by Robin Roseau
“Take care of her, Burquiri,” I said.
Surprise
It was some hours later. I crept into the other room. There were three forms on the bed, Jessine the furthest. Using the light from one of my stones, I found the charm on the bedside table. I collected it. These things were dangerous to leave around. Then I turned to Jessine.
She was watching me, so I knelt down, letting the stone light both our faces. “More evidence,” I said. “Although not as dramatic. Did you have a nice time?”
“I accept you as my apprentice,” she said. “Per your terms.”
“Do you need to talk to your mother?”
“Yes, I suppose. She’s going to tell me I’m a fool. Can we arrange a demonstration?”
“You want me to give your mother a lust charm?”
“I suppose not,” she said. “One of those will do.” She gestured to the stone. “Mother’s shop will sell any charms made from my jewelry.”
“Agreed. We will divide profit evenly. I can make ugly charms and you can make beautiful jewelry, but it takes both of us to make beautiful charms.”
“Three ways, as Mother will be the one selling them.”
“Fair enough. Jessine, we won’t be selling lust charms. They’re far too dangerous.”
“Fair enough, but give that one back.”
“No, but I’ll hand it to Burquiri any time she asks for it.”
She snorted. “That will do. I think I wore them out.”
“Burquiri is awake.”
“Do you think we should ask if she’s still interested.”
Burquiri rolled closer to Jessine and draped an arm over her. I heard a gentle kiss.
* * * *
We reached Deepwater. Jessine looked down the hill at the village. “I can’t believe I let you lure me here.”
“How’s the sex?” I asked.
“That’s not the point.”
“How’s the sex, Jessine?”
“There’s more to life than sex.”
“Why can’t you answer me.”
She turned to me. “The sex is amazing, with or without your damned charm, but they sure seem to enjoy dropping it over my neck.”
I laughed. “Not once have I heard you ask them to stop doing that.”
“I’d like to return the favor.”
“Do you really think they’d say ‘no’ to you, Jessine? What is this really about?”
“I miss Mother.”
“I’m sorry about that.”
“I haven’t had a really good fight with anyone in nearly three weeks.”
I laughed. “Seriously, Jessine.”
“Well, I really do miss Mother. And you’re my first apprentice. I’ve had her beside me my entire life. What if I need her help?”
“I might be unruly, and you need advice keeping me in line.”
“Exactly.”
“Is that the real problem?”
“A little, yeah.”
“Jessine, when was the last time you needed her help to make something?”
“Several years, but we share designs all the time.”
“I’m sorry about that part. There’s one more secret to tell you, but we didn’t want to tell you until we got here. I bet there’s more going on though.”
She gestured. “It’s so small.”
“They’re lovely people.”
“I miss Mother.”
“Jessine.”
“I always expected to inherit her shop.”
“Your mother is alive and healthy, and this will only last exactly as long as you want it to.”
“So, you think I’m going to up and pack, leave everyone behind. Leave Burquiri, Mayolin, and Filfoyss? Or maybe they’ll leave Alyidil? Or I’ll convince all of you to move back to Rosegrove?”
“Jessine.”
“Damn it, Jeraya.”
“Admit it. You’re addicted to the sex.”
“Just damn it.”
I lowered my gaze. “You regret ever putting on the necklace.”
“No, I don’t.” She used her fingers to lift my chin. “I don’t regret one decision. I’m being stupid. Okay, I’d rather we could have stayed in Rosegrove, but I’m tired from the journey, and I’m horny, and I can’t believe I just said that.”
I laughed. “The house is right there. Ask for a bath then take them to bed.”
“I think they’re in jumping Filfoyss.”
“You know there’s at least one of them available, Jessine. What’s going on?”
“I’m completely in love, and it’s scaring the crap out of me.”
I laughed. “Seriously?”
“And I miss Mother, and my favorite restaurant, and my backside hurts, and I don’t think I can stand letting anyone touch me right now, and I’m so fucking horny anyway.”
“You poor thing.”
“I can feel the sympathy from here. I want my own shop, but that’s stupid, because we’d get about three customers a year.”
“We need a workshop, anyway,” I said. “We both do. We’ll make one here. Maybe no one comes. We’ll make our jewelry and our charms and send them to your mother. We’ll keep some here. Maybe we’ll develop a reputation. Maybe we won’t. Once you teach me enough, and once I learn enough magic, we’ll make very special charms on commission. Jessine, you’re going to become more famous than your mother.”
“I don’t want to be more famous than Mother.” She turned away. “God, I’m being a bitch.”
“I take it we haven’t gotten to the bottom of everything. Are you jealous of Filfoyss?”
“No.”
“Are you jealous of anyone?”
“I wouldn’t have minded a repeat with you, but no, everything else seems wrong, but not that part.”
“All right.”
“I’m being stupid.” She turned back. “We’ll build a shop?”
