That was rude. Are you smirking at the idea that my mother is dead?” she barked. Taeru whirled to face her with a very serious expression.
“I am most certainly not, Aelic. I was thinking of another matter, forgive me. But, if I might ask, why are you in Telandus? You do know that it isn’t precisely safe here—as there is a war—with Cathalar,” the way he said the word had a dangerous edge to it, “on the horizon.”
Taeru was striking dangerously near to a mark that Aela didn’t want him to hit. “What about your family, Kilik?” she hissed. This felt like the old fights she’d had with Taeru, back before he had become so involved with the war, perhaps he was getting more affection than she’d originally thought. “Your real family?”
For a moment, Taeru looked thoughtful, as if he was going to tell her very intimate details about his family. Then, though, he simply offered a pleasant smile and turned. She only then realized that he had been walking backwards for quite a few paces. “We’re here,” he said politely. She glanced ahead at the house, taking in the modesty of it with a glance.
Still, the house was nice, much like Leif and Aela’s rooms were nice. “This is where you live?” she asked.
He just nodded and then gestured for her to go ahead of him. All of his playful demeanor had vanished, and he seemed set on being a polite escort now. They walked into the house, and the blond barmaid sat mixing some oddly smelling liquid in a pot. She glanced up and offered a quick wave. “Kilik—and company that isn’t blond! Wait, do I know you?”
“I work at the tavern,” Aela answered. She bowed, as men were supposed to, in the presence of women. And yet, she couldn’t help feeling as though she did the gesture entirely wrong. The blond girl didn’t seem to notice, and she even curtsied in return. Perhaps Aela wasn’t doing such a bad job after all. “My name is Aelic Eirgold.”
“Right!” the girl snapped her fingers, and her blond hair swung around her shoulders. She really was pretty, especially for a commoner. Aela wondered if Taeru had ever considered this woman for courting, though he obviously had more masculine tastes than that. She wondered if that had been part of the reason he’d left—had he felt too constricted by being the prince? No, that wasn’t like Taeru. Taeru had left for entirely selfless reasons, and Aela knew that without a doubt.
Still, though, Taeru was with another male now—or he had been those two moons ago. He probably wasn’t overly interested in the gender of the person that he liked, regardless, Aela thought. “I’m Alyx Amaral. I suppose I’ll see you around the tavern,” the blond girl said with another wave. Then, she went back to stirring her pot.
As the girl didn’t seem overly interested in conversation, Taeru moved Aela further into the house where he pulled back one of the two cloths that separated the rooms from the main house. Another blond woman, though this one looked older and more matured. She was tending to the knee of a small, blond boy on a table. “Oh, Kilik, hi,” the woman said, with the softest, most enchanting voice Aela had ever he
ard.
At once, she was reminded of her own mother—of the few memories Aela had of her. This could have been why Taeru liked her. “Juliet,” he said courteously. “I’m showing this young man around Dark District. Aelic, this is Juliet, and this is Aitken.” The boy Juliet was treating laughed, as though Taeru had just said something hilarious, and Juliet curtsied. Aela bowed at once.
“You’re too kind, Kilik,” Juliet said gently. So, she understood Taeru perfectly well, it seemed. This lucky woman had been able to see and care for Taeru every sun for the past five years, while Aela had missed him unendingly. She couldn’t help but feel a twang of bitterness. “It is a pleasure to meet you, sir, are you new to Telandus?”
“I am,” she answered. “I only recently arrived. But, I have already heard what a lovely healer you are from the gossipers in the tavern.” She tried to move her voice a couple octaves lower, mostly because this woman seemed wise enough to see right through her disguise.
Juliet offered a brief smile, and then she nodded her head and glanced to Taeru. “Well, you’re lucky to have met Kilik. Not many citizens in Dark District are as kind as he is,” she said. There was a note of affection, but also worry, in her voice. Aela could feel her dislike for the woman dissolving into the air.
“I’m glad I met him, then,” Aela said.
The boy, Aitken, stood and offered a bow to Aela. His enthusiasm seemed to radiate from his body, and he let out an unexpected laugh. “It’s nice to meet new people! Especially ones that are nice enough to come introduce themselves!” his voice carried his enthusiasm unquestioningly.
“Indeed,” Taeru said with a distracted smile. “Well, I’m going to show him the rest of the District. I will see you after sunset, Juliet.”
“See you, Kilik, and feel free to come by whenever you need anything, Aelic,” Juliet said, with a final nod in the direction of Aela.
The people in the house were very welcoming, and Aela could see why Taeru had started to call them a family. They loved Taeru, and that much was incredibly obvious—and Taeru loved anything that breathed. Well, not loved, but he cared for anything that breathed. These people did seem to be especially dear to him, though.
With another farewell to Alyx, they exited back into the air of Dark District. The two of them glanced at each other, and Aela could see Taeru’s mind working once again. “Alright, I’ve shown you all the essentials. Is there anywhere else you were hoping to see?” Taeru asked.
Finally, unable to deny her curiosity, Aela spoke her original request. “I was hoping you’d show me where I could find a bookstore.”
A funny, little smile made its way onto Taeru’s lips, and then he nodded his head obligingly. “Certainly. It’s not so much a store as a stand with a lot of books, though,” he said apologetically. “But if I tried to sneak you into the Shining District, we might never get to that bookstore.”
Aela laughed, and the sound was far more girlish than she’d thought. She wasn’t sure how she’d ever expected that she would be able to maintain the appearance of a guy in front of the brother with whom she’d grown up. Taeru made her feel like a little girl, not a little boy. They walked easily, and she marveled at how well Taeru seemed to know the layout of this place.
