The River King

by Kim Alexander

  Once relieved of their light summer coats, May took a glass of champagne from a passing waiter. “As much as I want all of these, I feel as if we’d better stay sharp.”

  Stelle nodded. “Like a hatpin. We looking for anything in particular?” She would be giving her presentation later, so May knew she’d stay dry anyway. But she was so quick to volunteer for battle—any battle. That was one of the secret things about Stelle that May loved.

  May shook her head. “Just a feeling. But Moth will be here, and—” she checked her wristwatch— “Scilla will be here when she’s done at court, and between the two of them I don’t imagine they’ll greet Auri with polite smiles.” She took stock of the room, not quite a ballroom, more like a large salon with all the furniture cleared out. Yet she couldn’t deny it was all tastefully done: more vases of white roses, a galaxy of tall white candles, long tables of finger snacks set along the walls, a small orchestra on the upper landing all dressed in white. “Nice spread, though. Looks like he thinks he’s putting on a Quarter Moons party.”

  Stelle smiled. “I want to say it’s tacky and pretentious, but honestly its quite pretty.”

  “Oh, it’s definitely pretentious. You can almost smell how much he wants that number. Oh, look who’s here!” May threw her arms around Lelet, noting with some shock how thin her shoulders felt through her rather severe rust-red gown and that she was as tense as a clenched fist. Auri stood at her elbow, frowning at Stelle. May said, “What a lovely party. I’m so happy for you. For both of you.”

  Lelet’s look told her what she needed to know.

  “Thank you for being here.” Lelet looked over at Auri before continuing. “Let me show you around this big lovely house. I’m still getting used it. Oh, I do hope Jan shows up. I’ve told him all about you. I know he wants to hear about your speech.” She had a glass of champagne in her hand, and her knuckles were white. She glanced at Auri again before asking May, “I don’t suppose you’ve seen the ambassador?”

  May shook her head. “I haven’t seen him. But we’ve just arrived.”

  Lelet gnawed her already torn and bloody thumbnail. May had to force herself not to pull her sister’s hand away from her mouth. Lelet said, “Remember when Rane would talk to Mother? When she was feeling sick?”

  “I—uh, yes, I do.” When was the last time Lelet had mentioned their mother? May couldn’t remember. And to act as if it was a casually fond remembrance was completely astonishing.

  “I was just thinking about that,” Lelet continued. “How kind it was of him to do that. Well, you both look so nice.” She looked past May. “Oh, look who’s arrived, Auri. Excuse us. We have to say hello to some people.”

  Once they’d gone, Stelle followed May to a quiet spot near the window. “What was all that about?”

  “You know our mother was sick. In her mind, I mean. Well, she often took her anger and confusion out on poor Lelly. Rane was the only one who could calm her down. He’d get in front of Mother and talk her ear off, and Lel could get away without being smacked or scolded.”

  “She wants us to distract Auri so she and Moth can...what?”

  “Does it matter?”

  Stelle smiled grimly. “Did you know Auri’s family is from the Hill?”

  “From Fool’s Hill? Seriously?” said May. Stelle herself was barely a generation removed from the place. May thought it was rather amusing that in her role as a Second, if Stelle had been a proper male suitor they never would have met. She wondered if Auri had asked Father’s permission and how official this whole engagement actually was. “Seems like a good time and place to bring it up.”

  “Oh, we’ll talk about old times, me an’ Auri. We gon’ lip, right.”

  “Sometimes you scare me, Stelle-belle. Don’t ever stop.” May paused. “Listen. Speaking of bringing things up. There’s one way to cause a distraction. A big one. And Auri wouldn’t be able to hold it over our heads ever again. No one would. But I won’t do it or say anything, unless you’re with me.”

  “May-May, I am always with you.”

  “Father may cut me off. We may be forced out of the house.”

  “Then we back to da Hill, innit? Got a cuz or two down there, take us in.” She laughed. “Let’s stir this party up.”

