《The Stormcrow Cycle [Slow-burn Slice-of-Life Tragic Fantasy Romance]》 Art by HWPerfidy HWPerfidy was good enough to have an open art thread on the forums. I asked for chibi Lukios or Ba''an, and she came through with Lukios the Puppy! She has also generously said that you may all download the piece of art for personal use! Thanks, HWPerfidy! Click on the spoiler button for some adorable Lukios the Puppy goodness: This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. She is also the writer of 300 Moons Until Disconnect, a gamelit isekai:
Luck is a speedrunner who¡¯s been transported into the world of Briarwood Rebirth, an MMORPG he¡¯s been playing for 17 years. Yet things are not as they seem. The world feels like it''s missing pieces, and NPCs do not behave like they should. There are 30 others like him who''ve been dubbed Chosen Ones, and they''re just as clueless as he is. And what is the 300 day countdown to this so called "Disconnect"? Is this a dream? Or something else?
Art by Anodyne Anodyne has been kind enough to gift several pieces of absolutely gorgeous art! I''ve put them under spoiler tags for organization. Super-glamourous painting of Ba''an as the Stormcrow: More Ba''an, this time in the style of Alphonse Mucha: The Terrible Trio! (From left to right¡ªLukios, Askles, and Epitus): Lukios and Ba''an, dancing: Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Ba''an, Gaios'' Mistress (don''t worry, you''ll find out her name soon enough!) and poor Ennae!: And some sketches of Lukios and Nikias: Lukios: Nikias: Added 25/11/2022: A gif of Ba''an and a crow. Adorable! <3! Added 16/12/2022: Three more pieces of art! Here''s some himbo!Lukios and Ba''an, hanging out together and smiling and being generally adorkable! Here''s some Nikias, looking at Pitie and Askles in his usual disapproving manner: And finally (for this update), Merida, Kallisto, and Ba''an, looking very cool and fashionable! =D Update 13/02/2023: Belated upload of Ba''an, Lukios, and Mai''ra having a CULINARY ADVENTURE! Delicious! Thank you, Anodyne! <3! Map of Illos Notes: 1. Eir is further south and west, beyond the Erythros. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. 2. The outpost indicated to the north of Yartan is were Lukios started his journey to Kyros before the start of the story. You can guess the road he took before he and his convoy were attacked by bandits. 3. I think that''s 500 characters. Also, this map was created using Inkarnate. Act I: The Desert This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. "The People of the Red Sand know little of coin, but much of value; little of laughter, but much of joy; little of affection, but much of love." - Pausanias, A Travel Guide Through the Desert Chapter One: An Ill-Fated Meeting The man was going to die. Ba¡¯an watched from the clifftop as he staggered backwards and fell, clutching his side. Sunlight struck his blond hair, making it gleam in a brilliant, golden crown, shining in a way that was impossible to ignore. She had noticed the yelling and screaming first. Curiosity had gotten the best of her, and she had veered from the pack of wild strifa to fly toward the road, settling on the rocks of the twin cliffs to watch. From her vantage point she had a very good view of the scene unfolding below¡ªmuch better than if she had been in her human form. Crows had excellent eyesight, and as an entire flock of them she could watch the spectacle from many angles. The road was relatively new, though one would have never guessed it with the way it looked. Here the illustrious empire had built one of their cobbled roads through the sand, but the desert could only be delayed, not defeated. Sand often blew in and covered the stones, and the carved red cliffs that marked the start of K¡¯Avaari territory loomed over it, a constant reminder of just whom this stretch of desert really belonged to. Ba¡¯an watched the blond man bleed. Gut wounds were a terrible way to die. If she had arrived even a minute or so sooner, she could have likely saved him from that fatal blow. If she had wanted to. Ba¡¯an was not in the practice of saving outlanders. She watched from her perch¡ªperches¡ªas he rolled in the dirt, leaving a trail of blood where he had been. His opponent, a dirty-looking man with likely a dirtier temper, swore viciously as he kicked at his head. Sensibly, the blond man simply continued rolling until he was out of range, coming up into a painful-looking crouch with one knee tucked beneath him. He should have been in agony, but he was smiling, mouth bloody as he bared his teeth in a way that could not be described as friendly, though he looked maniacally cheerful. It was a truly bizarre expression. ¡­Was he insane? She glanced around the battlefield, taking it in. It seemed that the wounded man and his company had been ambushed by bandits. They were all dead now, their bodies strewn over the road haphazardously in bloody heaps. Ba¡¯an could see that the attackers wore mismatched armor, which was a sure sign that the pieces had been stolen and assembled over time. This bandit was wearing padded cloth and leather bracers, which made him look particularly¡­like a bandit. It looked hopelessly mismatched, and she couldn¡¯t imagine it was much better than going without. His opponent, however, was worse off: he was completely unarmored. He had been somewhat idiotic, running into battle in a tunic and chiton with only a sword in his hand. He was paying for it now; wounded, he was no longer as agile, and he barely listed to the side in time to avoid the foot that would have laid him out. If he had been wearing a breastplate like his fallen companions, he would have not suffered a gut wound. The injury must have been agonizing. Even so, he never released his grip on his sword. The man was a warrior, and a good one at that. She could see it in the way the other attackers had fallen, their bodies lying clustered together as though he had killed them too swiftly for a sensible counter. She could only see a single lethal wound on each dead body. Efficient. ¡°Fucking die already!¡± The bandit was not in a good mood, clearly. Ba¡¯an did not know why he persisted, but the man was Dolkoi¡¯ri; Dolkoi¡¯ri loved violence, so perhaps there was nothing more to it than bloodlust. Ba¡¯an had heard that bloody shows where men fought to the death against each other or animals was a popular pastime in Dolkoi¡¯ri cities. They built buildings specifically to house such spectacles, which did not surprise her in the least. What were they called again? Kolosums? Kolluseums? Something like that. ¡°Well, since you¡¯re asking so nicely and all¡ª¡± He ducked as the bandit lashed out at his head. The man wheezed, whatever clever rejoinder he¡¯d had planned lost alongside the breath in his lungs, but the cheerful smile never left his face. What a madman. He was even grinning as he turned his head and spat. Ba¡¯an could see it was bloody, even from her position on the cliff. Oh yes, it was a very serious injury. Even if he won here, he would not live to celebrate his victory for long. The bandit made a disgusted noise and tried to kick him in the head again. This turned out to be a mistake. The other man simply grabbed the bandit¡¯s foot and yanked, slamming his blade right into his thigh and groin. The bandit screamed as blood sprayed in an arc. He collapsed, making truly heinous animal-noises of pain. Well, he was a dead man. There was no surviving a wound like that. The blond man cut his throat, silencing his cries. Quiet settled over the road, broken only by the wind and the ragged breathing of the last man standing. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°Nngh. Fuck. Fuck.¡± Ba¡¯an watched as the victor pressed his right hand against his side, left hand still clutching his sword. He staggered, nearly falling before he caught himself using his blade as a crutch. He turned his head this way and that, still alert, looking for enemies; tension slowly bled from his shoulders as he found only the dead and dying. He did another pass, slower this time, and she realized he was looking for someone. Ba¡¯an was not concerned about being spotted. He would only see a flock of crows, and there was nothing suspicious about crows on a battlefield. The man ignored his fallen opponent and limped to a body that had clearly been thrown by a horse. The horse was nowhere to be seen, and the man was most certainly dead. There was an arrow sticking out of his neck, a precise strike that had taken him right in the gap between his helm and breastplate. He was dressed in the same manner as everyone else in the convoy¡ªa neat tunic with blocky patterns on the hems beneath a bronze breastplate, thighs bare aside from the leather skirt¡ªand in the same sort of colours. There was no mistaking the Dolkoi¡¯ri workmanship in the armour, either. The breastplate still gleamed bronze beneath all the blood and she could still see they were stylized to resemble a man¡¯s bare torso. It left no room for guesswork as to its origins. They had been armed and armoured, but that hadn¡¯t saved them. The covered travelling chariot was tipped over on its side, one of the wheels still spinning lazily as it teetered ever closer to falling off its axle. The surviving horses had long since bolted except for one unlucky roan lying on its side, its legs broken as it struggled and whinnied weakly. They had been some kind of escort. She could tell by the weapons and armour that they were what outlanders called hippeis¡ªarmored, mounted soldiers, very much like K¡¯Avaari raiders, but with more bits of metal attached. They rode horses instead of desert strifa. The covered chariot looked expensive; it was pitch black, except for the wheels and axles, and decorated with what appeared to be precious metals, hammered thin and used as inlay. There was a crest that was made of gold on the door: it was the sun, depicted with bold, stylized rays protruding from a gleaming disk. Ba¡¯an had heard of things like this before, but she had never seen it in person. It looked very impressive, though Ba¡¯an was not sure if she would find it so if she had been using her human eyes, rather than the eyes of a crow. The inlay seemed to have its own inner glow. The man had arrived at the body. Laboriously, he raised a hand to shake him. ¡°Rekos,¡± he said, and she knew the moment he realized his friend was dead because he closed his eyes in what could only be grief. She watched him turn his head to survey the field. Dead, dead, dead, the lot of them. Soon, he would join them as well. He was the only unarmored man she could see. She wondered if he had been inside the carriage. Well, even so, she doubted he had been the only one. There had been someone else in there; judging by the d¨¦cor, Ba¡¯an knew it had been a woman. She was long gone now. A kidnapping? The man levered himself back up to his feet with his sword, his face twisting into a grimace of pain. ¡°Fuck. Fuck.¡± Grunting, he made his way haltingly to the fallen horse, which was still thrashing. He looked down, and though she couldn¡¯t see his expression from where she was, she knew it must have been something like pity. Painfully, he sat himself down on the ground, leaning against the horse. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, old girl. Shhhh. Shhhhh. It¡¯s okay.¡± The horse stared up at him, and Ba¡¯an thought they must have been good friends. ¡°Shhhhh¡­I know, it hurts. Just¡­¡± He dropped his sword and pulled a out a knife. She saw the metal flash in the sunlight. The horse didn¡¯t make a sound; eventually, the twitching stopped. The man settled himself against the dead animal and closed his eyes. His hair was matted with blood, but even so the clean bits gleamed in the light. His skin was pleasantly tanned beneath the blood and dirt; everything about him was warm and golden. He was young. It was a pity he would die at his age, but she had seen younger men than him go. It was no business of hers if the Dolkoi¡¯ri killed each other. If anything, it was deeply¡­convenient. She hopped up onto lean, twiggy shrub clinging to the top of the overhang, readying herself for flight. Her other bodies did the same. Outlander problems were outlander problems. They had nothing to do with her, or with the People. It would be best if she simply flew on to her destination. It had nothing to do with her. At all. The man¡¯s eyes were closed, head tilted back as though enjoying the sun. He was still bleeding sluggishly, his hands and clothes a bloody mess. Perhaps he had lost consciousness. Ba¡¯an watched him for another moment, noting the subtle rise and fall of his chest. He looked relaxed, as though he were only resting beneath the sun, not bleeding from his gut. To an onlooker it would have been a fantastical sight. A flurry of crows flew down to the ground and coalesced into a woman, dark-haired and barefoot and wearing only a coat of black feathers. She looked down at the young man, who was even now dying. Ba¡¯an looked around at the carnage. This road ran right through the sand and past the two great cliffs which marked the start of K¡¯Avaari territory, an open gate into the desert. Carved into the eastern cliff was the figure of Sa¡¯nuvan, the witch that had led the People into the sand and freedom. Opposite to her stood Kuva¡¯rin, the chief who had joined the twelve tribes so they could be led. Between them was the open desert, and beyond the sandy dunes lay the saa-vuti vur of the People, scattered now, and hidden. She knew the closest tribe was six days out by strifa, four if one travelled the hidden paths through the bir-vuti beneath the sand. It was close, though perhaps not so close that the K¡¯Avaari would be blamed. Of course, the Dolkoi¡¯ri never needed a reason to blame K¡¯Avaari for anything. She looked down at him again. Young. Healthy, from what she could see, except for the wound that was killing him. He was handsome in a way that suggested a life of wealth and plenty. She did not think he had ever starved. Someone important. Her shadow fell across him, and he frowned. Blearily, he opened his eyes. They were amber and bright, even as he lay dying in the dirt. She could feel his soul, blazing inside of him like a fire refusing to die even as his body began to fail. He met her gaze, eyes widening in what she guessed was surprise¡ªor shock. But he never looked away, staring up at her as though transfixed. Ba¡¯an made her decision. She raised her hand and covered his eyes. In another moment, a murder of crows cawed as they took wing. The man and woman were gone from the road, leaving only the dead staring up into the sky. Chapter Two: A Guest The wound was not as bad as she had thought. He had been lucky; if his intestines or stomach had been punctured, she would not have been able to save him. The blade had gone into his side, tearing open skin, fat, and muscle, but just barely nicking his organs. His bloody spit had likely been courtesy of a blow to his jaw¡ªa cut in the mouth, as far as she could tell. It had stopped bleeding already. What kind of luck was that? It had been difficult to sew him up alone. Usually Vaa¡¯ti or Salu¡¯ka would have helped, blotting the blood away so she could see and helpfully handing her whatever tool she needed when she needed it. But Vaa¡¯ti and Salu¡¯ka were not here; they were home. Only Ba¡¯an was here, because only Ba¡¯an had been banished. It would scar. Not only that, it would pull. She had not been able to stitch it as tightly and neatly as she could with assistance. Magic could be used to coax the flesh to mend, but everything had to be positioned manually, and this was difficult to do alone. Ba¡¯an did not like doing subpar work, but it could not be helped. Even if she were not an exile, she would not have been able to take an outlander man into the saa-vuti vur as she pleased. They would have told her to let him die; the life of an outlander, especially one who had been wounded outside of their domain, was no problem of theirs. It was no problem of hers, either. But there had been something in him that had called to her. She had felt it even from a distance, a sort of heat as he lay dying like the last lingering traces of a bonfire. The K¡¯Avaari called it rei-tat. For good or ill, this man had an air of destiny about him. Ba¡¯an had been trained to recognize such things, and she was not likely to be mistaken. It was warm. His soul¡ªit was warm, and bright. Even as she retreated to the kitchen, she could feel its heat and hear it humming, sunny and clear. It was making her¡­peckish. She had expended a great deal of effort today, transforming not only herself but a passenger as well. She was tired, and a little hollowed out. She would need to go hunting soon, to placate the growing hunger inside her. Everything had a price, after all, and magic was especially expensive. Ba¡¯an frowned into her mortar, pulling her attention away from the clamoring hunger building inside her. No. Now was not the time. Infection control was the most important thing now. She had done everything she could to keep the wound clean, but he needed to drink peloiti to flush out any sickness that may have made its way into his blood. Ba¡¯an had never made peloiti without the proper tools before. Most of her things had been left in the shi-vuti for her successors. The distillation had to be made inside the hollowed-out rocks carved specifically for that purpose, else the temperature would be too hard to control. There was no way to make peloiti properly in her¡­cave. She could make peloiti-sahum, though. It was a precursor to true peloiti, and though not as potent, it would have to do. What a bother. The man was still sleeping. He hadn¡¯t stirred, not even when she¡¯d stitched him up. His breathing was even, however, and steady; he wasn¡¯t feverish either, which was a good sign. It took most of the day and evening to make the peloiti-sahum. In the end she had made it a thick paste, which was the best she could do. She slathered it onto his wound, then saved some for later, wrapping it in a scrap of cloth. She would have to store it somewhere dark and a little damp, but not too damp. He would have to chew some too. Of course, he would have to be awake to do it. A bother. That¡¯s what this was. A bother. Ba¡¯an stifled a sigh and looked at her¡­guest. A bother.
Ba¡¯an woke up, disoriented as a sudden sense of unease crawled its way from her belly to her chest. Her eyes snapped open in the dark as she listened intently. She could hear the wind blowing, whistling against the mouth of her not-vuti, but that hadn¡¯t been what had woken her. Other than the wind, everything was quiet. Her coat seemed to be sleeping too, lying still and silent in her clothes chest. Nothing stirred. Starlight filtered through the hole in the ceiling, bathing everything in silver. Nothing was amiss. Nothing was¡ª No. She was being watched. Ba¡¯an rolled over onto her other side and met his stare. The man was awake, lying in her bed with his head turned so he could look at her. It was impossible to see his expression in the dark, but she could see his eyes, reflecting what little light there was in the room. She sat up from her little nest of rugs and blankets on the floor. They stared at each other in the dark. It was obvious that he could not speak K¡¯Avaari. Dolkoi¡¯ri rarely did, and even then, they spoke it badly. Ba¡¯an could speak some Dolkoi¡¯ri, though. It was a trade-tongue, a pre-requisite to anyone who wanted to do business with the vast empire that stretched from sea to sea. It wasn¡¯t a matter of liking it, really. ¡°You thirst¡ªthirsty?¡± The words rolled strangely in her mouth. Ba¡¯an did not trade with outlanders much, though she did it when she had to. She listened a great deal though. Most people did not pay much mind to birds, so she had had ample opportunity to simply flutter about and listen. Even so, it was clear she should have practiced. Her mouth and tongue refused to move the right way to make the sounds, and her accent sounded thick, even to her own ears. He sat staring at her silently and she wondered if he had even understood her. Sometimes, when she traded, the merchants did not understand her. Sometimes, she had stolen what she had needed, because they did not have any patience for her at all. ¡°I¡­yes, please. Water.¡± Ba¡¯an blinked. He spoke K¡¯Avaari. Not well. But he spoke it. Odd. But also oddly welcome. His voice was hoarse. She thought he must have been terribly parched, so she got him his water before adding wood to the fire. It had burned down to embers overnight¡ªnot nearly enough light for him to see by. Ba¡¯an, of course, knew her own home by heart. She rarely bothered with light these days, and the hole where the ceiling should have been allowed enough starlight so the room always held a dim, silvery glow. It was a poor gurti¡¯gi, but it served well enough. ¡°Slowly. Do not drink too fast.¡± He seemed to understand K¡¯Avaari well enough; he obeyed, watching her over the rim of his cup as he sipped. Ba¡¯an slept with her hair loose. It was long, and she had no patience for the strands getting here and there when she was up and about. She was going to check his wound now that he was awake, so she needed it out of the way. She¡¯d pinned her hair up a countless number of times. But she felt herself hesitate. He was still looking at her. The only man who had ever watched her put herself together was Thu¡¯rin, and she could not shake how¡­intrusive it felt, to have a man she did not know watching her in the dark. Briefly, she touched the necklace of cliff-cat teeth hanging around her neck, frowning. Her not-vuti was only one large room, so his presence could not be helped. It was her own fault he was here¡ªbut it was what it was. She did not know how he noticed. It was still dark, but he somehow seemed to sense her discomfort, though she had said nothing. She had not even moved much. The man tilted his face downward and stared into his cup. ¡°Apology,¡± he said in his stumbling K¡¯Avaari. ¡°It rude.¡± He frowned into his cup and tried again. ¡°That rude. That was rude.¡± Ba¡¯an pinned her hair up, refusing to be hurried. He was looking around, frowning lightly when he spoke next. ¡°Was there¡­others?¡± Ah. Of course. Ba¡¯an shook her head. His head drooped, though he did not look surprised. He must have been expecting it. ¡°Do you need the privy?¡± If he wished to speak K¡¯Avaari, she would indulge him. There was a slight pause before he nodded. If Ba¡¯an had her guess, it was probably urgent. He¡¯d been sleeping for two days. Ba¡¯an helped him to his feet. He was unsteady, but he could stand, and most importantly, walk. He looked around her cave, seemingly dazed. It was likely his first time inside a K¡¯Avaari dwelling. Ba¡¯an felt a little¡­embarrassed. Her home wasn¡¯t a proper vuti. This had been a temporary site that had long been abandoned by her former clansmen. It hadn¡¯t been carved or set with waterways like a real vuti, and the walls were rough. They hadn¡¯t been decorated or carved, so she had hung animal skins and rugs to cover their bareness. The floor too, was uneven; more rugs, even though it was laborious work to keep them clean. At least she had a fire pit, though it wasn¡¯t properly set into the floor, and the gurti¡¯gi served well enough, letting in plenty of sunlight in the day and starlight in the night. Thankfully, there was a privy built outside. All vuti were carved into cliffs or mountains¡ªthe K¡¯Avaari were rock-shapers. The dwellings extended inside the rock like an ant colony, with rooms dedicated to families or shops or even bathhouses, if an aquifer with water was available near the site. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. This site had been chosen well, and Ba¡¯an suspected the only reason why this had not boomed into a full saa-vuti vur was due to its relative isolation: It was an annoyance to go anywhere. It was an ideal location from which to explore unknown areas but travelling to and fro every day would have been taxing for those who could not grow wings. Sheer cliffs on all sides, with the surface dry as dust and nary a tree or shrub to break the dull monotony of desert reds. Before her arrival this had been used as a watering hole¡ªa nur-vuti. No K¡¯Avaari dared to encroach now, of course. There were some incomplete underground passages. Ba¡¯an had thought it had been meant to connect to other bir-vuti eventually, but it had never been finished. Why that was would remain a mystery. No shaper remained inside the rock to tell her, and spirits simply¡­avoided her. Whatever beings the rock had housed before her coming had long fled before her shadow had even darkened the doorway. They stepped out of the not-vuti, and the man¡¯s eyes widened at the sight of the cliff walls surrounding them. He likely had not realized that they had been inside one until just now¡ªthe not-vuti had been carved right into the rock. So had the privy, which required them to cross the little courtyard of dust and sand to the next cliff face. The shaper who had created the outhouse had dug in deep, well into the cliff side with the hole extending into a seemingly endless darkness. ¡°Ah,¡± he said, when they approached the obvious seat with a hole in it, ¡°I can¡­alone. Really.¡± She stared at him blankly. ¡°Really. Please¡­wait¡­out?¡± She continued staring at him. ¡°Ah¡­well¡­¡± She decided to have some mercy, after all. ¡°No,¡± she said in Dolkoi¡¯ri, and he blinked in what she guessed was surprise. ¡°You will fall. You will rip stitches. Then I be very angry.¡± He stared at her. She stared back. Ba¡¯an made a noise of exasperation. ¡°You stupid?¡± ¡°My apologies,¡± he said finally in Dolkoi¡¯ri. He glanced between her and the privy. ¡°I think I can manage by myself.¡± Ba¡¯an rolled her eyes and sighed. Loudly. She hustled him over to the hole in the rock that served as a toilet and held his arm. ¡°I will close eyes. Do not worry, I not want look at you,¡± she said blandly, and he looked as though he couldn¡¯t decide how to react. ¡°I had many, many patients. You not different.¡± It was awkward. He was clearly humiliated by the experience, though he said not a word, and Ba¡¯an had no patience for delicate Dolkoi¡¯ri sensibilities. In the end, they made it back to the sleeping section of the not-vuti in one piece. He seemed interested in the layout. There really wasn¡¯t much to see; there was only the entrance with a small space for storage, and then the hearth. The living area was built around the fireplace in a circle, with the sleeping area carved out across from the cooking area. Anything bloody had to be prepared over the stone slab outside, which was always a hassle as she had to haul water from underground to clean anything. Right in between the kitchen and the bed was a tunnel that arched downward into darkness. That was the way to the underground stream, which was where she got her water. She also bathed in one of the little pools that formed on the side, so she was always careful to draw water from upstream. He would not be able to take the downward slope, yet. If he managed to walk without hurting himself in the next week or so, she would take him on a tour. The underground cavern would be a shock to a typical Dolkoi¡¯ri man but based on his obvious curiosity she thought he would enjoy it. He was very quiet, but he was looking at everything with great interest. Sometimes he raised his hand as though he wanted to touch this or that, but immediately stopped himself as though he was being incredibly rude. Knowing how obsessive Dolkoi¡¯ri were about property, she imagined it must be ill-mannered for them to simply touch things inside another person¡¯s home. Even so, she couldn¡¯t help but be amused at the level of enthusiasm he was showing toward her counters. Surely they were not that fascinating. ¡°Duck,¡± she said, and he obeyed immediately. The ceiling was low near entrances, even though it opened all the way up in the central living room. He glanced up and gave a low whistle. ¡°It¡¯s open.¡± He was staring right out of the rock and into the night sky, which was full of stars. ¡°Yes.¡± Ba¡¯an pointed to the wall. Steps had been carved along the sides, leading to loft after loft. He looked taken aback¡ªhe likely hadn¡¯t noticed the extra platforms in the near-darkness. ¡°You can climb to roof. When storm, you close.¡± Usually with a tarp. The sand still got everywhere, though. She pointed to the first platform up. It held the herbal things she couldn¡¯t fit inside her kitchen. ¡°Lots space.¡± Well, it was all mostly storage. ¡°That¡¯s beautiful.¡± His voice was quiet, but he sounded sincere as he stared up into the night sky. He hobbled to the stairway with her help and passed his palm across one of the steps. They were cut nearly perfectly, and smooth. A real vuti would have had carvings running along the stairs, with grips set into the rock to prevent slippage. ¡°No climbing,¡± she said, and he shocked her by laughing. ¡°Stop.¡± Ba¡¯an was appalled¡ªlaughing would tear his stitches. She had had to do two sets: one set for his insides, one set for his outsides. It had been onerous work, especially alone. ¡°Ah¡­yes, I see.¡± He grimaced. ¡°I¡¯ll try not to be stupid.¡± He flashed her a smile full of white teeth. The awkwardness of the privy trip seemed to have melted away. ¡°Sit.¡± She helped him back to the bed. The frame had also been carved out of stone, though she had added soft plants and furs to make the bedding. Even so, it wasn¡¯t the most comfortable. ¡°I want check,¡± she said, and gestured to the bandages on his abdomen. He nodded. Ba¡¯an brought over more bandages, boiled water, and her peloiti-sahum. ¡°You feel hot or cold?¡± He shook his head. ¡°No. I feel¡­I feel fine.¡± He looked up at her. ¡°You saved my life. Thank you.¡± Ba¡¯an shrugged, though she felt pleased by how quickly he had thanked her. It would have been annoying if he had acted as though it were his due. K¡¯Avaari owed outlanders nothing. She washed her hands in her basin and unrolled the bandages to look at his wound. It was still red and slightly swollen, but it didn¡¯t look as though infection had set in. That was good. She intended to keep it that way. She applied more peloiti-sahum to the wound. He didn¡¯t grimace or complain, only looked on curiously as she worked. He attempted to assist her until she snapped at him to keep his dirty hands away from everything; impressively, he obeyed immediately, with only the barest knitting of his brows. ¡°You not wash hands. They dirty. Touch bandage, bandage dirty. Touch wound, wound dirty. Wound dirty? Blood fever. Blood fever? You die. Understand?¡± He looked at her and nodded slowly. ¡°Yes, I think I do. So, I should not touch anything that will touch the injury unless I have washed my hands? With¡­that?¡± Ba¡¯an nodded. ¡°Yes. Now shhh!¡± Once she was done, she wrapped him back up and washed her hands again. She needed to give him the peloiti-sahum, but he would need a meal first. It would make him vomit if he had had no food. ¡°Hungry?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ba¡¯an nodded. She stoked the fire so that it was roaring again and set the cauldron over it. She brought him more water, though this time she stirred in some powdered saa¡¯ri-lahi mixed with a distillate of nau¡¯tha. It would help with the pain and discomfort. ¡°Lie down. I wake you when finish.¡± He hesitated. ¡°I can hel¡ª¡± ¡°Lie. Down.¡± Ba¡¯an had never met anyone who could argue with her when she used that particular tone, and the outlander was no exception. His mouth clicked shut as he obeyed. Ba¡¯an watched him for a moment longer to ensure he would not do anything stupid as soon as her back was turned before going to the kitchen. Ba¡¯an began to make some soup. She did not think he could handle anything truly hearty, so she would have to make a simple meaty broth. The only meat she had was lizard. As far as she knew, Dolkoi¡¯ri did not eat lizards. In fact, they thought it was particularly barbaric, something desert-dwelling savages did as they scraped through the sands for a living, as though they had not been the ones to push them there in the first place. Well, he¡¯d have to have lizard for dinner. Lucky for him, she had some salt rocks still. Presumably, salt would make anything and everything taste good, though she doubted he would dare complain even if she fed him sandal-leather. She could feel eyes on her back again. ¡°Yes?¡± Ba¡¯an turned to look at him. ¡°Thirsty?¡± He was lying down, head turned so he could watch her from across the room. ¡°I¡ªno, no. I¡¯m fine. I just¡ªI would rather be useful.¡± Ba¡¯an clicked her tongue. ¡°You are bad patient.¡± He stared at her. ¡°Resting important. You lift, you rip. I will be very angry.¡± Perhaps it had been a mistake to give him painkiller in his water. He seemed to believe he was well when he was not. She enunciated her words carefully, trying to impress on him the importance of not ripping himself open again. She had seen the scars all over his back, with a particularly impressive collection clustered neatly in strips between his shoulder blades. There had been a large burn mark over one shoulder as well, which must have been nasty. His kneecap had fractured at one point, leaving behind a starburst and a limp. She had a feeling that he was a very poor patient, the type that did all sorts of things they were told not to do, like getting into fights. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll stay here then.¡± She bustled around, chopping up the meat into fine, unrecognizable pieces. She had some grains from her last trip to a Dolkoi¡¯ri city, as well as many different mushrooms from the caves below. She would have to see if she could catch some fish tomorrow. He would need the meat.
It turned out that he¡¯d been ravenous. That was to be expected¡ªhe had slept for two days. Even so, he had followed her instructions to eat slowly, even forcing himself to stop when she told him to. It was strange. She had expected him to be more self-important, being young, rich, and Dolkoi¡¯ri, but he had been shockingly agreeable. He hadn¡¯t even questioned the peloiti-sahum. He was chewing on it now, still looking at her. He seemed to do it reflexively whenever she entered his field of vision, which she supposed must be a natural reaction to being bored. He was bedridden after all, and she was the only moving thing in the vicinity. He is an overgrown cat. This impression was not helped by his leonine looks: thick golden hair, a tanned complexion, and fierce-looking amber eyes. He had a very symmetrical face, with a strong jawline and high cheekbones. He was tall, broad-shouldered but lean, with a build that spoke of battlefield prowess. He smiled easily with seeming sincerity, so the corners of his eyes wrinkled. She noted he had very charming dimples. Undoubtedly, he was very popular with everyone, if only for his good looks. Ba¡¯an didn¡¯t find his odd habit unnerving, but it was distracting. She could always feel it when someone was watching her, and her senses kept alerting her whenever his eyes fixed on her. Briefly she wondered if she ought to be worried¡ªbut why should she be? He couldn¡¯t hobble his way to the privy alone, and it wasn¡¯t as though she had anything for him to take, not with his obviously expensive things. Aside from his clothes and weapons, which were of very high quality, he had been wearing a ring with the same insignia that had been on the carriage. Some kind of signet, if she had her guess. He¡¯d also had a little pouch full of small coins and a finger-sized wooden carving of a man with wings on his heels. Ba¡¯an guessed it was one of the Dolkoi¡¯ri gods, though she did not know which one. There was no reason for him to be malicious. Of course, it was possible he had seen her wearing the coat of feathers. Ba¡¯an doubted that he remembered that, though¡ªhe had been busy bleeding to death. ¡°Finished?¡± Obediently, he handed the cloth that had once been filled with peloiti-sahum back to her and she dutifully trundled back down to the caves to clean the thing. It was incredibly inconvenient to not have running water inside her not-vuti, despite a source of water running right beneath it. Ba¡¯an, for all her magic, was not a stone-shaper¡ªand in truth, she had no desire to be¡ªso there was no helping it at all. She would have to haul buckets of water for the rest of her miserable exiled existence. The horror. Once she got back, she banked the fire. ¡°Time to sleep,¡± she told him, and he obeyed, letting her help him lie back down without a word of protest. Or at least, that¡¯s what she thought. Ba¡¯an was settling into her nest on the floor when she heard him shift. ¡°Would you like to switch places?¡± It was too dark to see his face now, but she looked in his general direction all the same. ¡°What? Why?¡± There was a pause. ¡°I think I took your bed.¡± ¡°Yes¡­?¡± ¡°It seems unfair. You saved my life and fed me. And now I¡¯m taking your bed. It¡¯s a bit¡­¡± She saw a movement in the dark¡ªsome kind of gesture with his hands. ¡°That is stupid.¡± He fell silent again. ¡°You are patient. Floor is cold and hard. Very stupid.¡± ¡°¡­See, if you hadn¡¯t told me that the floor was cold and hard, I wouldn¡¯t feel even worse about it.¡± She made a noise of exasperation. ¡°Stop talking. Stop thinking. Sleep. I am tired. I want sleep. Understand?¡± There was a pause. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m sorry. Good night.¡± ¡°Sleep well. Do not die.¡± He snorted in amusement, low and quiet. ¡°Thank you.¡± There was a long pause. ¡°My name is Lukios.¡± ¡°I am Ba¡¯an. Lukios?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Stop talking.¡± ¡°Sleep well, Ba¡¯an.¡± He sounded like he was smiling. Ba¡¯an rolled herself inside her blanket and slept. Chapter Three: Healing ¡°And this?¡± ¡°That is called latha. Ma na va¡¯me latha.¡± ¡°Ma-ma na va mee latha?¡± ¡°Close. Va¡¯me.¡± ¡°Ma na va¡¯me latha?¡± ¡°Yes. Breathe¡­soft on va¡¯me.¡± ¡°Ma na va¡¯me latha?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Thank you. If I want to change the item, I just change the name? For example¡­Ma na va¡¯me vitra?¡± She nodded. ¡°Yes. That is good.¡± Lukios grinned, clearly pleased with himself. He was a surprisingly quick learner, though Ba¡¯an supposed it could have been boredom. Boredom was a great motivator. It had been many years since Ba¡¯an had had a student. It was¡­nostalgic, though he was no witch-to-be. He was simply an outlander man laid out on her bed, too crippled to do anything except learn K¡¯Avaari and pester her with questions. Yes, it was very, very nostalgic. People had often pestered her with questions. Well, he was useful as well. They had made a deal as soon as he was comfortable talking with regularity. Ba¡¯an was too busy to speak with him in the mornings, but in the afternoons they would speak in Dolkoi¡¯ri, so she could practice. In the evenings they practiced K¡¯Avaari. He seemed to find this agreeable. He was more patient than she had thought he would be. ¡°Close. Try narrowing your mouth more. It¡¯s more of a ¡®fuu¡¯ sound.¡± He demonstrated and she stifled a laugh. It was true he was exaggerating for her benefit, but it did not change the fact that he looked rather ridiculous with his lips puckered. ¡°Fuuu?¡± ¡°Yeah. Just needs some practice.¡± Dolkoi¡¯ri was difficult to pronounce. It had more sounds than K¡¯Avaari, and the language itself was hard, with many consonants that required her to open her mouth wider than usual. It was an invasive tongue for an invasive people, though the better she was at it, the easier it would be to trade. She could speak it enough to barter¡ªpoorly¡ªbut she knew she was often cheated. It would be good to speak it with more proficiency. Ba¡¯an ladled the broth into the bowl and brought him his dinner. He was already propped up against the wall, sick of lying down but not well enough to walk any further than the privy and back; he needed assistance even then. ¡°Thank you.¡± He sipped. ¡°What¡¯s in this one?¡± Usually they started practicing K¡¯Avaari after dinner. This suited Ba¡¯an fine, because she needed all the practice she could get. ¡°More lizard. Mushrooms, rao-rao roots. Mm¡­some plants. They mean nothing now, so I show them and tell you names after.¡± ¡°Oh. It¡¯s good, thank you.¡± ¡°You are welcome. Here. There is flatbread ¨C you can¨C¡° She made a dipping motion, frustrated at her own lack of vocabulary. ¡°Dip it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Dip. That was the word. That had been the last of the flatbread, of course. She had not been to a Dolkoi¡¯ri city for over a month now. Trading was the only way she could get goods like flour, spices, and salt. Everything was expensive. Ba¡¯an was fortunate she was not only proficient in herblore, she could refine the plants, too. She knew how to make extracts, potions, unguents, powders, salves¡ªthings that were easy to use and in demand. Sometimes she brought some desert animals¡ªones that she had managed to trap live¡ªto the market. Those were popular. But sometimes Ba¡¯an had nothing to trade, and in those times, she had resorted to theft. She had never been caught, so far. It was one of the advantages of being a witch. Ex-witch. Having magic. She could make people look away, distract them, confuse them, while she took whatever she needed. She had never imagined she would use her skills for petty theft¡ªbut she had never imagined she would end her years living like this, either. And Ba¡¯an was always hungry. Traditionally, the host would wait until the guest was finished before eating, but Lukios was a stubborn man; he refused to start eating unless she did, too. Ba¡¯an was not sure if this was Dolkoi¡¯ri manners or if he was only very stubborn, but she was becoming accustomed to breaking bread with him. After five years of eating alone, it was a welcome change, though she would never say so out loud. Ba¡¯an ate her portion, forgoing the flatbread. There was only one portion of that left. There were plenty of mushrooms, but they would not be able to live on that. Ba¡¯an thought that she would have to make a trading trip soon¡ªif not to the nearest city, which was over a week away on foot, then to a village or hamlet. No K¡¯Avaari tribe would trade with her, so she was left with few options. A piece of bread appeared in her line of vision. ¡°Here. I think I¡¯m done.¡± Ba¡¯an blinked. He was offering her half his bread. ¡°No. Eat dinner.¡± He tilted his bowl so she could see it was empty. ¡°I did. See?¡± Ba¡¯an gave him a look full of suspicion, but he only smiled back at her very sweetly. Slowly, she took the bread and dipped it into her soup. She ate, watching him watch her eat. He was perceptive, this one. She would have to be careful.
As predicted, Lukios had been fascinated by the underground cave system her not-vuti sat on. The incomplete cave system was labyrinthine, but Ba¡¯an had grown up in a large saa-vuti vur whose network of underground caverns had been truly astonishing. This was nothing. The cavern itself was natural, though the numerous branching tunnels were not. She could see where the stone-shaper had started his work, but it looked like he had faded before finishing. If he had been alert until the end he would not have stopped so abruptly. The carved areas were incomplete, but still useful. Sunlight poured in from a neatly shaped hole right above the uppermost pool of water, and plants grew with abundance in and around it. Deeper into the caves, where it was dark and damp, was a cornucopia of mushrooms and other edibles. The water was fast-flowing and cold, coming down from somewhere inside the rock. Ba¡¯an suspected the river system was fed by the underground lake that sat north, right beneath Vala-Tu¡¯rin territory. She knew Vala-Tu¡¯rin and their territory quite well. After all, they had been her home, once. Ba¡¯an turned her attention elsewhere, very quickly. This was a very nice bir-vuti, all things considered. Best of all, there were no bats. Ba¡¯an had taken great care in making certain no unwanted critters made their home in her area of the cave. She couldn¡¯t stop the odd rodent, true, but a colony of bats would have spelled trouble¡ªthey were simply too prone to disease. She didn¡¯t want their guano in her water, and there was no cure for the frothing madness that came from their bites. ¡°This is¡­this looks like it was done all at once. There are no chisel marks. How?¡± Lukios¡¯ eyes were wide as he took in the structure properly. He was correct, of course. The K¡¯Avaari only used chisels when they were carving art, not building. Stone-shapers did not need chisels, only magic. She was not about to spill K¡¯Avaari secrets to an outlander, however. ¡°Stone-shapers shape rocks.¡± She shrugged as though that was that. As far as she was concerned, it was. ¡°But how?¡± He gestured to the archways that held the ceiling in place. They were one continuous line, perfectly smooth and unbroken with the exception of half-finished decorations carved into the stone. ¡°There are no chisel marks. No fittings, either. I can¡¯t see where the seams are. Are there seams?¡± ¡°Perhaps. I do not work stone.¡± That was a half-lie. She did not work stone, but she did know how it was done. Ba¡¯an had been a witch. She had given more than one shaper to the stone to do their work. This was not something for outlanders to know, either. ¡°Well, tell whoever did this that they¡¯re incredible. I¡¯ve never seen anything like it.¡± He wouldn¡¯t have. ¡°Yes. Outlanders are not permitted inside the saa-vuti vur.¡± ¡°What is a saa-vuti vur?¡± ¡°It is the¡­inside village. It means ¡®place of many vuti.¡¯¡± ¡°So what¡¯s a vuti?¡± ¡°It means¡­¡± she wrinkled her nose as she tried to think of the right words. Lukios watched her quietly, saying nothing while she thought. ¡°¡­¡¯home.¡¯ No, not only that. Hm, maybe ¡®living and sleeping place¡¯? Yes, I think so.¡± This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Okay. So saa-vuti vur basically means ¡®village¡¯ or ¡®town¡¯?¡± ¡°It is different, but close. Yes, that is close. K¡¯Avaari do not have villages or towns like Dolkoi¡¯ri. They have saa-vuti vur and bir-vuti.¡± She gestured to the cave. ¡°Inside saa-vuti vur there is always bir-vuti.¡± And sometimes there were entire road systems connecting the different bir-vuti, but he didn¡¯t need to know that, either. ¡°That¡¯s good to know. Thank you.¡± ¡°You are welcome.¡± She pointed to the river and the little pools that had formed in the rock. ¡°You bathe there. Do not use one at top. That is for drinking.¡± The water was cold, but there was no help for it. ¡°Thank you.¡± Ba¡¯an handed him a washcloth and some soap. It was not very good soap, but it would have to do. She left him a sad, threadbare towel as well. Unfortunately for him, it was all she had. She could tell by his clothes that he was likely used to much better. Too bad. ¡°You must yell loudly if slip. It is deep. You will drown.¡± ¡°Right. I will. Where will you¡ª?¡± She pointed to the far end of the cave where the sunlight spilled in. ¡°I will care for plants there.¡± She gave him a stern look. ¡°Remember. Yell loudly if slip. You will drown.¡± He gave her a very charming smile. This was a man who knew he was handsome and how to use it. It immediately annoyed her¡ªit was just so obnoxious. She scowled and he eased it back so it was merely friendly. ¡°I will. Thank you.¡± Ba¡¯an clicked her tongue at him and left. He was such a bother. Perhaps she ought to let him drown, after all.
Lukios did not drown. He did not almost drown, either, which was just as well because Ba¡¯an had been busy trying to figure out what was killing her masu¡¯kla. She was always fastidious about keeping pests out, planting the sharp-smelling saa¡¯ri-lahi in between the rows and checking on them every morning and evening. But they were wilting. Why? They were getting plenty of sun, water, and compost. What was killing her plants? She heard him coming before she saw him. He was limping, which was expected. Perhaps it had been too much to expect him to exercise common sense and walk along the flat path back into the not-vuti rather than walk uphill to her. Ba¡¯an did not think he was an idiot, but there were times when she thought herself mistaken. Ba¡¯an rebuked him without looking up. ¡°Path back is flat. Path here is not. Are you stupid?¡± ¡°I¡­hope not?¡± His breath caught and she knew he was in pain now from the walk. She sighed. She picked some saa¡¯ri-lahi leaves and rolled them up. ¡°Chew.¡± Idiot. If he had torn his stitches, she would slap him. He obeyed, making a face as the bitterness hit his tongue. ¡°Ugh. Okay, is this the same stuff that was in that paste you gave me? The peloiti-sahum?¡± ¡°Yes. Come here. Stitches?¡± ¡°I think I¡¯m okay¡­¡± ¡°Come. Here.¡± She clicked her tongue again. Was he a child? He must have sensed her exasperation. Wordlessly, he shuffled to her so she could lift his tunic and check his wound. It hadn¡¯t torn open again, but it did look red and puffy. Had he scrubbed himself raw? Ba¡¯an sighed. ¡°Need more peloiti-sahum.¡± She held the end of her apron out so it became a kind of hammock. Ba¡¯an began to pick at the leaves of all the things she would need. She would have to check the fungi that grew in the darkest parts of the bir-vuti to see if there was enough mould to scrape together for the mixture. If there was, she would make some more before she went to bed. He was recovering well, but he often strained himself doing stupid things, like walking uphill; as she had predicted, he was not a very good patient. He did not like lying still and sometimes tried to move as though he had not been nearly spitted on a sword only a mere week or so before. Men. They were always like this. It never failed to annoy her. What was so hard about lying quietly in bed? It was easy. There was no effort needed. Ba¡¯an squelched the urge to smack him where the wound was red and irritated. It would likely make it worse, though perhaps the pain would teach him a lesson about following instructions. She sighed again. ¡°¡­That one¡¯s my fault too, isn¡¯t it.¡± She didn¡¯t look at him as she answered. ¡°Yes. I not know why you walk uphill. It is uphill. Bad for¡­¡± She frowned, searching for the right word. ¡°¡­Injury. Pull stitches.¡± She fixed him with a glare. ¡°Hit your head too?¡± He let out a surprised sound that could have been an aborted laugh. ¡°What? No. I don¡¯t think so.¡± He grinned at her again. ¡°I thought you might need help with something.¡± Her expression did not shift at all. ¡°Why I need help from you? I not sick.¡± ¡°Sorry. I really was just trying to be useful.¡± He did not sound at all contrite. If anything, he was insufferably cheerful. ¡°Resting is useful. Not pulling stitches is useful.¡± Ba¡¯an stood and put his arm around her shoulder. ¡°Come. Do not fall.¡± She felt him hesitate, then give in. Surely he had not thought he could walk down an incline in his condition without help? Clearly he had not thought this through. Idiot. ¡°¡­Do you want me to carry the¡ª¡± ¡°No. Stop talking. I am annoyed.¡± ¡°¡­Sorry.¡± They would have to make their way slowly. If he stumbled and fell it would be very annoying.
¡°But why do you have to boil it a second time?¡± ¡°Too much water. I want paste. So put here and boil, but not too much. Dry is not good.¡± ¡°Okay, but you¡¯re catching the water on this lid and back into this basin here. What¡¯s that for?¡± ¡°Not waste water. This is desert. I make tea.¡± ¡°¡­Oh.¡± Lukios seemed interested in everything, which was both gratifying and annoying. It was gratifying because it had been a very long time since she had taught anyone anything; it had been a natural thing once, to have her apprentices beside her, peppering her with questions. It was also annoying, however, because she was no longer used to interruptions. Ba¡¯an had grown accustomed to working alone with only the wind and the quiet voice of her coat in the background. Now she could not only hear the particular chords of Lukios¡¯ soul¡ªwhich was very bright and loud¡ªhe was speaking to her, which normally meant she had to say something back. It was¡­different. Ba¡¯an had not yet decided if she was enjoying herself or not. They were making the peloiti-sahum now. Or, more accurately, Ba¡¯an was making the peloiti-sahum and Lukios was making a nuisance of himself. He had been obediently lying in bed when she had started, but had eventually hobbled over while her back was turned. He had immediately opened with somewhat intelligent questions about the entire process, which had done exactly what it had been designed to do: distract her enough to keep her from sending him back to bed. He was the stupidest clever man Ba¡¯an had ever met. Well, perhaps not the stupidest clever man, but very close. ¡°I guess that makes sense. It¡¯s just distilled water so I guess there¡¯s no flavor or anything, either. I mean that peloiti stuff is bitter. Can¡¯t you add some honey or something?¡± ¡°I not have honey.¡± ¡°¡­Sorry. Didn¡¯t mean to complain. That was rude.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He winced. Ba¡¯an tilted her face down to hide her smile. It amused her to see him squirm. He was a very frank man, and he knew it. He was modest enough to apologize quickly over his own rudeness, however, which made him somewhat tolerable for an outlander. It could have been worse. ¡°But do not add honey. It will change¡­effect.¡± ¡°Really? Why?¡± ¡°Honey is very¡­difficult. Not just sweet. It has¡­effect. Add with peloiti and peloiti will change. Can be dangerous. Can give blood fever.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure I really understand it, but I guess the lesson is not to mix honey with peloiti.¡± ¡°Yes. Do not forget. What did I tell you? Is this true peloiti?¡± ¡°Oh. No. You said it¡¯s peloiti-sahum. It¡¯s not as strong as peloiti, right?¡± ¡°Yes. Good. How to make peloiti with peloiti-sahum?¡± ¡°Um¡­you said you needed a stone kit.¡± He gestured with his hands, sketching roughly the size and shape of the kit that she would have needed. ¡°There¡¯s a distillation apparatus with some heat control and you would let it broil overnight. The water goes into three different chambers and after the third time the concentrate is peloiti. Did I remember that right?¡± ¡°Almost. It is not always three times. You must check the¡­concentrate. Yes. You must check if pure or not.¡± The problem with working with herbs was that the plants always varied in potency. There was a way to check the purity, which was to drip some concentrate onto something rotting, but it would only indicate whether the concentration was strong enough to work or not. Ba¡¯an always distilled the mixture an extra time, just in case. ¡°Is peloiti only for infections?¡± ¡°Yes. Sometimes fevers go down. But that because infections die. It not¡­It is not direct.¡± ¡°So this other stuff is for fevers then?¡± ¡°Yes. This you mix with¡­¡± The lesson continued into the night. ¡°Bowl.¡± He handed it to her. Ba¡¯an dumped the final few ingredients into the paste and handed it back to him. ¡°Mix.¡± He obeyed. ¡°How do I know when it¡¯s done?¡± ¡°Once it is smooth. There are some small bubbles that come. See?¡± ¡°Oh. Wow, I was not expecting that.¡± Ba¡¯an began cleaning the bowls and sticks she had used to make the paste. He was concentrating on making the peloiti-sahum, mixing with a bit too much enthusiasm for such a boring task, but then again, perhaps it was better than lying in bed again. This was very convenient. Ba¡¯an did not like mixing. It irritated her wrists. Well, perhaps Lukios would like to help some more in the future. Ba¡¯an was looking forward to sparing her wrists. She smiled as she washed out the bowls.
Ba¡¯an climbed the last set of stairs that took her to the roof of the not-vuti. The top of the not-vuti was round too, the surface lumpy where no one had bothered to smooth the rocks down. There was a single, lonely tree, gnarled and twisted, that clung to the rock still, tilting in a way that suggested it would fall someday. It had held on for five years. Perhaps it would hold on for five more. Tonight, the moon hung low, white like a bone half-sickle hanging in the sky. The sky was littered with stars, a dizzying vision stretching as far as the eye could see. The desert lay beneath her in the dark, lonely and looming, forever thirsty and dry. Her guest was sleeping in the bed. Ba¡¯an was still not used to sharing such close quarters with a stranger; the feeling of being pressed in and stifled had kept her awake. Even when he was asleep she could feel his presence. He was rei-tat; his soul seemed to glow hot in the dark. The hum of it had become intolerable, and Ba¡¯an had sought refuge on the roof. He had a bright, lively soul. It made her hungry. It would be rude to eat a guest. Even so¡­ Ba¡¯an sighed quietly and pressed her hands over her eyes. The night air was cool and smelled of sand and dry sagi grass. She inhaled, filling her lungs to their limit before releasing it. It was the same smell everywhere, though here there was no smell of goat. Ba¡¯an did not have a herd, though her old tribe had had one. They were very clever, strifa goats. Ba¡¯an missed their bleating and their good sense of humor. She wondered if the little one she had helped birth all those years ago was running around now, a hale, happy adult. She had had the biggest brown eyes with outrageously long lashes. Ba¡¯an had named her Am¡¯rayanasa, though Old Bu¡¯rin had told her that was a terrible name for a goat. She was sure he must have renamed her by now. Ba¡¯an stared into the distance, into the never-ending black of the night sky, then tilted her head down. The roof was very high up. Ba¡¯an wondered, not for the first time, how painful it would be to die falling off the roof. From this height, the things inside her not-vuti looked like small children¡¯s toys. If she looked into her courtyard, the ground seemed very far, and the stone slab appeared to only be a small, flat rock. Would she feel it if she fell and smashed her skull open? How long did people live with a smashed skull, anyway? Well, a very long time if they were unlucky. Ba¡¯an had seen her share of head injuries. Some unlucky patients had survived having their brains nearly bashed out. There was no curing them and they simply lived half-lives until they died. It was a terrible fate. But if she failed the first time, couldn¡¯t she simply try again? No. Her hand went to the necklace of teeth that sat around her neck. Many had died to keep her alive. Too many. Stepping off the cliff was not an option. Ba¡¯an sighed, looking at the tree clinging tenaciously to the edge of the cliff. They were the same. Ba¡¯an had no choice but to cling to life the best she could until she lost her grip and fell. Anything less would be an insult. In some ways, she thought an execution would have been more merciful. She sighed again and began to make her way back down. It would do no good to stay up here any longer. She was becoming¡­maudlin. Ugh. That she had even thought about stepping off the roof was an embarrassment. Ba¡¯an made her way down the stairs as quietly as she could, hand against the wall to keep herself steady. Halfway down, she paused, staring at the sleeping form of her guest. Had he roused? Ba¡¯an watched the slow, steady rise and fall of his chest. He seemed completely asleep. No, of course he hadn¡¯t. Why would he? She had been very quiet. Good. It would be awkward to explain why she was skulking around in the dark. She made her way to her nest of blankets on the floor, thinking of the sky, the stars patiently waiting to return to the Wheel. No, it had not been a very good thought. It had been the opposite. It was rude, after all, to expect a guest to clean up after a dead body. Chapter Four: Riddles She still couldn¡¯t figure out what was killing her masu¡¯kla. Today she had found even more wilting plants, shriveling prematurely as though the water had been sucked out of them. Her other plants were fine. It was only the masu¡¯kla. What was it? She began digging one up to see the roots. Perhaps there was an infestation? It was true Ba¡¯an had been busy with her¡­guest. Perhaps something unsavory had taken hold out of sight, beneath the dirt. Frowning, she expanded her spiritual senses, listening. Immediately her mind was filled with the clamouring of a countless number of souls¡ªfrom the little rodents scurrying out of sight through the tunnels to the worms that crawled through the dirt beneath her. It was loud, and it made it hard to focus on one thing¡ª As usual, she heard him coming up the hill before she saw him. His presence was simply too overwhelming with her senses open, so she closed herself up again. Ba¡¯an sighed. What was so hard about lying in bed? She could hear his shuffling steps and the hard tap-tap-tap of her walking stick on the cave floor coming closer and closer. She¡¯d left him her walking stick so he could go to the privy, not so he could stalk her. Was he really so bored? She had prescribed him some simple exercises already, to be done every hour. She had left him some riddles to keep him occupied on top of that. Had they not been enough? Did he need a top and some marbles as well? ¡°Before you start scolding me,¡± Lukios said as soon as he crested the hill, ¡°I thought I¡¯d tell you lunch is ready.¡± What? Ba¡¯an blinked, then tilted her head to look upward. He was right. The sun had already moved from its zenith. She had worked straight through lunch time. He must have been hungry. He was clutching the stick a little too tightly, and she could see a thin sheen of sweat on his brow. He had pushed himself to walk up the hill. Ba¡¯an immediately scowled. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s not good.¡± Lukios held up a hand. ¡°I promise my stitches are fine.¡± He wiped the sweat off his forehead with his arm. ¡°I¡¯m just horribly out of shape from lying in bed all day and night.¡± He flashed her another of his charming grins. Ba¡¯an¡¯s expression did not change. His grin faltered. Ba¡¯an was certain he was used to charming his way into and out of trouble; if he thought that would ever work on her, he had a rude awakening coming. Ba¡¯an remained stoically unimpressed by his antics. ¡°Um¡­I¡¯m sorry?¡± Ba¡¯an sighed. She dusted the dirt off her hands and stood, stretching. Her back was sore and so were her knees. She felt the blood rush to her head and swayed, momentarily disoriented. She heard him take a step forward before he stopped. ¡°You okay, Ba¡¯an?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She looked at the masu¡¯kla again and sighed. She would have to deal with it later. ¡°You made lunch?¡± ¡°Yeah. Nothing fancy, just thought you might be hungry. You¡¯ve been at it all morning.¡± He was right. She was hungry. As usual. ¡°I¡­forgot time. You were hungry?¡± ¡°Sure. Lying in bed doing nothing really works up an appetite.¡± He smiled at her again, recovering his cheek. ¡°Apologies.¡± Ba¡¯an sighed again. Why was there always so much to do in a day? ¡°I was joking, Ba¡¯an. I¡¯m not that hungry. I don¡¯t really do enough to work up an appetite, you know? But you probably do.¡± He gestured to the plants. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with those?¡± ¡°I do not know. That is problem.¡± ¡°Oh. Well, how about some lunch and then you can get back at it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She paused. ¡°Thank you.¡± His grin widened, showing off his straight, white teeth. ¡°Don¡¯t thank me until you¡¯ve tried it. I never actually learned how to cook.¡± Oh.
It was really not that bad. It wasn¡¯t that good, but it wasn¡¯t that bad. In truth, it was more than acceptable. Ba¡¯an wasn¡¯t much of a cook, either. Besides all that, Ba¡¯an was not a picky eater¡ªnot anymore. She ate nearly anything, these days. ¡°Wow,¡± he said, watching her tuck away her third serving, ¡°You must have been starving. I mean, I know it¡¯s not that good.¡± ¡°Yes, I was¡­much¡­hungry.¡± She paused to look at him before she put the next spoonful in her mouth. The soup was very close to what she usually made. He really had been paying attention. ¡°Your food is¡­acceptable.¡± The corners of his lips twitched upwards into a smile. ¡°¡¯Acceptable¡¯, huh? I¡¯ll take it. That¡¯s better than I was expecting.¡± ¡°¡­What were you expecting?¡± His smile widened into a grin. ¡°I thought you were going to tell me I made a bad decision with the rao-rao roots. Couldn¡¯t find anything else I recognized, though.¡± ¡°Only that?¡± ¡°Well¡­I thought you¡¯d make that clicking sound with your tongue again, too.¡± Ba¡¯an¡¯s response was automatic. She stopped herself after the first disapproving click of her tongue. ¡°See?¡± He seemed far too amused to be charming. ¡°You¡¯re scrunching up your nose now.¡± Ba¡¯an forced herself to stop. This only seemed to amuse him more; she heard a little wheeze as he tried to keep himself from laughing. ¡°Do not laugh. It will hurt.¡± ¡°I know, I know. I¡¯m trying. Can you try to be less¡­you know?¡± ¡°I do not know.¡± ¡°Never mind.¡± He hid his grin behind his hand, completely unsubtle. ¡°I baked some of those mushrooms too. Want some? I think they should be done by now.¡± Ba¡¯an tilted her head so she could see beneath the cauldron. Ah-ha. He had placed the mushrooms in a covered clay bowl. Now that she was paying attention, she thought she could hear a little sizzling sound. Oh, this would be very good. She loved baked mushrooms¡ªall kinds of mushrooms. ¡°Yes. I will take them from fire. Do not stand.¡± She gave him a stern look and he obeyed with a smile that was too sweet to be believable. Ugh. Insufferable man. Ba¡¯an grabbed the metal stick she used to poke the fire and carefully pushed the bowl out of the flames. She grabbed her apron, folding the fabric multiple times before using it to pick up the hot bowl and placing it onto the rock floor. ¡°Here.¡± Ba¡¯an wasn¡¯t too hungry to mind her manners. She served him first, though he declined the extra portion. ¡°You can take the rest. You really like these, right?¡± Had she been that obvious? ¡°Yes. I like mushrooms.¡± What else had he noticed? Ba¡¯an tried not to let her unease show on her face. It would not be good if he realized who she was. He was Dolkoi¡¯ri, and like most of their men, had likely served in the army. Letting him go could¡ª She stifled a sigh. Why had she saved this man? Now things were more complicated. Ba¡¯an did not want to kill him after the trouble she had gone through to save him in the first place. If only he were more of a dullard, she would not have these¡­concerns. ¡°Um, Ba¡¯an? Is something wrong?¡± ¡°No.¡± Yes. It would be unwise to tell him she was thinking of killing him in his sleep. ¡°Well, if you say so. By the way, I figured out your riddles. The third one was pretty hard.¡± Ba¡¯an lifted an eyebrow. He had figured them out already? Well, perhaps it was not so strange. It had taken Vaa¡¯ti slightly longer to figure out the third riddle, and Salu¡¯ka had taken nearly a full day. ¡°Very well. What answer?¡± ¡°Okay, the first one is ¡®fish¡¯.¡± Ba¡¯an nodded. He was correct. ¡°The second one is¡­I think it¡¯s ¡®time¡¯, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She frowned. Had they really been that easy? He grinned, clearly pleased with himself. ¡°Last one¡¯s ¡®love.¡¯¡± Ba¡¯an blinked in surprise, her hand going to the necklace of teeth around her neck. ¡°No.¡± ¡°What? Really?¡± ¡°Really. Try again.¡± Lukios¡¯ forehead crinkled into a frown. ¡°Wait, really? But¡­¡± He began to mutter the riddle to himself again. Ba¡¯an popped another mushroom into her mouth. Oh, she enjoyed bir-tali very much. They were even better when salted but she did not wish to waste the salt rock she had left. It was expensive. Lukios had finished muttering to himself in the meantime and was frowning at her. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Ba¡¯an had had difficulty with the translation, which was perhaps the problem. Even so, it was somewhat insulting to be asked if Ba¡¯an was sure. Of course Ba¡¯an was sure. It was her riddle. The look she gave him was thoroughly unimpressed. ¡°I am sure.¡± Her tone was as dry as the sand in the dunes outside. ¡°Okay. Hm. I might need a bit more time with that one.¡± Ba¡¯an shrugged. ¡°There is much time. Do not worry.¡± ¡°Right. But I was sure I¡¯d gotten it.¡± He sighed. ¡°Oh well. Hey, Ba¡¯an, have you thought about making traps to catch more animals? I was thinking I could make some since I¡¯m, you know, doing absolutely nothing. What do you think?¡± ¡°I have traps. They are in cave and cliffs.¡± The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Really? I should have known. Well, do you want me to make you some extra? You can save time that way.¡± Ba¡¯an pushed away her guilt by putting another mushroom on his plate and glaring at him until he took it. It would be a waste to kill him. And¡ªsurely she could return him using a route that was confusing? It would do him no good even if he did guess who she was if he could never find her not-vuti again. He was Dolkoi¡¯ri, not K¡¯Avaari. Desert geography could not possibly be something he was good at. Yes, it was best not to be hasty with these things. She had already killed enough to last her a lifetime. This one and the next, and the one after that. ¡°You not need worry for traps.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not worried. I¡¯m just¡­you know. Kind of useless right now. I can¡¯t say I like it that much. Are you sure there isn¡¯t something I can do while lying down or sitting?¡± Ba¡¯an chewed thoughtfully on her mushroom and swallowed. It was true that complete bedrest could be detrimental. The muscles needed some use, which was why she had made him do his flexing exercises every hour. He also walked a bit every day, which seemed to be comfortable enough unless he did something stupid like walk uphill. Did she have something he could do? ¡°Yes,¡± she said, finally. ¡°Yes, there is something.¡± He grinned.
¡°Remember: Stop if feel pain. Understand?¡± ¡°I will. I promise.¡± Lukios looked delighted, which struck Ba¡¯an as very strange. There was bored, and then there was Lukios. Sometimes she did not even know what she was supposed to think, never mind say, when he acted up the way he did. Did he simply not feel pain? She had not dosed him nearly enough for him to be so¡­cheerful. Why was he always so cheerful? Was he actually an idiot? Perhaps Ba¡¯an worried over nothing. Or perhaps he was just so clever that he had her neatly fooled. It was truly difficult to tell, sometimes. Ba¡¯an had taken the herbs she had dried on the roof of her not-vuti and stacked them by type in the kitchen, and then she had made a little nest for him on the floor by taking the leather-and-fur rug as well as her own blankets and piling them up. Then she had rolled up his blanket to create a backrest so he could lean comfortably against the wall. His only task¡ªaside from his hourly exercises¡ªwas to grind up her herbs and put the powder into bags. Ba¡¯an had instructed him to label the bags as well, which she expected to be a challenge because he could not read or write K¡¯Avaari. To make things simple she had labelled the bags she had already filled and put them at the head of each pile of herbs. All he had to do was copy the label that was on that bag. Easy. Except maybe it wasn¡¯t. Looking at the distance between the nearest and furthest pile, it looked like he would have to shuffle forward to finish up. Ba¡¯an bit her lower lip lightly, wondering if she ought to just take away the furthermost pile. ¡°It¡¯s fine! Don¡¯t worry.¡± He grinned at her in a reassuring way. ¡°I won¡¯t over-extend myself. You don¡¯t have to move anything. Don¡¯t you have a garden mystery to solve?¡± Ba¡¯an frowned. How had he known what she was thinking? ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. Get going Ba¡¯an. You¡¯re burning daylight!¡± What a strange expression. How could daylight burn? She gave him a look that she hoped communicated her thoughts about his oddness. Perhaps it worked; he made the little wheezing sound he resorted to when he was trying to suppress a laugh. ¡°Yes, yes, the outlander is crazy. I get it. But my hands work fine. Hey, wanna race?¡± ¡°No. That is stupid.¡± ¡°Oh, come on. Let¡¯s say if I finish labelling these before you solve your garden mystery, you¡¯ll¡­hm¡­answer three questions with complete honesty. How about it?¡± Well, that was suspiciously specific. How dangerous. ¡°No. That is stupid. You hurt self.¡± She paused to give him a cool look of superiority before saying snippily, ¡°You lose anyway.¡± ¡°Oh hoho. You can¡¯t say that and expect me to back down. Come on Ba¡¯an. You know you want to. You¡¯re going to win anyway, so what are you so scared of?¡± ¡°You hurt self and I must stitch again. Very annoying.¡± ¡°Oh come on. I promised I wouldn¡¯t do anything stup¡ª¡± ¡°You did not keep.¡± ¡°I did.¡± ¡°No. You walk uphill. Very stupid.¡± ¡°I used a stick. I was fine. Nothing ripped. How is that stupid?¡± ¡°Risk is stupid.¡± ¡°Aw, come on Ba¡¯an. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re scared you¡¯ll lose. It¡¯s only three little questions.¡± This she found doubtful, though she was disturbed he seemed to think she would answer honestly if he won. He wasn¡¯t wrong. Ba¡¯an was¡ªhad been¡ªK¡¯Avaari. She was not practiced at lying, which Dolkoi¡¯ri seemed to excel at. It was probably written all over her face every time she said something untrue, or even half true. She stifled a sigh. Perhaps he knew more about K¡¯Avaari customs than he let on? ¡°No.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± He gave her an exaggerated look of interest. ¡°Are you keeping some terribly nasty secrets tucked away somewhere? Oh, do you have bodies buried under your garden? Or maybe in the walls?¡± He widened his eyes dramatically. ¡°Oh, I get it. You¡¯re going to fatten me up and then eat me, right? Like in those awful children¡¯s tales? You made a mistake with the whole cave-thing. You should have made this place out of sweets.¡± ¡°Like said. Stupid.¡± She clicked her tongue at him in irritation. She had no idea what awful children¡¯s tales he was referring to. K¡¯Avaari children¡¯s tales did not include stories about¡­vuti made of sweets. What kind of nonsense story was that? He snickered. ¡°There you go with the tongue-clicking and nose-wrinkling.¡± Lukios grinned at her again, and when he spoke again his tone was gratingly jovial. ¡°What happens if I keep going? Will your head actually explode?¡± ¡°No. Your head explode. Because I drop pot on it. Stop talking.¡± He made his little wheezing sound again. ¡°I¡¯ll be awfully impressed if you do. That cauldron¡¯s big, and you¡¯re just so tiny. I don¡¯t even know how you get it over the fire without snapping in half.¡± ¡°Lukios. Stop. Talking.¡± ¡°But Ba¡¯an, you like it.¡± She glared at him. She did not like it. He was chattier than a kia-kia bird. Insufferable. How had his tongue not wagged itself out of his mouth? ¡°You like it. Do not drag me in.¡± Lukios leaned forward then stopped, wincing. Stupid. ¡°Ahh¡­ouch. Okay, no leaning, that was dumb. But Ba¡¯an, you like it when I say stupid things. It gives you something to be grumpy about. And you really like being grumpy. Sometimes I can hear you being grumpy in your cave all the way from over here. It¡¯s an incredible talent you¡¯ve got.¡± ¡°I not¡ªI am not grumpy. I am serious. That is different.¡± ¡°Oh, okay. I guess you¡¯re wrinkling your forehead now because you¡¯re being serious, not grumpy.¡± ¡°You are¡ªyou are¡ª" Ba¡¯an spluttered. Her Dolkoi¡¯ri was simply not good enough, so she switched to K¡¯Avaari. ¡°Completely insufferable. I¡¯m sure you got stabbed because you couldn¡¯t stop running your mouth for three seconds. I¡¯d return you now if I had a strifa to tie you to, but it would take one look at you and run.¡± Lukios stared at her. ¡°Oh wow. That¡¯s more than you¡¯ve said in three days. Usually it¡¯s ¡®yes,¡¯ ¡®no,¡¯ ¡®that¡¯s stupid,¡¯ ¡®lie down.¡¯¡± He grinned. ¡°Too bad I understood maybe three words of that. Something about¡­mouths, tying me, and taking me?¡± His grin broadened as he snickered, delightedly. ¡°That¡¯s real naughty, Ba¡¯an. I would have never guessed you had it in you. You¡¯re just so prim and proper all the time.¡± What? The man was insane. Insane. ¡°I am going. Do not talk.¡± Glaring, Ba¡¯an stood and retreated. Behind her, she could hear him wheezing as he tried his best not to laugh. Insufferable. The man was just insufferable.
Ba¡¯an had been right. There had been something beneath the soil. Frowning, she looked at the snails eating the roots of her masu¡¯kla. Strange. The saa¡¯ri-lahi should have kept the pests off, but it hadn¡¯t worked. Why? Ba¡¯an took some saa¡¯ri-lahi leaves and stuck them into her mouth. They tasted fine. Astringent and bitter, just the way they were supposed¡ªah. She spat them out. Well, they were mostly right, but perhaps there was something in the soil. The taste was a bit sweeter than usual. Had Ba¡¯an used the wrong kind of compost? She didn¡¯t think so. Had she changed anything? Or¡­perhaps she had planted them too far apart? Gauging the distance was a bit harder since the garden was terraced. Moisture was harder to control, too. Perhaps it was that? Ah well. Regardless, she had to get rid of the snails. Ba¡¯an plucked one and inspected it. It was a brown snail, which was edible. Hm. When Ba¡¯an walked into the kitchen, Lukios was hard at work. He looked up at her with a grin, which she promptly ignored. She rummaged for a clay pot as he spoke to her back. ¡°Did you figure it out already?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She found the pot she had wanted and began to walk back to the cave. ¡°Oh. Guess you were right, I would¡¯ve lost.¡± It was true. He wasn¡¯t anywhere near finished. ¡°Too bad you didn¡¯t want to race. You could have won something.¡± ¡°Like?¡± ¡°Um¡­three questions?¡± Ba¡¯an snorted. ¡°I not have questions.¡± ¡°Really? Not even one?¡± ¡°No.¡± There was no point in getting to know him better. Once he was well enough, she would send him to the nearest Dolkoi¡¯ri city, Kyros, with a request that he ensure K¡¯Avaari were not blamed for the incident. And that would be that. The end. ¡°Wait, really? You¡¯re serious?¡± Ba¡¯an turned her head to look at him. He seemed genuinely surprised. ¡°I am.¡± ¡°Oh. That¡¯s¡­huh. Not even a little curious? I mean, what if I¡¯m some kind of ax-murderer?¡± ¡°You are not.¡± ¡°¡­How would you know?¡± Very seriously, she said, ¡°You not have axe.¡± He guffawed, and she made a noise of alarm. ¡°No, do not laugh!¡± He winced in pain and stopped, wheezing. ¡°Ow. Yup. That was dumb. But damn, Ba¡¯an. You hiding a sense of humor in there?¡± It was true. She had meant to be funny, but now she was only embarrassed and ashamed. It had been childish to make a man with a belly wound laugh. She turned away with a delicate little sniff. ¡°I not hide anything.¡± He snickered quietly to himself. ¡°No, but seriously. How do you know I¡¯m not some dangerous maniac?¡± ¡°I know.¡± That wasn¡¯t strictly true, but it was true enough. His soul song sounded bright, and nothing like any of the sadists she¡¯d ever met. There was nothing about him that made her suspect he would harm her for no reason other than pleasure. Of course, he could harm her for other reasons¡ªlike if he ever found out who she was. Ba¡¯an thought most Dolkoi¡¯ri men¡ªespecially soldiers¡ªwould find that justifiable, if not an outright requirement. They were violent when their pride was pricked, which was nearly always. Of course, Ba¡¯an could be wrong about these things too. Soul-reading was no sure thing¡ªbut she was willing to risk it. Ba¡¯an was not often wrong. ¡°Well, if you say so.¡± He looked doubtful, and she thought he looked faintly concerned, as well. How¡­curious. ¡°But hey, you could have asked for something else. Like, maybe have me make all the meals for a week or something.¡± ¡°No. Stitches could rip. Trouble.¡± ¡°Should have known you¡¯d say that. Hey, you need any help with¡ª¡° ¡°No.¡± She looked at him sternly. ¡°Remember to do exercise. Rest if hurt. Do not lean out.¡± He smiled again. ¡°Right. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll get this done soon¡ªwithout ripping anything open. Promise. Let me know if you want anything, though I guess you probably won¡¯t.¡± ¡°Be well, Lukios. Do not rip anything.¡±
The path up the cliff and over to the other side was dangerous at night. It was a narrow footpath on a steep incline then sudden decline, and it wound its way around the cliff wall as sinuously as a snake. There were few handholds along the wall of the cliff itself. All this combined with low visibility made this venture somewhat¡­unwise. But Ba¡¯an had had very little choice. Lukios was an early riser; he was awake before even the first light of the sun had filtered in through the roof of her not-vuti. He woke earlier than she did and went to bed later than she did. The only time she would be able to escape his notice was in the dead of night. From a common-sense perspective, it had already occurred to Ba¡¯an that he would perhaps notice nothing if she went to check the traps in the day. After all, that is what she normally did. But Ba¡¯an could not bring herself to¡­do what she needed to when she knew he was awake. He had a terrible habit of simply appearing whenever he was bored, and he pushed himself more than he should. What if he decided to follow her out to the traps one day and saw her? Of course, he was not likely to be able to take the incline in his condition now, but that hadn¡¯t stopped him from going uphill and downhill inside the bir-vuti. Lukios was a bad patient. He did all sorts of things he wasn¡¯t supposed to. It drove her mad, but it also made her extra vigilant. It was very unlikely, Ba¡¯an knew. And yet the thought of doing this in the day when he was awake filled her with a kind of¡­dread? No. Not quite dread. Something close, but not quite. She had tried to make herself take a soul during the day when she normally checked the traps, but her heart had pounded the entire time and she had not been able to stop glancing around the canyon. So this was the only way. Outside the sheer cliff walls was a valley of spindly akaikai trees. It was a popular shady spot for animals to rest, which meant it was a perfect spot for a trap or two. Sometimes, her timing was poor and she only found a ruined trap with the animal gone, or she found a carcass which was fine for eating but not for this. Tonight she was lucky, and there was a desert fox. It was still alive, though barely; it had fought, and the noose had tightened around its neck to the point of strangulation. It must have been caught recently, as it had not yet expired. Ba¡¯an approached the captured creature. ¡°Shhh,¡± she said, and she reached out with just a bit of magic to calm it. It was dying, its soul tethered to its body by only a thread. That did not mean it could not feel pain. Ba¡¯an reached in and snipped the parts that sent signals to the nerves, and the animal slumped to the ground. She put her hand over its head and took hold of its soul, and then she snipped the thread and¡­ate it. The sigh escaped her before she could stop it. Finally. Relief. Not total relief¡ªa fox¡¯s soul was hardly enough for a snack, never mind a full meal. But it felt like a mouthful of cool water after a day¡¯s work in the sun: not enough, but better than nothing at all. The yawning hunger inside her withdrew, just a little. Ba¡¯an could stop fantasizing about doing the same to Lukios now. It had been very hard¡ªhis soul was so bright and loud. But she could be more civil now, though she would check the other traps before going back, too. But first¡ªBa¡¯an tightened the noose. She did not waste food, but a dead body without a mark would lead to questions. It was better to make sure it looked like it had died struggling against the wire around its neck than anything else. If he asked, she would simply tell him she had been restless and had gone to check the traps. That should work, particularly since she had something to show for it. Yes, that would work¡ªand it wasn¡¯t strictly a lie, either. Right. Ba¡¯an picked up the carcass and moved onto the next trap. Chapter Five: Sandstorm ¡°Um, okay. Try this one. I have no weight, but if you put me in a bucket, I make the bucket lighter. What am I?¡± ¡°A hole.¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯ve already heard that one, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes. It is common.¡± Ba¡¯an was only half-paying attention, trying to stitch the many small leather hides into one big sheet. It was slow, tedious work, and Ba¡¯an hated it. ¡°Well, I think it¡¯s your turn then.¡± ¡°No. You not solve third riddle yet.¡± ¡°Oh come on, Ba¡¯an. That¡¯s just mean. Give me another one while I work through your really, really hard riddle that I totally answered correctly.¡± ¡°It not correct.¡± ¡°No way. It has to be. One, you can¡¯t stop it. Two, you go absolutely crazy. Three, it¡¯s something everyone wants, but can¡¯t buy. ¡®Rarer than jewels, and far more precious¡¯? That¡¯s love. The real kind. Gotta be¡ªnothing else fits.¡± ¡°Dolkoi¡¯ri love is strange. Why go mad? Make no sense.¡± ¡°What? Of course you go mad. Have you never been in love? Or do K¡¯Avaari love differently? Are you lot all calm and rational about it? No way.¡± ¡°Madness is not love. That is¡­¡± Ba¡¯an frowned, trying to find the right word. She failed. ¡°¡­Something else.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not really helpful, Ba¡¯an. And for the record, I see you¡¯ve avoided my question. Though I guess there¡¯s more than one kind of love. Do K¡¯Avaari only know philia and storge? That can¡¯t be right. Is that even possible? I mean, for individuals, sure. But every K¡¯Avaari?¡± ¡°I do not know words.¡± ¡°Oh, right. Um, well when I say ¡®love¡¯¡ª¡± And here he used the new Dolkoi¡¯ri word that he had taught her¡ªeros. She had thought it meant love in the K¡¯Avaari way¡ªa strong sense of attachment and loyalty¡ªbut now she suspected she had misunderstood him. ¡°¡ªI mean the kind where you go just completely crazy over someone. It¡¯s a sort of divine madness. You can¡¯t stop that arrow. Once it hits, it hits. That¡¯s it.¡± She felt her brows knit. ¡°Arrow? You shoot your lover?¡± It was the most Dolkoi¡¯ri thing she had heard all day. Was there no end to their insanity? He started to laugh, but slapped his hand over his mouth, forcing it down. ¡°What? Oh, theoi, no! No, it¡¯s not¡ªit¡¯s not literal, Ba¡¯an. Eros is the name of a god. He¡¯s the one that makes you fall in love. You¡¯ll love whomever you see first once he shoots you with an arrow, you know?¡± ¡°¡­That is very stupid, Lukios.¡± Surely they did not truly believe this. It was absurd. Absurd. ¡°If a god shoots you, you will die.¡± This was common sense. Even the small gods, the basa¡¯an, were fearsome in their fury. Lukios finished wheezing, then cleared his throat. ¡°No one actually believes that¡¯s what really happens, Ba¡¯an. It¡¯s just a story you tell your kids when they start noticing girls. Or boys. Whichever. Anyway, eros is exactly what the poets go on and on about¡ªwhere you just go so crazy over a woman, you¡¯d do anything, just anything, to have her. Well, it can be between a man and a man or a woman and a woman too, but the most famous story is about this woman named Kallisto, who was so beautiful that the ruler of one of the old city states went to war to take her.¡± ¡°To take? By force? That is¡­not love. We call it¡­hm¡­violence. No, K¡¯Avaari word is utani. Take woman by force. Violence. And for beauty, it is something else also. We call it¡­hm¡­ru¡¯talani. It is for¡­young ones. Burns hot. Burns out. Done. Sometimes utani and ru¡¯talani happens same time, but¡­utani is very bad, Lukios. No K¡¯Avaari woman wants this.¡± ¡°Wait, I think something got mixed up here. I didn¡¯t mean the force part was eros¡ªokay, it can be part of it, sometimes. Like you said about the¡­utani and the ru¡¯talani happening together? I guess utani is rape? That¡¯s not considered a good thing for us, either. But eros doesn¡¯t always involve rape, and it isn¡¯t supposed to burn out. It¡¯s not like ru¡¯talani, either¡ªit¡¯s not supposed to be about just the physical bits.¡± ¡°But it is about¡­¡± She did not know what the Dolkoi¡¯ri word for sex was, so she rounded her left hand and made a thrusting motion with her right, making sure the fingers went in and out. Lukios choked on his own spit and began to cough. ¡°Lukios! Do not cough!¡± He wheezed. ¡°Not my¡ªcough¡ªfault. You¡ªyou just¡ª¡± He wheezed again, trying desperately not to laugh. It was a losing battle; his shoulders shook even as he complained. ¡°Ow. Fuck! Fuck! Ow!¡± Ba¡¯an watched him helplessly. She had not meant to be funny at all. Eventually he calmed down, wiping tears from the corners of his eyes. She could not tell if they were from pain or pleasure; regardless, she would have to ensure he had not torn himself open. She began to stand, but Lukios shook his head. ¡°Nah, I¡¯m good. Really. You can finish your stitching. Really, Ba¡¯an. I¡¯m fine. Just a little sore.¡± She eyed him as she slowly sank back into her seat. Hm. He did not appear to be lying. He cleared his throat and began again. ¡°Well, you¡¯re half right. I mean, sex is¡­a big part of it, but originally, I think¡ªwell, the idea is when mankind was created, we were all whole. Our souls, I mean. But then some asshole committed some awful crime and the punishment was to be cut in half. So now we all wander around looking for our other half. That¡¯s real eros, though it¡¯s true¡ªpractically, it¡¯s almost always about a pretty¡­face. Anyway, eros is definitely a kind of madness. There¡¯s no escaping it.¡± That was shockingly romantic. She had not expected such philosophy from the Dolkoi¡¯ri, who were often violent toward everyone, including their own. Then again, perhaps such philosophy was used to justify the violence? After all, what argument could one use against the assertion that the victim had gotten in the way of the other half of one¡¯s soul, or that the victim of utani was indeed, their other half, and therefore had no recourse? How terrible. There was nothing like eros in the K¡¯Avaari vocabulary. Though the closest was perhaps¡­ ¡°Anyway, there¡¯s the other stuff like philia which¡ªHuh. You¡¯ve gone awfully quiet, Ba¡¯an.¡± ¡°I am thinking.¡± She twisted the little necklace of teeth around her fingers before speaking again. ¡°For love, there is¡­re¡¯talani and ka¡¯talani. Re¡¯talani is like ru¡¯talani, but not burn out. Last longer, like¡­low fire. Starts hot. Burns low. Sometimes become ka¡¯talani and back. Ka¡¯talani is like¡­deep friendship. Respect. It is common if married.¡± ¡°Oh. Re¡¯talani sounds a bit like eros and philia combined. Philia is¡­like deep friendship. I guess ka¡¯talani is more like philia by itself, though¡­I¡¯m not sure where storge and agape would fit. The first one¡¯s for family, and the second one is like¡­I guess what the gods feel for us tiny humans. I¡¯m thinking maybe our definitions don¡¯t really match up.¡± She nodded. ¡°Yes. Families can feel ka¡¯talani too.¡± Though now that she thought about it¡­ Re¡¯talani could be destructive too, especially when combined with ru¡¯talani. She frowned. ¡°Thought of something?¡± ¡°Yes. Sometimes¡­yes, K¡¯Avaari can love badly. Many stories.¡± ¡°Yeah, us too. I guess love sucks for everyone.¡± ¡°¡¯Sucks¡¯?¡± ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s just kind of painful and messy but you can¡¯t stop. Sucks.¡± Ba¡¯an frowned at this. She had not found love itself to be painful, messy, or uncontrollable, though such things had been true for some members of the tribe. Sometimes there was jealousy and violence, though such instances were rare. Ba¡¯an had rarely mediated on such matters, having had no patience for it. Ul¡¯ma, even after leaving the shi-vuti, had always advised on messy, inconvenient things. ¡°I not think is true.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°Sometimes is gentle and calm. But yes, sometimes it¡­sucks.¡± She shrugged. ¡°It depend.¡± Lukios couldn¡¯t roll over without pain, but he did manage to tilt his head to fix her with a curious stare. ¡°Really? So you¡¯re saying this love of yours was gentle and calm.¡± Ba¡¯an had never mentioned any love of hers. He was making assumptions. Correct ones, but assumptions still. ¡°I not say was mine.¡± Lukios¡¯ expression didn¡¯t change. ¡°Okay. So what was yours like?¡± Had she really been that obvious? Well, it wasn¡¯t as though she had to answer him. Ba¡¯an continued stitching in silence. He didn¡¯t last long. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you mine if you tell me yours. That¡¯s fair, right?¡± ¡°I not want know yours.¡± ¡°Oh, ouch. Aren¡¯t you at least a bit curious?¡± ¡°No.¡± He gave a low whistle as though impressed. ¡°Theoi. You¡¯re tough.¡± Now that didn¡¯t need dignifying with a response. ¡°Since you want to be all mysterious and silent again, does that mean I win?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Well, you couldn¡¯t back up your claim. There¡¯s no such thing as a calm, collected romance. It¡¯s all madness. So I¡¯m right. Love leads to madness and we all end up blissfully wretched.¡± Oh for the love of¡ª! ¡°Oh, there¡¯s the nose wrinkle.¡± He grinned. Ba¡¯an very deliberately looked him in the eyes and sighed. He was just so impossibly¡ª Ba¡¯an dropped her stitching and stood up abruptly. Something was wrong. Ba¡¯an did not normally listen for the souls of animals because there were simply too many. There were always bugs or mice or birds somewhere and listening too closely led to distraction and sometimes, madness. But now¡ªnow she strained herself to listen. Their usual chatter had gone nearly silent, and the souls she could hear were getting further away: either they were burrowing beneath the sand, or they were fleeing into the rocks, or even flying far, far away. They were running. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Something was coming. ¡°Ba¡¯an?¡± She didn¡¯t answer. She darted to the courtyard and looked. The sky had darkened and she could see clouds rapidly forming overhead. She could not see past the cliffs but even in her sheltered box canyon she could see the sand picking up and begin to swirl in little eddies. Ba¡¯an had dwelt in the desert her entire life. She knew that a monster was growing beyond the rock wall and it would bring its fury down on them soon. ¡°Oh, that looks bad.¡± She turned her head. Lukios was standing in the doorway, eyes fixed on the sky. He was hunched over, and she knew he¡¯d strained something rushing to the door. She hurried over to him and swung his arm over her shoulders. As she passed through the doorway, she grabbed the walking stick leaning against the wall just beside it, handing it to him. ¡°Lukios. Go to bir-vuti. Stay away from hole.¡± She dashed to her clothes chest and grabbed a long strip of cloth and gave it to him. ¡°Tie around nose, mouth.¡± She indicated with quick motions how the fabric should be tied. ¡°Wait, Ba¡¯an¡ª" ¡°Go. Go. I follow soon.¡± Ba¡¯an turned and began to seal the doorway. It had never been fitted with a door. Ba¡¯an simply left it open in the day and closed it when she left with a leather tarp that she tied down around notches in the frame. It would not keep the sand out completely, but it would be better than nothing. The only problem was that the rolled-up leather was heavy, and she fell backwards from the weight. ¡°Here.¡± Lukios began to help her tie it down. ¡°No. Lukios, go to bir-vuti. You too slow. Sand very dangerous. I will run very fast.¡± Ba¡¯an didn¡¯t think he knew what sand in the lungs could do, how fast it could happen. Sometimes animals drowned while standing. ¡°Let¡¯s split up. I¡¯ll tie this down here and you can do the one up top.¡± He pointed to the open roof. Ba¡¯an hesitated. It was a good idea. They did not have much time and she heard thunder boom close by. ¡°Yes. Be quick. Go to bir-vuti right after. Right after. Understand?¡± ¡°Yeah. I got it. Go.¡± She dashed up the stairs. Lukios barked, ¡°Keep your hand on the wall! You¡¯ll fall!¡± Ba¡¯an would have smiled if she wasn¡¯t panting already. It wasn¡¯t a bad suggestion, but Ba¡¯an didn¡¯t think she had the time. The wind was already howling, slapping her bare face like a leather strap. Sand and dirt flew through the air and Ba¡¯an groped for the tarp with her face turned away. Her bun came loose, then fell away entirely as she maneuvered away from the sheltered opening to tie the first corner down. The wind was very, very strong. The strap flew away from her fingers and she had to find the corner again. Her hair was blowing into her face, slapping her cheeks, and she knew it had been a mistake to come up without a cloth over her nose and mouth. The wind rose into a shriek and Ba¡¯an cried out as it tipped her over and she fell, fingers scrabbling for purchase on loose dirt and sand. She tumbled across the plateau, completely disoriented. No. She was going to fall. She was going to fall. She needed to¡ª ¡°Got you!¡± Lukios¡¯s grip on her ankle was unbreakable. His fingers were steel as he hauled her back to the entrance with a grunt. Ba¡¯an sat up, shielding her face in the crook of her elbow as she shimmied to the first corner, keeping low to the ground. There was something wrong with the way he was breathing. It was clear he had dashed up the stairs. Had he¡ª? One crisis at a time. She focused on the strap and tied it down, then moved to the next one. Lukios held the corner down as she worked, shielding her from the wind with his body. She patted him and pointed back to the platform in her not-vuti and he obediently dropped back inside. She followed him, pulling the last outer strap behind her. She tied it down, then quickly moved to the inner straps, making the tarp as secure as possible. The leather vibrated like the membrane of a drum and sand leaked in through the sides. Better than nothing. She wasn¡¯t sure it would hold, but with the flat way it was lying the wind was unlikely to tear it up and away. There were always little storms in the desert, but this one had a kind of fury she had not seen for many years. Thunder boomed again, but it was a dry sound. The air crackled with electricity without rain and Ba¡¯an knew what kind of storm this would be. It would be best if they moved to the bir-vuti immediately. ¡°Lukios. Lean.¡± She put his arm around her shoulders as she guided them down the stairs with her hand on the wall. His steps were unsteady and his breathing was uneven. Ba¡¯an worried he would tumble off the steps. He was far too heavy to hold onto if he did so. ¡°Do not fall, Lukios. You are heavy. We will¡ª¡± ¡°Yeah. If I fall, let go. No reason¡ª¡± he grunted, wincing, ¡°¡ªfor us both to splatter on the floor.¡± ¡°No. Do not fall. Very simple.¡± He snorted then gasped in pain. He fell silent, as though the effort of speaking was too much to keep up while walking. This was likely true. He did not sound well. They made it to the ground without dying. This was good. Lukios, on the other hand, was not good. He was leaning heavily on the walking stick, likely to avoid putting all his weight on her, and they made their way slowly into the cave. Ba¡¯an helped him lie down, cursing silently at how flat-footed the storm had caught her. She should have noticed sooner. She had allowed herself to become distracted. It would not happen again. The floor was very hard. It would not be comfortable, and Ba¡¯an needed her medical tools if she was going to help him. Lukios lay with his eyes closed, breathing heavily and unsteadily. Sweat beaded on his forehead and when she brushed his hair off his forehead, she could feel it was cold. Not good. ¡°Ba¡¯an,¡± he said, finally. ¡°I think I ripped something. Several somethings.¡± He stopped talking and turned his head, making a retching noise as his body stiffened. Nothing came up. ¡°Do not move.¡± Usually he would have said something pithy in that tone he had, but he was silent now, struggling to swallow. No. This was very, very bad. Ba¡¯an already had a sense of what had gone wrong. Swiftly, she peeled back his tunic. Dark bruises stared up at her from beneath pale, clammy, skin. It was swelling, hard and bloated like a waterskin filled to bursting. She cast around for something, anything, to place under his feet, but there was nothing. She gently pushed the hair off his face, making sure his head stayed turned to the side. ¡°Lukios,¡± she said, as calmly as she could. He didn¡¯t stir. ¡°Do not move. I back soon.¡± She squeezed his hand, relieved when he squeezed back. She scrambled back into the not-vuti. The tarps were vibrating furiously, and sand floated in the air as her clothes flapped in the breeze. Ba¡¯an held her breath as she went to her clothes-chest and took out a shawl. She wrapped it around her head and over her nose and mouth. She would be useless to Lukios if she inhaled too much sand. Ba¡¯an grabbed a basket, throwing everything she needed into it. Her surgery kit, all her tinctures and ointments, a basin, a bowl¡ªwhy not take the entire cauldron? She could stuff everything inside it and carry it all at once. Yes. The extra cloths, the things for a fire and¡ª Blanket. He needed a blanket. Ba¡¯an didn¡¯t want to waste time on a second trip, so she hauled everything with her the first time though she staggered under the weight. She ended up dragging the metal cauldron behind her, grateful the metal was thick and hardy as the bottom scraped along the rock floor. There was no time to waste. Ba¡¯an took off her shawl and set it flat on the ground. She put the blanket over Lukios before putting all her tools on her shawl. The empty basket she used to prop his feet up. Lukios was shaking now, unresponsive. The internal bleeding was severe, and anything and everything she did would be risky. Ba¡¯an put her hand on his forehead, listening, though not with her ears. ¡°Lukios,¡± she said out loud, but there was no response. Well, that was fine. It would be better this way. Ba¡¯an reached out with her magic and pulled him deeper into sleep. Ba¡¯an needed to open him up again, and this way, he would not wake up halfway. Magic was much more reliable than drugs, at least for this. He would not wake in the middle. And if he died¡ªthere would be no pain. Ba¡¯an washed her hands and got to work.