“We’ll build it together. We’ll pick a good spot for it, somewhere up here, with room for both of us and the things for our crafts. I’m yours, half time. The other half I’ll be working on the magic part. But we’ll make pretty charms together, too.”
“Do you have any anti-bitchy charms?”
I laughed. “The last time I saw it, Mayolin had my best one.”
“She would have given it to Burquiri for safe-keeping. A shop. Can it be pretty?”
“It can be whatever you want.”
“Shouldn’t it be what you want?”
“Pretty is your thing,” I said. “Good service is mine.”
“I can see that,” she agreed.
I hooked a thumb. “They’re wrapped around our fingers. They’ll do anything we ask.”
She made a crude gesture. “If you’re only using fingers, you’re doing it wrong.”
I laughed. “I’m pretty sure I’ve done it that way, too.”
“No one’s going to come to our shop.”
“That just means we’ll have time to get more stuff done.”
“I kind of get off watching people lust after the things I make.”
“I don’t have a charm for that, but maybe I can make one.”
She bumped me. “Funny.”
“It’s going to take about six months, but your mother is going to begin demanding greater output, once people begin to realize the charms work. And the best part?”
“They aren’t forever.”
“That’s right. But we need to make cheap ones, too. We’re not just making them for rich people.”
“My apprentice will be making the crappy ones. We’ll start with pewter.”
“Perfect.”
“I’m horny.”
I laughed. “You know what you need to do about that.”
“Yeah, I do.”
“Race you to the tub.”
I let her win.
* * * *
She was occupied that evening, and frankly, so was I. We told her about Lal Keshia the next night.
She was rather surprised, but took it in stride.
We built a shop, doing much of the work ourselves, but Lal Keshia hired help from the village as necessary. I didn’t understand, but I wasn’t able to work as hard as I was accustomed, and I began to wonder if I was sick.
Furthermore, Jessine put off my jewelry lessons, which I found frustrating. Finally, she said, “Lal Keshia’s orders, so go yell at her.”
“Are you serious?”
“Yes.”
I stomped off until I found her, reading a book in the library. “Why did you tell Jessine not to teach her apprentice?”
She set aside her book and then said, “Because Shi`nual told me to.”
“When?”
“One of the times she’d put you to sleep,” she replied, “a day or two before she left. You may make charms, but you may not go near jewelry making.”
“Are you serious? We brought Jessine here and now I’m not supposed to learn from her?”
“It’s temporary.”
“How temporary?”
“A year or so. Jessine needs to get the shop the way she wants it, and you have plenty you’re learning. You can charm the pendants she makes, but you are to stay out of her side of the shop. Or else.”
“Or else, what?”
“Or else.”
“Seriously? That’s the best you can do”
“Shi`nual’s orders, Jeraya.”
“Did she explain why?”
“No. A year. Do not fight me, Jeraya. This isn’t my fault, but she told me this was exceedingly important. You are not to go near any molten metal or any of the various noxious things Jessine uses.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because she told me not to tell you any sooner than I had to.”
I made a rude gesture. “You should have told me.”
“Well, now I have.”
“What else did she tell you?”
“That is between us. I’m not answering any more questions on this. Now, would you like a good cuddle?”
“Yes. I’m going to find Alyidil.”
And I stormed out, but Alyidil had overheard, and she opened her arms to me. I ran to her. And then I didn’t fight when she brought me back to the library, and I didn’t fight either of them when they brought me upstairs together.
* * * *
I learned more magic. I taught myself, and Lal Keshia guided me, but she said, “As long as you are growing more comfortable, I think you should make your own way. If your progress slows down, I can help, but she taught you different magic than I use. I don't know how to make these types of charms.”
“You made that bracelet.”
“Yes. Are you asking me to teach you?”
“No. I don’t want you teaching me bad things, and that’s a bad thing. Lal Keshia, you once told me you weren’t rich.”
“By my standards, I’m not.”
“You always seem to have money, but I don’t know where it comes from. Are you turning lead into gold or something?”
“In the realm of things, it isn’t that much money.”
“Why won’t you answer my question?”
“Jeraya, will you cuddle with me?”
“Is this a you and me thing or a you and Alyidil and me thing or an entire household thing?”
“It can be whatever you want.”
“Am I going to become angry?”
“No, I don’t think so.”
“I think I want Alyidil, too. I’m going to go find her and bring her back.”
“All right. You may not have to look very far. She’s in the hall, eavesdropping.”
“I’m not eavesdropping,” Alyidil said, stepping into the room. She moved to me, and then the three of us moved to the sofa. I found myself cuddling with Lal Keshia, and Alyidil lay down with her head in my lap. I put a hand on her shoulder.
“I love you,” Lal Keshia said. “I love both of you. I don’t say it very often.”
“You show us,” I said. I leaned up and kissed her check. “I feel very loved by both of you, by everyone in the house.”
“Well, I should say it,” she said. “I want to talk about Shi`nual.”
