by T. K. Perry
Lexi found herself returning his grin. “What do you recommend?”
“I myself like a good game of poker on my mornings off, but I imagine you'd prefer some activity that involves Mr. Swallowtail.”
Lexi colored and began walking away while she battled her blushes.
“Oh-ho! I guessed right! Now catch me up. Are you still engaged to Mr. Crescent?”
A guilty grimace flickered across Lexi's face before she could hide it.
Beck gave a low whistle. “Poor guy; does he know?”
“No. Shh!” Lexi hissed. The halls were far from empty and Beck's loud conversation was attracting attention. Beck merely chortled as if she had told a funny joke.
“Are you going to tell him?”
Lexi gave him a little glare rather than answer.
“I could tell him,” Beck offered, grinning. He clasped his hands beneath his chin and batted his eyelashes. “Oh, Mr. Crescent...” he began in falsetto.
Lexi elbowed him, but he just dissolved into laughter. She attempted a disapproving glance, but her smile gave her away. This is what it must be like to have a brother. She grinned at Beck until she remembered she did have a brother—a cheating brother-in-law. Her hands tightened to fists at her sides and she slid them into her pockets until she could school them back into relaxation. Her right fist bumped up against the keys and she was reminded of her errand.
“I have to go back, Beck,” she said, stopping in the middle of the hall.
“To the palace?” he asked in an undertone.
“No, I need to return Erynnis' keys.”
Beck's rusty eyebrows shot up his balding forehead. “Erynnis gave up his keys?”
Lexi merely nodded.
“He never gives up his keys...to anyone. He even gets put out when the Governor uses his. And he would never ever ever lend them. What did you do to him?”
“I asked for them.”
“You didn't order it?”
“No.”
“Were you torturing him at the time?” Beck asked, miraculously maintaining a straight face despite his teasing.
“No.”
“Perhaps you didn't realize you were torturing him; were you chewing loudly?”
Lexi laughed. “No, but I'll try to remember that if we ever share a meal.”
Beck looked at her quizzically. “What did you need them for?”
Lexi resumed her pleasant mask. “I wanted to see the library and it was locked.”
“It's open now. You couldn't wait?”
Lexi smiled blandly. “Apparently not.”
“Hmm, probably better that way. In-seasons aren't allowed to use the library.”
“Why is that?” Lexi asked, turning back towards the officiant's office.
“Governor says it distracts them from mating,” Beck explained, following. “Same with the plays—he put a stop to those. And bathing...he said it was too much time apart having separate pools for men and women, so the men had to give up their pool to the in-seasons,” Beck complained. “Did you know it even has a sauna? It's so great, especially in the winter after you've had outdoor duty...just sitting in there until you can' t hardly breathe anymore because the air is so hot.” He let out a great sigh. “I miss it. The stupid women's pool doesn't have one. Who cares if it's 'cleaner and has pathways so you don't cut your feet?'” Beck spoke in falsetto, waving his arms about in effeminate affectation.
Lexi laugh openly. “Who were you imitating just now?”
Beck grimaced. “Lady who runs the kitchen. Bit of a terror, but a decent cook. She has 'tender toes!'” he mocked in the same falsetto.
Lexi smiled at his antics, her expression falling back into neutral as they returned to Erynnis' door. The wedding party had disappeared, but the officiant's door was still locked.
“Another wedding,” Beck explained, nodding at the Governor's office. His expression took on a suddenly impish mien as he held out his hand. “I could take care of Erynnis' keys for you.”
Lexi smirked. “And why would I let you torture the poor man like that?”
“Aw, let me!” Beck whined good-naturedly. “He puts on airs like you wouldn't believe. Having lowly me in possession of his keys would be good for him.”
“I doubt very much that he would agree.”
“Well of course he wouldn't! That's how you know it'd be good for him.”
Lexi squelched a laugh and took up her post to wait patiently.
“And then we could be having fun right now instead of just standing here waiting.”
“Oh, yes. I'm still waiting for your entertainment ideas,” Lexi reminded him.