The cave smelled bloody. This was expected whenever a surgery was performed. The real problem was that Lukios was still dying. She had stopped him from hemorrhaging, but he had lost too much blood, which was deadly all on its own. It was only a matter of time before his heart failed and his lungs stopped, before his soul¡ªhis bright, cheerful soul that had filled her not-vuti with so much music¡ªwent silent forever. Ba¡¯an could do many things, but replacing blood lost to an injury was not one of them. She washed her hands, thinking. Even now his blood pressure was far too low, his heart pumping madly in an effort to compensate. If this continued, he would die. There was something she could try. She was not sure if it would work, but there was nothing to lose now. At least if she did something, he would have a chance, however slim. Yes, she would try it. But it would take a great deal of magic and she would need her coat, which meant she had to brave the sand. Ba¡¯an took the cloth she had given to Lukios and wrapped it around her nose and mouth. The trip was quick, but she was still brushing sand and dirt off her hair and clothes when she got back to the bir-vuti. She stripped and dressed well away from Lukios, making sure to shake out the dirt. Infection control was already going to be a nightmare¡ªno need to make things worse. Once she was ready, she sat behind his head and put her hands on his temples. Touch would make things a bit easier, but still the next part would be remarkably tricky. Ba¡¯an closed her eyes and immersed herself into her soul-weaving. He was a fighter. Stubborn. His soul was clinging to his flesh and vibrating, its song frantic and discordant as his organs struggled and began to fail. This would not do. The first thing was to tie his soul down so he would not die until his body stopped working entirely. Sometimes death was like that: the soul fled before the body failed. Sometimes, the body failed but the soul lingered until it frayed and drifted away¡ªand she was sure that in Lukios¡¯ case, it would be the latter. If his body did fail, she would have to cut him loose with her magic. She would not suffer him to become one of the preba, the dead who walked. She anchored him down, deep down, and began to¡­prod. Her idea had been to use her magic to stimulate his own body to produce blood faster. It would be risky but she would temporarily tie him to her so he could pull the energy that would normally come from sustenance from her. Even in theory it was tenuous, and she half-wondered if she would manage to kill them both. Well, nothing ventured, nothing gained. Ba¡¯an had been more than surprised to learn during her time in the shi-vuti that blood was made inside the bones. It was wholly counter-intuitive, but knowledge of physic had been accumulated by generations of witches who had traded their most precious things for it; there had been no reason to doubt, and as she had become good at weaving, she had begun to see the truth of it. Now she delicately touched the weave in his bones and began to stimulate it with her own. Distantly she was aware she was sweating; if she went too fast, or pushed too hard, he would die. Either his body would cannibalize itself over time or he would over-extend his resources and die of exhaustion. Ba¡¯an could share her energy, but not her physical resources. She could not give him her salts or vital fluids to compensate. Slowly. She had to go slowly and trust he would not die too quickly from shock. Ba¡¯an went gently, marveling at how clearly she could see. In a way, this would have been impossible if she had still been¡­human. Even a very talented witch could not see, hear, or touch the weave of a soul with such precision and clarity. Such things were the domains of gods¡ª ¡ªor monsters. Ba¡¯an shut her eyes and fell into her weaving.
Beyond the box canyon the wind continued to howl. An hour passed, then another. Eventually the storm passed over the hidden nur-vuti and died quietly over the desert. In the caves beneath the earth, a woman knelt at the head of a man, still as the stones around her. Sweat trickled from her brow and over her cheek and chin, dripping like tears. The man lay as though dead, his jagged breathing the only sign of life. Eventually, his breathing steadied. Colour returned to his skin. They continued on like this, long into the night.
Ba¡¯an woke slowly, ravenous for souls. Everything hurt, and her tongue and mouth felt¡­fuzzy. More importantly¡ªshe needed the privy. She shifted to sit up and froze. There was a man lying in bed with her. She could feel his heat against her back, his bright, noisy soul. She wanted very badly to reach behind her and¡­ ¡­Eat him. She turned her head and opened her eyes. ¡°Morning, Ba¡¯an. Or should I say evening? I don¡¯t know. I think it¡¯s dark outside though. Surprise! We¡¯re alive. Great, right?¡± Lukios grinned at her, his face far too close for comfort. For a moment she was disoriented, until she remembered. Oh. Yes, she had crawled in next to him because¡­it had seemed practical at the time. Yes, the fire had died sometime in the night as she¡­fixed¡­him. She had tried to re-light the fire but failed. In the end she had taken her coat off and hidden it in one of the unfinished tunnels of the bir-vuti but she had not been able to wear her dress. It had been ruined by his blood. So now she was wearing her shawl¡ªthankfully, it was very long and wide¡ªlike an obscenely short chai¡¯ra, tying it over her shoulder and around her waist. Still, it only fell to her mid-thigh, though thankfully it covered all the important bits. Ba¡¯an had been too tired to do anything else after failing to light a fire except sleep. Well, they had kept each other warm. That was the important part. If anything, he ought to be grateful¡ªhe had been the one who¡¯d lost all that blood. Keeping him warm had been a priority. Ba¡¯an fought to keep from placing her hand on his bare skin. It would be very, very easy to devour him now, but doing so would defeat the purpose of having saved him in the first place. It was her hunger speaking now, the restless, hollow need in her pulling against the threads of her control in mindless desire. She had to get away. Quickly. Now, even. She sat up. ¡°Lukios. Do not move.¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not going anywhere for a while. Um¡­You have something I can use as a chamber pot, right? I don¡¯t think I can stand.¡± ¡°Yes. Lie still.¡± She stood. Lukios gave a low whistle. ¡°Not that I¡¯m complaining, but for the record, where I come from, you¡¯d normally buy me dinner first, you know?¡± She stared at him blankly, momentarily confused, until she suddenly understood his meaning. She burst out laughing. Not because it was funny, but because she was relieved. He was making terrible jokes again. Lukios was fine. He would be fine. He stared at her. ¡°No way. I finally get a laugh out of you and it¡¯s over my worst joke ever.¡± ¡°Lukios. If you want laughs, be funnier. Now stop talking.¡± She left to get him something to use as a chamber pot. As she walked away, she heard him mutter to himself, a little sulkily, ¡°Well, at least she laughed.¡± No, she would not eat him. Not tonight¡ªor any other night. Chapter Six: Plans, Part I Ba¡¯an had thought Lukios would struggle through his recovery longer, but he did not. His recovery time was surprisingly quick. He had only been in pain for the first week or so, and then had been able to sit up and walk short distances with only an odd twinge here and there in two. Predictably, he had developed a fever, but she had known infection would be an issue and had plied peloiti-sahum on him with and between every meal. It had worked. Ba¡¯an had taken the bulk of that time to tidy her not-vuti and fix whatever had broken. The tarp at the door had torn away, so many of her things had been tossed around and smashed. Fixing what she could and replacing what she couldn¡¯t had taken her a great deal of time. The latch on her chest of clothes was permanently broken, and one of the corners had crushed in awkwardly, making it hard to open and close. Otherwise, there were few casualties¡­aside from her sanity. Lukios, even when he could not sit up or walk, could still run his mouth and did so at every opportunity. Every opportunity. Now he was telling her jokes. Bad ones. Very, very bad ones. Ba¡¯an made sure to scowl very convincingly each time, but he seemed to take it as a challenge and only redoubled his efforts. She was going to strangle him. ¡°¡­And the ass said, ¡®That¡¯s my third cousin, removed!¡¯ Get it?¡± ¡°Lukios. Stop.¡± She pressed her fingers over her temples. ¡°Dolkoi¡¯ri humor is not funny.¡± ¡°Oh come on, Ba¡¯an. The one about the temple priest and the vestal virgin was pretty funny.¡± ¡°It was not.¡± ¡°You were smiling.¡± ¡°I was not.¡± ¡°You were. I saw you. It¡¯s okay to laugh Ba¡¯an, I won¡¯t tell anyone, I promise.¡± ¡°Lukios.¡± Ba¡¯an set the basket of herbs down beside him on the bed and handed him the mortar and pestle. ¡°Grind. Do not speak.¡± ¡°Aw, fine. Just let me know once you start missing the sound of my voice. I¡¯ll tell you about that time I was on campaign along the southern coast. Did you know¡ª¡° ¡°Lukios. Grind.¡± Within the first month he had started walking around the courtyard every day, and halfway through the second month he had begun making an even bigger nuisance of himself by sticking his nose everywhere. By the time the wind changed, howling in from the north, he was downright spritely. ¡°No! No lifting!¡± Lukios grinned at her, cheerfully ignoring her protests as he took her bucket from her and hauled it up to the kitchen. ¡°It¡¯s fine! This weighs nearly nothing.¡± Lukios no longer limped. Ba¡¯an did not quite remember how she had done it, but she vaguely recalled fixing anything and everything once she had fallen into her weaving during the sandstorm. It had been easier to do everything rather than only one thing¡ªbodies were very strange that way, interconnected in the most astounding ways¡ªso she had simply¡­fixed him. All of him. Now he dashed around like a happy strifa kid, clearly delighted, though he had not said a word about it. Instead, he spent his time and energy hauling this and that while chattering her ears off. Well, it would be a lie to say that she was truly annoyed. Ba¡¯an hated hauling things. She didn¡¯t really enjoy activities like chopping wood or scrubbing floors. She absolutely hated washing out the rugs and beating them, because no matter how many times she did it, sand still got everywhere. In fact, those were chores she had never had to do before her exile. She had been a witch who sat in the shi-vuti. Her daily tasks had been to take the herbs that had been collected and prepare them for storage or use, and to make whatever mixtures were needed. She had stitched wounds, settled fevers, and delivered babies. The chief and his advisors had consulted her on matters of importance, and she had read oracle bones, blood, and guts. She had blessed hunters. She had kept curses from touching her tribe and had kept the people hale and whole. She had roamed and spoken with spirits, making and maintaining the contracts that made the desert livable. Ba¡¯an had never had to haul her own water or scrub floors or beat rugs. She hated it now, and she would hate it forever. Lukios was delightfully useful. He didn¡¯t seem to mind manual labour at all. In the mornings he rose early, taking her axe and making his way up the narrow pathway carved into the cliff-face and then down into the valley there to chop down the spindly, thorny but fast-growing akaikai trees for firewood. He always took his sword with him, so Ba¡¯an suspected he was doing more than just chopping wood. If anything, he was likely practicing on his own, getting himself back in shape. Ba¡¯an had been incensed the first time he¡¯d disappeared, convinced he was going to tear something open and make a mess of himself. He hadn¡¯t, somehow, and now she was used to him bringing in wood every day. She had thought it was excessive, until she realized he was piling it up in a sheltered corner of the courtyard. She had been both touched and unnerved, knowing that he would soon be gone. The wound would likely not reopen now unless he did something very stupid, like lifting stone slabs by himself. Now it was a matter of regaining his strength and stamina so he could make the journey back. In the afternoons he checked her traps for whatever unlucky critter was destined for her dinner table. At first he had simply tagged along with her, but eventually he had starting going on his own, freeing her up so she could go to the cave-river to fish. Even better: he had remade them. Ba¡¯an had never been a hunter, and she had recreated her traps from memory, imitating what Thu¡¯rin had done during the long evenings when things were slow. She hadn¡¯t made them correctly, but Lukios seemed to know how to make proper ones. That had been quite profitable, and she was delighted with the amount of meat she had on her table these days. Even more unexpected was his interest in herblore. She had thought he had only been bored, but he was full of questions and enthusiasm even now. It was both pleasing and unexpected. Ba¡¯an scrambled up the rocky trail, sweating already. The footpath was dangerously narrow, and she had to grip the various crevices in the rock wall to make it up to the plateau. The sun had yet to rise, which was exactly how she liked it: it would be stupidity to hunt for nau¡¯tha¡ªnight bloom¡ªin the day. ¡°Lukios,¡± she said, ¡°Stay down there. The climb is difficult.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not so bad.¡± His blond head appeared over the edge of the plateau, rising steadily as he followed the path. With a grunt, he hauled himself onto the flat rockface while Ba¡¯an clicked her tongue. ¡°Stubborn.¡± ¡°I am,¡± he agreed. ¡°It¡¯s one of my better traits.¡± Ba¡¯an was rapidly becoming very proficient in Dolkoi¡¯ri. Ba¡¯an¡¯s habit of eavesdropping in the shape of a bird had not been in vain. She had absorbed a great deal of the language but had lacked the opportunity to practice. Now, with Lukios, she was able to practice to her heart¡¯s content. He was rather obliging; they had stopped keeping such a rigid practice schedule, and now often traded words when the opportunity arose. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Oftentimes, he would point to a plant and tell her what it was in Dolkoi¡¯ri, and Ba¡¯an would do the same in K¡¯Avaari. Sometimes he would get stuck, not knowing what something¡ªusually an ¡°exotic¡± desert plant¡ªwas actually called at all, but Ba¡¯an was generous enough to teach him herblore even if he wasn¡¯t trading for it. ¡°So,¡± he was saying, ¡°Night bloom. I¡¯m guessing that it only blooms at night then?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ba¡¯an was looking at the rock face, trying to find the tell-tale blue shimmer of the petals. ¡°The flower opens at night. After an hour or so, the flower makes¡­hm¡­flower-blood? The water changes, inside. It goes into the leaves. The leaves make good¡­painkiller. We use it for childbirth. Very strong. But can be dangerous¡ªcan be¡­stuck? Some patients do not stop taking night bloom. They become¡­stuck.¡± ¡°Addicted? Like with dream seed?¡± ¡°Yes. Addicted. Addicted.¡± She practiced the new word, rolling it around in her mouth. ¡°And it¡¯s blue?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­Like this?¡± He reached out above her head and stuck his fingers inside a crevasse, rooting for something. He pulled it out, and Ba¡¯an could see the blue glimmer of unfurled petals in the wan pre-dawn light. ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°How many do you need?¡± ¡°How many are there? Do not take¡­do not take them all. Need some later.¡± She didn¡¯t want to strip this area of night bloom. That would be stupid. She did, however, want enough to take and trade. No K¡¯Avaari trader would exchange goods with her unless she managed to pose as someone else, so she would have to go into a city. She knew a place or two in Kyros that would buy, provided the quality was good. Ba¡¯an didn¡¯t have a clan or clansmen anymore. She needed to buy what goods would have normally been produced. For that, she needed money. It was a pain. They gathered until the leather bags she had brought were full. Lukios took them from her on his way down, telling her she would probably be bowled over by the weight. Ba¡¯an had not found it very funny, but it was true that the bags, small in Lukios¡¯ much bigger hands, were rather large in hers. ¡°If you fall and crack your head, I am not fixing you.¡± She heard his laughter float up from somewhere below¡ªhe was nearly at the bottom. The man was fast, too. Ba¡¯an smothered her smile and followed.
¡°This one?¡± Lukios gently held out the leaves of a low-growing shrub. The flowers had come in and would only last for a week. The leaves looked like little needles, and the colour was somewhere between green and brown. The flowers were not much better; they looked like little stars¡ªdirt stars. Suk was a very ugly little plant. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What does it do?¡± ¡°Makes good tea.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Sometimes herblore wasn¡¯t very exciting. ¡°No effects?¡± ¡°Some.¡± ¡°Such as¡­?¡± Ba¡¯an gave him a side-eye, which he ignored. ¡°No effect for men. Useful for women.¡± Lukios blinked. Ba¡¯an could see it the instant he understood her meaning, because the back of his ears flushed red. ¡°Oh,¡± he said again. ¡°Yes. It is gentle, but it must be used over a long time. It¡¯s very popular in Dolkoi¡¯ri¡­hmmm, lady-houses?¡± ¡°¡­Brothels?¡± ¡°Maybe. Not sure. Nothing like that in a saa-vuti vur.¡± Ba¡¯an wrinkled her nose. It was true. Buildings made only for prostitution were a city phenomenon. True, some K¡¯Avaari engaged in trading sex for favours, but there was no vuti only for the buying and selling of sex¡ªand there was no need for money inside a tribe. And what K¡¯Avaari woman would have worked at such a place? There was always food and shelter, and orphans were raised by the tribe. They were simply unnecessary to the workings of a K¡¯Avaari hold, and no K¡¯Avaari woman would have stood for it. It would have been intensely insulting. No K¡¯Avaari was ever made to live alone. Except exiles. Exiles were not K¡¯Avaari anymore. Ba¡¯an frowned, her mood spoiled by the thought. ¡°¡­Ba¡¯an?¡± She glanced up at him. He had stopped picking and was looking at her with some concern. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± ¡°No.¡± Yes. Everything was wrong, but it was not his problem. The look he gave her made it clear he knew she was lying. Stupid clever man. She shrugged it off. ¡°Usually they pay very well for K¡¯Avaari suk tea.¡± They did. It kept the women working and the babies to a minimum. The entire thing was repulsive, but wretched Dolkoi¡¯ri customs were not Ba¡¯an¡¯s problem, and she needed the coin to buy the things she could not make herself. Still, it was a wonder their women had not simply risen up and killed all their menfolk. It was so¡­humiliating. For everyone. Ba¡¯an would have never tolerated such a thing. Thu¡¯rin had never dared to even look at another woman in front of Ba¡¯an. That was the way things should be, though she knew the Dolkoi¡¯ri often did things backwards. They enjoyed taking the natural order and destroying it. For fun, it seemed. They picked the flowers in silence for some time. ¡°Do you go into our cities often?¡± ¡°When I have to.¡± She frowned again. Ba¡¯an did not like Dolkoi¡¯ri cities. It was a long journey to the nearest one, and she had to go on foot because of the goods she carried. Sometimes there were bandits or thieves and she had to kill them. It was messy. On top of all that, the cities were dirty and noisy. Dolkoi¡¯ri also thought K¡¯Avaari were stupid savages, so they always tried to cheat her at least once or twice. Ba¡¯an had spent a long time listening in on merchants as crows to figure out what everything was supposed to cost. It had incensed her when they had refused to buy for even a fraction of what her supplies were worth. Merchants were all cheats, she had learned, so she had started selling directly to whomever it was that needed whatever she was selling, but even then she never got what she thought she ought to have, and it was simply¡­infuriating. ¡°They¡¯re not much to your liking, are they?¡± She gave him a look. ¡°I will be polite and say nothing.¡± He snorted in amusement, fingers still busy in the dirt even as he smiled. ¡°That¡¯s unusually generous of you.¡± ¡°I am always generous. I put up with you.¡± He burst out laughing. ¡°That¡¯s true. I take it all back and apologize profusely.¡± ¡°Hm, I will think over your apology. Pick the rest yourself. I am hungry.¡± Somehow, he managed to look both amused and slightly concerned at the same time. She ignored the look, shoving the satchels at him as she got up and stretched. It was true she¡¯d had a snack not too long ago, but Ba¡¯an was often hungry. The magic of her coat always pulled at her bones, regardless of whether she wore it or not, hollowing her out with hunger. She could not remember the last time she had felt truly full since she had donned it. Her stomach felt physically full, but she never felt satiated in the way that usually ought to feel. Only souls could do that. ¡°Do not forget to find sambi-sahi too!¡± she called over her shoulder as she left. She saw him raise an arm in an unfamiliar salute. ¡°Yes, Ba¡¯an! Whatever you say, Ba¡¯an!¡± Ba¡¯an rolled her eyes. Insane. That¡¯s what he was. Insane.
¡°Why do you need all this sambi-sahi?¡± They had amassed quite a lot over the course of the weeks he had been hale enough to help her. He stared at the pile that had grown to be nearly three full baskets. ¡°Are you really going to sell it all?¡± He had a doubtful expression that said he didn¡¯t think they could carry it all, even if it was the two of them. Time had passed quickly. Lukios was likely well enough to make the journey to the nearest city any day now. It was only a matter of preparation, as Ba¡¯an did not want the long journey to be a waste. She had goods to sell and buy. ¡°No.¡± Ba¡¯an stuck a steaming piece of white skoa fish into her mouth. It was delicious, even unsalted. The problem, of course, were the bones. She made a face and spat the piece that had been stabbing her out into the fire. The damn thing had bones everywhere. No matter how hard she tried, she could never get all the bones out before eating it. It drove her crazy, to the point that Thu¡¯rin had always taken the bones out for her. For some reason, he¡¯d always had an excellent eye for the thin, translucent spines embedded in the pale flesh. She scowled down at the rest of the fish lying innocently on her plate, seemingly free of offending spines. ¡°Let¡¯s switch.¡± Lukios offered her his plate. The fish had been flayed open neatly and cut into strips. There were no obvious bones left in the white meat. Ba¡¯an glanced at her own plate. Her fish had also been flayed open, though perhaps not so neatly. Definitely not that neatly. ¡°You¡¯re going to scare it to death a second time, Ba¡¯an. Let¡¯s switch.¡± She took his plate and gave him hers. She mumbled something into her lap. ¡°Hmmm? Sorry, I can¡¯t hear you.¡± She mumbled again. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± He was grinning again. He knew exactly what she¡¯d said, the little stit-tat. Ba¡¯an felt very annoyed. ¡°I said ¡®thank you.¡¯¡± His grin broadened. ¡°Stop that. Your face will split open.¡± He didn¡¯t. ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± he said, very sweetly, and then started deboning her¡ªnow his¡ªportion again. Okay, she had missed a few spines. The bones went plink-plink-plink into the fire in a steady stream. ¡­More than a few spines. She stuck the perfectly deboned portion into her mouth without a sliver of shame. Well, he had good eyesight. Good for him. Ba¡¯an cleared her throat. ¡°Half is for honey.¡± He glanced up at her sudden proclamation. ¡°Honey?¡± She nodded. ¡°Wasp honey.¡± He looked puzzled. ¡°You¡¯re using the flowers for honey?¡± She looked at him and shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯re saying.¡± His brows had knit together into a frown. The corners of Ba¡¯an¡¯s mouth lifted in a small, mysterious smile and Lukios shifted in his seat. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I like that look,¡± he said, finally looking uncomfortable. ¡°I¡¯m not going to like this at all, am I?¡± Ba¡¯an let her smile grow into her sunniest expression. Lukios¡¯ look of suspicion intensified. ¡°Do not worry, Lukios,¡± she said. ¡°It is very easy.¡± Chapter Seven: Plans, Part II That had been a lie. They had left the little canyon housing her not-vuti for the field of akaikai trees. The key was timing. Once the northernly wind came in, the valley of trees often encountered rain. Not true rain, but little showers, often in bursts. Immediately after, all of the flowering plants in the grove would blossom for however long they could. The wasps in the valley used the nectar to make honey, stored in their nests for lean times ahead. Ba¡¯an was going to get that honey. ¡°Let me get this straight,¡± said Lukios. ¡°You want me to¡­keep this fire going and keep throwing in sambi-sahi leaves? And then¡­fan the smoke toward¡­wherever you are?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And while I do that, you¡¯re going to¡­just put your stick into the wall and take out some honeycombs?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And the smoke will make them too drowsy to attack you.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­Ba¡¯an.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You live alone.¡± She sniffed and refused to answer his obvious observation. ¡°Ba''an. This is a two-person procedure.¡± She ignored him, looking between the cracks in the cliff face for tell-tale signs of a wasp nest. ¡°Ba¡¯an. Ba¡¯an. Have you actually done this before?¡± Ah-ha! Success. There was a wasp nest, glued tightly into a crack in the cliff wall. Lukios had come over to stare into the crack too. He made a noise of distress. ¡°Holy fuck. Ba¡¯an. Ba¡¯an. Those are¡ªthose are horned desert wasps. Know what we call ¡®em? Murder-wasps. Ba¡¯an, let¡¯s go back. I¡¯m serious. I don¡¯t want to die over honey.¡± She flapped her hand at him, nonchalant. ¡°It will be perfectly safe. You will not die. I will not die. Not even the wasps will die. And we will have honey. Honey!¡± ¡°Ba¡¯an. I¡¯ll buy you honey once we get to the city. I swear on my name. This is¡­a terrible idea. Just¡­I can¡¯t even describe how bad this idea is.¡± She rolled her eyes. Like his name meant anything to her. ¡°But I want honey now. For dinner.¡± ¡°We have to survive to have dinner.¡± She sighed loudly. ¡°Oh. I was wrong.¡± He perked up. ¡°Yes, yes, exactly! This was a terrible idea. Let¡¯s head back.¡± ¡°No,¡± she said patiently. ¡°I was wrong. I thought you are a man. But no, you are a boy. Afraid of wasps.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s low.¡± He glared at her, crossing his arms. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re calling me a child because I don¡¯t want us to get murdered by wasps. This is ridiculous. Ba¡¯an.¡± She sighed. ¡°Very well.¡± He stared at her, waiting for the other sandal to fall. ¡°You go. I will get honey. Alone.¡± He didn¡¯t look surprised at all. He glared at her with a sort of clenched-jaw look before he ground out, ¡°Switch.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I said switch.¡± Ba¡¯an stared at him, confused by the sudden change. ¡°Why? You are afraid of wasps.¡± He sighed at her. ¡°How much sambi-sahi at a time?¡± ¡°Only a handful.¡± ¡°Okay. Whose handful?¡± He held up his hand, which was much larger than hers. ¡°I don¡¯t even know how these leaves work, or how to tell when to throw some in. So switch.¡± She stared at him. ¡°But¡­you are afraid of wasps.¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m afraid we¡¯ll die horribly over honey. But I have reach. Ba¡¯an, switch.¡± Ba¡¯an continued to stare. She could tell by his stony expression that he was serious. But¡­ ¡°But¡­I am the one who wants honey.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I noticed.¡± ¡°No. I am saying¡­it is more dangerous here.¡± ¡°I know that too.¡± ¡°You are not making sense.¡± He continued to glare. Abruptly, he sat in the dirt. ¡°I am not moving until you switch with me.¡± What? ¡°That is¡­now you are being ridiculous!¡± Wordlessly, he looked up at her, elbows on his knees. He raised one hand and rested his chin on it, as though to say he was ready to really wait. Ba¡¯an worried her lower lip between her teeth. This was an unexpected development. She had thought he would just leave if he wasn¡¯t man enough, but no, he wanted to switch. Perhaps this had been a bad idea. Ba¡¯an was confident she could survive wasps, provided it was not the full fury of the entire nest. She was a witch. Even without her coat she could use magic, though it was much more limited. Lukios was just a man. He would be stung, possibly to death. That was why she had wanted him behind the smokescreen¡ªthey wouldn¡¯t go after him. The smoke would also make them slow and lethargic, and some of them would even sleep. She began shaking her head. ¡°No, Lukios. You do not understand. I am¡ªI can¡ª¡± He looked at her, expression patient and placid. It was as though whatever stupid decision he had made had given him peace. How aggravating. Ba¡¯an floundered, trying to think of what to say. Perhaps she should simply tell him she had magic? But he was an outlander. Sometimes, witches were captured and sold in Dolkoi¡¯ri slave markets. Not often. The K¡¯Avaari preferred death to slavery, and witches had more ways than usual to kill themselves. But sometimes, very rarely, they would manage to capture a witch and keep her alive, though never for long. She had heard they were worth a small fortune. Ba¡¯an didn¡¯t think he was that kind of man. But if there was one lesson she had learned well, it was that one never knew another fully. There were shadows in the soul, always: dark places, full of teeth and claws and jagged edges, hidden inside where no one could see. Sometimes the one who harboured the shadows did not see them, either. Ba¡¯an¡¯s hand went to the necklace of teeth hanging around her neck and she gave it a nervous little twist. Lukios¡¯ eyes never left her. The silence stretched on. ¡°No,¡± she said, finally. ¡°I will not be killed by wasps. But you will be.¡± He only raised an eyebrow at her declaration. ¡°Really. Are you perhaps made of metal?¡± His eyes swept pointedly over whatever skin was exposed on her arms and legs. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like it.¡± Ba¡¯an scowled and stomped to the little fire that he had already started building. Lukios frowned as he watched her finish and spark the flint and tinder against the kindling. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious.¡± Ba¡¯an glared at him. ¡°I am. Stay here.¡± He started to stand. ¡°Ba¡¯an¡ª" She pressed her hand against his shoulder and he thumped back into the dirt, startled into compliance. His eyes on her face were wide. ¡°Stay. Here.¡± Lukios shook his head, placing his hand over hers. His hand was pleasantly warm, though his fingers were all hard muscle and bone. ¡°Ba¡¯an. I¡¯m serious too. If you really, really want to do this, you should let me poke the nest with the stick. I have reach. And, quite frankly, I probably run faster than you do.¡± ¡°Lukios.¡± Ba¡¯an looked him in the eye. ¡°Believe me. They will not sting me¡ªmuch. They will sting you. To death. Understand?¡± Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. ¡°No,¡± he said, ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Explain it to me.¡± There was something deeply piercing about his stare, and Ba¡¯an dropped her eyes. ¡°Ba¡¯an?¡± She shook off his hand. ¡°You are impossible. Like an old strifa. Stubborn. No, worse. Like two old strifa.¡± She saw the corners of his mouth twitch up, very briefly. ¡°I know. I warned you, didn¡¯t I?¡± She glared at him, then kicked dirt over the fire. ¡°Fine. You win. When we are at Kyros you will buy me honey. Many pots.¡± She continued to glare even as his lips curled into a smile. ¡°Many pots.¡± ¡°I promise. I¡¯ll buy you as much honey as you want. Other things too. Whatever you want.¡± She turned around and ignored him. ¡°Bring the sambi-sahi too.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Ba¡¯an stomped away, taking the cliff trail wordlessly. It was irritating how easily he kept up with her, even when she was striding quickly to leave him behind. Stupid long legs. At least he knew enough to keep his stupid mouth shut. Ba¡¯an ignored him all afternoon, annoyed. She had finally run out of salt rocks, which meant her food now tasted flat and flavorless. There was only so much she could do with what she had, and she did not eat as well as she had with her tribe¡ªnot even close. Aside from that, it embarrassed her to serve simple fare every day¡ªa guest was a guest, even if he wasn¡¯t staying much longer. Wasp honey was not as good as what could be bought in Kyros, true, but it was something. Ba¡¯an scowled at her plants as she weeded. She liked sweets as well, which were, of course, nearly impossible to come by in the desert. It was wasp honey or nothing. ¡°You still mad?¡± Lukios ambled up the path to her garden, expression not nearly as contrite as it should have been. ¡°I made you a snack.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± she said, stiffly. She was still angry, true, but she never said no to food. Hunger was hunger. He crouched across from her, watching her wipe her fingers on a cloth she had dampened using her watering pot. He had baked her some mushroom wrapped in mus¡¯ka leaves. The flavour was smoky and meaty, but she knew it would have been better with some salt¡ªor honey. He was grinning as he watched her eat, inexplicably pleased at the sight of her putting food in her mouth and chewing. He was a madman. No one should have been that happy watching someone else eat. It made no sense. She offered him half her portion, trying not to look begrudging. It was rude to eat alone, though¡ªshe was very hungry. He waved his hand airily. ¡°Nah. I¡¯m good, thanks.¡± He reached over and began finishing her weeding. He had gotten very good at spotting the weeds from the herbs these past months; Ba¡¯an thought it was a shame he was an outlander. His ability to learn seemingly anything in a short span of time would have been a great boon to any tribe. He was clever and strong, and she did not doubt that he was badly missed. ¡°This it?¡± Lukios gestured to the pile of weeds. ¡°Yes. I will dry them on that mat over there.¡± She pointed to the spot in the cave directly under the sun hole. He nodded and put the plants into a basket, and she watched, munching, as he spread them in neat, even rows. Once she was finished eating, she rose to help him and they made short work of it. ¡°Didn¡¯t know you could eat this stuff.¡± Lukios picked up a stem with leaves and waggled it in the air. She only nodded. Normally she would not eat balu¡¯ta, using it for weaving instead, because it was very tough and stringy. But food was always scarce now that she lived alone, and she had fallen into the habit of wasting nothing. Once dried, she would powder it and use it to bake with. It did not make very good flatbread, but food was food. Lukios was watching her again. Ba¡¯an stared back at him, raising a quizzical eyebrow, but he only grinned. ¡°Oh yeah,¡± he said, ¡°You¡¯re still mad.¡± He stood up and offered her his hand, which she promptly ignored. ¡°Definitely still mad,¡± he said, and she could hear the hint of laughter in his voice. Why did he find everything so funny? Insanity. That was why. He¡¯d laugh the entire way to his grave, she was sure. ¡°And now you¡¯re thinking awful thoughts about me, aren¡¯t you?¡± Lukios leaned over so he could put a finger on her nose. ¡°I can tell. You always get a wrinkle right¡ªhere.¡± He ran his finger over the bridge of her nose, and she scowled at him until he retreated, though his grin never drooped or faded. Ba¡¯an raised her chin and glared down her nose at him¡ªor tried to. He was very tall, so it did not work very well. Lukios only chuckled, very quietly, before speaking again. ¡°Oh, Ba¡¯an. I¡¯m sorry we didn¡¯t get your honey. I¡¯ll get you as many pots as you want in Kyros, really. Really.¡± ¡°They are only wasps, Lukios.¡± ¡°No, they¡¯re horned desert wasps. Just ¡®cause I¡¯m an outlander, doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m stupid. Like fuck, those things are scary.¡± He shuddered dramatically. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe you wanted to poke them with a stick.¡± ¡°I grew up in the desert, Lukios. The dramatics are not necessary. This is the usual procedure.¡± He looked at her skeptically. ¡°Your people poke at wasp nests with sticks to get honey?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± It was not technically a lie. Normally it took many people to manage the procedure, but Ba¡¯an had magic¡ªmore magic than any normal witch. She was certain she would have managed. ¡°Uh huh.¡± He gave her a disbelieving look. ¡°Bet you it takes more than two people, though.¡± She glared. ¡°Yup. Thought so.¡± He raised his hand again, presumably to poke her again, and her glare deepened as she stepped back. ¡°Do not poke at my nose, Lukios.¡± He raised his hands in the air in a ¡®Who, me?¡¯ gesture. ¡°Nuh uh. Thought you¡¯d look pretty with one of these.¡± He grinned and gave her a very elaborate bow with a flourish at the end. A bright red bus¡¯ka flower appeared in his hand, as though by magic. She blinked. Now where had he been hiding that? She eyed the folds of his clothes, puzzled. She schooled her expression before he could see it, though she did not think she succeeded by the way his grin widened. Ba¡¯an only raised her eyebrow again, this time rather archly. ¡°So, I am so ugly I need a flower to make me pretty?¡± ¡°What?¡± The grin dropped from his face, and he looked genuinely flustered. ¡°Wha¡ªno. I wasn¡¯t¡ª¡± Ba¡¯an tried to turn away quickly to hide her smile, but she was too slow. ¡°¡ªah. Oh, that was mean, s¡ªBa¡¯an. Real mean.¡± He gave her a wounded look and put his hand over his heart. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t degrade a man¡¯s sincerity, Oh Great-Witch-of-the-Cave. It¡¯s cruel. Cruel.¡± She snorted and rolled her eyes. ¡°I am not a witch, and this is a nur-vuti. Do not call it a cave. It is rude.¡± Of course, it really was a cave, but it was discourteous to say so out loud. It wasn¡¯t as though she wanted to live in an unfinished vuti. ¡°Okay. Cranky-Healer-of-the-Sands? Grumpy-Lady-of-the-Nur-Vuti?¡± He stepped closer and closer, and Ba¡¯an found herself moving backwards, craning her neck to scowl up at him. ¡°Pretty-Lady-with-the-Mean-Scowl?¡± ¡°Now you are reaching.¡± How ludicrous. He was back to grinning again. ¡°About what? You being pretty?¡± He laughed a little, shaking his head. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you think I¡¯m lying. Even your scowl¡¯s pretty¡ªunless¡ªis that why you¡¯re so cranky all the time? No one ever told you how pretty you are, even when you scowl?¡± What? ¡°That makes no sense, Lukios. Why would I be cranky if I thought my scowl was not pretty? No, wait¡ªno one scowls to be pretty, Lukios. This is a ridiculous conversation.¡± As many of their conversations were, naturally. He was insane. Ludicrous. He was lucky he was so handsome, because no one would put up with him otherwise, she was certain. And Ba¡¯an was not flustered. She was not. He was only a mad outlander man who said the most outrageous things whenever the mood took him. Ba¡¯an was not some silly girl to be charmed, she was a witch, a¡ª He dipped his head down so he could look down into her eyes and she squeaked in surprise, nearly falling over backwards. He reached out and gripped her about the waist, pulling her close to keep her from tumbling. When he spoke again, his breath stirred the hair that had escaped her bun. It tickled. ¡°Careful! That¡¯s a pretty steep hill. Can¡¯t have the healer become the patient now, can we?¡± ¡°It is your fault, Lukios.¡± She put her hand on his chest and pushed, but he only let out a soft chortle of amusement. He did not budge, not even a little. It was like an ant pushing at a boulder. Lukios always radiated heat, like a rock that had baked beneath the sun all day. His warmth was seeping into her through their clothes. The hem of his chiton brushed her dress and she was suddenly aware of what lay beneath it¡ªskin and muscle, bone and soul. She could feel the strength in his arms as he held her up. She felt her face go hot. It was very annoying. ¡°Okay. It¡¯s my fault. Here¡¯s my apology.¡± He reached down and she felt his fingers in her hair, tucking something in between the strands. When he released her the bus¡¯ka flower was nestled behind her ear. ¡°One flower is a poor apology,¡± she groused, but she did not pluck it from her hair. It was a sweet gesture, though she was determined not to say so. He would be gone soon, so there was no point in being friendlier than she already was. ¡°True,¡± he said, and pulled her even closer. Ba¡¯an blinked, staring up into his eyes as his grin broadened. ¡°How about I¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªStop talking and check the traps? Very good idea. Go, Lukios,¡± she snapped and broke away, hastily retreating down the hill. The spots where his hands had been felt cold now, and the fact that she noticed bothered her intensely. ¡°I will prepare¡­dinner.¡± As soon as the words came out of her mouth, she realized they had just had lunch only a few hours before. The sun was still high in the sky. By now her cheeks were flaming, which she knew was stupid. Knowing it was stupid made them even hotter, which only served to aggravate her further. Ba¡¯an was not running. She was not. She was walking quickly. Very quickly. Lukios was still staring at her from the top of the hill. Even from this distance she could see that he was grinning. ¡°Whatever you say, Ba¡¯an!¡± He gave her a very Dolkoi¡¯ri salute as she scrambled as quickly as she could while still remaining dignified to the not-vuti. She scowled to herself as she entered the kitchen¡ªand paused. On the counter was a pot full of bus¡¯ka flowers from the valley. Oh. She felt her cheeks go hot again. Tentatively, she reached out and touched one of the large, waxy petals with her fingers. They only bloomed for a short time, right after the rain. Their sweet scent had filled the small space of the not-vuti, and Ba¡¯an¡¯s mouth stretched into a smile as she leaned over and sniffed them. Hm. Perhaps she ought to make something he liked for dinner.
Gathering honey, aborted as it was, had been the second last thing on the list. Ba¡¯an had her herbs, and she spent the evening preparing them¡ªshe hung whatever had to be dried and took down whatever was already dry to make powders. Powders were not as potent as freshly made decoctions and ointments, but they kept much, much better and were easy to measure out and sell. Once everything was ready, they would leave for Kyros. Lukios would be able to send a message from there to whomever, and he would finally go home. Ba¡¯an would sell off everything she could and buy as many supplies as she could manage on one trip before returning to her not-vuti. There was one last thing on the list. Lukios was well enough to make the hike back to the road. She had given him his things back by the time he had been able to stand and wander around on his own. She had gone back to the site before he had woken the first time to pick up his clothes and weapons. The truth was that her power was limited¡ªshe could not take that which was not living flesh and blood with her when she used her coat. So she had ended up taking him naked back to her not-vuti, which meant that she had had nothing to clothe him with. She had had to haul everything back on foot. That had been¡­unpleasant. Lukios had wanted to go back to the site of the attack at least once. Ba¡¯an had told him everything she remembered: the number of bodies, what they had been wearing, where they had been laying. She had told him about the empty carriage too, which he had seemed to find particularly disturbing. Even so, he had insisted on seeing the site for himself, though she had told him that by the time he was well enough to walk there, the attack would have been discovered and reported and the road cleared. She would take him there, though. She had a feeling this was much more personal than he was letting on. After all, he was a man. He was not likely to admit why he was so adamant on seeing the site for himself. She would take him to the road so he could have his peace. Then, she would take him to Kyros. Chapter Eight: The Road They left early in the morning, well before the sun came up. Ba¡¯an had worn her coat of feathers under her long travel shift, the one all desert-dwellers wore whenever there was a possibility of walking under a hot midday sun. The sleeves were long, as were the hems, and the hood was deep with plenty of fabric. It was perfect for concealing her rather strange attire from her travelling companion. She had not wanted to walk so far without strong magic within reach. There was no telling what kind of dangers the road would hold. Sometimes, everything went well and nothing happened. Other times, she had been grateful for her ability to simply fly away. Of course this time, she was travelling with Lukios. If there was trouble, she would have to fight. The coat would help with that too. Ba¡¯an took her walking stick from its place by the door and left. Lukios had already gone out to get firewood and was industriously stacking it up against the cliff wall beside the privy as usual. ¡°You will need a cloak.¡± Ba¡¯an held out what had been a blanket. She didn¡¯t actually own another cloak, and even if she did, it would not have fit him; she had done her best to turn it into something travel-worthy, but looking at the patchwork fabric and its uneven hems, she was not sure she had entirely succeeded. Wordlessly, Lukios accepted it and slung it around his shoulders. His clothes were of good quality, and she¡¯d sewn up the holes the best she could. Overall, he was likely better dressed for travel than she was. She handed him a thick bone pin, which he used to fasten the makeshift cloak over his shoulder. ¡°Wait,¡± he said, and he disappeared into the not-vuti, only to come out with his sword strapped around his hip and his knife sheathed against the small of his back. They each carried a waterskin¡ªa large one¡ªand enough food for two nights. They would make it to the road, but they would have to seek shelter during the hottest time of day. Ba¡¯an knew the area well. There were plenty of shady areas in the valley and a Dolkoi¡¯ri watering station along the road itself. And with that, they were ready. It was dark, though the moon and stars were bright. The desert was cold before the sun came up. Ba¡¯an was glad for her cloak and her sturdy shoes, which were doing an admirable job of keeping her toes warm. There was no keeping the sand out, though¡ªit simply could not be helped. Lukios was quiet, and she let him be. The sun crept up, as did the heat. There was no path between Ba¡¯an¡¯s not-vuti and the road, but there were landmarks along the way. The land itself was mostly flat and full of sand, but it was broken up by plenty of jutting rocks and steep cliffs, so it was easy to find shelter from the sun. It was lucky that the hottest season had already passed. They would only have to wait three hours or so for the heat to start dipping, which was a perfect number of hours for a snack and a nap. They lay across from each other in the shade. Every time Ba¡¯an started to doze, he would shift and she would rouse. It was annoying, but also somewhat concerning. Lukios was obviously a soldier. He could drop off to sleep immediately, and snap awake just as quickly. But now he was fidgeting, turning over restlessly with nervous energy. ¡°Lukios.¡± Ba¡¯an didn¡¯t open her eyes, but she heard him freeze. ¡°Sorry.¡± She turned her head to the side so she could look at him. She wasn¡¯t surprised to find he was already looking at her. ¡°A few hours here and there will change nothing.¡± He rolled onto his back and stared up at the jagged red cliff face. ¡°I know.¡± They listened to the wind whistling between the rocky cliffs that scattered the area. The Dolkoi¡¯ri called this place the Red Maze; the local tribe referred to it as ¡®that place with the rocks.¡¯ Sometimes travellers got lost and turned around. Most of them died. The wind blew dust and sand around until the landscape seemed to shift as one walked, but Ba¡¯an was wise enough to the desert¡¯s tricks to find her way and besides that¡ªthe worst-case scenario was that she would have to fly to get her bearings. This would be tricky to manage discreetly with her travelling companion, but she was sure she could tell him to keep watch while she relieved herself. Surely he would not attempt to spy on her then? ¡°Ba¡¯an.¡± ¡°Mm?¡± ¡°How long has it been?¡± She paused, thinking. It had been the end of the dry-heat season when she had found him. There had been five moon cycles since then. In the Dolkoi¡¯ri way of reckoning that was¡­ ¡°Four of your months, I think. A little more, maybe.¡± He laughed softly. ¡°They¡¯re everyone¡¯s months, Ba¡¯an, we just count differently.¡± She rolled her eyes, though he couldn¡¯t see it. By now he knew her well enough to guess what she was doing. They lapsed back into silence. ¡°You will be tired later if you do not sleep.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Ba¡¯an dozed and listened to him not sleep.
Nothing happened on their way to the road. A bold desert fox crossed their path, ignoring them for some lizard it was stalking across the hot dunes. It turned out Ba¡¯an had been right. The road had been cleared already, though time had not worn away the blood stains. That had seeped into the cracks in the flat stones that often made up rural Dolkoi¡¯ri roads, the grooves forever stained by violence. She could still see where the horse he had killed had been laying on its side, the ground a dull reddish-brown beneath the dirt and grime. Lukios stood at the side of the road, staring at the old echoes of carnage told in rust-red splotches. She could tell by his face he needed to be alone. She laid a hand on his shoulder and squeezed. ¡°I will wait by the watering station.¡± Before she could step away, he put his hand over hers, lacing their fingers together. Ba¡¯an blinked, eyes falling to their joined hands. It was a surprisingly intimate gesture. ¡°Can you stay?¡± Ba¡¯an raised her head to stare at his profile. He did not turn to look at her, but his fingers squeezed hers lightly. ¡°You don¡¯t have to. But¡­I¡¯d like you to.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± He squeezed her fingers again, rubbing his thumb lightly over hers before pulling away. ¡°Thank you.¡± He sat. She did too, careful not to touch him. She could feel tension in the way he held himself, and she was close enough to feel the heat of him radiate through her cloak and coat. He was silent for a long time. ¡°Ba¡¯an,¡± he said, finally. She looked at him. He turned his head to look her in the eyes. ¡°Why did you save me?¡± Well, that was a difficult question. After a long moment, she opened her mouth with an answer. ¡°It was not K¡¯Avaari.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°K¡¯Avaari did not do this.¡± She gestured to the old bloodstains that stretched from down the road all the way up to where they were seated. A great many horses and men had died together that day. Understanding dawned in his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll tell them,¡± he promised, and she found herself believing him. He turned his head to stare at the road again. ¡°They already know, though.¡± She looked at him, letting her puzzlement show on her face. ¡°I¡¯m sure there was a ransom demand by now. It will have been sent through a third party, but I have my suspicions. It¡¯s not even about money. I guarantee it.¡± Ah. The missing woman. ¡°So she is a very important person, then?¡± He looked at her again. ¡°Yes and no.¡± Well, that was not a very useful answer. He scuffed the dirt with his foot, and she could see he was deciding how much to tell her. ¡°This was a marriage procession,¡± he said, finally. ¡°She was the bride-to-be. We were escorting her when we were ambushed.¡± His mouth twisted bitterly. ¡°She is important, but¡­it¡¯s the alliance that was key. Between the groom¡¯s family and hers, I mean.¡± He scrubbed his hand over his face. ¡°I fucked up real good. I¡­really¡­just¡­fuck.¡± He took a long, shuddering breath. There was more to it, she could tell¡ªbut it wasn¡¯t her place to pry. Tentatively, she took his hand in hers. He seemed to find it comforting. He squeezed her fingers, clutching a bit too hard, though she didn¡¯t pull away. ¡°You did your best, Lukios.¡± It was strange and a little alarming to see him without his usual good cheer. His mouth, which was most often set in a small smile even when there was no one to smile at, was turned downwards into a frown. He started shaking his head. ¡°No. No, I did not. Ba¡¯an, I did not do my best, or even my second best.¡± She frowned. ¡°But I saw you fighting,¡± she said, and he turned to look at her sharply. ¡°You did?¡± ¡°Yes. By yourself. Everyone was dead but you kept fighting.¡± He shut his eyes. ¡°Ba¡¯an, that doesn¡¯t mean anything. What else was I supposed to do? And¡­I didn¡¯t know. I didn¡¯t know everyone was dead until I was done fighting and it was too late for anything else.¡± She remembered him crawling to the man with dark hair, how he had tried to shake him awake. ¡°Useless,¡± he muttered, and the bleakness in his expression made her insides twist uncomfortably. ¡°No,¡± she said, ¡°Not useless.¡± He was shaking his head again. ¡°No,¡± he denied, ¡°You don¡¯t understand. Ba¡¯an, I was sleeping. I was hung-over, so I was sleeping in the fucking carriage.¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.
The sun was starting to sink. Ba¡¯an sat at the watering station by herself, building what must have been the smallest campfire in all the desert, if not all the continent. The watering station was really just a flat patch of dirt beside the road with a well dug into the ground. It was Dolkoi¡¯ri-style, with blocks of stone protruding from the base and a little roof against the weather. There was a tight-fitting wooden lid against the same and everything else. Resting inside a wooden box beside the well was a bucket with a string attached. Miraculously, no one had stolen it, though Ba¡¯an suspected this bucket was newer than the well. A fire pit had been built close by. The area was large, meant for travellers and merchant caravans alike. The location had likely been chosen for its distance from the nearest settlement as well as its proximity to the tough, fast-growing sagi grass that could be used to feed beasts of burden. Lukios was nowhere in sight. She sighed. Lukios had scrubbed his hands over his face after his announcement and stalked off without a word. Stopping him had seemed a poor idea¡ªa man had his pride, which was a fact of life that did not change whether the man was Dolkoi¡¯ri or K¡¯Avaari. So Ba¡¯an had done the practical thing and come to the watering station to set up camp. She hadn¡¯t brought any pots, so it was cold rations only. Too bad. Dinner was lizard jerky and a handful of nuts and dried berries. Boring, and not that filling. She needed a mouthful of water with every bite to help bring it all down, but at least the water was cold and fresh. Ba¡¯an did not like drinking lukewarm water, especially when it smelled and tasted like a waterskin. Ba¡¯an had been contemplating doing one pass¡ªjust one, mind, just one¡ªas a flock of crows over this stretch of road to ensure he hadn¡¯t tilted himself down a cliff when she felt his bright, familiar soul making its way to her fire. Ba¡¯an did not turn or otherwise react, though she noted appreciatively that Lukios¡¯ steps became rather noisy as he approached the watering hole. How mannerly¡ªhe was normally very light-footed. ¡°Lukios.¡± ¡°Ba¡¯an.¡± Lukios stepped into the small circle of light cast by the fire. In his hand was a rabbit, already skinned and ready for the fire. ¡°How¡­?¡± He lifted his other hand, where a strip of twisted cloth dangled. It was a piece from the blanket. A sling. Well, that was rather unexpected. It wasn¡¯t a very good sling, so he must have been a remarkably good shot to compensate. He dropped the weapon and squatted near the fire, picking up a suitably large flat rock. He wiped it with the corner of his makeshift cloak and placed the rabbit on top, then popped the whole thing into the flames. ¡°Hold out your hands.¡± He obeyed, and Ba¡¯an poured water from her skin over them so he could wash the blood off. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He pushed his hair out of his face. It had gotten rather long. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have just left like that.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± She accepted it easily. It wasn¡¯t as though she was upset that he¡¯d stalked off to¡ªshe suspected strongly¡ªcry out his misery. She understood pride. She had only been slightly concerned he would do something stupid, like walk off a cliff. Ba¡¯an would never say it out loud, but it was a feeling she could sympathize with: crushing failure, despair, and a desire to simply splatter against the hard, unyielding ground. ¡°¡­I¡¯d feel better if you were madder.¡± She gave him a look. ¡°Why would I be angry?¡± He looked down and away, right into the fire. You will ruin your night vision like that. She erred on the side of caution and said nothing. ¡°I was awful. I just¡­left you there. It¡¯s rude. Ungrateful. Just¡­ugh. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°No,¡± she said, and he glanced up at her, finally. ¡°You feel bad about that, yes. But not only that. You want someone to yell and hurt you. I will not.¡± He winced. ¡°Ba¡¯an. Did you know that sometimes, the things you say are a bit¡­¡± ¡°Am I wrong?¡± ¡°No.¡± He picked up a stick and poked at the fire. ¡°You¡¯re not wrong.¡± For a while there was only the crackling of the fire. The smell of rabbit meat made her hungry all over again. Lukios used his stick to turn the rabbit over, making it sizzle anew. ¡°It was my half-brother.¡± Lukios was still staring into the fire, focusing very hard on making the rabbit cook in a perfectly even way. ¡°The groom, I mean. We were negotiating on his behalf with his bride¡¯s family.¡± Ba¡¯an remained silent, letting him speak at his own pace. ¡°We celebrated once the papers were signed. You know, feasting. Not with my half-brother, he wasn¡¯t there¡ªwell. I mean, it¡¯s traditional, celebrating a marriage agreement. I got drunk. Very, very drunk.¡± He made a soft noise of self-deprecation. ¡°I was supposed to be the vanguard, but I was too hung-over to ride. So I rode in the carriage and my¡­uncle took my place. Well, we were both supposed to be up front, but he¡ªhe was alone.¡± Ba¡¯an remembered his look of grief. Rekos, he¡¯d said. Now she knew who that had been. He turned the rabbit over again, then poked it with the stick. It must have been satisfactory, because he started prodding the rock from the fire. ¡°I was sleeping when we were hit.¡± He swore, very softly. ¡°It should have been me with an arrow through my neck. Not Rekos.¡± He finally looked up from the fire. His eyes gleamed in the firelight like a cliff-cat¡¯s, but his expression was all too human. ¡°So there you have it. A good man died in place of a stupid one, and the stupid one lived, for no better reason than sheer, dumb luck. We¡¯re a barrel full of bad apples, Ba¡¯an, and Rekos was the only good one. And now he¡¯s dead, along with the entire escort party, and I¡¯m sitting here wondering what the fuck I¡¯m supposed to do now. Because there¡¯s no fixing this. Rekos is dead, Eirene¡¯s gone, and I¡¯m sitting here on my ass, completely useless.¡± Lukios drew his knife and started to cut the meat into strips. Once he was done, he pushed the warm rock toward her. ¡°Half,¡± she said. He shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not hungry. And I can hear your stomach from here.¡± Well, he wasn¡¯t wrong. Ba¡¯an was ravenous again. Even so¡­ ¡°Hungry or not, eat. Tomorrow we will walk back.¡± He gave her a look, then skewered a single strip on his stick pushed the rest to her. ¡°You know Ba¡¯an,¡± he said, once she finally took the meat. ¡°I¡¯m grateful. But¡­you should have saved someone else. Anyone else. Or¡ªfuck¡ªgone after Eirene.¡± Ba¡¯an chewed thoughtfully on her piece of rabbit. It was delicious, though it hadn¡¯t been seasoned in any way. She wondered what it would taste like if she had slathered it in red berry jam and cooked it that way. Perhaps she would try it once she got back. She looked at Lukios again, who was sitting silently and watching her eat. ¡°No,¡± she said, finally. He snorted. ¡°Anyone from that escort would have testified truthfully, Ba¡¯an. And they weren¡¯t fuck-ups, either.¡± He tilted his head back to stare up at the stars. ¡°Theoi.¡± ¡°No,¡± she said again, and he sighed. ¡°I would have let them die.¡± That got his attention. ¡°What? That doesn¡¯t even make sense. Why would you let a witness die?¡± She popped another piece of meat into her mouth and chewed, thinking about how to explain it. By the time she swallowed she had marshalled her thoughts. ¡°I told you half of it. Yes, I wanted you to tell them, ¡®No, not K¡¯Avaari.¡¯ But K¡¯Avaari holds are hidden. Your people can blame them or get angry, but what will they do? March again? Into the desert? No. Perhaps trading will become hard. But nothing big. Nothing like the Dolkoi¡¯ri-anta will happen because of this.¡± The Dolkoi¡¯ri had marched against the K¡¯Avaari five years ago. They had lost. Ba¡¯an had made sure of it. Lukios stared at her with an expression she couldn¡¯t quite read. She continued. ¡°The other half is¡­rei-tat.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand. I don¡¯t know what that word means.¡± ¡°Yes, I know. Just¡­hmm. It is like¡­spirit. But not just spirit. Soul-fire? No.¡± Ba¡¯an muttered to herself, struggling to explain wholly K¡¯Avaari ideas in Dolkoi¡¯ri. Frustration twisted her tongue so the words came out wrong. ¡°Like¡­¡± She scooted over to him so quickly that she nearly tipped over. He reached out and steadied her, hands on her shoulders. She put her palm over his heart and he stared down at where her hand touched him. ¡°Fire in here. Rei-tat.¡± ¡°¡­Passion?¡± ¡°No. Rei-tat. Not passion. Passion is short. Shallow. This is different. Not feelings. Maybe¡­soul texture? Those who are rei-tat make history. Change fate.¡± And Ba¡¯an had been a witch. She never let a tool go to waste, and old habits died hard. Witches always watched over those who were rei-tat¡ªeither to control them or kill them, as needed. Ba¡¯an did not think that particular detail was one he needed to know. ¡°¡­So, this is a compliment, right?¡± ¡°Yes and no.¡± Ba¡¯an frowned. ¡°Sometimes, the ending is bad. Hard to say. People who are rei-tat are very bright. Burn hot. Sometimes too hot.¡± He gave her a sideways look. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s great then. I might burn myself up in my own stupidity. Sounds exactly like me.¡± She scowled and smacked her palm against his chest. ¡°Ow,¡± he said in a perfectly blas¨¦ tone, ¡°my heart.¡± Ba¡¯an clicked her tongue at him. ¡°I could be wrong. You might just be stupid but lucky.¡± He burst out laughing. ¡°There you go. Back to normal. I was getting nervous for a second there.¡± His heart was beating a bit fast under her palm, and Ba¡¯an frowned. ¡°Are you sick now?¡± ¡°What? No. I¡¯m fine.¡± His hands were still on her shoulders, and she watched as his eyes flicked over her face and fixed on her mouth. Ba¡¯an blinked up at him. He raised one hand and wiped her bottom lip with his thumb. Ba¡¯an could feel the callus there drag across her skin. Flushing, she broke away and wiped her mouth on the back of her hand. Rabbit grease. How embarrassing. She probably had pieces stuck in her teeth. Wonderful. ¡°So,¡± she finished, ¡°I was going to let you die. I changed my mind.¡± She shrugged her shoulders, back at her spot by the fire. ¡°No rei-tat, no help.¡± ¡°Huh,¡± he said. ¡°That¡¯s cold. But somehow very you.¡± ¡°It is what it is. Outlanders kill each other everyday.¡± She gave him a pointed look. ¡°I cannot save you all. I do not want to.¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯re not wrong. We¡¯re a violent bunch. Lots of backstabbing, too. I can¡¯t fault you.¡± She finished the last of her rabbit, then used a twig to clean her teeth before lying down to sleep. She wanted a bath. There was sand everywhere. Lukios ate some of his rations and sat with his back to the well. ¡°I¡¯ll take first watch.¡± This was wise, because one never knew when someone or something would think they made good pickings. ¡°Very well. Wake me up when it is my turn.¡± ¡°Sleep well, Ba¡¯an.¡± ¡°Goodnight.¡±
¡°Why did you not wake me?¡± Ba¡¯an huffed at Lukios angrily as she stomped her way back through the Red Maze. ¡°Well¡­you were sleeping really soundly. Seemed a shame to wake you.¡± He cracked another yawn. ¡°But now you are sleepy! What if there are bandits? You will be stabbed many times!¡± ¡°There won¡¯t be any bandits in the Red Maze, Ba¡¯an. Nobody¡¯s that stupid. I can nap when we stop.¡± He yawned again. ¡°You said you would wake me!¡± ¡°No, I said ¡®Sleep well, Ba¡¯an.¡¯¡± ¡°So you did not plan to wake me at all! Liar!¡± ¡°Well, you were sleeping soundly. It really would have been a shame to wake you.¡± ¡°Argh!¡± He didn¡¯t look repentant at all. Lukios cracked out another yawn, looking far too relaxed for someone who hadn¡¯t slept all night. Surprisingly, they were making good time. Ba¡¯an was glad they were moving fast, and even gladder that the trip was boring and unexciting. Exciting usually meant bandits or rabid wildlife. No, thank you. Once they reached the camping spot in the canyon, Lukios lay down without a word and fell asleep. It was instant. Idiot. He had been right, though. The Red Maze had claimed more lives than most people could count, and even Dolkoi¡¯ri bandits were not that stupid. As for K¡¯Avaari, they had no reason to raid two travellers wandering by on foot. If anything, they would feel compelled to fish them out of a sand trap¡ªprovided they hadn¡¯t recognized her. Otherwise, they would pass by as silently as shadows, with nary a whisper to mark their passage. Lukios was snoring. It was not a loud snore¡ªjust a sort of light, occasional snuffling that would have normally been relieved by the right sort of pillow. He had not bothered putting anything on the ground for his head. Idiot. He would wake up with a terrible crick in his neck. The ground was very hard and unforgiving. Ba¡¯an inched over. His hair had grown out, and now it really did look like a lion¡¯s mane¡ªshaggy, and getting a little ragged. His lashes were unfairly long, and from this distance she could see the light freckles dusting over his nose and cheekbones beneath his tan. Normally, they were invisible. He shifted, and the snore intensified. Her waterskin was mostly full. Even so, when she pressed her fingers against the body of it, there was a pleasing amount of give. She tried sneaking it under his head. No luck. For one thing, his head was too heavy to shift. It figured¡ªa blockhead was a blockhead. She tried lifting his head with both hands so she could slide the skin underneath with her knees, but that didn¡¯t work, either¡ªshe only managed to lose her balance and flop onto her side so she was curled around his head. Lukios shifted, and Ba¡¯an froze. If he woke up now she would die of embarrassment. She would die. He didn¡¯t wake up. Slowly, she sat up. This was not worth it. It was not¡ª ¡°If you wanted to sleep with me,¡± he said, very, very sweetly, ¡°you should have just said so.¡± She jumped. The little stit-tat! Lukios¡¯ eyes were open, and he was looking up at her with a grin. He clearly thought he was being funny. ¡°I do not.¡± She gave a delicate, dignified sniff. ¡°You were snoring. It was very annoying.¡± ¡°Oh. Sorry.¡± His grin dropped. ¡°Did I keep you up?¡± ¡°Yes. Lift your head, Lukios. It is too heavy for me.¡± He obliged and she slid her waterskin under his neck and head. ¡°You must use a pillow, Lukios. You will injure your neck and spine if you do not.¡± ¡°Um, thanks. Hey, what are you going to use?¡± He reached over and grabbed his own skin. ¡°I guess you can use mine then?¡± Well, now that she thought about it, she had been rather silly. She could have just used his skin and saved hers for herself. What had she been thinking? Ba¡¯an stifled a sigh. ¡°I¡­yes, I will. Thank you.¡± She took it. Why not? She went back to her side of the shade and lay down. ¡°Sleep well, Ba¡¯an. I¡¯ll try not to snore.¡± ¡°Sleep, Lukios. You will be too tired if you do not.¡± He laughed softly. ¡°Whatever you say, Ba¡¯an.¡± As usual, he dropped off immediately. Ba¡¯an listened to his steady breathing. He did not snore again. The wind blew between the rocks, an eerie whistling hum that sounded nearly human. Ba¡¯an lay beneath the shade and listened. Eventually, she fell asleep. Interlude: Stories ¡°Ba¡¯an.¡± Ba¡¯an wrinkled her nose and swatted. She was sleeping. A warm hand caught hers, holding it lightly. ¡°Ba¡¯an. We have to get going now.¡± Abruptly, she sat up. Oh no. The sun was much lower in the sky than it should have been. Lukios had woken before her. He was looking at her now, crouched with his weight on the balls of his feet, the elbow of his free hand on his knee. His other hand was holding hers. His hand was very warm, his heat seeping into hers where they touched. His fingers, relaxed as they were, felt strong, and she could feel the calluses at the joints of his fingers. He had a swordsman¡¯s hand. Hastily, she snatched her hand back. She scowled at him, and he raised both hands in a gesture of surrender. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. We slept too long; it¡¯ll be dark soon.¡± He was right. Ba¡¯an knew with a glance that the moon would have passed its zenith by the time they arrived. She grabbed his waterskin and sprang to her feet. This was embarrassing. She, who had slept the entire night, had also overslept. She pressed a hand against her forehead. Was she feverish? Or had she simply gone insane? ¡°Ba¡¯an? You alright?¡± Lukios was walking beside her, much closer than he should have been. Ba¡¯an sidled away until she couldn¡¯t feel his heat against her side. His frown deepened. ¡°Walk faster,¡± she suggested, and set a brisk pace. Lukios, he-of-the-long-legs, kept up with no trouble at all; if anything, he was slowing down for her. After all, Ba¡¯an only came up to his chest. He could use her head as a chinrest if he stooped a bit. More than a bit. She was hungry. Ba¡¯an opened her belt pouch and brought out a handful of nuts. Thankfully, she was now a master at chewing and walking at the same time. It would have been inconvenient if she tripped and broke her neck. ¡°Ba¡¯an,¡± he said, but she ignored him. ¡°We can slow down. If it¡¯s too dark to take the cliff trail, we can camp under it.¡± That was true. But Ba¡¯an wasn¡¯t walking fast because she was worried about the cliff trail. She was walking fast because she felt like an idiot. ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Well, okay. What¡¯s wrong then?¡± Well¡­nothing. Nothing had happened, except that she had slept so deeply that she had needed to be roused. What was wrong with her? Ba¡¯an stopped walking abruptly. She stuck another handful of nuts into her mouth and chewed. ¡°Ba¡¯an?¡± ¡°Nothing is wrong,¡± she said, finally. ¡°That¡¯s obviously not true.¡± She scowled at him. ¡°Do not worry. We can walk slower.¡± ¡°Ba¡¯an.¡± The sun was still up, though it was low in the sky, so they both had their hoods up. ¡°I¡­you know you can talk to me, right? Just tell me if I¡¯ve upset you.¡± She shook her head. ¡°I am not upset.¡± ¡°That is also obviously not true.¡± ¡°I am not upset,¡± she insisted. ¡°I am¡­¡± ¡°You are¡­?¡± ¡°I¡­overslept.¡± ¡°Well, you were obviously tired. You don¡¯t have to be embarrassed over something like that, Ba¡¯an.¡± This was true, but she still felt uneasy and disturbed. She had become accustomed to him. And he¡­had easily understood she had felt embarrassed and disturbed, though she had not said the latter out loud. These were not welcome developments. Ba¡¯an rubbed her hand against her cloak. Her hand still felt warm where he had touched her. They walked on in silence. Eventually, the sky went red, then violet, then black. Lukios broke the quiet first, pointing to a set of stars twinkling almost directly above them. ¡°That one¡¯s called ¡®The Hunter¡¯. What do your people call it?¡± ¡°It is not one for K¡¯Avaari. It is two.¡± She raised her hand and traced the two half circles, always leaning but never touching. ¡°First is ¡®La¡¯vin. Second is ¡®Saa¡¯va¡¯. They are lovers.¡± ¡°Is there a story?¡± ¡°There is always a story.¡± ¡°¡­Is it a sad story?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He sighed. ¡°Of course it is. Aren¡¯t they always?¡± He continued walking with his eyes on the stars. ¡°Still, I¡¯d like to hear it.¡± Ba¡¯an¡¯s hand went to her throat, before she remembered that she had left Thu¡¯rin¡¯s necklace in her not-vuti. She could not change anything that was not a living body or the coat when she shifted, so it was safer at home. She would not risk losing it somewhere in the wilds. She realized abruptly that Lukios had stopped looking at the sky to look at her. She caught his eyes flick to her throat before settling on her face. He raised an eyebrow. ¡°Should I tell you about the hunter first?¡± ¡°Yes. Mine is not a very good story.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Lukios cleared his throat and took a sip from his waterskin before starting. When he spoke his voice was calm and mellow, like honey pouring from a jar. ¡°A long, long time ago, during the Age of Gods, was a young man named Actaeon. He was of a godly heritage and had fine looks and much wealth and had grown into manhood wanting for nothing. Men and women desired him the way bees did flowering trees, and he spent his leisure with them as he wished, refusing few but settling with none. "Now, Actaeon was a talented hunter, young and brash with a nose for trouble, and he often hunted alone with only his hounds for company¡­¡± It was a typical Dolkoi¡¯ri story. The young hunter came upon a bathing maiden, but she was in fact a goddess. Enraptured by her beauty, he had been helplessly ensnared; even knowing she was no mortal woman, he had stood rooted to the spot, transfixed by the sight of her in the moonlight. Enraged, she turned him into a stag and set his own hounds on him; they ripped him to pieces. A passing god, feeling pity, set his soul up into the sky as stars, and now he pointed the way away from the wrath of mercurial goddesses. It wasn¡¯t a very good story, but she liked the way Lukios told it; his voice was naturally low and husky, with a pleasant timbre. He also knew when to pause, when to speak, and how the words should fit to be pleasing to the ears¡ªnone of which were skills soldiers were ever taught, never mind used. Well, she had her secrets too. ¡°He should not have looked. It was very rude.¡± Lukios laughed. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve been told some things are worth dying for. Who knows? Maybe she really was worth it.¡± Ba¡¯an made a face. ¡°Men.¡± ¡°Yup.¡± Lukios sounded insufferably cheerful. ¡°We¡¯re idiots, the lot of us. And it¡¯s your turn now, by the way.¡± Ba¡¯an walked in silence for a moment or two, trying to think of how she ought to start the story. ¡°This is an old tale. It is after the time of Sa¡¯nuvan, but before the end of what your people call the Age of Magic. "Once there was a tribe that carved their vuti in the deep desert. Their witch was named Saa¡¯va, and she was a woman of great beauty and temper. Men desired her even as they feared her, and she used this well. One day, her tribe came into a dispute with another. The chief of that tribe was called La¡¯vin, and he was a great warrior.¡± ¡°Oh, I think I can see where this is going.¡± ¡°I am telling a story, Lukios.¡± ¡°Sorry, sorry. Keep going.¡± ¡°Saa¡¯va¡¯s tribe was small, and they had difficulty with water. The lake within their bir-vuti had dried up, and they were now searching for another spring. They found one, but it was within the territory of the other tribe. "Saa¡¯va and her chief went to bargain with La¡¯vin and their witch. When La¡¯vin set his eyes on her, he desired her greatly. He demanded her in exchange for the water, which was¡­such a thing is an insult. It is a forbidden thing to demand a witch from another tribe, especially as a woman. "But their tribe needed the water badly. Saa¡¯va and the chief could see there were only two options. They could begin a war, one they were likely to lose, or they could give in. Saa¡¯va was a proud woman, and it angered her greatly to be bartered away. But she could not allow the tribe to wither and die of thirst, either. "Though her temper was fierce, Saa¡¯va was a good witch. She did her duties well. In the end, one of the witches of La¡¯vin¡¯s tribe came to sit in Saa¡¯va¡¯s place, and Saa¡¯va left her tribe to enter La¡¯vin¡¯s as his woman. "He treated her well, showering her with gifts and favours. Saa¡¯va, however, never forgot she was a witch, though she no longer sat in a shi-vuti¡ª¡± ¡°Oh, what an idiot. That is not how you get a lady to like you. At all. Stupid all around.¡± ¡°Lukios.¡± ¡°What? It¡¯s true. You have to agree this La¡¯vin guy¡¯s an idiot. Kind of an asshole, too.¡± Ba¡¯an clicked her tongue at him. ¡°What would you have done in his place, Lukios?¡± ¡°Obvious, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°No. It is not. I would not have asked if it was.¡± ¡°Well, first of all, give them the damn water. It¡¯s just pathetic, pathetic, to tell an entire tribe to go die because a pretty girl won¡¯t fuck you. That¡¯s just¡ªit¡¯s total horse shit. You¡¯re no better than an animal, at that point. You have no business leading anyone if you can¡¯t control your dick.¡± ¡°Lukios!¡± ¡°What? Am I wrong? No? Didn¡¯t think so. Second¡ªwell, you tell me, Ba¡¯an. How much are you going to like a guy that tells you and your tribe to get cucked, compared to a guy who generously saves all your lives? You think maybe in that second scenario you might like him more?¡± Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡°I would be better disposed toward him, yes.¡± ¡°See? And I bet you he could have just charmed her into coming to him, if he hadn¡¯t been such a gods-damned prick. What he should have done was make a deal: Help from Saa¡¯va on tribal matters in exchange for the water. This way, everyone goes home happy, see? And La¡¯vin could have just seduced her while she was there doing whatever it was he¡¯d asked her to do. You don¡¯t go around terrorizing the girl you like. That never works out. Was he just really ugly or something?¡± ¡°I do not know, Lukios. This is an old story. It is said that he was very handsome, however.¡± ¡°Uh huh. Not buying it. Sounds like an ugly ghastr¨°des to me.¡± ¡°Ghastr¨°des?¡± ¡°A fat-ass. Probably couldn¡¯t charm a horny goat into his bed, never mind a woman.¡± ¡°¡­Lukios. That is disgusting.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just an expression, Ba¡¯an. Though¡ªcome to think of it, I did hear that it¡¯s a common pastime in places like Birduta to¡ª¡± ¡°I do not wish to know. Stop talking.¡± ¡°Oh, right. Story time.¡± ¡°Yes, Lukios. Story time. As I was saying¡ªSaa¡¯va was not the type of woman to forget an insult, and her tribe did not, either. Her tribe was not in a position to overtake La¡¯vin¡¯s, however, because his people were wealthy and strong. They had many hunters in their ranks, and far too many witches. "Saa¡¯va, however, was patient. She allowed La¡¯vin to court her, and eventually lay with him, making him believe his love was returned. He fathered three children on her¡ª¡± ¡°Oh, what. I thought K¡¯Avaari witches were a bit more¡­stabby than that?¡± ¡°¡­¡¯Stabby¡¯? Lukios, what strange tales have your people been telling?¡± ¡°Uh¡­they¡¯re not really tales. Witches are pretty spooky. Bad tempers too.¡± He looked at her pointedly and snickered. ¡°I am not a witch,¡± she snapped, hackles instantly rising. It was twice now that he had implied or stated that she was a witch. This was dangerous. Very, very dangerous. And she wasn¡¯t lying¡ªthis was true. The word ¡°witch¡± was one of rank. It did not mean a K¡¯Avaari woman with magic. This was a fundamental misunderstanding many Dolkoi¡¯ri appeared to have, and normally, Ba¡¯an did not care, but Lukios¡ª It would be dangerous to allow the misunderstanding to continue. ¡°A witch is one who is honoured inside a shi-vuti, Lukios. I sit alone in a cave.¡± He gave a low whistle. ¡°Now you¡¯re calling it a cave? I thought it was a nur-vuti?¡± ¡°Are you doing this on purpose?¡± He was. She was certain he was riling her because he was bored. He held up his hands in a gesture of surrender. ¡°Okay, okay. You¡¯re not a witch, though you are awfully witchy. It¡¯s cute.¡± ¡°I¡ªwhat?¡± Insane. He was insane. ¡°Oh, there we go. There¡¯s the nose wrinkle.¡± He was grinning again. ¡°You are ridiculous, and if you continue interrupting me, I will not tell you the rest of the story.¡± ¡°My lips are sealed. Sealed!¡± Ba¡¯an made a pointed noise of exasperation before continuing. ¡°As I was saying, La¡¯vin took her to wife and fathered three children on her. She was praised by his people for her beauty and wisdom and feared for her temper. La¡¯vin¡¯s favor never wavered, and he gave her many gifts¡ªprecious jewels, furs, the best of everything¡ªbut most of all, he gave her tender words¡ª¡± Lukios snorted. Ba¡¯an glared and he gave her an innocent look, gesturing to his closed mouth. ¡°¡ªand nightly, his passion¡ª¡± Lukios looked deeply unimpressed. He mouthed something in Dolkoi¡¯ri, though Ba¡¯an did not recognize the word. ¡°¡ªand the storyteller became very annoyed and pushed her unruly listener off the cliff path. The end.¡± ¡°What? Aw, Ba¡¯an! But I didn¡¯t say anything!¡± She gave a delicate sniff of disdain and turned her head away, walking ahead of him at a faster clip. He kept up with her easily, which annoyed her. ¡°Aw, come on, Ba¡¯an. I¡¯ll look really impressed from now on, I promise. Really, really. I will. I won¡¯t roll my eyes and think La¡¯vin¡¯s an idiotic asshole at all.¡± Ba¡¯an secretly agreed with this assessment. The tale of Saa¡¯va and La¡¯vin was an old one, and Ba¡¯an knew such a thing would never happen now. The other witches of the A¡¯tat would raise their voices in fury, for one transgression could lead to another, and another, like water dripping into a crack in the stone. The shi-vuti of his own tribe would have¡­dissuaded him. And if that had failed, he would have been replaced very promptly with his successor. But this tale had taken place after the A¡¯tat had shattered but before it had reformed; that was why they had needed the water so badly. Now the A¡¯tat came together during times of hardship, for the People were one body, if not one mind. ¡°It is an old story, Lukios. Such a thing would not happen now. La¡¯vin would be condemned by the A¡¯tat.¡± ¡°Ha! I knew it. What an asshole.¡± ¡°Lukios, your people take bedslaves.¡± ¡°Yeah, I know. No one actually thinks being a bedslave is a good thing¡ªno man¡ªwell, no honourable one¡ªwould stand to have his wife or daughters become a bedslave, not while he was breathing. And Ba¡¯an, by the sound of things Saa¡¯va wasn¡¯t too happy with being traded off and bedded, either.¡± His voice went hard and Ba¡¯an looked at him in surprise. ¡°¡­Are you certain you are Dolkoi¡¯ri, Lukios?¡± ¡°What? I¡ªwell, last time I checked. I am a full citizen, Ba¡¯an, though I guess I was born in Eir.¡± He gave her a knowing look. ¡°Herme¨ª¨¥s¡¯ balls, you really do think we¡¯re all slaving rapist lunatics, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I have seen the brothels in Kyros, Lukios.¡± He winced. ¡°¡­Right. I guess I can¡¯t really argue with you there. But it¡¯s¡ªwell, look. It¡¯s true we filthy outlanders do all sorts of despicable things to everyone, but that doesn¡¯t mean we all do them or that we all agree those things should be legal. It¡¯s just¡ªthe empire¡¯s huge, Ba¡¯an. We have a lot of different ideas floating around. I think you might be surprised.¡± ¡°Your people marry off your daughters for alliances as well, do you not?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°So why is La¡¯vin an ¡®idiotic asshole¡¯ if he is only doing the same thing most men would do, K¡¯Avaari or Dolkoi¡¯ri?¡± Losing one¡¯s good sense and judgement over a beautiful woman appeared to be a universal male behaviour. Ba¡¯an did not think Dolkoi¡¯ri men were any different. ¡°Well, it¡¯s the way he¡¯s going about it, isn¡¯t it? It¡¯s¡ªlook. Marrying for alliances is a whole different thing. Everyone cheats on everyone else in those, so they all look the other way, because the alliance is the point. If you want a woman to love you, well¡ªthat¡¯s a different game entirely.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°Yeah. You have to¡ªyou can¡¯t just buy her and expect her to be happy about it, pretty presents or no. It¡¯s common sense! This La¡¯vin guy isn¡¯t doing the alliance thing right, but he¡¯s not doing the love thing right, either. He¡¯s just a¡­a¡­fuck-up.¡± Lukios¡¯ expression could only be described as ¡®contemptuous.¡¯ Hm. ¡°Very well, Lukios. Tell me.¡± Ba¡¯an was certain Lukios was not a proper Dolkoi¡¯ri man. Ba¡¯an knew the Dolkoi¡¯ri traded women like they did horses, and their men had more than one woman. The rich ones kept them in their homes, and the poor ones went to brothels¡ªand there were many brothels. In Kyros, there was a brothel at the corner of every street. There were even brothels around temples and markets, though they were not marked as such. ¡°The courting is supposed to come first, and the purchasing never. I mean¡ªif you have to buy yourself a wife, I¡¯m not sure I¡¯d get along with you, is all I¡¯m saying. That¡¯s a real special sort of man, right there. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯d fall in love with a man who bought you, Ba¡¯an, if he tossed some pretty trinkets your way?¡± ¡°I would not.¡± Ba¡¯an was certain she would have simply killed La¡¯vin the first night she had gone to his tribe and been done with the entire mess. She did not doubt his own shi-vuti would have helped her and sent her home with a blessing. ¡°See? Turns out, K¡¯Avaari women and outlander women aren¡¯t so different after all.¡± She looked at him curiously. ¡°You sound very sure of yourself, Lukios. But you are a man.¡± ¡°Yeah? So? It¡¯s common sense, Ba¡¯an. I can¡¯t say I¡¯ve ever met a woman who was thrilled by the prospect of being sold. Usually it¡¯s the opposite.¡± ¡°¡­You have known women who were sold?¡± ¡°Well, yeah. Lots of slaves are Illosian, Ba¡¯an. The poor folk, usually. They get into debt and things, and selling themselves is the only way out, sometimes. But with the women it¡¯s usually¡ªwell, the husband sells her, or her father does. None of them like it. Not a single one.¡± ¡°The husband sells his wife? Or his daughter? That is¡ªLukios, that is madness.¡± She frowned. ¡°You said no honourable man would sell his wife or daughter.¡± ¡°Right, no honourable man. There¡¯s plenty of dishonourable bottom-suckers, around, though. You can find one under every rock. It is what it is. My point is, no one likes being sold and bought.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Damn, let me guess the ending. Saa¡¯va kills La¡¯vin, but she regrets it because she fell in love with him in the years together, so she kills herself.¡± ¡°¡­Yes. Their tribes come into conflict with each other and she¡­poisons him. Then she drinks it herself.¡± ¡°Called it.¡± He made a face. ¡°You sure this really happened?¡± ¡°I do not know. It is a very old story, Lukios. It is part of the¡ªthere is a collection of old poems that are sung as a part of our histories. This is part of the collection.¡± ¡°Okay. So how¡¯d they end up as stars?¡± ¡°It is the natural course of things. The stars are the souls of the dead, watching over us in the night as they await their turn on the Wheel. And Saa¡¯va was a witch, Lukios. A powerful one. She does not wish to return to the Wheel without reconciling with La¡¯vin, but he¡ªhe is untouchable. He appears first with the moon and disappears first with the sun. Saa¡¯va appears behind him, chasing him.¡± ¡°The Wheel?¡± ¡°Yes. It is¡ªHm. It is not a place, it is only¡­well, all things end, but all things return. You may die, Lukios, but your soul will return as someone or something else.¡± ¡°Huh.¡± Lukios looked thoughtful, then said, ¡°The most confusing part of all this is the part where she actually falls in love with him. How could that even happen? The guy was a total bastard.¡± She sighed. ¡°The tale is told to children to teach them lessons, Lukios. It does not need to make sense. The point is that La¡¯vin was a man who shirked his duty for passion but Saa¡¯va did not. That is why the A¡¯tat is the way it is now, you see? Nothing good comes from es¡¯tati and doing one¡¯s duty is the only clear path forward, no matter the cost.¡± It was true. A witch¡¯s life was not her own, and La¡¯vin should have known it. It had only been the foolish dream of a besotted man. ¡°Es¡¯tati? Say what?¡± ¡°A forbidden thing. No, when you do a forbidden thing. A forbidden thing is es¡¯tat. If Saa¡¯va had been like La¡¯vin, her own tribe would have come to ruin. Instead she opened the gates and they took what La¡¯vin had hoarded and distributed it. They remade the A¡¯tat. That is the lesson.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the most K¡¯Avaari thing I¡¯ve heard all night.¡± ¡°The night has only started, Lukios.¡± ¡°Yup. And I bet you¡¯re going to say even more K¡¯Avaari things before it ends.¡± Well, there was nothing she could say to that so she only rolled her eyes and continued walking. Lukios broke first. ¡°What about you? Would you have loved a man like that?¡± ¡°No. I would have killed La¡¯vin the first night I arrived.¡± Lukios burst out laughing. ¡°That¡¯s what I thought. You don¡¯t take any guff at all, do you?¡± ¡°I do not know what ¡®guff¡¯ is, but I dislike arrogant men and their nonsense.¡± She gave Lukios a pointed look. ¡°Most especially their nonsense.¡± ¡°Good thing I¡¯m modest and completely devoid of any nonsense.¡± He gave her a winsome grin that showed off his dimples. It was very charming, and Ba¡¯an felt instantly annoyed by how her stomach seemed to flutter. Ridiculous. This was ridiculous. She was ridiculous. ¡°Yes, you are very modest and full of good sense. You are so modest that you never brag and you are so full of good sense that you never annoy me. I could not possibly be thinking of pushing you off the cliff path.¡± ¡°Great! I¡¯m glad you agree!¡± He sidled close to her without warning and she stumbled. He reached out and steadied her without missing a beat. This annoyed her even more, because she was now flustered. How could she be flustered by this madman? It was ludicrous. He dipped his head so that he could whisper into her ear, though they were still walking through the desert. There was no one around to hear them, so why whisper? ¡°Know what else I am?¡± His voice was low, his breath warm as it ruffled the hair against her temples. Ba¡¯an suppressed a shiver, putting her hand over his mouth and shoving him away. It was like shoving at a rock wall, but he made a dramatic noise and pinwheeled away as though she really had managed to throw him. Ridiculous. He was ridiculous. ¡°An utter madman?¡± He began to laugh¡ªagain. ¡°Oh what? How am I the crazy one? You¡¯re the one who wanted to poke a nest full of horned desert wasps! How are you even defining ¡®mad¡¯ here? Is this another one of your special Ba¡¯an definitions?¡± What? ¡°I do not have special definitions for words, Lukios. It is because you do not know the proper meanings.¡± His amused laugh became a full-out guffaw. ¡°I don¡¯t know the¡ªthe¡ªhahaha¡ª!¡± He was laughing so hard that he doubled over with the force of it. Ba¡¯an rolled her eyes and walked briskly forward. There was no speaking sense into him when he was like this, and his laughter would soon drive her mad. ¡°Aw, Ba¡¯an, don¡¯t be mad! I¡¯m just¡ªI¡¯m just teasing you. You¡¯re just too cute when you get all tied up in knots.¡± She ignored him. Unfortunately, Lukios had a very long stride and he had no trouble catching up or keeping pace. ¡°It¡¯s all a part of your charm, Ba¡¯an. Really. I¡¯m not making fun of you¡ªokay, maybe a little, but it¡¯s friendly. I swear.¡± She gave him a very unimpressed look, visible even in the dim light of the moon. ¡°You are ridiculous. I do not know why you find everything so funny.¡± Only fools and madmen laughed at everything. He grinned. ¡°Well, the world is a crazy place, Ba¡¯an. You¡¯ve got to learn how to laugh at it or you really will go barking mad. You know?¡± ¡°No. I do not know.¡± He shook his head. ¡°I guess that¡¯s a good thing? Ha.¡± He smiled at her again, and this time it was not his charming grin. It was his sweet smile, the one that had no pretense or artifice in it. Ba¡¯an looked away, suddenly aware of her own heartbeat. He looked so boyishly innocent when he smiled that way. It was very¡ª No. He was leaving soon and they would both forget each other shortly. ¡°Hey.¡± His voice had gone very serious and sober. Ba¡¯an glanced at him, mildly surprised by the sudden change in his mood. His eyes were on her and for a moment his gaze was so intense that her breath caught in her throat. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Really. You¡¯ve been a bit¡ªyou¡¯ve been a bit out of sorts for a while now, Ba¡¯an.¡± ¡°I am not ¡®out of sorts¡¯, Lukios.¡± ¡°Uh huh. Sell that to someone who¡¯s buying. Really. Did I upset you somehow? Or¡­?¡± She shook her head. ¡°You have upset me no more than usual, Lukios.¡± ¡°¡¯No more than usual¡¯? Oh, come on. I don¡¯t upset you at all.¡± Ba¡¯an sniffed haughtily and looked away. ¡°Nuh-uh. I do not. I know I do not. Oh, come on, Ba¡¯an.¡± He reached out had caught her hand in his, tugging her closer. ¡°Lukios.¡± ¡°Ba¡¯aaaaan.¡± ¡°You see? This is very childish.¡± ¡°But you might fall in the dark. I¡¯m being considerate.¡± Ba¡¯an deepened her voice, snippily imitating him. ¡°¡¯Sell that to someone who is buying.¡¯¡± ¡°Oh, your tongue is so sharp.¡± He was grinning again. ¡°I love it.¡± He loved it. Strange. Such a strange choice of words, again. It made something in her chest tighten. Lukios tangled his fingers with hers and ran his thumb over the back of her hand. The sensation was more pleasant than it should have been. She shook his hand off. She could feel his eyes on her face as he spoke, though she did not turn to look at him. ¡°Ba¡¯an?¡± ¡°Enough, Lukios. We must rest, and then I will take you to Kyros.¡± And that would be that. They were nearing the akaikai grove. In the dark the trees were only black shadows reaching their spindly fingers toward the moon. Lukios continued talking as though she had not ended the conversation. ¡°Right, about that. I¡¯ve been meaning to say, Ba¡¯an, why don¡¯t you¡ª" Suddenly, one of the shadows shifted. Lukios moved before she did. He thrust her behind him and drew his sword, so quick that she didn¡¯t even see it. The shape moved forward and coalesced into a familiar form and face. There was no mistaking the curved nose, the high cheekbones under bright eyes glittering with pride, full of self-sure confidence. ¡°¡­Vaa¡¯ti?¡± Chapter Nine: Familiar Faces "Ba''an salu-Ba''an." Vaa''ti''s familiar face was cool and composed, even when confronted with Lukios'' steel. She said the Ba''an in place of her name-chain with emphasis, as though to remind Ba''an of her position. Ba''an felt Lukios tense. He did not understand the significance of the words, but he had picked up on her tone. It had riled him. Vaa''ti did not seem particularly worried Lukios would attack her. If anything, she seemed contemptuous, the way one would feel about a particularly yappy lap dog, like the ones fancy Dolkoi''ri women kept. She ignored him and addressed Ba''an again in K''Avaari. A Dolkoi''ri man was of no importance to Vaa''ti at all¡ªlike a gnat on the wall. "An outlander?" Her jaw tightened. "You replaced my brother with that?" "He is my guest and you will use your manners. Leave if you cannot." Ba''an''s voice cracked out like a whip, though Vaa''ti only sneered. How could Vaa''ti speak like this when Lukios was standing right there? "Vaa''ti! Stop! We did not come here to pick a fight." "...Salu''ka?" Ba''an felt her throat constrict as she swallowed. Both of them? Why? Why would they both leave the shi-vuti to see her now? ...Had something terrible happened to Vala-Tu''rin Tribe? "Ba''an!" Salu''ka''s face was much friendlier than Vaa''ti''s. She broke out into a bright smile, though Ba''an noticed her face seemed strangely bloated. Even in the moonlight her complexion was pale and blotchy. A large shadow moved with her. "Ku''rin." "Ba''an." Ku''rin held Salu''ka''s elbow as they walked forward to greet her. It didn''t take long for the reason to be obvious. Her belly was huge. Salu''ka smiled at Lukios and tilted her head in acknowledgement. "I am Val-Tur''in na Nur-Yai''na salu-Salu''ka." "I am Val-Tur''in na Mir-Aya''ka salu-Ku''rin." Salu''ka''s Dolkoi''ri had never been good, but even she could introduce herself. Ku''rin was the same. Lukios seemed somewhat taken aback by the civil greeting, which was embarrassing. Vaa''ti had been so rude. "I am Lukios of House Helios, Synoros Estate." Ba''an did not know enough about Dolkoi''ri to understand what his name meant. She doubted any of her ex-tribesmen did either, though...House Helios. House Helios. Hm. Something about it tickled the back of her mind, but when she reached out to grasp it, it slipped away like a dream. Ba''an turned her attention to her apprentice¡ªex-apprentice¡ªwho was now speaking in K''Avaari. The sound of it spoken by her own people was like music, a song Ba''an had not heard in the many years of her exile, and she swallowed the sudden lump in her throat before she continued. "Salu''ka. Ku''rin. Congratula¡ª" Ba''an broke off abruptly as she felt something in Salu''ka''s belly twist. Ah. Now it made sense. Ba''an looked at Salu''ka''s swollen face, her bloated belly. "Ba''an?" Lukios didn''t take his eyes from the cluster of three in front of him but he did turn his head, just a little. She brushed past him and pressed her hands against Salu''ka''s belly. Yes, she had been right. Salu''ka pressed her face against Ba''an''s shoulder. "Ba''an," she said, "Help me."
