by Sharon Shinn
A shadow fell over her from above and the shape of angel wings blocked the sunshine. She looked up quickly, but the face was in shadow. All she could tell was that the flier was not big enough to be Gaaron.
“What are you doing? Thinking about jumping off?” came the merry question, and she recognized the speaker. Jesse, one of the angels from Monteverde.
A friend of hers.
She cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted back. “Wishing I could fly! Nick and Zib and Ahio and Chloe are all gone, and I don’t have a way to get down the mountain.”
“Well, put your hands up, then,” he said, and swooped down.
Giggling, she threw her arms in the air and leaned into his quick embrace as he snatched her from her rocky perch. Even more dangerous than trying to descend on foot, to allow herself to be plucked from unprotected high ground in that way, but she didn’t care. Neither did Jesse, for he came at her in a flat-out dive and actually knocked her from her feet before he caught her up in his arms. They were both laughing.
“What are you doing here?” she demanded, crying the words into his ear.
“Message from Neri for your brother!” he shouted back. “But he’s not here!”
“How long can you stay and play with me?”
He grinned. “As long as you like! Where to? Velora? Or someplace a little more exotic?”
For a moment she was tempted—really tempted—to say “Semorrah,” and then see if he would truly embark on such an ill-judged impromptu venture. She didn’t have a damn thing with her, of course, just the impractical dress she was wearing, and there was always the chance Jesse would say yes. “Velora will do for now,” she said.
“Velora it is,” he said.
In another ten minutes, they were on the streets, walking through the bazaars and eating sweets. Miriam was so happy to be out of the Eyrie that she wouldn’t have cared if they were walking the sinister boulevards of Breven, but as it was—on this sunny day, next to this attractive angel, strolling through the friendly streets of Velora—she felt she could not have been closer to pure contentment.
“Buy me a present,” she commanded as they stopped at a little booth selling gloves and ribbons.
“Glad to,” he said, and paused to look through the merchandise. He was a dark-haired young man of medium height and build, not so good-looking as Ahio or so volatile as Nicholas, and he had always adored her. She could never tell if it would terrify Gaaron or flood him with relief if she decided to marry Jesse, and because she couldn’t tell, she had always laughingly turned aside his protestations of affection.
Anyway, who would want to live at Monteverde, away from everybody in the world?
He held up a length of cobalt-blue ribbon, shot through with random gold stars. “That’s pretty,” he said. “Do you like that?”
“Oh, yes,” she said. “I’ll have Susannah use it to trim a shirt for me. It’s so pretty!”
They strolled on, paused to buy another cake, stopped on a street corner to listen to a shirtless young boy sing a devastatingly beautiful song, turned another corner and instantly forgot him. They argued over the attractions of Luminaux compared to Semorrah, agreed that Adriel was looking old, wondered who might offer songs at the spring Gloria, and traded gossip about the other angels in their holds. This took them to dinnertime, so they asked for a table at an outdoor cafe and settled in for a meal, spending a long time looking over the menu because every single item sounded so good. In the end, they ordered half a dozen separate entrées, which they had decided to share, and a pitcher of beer. Which soon became two pitchers of beer. It had grown almost dark by the time they settled up their bill, Jesse flashing his emerald bracelets at the waiter and making the meal a Monteverde expense.
“Where to now?” Jesse asked as they walked out through a gate in the little wrought-iron fence that had enclosed their patio. “Unless you want to go back?”
“Go back? Oh no, it’s hardly even dark yet.”
“Fine with me, but I do have to talk with your brother,” he said.
“Talk to him in the morning. He might not even be back yet.”
“Where’d he go?”
She hunched an impatient shoulder, reminded of her grievances. “Does he ever tell me anything?”
Jesse grinned. “I don’t know. Does he?”
She flounced forward, irresistibly drawn by the strains of music coming from around the corner. “No one tells me anything,” she said over her shoulder. “What’s going on up here?”
What was going on was a little street fair, a band of traveling musicians playing skirling music and a square of pavement set aside for a makeshift dance floor. Patrons were tossing a few coppers in a donation bucket and then pulling their partners under the gaily lit paper lanterns overhanging the intersection. The music was so fast that the dancers were twirling around in laughing, breathless patterns that often sent them careening into the shoulders of the onlookers.
Miriam clapped her hands. “Oh, Jesse, dance with me!”
He looked doubtful. “I’m not really a good dancer,” he said. “The wings—they get in the way—someone steps on them or I swing around too fast and hit someone in the face—”
She pouted, instantly convinced the entire evening would be a failure if she did not get at least one opportunity to experience that music. “You’ll do fine,” she insisted. “Ahio can dance—he practices all the time. Just hold your wings back really tight—”
He shook his head. “Not in this crowd. Look at them! Bumping into each other every other step—”
“But I want to dance,” she wailed.
“I’ll dance with you, if your friend doesn’t mind,” said a voice at her side, and she turned quickly to survey the speaker. He was a middle-aged man, wealthy-looking, trim enough and vain enough to make an effort to hide his age. He didn’t look reprehensible or Jansai, though, and with Jesse standing right here, what harm could come to her? She dimpled and extended her hand.