Beck thought for a moment, scratching at his bald spot absently. “All that's left—aside from in-season drama—is poker and pranks.”
“And who do you prank?”
Beck's face lit up with a wicked smile. “Avell, mostly. Takes him forever to catch on, and then he gets so mad!”
“And now that Avell's in the dungeon?” Lexi reminded him.
“Oh yeah, forgot about that. He still hasn't figured out who you are...nobody will tell him,” Beck chortled.
Lexi gave him a tight smile as the Governor's double doors burst open and the boisterous wedding party spilled out into the hallway.
“He'll be in there now if you want to return the keys,” Beck advised.
Lexi eyed the wedding party still clustered outside the door and merely shook her head. “I can wait.”
“Sometimes they have ridiculously loooong conferences about the dumbest topics,” he warned. “He could be in there with the Governor for hours.”
A click sounded at the knob beside her and Lexi grinned as she opened it. Erynnis was still walking away from the door and looked startled as she handed him back the keys.
“Thank you, Erynnis.”
“Oh? Oh!” Erynnis trilled an awkward little laugh as his cheeks heated. “No, thank you.”
Seeing his discomfort, Lexi merely smiled and closed the door behind her.
Beck waited until they were ten steps away before he burst into loud guffaws. “He thanked you for taking the keys? That man has a serious case of royal-worship. He must think you can set him free.”
Lexi looked momentarily startled. She hadn't considered life servants as lacking their freedom before. “I don't think I can. The life servant law is a king's decree.”
“Figured. Besides, if you could free anyone, it'd be me, right?”
Lexi laughed. “Of course, Beck.”
Chapter Thirteen
Back in her room, three meals were once again laid out on the table. Lexi handed one to Beck, picked at another, and left the third for Clodi. Her odd sleeping schedule had begun to catch up with her, and she impatiently squelched a yawn as she slid out the balcony rugs and threw open the doors. Though few of the in-seasons had been served any food, the pleasant weather ensured that all the outdoor tables were filled. Lexi surveyed the riot of color created by clothing and wings until she found Tiger's broad shoulders framed by gold and black wings. He was facing the front of the castle, his lower face swallowed by the large hand that held it up. Occasionally, he drew his shaggy brows together and nodded. Across the table from him, Lexi recognized Coli's yellow wings edged in black. Her blonde curls cascaded down her back and across her wings in artful layers that shifted with their owner's expressive head. Lexi tried not to watch them, but her gaze kept drifting back. She replayed her stolen kisses and wished she had a good reason to interrupt their lunch. Two yellow-winged men were joining them now, and Tiger sat upright with badly-disguised annoyance. Coli's head and wings stilled as the two men became animated. One of them slapped his hand against the rusting metal table, making the others jump. Coli was shaking her head now, her wings twitching as she faced one newcomer and then the other as their conversation quickly devolved into a shouting match. Tiger grimaced, then stood. As he stepped away, the remaining three argued with vigor as the lunch crowd unconsciously leaned away from them. Tiger walked among
the tables, scanning for a spot before he gave up and flew to his balcony, his eyes meeting Lexi's as he flew by. Without invitation, she joined him.
“They'll see you,” Tiger warned, pulling her into the fragrant room.
“Coli?” Lexi asked, trying to inhale deeply without making a sound.
“And her brothers.”
“Ah. Why were they yelling? You didn't tell them about...” Lexi hesitated how to finish that sentence while her face lit with a warm glow.
“What? That I've been kissing you?” He leaned in and perfunctorily kissed her on the mouth. “No, I didn't tell them.”
Lexi's head felt momentarily jumbled and it took her a second to remember what she had been saying. “Then why?”
“Oh, you're not her favorite person. And her brothers think I'm cheating on her with you.”
Lexi shifted uncomfortably. “I guess they're right.”
Tiger nodded. “Yep.”
They fell in to an awkward silence of shared guilt.
“Are you going to marry her?” she finally asked, her voice sounding unnaturally high.
Tiger shrugged. “I thought I was going to.”
Lexi swallowed, wetting her lips before she could get the words out. “And now?”