“All right,” I said. Alyidil took my hand, holding it to her, and I snuggled in a little more.
“Shi`nual is known to have certain tastes. I want to talk about them.”
“Female, red hair, violet eyes.”
“Yes. Those are an absolute. And as elves may have violet hair, and red eyes, but never red hair and violet eyes, she doesn’t accept one of us as her host.”
I smiled. “You would look fabulous in violet hair.”
“You think so?”
“Yes.”
“There are charms to change hair color, but let’s stay on track.”
“Sure. Shi`nual. Hates elves.”
“Something like that. After that, she seems to prefer things, some of them quite, quite clearly. While I’m sure it has happened, I have not heard of her coming to an offering who did not include attendants.”
“You, Alyidil, and the others.”
“Right. After that, while it may not be an absolute, she clearly has preferences. She prefers an offer made from someone’s home. People have tried other locations, some of which have been quite, quite beautiful, but she doesn’t seem to accept. Not that everyone knows every offer she accepts, and she doesn’t necessarily talk about all of this, unless she did with you.”
“No, she didn’t.”
“She seems to prefer that the house is built by the people living in it.”
“You built this house.”
“The five of us built it.”
“You were planning.”
“For a decade, darling.”
“What else?”
“She prefers a beautiful location.”
“Like the top of a cliff beside the ocean.”
“Yes, that is her favorite, but she will accept other offers. She enjoys visiting cities, but unless it is an especially beautiful location, she doesn’t tend to accept invitations within a city.”
“I’m starting to understand. There was more involved than I knew.”
“You were overwhelmed, and it wasn’t really important for you to understand all of this.”
“Which means we’re still getting to your main point.”
“We are. She has a certain type of person she prefers, someone like you, someone who likes to please, but I was desperate, so you could have been the most horrible person, and I would have at least tried.”
“I’m glad you don’t think I’m horrible.”
“I don’t think you’re at all horrible.”
“I was kind of horrible, at first.”
“No, darling. You were scared and justifiably angry, and not for one minute did I blame you.”
“I did,” Alyidil said. She grinned.
“You’re a tease.”
“I know.”
“There’s something else you need to know,” Lal Keshia said. “Shi`nual has never come for someone who is being rewarded in any way. It is expected that your attendants will see to your needs afterwards, and we can be the dearest of friends. But we can’t offer you any sort of compensation. None. Oh, normally you would know what to expect. Some people have tried to sell themselves off to the highest bidder.”
“That’s terrible.”
“She’s been fooled a few times, maybe more than a few, but people don’t tend to admit it. When she finds out, she’s rather terrible about it. At the very, very least, she would have immediately left. Worst would have been to offer poor advice.”
“Does she take it out on the host?”
“She doesn’t kill her, but she may play one of her tricks and then leave as soon as she’s sure the host won’t die from it. The host wakes up, and she’s gone.”
“That would be pretty terrible.”
“It’s a pretty firm rejection,” Lal Keshia said. “And so we’re coming to my main point.”
“You couldn’t offer to pay
me.”
“Not one single crown. As presented, there was so much wrong with this offer. You weren’t willing, and that was the worst, but there were other factors.”
“How else was I not perfect?”
“You’re kind of old,” Alyidil said.
“I’m 24. That’s hardly old.”
“She’s teasing,” Lal Keshia said. “You’re kind of innocent.”
“Shi`nual is pretty debauched.”
“She was tame with you.”
“Seriously?”
“Yes.”
“I think she had a nice time,” I declared.
“I know she did,” Lal Keshia replied. “I am convinced she was quite pleased to have come, and I think she was pleased to have been able to see me, too.”
“Good. Lal Keshia, I have long forgiven anything that requires forgiving. If you kept things from me, that’s fine. All this is because I asked you about money.”
“I didn’t lie to you. I’ve never lied. But I may have understated a few things.”
“Like when you said you weren’t rich.”
“By my standards, I’m not. Even by the standards of this world, I’m not, not really. But I’ve acquired money, some of it through more reputable means than others.”
“You stole some of it?”
“No. I killed a few people who tried to kill me.”
“Oh.” I paused. “Oh.” I burrowed deeper. “Recently?”
“No. In Sendisha.”
“You are quite good at not telling me everything. I don’t want details, but would I come out of it with a different opinion of the situation if I had them?”
“You’re asking if I created the situation?”
“Or something, yes.”
“They took offense to the concept of actually completing a business transaction after I paid them.”
“They tried to cheat you?”
“Yes.”
“Was this while buying Alyidil?”
“No. It was while arranging to leave.”
“So…”
“So, they drew steel. I killed them. I took everything: my money, their money, gems, and the things they’d agreed to sell me. It took two extra pack horses to carry the extras I took, but conveniently, they had them waiting in the paddock for an enterprising elf.”
I laughed. “So. You’re rich.”
“We have money,” she said. “But I do not care to use it frivolously. Did you intend to spend some of it?”