He’d had five years, so it was understandable that he’d have a decent grasp on the surroundings. She saw the way he walked, though, with that same, uninterrupted gracefulness. He seemed as though he were constantly hunting for something, or constantly trying to fade into the background. He could have done both flawlessly.
Aela tried to calm her raging mind. So her brother was here, and Leif would have to admit it after seeing Taeru, and that meant that her book had to be more heavily considered. The book had said that the prince would come to the neighboring kingdom, but it had also said the prince was an illegitimate son, and Aela had never heard anyone say Taeru was such. Veyron had liked Taeru very much. Though, when she thought about it, Taeru did lack all of Veyron’s strong features, in favor of sharper, more refined ones.
The blue eyes had always been an oddity among their family as well, though the eyes were too beautiful to dislike. She had never thought about it, and she refused to now. Surely Veyron would have been aware—and if he was, surely he would have mentioned it to Ryo or Aela. Lastly, he would never have allowed a boy that was not his own to run Cathalar—would he?
That was only one of the problems with her assessment that the book spoke about her brother, too. There was the fact that Taeru was simply not dating a prince, and Taeru was no masked vigilante. No—perhaps this was a series of odd coincidences, though it didn’t change that she wanted to be more forward with her brother. She wondered if Leif would remain in his position on not involving Taeru. Aela didn’t want to bring Taeru into the war, though if her book was right, then he was already involved—but she did want her brother to know that she’d missed him dearly.
Yanking her from her thoughts, a cry pierced into her. “Kilik!” the voice was sharp, agitated. For a moment, Aela thought that the person might be angry with Kilik.
When she looked up, though, she saw the blond from the tavern. His white shirt looked a mess, and his hair even more so. His eyes were glowing with emotion, and most of it looked painful. Aela winced at the sight of him. What could have happened to throw him into such a frenzy? “Kilik,” he repeated. Wow, she wasn’t sure she’d ever heard a voice so full of longing before.
Taeru shifted on his feet, and she could see the way his entire body seemed to drift towards the blond. What a funny pair the two of them made, both so entirely absorbed in the other. “Hi,” Kilik said quickly.
With a jerk of his head, the blond’s intense eyes found Aela. They were a bright blue-green color, more green than blue, though Aela had a feeling that might be subject to change. He was very handsome, more striking than he’d seemed at the bar. The boy was tall, a sharp contrast to Taeru, and his features were pale and commanding. He had a sharp jawbone, a similar line to Taeru’s, but his cheek bones were not nearly high enough for there to be similarities. “You have a friend,” the blond said dismally.
Taeru glanced back to Aela, as if he’d forgotten she was there. She wasn’t sure—in fact, she was sure that she’d never seen her brother so affected by anyone before. Though, the blond was certainly not blasé about Taeru, either. “Ah, yes, this is Aelic,” he said. “Aelic, this is…” Taeru paused, as if unsure.
“Calis,” the man said without hesitation. His eyes were burning, and Aela was sure that he wanted her to leave. She didn’t want to leave, though, so he was going to have to calm down and get over it.
Calis—that name sounded incredibly familiar. She dismissed it, though, as it was probably a rather common name throughout Telandus. They were well known for their repetition in naming their children. “Nice to meet you,” she said, daring him to ask her to leave.
His eyes seemed preoccupied with Taeru, and they were determined to look at the boy even when he didn’t merit looking at. “I need to speak with you,” he said weakly, “privately.” Aela could almost hear the apology, though she was sure that it hadn’t quite formed. This person was very forward, and she would have liked that in any other circumstance.
However, Taeru was not one to be rude—no matter what the situation, even when it involved some blond boy that could make Taeru melt with a kiss. “I promised Aelic I’d show him around,” he said resolutely. “I need to finish this first. Are you in a hurry?”
For a moment, Aela thought that the blond might demand that they discuss their matter right then and there, but then he shook his head. “No, I’m not,” he answered. His eyes shifted to a bluer shade when he regarded Taeru, then. “Do you mind if I come with you for the remainder of the tour?” Calis asked, then his eyes moved woefully to hers.
She shook her head, not wanting to deny this tall, blond individual anything. He looked like he could get pretty mean if he was crossed. She needed to find out the nature of her brother’s and his relationship,
though, if she were going to rule out that her book was talking about Taeru Lassau. “No, that’s fine,” Taeru told him.
They walked, and Aela made sure to keep a few paces back from them. They were giving off such an intense heat that she thought she might burn alive if she got too close to them. Their bodies seemed entirely drawn to one another, with every step and gesture, they were very clearly—well, wanting one another. She felt incredibly awkward. Her brother! Wanting someone else, and directly in front of her! The nerve!
At the same time, she felt a swell of happiness. She’d never seen Taeru move towards someone like this. And any trace of that need for affection that had been lingering in his countenance vanished entirely with Calis’s presence. Taeru was happy with this person, and Aela couldn’t help but smile at that fact. “So, Calis, are you… courting Kilik?” she asked. If Calis could be direct, then she would return the favor.
The two of them stopped, as if another step would result in the ground swallowing both of them. Taeru was peering tentatively at Calis, and Calis seemed to be thinking over what Aela had just asked him. “I—courting?” Then, Calis grinned. “Possibly.”
A furious blush took over Taeru’s cheeks at that. Taeru blushing was an interesting sight, especially when he seemed so happy about the blush. He enjoyed Calis fessing up to the fact that they were, in fact, together. “Possibly?” she prodded.
“I am not very…” he paused, searching for the right word, “…procedural in the way I do things. To say that I am courting Kilik would imply that I am, well, following predefined rules, and I am most certainly not.”
“No, you aren’t,” Taeru offered merrily. The two of them exchanged another one of those glances that made Aela feel as though she shouldn’t be there. They would have been better served to throw one another to the ground and make passionate love than to keep throwing those bloody looks at one another.