Ku''rin refused to let Salu''ka sit outside, so in the end he carried Salu''ka up the narrow, winding footpath up the cliff face, then down into Ba''an''s little valley. Vaa''ti followed, with Lukios last. If it bothered Vaa''ti that some Dolkoi''ri man was following her with a sword in his hand, she did not show it. Lukios, for his part, wore a cool, closed expression Ba''an had never seen on him before. She wondered if that was the face enemy soldiers saw before they met the business end of his blade. Ba''an would not ever choose to tangle with Lukios face to face. If she ever had to face him, she would choose to do so from a distance. With magic. Then again, he was clearly fantastic with a sling. Perhaps facing him from afar would not help much if he truly meant it. They arrived shortly, and everything was awful. Vaa''ti sneered as soon as she crossed the threshold into Ba''an''s not-vuti. It was obvious what she thought¡ªthis was a hovel. Well, fine. But it was Ba''an''s hovel, and it wasn''t as though she had invited Vaa''ti in¡ªshe had invited Salu''ka and Ku''rin. "If you don''t like it," Ba''an told her snidely, "You can sleep outside." "I''m only here to make sure you don''t harm Salu''ka. I''m leaving right after." "Stop! Vaa''ti, thank you for caring. But Ba''an wouldn''t¡ª" "She would." A warm hand pressed against her arm. "Ba''an. Want me to kick her out?" Lukios leaned in to whisper into her ear. He was so close that his lips brushed her skin as he spoke. "Just say the word." The conversation was continuing without them. "That''s enough, Vaa''ti. You''re upsetting Salu''ka. At this rate you''ll do more harm than Ba''an ever could." Ahh, Ku''rin the Reliable. Ba''an was glad he was here. "I am Maho-ska Vaa''ti now, Hunter. You would do well to remember this." "As you say, Maho-ska. It is unwise to upset a pregnant woman, particularly one who is already ill. Of course you already know this...Maho-ska. I am only concerned for Maho-ska Salu''ka''s wellbeing¡ªas we all are." His tone was perfectly polite, but the rebuke was unmistakable. Vaa''ti''s eyebrows drew downward, but she kept her peace. It would be better if he handled it when Vaa''ti inevitably flew off the handle, rather than Lukios. Ba''an did not think Vaa''ti would survive Lukios. For all his humour and good temper, he was a dangerous man; he had survived much, as his scars could attest. He was a hardened killer, like all Dolkoi''ri soldiers. Vaa''ti, on the other hand, had been too young to take the field during the Dolkoi''ri-anta. She had seen death, but never battle. A girl like Vaa''ti would never best a man like Lukios, witch or no. And Vaa''ti was Thu''rin''s sister. Ba''an would not allow her to come to any harm, no matter how poorly she behaved. She put her hand over Lukios'' and gave it a brief squeeze along with a small, quick shake of her head. "Enough. That''s enough." Ba''an raised her voice to cut through the chatter. "Vaa''ti, if you''re that worried you can sit over there, but stay out of the way. Ku''rin, can you help Salu''ka to the bed? I need to know what''s wrong. What are the symptoms?" Ba''an had a good guess, but it was always better to ask. "Well, the swelling. You can see it. And...it''s hard to see. My head hurts." She put her hand under her heart. "It burns here." Well, such things were common during pregnancy¡ªevery witch knew this, and Salu''ka was a witch, too. Surely she had not come all the way here for something so mundane? Salu''ka raised her eyes to meet Ba''an''s. She already knew what was wrong with her. That was why she had come. Salu''ka''s eyes flickered to the audience in the room and Ba''an knew they would have to speak alone. "Everyone, out." Vaa''ti and Ku''rin said it at the same time. "No." Lukios glanced at Ba''an, and the question was clear: Should I toss them out? She shook her head. "Vaa''ti, Ku''rin. Please. I need to speak with Ba''an. Alone." "But that''s..." Vaa''ti looked taken aback by the request, as though she could not fathom why Salu''ka would want to be alone with Ba''an. "She''s my patient now. You know what that means. You brought her here, now take responsibility and do as I say. Get out." Vaa''ti looked like she was going to protest again, but Ku''rin, looking grim, gripped her by the arm and dragged her outside. Ba''an could hear Vaa''ti swearing at him as he hauled her from the doorway to the edge of the courtyard. Ba''an gave Lukios a look. "You as well, Lukios." He lifted an eyebrow but obeyed. Lukios ambled outside with his sword, and Ba''an could practically feel the tension in the courtyard rachet upward. Wonderful. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Ba''an turned back to Salu''ka. "You already know what''s wrong with your baby." She looked down. "Yes." "It''s not natural." "No." Salu''ka pressed her hands against her belly as though she was afraid someone was going to come and tear the child out of her. "Last season there was a sickness that ran through the goat-herd. We tried everything, but they couldn''t be saved. So in the end I..." Oh no. Ba''an had a sudden, sickening moment of insight. "You made a deal with the spirit out in the basin." Ba''an did not mince her words. This was very bad. Ba''an had never made any deals with the thing that dwelt there. It was as malicious and greedy as it was powerful, and even small children knew not to go there, not to go anywhere near the basin or take anything from it. Salu''ka nodded. "I didn''t know I was pregnant. Ku''rin and I have been together so long, but we never...I thought it was impossible. Ba''an, this baby is a miracle. We can''t lose this child." She reached out and grabbed Ba''an''s hands. "Everything has a price, I know. Ba''an, you can use my life and save our child. I know you can do it. You can work miracles. Please. Please." Ba''an slipped her hands out of Salu''ka''s grasp so she could press her fingers over the headache that was rapidly developing between her temples. "Salu''ka. Do you want Ku''rin to murder me?" "He wouldn''t. He wants this baby as badly as I do." Ba''an lifted a single eyebrow. "You know he would never agree. Lying doesn''t suit you, stop it." "He doesn''t have to know. I''ll just tell him there was nothing you could do." "And Vaa''ti will just keep her mouth shut? You think she won''t notice? She''s a witch too." Salu''ka gave her a flat stare, which was very unlike her. "We both know Vaa''ti can barely read oracle bones." Well, it was true. But Ba''an was truly surprised Salu''ka¡ªkind, gentle Salu''ka¡ªwould ever say it out loud. Salu''ka wasn''t finished. "We''re not very good witches, Ba''an. We should still be apprenticed to you." This was also true. Neither of them had finished their training when Ba''an had been banished. She continued in a low, trembling voice. "When the herd sickened, I didn''t know what to do. I wanted to come to you, but I was too afraid of breaking the rules." Her eyes glistened, even in the dim light. "I am not brave, Ba''an. We''re not like you. So I went spirit-walking and tried bargaining with every spirit that would talk to me. There weren''t many. I finally found the one in the basin, and it...promised to save the herd if I gave it a life in return. I thought it was talking about a strifa, but it was our baby. I didn''t know. I didn''t know!" Salu''ka clutched her belly and closed her eyes. A tear trickled down her cheek, then another, and another, and another, until she was finally weeping. Ba''an pressed her palm over her eyes. This was a disaster. Ba''an could feel the geas, pulling Salu''ka toward the basin. She could not tell what the purpose of this was¡ªWhy have her go there in person? Why not simply take the baby''s soul while it was in her belly?¡ªbut it was the resistance that was deadly. If Salu''ka fulfilled her bargain, she would live. Ba''an was certain the baby would die¡ªconsumed, either in body or soul or perhaps both¡ªbut Salu''ka would live. "Salu''ka." She was crying silently still, staring up into Ba''an''s face. For a moment Ba''an saw a much younger Salu''ka, sobbing as she cut the throat of a goat lying on the altar with shaking hands. "You are young. It''s true. But you are a witch." Salu''ka''s hands trembled. She hunched over her belly, as though to protect her child from the words that were coming. "You know what you must do. You sit in the shi-vuti. Your child is not yours." Salu''ka shuddered and shut her eyes. "Ba''an. Please. I cannot give up our baby. Let me pay the price instead." Why not? I gave up my name. I gave up Thu''rin. I gave up my soul. Ba''an bit her lip to keep the words from spilling out. Salu''ka had never been suited for the position in the first place. Ba''an had known that for a long, long time. The only way to break a contract was to fulfill it a different way. She could perhaps trick the spirit into taking Salu''ka instead, but not only would that kill Salu''ka, the timing would have to be perfect if she wanted a chance at saving the baby. On top of it all, the malevolent thing in the basin would likely retaliate. The tribe would pay. Hm. There was one other way. Ba''an could try killing the spirit instead. It would be...difficult. There would be consequences. Other spirits would not bargain with a murderer and oath-breaker. But Ba''an was no longer a witch. What would it matter? She had no reason to seek out or maintain contracts, and most spirits avoided her already anyway. Her nur-vuti was bare of spirits, a lifeless hunk of rock in the sand. Before Lukios, the only souls here had been that of animals and her coat of feathers. "Neither of you have to die." Salu''ka''s head jerked up as she stared at Ba''an with an expression of shock. "You can...? Is it possible? Truly?" Hope brought a flush to Salu''ka''s waxen face. Ba''an looked at her and felt...old. Terribly, terribly old, as though her bones would creak if she moved. Had Ul''ma ever felt this way? Surely she had. Ba''an had always tried to be good witch, a good successor¡ªbut trying was not being. "It''s possible. But Salu''ka, there is a price." "Anything. Anything." "You must leave the shi-vuti." Salu''ka blinked in surprise. "Only that?" "Yes. Step down. Live as a normal woman." Ba''an would handle the rest. "Yes. Gladly. Oh Ba''an, thank you. This is no price, it is a blessing. Ku''rin and I can get married. We can raise our child together!" She suddenly flung herself at Ba''an and wept into her shoulder. Oh of all the... Awkwardly, Ba''an patted her back. "There is one more thing. Stop crying on me." Salu''ka let out a wet, shaky laugh and obeyed. "You haven''t changed at all." That wasn''t true. Ba''an had changed a great deal, but she felt too tired to correct her. Ba''an looked at her former apprentice. A wellspring of feeling pressed up against her heart: Sadness. Disappointment. Gentle affection. The years in the shi-vuti had been cruel to Salu''ka, she could see it. "Salu''ka?" Ku''rin was in the doorway. He met Ba''an''s eyes and dipped his head in respect. "I am sorry, but we must leave soon. My kinsmen are on watch tonight, but only until dawn. After that it will be impossible to return without being detected." Ba''an nodded. "Yes. Well, Salu''ka needs complete bedrest. Don''t let her do anything except go to the privy outside of bed. Bring her all her meals, at least until the baby is born." He nodded obediently. Ku''rin had always been a good boy, and he had grown into a good man, too. Salu''ka would be well-cared for. She would be well, provided Ba''an succeeded in her own task. "As for my price, she has agreed to leave the shi-vuti." Ku''rin froze. He stared at Ba''an, then at Salu''ka. "She...did?" "I did. It''s not a price, Ku''rin, it''s a blessing." "Is it possible?" Ba''an rolled her shoulders, letting her tired joints pop. "Of course. Bring me your token once your child is born. I will show you how to break your oath. I will warn you: life will become harder once you dishonour your vows. You will likely be stripped of your magic. But it is better than the alternative." A slow smile spread over Ku''rin''s face. "We can get married. I will take care for her and our child." That was exactly what Ba''an was expecting. "Good. Now get out, I''m tired."
There was one more thing Ba''an had to do before they left. Ku''rin had carried Salu''ka back down into the grove of trees, but Ba''an stopped Vaa''ti before she could follow them. "Vaa''ti. What did you do when the goat herd sickened?" Vaa''ti''s eyes narrowed. "That is no business of yours, salu-Ba''an. It''s not for outsiders to know." Ba''an pinned her with the same expression she''d used whenever Vaa''ti had done something she knew she shouldn''t have. It had been five years, but Vaa''ti still quailed, just a little. "Salu''ka is ill because she tried to fix the herd. Did you not know this?" Ba''an could tell by her surprised expression that she had not. "Why was Salu''ka so desperate, Vaa''ti? The two of you should have worked together. What were you doing?" The expression on Vaa''ti''s face twisted. Guilt. "I tried my best. I went spirit-walking too, but I couldn''t find one that would help us." Really? "Our tribe has a long-standing contract with Bri-ba Valu''ti. Why did you not seek her out?" Vaa''ti drew herself up. "I know that. That''s where I went first. The price was too high. I couldn''t afford to renew the bargain." "Really. What did she ask of you, Vaa''ti, that was so terrible?" She went silent, face flushing. "She wanted my...fertility. I would have been barren. Forever. That''s too high!" Ba''an had already known. Salu''ka had been pregnant; that was likely why Bri-ba Valu''ti had simply ignored her. Vaa''ti, on the other hand, should have been given an offer. "You didn''t bargain at all, did you?" "I tried!" "Well, you should have paid it." "You''re disgusting." "Am I?" Ba''an strode forward. "What does it mean, shi-vuti? Tell me, Vaa''ti. What does it mean?" Vaa''ti stiffened. "I know what it means. You''re not my master anymore." "What does it mean, Vaa''ti." "I...it means ''the weaving home.''" "Yes. What does that mean, Vaa''ti? What are you weaving? Why does the chief bother consulting you, Vaa''ti? Do you think perhaps he gets bored? What of the hunters? Perhaps they too, simply get bored from time to time?" Ba''an took another step and Vaa''ti stepped back. Humiliation flashed in her eyes as she realized she''d given ground and her chin went up in defiance. "Because we are fate-weavers." "And what does that mean?" "Did you keep me here to ask asinine questions all night?" Ba''an''s expression didn''t change, didn''t flicker. Vaa''ti never saw the slap coming. She cried out, falling to the side, just barely catching herself with her walking stick. Ba''an raised her hand again and Vaa''ti stumbled backwards, cradling her rapidly reddening cheek. "How dare y¡ª" "It means, Vaa''ti, that a witch''s life is not hers. It belongs to the People. Did you think it was free? The power? The prestige? Everything has a price. Your seat in the shi-vuti wasn''t free. It means if a spirit wants your fertility to spawn baby spirits in exchange for a healthy herd of goats, you do it. It means if your man gets you pregnant, your baby isn''t yours. It means¡ª" Ba''an thought of Thu''rin''s waxy face, his throat gaping open and bleeding on the altar. "¡ªyou do whatever you have to do to keep weaving." Vaa''ti read the thought on Ba''an''s face and her expression twisted. "Is that what you tell yourself? Is that your excuse? Is that what¡ªyou¡ªyou¡ªyou!" The girl sprang at Ba''an with a scream, enraged. "Monster! Abomination! How dare you pretend¡ª!" Vaa''ti''s body jerked backwards and she cried out as her arm was twisted painfully behind her back. "That''s enough." Lukios'' grip was unshakeable. "Leave. Now." Vaa''ti''s expression shifted from shock to open scorn as she burst out laughing. "Outlander dog," she said in Dolkoi''ri, "Do you know what she is?" He responded coolly in K''Avaari. "You can walk or you can fly in pieces. Decide." That stunned her into silence. It didn''t last long. "I''m going." He released her, and she sneered at him as she straightened her cloak. When Vaa''ti reached the top of the cliff trail she turned. "Ask her, dog. Ask her what she did to the last one. Ask her what she''ll do to you." Vaa''ti spat on the ground, wasting her water. She turned and left. Ba''an stared at her retreating figure until it disappeared under the lip of the incline. "Your K''Avaari has improved much." She could feel Lukios'' incredulous stare, but she refused to look at him. "We should work on your accent next." "Ba''an." He stepped forward as though he was going to hold her. She turned around and walked away, back into her not-vuti. "I am going to go to bed. I am tired." He didn''t follow her right away, but that was good. She was still wearing her coat of feathers underneath her travel cloak. It was not something he ought to see. She took her things and went into the cave to change. Abomination. Ba''an slid her fingers through the feathers of her coat. Latent magic tingled against her skin, and she could hear the faint voice of the god she''d trapped singing, like rain falling against the sand. Hungry, the soul sang, hungry, hungry, hungry¡ª Yes. Hungry. The godsoul was always hungry... ...and so was Ba''an. Abruptly, Ba''an tore the coat from herself and flung it as far away as she could. It did not matter. Ba''an could always hear Enha-naus-hasa-en and feel its teeth, whether she wore its skin or not. Shuddering, she dipped herself into the little pool, scrubbing until her skin tingled. Dressing quickly, she fastened Thu''rin''s necklace around her neck. She was glad she had not been wearing it when Vaa''ti had been here. That would not have ended so peacefully. After all, Ba''an had stolen it.
Lukios had the cauldron bubbling when she returned. "Hungry?" She was. "No." He raised an eyebrow. "Really? It''s almost dawn. You''ve only had a handful of nuts." It was true. She was being childish. If she wanted to confront the spirit in the basin ¨C which she had to do soon, else she''d risk Salu''ka dying while waiting¡ªshe would have to be healthy and strong. Ba''an sat down next to the fire. "You are right. I should eat." He smiled. "Good." They sat and ate in silence. Ba''an tried, but the food stuck in her throat and she gave up halfway. "I will eat the rest later. Thank you for...breakfast. Goodnight." "...Ba''an." She waited. "Are you...alright?" "I am well. Do not worry." "Ba''an." "Goodnight." For a moment she thought he would try to push. "I...okay. Sleep well, Ba''an." She was not sure if she felt relieved or not. Chapter Ten: Tik-tak Maluk Ba¡¯an slept soundly. If she had had any nightmares, she did not remember them, which suited her just fine. She lay awake in her nest of blankets and listened to the wind and Lukios¡¯ breathing. Sunlight dappled the floor; she had gone to bed around dawn, and it was nearly mid-afternoon now. It was obvious from the tidy kitchen and¡ªBa¡¯an glanced at his sleeping form¡ªhis clean hair that he had gone to bed much later. For once, Lukios had not gone to chop wood from the akaikai grove. Soon, he would be gone too. Nothing lasts forever. Everything ends. Why had she allowed herself to get so comfortable? Surely she was too old to be this foolish now. They were supposed to leave for Kyros in the next¡­what, two days now? There was no reason to delay. Ba¡¯an knew that on foot, the journey would be long. A week, if they were quick, but likely longer. It would be more accurate to say ten days, then perhaps three days in the city to see to her own needs. Another ten days to walk back alone. That was twenty-three days. She wasn¡¯t sure if Salu¡¯ka had twenty-three days left. When Ba¡¯an had placed her hand over her belly, she had felt it: the twisting coil of a geas, pulling the life from the babe, just as the babe struggled to stay alive by pulling the life from its mother. It was not wise to travel when the sun was hottest, but Ba¡¯an was not sure she had a choice. The desert basin where the spirit walked was far away. On foot it would take days. Ba¡¯an had wings. She could go today and be back tomorrow. Faster, even, if she killed the thing quickly. Perhaps it would even bargain with her, though Ba¡¯an did not think it would. She would have to leave before Lukios woke. There was nothing he could do against a malevolent spirit, and even if he could do anything, it was not his problem. He had just finished recovering from nearly hemorrhaging to death. She would have to leave now. Ba¡¯an turned her head to look at him. He was sleeping soundly¡ªor at least it looked like it¡ªwith an arm flung over his eyes and his legs dangling over the edge of the bed. He was simply too big to fit in it, and Ba¡¯an could not imagine he had been very comfortable here. Very quietly, she got up, keeping an eye on him in case he stirred. She took a ladleful of water from the clay pot in the kitchen and drank it, knowing it was all the water she would get until she returned. She retrieved her coat and went outside. She changed in the privy, tucking her clothes and Thu¡¯rin¡¯s necklace into a corner to keep the sand¡ªwell, most of it¡ªout. Ba¡¯an took one step out onto the courtyard. Crows took flight and soared into the sky.
There was nothing like flying, especially if one was a flock of birds. If Ba¡¯an had been asked, she doubted she would be able to explain even the first thing about it. Everything made sense when she was made of birds; they only started to not make sense once she became human again, her mind struggling against the memories of seeing in separate directions simultaneously, of moving in more than one direction at a time. The view was always spectacular. The desert basin was called so because it resembled a basin, though sometimes the K¡¯Avaari called it ¡°The Eye¡±. Long ago, something had fallen from the sky and scarred the ground, creating a crater with a deep, rounded center radiating into an oblong pan. The Eye was a dangerous place. She could feel her skin tingling as she approached, her animal bodies sensing danger and frantically eager to turn around. Animals did not travel to this place voluntarily. The thing that lived there was old, and always hungry. Well, perhaps not hungry. It was a greedy thing. It simply wanted what it did not have, and simply wished to destroy what it could not take. Perhaps, once upon a time, it had known its own name and purpose, but that time had long passed. The K¡¯Avaari had a name for it. It was called Tik-tak Mal¡¯uk. Hungry Mouth Devourer. Those who were either brave enough or stupid enough to explore the place in person inevitably disappeared. Witches who approached the spirit sometimes returned from their spirit-walk broken, breathing but dead inside. A few did not return at all, becoming one of the preba, the walking dead. Those had to be¡­put down. Extinguished. Salu¡¯ka must have been desperate to deal with it. What had happened? Truly? Well, it was too late to ask now. Ba¡¯an was here, and she would do as she had promised. Ba¡¯an circled the Eye, reaching out with her senses for the tingle of danger that would announce the thing¡¯s approach. Nothing. Perhaps it was not interested in birds. The crows descended. Ba¡¯an stood up. The place even looked ominous. There was no grass or vegetation of any kind. There was only dirt, sand, and rocks, a place of thirsty desolation surrounded on all sides by curving rock cliffs. She could see striations of different colours across the rock face of each cliff. Sometimes, it looked like the bones of some ancient creature was stuck inside the wall. She could see the imprint of curling shells along some sections. Other sections had other things¡ªone even had a long, ivory line that very much resembled a belutra tusk, except it was far too big to belong to any belutra she¡¯d ever seen. It was fascinating, but unnerving. The rock walls recorded several millennia of deaths. There was nothing here. ¡°Tik-tak Mal¡¯uk!¡± Ba¡¯an¡¯s voice echoed eerily in the basin. ¡°I am Ba¡¯an. I wish to bargain.¡± If it knew what was good for it. If not, she would kill it. Nothing. Only the wind, whistling above the lip of the Eye and the soft sound of shifting sand and dirt. Thu¡¯rin said, ¡°Ba¡¯an.¡± She turned. It was him. Ba¡¯an felt her eyes widen as she took in his face, his body, the way he stood¡ªit was him, from his dark, curly hair and broad shoulders to the way he leaned ever-so-slightly to the left to favour his right side¡ª ¡°Thu¡¯rin.¡± Her legs gave out and she sat abruptly. ¡°Thu¡¯rin.¡± ¡°Ba¡¯an.¡± His strides were long, and he was in front of her in four quick steps. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, love.¡± He was right. Ba¡¯an wiped her cheeks with her hands. Her fingers came away wet. Don¡¯t waste water. He knelt so he could hold her. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting and waiting. Where have you been?¡± ¡°I was¡ª¡° Ba¡¯an frowned. Where had she been? ¡°I¡ª¡± Was she forgetting something? It wasn¡¯t important. She had missed him very much. Ba¡¯an reached out to touch his face, fingers trembling. ¡°Never mind,¡± he said, ¡°You¡¯re here now.¡± He kissed her gently, and when she opened her mouth for him, he deepened the kiss, drinking her in as though he were parched. Ba¡¯an tangled her fingers in his hair and he brought them down to the ground. ¡°Mmm?¡± Wetness flooded her mouth. It tasted of iron. Ba¡¯an tried to jerk away, but Thu¡¯rin held her down. She gagged on his blood as it poured down her throat. She struggled, finally shoving him away so he landed on his back. Gagging, Ba¡¯an spat onto the ground, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. Her hand came away clean. Her mouth tasted bloody. Thu¡¯rin was still. ¡°Thu¡¯rin.¡± Nothing. Ba¡¯an flung herself beside him. ¡°Thu¡¯rin!¡± A pool of blood spread slowly under him. His throat gaped open and his eyes stared sightlessly into the sky. ¡°Thu¡¯rin! Thu¡¯rin!¡± She raised her hands to press them against the wound, crying out with horror when she saw they were already bloody. In her right hand she held her knife, the edge red and glistening with blood. She dropped it. ¡°No! I didn¡¯t¡ªthis isn¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°Ba¡¯an,¡± he said, and she stared as his mouth moved in a sick parody of life. He was like a puppet made of meat. ¡°Why? I loved you. Why?¡± His head moved in a way no living person¡¯s could as he stared at her with his dead, sightless eyes. ¡°All I ever did was love you. Why did you kill me?¡± ¡°I¡ª¡± That¡¯s not right. That wasn¡¯t a question he would have asked her. This wasn¡¯t right. This was her guilt given voice. Her shame. It was as though something that had been misaligned inside her snapped back into place. Ba¡¯an picked her knife up from the ground. She put her hand over his face and slammed him back into the dirt. ¡°You¡¯re already dead, Thu¡¯rin. Stay that way.¡± She raised her knife and brought it down¡ª ¡°¡ªthen that stupid stit-tat tripped over his own feet and stuck me with the arrow! How can anyone be so bad with a bow? I¡¯m telling you, it¡¯s a talent. Anyway, he¡¯s a menace and he needs to be kept off hunts, otherwise I¡¯m going to end up a pin-cush¡ªBa¡¯an, are you listening? I¡¯m trying to complain about my terrible day and begging you to pull some strings. Don¡¯t tell me I have to complain to the wall. You should at least let me pretend you like me¡ªBa¡¯an? Are you alright, love?¡± Ba¡¯an blinked. She looked down. Her hands were bandaging Thu¡¯rin¡¯s thigh, where it had been stuck by an arrow. It had been dangerous, just barely missing the artery. He was right, Dul¡¯kor was a menace. Thu¡¯rin made it sound funny, but it had actually been awful. If he¡¯d struck the artery Thu¡¯rin would have died before she could help him. This wasn¡¯t even his first time making a mistake like this. Dul¡¯kor had to be kept away from sharp things, because he had a terrible habit of sticking people with the pointy end while drunk, and he was always drunk. He had been a good hunter once, but those days were long gone. ¡°Ba¡¯an?¡± Thu¡¯rin¡¯s hand was warm as he brushed the hair off her forehead. He cupped her cheek in his palm and rubbed his thumb over her cheekbone. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I was exaggerating. Don¡¯t look so worried.¡± She scowled. ¡°I¡¯m not. You should have jumped out of the way. Who stands in the way of a pointy object?¡± He grinned. ¡°There you are! Back to normal. You had me worried for a moment there.¡± She gave a delicate sniff. ¡°You¡¯re right about Dul¡¯kor, though. I¡¯ll speak with Ul¡¯ma. You should speak to your father. This is a bigger problem than we thought. You nearly¡ª¡± Blood bloomed against the bandage, and Thu¡¯rin paled. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. No. This was impossible. She had already checked the wound. The arrow had missed his artery. It had missed the artery! Ba¡¯an scrambled, pressing her hands against the blood pouring out of him. It was too much, too fast. ¡°Vaa¡¯ti! Salu¡¯ka! Get in here! NOW! NOW!¡± Thu¡¯rin had gone white. He was shaking, going into shock. No! He slumped backwards, lying against the bed of the shi-vuti with his throat exposed. His necklace of cliff-cat teeth flopped onto the underside of his chin. ¡°Thu¡¯rin!¡± Chief Tsu¡¯kos cried out when he saw his son lying on the bed. His expression was heart-wrenching, the grooves on his face all the more obvious for the way his face was twisted, as though holding in a scream. ¡°Ba¡¯an! Save him! Save him!¡± When did he get here? The thought surfaced through the buzzing in her head even as she frantically tried to stem the bleeding. Where were Vaa¡¯ti and Salu¡¯ka? What good were apprentices if they weren¡¯t around when you needed them? Salu¡¯ka. I came here for Salu¡¯ka. What? The thought rattled through her skull, but she ignored it. Thu¡¯rin¡ªshe had to save Thu¡¯rin. Thu¡¯rin stopped shaking and lay still. Chief Tsu¡¯kos let out a wail that was more animal than man. ¡°No! Ba¡¯an!¡± He grabbed her shoulders and shook her so hard her head snapped back and forth as her teeth clicked. ¡°What have you done? What have you done?¡± ¡°I¡ª¡± The feathers of her coat rustled where he gripped her. Her coat. She was wearing her coat. She could hear a song like rain, whispering in her ears, cutting through the buzzing in her skull. Hungry. Yes. Hungry. She was... That¡¯s not how this happened. Ba¡¯an blinked. That¡¯s right. She remembered. The arrow had missed his artery. Dul¡¯kor had been banned from hunting, and he had drunk himself to death within the year. Ba¡¯an shoved Tsu¡¯kos away. He was much bigger than her, so it should not have been possible, but he fell away as though he weighed nothing. ¡°Thu¡¯rin¡¯s dead,¡± she said. ¡°I killed him, but not like this.¡± He turned his face full of anguish toward her. ¡°Ba¡¯an, how could you? He was my son. My only son. He loved you. Was it worth it? Look at yourself! You¡¯re an abomination now.¡± ¡°I am,¡± she agreed. She stalked toward him, and his eyes widened. The thing was afraid of her. Good. She reached out to grab its face, but her hands met only air. She turned, looking for it. Ba¡¯an was no longer inside the shi-vuti. She was outside, high up on the Ashe-ballan. The Ancient Place. The mountain was dizzyingly high up, to the point that the air was thin and cold. Small, hardy shrubs had grown at the base, but at this height there was nothing. No living thing could survive at this altitude for long. There was blood all over the ground. Ah. This. Of course it would be this. The first was Lu¡¯kir. He had fallen first. Ba¡¯an walked to his crumpled body, his hand clenched around his spear even in death. He had fought until the very end, luring away the beasts the mountain god had called until one of them had torn his throat out. His face had always had a sly, secretive look, his mouth quirking into a little half-smile that most people found off-putting. It couldn¡¯t be helped; that was just how he¡¯d smiled. He¡¯d followed her up Ashe-ballan and died to keep them alive. Ba¡¯an knelt by his body and shut his eyes. She arranged him the best she could. She hadn¡¯t been able to do this for real; they had been too busy running. I¡¯m sorry, Lu¡¯kir. We could not honour your body. Goodbye my friend. Ba¡¯an walked up the mountain. The second to fall had been Ash¡¯a. She had been a big woman, the same size and look as Lu¡¯kir, which should have surprised no one as they had been twins. For a fraternal pair, they had been remarkably alike. She had been a fast runner, much stronger than Ba¡¯an, but with more gentleness than anyone could have guessed. Ash¡¯a had liked playing with Ba¡¯an¡¯s hair, even though Ba¡¯an had hated it. She missed it now. Ash¡¯a lay crumpled against the rocky cliff that had formed when a piece of the mountain had, at some point, fallen off. Her body was bent at an unnatural angle. She had been tossed into the cliff hard enough to snap her spine. Her quiver was still strapped to her thigh. Her bow had gone flying when she did. Ba¡¯an shut her eyes too, silently apologizing for her failures. May your soul run free with the strifa. She brushed Ash¡¯a¡¯s hair off her forehead, then straightened her body so she lay as though she were only sleeping. Goodbye. I love you. She continued up the path, then slowed. Ba¡¯an swallowed. This would be difficult. Ul¡¯ma¡¯s body was sitting. She had been old, her hair just wisps of white against her skull, her face more wrinkles than smooth skin. Even so, Ul¡¯ma had come. ¡°My last journey,¡± she had said, and then she had cackled as though delighted. Ul¡¯ma had come knowing she would die. Her body sat in the path, slumped over. She had a wizened, dried-up look, as though all of her water had been squeezed out of her. Ul¡¯ma had done that to herself. She had been a powerful witch in her youth, and she had burned herself up shielding Ba¡¯an and Thu¡¯rin from the mountain¡¯s wrath. Spirit after spirit and contract after contract had failed and fallen in the face of Enha-naus-hasa-en¡¯s fury until only Ul¡¯ma was left¡ªbut Ul¡¯ma had not run. Ul¡¯ma had stayed behind, so Ba¡¯an and Thu¡¯rin could live. Ba¡¯an had not even realized she had died until she had run nearly to the top, until Ul¡¯ma¡¯s song had frayed and drifted away at long last, whispering in Ba¡¯an¡¯s ear one last time. Ba¡¯an approached Ul¡¯ma¡¯s withered, empty shell. The old witch¡¯s eyes were already shut, expression peaceful. Ba¡¯an gently stroked her hair, remembering a time when Ul¡¯ma had done the same for her. It had been a long, long time ago. Thank you. I will never forget anything you taught me. I love you. Ba¡¯an kissed her forehead, her closed eyes. She was careful not to disturb her too much, afraid her body would simply crumble to dust. She did not think she could take it if it did. Ba¡¯an stood looking at her mentor who had been more her mother than the one who had birthed her, heart squeezing painfully in her chest. It was time to move on. Ba¡¯an already knew who she would find at the top. Her heart was drumming against her ribs. Even so, there was no help for it. It was getting easier¡ªnot just the visions, but the magic. She could feel the warp and weft of it now, the way its song tried to mimic Ba¡¯an¡¯s own to twist her. This creature was very, very good at what it did. She could feel the threads of it now, though. She knew where it was hiding. The altar was really just a large slab of stone. It was old, stained from sacrifices stretching back past even her tribe¡¯s long memory. It was not common for witches to come here, because the mountain was as treacherous as it was powerful. Some witches who came up never made it back down, and so it was only in times of great need that one came to petition Enha-naus-hasa-en. She had been an old god, small as she was. Old and capricious¡ªand full of power. Even her name had been full of magic, full of fury. Singing it had torn Ba¡¯an¡¯s throat raw until she had swallowed blood with every breath. It had not mattered. Ba¡¯an had not come to ask. Ba¡¯an had not come to bargain. Ba¡¯an had come to take. She had reached the top. Thunder boomed, and rain came down in torrents. It was unnatural, and lightning nearly struck her more than once. Each time, Ba¡¯an forced it to strike elsewhere. This was her domain. Her dream. Her memories. Ba¡¯an walked forward beneath the pounding rain, her heart steady as a drum. She knew this spirit¡¯s game. It would not shake her, not anymore. Lightning streaked from the sky, striking the ground. In its flash she saw the naked stones of the mountainside, the rock pillars that cradled the stained and bloody altar and the unmistakable shape of a man lying there, still and silent with his head thrown back, throat exposed. Something was wrong. Ba¡¯an stopped, a sick feeling welling up from just beneath her ribs. His legs were too long. She recognized the way they dangled, lean and rangy. Her breath stuttered in her chest. No. Her feet moved on their own, propelling her forward as her heart hammered at her ribs. No. The rain made everything wet and dark, but she could still see his hair was the wrong colour. It was too fair. In the sun she knew it would gleam like gold, throwing back the light. Ba¡¯an stopped at the altar and looked down. Lukios¡¯ dead face stared up at her, his throat gaping open. It was a bloody mockery of his usual smile¡ªcruel and deliberate. She could see down to the bone. His skin was covered in fresh blood, as was the stone under him. Ba¡¯an stared in silence for a long time. ¡°Tik-tak Mal¡¯uk,¡± she said finally. ¡°I am going to eat you.¡± Lukios¡¯ dead face twisted into a sneer. It was disconcerting; Lukios had never sneered at her before. She had not known he could make such an ugly expression¡ªbut of course this was not Lukios. ¡°Abomination,¡± it greeted her in Lukios¡¯ voice and her stomach twisted even as the rage that had been building inside her flared. ¡°Your body will fail before then,¡± the thing promised, and Ba¡¯an abruptly realized that more time had passed than she had thought. She was sitting alone in the desert, under the sun. That had been the entire point. ¡°Then I will eat you.¡± She had to end this. Now. The thing struck. Ba¡¯an jumped back, and she felt the creature¡¯s magic rise, finally discordant against her own. She plucked at it, then tore at the seams keeping the illusion in place. The Ancient Place fell away. Ba¡¯an was standing in the Eye. She had to hurry. Now that she was herself again, she could feel her own thirst. It was night. She had baked beneath the sun all day and she could feel the weakness in her limbs, the fatigue. Sunstroke. Not all of the magic had been stripped away. The thing still wore Lukios¡¯ face, though the wound was gone. Did it think that would stop her from killing it? The sight of it only enraged her further. Ba¡¯an was sluggish. When it struck, she was too slow to avoid it. Pain burst in her shoulder, and she fell back with a hoarse cry. Her dry throat spasmed and she doubled over coughing, toppling over backward as she tried to avoid the thing that was determined to kill her. It came after her, and she tried to scoot backward on her bottom¡ªbut of course it was useless. The thing grabbed her around the throat with one hand and lifted her off her feet, laughing. Ba¡¯an choked, hands going around it reflexively as her feet kicked in the air. Her fingers dug into its skin but it only continued laughing merrily, Lukios¡¯ handsome face twisting into something horrible and repulsive. It wasn¡¯t only a spirit. The thing had a physical body too. Just what was it? Could it be¡­one of basa''an? It didn¡¯t matter. It didn¡¯t matter at all what this thing was. It was dinner. Ba¡¯an reached with her magic and yanked, viciously, trying to rip its soul out of its body. She would eat it, exactly as she promised, and lucky for her it was stupid enough to touch her, skin-to-skin. Ba''an was hungry. With a sharp, furious cry it tossed her aside. Ba¡¯an tumbled through the air, shocked by how strong the thing was¡ªit was far, far stronger than a man of Lukios¡¯ size ought to be¡ªand exploded into a flurry of crows before she hit the ground and broke something. Cawing, she fluttered into the air, circling. The thing wearing Lukios¡¯ face looked up at her, and she could feel the gentle tug of its magic as it began to weave another enchantment. It would never finish. Ba¡¯an spun her fury into her coat then pulled the magic, now raging like a storm, through herself. Enha-naus-hasa-en had been a god of rain and thunder, though she had made her home up a mountain. It had been a favorite trick of hers to swoop down onto her enemies as a flock of crows, dragging the deadliest of thunderstorms behind her. Enha-naus-hasa-en was dead. Her power was Ba¡¯an¡¯s now. Ba¡¯an circled tightly, spilling magic into the air until it grew heavy and electric. She streaked back down, and lightning followed. Thunder boomed in her wake. The creature bolted. The threads of whatever it had been weaving released, dissipating into nothing. It was fast, even on two legs. Lightning struck where it had been standing, scorching the sand into glass. It zig-zagged over the flat ground, keeping just ahead of each lightning strike. It was as though the creature somehow knew where the next strike would come, as though it was simply reading Ba¡¯an¡¯s magic even as she wove it. It was very clever, this Tik-Tak Mal¡¯uk. She would have to finish this quickly, before it came up with a new trick. Ba¡¯an pulled at the wind, forcing it to rise. Sand sprayed up from the ground in a localized sandstorm, dropping visibility and choking whatever unfortunate thing was caught in its rage. The thing had lungs. Let it drown. Ba¡¯an had known it was unlikely to be blinded¡ªphysically, yes, but the thing had magic, whatever it was; it was tracking her the way she tracked souls. Still, it irritated her when it dodged her yet again, as though the sandstorm did nothing to impede its mobility. It might have looked like Lukios, but it didn¡¯t move like him. It didn¡¯t move like it was human. Never mind. Just kill it. Now. She missed again. Furious, Ba¡¯an gave chase, but the creature was simply too fast; even with her wings, it was outrunning her. Ba¡¯an swooped down lower, cawing in its face but it dropped into a roll, tilting away at an angle that should have been impossible. It skittered away on all fours, limbs elongating like a spider¡¯s. Its human face only made it more disturbing. Enough. Ba¡¯an focused. Crows rose into the sky in perfect synchronicity, then began to fly in a tight cluster overhead, following the not-man thing running along the ground. Now. They swooped, one by one, bringing lightning from the sky. The bolts struck around the thing in a rapid-fire circle of electric death, caging it. The last bolt struck directly from above. It hit. The thing jerked with a scream. It shook it off to keep going, but a crow swooped into its face and lightning struck it again. And again. And again. The air smelled like burning meat. Lukios¡¯ handsome visage was a ruin now, the skin melting off like wax from a candle. Within its shell was a mess of bloody, moving bits; nothing about its insides resembled a human, or even an animal. The crows cawed, diving; just before they struck, they coalesced into a woman. Ba¡¯an landed on the thing, her hand over its face. It screamed, its voice a bizarre overlay of sounds. Her coat shimmered, moving like a living thing around her as she pulled¡ª It took a long time to pull the thing¡¯s soul¡ªif it could be called that¡ªinto herself. The coat shimmied over her skin, hungry and excited. She couldn¡¯t call the thing tasty. It wasn¡¯t. It was¡ª ¡ªdisgusting, actually. Revolting. The thing¡¯s body collapsed like an empty waterskin. Ba¡¯an stared down at the meat, which now seemed to resemble a kind of thick, bloody jelly. It seemed to be half-decomposed already. It was dead. Ba¡¯an swayed. Something was wrong. Usually she felt full¡ªblessedly full¡ªafter taking a sizeable soul. But now she felt¡ª ¡ªlike she had swallowed something bad. It felt like a stone covered in spines inside her belly. She pressed her hands against her stomach. Something was crawling up her throat. She couldn¡¯t¡ª Ba¡¯an vomited. There was only water and acid when she retched. Ba¡¯an blinked and stared up at the sky. When had she gotten on her back? She couldn¡¯t remember. She was dizzy. Her stomach seized again and she turned her head to the side. Moaning, she vomited again, then again and again, until she lost count. Distantly, she could feel raindrops falling. She had only had a ladleful of water all day. She¡¯d sweated and vomited, had wept tears. She tried to catch raindrops in her mouth, but she only gagged. She turned her face as her stomach heaved anew, though there was nothing left to bring up. She coughed, choking. Ba¡¯an began to laugh, gagging and gasping. What a stupid way to die. Arrogance. That had always been her problem. Arrogance. She¡¯d eaten the thing, just as she¡¯d promised, but it looked like it would have the last laugh instead. Stupid. She wondered if she would see them again once she died. Did Abominations get to come back, too? Would she recognize them if she did? She didn¡¯t know. At least Salu¡¯ka and her baby would live. They had better name it after me. It was the least they could do. She hoped Lukios would go to Kyros on his own instead of waiting for a dead woman. Ba¡¯an shut her eyes and let go. Chapter Eleven: Rescue It was cold. Ba¡¯an curled up on herself, shivering. She felt so sick. Her insides were burning up and sloughing off at the same time. Everything hurt. Her skin was hypersensitive; the places where her clothes touched felt as though they were being sanded. She whimpered. ¡°Ba¡¯an.¡± Someone stroked her hair away from her forehead. A cloth drenched in cold water mopped her face. ¡°Ba¡¯an. You have to drink.¡± The voice was familiar. He was speaking in K¡¯Avaari, though his thick accent made it hard to understand. There was a wet cloth pressing against her mouth. It was too cold, the cloth too rough. She tried to turn her face away. ¡°Ba¡¯an. Please. Please. Can you suck on the cloth?¡± He sounded hoarse, like he had been crying. Something bad must have happened to make a grown man cry. Well...she could try it. She opened her mouth and sucked. The water hadn¡¯t been that cold, after all; it tasted a little stale, as though it had been sitting in a waterskin for days. ¡°Yes. Good. Thank you.¡± He did it again until she refused. She was tired. ¡°No,¡± she mumbled, and he wiped her face with the cloth again. ¡°Okay,¡± he said. ¡°Can you try this?¡± He pressed his finger against her mouth, and when she opened it, he put a bitter paste on her tongue. She made an angry noise and bit him. ¡°Ow.¡± His voice was calm. ¡°I should have known. No spitting. You must eat it.¡± It was disgusting, but her mouth was still too dry to spit it out. Weakly, she tried to wriggle away. ¡°Okay, I will stop. Do not move.¡± She felt the cool cloth again, though this time it settled on her forehead. ¡°Try to sleep, Ba¡¯an. Rest.¡±
The next time Ba¡¯an woke the ground was moving. No, that wasn¡¯t right. She was moving. Her head felt stuffed with wool, and she was thirsty. Her insides felt uncomfortable still, the way one would often feel if they¡¯d eaten some bad fish. Her skin still hurt, especially where she was pressed against his arms and chest. The man was very strong. That was nice. He would not drop her then. ¡°Sorry,¡± said the same voice. ¡°We had to go. That was a bad place.¡± Well, okay then. She slept again.
Sometimes he woke her on purpose. He would pester her and pester her until she opened her mouth, and he would make her drink, or put some terrible-tasting paste onto her tongue. There was no use in fighting; he was persistent. He would not stop until she did what he wanted, and only then would he go away and let her sleep. Ba¡¯an didn¡¯t know how much time had passed. She slept. She woke. She drank, then she slept again. She often felt cold, but then something warm would wrap around her until she stopped shaking. Sometimes they were moving, but more often than not she was lying down on something hard. She dreamed, sometimes. Ba¡¯an didn¡¯t remember what she dreamed, but it made her heart race in a bad way and sometimes her throat hurt when she woke. When she woke like that the man stroked her head gently and told her silly stories until she fell asleep again. He had a very nice voice. She liked listening to him. Once he¡¯d told her a story about a boy who tried to make himself a pair of wings. He had fallen in love with the moon and had wanted a way to reach her. In the end he had fallen and died, smashing into pieces on the ground. ¡°That is stupid,¡± she¡¯d mumbled, and he had laughed. ¡°Theoi,¡± he had said, and he had sounded relieved. ¡°Yes,¡± he agreed, ¡°But he loved her very much. He was very desperate.¡± There was nothing to say to something so...so...maudlin, so she had turned over and gone back to sleep. He never stopped gently stroking her hair. ¡°Sleep well, Ba¡¯an.¡±
Ba¡¯an woke up, and her head was clear. She sat up. Her joints were sore and she ached all over, but the feeling of being scraped empty was gone. Her skin still felt sensitive, and she could feel a slight fever, but the worst had passed. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. She was alive. She looked around. She was sitting in her own bed, in her not-vuti. Ba¡¯an looked down. She was naked under the blankets, and clean. The fire had burned down to embers. Lukios lay on the floor, sleeping. To her shock, she discovered that he¡¯d grown out a beard. Usually he was very meticulous about grooming, and he sharpened his knife every morning and evening so he could shave himself clean with a sharp blade. He didn¡¯t like having his hair as long as it was, either, though he¡¯d taken to tying it up with a leather strap she¡¯d had lying around. By the Wheel. She pressed her hands over her face. How¡­? What had happened? She must have made a noise. Lukios¡¯ eyes snapped open. When he saw her sitting up his eyes widened, something so painfully vulnerable crossing his face that she had to look away. ¡°Ba¡¯an!¡± He sprang to his feet. ¡°You¡¯re awake! Are you thirsty? Hungry?¡± Yes and yes. She nodded. But first she needed the outhouse. ¡°Lukios.¡± Her voice was a croak. ¡°Yes?¡± He ladled a cup full of water and brought it to her. He brought it to her lips, helping her sip. It was bliss, but her throat spasmed and she coughed. ¡°Ba¡¯an!¡± He reached over and gently patted her back until she finished coughing the water from her lungs, looking more worried than she¡¯d ever seen him. For once there was no hint of humour in his expression, no shadow of a smile. Ba¡¯an wiped the water from her mouth, pushing the cup away. ¡°...Where are my clothes?¡± She could see him darken to the tips of his ears, even in the low light of the not-vuti. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I undressed you and uh...wiped you down. You were covered in blood and vomit and uh...other things.¡± He made a gesture over his front to indicate spillage. Right. Other things. Ba¡¯an had had many patients over the years. She could guess what those ¡°other things¡± had been. Wonderful. The poor man. ¡°I understand. It is well, I only...wish to go to the privy. I cannot go naked. No, I suppose I can. There is no one to see me.¡± That was true. Only Lukios was here, and he had already seen her naked and covered in her own filth, so what did it matter? She shifted to get off the bed. ¡°What¡ªwait, wait, wait! Your clothes are right here! They¡¯re¡ªjust wait a moment¡ª¡± He stumbled to the small chest where she kept her clothes, uncharacteristically clumsy. Hadn¡¯t she left her things in the privy? She watched him open and close it, touched. He had fixed the corner while she was sleeping. ¡°Here.¡± He handed her what she usually wore¡ªa simple dress that was a rectangular sack with sleeves. It smelled and felt freshly washed. He had done the laundry too? ¡°Your feathered coat is still drying, I think. It¡¯s hanging in the cave.¡± He looked at her from beneath his bangs, suddenly hesitant. ¡°Do you...need help? Or can you move okay?¡± ¡°I can dress myself, I think. I may need help with walking. We will see.¡± He turned his back to her as she dressed, which struck her as somewhat silly. What did it matter now, anyway? She¡¯d seen him naked too, when she¡¯d been stitching him up. How was this any different? ¡°You washed everything as well? Thank you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome. I have to say, Ba¡¯an, you need more clothes. Actually, you could do with more of everything.¡± She smiled, though he could not see it with his back turned. ¡°Where would I keep it? I do not like climbing up the stairs all the time.¡± ¡°...Would you prefer ladders? I think I could fit some shelves on the walls down here too, if you wanted.¡± ¡°That is not needed. I am finished now.¡± Ba¡¯an did not know how long she had been lying in bed, but it had undoubtedly delayed him a great deal. He should have been in Kyros right now, or even headed home. He came to help her stand. ¡°I can just carry you there.¡± She shook her head. ¡°I must know if my legs work.¡± He helped her to the privy. She could walk, though everything hurt, and she thought she wouldn¡¯t be able to go too far any time soon. She would need time to strengthen her muscles, to shake off the soreness of disuse. ¡°I¡¯ll wait out here.¡± Lukios leaned against the wall, facing toward the not-vuti. ¡°Shout if you need me.¡± Ba¡¯an could feel another smile forming on her face. This was almost nostalgic, except their roles had reversed and he, shockingly, had more patience than she did. Once she was finished, they returned to the not-vuti. Ba¡¯an sat in her bed with her back to the rock wall. She was exhausted already, and it hadn¡¯t even been fifteen minutes. He brought her soup and water, sitting at the edge of her bed so he could hand her each item as she needed. Ba¡¯an didn¡¯t have a table, or any chairs. Usually she just sat by the fire if she wanted to eat, and she sometimes sat on the stairs if she wanted to just relax and do nothing. She didn¡¯t own any trays, either, so the entire meal was a bit awkward. ¡°You need some furniture, too.¡± Lukios handed her some water and she sipped. ¡°I thought about making some with the akaikai trees, but the wood¡¯s just too soft. Those things must grow fast.¡± They did. They were really only good for firewood, or temporary tools meant to become firewood. Ba¡¯an sipped her water and listened to him talk. It was strange. He spoke as though they would ever see each other again once he left. ¡°How did you find me?¡± He went silent and still. After a moment, he spoke. ¡°Well, it was hard to miss. All that thunder and lightning? I just knew you were up to your ears in something.¡± ¡°How did you know that was me?¡± Lukios gave her a look and raised his eyebrow. ¡°Well, who else could it be? There¡¯s only one Stormcrow.¡± The water cup fell from her fingers. Lukios caught it, but not before the water spilled all over the bed. ¡°Ba¡¯an! What¡¯s wrong? Is it your hand?¡± She stared at him mutely before answering. ¡°How long have you known?¡± He just looked at her as though it should have been obvious. ¡°Well, since I first saw you.¡± Ba¡¯an only continued staring. He took in her expression. When he spoke again he did so very carefully, his tone low and soothing. ¡°Ba¡¯an. I was a soldier for a long time, remember? I was there five years ago¡ªwhen you took Perenos Field? I was there, and I saw you up real close. I recognized you right away.¡± Chapter Twelve: Recovery She stared at him. Her mind had gone blank. He had known who she was this entire time? Ba¡¯an thought back to all the times he had tried to make her laugh, the way he slept across the fire from her as though he had not a care in the world. He even touched her sometimes, going so far as to boldly hold her hand or poke her nose. He had known? Was he insane? ¡°You knew?¡± ¡°I¡­yes. Ba¡¯an, I saw you on the road. I was pretty gone, but not that gone. Kind of hard to miss. Thought about saying something but that¡¯s kind of weird, you know? ¡®Hey Ba¡¯an thanks for not killing me and my troops with lightning five years ago while we ran for our lives, really appreciate it.¡¯ Well, now that I¡¯ve gone and said it out loud, it really does sound as terrible as I thought it would.¡± He rubbed the back of his head with a sheepish expression. ¡°I mean¡­¡± he looked around her not-vuti. ¡°This place definitely looks a little witchy, too. And you¡ªyou¡¯re very witchy, though I guess you¡¯ve been trying to hide it. What were you so worried about?¡± Ba¡¯an could not stop staring. ¡°You¡ªyou are a Dolkoi¡¯ri soldier.¡± ¡°I¡¯m retired. I¡¯m a mercenary now, remember?¡± ¡°But you¡ªyou were a soldier. And I am the Stormcrow. Why did you help me?¡± He looked bemused. ¡°Was I not supposed to? I mean, you saved my life. And you¡¯re¡ªwe¡¯re¡ªwell. We¡¯re not exactly strangers anymore, are we?¡± His expression sobered quickly, then darkened. ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to say anything until you were better, but since we¡¯ve already started this conversation, I¡¯ll go ahead.¡± Ba¡¯an curled her blanket into her fists. She had never seen this expression on his face, either. He looked angry. Genuinely angry. ¡°What the fuck were you thinking? Do you have any idea how worried I was? What the fuck, Ba¡¯an?¡± He swiped his hand through his lion¡¯s mane of hair. ¡°I woke up and you were gone. I thought you¡¯d gone out for something but I found your fucking clothes in the privy. What in the fuck was I supposed to think?¡± ¡°¡­I fell down the hole?¡± He didn¡¯t even crack a smile. ¡°Not funny.¡± He shifted and swung his legs up onto her bed, crossing his legs. Ba¡¯an drew her knees up to her chest to make room. Now they were sitting facing each other. It should have felt crowded¡ªhe took up so much space¡ªbut it didn¡¯t. He put her soup down on the flat ledge of the stone bedframe. He looked at her for a long moment then put a hand over his eyes, breathing out. ¡°Sorry. That came out angrier than I wanted. But for the record: I am pissed. I am incensed with you.¡± He swallowed, and Ba¡¯an saw the hard knob in his throat bob up and down. She felt that she ought to say something. ¡°I thought I would return in a day.¡± Ba¡¯an did not think it was not your business would go over well, despite being true. ¡°Ba¡¯an.¡± His voice was grim. ¡°Think. Some K¡¯Avaari came by and asked you for something. Then you had a tussle with one of them, where she called you all sorts of filthy names. Then you tell me, ¡®I¡¯m not hungry,¡¯ and go to bed. Ba¡¯an, you eat more than I do. You¡¯re always hungry. If that¡¯s not worrying enough, I wake up and you¡¯re gone, and all your clothes are in the privy.¡± He passed his palm over his face, grimacing as his hand caught on his beard. ¡°Ba¡¯an, what was I supposed to think? For all I knew you¡¯d decided to walk off into the desert buck-naked with a death wish, or one of them had come back to¡­I don¡¯t know, kill you in some kind of ritual murder or something. That Vaa¡¯ti woman had some seriously crazy eyes.¡± ¡°¡­Oh.¡± Perhaps she should have written him a note on the wall somewhere, except she was certain he could not read K¡¯Avaari, and she could not write Dolkoi¡¯ri. ¡°¡¯Oh,¡¯ she says.¡± He leaned forward and Ba¡¯an¡¯s eyes widened as he took her face between his palms. His hands were so big that her entire head felt dwarfed. He pushed his face close to hers, close enough so their noses nearly touched. ¡°Ba¡¯an. Do you know how fast I ran to get to you, never mind how hard it was to¡ª¡° he broke off, voice cracking. She could feel the heat of his breath shivering over her skin, and his hands on her cheeks were very warm. Lukios always seemed to run a little hot. ¡°Anyway. You were in a bad way, Ba¡¯an. I didn¡¯t think you were alive at first. I think I deserve to know what the fuck happened and why.¡± He released her and leaned back. What could she tell him? ¡°Salu¡¯ka made a bad deal with a spirit-thing in the Eye. It was killing her and her baby. So I killed it.¡± There. Nice and simple. Lukios¡¯ stare was incredulous. ¡°Are you shitting me?¡± ¡°¡­No?¡± ¡°Ba¡¯an. Are you telling me you flew out to the middle of nowhere by yourself to take care of someone else¡¯s problem? The problem of someone who clearly treated you like¡­¡± He made a noise of disgust. ¡°Why would you even consider doing this? They disrespected you. They came into your home and insulted you the entire time, then asked you for a favour¡ªand you¡­you¡­I can¡¯t even¡­argh!¡± Abruptly he slid off the bed and stood up in one jerky movement and began to pace the small space in clear agitation, muttering darkly. Ba¡¯an watched him, feeling like she had done something wrong. Had she? Tik-tak Mal¡¯uk hadn¡¯t been Lukios¡¯ problem. She had thought she was being kind by leaving him out of it. Had she been wrong? Should she have told him? But what could he have done? She could see he would have tried to dissuade her. If he had succeeded, Ba¡¯an would have not only broken her word to Salu¡¯ka and Ku¡¯rin, she would have doomed both apprentice and child. Ba¡¯an looked up when she heard him stop pacing. He was looking at her with a tense expression, as though he wanted to say something but wasn¡¯t sure if he should. ¡°What is it?¡± He walked back to the bed and sat down. ¡°If I asked you what¡¯s wrong between you and your people, would you actually tell me?¡± Of course, it would have been impossible not to notice by now. ¡°¡­I do not know.¡± He nodded, as though he had been expecting it. ¡°Well, that¡¯s better than no. Fine. I¡¯ll guess, and you can nod if I get it right and shake your head if I get it wrong. Or you can¡­you know, just talk to me. Up to you.¡± Slowly, she nodded. Her only other alternative was to say she was tired and go to sleep, but it felt like cheating, like something unfair. Which was strange, really, since she really was tired. She wanted to sleep again. But she also felt guilty. He looked at her for a long moment before he took a sharp breath. ¡°Why do you live here alone, Ba¡¯an?¡± ¡°That is not a yes or no question.¡± ¡°Fine. I guess we¡¯ll do it that way. My best guess is that they kicked you out for something. Yes or no?¡± She nodded. ¡°Right. And that involved taking your name away. That Vaa¡¯ti woman kept calling you Ba¡¯an salu-Ba¡¯an like she thought it was funny. That¡¯s some kind of punishment, isn¡¯t it?¡± She nodded again. ¡°Your friend Salu¡¯ka didn¡¯t visit you for ages either, because¡­I¡¯m guessing there¡¯s some kind of penalty involved.¡± Ba¡¯an looked at him, then decided to answer. ¡°Half-right. She was my apprentice. I am nearly ten years older than her.¡± Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! Lukios looked surprised. ¡°What? Really? I thought you were the same age.¡± ¡°No.¡± Either Ba¡¯an looked young or Salu¡¯ka looked old. Not that it mattered. He stared at her for a beat too long. ¡°Okay. Well, I guess that doesn¡¯t matter.¡± He rubbed his palms against his thighs, absently, as though his palms itched. ¡°Did you do something to the crazy one? She seems to really hate you. Well, I guess she might just be mad, but¡­¡± he trailed off. Ask her what she did to the last one! Ask her! Ask her what she¡¯ll do to you! Ba¡¯an was certain she wasn¡¯t the only one thinking of what Vaa¡¯ti had said. ¡°Lukios.¡± ¡°Ba¡¯an?¡± ¡°I am tired.¡± ¡°Oh. Oh shit. I¡¯m sorry.¡± He picked up her half-eaten soup from the edge of the bedframe and stood. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to¡ªargh. I¡¯m sorry. You should get some more sleep. We can¡ªwe can talk later. When you¡¯re better. Do you want to switch blankets? I think this one¡¯s wet still.¡± She shook her head. It was just a bit of water. Ba¡¯an lay down in her bed. It had been¡­over three months now. Four? Well, it had been a long time since she had slept in it. The sheets smelled like Lukios. He smelled very warm. She shut her eyes and slept.
Ba¡¯an woke slowly, warm and happy as Thu¡¯rin pulled her against him and kissed his way up her shoulder and throat. They were laying together in the dark, tangled together in her bed; his mouth on her skin had woken her, pulling her gently from sleep with every slow caress of his lips and hands. He smelled different. Instead of smelling like the hot desert rocks and sandy dunes, he smelled warm and clean, like a sun-drenched room at noon. There was a musky, animal smell underneath, and she felt the familiar hot curl of desire low in her belly. It unfurled slowly as he pressed kisses over her shoulder and throat with a hungry, open mouth until he reached her lips. He nipped and nibbled until she parted them with a sigh; he pressed his tongue in between her teeth as he settled himself between her legs. She put her arms around him and pulled him against her, fingers threading through his hair. He smelled good. He tasted good. He was already hard, rubbing himself against her until she was slick and needy; Ba¡¯an made a noise of impatience and wrapped her legs around his waist, pressing herself against him. Lukios chuckled against her throat. Ba¡¯an¡¯s eyes popped open in shock. ¡°Lukios?¡± What? How¡ª? But¡ªthey were¡ªthis was the shi-vuti, how could¡ª? It was him, and before Ba¡¯an could comprehend what was happening he was pressing into her, mouth pressed against hers to swallow her moans. He pushed his tongue in between her teeth even as he pushed himself deeper between her legs, the wet sound of their joining filling the room as she clutched his shoulders, thighs trembling as she took him. They parted, gasping for breath. Lukios dipped his head and kissed her again, and she kissed him back, aroused and confused. How could he be here? An outlander in a shi-vuti? And¡ª ¡°Ba¡¯an,¡± he groaned, and he pressed his forehead against hers as he thrust his hips, slow and deliberate so she could really feel him, feel the heat of him, his strength and passion as he held her to him and filled her over and over again. Her thoughts scattered, a handful of sand in the wind. Ba¡¯an moved with him, clutching him to her as her own breaths became jagged, needy pants. ¡°Lukios,¡± she gasped, helplessly, ¡°Lukios, Lukios¡ª¡± She dug her fingernails into his back as she arched against him and her mouth fell open. Her thighs trembled, toes curling as she whimpered, eyes closing as she began to tighten in pleasure. Lukios cursed, voice strained, as his thrusts began to lose their rhythm to frantic urgency. He kissed her again and she let him in. Ba¡¯an pressed herself up against him, back arching as she¡ª Something hot fell against her face and neck, her chest. Ba¡¯an recognized the smell even before she opened her eyes, her throat closing in horror as he slumped against her. His eyes had gone flat and dead, face slack. His throat was pouring blood and she was covered in it. The sheets were soaked, hot and sticky and reeking of iron. Ba¡¯an screamed¡ªor tried to. Only a gasping, wheezing noise made it past her throat and out her mouth. Frantically, she brought her hands up to stem the flow, but she was holding her knife, her ritual knife, the one she had left in the Ancient Place after she had¡ª No. No. "No!" Finally. A scream. The cry echoed against the walls and rattled her bones, tearing out of her with a life of its own. Ba''an screamed again. And again. And again. ¡°Lukios! Lukios! No!¡± ¡°Ba¡¯an! Wake up! Ba¡¯an!¡± She woke up drenched in sweat and panting. She wiped her face with her hands and they came away wet. She had been crying. ¡°Ba¡¯an. It was just a dream. Everything¡¯s fine. Everything¡¯s fine. See?¡± Lukios was sitting on the lip of the bedframe, gently stroking her sweat-matted hair from her forehead. She tried to sit up and he moved obligingly, helping her prop herself up. ¡°Hey,¡± he said, and she slumped forward, pressing her face against his chest. She could hear his heart beating, the rate a little fast as though he¡¯d been running. He¡¯s alive. He¡¯s fine. He put his arms around her and stroked the back of her head as he gently rocked her. Eventually, her heart stopped trying to hammer its way out of her chest and embarrassment seeped into the space left by her fading horror. Ancestors. What kind of dream was that? What was wrong with her? Why would she ever dream about¡­about¡­ ¡°I am sorry,¡± she mumbled, ¡°I do not know what is wrong with me.¡± Her hand snaked up and she clutched Thu¡¯rin¡¯s necklace in her hand so her fingers went white and the teeth bit into her palms. What was wrong with her? Why would she dream about Lukios when¡ªwhen¡ª She bit her tongue to keep from swearing. ¡°Hey,¡± he said again, and he put his hand over her fist, gently coaxing her into relaxing her grip. ¡°You might hurt yourself if you squeeze like that. I mean, those are teeth. Not saying you have to let go, just¡­don¡¯t hurt yourself.¡± That was true. She didn¡¯t have to let go. But she didn¡¯t have to hurt herself. ¡°Yes,¡± she agreed, and she unclenched her fist. She brought her hand up and placed her palm on Lukios¡¯ cheek. ¡°That is wise.¡± She couldn¡¯t see his expression with her face against his chest but she felt him lean into her palm. The hand that was on the small of her back tightened, ever so slightly, and Ba¡¯an sighed as his other hand left her hair. He gently cupped the hand that was resting on his cheek and laced his fingers through hers. She felt him turn his head and brush his lips against her skin. Ba¡¯an looked up, just in time to see him tilt her hand back and rub her palm with his thumb. He smiled down at her wryly at her surprised stare. ¡°It left a mark,¡± he explained, and Ba¡¯an could see he was right: there was an angry red imprint of a cliff-cat tooth on her palm. ¡°Oh.¡± The night was starting to get a little too strange. He¡¯s leaving soon, remember? Did the sun bake the brains inside your skull? Well, it was possible. She gently untangled her fingers from his and placed her hand on his chest, pushing back slightly so she could look at him properly. ¡°How long has it been?¡± Ba¡¯an had a feeling she had slept for a very, very long time. Lukios had had the time to travel to the Eye, then travel back again, her unconscious body in tow. That would have slowed him a great deal. ¡°Since you left? I think¡­three weeks or so?¡± ¡°Three weeks?¡± She tried to shift through the days in her head. If Lukios had left as soon as he¡¯d seen the lightning, it would have taken him something like four days to get to the Eye on foot, assuming he walked and slept normally. He had said he¡¯d rushed, so she thought perhaps it had been two or three days. He had likely dealt with her dehydration and sunstroke at the Eye itself, only moving her once she was stable. So that had been¡­perhaps two days? He must have camped frequently on the way back. Ten days? Regardless, it was bizarre that she was alive at all. She should have been dead, no matter what he had done to save her. Human bodies were fragile. But Ba¡¯an was an abomination. She¡¯d eaten the ancient thing in the Eye. Perhaps it had strengthened her even as it sickened her. Even so, if Lukios had not come for her at all, she would have died for certain. ¡°Thank you for finding me, Lukios. I am sorry I bit you.¡± He let out a startled laugh. ¡°You remember that? Well, you¡¯re welcome. You saved me first, after all.¡± He sobered quickly. ¡°Just...don¡¯t do anything so dangerous ever again. I thought my heart would give out.¡± What a strange thing to say. ¡°I was not planning to die. I thought it would be easy.¡± Well, Ul¡¯ma had always cautioned Ba¡¯an against her natural overconfidence. Even now, Ul¡¯ma was right. ¡°Right. You were going to fly back the next day. Ba¡¯an, has anyone ever told you your sense of danger is a bit skewed? I mean, you think pissing off a wasp nest for a handful of honey is a good idea.¡± Ba¡¯an frowned. That wasn¡¯t right at all. ¡°No. I am often correct. I was wrong about Tik-tak Mal¡¯uk. It will not happen again.¡± ¡°Tik-tak whatsit?¡± ¡°That was the name of the spirit. Tik-tak Mal¡¯uk. It is dead. I killed it.¡± And devoured its soul, but he didn¡¯t need to know that part. ¡°Congratulations. Next time, just walk away.¡± He paused. ¡°It worries me, how reckless you are.¡± Because I¡¯ll be gone soon, she finished for him in her head. ¡°Do not worry. I have lived here alone for five years. I am still alive.¡± ¡°Wow. Five years.¡± He was silent for a long while, and Ba¡¯an found he was too tall to keep looking at. Ba¡¯an¡¯s neck was starting to hurt so she went back to leaning against his chest. His arms came around her and held her loosely. One hand began absently stroking the small of her back. ¡°Why do you stay here?¡± The question confused her. ¡°Where would I go?¡± She was a desert creature, too. ¡°Anywhere. Everywhere. Ba¡¯an, you can turn into a flock of birds.¡± She frowned. Sometimes, when times were lean, Ba¡¯an had stayed for weeks and weeks as crows. The advantage had been that she could forage with each part of her separately and eat whatever she found raw. She needed not nearly as much food per crow, either. But what was the point of living like that? Besides, the more power she expended, the more souls she would need. With each soul she would become more abomination than human. Even now, gentler spirits avoided her, fearful of being devoured. ¡°The magic is very taxing. Why do you think I am always hungry?¡± And not just for food, either. ¡°Oh. That makes sense.¡± He continued stroking her back. ¡°But you could still travel. You said you go to Kyros from time to time. There are other cities.¡± Ba¡¯an had a feeling he was getting at something, but she could not quite tell what. Lukios was being very strange tonight. ¡°I do not like your cities.¡± ¡°Ha! Right. Well, there are other wild places too. Did you know that if you go north¡ªmuch further north¡ªit¡¯s so cold that the rain comes down like powder? We call it ¡®snow¡¯.¡± Snow. Ba¡¯an had never heard of such a thing. She had seen ice before, at the very top of the Ancient Place¡ªit had been very cold there. So cold that the water had frozen in places, and their breaths had come streaming out of their mouths like mist. But she had never seen powder falling from the sky. ¡°And the animals they have there are strange, too. There was once a trader that came down from there, and he had the skin of a furry elephant. He called it a mammoth. It was enormous.¡± Ba¡¯an thought of the bones of strange, nameless creatures she had seen inside the rock of the Eye. She believed him, though she did not know what an ¡®elephant¡¯ was. ¡°Or you could go west. There are these islands¡­¡± He continued talking, and Ba¡¯an shut her eyes as she listened. His voice was pleasantly husky and low, and she could hear his heart beating against her cheek, slow and steady now that he was calm. Slowly, her eyelids drooped closed and she began to drowse. Eventually, she slept. Chapter Thirteen: Lukios of House Helios, Part I Ba¡¯an recovered slowly. Her muscles were weak, and her joints still ached. Even so, she was much better than she used to be, and within the week she had started her daily activities again. Lukios had raided her store of powdered herbs, so they resumed their daily schedule as though nothing had interrupted it. It would be some time before she could travel again, and they would use that time wisely to replenish her stores. The only difference now was that Lukios¡­ ¡­hovered. No, that wasn¡¯t right. It wasn¡¯t that he crowded her. It was that he was always close, handing her something she had needed before she said so, or putting out a hand to steady her if her movements became clumsy. Sometimes, he made her sit down and rest while he finished whatever they had been doing. It was very nice, which was horrible. Ba¡¯an was becoming lazy. She would have to do everything by herself once he left, and she dreaded retraining herself into waking early and sleeping late. There was more to it than that, of course. The brief season of rain had come and gone now, so there were no more bas¡¯ta flowers. But he had brought them most mornings while they had bloomed, leaving them in a pot in the kitchen. Now he filled the pot with other things, like night bloom from the cliff and fragrant grass. Her kitchen always smelled very sweet now. Sometimes he caught her sniffing at the pot, but he had grown in wisdom: he smiled, but said nothing. It was a relief, though she knew she always went furiously red whenever he spotted her doing so. And of course, there was a great deal of firewood now. Every morning, Lukios went out as usual and chopped wood. He seemed to think that she would run out, and now the one woodpile had grown into two. Ba¡¯an would not have to chop wood for herself until, perhaps another three months or so. He would be gone by the time Ba¡¯an woke, and she would lie in the bed inside her not-vuti and listen to its emptiness. Once Lukios left, he would not return to chase the emptiness away. She would miss him. It does not matter. Everything had its end, even the sun and stars, the earth beneath her feet. It would be better if he left sooner. Her heart would cling tighter the longer he stayed. Within the week, she decided. They should leave for Kyros within the week.