“He won’t mind,” she said, giving the merchant a mischievous look from under her brows. It was a look she had practiced a hundred times in the mirror and used whenever she was just about to get her way. Gaaron hated it. “And I would love it.”
“I’ll wait right here for you,” Jesse called as she and her partner stepped onto the dance floor. The older man tossed a few coins in the bucket to pay their way, then swept around to face her and take her free hand in his. He bowed in a courtly way, and she dipped into as much of a curtsey as she could manage with her hands not free and her having no experience in curtseys.
The musicians had changed to a new song, but it was just as lively as the one before, so they were immediately caught up in the romp of dancers as they circled the rough pavement. Miriam was quite a good dancer when the ball was formal, but there were no particular steps to be following here—you just clung to your partner’s hand and skipped from side to side and tried to maintain a forward motion. It was exhilarating, and Miriam laughed aloud. She even laughed when the couple behind them got too close, and the young man stepped on her gown so hard that she could feel it tear.
“Sorry!” he shouted over the music, but Miriam’s partner turned her away before she could even tell him it did not matter.
“What’s your name?” he asked her, leaning in so that she could better hear the words.
“Susannah,” she said. “What’s yours?”
“Elias,” he said. “Why are you friends with angels, Susannah?”
She laughed up at him. “Because I’m supposed to marry one.”
His eyes opened wide, and then he laughed, too. “The one back there?”
“I haven’t decided.”
They skidded through a few more figures of the dance, Elias fairly adeptly keeping her clear of their neighbors, before he spoke again. “While you’re deciding,” he said, “I run a freighting business on the other side of town. I’d be happy to take you to dinner sometime.”
She smiled. “You proba
bly have a daughter my age.”
He smiled back. “I do. That matters to you?”
She shook her head. “I would guess I’m not going to be back in Velora anytime soon. Or I might come by.”
“I’ll give you my address,” he said. “In case you’re ever free.”
This time, when the song stopped, the musicians announced that they were taking a little break. The crowd gave a collective moan of disappointment, but many people cheered up when a barker started bawling out the cheap prices of his beer and wine. Most of the dancers moved in the direction of his refreshment cart as Miriam and Elias sauntered off the dance floor. The merchant was handing Miriam a card inscribed with his address when Jesse strode up to them.
“There, I’m glad you enjoyed yourself,” he said, taking Miriam’s hand out of Elias’ and holding it firmly in his own. “Probably time we got back.”
Miriam grinned up at Elias, suddenly her ally against all angels. “Why is it the minute I do anything just a little fun everyone turns into my big brother?” she wondered.
“Maybe because they think your ideas of fun are dangerous,” Elias said. He seemed to be enjoying Jesse’s frown of obvious jealousy.
Miriam opened her eyes as wide as they would go. “But they never are,” she said.
Elias laughed. “I enjoyed meeting you, Susannah,” he said. “Now go be nice to your angel friend.”
Jesse’s eyes cut over to her but he didn’t say anything until Elias melted into the crowd. “Susannah? That’s what you told him?”
Miriam shrugged with elaborate unconcern. “Well, I couldn’t give him my real name. And besides, Susannah would have enjoyed dancing with him.”
He shook his head and did not look as amused as he had when he was the one snatching her off mountaintops and encouraging her to misbehave. It was always that way. Even Nicholas, the most careless of men, would read her a lecture from time to time, and Sela could never be counted on to be as reckless as Miriam liked. Oh, everyone started out carefree enough when the adventure began, but someone would always draw back from a proposed escapade, and it usually ended with everyone but Miriam looking serious and thoughtful.
Even Susannah, who never moralized and who always seemed to understand exactly what Miriam was thinking, was not much of a companion for gaiety. It was very disappointing.
“Well, I don’t know this Susannah of yours yet,” Jesse was saying, “but she doesn’t sound like the type to be meeting strange men at street fairs and promising to meet them for dinner.”
Miriam flashed him a smile. “I didn’t promise. In fact, I said I didn’t think I’d be in Velora for ages and ages.”
His eyes lit up. “Hey, now. That might be true. Why don’t you come back to Monteverde for a week or two? Don’t tell me your brother wouldn’t be glad of a chance to shed you for a while, you and all the worry you bring him.”
Miriam made a face at him. “Very funny. But Neri’s worse than Gaaron.”
“Come anyway,” he coaxed. “I have to go back in the morning, and I never get to see you.”
“You saw me for a whole day!” she exclaimed. “Just now!”
He smiled a little crookedly. “Not long enough.”
She put her arms around his neck and gave him a look of sweetness. She could manufacture it on demand, and she knew how effective it could be. “Oh, Jesse, you’re just the nicest boy ever. I don’t know why you’re so good to me. But I don’t think that I should be coming out to Monteverde just to play around with you for a couple of weeks.”
“Think about it,” he said. “I won’t leave till morning.”
She put her hand up to touch the crisp dark hair on the back of his head. “I’ll think about it. But you better take me back now.”