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Mistra

  As their cab came to a stop in front of Auri’s house, Rhuun gripped his knees and tried to settle himself. It wouldn’t do to catch the flower arrangements on fire.

  “Here.” Althee pulled a flask out of her purse and handed it over. “You look like you need it.”

  She rather enjoyed playing the voice of his conscience, and in this case he didn’t mind. He could use the help.

  “Shall we go over it again?” She took the arm of the liveried servant who handed her down from the seat and waited for Rhuun to climb down after her. There were plenty of people smoking and chatting on the front lawn, so his reluctance to go inside did not mark them as out of place, unless one looked a little more closely. Rhuun knew exactly how out of place he was.

  “Yes,” he agreed. “First, I’ll greet Lelet and not murder Auri. Then I’ll make small talk and continue to attempt to commit no murders.”

  “How many in total do you expect to commit? By the end of the night?”

  He sighed. “Al, if he threatens her, if he puts his hand on her...”

  “I know,” she said. “I do. He’d be a fool to threaten her, but I can guarantee he will try to provoke you. This whole thing is designed to call you out. That was the point of that stupid letter—to get you here in the first place. If you are discredited or disgraced, he moves up socially. That’s how it works.”

  “I thought Eriis was bad. Well, I’ve been insulted before by better men, women, children, and horses.” He took a breath. “So, no murders. We make the rounds. People look at me. Stelle makes her speech about how she was right about ‘visitors to Mistra’ all along. Then she introduces me. More people look at me. I say something—”

  “Did you bring your notes?”

  Rhuun pulled them out of his pocket. “Then Auri...says what he has to say.”

  “You won’t be able to look for this secret desk of his while he’s speaking. You know everyone will be looking for your reaction. I think afterwards. When we give him the thing. I have it here.” She patted her bag. “Are you going to be able to do this? You’re slouching.” She knew that meant he was nervous.

  He sighed and straightened up. “Let’s get this over with.”

  Althee brushed a bit of dust off the lapel of his black silk coat. “You look very handsome,” she said, “but if we do many more of these, we’re going to need to get you a different outfit.”

  “More shopping?” he groaned. But she wanted him to smile, so he did.

  The inside of Auri’s house was exactly as Rhuun pictured the Duke’s during one of his parties. He could almost picture Cybelle floating down the curving staircase in a gown with designs of birds on them, smiling and holding a glass of sherry. Isn’t that what she liked to drink? He couldn’t remember. He was relieved to spot May near a far wall and went to join her.

  “Brave faces, my dear,” May said in a low voice. “Something’s up.”

  “Something indeed. Listen closely. Auri has threatened to expose you and Stelle. That’s the only reason she’s agreed to marry him.”

  To his surprise, May nodded. “I know. She didn’t come out and say it in her letter, but it was pretty clear.” She made a firm line with her lips. “We might have something to say about that a bit later. When the time is right.”

  “You would do that for Lelet? For me?”

  She smiled. “For both of you and for both of us.”

  “All along I thought your sister was the brave one. She must have learned it from you.” He looked around for a fast-moving blur of white hair. “Have you seen her?”

  That made May smile again, although he couldn’t imagine why. “How did you manage to convince anyone you two we
re at odds? Yes, and she looks dreadful. She was looking for you.”

  At that moment Stelle joined them, her eyes bright. “Tell me,” she said, after tilting her head for a kiss on the cheek from Rhuun, “is Auri to be married to a tall, dark-haired woman with rather enormous breasts?”

  They both turned to stare at her. “Do go on,” said May.

  “Well, he and said young lady were having a very close conversation in the kitchen. So close you couldn’t pass a cock between them.”

  Rhuun choked on his champagne.

  “Oh, this is Stelle,” said May. “In case you hadn’t met.” She turned back to Stelle. “What were they talking about? Did you happen to hear on your no-doubt innocent voyage through the kitchen?”

  “In my own defense,” Stelle said, “I was lost. You know I was raised in a hut.”