¡°We should leave within the week.¡± Lukios raised an eyebrow at her from across the fire. ¡°Do you think you can walk that far?¡± He sounded doubtful. Ba¡¯an heard the scrape of a wooden spoon against a bowl. He was a strange one. She was certain he was wealthy, but his back was a mass of terrible scars that had been placed with deliberate, ruthless precision. It seemed¡­excessive, even for Dolkoi¡¯ri discipline. The other oddity was that he never wasted food. As crows, Ba¡¯an had seen life inside Dolkoi¡¯ri cities, towns, and villages. It was not unusual for the wealthy to toss their food to their servants or slaves. They never thought twice about it. But Lukios always ate everything in his bowl to the last drop. ¡°I can.¡± The aches and pains were from disuse. Walking would be beneficial, not damaging. Oddly, consuming Tik-tak Mal¡¯uk had been filling. Painful and debilitating, yes, but filling. Ba¡¯an thought she would not have to go soul-hunting for quite some time¡ªnot unless she was reckless with her power. This was good news; she was not nearly as restlessly hungry as usual. It would make travelling easier. The only concern were her dreams. Ba¡¯an still had nightmares, though now she was able to recognize one for what it was and force herself awake. She was tired these days for a mundane reason¡ªbad sleep. Sometimes she still dreamed about Lukios. Some of those dreams were nightmares¡ªLukios dying or dead, or Lukios smiling as he throttled her, face elongating into some inhuman thing¡ªbut some of them were not. Some of them were¡­very rude. Those nights, she was glad he was gone to the akaikai grove when she woke. It would have been too embarrassing to face him. There was something wrong with her. Ba¡¯an had always been very good at dream-walking. She should not have been having dreams she did not want, but now her dreams came however they wanted. It was maddening. Ba¡¯an stared into her bowl to hide her expression. Lukios had caught some rabbits that morning. She had wanted to try searing the meat and lathering it in a kind of berry jam, but Ba¡¯an had had no berries. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Well, that was what happened when nobody went out foraging or hunting for weeks: one ran out of food. Her food stores were nearly empty still. She would have to buy replacements when she got to Kyros. So really, it was an urgent matter. Strangely, Lukios always seemed to find some excuse to delay. Ba¡¯an stirred her soup, getting as many meaty bits as she could onto her spoon, and put it in her mouth. She chewed thoughtfully, trying to think of a good way to broach the topic. He had been missing from his life for nearly five of his months now, but he did not seem at all anxious to return. It was very bizarre. By the time Ba¡¯an had chewed and swallowed all the rabbit she had in her mouth, she had a better idea of what she wanted to say. ¡°Lukios.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Why do you not want to go home?¡± He choked on his soup and started coughing. ¡°Lukios!¡± He shook his head and waved her away, grabbing his cup of water. ¡°What makes you think that?¡± She clicked her tongue at him. ¡°You keep saying ¡®this needs to be done¡¯ or ¡®that needs to be fixed¡¯ or ¡®you¡¯re not well enough.¡¯ But Lukios, I can do everything when I get back and I can walk. I will not get better by sitting at home. You have been gone for nearly five months.¡± She looked at him curiously. ¡°Do you not miss your kin? Surely they are searching for you?¡± Lukios had shaved off his beard, but his expression was still hard to read. ¡°Well, it¡¯s like I told you. We¡¯re a barrel full of bad apples, and Rekos was the only good one. So to answer your question, I don¡¯t really miss those fuckers and I¡¯m sure they don¡¯t miss me. Well, I have one half-brother who¡¯s not so bad, but¡­¡± He trailed off and scratched the back of his head. ¡°The truth is, everything is going to be a huge legal mess once I get back. It will be awful. How awful will depend on if they have listed me as missing or if they have listed me as dead. If I am ¡®dead¡¯, I¡¯ll need a lawyer. Lawyers are expensive, but dead men don¡¯t have assets. So that means I have to borrow. And then¡ª¡° He broke off at the expression on her face. ¡°That¡¯s not making any sense to you, is it?¡± ¡°¡­You are saying that your kin fought each other for your wealth and will fight you for it once you return. Thinking of it exhausts you.¡± ¡°¡­Yeah.¡± He made a disgusted sound. ¡°The worst part is that they¡¯re already rich¡ªricher than I am¡ªbut they¡¯re still going to hold onto whatever my sad evisceration by bandit dropped into their sweaty little palms.¡± ¡°¡­That is very sad, Lukios.¡± He put his palm over his eyes and gave a little laugh. ¡°I know. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t say anything.¡± Ba¡¯an put her soup down and got up. ¡°Ba¡¯an? What¡¯s wrong? Are you feeling okay?¡± She didn¡¯t answer. Ba¡¯an began walking into the bir-vuti. ¡°Ba¡¯an?¡± She heard Lukios get up. ¡°What are you doing?¡± She tsked at him again. ¡°Eat. I will be back soon.¡± ¡°Well, then you can eat too and do whatever it is later.¡± She heard him following her into the cave system. Stubborn. They reached one of the dead-ends. Here, hidden beneath the roots of wild-growing cave moss, was her small chest of personal things she had brought when she was banished. It had not been much¡ªeverything had fit inside a satchel¡ªbut she had purchased a small chest in Kyros when she had first gone there so she could keep the items safe. ¡°Oh. I guess I should have known you¡¯d have some hidey-holes here and there. Um, you sure it¡¯s okay for me to see this?¡± ¡°You followed me. I told you to stay there.¡± ¡°¡­Sorry.¡± She ignored him and opened her chest. There was a smooth, round rock that was an unusual green colour, with little white ripples across it like little waves on a lake. A wooden hairpin whose head was in the shape of an ever-bloom flower, worn smooth with age. A bone whistle. A leather bag of oracle bones. Ah. She took out the spearhead. It was black and glassy, made of a rare stone that had been spat out from the mouth of a fiery mountain, far away from here. The edge was still sharp. The magic in it made her skin tingle where she touched it. Its song seemed to retreat as she held it between her fingers, dimming. ¡°Hold out your hand.¡± He looked at her warily but obeyed. Ba¡¯an unceremoniously dropped the spearhead into his palm. ¡°Wear it when you go to fight with your¡­family. It will help you.¡± Ba¡¯an dusted off her hands and shut the chest, then pushed it back into its place against the wall. ¡°I¡­Ba¡¯an, I don¡¯t think I can accept this.¡± ¡°Why?¡± He looked at her, then at the chest. ¡°You put all your important stuff in there, right?¡± He looked at the spearhead sitting in his palm. ¡°This is something special to you, isn¡¯t it?¡± Ba¡¯an shrugged. It was true. Ul¡¯ma had given it to her when Ba¡¯an had first come to sit in the shi-vuti as a witch. Ul¡¯ma had sacrificed a strifa with it to a spirit of victory. It had accepted the offering. Ba¡¯an had always worn it around her neck, under her dress, when she went to council meetings. She had never been good at persuasion, but the spirit had always helped her. ¡°It will help you talk very well. Take it. Or throw it in the privy.¡± She shrugged again. ¡°I will never use it again.¡± She began walking back to the kitchen. ¡°Ba¡¯an, I didn¡¯t tell you that story to¡­get something. I don¡¯t want to be¡ªwell, I don¡¯t want to be one of those people who keep taking from you.¡± Ah. He was thinking of Salu¡¯ka and Ku¡¯rin. ¡°It is a gift. So you are receiving something, not taking. But it is true you can refuse it. Throw it in the privy, or across the sand.¡± He was too trusting. Ba¡¯an knew she was being selfish. It was a gift meant to push him into going to Kyros sooner, which was what she had meant for him to do by opening the subject. And¡ª It would be a reminder. Lukios spoke as though they would not become strangers once he returned, but Ba¡¯an was older and she knew people. His days would become busy and he would reacquaint himself with familiar faces. Eventually, she would become a faded memory, and one day, not even that. If her gift gave him his victory, he would remember her every time he saw it. Ba¡¯an had been trained to be a witch her whole life. She gave away nothing; everything had its price. Everything. She sat by the fire and picked up her soup. By the time Lukios came down and slowly sat across from her, she had finished it and was considering seconds. No, she was full. Her hunger had never been a physical thing, after all. ¡°¡­Would you mind loaning me a leather strap? I don¡¯t have pockets.¡± ¡°Lukios. How do I feel about stupid questions?¡± He slapped his hand over his mouth, but the snort escaped. ¡°Right. I guess I¡¯ll just take one then.¡± By the time dinner was over, Ba¡¯an was satisfied to see her gift dangling around his neck. They would leave within the week. Chapter Fourteen: Lukios of House Helios, Part II Ba¡¯an woke up, drenched in sweat, her heart pounding. She slapped a hand over her mouth to keep from making¡­noises. The fire had burned down to embers and the not-vuti was dark. Even so, the starlight was bright and Ba¡¯an could see Lukios sleeping in what had been her nest of blankets. He seemed to prefer it, mostly because he could fit all of himself on the floor. The blankets were still a bit too short, though. He was sound asleep. Thank you, ancestors. He slept without his shirt, and he had kicked off his blankets. The spearhead had flopped over his shoulder, the leather thong just a dark line against his skin. She could see the shadows play against the shape of the lean, hard muscles of his chest and belly. The scar left by the sword wound she had sewn closed was not visible, but she could see the dark blotch that was the patch of hair that started just below his navel and trailed down until it disappeared beneath the blanket. In her dream she had used her mouth to¡ª No. Stop. That is rude. She turned her face away and tilted her head back to look up at the sky. There was a familiar, aching throb between her legs that demanded relief. It had been five years since Thu¡¯rin, and Ba¡¯an had not had a man since. She had only been here, alone in her not-vuti except for trading trips to the city or jaunts across the red sands, and¡ª Lukios was a man. Ba¡¯an was a woman, a woman who had not had a man for five years. It did not help that he was funny, kind, handsome, and sharper¡ªmuch, much sharper¡ªthan anyone likely guessed¡ªthough he did have a foul mouth. He was young, too¡ªperhaps just upwards of 25 or 26¡ªand clearly strong and virile. She was only frustrated. Only that. Besides, he likely had women everywhere he went. It was foolishness to entertain these thoughts, and they would stay just that¡ªthoughts, never to be spoken out loud in the light of day. Ever. The problem would resolve itself once he was gone. But for now, she could not stay in a bed that smelled like him and expect to calm down. Ba¡¯an left her bed as quietly as she could. She took the stairs slowly in the dark, careful to keep her palm pressed against the wall so she would not become disoriented. It would be a very stupid thing to die falling off the stairs after everything Lukios had done to keep her alive. She was sweating again by the time she reached the top. She couldn¡¯t see anything on the ground from this height ¨C everything just looked like a dark, lumpy shadow ¨C but she thought she would have heard it if he had woken. She walked up the final set and then she was outside. The breeze was cool and held the refreshing smell of a desert at night: sand, the dry plant smell from the akaikai grove, and sweet sagi grass. The wind was playful tonight. It caught her hair and tossed the strands around her head in little gusts. The sweat from her climb dried quickly. Ba¡¯an found a nice spot just past the stairs to lie down. It was not completely flat, but there was an incline that made it good for lying down and looking into the distance. Ba¡¯an would never tire of the sight of the night sky from here for as long as she lived. The stars glowed, millions of them, scattered across the black sky like shining jewels. Why do you stay here, Ba¡¯an? But why would she leave? She was a desert creature. Ba¡¯an touched Thu¡¯rin¡¯s necklace of teeth. He had liked to tease her by calling her his little bird, but Ul¡¯ma had always told her that was stupid. ¡°You are no delicate bird,¡± she had said, and Ba¡¯an knew that Ul¡¯ma had always been right about her. A familiar presence was moving up the stairs, and Ba¡¯an stiffened and sat up. She had woken him again. Lukios came to the top of the stairs, but then stilled, simply standing there and looking at her. She turned her head to meet his gaze. He said, very quietly, ¡°You really need to do something about your disappearing trick. It¡¯s not nice.¡± His eyes were not crinkled at the corners, for once. He looked very serious. She shifted so she could turn and a rock skittered away into the darkness, plunging off the side of the cliff. He walked the rest of the way and sat down beside her. ¡°Careful. You¡¯ll definitely die if you fall from here.¡± She ignored his worrying. ¡°I did not mean to wake you. I am sorry for it.¡± He shrugged, eyes on the sky. ¡°Bad dreams again?¡± No. ¡°Dreams, yes.¡± He looked at her again, but this time he reached out and traced the dark circle beneath her eye with a thumb. She felt his calluses drag across her skin in a way that made a shiver ghost up her spine. ¡°You look tired these days, you know that?¡± He dropped his hand back down. ¡°Yes.¡± She was tired. Ba¡¯an touched Thu¡¯rin¡¯s necklace again. She didn¡¯t always dream of Lukios. Sometimes she dreamed about Thu¡¯rin, his dead face staring sightlessly into the sky, and once she had dreamed about her trial, kneeling in the dark as the A¡¯tat loomed over her¡ªbut it had not been the A¡¯tat. It had been Ash¡¯a and Lu¡¯kir, Ul¡¯ma and Thu¡¯rin, sitting in a circle and staring at her in the dark, staring and staring with sightless eyes. Ash¡¯a had sat crooked and bent, her spine still broken, while Lu¡¯kir¡¯s jaw and throat had hung in meaty strips over his chest. Ul¡¯ma had been shrivelled, her eyes milky, and Thu¡¯rin¡ª He always had his throat torn open in her dreams, eyes staring blankly. Ba¡¯an tangled her fingers in the cord until the tips went white and numb. The teeth clicked softly against each other even as Lukios made a little noise of alarm in the back of his throat. He reached over and tugged her fingers free. ¡°I could¡¯ve sworn we came to an agreement about this,¡± he said, trying to sound jovial, but even his cheer faltered and died in the face of her silence. This was true. Ba¡¯an released the necklace, flexing her fingers until the blood ran through them again. Lukios took her hand in his and they sat together, watching the stars. His touch warmed her fingers, just as his body warmed her side, even through their clothes. It was like sitting beside a hot rock or a cozy fire¡ªcomfortable and comforting. As usual, Lukios broke first. ¡°Is it real bad? The dreams.¡± ¡°They are dreams.¡± Lukios opened his mouth, then seemed to think better of what he had been planning to say. When he spoke again, he only said, ¡°Want me to make you some tea? With the sambi-sahi. It¡¯ll knock you right out, won¡¯t it?¡± She shook her head. That would be cheating. ¡°It is well.¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure it isn¡¯t, Ba¡¯an.¡± ¡°It is well.¡± He sighed, but did not push further. Instead, he changed the subject. ¡°You ever seen a play?¡± ¡°I do not know what that is.¡± ¡°Oh. It¡¯s uh¡­I¡¯m sure your people have something similar. It¡¯s where people¡ªactors¡ªtell stories by pretending to be other people. It¡¯s like playing pretend, but they get paid to do it.¡± ¡°Oh. Yes. Sometimes we have¡­¡¯plays.¡¯ Usually they are histories. They are paid in¡­honour. Not coin.¡± ¡°Ha, should¡¯ve guessed. Well, we have a lot of funny ones. We call them ¡®comedies.¡¯ There¡¯s this one about¡ªhaha, you¡¯re going to think this is so stupid¡ªbut there was a big showing of a new one a year ago about the Unification War. It¡¯s about Matron Lysistrata, who leads the women of Heliopolis in a¡­uh¡­I guess you could say rebellion against their husbands. "Patriarch Leontes has gone to war, you see, and he¡¯s taken all the young men with him. She just can¡¯t get her daughters married ¡®cause there are no men around to marry, and so she gets all the women together and they decide they¡¯re going to refuse to have any sex with their men at all until they agree to peace. Want me to tell you the story?¡± She blinked. It did sound very silly. Why not? It would be good to laugh. ¡°Very well.¡± He smiled at her. ¡°Good.¡± He cleared his throat, and she recognized that he was settling in to tell a good, long story. ¡°A long, long time ago, after the Age of Magic ended, the city-states of what we now call the Empire went to war. They were being pressed, you see, by the might of the Eirian forces from the south, but the city-states were too used to attending to their own business and turned a blind eye to their neighbours falling to the sword. In Heliopolis, there was a mighty strategos named Leontes of House Helios, and he rallied the men of the city and surrounding areas into a great army¡­¡± This was not a history that she had heard before. She had known that a mighty warrior had united the Dolkoi¡¯ri under one banner, but she had not known his name, nor had she known the name of the enemy they had faced. She listened intently, enjoying his storytelling as always. ¡°¡¯¡­And indeed, the messenger had arrived, and he held to him a large burden, as did all the men of the¡ª¡± ¡°What was his burden? I do not understand.¡± ¡°Uh¡­well¡­let¡¯s just say all the men had some pretty heavy burdens. Since their wives wouldn¡¯t let them¡­you know.¡± ¡°¡­Oh. But Lukios, your people keep bedslaves. They cannot say no.¡± Lukios covered his face with his hand. ¡°Yeah, but Ba¡¯an¡ªit¡¯s a comedy. A satire. It¡¯s supposed to be silly and nonsensical, s¡ªBa¡¯an. It¡¯s no fun if you use common sense!¡± ¡°Oh. Yes, I see. Very well.¡± His shoulders were shaking with silent laughter. ¡°You sure? Want me to write the playwright once we get to Kyros? Bet you he¡¯d write back. He¡¯s real famous for being prickly. Hates it when the critics pan him. Bet you his letters could fetch you more than a few obols.¡± ¡°People will buy his letters?¡± ¡°Oh yeah. He¡¯s real famous these days. A real darling of the toga-wearing agora set.¡± ¡°I do not understand. What is a toga-wearing agora set?¡± ¡°Ha! Guess I should explain it. A toga is¡ªyou ever seen any men in the square in Kyros wearing those long¡­I guess they look like chai¡¯ra, but for men? They¡¯re long, and you wrap them like¡ª¡± He demonstrated with his hands, moving them in a way that showed how it was folded. ¡°Oh. Yes, I have seen them. They look very uncomfortable. They do not use pins.¡± Lukios snickered. ¡°Of course they don¡¯t. It¡¯s not like they¡¯ll need to ever run or lift things. They¡¯re for fancy folk. You know, people with more money than they know what to do with. Anyway, those types like to play at the agora¡ªum, you know the market square?¡ªall day. They don¡¯t really work, ¡®cause their slaves usually do it for them. It¡¯s all play, but they pretend it¡¯s all real important stuff, life or death. ¡®Oh no! A critic said my poem reads like it was written by an illiterate Yartan trader! That bastard! I better seduce his wife and have her poison his wine!¡¯ That sort of thing.¡± How strange. Ba¡¯an had thought Lukios was one of the¡­fancy folk¡­based on his things, especially his ring. ¡°You do not like the¡­fancy folk?¡± ¡°Eh. Not all of them are terrible. Just most of them. They¡¯ve got their heads so far up their own asses that they can hardly tell what¡¯s up or down, usually.¡± ¡°But Lukios. You¡­¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Are you not¡­fancy? You said you own an estate. And your things look very expensive.¡± He cringed away from her, his movements exaggerated. She put her hand over her mouth to hide her smile. ¡°Oh, ouch. I think that¡¯s the meanest thing you¡¯ve said to me the entire time here. Can¡¯t you just call me stupid again?¡± ¡°I have never called you stupid, Lukios. I said ¡®that is stupid.¡¯ Not ¡®you are stupid.¡¯¡± She frowned at him. ¡°It is different.¡± He grinned. ¡°Okay. You never called me stupid. Just everything I say is stupid.¡± ¡°Lukios.¡± ¡°Haha, aw, Ba¡¯an, your nose is doing that wrinkly thing again.¡± He reached up and poked her nose, and she snuffled at him. Lukios only grinned more. Predictably insufferable, as always. ¡°Lukios.¡± ¡°Yeeees, Ba¡¯an?¡± ¡°You have not answered my question.¡± He only laughed. ¡°You got me. Well, I made my money the hard way. And I¡¯m only fancy when I have to be. How¡¯s that?¡± ¡°But Lukios,¡± she said, ¡°You told Salu¡¯ka and Ku¡¯rin that you are Lukios of House Helios. Is it not the same family from your story? Surely it is very fancy then?¡± Ba¡¯an did not understand Dolkoi¡¯ri politics and she did not know much of their history¡ªonly the parts where they had come clashing against the People, over and over¡ªbut it was, again, common sense. His family was famous enough that a chanter of histories¡ªno, a chanter of¡­¡¯comedies¡¯¡­had written it into a ¡®play¡¯. For a moment¡ªand it was only for a moment, a short, short moment, like light glinting off the edge of a keen blade¡ªLukios¡¯ face went cold and hard. With hatred. And then it was gone, wiped away by his smile as though it had never been. Ba¡¯an blinked. Had she imagined it? Tik-Tak Mal¡¯uk had worn Lukios¡¯ face, his sneer stalking her dreams even now. But Lukios¡ªthe real Lukios¡ªhad never looked at anyone like that¡ªnot even Vaa¡¯ti. She rubbed her eyes. Perhaps she had not been as immune to the spirit¡¯s tricks as she had thought. ¡°Well, it¡¯s true House Helios is fancy. The main house is as fancy as you get, unless you¡¯re the emperor¡ªbut he¡¯s a Helios too. Go figure.¡± Lukios shrugged, then grinned. ¡°I promise I¡¯m not as fancy as the emperor. But I am fancy enough to buy you as much honey as you want.¡± He leaned in so their noses were nearly touching. ¡°And anything else you want, too. How¡¯s that? Or do you really just like fancy men? No wait, should I have said I¡¯m real fancy too?¡± Ba¡¯an felt disoriented. Lukios was related to the emperor? The emperor? But¡ªhe¡ªhe¡ª ¡°¡­Ba¡¯an?¡± ¡°I¡­am well.¡± How could Lukios be related to the emperor? Ba¡¯an looked up at him, taking in his warm, reassuring presence. How could he be related to Emperor Stefanos? Stefanos was an evil man. The things he had ordered during the Dolkoi¡¯ri-anta were¡­they had been¡­ No K¡¯Avaari would have ordered such things. No witch. No chief. The A¡¯tat would have never allowed such things to be carried out in their name. Stefanos had driven the People into a corner, and Ba¡¯an had committed es¡¯tat to get them out. Murdered Thu¡¯rin. Sacrificed Ul¡¯ma. Ash¡¯a. Lu¡¯kir. Herself. Because of Stefanos. Because of his greed. Stefanos was evil. Evil. And he was a Helios¡­as was Lukios. ¡°Ba¡¯an? You don¡¯t look so good.¡± He leaned forward and Ba¡¯an leaned away, hand going to Thu¡¯rin¡¯s necklace and clutching it tightly. Lukios¡¯ eyes widened and his expression fell, hurt flashing across his features. But he stopped, sitting back so she had space. Ba¡¯an was a witch. She no longer sat in a shi-vuti or had a name chain but¡ª She was still a witch. Ba¡¯an could not stop because she did not know how. How could she be sitting here with an outlander, smiling and laughing as though she did not know what he must have done? The war had only ended five years ago. What was wrong with her? She was panting after him like a bitch in heat, that was what was wrong with her. Ba¡¯an was pathetic. Pathetic. Like an animal, but worse. ¡°¡­Ba¡¯an. Whatever you¡¯re thinking, I¡¯m not¡ªlook, I¡¯m not a part of the main house and I don¡¯t¡ªI don¡¯t get to¡ª¡± ¡°It is well. Thank you for telling me, Lukios.¡± Ba¡¯an stood. ¡°I am very tired. Goodnight.¡± ¡°Ba¡¯an. Just¡ªwait a minute, will you? I think you¡¯ve misunderstood something. Several somethings. Can¡¯t you just¡ª¡± Ba¡¯an retreated quickly. ¡°It is very late, Lukios. We must sleep.¡± ¡°Right. We do. But Ba¡¯an, I don¡¯t want you to get mixed up about this. I¡¯m not from the main house. I¡¯m¡ªI¡¯m not even a real¡ª¡± ¡°It is your personal matter, Lukios. It is well.¡± ¡°Oh for fuck¡¯s¡ªBa¡¯an!¡± He had stood and was coming after her, sounding truly upset. She paused, heart beating rapidly in her chest. She turned to look at Lukios again, and it was as though he had suddenly become someone else. But he was still Lukios. How could he be related to a man like Stefanos? ¡°We will speak in the morning, Lukios. You may explain whatever you wish then. But I am¡­very tired. Very, very tired.¡± It wasn¡¯t a lie¡ªshe was tired. Tired and frightened, frightened of whatever awful truth about himself he was going to tell her. Ba¡¯an did not wish to know any more, because¡­because¡­ What if it was something that was es¡¯tat? What if it was something that obliged her to kill him? ¡°Ba¡¯an. Promise me. We¡¯ll talk in the morning.¡± He fixed her with a hard, flat look that dared her to refuse him. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to misunderstand. I mean, if you¡¯re going to hate me, you better hate me for me. Get it?¡± ¡°I do not hate you, Lukios.¡± But she was afraid she would have to. ¡°We will speak in the morning.¡± ¡°Okay. Good. I¡¯ll hold you to that.¡± They were at the bottom of the stairs now. Ba¡¯an crossed the room and crawled into bed, back to Lukios. She could hear him settle down on the floor, her senses prickling with every sound. Eventually he was still and silent, except for his soul which was always bright and loud. Ba¡¯an closed her eyes. She was almost asleep when she heard Lukios say, very quietly, ¡°Sleep well, Ba¡¯an.¡± And then he was silent again. Ba¡¯an slept, and did not dream. Chapter Fifteen: Lukios of House Helios, Part III When Ba¡¯an woke the not-vuti was empty. She sat up instantly, seeking out Lukios¡¯ familiar soul; she slumped with relief when she found him. He had been at the akaikai grove, and was returning to the not-vuti now. She put her hand over her racing heart, feeling it slow as she calmed. Of course Lukios had not left. Where would he go? They were surrounded by desert on all sides and she did not own a map. There was no way for him to get to Kyros alone. And yet she had worried that he had left her, as though she were in any position to be left. Pathetic. Ba¡¯an was pathetic. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and slipped out of bed. There was no point in sulking or ruminating. It was best to stay busy. Ba¡¯an changed, then made the bed before washing her face in the kitchen. She heard Lukios wander through the courtyard as she knelt to light the fire, and by the time she was blowing on it she could hear the clack-clack-clack of wood against wood as Lukios stacked the pile. He had finished by the time she had the cauldron on the fire and filled with water¡ªthe noises had stopped. Ba¡¯an washed and chopped mushrooms, waiting for Lukios to come in. He didn¡¯t. He was outside by the woodpile, standing very still. Ba¡¯an dumped the mushrooms¡ªfour different kinds¡ªinto the water. She washed the leafy greens next and set them aside. Lukios still had not moved. They were out of meat. No one had gone fishing and the traps were empty. Ba¡¯an took the balu¡¯tra she had ground into flour and added it to the soup. It would thicken it, though it would not taste as good as adding real grains. Lukios was still outside, simply¡­standing there. Ba¡¯an stepped away from the fire, turning to the door. Should she¡­? She took a step forward and stopped. But what if he was upset with her? She turned back to the cauldron, which was bubbling away. She dumped the leafy greens into the soup and stirred it. When she tasted it, she wrinkled her nose. Ugh. They had to go to Kyros soon. Ba¡¯an needed salt rocks¡ªdesperately. Lukios was still standing outside. The sun was beginning to climb in the sky. Soon it would become too hot¡ªwhy was he only standing there? He would burn. And breakfast was ready¡ªsuch as it was. Ba¡¯an walked to the doorway. She was not very quiet¡ªshe walked normally, like a person, whereas Lukios stepped lighter than a cat¡ªbut he still did not turn. His head was tilted down so he was staring at the ground¡ªor was he staring at his feet? The sun glinted off his hair, and the strands seem to glow, like threads of gold. Ba¡¯an opened her mouth, then closed it again. After the third time, she settled on what she wished to say. ¡°Breakfast is ready, Lukios.¡± He startled and turned. Had he simply not noticed her? ¡°Oh. That¡¯s great.¡± He smiled, though Ba¡¯an thought it was not as bright and wide as his usual one. ¡°Hey, guess what? I found something tasty.¡± He reached into the folds of his chiton and drew out an egg. It was small, fitting neatly into the palm of his hand. She could see even from her spot in the doorway that it was grey and speckled. Rock bird eggs. Ba¡¯an wiped her mouth, swallowing. Oh yes. They were very tasty indeed. Finally, they would have something heartier than mushrooms. Ba¡¯an enjoyed mushrooms, but they were not very filling on their own. ¡°That is a very good find! We can bake them. Oh! How many?¡± He held up a hand with four fingers raised. ¡°You can have three, since you¡¯re so much bigger than I am,¡± he said, and his grin widened. ¡°Very funny, Lukios. We will have two each. So it is fair.¡± Actually, Lukios was more than twice her weight, so he ought to have three, but Ba¡¯an was not that generous. She was very, very hungry. ¡°Ha, if you say so. We¡¯ll see.¡± He gave her a knowing grin, and Ba¡¯an smiled back though not without discomfort. He was muted today. His smiles were¡­dimmer. Not as bright, or as cheerful. Ba¡¯an had upset him, though she did not think he was angry with her. No. It was much worse than that¡ªhe was hurt. She bit the corner of her lip as they entered the not-vuti together. Of course she had hurt him. Ba¡¯an wished to fix this, but she did not know how. Lukios normally recovered his good cheer quickly, though she had never¡­rejected him for being himself, before. That was different than a small squabble over chores or a poor choice of seasoning. Ba¡¯an did not know how to correct this. She thought they ought to talk, as promised, but she did not know how to broach the topic. If she had still been a sitting witch and he a hunter, she would have simply¡­hm. Well, such a thing would not have happened, because no hunter was an outlander. No hunter in a saa-vuti vur was what Lukios was. There would be nothing to reject, and if he had committed es¡¯tat then he would have been punished. There was no question as to what would happen. This was difficult. Lukios ambled to the bir-vuti to wash himself, laughingly telling her that sweat wasn¡¯t the sort of smell that whetted the appetite. This was true, though she did not think he had gotten very sweaty. Perhaps he had a better sense of smell than she did. Or perhaps he had wanted to be away from her. Ba¡¯an busied herself with the eggs, which did not take long at all. Then she sat watching the soup boil, twisting the hem of her shift with her fingers over and over as she waited. What could she say? What should she say? But it was true what she had thought. It was possible that speaking with Lukios would make matters worse. Ba¡¯an did not wish to harm Lukios. It was why she had never asked him where he had been during the Dolkoi¡¯ri-anta, what he had done¡ªBa¡¯an avoided thinking or remembering it in general, and knowing what he had done would only complicate things. Make her resent him, even. It was better not to speak of it, better to let sleeping memories lie undisturbed, locked away and forgotten forever. Remembering what she had done to Thu¡¯rin was more than enough. Ba¡¯an did not remember what she had done after¡ªmost of it¡ªand that suited her very well. She did not wish to know more of Lukios if it would lead to her hating him. Ba¡¯an wanted to remember him as he was now: young and golden, humorous and handsome, a sweet memory to warm her as she waited to be unmade, devoured by a dead and hungry god. It would not take very long now, and she wished to carry only good memories of him until she remembered nothing at all. She took a breath to steady her nerves, then banked the fire. The soup was going to boil off. She added some more water, and stirred, making sure it did not stick at the bottom. Cleaning it would be very taxing. Lukios took his time, and when he finally returned Ba¡¯an could feel her stomach tying itself up in knots, attempting to eat itself. It made her cranky, but she wrestled it down. Losing her temper was the very last thing she ought to do here. ¡°Sorry.¡± Lukios¡¯ hair dripped onto his tunic and chiton. Had he actually bathed instead of simply washing? ¡°It is well.¡± Her belly growled, calling her a liar. Lukios chuckled. ¡°You should have just eaten, Ba¡¯an. I was slow, sorry.¡± She ladled him his portion first then served herself. The eggs she had baked in the fire, putting them into a clay bowl so that they would not lose any of the meat if the shell cracked while cooking. That had been wise¡ªthey had all cracked. She gave him his portion of that too. Obediently, he took both, but she noticed he only ate one. She would not eat it even if he left it. It was a matter of principle now. ¡°You must eat your egg, Lukios.¡± This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°Okay.¡± He didn¡¯t move to eat it. Instead he set his bowl aside and watched her eat her third serving of the blandest soup she had ever made. She did not blame him for having only one serving. Ba¡¯an wished she could stop eating, but her hunger was a force of its own. The weak, watery taste of it made her tongue and throat spasm in protest as she gulped it down. Silently, he pushed his remaining egg to her once she finished her soup. She glared at him. ¡°Lukios. I will not eat your egg. You are the one that found them. It is only fair.¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯re hungrier than I am.¡± He grinned. ¡°On account of being so big and manly.¡± ¡°That is not funny, Lukios. Dolkoi¡¯ri humour is not funny. At all.¡± She glared. ¡°And I am not a big man.¡± This was offensive. Ba¡¯an knew she was no great beauty, but she was far from being mannish. ¡°Aw, I didn¡¯t mean it like that. You don¡¯t look like a man at all, Ba¡¯an. You¡¯re too pretty.¡± She continued glaring. ¡°Really. Really. I was just teasing. Let¡¯s split it in half then. That¡¯s fair, right?¡± Ba¡¯an began peeling the egg. ¡°No. Eat your egg, Lukios. Rock bird eggs are good for you. They will make you grow very big.¡± Not that he wasn¡¯t big enough already. At Lukios¡¯ age the only growing he could possibly do was sideways, but she did not think Lukios would have this problem until he was much, much older. On cue, his grin became a leer. Ba¡¯an rolled her eyes as he said, ¡°Wanna know what else can get really, really big?¡± ¡°Lukios.¡± ¡°Yea¡ªmmmfh!¡± ¡°That is much better. Chew.¡± He obeyed, and this time he was the one rolling his eyes. Ba¡¯an stirred the soup again then stared into the fire. The air between them had become awkward. It was obvious that he was thinking about the same thing she was. They remained sitting once they were finished. The fire crackled and popped merrily, and Ba¡¯an found it comforting though the day was getting hot. ¡°Lukios.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± He looked into the fire too, avoiding her eyes. Ba¡¯an¡¯s heart began to sink. Was it truly so bad? Just who was Lukios of House Helios? Was he¡­close to Stefanos? Had he¡­carried out¡­Ba¡¯an banished the thought. No. She would not believe it unless he told her himself. This much, she could do. He took a breath and opened his mouth, then closed it again. By the third time he did this, Ba¡¯an was clenching the hem of her shift in a white-knuckled grip. She was afraid it was very, very bad. If he told her he had been involved in the Dolkoi¡¯ri-anta as more than a simple soldier, she may be obliged to kill him. Had he been sitting in a tent the entire time, signing papers that sealed the fate of hundreds and hundreds of her brethren? If it was something like that, could she stop him from¡­speaking it out loud? No. This was ludicrous. Ba¡¯an was not a child, and plugging her ears would not make it go away. And¡­he had told her that he had seen her at Perenos Field. He had seen her up close, close enough to have recognized her right away. No. He could not have been the man that had ordered¡­such things. ¡°I¡­Ba¡¯an, don¡¯t take this the wrong way. But I think it¡¯s easier to just show you.¡± She blinked. Lukios turned around, putting his back to her, and unclasped his chiton. The fabric fell, draping around his waist. What¡ªwas he stripping? Why¡ª? He shrugged off his tunic and set it aside, shoulders bowed. ¡°I¡¯m guessing you already know about these.¡± Ah. The scars. ¡°Yes. They are very¡­¡± She paused. ¡°K¡¯Avaari also discipline their children. But we do not scar them.¡± Lukios¡¯ shoulders began to shake. ¡°Lukios?¡± He was shaking his head, laughing silently and helplessly. ¡°Oh, Ba¡¯an. No one beats their own kid like this. Well, some people but¡ªno. Mostly not. Just drunks and bottom-feeders, that¡¯s all. A good cuffing here and there? Sure. But a whipping? No. That¡¯s illegal. Citizens can¡¯t be whipped¡ªunless they¡¯re soldiers.¡± ¡°Lukios. I do not understand what you are saying.¡± Or why it was funny. Ba¡¯an did not think it was funny to whip children or anyone else. It was cruel. A sharp smack on the bottom or a rod across the palms or calves was one thing. A whipping was something else entirely. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He cleared his throat. ¡°See this?¡± He reached behind him and touched the burn mark over his left shoulder. ¡°Yes. It must have been very painful.¡± ¡°Oh, it was. But it was worth it. Worth every drachma, too. See, I went to a surgeon and had him do it.¡± ¡°What? Why? Lukios, why would you¡­pay a man to burn you?¡± ¡°To get rid of my brand, Ba¡¯an.¡± ¡°Brand?¡± There was a sort of horrific realization dawning in her mind. The rising thought made her ears buzz, and she nearly missed what he said next. ¡°Yeah. I had a brand. A slave brand. I¡¯m not a real Helios, Ba¡¯an. I was adopted three years ago by one. Before that I was just Lukios of Heliopolis, and before that I was just Lukios. I was a slave until I was twenty.¡± He swallowed thickly, head drooping. ¡°There. Now you know.¡±
¡°Ba¡¯an? Ba¡¯an? Ba¡¯an!¡± Lukios¡¯ voice finally cut through the buzzing in her ears. Blinking, she looked up at him. His eyes were wide as he looked down at her. Distantly she was aware that he was holding her arms, holding her up. He was strangely blurry. ¡°Lukios. I am¡­well.¡± She expected him to say something humorously cutting, but he did not. Instead he only brought up his hand to wipe her cheek with his thumb. It came away glistening. Ba¡¯an touched her own face. It was wet. She blinked, and another tear dripped down her cheek. ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± He had not released her other arm. ¡°I am well. I was only¡­surprised.¡± She sat up. She had not realized that she had slumped nearly to the ground. Her heart was racing, as though she had run very fast and very hard. She wiped her tears, trying not to look pathetic. But it had been obvious from the start. Lukios had been correct: Who would whip their own child the way he had been? The marks were placed very precisely, and she had known that whoever had done it had struck him in the same spot over and over, even past the point when the skin had broken and bled. And then he had done it again just below it. And again. And again. Lukios'' back would have been a ragged, tattered mess of skin once it was done. No one whipped their own child like that. Not unless they had gone utterly mad. And Lukios always ate everything, even if it was terrible and bland. He always worked. Always. He never seemed to need rest, and he was always up so early and off to bed late. Because that was how he had lived his life. Until he was twenty¡ªno, his entire life. It was ingrained in him now. Why had she not seen this? She had fooled herself by looking at his fine things, his signet ring, his good looks. Another thought occurred to her and she covered her mouth. His looks. The appetites of Dolkoi¡¯ri men did not only run to women. Even Ba¡¯an knew this, just as she knew that they were often fond of young boys¡ªthere were many in the brothels at Kyros. Lukios, with his rare looks and bright, happy spirit, would have never been left alone. She was going to vomit. Ba¡¯an tried to breathe through the tightness in her throat. If she continued thinking about it, she would be sick. If she continued thinking about it, she would make a great mess, right on the¡ªthe¡ª ¡°Ba¡¯an. It¡¯s okay. It was a long time ago. I don¡¯t really think about it anymore.¡± He tugged her close and held her, stroking her hair in a soothing way. ¡°You don¡¯t have to cry. It was ages and ages ago, and I¡¯m doing just fine.¡± But he did think about it. No one likes being sold and bought. Of course he knew that very well. Ba¡¯an let herself lean against him, ear and cheek pressed to his skin. She could hear his heart beating, strong and steady, but just a hair faster than it should have been. He had been nervous. Nervous about telling her¡ªwhat, that he had been a slave? Ba''an had been afraid he would tell her something else entirely. This was a relief. As terrible as it was¡ªshe was relieved. And horrified. How could Lukios still laugh? How could Lukios be Lukios? Even now he was comforting her, when it should have been the other way around. How was he this instead of an angry, bitter, selfish man, twisted by his suffering? Lukios was a miracle. A miracle. Then another thought occurred to her: Kyros. There was no mystery now as to why he did not wish to go. It would be cruel to force him. ¡°Lukios.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°If you do not wish to¡­leave¡­you do not need to.¡± ¡°Ba¡¯an?¡± She could feel her cheeks go hot and she turned her face so her forehead was pressed against his chest. ¡°If you do not wish to¡­return¡­to your old life. I will not¡­make you leave.¡± There. Perhaps life in a cave was better than life with those who had profited from buying and selling you¡ªlegally. ¡°Oh. Oh, Ba¡¯an.¡± He laughed very softly, and she felt it roll through him and into her. It was very pleasant. ¡°You¡¯re the Stormcrow. You¡¯re not supposed to be this sweet. You¡¯re just not. Can¡¯t you be meaner?¡± She frowned. ¡°No. Why would I be cruel?¡± Silly man. ¡°And that is not my name or title. It is only a foolish thing your¡ªthe Dolkoi¡¯ri call me. I am not a ¡®stormcrow.¡¯¡± It sounded very stupid, besides. Stormcrow. Ha. Ba¡¯an had slain and consumed a god. Then she had skinned it and worn it like a coat. But they called her a stormcrow¡ªwhatever that was. Ignorant, brutish, and cruel. Ba¡¯an had not been wrong about the Dolkoi¡¯ri at all. ¡°Ha. But Ba¡¯an, you really do look like a pretty little bird.¡± He put his hands on her cheeks and peered down at her. ¡°Yup. It¡¯s the big, dark eyes. And the hair. And the¡ªwell, you look very sweet and delicate¡ªjust like a bird.¡± He sobered. ¡°That¡¯s real tempting, Ba¡¯an. But you were right the first time¡ªwe do have to go. We¡¯ll starve to death, otherwise, and¡­well, I do have duties. I can¡¯t run from them forever, though¡­¡± She looked up at him just in time for his kiss to land on her forehead. ¡°It was real nice to be just Lukios for a while. Thanks, Ba¡¯an.¡± ¡°I do not understand,¡± she said, puzzled¡ªhow could Lukios be anyone but Lukios, no matter what the law said?¡ª"but you are¡­welcome. And you are welcome to return whenever you wish.¡± Though she did not think he would. He would forget her soon enough. ¡°Aw. Ba¡¯an. You¡¯re just too¡ªcome here.¡± He pulled her tightly to him and gave her a fierce, all-encompassing hug. Ba¡¯an put her arms around him as well, letting him hold her as he liked. It was not usual for the K¡¯Avaari to touch like this, and such a thing never happened between a man and a woman who were not lovers already, but she was used to bizarre and outrageous Dolkoi¡¯ri customs. She would allow it this once. Besides, he was very warm and solid, and it felt very nice. He smelled good, too. Quietly, Lukios said into her hair, ¡°I¡¯d like it if you didn¡¯t treat me any differently.¡± She frowned. ¡°I do not know why I would. You are always yourself. Do not allow foolish Dolkoi¡¯ri ideas to convince you otherwise.¡± The essence of a thing did not change. A child grew. A man aged. Kindness became cruelty and back. But the essence of a thing was the same: the child was human, as was the man. Kindness and cruelty were born from the heart, and the heart always remained. Cruelty did not make a man a monster¡ªhe was only a cruel man. Only monsters were monsters. Ba¡¯an knew this very well. But Ba¡¯an knew the Dolkoi¡¯ri had a habit of labelling things as they wished, as though the act of naming changed the thing they named. It did not. Only their understanding of it changed. A rock did not care what it was called. It was always a rock. A man who was a slave was still a man. It did not matter whether you called him a slave, a freeman, or a citizen: he was a man. And Lukios was Lukios. Lukios began shaking again with laughter. He pulled away from her, gasping, and he slapped his knee. ¡°I do not know why it is funny.¡± He shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not funny. It¡¯s¡ªit¡¯s right. It¡¯s right. I should have known you¡¯d¡ªyou¡¯d¡ª¡± He was laughing too hard to continue. Finally he came to a stop, wheezing and wiping tears from the corners of his eyes. He cleared his throat. ¡°Should¡¯ve known you¡¯d say that. What was I even worried about? Ha.¡± He grinned. ¡°Stupid outlander things, that¡¯s what. Never change, Ba¡¯an. You¡¯re glorious.¡± ¡°I am wise and well-learned, yes.¡± Lukios¡¯ grin only widened. ¡°No arguments from me.¡± ¡°So now you must listen to more wisdom.¡± She glanced at the lengthening shadows. It was nearly lunch time again, and her belly knew it. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°We must finish packing and leave for Kyros within the week. Or we will starve.¡± He began laughing again. ¡°Whatever you say, Ba¡¯an. Whatever you say.¡± Chapter Sixteen: The Kiss This was becoming a habit. Ba¡¯an woke up. It was dark, and the firepit was glowing very faintly. She had woken again from a dream, though this had been neither nightmarish nor erotic. It had only been sad. She had dreamed of her life in the not-vuti before Lukios, sweeping the floors, chopping the firewood, and cooking and eating alone. It had made her sad. The not-vuti was dark and silent, though the gurti¡¯gi always let in starlight. Everything had a dim silver glow, and she could see the bags of herbs and skins for trade piled up neatly on the kitchen counter. They were ready now¡ªthey only had to go. They would be gone from here in the morning, and when Ba¡¯an returned, she would be alone. Ba¡¯an got up quietly. She wanted to take a walk, but if Lukios woke and found her gone, he would worry. It should have bothered her that she cared at all, but it did not. He had risked his own life travelling across the desert to save her, after all. Ba¡¯an was not without a sense of fairness. If she stayed in the courtyard there would be no problem. Quietly, she slipped on her sandals and wandered into the night. The courtyard was a very dull place. It was not a true courtyard. There was the stone slab where Ba¡¯an prepared her meat, to keep the mess out of her kitchen. Other than that it was only a bare, flat piece of rock, surrounded on all sides by cliffs except for the small footpath leading up and over. She circled it once or twice, then gave up from boredom. She circled back to the entranceway and sat on the steps, gazing out at the stars. Perhaps she ought to travel. Lukios had suggested that idea too. Ba¡¯an remembered the strange shapes of the dead creatures trapped inside the rocks of the Eye. Did the world have such creatures still? Perhaps the giant tusk had belonged to the hairy elephants Lukios had called ¡°mammoths¡±. If she travelled north, would she see some? Even if she did not, perhaps she would see some ¡°snow¡±. It sounded fascinating, though she did not like being cold. The desert would not go anywhere. She could always return. It was not that she wanted to go. It was that the prospect of staying alone was¡­ Ba¡¯an tipped her head to the side and frowned. ¡°Can¡¯t sleep?¡± A blanket wrapped around her shoulders. Lukios sat down beside her with a soft sigh. ¡°I have woken you again. I am sorry for it.¡± He smiled. ¡°No, don¡¯t be. It¡¯s what soldiering does to you. You wake up if a bird so much as flaps in your direction. Bad dreams again?¡± ¡°No. Just¡­thoughts.¡± ¡°¡­Are they happy thoughts or sad thoughts?¡± ¡°They are thoughts.¡± He sighed. ¡°Ba¡¯an¡­would it kill you to stop doing that?¡± ¡°What am I doing?¡± ¡°You¡­you¡¯re real secretive, Ba¡¯an. I don¡¯t mean keeping secrets, though you do that too. I mean¡­¡± He swiped his hand through his hair, by now a familiar gesture of frustration. ¡°You¡¯re always hiding. From me. I mean¡­we¡¯re not strangers anymore, so it¡¯s a bit¡­¡± He trailed off, then turned to her with an expression so earnest her heart ached. ¡°You always seem so sad, Ba¡¯an. But you hide it. Even when you¡¯re laughing you just seem so sad, and you never let me¡­in.¡± He shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re like a¡­you¡¯re like a¡­if I say turtle, would you know what that was? Do you have turtles here?¡± She did not know what a turtle was. ¡°No. Does it taste good?¡± He put his hand over his face and laughed softly. ¡°No. They taste a bit fishy and tough. They don¡¯t smell great either. Oh wait, that¡¯s¡ªthat¡¯s not what I meant when I compared you to a turtle. I meant to say¡ªthey live in the water. But they have these shells¡ªhard shells¡ªthat they hide inside. Do you see what I mean?¡± She did. ¡°I was thinking about what to do once you left.¡± She could feel him looking at her again. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Ba¡¯an was silent for a long moment. He waited. She touched the frame of the doorway. ¡°It will feel very empty.¡± He looked at her and took her hand. ¡°You don¡¯t have to stay here by yourself, Ba¡¯an.¡± She blinked at him, confused. Who would stay with her once he left? Lukios took a quick breath and blurted, ¡°You can just come with me. To stay. As long as you like.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I mean it. You don¡¯t have to come back here once we hit Kyros. If you want we can close this place up nice and tight and, um¡­you can just stay with me for a while. For as long as you want. I¡¯ll take care of you. You won¡¯t have to worry about anything, I promise.¡± He grinned at her, his teeth flashing white even in the moonlight. ¡°You can have as many meals a day as you want. Promise. Whatever else you want, too. You won¡¯t have to worry about a thing.¡± Ba¡¯an looked at him blankly. What? She had known Lukios was a madman, but she had not realized¡ªoh. No. He did not know because she had not told him. No one would wish to play host to a soul-eating abomination. It was common sense. ¡°I¡­thank you. But I was thinking about going north.¡± ¡°North?¡± ¡°Yes. To see snow.¡± ¡°That¡¯s really far, Ba¡¯an. By yourself?¡± ¡°Of course. Who would go with me?¡± ¡°Well, you could come with me. And we could go up north together someday. Once the legal things have been worked out.¡± He was being strangely insistent. Ba¡¯an could see that he would not be dissuaded¡­easily. ¡°Lukios.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°There is something you must know.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± He looked completely relaxed, smiling at her with a bright, open expression. He suspected nothing. He had slept across from her these many months, even knowing she was the Stormcrow. Ba¡¯an defeated the urge to touch his face, to run her fingers over his cheek. It would send the wrong message. Ba¡¯an pulled the blanket tighter around herself and stared out into the courtyard and the cliff walls. ¡°You asked me when I first woke why I live alone here. Why I am es¡¯tat.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me if you don¡¯t want to, Ba¡¯an. My offer won¡¯t change. You¡¯ll like it at Synoros, I promise. It¡¯s exactly the sort of place you¡¯d like¡ªright by the desert with lots of olive trees and green, growing things. Water too. Lots of it.¡± She shook her head. ¡°You misunderstand. It is important. You must not offer such things out of ignorance, Lukios. It is very dangerous.¡± ¡°Okay, I think that¡¯s the second meanest thing you¡¯ve said to me so far. Ouch. I think I know you pretty well by now, Ba¡¯an. You¡¯re¡ªwell, you¡¯re just Ba¡¯an.¡± He leaned in closer so his breath tickled her cheek, though she did not turn her head to look. ¡°You¡¯re grumpy on the outside, soft on the inside. My one-and-only Ba¡¯an-turtle.¡± He was grinning. She could hear it. She finally turned to frown at him. He made her sound very innocuous, as though she had not slain his fellow soldiers by the thousands. ¡°I am the Stormcrow, Lukios.¡± ¡°You said that was stupid.¡± She sighed at him. ¡°I am saying I am dangerous. Do you understand? Dangerous.¡± ¡°Oh, I do. I do know it. You have no idea how dangerous you are, Ba¡¯an. You could slay a man by looking at him.¡± She scowled at him and he grinned. ¡°See? You¡¯ve cut me with a glance.¡± He took her hand and pressed it against his chest, over his heart. ¡°Right here. You got me.¡± His heartbeat was strong and steady, though¡­she frowned. It was faster than it should have been. Was he ill? ¡°Lukios. You must listen. The A¡¯tat did not banish me on a whim. Do you understand? They did so with reason. Very good reason.¡± His expression sobered and he took her hand from his chest, though he did not let go. Ba¡¯an knew she ought to pull away, create more distance, but she did not. In the morning they would leave for Kyros and¡­their time together would end, no matter what Lukios thought. ¡°Okay. You can tell me whatever you want, Ba¡¯an. It won¡¯t change how I think of you.¡± She frowned. Now that was very foolish indeed. ¡°Lukios. I fly about at night skinning small children then consuming them.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Lukios. Did you hear me?¡± ¡°Yup. You fly around at night skinning kids and eating them. Do you sell the skins too? You¡¯re awfully busy and fast for such a small woman. To think I slept through all the excitement. Not fair.¡± ¡°Lukios.¡± ¡°Ba¡¯an.¡± He rolled his eyes. ¡°That was obviously a load of horseshit. You do not fly around at night eating small children. I always hear you when you get up to stare at the sky with that sad face you make. Sell it to someone who¡¯s buying.¡± She sighed. ¡°But if it were true you must change your mind. You must flee, for your own safety, or slay me to¡ª¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I would never.¡± He added, in his familiar tone of good humour, ¡°And those kids would be fucked ¡®cause I¡¯d help you with the skinning. Not the eating part, though. People don¡¯t actually taste like pork.¡± ¡°¡­How do you know this?¡± ¡°I knew a guy that got shipwrecked. Had to eat his dead crew.¡± Lukios shrugged. ¡°He was crazier than a pox-ridden whore at Dionysia, though, so you have to take it with a grain of salt.¡± ¡°That is very disturbing, Lukios.¡± ¡°It is! Also, don¡¯t eat people. They don¡¯t taste like pork and you go completely barking mad. Gods don¡¯t like it, apparently.¡± Then he added, very smugly, ¡°See? You¡¯re already disturbed by it and you think you can eat a bunch of kids? Hahaha. Ba¡¯an, you would never. Your insides are too soft and you¡¯d never be able to stomach it.¡± She frowned at him. He did not know what she could or could not stomach. Ba¡¯an thought of Thu¡¯rin¡¯s dead face, his blank, staring eyes. He had no idea. ¡°Very well, Lukios. I do not murder children, nor do I eat or skin them. But Lukios, it is foolish to assume that I am¡­¡± She trailed off. Once she started telling him she would have to finish. There would be no going back. If he were a sensible man he would keep his distance and leave her behind in Kyros. This was how it should be. But it was very hard to let go of his hand, which was so very warm and comforting around hers. ¡°You are¡­? Ba¡¯an, you can tell me whatever you want to tell me. Or you can just not tell me anything. It doesn¡¯t matter to me one whit. You saved my life twice and you¡¯ve fed and housed me for over five months now, without asking for anything at all. Don¡¯t you get it? Most people would have left me dying on the road and picked me clean before my corpse got cold. You gave me all my things back. Even the small coppers. I checked.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Damn, woman. You¡¯re just¡­I worry about you.¡± ¡°There is no reason to¡­worry.¡± ¡°That¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong, Ba¡¯an.¡± His expression grew serious. ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to have a little chat with you. I¡¯d rather you came down to Synoros with me, but if you really, really want to be here by yourself while I¡¯m¡ªtaking care of business¡ªthen you can¡¯t be picking up anyone off the road. No one. Understand? It¡¯d be a disaster if anyone else figured out you¡¯re the Stormcrow. Any sensible soldier would kill you if he thought he couldn¡¯t take you back alive. You have no idea the things we do to¡ªnever mind. But Ba¡¯an, you can¡¯t just pick up strange men off the road. That¡¯s dangerous. You live alone.¡± ¡°I am dangerous. He will be in more danger from me than I am from him.¡± Lukios covered his face with his hands and slumped. ¡°No. Ba¡¯an. You don¡¯t¡ªthink about it. You sleep like¡ªyou sleep like a log. I used to get up every morning and step around you and you just slept. What the fuck would you have done if you¡¯d woken up to my sword through your gut?¡± She frowned. ¡°But Lukios, you are not that type of man.¡± Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. ¡°Oh for¡ªBa¡¯an! There¡¯s no way to know!¡± ¡°But I was correct. You are not that type of man. And you did not.¡± ¡°Ba¡¯an. You¡­¡± He scrubbed his face with his hands with a noise of frustration. ¡°Ba¡¯an. Don¡¯t take this the wrong way. I would never¡ªI would never, ever betray your secret to anyone. I swear on my life. But Ba¡¯an, when I first woke up and realized who you were¡ªyou have no idea how much danger you were in.¡± ¡°But you did nothing.¡± ¡°Because I was too crippled to get out of bed, Ba¡¯an.¡± She blinked at him. ¡°Very well. What were you planning?¡± ¡°Ba¡¯an.¡± It was too dark to tell if he was blushing, but she thought by his tone he must be. ¡°I wasn¡¯t¡ªI just wanted to figure out what you were up to. But I definitely¡­thought about it. Things like what I¡¯d do if you were planning to feed me to your plants or something. A man¡¯s gotta live, you know? "And¡­Ba¡¯an, you taught me all about the herbs in your bir-vuti. You even let me make meals. What would you have done if I¡¯d poisoned you? Or put sambi-sahi in your food and water? You would have been out and I could have done anything I wanted to you. Anything. Did you ever think about that?¡± ¡°But Lukios,¡± she repeated, very patiently, ¡°you did not. So I was correct.¡± He put his face in both of his hands. ¡°Sweet lady Ath¨¥na¨ª¨¥, help me.¡± ¡°There is no one else here, Lukios.¡± Ba¡¯an would know if there was a god¡ªany god¡ªnearby. They were very¡­loud. He was silent, face still in his hands. Finally, he said, voice muffled, ¡°Can you just promise me you won¡¯t be rescuing anyone else? Off the road or anywhere else. Please? I¡¯d sleep better if you did.¡± She looked at him and his posture of exquisite despair. Ba¡¯an did not think the dramatics were necessary, though she imagined they must be effective among his own people. ¡°Lukios. It is not my habit to rescue outlanders. Most often I simply allow them to die.¡± ¡°Oh. Right. Good. Good.¡± ¡­Good? ¡°Lukios. Are you listening to yourself?¡± ¡°Uh, yeah. What? You¡¯re allowed to let us die but I¡¯m not? Oh come on. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m awfully fond of my fellow man, anyway. I mean, I guess if I were you, I¡¯d have¡­well, taken him to a surgeon in Kyros, probably. But even If I¡¯d lived here, I wouldn¡¯t have taken him home. Gods, Ba¡¯an. And you¡¯re a woman! That¡¯s just¡­¡± He shook his head. Hm. It did not seem worth arguing over. Ba¡¯an had no intention of rescuing any more outlanders. ¡°I see. Very well, Lukios. But you must listen.¡± ¡°Oh good. Thank you.¡± Lukios raised his head to look at her again, and his eyes were warm and sweet. He was smiling again. ¡°You can tell me whatever you want, Ba¡¯an. Anything at all.¡± Ba¡¯an imagined his expression closing, his eyes going cold. There would be no going back once she told him. He would do the sensible thing and¡­leave her here. No, he would need her to get to Kyros. But after that¡­ She took a deep breath. ¡°I am not human.¡± His brows drew together. ¡°Uh¡­what?¡± He sounded confused. He looked at her, glancing up and down. ¡°Ba¡¯an, you¡­are you feeling okay?¡± ¡°I am well, Lukios.¡± No. Her heart was starting to race, beating helplessly in her chest. Her belly was in knots. Compulsively, she reached up and took his face in her hands. He leaned in, putting his own hands over hers. They were big and warm, gentle and steady. Quietly, she continued. ¡°The Dolkoi¡¯ri-anta, Lukios. We could not match your people. In the end we could not. So I¡­did a forbidden thing. I went to a sacred mountain and slayed the god that lived there. Then I¡­skinned her. And bound her. To me. That is why I am the Stormcrow. This magic¡ªit is not mine. I have stolen it. And¡­¡± She released him and leaned back, touching Thu¡¯rin¡¯s necklace. His eyes tracked the movement of her hand, but he said nothing. Her voice dropped into a whisper as her throat closed. It was like squeezing water out of stone, but he deserved the truth. ¡°Vaa¡¯ti is not mad, Lukios. It is not a small thing, binding a god, and I¡­I could not do it alone. I needed¡­a soul is just magic, Lukios. Did you know this? That is what magic is¡ªsouls. And I needed magic. More magic than I had. So I¡­¡± Her voice faltered. Lukios¡¯ voice was quiet and serious. ¡°He was your lover, wasn¡¯t he?¡± He touched the hand holding her necklace. ¡°Is that how he died? You¡­used him in your magic somehow? To bind the god?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Her voice was very faint. Even Ba¡¯an could scarcely hear it. ¡°And he was Vaa¡¯ti¡¯s brother, too. That¡¯s what she said. When we walked into the grove. ¡®You replaced my brother with that.¡¯¡± She closed her eyes and nodded. Ba¡¯an felt Lukios thumb wipe her cheek, but her tears still came. Again. Why was she so out of control? No matter. Everything would return to the way it was¡­after. ¡°There is¡­there is more. Lukios, my hunger is not a natural thing. The godsoul is¡­she is still here.¡± Ba¡¯an touched her chest. ¡°And she is always hungry. It is why I am¡­like this. It is why I am¡­I am dangerous and¡­¡± He was frowning. It was as she thought. Ba¡¯an faltered, voice fading into nothing. ¡°Ba¡¯an,¡± he said, and she was startled by how quietly fierce it was, ¡°are you starving to death?¡± ¡°I¡ªwhat?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about gods, but it sounds like this one is making you real hungry. All the time. And¡­I thought maybe you just weren¡¯t getting enough food, but you eat and you eat and you just¡­¡± he reached out and took her wrist in his hand. It was laughably slim, breakable. ¡°You just stay real skinny. So. This god-thing. Is it¡­do you need to get rid of it?¡± ¡°I¡­I am not starving to death, Lukios.¡± It was much worse. In truth it was not Ba¡¯an who was consuming; she was being consumed. By a god¡ªa dead one, gone mad with rage. Ba¡¯an did not know how abominations died. Before Ba¡¯an the A¡¯tat had always executed abominations to keep them from taking more souls, so there was no record, no past wisdom from which she could draw. But she had a good idea now. A very good idea. It was not something he needed to know. Telling him would only make him pity her and extend their acquaintance. ¡°Well, you definitely need more food than you¡¯ve been getting,¡± he was saying, and she frowned. Had he not understood her point? ¡°Lukios. I am saying that I am a dangerous creature. I am no longer human, Lukios. I am¡ªI am annes¡¯tat. Unnatural thing. Abomin¡ªabomination. I am so dangerous that the A¡¯tat has stripped me of my name chain and banished me. This is not a small thing. Lukios, this is very serious. You do not understand because you are an outlander, but this is very serious.¡± She hesitated. If she told him she ate souls he would be persuaded. But then he would ask her why¡ªhe always asked the right questions. Then she would have to tell him¡ªit was to stave off her godsoul. To delay the day of her death. To stopper the parts of her that had been torn out and consumed. No, no. It was better to leave it here. It was best not to make things complicated, and¡­ She only wished him to remember her well. That was all. That he would remember her as he thought she was, not as what she truly was. One selfish wish. Surely she was permitted one. ¡°You must not invite me into your home so carelessly, Lukios. I will bring misfortune. I am a murderer¡ªno, it is worse. Lukios, Thu¡¯rin is gone. His soul is gone. He will never return on the Wheel. Neither will Enha-naus-hasa-en. They are both gone. Because of me. It is beyond es¡¯tat. It is¡ª¡± ¡°Ba¡¯an.¡± She stuttered to a stop. ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± He put a finger on her lips. ¡°Wait. Wait. Let me¡ªBa¡¯an. That wasn¡¯t my first war. People do things. Bad things. If we judged every soldier by what he did on the field we¡¯d be nailing every single one to the cross. All of us. Understand? You can¡¯t take that shit home. You just don¡¯t. So¡­I don¡¯t care. I don¡¯t care what you did or who you did it to or why. It¡¯s done. It¡¯s over. That¡¯s all.¡± Ba¡¯an stared at him, wide-eyed. Did he think this was¡­? ¡°¡­I do not think you understand, Lukios. It is more. It is¡­I have taken the soul of a god. I am not human, Lukios. I am something else. I am¡­I am¡­¡± ¡°A spooky witch-lady who lives alone in a cave and saves random travellers?¡± ¡°Lukios.¡± ¡°Right, you¡¯re not doing that anymore.¡± He fixed her with a hard look. ¡°You promised. No more bringing strange men home. I mean it.¡± She frowned. No, he had not understood. ¡°No, Lukios. I am¡ªI am no longer human. You do not understand, but soul-binding is very¡ªit is very¡ªI am a danger to others. That is why I live alone. Lukios, you¡ª¡± ¡°¡¯I am danger to others,¡¯ she says, stitching up strangers and feeding them. Do you listen to yourself?¡± It was time to take a different tack. ¡°Lukios. You have seen Vaa¡¯ti and Salu¡¯ka. They are not good witches, Lukios, and Salu¡¯ka will soon break her oath and step down. They may need me close, in case¡ª¡± ¡°Oh fuck. You cannot be serious. You just can¡¯t.¡± ¡°I¡ªwhy can I not be¡­serious?¡± ¡°Ba¡¯an. You¡ªyou won the war for them, Ba¡¯an. You¡ªlook. Even the day before you showed up we were already talking about heading home. That¡¯s how sure we were. We were talking about all the loot we were going to get once we got into your¡ªyour¡ªcave-villages¡ªand¡ªBa¡¯an. We had all the siege engines outfitted for desert travel. We would have battered your cliff walls down eventually. Get it? But then you showed up and no one could figure out if there was one of you or ten of you or¡ªif you were Thi¨®s or¡ªlook. Morale broke. A whole bunch deserted. It was a disaster. So you won the war, Ba¡¯an. They should be thanking you. They should have built a temple to you¡ªwe would have. But they kicked you out instead. That¡¯s fucked up, Ba¡¯an. That¡¯s just fucked up.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Ungrateful little shits. I should punch your precious A¡¯tat in the jaw.¡± ¡°Lukios. You cannot punch the A¡¯tat in the jaw. That is also es¡¯tat.¡± She paused. ¡°It is also not very practical. The council members are all from different tribes.¡± ¡°Oh yeah? Just watch me.¡± ¡°Lukios. You are¡­¡± she sighed. ¡°I am grateful you think so well of me. I am grateful you have invited me. But I will bring you trouble, Lukios. It is unwise. I am a witch. You must trust my judgment on this.¡± He gave her a very strange look. ¡°Ba¡¯an. You¡­you know I¡¯m not one of your¡­hunters or raiders or¡­whatever else, right? I¡¯m not¡­Ba¡¯an. You can¡¯t just decide for me. I can invite whoever I want and I¡¯m inviting you.¡± She frowned at him. ¡°You do not understand because you are an outlander. I am not human, Lukios. You will not prosper with me under your roof.¡± And the temptation to take souls would always be there. Ba¡¯an avoided cities when she could, because they were like a banquet from which she was barred. It was like sitting at a table groaning with food as she starved, forbidden from touching even a thimble-full of crumbs or a dribble of grease. Torture. It was torture. ¡°Wait, wait. Ba¡¯an, forget about me for a second.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Forget about whatever you think is best for me or whatever else. You¡¯re not a witch anymore, right? So you can forget about that stuff. Just¡ªwhat do you want? Do you really want to live here by yourself once you get back? I mean¡­¡± He looked around. ¡°I like it here, but I wouldn¡¯t have liked it half so much if I were alone. I¡¯d have gone barking mad. I can¡¯t even¡­I can¡¯t imagine how you managed for five years, Ba¡¯an.¡± He shook his head. ¡°I just can¡¯t.¡± She looked at her toes. It was true. Once Ba¡¯an had made a concoction of nau¡¯tha and sambi-sahi so she would pass in her sleep, but she had feared what her body would do¡ªwhat if Ba¡¯an died, but Enha-naus-hausa-en did not? She would become one of the preba, but with the powers of a god. Disaster. Such a thing would be a disaster. ¡°I hate your cities.¡± ¡°Okay. But Synoros isn¡¯t a city. It¡¯s an olive farm. Used to be. It¡¯s right by the desert, so if you ever miss sand you can walk over and visit, and then walk back for dinner.¡± He leaned forward and pulled her closer. ¡°You¡¯ll like it, Ba¡¯an. You¡¯ll like it a lot. There¡¯s lots of trees and water and¡­there¡¯s a nice shady spot around the back. You can have a garden there. You¡¯ll like it.¡± He was very insistent. ¡°Lukios.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Are you truly so worried?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Why? I have lived here five years. I will continue to do so.¡± Until she died, whenever that was. Today, tomorrow, ten years or twenty¡ªit was impossible to know, though she rather suspected it would be sooner rather than later. ¡°Ba¡¯an. You really have to ask?¡± He tucked her hair behind her ear. ¡°You really¡­are you serious?¡± ¡°I am always serious, Lukios.¡± ¡°Gods, Ba¡¯an. Haven¡¯t I been obvious?¡± She frowned at him. ¡°You are very strange, even for an outlander.¡± Lukios put his face in his hands. His shoulders were shaking. ¡°Lukios?¡± Was he crying? Or was he laughing? ¡°Ba¡¯an. Ba¡¯an. What am I supposed to¡­Ha. H¨¡?id¨¥s take it.¡± Oh. He was laughing to himself quietly, but it did not sound very humorous. When he brought his face back up, his expression had changed. This was not her usual Lukios. He wore a face she had only seen in her dreams, but there was no mistaking that look: It was the look of a man who burned for a woman. Who burned for her. Oh. Ba¡¯an met his bright, hungry eyes and her heart fluttered against her ribs, her pulse jumping in her throat, her thighs. She could hear the blood rushing through her ears. ¡°Ba¡¯an,¡± he said, very softly. He reached out cupped her cheek with one hand, running his thumb over her bottom lip. She stared up at him, rooted in place by the force of his gaze alone. He drew her closer, then kissed her. The kiss was gentle. Warm. Ba¡¯an sighed softly against his mouth and parted her lips slowly, letting him deepen the kiss as he liked. She put her arms around his neck as he pressed his hand¡ªthe one not cradling her head¡ªagainst the small of her back and pulled her to him. His mouth moved against hers, becoming hungrier and hungrier as they touched. His arms closed around her like the jaws of a steel trap but Ba''an had no thought of escaping. Her head was filled with the roar of her own blood, the beat of her own pulse. His touch was fire and Ba''an was eager to burn. She put her arms around him, clinging to his neck as she pressed herself to him. He doesn¡¯t understand. The thought came to her even as she moved with him and ran her hands over his shoulders, the raised scars on his back. He did not know the thing he was holding in his arms now, and if he had known he would have fled already. She drew away, panting. ¡°Lukios.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± He nuzzled her throat and kissed her jumping pulse. She shuddered and he ran his hand up her spine and tangled his fingers in her hair. He suckled her skin, right beneath her jaw and she could not stop the shiver that overtook her. ¡°Lukios. You do not¡ªunderstand¡ª¡± He pulled back and looked at her, tilting her chin up gently. ¡°What¡¯s there to understand?" He was breathing hard and he dipped his head down to kiss her on the mouth again, hard and fierce. "I don¡¯t care what you did, Ba¡¯an. I just don¡¯t. You could have another three heads made of snakes and beetles somewhere and I just wouldn¡¯t give a flying fuck.¡± ¡°But Lukios, I am¡ª¡± He put a finger to her lips. ¡°Ba¡¯an. I keep saying, I¡¯m not one of your hunters and you¡¯re not a witch anymore. If you don¡¯t want me, just say so.¡± He leaned in so their noses were touching, and when he spoke again his lips brushed hers and she clutched his clothes. ¡°The rest doesn¡¯t matter. It¡¯s not complicated, Ba¡¯an. It doesn¡¯t have to be.¡± They sat pressed together, listening to the other breathe. Eventually, their breaths slowed and they stirred. Lukios gave her one last kiss, pressing his mouth against hers chastely before pulling away. He put his hand on Thu¡¯rin¡¯s necklace. ¡°You can think about it as long as you want, Ba¡¯an. I¡¯ll be here.¡± He pulled her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers. ¡°Let¡¯s get you to bed. You look exhausted.¡± Dazed, she stumbled along behind him as he led her back to her bed by the hand. He tucked her in as though she were a child but her mind was too full for protest; she simply lay back obediently and made agreeable noises when he wished her goodnight. It didn¡¯t have to be complicated. But it was. Ba¡¯an was an abomination. She ate souls. She ate souls. She turned onto her side, facing the wall. Ba¡¯an was a witch. It was her responsibility to tell him what she was, what an abomination was. She shifted and lay on her back, staring up at the stars. No. She was no longer a witch. She had no such responsibilities anymore. She turned onto her other side, and she saw Lukios lying peaceful and still in his little nest of rugs and blankets. Lukios did not know. If he knew she ate souls he would¡ªhe would¡ª Ba''an turned over to her other side. She put her hand in her mouth and bit down. He deserved the truth. She had to tell him. She took her hand out of her mouth and wiped it on her shift. But then he would know. He would do the sensible thing and¡­leave. Leave her. She curled up into a tight little ball. But he was leaving her anyway. He was leaving. Ba''an tucked her hands under her pillow, knees still drawn up to her chest. Except¡­he wanted her to¡­stay. To go with him and stay. To live with him¡ªlike this, but better, because his estate had water and trees and¡­ People. Ba¡¯an was a danger to others. She shifted again, restlessly. Ba''an could not stay with him. It was impossible. Impossible. If he had known what she was, he would¡ªhe would¡ª But he did not care. He had said so himself: I don¡¯t care. So that meant it did not matter if she told him or not. It did not matter because he did not care. But he did not know. If he knew he would care. Any sensible man would care. It was common sense. But¡­but¡­ ¡°Ba¡¯an.¡± Lukios¡¯ tone was very mild. ¡°I can hear you complicating from over here.¡± She pulled the blanket over her head and hid. ¡°I am thinking,¡± she muttered, "as you said to," and he snorted softly. ¡°True. But don¡¯t you want to sleep? It¡¯s almost dawn. We¡¯ll never make it to Kyros if you fall asleep standing, Ba¡¯an.¡± ¡°Yes. I am sleeping. Good night.¡± ¡°Sleep well, Ba¡¯an.¡± Lukios stilled. She could tell by his steady breathing that he was really sleeping now. How did he do it? It was absurd how easily he slept. It was annoying. She poked her head out from under her blankets. He was sprawled on the floor, and she had a very good view of his bare chest. But she could not see his face¡ªthe firepit was in the way. Slowly, as quietly as she could, she crept out from beneath the blanket and tip-toed over until she was right beside the firepit. There. Now she could see his face. He was sleeping. Very peacefully. Ba¡¯an crouched with her arms around her knees and looked at him. This was his last night here. After she returned his spot by the fire would be empty. Everything would be empty. Unless she went with him. He wanted her to. He had asked. He had insisted. He¡ª She covered her face with her hands. No. It did not matter how he felt. He did not know what she was or what was best for him. Ba¡¯an had been a witch, and she was older. She had to be the one who exercised good sense and¡­and¡­ Very sweetly, without opening his eyes, Lukios said, ¡°Ba¡¯an.¡± He moved the blanket aside so his side and the soft fur rug was exposed. ¡°Stop being spooky and come here.¡± Ba¡¯an froze. Lukios continued breathing peacefully, though his side must be cold now that it was uncovered. Lukios was always very warm, and desert nights were cold. The fire had burned down to embers. It would be very cozy. She bit her lip. She glanced out the open doorway. Soon the moon would be low in the sky and they would leave for Kyros, and then¡­ That would be that. They would never see each other again, no matter what Lukios thought. Very slowly, she crept forward. Lukios did not move. Slowly, haltingly, she lay down and tucked her head against his shoulder. Wordlessly, Lukios pulled the blanket down over them both and pulled her against his side. Yes, he was very warm. And it was very cozy. She eased her face under the blankets, pressing it against his chest, and closed her eyes. Just tonight, she decided. Just tonight. Chapter Seventeen: Lovers, Part I It was warm and cozy, and something smelled very nice. Ba¡¯an tucked her nose closer and sighed. Yes, everything was warm and comfortable, and Lukios¡¯ bright, beautiful soul was¡­ ¡­Right beside her. She bolted upright. Lukios made a sleepy noise and opened one eye to peer up at her even as his arm tightened around her waist. He pulled her so his forehead was pressed against her hip. ¡°Ba¡¯an?¡± His voice was still thick with sleep. Ba¡¯an stared down at him, horrified by the sight of sunlight framing his face in a near-perfect rectangle. Sunlight. Sunlight. ¡°Lukios. Lukios. We¡ªit is noon. It is noon. Noon!¡± ¡°Mm. So it is. Come back here, Ba¡¯an. Let¡¯s sleep.¡± He yawned. ¡°We were up real late last night and it¡¯s too hot to travel anyway. Might as well¡­take a nap.¡± ¡°Lukios. We will starve. To death.¡± He tugged her again. ¡°Not in one day, we won¡¯t. Don¡¯t worry. We can leave tomorrow right before dawn and it¡¯ll be the same thing.¡± ¡°Lukios. We have only a handful of balu¡¯tra and some mushrooms.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go fishing. Or I¡¯ll catch something else. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Lukios. You have not caught anything for three days.¡± ¡°Ouch. Sometimes you¡¯re just shit out of luck, you know?¡± He kissed her hip through her shift and Ba¡¯an felt herself flush with heat. He had gotten very bold. Ba¡¯an raised her hand to slap him then faltered. Should she slap him? Ba¡¯an had crawled into his little nest on her own. Now things were very confusing. And¡­it was not unpleasant. She covered her mouth, feeling her cheeks go hot. Oh, what had possessed her? This was¡­ Ba¡¯an had not been in her right mind. Something was wrong with her. The sun had scrambled her brains at the Eye and she had never recovered and now she was behaving like a besotted little girl who had less sense than a bisected ska lizard. The hind part. She ought to stand up and leave him there right now. Now. Right now. Ba¡¯an did not move. Lukios nuzzled her thigh and kissed her there, and Ba¡¯an bit down on her knuckle to keep from making¡­noises. No. This was¡­ ¡°If you¡¯re going to turn me into a pig,¡± he said, ¡°Could you at least kiss me first? Actually, I¡¯d like it if you came back to¡­bed.¡± He grinned up at her. ¡°You should let me earn it.¡± His grin widened into a comical, exaggerated leer. ¡°You can eat me after. I promise I¡¯m real¡ª¡± With a huff of exasperation, Ba¡¯an pulled the blankets off her and dropped them over his head. ¡°Aw, Ba¡¯aaaaan¡ª¡± ¡°Enough! Lukios, get up. You are going to catch some fish or we will starve. I will¡­look for more mushrooms.¡± Ba¡¯an was almost certain it would be a very poor idea to harvest more of anything than she already had, but stripping the bir-vuti was preferable to starving. They had rations set aside for their trek to Kyros. It would be best not to touch it at all, lest they starve on the road rather than in her not-vuti. If Lukios caught some fish or even a lizard, they could eat two meals and leave before dawn. If he failed, then¡­ She sighed. Yes, she would have to over-harvest. It would make things difficult but she thought she could perhaps buy some other types of seedlings at Kyros, or perhaps at one of the outlying farms. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ba¡¯an. We¡¯ll be fine for a day or so.¡± Lukios sat up, blankets dropping from his head to pool in their laps. He put his arms around her and pulled her close, resting his cheek against the top of her head. He felt very solid and strong, and she could hear his heart beating at her back, even through her shift. Ba¡¯an stiffened her spine, refusing to bend. If it bothered him, he did not show it. ¡°I know where the rock birds are hiding now. There¡¯s more than one pair and I figure if we grab one or two and their eggs, it won¡¯t make much of a dent in their numbers.¡± ¡°And how will you catch them, Lukios? They are rock birds. They are inside the rocks.¡± They made their nest inside hard-to-reach crevices. That Lukios was even able to spot them was impressive¡ªthey blended in almost perfectly unless they moved. She could not see his smile, but she could hear it in his voice. Typical. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry,¡± he said, ¡°I¡¯ve got it all worked out.¡±
Smoke. He was smoking them out. Ba¡¯an watched from the roof of her not-vuti as Lukios worked. He was on the next plateau over, across her little courtyard and above the footpath, so he looked very small. Even so, she could see exactly what he was doing. He had covered the cracks that allowed them to fly out with her leather tarps, though he had folded them into a kind of bag, then lit several small, strategic fires; the birds, panicked by the smoke, went flying in. Not all of them¡ªjust some. But some was enough. Oh, he was very clever, her Lukios¡ª Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡­Her Lukios? Ba¡¯an abruptly turned and went back into her not-vuti, nearly stumbling down the stairs. No. This was a very dangerous thing to think. He was not hers, and they would part ways soon, though they had been delayed¡ªagain. She touched her lips with her fingers, remembering the heat of his mouth on hers. No. It had only been a temporary madness, born of her own selfish desires. She would make it clear once they had had dinner. There would be no misunderstanding between them. Ba¡¯an clutched Thu¡¯rin¡¯s necklace in her hand as she made her way into the cave system. She took a basket with her, intending to forage what she could and check the traps. Yes, it was only a temporary madness. It was disgusting, the way she was behaving. Thu¡¯rin was dead because of her, his body left for scavengers all alone on a mountain-top, and here she was, dallying with an outlander even as she wore Thu¡¯rin¡¯s sumanu¡¯ta. Disgusting. That¡¯s what she was. Disgusting. No wonder Vaa¡¯ti had been so furious. She had been right. It was insulting. Deeply insulting. As predicted, the traps were empty. She wandered deeper into the caves, looking for mushrooms. They were getting thin. Could she harvest more without losing them entirely? Hm. Now that she was away from his overwhelming charm, she was able to think more clearly. What, exactly, had she gotten so overwrought about? He had only invited her to stay with him and then kissed her. All that meant was that he desired her in his bed and he was willing to host her for the pleasure. This was not at all unusual for Dolkoi¡¯ri men: they had women specifically for this purpose. If they were freewomen they were called concubines and it was only a way of saying she was not good enough to wed, only to bed. It meant nothing, and wealthy men had many concubines and bedslaves alongside their wives. K¡¯Avaari did not live this way. It was offensive, though Ba¡¯an did not think Lukios had meant to insult her. He was an outlander, so perhaps he had expected her to be flattered or pleased. Perhaps being a concubine of a rich man was a great honour¡ªha. Ba¡¯an did not care for stupid, backwards outlander customs, so she had never checked or asked if this was the expectation, but she would not be surprised if it was. Outlander men were ever audacious, as their tribute demands had shown. It would be best if she mastered her temper. Lukios had meant well and Ba¡¯an had not helped matters. Perhaps it had only been the moonlight and her own loneliness¡ªbut now, in the light of day, she was much more herself. She walked up to her terraced garden. She had already picked as much as she dared, but¡­perhaps the snails had returned. They would need to be purged but after that they could be cooked and eaten. If there were too few to bother, she could use them to bait her fishhook. Ba¡¯an squatted and began digging through the dirt. No¡­no such luck. Hm, perhaps over there? Or¡­ Now that she was thinking about it¡ªreally thinking about it¡ªthe picture had become clearer, less rosy. All Lukios had done was ask her to go with him as his guest so he could bed her. It was clear that was his goal¡ªhis jokes were always sexual. His touch was full of desire and why wouldn¡¯t it be? He had been stuck here with her for five months. Longer. With his looks she suspected this was much longer than he normally went without a woman¡ªand she was the only woman here. And of course he had flattered her. No man told a woman he wanted to bed that she was ugly. This was stupidity. Not even outlanders were this dull, and Lukios was very sharp. Ba¡¯an had a very realistic idea of what she looked like. She had never been a great beauty, or even a middling one¡ªshe had been cherished for her facility with magic, not her face. Only Thu¡¯rin had ever courted her seriously and by K¡¯Avaari standards, Thu¡¯rin had been a madman. She had not believed him at first when he had come to court her. No, she had not believed him the second time either. Or the third. Or the fifth. Or the¡­ Hm. He had been very patient, now that she thought about it. She touched his necklace of teeth, suddenly sad again. The cliff-cat teeth were worn smooth now, and she ran her fingers over its edges with ease. Yes, Thu¡¯rin had loved her very much¡ªbut even he had not claimed that she was some great beauty. He had thought her very pretty and precious, but only because he had been hers and she had been his. She did not think he would have looked at her twice if they had passed each other on a road as strangers. She checked the last row. No, no snails. Ba¡¯an had done a very good job getting rid of them, and now there were none to eat. She sighed. The little pool then. The river ran beneath the stone but Lukios had woven a sort of net to use as a trap that he had dangled into the hole. Sometimes little fish or creatures got caught in it, and since it was underwater they stayed alive and fresh¡ªunless they were eaten by something bigger. Hm. Yes. Lukios. He had been very pleasant and kind his entire stay here, and useful besides. On top of that he was very pleasing to look at, though he had thinned somewhat during his stay. It was regrettable, but Ba¡¯an knew it could not be helped. It was often difficult enough keeping herself fed. If she had had the means she would have fed him better, but she had not. ¡­Would it really be so bad to bed him? Ba¡¯an touched Thu¡¯rin¡¯s sumanu¡¯ta. Ba¡¯an had only ever had Thu¡¯rin, and she had never wanted anyone else. But it was an acceptable thing for a witch to have more than one man¡ªit was often unavoidable. Sometimes, if a tribe¡¯s magic ran thin, a man from a strong bloodline would lie with a witch and their child would go to the tribe in need. Ba¡¯an had never been asked to do this, which was lucky, because Thu¡¯rin¡­had never accepted things because he should. It would have hurt him very much if she had taken another man. Very much. And Thu¡¯rin¡¯s temper, while slow, had been formidable. He would have taken a spear to his rival, and that would have been a diplomatic disaster. But Thu¡¯rin was dead. Gone. Forever. She stilled, waiting until her breathing calmed. Once Ba''an was dead, she too, would be unmade. Ba¡¯an squatted at the edge of the hole in the cave floor. She could hear water rushing beneath it and five steps away, the water actually came out in a small stream, filling her little bathing pool. Now this was a delicate procedure. It would not do if she ripped the net. Slowly, she lifted it hand over hand. The thing inside was wriggling mightily, and the net nearly escaped her once or twice. Something about its thrashing reminded her of the night before, of what she had said: I am not human. Suddenly flustered, she nearly lost her grip on the thick-woven balu¡¯ta. What had she been thinking? What had possessed her? Lukios must think her a madwoman. Well, he wasn¡¯t wrong. Ba¡¯an had obviously gone a little mad in her solitude. More than a little. Lukios was leaving and it did not matter to him what she was. He had said so himself: I don¡¯t care. Indeed, why would he? He understood she would not harm him, and that was likely all that mattered to a man when it came to bedding. A woman worried about pregnancy, but a man did not. Once he was gone it was not his problem. The streets of outlander cities were full of children who did not know their fathers, either thieving for a living or starving to death. Some even worked at brothels or mines, and many did not see adulthood. Ba¡¯an did not think she could get pregnant. After taking Enha-naus-hasa-en, her monthly bloodletting had slowed, become erratic, and then stopped entirely. It was not something she needed to worry about, though she would take suk as a matter of course. She pulled the net up, pleased. They had been lucky today; a fish had swum straight into the net and they would have two kinds of meat. Three if one counted the eggs. Oh, this was fortunate. Very fortunate. She freed the fish and set up the net again. The creature flopped on the cave floor, mouth open and gasping as it struggled against inevitability. Lukios desired her, and Ba¡¯an desired him. Thu¡¯rin was dead, and Ba''an would pay for it in due time. In another day they would leave for Kyros, and once there they would part ways amicably. Ba¡¯an did not think he would continue to want her once he had her, and there were many beautiful Dolkoi¡¯ri women in Kyros. It would be a pleasant diversion. They could enjoy each other fully before parting ways. Why not? What could it hurt? Chapter Eighteen: Lovers, Part II Five birds, all plucked and ready. Lukios had been very fast. He beamed at her as she walked into the kitchen with her find, already gutted and ready for the fire. ¡°Well, look at that. Looks like our luck¡¯s turned, hasn¡¯t it, Ba¡¯an? We could probably eat for another two days.¡± This was true¡ªif they ate sparingly. ¡°Yes. You are lucky. I wondered if I should test your guess about pork.¡± He laughed. ¡°You¡¯re welcome to eat me any time.¡± Predictably, he leered. Ba¡¯an rolled her eyes and put the fish to grill on a hot rock in the fire pit. Ah yes, it smelled very¡­ Her belly growled. Lukios chuckled, and she heard him chopping the meat to put in the cauldron with the balu¡¯tra flour. Ba¡¯an arranged the fish so it would not cook unevenly then turned to watch him work. He was wearing his tunic and chiton, but she could still see the hard lines of his body when he moved. When the muscles in his shoulders bunched the fabric went with it, and his bare arms were all corded muscle. He moved well: gracefully, without any wasted movement. He was likely strong enough to snap her flimsy knives in half, but he was considerate and used them gently. He had gotten sweaty and dusty from catching birds and plucking them, but it did not lessen his appeal. Oh yes, Lukios was likely very popular wherever he went. She thought he was used to having his way with women¡ªand he would have his way again. She ought to feel annoyed, but she did not. He had stopped chopping. ¡°Ba¡¯an?¡± He turned his head to look at her. ¡°Everything okay?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± He lifted an eyebrow. ¡°I think your fish is burning.¡± Oh. Oh. He was correct. The side had burned, because she had forgotten to turn it. ¡°I will eat this side.¡± He chuckled, shaking his head. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± he said, ¡°you can have the whole fish.¡± Ah. Of course.
¡°Well, why not?¡± Lukios watched her with his usual bright expression as he put a spoonful of bird soup in his mouth. ¡°I do not wish to interfere with your reunions, Lukios.¡± He made a noise of exasperation, then swallowed before speaking. ¡°Why would you be interfering? I¡¯m inviting you to meet them.¡± He shook his head. ¡°No, it¡¯s way too dangerous. You should just stay with me. If my friends aren¡¯t still there, we can go to an inn. There used to be a nice one in the government district. I think it was called the Unicorn, or something like that.¡± He shook his head again before continuing. ¡°You can¡¯t possibly want to camp by the road. You¡¯d be outside the walls! Anyone could catch you sleeping.¡± ¡°I always do, Lukios.¡± Though not right by the road. When Ba¡¯an needed to stay in Kyros for more than a day, she sheltered in the desert, then returned to the city at dawn. ¡°Ba¡¯an. You should at least let me introduce you. They¡¯ll never believe I was saved by K¡¯Avaari unless they see you for themselves.¡± ¡°I am not K¡¯Avaari.¡± ¡°Well, they don¡¯t know that.¡± She tilted her head to look into her bowl. Hm. Why not? It would not hurt, and they could spend more time together before she returned. ¡°Very well. I will stay with you¡­in the city. Until I am finished with my business. Then I will return here.¡± ¡°Well, let me know if you change your mind about that.¡± He continued smiling. ¡°I¡¯ll visit you once the wood for the shelves come in.¡± He glanced around. ¡°I¡¯ll bring a few other things too.¡± She made a noncommittal sound. Promises were easy to make, and easier to break. ¡°If you wish.¡± ¡°I do. More soup?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She handed him her bowl and their fingers brushed as he took it. Ba¡¯an watched him and he glanced at her with another smile. ¡°Something on my face?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°So you just like it, then?¡± His grin was cheeky. ¡°Yes.¡± His hand faltered and soup dripped off the side of the bowl. His ears went ever-so-slightly pink. ¡°¡­You sure you¡¯re okay Ba¡¯an?¡± He let out a little laugh. ¡°It¡¯s not like you to admit I¡¯m so handsome.¡± ¡°I never said you are not.¡± Now he looked truly at a loss for words, though it only lasted a moment before he regained himself. ¡°Ha! I knew it. Feel free to look at me whenever you want. Want me to take off my tunic?¡± She took the bowl from him and began eating again. Without looking at him, she said, ¡°If you wish.¡± He did not respond. Ba¡¯an looked up to see him staring at her, brows drawn together. Very mildly, she said, ¡°Your soup is getting cold.¡± Then she looked at her food and continued eating. Ah, yes. She had been very hungry. The eggs had been delicious and the soup was, too. Hunger made everything delightful. She heard Lukios¡¯ spoon clink against the bowl again, but she did not glance up. The mood had shifted. Good. The silence drew tighter, and she felt him look at her again and again as he ate. She did not glance at him. If there was one thing Ba¡¯an had learned of men, it was that they enjoyed hunting, and did not enjoy being hunted. So it was best to let him come to her¡­with some encouragement. She tilted her head very slightly to the side so he would have a very good view of her neck and shoulders. Ba¡¯an had often been told she had a very graceful neck and fetching silhouette, and she knew it was true because now Lukios had stopped eating. She could feel his eyes on her, but she only finished her soup. She put the last drops of her soup on her spoon and ate it¡ªbut kept the head of it in her mouth. Turning it so the handle dangled downwards, she sucked on it idly, as though she were only thinking¡ªwhich she was. Lukios swallowed audibly. Ha. Men. Ba¡¯an blinked and looked up at him, and he quickly turned his eyes back to his bowl. He was as subtle as every other man she had known, meaning¡ªnot at all. K¡¯Avaari or Dolkoi¡¯ri, a man was a man. ¡°We must clean and close up the not-vuti again before sleeping. I will be gone one month. I do not wish to find rodents in my bed when I return.¡± He made a noise of agreement. ¡°Oh, right. That¡¯d be¡­right. No one wants rats in their¡­bed.¡± He cleared his throat. ¡°We¡¯ve done most of the work already. We¡¯ll just have to clean up the kitchen and tie the tarps again.¡± He put his bowl down. It was empty. ¡°You want another or are you done?¡± ¡°I am finished.¡± She handed him her bowl and he took it; this time she did not allow his fingers to touch and she felt him pause. Ba¡¯an did not wait. She simply stood and straightened her shift. His eyes followed her fingers but when she turned her head to look at him, he had already averted his gaze. His ears were faintly pink still. It did not take much effort to guess at the direction of his thoughts. They cleaned the kitchen. They would have to do it one more time in the morning once they had breakfast, but it would be quick once the utensils and counters were cleaned. Ba¡¯an handed him the last bowl as he scrubbed them in the large pot of water that sat beside the counter, and gently touched the small of his back. He froze. She felt his muscles tense instantly, and he seemed to have stopped breathing altogether. ¡°I will go take a bath. Do not come into the bir-vuti until I return.¡± He seemed to loosen, giving her his usual smile. ¡°Sure. Wouldn¡¯t want to get turned into a stag or anything.¡± He winked. Ba¡¯an only lifted an eyebrow. ¡°A stag? If you should be so lucky.¡± Of course Ba¡¯an could not turn anyone into anything other than a flock of birds, and that was only if they were moving together. He laughed. ¡°Pig, right?¡± ¡°Hm. No. Perhaps a fish. Or a snail.¡± ¡°Oh, what. That¡¯s worse!¡± ¡°Yes. That is the idea.¡± No wallowing in¡­mud, for one thing. ¡°Scary! Okay, I won¡¯t peep. Not even once. Promise.¡± ¡°Good.¡± She fetched her towel and wandered into the bir-vuti. The water was cold, so she never tarried for long; she was done by the time he was, and she could hear him wandering back and forth in the not-vuti, likely bored already. Well, he could wait his turn. Once she was finished, she walked into the side tunnel that held her little chest of memories. She opened it, staring into the contents for a long, long time. Then she took Thu¡¯rin¡¯s sumanu¡¯ta from her neck. It lay quietly in her hand, without a word of rebuke¡ªwell, of course not. It was only a necklace. Thu¡¯rin was gone. Gone. Forever. ¡°Ba¡¯aaaan!¡± Lukios called, ¡°Did you drown? Say something or I¡¯ll go in there and fish you out!¡± ¡°I am well, Lukios,¡± she replied. ¡°Fish, Lukios. Snails.¡± She heard him laugh. ¡°Okay, okay. I¡¯ll wait. Don¡¯t take much longer, Ba¡¯an, you¡¯ll freeze.¡± She looked back down at the necklace in her hand. ¡°I will return for you in a month,¡± she told it quietly, then she kissed it before wrapping it in a strip of cloth so it would not tangle. She placed it gently inside the chest, nestled between her hairpin and the green vision stone. She tucked the chest out of sight, rearranging the dangling roots from the roof of the narrow cave so it was completely hidden. She walked back to the not-vuti. Lukios was at the wall, walking his hand along the side to measure its width. He had already done this once, but perhaps he had wanted to be very sure before going to Kyros and ordering wood. ¡°I am finished. You may bathe now.¡± ¡°Oh good! I thought you might¡¯ve turned yourself into a fish. Or you¡¯d been caught by a naiad. Or¡ª¡± Lukios turned and stopped talking abruptly. His eyes were fixed on her bare throat, and slowly, very slowly, his gaze travelled up until he met hers. The fire popped and crackled. Lukios was silent, but his stare burned. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. ¡°Lukios,¡± she said, very mildly. ¡°You smell of dead rock birds.¡± He briefly closed he eyes and when he opened them again he was more himself. He gave her a small smile. ¡°Right. Well, that¡¯s what happens when you spend all afternoon with a bunch of dead birds.¡± He took his own towel and began walking to the cave. ¡°I¡¯ll be¡­right back.¡± He brushed past her and she suppressed a shiver. Her hair was still wet, laying dripping over her shoulders. Her shift had soaked at the top, and it clung to her skin. The desert air had cooled as the sky darkened, and now it was colder than it had been, even with the fire. Ba¡¯an unrolled her towel. She would sit by the fire and dry her hair¡ª Lukios¡¯ had stopped walking, and she could feel he had stopped only a little way inside the bir-vuti. Strange. He was only standing there. Was something wrong? Frowning, Ba¡¯an turned toward the entrance of the bir-vuti. Perhaps she ought to go and¡­ No. He was coming back. She could hear his footsteps on the stone, a fast, clipped walk and suddenly he was there, in front of her, and before she could speak, before she could ask him, ¡°What is it?¡± he had seized her around the waist and pulled her to him so she was pressed flush against him. He was warm, and she could feel his heart beating where his chest was pressed against hers, hard and steady as a drum. ¡°Lukios?¡± She stared up at him, wide-eyed, but Lukios only put his hand behind her head to keep her steady. ¡°Ba¡¯an,¡± he said, urgently, ¡°tell me you¡¯re not playing. Right now. You¡¯re not playing with me.¡± She blinked. What? Playing? Playing what? What game would she be playing? She did not understand the question. Ba¡¯an desired him, and he desired her. There was no game to play here. It was very clear. She frowned. ¡°We are not children, Lukios.¡± He let out a relived little laugh. ¡°Right. We¡¯re not kids. We¡¯re not¡ª¡± He laughed again, then dipped his head down to kiss her. She was being consumed. His mouth was ravenous, as were his hands, and he pulled her tightly against him as he pressed his tongue into her mouth and ravaged her. He sucked her breath from her lungs as his hands clutched at her, one hand roving her back and buttocks and the other keeping her head steady as he clasped her to him. Ba¡¯an clung to him, taking fistfuls of his tunic in her hands as the world seemed to dim and narrow; there was only the smell of him, the taste of him on her tongue and the pounding of her own blood in her ears. She was dizzy, breathless¡ªoh yes, she needed to breathe¡ª He pulled back, panting, and she gasped for breath. He dipped his head down and kissed her mouth again and again, then lower, suckling the skin on her throat with a hungry, open mouth as he muttered between breaths, ¡°Don¡¯t go anywhere, Ba¡¯an. I¡¯ll be right back. Right back. Don¡¯t you go anywhere.¡± She was dazed. ¡°This is the desert,¡± she managed, ¡°where would I go?¡± There was only sand in every direction. He laughed breathlessly, then kissed her on the mouth one more time. He pressed his forehead against hers. ¡°Don¡¯t fly off, Ba¡¯an. Don¡¯t you disappear on me. Just¡ªstay here. Right here. Right here. Understand? I¡¯ll be back once I don¡¯t smell like dead rock birds.¡± He released her slowly then stepped back. Ba¡¯an stared at him, still dazed, and he took another step back. ¡°Right here. Don¡¯t¡ªdon¡¯t disappear on me.¡± She blinked at him slowly. Oh. He was waiting for her to say something. ¡°I¡ªwill be here.¡± Lamely, she added, ¡°Drying my hair.¡± He burst out laughing. It was unexpectedly happy¡ªjoyful, even. ¡°Okay. You do that. I¡¯ll be right back. Right back.¡± He left. Ba¡¯an blinked at the fire, then at the towel laying on the rug. She picked it up, staring at it for a moment too long before shaking it out. Then she began drying her hair, still dazed. Her mouth ached. No, not just her mouth. Her whole body ached, and she felt how hollow she was, how empty; desire crawled in her, making her restless, making her thighs and knees weak even as the rest of her ached and ached to be filled. There was only one cure for this fever, and she would have to¡­wait. So she waited, patiently working the towel over her long hair with trembling fingers. She waited, even as she shivered. She felt each breath of air that passed over her skin and her shift seemed to chafe now, too coarse for delicate skin. She listened. Lukios was in the bir-vuti, his soul bright and hot, hotter than the dying fire. She put more logs in, poking it until the flames roared, but the spots where he had touched her still felt cold. Patience. He would return and warm her soon. Very soon. Her shift was bothering her. It was too stifling, and it rubbed her in all the wrong places. Ba¡¯an folded her towel and set it aside, then unlaced the front of her shift. She slipped it off her shoulders and let it fall, pooling at her feet, then stepped out. She folded it and set it on top of her chest of drawers, looking at her bed. It was too small. Lukios alone was too big to fit; it would not hold them both, not unless¡­ Ah. He was finished now. He was coming back. Ba¡¯an closed her eyes and listened very intently. She could not hear his footsteps, but she could feel him approaching swiftly, his soul humming so loudly that her mind was filled with it already; it was a familiar song now, the notes foreign but welcome, soothing as a warm spot on a soft rug by the fire. Lukios slowed to a stop. He was at the mouth of the bir-vuti, looking at her. His stare licked across her like fire and her skin rose in gooseflesh as the familiar heat of desire pooled low in her belly. When he walked forward, she could hear his steps on the stone. She smiled. He was being considerate again. Perhaps she ought to tell him she could hear his soul¡ªthough not today. Not now. Lukios stopped right behind her. Ba¡¯an could feel his heat, soaking into her the same way it did when she stood on hot sand. His breath stirred the small strands of her hair and shivered over her skin. Slowly, very gently, he swept her damp hair to the side. The strands were long, coming nearly to the small of her back, and he pulled it over her right shoulder, leaving her left bare. Ba¡¯an closed her eyes and shuddered as he kissed the juncture of her throat and shoulder. It was a very tender kiss, but she felt it; the sensation was like an arrow of fire, lancing through her, all the way through her, right between her legs. Yes, perhaps the Dolkoi¡¯ri were right about some things. ¡°Ba¡¯an,¡± he said softly, and he kissed her again. She turned her face toward him and he pressed his mouth to hers¡ªbut it felt shy. How could he be shy now? ¡°Lukios,¡± she murmured, ¡°you have lied to me.¡± He looked at her, eyes wide. ¡°Wha¡ªwhat? I¡ªwhat? When did I¡ª?¡± ¡°You said you would be ¡®right back.¡¯ You were not. I am cold.¡± His expression broke into a smile and he began to shake with silent laughter. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± he said, kissing her shoulder. He reached out and pulled her against him, and she was pleased to feel his bare flesh against hers. He put his hand on her lower belly and slid it up slowly to cup her breast. His thumb gently circled her nipple until it stiffened. ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m a very bad man. I¡¯ll make it up to you. As long as you like.¡± His other hand rested on her opposite hip, caressing the skin laying over the bone with restrained eagerness. Was he worried she would break? She half-turned so they could kiss again, and he released her breast and put both arms around her instead, one hand snaking up to hold her head steady. She raised her right hand, letting her finger rest lightly along his jaw, and brought the other to his chest, feeling the hard, fast thumping of his heart beneath his ribs. Her gift still dangled on its leather cord around his neck, and she smiled, pleased at the sight of it. The spearhead was cool where it touched her wrist. Suddenly, without warning, he simply lifted her and she squealed in surprise, clutching his shoulders. He laughed against her mouth and carried her across the floor, laying her down on her bed. Ba¡¯an fit in her bed very well, but Lukios did not; he solved this by pulling her legs over his hips as he crawled onto the mattress. Even so, his frame filled the bed completely. There was no room for her to wriggle or escape¡ªwhich was exactly the point. He kissed her again, this time open-mouthed and hot with hunger. ¡°Ba¡¯an,¡± he said again, and the way he said it made her knees weak. He trailed kisses up her jaw until he reached her ear. ¡°Ba¡¯an,¡± he murmured, ¡°you¡¯re beautiful.¡± He leaned back. ¡°Let me look at you.¡± His eyes had gone dark with desire, and when he looked at her she was filled with the sensation of being consumed. Ba¡¯an felt herself flushing even as her skin prickled. Her legs trembled lightly when he ran his hands over her bottom and down her thighs, his touch hot and eager. He brought her leg up over one shoulder and kissed her calf. He was already breathing harder than he had been. Ba¡¯an felt little tremors running into her¡ªor was it into him? She could not tell. Lukios nipped and suckled his way up her leg and she squirmed, gasping, hips bucking. She whimpered when he reached her inner thigh, the pulse there throbbing, and he bit down gently, as though he really did want to eat her. ¡°Lukios,¡± she mumbled, and she tugged his shoulders, remembering. ¡°Lukios,¡± she said, ¡°I am not taking suk.¡± She hadn¡¯t started, and even if she did now it would take weeks. For a moment she thought he had not heard her, but he gave her thigh one last kiss before peering up at her. ¡°Okay,¡± he said, and he crawled up to kiss her belly. ¡°Okay.¡± He kissed her breast, suckling on her nipple and she clutched at his shoulders, fingers digging into skin. He kissed his way up her chest, her throat, then settled himself between her legs. He was hard and ready, and when he rocked himself against her the room was filled with the slick, needy sound of her want. She watched him close his eyes and master himself, expression strained. After a moment he kissed her beneath the ear. ¡°Okay,¡± he said again, voice hoarse. ¡°How about if I don¡¯t¡­come inside?¡± That would work, most likely. Ba¡¯an was unlikely to get with child either way, though it was unwise to be reckless. ¡°Yes.¡± They kissed again, hands eager, pressed skin to skin. He was so warm and fervent, and he smelled so good. Ba¡¯an opened her mouth to him again and again, hands tangled in his hair, until she could not tell if it was his breath or her breath in her lungs, his pulse or hers in her ears. His hands on her had gotten greedier and greedier, and she could feel his hips beginning to buck as she spread her legs wider, pressing herself up against him. The room was filled with the sound of their soft sighs and groans of pleasure, the wet glide of skin on skin. ¡°Sweetheart,¡± he mumbled, ¡°breathe.¡± He clutched her hips and pressed. Ba¡¯an closed her eyes as her mouth fell open into a little ¡®o¡¯, gasping as he began pushing into her. Lukios was a big man, and he was big everywhere. Ba¡¯an did not mind it, but she had not had a man in five years. ¡°Ah¡ªLukios¡ªI¡ª!¡± She clawed at his back, tensing. He grunted and stopped, panting into her ear. He pulled out and kissed her mouth. ¡°Okay. Wait. Just¡ªlet me¡ª¡± He moved down. The bed was too small to hold all of him, so he got on his knees on the floor, pulling her toward him. He kissed her ankle, moving up to the inside of her thighs. Ba¡¯an closed her eyes at the sensation of his mouth, his hands, his skin. He kissed his way up between her legs. He licked her, nipped her with his teeth, suckled her skin as though she were a feast on a table; Ba¡¯an¡¯s lips parted in a silent sigh as his mouth closed over her clit. He didn¡¯t hesitate, and he was eager and hungry. Ba¡¯an clutched the bedsheets, hands fisting as her toes began to curl. ¡°Yes,¡± she whimpered, ¡°yes.¡± She squirmed in his grasp, hips bucking helplessly as he worked his mouth against her thoroughly; he was relentless, and she cried his name as she writhed in the throes of a sweet, inexorable torment. ¡°Lukios.¡± She was gasping, back arching. ¡°Lukios!¡± His hands clenched around her hips, squeezing as he pushed his tongue into her, merciless. There was a pressure building inside her, so intense that it was nearly painful; even so she welcomed it, bucking against him and begging for release with incoherent cries. He grunted, licking his way back up her slit and sucking her clit. She came. Her legs shook and her toes curled. She fisted her hands in the bed, a moan caught in her throat as she shook. She felt herself gush, and Lukios took her in, slurping with enthusiasm. He eased off gently, watching her shake; once the tremors died down he kissed her between the legs once, then leaned back, haunches on his heels, looking at her. Ba¡¯an lay on the bed, still trembling lightly. Her eyes were closed as she tried to breathe, heart pounding with the rapid rise and fall of her chest. Her legs were still splayed open, wet skin shivering in the cool air. Lukios was stroking the outside of her thigh, very gently, though his touch was still full of want. He must have found the sight pleasing. He kissed the inside of her thigh again, mumbling something in a language she didn¡¯t understand in a low, husky voice. He stood and pulled her to the edge of the bed, wrapping her legs around his hips and leaning over to kiss her mouth. She could taste herself on his tongue. He was still hard, pressing his erection against her slit as he worked his mouth against hers. He pushed into her and she moaned, arching. He sank into her with a low groan of pleasure. It was easy this time, and her head rolled back as he parted her and entered until his pelvis was pressed tightly against hers. Ba¡¯an gasped against his mouth as he pressed against her; she was still sensitive, and the sensation of being penetrated and pressed was almost too much to take. Lukios rocked against her until she whimpered. ¡°Good?¡± She felt him smile against her mouth as he felt her twitch. It was. It felt so good Ba¡¯an could barely talk. She tried to pull a breath into her lungs but he pulled her against him as he rocked his hips again. She gripped his shoulders as he began to move in earnest. Lukios dipped his head down and kissed her again, swallowing her moans. Ba¡¯an was dizzy, light-headed now from the deluge of Lukios; they were pressed so close together that she could not tell where she ended and he began, or whether the heartbeat throbbing in her ears was hers or his. She could smell him too¡ªhe was everywhere inside her, making the blood roar in her ears as her body began to peak again. Distantly, she was aware she was making noises, pressing her heels into his back as he thrust into her, panting in her ear and mumbling sweet nothings in that same fluting language she could not place; his voice had gone rough and hoarse, straining against her ears just as his body strained against hers. It didn¡¯t take long. The press of him between her legs, the feel of him in her and on her pushed her and pushed her until she came again, shaking and trembling as she tightened around him rhythmically. She felt him groan in her ear, thrusting into her harder and faster as he chased his own completion. He pressed his mouth against hers in a hard, bruising kiss, as though he wanted to push all of him into her. Suddenly, he jerked away, pulling out of her. She felt him come against her belly, the heat of his release almost scalding. He slumped over her, breathing hard. Ba¡¯an murmured soothingly, running her hands over his head and back tenderly. They lay together in the dark, Ba¡¯an stroking him gently until his breaths quieted. Eventually, he stirred. He turned his face to kiss her cheek. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡± He stood up and walked away briefly. Ba¡¯an lay back and shut her eyes. She could hear him moving around in the kitchen. Soon he was back, and he wiped her down with a cool, damp cloth. He paused to kiss her once he got to her ribs, and she opened her mouth to let him in, sighing softly. ¡°Mmm.¡± He put the bowl and cloth down on the floor and kissed her again. The bed was too narrow for them both, so he climbed on top of her so he could kiss her properly. ¡°Ba¡¯an.¡± He kissed her nose. ¡°Are you tired now?¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± She was. She was delightfully tired and sore, drifting off in the heat that radiated from his skin. He kissed her throat. ¡°Ba¡¯an. Are you sleeping?¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± He laughed softly. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll let you sleep¡ªthis time.¡± She roused briefly as he lifted her, but he was only settling her on top of him. ¡°Ba¡¯an. You need a new bed. This one¡¯s too small.¡± His hands roved over her, caressing her back, her bottom. ¡°I¡¯ll make you a new one.¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Ba¡¯an rested her head against his chest and slept, listening to his heartbeat. Chapter Nineteen: Leave-taking Once, Ba¡¯an had flown into a small village in the outskirts of Dolkoi¡¯ri territory. This village had grown rapidly after they had built a dam; they had taken the water that had flowed freely and hoarded it for themselves, glutting on the plenty it brought. One day, it had rained. The dam had swelled, and then the weight of the water had squeezed the cracks in the stone until it burst. The village had been swept away completely. This very much reminded Ba¡¯an of that dam. Whatever reserve that had been holding them back had snapped, and the pieces had swept downstream, never to come together again. Once they woke, they moved to the floor. They coupled again and again, until they were too exhausted to move. Then they slept and did it again. When they got hungry, they ate, not bothering with clothes; they bathed together, touching everywhere as though they were one person, after all. After that the cycle started anew, like they hadn¡¯t had each other so many times before. It was a kind of madness. The days passed in a haze of lust and desperation, and Ba''an could not shake the sensation of running toward the edge of a cliff. And yet she could not stop. Lukios pushed her and pushed her in a way Thu¡¯rin had not. Ba¡¯an always fell asleep not knowing when or how it had happened, too drained and exhausted to keep track. He was ravenous, taking her over and over like a man possessed, as though he would die if he didn¡¯t push himself inside her again and again. Ba¡¯an squealed as Lukios nipped her breast, squeezing her buttocks as he did. She could feel him grinning against her skin. ¡°Liked that, did you?¡± She flushed, and Lukios chortled delightedly. ¡°Oh fuck. You know you blush all the way down to your¡ª¡± ¡°Lukios!¡± ¡°What? It¡¯s true. You¡¯re adorable. Okay, how about this?¡± He tugged her into position, turning her around so she was on her hands and knees. ¡°You ever done it like this before?¡± Ba¡¯an¡¯s cheeks got even hotter. ¡°¡­No.¡± She could hear the grin in his voice when he spoke again. ¡°Oh yeah?¡± He leaned over her, hands on either side of hers, and nipped at the juncture between her neck and throat, sucking hard enough to leave marks. She could feel his cock, hard and ready, rubbing against her slick, eager slit. ¡°You wanna try it? You¡¯ll like it.¡± ¡°We are not animals, Lukios.¡± Surely this was not common, even for outlanders? Lukios laughed. ¡°We sure aren''t! I''ve never seen a stallion tell his lady mare she''s beautiful before they make babies. They really should, though. It''s nicer that way." He nuzzled her beneath the ear and murmured, "You''re beautiful. Everywhere." "Flattery." She wriggled experimentally and he groaned. "Ba''aaan." There was no missing the excitement in his voice. "You¡¯ll like it, you¡¯ll like it. Promise. Just relax. I¡¯ll take care of you.¡± He sounded rather sure of himself. Well, Lukios was very good in bed. Thinking about what they had been up to for the past¡­how many days had it been? Ba¡¯an had lost track. And she had lost track because¡­well. He was very distracting. She tilted her head to look up at him. He was grinning still, and she wondered if his face was starting to hurt yet. He had not stopped grinning since they had started their intimate relations. Didn¡¯t it hurt? Lukios must have read her thought on her face because his grin broadened until his dimples deepened dramatically. Ba¡¯an felt the sudden urge to poke at them. They really were quite fetching. Well, why not? Lukios certainly would not mind. Ba¡¯an reached out and placed her finger right where he dimpled, letting it rest there. For a moment he looked surprised, then he burst out laughing. ¡°You like those?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She ran her thumb over his lower lip, and he smiled and kissed it. ¡°Bet you there¡¯s a few more things you like.¡± His naughty, mischievous grin was back on his face, and Ba¡¯an squeaked as he flexed his hips, pressing his cock up between the folds of her slit. She was slick enough to hear and she felt the tips of her ears warm at the sound. Lukios, on the other hand, sounded delighted as he groaned. ¡°Come on, Ba¡¯an. You¡¯ll like it, I promise. It¡¯ll feel real good.¡± Well, it did not sound dangerous, and the sensation was...very... She wriggled again, nearly taking him, and he dropped his forehead to her shoulder helplessly with an aroused little grunt. "That''s a little mean, Ba''an." He rocked against her, slipping in just enough to tease them both, and her eyes fluttered shut as a small, involuntary whine escaped her. Mortified, she clamped a hand over her mouth, but Lukios only chuckled and kissed her shoulder, lifting one hand off her hip to gently fondle her breast. Ba''an''s nipple pebbled obediently as her insides clenched. "You liiiike it," he cooed. "You know you do." She cleared her throat. ¡°¡­Very well, Lukios. We may...try it." She felt his smile as he kissed the shell of her ear, and she gasped as he began pushing into her, very slowly. "Ba''aaan," he sighed as he reached between her legs, "I''m going to make you forget your own name."