Tiger let out a deep sigh. “I don't know. I'm figuring it out.”
Lexi nodded, letting the conversation peter out until Tiger's stomach growled loudly, and they both laughed.
“There's lunch in my room,” Lexi offered, walking towards the balcony.
Tiger caught her arm and pulled her back. “You must really want to get me in trouble.”
Lexi shook her head innocently. “No, but if I go by hallway, then Beck will know I flew off without him.”
“Ahh, Beck again. I can see why you wouldn't want that annoyance. Fine. You go your way, and I'll go mine. Just try to avoid being seen.” He eyed her magnificent wings and grimaced. “Or something.”
Lexi grinned back at him, then flew off the balcony and back to her own. She avoided making eye contact with anyone in the courtyard, hoping that would somehow help. She sat down at her little table, rearranging her plate so it was no longer obvious that she had picked at it. Then she waited happily as giddy bubbles of emotion made it near impossible to sit still. She could hear Beck talking to someone in the hallway, followed by a sharp rap on her door.
“Come in,” she called.
Tiger entered, rolling his eyes, and quickly shut the door on Beck's eager face. “That was annoying,” he grumbled, taking a seat at the small table.
“Why? What did he say?”
“To remember that I'm visiting an engaged woman and to behave myself.”
Lexi's grin quickly turned into a snigger.
“Keep laughing and I will behave myself,” he warned.
Lexi immediately stopped, though her lips betrayed an irrepressible smile.
Tiger shook his head and looked down at his plate. “Of course your food is better.”
Lexi looked down at the potato and pea dish. “What is everyone else eating?”
“Some kind of watery soup,” he said, then bowed his head in silent prayer.
She held still, watching him. Lexi had seen him pray before—Cercy always insisted he do so—but she was pleasantly surprised to see him make the choice away from home. It reminded her of her father and his quiet faith.
Tiger finished and quickly tore into his food. “I'm going to be full for the first time in a month,” he announced happily.
Lexi watched him eat with growing unease. Looking closely at Tiger's clothing, she noticed it was looser than it had been when he left the palace; he had lost weight over the past month. Lexi frowned and slid her plate over to him.
“Don't you want it?” Tiger asked. “It's good.”
Lexi shook her head. “I'm not hungry just now.”
“I would warn you to eat while you can, but I guess the same rules don't apply to you.” Tiger finished his plate and started on hers.
Lexi colored slightly, her frown deepening. “Everyone should be getting enough to eat.”
“Well, they're not.”
“I'll talk to Limen.”
“I thought you were avoiding him,” he reminded her between bites.
“I am, but there need to be some changes before I leave.”
Tiger let out his musical closed-mouth laugh between bites.
“What? Surely you don't disagree?”
Tiger shrugged his shoulders while he chewed his last bite. “He's not going to like you telling him how to do his job. Can't you just wait until you get home and have the King tell him to change?”
Lexi turned away, hiding the mischievous look on her face. “Maybe, but consider how scrawny you could get before that happened.”
“Scrawny?”
Lexi stood with a ponderous air, then nodded with mock solemnity. “Pitifully so.”
Tiger moved so fast, she barely got a shriek out before he caught her.
“Say I'm not scrawny,” he insisted.
Lexi laughed hysterically while she writhed in his arms. “But you don't like it when I lie,” she protested between peels of laughter.
Two sharp raps sounded at the door making them both stiffen. “Everything okay in there?” Beck asked.
“Yes, Beck,” Lexi called through the door. When she turned back to Tiger, he kissed her. Lexi giggled into the kiss, getting her teeth and nose kissed as well. Tiger's soothing scent filled the air, and she leaned forward with a little sigh. Snuggling into him, she let the stubble of his jaw graze her forehead. She smiled into his shirt, then reached up to scratch at his burgeoning beard.
“You need a shave.”
Tiger ran a hand over his stubbly jaw. “I know.”
“I could pluck them out,” she offered, catching a whisker between her nails.
“No,” he laughed, swatting her hand away.