  “She was,” May confirmed.

  “One room,” Stelle continued. “You can see how I was confused. Anyway, what with their faces all mushed together, they didn’t notice me. And if he isn’t to wed this individual, I’m sure they were discussing the contents of each other’s mouths.” She smiled. “I’m sure we won’t find a way to mention this at a potentially lethal moment. Now we’ve got three things to pull out. Well!” She pulled a stack of cards from her bag. “I’m off again. Time to entertain the assembled. Moth, you’re to be introduced towards the end, so stay close.”

  They watched Stelle head towards a lectern being set up at the far end of the room. Two young men wheeled it into place, and a maid set it up with flowers and a glass of water.

  “Has she always been...” Rhuun started.

  “Hilarious? Actually yes. It’s just only since she started public speaking that anyone but me gets to hear it.” May smiled at Stelle for a moment then turned back to Rhuun. “Lelet talked about how things are on Eriis,” she said. “And I know it’s dreadfully hot—I don’t wish to make light of the issues facing your people.”

  “I feel there’s a ‘but’ coming on?”

  She laughed. “Yes. But she tells me, there are people who choose to live their lives with, ah, partners who would be unacceptable here on Mistra. Is that true?”

  “It is true. While a parent may set themselves on fire if you brought home someone from the wrong side of the Arch or the wrong street or the wrong side of the street, the unacceptable partner I think you refer to would not raise an eyebrow. In fact, when Lelet told me about such things, I didn’t believe her. And assuming we all live through this, Eriis will always welcome you and anyone you chose to accompany you, for however long you like.”

  “You’re very kind.”

  “It is literally the least I can do, after what you intend to do this evening.”

  May nodded thoughtfully. “I often think about the kind of life we might be able to have, away from here. We may take you up on that.” Stelle appeared at the podium. “Look, she’s starting, let’s get closer.”

  She took Rhuun’s arm, and they made their way through the crowd. This was the first course, a baby lamb chop to whet the appetite. Auri’s announcement and his reaction were the main course.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Mistra

  Lelet peered around the corner from the hallway into the salon and twisted her earring again. They were gorgeous diamond studs, but the posts were just a bit too wide. She wanted to get them fixed, but Auri said there wasn’t time to take them back to the shop and if she didn’t want to wear the nicest thing he’d bought her... After a while she’d just given up and agreed to wear them.

  The discomfort from her ears was a perfect match to the headache her elaborate hairstyle gave her. Her long white hair had been straightened by a terrifying, silent, ham-faced woman bearing a pair of hot metal plates. Auri told her that going to a salon to have her hair fixed was too common and sent her to Lelet’s room after finding “the best stylist in Mistra.” He was smart enough to know letting her out of his sight for five minutes would be all she needed. And here came this alleged stylist, like the seamstress before her, right to her prison. Once her hair was straightened, the woman had combed it flat and tight against Lelet’s head and wound it into a sleek crescent-shaped bun that looked rather like a croissant. She figured she had eight dozen hairpins holding the whole thing together. But not a hair flew out of place, and that made Auri happy. And happy Auri was not suspicious.

  At the moment Auri was not suspicious; he was annoyed. Jan was supposed to be there sharing hosting duties, but he was late. She didn’t blame him. She wished she was down in their cottage having tea and cookies with Sally. If that’s where he was.

  She’d already said hello to May and Stelle, and May seemed to understand what she’d said. It was up to them to distract Auri long enough for Moth to find something in the basement.

  Lelet knew that much because Jan had told her so after dinner, the night before. He’d been uncommonly warm towards her, and when Sally insisted she walk them out, she thought it might have been Jan’s idea. Just before he left for his cottage, he’d lowered his voice and told her about Moth and the basement. Then he said he was genuinely sorry if he’d contributed to her current situation, and before she could reply, he and Sally both vanished down the twilit path. She wondered if he’d appear this evening at all and if by helping her he’d put himself or Sally in danger. She wished him good luck. There was nothing else she could do.