Ba''an collapsed, twitching and trembling. The world had gone topsy-turvy as she came, and it was slow to right itself. Eventually, she realized she was lying on the wet spot, but she could not wriggle away with Lukios'' body slumped over hers, his breaths ragged in the wake of his own release. Still, he was careful not to crush her. After a moment, he stirred, looking quite sleepy, though he was still smiling. "How''s that? You remember your name still?" ¡°Nnngh.¡± She slapped the rug with her palm. "Mmmph. Wet." Lukios only huffed with laughter and rolled them so she lay on top of him. Yes, this was much better. Ba¡¯an lay limp, letting herself soak in his heat, his firm, steady presence. She was exhausted. She didn¡¯t know how Lukios got the energy to go again and again; the man couldn¡¯t possibly be human. ¡°Ba''aaaan.¡± ¡°Nnngh.¡± "Well, that won''t do. I promised you''d forget your name." His tone was very innocent. "Let''s try again." "Nnnngh." Lukios only chuckled and cuddled her, gently stroking her sweat-slicked skin. ¡°Aw, Ba¡¯an, are you tired already?¡± ¡°Mm.¡± She was. He kissed the top of her head as he massaged her thighs, her buttocks. It was nice. She drowsed, listening to his heartbeat and the feel of his hands, the heat of his skin wherever they were touching. ¡°Okay,¡± he said, all tenderness now. ¡°Sleep well, Ba¡¯an.¡±
All things came to an end. Ba¡¯an stared into the pot. It was empty. The shelves: empty. The jars along the wall: empty. Her belly: empty. ¡°Lukios.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°We will starve.¡± There was no food. They had delayed far too long, and now they would die. Of starvation. ¡°Well, you can lop bits off me and¡ª¡± ¡°That is not funny.¡± He laughed, clearly finding it very funny. Mad. He was mad. ¡°Okay, okay.¡± He sat up and yawned. ¡°I¡¯ll check the traps. I¡¯ll set up a fishing rod, too.¡± Her belly growled. Lukios stood and grabbed his clothes. ¡°Going! Going!¡± Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Ba¡¯an put her face in her hands. Of all the ways to die, she had not imagined she would starve to death¡ªbecause she was too busy having sex. It was ridiculous.
¡°No. No buts. Lukios we must leave for Kyros.¡± Ba¡¯an was leaning against him, and they were both sitting with their backs propped up against the wall of the kitchen. Lukios tore off a bite-size piece of lizard jerky and popped it in her mouth before taking a bite himself. ¡°I know. But Ba¡¯an, you know once we get there and part ways we won¡¯t see each other for¡­I think at least two months. Two. Months. Don¡¯t tell me you actually want to go now.¡± ¡°It is not a matter of want,¡± she said, with a patience she had not used since her days in the shi-vuti, ¡°it is a matter of must.¡± ¡°Well, you could stay with me until things get sorted. I¡¯ll take care of you.¡± ¡°No. I hate that city. It¡¯s dirty and noisy and the people are terrible.¡± ¡°But Ba¡¯an¡ª¡± ¡°No.¡± He was clearly sulking now. ¡°Two months. That¡¯s¡­it¡¯s too long.¡± He turned his eyes on her and gave her a look that very much belonged on a puppy with milk teeth. ¡°I¡¯ll miss you too much. Won¡¯t you?¡± Ha. Amateur. ¡°It will pass quickly.¡± ¡°That¡¯s cold.¡± She refrained from rolling her eyes. Instead, Ba¡¯an put her hand over his belly and stroked him slowly in a way that she knew would distract him from his sulk, making sure to lean over so he had a very nice view of her breasts and legs. ¡°That¡¯s cheating.¡± His eyes were fixed on her body and his sulky expression was gone like it had never been. Men. ¡°Ah. Shall I stop?¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± She kissed the corner of his mouth and she felt him tremble under her hand. He kissed her back, then put his bowl down and pulled her onto his lap. ¡°Two months.¡± He nuzzled her. ¡°We¡¯ll have to do it enough to make it last, right?¡± In Ba¡¯an¡¯s opinion, they had done it so many times in the past week or so that it should probably last a year, at least. She was still sore in places she hadn¡¯t known could get sore. The man was insatiable. ¡°If you wish,¡± she said. He looked at her and grinned. Hm. Perhaps she should not have agreed.
¡°Hey Ba¡¯an.¡± They were in the underground cave, sitting in the little pool that Ba¡¯an used to bathe. The water was cold, but it was tolerable with Lukios sitting behind her. Sometimes Ba¡¯an wanted to simply lie on top of him to soak in his warmth, the way lizards did on hot, sun-kissed rocks. Lukios was scrubbing her back, massaging the tension from her shoulders as he did. ¡°Mm?¡± ¡°Have you ever had peaches?¡± ¡°I do not know what that is.¡± ¡°They¡¯re a type of fruit that grows out west. They¡¯re sweet, and soft. The skin¡¯s a little fuzzy. I think you¡¯d like them. Want me to bring you some?¡± ¡°I¡­well, if you wish. But how will you keep them from rotting?¡± ¡°¡­Good point. Damn. Okay, wait, I¡¯ll think of something.¡± He was just so strange sometimes. But she liked it.
Ba¡¯an was too exhausted to dream these days, so that was a boon. Every morning, she woke tangled with Lukios, his heat keeping her warm even without blankets. Sometimes she was curled in his arms, waking to his heartbeat beneath her ear; other times, she woke with his weight on her, his head pressed against her chest as he lay on his stomach, his arms around her as if to keep her from slipping away. On those mornings she listened to the wind, slowly running her fingers through his hair. He liked being stroked and petted; even in his sleep he smiled and nuzzled against her. It was endearing. Too endearing. Ba¡¯an felt her heart shake every time she looked at him. It was a terrible, wonderful feeling¡ªa dangerous one. Ba¡¯an was sure she had loved Thu¡¯rin. But she had not felt this way¡ªscraped raw, her heart like an exposed nerve¡ªwith him. And then she wondered if this was what Thu¡¯rin had felt for her¡ªwas that what he had meant, every time he had told her he loved her? Thu''rin had always been the more affectionate one. It had not occurred to her their love had not been equal, but now¡ª She wondered. She wondered, because her heart had always been calm with Thu''rin, but it was not so with Lukios. Perhaps it was because their time was limited. He would go on with his life and forget her, but Ba''an would remain here, remembering. Ba¡¯an¡¯s hand faltered and stilled. Lukios made a sleepy sound and held her tighter. She scarcely knew him, still. He had been a slave. A soldier after that. Then a mercenary. He disliked his family. He had amassed some wealth and invested wisely. He wished to retire soon. None of that was enough. Lukios most often spoke informally, but he knew things¡ªthings the common folk should not know, unless the Dolkoi¡¯ri educated everyone¡ªbut she doubted it. Were slaves so well-educated? Ba¡¯an did not think so. There were gaps. Many gaps. This was dangerous. She should not feel this way toward this man. Ba¡¯an¡¯s heart had turned to him without her knowing, but she did not even know who he was. Madness. It would be best if they parted soon. An abomination ought not forget herself.
Ba¡¯an stared at her coat. The coat seemed to stare back, though it did not have eyes. Not physical ones, anyway. They were leaving for Kyros in a few hours. Ba¡¯an had to wear her coat. There was no putting it off now. At first she had thought all was well, but there was something about Enha-naus-hasa-en¡¯s music that was¡­off. A suspicion had formed in her mind¡ªslowly at first, but now with such unwavering certainty that she knew she could not risk wearing her coat untested. She would have to wear it to ensure Tik-tak Mal¡¯uk was gone, lest the creature surprise her with its presence at the most inconvenient¡ªand deadly¡ªmoment. Ba¡¯an hadn¡¯t been wearing clothes lately, so she had simply taken her coat from its place in her clothes chest and walked into the cave for privacy. Lukios was sleeping deeply, finally exhausted, and she did not think he would wake soon. Now was the best time. She slipped the coat on, and it settled on her like a second skin. No, not like. It was a second skin. Aboooommmiiinnaaaatiiiiooon¡­ Ah. It was still here. Tenacious thing. Ba¡¯an could feel its discordant song, disrupting Enha-naus-hasa-en¡¯s harmonies. Fortunately, it was weak, though Ba¡¯an could feel its hatred vibrating against the threads of her soul. Too bad for it. Ba¡¯an concentrated, trying to find the seams of it. She would digest it more quickly if she separated the parts; she would unravel it, split it into smaller pieces so it could not rally. She just had to¡ª ¡°Ba¡¯an? There you are. I was looking all over for you.¡± She lost her concentration, and she felt the thing slide away from the tendrils of her magic. It was trying to hide. Hastily, she yanked it back and tied it, ignoring its yammering. She wove quickly until it was held tight, like an insect caught in a spider¡¯s web. It would have to do for now. She did not want any mischief until she had the time to unravel the creature entirely. ¡°Lukios. I¡­¡± ¡°¡­Snuck away to do something witchy?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± He sighed, frowning. ¡°The witchiness is not an issue, Ba¡¯an. It¡¯s just¡­I hate it when you just disappear, you know? I keep thinking you¡¯ve gone off to do something dangerous again.¡± She had. He did not need to know that, however. ¡°I was only checking my coat. I will wear it when we go to Kyros.¡± He eyed the black feathers with healthy suspicion. ¡°Right. The coat.¡± He frowned. ¡°Do you really need it? I¡¯ll have my sword. Things should be pretty safe once we hit the main road, too. Lots of travellers, and there should be some patrols to keep them clear.¡± ¡°I do not doubt your skill, Lukios. But if we are ambushed there may be many, and you are one man.¡± Ba¡¯an did not have any skills with a sword or bow and arrow. She could use a knife, but only for ritual cutting. Her skills were very focused. She would lose a fight with no magic. ¡°True.¡± He made a face. ¡°I just don¡¯t like it.¡± He stroked his hand down her waist, over her hip. ¡°You¡¯re always hungry, and you stay so skinny. It just doesn¡¯t seem worth it.¡± He lifted a single feather with his finger then dropped it, shuddering. ¡°And it¡¯s spooky. Spookier than you, even. I kept thinking it was gonna come alive and bite me. Washing it was an adventure and a half, I can tell you that much.¡± ¡°Even if I leave the coat here, my soul will still be connected. It makes no difference whether I wear it or not. It only changes whether I can cast its magic.¡± She frowned. She had not known its magic was so obvious. What did the ungifted see when they looked at it? Now there was an intriguing question. ¡°Still. What if you get recognized?¡± ¡°I will wear my cloak over it, Lukios. I have done this many times.¡± Ba¡¯an had a forgettable face. No one would recognize her with her coat hidden. He sighed, then dropped the subject by kissing her temple. ¡°Anyway, are you done? I¡¯ll make you a snack. You must be hungry.¡± He was holding her loosely, caressing her in an affectionate way that made her warm to her toes. This¡ªthis was why he was dangerous. She loved the solid feel of him when he held her. He smelled good, and it made her feel warm and cared for in a way she hadn¡¯t in¡­well, not since she had become annes¡¯tat. Dangerous. It made him dangerous. Ba¡¯an doubted she would see him again after Kyros but saw no reason to bring it up. She was, after all, an exiled K¡¯Avaari woman with nothing to her name. He was someone important, handsome and young with his entire life ahead of him. You can come with me. I¡¯ll take care of you. Promises were as easy as they were sweet. Ba¡¯an knew better than to be fooled by their honey. After all, Lukios looked to be of an age where he was old enough to marry. Why would he not? He had wealth. Property. It would not surprise her if she learned he had a woman at his estate already, waiting. She knew she should not have any expectations. But for now¡ªfor now she would enjoy his company and let him go when it was over. ¡°Ba¡¯an?¡± She wasn¡¯t done, but she was hungry. Tik-tak Mal¡¯uk struggled in its bonds, but it was held tight. It would hold for now. Ba¡¯an stood. ¡°I am hungry,¡± she confirmed. ¡°You can do the cooking.¡±
The sky was still dark and full of stars, but this was the best time to travel. ¡°Is that everything?¡± Ba¡¯an nodded. Lukios frowned and looked around her small not-vuti, as if something he had missed would jump at him from the corners. ¡°I keep thinking we¡¯ve forgotten something.¡± He counted the pouches of powdered herbs and bolted hides again. ¡°That is everything, Lukios. As long as you have all of your things.¡± Ba¡¯an knew that he did. She had only brought him, and then his clothes, sword, knife, pouch, and ring. It was not much at all. It was a bit comical. Lukios was weighed down by mostly her things¡ªthe pouches and bags of herbs and skins. He had insisted, and Ba¡¯an had been happy to give in. She hated carrying things, and her stamina, though better, was still not fully recovered. Lukios had not been helpful in that regard. ¡°Right. Right.¡± He picked up his walking stick¡ªnewly carved, from terrible akaikai wood¡ªand they left the small home together. Lukios paused by the doorway. ¡°Ba¡¯an.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I meant to ask you.¡± He pointed to the carved letters curving over the doorway. The words were interspersed with carvings of animals, the rock seeming to curve with a deceptive mellifluousness. ¡°Does that mean anything?¡± Ba¡¯an smiled. Ah, her ever-curious outlander. ¡°Yes. It says ¡®nu-vuti vi-insara, ana-sayan.¡¯ It means¡­¡± She paused, trying to translate. ¡°¡­¡¯not a vuti, but a safe place to rest.¡¯¡± He smiled. ¡°A safe place to rest. That¡¯s fitting.¡± He put his hand on the small of her back. ¡°Thanks for housing me all this time,¡± he said to the doorway, and then he kissed the top of her head. ¡°That goes for you too, but you knew that. Shall we?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± They left, the dust trailing behind them as they made their way through the desert, hand in hand. Act II: Kyros "A shithole is a shithole is Kyros. Fuck that place. Even pigs won''t roll in it." If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡ª Maros of Astropolis, from Conversations from the Northern Province 04/06/2024: Updated the image. Update noted here since RR will no longer let me update this without 500 characters. Chapter Twenty: To Kyros Lukios was right. There were travellers on the road. It had taken them four days to get to the main road. Walking through the wilderness while avoiding the hottest parts of the day had been difficult, and Ba¡¯an¡¯s need to rest intermittently had slowed them down. Lukios did not complain; if anything, he insisted they rest when they could. The only concern with such extended travel time was water. Once they reached the main road, there were water stations every so often. But before then, they would only have what they had carried with them, which was two each. Ba¡¯an had been nervous, wondering if there would be enough every time they set up camp. But now they were on the main road. It was much faster to walk on the stones, though they were annoyingly uneven. At the next water station, they met a merchant and his small caravan. ¡°Ho, fellow travellers!¡± The man was tall, with a dark, well-trimmed beard. He looked to be Ba¡¯an¡¯s age, and he moved in a sprightly, energetic way. His clothes were well-tailored, though he had been practical enough to forgo any other obvious luxury. A wise decision, as displays of wealth were often too tempting for thieves and bandits to pass up. His skin was nearly the same shade as Lukios¡¯, though just a touch darker. His hair was brown, though anything aside from that was hard to tell; as with everyone travelling the desert road, he had covered up. The sun was always deadly. ¡°Ho!¡± Lukios greeted the man with the same enthusiasm. They could see he had wagons, staff, and guards. It would be a good idea to travel together¡ªif the man allowed it. In fact, some other travellers had already joined¡ªit was evident by the way they were dressed, the clothes in different styles and in varying states of wear-and-tear. It seemed the man enjoyed picking up companions. The man approached, and he and Lukios shook hands. Ba''an saw his eyes dart to Lukios'' ring. ¡°Where are you travelling from?¡± Naturally, he wanted news. ¡°The desert. Nothing to report except sand, sand, and the occasional dust storm.¡± Lukios grinned in a very charming way. ¡°And you?¡± ¡°Ah, you were travelling through the desert? How daring.¡± His eyes flicked to Ba¡¯an, taking in her darker complexion beneath her hood. ¡°Oh, I see. You have one of the Red Sand folk with you.¡± He smiled, and Ba''an noted he had blindingly white teeth. ¡°Greetings, young sir, young lady. I am Terutus.¡± ¡°I am Lukios.¡± ¡°I am Ba¡¯an.¡± She inclined her head, ignoring his curious stare. ¡°Well met, Lukios and Ba¡¯an. As to your question, I have recently been in Elysium.¡± He gestured to the caravan and wagons of merchandise. ¡°This is our usual circuit.¡± They walked together to the fire that had already been built on the flat platform beside the well. ¡°Any news? I¡¯ve been in the desert nearly five months.¡± ¡°Five months!¡± Terutus appeared shocked. ¡°Are you a scholar, perhaps?¡± His gaze shifted to Ba¡¯an again. ¡°A writer of travelogues?¡± Lukios smiled. ¡°I¡¯m afraid not. I ran into some trouble and the K¡¯Avaari were kind enough to show some hospitality.¡± He gave a little shrug. ¡°My only talent is being incredibly lucky, it seems.¡± Terutus¡¯ eyes were wide. ¡°Indeed. You must have quite a story to tell. I must hear it sometime, if you are willing.¡± Lukios shrugged. ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll warn you now, it¡¯s really not that interesting. Just a whole lot of bad luck and then finally some good.¡± ¡°You may be surprised by what seems mundane to you may be fantastical to another. Ah! But you wished to hear news! I will indulge you. Five months¡­hm. Ah yes¡­¡± Ba¡¯an leaned against Lukios, shutting her eyes. He put his arm around her reflexively, letting her rest against him. She listened to the two of them converse about Dolkoi¡¯ri matters, and soon there were other voices joining in. The price of olives had gone up, because bandits had taken a fort near a major trade route. The council of the local city had beseeched the capital for assistance, but it was coming slowly. Someone speculated that the bandits had been hired to camp there, and they fell into a vigorous debate about dueling merchant families trying to out sabotage the other. It was a very Dolkoi¡¯ri story. Eventually the topic petered out. Someone started talking about a missing noblewoman, and she felt Lukios stiffen. Blinking, she sat up. She put her hand on his knee, but he only put his hand over hers and squeezed it. He gave her a brief smile that didn¡¯t reach his eyes as the men continued to talk. ¡°¡­snatched right from her wedding procession. I can¡¯t even imagine the size of the balls on the guy that did it. Can you imagine? Kidnapping the bride of the heir to House Helios? Anyway, I heard they won¡¯t pay the ransom. Turns out she¡¯s not-so-virtuous after all, and so they¡ª¡± ¡°What do you mean, they won¡¯t pay the ransom?¡± Lukios¡¯ voice was sharp. She saw Terutus sit up and take notice. Ba¡¯an squeezed his knee in warning. ¡°Well, was a bunch of sandy goat-fuckers that did it, y''know. Wanted a stupid pile of ransom too, and not in coin. Anyways, the man that went to talk came back an'' said that she was knocked up. No man in his right mind would pay ransom for a whore, ''specially not one who spreads it for goat-fuckers. Joke¡¯s on them, they can keep her.¡± Sandy goat-fuckers. Ba¡¯an¡¯s stare turned to the speaker, a young man with a scar over his lip and a patch over his left eye. When he saw her looking¡ªsaw her face¡ªhe flushed. ¡°Ah, no disrespect, lady. Not talking ''bout you; I¡¯m sure you¡¯re nice.¡± There was a bit of a leer at the end of nice as his eyes flicked to Lukios and back. ¡°Watch it.¡± Lukios¡¯ voice was flat. He was also a much bigger man, and armed. Eyepatch paled and cleared his throat. ¡°Meant no disrespect. Just the news. Like you asked.¡± ¡°Friends! Peace. I¡¯m sure Dikos here did not mean to offend. We do not even know if such rumors are true. How would the good folk of the Red Sands even know who was in the carriage?¡± Terutus smiled widely, showing off his blindingly white teeth. ¡°I am sure our gentle lady Ba¡¯an would have heard the news already if it were true, and she would have told sir Lukios as well. Isn¡¯t that so?¡± ¡°The K¡¯Avaari do not attack travellers on the desert road, except in times of war. It is es¡¯tat. Forbidden.¡± Those travelling through the territory in peace were protected under hospitality laws, unless they broke the peace first. Stealing would do it. So would disturbing K¡¯Avaari travel signs, or even one of their many shrines to the thousands and thousands of spirits that lived somewhere in the sands. Sometimes outlanders got themselves into trouble with their rudeness. ¡°If you travel K¡¯Avaari territory, do not disturb the stone signs. Do not move the shrines. Do not take water, food, or offerings from the shrines without proper obeisance. Do not kick them over¡­¡± Ba¡¯an listed, in the cool voice she had used on Vaa¡¯ti and Salu¡¯ka a countless number of times, the things they should refrain from if they wanted to travel the desert. They stared. Lukios smiled genially. ¡°¡­You can speak Illosian?¡± Eyepatch sounded shocked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That is fascinating, lady Ba¡¯an. Tell me, are those customs the same throughout all the tribes of the Red Sands?¡± Terutus was beaming. What an odd man. ¡°Most of them. The basic manners are the same. There are some small differences. Be polite. You will be treated well.¡± She looked Eyepatch in his remaining eye. ¡°There is no reason for K¡¯Avaari to raid a marriage procession. There is nothing to gain.¡± ¡°Right. Must just be a rumor then.¡± Dikos edged away and fell quiet. ¡°Truly, it must only be a rumor. Tell me, lady Ba¡¯an, I have heard that there is a custom of¡­¡± Terutus was full of questions. Ba¡¯an was pleased and flummoxed to find that Lukios was not the only outlander with curiosity. The evening turned darker as Ba¡¯an answered as many questions as Terutus wished. At one point, Lukios brought her dinner. She ate, still conversing with Terutus on the bridal customs of K¡¯Avaari. Lukios sat nearby, but he was speaking with the other travellers, picking up what news he could of the kidnapping without being obvious. There was other news too, Ba¡¯an was sure, but she was too distracted to really focus on what he was doing. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. ¡°Ah, so the courtship is truly so long?¡± ¡°If she wishes. Some do not wish to delay.¡± Some delayed forever, like witches. Witches could not marry. Witches and K¡¯Avaari magic, however, were not topics to be discussed with outlanders. That, she would keep secret. ¡°I see.¡± Terutus appeared thoughtful. He lapsed into silence. He looked at her, opening his mouth, but then hesitated. Glancing at Lukios, he started again, voice quiet. ¡°I could not help but notice that you and sir Lukios appear to be¡­courting.¡± Ba¡¯an blinked. She had not been expecting this topic. Was it not rude to mention it? ¡°You do not appear engaged or married.¡± He gestured to her finger. Ba¡¯an looked down at her hand, curious. ¡°I do not understand. Is marriage related to my hand?¡± ¡°What? Oh. I see. That must be different. Here in the Empire we use rings to signify relationships. If you are unmarried, you do not wear one on your ring finger¡ªthis one.¡± He wriggled his finger so the gold ring he wore gleamed in the light of the fire. ¡°If you are engaged, you wear a single band made of silver. If you are wed, you replace it with one of gold. I noticed neither you nor Lukios wear bands. Do the People of the Sand do something different?¡± They did. She relaxed now that she understood his question. ¡°Yes. Women tie up their hair with their¡­hm, there is no outlander word, I think. It is a kesh. The man gifts it to the woman before the wedding. He will give her also his sumanu¡¯ta.¡± ¡°Sumata?¡± ¡°Sumanu¡¯ta. A boy becomes a man when he completes his¡­sumanu¡¯ta. It is¡­it is something he must do to become a man. If he is a hunter he must hunt alone and bring a good kill. If he is a¡­potter, then he must¡­craft a pot that is approved by a master. That is his sumanu¡¯ta. It must be given to his bride, along with other goods. She will wear the kesh for the rest of her life. If the sumanu¡¯ta is¡­jewelry or clothes, then she will wear those also. The man is given her sa-kesh, which he will wear. The colours and patterns of the kesh and sa-kesh match.¡± Terutus seemed to find this amusing. ¡°Ah, I see. So goes his manhood.¡± Ba¡¯an did not quite understand what he meant. She blinked at him. ¡°His manhood? I do not understand. His wife will bear him children. His manhood is¡­intact.¡± How else would they have children? Terutus¡¯ smile only grew wider. Now he was not merely amused¡ªhe was very amused. ¡°Ah. That is a fair trade, indeed. No man would...complain.¡± Terutus seemed to think this explained it, but Ba''an was even more confused. Perhaps it was a strange Dolkoi''ri concept she did not know¡ªshe would have to ask Lukios. His attention shifted to her visage beneath her hood, his eyes suddenly keen to the point of cutting. Ba¡¯an stared back, confused by the sudden interest. ¡°So if a woman wears her hair down, she is unwed?¡± ¡°I¡­yes. That is often correct. A married woman almost always ties her hair with her kesh.¡± Ba¡¯an paused. ¡°She is given more than one, of course. They look the same. But of course, unmarried women also tie their hair. Only not with kesh.¡± ¡°I see. Just some companionship, then.¡± ¡°Companionship?¡± Ba¡¯an was thrown again. Terutus only smiled and held up his hands with the palms facing forward. ¡°Nothing. Please, ignore my rambling. It is getting late. Will you and sir Lukios camp here with the rest of us?¡± ¡°Yes. It will be safer.¡± ¡°Excellent. I must suggest we all travel to Kyros together in the morning.¡± ¡°Yes. I will tell Lukios.¡± He smiled at her again and bid her a goodnight. Ba¡¯an returned to the little area where Lukios and she had set their tent and bedroll. She crawled in, thinking about whether she should take off her coat at all. What if they were raided in the night? No, better to keep it on. Her travelling cloak too, just in case. Lukios popped his head in. ¡°Ba¡¯an? You done?¡± ¡°Yes. I am tired.¡± She could see his grin even in the dark. ¡°Thought so. I brought a snack for you. Hungry, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She took his treat, which was something she had never had before. It was some kind of bread with¡ªshe broke it open¡ªmeat and vegetables inside. ¡°What is this?¡± She looked at it curiously. ¡°It¡¯s a meat bun. One of the travellers gave it to me. Thought you¡¯d like it.¡± Oh. Of course. Lukios was very charming. She bit into it. ¡°It is good. How is it warm?¡± ¡°I stuck it near the fire on a rock.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome. I¡¯ll get you some other things to try once we get to Kyros. I¡¯ll be back in a minute.¡± He popped back out. Ba¡¯an settled into the bed roll. They had put two of them together to make one, but even so, Ba¡¯an didn¡¯t think Lukios would quite fit. Ba¡¯an was drowsing when she felt Lukios settle in beside her. He put his arms around her and pulled her close. ¡°Mmm. Lukios?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Terutus said we should travel together.¡± ¡°Oh, yeah. I checked with him just now.¡± He kissed her temple. ¡°I think he¡¯ll let you ride in the wagon. That¡¯d be nice, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes. Goodnight, Lukios.¡± ¡°Sleep well, Ba¡¯an.¡±
The days flew by. They made good time, travelling by wagon. Terutus and Ba¡¯an sat inside the covered coach, chatting. Lukios, who was obviously good with a sword, had fallen in with the guards. It was not something that Terutus had asked of him, but he had fallen into it naturally, eyes and ears always alert as they travelled. Ba¡¯an missed having him beside her, but she understood. Anytime they sat together, they ended up touching, whether it was their knees or hands or some other wayward part of their bodies. It was deeply frustrating. She wanted him badly but they could do nothing in the thin tent¡ªtruly, it was more a tarp then a tent, held together by leather straps¡ªbut sleep. When they woke Lukios was always full of fruitless desire, pressing against her as his hands roved over her restlessly. It would not be good to sit so closely together in the wagon. So Lukios walked outside, always on the lookout for signs of an ambush, and Ba¡¯an rode inside with Terutus. At first Lukios had not liked it¡ªthere were no other woman, and he disliked the thought of her alone with another man¡ªbut it would have been awkward for him to sit in the wagon when others were walking or riding mules. He checked on her regularly, which she found deeply amusing. Terutus, on the other hand, seemed to think it was something expected. Perhaps this was another Dolkoi¡¯ri custom, ensuring women did not sit alone with men inside a wagon. K¡¯Avaari women and men did not mingle so freely either, but they were not that restricted. Travelling by wagon would be an exception, though only old or infirm men rode inside. A K¡¯Avaari merchant who was hale would have ridden in the front, but Terutus was Dolkoi¡¯ri. Their customs were always different. Today Ba¡¯an was telling him some folktales. ¡°Yes, that is why the sun and moon never touch.¡± ¡°A sad tale. Truly, I envy sir Lukios. To think he heard your stories for five months! Lucky man, indeed.¡± Ba¡¯an felt her mouth twitch in amusement. Flattery. ¡°Is this when you ask me for something?¡± He laughed. ¡°A man cannot get anything past you, can he?¡± ¡°No. Do not try. Ask Lukios¡ªit does not work.¡± The wagon came to a stop and someone called them from outside. ¡°The gates!¡± ¡°Ah! Of course.¡± Terutus climbed outside. He turned and offered her his hand. It seemed like Dolkoi¡¯ri manners to take it, so Ba¡¯an did. He beamed at her. ¡°We must register at the gate. I will find sir Lukios for you first, however.¡± He craned his neck, glancing behind them. ¡°There he is.¡± After that it was a flurry of activity. The travellers all queued, more orderly than Ba¡¯an would have expected. Even so, there were many people, all of them with things, sometimes with wagons, and it was chaotic enough. Ba¡¯an had come this way before, but only in the early morning or late evening hours. She did not enjoy crowds. Usually there were only two or three travellers before her, if there were any at all. This¡ªthis was different. The gates faced east, and to the south side of the road was an amphitheatre which nearly always sat empty. To the north was a wide, flat spot for caravans. That was nearly always full, and Ba¡¯an could see they were in fine form today¡ªmen were already walking up and down the line of travellers, hawking their wares. Some of them carried pots of water with a cup or a basket of hot food, and Ba¡¯an could see those were very popular. Her stomach growled, but she ignored it. Lukios was speaking with Terutus, and she did not wish to disturb him to ask him to buy her something. She put her hand inside her cloak to her waist-pouch. She had a few coppers herself, but she did not know how much the food should cost. It was likely they would overcharge her if they even looked at her at all¡ªwhich they were not. Even when the caravan park had been full of merchants, none of them had ever bothered with Ba¡¯an before. She thought perhaps it had been her timing and attire; she always dressed in the K¡¯Avaari way, which was already simple, and her clothes were threadbare besides. She did not look wealthy, or even comfortably well-off¡ªshe looked destitute. Even now none of them glanced her way, instead focusing on men like Terutus. Ba¡¯an hung back, standing behind Lukios as he spoke with their host. Ba¡¯an stared at the flock of people, watching them argue with the gate guards who were fastidiously checking the items inside the wagons. She was too preoccupied by the noise, the crush of people and her growling belly to pay much mind to what they were discussing. Perhaps if they had been speaking in K¡¯Avaari these distractions would not have mattered much, but she could not understand Dolkoi¡¯ri easily unless she focused. ¡°¡ªnot the prettiest Sander woman I¡¯ve seen, it¡¯s true, but they¡¯re quite rare these days. Not too many on the market. And Ba¡¯an can speak Illosian. I¡¯ll double¡ª¡± Ba¡¯an swivelled her head just in time to see Lukios grab Terutus by the throat and slam him into the side of the wagon so hard it rocked. ¡°What the fuck did you just say?¡± The guards stared for only a heartbeat, then sprang into action. Lukios was faster; he twisted Terutus around, locking his arms behind his back and bringing him to his knees so he could no longer fight back. ¡°Oi. Dikos. Eutus. You think you can gut me faster than I can gut him?¡± ¡°Sir Lukios. Please. Calm down. There is a misundersta¡ª¡± ¡°You stop yapping or my hand might slip. Ba¡¯an. We¡¯re leaving. Now.¡± Lukios looked down at Terutus. His eyes were blazing. This was not the cold anger he had shown toward Vaa¡¯ti; this was rage. ¡°If I ever, ever see you sniffing around, I won¡¯t bother warning you. Understand?¡± He shook the merchant violently. ¡°I said, do you understand?¡± ¡°I¡ªYes. Yes. There¡¯s not need for violence.¡± His teeth clicked as Lukios shook him. Lukios kicked him to the ground, where Terutus lay curled around himself, gasping. ¡°Stay there. Suits you.¡± He reached out for her. ¡°Ba¡¯an.¡± She frowned. She was not sure what Terutus had said, exactly, but it had clearly not been good. She stepped around him and went to Lukios. He put his arm around her and guided her up to the front of the line, ignoring the angry protests of the people they passed. Ba¡¯an glanced back, concerned the Terutus¡¯ guards would come after them. In the distance she could see them helping him up, looking over in their direction. This was not good. ¡°Halt. You need to stand in line.¡± The guardsmen in Kyros always looked unimpressed, but this one looked especially underwhelmed. Lukios gave him a flat stare. He lifted his hand, the one with the fancy ring, and snapped, ¡°You gonna stop me?¡± The man stared at the signet, then back at Lukios. For a moment he looked like he was going to protest again, but then he just waved his hand in a tired way. ¡°Very well. I will be sure to register a complaint to House Helios. You must peace bond your weapon and place it out of sight upon entering. You will be fined if the blade is visibly holstered and jailed if unsheathed in a public place. Have a good day, sir.¡± Lukios tugged her hand and took her through the gate. Chapter Twenty-one: Kyros, Part I ¡°What did he say?¡± Ba¡¯an frowned at Lukios, even as she raised a hand to smooth away the one on his face. His jaw clenched. For a moment he seemed to be struggling with his temper. ¡°He¡ªfucking mastrop¨°s!¡ªhe wanted to buy you.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°He thought you were¡ªwe were¡ªfuck. Wait. Let¡¯s walk for a bit.¡± Kyros was not big by Dolkoi¡¯ri standards, but it was a city. She could smell the filth immediately. Animals shared the streets with humans, and thus the streets were dirty, noisy, and crowded. It was a Dolkoi¡¯ri city. Such things were expected. Ba¡¯an could see the central buildings in the distance were stonework¡ªgranite, maybe¡ªand built well. But on the outskirts were the merchants and hawkers and the poor, all crowded together in the perimeter just inside the walls. Lukios¡¯ hand never left her back. ¡°Here. The moneylenders are all up by the agora.¡± He guided her through the streets with more confidence than she had expected. He had told her he rarely visited Kyros; his memory was good. The main streets were all cobbled. Buildings nearer to the agora were made of stone, and Ba¡¯an knew how close they were getting by the dwindling number of wooden constructions. Ba¡¯an had rarely set foot near the agora itself. When she had first started trading in Kyros the merchants there had cheated her, so now she only dealt directly with her buyers. Even so, the architecture was impressive: smooth stones for the floor of the square, and even smoother stone columns lining the market to create a sheltered colonnade. This was what Lukios had called a stoa¡ªit was full of men speaking to each other with very animated expressions, arms gesticulating with enthusiasm. They were not, however, wearing togas. Perhaps things were different in Heliopolis. There were people in every nook and cranny. The agora was full of stalls, merchants, and shoppers. There was a fountain to the north, right in the temple courtyard, and even from this distance she could see stone aqueducts arching gracefully from along the outer walls and over the temple, pouring water down into the twin basins along the front-facing columns. She knew that water flowed beneath the ground in pipes until it came bubbling up through the center of the fountain. Even Ba¡¯an could admit the Dolkoi¡¯ri had genius in them. She could not fathom how they pumped water upward without stone-shapers or magic. Her belly growled and Lukios stopped walking. ¡°That was you, right?¡± He gave her an apologetic look and glanced around. ¡°Shit. Of course you¡¯re¡ªhere, let¡¯s go this way. I think that¡¯s a food stall over there. Sorry. Should have remembered you¡¯d be hungry.¡± ¡°I am well. Do not be¡­distressed.¡± But really, Ba¡¯an thought he was more upset over whatever Terutus had said. He still seemed angry. They wandered over to one of the stalls lining the stoa. Ba¡¯an could see it was meant to be temporary, with a man sitting on what looked like a small, flimsy stool beside a cart. The cart was very curious-looking, because it was more a rectangle box on wheels; the side facing the merchant was open, and she could see that it had shelves that were loaded with covered baskets that smelled¡­ Delicious. They smelled delicious. Her belly growled again. ¡°Hungry?¡± The man beamed at her, then faced Lukios. ¡°We have stuffed buns here, all sorts. Meat, vegetables, or just good, hearty bread. Which would you like?¡± He glanced over at Ba¡¯an again and looked her up and down. ¡°Pardon my say so, but she definitely needs more than one! How about a basket? You¡¯ll get three buns and a loaf of bread. I¡¯ll give you a discount! Three obols and four coppers. Usually it¡¯s one obol each and two for a meat bun, so you¡¯re getting a deal.¡± Ba¡¯an opened her mouth to speak, but then closed it again. The man was very rude, speaking to Lukios as if Ba¡¯an was not there, but it was also true that he was less likely to cheat Lukios than he was to cheat Ba¡¯an. It was obvious. Ba¡¯an kept the frown off her face and listened. Lukios looked amused, nodding toward the basket the man had indicated. ¡°You saying those are all meat buns in there?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Well, clearly, he had not thought Lukios would question him. ¡°Well, some of them are. Let¡¯s see¡ª¡± He began lifting the linens and checking. ¡°I can¡¯t give you three meat buns at that price, but I can give you one meat bun and the rest with vegetables. It¡¯s still a good price! You can¡¯t beat it.¡± Lukios only smiled, very charmingly. ¡°How about two meat buns and I¡¯ll give you four obols for the basket?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± The merchant hesitated, glancing around. ¡°That¡¯s not a very good deal for me.¡± ¡°Well, these were made in the morning, right? It¡¯s past noon now. They¡¯re old. If we went to one of the¡ª¡± ¡°No, no, these are fresh! The morning batch went with the lunch crowd. My son just brought these from the oven. It hasn¡¯t been two hours.¡± ¡°Oh yeah? That¡¯s nice to know. Your boy¡¯s a hard-worker, huh?¡± The merchant beamed. ¡°He is! He¡¯ll take over this stall once he¡¯s old enough, but for now he¡¯s at the taverna with his ma.¡± ¡°Just one boy?¡± ¡°No, no, two girls besides, but they work in the kitchen. My boy does the deliveries¡ªhe¡¯s fast on his feet, but careful!¡± The merchant lifted one of the linens. The buns looked very tasty¡ªthey were plump, and darker and shiny on top. Ba¡¯an did not know how his wife had made them look so appetizing, but she had. She tried her best to look unimpressed. It would not help Lukios bargain this man down if she looked too hungry. ¡°See? Not a single squished bun. He¡¯s great with deliveries. You won¡¯t find tastier buns in Kyros, and not for these prices, either! My taverna¡¯s the best for delivery.¡± ¡°Delivery too, huh? Oh wait, are you the owner of Ostos¡¯?¡± And now the merchant looked very pleased. ¡°That¡¯s me! I¡¯m Ostos, the owner of Ostos¡¯! You¡¯ve heard of me?¡± ¡°Yup. My friends and I go there every time we¡¯re in Kyros. Guess you don¡¯t have the skewers out today?¡± ¡°Oh, no, not here. They¡¯re not very good once they¡¯re too long off the grill.¡± ¡°Right, right. That¡¯s too bad. That marinade you use is something else.¡± The merchant was looking happier and happier. ¡°I see you¡¯re a man of taste. Well, it¡¯s rare to see such a discerning fellow, and¡­¡± he looked at them both, taking in their dusty and ragged attire, ¡°¡­it looks like you¡¯ve both been doing some travelling. Here, I¡¯ll give you the basket with two meat buns for four obols, but you bring your lady around for a proper dinner.¡± He grinned widely. ¡°The menu¡¯s better inside the shop.¡± They continued chatting as the money exchanged hands. Ostos took out some scraps of fabric from the bottom shelf of his cart and wrapped all the buns in them, placing the empty basket and linens aside. His cart was very organized. ¡°Say,¡± Ostos said, handing Lukios the buns, ¡°anyone ever tell you that you look an awful lot like the Lion?¡± Lukios only grinned. ¡°Sure have! More than once. Guess it must be true.¡± Ostos nodded. ¡°I think so. It¡¯s the eyes and hair. You sure you¡¯re not related?¡± ¡°As far as I know.¡± ¡°Right, right. Ah well. That¡¯s lucky, then. Just awful what happened. Killed by bandits?¡± He shook his head. ¡°I would¡¯ve never guessed he¡¯d go that way. Not a man like him. Anyway, here¡¯re your buns! Enjoy, and don¡¯t forget to visit!¡±
Ba¡¯an took another bite of the meat bun. It tasted like it smelled, but better. They had found a nice, shady spot on a bench inside the stoa. Lukios seemed to have calmed down now, and he was eating his bread with an expression of satisfaction. ¡°How¡¯s that one?¡± ¡°It is very good, Lukios. Very, very delicious.¡± They were not hot, but even so the flavour was savory and salty, spiced to perfection. She looked down at her greasy fingers. Would anyone notice if she¡­licked them? Well, Lukios would notice. He would not care, but licking one¡¯s fingers was very undignified. She wiped her fingers on the napkin with no small amount of regret. ¡°Good. You like the vegetable ones better or the meat ones better?¡± ¡°They are both very delicious, but¡­the meat.¡± He nodded and handed her the second meat bun. ¡°No, Lukios. That one is yours.¡± ¡°I eat these all the time, sweetheart. Here.¡± Hm. Ba¡¯an did not know how a heart could be sweet¡ªthey were not, being very tough and chewy organs¡ªbut it sounded like an endearment. Well, that was acceptable then, and he was giving her his meat bun. Lukios was only being his strange outlander self, so there was no point in questioning it. Ba¡¯an sighed in contentment as she put the last meat bun in her mouth. Oh it was very good. They made short work of the impromptu meal, and wiped their mouths and hands on the cloth they¡¯d been wrapped in. Lukios folded it neatly and tucked it away in his pouch. He stood and offered her his hand, which she took. ¡°What did Terutus say, Lukios? You were very angry.¡± His expression, which had been relaxed a moment ago, immediately darkened. ¡°Oh. Right. Well, that fucker thought you were my¡­fuck, if I say hetaera, would that make any sense to you?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Okay, he thought you were a prostitute that I had bought for the journey. He wanted to pay off your fee and buy you.¡± ¡°What? Why would he think this?¡± Lukios pushed his hair out of his face with a disgusted noise. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ba¡¯an. I should have thought it through. It¡¯s¡ªwell. You¡¯re a woman and I¡¯m a man. We¡¯re sharing a tent, but we¡¯re not married and we¡¯re not engaged. So the natural conclusion was¡­¡± They paused against a column to let a group of enthusiastic men pass. They were arguing about someone named Galen, who was a physician¡ªclearly, he was very famous. They continued toward the moneylender once the men passed. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. ¡°I do not think ¡®prostitute¡¯ is the natural conclusion. It is the Dolkoi¡¯ri conclusion. In the tribe Thu¡¯rin was my man, but I was not his woman. Because I was a witch.¡± But they had still shared a bed every night, the way they would have if they had been wed. Thu¡¯rin had always come home to her¡ªnot to his parents'' vuti, or the vir-vuti, but to her. Lukios blinked, and she could see him trying to understand what that meant. ¡°Wait, does that mean you had more than one man?¡± ¡°If I wished. But I did not.¡± Most who sought her had wished to bend her ear and use her influence. She had rejected them¡­strongly. Thu¡¯rin himself had been a rare wonder of a man. Ba¡¯an did not think she would see his like soon, or ever again. She swallowed her sorrow down. She should not think of him now, when she was with Lukios. It was rude. Lukios was laughing at her pert response. ¡°Oh, gods. I should have known. Ha.¡± He gave her a look. ¡°You¡¯re not a witch anymore.¡± ¡°I am not.¡± ¡°So the rules are different now.¡± ¡°Rules?¡± He glanced around, pulling away from the stoa and down a dark, narrow side street until they reached the inner wall that ran around the acropolis. He gently pushed her up against it and kissed her. ¡°Yes. Rules. No other men.¡± He kissed her again, hungrily. ¡°I¡¯ll go crazy.¡± Ba¡¯an flushed. She pushed him away and looked around. It was dark and the narrow back streets were emptier than the open-air market, but there were still some people wandering through. If anyone in a building looked outside, they would be able to see them. She tugged her hood down lower. ¡°Lukios. We are in public. Stop.¡± ¡°Right. As soon as you agree. No other men.¡± He paused thoughtfully then added, ¡°Or women.¡± She gave him a look of exasperation. ¡°Where would I find another man or a woman? Do they grow in the sand?¡± She clicked her tongue at him. ¡°Where are you getting these stupid ideas?¡± ¡°Ba¡¯an, a man we met three days ago just tried to buy you. Who knows, maybe you¡¯ll rescue some other lucky man and he¡¯ll take a fancy to you too. Or maybe you¡¯ll find someone here. Or¡­¡± ¡°Lukios.¡± His expression had gone serious somewhere in the last two sentences. ¡°I do not have another man. Once we are finished here I will return to my not-vuti. In the desert.¡± She scowled up at him. ¡°Men cannot be grown from sand.¡± He snickered. ¡°Well, maybe you could try planting one in your garden and¡ª¡± She made a noise of exasperation. ¡°This is very silly. No, Lukios, I will not take another man into my nur-vuti from one of your cities. They are often very rude, and I do not think I will meet another as mad as you for many years. And even so, it is not my habit to bed outland¡ª" She cut off abruptly as Lukios frowned. He was back to looking serious again, but now he also looked puzzled. ¡°Wait. Why does that sound like¡­Ba¡¯an, I told you. Just two months. You¡ªyou agreed, right?¡± She looked at him, frowning. ¡°Yes. Two months. You will visit.¡± But then he would go again. Perhaps they would meet again after that, or perhaps they would not. Or perhaps he would not come at all. This was the most likely outcome. ¡°I¡ªBa¡¯an. I thought you¡­agreed. You¡¯re coming with me, aren¡¯t you? Once I get everything sorted. You agreed.¡± What? ¡°I did not.¡± ¡°Ba¡¯an. We talked about this. I¡¯ll go back for you in two months. If things aren¡¯t settled, I¡¯ll put in some shelves and a new bed for you, but otherwise you¡¯ll come with me.¡± He said it very assertively, as though it were something that really had been decided¡ªbut it had not. Ba¡¯an had not agreed. Lukios had only said that he would return in two months, and she had agreed to that; Ba¡¯an had already invited him to return to her not-vuti whenever he wished. He had invited her to return to Synoros with him the night they had had first kissed, but Ba¡¯an had refused. Had he assumed she had changed her mind because they shared a bed? She frowned. Ba¡¯an had thought her refusal had been very clear, but Lukios had not understood her. ¡°Lukios. You are on your way home now, far away. You will have your loved ones back soon, and I will not hold you to your promise to return. I will not go to Synoros with you, and I do not expect you to forever visit me. You must live your life, and live it well.¡± And Ba¡¯an would never lower herself to be his concubine. Ba¡¯an was no longer a witch or even K¡¯Avaari, but to give up her dignity? No. Her dignity was all she had. She would not behave like a destitute outlander, even if she died. Death was a small matter. Ba¡¯an did not fear it. But a life of watching Lukios take a wife and bed her, smiling all the while like the grandest idiot in the world? No. Never. Abomination or not, Ba¡¯an would never humiliate herself in such a way. He was watching her face like a hawk, eyes probing. Ba¡¯an suddenly felt flayed open, feeling more naked than she had in the days they had spent coupling on the floor. His own expression was unreadable, and Ba¡¯an felt unnerved. She could not guess his thoughts at all, though surely he was guessing hers. ¡°Ba¡¯an,¡± he said, finally, ¡°I think you¡¯ve misunderstood something. Or I¡¯ve misunderstood something. Or¡­something¡¯s gone seriously wrong here.¡± He put his hands on her cheeks, cupping them gently and staring down into her eyes. ¡°Ba¡¯an. Just answer me one thing. You weren¡¯t lying when you said you weren¡¯t playing, were you?¡± She blinked in surprise and she felt her brow furrow. But they were already bedding each other. What game could she be playing? If anything, it was Lukios who was playing. He had her now, and sooner or later he would tire of her and wed a Dolkoi¡¯ri woman¡ªif he was not already married. Perhaps he had lost his ring, or did not deign to wear it. Perhaps he did not have a wife, but had a concubine already. He let out a slow breath. ¡°Okay. Good. That¡¯s good.¡± ¡°I have not said, anything, Lukios.¡± ¡°Okay. Are you playing with me?¡± He did not sound uncertain now at all. Was she truly so easy to read? But there was nothing for it but the truth. ¡°I am not¡ªas I said.¡± He nodded. ¡°I believe you. But you don¡¯t believe me¡ªdo you?¡± ¡°I¡ªI believe you mean what you say.¡± For now. He closed his eyes briefly and pushed his hair off his forehead. It was furrowed, and he was frowning in earnest now. ¡°I believe what I say? I don¡¯t even¡ªWhat does that even mean? What¡¯s there to¡ª?¡± He sighed gustily. ¡°Never mind for now. We need to talk about this, but,¡± he glanced around them pointedly, ¡°not here.¡± He pointed down the narrow alley toward the main street to a large building made of stone. For a culture without stone-shapers, they were shockingly adept at shaping rock. Undoubtedly, it had been built by the hands and lives of many slaves. ¡°We¡¯ll talk about this real soon, but for now we should go to the moneylender¡¯s. I¡¯ll need to send a message to the barracks too. Someone there can vouch my identity. Bet Nikias is still here, or maybe Gaios. His wife''s from hereabouts.¡± He looked at her as though he was going to say something else, but he seemed to think better of it. Ba¡¯an could tell by the tension in his shoulders that he was upset. ¡°Lukios.¡± She put her hand on his back. He didn¡¯t shake her off, which was a good sign. ¡°I¡­¡± But what could she say? Ba¡¯an realized now that they had not discussed this, and Ba¡¯an had not asked if he had a wife already at all. She had only assumed he would behave like an outlander, rather than like Lukios. But did she know Lukios enough to say he would not? She sighed, softly. ¡°I did not wish to upset you.¡± ¡°I know.¡± He exhaled slowly and held her chin gently between his fingers and thumb. ¡°We¡¯ll discuss this later. Let¡¯s get some cash so you can get your things.¡± He offered her his hand and she took it; he laced his fingers with hers as they walked through the crowded streets. Eventually, she realized he was shaking his head and laughing silently to himself again. ¡°What is so funny?¡± He grinned at her, his good humour returning. ¡°I¡¯ll bet you one whole drachma that you¡¯re complicating again.¡± ¡°I do not have a drachma.¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay. You can give me a kiss instead.¡± He dimpled as he smiled at her and she felt herself giving in. ¡°This is very silly, Lukios.¡± ¡°But you like it. See?¡± He touched a finger to the corner of her mouth. ¡°You¡¯re smiling now. Much better.¡± The moneylending office was full of well-dressed people. They sat, spoke, and strutted in ways that implied they were important and Ba¡¯an noted they forced people to wait as they finished speaking about the weather. They liked putting people in their place, even though their words were polite. Ba¡¯an found herself thrown off-balance. She stood quietly beside Lukios with her hood up, even inside, as he spoke with one of the men who worked there. He had not been impressed by Lukios¡¯ ragged appearance¡ªthe worn clothes and raggedy makeshift cloak stood out in the opulent hall¡ªand did his best to ignore him. Unfortunately for him, Lukios was very persistent. ¡°Well, you can send a runner then,¡± he was saying. ¡°He¡¯s probably at the barracks around this time, so you can send it there.¡± He was scribbling a note as he spoke. The man had gotten more polite after seeing Lukios¡¯ ring but had insisted on someone reputable vouching for his identity. The suspicious looks the man threw toward Lukios and the sword obviously sheathed beneath his cloak made it clear: the man thought Lukios had killed the owner and robbed him, though he was not stupid enough to suggest it out loud. ¡°We will send a runner. We cannot say if or when there will be a response.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine. We can wait.¡± Lukios turned back to Ba¡¯an. ¡°Well, we''ve got some time to kill. Want to go down the street and look at things while we do? The stores by the agora are cleaner and the goods are better. We can try the open-air market, too, if you want.¡± Ba¡¯an shook her head. ¡°We can sell the herbs while we wait.¡± His mouth twitched into a half-grin. ¡°I should''ve known you''d say that. True, we can get started on that, too.¡± Ba¡¯an knew her way around, and her regular customers recognized her. She sold suk directly to brothels, but she sold everything, including suk, to midwives and hedge-healers. By the time the sunlight had mellowed, darkening toward evening, they were already at their last stop for herbs. After this they would walk to the edges of the city to sell the skins. Ba¡¯an tugged Lukios to the apartment block, walking through the narrow alley with the ease of familiarity. Lukios looked perfectly relaxed, but she could see his eyes flick to the dark nooks and crannies, alert for danger. When their gazes met, he did not look pleased, though Ba¡¯an could not fathom why. Ba¡¯an walked to the first door to her right, which was painted a very bright, cheerful blue, and knocked. There was a pause, then a woman called out, ¡°One moment!¡± Then Ba''an heard footsteps rapidly descending from the upper level and across the floor. The door swung open. ¡°Ba¡¯an! And who is this? I would have remembered a handsome face like yours.¡± Merida was not Dolkoi¡¯ri, but was from somewhere that was just as hot, if not hotter. Her skin was darker than even Ba¡¯an¡¯s, and her black, curling hair was wrapped up in a gently green scarf with yellow edges. She was a midwife who often looked after the women at the brothels in the city. Merida was very beautiful. Her skin was clean and clear, an expanse of smooth, unblemished darkness. Her cheekbones were high and her eyes big. Her lips were very full, though she had a delicate chin. Earrings always dangled from her earlobes, and today was no exception. They were gold with green gemstones, matching the colours of her scarf and dress. The dress was in the Dolkoi¡¯ri style, though the pattern was not. It was the same fabric that made her scarf, and Ba¡¯an felt cool simply looking at it. It was perfect for getting through a hot day. ¡°I am Lukios.¡± He tilted his head in polite greeting, smiling pleasantly. ¡°Well met, Lukios. I am Merida.¡± She turned to Ba¡¯an and gave her a look which clearly said, Where have you been hiding him? Ba¡¯an ignored her. Honestly, why was she so interested? Ba¡¯an never asked about her love life. It was rude. Merida often made rounds to the brothels in the evenings before they opened and in the mornings after they closed. In the day, she had other patients. She practiced out of her home, having converted the front room into a sort of clinic with small cots, her kitchen serving as a space for making ointments and salves. ¡°I''m not due for rounds for another hour or so,¡± she declared. ¡°You must stay for tea. You look hungry.¡± She eyed Ba¡¯an shrewdly, and Ba¡¯an knew she¡¯d been caught. She was hungry¡ªthe buns had only lasted so long. Of course, she always was, so it wasn¡¯t a hard thing to guess. ¡°We are busy.¡± Lukios gave her a fond, if exasperated, look. ¡°I can sell the hides and check back at the moneylender¡¯s. You stay and catch up with your friend, Ba¡¯an. I¡¯ll come by later.¡± They were not friends. They only did business together. ¡°Oh, you won¡¯t stay as well? I have enough for you both. You must be hungry, too.¡± Lukios smiled one of his charming smiles and turned it on her. Merida looked slightly flustered. ¡°Thank you, you¡¯re very kind. But I can see the two of you are good friends, and I''d just be in the way.¡± Ba¡¯an gave him side-eye. They were not friends. Why did he think that? But he was leaving now. He was abandoning her, dooming her to an hour of three hundred gossip questions. Was this revenge? The moment he was gone, Merida ushered her into the one clear corner that was used as the dining space. ¡°Ba¡¯an. By all the silk in Mambi, where on earth did you find that man?¡± She fanned herself. ¡°You lucky girl.¡± Her smile was wide as she started to set out dishes. ¡°It¡¯s about time. I always worried about you, going back and forth by yourself. It¡¯s dangerous enough for a man, let alone a woman.¡± Ba¡¯an was much more dangerous than anything else on the road, but of course, Merida could not possibly know that. ¡°It is not like that.¡± ¡°Nonsense. It is like that. That man is wild for you. You should see how he looks at you. Does he have money? Property?¡± ¡°I¡­yes.¡± ¡°Good, good. Make him marry you then. You¡¯ll have a much easier life with a wealthy man.¡± Ba¡¯an frowned. ¡°I do not think we will marry.¡± Merida made an exasperated sound as she put out bread and olive oil mixed with a kind of flavoured vinegar. Merida¡¯s bread was always very good. ¡°If he does not want to marry, make him want to.¡± The older woman gave Ba''an an uncharacteristically serious look. ¡°Look, Ba¡¯an. I know you do not talk about your life, and that is fine. But you always travel alone. I have never met another Red Sander travelling alone, man or woman. And you buy things here that your tribe should give you.¡± She held up her hand to forestall any protest. ¡°I will not ask. But Ba¡¯an, it is clear your life is hard. A wealthy man who loves you will make your life easier. Do you understand?¡± Ba¡¯an stared at her. She had not known it was so obvious that she had no tribe. Ba¡¯an had underestimated Merida¡ªshe was much cannier than Ba''an had thought she was. The ex-witch had been neatly fooled by how widely the older woman always smiled, and how she only seemed to gossip. Ba''an now realized that there was a very good reason why Merida knew all the gossip: she was perceptive, and very good with people. The woman gave her a knowing smile. "Did you know," she said, gracefully smoothing over Ba''an''s obvious shock, "I have already been married twice? The first time, I married for love. He was poor and our life was hard. It was wonderful and terrible, and he died young. The second time I married for wealth.¡± Her expression darkened. ¡°It was unwise. He did not treasure me. But Ba¡¯an, to have love and wealth is a blessing.¡± She put a teapot down on the table with a click. ¡°Now,¡± she continued, ¡°you must tell me how you met him.¡± Chapter Twenty-two: Kyros, Part II Ba¡¯an told her, leaving out the bits about magic and the visit from her former apprentices. Even so, it made for a surprisingly dramatic story. ¡°House Helios?¡± Merida stared. ¡°Ba¡¯an. Marry that man. Do it.¡± Ba¡¯an frowned. ¡°I do not know if it is wise, Merida.¡± ¡°Ba¡¯an. The emperor is a Helios. The emperor. They are a huge family. They own ports. They¡¯re wealthy, and many of their sons are politicians. They have money, power, clout. Ba¡¯an. You would be secure for life.¡± Yes, Emperor Stefanos was a Helios. If Ba¡¯an ever met him she would take his soul and unmake him. Slowly. She would ensure he felt every second of agon¡ª No. Lukios. If she did this it was possible that he would be implicated. She stifled a sigh. No, she would not risk Lukios in this way, and besides¡ªit would never happen. Ba¡¯an would return to her not-vuti soon and that would be that. There was no use in thinking this way. Merida was speaking, sounding more excited than Ba¡¯an felt. ¡°Lukios, Lukios. Hm, I have not heard of a son of Helios named ¡®Lukios,¡¯ but the name sounds familiar. Where did I hear it?¡± Merida¡¯s brows were furrowed. ¡°I am sure I have heard the name somewhere, but I cannot remember it now.¡± She sighed, sounding much more disappointed than Ba¡¯an felt. ¡°I am sorry, Ba¡¯an.¡± Ba¡¯an did not think it kind to tell Merida that Lukios was an adopted Helios, not a born one. It was not something she needed to know, and perhaps it was something Lukios kept to himself. She kept her peace, shaking her head. ¡°Merida. It is well. You do not have to tell me anything about Lukios. And¡­¡± She glanced guiltily into her teacup. ¡°We have only been talking about me. But you¡­¡± ¡°Oh!¡± She waved her hand. ¡°My life is the same as always, Ba¡¯an. I see patients. I treat them. They go home and sometimes they come back with more than my fee.¡± She gestured to the tea. ¡°This was a thank you gift. What do you think? It is a type of tea we have in our homeland called aiobous. Does it suit your taste?¡± It did. It had a mild, slightly astringent taste, but in the aftermath there was a kind of sweetness on her tongue. ¡°Yes. There are layers.¡± Merida smiled at the response. ¡°Here then. I¡¯ll give you some to take.¡± ¡°What? Merida, I cannot accept more. You have already¡­¡± ¡°Such fuss, Ba¡¯an. We have known each other nearly five years now. I wish to give you a gift, so I will give you a gift.¡± It would be rude to refuse again. ¡°I¡­thank you.¡± Flustered, Ba¡¯an tried to think of something she could give her in return. ¡°Stop. I know what you are thinking. It is a gift. Only take it and enjoy it.¡± ¡°Th¡ªthank you Merida. For the tea, and¡­your care as well.¡± Merida¡¯s smile was very pleased. Someone knocked on the door. It was Lukios. ¡°All done, or should I come back?¡± ¡°We are finished, thank you.¡± Merida beamed. ¡°Did you eat? Would you like something to take?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a kind offer. I did eat, though.¡± He smiled. ¡°My thanks for taking care of Ba¡¯an.¡± Merida¡¯s smile widened and she flashed Ba¡¯an a knowing look. Merida placed a hand briefly on Ba¡¯an¡¯s shoulder as she left. ¡°Ba¡¯an. Think on what I said.¡± Her eyes flickered to Lukios, then back to Ba¡¯an. Once the door closed, Lukios asked, ¡°Do I want to know?¡± She shook her head. ¡°No. No, you do not.¡± He laughed. ¡°If her advice was to keep me, you should take it.¡± He took one look at her flushed face and smiled. ¡°I think I like her.¡±
Lukios had been very efficient. He had sold the hides already, getting nearly twice what she would have gotten. This annoyed Ba¡¯an, because it meant that the men she had been trading with had been cheating her much more than she had thought they were. It was infuriating, especially since she had been doing business with them for nearly five years. ¡°I¡¯m not taking your money, Ba¡¯an.¡± Lukios shook his head. ¡°But you did the trapping and the skinning and the tanning and the trading. And there is more money than usual. You must take your share.¡± ¡°Ba¡¯an. I¡¯m fine. I don¡¯t even need it. I¡¯m not taking it.¡± They were sitting in an open courtyard right below the acropolis, half-hidden by the trees. Even so, it was not wise to show off money in public, so the argument was verbal only. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Ba¡¯an.¡± He took her hand and kissed her knuckles. ¡°Everything went fine. Turned out Gaios is in Kyros so he came down and we chatted. He sure was shocked I was still alive and kicking, I can tell you that. Anyway, the paperwork for the loan¡¯s been all sorted and we¡¯re looking for a lawyer now. Turns out everyone thinks I¡¯m dead, so I¡¯ve got my work cut out for me. Well, that stuff is all going to take time. For now, we can go shopping. Let¡¯s get you a dress. Dresses, actually. And a mirror. You could do with another set of knives, too. Oh, and¡­¡± Gods above and below. The man was determined.