“Just one,” she coaxed, reaching for another.
Tiger bit at her fingers, prompting another round of laughter that dissolved into more kissing. A soft breeze was blowing in from the balcony, lifting Lexi's long tresses to tickle her wings, but the sweetness of the kiss obliterated all annoyances, even knocking.
Beck's insistent raps continued despite the lack of response. “I can smell that!” he chastised.
Tiger and Lexi finally pulled apart, their self-conscious grins unrepentant.
“I'm beginning to understand why you escape your guards so often.”
“Does that mean you approve?”
“No.” Tiger shook his head. “You definitely shouldn't do it.”
Lexi laced her hands around his neck, entangling her fingers in his sandy hair. “Then you'll just have to listen to Beck yell at you all afternoon.”
Tiger chuckled and gently removed her hands. “I'd better go.” He leaned down to kiss her now frowning lips. “You have a governor to boss around, and I...” Tiger left his sentence unfinished and rubbed his chin as he stared at the floor.
“Have to go smooth things over with Coli?” she guessed.
Tiger gave her a slow nod, then puts his hands on her shoulders, rolling them back. “Princess posture now,” he teased. “So you can properly tell the Governor how to do his job.”
Lexi smacked his hands away. “Is that how you always know when I'm lying?”
Tiger grinned at her. “Maybe.”
Lexi pushed him out of her way as she marched to the door.
“Wait!” Tiger insisted, grabbing her hand, and pulling her back towards him. He ran his thumb around her mouth, then self-consciously scrubbed at his stubbled face. “You're a little red around your mouth,” he explained, coloring. “Might want to wait or put something on it? I don't know.” Tiger's blush deepened. “Sorry. I'll shave next time.”
“There's going to be a next time?”
Tiger grinned and kissed her lightly. “No.”
“Never again?”
Tiger kissed her forehead. “Never.”
&nbs
p; “In that case...” Lexi clutched his shirt and pulled him to her, indulging in a long kiss.
“Hey, now!” Beck called, once again knocking at the door.
With a happy smile, Tiger pulled away, then waited until she released his shirt. “Later,” he promised, then opened the door.
“Finally!” Beck complained. “I thought we established some ground rules before you went in.” Beck's scolding petered out at the quelling look Tiger gave him as he passed.
Lexi quickly shut the door before Beck could direct his lecture at her, then flew to the cloudy mirror. The chaffing around her mouth was visible despite her obscured reflection. She rubbed the reddened skin lightly to no effect. Frowning, she laid down on her bed, staring out at the bright, sunny sky, and promptly fell asleep.
Chapter Fourteen
Lexi woke feeling chilled in the waning daylight. Intertwining conversations carried up from the courtyard in a pleasant cacophony. She stood and made her way over to the mirror. The rosy chaffing was gone, and Lexi smiled at her reflection as she relived Tiger's kisses. Then she remembered his loose clothing and the conversation she needed to have with Limen. Squaring her shoulders, she smoothed her hair and clothing, then headed for the door.
“New arrivals!” A small male with brown and white checkered wings shouted as he sailed past her open balcony doors.
Mildly curious, Lexi stepped out on her balcony, the evening breeze making her shiver as she surveyed the crowd below.
“You vile little man!” The sharp crack of a slap carried up to Lexi's balcony and her eyes irresistibly followed the sound.
“Ow!” the small male with checkered wings complained, rubbing his cheek.
“How dare you touch me!” huffed a blonde with orange and black wings.
“Excuse me, Miss High and Mighty,” the small male mocked with an exaggerated bow.
Before the blonde could respond, a brown-winged male stepped between them, his words too low for Lexi to hear. The blonde tossed her golden tresses with an outraged laugh at something he said, and Lexi gasped. Leaping off her balcony, she flew down to the courtyard just as the brown-winged male ushered the blonde through the front doors. Lexi followed, brushing by the small male who was still rubbing his cheek. The brown-winged male spoke in a deferential undertone as he guided the blonde into the clerk's office. Lexi caught the door before he could close it, then stopped dead in the doorway.