He sighed a little theatrically and snatched her up. She gave a little shriek because he charged through the crowd with her in his arms, knocking aside the people standing around drinking beer and waiting for the musicians to start again. Once clear of the crowd, he tightened his hold and tore off racing down the center of the street. She screamed again and buried her face in his bare neck. She was scarcely aware of the transition between running and flying, so smoothly did he make it, but when she had the nerve to lift her head, they were airborne.
“You’re a crazy man!” she cried into his ear, and he nodded.
“Crazy for you!” he called back.
In a few minutes, they were at the Eyrie, coming to a gentle landing on the deserted plateau. Jesse lingeringly set her on her feet, and she kept her arms around his neck.
“Are you spending the night?” she asked. “Did someone get you a room?”
He nodded. “I met up with Esther right before I spotted you. I’m all settled in. Although I’m feeling lonely—”
She laughed and shook her head. “I don’t think I’m in the mood for company, but thank you very much.”
He drew her closer. “Then give me a kiss good night? And think about flying back with me tomorrow. You’ll have fun in Monteverde. I’ll make sure of it.”
“Oh—I don’t know—” she said indecisively. And then, because she felt guilty for not giving him more encouragement, she stood up on her tiptoes and kissed him on the mouth. His arms tightened considerably and she felt his wings flutter and settle behind her. The kiss was nice, passionate without being painful, and she liked the feel of his mouth on hers. She let him hold the kiss a little longer than she should have, and when she pulled away at last, he looked down at her with absolutely no smile on his face.
“I do love you, Miriam,” he said.
She slipped her hands away, pausing briefly to pat him on the cheek. “I know you do, Jesse,” she said. “And it comforts me.”
That didn’t please him. His face clouded over, but he didn’t say anything as she stepped backward a pace, freeing herself from his arms and his wings. “I’ll see you in the morning,” she said and, before there was time for any more discussion, turned away and hurried toward the hallway leading to her rooms.
It was then that she saw Gaaron standing there, just outside the doorway, watching her with an expression that was impossible to read.
She checked a moment, reviewed her conduct for the evening, decided it wasn’t too bad, and continued walking. “Gaaron,” she said coolly as she stepped past him into the hallway.
He nodded. “Miriam.”
And that was all. He made no attempt to detain her as she quickened her pace and moved away from him. She thought, as she got deeper into the corridor, that she caught the sound of male voices behind her—Gaaron talking to Jesse, no doubt, and maybe not about the urgent message from Neri—but she just kept going. Down the gaslit hall, through the turn, down another hall.
Past her own door, down another hall, and straight to Susannah’s room.
She knocked quietly, not wanting to wake anyone who might be sleeping, but there was no sound from within. But Susannah never locked the door. Quietly as she could, she turned the handle and stepped inside, pausing just across the threshold to let her eyes adjust to the darkness in the room.
It was not pitch-black, though; Susannah always left the window open, no matter what the weather, and a little watery moonlight drifted in. Enough for Miriam to make out the furniture in her path and the bed all the way across the room, where two shapes lay motionless under the thin cover.
Susannah and the little Jansai girl.
Miriam crept across the room, peeling off items of clothing and dropping them as she went. Pulling back the coverlet, she slipped into the wide bed next to the Jansai girl and drew the blanket up to her chin. She sighed and, for the first time all day, completely relaxed. She was asleep in five minutes.
In the morning, the room was deserted and she was ravenous. She rummaged through Susannah’s clothes to find a skirt and blouse she liked and dressed quickly, hoping breakfast was still being served. It was, and that was good luck, but there was bad luck to go with it: Gaaron was lingering over his meal, and he saw her ent
er. He motioned her to come join him, so as soon as she’d filled her plate from the buffet, she warily crossed the room to his side.
“What?” she said, standing there with her plate in her hands as though she was on her way to some other table.
“Why don’t you sit down?” he said pleasantly. “We can talk.”
“You’ll just yell at me,” she said.
“What could I possibly want to yell at you about?” he asked.
She scowled. She hated it when he was smug; he was much easier to deal with when he was angry. “Because I left the Eyrie yesterday with Jesse when I wasn’t supposed to.”
“And why did you do that?”
“Because you left and didn’t tell me where you were going, and you promised you’d take me with you next time you did an intercession! But you didn’t, so I was mad, so it’s your fault.”
He nodded gravely, but she was furious to see he appeared to be biting back a smile. “Well, I’m going to do an intercession today, would you like to come with me?”
She dropped her plate to the table and plopped into a chair across from him. “Really? You’ll take me with you? Where are you going? Is it a weather intercession? Too much rain?”
Now he was laughing out loud. “Yes, I’ll take you. No, it’s not rain. Western Bethel. But if you go with me, you can’t go back to Monteverde with Jesse.”
“I don’t want to go with Jesse,” she said instantly.
He tilted his head to one side, regarding her. “I know you don’t. But I can’t tell why.”
For a moment, she scowled again, and then she broke into a brilliant smile. “Because I’d rather stay to torment you, of course. If I’m gone, you won’t spare a moment to worry about me.”
“If you’re gone, I’ll worry about you every moment without ceasing,” he retorted.
She started eating as fast as she could. “When do you want to leave? I can be ready as soon as I eat and change clothes.”
He was amused again. “Why change? I understand Edori clothes are very comfortable for travel.”