¡°This one?¡± Lukios held up an earring, holding it right where it would sit on her earlobe. It was pretty, made of gold and amber. The stone had gleamed at her, reminding her of Lukios¡¯ eyes. She had looked. That had been a mistake. Lukios turned to the table full of jewellery. ¡°I think it comes with a necklace too.¡± The merchant looked on with glee. ¡°Yes, it does! Here. And here. There are two styles. I think this one would show off those collarbones.¡± He gestured to the necklaces on display. There was one that was long, meant to coil around a woman¡¯s neck two or three times. Another one was in the style of a web, with the beads sitting in the space between the crisscrossing threads. Ba¡¯an schooled her expression into something neutral and cool. She did not wish to offend, but she did not wish to encourage, either. ¡°I do not need a necklace.¡± ¡°Well, I can get you a set and you can decide if you want to wear them or not.¡± Lukios¡¯ tone was still cheerful, but she could tell he would not be dissuaded. He was very determined, though why this was, Ba¡¯an could not even begin to guess. The merchant was nodding enthusiastically. It annoyed her. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t like the earrings, at least. You were looking at them.¡± She looked at them again. They were drop earrings, too fancy for everyday wear¡ªat least, for K¡¯Avaari. The gold thread was fine, and the amber had been shaped into perfect teardrops. She could see flecks of leaves and detritus inside, little bits of history caught in a sticky trap. The dangling amber bobs were polished so they shone in the sun. They reminded her strongly of Lukios¡¯ eyes, and she did want them. They would be a very nice memento of their time together, if he did not keep his word. Surely just the earrings would be acceptable? Ba¡¯an¡¯s hand started to lift on its own, to touch the necklace of teeth she was no longer wearing. She stopped, but it was too late: there was no chance that Lukios had not noticed, not with the way he was watching her. Lukios didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°Right, so we¡¯ll take these. And may as well take those two as well.¡± The merchant went to wrap them, but Lukios kept the earrings in hand. ¡°Here.¡± He lifted her hood briefly so he could fasten them onto her ears. He gently tugged out the bone studs that had sat there and put them into his pouch. Then, with a light, experienced touch, he worked the golden endpins into her ears. The earrings were light, the metal and stone cool where they touched her skin. Lukios looked at her for a moment, his gaze warm and appreciative. ¡°Beautiful.¡± Ba¡¯an could feel herself blushing. ¡°Yes, they are. Thank you, Lukios.¡± Hastily, she pulled her hood back on. ¡°I was talking about you.¡± Lukios sounded only mildly exasperated, his eyes still on her face. His smile was fond and soft. ¡°What''ll I do with you, Ba¡¯an?¡± He drew her closer, settling his chin on her head over her hood. ¡°Honestly¡­¡± ¡°Your purchases, sir.¡± Lukios broke away to thank him and take the packages. Ba¡¯an tried to stop her heart from beating out of her chest. It had been only three days since they had joined their bodies, but it felt longer. Her skin seemed to prickle beneath her clothes, and she knew she wanted him. If she did not have him again soon, she would¡­ Ba¡¯an sighed. Lukios caught up and put his arm around her waist. ¡°I know,¡± he said, voice low and quiet. ¡°We¡¯ll have some privacy soon.¡± He cleared his throat. ¡°Let¡¯s get you some clothes. Might not be the best idea to walk into Gaios¡¯ place wearing that coat of yours, you know? He¡¯ll definitely recognize that.¡± It was a practical suggestion, one that Ba¡¯an had no way of countering. There was no way she could wear her travel cloak indefinitely while a guest in another¡¯s home. That would be very rude. Still, she sighed. ¡°Very well.¡± Ba¡¯an let him keep his arm around her waist, even though there were still people out in public. ¡°But we must get you something too.¡± She tugged on his blanket-cloak, wrinkling her nose with distaste. ¡°This is not acceptable.¡± Lukios, as usual, only smiled agreeably. ¡°Whatever you want, Ba¡¯an.¡±
Gaios lived in the acropolis. This was, apparently, his city estate, and he had another one out in the countryside somewhere. Ba¡¯an had passed beneath the shadow of his estate walls many times, but she had always assumed it was some government building: the walls were high and sturdy, and the civil offices were right beside it. She had never imagined it to be a residential property. Stepping through the gates, Ba¡¯an felt that she had left Kyros altogether. Rather than being filthy and crowded, the estate was large and airy, with an immaculate courtyard full of water and green, growing things. The noises from the city still floated in, but they seemed muted somehow, muffled, and easy to ignore. Craning her neck up, she could see that the top floors were very high up indeed, and the rooms had balconies¡ªshe could likely see the entire city from any one of them. The estate was large enough to fit at least half her former tribe, assuming the space inside was used efficiently¡ªwhich it likely wasn¡¯t. Opulence was never about efficiency. ¡°Lukios!¡± Gaios looked to be a stern man, but he held out his arms and Lukios went and hugged him. Lukios kissed him on the cheek then drew back, and they clasped their hands together firmly before releasing. They were both smiling, though the expression sat uneasily on the older man¡¯s face. Ba¡¯an guessed he did not smile or laugh much. ¡°Gaios. Thank you for having us.¡± Lukios walked back to her and put his hand on Ba¡¯an¡¯s back pressing lightly. ¡°I¡¯d like to introduce you to Ba¡¯an.¡± Gaios did not offer to hug or kiss her, which was a relief. He only nodded his head at her in a respectful way. ¡°Welcome, lady Ba¡¯an. You have my thanks for your rescue of our Lukios here. We mourned his loss greatly.¡± Gaios was older than Ba¡¯an by perhaps twenty years or so. His hair had started greying and he had deep lines around his mouth and at the corner of his eyes. His skin was tanned and rough in a way that suggested he spent a great deal of time out in the sun. He was still trim and fit, despite his obvious age. His clothes were of the highest quality, though they were unornamented. She could see he was not an ostentatious man. He stood the same way Lukios did, and he was light on his feet. A military man, through and through. His only decoration was a signet ring. ¡°I thank you for your hospitality.¡± Ba¡¯an inclined her head solemnly, hands held open with the palms showing. She was not sure what outlanders did, so she had defaulted to the K¡¯Avaari custom. It was confusing. Ba¡¯an was no longer a witch, and she was no longer one of the People either, which meant she had no rank. Perhaps she should bow lower? Gaios didn¡¯t seem to particularly mind what she did. She snuck a glance at Lukios and he only smiled, not at all disturbed or embarrassed, so she assumed her behaviour was acceptable. She would have to ask him later what outlanders did in these situations. ¡°I have to say, Lukios,¡± Gaios was saying, ¡°I¡¯m glad I was wrong. I was so sure you¡¯d done some fool thing like run after them alone. I expected you¡¯d died somewhere in the sands.¡± Lukios laughed. ¡°Well, I would have if I could have. You¡¯re not wrong.¡± They were shown to their rooms. Plural. Lukios¡¯ room was not even in the same wing. ¡°I¡¯ll send up someone to take you to the baths and then down to dinner. We have much to talk about.¡± He left, and the servants ushered her down the hallway toward her room. Lukios gave her a look over his shoulder that said, we¡¯ll talk later as he was herded in the opposite direction. He looked mildly amused by the treatment. Ba¡¯an¡¯s things had already been brought up and placed in her room. She wasn¡¯t sure when they¡¯d been taken from Lukios and deposited, but she had been very distracted with the new sights and sounds and focused on not humiliating Lukios with her bad manners. Ba¡¯an did not care what outlanders thought of her, but she cared what they thought of Lukios. She disliked the idea of embarrassing him in front of his friends; she had asked him to explain manners, and he had, but hearing about something and then doing it was¡­difficult. And on top of that, there had been gaps. She had not asked Lukios how she should greet his friends and he had not thought to tell her. Perhaps it did not matter provided she did not attack them? It was difficult to say. He had told her their names, though, among other things. It was unbelievable, but one of them was¡ª ¡°Kyria? May I take your cloak?¡± Ba¡¯an handed it to her, at a loss. Only Thu¡¯rin and her parents had ever hung her cloak for her, and that had been out of love and affection. She did not know if it was more polite to accept or to refuse, so she did as requested. The servant, a young Dolkoi¡¯ri girl, took her travel-cloak from her. Ba¡¯an was glad she had already changed in the little shop where she had bought her clothes, because otherwise she would have been found out immediately. The dress she wore now was not tailored to her¡ªLukios had ordered some, but they would not be ready for a few days at least¡ªand was only a long woman¡¯s chiton that knotted at the shoulders. There was a very pretty shawl as well. She liked them. The fabric was not dyed, though the fasteners at the shoulders were very fine metal work in the shape of a half-moon. Her shawl had tassels, and they hung very gracefully. Lukios had gotten her new shoes as well¡ªgood walking sandals with coverage over her toes and heels. Ba¡¯an¡¯s coat was in her bag, hidden underneath everything else. She hoped she would not need it during her stay here. The Dolkoi¡¯ri girl was talking. ¡°I will take you to the bathhouse. Will you change before dinner as well?¡± Ba¡¯an blinked. Oh. This was¡­was she supposed to wear something else? ¡°Child,¡± she said, and the girl looked askance at her. ¡°What is your name?¡± ¡°My¡­? I am called Aika, kyria.¡± ¡°Aika. Tell me, is it custom here to change before dinner?¡± The girl looked taken aback by the question. ¡°It is a formal dinner tonight. It is customary to dress well at formal dinners.¡± Ah. Of course. ¡°I see. Thank you. I have some other questions. As you see, I am from the desert. I do not know your customs.¡± The girl, who could not have been more than fifteen, looked deeply flattered by her sudden authority. It made her eager to answer whatever questions Ba¡¯an had. They chatted all the way to the bathing room, and Aika even helped Ba¡¯an wash herself. This was fortunate, as there were many, many oils and creams that Ba¡¯an had never seen before. By the end of the bath, Ba¡¯an was very clean and fragrant, though her head was spinning from everything she¡¯d tried to learn in so short a span of time. The strangeness of Dolkoi¡¯ri custom made it difficult to grasp, though she did realize there was one important rule for women: smile silently and speak pleasantly when spoken to. No wait, was it smile pleasantly and speak silently when spoken to? Speak silently? Or don¡¯t speak at all? Or¡ª? Or was it¡ª Ugh. She had gotten it mixed up already. Ba¡¯an was not sure how to do this. K¡¯Avaari women said whatever they liked, when they liked. They were only pleasant when they wanted to be. If Ba¡¯an had been silent it was because she had had nothing to say; if she had ever spoken pleasantly, it had been a good mood rather than strategy. ¡°What will you wear then, kyria?¡± Ba¡¯an rubbed her temples. This was going to be a long evening. Chapter Twenty-three: Reunion The dinner was outside, in the evening sun. Kyros was near the desert, though not so dry; daylight came early and died late, and the weather was nearly always good. Illos was an empire blessed by the sun, rather than ravaged by it. Well of course it was. This had been K¡¯Avaari land, a long, long time ago. The Dolkoi¡¯ri had taken the entire southern reach and pushed her people into the desert¡ªSanders. That¡¯s what they called the People now, but it had not always been so. The Dolkoi¡¯ri were very talented at taking the bounty of others for themselves. The thought darkened her brow, so she chased it away. This was a celebration. Instead, she looked at the sprawling beauty and wealth¡ªmore wealth than she could hope to own in three lifetimes, never mind one¡ªand decided she would enjoy herself. It was a beautiful home. The courtyard smelled incredibly good. The air smelled of fresh, running water and flowers¡ªall sorts of flowers. She had only seen such big, bright flowers in passing, scurrying past them in the streets to avoid being robbed or targeted, but now she could linger and enjoy the softness of their petals and their smell. Their scent in the air was light and sweet, like nectar on her tongue, and their colours were vivid and varied, vibrant against the green of their leaves. And the food. There was a great deal of food, more food than a K¡¯Avaari gathering of this size would hold. From her spot in the garden Ba¡¯an could gaze into the kitchen through the open windows, and the sheer number of servants and the volume of food being prepared was overwhelming. When she walked closer to the kitchen, the smell of meat and bread mingling with the sweeter smell of fruit made her belly grumble. This was the difference between K¡¯Avaari and Dolkoi¡¯ri: one was scrappy, eking out a living in the bosom of the hot red sands, while the other was indolent, living lavishly in the light of a much gentler sun. She turned away from the kitchen and approached the square. The garden square was cobbled, with a stone fountain built against the perimeter wall. It was very cleverly made, and Ba¡¯an knew there must be pipes beneath the ground: the centerpiece was a naked woman pouring water from an urn into the basin at her feet. It was here that they would sit and dine, though Ba¡¯an stopped by the fountain in confusion. The arrangement was very strange. There were long chairs that could not truly be called chairs, having low arms and long seats. They seemed almost like small beds, and they were arranged so that those seated could look and speak with each other and the garden while eating. There were small, short tables placed throughout, and Ba¡¯an guessed the servants would bring the right food to the right tables at the right times. It all seemed overly complicated for a single meal. The guests had already arrived and were engaged in what seemed a lively conversation; someone must have told a joke, because there was a round of laughter in response. Ba¡¯an remained standing in the shadow of the fountain, awkward and lost. Should she approach? Or¡­was she supposed to wait for them to invite her? She did not think they would¡ªthey had not even noticed her. They were too busy talking and laughing together. ¡°Ah, lady Ba¡¯an. How is your room? Is it to your liking? Please, let me know if there is anything you require.¡± Gaios had also changed, though he was still without much ornament. He was wearing a pristine toga, and Ba¡¯an could tell at a glance that the fabric was very tightly woven. It would feel very soft and smooth to the touch, and it had likely cost more than Ba¡¯an made off her curatives all year. It was draped in such an elaborate way that Ba¡¯an could not begin to guess at how it had been done. This was clearly an outfit meant for leisure in hot weather, and this was precisely that. She could not fault him for his choice in attire, dizzying as it was. ¡°Yes, it is very nice. Very big, with¡­much¡­light. I like it. Thank you.¡± He smiled at her, seemingly pleased by her response. Ba¡¯an, on the other hand, was mildly embarrassed. It was so much easier to speak in Dolkoi¡¯ri to Lukios. Now that she was speaking with strangers¡ªstrangers she did not wish to offend¡ªher tongue seemed to be knotting on itself. ¡°I am glad, then. But I did mean what I said about asking for anything else you need. It is an open offer.¡± ¡°I will. Thank you.¡± Ba¡¯an was sure that was the correct response. Or was it? Was she supposed to tell him he was too generous? Ba¡¯an did not particularly care what he thought of her, but she did not want him to think poorly of Lukios for bringing her. It was a terrible feeling, floundering about while trying to look as though she were not. Where was Lukios? ¡°Your home is very beautiful,¡± she said. Everybody enjoyed compliments, did they not? ¡°I have never seen such flowers before. Are they¡­¡± she frowned, searching for the words, ¡°¡­from Illos? Or are they from some other land?¡± ¡°That is kind of you to say, thank you. As for the flowers¡­to be honest, lady Ba¡¯an, I did not pick them. My wife picked and my gardeners planted. I am afraid I cannot tell you anything other than that they are flowers.¡± ¡°Oh. That is too bad. Your wife has very nice eyes for flowers.¡± No. The expression was to have a good eye for something. Not nice eyes. She aborted the urge to bury her face in her hands. His smile broadened. ¡°I will be sure to tell her when I next see her. She will be pleased to hear my guests enjoyed the garden.¡± He had been walking with her, and now they were approaching the strangely arranged lounging chairs. Ba¡¯an approached with trepidation. How was she supposed to sit? Or was she supposed to lie on her side? The men were simply reclining comfortably, but they were men. Aika had been very clear that the rules were different for women, but there were no other women to imitate. The other guests had the same sort of look as Gaios and Lukios: military. Ba¡¯an was certain that a woman speaking to a man she did not know was considered too forward and found herself floundering. Was she supposed to wait for them to introduce themselves first? Or¡­was Gaios, as the host, supposed to do the honours? Perhaps she was supposed to wait for Lukios, though¡ªhe was not her husband, so why would that matter? Aika had been very specific about what made a woman seem¡­¡°loose.¡± It seemed to Ba¡¯an that it was a very rude way to refer to the anatomy of a woman who had bedded more than one man, and it had shocked her when Aika had uttered it, but¡ªhere it was. This was Illos, and the rules were different. Ba¡¯an looked at the guests again. She did not think any of these men would offer to buy her, but it would be best not to appear a prostitute. But did that mean she must not speak at all until Lukios arrived? Or would Gaios suit, acting in his role as host? Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! Dolkoi¡¯ri rules were so bizarre. ¡°Ba¡¯an?¡± A shadow fell over them. Lukios¡¯ smile went soft when he saw her. ¡°Stunning. Aphrod¨ªta¡¯s seething at the sight of you.¡± He winked, and Ba¡¯an¡¯s cheeks went hot. She did not know who ¡®Aphrod¨ªta¡¯ was, but it was obvious she was a beautiful and famous woman. ¡°It suits you.¡± Ba¡¯an had worn the new dress he had bought her¡ªone of them. It was a Dolkoi¡¯ri one, held together at the shoulders so the creamy fabric flowed to her ankles. It was cinched below the bust with a string that ran beneath the fabric, and she wore a light, gauzy shawl over it. It was considered brazen for a woman to show off her shoulders, and Ba¡¯an wondered what Lukios must have thought of her when they had first met. Ba¡¯an had not worn a shawl in her own home¡ªhad he thought she had been seducing him the entire time? Now there was a question for another time. His eyes were still on her, and she could not calm her blush or her racing heart. What was wrong with her? She was thirty-three, and she had never been a silly, simpering maiden, even when she had been a maiden. But his eyes on her had that effect. His smile broadened when he saw she was wearing the amber earrings. She was not wearing a necklace, but if he noticed, he did not comment. ¡°You look good as well,¡± she said. Thoughtfully, she added, ¡°Being clean always helps.¡± She saw his mouth twitch in amusement. Of course, that was technically true, but Lukios looked good dirty, too¡ªand he knew it. Now he looked exceptionally handsome, wearing an outfit very similar to what he had worn in her not-vuti. The tunic was clean and tinted red, with the sleeve and collar displaying one of those strongly geometric patterns the Dolkoi¡¯ri favoured in bright gold thread. His chiton was clean and white, falling just above the knee. It brought out the lean, strong lines of his muscles whenever he moved. Her gift dangled around his neck on the same leather cord, which made her smile. The contrast between the hard planes of his body and the flow of the fabric was pleasing to the eye. It also helped that he had gotten a haircut. She had forgotten how good he looked with a clean-shaven face and well-kept hair, rather than the messy mane he had always kept tied back. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Gaios watching them. Were they being rude? But compliments were not rude, were they? Unless¡­ K¡¯Avaari rarely, if ever, dallied with outlander men or women. It was traitorous, especially now. Were Dolkoi¡¯ri the same? Ba¡¯an lost her train of thought when one of the men stood up. ¡°Lukios! You lucky son of a satyr!¡± The man had only one eye; his left eye was brown, as was common for Dolkoi¡¯ri folk, and his right had only a patch, which hid the wound that accompanied the rest of the scar that ran from his forehead to his cheek. It had been a deep wound, and Ba¡¯an knew it likely pulled whenever he spoke or made facial expressions. He had been lucky; some lost the facility of making expressions at all with such an injury, and some even drooled out the side of the mouth. Such were the unfortunate side effects of nerve damage that often accompanied serious lacerations. At least he seemed to have an even temper, still. Some lost their good humor, though this man clearly had not. Other than his obvious wound, he had very typical features, with dark hair and skin a shade lighter than hers. He had a lean, hungry sort of look, as though he¡¯d grown up without much food. He was grinning widely, walking toward them with an enthusiastic stride. Lukios seemed happy to see him. They clasped hands, and the man kissed Lukios¡¯ cheek. Then he clapped Lukios on the back in a half-hug before releasing him entirely. ¡°Askles! Lucky is right. Damn good to see you. But why are you in Kyros?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll not believe it, sir Lucky. Askles is gettin¡¯ hitched. That poor, poor woman.¡± ¡°Shut your hole, Epitus. Least I got a woman. Get back to your horse." Askles turned back to Lukios, still sounding perfectly cheerful. "Anyhow, I¡¯m gettin¡¯ married. Came down to see her da. Damn, Lukios. Strategos had to tell me twice. You¡¯re alive! Let¡¯s get drunk.¡± Ba¡¯an saw Lukios wince ever-so-slightly at the word drunk, though no one else seemed to notice. Ba¡¯an did not think Lukios was going to get drunk again any time soon, if ever. This other man, this Epitus, did not look particularly Dolkoi¡¯ri. He looked more like a desert fox than a man. His complexion was lighter than everyone else¡¯s, and his hair was a reddish-brown colour. He was freckled everywhere, and she thought he must have some foreign parentage. It was common enough; Lukios was clearly of mixed heritage himself with his unusual hair and eyes. Epitus came up to them with his arms out, clearly expecting a hug, too. He kissed Lukios¡¯ cheek as well and thumped him on the back harder than Askles had. ¡­Was it a competition? Lukios only grinned and thumped him back, and Epitus let out a gusty breath. ¡°Whoo! Still strappin¡¯! Good, good. Was worried you¡¯d gone all limp an¡¯ sickly.¡± Lukios rolled his eyes. ¡°Worried? Or hoping?¡± ¡°Hey, hey! That was¡ªthat was a joke. I did not mean¡ª¡± It seemed that they were continuing a conversation that had started some time before, and Ba¡¯an rapidly became lost. She did not think ¡®limp and sickly¡¯ referred to anyone¡¯s health. It was confusing. They were all standing together now, except for a dark-haired man who had remained sitting. Unlike the others, who had been lounging in various states of relaxation, he had been sitting properly with his feet on the ground and his elbows on his knees. Lukios had already warned her, so she kept her expression neutral. But it was a hard thing. The man was half-K¡¯Avaari. It was obvious: his hair was thick and dark, curling into waves, and his eyes were tilted ever so slightly. The line of his nose curved downward in a way Dolkoi¡¯ri noses did not, and Ba¡¯an was forced to concede that it was a very noble-looking nose. It was clear he had the blood of the People in him, and it had been his mother who had betrayed them with an outlander. Ba¡¯an bottled her outrage. It would be rude to say anything, and Ba¡¯an¡ª Well, Ba¡¯an was no longer K¡¯Avaari. So it did not matter if she shared her bed with Lukios or not. It was different. She turned her attention back to him, keeping her expression as genial as she could manage. Nikias. That was his name. He was speaking now, and his voice was very calm and pleasant. ¡°You haven¡¯t introduced us to your friend, Lukios.¡± Like Gaios, he was wearing a toga. Ba¡¯an wondered if that meant something¡ªEpitus and Askles were both wearing chitons, like Lukios, though the fabrics used in their clothes were not as fine. Nikias had only been observing, though it was clear by his smile that he was fond of them. But there was a coolness to him, a sense of reserve. Ba¡¯an could feel his weave ran a bit tighter, a bit cooler, than was normal. His soul sounded constrained in a way other souls did not. There wasn¡¯t anything wrong; he was merely unusual, like Lukios, except Lukios was rei-tat and so his soul was louder than everyone else¡¯s. This man was quieter than everyone else, and he felt nearly like a weaver himself. Even so, Ba''an thought his gift could not be very strong. Perhaps he merely had a vague sense for when spirits were about, like Vaa¡¯ti and Salu¡¯ka. This was lucky. Giving outlanders magic¡ªK¡¯Avaari magic¡ªwould be disastrous. ¡°Right! Of course.¡± Lukios grinned¡ªa real one, not one of his charming ones¡ªand put his hands lightly on her shoulders. ¡°Everyone, this is Ba¡¯an. If you want to thank someone, thank her. She saved my life. Twice.¡± ¡°Our thanks, lady Ba¡¯an. And our ¡®pologies. He¡¯s a right brat, ain¡¯t he? We¡¯ll pay for whatever ¡®e broke.¡± ¡°Haha, very funny Epitus. I do have manners. Unlike some people, I even use them.¡± ¡°I was bein¡¯ mannerly, Lucky. Can¡¯t have her regrettin¡¯ her good deed, now, can we?¡± ¡°Forgive Epitus, Lukios. He¡¯s been real lonely since he left ol¡¯ Hile back home.¡± ¡°Hey, hey! Whatsit with you an¡¯ my horse?¡± They spoke strangely, but Ba¡¯an could still understand them¡ªsomewhat. It was like sitting in the kita-vuti, except instead of boys playing at being men, these were actual men. Ba¡¯an was amused, and glad Lukios had friends, but this was getting out of hand. She cleared her throat. ¡°Thank you for your greeting. I am glad to meet you.¡± Of course, they hadn¡¯t really met yet, on account of the two having started squabbling immediately. Again. ¡°Pardon their enthusiasm, lady Ba¡¯an. I am Nikias, son of Nidemus of House Astros. Our thanks for the safe return of our good friend.¡± ¡°Ah, sorry, sorry. Just plain ol¡¯ Epitus of Lofo-Alfos, I¡¯m afraid. It¡¯s a real pleasure.¡± ¡°And I¡¯m Askles of Lofo-Alfos. Good t¡¯¡ªto meet you.¡± Epitus and Askles bowed to her, though Nikias only inclined his head very gravely in the same way Gaios had. Ba¡¯an wondered if she was supposed to bow too, but Lukios¡¯ hands were still on her shoulders. In a K¡¯Avaari tribe, Ba¡¯an would not have bowed. She had been a witch. She would have only inclined her head in acknowledgement or put her hand to her heart if her greeter had been a chief. She had hesitated too long. The moment passed. ¡°Hear, hear,¡± said Gaios. ¡°Let¡¯s all sit and have a toast then. To the safe return of our Lukios here, and lady Ba¡¯an¡¯s kindness.¡± And with that, the dinner started in earnest. Chapter Twenty-four: Dinner with Friends, Part I As it turned out, Lukios had missed out on a great deal of news. ¡°But for real! Can you believe it? I would''ve never met Chloe if we¡¯d not gone off lookin¡¯ for you in all that sand.¡± ¡°Yeah, we were real damn sure you¡¯d run off n¡¯ had that pretty-boy face all cut to pieces.¡± Epitus made a little chopping motion and laughed, then drank from his goblet. ¡°And I still would¡¯ve been a damn sight better than that rat¡¯s ass you call a face.¡± Lukios gave Epitus a mocking little toast, snickering. His goblet was mostly full still; he was only sipping, though Ba¡¯an noticed he kept his hand over the edge of the bowl. This way, the view was blocked for nearly everyone else. ¡°Damn straight!¡± Askles looked at Lukios and toasted him before drinking. ¡°Gods bless your ma¡¯s dainty feet, Lukios. Damn, what a sight for sore eyes after weeks o¡¯ that baboon.¡± Epitus rolled his eyes. ¡°Hey, hey, at least I don¡¯t snore like a¡ª¡± ¡°That would have been a very Lukios sort of thing to do, true.¡± Nikias cut in very neatly and both men sat up straight. Lukios only smiled lazily and sipped his wine. Ba¡¯an noticed that Nikias did not drink from his wine goblet. Instead, he drank a dark beverage that she could not identify, but no one seemed to notice, or if they did, they did not comment. She glanced at her own wine. Was there something wrong with it? But it was very tasty. Sweet, almost, though it still burned the way wine should. It teased her tongue in a way that was very tantalizing. ¡°Hey, hey. I¡¯m not always a hot head. I do stop to think sometimes.¡± ¡°You¡¯re bright enough when you do, but you need to control that temper. It¡¯ll get you into the sort of trouble you can¡¯t fight out of one day.¡± Gaios sounded like he had given this lecture more than once. Lukios sighed. ¡°Yes, so I¡¯ve been told. Many, many times.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a sign.¡± Epitus sounded perfectly cheerful. Ba¡¯an noted he chewed with his mouth open, which was something no one else at the table did. She could not tell if this was considered rude or not, so she went with the crowd and made sure to keep her mouth closed. ¡°I did not run after Eirene by myself. I was stabbed. In the belly. It hurt.¡± Epitus gave a low whistle. ¡°Damn. That¡¯s doubly lucky. Most men wouldn¡¯t survive somethin'' like that. Messy way to go.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s good to know. There¡¯re rumours, y''know. Stupid ones.¡± Askles, on the other hand, always finished swallowing before he opened his mouth. This was why he spoke less, though he was more pleasant to watch. ¡°Epitus there nearly got his teeth smashed in last time we went ¡®ome.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°I did not. I smashed ¡®is teeth in. They¡¯re sayin¡¯¡ªget this, it¡¯s so stupid I could spit¡ªthat you¡¯d gone and ¡®napped her yourself. You¡¯d fallen in love with her, Lukios, so you took her ¡®fore her wedding. You. A kidnapper of virgins. Can you even believe¡ª?¡± ¡°Huh. Must be bored in Lofos.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯ve so many ¡®orses.¡± ¡°Seriously, Askles. You popped out ¡®neath a horse¡¯s ass, too.¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry. I ne¡¯er forget it.¡± Askles gave a theatrical shudder. Ba¡¯an ate, listening to the sound of their friendship. She was glad he was well-loved. She had known he would be, despite what he had said. Even so, she felt sad. It was as she had thought. There would be no place for her beside him, no matter how much he wanted her to stay. She did not understand the Dolkoi¡¯ri, their manners, their customs, their politics. Everything was overwhelmingly foreign. She had thought she had understood their ways from observation, but to sit in the storm itself was another thing from merely watching it. In the end their fire would burn out and he would regret he had ever asked her to stay. Ru''talani was often this way. It burned hot, so hot that everything was immolated. Then it burned out, leaving everything an empty ruin. She put her wine goblet down, knowing she would drink far too freely if she kept it in hand now. ¡°Lofo-Alfos is famous for their horses. They are rural, so the jokes get¡­you know.¡± Lukios had dipped his head low so he could murmur to her in K¡¯Avaari. ¡°They are both from Lofo-Alfos. That is why they make fun of it always.¡± Yes, she had thought it was something like this. Ba¡¯an gave him a small smile. She could feel Gaios watching them. The servants brought in more food. The smell was buttery, and Ba¡¯an peered eagerly to see what new, delicious thing she would eat next. If there was one good thing about this, it was the food. Not only was there a great deal of it, it was also delightful. There were so many sauces and seasonings that her tongue was rioting¡ªbut in a very pleasurable way. They uncovered the plates. Ba¡¯an stared. The thing on her plate was¡­a creature of some kind. The top of it was bright red, and its undersides were white. It looked like a flattish rock, but it had legs and two arms that ended in pincers. Ba¡¯an could not understand how she was supposed to eat this. The outside was obviously very hard. It would cut her mouth if she bit into it. And yet it was clearly cooked and seasoned in a way that promised to be very tasty. Was she supposed to use her hands to crack it open? What was this? Ba¡¯an looked at the other guests, trying to figure out how she was supposed to eat it. Ah, there was a tool for this¡ªshe had one too, right beside her plate¡ªand they were cracking the shell open with it and taking out the soft fleshy bits from the inside. ¡°Here.¡± Lukios took her plate and began cracking the shell for her. Ba¡¯an watched him curiously, noting that there seemed to be some kind of technique to it. ¡°¡­Is this a¡­¡¯turtle¡¯?¡± He looked mildly surprised, as though he had not anticipated the question. ¡°What? Oh, no.¡± He grinned as he piled the bits of shell into an empty bowl. So that was what that had been for. ¡°This is a crab. They live in the sea, close to the shoreline. Have you ever¡­?¡± She shook her head. She had not. Ba¡¯an had heard about it, but she could scarcely imagine that much water simply existing above ground, under the hot sun. She had heard it was salty, too. How could the water be salty, especially when there was so much of it? What was the point of having salty water? You couldn¡¯t drink it. ¡°There. All done. Let me know if you want more.¡± Lukios pushed her plate back to her and jumped back into the conversation without missing a beat. The conversation continued flowing smoothly. It was a comfortable atmosphere, except Ba¡¯an could still feel Gaios watching them. Of course they had noticed¡ªit was impossible not to¡ªbut no one seemed to care. Nikias only smiled at her politely when their eyes happened to meet, and Askles and Epitus seemed eager to explain the sea. ¡°Right, ¡®course you ain¡¯t seen one. You¡¯re from the desert. Worth the trip, really. In fact, Lofos is right by the sea. We ain¡¯t just got horses.¡± Horses by the sea. Ba¡¯an had never touched or ridden a horse, though she could ride the desert strifa that her former tribe used to raise. She had never seen the sea either. Or felt snow. Or eaten a turtle. There were many things Ba¡¯an had never done, and even more that she did not know could be done. Her world was so small. ¡°You get out there on a boat¡ª¡± Epitus cupped one hand and put it on top of his other one, trying to illustrate a boat floating on water, ¡°¡ªand fish. It¡¯s real nice, and best part¡¯s you eat whate¡¯er you catch for dinner. Bekor fish are th¡¯ best. You can have ¡®em roasted over a fire without nothin¡¯ else and they¡¯re still damn tasty.¡± A boat. No one in the desert had ever needed a boat. She guessed it was like a cup or bowl sized for people, so that it could float on the surface the same way the scoop of her ladle could in water. The crab was very, very good. She put more of it into her mouth, chewing thoughtfully. It was soft and buttery, and the flavour was not something she could describe. It was mild, but still meaty. It was just¡­good. She swallowed, eying her plate. Ah, she was nearly done¡­a pity. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. ¡°Is the water salty?¡± ¡°Sure is! Don¡¯t drink it. It¡¯s the sailor¡¯s curse. Sometimes a man¡¯ll thirst so bad he¡¯ll drink it, but it¡¯ll send him right down the river, real quick. So¡ªpack lots o¡¯ fresh water if you go. You¡¯ll be needin¡¯ it!¡± At this, Askles launched into a story about an old fisherman in his village that had survived being stranded on a rocky isle by drinking his own urine. Well, it was certainly possible, though Ba¡¯an did not think it would be much different than drinking salty water after the second time. She did not think he had lived for a week drinking only his own urine. ¡°Why did he not cover the water under the sun?¡± ¡°Hm? Come again?¡± Ba¡¯an tried to find the words in Dolkoi¡¯ri. ¡°The salt water. You can take a bowl and put a cup of water in it. Cover it with something, and fresh water will fall into the bowl.¡± It was a K¡¯Avaari trick for when water had to be reused. Normally, if the first step was done in a vuti, they would simply boil it to separate the fresh water from the silt. But if one was travelling, the sun would do the work as well. ¡°Distillation?¡± Nikias finally looked interested. ¡°Do K¡¯Avaari use distillation techniques when they travel? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve heard of such a thing. Is it new?¡± ¡°Distil-? If that is what you call it, yes. It is for when water must be reused. Water is rare in the desert. It is not¡­new.¡± Wasting it was not acceptable. Even with a source of running water, Ba¡¯an did not waste it. It was strange that he thought this was new. Why would it be? K¡¯Avaari carried portable kits when they travelled overland, though they often did not bother if they were only going short distances. The shrines that dotted the landscape often doubled as watering stations for as long as the witches of the local tribe maintained their contracts. Some tribes were fortunate enough to be connected through their bir-vuti as well, and in such cases, water was often available in pools or water wells, fastidiously created by the stone-shapers that had moulded the paths through the cave system. No, only exploration parties needed portable distillation kits. Such ventures had become rare in the last few centuries, and Ba¡¯an had only seen one old kit during her days in the shi-vuti. It was not a surprise that this outlander had not heard of such a thing. ¡°Truly? I have never seen or heard of such portable kits. Are they quite rare, then?¡± ¡°Yes. They are not often used these days.¡± And that was all he needed to know about that particular topic. Lukios put more crab meat on her plate, and she ate it with a pleased smile. It was very, very tasty. ¡°¡¯These days¡¯? Were they more common in the past? How curious. Why have they fallen out of use?¡± Ba¡¯an felt a trickle of unease. During the war they had learned K¡¯Avaari ways and used the knowledge against them. ¡°I am not a chanter of histories. My apologies.¡± This was technically true. Ba¡¯an had never been a chanter of histories, though she knew perfectly well why portable kits were no longer produced in large number. ¡°Oh, pardon. I was not trying to make you uncomfortable. I was only curious.¡± He smiled again, then said, in K¡¯Avaari, ¡°My mother was Nur-Ta¡¯ya na Vur¡¯Na salu-Tii¡¯ka. I am curious, Ba¡¯an, what is your name chain?¡± Ba¡¯an froze. ¡°Harmonia¡¯s ti¡ªteeth, Nik.¡± Lukios leaned his face against his hand. ¡°That¡¯s not fair to the rest of us, busting out Sander like that.¡± Nikias¡¯ gaze flicked to Lukios, and he leaned back to put his hands on the seat of his dining couch. ¡°True. My apologies. My K¡¯Avaari isn¡¯t very good, anyway.¡± He wasn¡¯t wrong. No K¡¯Avaari would mistake him for one of them, not with an accent like that. But he spoke it better than Lukios, if only for the natural way the words flowed from his mouth. It was disorienting, hearing good K¡¯Avaari with a thick outlander accent. Ba¡¯an¡¯s seat was next to Lukios¡¯. There was no cover, so she could not reach out and clutch at his hand even though she desperately wanted to. Lukios only put more crab on her plate with a smile that clearly said, I¡¯ll take care of this. Relax. Ba¡¯an forced herself to do so. Of course she could give him her real family chain. It was not likely he would recognize it. Ba¡¯an was not a common personal name, but it was not that rare, either. There was no way he could guess she was Ba¡¯an salu-Ba¡¯an, the Stormcrow. He was still an outlander. Why would any K¡¯Avaari tell him their business? Epitus snorted. ¡°Well, ain¡¯t that shiny. You never ¡®pologize when you spook us.¡± Nikias raised an eyebrow and Epitus went red. ¡°Uh, not that I¡¯m complainin¡¯ or nuthin¡¯, sir.¡± Lukios had already explained that House Astros was very important, but now she guessed that Lofos-Alfos must be very unimportant. Judging by Gaios¡¯ extended silence on nearly everything, she thought this dinner must be highly unusual, like bringing a gatherer or cleaner to a council of witches. Sometimes saying nothing was the polite thing to do. ¡°Didn¡¯t mean nuthin¡¯ by it, neither. Just uh, sometimes¡­the spooky Sander stuff is¡­spooky.¡± He seemed to catch himself, glancing at Ba¡¯an apologetically. ¡°Sorry, lady Ba¡¯an. Not sayin¡¯ you¡¯re spooky. Just Sander magic n¡¯ their witches n¡¯ all their¡­¡± Epitus flushed, clearly realizing that he was steadily walking himself closer and closer to the pyre. Lukios slapped his hand over his forehead. ¡°Seriously, Epitus? You like the taste of your foot that much? How about mine¡ªwant some of that?¡± And now they were back to good-natured squabbling. Hm. Spooky, was he? Was Nikias a weaver too? It would be easier to check if she touched him, but Ba¡¯an was Ba¡¯an. She could tell even at this distance if she focused, just like with Salu¡¯ka¡¯s baby. His threads were woven very tightly. He felt cool, like water running beneath the ground. There was no indication that he knew how to weave, or even that he was aware there was anything to¡ª Very slowly, very naturally, Nikias turned his head and looked at her. His expression was still genial and pleasant, but his stare was disturbingly intense. Oh no. Lukios leaned over so his torso was between Ba¡¯an and Nikias, ostensibly to reach for another plate. ¡°Here, Pitie, try this one. Tastes better than sandal-leather, promise.¡± He tossed the entire bowl to Epitus, who somehow caught it without letting anything fall to the ground. The red-haired man caught Ba¡¯an¡¯s eye and winked, seemingly unaware of her distress. He made loud noises of enjoyment as he pitted the snails from their shells straight into his mouth. ¡°I knew ya loved me best!¡± Askles rolled his single eye. ¡°¡¯Help!¡¯¡± he mocked, ¡°¡¯Sanders are so spooky!¡¯ Dropped your balls, you have, and there ain¡¯t no man who don¡¯t like himself some pus¡ª¡± he glanced over at Ba¡¯an and abruptly cut himself off. ¡°Uh, beggin¡¯ your pardon, lady Ba¡¯an.¡± He floundered for a moment, then added, ¡°We¡¯re just funnin¡¯. Don¡¯t mind us none.¡± Epitus waggled his eyebrows. ¡°Or mind us lots. I don¡¯t mind at¡ª¡± Lukios¡¯ expression went from cheerful to thunderous in the space of a breath. ¡°Epilektoi Epitus.¡± Gaios¡¯ tone was perfectly even, but there was no mistaking his meaning. ¡°Uh, I mean, don¡¯t mind us none, lady Ba¡¯an.¡± Epitus tipped back his wine glass, presumably to avoid speaking again. His flush looked red and painful, as if he¡¯d spent too long in the sun. ¡°She¡¯s the guest of honour,¡± Lukios snapped, and Epitus somehow coloured further. Gaios looked at Lukios and raised an eyebrow but did not comment. ¡°Didn¡¯t mean none by it,¡± he muttered into his cup, but his shoulders were hunched in Ba¡¯an could only assume was embarrassment. Soothingly, she murmured, ¡°It is well. We are celebrating.¡± She put her hand on Lukios¡¯ arm until the tension left his frame. ¡°Right we are!¡± Askles took the opportunity to stand and start an impromptu toast. ¡°To our Lucky Lion and his saviour, lady Ba¡¯an!¡± Lucky Lion? Outlanders were consistently strange, though¡­had not the merchant at the square mentioned something about a lion as well? The conversation rolled forward as Ba¡¯an ruminated on her mistake. Nikias was not looking at her now, but she knew: he had noticed. But how? Even if his mother was K¡¯Avaari, it was clear from his manner and speech that he had been raised here. Natural talent for witchery did not supplant training. Even Ba¡¯an, a prodigy who had made her first spirit-deal at five, had needed Ul¡¯ma¡¯s guidance. Was Ba¡¯an simply losing her touch? Was she really so out of practice with the more delicate things that some untrained outlander could tell what she¡¯d been up to? She had relied on her coat for too long. The power of the thing was immense, but it was hardly subtle. Lukios was looking at her, expression faintly concerned. She smiled in what she hoped was a reassuring way. There was no way Lukios had understood her mistake, but he could feel that she was tense. They both knew it would be dangerous if she were outed as the Stormcrow, especially here. She wondered if Gaios had noticed anything. He probably had. The man had not gotten where he was by being stupid, after all. ¡°Lukios,¡± said Gaios, ¡°I¡¯ve taken the liberty of writing my family with news of your return. I¡¯m sure Arete will be very happy to receive it.¡± ¡°Oh¡­yes, of course. How is your family, Gaios? I hope your wife and children are well.¡± ¡°They are. Arete was much grieved to hear you had died, I must say. She was still in mourning last time I was home.¡± ¡°She¡­was? My apologies for the trouble, then.¡± Lukios did not wear his discomfort openly, but she knew him enough by now to see this was not welcome news. ¡°Would you feel up to a visit? I¡¯m sure she¡¯d be ecstatic. She was inconsolable, you know.¡± Lukios was trapped, and they both knew it. ¡°Of course. Once everything gets handled here, I will¡­visit before I leave.¡± ¡°For Heliopolis?¡± ¡°Eventually, yes.¡± Lukios had been talking about Ba¡¯an¡¯s not-vuti, she could tell. Now his stares made sense. The man had a daughter he wished to pair with Lukios, though Lukios did not wish the same. Ba¡¯an focused on eating. Lukios refilled her wine glass and put it on the table, and Gaios¡¯ eyes followed the movement. Ba¡¯an stifled the urge to kick Lukios in the ankle. Was it not obvious that Gaios was taking exception to his behavior toward Ba¡¯an? They were guests. It would become awkward if they offended him their first night here. Lukios caught her eye and grinned unrepentantly. He brushed her hand with his the next time he filled her plate. Stubborn man. ¡°Well, take your time. You¡¯re welcome to stay as long as you like.¡± Gaios looked at her. ¡°Both of you, of course.¡± Well, such was courtesy. Ba¡¯an doubted he wanted her to linger around Lukios indefinitely. ¡°My thanks.¡± She inclined her head. ¡°But I must return to the desert soon.¡± It was not a matter of must, but he didn¡¯t need to know that. ¡°Really? That¡¯s too bad. Well then, how ¡®bout you meet Chloe? Not tomorrow, but the day after? I think you¡¯d get along.¡± Askles was grinning widely. ¡°Oi, Lukios, you¡¯re comin¡¯ to my wedding. No gettin¡¯ stabbed ¡®til I¡¯m safely married. Got it?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this backwards? I¡¯m supposed to order you around.¡± ¡°We¡¯re both retired, sir. Well, your loss. Lady Ba¡¯an¡¯ll come, won¡¯t you?¡± What? What kind of man invited a woman he¡¯d just met to his wedding? Was this yet another strange Dolkoi¡¯ri custom? Ba¡¯an caught the sly look Askles tossed Lukios and understood. He thought if she agreed to go, Lukios would also. He was wilier than he looked. She felt her mouth twitch upwards. ¡°Of course. It is rude to refuse an invitation to a wedding.¡± Lukios raised his hands in surrender. ¡°Fine. Fine. I¡¯ll go to your wedding, and I won¡¯t get stabbed again before then. Happy?¡± ¡°Oh, very.¡± Askles grinned at her. ¡°My thanks.¡± Dishes clinked. The servants brought some more food. It was something sweet, which they called a ¡®dessert.¡¯ Ba¡¯an could not complain; it was a kind of bread with sweet sticky syrup inside it. The outside was crisp, the inside soft. If given the option, she would have eaten some everyday. ¡°Want mine?¡± ¡°No. Eat your ¡®dessert¡¯, Lukios.¡± She did want his, but that would just be greedy. She had eaten all his crab. Ba¡¯an did not miss the look his friends exchanged over her head. Had she said something rude? But¡­she had left him his dessert. Was it not more polite to give than to take? Gaios gestured to a servant. ¡°Bring her another serving.¡± ¡°Oh. Thank you.¡± It really was very good. She did not want to refuse. Glasses clinked and conversation moved on. Ba¡¯an ate, and the evening darkened. Chapter Twenty-five: Dinner with Friends, Part II She was almost full. Well, physically she was stuffed. She knew she had gorged because her stomach was tight. But the sensation of tightness was not the same as satiety. That she would not get unless she consumed more souls. Fortunately, Tik-tak Mal¡¯uk had made a lasting, if revolting, meal, and she did not think she would need to hunt until she returned. Aboooominaaatioooon¡­ Ahh, there it was. Still so bitter. Still so angry. It was no longer hiding, so she could hear it clamoring against her godsoul¡¯s constant humming, but¡ªit was strange. Enha-naus-hasa-en did not speak in words. She sang her soul song, like all things did, a thing Ba¡¯an had been hearing for as long as she could remember. It was not something that bothered her anymore, though the dead god was becoming more and more discordant with time. But Tik-tak Mal¡¯uk did not sing. It spoke words. It cursed at her. It was strange, but then again¡ªeverything about Tik-tak Mal¡¯uk was strange. She did not think it was a basa¡¯an, but it did not seem to be a spirit, either. What was it? Ba¡¯an tightened her hold until it wriggled. Stay silent, bothersome one. Why was this one so different? The servant who had walked her to her room opened the door and bowed low, keeping her face to the ground until Ba¡¯an stepped into the room. The serving woman began trailing in behind her, but Ba''an stopped walking to block the doorway, feeling rather poorly. "Kyria?" "You...may retire for the evening. I am well. I wish only to be alone and lie down." "Yes, kyria." The woman stepped away and shuffled backwards, still bent into a bow, until Ba''an shut the door. She did not show her discomfort, but she knew she would not pass her hours inside the estate if she could help it. She would shop and visit Merida, and then she would¡­ Then she would leave Lukios behind. She closed her eyes, listening. The men were still clustered downstairs, indoors now that it was completely dark. Ba¡¯an had left the dinner early, too tired to stay longer. It had been immensely draining, trying to understand and speak Dolkoi¡¯ri all evening while making sure her manners were, if not good, passable. There were many things they had said and did that she had had to ponder on before speaking. Eventually, the headache that had been growing steadily all evening could no longer be ignored, and she had made her excuses to leave. Lukios had wished to walk her to her room, but a servant had appeared to whisk her away and his friends had pulled him back to the banquet. Ba¡¯an washed up and uncoiled her hair. It was dark, and she was only wearing a tunic to sleep in. As Ba¡¯an had said to Gaios, the room was very nice: the night air blew in from the large window that faced the courtyard, and the smell of the garden came with it. It was a warm night, and the bed was soft, much softer than her own. When she lay down, the bed bounced very slightly. After a moment, she bounced again¡ªjust a little. It was a very nice bed. Very, very nice. She did not know how the Dolkoi¡¯ri craftsmen had made the mattress so it bounced, but it was very enjoyable, if undignified. One more time. Then she would stop. Ba¡¯an lay on the quivering bed, eyes closed as she focused on the sensation of the mattress moving beneath her. She was being childish, she knew, but¡­ With a soft sigh, she rubbed her temples with her fingers. She had been incredibly foolish. Breathtakingly so. There was nothing she could do about Nikias now. She could sense him downstairs still, but he seemed to be doing nothing at all suspicious. There were no signs of quick, agitated movements, and no one had stormed upstairs to drag her down by the hair¡ªso it was likely safe to assume he had not guessed who she was. Perhaps he only thought her an exceptionally powerful witch, and with the way she had behaved, that was the best she could hope for. It would be best if she returned to the desert quickly. Out of sight, out of mind. Her presence would endanger Lukios, though she did not think Epitus or Askles would be quick to turn on him. Nikias and Gaios, on the other hand¡­ Were they all truly friends? Ba¡¯an did not think they were. The feasting and kind reception were all to do with Dolkoi¡¯ri customs and politeness, but she did not think Lukios ought to depend on Gaios or Nikias for anything. Soon. She would leave soon. Perhaps the day after tomorrow, once she was finished buying gifts for Merida and her host. Ba¡¯an thought of Lukios again, his sweet smile and infectious grin, the simple comfort of his presence. He was always warm, even when they were not touching¡ªjust like late afternoon sunshine. She would miss him. Dearly. Very dearly. She thought of him standing in a dusty field full of trees, their branches laden with leaves and olives, green and growing and full of life. She thought of Lukios, dressed neatly in his tunic and chiton, shining like the sun as he wandered beneath the dappled shade of his trees, the shadows dancing in time with the gentlest of breezes as his hair stirred against his cheek... Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. She could not imagine herself beside him. Ba''an was a drab, dark creature, and Synoros was a beautiful place, peaceful and calm, but full of life. A creature like Ba''an would be a curse, a blight that withered souls and crops alike. No, she could not return with him to Synoros. It would be a selfish, wretched trick to play, and Lukios deserved...he deserved... Ba''an sat up with a start, shivering. It was nearly pitch-dark now, and the candle by her bed had burned down and out. Starlight spilled in through the open window alongside the cold. She had fallen asleep. Her headache had gone, but now she was disoriented. Ba''an expanded her senses, unsure of the hour. Were they still feasting? No. The men had dispersed. She could sense Nikias, Epitus, and Askles, along with souls she recognized as belonging to some of the servants, some ways away from the house. They were at the gate, by her estimate, and lingering there¡ªperhaps in conversation? Gaios was already deeper inside the estate, in an area she was not familiar with, and Lukios... ...Was returning to his quarters. Alone. Ba¡¯an touched her right hand, over the spot where Lukios had caressed her knuckles, remembering the heat of his body as he sat next to her. She wanted much more than that. It had been nearly four days now, and her longing was a constant ache. Knowing they would part soon only made it more cutting, like a wound needing succor. What if she went to him now? Would that be too scandalous? The Dolkoi¡¯ri seemed to think women and men ought to live separate lives unless they were children. Even married couples seemed to live almost separately¡ªGaios certainly did. Their time was running short. Perhaps being scandalous ought to be the last thing she worried about. Ba¡¯an did not think she would see any of these men ever again after this. Once Lukios was gone from her life, there would be no reason or opportunity to see them. So what did it matter? She turned her face to the window. Would it be worth the risk to¡­fly to him? No, of course not. She was going soft in the head. She pressed her face into her pillow. What if she waited until everyone was asleep? If she waited another hour, would everyone be abed? But then¡­what if Lukios was asleep too? Would he even want her to¡­? Ba¡¯an stiffened, head turning unerringly toward the bright, familiar soul drawing closer and closer. Lukios. It was not the usual door¡ªit was the small one beside the bed. When Ba¡¯an had arrived she had asked Aika what it was for, and she had said it was for slaves and servants, so they could remain invisible as they cleaned and cooked and did everything else that was needed. But this was not Aika on the other side of the door. It was Lukios. He was coming, closing ground rapidly as Ba¡¯an sat and waited, eyes fixed on the elaborately patterned curtain that camouflaged the entryway. He stopped. He was only a few steps away, kept from her by a flimsy curtain and a thin wooden door. ¡°¡­Ba¡¯an? You awake still?¡± His voice was very quiet. She slipped off the bed and stepped rapidly across the floor, yanking the curtain aside and flinging the door open. Lukios looked down at her, still dressed in his nice clothes. He smelled faintly of wine and sweat, but Ba¡¯an did not particularly care. Wordlessly, he stepped inside and took her in his arms. She put her arms around his neck, legs wrapping around his waist as he lifted her into a hungry, urgent kiss. He shut the door with his back, his hands too busy holding her up and touching her to do the job. It only took three strides for them to reach the bed, and he lay her down, mouth seeking her skin as he kissed his way up her chest and throat. His touch left pinpricks of fire in their wake and she shuddered beneath him, belly clenching as she ran her fingers through his hair and touched him again and again, the longing in her too strong to contain. ¡°Lukios,¡± she sighed against his mouth, ¡°Lukios, Lukios¡ª¡± Ba¡¯an¡¯s world narrowed until there was only his sweetness, his heat, the bright glow of his soul swallowing her the way the stone did shapers. ¡°Ba¡¯an,¡± he murmured. ¡°I was going mad.¡± He kissed her again, then pressed his lips against her throat where her pulse pounded wildly. He pushed her tunic up over her legs, over her head. He pulled it off her and tossed it onto the floor. ¡°Gods. I am going mad. Still." He ran his hands over her thighs, the calluses on his palms and fingers as rough as his touch was gentle. The sensation pricked her to her core, and she shivered lightly as he pushed her legs apart and settled between them; Ba''an reached for him, fumbling as her fingers shook. She tried to unclasp the knot that held his chiton, but she could not work it free. Lukios reached up and helped her, letting it fall to the floor to lie over her tunic. She tugged his shirt over his head. He helped her, tossing it onto the pile. Once disrobed, he leaned over and kissed her again, pulling her legs firmly around him as he tipped his head down. There was no further delay. Lukios pulled her hips to him, spreading her open and sheathing himself with one hard, swift movement. They groaned together in relief at the sensation of being joined again. ¡°Okay?¡± He stilled, breathing hard against her mouth. She could feel little tremors running through him as he held himself back. ¡°Mmm.¡± She kissed him and wriggled her hips. He got the message. They moved together, slowly at first, but then faster and faster, harder and harder, until the gentle wet glide of skin-on-skin became fleshy slaps. They thrust against each other with the pent-up frustration of too many days on the road and all the things they hadn¡¯t said, both scrabbling for the sweet pleasure of release. Ba¡¯an tried not to be noisy, but it was impossible. Her low whimpers became gasps, which became moans, and soon she was muffling her cries against his shoulder as plunged into her with abandon, every stroke pressing against her clit in a way that wound her tighter and tighter. Eventually, the tightness coiled until it snapped. ¡°Lukios! Lukios!¡± She twisted in his grasp, legs twitching as she shuddered through her orgasm. He kissed her frantically, thrusting into her once, twice, thrice before pulling out of her to press against her belly. She felt his release splash hotly against her skin, dripping into the dark thatch of hair between her thighs. He groaned, face pressed against her shoulder as they slumped together. The spearhead that dangled around his neck kissed her chest, cool to the touch. After a moment, he roused, kissing her cheek. Ba¡¯an reached for him, tired but eager. ¡°Again?¡± He caught her hand in his, kissing the tips of her fingers. ¡°Yes. But¡­¡± He sat up and looked at her with sudden seriousness. ¡°There¡¯s something we need to talk about first, isn¡¯t there?¡± Ba¡¯an almost sighed. Well, of course he hadn¡¯t forgotten. Interlude: An Unexpected Development ¡°She ¡®itched ¡®im. She ¡®itched him. She¡ª¡± Epitus slumped over with an ugly little groan. Askles shifted him, subtly angling the man so that if he vomited, it would miss his toes. Still, he kept a firm grip on Epitus¡¯ wrist and held the drunk man¡¯s arm over his shoulders with ease¡ªEpitus would not fall on his face on the way back unless he did something exceptionally foolish. Epitus gurgled, then spat. Nikias refrained from commenting, though he knew Gaios would not have appreciated sputum in his courtyard. If anything, the old man deserved it. It was a breach of decorum to end a banquet and fail to walk the guests to the gate. But Epitus and Askles were commoners. They didn¡¯t know enough to understand the snub regardless, so this was merely pettiness, pettiness and arrogance. Lukios¡¯ chiton hadn¡¯t escaped Nikias¡¯ notice, either. Gaios was a remarkably vindictive man. ¡°¡¯Kles. ¡®Kles. She ¡®itched ¡®im.¡± Askles looked disturbed, glancing between Nikias and Epitus. ¡°I¡¯m sure¡­she didn¡¯t. Witch him.¡± His eyes flicked nervously to Nikias then away. ¡°I¡¯m sure you are correct.¡± And he was. Nikias did not know of any spell or potion that could keep a man ensorcelled for over five months. Not any K¡¯Avaari trick, anyway¡ªsuch things were es¡¯tat, and the K¡¯Avaari were very serious about whatever it was they labelled es¡¯tat. Very, very serious. And if Lukios had been spellbound for so many months, he would have been reduced to a drooling, mindless idiot by now. Lukios was neither drooling nor an idiot, so that possibility could be safely struck off the list. Perhaps there was a very small possibility that she had enchanted him recently, but Nikias was disinclined to think so. No, Lukios had a much more mundane problem: he had been seduced. By a witch. An immensely powerful witch that Nikias and his agents had somehow missed. Someone had not done his job. Nikias was not pleased by this revelation. ¡°¡¯E din¡¯t e¡¯en wa-walk ¡®s o-out. Y¡¯see? Brothers fer years n¡¯ he¡ªwent off¡ªhe¡ª¡± ¡°Pitie, you¡¯re drunk.¡± Askles sounded mortified, pulling his childhood friend toward the open gates. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir. He¡¯s not himself, sir. He¡¯s very drunk.¡± Epitus made a noise that signalled vomiting was imminent. Askles very quickly dipped his head in a bow and hastened out. ¡°Thank you for the banquet, sir Nikias. Pi¡ªEpitus, you have to thank him. Pitus!¡± Epitus was too busy trying to hold it in. He was beginning to look green, even in the dim torchlight. Nikias did not care if he vomited all over Gaios¡¯ garden, but he could see Askles would be horrified and perhaps too deeply embarrassed to ever show his face again. For a baseborn soldier he had always been very mannerly¡ªshockingly so. Epitus, on the other hand, had been raised in a barn. Literally. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so formal, Askles. None of us are strangers.¡± Nikias turned to the slaves that had followed with torches. ¡°Guide them home. Make sure they return safely.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡ªuh, thank you, s-sir. But we can¡­find our way back.¡± ¡°It¡¯s dark and the streets are dangerous. I insist.¡± It was customary, especially here; there were no torches on public streets. Kyros was a shithole, though its location was conveniently strategic. ¡°Thank you, si¡ª¡± Askles paused, clearly fighting the urge down, ¡°¡ªNikias.¡± Nikias watched them go, waiting the appropriate length of time, before turning and walking back into his study. Gaios¡¯ study. By marriage. Really, the entire estate was Astros property, as was the entire city. The coin that had flowed into turning this pile of wood and stone into a city had come from Astros¡¯ coffers. They weren¡¯t finished, of course. Kyros was still a shithole¡ªbut it would be a city of marble once they were done. Not to rival Astropolis, no, but once Nikias was finished it would be a trading hub between the desert and the Empire, white and gleaming, a beacon shining over the sand. Once he arrived, he sat at the desk and gestured for some tea. A slave that had been waiting quietly against the wall peeled away to the kitchen to fetch it. Without looking up, he added, ¡°And bring Euthus while you¡¯re out.¡± ¡°Yes, kyrios.¡± Nikias noted that the pile of papers on his desk had grown. This was to be expected; his slaves brought round whatever missives were left over at the office every evening after dinner. Nikias did not habitually spend his later hours in idle leisure; he could not. He was the half-Sander heir to House Astros. He could not be anything but exemplary. Complaints. Reports. Hm. No, this one was¡­ah, yes. Nikias smiled grimly. It seemed many of the ruling elite had gotten rather fat and lazy during his predecessor¡¯s reign. Many seemed to believe they could continue skipping out on their fair share of taxes; they were in for a very rude awakening. Nikias set those reports aside. He¡¯d have to invite everyone over for a dinner party with Gaios and his men. A subtle show of force was always more effective than politely worded missives. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. More complaints. Building plans were finished; well, that was good. And¡­ Nikias almost sighed. Not even a full day back, and Lukios had already generated two complaints. Typical. The man couldn¡¯t keep himself out of trouble even if his life depended on it¡ªwhich it often did. Naturally, he was also the luckiest son of a satyr alive, landing on his feet with more consistency than a cat. Case in point: he was alive, and had even sauntered out of the desert with a witch on his arm¡ªa ludicrously powerful witch that Nikias had never even heard of, never mind met. Nikias shuffled the papers to the side of his desk to make space for a map. He walked to the bookshelf behind him, picked out the scroll he wanted, then returned to his desk. A detailed map of the desert unfurled on its surface beneath his hand. Hm. Ba¡¯an. Ba¡¯an. It was certainly not a very common name, but it was not uncommon either. He was sure there had been some prodigy with the same name, though he could not recall which tribe she had been from. He had not heard news of any witch named Ba¡¯an since the war ended, and he was almost certain the prodigy had died. If she had not, he would have met her already at one of the meetings with the A¡¯tat. The K¡¯Avaari enjoyed bringing powerful witches to diplomatic meetings, though Nikias knew enough tricks himself to keep their¡­influence limited. But this ¡®Ba¡¯an¡¯ was powerful. Immensely powerful. Nikias took belaruna as a matter of course but he had still felt her, felt her so strongly that it was as if he had not taken any at all, and she had been nearly three full strides away. She had simply stripped him bare and taken his measure without laying a single finger on him, and he had nearly bolted from his chair. But the most unnerving thing of all was that he had not sensed anything unusual about her whatsoever¡ªright until the precise moment she had used her magic. Her self-control was complete. Perfect. He had thought her comportment witch-like but had assumed her a healer-assistant in a shi-vuti because she had felt so plain, so mundane¡ªand she looked it, too, with her painfully skinny face and limbs. But she was far too powerful to merely be an assistant. She was a witch. There was no question about it, though¡ªwas this not very strange? Witches were rare and precious. No tribe would have allowed one to leave simply to return an errant outlander, and if they had, she would have had a full honour guard, though¡­perhaps the Circle had exercised some wisdom here, to keep from antagonizing all Kyros with a show of force? But even then, it was exceedingly odd. Why had he not met her before? Nikias knew all the active witches of every tribe in the area, all the way out to the edge of the deep desert. If they had attended a meeting of the A¡¯tat, he knew them. So why? How had Ba¡¯an slipped beneath his notice? He tapped the little dots that represented the closest saa-vuti vur with his finger. Logically, she would have to be from a local tribe. The closest was Vala-Tur¡¯in. The second-closest was Bata-Hau¡¯sa, but calling them ¡®close¡¯ was a misnomer; it would take weeks to get there on horseback. But Vala-Tur¡¯in only had two witches: Nur-Yai¡¯na salu-Salu¡¯ka and Kos-Ra¡¯ya salu-Vaa¡¯ti. Neither of them would have been given a seat before the war had depleted their choices, and Nikias had difficulty seeing them as anything other than children. They were not nearly as powerful or experienced as Ba¡¯an, and if Ba¡¯an had been a member of Vala-Tu¡¯rin, she would have been their senior witch¡ªhe would have dealt with her. Ba¡¯an could not be from Vala-Tu¡¯rin. He would have met her already. So where had she come from? The slave brought in his tea and placed it on the desk, along with some finger-snacks he had not asked for. Hm. Perhaps discipline was lacking in this household? No matter. How Gaios ran his household was no business of Nikias¡¯. Besides, Euthus had arrived. ¡°Master?¡± Euthus knelt respectfully, so all Nikias could see was the thick mop of light brown hair on his head. He was a short, round man with a broader belly than most, though he had an unobtrusive presence; he was boring to look at, to the point that the wall was preferable. Euthus was perfect for most errands. ¡°Rise and report, Euthus.¡± ¡°We intercepted a messenger at the gate.¡± ¡°House Helios?¡± ¡°Yes, Master. The situation was resolved¡­quietly, as commanded.¡± ¡°Good. Have them continue. No leaks, no noise, no eyes.¡± Nikias would have to discuss this with Lukios tomorrow. This was a sensitive matter, and it would not do to allow House Helios¡ªor anyone else¡ªto announce it first. The Lion had returned from the dead. It was big news, and big news always came with opportunities. Nikias had not been in Heliopolis at the time of Lukios¡¯ supposed death, but he had contacts there. He had heard there had been rioting in the streets, and it had lasted over a week. And now that Rekos was dead¡ªwell, wasn¡¯t it a fine time for House Astros to extend another helping hand? ¡°Yes, Master Nikias.¡± He left, and Nikias was left to ponder alone once more. Perhaps ¡®Ba¡¯an¡¯ was not even her real name. It stood to reason. Lukios had jumped in the moment Nikias had asked for her name-chain, and he knew the reason was false: Lukios had been speaking to her in K¡¯Avaari a moment before. Nikias had not heard him, but he had had a good view of his lips as he whispered into her ear. Lukios learned very quickly, and he had already known some K¡¯Avaari before his unfortunate run-in with the bandits, so it stood to reason that his grasp of the language had improved. Nikias did not want to believe his old friend was lying to him, but it would be foolish to assume he was not. Lukios lied if it suited him, and sometimes he did it without even opening his mouth; the man was shockingly good at misdirection, and he was besotted with the woman. It had been obvious to the point of being painfully embarrassing to witness, and Nikias had recognized the look immediately. His father had worn it often enough when his mother had still been with them. And if that look hadn¡¯t been evidence enough, well¡­ He¡¯d given the woman all his crab. All of it. No wonder Epitus believed he¡¯d been ¡®witched.¡¯ Well, there was no helping it. Lukios would learn the same lesson Nikias had the hard way: a witch was always a witch before she was a woman, lover, or mother. It was simply the way they were raised and molded. Hm. Now there was a thought. Why had such a powerful witch even bothered with an outlander in the first place? ¡­Had they recognized Lukios? Or¡­perhaps his ring? Perhaps she was not only a witch. Perhaps she was one of their infiltrators. Nikias leaned back in his seat and considered the possibility. That would explain things rather neatly. No one would bring an infiltrator to sit in on a meeting with the A¡¯tat, even if she had travelled with the diplomatic envoy¡ªit would be the height of foolishness. And it would be incredibly foolish indeed to send her with an honour guard. That would be far too obvious. And if she was an infiltrator, the question became this: what did they want? Well, there was only one way of finding that out. Ba¡¯an was only here for another few days, however, so¡­ Nikias would have to work very quickly. He stood and walked to the door. His personal guards peeled away from either side of the entryway and fell into step behind him. He would go to the barracks now, to the records room. The very first thing he had to do was confirm that Vala-Tur¡¯in had never had a witch named Ba¡¯an at any point in time. He would also have one of the slaves befriend her and shadow her at all times. Who was that one that had taken her to her bath? Aika? One of Gaios¡¯. Nikias would have to borrow her. He thought of Lukios again. It would be stupidity to say anything to him now. But he would have to be dealt with, sooner or later, and¡­if Ba¡¯an was the thing Nikias thought she was, then well¡­she would not return to the desert. She would not be going anywhere with Lukios, either, regardless of what he thought. The man would be heartbroken, but it was better to learn hard lessons sooner rather than later. She had likely only seduced him for access to House Helios, anyway, and Lukios wasn¡¯t slow, merely emotional. He would understand¡ªeventually. But for now¡ª Lukios had brought them a very fine gift from the desert, and it would be vulgar to refuse it. Chapter Twenty-six: An Overdue Conversation Lukios wiped her down first, gently removing the traces of his ardour from her skin. Ba¡¯an lay on her back, eyes closed as she enjoyed the feel of his hands on her and the cool wetness of the cloth. She felt the bed dip as he joined her. She reached over and stroked her hand over his belly, enjoying the little sound he made until he caught her hand. ¡°Stop.¡± His voice was low, strained. ¡°We need to talk first. No distracting me, that¡¯s cheating.¡± She sighed. Well, it had been worth a try. ¡°Ba¡¯an. Look at me, will you?¡± She opened her eyes and turned. He was looking at her, eyes warm but serious. She thought he was still a little angry. He put his fingers on her cheek before he spoke. "Ba''an? You said you''re not coming with me. I thought you were. I mean...I thought you¡¯d decided." She shook her head. "We did not discuss it after we...kissed, Lukios. I do not know what you mean." He blinked, staring at her with his eyebrows knitting together. "But..." he reached out and touched her throat, and she suddenly realized why. She had taken off Thu¡¯rin¡¯s necklace and he had thought that¡­what, that she had decided she would go with him? She sighed. No, that was not what she had meant at all. "No, Lukios. I did not mean...I did not realize that is what you meant. No. I put Thu''rin''s sumanuta in my chest because we are travelling. To keep it safe." Ba''an always did this when she left for a long time, just in case she had some unexpected and undesirable guests. It was also true that it would have been difficult to seduce a man while wearing the keepsake of another, so she had taken it off earlier than she normally would¡ªbut it did not mean that she would go and stay with him. ¡°And yes, because¡­I wished to show I desired you. But I did not think you would believe it meant more than that.¡± Because surely he had been playing. Because he was an outlander, though looking at him now she felt a flash of guilt. Lukios was Lukios. Perhaps he had typical outlander tastes¡ªbut perhaps he did not. Perhaps he had no other woman, waiting. Lukios seemed to shrink, somehow, head sinking down as he stared at the sheets rather than at her. She blinked, surprised. What had he thought? "Oh," he said, very quietly. "Lukios?" He raised his head again to look at her, but his smile had dimmed again. "Yeah?" "...Are you well?" "Yeah. I''m good. Just...misunderstood. The necklace¡ª¡± he made a little gesture, as if he were taking off his spearhead and her heart jumped into her throat, ¡°¡ªthing." He shrugged, then gave a little laugh. "Wow. Ha. Really misunderstood it." He cleared his throat. "Guess you didn''t actually say you''d come, huh?" "I am sorry, Lukios. I did not wish to mislead you. It is only¡ªI always leave the sumanuta behind when I travel. I cannot transform items when I become a flock of crows. I may take a passenger, but I cannot take things other than the godskin." Now she felt ashamed. She truly had not meant to trick him. It had not occurred to her that he would take it as agreement. "Oh. Right. Of course. You did do that¡ªbefore." He did not look well. Ba''an reached out to cup his cheek, but he shifted away and she froze mid-movement, stung. He gave her a weak smile, reaching out and taking her hand in his. It was not as comforting as it normally was. They sat together in the dark, the room silent except for the sound of their quiet breaths. When he spoke again, he did so slowly. "Ba''an? When you said you weren''t playing. What were you talking about?" She frowned, not quite understanding the question. "I desired you sincerely. I was not playing. And now we are having relations, and such things are not games.¡± It was true some people pursued such pleasures the way others did games or food, but to do so was a vice, and very unwise. Consequences could be dire when passions were inflamed, then thwarted. And surely something being temporary did not make it¡­less. Death was always lurking in the sand and shadows, regardless of one¡¯s plans. All things were temporary, and the Wheel always turned. ¡°Having relations. Okay. We are¡­having relations. In the¡­¡± He scrubbed his face with his hands briskly and let out a slow breath. Ba¡¯an was beginning to think she had misunderstood something very badly, though she could not quite see what it was. She smoothed her fingers over the sheet, then did it again, though it did nothing to soothe her belly, which was clenching tightly to the point she wished to vomit. Was he very angry with her? She peered into his face¡ªor tried to. He would not look at her. Her anxiety ratcheted up another notch. "Lukios?" "Yeah?" "You do not look well." "Nah, I''m good. Just...thinking. Ha." "I am sorry, Lukios. I did not plan to deceive you. About Thu''rin''s sumanuta." Though Ba''an thought there was something more to this than she knew. "What did you mean when you asked me if I was playing?" He shook his head. "Never mind. It''s not important." "But you are upset." He laughed again, this time sounding more himself, though she was certain he was still feeling very poorly. "At myself, sweetheart. At me. Not you. I was¡ªI was hearing what I wanted, that''s all." Lukios sat back up, seemingly shedding his melancholy. The switch was rapid, and Ba¡¯an was left disoriented. He reached over and ran his finger over her nose, which she had begun to wrinkle without thinking. "Don''t fret, sweetheart. I''m fine. Everything''s...fine." He paused thoughtfully, before adding, "You still thinking about it? Coming with me to Synoros." Ah. "I do not think it is a good idea, Lukios." "Yeah, but that''s not what I asked. I asked if you want to come with me, not if you think it''s a good idea." "Lukios, it is not that simple." "It sort of is, Ba''an. I mean...why not? And not that abomination stuff. I don''t care. Just...think about if you''d rather live with me or if you''d rather live alone. Obviously, I''d rather you live with me." His smile broadened and he ran his hand over her skin, caressing her from shoulder to hip. "I''d treat you real good, Ba''an,¡± he cooed, ¡°promise." "I do not doubt you will treat me well, Lukios. It is in your nature." It was. He was happy and friendly, kinder than he looked, and well-liked for it. "But surely you realize this is not wise? It will not last, Lukios." He cocked his head to the side, looking at her with the same sharp intensity as he had in the alleyway. He was silent for a long moment, and she could not guess at the thoughts that passed behind his eyes as he gazed at her. She squelched the urge to fidget beneath his stare. ¡°Ba¡¯an? What did you mean, back by the stoa? When you said that I ¡®mean what I say¡¯?¡± ¡°It is exactly as I said, Lukios. You mean well, always. But¡­you¡­¡± she paused, not knowing how to best explain herself. She started again. ¡°Lukios, how old are you?¡± ¡°What? I¡­is that important?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Okay. I¡¯m twenty-eight now. I¡¯ll be twenty-nine by the end of the year.¡± Twenty-eight. Not as young as she had thought, but still, younger than her by five years. ¡°I am thirty-three.¡± ¡°Okay. Why is this important?¡± He sounded like he was trying his best to be patient. ¡°Are you married?¡± ¡°What? No.¡± He lifted his left hand, where he only wore a single signet ring. ¡°I¡¯m not married, Ba¡¯an. Why would I be?¡± The look he gave her was somehow both incredulous and reproachful. She thought about how she ought to answer. ¡°Do you want to be?¡± ¡°I¡­that¡¯s¡­Maybe. It¡¯s complicated. I¡¯m not against it, but I¡¯m not particularly anxious about it, either.¡± He paused, looking into her face with a more serious expression that she had expected. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in marrying for political reasons. I¡¯d rather marry a woman who¡¯s a good match in other ways. Affection¡¯s important, obviously¡ªI have to like her. It¡¯s common for a man to have a concubine, but¡­that doesn¡¯t make for a happy marriage now, does it? Not from what I¡¯ve seen. It makes the women miserable and life gets¡­noisy. Happy wife, happy life, right?¡± Ah. So it was both better and worse than she had thought. ¡°I see.¡± Ba¡¯an lapsed into silence. ¡°I think you have answered your own question, Lukios.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really not seeing it, Ba¡¯an. Explain it to me. Use small words.¡± ¡°You are young, capable, and wealthy. You have your whole life ahead of you. You wish to be married to a woman who is a suitable life partner that you also love. I am an abomination with no tribe or family. I live alone in a cave in the desert. We are totally unsuited for each other, Lukios. This will not last. It is better to accept such things now, rather than hurt each other later.¡± Or more accurately, hurt her later. She did not think she would turn away from him first, but he would¡ªonce he realized what she was. He stared at her in silence. ¡°Ba¡¯an,¡± he said finally. ¡°Are you sick of me?¡± ¡°No.¡± She sat up, reaching for him. This time he let her touch his cheek, and he put his hand over hers. The relief that rushed through her made her dizzy. ¡°No. I am not sick of you. But I am old enough to see how this will end. Badly. We should spare each other some pain and part ways amicably.¡± He went quiet again before speaking. ¡°Which part are you worried about?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I told you, I don¡¯t care about all the abomination horseshit. Yes, you have your spooky witchy magic thing, but you still laugh and cry like the rest of us. You even bleed the same. So you¡¯re really just a woman¡ªwell not just a woman, but you know what I mean¡ªand you don¡¯t have to be stuck inside a cave. Ba¡¯an, you can go anywhere you want. You have magic. You¡¯re a healer. A good one. You could work anywhere. I don¡¯t know why you think I care about any of that.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Ba¡¯an was flustered. ¡°You say so now, but I cannot offer you anything but myself, Lukios. I cannot give you allies, or wealth, or¡­status. I cannot give you the things a good marriage with a Dolkoi¡¯ri woman can.¡± And she ate souls. That was not a small matter, either. He would be better off with a woman who¡­ ¡­did not eat souls. ¡°I¡¯m not sure why you think I want any of those things from you. I¡¯m already comfortable anyway, so why would I want any of that in the first place? I¡¯m not exactly planning to get into politics, Ba¡¯an. I already have nearly everything I want.¡± ¡°I¡­very well. Let us say you do not want those things. What do you wish from me?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like it if you trusted me.¡± He did not sound pleased. ¡°But you know what? That¡¯s fine. Trust isn¡¯t something you demand; it¡¯s earned. So instead, I¡¯d like you to tell me why you seem to think everything''s gonna go real bad, real soon. I mean¡ªI meant every word, you know. Still do.¡± ¡°It is a natural thing. Distance. Distance makes the heart forget, Lukios. It is common. And¡­consider why we are together now. There is no reason except distance. We were both alone in the desert. Of course we came together in such circumstances. But that is not the situation now.¡± ¡°¡¯No reason¡¯? Are you serious?¡± ¡°Yes. Think of this, Lukios. If you had met me here, in Kyros¡ªwell, do you think we would have met? We would have walked past each other. Even if we had met and exchanged words, it would have meant very little.¡± Ba¡¯an was certain she would have noticed him, though she would not say so out loud. He was simply too striking to dismiss easily, and not only in the physical sense. His soul was always bright and warm, drawing her to him the way fire did moths in the night. ¡°Well, for one thing, you would have been wrong. I would have noticed you. I told you, I recognized you right away. I mean, no offense, but I found you terrifying back when you were killing us left and right, so yes, I would have noticed¡ªat least enough to run in the other direction. Two, that isn¡¯t what happened, so who the fuck cares? Why are you even thinking about this? You know Ba¡¯an, if I had been standing even three feet closer to the front during that first battle, you would have fried me and not the other guy? But you didn¡¯t. I bet you don¡¯t even remember the other guy. Well, I could have been him. But I don¡¯t think about it because it didn¡¯t happen.¡± ¡°¡­You found me terrifying? But you were always so calm.¡± Cheerful, even. ¡°Well, I eventually figured out you weren¡¯t gonna kill me horribly. I mean why bother keeping me alive if you were just gonna kill me later anyway? But yeah, I nearly pissed myself that first time I woke up. I was sweating. Thought you were planning to¡­I dunno, feed me to your plants or something. Or hang me up by my thumbs and start asking hard questions. That sort of thing. Drove me crazy, not knowing what you wanted.¡± He shrugged, a little sheepishly. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°¡­You did?¡± In hindsight, it did explain quite a lot. ¡°But my point still stands. Our relationship was built on proximity and being available, was it not?¡± ¡°No. It was not. Ba¡¯an, there were lots of women who were available and willing pretty much everywhere. Quite frankly, I did not sleep with them all, or even most of them. I know, big shock. And I sure as fuck didn¡¯t ask them to go home with me. That is not how I see this at all. I don¡¯t even understand how you can think that.¡± He reached out and touched her face in the dark. ¡°What in all of H¨¡?id¨¥s do you even think of me, Ba¡¯an?¡± He sounded frustrated and hurt. ¡°Are you really saying if you¡¯d picked up some other man that day, you¡¯d have had him too? Because of proximity?¡± ¡°What? No. I would have let him die.¡± ¡°¡­Right. You did say that, before. So obviously, you¡¯re wrong. And you know what I don¡¯t understand? Why being me is a problem.¡± She frowned. ¡°That is not what I said. You are¡­Lukios, you are not a problem.¡± It was Ba¡¯an that was the problem. ¡°You did. You listed it off before you started badmouthing yourself.¡± He sat up and held up his hand, using his fingers to count. ¡°Young? Do you not like younger men? Or is there some other problem here? Capable? I don¡¯t understand why this part is a problem. Wealthy. That¡¯s¡­Ba¡¯an, that¡¯s usually not an issue. I thought women liked wealthy men. And if I were to be honest with you, I am not that wealthy. We can be comfortable, but we¡¯re hardly going to buy our own port.¡± He held up the fourth and final finger. ¡°Marriage. Is that a problem? Or are you worried I¡¯m not married ¡®cause you think I love changing ladies like clothes?¡± She frowned. ¡°No, you do not understand what I am saying. Why dally with me, when you can find yourself a wife? One day you will want one, and children. I am only saying that it is better if we part ways sooner rather than later, before¡­¡± She trailed off, not wanting to say the last part. She was much less worried about him than she was about her. He would find a Dolkoi¡¯ri woman from a good family and marry. Then she would have nothing but her empty not-vuti and memories that were both sweet and cutting. It was better to simply not have something in the first place than to live longing for it. ¡°¡­Are you saying you¡¯re worried I¡¯ll...leave you for another woman? Wait, is that what this is about?¡± She looked away but he caught her cheek in his palm, gently turning her to face him again. When had he moved so close? ¡°Ba¡¯an. Wait. Wait. Don¡¯t hide again. Look at me.¡± She obeyed, though it was¡­embarrassing. She sounded weak¡ªnot like a witch at all. Ba¡¯an hated it. Ba¡¯an had never worried about being left before¡ªnot for another woman. Ba¡¯an had never worried Thu¡¯rin would leave her for another, and even if he had¡ªwell, she would have still been a witch. It had not mattered so much then. But it mattered now. It mattered so much that¡­well, it mattered. ¡°Is that what you¡¯re worried about? You¡¯ll come live with me and I¡¯ll fall in love with someone else and kick you out again?¡± ¡°You said you wished to marry. Once you find a woman she will want me gone. And Lukios¡ªI will not stay as your concubine, even if she did not.¡± She would commit murder before allowing such humiliation. ¡°Ba¡¯an. Why are you assuming¡­why do you keep saying I¡¯ll marry some other woman? What makes you think I will even look at another woman when I¡¯m with you? That¡¯s¡­that¡¯s¡­¡± He raked his hand over his hair with a noise of frustration. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do that to you. Or anyone, really. It¡¯s cruel.¡± He peered into her face. ¡°Are you saying you would? Look at another man, I mean.¡± ¡°What? No. But¡­Lukios, it is common for Dolkoi¡¯ri men to have concubines. And even when they have many at home, they still visit brothels.¡± He pressed his hand over his eyes. ¡°Okay. So that is the problem. You think¡­I¡¯ll be chasing skirts while I¡¯m with you. That¡¯s the gist of it, isn¡¯t it?¡± His voice had gone flat. ¡°Ba¡¯an. What kind of man do you think I am, exactly?¡± This was a disaster. She had only managed to insult him. She should have lied. Ba¡¯an could tell he was angry now, though he was holding it in. ¡°I¡­I do not think you are that sort of man. I think you believe everything you say. You are always very sincere.¡± He was. ¡°But Lukios, it is as I have said. You mean well now, but with time and distance, you will gain perspective. You will understand what I am saying. You will wish to wed well, and that is simply good sense.¡± ¡°Okay. So you think I¡¯m honest, but too stupid or immature to know how I feel. That¡¯s great. Thank you.¡± ¡°You are not stupid or immature. It is only the way of things.¡± Now she was worrying the sheets, twisting them between her fingers again and again. She forced herself to stop once she noticed. This was not going well. He shut his eyes and took a deep breath, reining in his temper. He covered her hands with his. ¡°Okay. I¡­okay. Ba¡¯an. Tell me something. What do you want from me? I thought we wanted the same thing, but now I think maybe we didn¡¯t. So tell me right now. Do you just want me to show you a good time, or do you actually want me? I can¡¯t tell. You keep talking like you¡¯re worried I¡¯ll leave you but then you tell me to go do it. It¡¯s just so¡ªI don¡¯t know, Ba¡¯an. I can¡¯t tell what you want from me, so just tell me. What do you want?¡± He opened his eyes and looked at her. His gaze was clear and unwavering, which was just like him. She shifted uncomfortably. Ba¡¯an had wanted her time with him to continue until she died, which she thought would be sooner rather than later. It was an obvious impossibility, so she had tried to push him out quickly, before her heart caught against his and tore. She could not tell him the truth. They had only known each other for five months at most. Only a madwoman, or a very stupid one, would think herself in love already. And she was a liar. He did not understand what an abomination was, and she had not bothered telling him when she had the chance, and now¡­she¡­ She bit her lip. No, no. It was better this way. She would not be able to take it¡ªwatching his expression close, eyes going cold as he drew away. No. Better to be a sweet memory than a bitter one. She ought to tell him no and end things now, so¡­ ¡°Ba¡¯an. I can see you¡¯re thinking of lying to me right now. I would rather you didn¡¯t.¡± Ugh. If only he were as stupid as he seemed, things would be much, much easier. ¡°I care about you very much, Lukios. But¡­it is as I have said. I am an abomin¡ª¡± ¡°Ba¡¯an. That¡¯s not what I asked.¡± Why did she feel so cornered? ¡°I¡­would like to stay with you for a long time.¡± There. That was close enough, wasn¡¯t it? ¡°Okay. Good. Good. That¡¯s¡­that¡¯s good.¡± He swallowed. ¡°Well, I thought it was something like that too. I thought you liked me, and I was hoping you''d come with me and stay. For a long time.¡± He looked like he wanted to say something else, but he closed his mouth with a click. ¡°There is something else you want to say.¡± He nodded. ¡°Yes. There is something else too, but¡­¡± The look he gave her was pained. ¡°Ba¡¯an. I¡¯m gonna say something you¡¯re gonna find stupid. Try not to say that to my face ''til I¡¯m finished, okay?¡± Slowly, hesitantly, she nodded. ¡°Okay. Good. Um. Well, I want you to stay with me for a long time. And you want to stay with me for a long time. And¡­you¡¯re worried I¡¯m going to go off and get married to some other woman. That¡¯s the gist of it, right?¡± ¡°I¡­yes. In a way.¡± He wasn¡¯t wrong. It was the only sensible thing for him to do, once he realized what being an abomination actually meant. He did not care because he did not know. Ba¡¯an bit her bottom lip until he reached out and smoothed his thumb over it. ¡°Careful. You¡¯re going to start bleeding.¡± He very gently cupped her cheek in his palm. ¡°Ba¡¯an. Why don¡¯t we just get married?¡± Her mouth dropped open. He held up his hand. ¡°Wait! You said you¡¯d wait until I was done. I¡¯m not done yet.¡± She shut her mouth, though she could not stop the frown. Lukios shifted, swallowing hard so the hard knot in his throat bobbed with the movement. ¡°It solves both our problems, doesn¡¯t it? I mean, why not? If you hate it, we can get divorced, it¡¯s not¡­it¡¯s not that hard to get here. But Ba¡¯an, I think we should just get married. You¡¯ll have some legal protection and authority while you¡¯re at the estate¡ªuh, if you come, I mean. On top of that, no asshole is gonna think he can buy you off me, either, and you can leave the K¡¯Avaari horseshit behind for good. As for me, I¡¯ll be safely married off so no matron¡¯s gonna eye me like I¡¯m an open banquet for her kids again, you know? Okay, there, I¡¯m done now. You can tell me how stupid that sounds.¡± She stared at him blankly. The silence continued and he fidgeted. ¡°Can you say something? It¡¯s getting a bit uncomfortable now.¡± ¡°Lukios. You must think this over more carefully.¡± ¡°I am. I did. I mean, okay, we haven¡¯t known each other that long but I know you¡¯re¡­well, I know you. And in case it wasn¡¯t all that clear I¡­uh¡­have a lot of affection for you so why not? Like I said, if you really hate it, we can get divorced. It¡¯s pretty easy to get as long as there aren¡¯t any kids involved. All in all, it¡¯s not a bad deal for you, right?¡± ¡°Lukios. I¡­you must think. Gaios is an ally of yours, is he not? He wishes you to marry his daughter. That will strengthen your position. You will gain much more if you marry her, or another Dolkoi¡¯ri woman of rank.¡± Lukios pressed his hands over his face as he gave a little laugh. ¡°Oh, Ba¡¯an. That¡¯s¡ªthat¡¯s not what you think.¡± He pulled her closer so he could whisper into her ear. ¡°He seems real successful now, right? And he is, that¡¯s true. And you¡¯re right too, a good marriage can make a big difference. He almost became a real Astros, did you know that? But Nidemus married him off to one of his distant nieces¡ªvery distant. So he can¡¯t even say he¡¯s a proper Astros, and he isn¡¯t climbing any higher. ¡°House Astros told him that¡¯s as far as he¡¯s getting. How nice would it be if his little girl ended up a Helios? That¡¯s why he wants the marriage, Ba¡¯an. He didn¡¯t care before my adoption. His assets outstrip mine. But if he can get a toehold into House Helios? I can¡¯t imagine how powerful he¡¯d be with better connections. I¡¯d just be a steppingstone and he¡¯d get rid of me if I got in the way.¡± He leaned away and shook his head. He continued, keeping his voice low. ¡°I don¡¯t want to play power games. If you stick your head out, someone¡¯s going to cut it off. I don¡¯t want to be a play piece anymore. I¡¯d rather just live quietly in comfort and die in anonymity. Does that make sense?¡± It did. Ba¡¯an also wished for a quiet life. He looked concerned about eavesdroppers. Lukios glanced toward the door, then shuffled closer to her on the bed. ¡°Do not worry, Lukios.¡± Ba¡¯an tilted her head and listened. The closest souls felt like ants. The nearest human soul was down the hall, too far to eavesdrop. ¡°There is no one listening from the hall or the servant¡¯s passage.¡± He gave a low whistle. ¡°Gods. That is so damn useful. Is this a witch thing or is this a Ba¡¯an thing?¡± ¡°It is a ¡®Ba¡¯an thing¡¯, though some powerful witches can do the same. Not all, but some of them.¡± ¡°Ha. That¡¯s what it was.¡± He shook his head. ¡°I wondered how you never seemed surprised, no matter where I popped up from.¡± ¡°My apologies. I will try to look¡­surprised.¡± He snickered, shaking his head. ¡°Nah. Don¡¯t worry about it. But how about it? Let¡¯s just get married and everyone else can just fuck off. We¡¯ll grow olive trees until we¡¯re sick of seeing green.¡± She swallowed. ¡°But Lukios¡­¡± ¡°If you¡¯re going to say, ¡®I¡¯m an abomination,¡¯ you can stop right there. Seriously. Don¡¯t care. I¡¯m a stupid outlander, remember? I don¡¯t give two shits about that stuff.