  Right now she was waiting for Althee because Althee was coming as the guest of the ambassador. But she couldn’t hide here in the dark hall because that would be noticed. She took as deep of a breath as possible and adjusted her dress—expensive, sleek, slightly too snug around the ribs, and not her family’s fabric. With Auri, everything was a statement on what he owned, what he was worth, and what he deserved. She tried to recall when they first met. She’d found him charming, funny, a fine companion in bed, and a lively partner out of it. Of course, it was all an act.

  And now it was her turn to take the stage. She stepped around the corner and back into her party.

  “Yes, I do know the ambassador,” Lelet said. She vaguely recognized the couple: of middle years, well-to-do but not showy—perhaps they were part of Auri’s old demon hunting crew? No, they didn’t have that haunted look. Political, she decided. From his precious social club.

  “I understand you know him rather well,” the woman said.

  For a moment Lelet couldn’t tell if she was being mocked or if the lady was just curious.

  “Extremely well, in fact.”

  Not curious, then. That was fine. She smiled, imagining she was back at Aelle’s house taking on a roomful of the finest demon ladies Eriis had to offer.

  “How well can we really know anyone? I mean, after all, how well do you know each other?” Lelet smiled sweetly. “Everyone’s got secrets, haven’t they?”

  The man laughed. The woman looked offended.

  “At least I know he’s...” She cut herself off, going a bit red in the face.

  Lelet addressed the woman. “If he wasn’t human—that is what you were about it say? If he wasn’t quite human, this party would suddenly be a whole lot more interesting. If you’ll excuse me.”

  She turned and almost ran over Althee.

  “At last.” Lelet pulled her friend in for an embrace. “Where is he?”

  “He’s talking to your sister. Let me look.” Althee made a face. “What is that hair?”

  Lelet put a hand to her brow. “I know. Is it terrible?”

  “You look like a wet cat. No offense.”

  “None taken. How is he?”

  “Well, he’s promised not to murder anyone, but if someone were to step out of line...”

  Lelet sighed. “It might be easier that way.”

  “That was my suggestion exactly. He didn’t go for it. Look, Stelle’s getting ready to speak. Let’s move forward.”

  They made their way through the crowd and found space near the front. Auri had decided not to have seating; he didn’t want chairs dragging
in and out. “And it’ll make for shorter speeches,” he’d said several nights earlier, proud of own cleverness.

  “Including yours?” she’d asked. She hadn’t gotten any dinner brought to her room that night.

  Stelle turned out to be a sparkling speaker, to Lelet’s amazement. Certainly she knew the woman had a sly, quiet wit, but it appeared while Lelet had been having adventures with Moth, Stelle had not only finished coming out of her shell but grown butterfly wings to boot.

  “...and what are we left with, if our dreams of ghosts and spirits are taken from us? Should we mourn? Perhaps we should, in the way one grieves for one’s childhood toys. What we shouldn’t mourn is the loss of an idea that helped no one.” She scanned the crowd. “Did anyone’s great gran come back from the other side with words of advice? Not anyone?” She paused. “Although wouldn’t that have been nice?”

  There were some sounds of agreement.

  “Not my gran though,” Stelle said. “She was mean as a snake.”

  A ripple of laughter.

  “Instead of not-so helpful denizens of the beyond, look who really was visiting us. Not so often, these past years, but I am delighted to report that will almost certainly change. We of Mistra are rightly famous for our hospitality, so let us greet the ambassador from our sister world. Please help me welcome Prince Rhuun of Eriis.”

  Lelet watched as Rhuun, stopping here and there to shake hands and nod and smile, took the podium. Stelle gave him a quick embrace and a wide smile, and Lelet herself smiled at how much taller he was than not only her sister’s petite friend but nearly everyone in the room. He began by crafting a polite and sincere smile and by thanking his host, Auri, and Auri’s dear companion Lelet. As he said her name their eyes locked, just for a second, and it went through her like a shock.