¡± ¡°But¡­Lukios¡­¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Eat souls. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. ¡°I¡­¡± He waited, very patiently. ¡°I¡­¡± It was very simple. She only had to say, ¡®I eat souls,¡¯ but the words would not squeeze past her throat. She shut her mouth again. ¡°You can tell me whatever you want, Ba¡¯an. Really. Anything at all¡ªor nothing at all. Doesn¡¯t matter.¡± He shrugged. ¡°You can keep all your witchy secrets, too. Don¡¯t care.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°You actually planning to feed me to your plants?¡± ¡°What? No. Lukios, that is very silly.¡± Blood made very poor fertilizer. ¡°See? No problem whatsoever. Let¡¯s get married.¡± ¡°But¡­Lukios. You are a Helios now. Will they not object?¡± Surely they had not adopted him for fun? He started to laugh. ¡°Oh, Ba¡¯an. They can fuck right off. I¡¯m not a proper Helios and they didn¡¯t even want me. Rekos¡ª¡± He sobered. ¡°Rekos did that on his own. And now he''s dead. So no, there¡¯s no one to impress.¡± ¡°I am sorry, Lukios.¡± ¡°Why? It¡¯s not your fault he died. And it¡¯s true¡ªthere¡¯s no one to impress anymore, so why the fuck not? Let¡¯s get married. It¡¯ll piss ¡®em right off. It¡¯ll be fun. It¡¯ll be great.¡± She worried her lip between her teeth. Perhaps he did not have to know. Synoros was a rural estate. If Ba¡¯an flew out once a week to hunt, then¡­ No, no. Lies made poor fertilizer as well. But¡ª No. She was being selfish. She ought to just¡­tell him now¡­and then¡­ ¡°Ba¡¯an?¡± She fidgeted, torn and tormented. If she went with him¡ª She would not have to die alone, withering in the sun and sand. She could be happy, for however long she lived. She blinked rapidly, throat suddenly closing. Lukios¡¯ eyebrows drew together, and she knew he had missed nothing. ¡°Sweetheart?¡± ¡°I¡­must think on this, Lukios.¡± He nodded. ¡°Right. Right. There¡¯s no rush or anything. Take your time. I mean, things are still kind of a mess so nothing¡¯s going to happen until this whole thing with suddenly not being dead is resolved, but I¡¯m just saying¡­it¡¯s an option. I mean you can still stay with me if you don¡¯t want to get married but I was just thinking if you were going to stay with me anyway and I don¡¯t really want to play politics with my marriage either so why not just kill two birds with one stone? And you know, Ba¡¯an, I really, really meant what I said, and I promise I won¡¯t um, abuse you or beat you or whatever else in case you were worried about outlander tempers and¡ª" She held up her hand. ¡°Lukios. Calm yourself.¡± She fixed him with a look. ¡°I am not worried you will abuse me. You cannot, in any case. Do not forget what I am.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t. I mean, I won¡¯t.¡± ¡°I will not abuse you also. And I will not use my magic on you unless¡­it is to save your life.¡± His mouth twitched into a smile. ¡°Ah ha. I thought you did something. I mean it¡¯s not normal to wake up feeling so damn fantastic after nearly dying. I¡¯m not complaining, I¡¯d rather be alive than dead, but yeah, it would be nice if you didn¡¯t toss your magic around willy-nilly. Um, I¡¯d rather you didn¡¯t enchant me, either.¡± He looked at her. ¡°You didn¡¯t, right? I mean¡­I don¡¯t think you did but¡­¡± She scowled. Now she was insulted. ¡°Oh, there we go. I guess you didn¡¯t. Um, never mind. Don¡¯t scowl so much, Ba¡¯an, your face¡¯ll get stuck that way. Well, it¡¯s cute and all, but if your face has to be stuck someway, I¡¯d prefer the smile or the nose wrinkle.¡± Her scowl deepened. ¡°Aw, Ba¡¯an. Don¡¯t be like that.¡± He swooped in and kissed her on the mouth. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be caught dead seducing a filthy outlander, I know, I know. It was just a thought. I don¡¯t usually blurt them out but it¡¯s just so easy to talk and talk with you.¡± Ba¡¯an tilted her head so she could glare at him. ¡°Lies. You talk and talk to anyone and anything, including the wall. You love the sound of your own voice.¡± He started to laugh. ¡°No, no, Ba¡¯an, I don¡¯t,¡± he said, wheezing, ¡°I really don¡¯t. I¡¯ve learned to keep my mouth shut. But I¡¯ve gotten careless in my five months with you.¡± He kissed her again, and she softened, just a little. He tucked his head in the space between her neck and shoulder and sighed. ¡°Ba¡¯an I really, really want you to stay. I¡¯m going to be so miserable without you, even if it is just two months or so. I mean, I¡¯ll see you in two months and then what? See you again in another two or three months? I¡¯ll go crazy. I can¡¯t.¡± He ran his hands down her back, stroking her in a way that made her sigh and tip her head back. ¡°See? You¡¯ll miss me too.¡± He began peppering her throat with little kisses. When she relaxed, he lay her onto her back, leaning over her on the bed. ¡°You will, won¡¯t you? Miss me?¡± ¡°Mmm¡­¡± She shut her eyes, enjoying the feel of his hands and mouth on her skin. ¡°Ba¡¯aaaaan.¡± He kissed her clavicle, tracing the contour of her bones lightly with his tongue. ¡°You should say so. You¡¯ll miss me.¡± ¡°Mmm¡­perhaps.¡± ¡°Oh, that is so mean.¡± He began to tease her in earnest, kissing and nibbling at her throat and touching her sweetly until she was panting. He drew away. ¡°Ba¡¯aaaan. You should be more honest with yourself. I know you¡¯ll miss me, so you should just say so.¡± He ran his hand up her inner thigh, stopping just before he reached the dark thatch of curls between her legs. ¡°Come on, Ba¡¯an. Say you¡¯ll miss me too much. You¡¯ll stay with me, right?¡± She looked up at him before slowly reaching up and cupping his cheek in her palm. ¡°I will miss you, Lukios. But,¡± she fixed him with a hard look, ¡°do not rush me into promising you this. You agreed you would wait.¡± He closed his eyes and gave a self-deprecating little huff. ¡°Okay, you caught me.¡± He kissed her palm. ¡°But Ba¡¯an, I really mean it. Even if we don¡¯t get married you don¡¯t have to worry about other women or whatever. I mean, I¡¯m twenty-eight and unmarried. That¡¯s not a coincidence. I just¡­I¡¯ve been putting it off on purpose, but Ba¡¯an, I think we could grow old and happy together. Wouldn¡¯t that be nice? You can tell me to stop asking stupid questions until we¡¯re both gray and doddering. Fun, right?¡± She stilled. Old and happy together. Old. Ba¡¯an would not live to get old. She could hear Tik-Tak Mal¡¯uk laughing, somewhere deep inside her. She bound it tighter, but it did nothing to stop its mockery, its sublime amusement. ¡°Ba¡¯an? What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Nothing. Nothing is wrong.¡± No. This was wrong. She looked at Lukios again, remembering what Merida had said. Was he really that wild for her? This was cruel, then. Inhuman, even. Selfish. Why could she not simply let him go? What was wrong with her? ¡°Ba¡¯an. I really, really wish you wouldn¡¯t do that. I said something. What did I say? Just¡­can¡¯t you just tell me how I¡¯ve upset you?¡± ¡°You have not upset me.¡± ¡°Ba¡¯an. Come on. I can¡¯t fix it if you don¡¯t tell me what¡¯s wrong.¡± ¡°You have not. It is not you. It is¡­a personal difficulty.¡± ¡°A ¡®personal difficulty¡¯? That¡¯s not really helpful, Ba¡¯an.¡± She forced herself to face him. He was frowning slightly, peering into her face as though he would find his answers if he gazed into her deeply enough. ¡°It is not something you should worry about.¡± After all, there was nothing he could do about decisions she had made years before meeting him. There were only consequences now, and Ba¡¯an would have to pay them. He flopped down beside her and pulled her closer, burying his face into her hair. ¡°You really like your secrets, Ba¡¯an.¡± He tipped her head back so he could look her in the eyes. ¡°Okay. I get it. I mean, I can¡¯t make you trust me, Ba¡¯an. I don¡¯t like it but that¡¯s just how it is, and I know I¡¯m just some outlander you picked up off the road five months ago. I¡­get it. I don¡¯t like it, but I get it.¡± He sighed softly, stirring errant strands of her hair as he did so. ¡°I know you don¡¯t believe me when I say stuff like this, but Ba¡¯an, I promise: I will always come back for you, and I won¡¯t betray you. Not with another woman, or over anything else. I swear. And I¡¯ll wait for you.¡± ¡°Wait?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± He kissed her gently on the nose and pulled away. ¡°I¡¯ll wait until you¡¯re ready.¡± He pulled her into his arms. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Go ahead and turtle all you want. I¡¯ll be here. I¡¯ll wait.¡± Chapter Twenty-seven: Complications, Part I They had gone to sleep after that. Or more accurately, Lukios had gone to sleep after that, holding her tenderly but tightly, pressing her snugly against him beneath the blankets. Her head rested in the crook of his shoulder so his every breath stirred the hair on her head, tickling her cheek and forehead. Ba¡¯an lay in his arms, thoughts turning and tumbling as she watched him in the dark, gently caressing him where her hand rested over his hip. Lukios did not have another woman, and he wished to marry her. The smile grew over her face with a life of its own. She could not stop it¡ªnor did she wish to. Lukios did not have another woman, and he wished to marry her. She pressed her forehead against his chest, listening to his heart beating slow and steady as a drum. It was difficult to breathe through the lightness beneath her ribs, the heady joy of knowing he wanted her as his wife. Ba¡¯an had been wrong. He did not have another woman, and he did not wish her to be his concubine. Wife. She had never been happier to have been wrong about something. Ba¡¯an kissed him right over his heart, very softly. He stirred, but did not wake, and she smiled and did it again, gently stroking his belly and hip with the tips of her fingers. His skin was warm and soft, though she could feel the hard muscle beneath as his chest moved up and down, up and down with each breath. Everything smelled of him now, and she thought it better than anything; nothing from the kitchen could smell so enticing, and there was no flower in the desert or anywhere else that was sweeter. She curled toward him, focusing on the sound of his heart beating beneath his ribs, the bright hum of his soul pulsing through her in time with a single word: Mine. Mine. Mine. If they wed, he would be. She would be his, and he would be hers, and¡­ And¡­ It was impossible. She closed her eyes, struggling to hold onto her joy, but it slipped away from her, as it always did when her good sense took over. The same thoughts had been swirling for hours now, pushing her to the very heights of euphoria then back down again, deep down into a dark chasm of despair. Up and down. Up and down. Up and down. She was exhausted now, but she could not stop. If she wed him, they would be together until she died. They would lie together like this every night, warm and cozy, full of affection and contentment. Every night, and in the day they would smile and laugh together as they had in the desert, but better, because Synoros was full of water and trees, full of life. And Ba¡¯an would ruin it with her presence. She was a danger to anything that breathed, anything with a soul. No, no. She could¡ªshe could fly out, couldn¡¯t she? Just once a week, maybe less, even, if she managed to consume something large, like a wild strifa or a cliff-cat or¡­or¡­ Lies. She would have to tell him more lies. Continuously, every day¡ª Where¡¯d you disappear to, sweetheart? Ah, only the desert, my love. It is nothing! I have only been devouring souls. No need for alarm. No. How long before he noticed something was wrong with her? Lukios was not stupid. Eventually he would realize she was risking them both by transforming and flying away, only to come back without a word about where she¡¯d gone or what she¡¯d done. He would attempt to follow her, or he would press her, and then¡­ She shuddered, pushing her face against his chest and burrowing beneath the blanket. Perhaps she would die before he discovered her trickery. Then he could¡­simply¡­mourn her and move on, perhaps marry a pretty Dolkoi¡¯ri girl¡ª No. The thought came hard and fast, full of fury. No! Ba¡¯an tightened her grip on his hip, fingers digging into his skin as she clung to him. She was being greedy. She knew this was only greed, ugly and naked, full of jealousy, but¡ª No. No. She could not bear it now, the thought of him forgetting her for someone young and pretty once she was gone. Even the barest suggestion of him looking at another the way he looked at Ba¡¯an, eyes warm and tender as he touched her in the dark¡ª Unbearable. It was unbearable. Lukios made a sleepy little noise and shifted, and she forced herself to loosen her grip. She had not meant to hurt him or disturb him; she smoothed her fingers over the spot where she had clutched him, making a low, soothing noise until he settled again. Mine. Mine. Mine. No, no. This was¡ªthis was all wrong. Something was wrong with her. Ba¡¯an swallowed thickly. She really had gone mad. Being all alone in the desert with only the sun and sand, living like some wild animal instead of a witch or even a woman, had run her mad. Utterly mad. But the thought of Lukios forgetting her¡ªor even worse, rejecting her, his affection going sour¡ªah, ancestors. It was a knife in her throat. It made her lungs rattle when she breathed. She would not be able to take it. She would not. She would¡ªshe would¡ª If she took him now, he would be hers. Forever. With a sharp gasp of shock, she jerked away from him, hard enough so she tumbled off the edge of the bed. She landed badly on her back, the breath going from her lungs at the impact so she could not even cry out. She lay on the ground, only managing a pathetic little wheeze. Lukios rose instantly, leaping off the bed before he was even fully awake. She could see the moment he came to himself, movement slowing as his head turned toward her, taking in the sight of her on the floor. When he spoke he sounded confused. ¡°Ba¡¯an? You okay? What happened?¡± He looked around again, slower this time, taking in the empty corners, the shuttered window and closed doors. The tension bled slowly from his frame as he knelt beside her on the floor, reaching down to help her up. She noticed he was keeping himself between her and the window, as if someone really was about to leap out from the shadows. Gods above and below. What had possessed her? Where had the thought even come from? She forced herself to sit up before he could touch her, moving away. Lukios¡¯ frown deepened. ¡°Sweetheart?¡± Now he sounded uncertain as well as confused. Nervous. ¡°I¡ªI had a bad dream.¡± One more lie for the pyre. ¡°It is well.¡± And another. He reached out for her and she forced herself to still. Her skin was crawling with disgust¡ªat herself. But it would hurt him if she moved away again. Once was excusable¡ªI was only disturbed, it is nothing¡ªbut twice? No. He would pry, or he would retreat, injured by her rejection. ¡°You don¡¯t look so good.¡± He picked her up and carried her back to the bed, setting her down on the mattress before gently tucking an errant strand of hair behind her ear. He was peering into her face, though she was certain it was too dark for him to see her expression. He reached up and touched her cheek with just the tips of his fingers. Perhaps he could see her expression. ¡°Must¡¯ve been some nightmare. Wait here. I¡¯ll get you something to drink.¡± He stood and shifted off the bed, walking to the little stand against the wall. It was a stone stand half his height with a flat, circular top, and it held a washing bowl and a pitcher of water. Lukios made a little noise of consternation in his throat. ¡°No cups. Right. I¡¯ll be back.¡± Ba¡¯an opened her mouth to stop him, but then closed it again. No, it would be better if he left the room. She could not trust herself with him now. Not now. The back of her mouth tasted sour, like bile. ¡°Yes,¡± she said instead. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Anything you want, sweetheart. Want a snack, too? Bet you¡¯re hungry.¡± ¡°I¡ªyes. That would¡­help. Thank you.¡± She saw the white flash of his teeth in the dark. Smiling again. Good. He walked back to her and kissed her forehead. ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Ba¡¯an sat quietly on the bed, watching him dress then disappear into the servant¡¯s passage. Once he was gone she wrapped the blanket around herself, trying to keep her belly from rioting. Gods. Gods. How could she think such a thing? Where had the thought come from? What had possessed her to¡ª Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha¡ª Every fiber of her being stilled as she listened. It was quiet at first, like the first ring of a distant bell as the hunters returned at dawn, but then it grew louder and louder until it was more like a drum, filling her head until it was pounding. It swelled like rolling thunder until it drowned out the sound of her own pulse, filling her with dread. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Haha. Hahah. Hahahahahahaha¡ª! It was Tik-tak Mal¡¯uk. And it was laughing. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
The night air was cold, but Ba¡¯an only pulled her shawl tighter around her shoulders and continued walking. The garden still smelled of water and dirt, blooming flowers and fresh rushes, but her racing heart refused to calm. Still, she wandered through the green in the dark, feet loud on the cobblestones. There were no torches, but the moon and stars stained everything in a faint, silver glow; she could even see the water in the fountain glisten, as if the moon was just a colder, smaller sun. The creature had gone silent inside her, but she could still feel its amusement at her terror. It felt slick and oily, heavy with malice; she felt ill all over again. She had to do something about the thing, whatever it was. Ba¡¯an sat on the lip of the fountain, letting her fingers dip into the cool water. Its uncaring serenity was soothing in its own way, and she focused, centering herself around its rhythmic splashing and burbling. The chill of the water kept her alert. She folded into herself, poking and prodding the cage she¡¯d built around the not-spirit thing. It was still caught. Utterly tangled in her weave, bound tight by her power. Do not blame me for your own desires, abomination. I have been sitting here very quietly, trapped and wretched. No. Tik-tak Mal¡¯uk was a creature of lies and trickery, trickery and lies. Illusions. But¡­ It was true. It was still held tight, with nowhere to go. It could curse at her, laugh at her, rail against its bonds¡ªbut it was still caught. Ba¡¯an swallowed, feeling even worse. You have only yourself to blame, it mocked, Maho-ska. Be silent, creature. Her rebuke only rolled off it the way rain did off an oiled leather tent. As you command, it said, sounding not at all cowed. I would never dare disobey the mighty Stormcrow. Yes, it was mocking her, with no small amount of glee. Ba¡¯an felt the frown forming even as she sharpened her focus to a fine razor¡¯s edge. She would gut it. Now. Before it became a problem. She began to tighten its cage, to keep it from wriggling away at the last moment. Tik-tak Mal¡¯uk was oddly complacent; it seemed perfectly relaxed, though surely it understood what she was doing? No matter. Ba¡¯an began to squeeze, seeking its edges so she could unravel its soul. The creature was oddly slippery, like a cave newt. Whenever she thought she found an edge, her power simply slipped off it, as if it was made of something slick and glassy. Ba¡¯an tried again and again, frustration mounting while Tik-tak Mal¡¯uk only chuckled. Do you require assistance, oh mighty Stormcrow? She ignored it. Ah, but that is a filthy outlander name. Do you require assistance, abomination? Perhaps she did not have enough power. She would need her coat, but it would be risky to wear it now, surrounded by Dolkoi¡¯ri as she was. Could she slip away? She checked its bindings again. It was still bound, going nowhere. If she left in two days, she could deal with it on the road, in privacy, risking no one. Yes, that was likely the best plan. It was not dangerous as it was now, merely annoying, and¡ª She turned her head toward the gate, suddenly tense as a familiar soul walked through it. Why was Nikias returning to the estate now? It was deep into the night now, so deep that even the servants were sleeping. Dawn would come in a few scant hours. ¡­Where had he been? Tik-tak Mal¡¯uk seemed to slither away again, but Ba¡¯an was far too distracted, suddenly anxious for an entirely different reason. No. Surely not. His business likely had nothing to do with her. Nothing at all. Not¡ª He had stopped walking. Ba¡¯an could not see him from this distance in the dark, but she knew his face was turned in her direction, just as hers was turned in his. They were at an impasse. She had sensed him, and he knew it; he had sensed her too, and she knew it. She swallowed, but her mouth and throat were dry. My, my, said Tik-tak Mal¡¯uk, voice silky and full of poison, what a predicament. Why do you put yourself into these situations? Could it be that you¡¯re an idiot? It was enjoying itself intensely. She ignored its taunting. There was no time to respond anyway¡ªNikias was coming. He was walking in her direction, though he was flanked by two men whose souls she hardly recognized. They had been in the estate, though she had not met them. She pulled her fingers out of the water and waited, tugging her shawl tighter around her shoulders against the cold. The air was chillier than it had been, and her hair, which she had left loose, fluttered gently in the wind, lightly slapping her cheeks. Calm. Serenity. Ba¡¯an was a witch. Nikias was only a half-breed outlander. Calm. Serenity. Hahahahahahah¡ª! She ignored it. Nikias could not have possibly guessed what she was. There was no reason to assume that she was the Stormcrow. Powerful witches could do what she had done at dinner; it was rare, but not impossible. Ba¡¯an had learned that trick when she was thirteen. No, he could not possibly know. Ba¡¯an only had to remain calm. That was all. He had his hood up, but he pulled it down as he approached, stopping at what she thought must be an appropriate distance. Nikias struck her as very polite, very proper. She imagined he must be very polite and proper even when he ordered an execution. He inclined his head respectfully. ¡°Lady Ba¡¯an. Good¡­¡± he glanced pointedly at the moon, which was low in the sky, ¡°¡­morning.¡± ¡°Sir Nikias. Good morning to you.¡± ¡°Are you well? It is quite the early hour for a stroll. If you need anything, you need only ask.¡± ¡°No, no. I was only¡­restless. I did not wish to disturb anyone by pacing¡­inside.¡± ¡°Ah, I see. Hypnos has passed over your bedroom, then. It happens at times.¡± Hypnos. Perhaps that was a Dolkoi¡¯ri god or spirit. Nikias looked K¡¯Avaari, but he was an outlander through and through. That much was becoming clearer with each conversation. He was still speaking. ¡°Perhaps some tea? Our cures are not quite so effective as yours, but they often suit well-enough.¡± His words were perfectly courteous, but his men had flanked her. If she ran straight ahead, she would barrel into Nikias. If she ran left or right? His men. If she ran backwards¡ªthe fountain. She was trapped. ¡°It is well. I will return shortly. I am only enjoying the flowers. They are very soothing.¡± ¡°Ah. Yes, of course. Are there any that strike your fancy? You need only say.¡± Was this a trap of some kind? ¡°They are all very beautiful. I like the white ones.¡± She pointed. ¡°I do not know what they are called, but they look similar to nau¡¯tha.¡± ¡°Ah. Yes, they should.¡± Nikias walked to the flower bed and plucked a handful then returned, handing them to her. The flowers looked almost exactly like nau¡¯tha, but the petals were larger, whiter than the moon. They smelled almost identical, their scent being only a shade richer than that of their scrappy blue counterparts. What could she do? Decline? No. That would be rude. She took them, refusing to show her discomfort. ¡°They are a hybrid, developed here in Kyros. We call them night bloom as well. Would you like some seeds to take back? They grow well in half-shade, though they will need more water than nau¡¯tha.¡± A hybrid. Dolkoi¡¯ri were breeding K¡¯Avaari plants now? Did Nikias know what nau¡¯tha was for? Well, of course he did. That was precisely why they had done it¡ªcreated night bloom that could be grown away from the desert. Did it work exactly, or did the dosing change? Now Ba¡¯an was conflicted. The smile on his face was very kindly, but she did not trust it. At all. ¡°That is very thoughtful of you to offer, but¡­it is not necessary. You and sir Gaios have been very generous already.¡± ¡°It is you who are generous, lady Ba¡¯an. You have returned to us our most precious friend.¡± He glanced toward the estate. ¡°We would be pleased to host your escort as well. They need not stay with the caravans.¡± He turned back to her and smiled his pleasant smile again. Oh no. Oh no. Of course he had noticed. Nikias was dangerous, like a still lake with a raging undertow running just beneath the surface. Foolish. Ba¡¯an had been foolish. Unutterably foolish. ¡°It is not needed, but thank you for the offer.¡± It was best to keep information minimal. Ba¡¯an did not know how much he had guessed, but he would glean nothing from her carelessness. ¡°If you wish. Please, allow me to escort you back inside. It has grown chilly.¡± She shook her head. Ba¡¯an had no intention of allowing him to escort her anywhere. She needed to end this conversation. Quickly. ¡°Thank you, but it is well. I wish to sit beside the fountain a little longer. It is very soothing.¡± ¡°Ah, of course. If that is your wish.¡± He gestured to one of his men who took his place just behind her, standing as unobtrusively as possible. He was nearly as tall as Lukios, but had dark hair and a nose that had been broken at least once. It listed to the right. Whoever had hit him had been right-handed. ¡°Iphram will escort you back or bring you whatever you may need. You need only ask.¡± It seemed she could not refuse. ¡°I¡­see. Thank you.¡± ¡°You are most wel¡ª¡± ¡°Hey, you two!¡± Firelight splashed onto the courtyard from the open door of the kitchen. Lukios gave a cheerful wave, then began to walk toward them. He was holding a jug with two cups stacked on top of its mouth, the handle hanging from his fingers. A bowl was gripped in the same hand, hugged snugly in his palm. ¡°You having a moonlit picnic without me? That¡¯s cold. Seriously.¡± He shook his head, tut-tutting as he approached. ¡°Not at all,¡± said Nikias, very smoothly. ¡°I just happened upon our guest while returning from some business. I am only ensuring she is well.¡± ¡°Yeah? Thanks, Nik. Want some wine?¡± Nikias raised a very elegant eyebrow. ¡°Thank you for the offer, but no. My bed has been calling to me all night.¡± ¡°Ha, that so? Well, better get yourself to it, then. Goodnight, Niki!¡± At Niki, Nikias¡¯ mouth turned down into a frown, and he shot Lukios a frosty glare. Lukios only smiled wider, blithely unaffected as his teeth flashed white and hard in the moonlight. Wisely, Nikias called a retreat. ¡°Goodnight, Lukios. Lady Ba¡¯an.¡± ¡°Goodnight, sir Nikias.¡± He inclined his head¡ªvery politely¡ªand left, his guards trailing behind him with torches. Ba¡¯an noted that their torches had burned low; she guessed that they had used the same torches to go to wherever they had gone and back, so that meant they had not travelled far. What had Nikias been up to, so deep into the night? It had not been a lover¡¯s rendezvous. Of this, she was certain. Lukios had gone silent, watching Nikias and his men leave with his back to her. Ba¡¯an stood, relieved at his interruption. She did not think Nikias or his men would have harmed her, but it was good that Lukios had chased them away before she made yet another mistake. She reached out and touched his arm, then blinked, surprised by how tense he was. Did he suspect Nikias of something as well? ¡°Lukios,¡± she started, and he turned to look at her. He was backlit by the moon, leaving his face in shadow. ¡°Had a nice chat with Niki?¡± Ba¡¯an felt her brow furrow, disturbed by his tone. The joviality was gone, replaced by something flat and cool. ¡°No,¡± she said. ¡°It was not nice.¡± There was a pause. ¡°Yeah?¡± He glanced at the night bloom in her hand. ¡°Why? Don¡¯t like the flowers he gave you?¡± She held them up to him, puzzled. Ba¡¯an had the feeling that she was missing something again. She could not understand why he seemed¡­upset. ¡°They are nau¡¯tha, but not. Nikias said they are hybrids.¡± She paused, then added, ¡°I did not realize your people bred ou¡ªK¡¯Avaari plants.¡± ¡°Guess you¡¯re real impressed, huh?¡± She frowned in earnest now, disturbed. ¡°No.¡± ¡°No?¡± He stepped forward and took the flowers from her, so she could finally see his face. He was upset; his mouth was turned down into a frown, brow creased. ¡°You two were looking real cozy.¡± The word cozy dropped hard and heavy like a stone from atop a gurti¡¯gi. Her mouth fell open. The noise that emerged sounded utterly appalled. ¡°Lukios. No. Nikias was questioning me.¡± ¡°What?¡± And now he sounded sincerely startled. Had he believed she and Nikias had been¡ª? Of all the foolish, idiotic, outrageous¡ª! ¡°Lukios,¡± she snapped, now angry herself, ¡°I was not dallying with Nikias. He was testing me. He¡­¡± she dropped her voice to a whisper, aware that there were servants about, roused by Lukios¡¯ greeting, ¡°¡­knows. Lukios, Nikias knows something. About me.¡± He sucked in a sharp breath. ¡°What?¡± Lukios glanced around as he came to her, putting his arm around her shoulder. The heat of his body was more than welcome in the chill of the coming dawn, and she shivered. He pulled her closer protectively and rubbed her arm through her shawl, touch tender. ¡°Let¡¯s get inside,¡± he said, voice low. ¡°Anyone around?¡± ¡°Yes. But Lukios, we have already been spotted. It does not matter.¡± He sighed softly. ¡°Right. Right. I was a tad loud. True. Still. Which way did you come out?¡± ¡°I followed the side corridor. It comes out over there.¡± She pointed toward the corner of the estate. It was very shaded and hidden, close to the high wall that shut the property off from others. He led her swiftly through the rows of plants, past the courtyard and the kitchen, all the way around the building until they came to a very small and nondescript door. This was clearly meant for the servants. Ba¡¯an listened, then nodded, and he reached for the handle. The door swung open. For some reason, Ba¡¯an had expected it to be locked, but that was silly; Ba¡¯an did not have a key, so she had left the door unlocked when she left. With how ludicrously late it was, who would come along and lock it? Still, it was a relief. It meant she had not been followed or watched. They made their way through the corridors as quietly as they could, Ba¡¯an focused on avoiding any souls. They were mostly asleep, but Lukios¡¯ boisterous greeting and venture had clearly roused someone; Ba¡¯an sensed one of the servants moving about downstairs in the kitchen, then settling. Everyone else appeared asleep, though Nikias¡­ Yes, he was in his room, though she did not think he was abed. Once they reached her bedroom, Lukios hustled her to the bed, having her sit against the wall away from the doors and window. She watched him secure the room, pushing the end table up against the door as she absently put a piece of bread in her mouth and chewed furiously. She was hungry, and the food soothed her, somewhat. Lukios tied the curtain over the servant¡¯s entrance closed, hooking the fabric through the handle and knotting it. Then he moved to the window, shuttering it. He rummaged through one of her bags for a spare shawl, and tied that through the handles of the shutters, securing it. Ba¡¯an did not think anyone would attack them, but refrained from commenting. Nikias only suspected her, surely. They had met that evening, at dinner, and he did not seem a rash man. He would not have needled her if he had already been certain. Once finished, he moved to sit beside her on the bed. ¡°Okay,¡± he said, finally. ¡°Start from the beginning. Tell me everything.¡± Ba¡¯an opened her mouth and spoke. ¡°I¡­used magic at dinner.¡± Chapter Twenty-eight: Complications, Part II ¡°I¡­used magic at dinner.¡± ¡°What? You what?¡± Lukios sounded completely flabbergasted. ¡°You were using magic at dinner? Why? Why would you need to¡ª? Why?¡± She looked down, immediately ashamed. There had been no good reason to do what she had. It had only been arrogance, arrogance and carelessness both. ¡°To see if Nikias is gifted. He is.¡± Very, though something was wrong with him. His soul was far too muted for someone who was so gifted and sensitive. Muted, and strangely¡­taut. It was a puzzle. He was attuned enough to have noticed her brush against his weave, but not so talented that he had recognized Ba¡¯an¡¯s for what it was. And he sounded so quiet; his song was not vibrant the way it should be if it was strong, though¡­perhaps he had a great deal of control. And yet, it had not felt as though he did. A puzzle. ¡°Gifted? You mean magic?¡± ¡°Yes. It is the magic that makes him ¡®spooky,¡¯ Lukios.¡± ¡°Okay. So he¡¯s got magic. Like a witch? But he¡¯s a man. I¡¯ve never even heard of a witch being a man. Ever.¡± ¡°Because they become shapers, Lukios.¡± And such would have been his fate, had he been born to a tribe. Perhaps he would have been given to the stone already. ¡°Oh. Okay. But still never heard of ¡®em.¡± Lukios paused. ¡°I always knew there was something, but I never guessed magic. But Herme¨ª¨¥s¡¯ balls. That explains a whole lot.¡± She blinked at him. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Well, he¡¯s real spooky, like I said. He just knows things, sometimes. And I¡¯m not talking stuff you learn from spies, I¡¯m talking stuff like¡­he just seems to know what you¡¯re thinking, sometimes. What you¡¯re planning. Guess he could be just real good at guessing, but...he¡¯s too good. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen him guess wrong. That¡¯s what Pitus meant: spooky.¡± Hm. Was Nikias actually trained? Magic ran in the blood, so perhaps Tii¡¯ka had been a witch. If she had stayed to raise him for a time then¡­had she taught him to make deals with spirits? That would explain why he knew so much: most people did not know when spirits were about. They made excellent spies. Perhaps he had a contract, though she had not sensed one. If not, perhaps he petitioned them when the need arose? Well. Tii¡¯ka was doubly a traitor then. It would not work on Ba¡¯an; no spirit would go near her. But that would signal that something was wrong, and if he asked one, asked one why it was avoiding her¡­ It would tell him. Tell him that she was annes¡¯tat¡ªan abomination. Would that be enough for him to guess she was the Stormcrow? The People did not speak freely of those who were annes¡¯tat, and even Ba¡¯an had not known much. The only things that were common knowledge were that those who broke the natural laws of the world became a thing, and that thing was so dangerous that spirits fled from it, so dangerous that no tribe had ever suffered an abomination to live. Until Ba¡¯an. And there were only records of what abominations had done. There were no chants or songs or inscriptions about how; such knowledge was es¡¯tat, struck from the memory of the shi-vuti and the People. No, what Ba¡¯an had done had been her own work, hers and Ul¡¯ma¡¯s. It had not been common knowledge. It had been a reconstruction and construction, guesses and conjectures brought to life slowly by cobbling together whatever she could find and filling in the gaps, and Ba¡¯an had¡­ She had not really known. She had not understood what it meant, truly, to do the thing she had until she had done it. Surely Nikias could not know what the Stormcrow was? He was only an outlander, though¡­ He was very knowledgeable, and Ba¡¯an had already underestimated him once. She put her knuckle into her mouth and bit down. Lukios made a noise of protest and tugged her hand away from her teeth and held it firmly in his own. ¡°Nuh-uh. No biting. Not unless it¡¯s the fun kind, and that is definitely not.¡± She turned her eyes up to him, blinking, and he only looked back at her, calm now. She reached up and cupped his cheek, chest heavy. Oh, this was very dangerous. It had been a mistake to come here, a mistake to meet Lukios¡¯ friends. Ba¡¯an did not fear for herself, for she could always simply fly away, but Lukios? Lukios had a life here, a life he could lose simply for his association with her. Ba¡¯an did not think his people would show him mercy if she was outed. It was not their way. She tugged her hand free and pressed her fingers to her temples, trying to soothe herself and think as she stared at the bed. She heard Lukios stand and then the clink of a cup being raised off a hard surface. ¡°Here. It¡¯s wine. Didn¡¯t really trust the water, sorry. Looked like it¡¯d been sitting.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± She took a sip, only then realizing how thirsty she was. She tipped her head back and drank all of it. Lukios filled her cup again and waited as she drained it. ¡°Better?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She shut her eyes and breathed. ¡°Nikias has magic. He noticed when I used it. I am sorry, Lukios. I did not think he would. He did not feel like a witch; his soul is¡­it is muted. Quiet. I thought he was like Vaa¡¯ti or Salu¡¯ka.¡± He took her hand again, this time to kiss her fingertips. Ba¡¯an felt her tension ease at the warm press of his lips against her skin, though the situation had not changed at all. Madness. It was all madness. When had he begun to affect her this way? Why had she allowed it? Her feelings had clouded her good sense. If she had exercised wisdom, he would not be in such danger now. Selfish. She was selfish. ¡°So when you do your witchy listening thing, he sounds¡­what, quieter than normal?¡± ¡°Yes. Like banging a drum with your hand on the skin.¡± ¡°Uh, is that good or bad?¡± ¡°I do not know. It depends on why he is muted.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± said Lukios slowly, ¡°so Niki has magic, but it makes him sound weird. And he knows you have magic. Is that bad? I mean, Nik¡¯s a busy man, and he¡¯s not real impressed by witches. Sorry, but it¡¯s true. He¡¯s pretty hard to impress all around, really. Why¡¯s he questioning you?¡± ¡°I am very powerful, Lukios. He was startled.¡± ¡°Oh. Okay. What did he say, exactly?¡± ¡°He¡­asked me if I was well. Then he¡­told me about the hybrid nau¡¯tha.¡± Her hand went to the flowers, which Lukios had tossed onto the bed. His eyes flicked to them and she saw a small frown wrinkle his brow. Lukios did not like the flowers. At all. ¡°Wait, that¡¯s it?¡± ¡°No. He said¡­my escort may stay here, rather than the caravan park. But I do not have an escort.¡± ¡°Oh. Fuck. Right. K¡¯Avaari don¡¯t travel alone. Basic. Shit.¡± ¡°Yes. Perhaps he has already checked to see if I had been accompanied by traders or hunters. He must know I was not.¡± ¡°Right. And that¡¯s really odd. Unheard of, even.¡± Lukios ran his hand through his hair. ¡°Oh. Oh.¡± ¡°Lukios?¡± ¡°Uh. Well. Here¡¯s some more bad news. He knows pretty much all the witches around here, that¡¯s true. He might be miffed you¡¯re not on his list. He likes his lists. Gets real out of sorts if he misses something.¡± Ba¡¯an tried to think. Nikias knew that she was a witch. He knew she was inordinately powerful. This had drawn his interest because¡­what, she was not on one of his lists? ¡°I do not understand what you mean. What list? What does it mean to be on his list?¡± ¡°Uh¡­I don¡¯t know for sure, but he¡¯s got lists for everything, and I mean everything. He¡¯s been in Kyros for a while now, trying to force it to be a real city and not a shithole. Kind of a losing battle, but Nik¡¯s weird that way. He wants a new trade route through the desert going all the way up north. House Helios has a chokehold over the Buk¨¢li so he decided House Astros¡¯ll have all the land routes. Crazy shit, I know.¡± ¡°The Buk¨¢li?¡± ¡°Uh¡­the sea, sweetheart. House Helios rules the waves now. Sort of. Long story.¡± ¡°House Helios controls the sea routes, so Nikias wishes to build roads into the desert?¡± ¡°Well, some, yeah. Not all the way through, I think. Mostly I think he¡¯s negotiating some waystations and the like for merchants.¡± He took one look at her expression and snorted. ¡°Don¡¯t give me that look. Wasn¡¯t my idea.¡± Lukios shrugged. ¡°He¡¯s gotten pretty friendly with that A¡¯tat of yours, I think. He¡¯s been to a few meetings, and he never forgets a face. He¡¯s probably twisting himself into knots, wondering why he¡¯s never seen or heard of you.¡± ¡°And¡­what will he do to find out, Lukios?¡± ¡°Um. Sorry sweetheart. More bad news, I guess. Nik gets what he wants, mostly. He¡¯ll probably send some messengers up asking about you. Would they tell him, do you think? That you¡¯re¡­you know.¡± She shook her head. ¡°No. He is an outlander, and I am their shame. It is not for outlanders to know or understand.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not a shame,¡± he snapped, and when she frowned at him, he added, very stubbornly, ¡°you¡¯re not. I hate it when you talk like that. Just hate it.¡± She sighed at him. ¡°Lukios.¡± ¡°What? It¡¯s true. They¡¯re ungrateful fuckers, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°We are getting off-topic, Lukios.¡± ¡°Yeah. But for the record, I really hate it when you talk like that. You¡¯re not a shame. No one should be ashamed. Fuckers.¡± Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°But it is to our advantage now. I do not believe they will tell him what I am. In fact, I do not believe they will acknowledge I exist. If he asks about a witch named Ba¡¯an, they will perhaps tell him of Sal-Vur¡¯na¡¯s salu-Ba¡¯an. She is dead and a dead-end both.¡± There was no Vala-Tu¡¯rin na Vir-Shak¡¯ti salu-Ba¡¯an. Not anymore. Ba¡¯an had been erased like she had never been. ¡°Okay. We just need a story that matches up, basically, right? So he doesn¡¯t dig any deeper. That¡¯s the trouble¡ªif he goes digging deeper.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Okay. This other Ba¡¯an. When did she die?¡± ¡°Before the war started. She was very old, Lukios.¡± ¡°Oh. Okay, that won¡¯t work then.¡± He perked up. ¡°How about this? We ran away together." ¡°Lukios. That is absurd.¡± ¡°What? Why? Come on. You can tell him you fell in love with me the moment you saw me. That¡¯ll work.¡± ¡°Lukios. You were half-dead and covered in blood.¡± ¡°Yeah? And?¡± ¡°Lukios. No.¡± ¡°Aw, come on Ba¡¯an. It¡¯ll work. We can say you, uh, went against your tribe and saved me. Then they kicked you out and crossed out your name. That happens, right? You witches aren¡¯t allowed to even flirt with filthy outlanders. And it explains why we came down alone, just the two of us. There. That¡¯s a nice, romantic story. People¡¯ll eat it up.¡± ¡°I do not believe it will work on Nikias.¡± ¡°Sure it will. He¡¯d never admit it but he does have a heart in there. Somewhere. You just have to dig a bit.¡± He paused, then added, ¡°Okay, more than a bit.¡± She looked at him curiously. ¡°You are good friends.¡± She had not expected this. ¡°Well, more like I¡¯m his only friend. Friend-friend. Not¡­you know, house-friend. Probably. He¡¯s a bit hard to take, honestly. Kinda finicky.¡± Lukios shrugged. ¡°Known him for¡­wow, eight years now. Yeah, we¡¯ve been in a few scrapes. Saved his life a few times¡ªfor free. So yeah, I¡¯d say we¡¯re friendly. He¡¯d swallow a horseshoe before he admitted it, though.¡± Ba¡¯an pondered on this revelation. Was it that Lukios was correct, or was he blinded by his own regard? What if Lukios believed Nikias to be his friend, but in truth the man was not? That would be doubly dangerous. She spoke past her hesitation. ¡°Lukios. Perhaps you ought not to trust Nikias. He is very¡­cold.¡± He began to laugh. ¡°Oh, sweetheart. Don¡¯t worry. I trust Niki to be Niki. All the time.¡± He grinned. ¡°My ma didn¡¯t raise a fool, sweetheart. Not a chance. He¡¯s a noble through and through, and they¡¯re all crazier than a bag full of flea-bitten cats.¡± ¡°But¡­you trust he will believe I ran away because we fell in love? That is a very silly story, Lukios.¡± He shrugged, expression oddly flat. Was he upset again? ¡°I am not saying it is a terrible idea,¡± she said, trying to appease him, ¡°only that Nikias will not believe it. He understands the shi-vuti. He will not be fooled.¡± ¡°It worked for his ma,¡± he said, and Ba¡¯an''s jaw dropped of its own volition. ¡°What?¡±
It was an utterly bizarre story. Utterly bizarre. ¡°Well,¡± Lukios was saying, ¡°Niki¡¯s real closed-mouthed about it. I was real shocked when he brought it up at dinner. Usually he pretends he¡¯s all Illosian, you know? But yeah. There were rumours. His da brought his ma over as a concubine, and she was already real pregnant with him when he did. He gave her wife rights even though he already had a wife, and uh¡­let¡¯s say his actual wife was real mad when he had a statue of his mistress put up in the courtyard. It was a big scandal. Real big. House Astros nearly split down the middle.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Anyway, she disappeared right before I met him. So¡ªobviously¡ªI never met her myself, but he was real broken up about it. Well, that¡¯s the story. They fell in love while Nidemus was on some diplomatic trip and the deal fell through ¡®cause they ran back here together. So it¡¯s not as ridiculous as you think, Ba¡¯an. And it¡¯d tug his heartstrings, I think.¡± He paused. ¡°Or enrage him. One of those.¡± Ba¡¯an filled her wine glass and drank it all down at once. ¡°Uh¡­sweetheart¡­¡± She refilled it and did it again. ¡°You¡­okay?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°Was she a witch, Lukios?¡± ¡°Dunno. I heard she was real strict though. Scary, even.¡± Ba¡¯an sighed. If it had ruined a diplomatic mission, it was very likely that she had been a witch. No tribe would be so put out by a gatherer taking up with an outlander. Was it still es¡¯tat? Yes. Would anyone care? No. Well, not quite. The tribe would care, but not enough to ruin a diplomatic venture. If anything, it was possible the high-vuti would consider it a sacrifice on her part, to ensure all things proceeded smoothly. Gatherers rarely knew secrets, and there were many in a tribe. How much harm could it do? Not very much. But witches were a different story altogether. ¡°Uh¡­is it really that bad?¡± ¡°It is es¡¯tat.¡± ¡°Oh, come on. Not that shit again.¡± He rolled his eyes. ¡°I know your people get all ruffled about it, but Ba¡¯an. I thought you¡¯d agree it¡¯s not so bad.¡± ¡°It is es¡¯tat for a reason, Lukios. Several reasons. Good reasons.¡± Like the fact that a child born of a witch would likely be gifted, and such gifts were not meant for outlanders. Nikias was living proof of the very trouble such laws tried to avoid. Ugh. A mess. This was a mess. ¡°But¡­we¡¯re¡­¡± ¡°I am no longer a witch, Lukios. I am no longer one of the People. It does not matter.¡± And Ba¡¯an took suk every morning, though she doubted she could carry a child to term even without it. ¡°Well, okay. I¡¯m not complaining. Definitely not.¡± He poured himself some wine and drank it, then refilled it and drained it again. She sighed again. ¡°No matter. I do not believe it is worth the risk. What will he do if he is enraged?¡± ¡°Throw a hissy fit, I guess.¡± ¡°Lukios.¡± ¡°What? Who cares if he gets mad? He just has to buy it. If we get him where it hurts, he¡¯ll stop digging, and that¡¯s the whole point.¡± Well, there was a certain ruthless emotional logic to it. Humans did tend to avoid pain and seek pleasure, yes. If Ba¡¯an reminded him of his mother, would he begin to avoid her? ¡°Are you certain you are friends?¡± ¡°Yup. Don¡¯t worry, sweetheart. I¡¯m nicer to him than he is to me.¡± He beamed at her. ¡°Think of it as payback for harassing you by the fountain. That fucker. The nerve, I swear.¡± He picked up the bundle of nau¡¯tha on her bed with an expression of disgust, mouth twisting. ¡°Seriously. You¡¯re not keeping these, are you?¡± He tossed them over his shoulder, where they sailed until they hit the wall and landed in a scattered mess on the floor. ¡°Lukios.¡± ¡°Also, he¡¯s married. Really married. Seriously married. Just so you know.¡± She had not guessed this, mostly because she did not care. At all. Though come to think of it, Nikias did not wear a ring. How odd. Was this not an outlander custom? ¡°Lukios. This is serious. If he discovers what I am, you will be in most danger.¡± He sobered immediately. ¡°I know it¡¯s serious. But Ba¡¯an, you need to stop thinking you can just fly away.¡± His voice dropped lower. ¡°Guess you haven¡¯t heard, but the unit compositions all changed after the war. Every unit has archers and slingers now. Every one. For a while it was a standing order for the militia to shoot down any crows that got near the city walls. They only rescinded it because people started to complain about all the animals getting into the dead birds. You need to be careful, sweetheart. Real careful.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± She had not known this. ¡°Yeah. So we both need to be real sneaky, else we¡¯re going to end up wishing we were dead. Crucifixion is a nasty way to go, but¡­¡± he trailed off, looking very disturbed by something. ¡°Never mind. If it comes to that I¡¯ll¡­¡± ¡°Lukios?¡± ¡°Nothing¡¯ll happen to you, sweetheart. I swear it.¡± His expression had gone very grim. ¡°Lukios. What are you planning?¡± ¡°Nothing for now.¡± He reached out and cupped her face in his hands, kissing her gently. ¡°I¡¯m just saying¡­if it comes to that I¡¯ll get you out. No matter what. That¡¯s all.¡± She frowned at him. ¡°I was concerned for you. I will be well.¡± ¡°Oh, sweetheart.¡± He kissed her mouth, pulling her close so they were pressed together. His heat seeped into her though their clothes, and she let herself sag onto him. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. Always am.¡± He dropped a kiss on the top of her head. ¡°I have a habit of landing on my feet, somehow. So worry about you.¡± She sighed at him again, though not in exasperation this time. She found herself stroking his chest through his clothes, very slowly. ¡°But Lukios, it is very risky. If he is very well-informed, then¡­it has only been five months. He should have met me or heard of me already, unless he has only begun friendly overtures inside those five months. But I am sure he did not. It has been years, has it not?¡± ¡°True. Ah, fuck. Yeah, that¡¯s true. He would have met you if you were a sitting witch in the last five years. And he would have heard of anything scandalous by now, too. He¡¯s got a nose for that sort of thing. Ah, damn. Okay, so maybe¡­ugh. It¡¯s those five missing years. That¡¯s the problem.¡± He snapped his fingers. ¡°Okay, new idea. Tell the truth. But in the most useless way possible.¡± ¡°I do not understand.¡± ¡°Well, we¡¯ll tell him you were banished, but we won¡¯t tell him why. Not the truth, anyway. That¡¯ll explain away those missing years. It¡¯ll explain everything, except how you fixed me by yourself. I mean, I¡¯m pretty big, and you¡¯re¡­you¡¯re real tiny. I don¡¯t think you could move me without your, uh, other talents.¡± Ah. ¡°Exile is very serious. There are few crimes that would merit such a thing, especially if one is a witch.¡± Ba¡¯an closed her eyes, thinking. What crime could she have committed to earn banishment, but not death? ¡°Uh¡­what if you murdered someone?¡± ¡°Execution.¡± ¡°Oh. Even if you¡¯re a witch? I mean¡­around here we just banish the rich murderers. The poor ones get to labour in mines until they die, unless they¡¯re already slaves. Then, uh, they get fed to animals while people watch.¡± Ah. ¡°Perhaps if it was an unusual murder. Something with sympathetic motivation.¡± Ba¡¯an had not often sat in on such meetings; the judgement of crime and punishment was the realm of the chief¡¯s circle, and Ul''ma had been the one who gave counsel as a member of the shi-vuti. ¡°Okay. What if you killed a guy who gave bad orders?¡± ¡°Bad orders? Witches are not given¡­orders. We¡ªthey give orders.¡± ¡°Okay, but¡­during the war, the A¡¯tat made some bad calls. Some really rotten ones.¡± Ba¡¯an stared at him blankly. ¡°Um. Like¡­you know, adopting all the slaves. That was a bad idea.¡± She felt her eyebrows tilt downward despite her best efforts. ¡°Uh¡­you know what? Never mind. I said nothing at all!¡± ¡°I will pretend you said nothing,¡± she agreed flatly, and he turned his face to the side with a sheepish little cough. ¡°Right! Right. I didn¡¯t say a thing. About that.¡± ¡°Perhaps I should return to the desert today. Out of sight is often out of mind.¡± ¡°Hahah. Oh no. Sweetheart. If you run, he¡¯ll chase you. It¡¯s suspicious as fuck.¡± The next sigh that dropped from her mouth came from deep within her lungs. ¡°I do not know why I did such a thing. He would have suspected nothing if I had sat quietly. As I had planned.¡± Ugh. Ugh. She sat back and put her forehead in her palm, disgusted with herself. Tik-tak Mal¡¯uk snickered. Ugh. ¡°True,¡± Lukios agreed cheerfully, and she slouched even lower. ¡°But I can¡¯t really blame you. Nik¡¯s real weird for everyone, anyway. If I could¡¯ve used spooky witch-magic to figure out what¡¯s wrong with him, I¡¯d have done it years ago. ¡®Cause that kid¡¯s got problems.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Sometimes I just wanna smack him on the back of the head. I¡¯d do it too, ¡®cept he¡¯d probably have my hand cut off.¡± Her mouth dropped open. ¡°Lukios. Are you certain you are friends?¡± He laughed. ¡°Guess we have a different definition of ¡®friends¡¯.¡± ¡°Lukios.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t fret, sweetheart. Okay, I think we¡¯re on the right track. We just gotta think of a crime, right? Something that¡¯s bad, but not that bad. And then we have to figure out how you moved me from the road to¡­not to your nur-vuti. We don¡¯t want him to know it¡¯s there, right? So somewhere else. Somewhere close, maybe.¡± She nodded, agreeing. ¡°Yes. Perhaps something like¡­¡± They continued like this until the birds began chirping outside the window, and Ba¡¯an could no longer hold back her yawns. She slumped forward and Lukios lay her down and tucked the blankets around her. ¡°But¡­yawn¡­Lukios¡­we are not¡­yawn¡­finished, and we will see Nikias at¡­yawn¡­breakfast¡­¡± ¡°If he needles you at breakfast, I¡¯ll spill the whole damn table on him. Oops!¡± She snorted sleepily. ¡°That is¡­very¡­yawn¡­silly, Lukios.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t fret, sweetheart. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s anywhere close to guessing¡­you know. He¡¯s just digging. We just have to make it look like it¡¯s not worth his time. That¡¯s all.¡± He kissed her forehead. ¡°And you¡¯ll be off in two more days, just like you said. We¡¯ll be fine. Go to sleep.¡± He lay down and curled around her the way clinging vines did against a cliff-face. ¡°I¡¯ll be here for a bit longer. I¡¯ll sneak back to my room soon, though, so don¡¯t worry if I¡¯m gone when you wake.¡± Silly. That was very silly. Why not simply stay here with her? Everyone already knew, surely. Ba¡¯an tried to say so, but her mouth would not open and the words died in her throat. Ba¡¯an was warm and comfortable, and Lukios was holding her tightly, lips pressed against her temple as he pet her slowly through her clothes. For a time she simply floated in the sensation, until eventually, she felt nothing at all, slipping into a deep and peaceful slumber.
Ba¡¯an woke up. The spot beside her was empty, and she could hear Lukios moving around the room. ¡°Ba¡¯an?¡± She opened her eyes just as his shadow fell over her. Dawn was just pinkening the sky, and she could see that the endless black of the night sky had lightened to a sort of deep blue. Fingers of pink, orange, and red streaked upward from the horizon, framed perfectly by the window which was now open. He kissed her forehead. ¡°I¡¯m going to go back to my room before everyone gets up. I¡¯ll see you at breakfast, okay?¡± She sat up, yawning. ¡°Why? Everyone already knows, Lukios.¡± And even if they didn¡¯t, the confrontation in the garden would soon make its way around the household. He smiled and touched her cheek. ¡°True. But it¡¯s better not to be caught in each other¡¯s rooms like this. My reputation won¡¯t suffer, but yours will.¡± He hesitated. ¡°I know you¡¯re not bothered, but it does matter what they think and say about you, Ba¡¯an. It¡¯ll change the way they treat you. I don¡¯t want you to be treated badly ¡®cause I couldn¡¯t be discreet.¡± She sighed. ¡°Yes. Dolkoi¡¯ri sensibilities are very delicate. I will try to be discreet also.¡± He snickered. ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to ask you forever. What does ¡®Dolkoi¡¯ri¡¯ mean anyway? Something awful, am I right?¡± Ba¡¯an wrinkled her nose. ¡°Awful? Perhaps. I believe it is very accurate. It means ¡®the people with locust-hearts.¡¯¡± It was true. The Dolkoi¡¯ri always came, conquered, and took until there was nothing. Land, food, people¡ªeverything was a commodity, to be taken and sold in some market somewhere. Even now there were constant border skirmishes with other nations¡ª¡®barbarians¡¯, they called them, even as they raped and pillaged their way through helpless villages and towns. It kept the army busy and the coffers filled with loot. He burst out laughing. ¡°Oh yeah, I was right. You are too, by the way. How apt.¡± He snuck in another kiss; this one lingered, and he caught her hand when she began to slide it up his belly with a little chuckle. ¡°Sneaky. Nuh-uh. I really have to get going. Try to get some more sleep; you¡¯ve an hour or so, I think.¡± ¡°You too. I will see you at breakfast.¡± ¡°Sleep well, Ba¡¯an.¡± He kissed her forehead one last time, and left. Ba''an rolled over and closed her eyes, and sank once more into slumber. Chapter Twenty-nine: Complications, Part III Ba¡¯an woke to a knock on the door. ¡°Kyria? It is nearly time for breakfast. I¡¯ve come to help you with your washing.¡± It was Aika. ¡°One moment.¡± Ba¡¯an sat up, head throbbing. She felt groggy and at least a little dazed; she had had far too much wine and not enough sleep. Even so, the day was starting, the sun properly up in the sky and casting light and long shadows into her room. She slipped out of bed and staggered to the washing stand where she poured water into the bowl. She splashed her face with it, but it was not enough; she dunked her face in. That helped. Bleary and dripping, she glanced at herself in the mirror and froze. Vivid purple bruises stood out proudly against her dusky skin. Lukios had left marks of his affection all along her throat and chest, and she could see the trail his mouth had taken until it disappeared beneath the collar of her tunic. Flustered, she cast about for her shawl. No, no. She couldn¡¯t let Aika see this. It was¡ªit was very scandalous, and the girl¡¯s Dolkoi¡¯ri sensibilities would be offended. She could just imagine the wide-eyed look Aika would give her, and even worse, Ba¡¯an had no doubt news of ¡®that loose Sander woman¡¯ would spread through the household like wildfire. Ba¡¯an quickly dried her face, rummaging through her bags. Where had Lukios put it? Or¡­no, there! He had moved everything back, leaving her shawl neatly folded on the end table. He¡¯d taken the cups, bowl, and jug as well, so there was no evidence whatsoever of his stay aside from his smell on the rumpled sheets. She threw her shawl over her neck and shoulders. Only then did she yank open the door. ¡°Aika. Good morning.¡± The girl seemed flustered. ¡°Good morning, kyria. May I help you with your washing?¡± ¡°That is kind, but I am well. Will you do me a different favour?¡± ¡°Oh, yes. Of course.¡± ¡°I have some tea I would like. Could you bring some hot water? I will have it before breakfast.¡± ¡°Oh. Of course. I can bring a pot. One moment.¡± Ba¡¯an took the opportunity to wash herself the best she could and dress. A bath would have been nice, but there was likely no time, so she wiped herself down with the water in the basin and a soft cloth. Breakfast was likely an informal affair. She expected to see only Lukios, Gaios, and Nikias. She dressed accordingly in a plain cream dress with her shawl pinned securely so it would not gape open and embarrass her. Her hair she brushed and braided, then coiled onto the top of her head. It was more elaborate than usual¡ªfor Ba¡¯an, at least¡ªbut she knew outlander women of rank did much more, even for breakfast. She briefly hesitated on the earrings. Would they be too much? But Lukios seemed to like the sight of them, and here even the servants wore jewellery. Even little Aika wore a necklace, though it was plain. In the end she left them in. ¡°Kyria?¡± Ba¡¯an let Aika in. The girl brought in a tray with a pot of hot water and a cup. There was a wooden mesh that was obviously used for catching tea leaves. ¡°Thank you, Aika. Will you come back later and take me down to breakfast?¡± ¡°I am to assist you in all things, kyria. I will serve your tea then wait here, by the door.¡± Ba¡¯an blinked. Really? Why? It seemed a terrible waste of time to simply stand by the door and wait. ¡°It is not needed.¡± ¡°It is my duty, kyria.¡± Ba¡¯an considered. Would she be in trouble if Ba¡¯an refused? The girl¡¯s face was uncharacteristically serious, and she fidgeted nervously. ¡°Thank you.¡± The girl smiled at her, and Ba¡¯an noted there was no small amount of relief. Ah, so she would have been in trouble. Ba¡¯an went to her bags and took out her stash of suk, handing it to Aika. Ba¡¯an did not need help preparing suk, but she thought Aika would feel happier if she did something; in the end, Ba¡¯an instructed the younger girl, quietly pleased when she asked Ba¡¯an why this and why that. She was bright and curious, and curiosity always pleased Ba¡¯an a great deal. Of course, Ba¡¯an was not so foolish as to tell her why she was taking suk. She sat and drank her tea. Aika had not needed much urging to sit with her, and now she was chattering away again, telling her about how the cook had screamed the other day when she had gone to prepare the crab¡ªthey had moved! Ba¡¯an listened absently, nodding and sipping her tea. It was not likely Lukios would get her with child, but it was never a bad idea to be cautious.
¡°What do you mean, no one¡¯s going to pay the ransom? Have they gone mad?¡± Ba¡¯an could hear Lukios¡¯ voice from the atrium. He was clearly angry. She could hear Gaios¡¯ voice murmuring, the older man in a much calmer state than the younger. Someone else interjected¡ªNikias. It seemed only Lukios was losing his cool. Aika hesitated, glancing from the dining room to Ba¡¯an. Ah. She was worried she would get in trouble if she brought Ba¡¯an in now. Well, in that case¡­ ¡°Thank you, Aika. I am sure you are needed in the kitchen now. Have a good morning.¡± The girl shook her head. ¡°I will wait on you, kyria.¡± Hm. Really? ¡°If you wish.¡± Aika nodded, very enthusiastically, though Ba¡¯an noticed she was clutching her apron. What an exceedingly odd child. Once they entered, the girl peeled away to stand next to the door, still as a statue. The seriousness of her expression was nearly comical, though Ba¡¯an did not comment. At first they did not notice that Ba¡¯an had walked in. This suited her just fine; she wasn¡¯t here for attention, she was here for¡­well, food, but also Lukios. The dining room was large and airy, with big, arched windows protected by a stone overhang running along the far wall. Ba¡¯an recalled that there was a balcony there, overlooking the garden. The walls were full of mosaics, showing scenes from what must be Dolkoi¡¯ri history or legends. One wall depicted a tall mountain surrounded by clouds. The wall facing the windows held an entire series of scenes with changing seasons, a feast in each one. She could see that each mosaic represented a different festival. The table was rectangular, as was the room. There were chairs arranged along its length, and everything was made of very solid-looking wood. It did not escape her notice that Lukios sat on one side while Nikias and Gaios sat on the other. Very quietly, Ba¡¯an made her way forward to stand behind Lukios. He was still seated, but his hands were laying flat on the table in a way that suggested he might lose his temper and fly to his feet at any moment. Ba¡¯an touched his back gently, trying to calm him before he said or did something ill-advised. ¡°Lady Ba¡¯an. Good morning. Our apologies for this regrettable scene.¡± Gaios gave Lukios a look that said, we will finish this later. ¡°No need for apologies, sir Gaios, though I thank you.¡± The tension had begun to slip from Lukios frame. She turned to him. ¡°Is it Eirene?¡± ¡°Yeah. Turns out the rumors were half true. No one¡¯s paying up her ransom, so she¡¯s stuck. Also, she¡¯s pregnant.¡± Gaios¡¯ stare was displeased. ¡°It is unpleasant business. Surely we will spoil her appetite with all this talk of abduction?¡± ¡°There is no need to worry about my appetite, sir Gaios.¡± Ba¡¯an paused. ¡°I saw the scene myself. It was too late for everyone except Lukios.¡± ¡°So we have a witness. That¡¯s good news.¡± Nikias calmly took a sip of what looked like a sort of black tea, the same tea he had been drinking the night before. There was something about the smell of it that made her shift and look closer. Nikias only tilted the teacup toward himself, very casually, and continued speaking. ¡°Lady Ba¡¯an, would you be open to giving us a witness account of the aftermath? It would help clear up a few things. There have been some disturbing accusations.¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°I do not understand. What accusations?¡± Lukios had barely survived the attack. Surely he was not being accused of something? ¡°I cannot discuss the details, but I will say that we found every body except lady Eirene''s and Lukios¡¯. Certain parties have decided to take advantage of this, along with his absence, and they have¡­made pointed suggestions in certain circles. Such nonsense must be stopped before it becomes troublesome, would you not agree?¡± Ah. This was a trap. If she refused, it would confirm whatever suspicions Nikias may have while reflecting on her very poorly. If she agreed, then he would take the opportunity to question her at his leisure. The little stit-tat. Lukios had gotten up to pull out a seat for her. Ba¡¯an sat, and Gaios¡¯ eyes narrowed. Nikias seemed not to notice anything at all, though Ba¡¯an was certain he had. ¡°Of course. I will assist however I can.¡± ¡°Oh come on. She didn¡¯t come here to sit in your office, Nik. She came here to get her shopping done and go home. Seriously. It¡¯s fine. They can throw all the mud they want; it won¡¯t stick. There¡¯s stupid, and then there¡¯s stupid. This shit falls under stupid.¡± The scowl on Lukios¡¯ face was thunderous, but Nikias only smiled very pleasantly. ¡°She¡¯s hardly going to sit in my office all day, Lukios. Besides, you¡¯re seeing your lawyer right after breakfast. You can come by and fetch her once you¡¯re done. I imagine we¡¯ll be finished before you are.¡± ¡°Nikias speaks sense, boy.¡± Gaios leaned back and steepled his fingers. ¡°This may seem like nonsense now, but once news of your survival spreads, these accusations can be taken to court. I daresay they will be, and you¡¯ll be tried. Better to be ready than not.¡± Lukios snorted, then opened his mouth to speak. Ba¡¯an squeezed his knee gently beneath the table, stroking the skin there with her thumb in the most soothing way she could manage. He glanced at her, mouth closing as he shook his head. The look he gave her was very pointed, but she only gazed back at him serenely before turning back to Nikias. ¡°It is well. I will give a¡­¡¯witness statement.¡¯¡± ¡°Excellent. If you would be so good as to come to the office once we¡¯ve finished breakfast, I will have it recorded with witnesses present.¡± ¡°As you wish.¡± Lukios was frowning. ¡°Ba¡¯an,¡± he said. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do anything you don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°Yes. I know this. But it is only a¡­¡¯statement¡¯. I will do it if it will help.¡± His frown only deepened. ¡°Ba¡¯an. You might be stuck here longer than you want to be. You hate cities, remember?¡± ¡°It is well.¡± ¡°Ba¡¯an.¡± Gaios cleared his throat. ¡°Our thanks for your cooperation, lady Ba¡¯an. Now, how about breakfast?¡±
As it turned out, Ba¡¯an did not get the opportunity to discuss anything with Lukios. Once breakfast was over, Nikias offered to escort her to his office immediately. Not the one inside the estate¡ªhis real one at the government building. What could she do but agree? It would have been incredibly suspect if she pulled Lukios aside, so they all left the estate together. Gaios¡¯ home was on the northernmost side of the acropolis, so they all walked together for a time, Lukios and Nikias walking beside her as Gaios went ahead with the guards. Behind them was a trail of servants; people got out of their way in a hurry, and the path remained remarkably clear. It was simply amazing what a display of wealth and power could do. Naturally, conversation ensued. Such as it was. ¡°So, how about I sit-in with you, then?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t, Lukios. You¡¯re the person of interest. You can¡¯t be in the same room. In fact, I shouldn¡¯t be scribing anything for you or about you, but Dethos is in no condition to work. That leaves me the only man available.¡± ¡°Right, ¡®cause you¡¯re not breaking all sorts of rules anyway¡ª¡± ¡°We are not. I will have independent witnesses observe the testimony. There are provisions for these situations, and everything will follow the appropriate procedure.¡± ¡°Uh huh. And conveniently, the independent witness¡¯ll be guys you know. What about Ba¡¯an? Her guardian should be with her. You can¡¯t just question a woman without her guardian.¡± ¡°Is her guardian here, Lukios? Please, run and fetch him. I would be happy to wait.¡± Nikias paused, then added, ¡°And I am not questioning her. She is merely giving her testimony. Unless there is something else you wish to add?¡± His tone had become rather sharp and pointed. ¡°One should always act as befitting one¡¯s station. Don¡¯t you agree, lady Ba¡¯an?¡± Gaios did not even look behind him, but it was clear he had had enough. Ba¡¯an knew the question was not truly directed at her, either. ¡°Especially while walking public streets.¡± He added, ¡°That is something I have always appreciated about your people: everyone and everything in its place, well-mannered and orderly.¡± Ah. The man had bite, after all. Now he was referring to all three of them at once. Very efficient. Nikias fell silent, and Ba¡¯an was startled to note that his ears were faintly pink. She looked at Nikias again, closely this time. He was young. Younger than Lukios, she was certain. How had she missed it? Perhaps it was the way he spoke and carried himself? Gaios continued speaking, voice calm and genteel but hard. There was no arguing with a tone like that. ¡°You must pardon their enthusiasm, lady Ba¡¯an. Young men sometimes become rowdy over¡­well, many things. This is one of them.¡± ¡°It is well.¡± What else could she say? Lukios snorted, and Ba¡¯an swung her head around to face him. He did not seem to care at all. ¡°You have to admit this is highly irregular, strategos. Ba¡¯an¡¯s a guest here and she has guest rights. He can¡¯t just haul her off like this without a friend or guardian to sit-in and help her. You have to agree it¡¯s just not right. Anyone would agree it¡¯s not right. It¡¯s not proper procedure.¡± The last was clearly directed at Nikias. ¡°She volunteered, boy. As Nikias said, if her guardian¡¯s here, bring him. But as far as I know, Sander women don¡¯t have guardians. Unless I¡¯m mistaken? Lady Ba¡¯an?¡± ¡°We do not,¡± she confirmed, deeply wary at the direction of the conversation. ¡°See? And don¡¯t think you¡¯re fooling anyone for a second, Lukios.¡± Gaios finally looked over his shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t lose your head, boy. This is sensible. Her testimony will be useful down the road.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not. I think I¡¯m the only who still has it.¡± Gaios¡¯ expression darkened at the pert reply, but Lukios only ploughed on. ¡°If I do get dragged to court, the testimony of one Sander woman won¡¯t convince anyone, and we all know it.¡± Ah. So it was like that. This was a trap for Ba¡¯an, and Ba¡¯an only. She had suspected this, but it was good to be certain of it. ¡°Lukios.¡± Nikias tone had sharpened to a knife¡¯s edge. ¡°Yes, Niki?¡± Lukios¡¯ voice was too sweet to be believed. ¡°Is there something you wish to add?¡± ¡°But it won¡¯t hurt.¡± Gaios cut in before Nikias could answer, sounding completely exasperated. ¡°A small inconvenience now will save you a large one later.¡± ¡°It is well.¡± Now it was Ba¡¯an¡¯s turn to jump in before Lukios could start arguing with their host, too. That would be exceptionally rude, and pointless besides. She put her hand on Lukios¡¯ arm, trying to reassure him. Well, if her testimony proved helpful, then it was well and good. But that was not the point. The point was to allay whatever suspicions Nikias had about Ba¡¯an; if she succeeded, it would have been worth stepping into the fox trap. Lukios shut his mouth and put his hand over hers, squeezing back very briefly. Nikias was watching them with his usual genial expression, but his eyes were bright and sharp. ¡°Fine,¡± Lukios muttered, ¡°but she better be happy and in one piece when I get back. If I spot any distress, any at all, I¡¯ll¡ª¡± Now Nikias sounded utterly exasperated. ¡°Why do you make it sound like I¡¯m going to dangle her by her thumbs? It¡¯s a simple witness testimony. I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re¡ª¡± ¡°Oh please,¡± Lukios muttered, ¡°no one likes your little interviews. The women always cry and the men need a stiff drink. Usually two. Bet you everyone waited for Dethos.¡± ¡°They do not.¡± Nikias sounded genuinely put out. ¡°I have excellent interview skills. You¡¯re just annoyed because even lady Ba¡¯an thinks this is sensible and you just can¡¯t admit it.¡± ¡°Uh huh. What about that guy last summer who¡ª¡± Gaios interjected, very loudly. ¡°We are here.¡± They were. The civil offices were made of white stone, and they always gleamed from atop the hill in the sun. Up close, it was nearly blinding, though there were colourful banners and tapestries dangling from the eaves to ameliorate the effect. The pillars had been painted a bright, vivid blue. Lukios had some distance to walk still; the way Ba¡¯an understood it, the freelance lawyers worked out of the agora, and Lukios would meet his there. They said their goodbyes at the door, with Lukios leaning in to kiss her cheek the same way he had with his friends. He took the opportunity to whisper into her ear. ¡°Stick to the plan, sweetheart,¡± he murmured, then he pulled back and smiled at her so sweetly he dimpled. And then he was off, two of Gaios¡¯ guards trailing behind him. Ba¡¯an turned reluctantly from Lukios¡¯ rapidly receding figure, knowing they had already been far too obvious for propriety. Gaios¡¯ words of parting were very polite and brief, and he made his own way into a side street, moving further into the maze of gleaming buildings. And now it was only Ba¡¯an and Nikias. ¡°Lady Ba¡¯an?¡± She fell into step beside him, senses prickling as his guards closed in behind her. She recognized them both; they had been in the garden with Nikias. They made their way together, and Ba¡¯an did her best to refrain from staring at the architecture. It was shocking how well the Dolkoi¡¯ri shaped stone with only their tools. She could not fathom how they had done it, and she would have liked to take a closer look, but¡­ Ba¡¯an would never do such a thing in front of Nikias. It would be far too humiliating. ¡°Stonemasons,¡± Nikias supplied, very helpfully, and Ba¡¯an just barely managed from blinking in surprise. Had she been that obvious? ¡°I see,¡± she replied, and he only smiled. ¡°In case you were wondering.¡± He pointed to the carvings that crawled just below the ceiling. It was one of those blocky, repeating patterns the Dolkoi¡¯ri so enjoyed, and there was no mistaking the culture from whence it came. ¡°Those were done by a man named Susanes. The carvings were completed before the stone was put up. It is a common procedure as it makes the process much faster, and because the blocks are the same dimensions, there is no issue provided the patterns are replicated precisely.¡± This made a great deal of sense, though¡­there were so many blocks of stone, and this Susanes had done all the carving by hand. Her mind boggled. How had his hand not simply¡­fallen off? Snapped at the wrist? Incredible. To her surprise, Nikias proved adroit at small talk; when Ba¡¯an asked what meanings the banners hanging outside held, he launched into an explanation of the city¡¯s history. It was exactly what Ba¡¯an had expected: Kyros had been a fort, a permanent one, and the city had sprung up around it. Many of the military buildings had been taken down and replaced with ones of stone, but it was still a work in progress. ¡°The banners indicate the colours of the city and the donors. In fact, one of the walls holds the names of all the donors for all to see. It is a common practice here.¡± ¡°Many of them are blue and silver.¡± ¡°Yes. Those are the colours of House Astros.¡± ¡°I¡­see.¡± He seemed very proud of it, and she made appropriate noises of approval, trying to keep up with the deluge of information that streamed from him. Nikias was a very strange man¡ªstrange and dangerous. Lukios had warned her, but still, she had not been quite prepared. ¡°Here.¡± They had come to a large wooden door. There was a plaque beside it with Dolkoi¡¯ri letters, though Ba¡¯an could not read it. Surely it was Nikias'' name, or the name of his office? She did not ask. One of the servants that had been trailing behind them hastened to the door and pulled it open, so smoothly that Ba¡¯an did not even have to stop walking. Even so, she did, suddenly acutely aware that she did not know if she ought to go ahead of Nikias or behind him. He was the host, but she was the guest. In what order did the host and guest enter a room? Nikias solved the problem for her, stepping to the side and inclining his head in invitation. Ba¡¯an peeked into the office through the open doorway. It was very brightly lit and neat, which was exactly what she had expected of any space owned by a man like Nikias. Well. There was no helping it now. Ba''an stepped into the fox trap. Chapter Thirty: A Conversation with Nikias, Part I Nikias¡¯ office was neat, tidy, and very big. The room itself was a large rectangle built snugly into the corner of the building; the windows were high up and open, letting sunlight spill in until everything glowed. The inner walls were made of the same sort of rock as the outer ones, and clearly well-kept. Everything smelled clean and fresh, though Ba¡¯an detected a faint undertone of something woody, old and full of dust. It did not resemble a civilian office, or at least not any Ba¡¯an had ever seen. Not that Ba¡¯an had a habit of frequenting Dolkoi¡¯ri offices, of course, but¡­well. Nikias¡¯ office had no resemblance to the moneylenders, or even the rooms used for business at the brothels or gambling dens. It was simply too clean, with sparse, utilitarian furnishings. The furniture was of very good quality, and would last many years, but Ba¡¯an could see that nothing, including the chairs, had been made for comfort. The walls were decorated not with art, but with maps, maps with locations that Ba¡¯an could not even begin to guess at, never mind recognize. And there were books. Ba¡¯an had never seen so many in her entire life. There were shelves lining the walls, which were full of rows and rows of tomes and sundry other papers, parchments, and tablets. Her fingers itched at the sight of it, and she had the sudden urge to simply walk up to a shelf and touch something; she averted her eyes instead. His desk was nearly groaning with its own burdens. The chaos on its surface had been tamed with the use of shallow trays; Ba¡¯an could see that there were only unopened documents in the furthermost tray, and only opened ones in the one beside it. The height of each pile was mildly horrifying. There were also very nicely organized stacks of supplies and sheets on a smaller table right by his seat, within easy reach. The chairs were made of wood and did not look very inviting despite the cushions on the seats. Aside from the books, it looked very much like a Dolkoi¡¯ri military office. Ba¡¯an would know; she had burned down plenty. ¡°If you¡¯d be so kind as to take a seat, lady Ba¡¯an?¡± Well, there was only one seat for her to take. What was the point of speaking as if she had her choice of seat? Would he cede his own to her if she walked to the other side of the desk and sat in it? Luckily for everyone, Ba¡¯an was not quite so childish. Dolkoi¡¯ri manners were always full of lies and hidden meanings. Ba¡¯an always found it very frustrating, though she knew better than to show it. Not here. Not now. ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± Ba¡¯an sat down in the chair that was clearly meant for guests. Nikias made his way to his own seat at a leisurely pace, and Ba¡¯an noted his guards silently took up their stations on either side of the door. The servants that had followed them also seemed to know exactly where to go. Nikias sat, then addressed one of the men that had decided to stand behind him, right against the wall. ¡°Tea. The new one for lady Ba¡¯an.¡± The man bowed and left to do as he was bid. Nikias turned back to Ba¡¯an. ¡°Once you have given your testimony, I must ask you to sign it with your full name.¡± He paused. ¡°For legal purposes, your tribe and family chain up to the previous generation is sufficient. I will not ask you to verify your identity, as doing so would likely delay this matter even further. I imagine your tribe must be days, if not weeks, into the desert.¡± Ba¡¯an nodded. ¡°I will give you my full name.¡± Which was now Ba¡¯an salu-Ba¡¯an. Well, he wouldn¡¯t be able to accuse her of lying, would he? It was the truth. She had no name chain. ¡°Please be aware that a false testimony is punishable by whipping, incarceration, or execution, depending on the seriousness of the crime.¡± Nikias¡¯ calm, business-like demeanor did not change, and he continued at her nod. ¡°I am sorry to add that you are not a citizen, which means someone must witness your testimony and sign beside your name. Since Lukios is a person of interest, he cannot do this for you. Do you know anyone else here that can act as a witness, or shall I provide one?¡± She shook her head. ¡°I do not know anyone else here.¡± Well, she knew Merida, but Ba¡¯an would not pull the midwife away to involve her in this¡­mess. ¡°Very well. In that case, I will provide an independent witness for you.¡± ¡°Yes. Thank you.¡± She paused, frowning. ¡°Sir Nikias. Why is Lukios a ¡®person of interest¡¯?¡± Ba¡¯an did not think he or Gaios had been lying about that. It had sounded true, very true and very serious. ¡°I cannot share that information with you, unfortunately. But as I have said, there have been some disturbing accusations.¡± Nikias leaned forward and looked directly into her eyes, linking his hands together on the desk. Ba¡¯an found herself caught in his stare, which was startlingly intense. ¡°I will be frank with you. It is my opinion that these accusations are complete and utter bullshit.¡± She blinked. Ba¡¯an had not known Nikias could swear. He was still speaking. ¡°Regardless, this case is not actually in my jurisdiction. I am acting in scribal capacity only, and the documents will be sent to Heliopolis. At present they are mere accusations, and there is no need for alarm. But this could become very ugly, very quickly. So lady Ba¡¯an, if you care for Lukios at all, I ask that you be completely honest so we can prevent any actual criminal charges from being laid in the first place. Did you have any further questions?¡± When Ba¡¯an spoke again, it was very slowly. She was still thinking. ¡°If the problem is in Heliopolis¡­that is very far away, sir Nikias. So¡­does that mean the accuser does not know Lukios is alive?¡± ¡°I cannot say, though I suppose that is a very logical conclusion. After all, Lukios only returned yesterday.¡± Nikias smiled thinly, and Ba¡¯an barely refrained from rolling her eyes. So he was saying yes, without saying the word ¡®yes¡¯. Dolkoi¡¯ri rules were very stupid. ¡°I do not understand how they can accuse a dead man of anything. What is the point?¡± Nikias sighed. ¡°Sometimes accusing a dead man is the most convenient course of action.¡± He gave her an apologetic look which actually appeared sincere. ¡°And that is all I can say on that subject. Your pardon, lady Ba¡¯an.¡± Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. Ba¡¯an leaned back and tried to think of what that implied. Her frown deepened. Perhaps they had thought that a dead man could not defend himself, and thus sought the path of least resistance. But the least resistance to what? It was impossible to tell anything at all. Ba¡¯an did not even know what the accusation was; all she knew were rumors, and none of them made sense. Why would Lukios kidnap another man¡¯s bride and join up with bandits? Some of the stories claimed that he had attempted to spirit her away but had been killed on the road. Still, others seemed to think Eirene wasn¡¯t with the bandits at all; they¡¯d run away together. It was difficult to tell who was saying what and why. She did not even know if the accusers thought him dead or merely missing. Surely the nature of the accusation would change depending on that? Well, who would benefit most from accusing Lukios of the kidnapping, regardless of whether he was dead or alive? House Helios? What had Lukios said? They were rich, but still greedy for more. That was why he did not like his adopted family, but¡­Ba¡¯an did not think a claim like this would give them profit. If anything, it would be very embarrassing to have an adopted son behave so poorly, whether he survived his own foolishness or not. And surely they could take Lukios¡¯ money without involving Eirene at all? So that still left the question: who would profit? ¡­Eirene herself? But she had been kidnapped. So¡­ ¡°¡­Is it Eirene¡¯s family?¡± Ba¡¯an watched Nikias very closely, but he did not react. She could not tell if she had guessed correctly or not, and when he spoke again, it was in his usual cordial tone. ¡°Now there is an intriguing hypothesis. What led you to make it?¡± Hypo¡ªwhat? Could Nikias not speak like a normal person? Ba¡¯an worked to keep her annoyance from her face. He was a very irritating man. ¡°¡¯Guess¡¯ is what I meant to say. Your pardon again, lady Ba¡¯an. I know Illosian is not your native tongue.¡± Ah. That Dolkoi¡¯ri politeness again. Ba¡¯an decided not to comment, lest she say something uncharitable. ¡°Because no one else has anything to gain.¡± Unless there was something that she was not seeing. Ba¡¯an did not understand Dolkoi¡¯ri politics. ¡°Sir Askles and sir Epitus said there were rumours. That Lukios had kidnapped Eirene. So¡­if that is¡­accurate¡­then¡­¡± She trailed off, unsettled by Nikias¡¯ long, thoughtful silence. His stare was far too interested now. Did he not know this was rude? Or was he unnerving her on purpose? It was a common interrogation tactic. If the People used it, surely the Empire did as well? The thought that he was reading her far better than she was reading him needled her nerves. Was she really so out of practice after only five years? ¡°Then¡­?¡± Ba¡¯an realized she had been quiet for far too long, and Nikias had noticed. ¡°Perhaps they are demanding that House Helios take responsibility. I believe there is some Dolkoi¡¯ri law about¡­such things.¡± In a way it was common sense, was it not? If it was Lukios¡¯ fault that Eirene had been taken by bandits, was it not practical to demand help from his relatives? Of course, Ba¡¯an could be wrong. Perhaps there was some unknown third actor who would benefit. If there was, Ba¡¯an had no way of knowing. The corners of his lips twitched upward. Ba¡¯an blinked. Had she been funny? ¡°Yes. More than one.¡± Now his expression had returned to being serene and solicitous, though Ba¡¯an did not believe it for a second. By now the servant had returned, and he had refreshments. Nikias was taking more of the same bitter-smelling black tea that tickled a distant memory she could not quite recall. It bothered her, deeply, like an itch in her head she could not scratch. Another servant set up a small table beside her¡ªNikias¡¯ desk was far too cluttered with papers¡ªand put down an arranged tray with finger-food and some tea. Nikias¡¯ smile was very polite. ¡°We will be here for a while. Please, help yourself.¡± Ba¡¯an noticed that her tea was different. Nikias¡¯ tea was pitch black, but Ba¡¯an¡¯s was milky and sweet-smelling¡ªexactly the sort of tea she liked. Spooky indeed. How had he guessed? ¡­How had he known she was hungry? Or¡­no, he had not said anything to his servant about food. Perhaps this was only Dolkoi¡¯ri manners, serving snacks with tea? This was normal for K¡¯Avaar¡ª Ah. Of course. Nikias brought out some parchment and set it out on the desk, speaking to the servant who had just brought in the tea. ¡°Bring Letus and Scipio. Tell them we need witnesses.¡± He turned back to Ba¡¯an and explained, ¡°Normally, I would not be permitted to involve myself in this case as Lukios and I know each other. Unfortunately, we are in Kyros, and sir Dethos is indisposed. This leaves me as the only public servant with the appropriate license for this task. So we cannot truly begin our discussion until a witness is present for each of us.¡± ¡°I¡­see. Very well.¡± She sipped her tea in silence. It tasted as good as it smelled, and she had been right. It was a strong black tea, flavoured with warm spices then softened with milk and honey. It was delicious, and she felt her irritation begin to melt despite herself. ¡°What is this tea? It is very good.¡± Perhaps she would buy some before she left. Nikias smiled. ¡°It is something called a¡¯chai. It is an import from the south. There is a trader by the name of Terutus who¡ª¡± Ba¡¯an choked, then coughed. Oh, sacred ancestors. There was no way she could buy this from Terutus. She would not. Of all the¡­ Nikias did not seem at all surprised as he handed her a neatly folded square of cloth. ¡°Yes, that Terutus. Who, by the way, filed a complaint with the watch yesterday, and then he came up here and made¡­quite the scene. Tell Lukios he needs to pay the man compensation and he owes me for keeping that financial.¡± The little stit-tat. He had served her this tea on purpose. Ba¡¯an resisted the urge to glare. She took another sip to hide her ire. ¡°I do not understand why you are asking me. You should tell Lukios.¡± Because really, what was the point of using her as an intermediary? What would that accomplish, exactly? Nikias seemed deeply amused. ¡°If I tell him, he¡¯s more likely to track sir Terutus down and thrash him again, but I think it¡¯ll go over better if he hears it from you.¡± He paused, then added, ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re up to the challenge. Tell Lukios he¡¯s not permitted to thrash anyone, no matter how aggravating they are.¡± He sounded so friendly. It was a trap. Ba¡¯an was certain this was a trap, but she could not see the shape of it. Ba¡¯an let the silence drag for a beat too long, just long enough to indicate her displeasure. Finally, she said, ¡°What does Lukios owe you?¡± ¡°Well, it would be helpful if he behaved from now on. I would rather not buy out the inventory of every merchant he decides to beat into submission. Tell him to rein in that temper.¡± Nikias tapped his fingers on his desk. ¡°Although¡­I would be interested in what exactly it was that set him off. It¡¯s true he has a temper, but he wouldn¡¯t lose it over something like an escort fee. Usually it¡¯s something more¡­serious. I suspect sir Terutus has just filed a false report thinking no one would notice. This is, of course, illegal.¡± An escort fee? She snorted. ¡°Ah. I thought as much. So what was it?¡± ¡°He attempted to¡­buy me. It was very rude.¡± Nikias¡¯ fingers paused their tapping on the desk. ¡°Hm. That is somewhat more serious. You are a freewoman, though you are not a citizen. Did he attempt to touch you in any way?¡± ¡°No.¡± She gave him a look. ¡°He is alive, is he not?¡± ¡°True. Lukios would have gutted him. But in that case, sir Terutus still has the advantage. It was a verbal exchange only until Lukios escalated it into a physical altercation. That¡¯s still assault, even with provocation. Not a good look.¡± Nikias shook his head in disapproval before continuing. ¡°So sir Terutus filed a false report to save his pride over a rejection. Typical. If you wish, you may enter a statement. You cannot file a counterclaim as you are not the accused, but Lukios can. It will be entered along with his testimony.¡± Ba¡¯an frowned. There was an undercurrent of something else here. ¡°¡­What happens if Lukios files a counterclaim?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it will succeed. But defending a freewoman is more understandable than a fight over an escort fee, so if he ever gets taken to court for a bigger claim¡ªlike kidnapping, for example¡ªhis history will be more sympathetic. I am saying it will make him look like less of a violent thug, and if he has a woman already, other accusations will appear¡­less credible.¡± Ah. So Lukios was being accused of kidnapping Eirene. Unless Nikias was attempting to mislead her, though Ba¡¯an did not think he was. Not about this. They heard voices approaching from outside the door. Nikias looked at her and said, ¡°Final question. Did Lukios¡ª¡° he glanced down at a sheet of paper he had on his desk ¡°¡ª¡®compel the guard to open the gates by invoking the name of House Helios and threatening forfeiture of employment¡¯?¡± Ba¡¯an sighed. ¡°Ah. Of course,¡± Nikias said, and then the witnesses entered the room. Chapter Thirty-one: A Conversation with Nikias, Part II ¡°And there were no tribesmen with you?" ¡°No.¡± Nikias only raised an eyebrow at her, but he wrote it down, nonetheless. ¡°I see. You hauled him off the road. All eighteen hands of him. Alone.¡± It sounded perfectly ludicrous, which was why she and Lukios had prepared a lie ahead of time. ¡°No.¡± ¡°No? But you said you were alone.¡± ¡°No. You asked me about tribesmen.¡± Nikias¡¯ smile was very thin. ¡°Please elaborate.¡± ¡°I had my strifa. I wrapped Lukios in my cloak and tied him to Amanayasu¡¯ra¡ª¡± Nikias¡¯ pen paused at the name, then continued, ¡°¡ªthen dragged him off the road.¡± She paused. ¡°It ruined my cloak.¡± ¡°I¡­see.¡± He wrote it down. ¡°And where did you take him?¡± ¡°To my home.¡± ¡°Which is?¡± ¡°Not your business.¡± Nikias paused. ¡°Lady Ba¡¯an. I ask so I may follow-up with your tribesmen¡ª¡± ¡°I do not have tribesmen. That is why I was alone.¡± Ba¡¯an heard the scratching of the pens behind her cease. Hm. Was this truly so interesting? The silence stretched on and on, and when it became apparent Ba¡¯an would not speak first, Nikias did so. ¡°You are nur-vaa¡¯ri?¡± ¡°Yes. For many years now.¡± There was a long pause. ¡°I see,¡± he said, finally. ¡°In that case, I must ask you to sign with your former name chain later as well. So we may¡­verify.¡± Nikias glanced at the witnesses. ¡°You can make a note of that too. We need to verify an identity.¡± One of them, the one with freckles and a head full of brown curls, raised his hand. At Nikias¡¯ nod, he spoke. ¡°What is a ¡®nu-bary¡¯?¡± ¡°Nur-vaa¡¯ri means she is no longer Sander. You can confirm my report and sign off on it. Don¡¯t bother writing it in that." Nikias nodded toward the tablet the man was holding in his hand. "It¡¯ll get more complicated if you botch the spelling and we don¡¯t match.¡± The curly-haired man blinked in confusion. ¡°What? How can she stop being Sander? Is there some kind of Sander law?¡± ¡°Yes. If you want the details, I suggest you read some Pausanias. Anything else?¡± The man quickly shook his head and returned to his own notes. ¡°Thank you, lady Ba¡¯an. I understand this is a¡­difficult¡­topic.¡± ¡°It is well.¡± Nikias¡¯ dark eyes settled on her very briefly, and she could not quite make out his expression before he looked back down. ¡°So your home is not within a saa-vuti vur?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°But you will not divulge its location?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°May I know the reason?¡± ¡°I do not like nosy outlanders.¡± The other witness¡ªthe quiet one¡ªcoughed. It sounded suspiciously like a laugh. ¡°That is fair, but it will make verifying your identity much harder.¡± ¡°It will not. I live alone. There is no one to verify with.¡± She fixed Nikias with a flat stare. ¡°You do not need to know where I live. If you wish to know me, then you may ask merchants here. I trade in Kyros for coin and food.¡± Nikias looked taken aback¡ªfinally. Ha. ¡°That is¡­a very good point. Very well. Can you tell me which merchants you trade with?¡± Ba¡¯an rattled off the names of the merchants who knew her but were not at all friendly. There. Let him chase dust in the wind. They continued. ¡°What became of your strifa? I don¡¯t believe you rode in on it.¡± ¡°We did not.¡± Ba¡¯an thought of Kulva¡¯rin, Thu¡¯rin¡¯s old mount, so that she showed the right feelings. ¡°We ate her. There was not enough food.¡± ¡°My condolences.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She paused, then added, ¡°Thank you. She was a good strifa.¡± That was as mannerly as she could be, all things considered. ¡°You mentioned that sir Lukios was unconscious when you approached him. Can you describe his injuries?¡± Well, that was easy enough, except¡­ ¡°I cannot describe it in Dolkoi¡¯ri.¡± ¡°I ask that you try, then give me a translation in K¡¯Avaari.¡± Ah, again for the witnesses. What use were they now? They clearly could not understand K¡¯Avaari. Well, this entire testimony was a sham, so why not? Ba¡¯an struggled through it in Dolkoi¡¯ri, then gave it again in K¡¯Avaari. It was a relief to do so; though the two men sitting behind her said nothing, she could feel their thinning patience as she struggled to describe complex medical concepts in their wretched tongue. Nikias continued writing without comment. Hm. Did he actually understand advanced K¡¯Avaari? Or was he merely transcribing it phonetically? Ba¡¯an attempted to peer over the lip of his tablet, but he simply tilted it toward himself to thwart her. The little dis-tat. ¡°Those injuries sound lethal. How did you tend to him?¡± ¡°I am skilled in¡­what you call physic, I believe. It was not easy, but I¡­¡± And on and on it went, until her teacup was empty and her belly cold.
Ba¡¯an stared down at the horrendous blotch of ink seeping into the parchment. Oh no. She had not meant to do that. ¡°I¡ªI am sorry. I did not mean to¡­ruin the page.¡± Ba¡¯an was unused to Dolkoi¡¯ri ink pens. She had tilted her hand while writing her name, and all the ink had simply flowed out of the hollow metal rod and onto the page and desk beneath. Nikias was already blotting the ink off the wood. ¡°No need for apologies, lady Ba¡¯an. The error was mine. I should have used the metal sheets instead and had you inscribe your name.¡± He raised his head and spoke to one of his servants. ¡°Medoros. A tablet and metal sheets.¡± What a mess. Ba¡¯an knew her cheeks must be bright red; they burned furiously. Someone behind her sighed. The other one murmured, very quietly; Ba''an could not make out the words, but it did not sound complimentary. Stupid, barbaric Sanders. That¡¯s what they were thinking, that she could not write because she was some idiot desert savage. Nikias did not glance up when he spoke. ¡°Scipio. Letus. Did either of you have something you wish to say?¡± ¡°W¡ªwhat? No, no, of course not. Just¡­¡± The freckled man who had sighed cleared his throat. ¡°¡­A bit fatigued. It''s this wretched weather.¡± ¡°Ah. I wish you a restful evening, then." ¡°Thank you, sir Nikias.¡± The two men looked down at their own tablets and refrained from...fidgeting. The man Nikias had addressed as Medoros returned with a tablet and metal sheets, which were thin enough to inscribe but thick enough to last. She watched as Nikias affixed a sheet to the tablet. He began to rapidly copy the contents of the parchment onto the metal sheet instead. ¡°If you will pardon me for a moment, lady Ba¡¯an.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± What else could she say? It had been her fault that he was doing this now. Ba¡¯an tried her best to relax, wishing there was more tea. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. It would be foolish to allow this to¡­bother her. It did not matter what anyone thought. Well, it mattered what Nikias thought, which was why she was here, but it would be her advantage if he thought her stupid and ignorant. Then he would not think her a threat. Surely? ¡°I will read this out loud to you so you may verify its contents.¡± Nikias had finished copying her account of the bandit attack. Ba¡¯an listened as he spoke her own testimony back to her, word-for-word. She was hearing it for the second time now, and it was the same as the first: perfectly precise, written exactly the way she had told it. ¡°Yes, that is right.¡± ¡°If you can sign your name here.¡± She took the metal stylus and inscribed it in udic. Ba¡¯an could not write Dolkoi¡¯ri. She handed it back to him, and he glanced at it then turned it back to her. ¡°Your pardon, lady Ba¡¯an, but I will need your former name chain to verify your identity. As we discussed.¡± Ba¡¯an had not agreed, but what was the point in arguing? Vala-Tu¡¯rin would not tell him why she had been banished. At best they would pretend she had never existed, and at worst they would only tell him what she had: Ba¡¯an salu-Ba¡¯an was nur-vaa¡¯ri, and no longer their problem. She reached over and signed beneath it with her former name chain. Ba¡¯an stared down at the neat udic spelling out the familiar curves of her father¡¯s name. Her mother¡¯s. Then hers. Now they were all together again, a complete name chain. It had been a very long time since she had seen her¡ªno. Their names were no longer hers to carry. Not out loud. ¡°Your udic flows well.¡± Nikias¡¯ tone was kind and complimentary, but she knew what he really meant: I know you were a witch. Only those of the high-vuti wrote in udic. ¡°Yes.¡± It was true. Her udic was beautiful; Ba¡¯an had practiced for hours every day as a child. Ba¡¯an thought she saw his mouth twitch upward again before he ducked his head down. Was he laughing at her now too? Over what, exactly? Ba¡¯an watched Nikias take in her name and place her on a list in his head. He did not look over-eager¡ªBa¡¯an did not think she would have noticed anything at all unusual if she had not known he had plotted this the night before¡ªand he very casually inscribed his own name beside hers. Then he took something that must have been some kind of seal of office and stamped it so the metal was permanently marked. He did the same with the witness statements, which testified that her testimony had really happened. It was all very complicated and strange. The Dolkoi¡¯ri were all madmen. Well, no matter. They were done now, and Nikias was speaking to her again. ¡°Vala-Tur''in? Hm, still led by Chief Tsu¡¯kos, I believe.¡± He began rolling up the report, gesturing at one of the servants to come take it. Ba¡¯an shrugged. ¡°Yes. Unless he is dead. I do not know.¡± Nikias paused. ¡°I have not heard that he is.¡± He addressed the servant. ¡°I want three copies of this.¡± Ba¡¯an looked at him curiously. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I like to keep records when I can.¡± Yes, he did seem like that sort of man. Letus and Scipio were quick to leave. Ba¡¯an thought their goodbyes were rather curt, but Nikias did not seem at all bothered; he had been perfunctory too, distracted by the sheets on the table. Ba¡¯an put her hand beneath her chin and watched him. Nikias raised an eyebrow at her. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You are very Dolkoi¡¯ri.¡± He looked amused. ¡°That is because I am Illosian.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± His look of amusement intensified. ¡°I will take that as a compliment.¡± It hadn¡¯t been, and they both knew it. ¡°Yes.¡± His lips quirked upward, but he refrained from further commentary. ¡°There is one other thing,¡± he started, and she raised an eyebrow. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°If possible, I would like you to stay in Kyros until I have verified your story. It won¡¯t take long for me to confirm you trade here.¡± Ah. Ba¡¯an gave him a hard stare, but Nikias only met her gaze with his usual genial expression. ¡°No. I will stay until I must go. Then I will go. If you cannot confirm my identity within that time, then it is not my problem.¡± ¡°True. But it will render your testimony null and void. All this work will have been for nothing.¡± He sipped his tea, then added, ¡°And I will be forced to assume that you lied. Which is illegal, if you will recall.¡± He smiled. ¡°You will not whip me.¡± ¡°Well, I won¡¯t, no. I believe the gaoler does that.¡± ¡°He will not, either.¡± ¡°Of course not. Because you have no reason to refuse. It is only another day or two, and I¡¯m sure Gaios will be most hospitable.¡± He gave her a very mild look of rebuke, as if he could not fathom why she was refusing. ¡°I do not understand how you and Lukios are friends.¡± It was astounding. Nikias choked on his tea and coughed, and Ba¡¯an felt at least a little bit smug. ¡°We are,¡± he managed, finally, ¡°and I would appreciate it if you cooperated a little longer.¡± He blinked at her. ¡°Unless there is some other issue?¡± ¡°I have duties.¡± ¡°You do? I thought you lived alone. In the desert.¡± The little dis-tat. She would¡­ugh. ¡°That does not mean I do not have responsibilities.¡± ¡°Oh. I see. Such as?¡± She remained silent. The only things she could think of were her plants and Salu¡¯ka, but the latter was a secret, and the former was simply too embarrassing to mention. They were plants. Desert plants. Nikias sighed. ¡°I would not have really had you hauled off, lady Ba¡¯an. I must apologize for my sense of humour. It is very uncouth.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He seemed amused again. ¡°You are very K¡¯Avaari, lady Ba¡¯an.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I will take that as agreement. I will notify you once I¡¯ve verified with your merchant friends.¡± She stifled the urge to reach over and strangle him. Instead, she relaxed in her chair and let her gaze sweep over the maps pinned to the walls. There was no real intelligence marked on them that she could see, though there was one particular map of interest. It was of the outer region, and she could see that whoever had drawn the map had been meticulous. There was the Red Maze; there was the box canyon that held her not-vuti, though it had been marked as a small-standing cliff. She spotted Kyros, and then further up¡­ There was a fort. It was the only fort in the area. She had a good guess as to what that was, especially because someone had circled it in ink. ¡°Have you an interest in maps?¡± Ba¡¯an turned her attention back to Nikias. He was seated in a very relaxed way as well, seemingly very satisfied with the outcome. Well, why wouldn¡¯t he be? Ugh. ¡°Yes. I have not seen many, and I have spent my life in the desert. I am curious.¡± He looked mildly surprised by her answer, but the expression was fleeting. He had very good control over his face and body. Ba¡¯an did not think she would have noticed anything at all if she had not been trained to sit in the shi-vuti. He stood and walked to one of the shelves and pulled out a rolled piece of parchment. It was wide, and likely to be long when rolled out. ¡°I think you might find this one more interesting, then.¡± He shuffled some papers to the side and unfurled it on the desk. It was a map. Ba¡¯an understood what it was, intellectually, but she could not orient herself in the shapes that stared up at her. She recognized nothing. ¡°This is north.¡± He tapped her end of the map. ¡°And this is south. We are¡­here.¡± Now that Nikias had placed his finger on their location, Ba¡¯an could begin to see where the mountains were. She could not spot the Red Maze, which had not been specifically marked, but she could see the shape of the desert beginning to flow north. It was so big. She did not recognize anything beyond a circle the size of her palm from where Nikias had placed his finger. She leaned over the desk eagerly, forgetting her ire. She traced the outline of what must have been a shoreline. ¡°Is this¡­the sea?¡± ¡°Yes. One of them. That one is the Buk¨¢li. We call it ¡°The Teeth,¡± because of the rocks. Crossing it is dangerous. This one¡¯s the Erythros. If you go further south, you reach Eir¡ª¡± Eir. Ba¡¯an traced her fingers over the jagged shape that lay south, across the Erythros. Lukios had been born there. Was it full of people who looked like him? They were rare colours here, blond hair and amber eyes. What foods did the eat? What did their towns look like, their houses? Was the weather warm? ¡°¡ªand here, if you go even further, you reach the Outlands.¡± ¡°Do the Outlands have ¡®snow¡¯?¡± ¡°They do. You¡¯ve heard of it?¡± ¡°Yes. Lukios told me. It is water, but¡­white. Solid. I cannot imagine it.¡± ¡°Hm¡­How can I describe snow? Normally it looks like a very light white powder. If you look closely, each speck of it has a sort of¡­pattern. It has shapes. It melts quickly if you touch it.¡± ¡°You have seen it?¡± ¡°Yes. I was sent there once. It was¡­very cold. Very, very cold. When you breathe you can see it in the air, like steam.¡± ¡°And the people?¡± ¡°The people? They speak a language called Hw¨©t. They are very¡­different.¡± ¡°Different?¡± ¡°It is difficult to explain. The climate is too cold, and the land is very mountainous. They are largely tribal, though they have some urban development around their ports. They are very¡­cautious¡­of outsiders. It was an interesting experience, though I am not eager to repeat it.¡± ¡°Why did you go there?¡± ¡°That, I cannot answer. My apologies for any disappointment.¡± ¡°No, there is no need. I was only¡­curious.¡± Ba¡¯an looked at the map again. ¡°What is beyond the Outlands?¡± ¡°That we do not know.¡± He paused, and she could tell he was trying to decide if he should tell her something or not. ¡°The people there claim their land touches the roof of the world, where a god lies sleeping beneath the ice. It is a very interesting legend, though I can only report hearsay. I did not travel that far myself.¡± Ba¡¯an felt a chill. A sleeping god. Such gods were often the most frightening. They were not small gods, the sleeping ones. They were¡­ ¡°It is best to leave the sleeping gods sleeping.¡± He tilted his head to the side so he could look at her properly. Nikias was also much taller than Ba¡¯an, so it was somewhat awkward. ¡°You believe the legends are true?¡± ¡°Belief does not matter. There is risk. Risk is¡­¡± She struggled to put her thoughts into words. Why was it sometimes so difficult? Dolkoi¡¯ri was a miserable tongue. She switched to K¡¯Avaari. ¡°You must consider the risk of the legend being true. The sleeping gods sleep for a reason. They must remain sleeping. If you are cautious and there is no god, then there is no harm. If you are cautious and there is a god, you have done well. If you are not cautious and there is no god, then there is no harm, either. But if you are not cautious and there is a god, he will wake and swallow the world.¡± ¡°You said ¡®gods.¡¯ Do K¡¯Avaari believe there are sleeping gods, more than one? How can you share a legend when your people live so far apart?¡± Nikias had responded in K¡¯Avaari, without missing a single step. Dangerous. He was a very dangerous man, though not for the same reasons as Lukios. Ba¡¯an had been too careless already. She looked him in the eye. ¡°That, I cannot answer. My apologies for any disappointment.¡± Nikias laughed. He looked startled, as startled as she felt. Someone knocked on the door. ¡°Are you two done? I think the witnesses left a while a¡­go.¡± Ba¡¯an jumped. Now that she was no longer absorbed in the map she could hear Lukios¡¯ clear, bright soul from where she stood. She could hear others too, walking down the corridors and going about their business. Had she truly been so distracted? Nikias only smiled genially. ¡°You¡¯re rather tardy.¡± Lukios stood in the doorway, looking at them. Ba¡¯an suddenly felt guilty, as though she had been caught doing something she shouldn¡¯t. But she hadn¡¯t, had she? She had only been looking at a map. Was there a Dolkoi¡¯ri rule about women looking at maps with men? Surely not. That was far too ridiculous, even for outlanders. Besides, the only thing she felt for Nikias was a slowly growing urge to throttle him, maps or no. ¡°Lukios! Yes, we are finished.¡± Ba¡¯an straightened. ¡°Nikias was showing me a map. It is very big. You can see all the way to the Outlands.¡± She pointed. Lukios grinned, though it came half a beat late. ¡°Oh, a map. Here I was worried he was seducing you with something slightly more exciting,¡± he said dryly. ¡°Try harder, Nikias.¡± Nikias made an exasperated noise, one that sounded completely sincere. ¡°That¡¯s not even close to funny. We were waiting for you to get here. You couldn¡¯t have been expecting me to let her wander through the streets alone. Not in Kyros, of all places.¡± He gave Lukios a very pointed look. Lukios held up his hands in surrender. ¡°You¡¯re right, you¡¯re right. I was late. My bad.¡± He sauntered to her and put his arm around her waist. ¡°All sorted then?¡± Oh, Lukios was still very annoyed. This was too bad, because she had just remembered something important. ¡°Yes. Though¡­Lukios¡­¡± Ba¡¯an hesitated, glancing between him and Nikias. Nikias raised an eyebrow. ¡°Nikias said¡­that Terutus¡­filed a report.¡± Lukios groaned. Nikias gave her a look that clearly said, I asked you to handle this. Well, too bad. If Nikias wanted to stick his nose in everyone¡¯s business, he could deal with the smell, too. Chapter Thirty-two: A Lunch Date ¡°Well, that was fun.¡± Lukios still had his arm around her as he guided her out to the streets. ¡°Didn¡¯t think the little shit had it in him. ¡®Escort fee¡¯ my ass. What a fucker.¡± He sighed. ¡°I guess I owe Nikias, huh?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ba¡¯an leaned against him briefly so she could whisper. ¡°Lukios. Will you file a counterclaim? I¡­the accusations against you may be serious. Beating a merchant over an ¡®escort fee¡¯ would look very bad. You will look like a violent man who loves money over all things.¡± They walked away from the building. Gaios¡¯ guards had started to move with them, but Lukios had shaken his head, telling them they were not needed. Ba¡¯an suspected he did not trust them at all. For a moment it had looked like a standoff, with the guards only repeating Gaios¡¯ orders over and over again until Lukios¡¯ tone had finally gone sharp, but Nikias had casually called them back in. Surprisingly, they had listened to him. Hm, perhaps they did not truly work for Gaios. No matter. They were away now, and Ba¡¯an finally felt she could breathe, the air suddenly lighter and sweeter than it had been. They walked together down the crowded streets, heads close together. They were dressed a little too well for comfort, but Ba¡¯an did not think anyone would attempt violent theft on Lukios; he was very big, and he moved with more confidence than a man without guards ought to. Thieves did not attack men like Lukios; they preferred easier pickings. Cutpurses, however¡­well, Lukios was no fool. She was sure he had his purse well hidden inside his cloak. Lukios was sighing at what she¡¯d said. ¡°Ba¡¯an. If I file a counterclaim, you¡¯ll be asked to witness again. That¡¯s twice. You¡¯ll be involved as a witness twice. Nik¡¯s one thing. But¡­this stuff goes to Heliopolis, sweetheart. That¡¯s a whole lotta eyes. You ever think of that?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She stared at the ground as they walked. Ba¡¯an was not worried for herself¡ªshe could disappear if she wished. But Lukios? Lukios could not simply transform and fly away, and even if she took him with her¡­ That was no life for a man like Lukios. Not at all. Ba¡¯an spoke again, quietly. ¡°Lukios. I¡­do not think Nikias believed me about the strifa.¡± He shrugged, the movement rolling from him into her. ¡°Yeah, I didn¡¯t think he¡¯d buy most of it. He¡¯s¡­well, he¡¯s hard to fool. But the question is, what¡¯s he gonna to do about it?¡± He looked at her. ¡°Just don¡¯t give him a reason to think it¡¯s anything bigger. You got kicked out and you live alone now. That stuff¡¯s easy to check, and¡ª¡± He dipped his head down so he could drop his voice lower and still be heard, ¡°¡ªI¡¯m trusting your tribe won¡¯t squeal. Once he sees everything¡¯s just as you say, he¡¯ll get bored and leave it. He won¡¯t dig if it¡¯s boring. He will dig if you¡¯re a bit too interesting.¡± He continued, voice still low and quiet, ¡°So be as boring as possible, Ba¡¯an. Act like you were dropped on your head as a child. You won¡¯t be able to shake him at all if he gets a whiff of something juicy, so don¡¯t give him anything.¡± She nodded. ¡°Yes. I am¡­very boring.¡± And ignorant. She was certain Nikias had been laughing at her, too¡ªon the inside. Lukios stifled his laugh with his hand. ¡°No, no. Sweetheart, you¡¯re not boring. I¡¯m saying¡ªpretend. Pretend like you¡¯ve got nothing going on behind those big pretty eyes and he¡¯ll get bored and leave.¡± ¡°Yes, that is what I said. I am¡­pretending.¡± She wasn¡¯t. When she thought about it, she had done nothing in the past five years except survive, day-to-day, alternating between desperation and apathy. Her desperate days had been filled with the mad scrabble for food, her whole being possessed utterly by thoughts of her next meal as her belly ached; this was not so bad. No, the worst days were when she simply did not care and lay in bed for days, doing nothing. On those days, she had hoped to simply sleep forever, quietly waiting for the growing hunger in her to finish her, once and for all. She had never bothered learning to read or write Dolkoi¡¯ri. It had never occurred to her. She had not bothered learning their customs at all, except for whatever she had needed to know to trade. What had they all thought of her? What had they seen? Some raggedy stick of a woman, straggling in from the desert with her wares, dressed in rags with only a sack full of ointments and powders to show them? And her Dolkoi¡¯ri had not been good before Lukios. It had been thickly accented and broken, always spoken with a tinge of anger or disgust. She must have seemed like some wild animal that had learned to speak. A novelty, both ridiculous and repulsive. When she thought of it this way, it was a wonder anyone had bothered with her at all. It was a shameful realization, one she would never admit to. Not out loud. Lukios was trembling with muffled laughter, fooled by her blas¨¦ response. ¡°Okay. That¡¯s what you said.¡± He leaned over and kissed her temple, but she pushed him away. ¡°We are out in public.¡± Her face felt hot. Strangely, his affection made her eyes sting, pressed with welling tears. She would not cry. If he kept his distance. Lukios shook his head with a little snort of amusement, but he obeyed as always. He put his arm around her shoulders, and she felt his mood shift. He glanced around, tugging her closer to the buildings as they walked. ¡°But there is something.¡± He switched to K¡¯Avaari, and she knew he was serious. ¡°You said he knows you have magic, right? Lots of it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That is worrying. That is¡­¡± Lukios sighed. ¡°He might try to recruit you for something. Especially now, since you are alone with no tribe.¡± ¡°I will tell him no.¡± ¡°He is an Astros.¡± ¡°I do not understand.¡± ¡°They¡¯re as bad as Helioses. Nearly as bad. Worse, sometimes.¡± Oh. Yes, Ba¡¯an could see this was true. Nikias was a truly conniving, irritating man who was too smug to be tolerable. It was obvious he always got whatever he wanted. The urge to throttle the man returned, but she tamped it down. ¡°I will leave before then.¡± ¡°¡­Yeah. That¡¯s a good idea.¡± Lukios sounded unhappy now, though it was not difficult to guess why. He did not wish her to go so soon. Ba¡¯an did not wish to leave him, either, but¡­ Out of sight, out of mind. Oh, but there was another problem. ¡°Nikias told me to stay longer. He wishes to check my identity with the merchants.¡± ¡°Oh, that fucker. I knew it.¡± He was back to speaking Dolkoi¡¯ri now, too annoyed to focus. ¡°Yes. He is a¡­¡¯fucker.¡¯¡± Lukios let out another surprised laugh. ¡°Oh fuck. You¡¯re swearing. I¡¯m a bad man. I¡¯m sorry. This is my fault. But holy damn, it¡¯s adorable. Say it again.¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°No. I will not.¡± ¡°Aw, Ba¡¯aaaaan¡­¡± ¡°Lukios.¡± She sighed at him. ¡°He said he will arrest me if I attempt to leave.¡± ¡°What.¡± His voice had gone hard, all humour wiped away as though it had never been. ¡°He said what?¡± ¡°He said the penalty for lying was whipping¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯ll kick his teeth in. He did not.¡± ¡°He did. Is it true? Can I be detained?¡± ¡°Fuck, no. He¡¯s bullshitting you. You¡¯re not under investigation, sweetheart. You¡¯re a witness to a crime. He can¡¯t do shit. The lying little cocksucker.¡± ¡°Lukios. Calm yourself.¡± ¡°Sure. After I give him a good¡ª¡± ¡°Lukios. You said he is an Astros.¡± ¡°And I¡¯m a Helios.¡± ¡°Lukios.¡± ¡°I knew I should have busted in. Fucker.¡± ¡°He was very polite otherwise.¡± Now why was Ba¡¯an defending Nikias? ¡­Oh, yes. She did not wish Lukios to thrash him. Then things would become much worse. ¡°If you say so.¡± Ba¡¯an could tell by his tone he was plotting something devious and likely painful for Nikias. ¡°Lukios. Do not.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What you are planning. Do not.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything.¡± ¡°Lukios. Do. Not.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± He coughed quietly. ¡°Yet.¡± She tugged his cloak sharply, trying to make her point. He only smiled, and she clicked her tongue at him. ¡°Lukios. You are already in trouble. He is helping you. Do not make it worse.¡± ¡°I told him to be nice to you.¡± ¡°He was polite, except for the threats.¡± Veiled and otherwise, the little stit-tat. ¡°Polite. Except for the¡ªholy fuck, sweetheart. I don¡¯t even¡ªfuck.¡± Lukios sounded completely at a loss, which was something new. Ba¡¯an savoured the sensation of having rendered him speechless, which was not a feat she had managed in their five months together. Letting him sputter for the moment, she glanced around. Ba¡¯an blinked, puzzled. Only now did she notice that they were going in the wrong direction. The crowds were getting thicker, and she moved closer to Lukios to avoid being elbowed. No one ever saw Ba¡¯an; everyone saw Lukios, and gave him a wide berth. But they were going in the wrong direction. Gaios¡¯ estate was getting further behind them, not closer. ¡°Lukios? Where are we going?¡± ¡°What? Oh. Right.¡± He beamed down at her. ¡°Thought you might be hungry.¡± Her stomach gurgled, right on time. Ah, yes. His expression brightened. ¡°Yup. Thought so.¡± He pulled her against him, and she allowed it, even though they were still in public. ¡°I¡¯m taking you out on a date.¡± A date? She blinked up at him, confused. ¡­Wasn¡¯t that a kind of palm fruit?
¡°I think this is the place.¡± Lukios looked very excited, grinning brightly at her in the late morning sun. Ba¡¯an felt her mouth curve into an answering smile despite herself. This was not the time for cheer, and yet¡­ She could not help it. Lukios¡¯ moods were often infectious, and the sight of his smiling face made her heart feel fluttery and full, like he was simply filling her with sunshine. She put her hand in his and he laced their fingers together, squeezing gently. They had returned to the agora, though they did not enter the market proper. No, they walked down the stoa and approached the building it was attached to. It was a very tall and long building that ran alongside the agora, and Ba¡¯an had never set foot in it before. ¡°This is an indoor market. I mean, it¡¯s part of the agora, but the vendors here are permanent. You know there are even apartments upstairs?¡± ¡°I did not. People live here?¡± ¡°Yeah. Upstairs. They do business downstairs. Convenient, right?¡± It was, though Ba¡¯an imagined the noise must be immense, even at night. She did not think the agora ever really slept. They walked along the stoa, and Ba¡¯an noted there was a line of people coming out one of the doorways. It took her a moment to realize that was where they were going. ¡°Lukios? There is a line.¡± ¡°There sure is! Lunch lines are always long here. Food¡¯s great, or so I hear.¡± ¡°But Lukios¡­¡± Were they not supposed to stand behind the last man? ¡°Don¡¯t fret, sweetheart. I was down here earlier, remember?¡± Lukios was looking for someone; she could tell by the way he was peering up the line. ¡°Sir! Over here!¡± A small boy with freckles across his nose was waving very enthusiastically. ¡°I kept your spot for you, just like I said!¡± His grin was gap-toothed, missing two front-teeth. He could not have been older than eight. ¡°Great work, kid. Here¡¯re your coppers.¡± Lukios put some coins into the boy¡¯s hand, and he snatched them up with such a smile that one would think he¡¯d been given a king¡¯s ransom. ¡°Thank you, sir! Let me know if you want me to do it tomorrow, too! Me an¡¯ my brothers are real good at this stuff! We¡¯re the best, so¡ªhire us again!¡± Lukios praised him a second time, and the boy scampered off. They were nearly at the front of the line; there was only one man before them, though he was taking his time choosing his meal. ¡°Seriously? That¡¯s not fair.¡± The man behind them was not pleased. ¡°Why? It¡¯s not like you¡¯ve moved backwards.¡± Lukios raised an eyebrow at him, and the man shut his mouth, though it did not stop him from glaring. Clever. That had been very clever, though Ba¡¯an felt poorly for the boy. He had been dressed in clothes so old and worn that they had been little more than rags, and his feet had been bare. No K¡¯Avaari child would have been permitted such ill-kept clothes. They would have been shod. The tribe did not neglect their children, and there was always food in the kitchens. Clothes were stored and distributed as needed. No one in a tribe went without. Perhaps a gatherer did not receive the best cuts of meat, but they did receive it. The Dolkoi¡¯ri were very different, being so obsessed with coin. They allowed their children to starve over things such as profit, over shiny bits of metal. ¡°Sweetheart?¡± Lukios was looking at her with some concern. ¡°It is well.¡± She paused. ¡°The boy did not have shoes.¡± Lukios blinked, looking taken aback¡ªagain. ¡°Oh. Yeah. He¡¯s¡­he¡¯s probably an orphan, sweetheart. I mean, there¡¯s usually a bunch of kids hanging out around the agora. They¡¯ll run errands for coin. They¡¯re a bit, uh, feral. Gotta be careful.¡± This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Feral. Yes, hunger could turn even the most stalwart of men into an animal. It could certainly do the same to a child. ¡°I see,¡± she said, and he sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t go around giving them coin, is what I¡¯m saying. Especially since you¡¯re¡­well, you¡¯re a teeny-tiny Sander woman. You might get mobbed by ¡®em. I mean, they¡¯re small, but there¡¯s a lot of them. They¡¯ll shiv you for your purse. I mean it.¡± ¡°You gave him many coins.¡± ¡°Yeah, I hired him to stand here and keep my spot. That¡¯s different. I mean¡­don¡¯t go around handing out coins. That never ends well. Never.¡± She sighed. ¡°Do not worry, Lukios.¡± It was pitiful, but such was life in Dolkoi¡¯ri cities. It was not her business, and she would not interfere with their customs, miserable as they were. He was not the first destitute child she had seen, and he would not be the last; Ba¡¯an never gave away her coin. She had scarcely had enough of it to feed herself. She was an outlander now, too. ¡°Okay. Just so we¡¯re clear.¡± He smoothed her hair away from her forehead, very gently. ¡°Guess I shouldn¡¯t have.¡± ¡°No. It is well.¡± The boy would eat today, at least, though he would not have enough coppers for shoes. ¡°Hello, fine sir and lady! Your orders?¡± Ah. Yes. Ba¡¯an disliked many Dolkoi¡¯ri things, but their food was not one of them. Their food was outrageously delicious and filling. Lukios tugged her up toward the counter, and Ba¡¯an took the opportunity to look around. The walls of the taverna were plastered and painted with bright, eye-catching pictures. The windows were placed high on the wall, shaped into squares and large enough to let the sunlight stream in and light the entirety of the room. There were vases with fresh flowers and the far wall held another painted picture. It was festival scene, with bright colors that made the food stand out. The counter was made of stone and brick, and it was ingenious. There were holes at the top that allowed a large jar to sit beneath it with the mouth open; there were fires set beneath the counter, and their heat kept the food warm. Right above the fire was a metal grill, and she could see and smell the meat sizzling from the previous order. There was plenty of counter space at the front, but there was another counter against the wall. This one held bowls and a large bucket of water, where she imagined dirty dishes must be soaked before being taken to wash. There were jugs and cups lined up there as well. If only the Dolkoi¡¯ri had simply restricted their inventions to food. Everyone would be getting along very happily with full bellies, she was sure. ¡°Was there anything in particular you wanted to try?¡± Lukios pointed to the wall behind the counter, which was full of writing. There were pictures as well, but they were more decorative than helpful. Ba¡¯an shook her head. ¡°I cannot read it. You must do so for me.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± He began to read the menu, explaining it as he went. ¡°They mostly do meat here. Uh, let¡¯s see¡­they¡¯ve got skewers with bread. You can get beef, chicken, or lamb. There¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°Uh, sorry sir. It¡¯s only chicken today.¡± The man behind the counter looked very sheepish as he said this. He was a dark-haired man dressed plainly in a long, belted tunic with an apron on top. Sweat glistened on his forehead and upper lip, but he seemed to be in good cheer. Lukios blinked. ¡°Oh. Out already?¡± The man shook his head. His dark curls moved to and fro with the gesture, and Ba¡¯an realized he was Lukios¡¯ age¡ªperhaps younger. ¡°No, it¡¯s¡­I swear, it¡¯s those bandits. They¡¯ve been hitting the farms and making off with the livestock. Local meat¡¯s gone scarce, and we were lucky with the chickens.¡± The man peered at Lukios, and then added, ¡°Guess you just got here, then.¡± ¡°Yeah. Yesterday.¡± The man shook his head again. ¡°You were lucky. Bunch of caravans got hit last night, too.¡± ¡°Wait, really?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°But¡­Strategos Gaios is here. I saw the barracks. They¡¯re full.¡± He nodded. ¡°Yeah. I think he doubled patrols on the roads but¡­there¡¯s always an opening somewhere, and they¡¯re spread too thin to really watch the farms.¡± ¡°Oi,¡± snapped the man behind them, ¡°you wanna gossip? Go find the town crier. Order something. The rest of us have places to be. We actually work for a living, you¡ª¡± And then he said something that Ba¡¯an did not understand, but the tone was not at all complimentary. Lukios turned around, very slowly, and loomed. ¡°Uh¡­¡± The man paled. Had he not realized how big Lukios was? ¡°Now, now, friends.¡± The man at the counter leaned out, trying to stop the fight before it started. ¡°Hunger makes a man lose his head, it¡¯s true. Here, have some phouska while you wait! On the house.¡± He poured a clear liquid into three clay cups, passing the first one down to the angry man behind them. Then he gave the last two to Lukios, who naturally handed one to her. She sniffed the contents and wrinkled her nose. Lukios chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t like it?¡± ¡°It smells sour.¡± ¡°It is. It¡¯s phouska.¡± He grinned and sipped his. ¡°Huh. Pretty good. Not too sour, not too sweet.¡± The man behind the counter grinned. ¡°My wife¡¯s work. She¡¯ll be pleased to hear it. Your order? Or do you need more time?¡± ¡°Oh. Uh¡­¡± Lukios glanced at the menu. ¡°We¡¯ll take everything from there to there. Chicken¡¯s fine, I guess.¡± ¡°Oh. Everything¡ª? Sure. Sure. Just¡­it¡¯ll be a minute.¡± He went to the doorway beside the furthermost counter and hollered for more meat. A woman¡¯s voice answered, and then a young girl¡¯s. The man had an open tablet on the counter as well, and he inscribed something into the wax. ¡°Why don¡¯t you take a seat? I¡¯ll call you up when it¡¯s done.¡± Lukios put his arm around her waist and led her to a table in the corner. It was much smaller than the table at Gaios¡¯ estate, and she did not know if it would hold all their food. The seats were three-legged stools. They sat, and she finally took a sip of her drink. Oh, it was sour. Very, very sour. Wordlessly, she handed her cup to Lukios, who only laughed and drained it. ¡°Too sour?¡± ¡°Yes. It is like drinking...I do not know the word. Sour wine? No. Similar.¡± ¡°Vinegar?¡± ¡°If it is like sour wine, yes.¡± Lukios only grinned at her. ¡°That¡¯s real close.¡± He finished what was in his cup and set it aside. ¡°Only soldiers and slaves drink this stuff.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Well, soldiers, slaves, and people who can¡¯t afford wine, ha. It¡¯s got kick, but doesn¡¯t get you drunk. Keeps better than water, too.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± He laughed again. ¡°Don¡¯t fret, sweetheart. It¡¯s an acquired taste.¡± ¡°But they are serving it here.¡± ¡°Yeah. Lots of soldiers in Kyros. Fort city, remember?¡± ¡°Oh.¡± And the man at the counter had read Lukios correctly, too. ¡°Lukios.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Are they the same bandits?¡± ¡°Yup. They sure are. It¡¯s only been five months and it sounds like no one¡¯s mopped up.¡± He sounded remarkably calm. Ba¡¯an did not feel the same. She had not cared five months ago, but when she thought of it now, thought of how Lukios had limped to sit by the dying horse, bleeding the whole way¡­ It was upsetting. Deeply upsetting. Why had Gaios not done anything? He had soldiers. Many of them. Why had he come to Kyros, if not to solve this problem with bandits? And it was not only the banditry. They had Eirene with them. Why had he not rescued her? They were all Dolkoi¡¯ri citizens. Did that mean nothing? Ba¡¯an thought back to the map on Nikias¡¯ wall. The old fort had been circled, and she thought she knew why. But Lukios would know for sure, would he not? ¡°Are there any forts other than Kyros? Before entering the desert.¡± ¡°Nope. Temporary ones were all dismantled a while back. There¡¯s only one more out by Red Stride Canyon.¡± She nodded. Yes, she had thought as much. Where else would a band of brigands go to roost? Particularly a band of brigands who had been soldiers? It was obvious when she thought about it. Ba¡¯an did not care for Dolkoi¡¯ri problems, but she had trod the road to Kyros often enough, and she had flown the desert skies surrounding her not-vuti many times. Banditry had risen. It was natural after a war, but this trend had persisted even through the new period of peace. They had swarmed over the countryside like locusts, and Ba¡¯an had killed many herself while on the road. They often saw a lone K¡¯Avaari woman as easy pickings. And where had they all come from? The army, of course. Deserters. They hadn¡¯t gone anywhere. They¡¯d stayed inside the empire as bandits, evading capture and crucifixion by preying on farmers and travellers alike¡ªespecially lone travellers. Well, Ba¡¯an had made certain that none of them had had the time to truly regret their decision. Many had died without the opportunity to scream. Pathetic maggots. ¡°Nikias had a map on his wall. He had a fort circled. The one in the desert.¡± Lukios nodded. ¡°Yup. That¡¯s their hidey-hole. Gaios and Nik already know where they are, but they won¡¯t go marching up there.¡± ¡°Why? Eirene is there, is she not?¡± ¡°Sweetheart. That¡¯s K¡¯Avaari territory.¡± She felt her brow furrow. It was true that had been K¡¯Avaari territory once upon a time, but now? ¡°But¡­it was taken by your people decades ago.¡± Lukios gave her an odd look. ¡°You really don¡¯t know?¡± She sighed at him. ¡°Lukios. I do not.¡± ¡°Uh. Okay. Well, we gave that bit back this time around. Peace treaty.¡± Ba¡¯an felt her mouth hang open. What? ¡°Oh. You really didn¡¯t know. Yeah, it¡¯s not Illosian territory anymore. We gave that back.¡± He hesitated, a frown touching his brow. ¡°Sweetheart¡­how much do you remember? About the uh¡­Dolkoi¡¯ri-anta?¡± ¡°The early battles. And then¡­¡± She shook her head. ¡°Nothing?¡± ¡°I¡­remember nothing after¡­the mountain.¡± She remembered Thu¡¯rin¡¯s dead face, Enha-naus-hasa-en¡¯s screams of rage filling her head as she jumped from the rock cliff and flew into battle. Ba¡¯an had let herself sleep in Enha-naus-hasa-en¡¯s terrible anger, forgetting everything but a single purpose: Kill the Dolkoi¡¯ri. Until they stopped¡ªor she did. After that there had only been screams and the smell of burning meat. Fire. Rain. Men crying out for their mothers¡ªand souls. The music of souls becoming screams, as she tore them from their bodies and devoured them to power her fury. Ba¡¯an had forgotten her own name until she had woken up one day in a vuti, guarded by frightened children with spears. She had not been bound, because they had been too afraid to approach her. She had stayed between those walls until her trial. No one had spoken to her. It had been forbidden. But she had heard the low-folk praying. ¡°Uh¡­sweetheart?¡± Ba¡¯an came back to herself abruptly, realizing that she was shaking her head with far too much force. She stopped. ¡°Okay. Never mind. It¡¯s all over and done, anyway, so who cares?¡± He cleared his throat, taking her hand in his and giving it a reassuring squeeze. ¡°They can¡¯t go up there ¡®cause that¡¯ll break the treaty. It¡¯d send the wrong message, having soldiers march up into the desert again.¡± ¡°But¡­surely Vala-Tu¡¯rin¡­¡± Now it was Lukios shaking his head. ¡°Nope. They won¡¯t risk any K¡¯Avaari lives by sending hunters over. Not for a bunch of outlander bandits. They¡¯re not stupid enough to bother any K¡¯Avaari tribesmen, you know? So they¡¯ve just been coming down here and hitting fast and hard, then right back up again into their hidey-hole. Fuckers.¡± Ah. Ba¡¯an sighed. ¡°So it cannot be helped.¡± ¡°Oh, I dare say it can.¡± He was grinning again. ¡°It¡¯s actually real simple, but you gotta be willing to take some risks.¡± ¡°It is?¡± ¡°Yeah. It sure is.¡± ¡°I do not understand.¡± ¡°They had a whole list of demands, didn¡¯t they? They¡¯ve been hitting farms, sweetheart. Farms and food caravans. They¡¯re hungry up there. That¡¯s easy to exploit.¡± ¡°Lukios. You have thought of this.¡± ¡°Yup. All morning.¡± ¡°But it is not your responsibility. Surely not.¡± He had nearly died. Twice. His expression grew serious. ¡°It is. I was charged with getting Eirene safely to Heliopolis. I failed. That makes it my business.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± He shook his head. ¡°No. No buts about it. I have to get her out and take her up to Heliopolis. I don¡¯t know if Noros¡¯ll take her still, but¡­I have to get her there. That was the deal.¡± ¡°But you are only one man. There are many bandits.¡± ¡°I only need maybe five other guys. Eight if we can manage but that¡¯d be pushing our luck.¡± ¡°Lukios?¡± Ba¡¯an felt a trill of alarm. Was he mad? Five other men to take a fortress full of killers? ¡°That¡¯s my name,¡± he said, very cheerfully. ¡°You cannot be serious. Five men? Eight if you can manage? That is a fort full of¡­I am sure they are deserters, Lukios. Trained men.¡± One of them had even been good enough to stab Lukios in the gut. ¡°They sure are. And that makes it even easier. Army habits die hard. Easy to guess how they¡¯ve got their watch set up. Everything else, too. Easy-peasy.¡± ¡°Lukios. This is¡­this is ill-advised. Surely Gaios can¡ª¡± ¡°He can¡¯t. Because if he could have, he would have. He¡¯s had five months, sweetheart, and Gaios works fast. He¡¯s not the sort of guy to sit around and twiddle his thumbs, and he hates it up here. He¡¯d have gotten it done fast and gone home already. No, his hands are tied. But me? I¡¯m a dead man. I can do whatever the fuck I want.¡± ¡°But¡ªLukios¡ªthat is¡ªthis is¡ª¡± ¡°Table thirteen! Order¡¯s ready!¡± ¡°That¡¯s us! Hang tight, Ba¡¯an. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± He winked, then stood up to get their food. Ba¡¯an sat stock still in her seat, shocked by what he had said. Five men? Eight if he could manage? What? Was he insane? ¡­Well, of course he was. Ba¡¯an squeezed the bridge of her nose with her fingers. No. There had to be a better solution. Perhaps he could simply pay the ransom instead? That had been the problem, had it not? No one was willing to pay the ransom. If he paid it, he could free Eirene without risking his life. Again. He returned with two steaming platters. ¡°There¡¯s more, but we¡¯ll pick them up after these. Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯s got everything on the warmer.¡± ¡°Yes. Thank you. Lukios, you must reconsider.¡± ¡°The skewers?¡± ¡°No. Your¡­plan. You must reconsider. It is very dangerous and¡­I will be gone soon, Lukios. I will not be there to¡­fix you. It is simpler to pay the ransom, is it not?¡± ¡°Uh¡­not really.¡± ¡°But¡­it is only money. Things. It is better than risking your life.¡± Lukios¡¯ expression was difficult to place. Ba¡¯an hated it when he did this¡ªhow he somehow closed himself up so she could no longer read him. Slowly, he shook his head. ¡°No. That¡¯s not simpler.¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t fret, sweetheart. It¡¯ll be fine. We¡¯ll get your shopping done and you can go back home. I¡¯ll be by in two months to see you. See? Easy.¡± ¡°No. Lukios, do not treat me like an idiot.¡± ¡°What? I¡¯m not. It¡¯s just¡ªyou don¡¯t have to worry about it. It¡¯s not your problem and it¡¯ll work out fine, so why get any gray hairs over it? You don¡¯t have to think about it. It¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°It is not so simple.¡± He sighed. ¡°There you go again, complicating. It is.¡± ¡°Explain.¡± ¡°Ba¡¯an. Sweetheart, it¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Lukios. You are hiding something. I do not like it.¡± He sighed again, much more gustily. ¡°The accusations, sweetheart. They¡¯re not really about kidnapping. I mean, I¡¯m dead, so that¡¯d be pretty silly. No, it¡¯s a whole lot worse and a lot more practical.¡± ¡°I do not understand.¡± ¡°Ba¡¯an. Eirene¡¯s pregnant.¡± ¡°Because of the bandits. They have inflicted utani. It is what bandits do.¡± ¡°Most likely, yeah. But Ba¡¯an, that¡¯s not what people are saying.¡± Very suddenly, she remembered what Nikias had said: If he has a woman already, other accusations will appear less¡­credible. Oh no. ¡°But¡­¡± Ba¡¯an¡¯s eyes had gone very wide, a reaction utterly outside her control. ¡°It¡¯s not true,¡± he said, looking completely exasperated. ¡°Okay, fine, we were friendly, but the only touching that happened was, uh¡­well, we rubbed elbows once when we passed each other in the hallway. It was narrow. I¡¯m pretty sure that¡¯s not how babies are made.¡± ¡°So¡­it is Eirene¡¯s family?¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be surprised at all if you¡¯d met her ma. Because this has ¡®Klea¡¯ written all over it.¡± ¡°For your money?¡± ¡°Eh. That¡¯s part of it. Probably wants to prick House Helios into action, mostly. Getting all my stuff would be a nice bonus too, especially since¡­well, I don¡¯t think she can get married now. Not to a proper Helios. So. You know. Practical considerations.¡± ¡°But¡­it is a lie. It is not true. The child is not yours, so they have no claim to¡­to¡­¡± ¡°Since when do people care about ¡®true¡¯?¡± He shook his head. ¡°Paying a ransom is what family does. Your da, or your husband. I¡¯m neither, and I don¡¯t want to be. No thanks.¡± ¡°But¡­there is no proof, and¡­surely¡­?¡± ¡°Nope. Gives the wrong idea. That and I¡¯m dead, remember? I don¡¯t even have Synoros back yet, and I don¡¯t have collateral for a loan that big. Enough for lawyers? Sure. Not enough for that much ransom.¡± His mouth twisted. ¡°And I¡¯m not asking Dana? for money. Fuck no.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Rekos¡¯ wife, sweetheart. Back in Heliopolis.¡± He scrubbed his hand over his face. ¡°Fuck. I have to go see her and the girls. Helena needs to get married and Dafni''s not too far behind her. You know, duties. ¡®Cause I¡¯m his only son, adoptee that I am.¡± Oh. But... Had Lukios not said Rekos had been his uncle? No, no. She was misremembering it. Their journey to the road had been some time ago. ¡°But surely it is better than¡­risking your life.¡± This was the most important thing, now. He gave a helpless little laugh. ¡°You say that ¡®cause you haven¡¯t met Dana? . I¡¯ll take the bandits, ha.¡± Ba¡¯an frowned at him. ¡°I do not think I am the one with a poor sense for danger, Lukios.¡± He burst out laughing. ¡°Oh, I walked into that one. But really, sweetheart. I¡¯m not an idiot, either. I haven¡¯t worked it all out yet, but I¡¯ll get there. It won¡¯t be that bad.¡± He grinned at her. ¡°You can¡¯t marry a corpse, right?¡± Ba¡¯an sputtered at the sudden change. ¡°I¡ªI have not¡­decided.¡± ¡°Right. But you can¡¯t decide at all if I die. So I won¡¯t. I¡¯ll see you in two months once Eirene¡¯s safe and sound in Heliopolis and I¡¯ve done right by Dana? and the girls. After that¡ªSynoros! Never to deal with this shit again. Ever. Phew!¡± She continued frowning. No, this was not that simple. It was not simple at all. ¡°Then I will stay.¡± ¡°Wait, what?¡± ¡°Here. In Kyros.¡± ¡°Uh. Not that I¡¯m not happy, but¡­you¡¯re definitely plotting something. Out with it.¡± ¡°To help you, Lukios.¡± She dropped her voice to a whisper and said, in K¡¯Avaari, ¡°No one will notice a few crows.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°No. Absolutely not.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°It¡¯s dangerous. Way too dangerous. I don¡¯t just mean the bandits, but sweetheart, if I raid, I¡¯ll do it with veterans, and by now they all hate¡­¡± He dropped his voice to a whisper, hunching over the table and leaning over to her, as close as he could. ¡°¡­Crows. No. No. It¡¯s way too risky, and if they see you? Fuck. No. No way.¡± He was shaking his head emphatically. ¡°No. No. And even if I was taking greenhorns, I¡¯m not letting you wander into a fort full of bandits. It¡¯s indoors. It¡¯s tight. No. End of discussion.¡± ¡°I do not need your permission.¡± ¡°What in the fuck¡ªOkay, fine. You don¡¯t need my permission, but you¡¯re not coming with me, that¡¯s for damn sure.¡± He scowled at her. ¡°Shit, I should¡¯ve kept my damn mouth shut.¡± ¡°Lukios.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Lukios.¡± ¡°End of discussion.¡± ¡°Lukios.¡± ¡°Your skewer¡¯s getting cold.¡± She sighed at him. ¡°I will not be seen.¡± ¡°You gonna eat?¡± ¡°Lukios.¡± ¡°This discussion¡¯s done. No.¡± ¡°But I am not finished.¡± ¡°I am! Time to eat and not do silly things like raid a bandit fort. Hey, try this bit. It¡¯s good. Spicy, right?¡± ¡°I am worried for you.¡± He sighed. ¡°Sweetheart. I know. But you have to think this through. It¡¯s way too risky for you to¡­you know. Not here. And I gotta say, I¡¯m a bit offended.¡± ¡°I do not understand.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not an idiot, Ba¡¯an. And I don¡¯t aim on dying. Can¡¯t you just believe me when I say it¡¯ll go fine?¡± ¡°I believe you believe it will¡­¡¯go fine.¡¯¡± ¡°Oh come on. Not that crap again.¡± ¡°It is not.¡± ¡°It is. Remember that time you said, ¡®I believe you mean what you say¡¯? You should, ¡®cause that was¡­yesterday.¡± She sighed again. ¡°It is not the same.¡± ¡°Sort of is. Is this a witch thing? It¡¯s a witch thing, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°It is not.¡± ¡°It so is.¡± He leaned over the table so that he was nearly nose-to-nose with her. ¡°It so, so is. Ba¡¯an. Sweetheart. My sweet, beautiful, wonderful, perfect little Ba¡¯an-turtle.¡± She eyed him warily. ¡°Say what you mean, Lukios.¡± ¡°I always do. My sweet, beautiful, wonderful, perfect little Ba¡¯an-turtle, I adore you. But it drives me perfectly insane when you say, ¡®I believe you believe''¡­whatever it is I believe.¡± ¡°But Lukios¡­¡± ¡°Yes, my sweet, beautiful, wonderful, perfect little Ba¡¯an-turtle?¡± ¡°I am worried.¡± His gaze softened, and he kissed the tip of her nose. She turned her face to sneeze, and Lukios laughed, very softly. ¡°Sweetheart, I won¡¯t die. I won¡¯t even get stabbed, not even a little. I mean, I haven¡¯t figured the whole thing out yet, but if it seems too risky, I¡¯ll think up something else. There. How¡¯s that?¡± She only stared up at him, trying to impress upon him how deeply concerning it all was with only her eyes. ¡°Aw, sweetheart. Ugh, stop. Stop. Ah, gods help me. I¡¯ll think of something smart, I promise, I promise! Would you stop¡ª? Ahhhhhhh, I lose, I lose. No one is raiding a fort. For now. Happy?¡± For now? She frowned at him. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Aw, Ba¡¯an. I promise I won¡¯t die or get stabbed. We still have to get married.¡± ¡°I have not decided.¡± ¡°Sure, sure. Take your time. But we still need to get married.¡± ¡°Ugh. Lukios.¡± ¡°Yeeeees, my Ba¡¯an-turtle?¡± She rolled her eyes, exasperated but strangely pleased. ¡°I do not doubt you, Lukios, but there is no guarantee in battle. A poorer warrior may slay a greater one if the wind shifts. It is treacherous. That is why¡­I will stay.¡± He shook his head. ¡°You can stay as long as you want, sweetheart. I mean, we can stay at an inn if you want, too. Honestly, I think we should¡¯ve. Hey, we can even go to Heliopolis together! Wouldn¡¯t that be fun? But you don¡¯t have to stay for¡­that. And you¡¯re not coming. No way.¡± She sighed. ¡°But¡ª¡± He shook his head. ¡°Sorry, sweetheart. Not budging.¡± He cut a piece of chicken from his own plate and dipped it in the little bowl of bright orange sauce beside it. ¡°Here, try this. It¡¯s really good!¡± She obediently opened her mouth and took the morsel, giving him a look. He only beamed at her, and put more meat on her plate. ¡°Oh, try this one. It¡¯s¡­uh, well, it¡¯s all chicken, but this sauce is made from salty brine, all the way from¡ª¡± He continued talking cheerfully, extolling the virtues of the different kinds of sauces. They ate, Ba¡¯an letting it go¡ªfor now. Lukios was a madman. This much was clear; she feared he would go raiding, with only a handful of men. And if he did not? She had no doubt he would concoct an even madder plan. No, no. She could not leave now. She¡ªwell, why not? Why not stay longer? This way Nikias would believe she had nothing to hide, and she could¡­she could ensure everything went well. She could ensure Lukios did not get stabbed again. Anywhere. And if he did? She could stitch him back together¡ªif she was here. With Lukios. She would stay. Just a little longer. Just a little. Chapter Thirty-three: Honey and A Lion Ba¡¯an was in a much cheerier mood as they left the taverna. A full belly was part of it, but it had not hurt to spend the time speaking with Lukios, who seemed determined to amuse her; he had flattered and flirted, and Ba¡¯an was mildly embarrassed to admit she had¡­giggled. At least once. ¡­No, it had been more than once. Much more. ¡°Are we returning now? Or do you have other business?¡± It would be a shame to part so soon, but she did not wish to impede him. The Dolkoi¡¯ri loved their lists and their papers, so perhaps there was more he had to do now, while all the civil offices were still open? The lineups were often very long. Ba¡¯an had seen men queue outside the door before there as well, complaining about slow service and lippy slaves. Lukios only grinned at her. ¡°We¡¯re still on a date, Ba¡¯an. You¡¯re going to have so much fun you forget how to frown.¡± Oh. She covered her mouth. Yes, this kind of date was much sweeter than the fruit kind. Lukios was watching her, eyes bright with merriment. ¡°Oh, you like it.¡± Ba¡¯an looked away to the side and coughed very delicately. ¡°You do! You like it.¡± ¡°I do not wish to...get in the way. Your situation is serious, Lukios.¡± He laughed, and she saw some passersby give him some very odd looks. ¡°Sweetheart. Seriously. Forget about it. We¡¯re on a date.¡± He leaned in and whispered, very conspiratorially, ¡°Also? New rule. Everytime you say something serious, you have to give me a kiss. A real one. In public.¡± She wrinkled her nose at him. ¡°I will not. It is rude to kiss in public.¡± And embarrassing. Who kissed anyone in public? Well, perhaps a mother or father would kiss their child, but otherwise? He was chortling again. ¡°Then I guess you better not say anything serious, right?¡± He gave her a knowing little look. ¡°You still owe me one for last night.¡± ¡°Last¡­?¡± His smile only grew. ¡°For complicating. Though I guess you could give me a drachma instead.¡± Breezily, he added in a lofty, generous tone, ¡°I¡¯d take the kiss over coin, though.¡± She sighed at him. ¡°You are very silly, Lukios.¡± ¡°And you love it.¡± She tugged the rim of her shawl lower over her head, knowing her cheeks had gone red once more. ¡°Very silly,¡± she muttered, but there was no heat to it. Lukios stepped closer, and for a moment she thought he really would kiss her, but he only smiled softly and tucked an errant strand of hair back beneath her shawl. ¡°You have no idea at all, huh?¡± He touched her lower lip with his finger, but withdrew. ¡°I¡¯ll behave. Since you look like you¡¯re gonna pop, ha. It¡¯s real cute, though.¡± Silly and strange. That¡¯s what he was. Her silly and strange outlander, too handsome and charming for his own good. Ba¡¯an reached over and pretended to pluck something from his shoulder. Lukios only smiled knowingly, which she ignored. She wriggled her fingers as though dispensing with a piece of lint, but of course, there had been nothing; she used the moment to run her hand over his chest, pretending to smooth out wrinkles. Lukios¡¯ smile only grew wider. ¡°I think you missed a spot. Several spots.¡± ¡°Lukios.¡± She gave a very delicate sniff. ¡°We are standing in everyone¡¯s way.¡± It was true. The stoa was full of people, and though everyone was stepping around them, no one looked particularly enthused at doing so. ¡°Oh no. How horrible. Surely they can¡¯t step around us, the way they¡¯ve been doing ¡®til now.¡± He put his arm around her again and they began walking the length of the building. ¡°What will we do next?¡± If he smiled any harder, his face would crack. ¡°Remember that time I promised to buy you some honey?¡± Ah.
There was a truly dizzying array of honey. The colours ranged from a deep, golden brown to a lighter, softer yellow-gold. Best of all were the jars. They were glass. They were selling honey in glass jars. Glass! It was all ludicrously expensive. Ba¡¯an had not known such a store existed; she had nearly always avoided the stoa, seeing no reason to walk under the awning. When Lukios had promised her honey, she had thought of the street vendor in the open market who occasionally had a pot or two with a honeycomb. But this¨Cthis¨Cwas something else entirely. The shop had a sitting area which was built so the sunlight streamed in. The honey was kept on shelves that had been built into the walls, where the sunlight did not touch. It was cool and dry, and Ba¡¯an could feel a breeze circulating the room. Oddly, some of the shelves were empty. Ba¡¯an would not be so rude as to ask, but she suspected that perhaps the bandits were a problem for everyone. ¡°Would you like to try some?¡± The shopkeeper was already bringing out a tray, which was good. Ba¡¯an wanted to try all of them. Lukios was grinning, watching her sample the honey in little finger pots. They had brought out some kind of bread to dip into them. It was delicious. ¡°What is this one?¡± ¡°That is what we call chestnut-milk. The bees are kept in a chestnut orchard. This is from a private garden in Acitos. The keeper grows exotic flowers from very far south. See? The colour is different. The taste is lighter, more flowery.¡± It was. The honey itself was more watery, and flowed with ease. She was not sure about the taste being flowery, but Ba¡¯an did not know what exotic flowers tasted like. Then again, it was foolish to believe vendors whenever they said something. It was their job to sell. ¡°Lukios! Try this one. What do you think?¡± He looked at her with a combination of amusement and adoration. Obediently, he opened his mouth so she could pop the piece of bread into it and chewed. ¡°It tastes sweet? I wish I was a bit more useful, Ba¡¯an, but it all just tastes like honey to me. But I think the thicker stuff is a bit heartier, isn¡¯t it? You can probably just spread it on some bread and make a meal of it.¡± That was true. Ba¡¯an narrowed her eyes at the jars. ¡°We could just get all of it, Ba¡¯an. I did promise to get you as many pots as you wanted.¡± The merchant¡¯s eyes lit up. There was no other way to describe it. ¡°Of course, if you buy them in sets we can give you a bulk discount.¡± He was talking to Lukios, nearly vibrating with excitement. ¡°Lukios. I will not be able to take all the jars with me.¡± ¡°Well, I was going to get you a goat, Ba¡¯an.¡± A goat. He was going to get her a goat. ¡°Lukios. Why are you getting me a goat?¡± ¡°You know you already have too much to carry back, right? You need something. We can get you a mule if you don¡¯t like goats, but they eat more.¡± ¡°Lukios. I do not think I can raise a goat. Or a mule.¡± She could scarcely feed herself. ¡°You have plenty of space, Ba¡¯an. And these ones eat anything. You can just let her loose in the akaikai grove and she¡¯ll be set.¡± Ba¡¯an looked at him and sighed. ¡°Oh come on, Ba¡¯an. You know you want a goat. I¡¯ll find you a really cute one. You can name her something ridiculous. It¡¯ll be fun.¡± ¡°And if I cannot feed her, Lukios?¡± He shrugged. "You can eat her. That¡¯s a lot of meat. It¡¯ll last you a long time if you smoke it all.¡± Hm. This was true. She would not have to worry about meat for a long time if she turned it into jerky. Trapping and fishing would not be so concerning, then; without Lukios, Ba¡¯an would have to expend more effort into getting meat. The goat would make her life much easier. One of the shop boys wouldn¡¯t stop looking at them. Ba¡¯an was sure he was looking at Lukios; he would do some cleaning, pause, look at Lukios, then go back to cleaning, pause, and look at Lukios again. He seemed to recognize Lukios, though Lukios clearly did not recognize him. In fact, Lukios seemed to be ignoring the obvious wide-eyed looks the boy had been throwing him the entire time. Well, Lukios did not appear concerned, so perhaps it was nothing. ¡°Lukios.¡± Ba¡¯an frowned. It would not do to discuss this in a shop. ¡°We will speak on this later. For now¡­¡± She pointed. She wanted two jars, which would last her a good long while. She used honey very sparingly. ¡°Just those?¡± ¡°Yes. It is enough.¡± The shopkeeper looked crestfallen. Too bad. To his credit, the man did not try to convince her otherwise. Instead, he turned to his shop-boy. ¡°Brilos! Wrap these.¡± The boy jumped, and hastened to do as he was bid. Ba¡¯an pointed to a third jar, the chestnut honey. ¡°I will buy this one myself.¡± ¡°What? Oh come on.¡± Lukios turned to the shopkeeper. ¡°I¡¯ll pay for that one too.¡± Ba¡¯an frowned. ¡°Lukios, it is for Merida. You do not have to pay for my gifts.¡± Thu¡¯rin had always given her things, that was true. The tribe always provided whatever was needed, but Thu¡¯rin had often brought her little trinkets or curiosities when he left with the traders as their guard. He had even brought her back a mirror once, one made of glass; Ba¡¯an had left it in the shi-vuti for Vaa¡¯ti. But Thu¡¯rin had been her man. It was a natural thing but¡­ Was Lukios her man now? He did not have another woman, and he wished to marry her. So¡­ Did that not make him hers now? But this was Illos. So¡­that meant¡­? Ba¡¯an paused, confused. What did it mean when a Dolkoi¡¯ri man gave a woman many gifts? Ba¡¯an had heard that Dolkoi¡¯ri women were bought when they were married. What was it called? A dou-ree? Surely Lukios was not¡­purchasing her? No, no, he had already made his feelings on such customs very clear. And¡­the dou-ree went to¡­did it not go to her family? Or¡­was it¡­? Ugh. But he wished to buy her a goat. An outlander goat was not a strifa, but surely it was a courtship gift? She felt her brow crease. If she accepted his gifts, did that mean she accepted his proposal? Or¡­was that a separate thing? Ba¡¯an was not sure if Lukios would laugh or cry if she asked, but she did not wish him to misunderstand her again. Yet, she was hesitant to speak of such a personal matter in front of strangers. Perhaps if she spoke K¡¯Avaari? Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. But what if the shopkeeper became offended? Many of the Dolkoi¡¯ri thought K¡¯Avaari was barbaric. What if he changed his prices, or even refused to sell? Lukios was still speaking, perhaps taking her silence for acceptance. ¡°Hey, how about those over there too?¡± Oh no. Was Lukios going to buy the entire shop? ¡°No. Lukios, this is¡­it is enough honey. I will give Merida this pot, and I will take these two here. That is all.¡± ¡°But you liked that one too.¡± He pointed to the jar of light yellow honey that was exactly the colour of sunlight on the sand. ¡°You did the happy scrunchy thing with your eyes.¡± ¡­Happy scrunchy thing? Ba¡¯an suppressed the urge to sigh. She was either thinking too much or thinking too little. She had not thought it would become so complicated when she had allowed him into her bed. ¡°Besides, Merida¡¯s sensible. I like her. I¡¯ll buy it. And I like the colour on those too, so I¡¯ll take them.¡± The shopkeeper hastened to do his bidding, clearly worried she would convince Lukios otherwise. Lukios grinned and tapped her on the nose. ¡°It will get stuck that way, Ba¡¯an.¡± The look she gave him in return was deeply unimpressed, but he only chuckled¨Cas usual. Lukios put money on the counter and the shopkeeper seemed content to ignore her; she sighed. A sudden thought occurred to her. ¡°Lukios. In K¡¯Avaari tribes we give a gift when we arrive and are given a gift when we leave. Was I meant to give Gaios a gift when I arrived, or do Dolkoi¡¯ri give a gift when they leave?¡± Not within the same tribe, of course, but when visiting a different tribe, it was considered good manners to bring something the host did not produce. He looked at her. ¡°Oh. Well, I guess I would be the one getting him something since you¡¯re with me. But normally we just invite them over later and stuff ¡®em full of food. I don¡¯t think you really have to get him anything, Ba¡¯an.¡± ¡°Is it rude if I do?¡± She was not comfortable with the thought of giving nothing. It felt ill-mannered. ¡°Not really. I mean, everyone likes gifts, right? He¡¯ll definitely think it¡¯s a K¡¯Avaari thing, so he¡¯ll probably just roll with it, honestly.¡± ¡°What should I get him?¡± Gaios was already wealthy. She did not think he would be impressed by anything from the market. ¡°He likes hard liquor. He has a weapons collection too. Hm, I think his wife likes those Eirian rugs¨Cthe ones with the block patterns. Anything would be fine, honestly. As long as it¡¯s good quality. Poor quality stuff would be an insult.¡± Ba¡¯an wasn¡¯t sure she and Gaios had the same definition of ¡®quality¡¯. She sighed again. ¡°Lukios, I think I will need help.¡± He grinned and opened his mouth to reply when the shop boy interrupted. ¡°Your purchases, sir.¡± The boy had packed them into a crate that had been lined with straw. ¡°Thanks. Hey, can you have them sent up? I¡¯ll write you the address.¡± This was sensible. There were many jars, and it would be very taxing to carry the entire crate anywhere. ¡°Of course, sir.¡± The boy reached beneath the counter and produced a tablet and a stylus. Lukios was scribbling the address down when the boy glanced surreptitiously at the shopkeeper, who had turned away to speak with another customer, then blurted in an excited whisper, ¡°Are you the Lion?¡± He flushed, looking simultaneously horrified and excited. Lukios didn¡¯t pause in his writing. He only looked up once he finished with his usual charming smile. ¡°That¡¯s real nice to hear. Sorry to disappoint you, though. It¡¯s the hair and eyes, I know.¡± The boy¡¯s face was full of doubt. He took the tablet, but did not leave immediately, hunching his shoulders and speaking to his toes. ¡°Oh. But you look exactly like him. I used to live in Heliopolis and¡­¡± He was peeking upwards now, trying to stare at Lukios without being obvious. This ¡®Brilos¡¯ was not very good at pretending. ¡°You look exactly like him, sir. He gave me a leaf from his wreath. I still have it.¡± Lukios¡¯ smile froze on his face. If he had not recognized the boy before, he recognized him now. Of this, Ba¡¯an had no doubt. The boy swallowed, glancing quickly at the back of the shopkeeper again, before adding, ¡°He¡¯s a hero. Heroes don¡¯t die. Not like that.¡± The boy shook his head so hard his curls whipped across his forehead. ¡°Not like that.¡± The boy was peering up at him with earnestness, as if he could compel Lukios to confess through force of will alone. Lukios had recovered himself. Still smiling, he opened his mouth to speak, but the shopkeeper beat him to it. ¡°Brilos! Don¡¯t bother the good sir and his lady.¡± The boy jumped. ¡°I¡¯m not! I mean¡­I¡¯m going!¡± The merchant¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°What did I tell you about backtalk?¡± Lukios waved his hand. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m not bothered.¡± The shop-boy looked relieved as he scuttled away. They left the shop shortly after that, Lukios exchanging pleasantries with the shopkeeper before leaving. Ba¡¯an thought that he did not want the boy to be beaten on his behalf, because Lukios was very pointed about praising Brilos¡¯ hard work and earnestness; he even bought an extra jar of honey to take with them. ¡°Guess we¡¯re getting something for Gaios after all,¡± he said, laughing a little. ¡°Yes.¡± What else could she say? Lukios coughed quietly. ¡°Uh. Well. Ha. Sorry about the¡­uh¡­¡± His voice died away into silence as they stood together in the stoa, people rushing past them as they attended to their own cares and worries. ¡°It is well.¡± Ba¡¯an paused, wondering if it was wiser to ask or to remain silent. A hero. It did not take much to guess what made a man a hero in Illos, especially now. Ba¡¯an looked at Lukios. Lukios looked back, and she could see the uncertainty in his eyes, the nervousness held tightly in his shoulders; it was just like that time in the desert when he had told her he had been a slave. Ba¡¯an put her hand in his and tugged. ¡°Where are we going next, Lukios?¡± ¡°Oh.¡± It was a gusty sound, the breath expelled sharply with the force of relief. He rallied quickly, grinning at her widely. ¡°You ever seen a puppet show?¡± ¡°I have not.¡± Ba¡¯an knew what they were; there were many such shows put on everywhere, from the open markets themselves to convenient street corners. Ba¡¯an had never bothered to stop and watch one because it cost coin¨Cor at least, it was good manners to leave some. Ba¡¯an had never had any coin to spare, and she had never had the inclination to pause anywhere for entertainment. His grin widened. ¡°Yeah? Well, you¡¯re gonna love it.¡±
Ba¡¯an covered her mouth to stifle her laugh; letting it out would be very undignified. Lukios, on the other hand, had no such reservations. ¡°Hahaha! Yeah, that sounds about right.¡± Ba¡¯an leaned into him, feeling it safe to do so. Everyone¡¯s eyes were on the puppet show; no one would notice that she and Lukios were sitting very close together with his arm around her shoulders. Lukios tilted his head toward her. ¡°I bet that¡¯s exactly how it happened. Crasilo was a dick.¡± Crasilo, as far as Ba¡¯an could tell, had been the former chief of Kyros; Lukios had called him an archon. The puppets were very crude little things¨Cchaotically stitched with a hodgepodge of brightly covered fabrics, then likely stuffed with rags before being mounted on sticks¨Cbut the men hidden beneath the ledge of the wooden stage performed with gusto, pitching their voices just right for every character. People sat on mats or little stools, and many simply stood. Lukios had paid a pair for their seats, and now the two men were standing behind them, chattering to each other good-naturedly. Oddly, no one mentioned Nikias. Or at least, there was no character who could be Nikias, though¡­ Was he not a very important man? No, instead, the hero was a man named Iokras, who was the current archon of Kyros. Very amusingly, the much smaller puppet was now chasing the larger one around with a scroll that was as large as he was. Crasilo, who was depicted as being hefty around the belly, had tripped over his own two feet, rolling over and over until he cracked himself open. Amusingly, his head had been replaced with an egg, so when the puppet fell, it really did crack open. The children in the front row squealed and clapped as the yolk splattered into the dirt. Iokras stood at the top of the stairs, surrounded by guards. Now they were saying something about divine justice, but Ba''an turned her face toward Lukios to ask a question. ¡°Did he really fall down the steps and crack his head?¡± Lukios shrugged. ¡°No idea. Wasn¡¯t here, remember? But that would¡¯ve been the kindest ending.¡± She blinked. Truly? ¡°Why?¡± Lukios looked at her, then dropped his voice a whisper. ¡°You know how he kept getting fatter and fatter each act? That¡¯s to show he was skimming off the city funds. Where¡¯d most of the funds come from? Taxes. Taxes that belonged to¡­well, technically the emperor, but practically to House Astros.¡± He shook his head. ¡°You don¡¯t cheat House Astros out of their share of taxes. They¡¯ll be on you faster than ants on honey. And dungeons are¡­well, they¡¯re not very nice, let¡¯s say.¡± He gave an exaggerated shudder. ¡°Fast is better than slow.¡± ¡°And the scroll?¡± ¡°Laws. Crasilo was probably breaking at least a few. I mean, have you seen his estate? Archonship doesn¡¯t pay that well. It¡¯s considered a civic duty, so you get paid in uh, honour, mostly.¡± Ba¡¯an dropped her voice lower. ¡°But I thought Nikias was¡­?¡± Ba¡¯an had meant to say ¡®important,¡¯ but Lukios seemed to believe she was saying something else, something specific; he shushed her. ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be common knowledge.¡± His voice was a whisper, and he spoke into the shell of her ear, so close that her hair stirred against her skin. ¡°Why?¡± Lukios was silent for a beat too long. ¡°¡®Cause of who his ma was.¡± Ba¡¯an felt her jaw tighten reflexively. Yes, Tii¡¯ka the traitor. Ba¡¯an remained silent, letting Lukios continue. ¡°No one would ever believe Nik got picked if he ran, though¨Cobviously¨CNik picked Iokras for the seat.¡± Lukios shrugged and leaned away again. ¡°Ran? Why would he run?¡± Was it a contest of athleticism? That seemed a very silly way to pick a new chief. ¡°Why would he¨C? Oh. For office. I mean, we vote. You know. Voting?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Oh. Right.¡± Lukios scratched his head. ¡°It¡¯s, uh¡­well, for archonships it¡¯s once every five years now. Used to be shorter or longer, but¡­well, times change. We choose who leads the city for five years at a time by¡­uh¡­okay, there are these guys who are candidates for office, and they have some time to go around and tell people why they¡¯d be good leaders. Then there¡¯s one day when everyone goes to the assembly hall and they write down on a piece of paper who should be archon.¡± ¡°Oh. Everyone?¡± If Ba¡¯an was still in Illos in five years¡¯ time, she wished to see how this was done. This ¡®voting¡¯ sounded¡­well, she did not know what to make of it. ¡°Well¡­citizens. Men who are citizens.¡± ¡°Oh. Not women?¡± ¡°Uh¡­no.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Lukios¡¯ eyes flicked around him, as if he was seeking some kind of escape. Was he nervous again? ¡°Lukios?¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± He cleared his throat. Then he did it again. Finally, he said, ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve never thought about it.¡± ¡°Hm. Yes, this is Illos.¡± Why had this surprised her? The Dolkoi¡¯ri were very strange and backwards, though the founding houses perhaps showed some sense. With a pang, she realized that perhaps there was more similarity between these Dolkoi''ri houses and the shi-vuti than she had known. ¡°In a saa-vuti vur, it is the high-vuti that selects the new chief.¡± As far as the low-vuti knew, at least. What they did not know did not hurt them, and Ba''an knew the shi-vuti would never allow those of the low-vuti to rule in any way. The low-folk simply did not have the wisdom. ¡°Um¡­sure?¡± ¡°It works very well.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Lukios very wisely said nothing. Ba¡¯an went silent as well, pondering on what he had said. She was not certain she wished to be a Dolkoi¡¯ri woman; if she married Lukios, then she would be subject to their laws. Ba¡¯an remembered what had happened with Terutus very clearly, and she knew exactly what went on in the brothels and gambling dens of the city. The women here were subjected to indignities no K¡¯Avaari woman would have ever dreamed of, never mind experienced. But they would not live in a city. Lukios had said so himself. They would simply live together on an olive farm, away from others. So perhaps it would not matter at all; perhaps she worried over nothing. Lukios had started speaking again, and Ba¡¯an lost her line of thought. ¡°Anyway, there are exceptions, sometimes. Like poor Crasilo, for example. He had to go real quick.¡± Everyone was clapping now. Some people even stood up. Ba¡¯an could see this ¡®Crasilo¡¯ had been very unpopular with absolutely everyone, which made it very difficult to pity him. Ah. Yes. There were other questions she wished to ask. ¡°But Stefanos is the emperor.¡± ¡°Yeah. And?¡± ¡°Did you¡­¡¯vote¡¯ for Stefanos?¡± Lukios laughed. ¡°No. It was a fair bit bloodier than that.¡± He shook his head. ¡°This is for cities and towns. So that people have a voice.¡± He leaned in again, dropping his voice even lower. ¡°It¡¯s all horseshit, though. The candidates who win are backed by the founding houses. There¡¯s no way around it. You want happy, honest Alexandros to be an archon? He better suck¨Cuh, I mean, he better buddy up to a founding house first, or he¡¯ll end up dying in the most embarrassing way possible.¡± His voice had gone flat. ¡°And by the time they¡¯re done with him, he won¡¯t be so happy and honest anymore. Get it?¡± Hm. ¡°So those in power know it is Nikias they must deal with.¡± ¡°You bet. Iokras signs whatever Nik tells him to sign, and everything goes through Nik¡¯s office first, anyway. Mostly, Iokras is here to look pretty and take the blame if things go sideways.¡± ¡°And if things go well?¡± ¡°Then things go well. Nik¡¯s not going to stay here, sweetheart. He wouldn¡¯t have come at all if Crasilo had actually¡­you know. Governed.¡± Lukios shook his head. ¡°Nik¡¯ll stay on as assistant to Iokras for the next year or so, but I¡¯ll wager he¡¯ll have a cousin come and take his seat or marry Iokras off to a relative.¡± So Nikias had only come to restore the proper order of things. This was becoming unnervingly familiar. ¡°But Iokras has the love of the people. What if he wishes to¡­no longer listen to House Astros?¡± Getting rid of an unpopular man was much, much easier than getting rid of a popular one. Lukios only shrugged. ¡°If Iokras gets uppity, he¡¯ll die of bad fish.¡± She blinked. Ah. Of course. Like slipping nau¡¯tha and sambi-sahi into a chief¡¯s food if he led the tribe astray. Some chiefs were too popular to topple publicly, but death came for everyone eventually. A period of mourning and a hand-selected successor was often enough to regain the proper course. ¡°I see.¡± His smile had become very jaded. ¡°It¡¯s like I said: if you go sticking your head out, someone¡¯ll come along and cut it off. Iokras¡¯ll behave better than Crasilo, or he¡¯ll be the one with an egg for a head next.¡± Very quietly, Lukios added, ¡°The founding houses don¡¯t fuck around, sweetheart. Better to just stay clear of ¡®em entirely. Let them have their cities.¡± His smile softened as he put his hand on her cheek. ¡°We can just go. Soon. No stinky, nasty outlander cities, but plenty of food and water. Trees. You can have a nice, big garden, as big as you want. Sounds good, right?¡± It did. Ba¡¯an enjoyed the smells of the desert over nearly anything else, but the thought of living alone again, now that she had spent five months with Lukios¡­ She swallowed, and tilted her head down. Perhaps he did not have to know. Even now she could hear the souls of the people laughing and clapping around her; she could withstand it. If she focused on the bright, warm music of Lukios¡¯ soul beside her, she could block them out. Surely it would not be so bad, outside of a city? Just once a week. She could fly out and¡­ She bit her lip. Lukios touched her mouth gently. ¡°Sweetheart! Sorry, sorry. Not trying to rush you or anything. Big decision, and you¡¯ve got lots of time.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she murmured to the ground, ¡°I will need some time.¡± He grinned. ¡°Take all the time you want. And I owe you one.¡± ¡°One?¡± ¡°Kiss,¡± he said, very cheerfully, pushing his face so close to hers that their noses touched. ¡°¡®Cause I got serious. About politics.¡± Rolling her eyes, she put her hand over his face and pushed him away; naturally, he only laughed. Strangely, she had the sudden urge to cry. Chapter Thirty-four: Fissures It wasn''t long before Ba''an began to wilt. Her battle with Tik-tak Mal''uk felt long ago, but in truth it had only been a month at most; her stamina had not yet recovered. Still, she had little desire to end the day early, not with the way her cheeks were aching. It was a pleasant ache; Ba''an had no doubt Lukios'' muscles were sore too. He had smiled more than she had¡ªhe was still smiling now. The sun had started to dip. The sky darkened so its vast blue plain became tinged with pink and red, lining the clouds until their underbellies glowed; still, it was light enough to see. "You hungry?" Lukios still had his arm around her waist, his other arm preoccupied with their shopping. ...Her shopping. She shook her head. "You sure?" Lukios eyed her with suspicion, but Ba''an nodded. "Yes. I am well." This was a lie. She was hungry; that was a given. But Lukios had already bought lunch and spent a great deal of coin entertaining her all day. She could not ask him to continue spending, especially when she knew he had borrowed the money. Ba''an did not know the details of borrowing and lending, but she remembered what Lukios had said on their journey from the road all those weeks ago: some Illosians sold themselves over debt. It was a terrifying thought. She did not think he would be foolish enough to borrow so much, but...Lukios had a reckless streak. She knew him well enough to understand he would take undue risks if the reward appealed. She glanced at their joined hands. Yes, he was an absolute madman. "But it''s dinner time. You sure you don''t want to go to another taverna? Hey, maybe we should hit Ostos''? Said we would, didn''t we?" She shook her head again. ¡°Hm.¡± Lukios glanced around. "Well, you¡¯re probably right. Night Market¡¯ll start soon, and this is Kyros. Gets rowdy. Wanna just go back then?¡± She nodded. It was true Ba¡¯an was the Stormcrow. But that did not mean she was stupid or arrogant enough to wander through the agora at night. That was simply begging for trouble, and she had no desire to alert the entire city to her presence if she was forced to defend herself¡ªor Lukios, for that matter. Ba¡¯an watched the women who had been hawking their wares pack up and disappear. The wooden stage for the puppet show was already gone, dismantled and carried away, no doubt; the vendors had changed, and men were setting up standing torches all around the square. Now this was interesting. The agora was becoming something else now, transforming itself the way a woman did when expecting her lover. She watched with curiosity as guardsmen streamed into the square, standing in pairs by the marble pillars; they set up torches as well. Were they expecting trouble? "Right." Lukios eyed her, and Ba''an watched his forehead wrinkle, though she had focused very hard on keeping herself from swaying. "Uh, you tired, sweetheart?¡± He looked mildly embarrassed. "Didn''t mean to run you ragged." She swallowed a yawn. ¡°I am well. But¡­yes, I am tired.¡± Lukios nodded, then scanned the streets. He pointed down a side path that disappeared between two buildings. ¡°I think that¡¯s the fastest way back.¡± They began walking east. Ba¡¯an watched the bustle continue around them. Kyros was always busy near the markets, which was also one of the reasons why she avoided such places. The cacophony, both physical and spiritual, was beginning to wear on her, like the sound of a sandstorm screaming from outside a vuti¡ªbut worse. Ba¡¯an turned her face into Lukios¡¯ side, focusing on the way his soul hummed. The effect was like sitting in the sun by a waterfall, and the clamouring of other souls receded until it was only a dull buzzing in the back of her mind. This was better. Ba¡¯an did not need a soul. Yet. But if she stayed longer than she had planned, it would come to the point where she would need one; it would be wiser to take one before she became¡­desperate. Tik-tak Mal¡¯uk snickered maliciously in her head. Why worry? Your next meal has come to you. It clings like shit on your sandal. How fitting. The sneering was intolerable, and Ba¡¯an felt her hackles rise. Be silent. It only laughed. She needed to get rid of it as quickly as possible¡ªbut when? She would not be on the road in two days, not anymore. She would be in Kyros for as long as Lukios was burdened with his duty. ¡°Ba¡¯an? You okay?¡± The crease in Lukios¡¯ forehead had deepened as he stared down at her. He pulled her tighter against him, rubbing his hand over her upper arm. She nodded against his tunic. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± He cleared his throat. ¡°You sure? You don¡¯t look so good.¡± ¡°Do not worry, Lukios.¡± They dodged a gaggle of men who were laughing and yelling to each other with drunken cheer; Lukios and Ba¡¯an moved to the side, hearing them as they came up from behind them, going in the same direction. They watched the men go by, Lukios keeping himself firmly between her and the open street. Once they were gone, they continued walking. ¡°I¡¯m not worried,¡± he said as they wandered up the streets. ¡°I just thought¡ªmaybe you want to ride on my back?¡± She snorted. ¡°Lukios. I am thirty-three, not three.¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry,¡± he said, snickering, ¡°I definitely noticed. Just saying¡ªI don¡¯t mind if you ride me all night.¡± She could see the white flash of his grin even in the dim glow of early twilight; she rolled her eyes. ¡°I must decline your generous offer.¡± ¡°You sure?¡± His tone had become somewhat more serious now. ¡°You look a little uh¡­tippy. And you¡¯re not all recovered yet, either. I¡¯ll let you down before anyone sees, Ba¡¯an.¡± She stumbled, flustered, but he kept her steady. ¡°It is well,¡± she mumbled. ¡°I can walk, Lukios.¡± He let it go graciously. ¡°If you say so. But I¡¯m just saying¡ªI¡¯m always happy to give you a ride.¡± He leaned toward her and gave her an exaggerated leer, and she pushed his face away with a snort. Predictably, he only laughed his usual merry laugh, and let off. They walked together in comfortable silence, her shoulders and side delectably warm as he held her. Ba¡¯an noted that the streets were emptying, but there were some people who seemed to be headed to the square, not away; they moved in groups, and everyone held torches. All of them were men, and they seemed to be in good spirits, anticipating an evening of fun. Lukios always pulled her to the side and let them pass; Ba¡¯an thought this was quite wise, and she did not complain when he moved her so she was between him and the buildings. This was sensible. More people passed by. They were dressed well, though not richly, and the key seemed to be a number greater than five; perhaps it really was dangerous to go carousing at night, though it did not seem to have dissuaded very many young men. They laughed and hollered as they made their way down the street, and some of them had their arms slung around each other in easy camaraderie. It did not take long for them to come upon some men¡ªboys, really¡ªwho were up to no good. There was three of them, and they were laughing quietly with each other as they clustered around a wall of what she thought must be a home. Ba¡¯an realized with a start that they were defacing it with something sharp¡ªthey were writing on it. Ba¡¯an stood stock still, watching, and Lukios stopped too, puzzled. She could feel his eyes on her, but Ba¡¯an only watched as letters appeared, one after another. They had already written quite a lot, though she could not read a word of it. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s rude,¡± Lukios muttered, and then he raised his voice. ¡°Hey! What¡¯re you kids doing? Making your mamas real proud, aren¡¯t you?¡± They shot up instantly and took off running, swearing rudely. ¡°Suck my cock, fuckface!¡± One of the boys turned to make a gesture that Ba¡¯an was certain was very uncouth, and then continued running. Lukios only rolled his eyes. ¡°What¡¯s all this, then?¡± The front door swung open and a man dressed in a plain, undyed tunic stepped outside with a candle. The candle was fat and made of wax, and it smelled pleasantly of herbs. This was a wealthy home. Lukios shook his head. ¡°Just some boys up to no good. Your wall¡¯s going to need some sanding.¡± He pointed, and the man turned, raising his candle. He cursed. ¡°Oh, those little shits. I know exactly which boys did this. Thank you, I suppose.¡± He sighed, shaking his head. ¡°I¡¯ll have that sanded off before sunrise.¡± He looked at them again, curious now. Ba¡¯an saw his eyes linger on Lukios¡¯ hair. ¡°And to whom am I speaking, friend?¡± Lukios smiled very pleasantly. ¡°Farhad of Heliopolis. This is my wife, Ba¡¯an.¡± They shook hands. Ba¡¯an refrained from reacting, but it was a near thing. ¡®Farhad¡¯? His wife? Hm. Lukios did not wish for anyone to guess who he was. This much was clear. Ba¡¯an tucked her hands beneath her cloak so this man would not see her ring finger was bare. ¡°Well met, sir Farhad, lady Ba¡¯an. I am Etes, and you have my thanks.¡± He nodded to Lukios. ¡°You¡¯d best be taking your missus home, then. Kids these days. I swear, they¡¯ve all gone feral, like roving packs of dogs.¡± He glanced up at the sky, which was now nearly black, then at his candle. He offered the entire thing, holder and all, to Lukios. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s¡ªthat¡¯s real thoughtful of you, but we didn¡¯t do much.¡± Lukios shrugged. ¡°They spooked easy.¡± The man shook his head. ¡°I insist. It¡¯s the least I can do. You¡¯ve saved my mistress from a very humiliating morning.¡± Then he dropped his voice and said, in a very theatrical whisper, ¡°I have to say I thanked you somehow, don¡¯t I? She¡¯d be best pleased if you came for dinner, but not displeased if I give you a gift. So¡­¡± He offered it to Lukios again, and this time he took it with a bemused shake of his head. ¡°Twisting my arm already, Etes? Ha. Thanks. We won¡¯t get lost with this.¡± They shook hands again, and Etes bid them a safe journey before he returned and shut the door behind him. ¡°Well, that was fun. Let¡¯s¡ªBa¡¯an?¡± She left his side to creep closer to the wall, squinting at the letters. Glaring did not bring clarity, which was expected. ¡°What does it say?¡± She pointed to the first word. Lukios sounded surprised. ¡°That? It¡¯s¡ªit¡¯s real rude, sweetheart. Not worth hearing.¡± ¡°I wish to know what it says.¡± Stubbornly, she pointed at the first word again. ¡°Uh¡­¡± Lukios glanced around, then dropped his voice lower. ¡°It says¡­I won¡¯t say the name out loud, but it¡¯s a woman. It says the woman uh¡­¡± He sighed again. ¡°You really wanna know?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He moved closer to whisper into her ear. His breath was warm, and her shawl tickled her neck and shoulders as the fabric ghosted over her skin. ¡°It says the woman ¡®¡­fucks horses and sucks cocks for half a c.¡¯ I¡¯m guessing he meant to write ¡®copper¡¯ before we interrupted.¡± She blinked. That was rude. Exceptionally rude. A K¡¯Avaari boy who wrote such a thing would have found himself in a great deal of trouble, especially if the tribe had an active shaper in the stone. He would have been punished twice¡ªonce for the insult to the woman, and once for the insult to the shaper. ¡°Not really worth hearing, right?¡± He shrugged. She pointed to the first word again. ¡°Is this one her name?¡± He looked at her, and she saw his eyebrows draw together in confusion. ¡°Uh¡­yeah.¡± Hm, well he did not wish to say it out loud out of respect, so she would not ask him. She pointed to the next word. ¡°And this one?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡¯fucks.¡¯¡± She nodded, then pointed to the first letter. ¡°Is this ¡®f¡¯?¡± ¡°¡­Yeah.¡± He stared at her. ¡°Ba¡¯an, what¡¯s this about? You don¡¯t really care about a rude message on a wall, do you?¡± She stared at the wall in silence. He was correct. Ba¡¯an did not care what the message was. It was only that these boys¡ªthese vulgar, uncivilized boys¡ªcould read and write, and she could not. Even the hawker women at the square could write, though she did not know how proficient they were. They could read and write their sums, and that was still more than Ba¡¯an. Merida could do a great deal more; she wrote entire recipes in Dolkoi¡¯ri. Ba¡¯an could not even read a menu that came with pictures. She brushed off her dress and stood, feigning nonchalance. She knew the letters for ¡®fucks¡¯ now, at least. That was a start, was it not? ¡°Sweetheart?¡± He looked very concerned, which was the last thing she wanted. ¡°It is well, Lukios. I was only curious. The man had a strong reaction.¡± ¡°Uh¡­huh.¡± He eyed her skeptically. ¡°Selling. Not buying. Ba¡¯an?¡± She glared out into the dark, jaw tight. She felt heat flush upward until her cheeks were stinging, her heart beating faster than it should have, as she recalled her own clumsiness, her helplessness. If Nikias had lied about anything he had written down, she would never know it. Nikias humiliated me all morning without trying and now I am angry at how ignorant and useless I am. No, no, she could not say this out loud. Lukios would be furious, and he would confront Nikias for sure. That would not end well. Lukios tucked the package he had been holding into the space between his chiton and tunic where it hung awkwardly over his belt, then drew her away from the wall, gently putting his hand on her cheek. ¡°Ba¡¯an? What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± She avoided his eyes, staring at a spot just beneath his left shoulder. The cloak had folded oddly there; she reached up and straightened it, smoothing the fabric down. He caught her hand and brought it up to his lips, kissing the tips very gently. Ba¡¯an blinked furiously, then tucked her forehead against his chest so her face was hidden. She could feel the steady drumming of his heart beneath his clothes, and she tilted her head up so she could kiss him on the chest, right over it. His soft sigh stirred her shawl. Lukios had tried so very hard to make her laugh today. She was being so rude. ¡°I am tired,¡± she mumbled, and she felt him nod slowly. ¡°Okay.¡± He handed her the candle, and she held it up. He took her parcel from its awkward tuck and held it beneath his arm once more, then put his free one around her shoulders. They continued walking. ¡°You know, when I was a kid,¡± he started, and Ba¡¯an nodded against him as she listened, letting him distract her, ¡°I did the same thing¡ªwell, sort of. I wasn¡¯t quite such a prick, but you know, I liked to climb things, and once I did it, I wanted people to know it, so I used to sign my name here and there. Anyway, this one time, I got it into my head that I was gonna climb to the top of the Temple of Helios¡­¡± It was a very Lukios sort of story, and she felt her melancholy slip away. The streets were mostly deserted now, but there were still some revelers. They were easy to spot; they all had torches. Once, a young man turned from his friends to stare, and Ba¡¯an realized Lukios¡¯ hair had caught his eye; without stopping, Lukios simply pulled his hood up and continued his story without a hitch or hiccup. ¡°¡­That was very dangerous, Lukios! If someone ever climbs up again¡­¡± ¡°¡­Aw, come on Ba¡¯an! You must have done¡­¡± ¡°¡­once, and Ul¡¯ma was furious. She¡­¡± They continued their conversation as they walked, holding each other against the night.
Lukios flopped over onto his back with a groan, still panting with exertion. Ba¡¯an curled herself around him, enjoying his heat as the sweat on her skin began to dry. Their hosts had already dined, so they had simply snuck some food into her room for a late, intimate dinner. Satiating one appetite had naturally led to satiating another. They lay together until she shivered; Lukios stirred and pulled the blanket over them both. ¡°Better?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She paused, then added, ¡°Lukios. What is wrong?¡± Lukios had been distracted all night, though he had still been careful to pleasure her in the way she liked. He was silent for a beat too long. ¡°Isn¡¯t that my line?¡± She blinked up at him. ¡°No?¡± His mouth twitched into a smile. ¡°No?¡± He pulled her up so she was lying on him belly-down, head tucked beneath his chin. This was a very agreeable position, and she sighed happily as his arms closed around her. He kissed the top of her head. ¡°You gonna tell me what¡¯s got you all tied up in knots?¡± ¡°I am not ¡®tied up in knots,¡¯ Lukios.¡± ¡°Uh huh.¡± He stroked her back slowly, the calluses dragging sweetly over her sweat-dampened skin. She felt a little shiver make its way up her spine and she snuggled closer. ¡°Was it Nik?¡± ¡°It is well, as I said.¡± She felt him shift, so she tilted her face up to meet his eyes. ¡°What¡¯d he say?¡± ¡°He was very polite, Lukios. It is only that¡­¡± She put her head back down to hide her expression, pressing her lips against his throat in a gentle kiss. A very fine excuse to stop speaking. She found his pulse point and began to suckle him lightly, grazing him very delicately with her teeth. Lukios squirmed. ¡°Nuh u¡ªoooh.¡± She felt him shudder beneath her; the hand that had been gently stroking her back moved lower and squeezed before he caught himself. ¡°Uh, nuh-uh. Nope. Stop distracting me.¡± He rolled them over so she was on her back. ¡°Cheating! No cheating.¡± She only raised her eyebrow at him and snorted. With a grin, he brushed her hair from her forehead, dropping a kiss on her mouth before speaking again. ¡°What¡¯d he do, sweetheart? I mean¡­aside from threatening to arrest you, that little shit.¡± He scowled. ¡°I¡¯ll have a chat with him later¡ª¡± ¡°Lukios. Do not thrash him. You must have allies, and Nikias is powerful. Do not act on your feelings. Smile. Be pleasant.¡± Ba¡¯an would handle Nikias in due time¡ªif needed. First, she would find out if he held a spirit contract. This was the most important step. If he had one, she would have to move very quickly, before it spilled any secrets. If he did not, then she could move at her leisure; this was preferable, but a contract with a spirit was serendipitous in a way, as well. If she controlled the spirit, Nikias would be forced to either break his contract, gutting his magic, or play on her terms. Tik-tak Mal¡¯uk laughed, very quietly. So you can think, after all. Congratulations. You are not completely stupid. She ignored it. ¡°I won¡¯t thrash him, Ba¡¯an. We¡¯re adults, you know. We can sit down and have a conversation that doesn¡¯t end in thrashing.¡± He sounded exasperated. ¡°You know I¡¯m not just some violent thug, right?¡± She reached up and stroked his cheek, pleased by how he leaned into her touch. ¡°You are very gentle¡ªwith me.¡± With Terutus? Not so much. Not that she cared about Terutus, but¡­ What Lukios had said about Nikias having his hand cut off still disturbed her. Dolkoi¡¯ri justice was barbaric. He snorted. ¡°Hey, hey, I¡¯m gentle with everyone. Except for the guys I¡¯m not gentle with. But everyone else? Damn right.¡± She paused, confused. ¡°...That¡­does not make any sense, Lukios.¡± ¡°Sure it does. It makes loads of sense.¡± He drew closer so they were nose to nose. ¡°It makes lots and lots of sense, and if you don¡¯t tell me what nasty thing he did, I¡¯ll tickle it out of you.¡± Now it was her turn to snort at him. ¡°He did not. It is not anything he did.¡± ¡°Okay. What did he say or not say?¡± She shook her head. ¡°No. Lukios, it is not¡­it is not something you should punish him for. It is¡­¡± Ba¡¯an trailed off as she looked to the side, biting her lip. Lukios had his own worries, worries that were much bigger. It was a silly thing to be so upset over her own inability. Educating herself was her own problem, was it not? ¡­Perhaps she could ask Merida for help? Lukios put his finger right under her teeth. She stopped, but scowled up at him. ¡°One day,¡± she mumbled around his finger, ¡°I will bite you.¡± He only grinned. ¡°Sounds good. How about today? Wanna bite my finger, or somewhere better? Hey, I have pretty meaty¡ª¡± ¡°Lukios.¡± He was too busy snickering to respond immediately. ¡°Are you finished?¡± Ba¡¯an was careful to sound exceptionally patient and long-suffering. ¡°Yup.¡± He kissed the tip of her nose and took his finger away. ¡°You ready to tell me why you¡¯re so upset?¡± He paused, then added generously, ¡°I can wait longer if you want.¡± ¡°It is not very important. You have bigger problems, Lukios. Your debt, Synoros, Eirene¡­¡± His eyes widened. ¡°Aw, Ba¡¯an. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve been fretting over that.¡± ¡°No.¡± He burst out laughing. ¡°Okay, good. And here I was starting to get all melty, ha.¡± ¡°People do not melt, Lukios.¡± No, people burned. Ba¡¯an did not think even she could manage a fire hot enough to melt a man. Outlanders said the strangest things. He was laughing again, though much more quietly this time. ¡°I adore you. Never change, sweetheart.¡± He kissed her mouth, nuzzling her as he did. ¡°Never, ever change, my sweet, beautiful, glorious, perfect Ba¡¯an-turtle.¡± There was a warm, familiar feeling blooming low in her belly. She put her arms around his neck so she could kiss him back properly. Ba¡¯an was busy wrapping her legs around him when he drew back, breathing much harder than he had been. ¡°No, wait, wait. We¡¯re not finished and I told you! No cheating.¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°Lukios. It is not important. There. We are finished.¡± She ran her hand along his spine very lightly, watching in satisfaction as he shut his eyes and sighed. She could see he was torn between two dueling desires; he only needed a little encouragement. Ba''an lowered her lashes and peered up at him, knowing perfectly well how much he liked it. "Lukios," she murmured, "I am tired of speaking." Turning her head she nuzzled his arm where it was braced against the mattress. Lukios made a helpless little noise and leaned down to kiss her, once, twice, then again and again until she lost count, too dizzy and breathless to even try; his mood had certainly changed. They joined together again, going very slowly so it lasted. Afterwards, she was far too exhausted to speak and they lay limply in a blissful, sweaty heap. She fell asleep to the sound of Lukios heartbeat, his voice murmuring tenderly in that fluting language he so enjoyed whispering into her ear; her dreams were very sweet, though she did not remember them all. She woke abruptly sometime later, aware that her side was cold. ¡°Lukios?¡± She heard rustling, and then the bed dipped as he sat. He kissed her forehead. ¡°Sorry. Didn¡¯t mean to wake you.¡± She felt disappointment well up beneath her breast as she took in his clothes. ¡°It is still dark.¡± ¡°Yeah, I know.¡± He took her hand in his and kissed her fingers. ¡°I have some business. Why don¡¯t you get some more sleep? I¡¯ll see you at breakfast.¡± Business? ¡°But Lukios¡­¡± She sat up, which took a great deal of effort. Ba¡¯an had not realized how bone-deep her exhaustion had been until she had slept; even now, it threatened to drag her into slumber again before she finished speaking. ¡°What business can you do at this hour?¡± Lukios only smiled. ¡°Well, I mean there¡¯s something I have to get done. It¡¯s not real business-business.¡± ¡­What did that even mean? He took in her expression, and let out a little chuckle. ¡°Don¡¯t fret, sweetheart. It¡¯s nothing nefarious, or even a little bit dangerous.¡± He tugged her back down, and she obeyed¡ªnot because she wished to, but because she was falling asleep again. How could one meeting and a few shopping trips take so much out of her? It was absurd. ¡°Sleep tight, sweetheart. I¡¯ll see you at breakfast, okay?¡± ¡°Do not¡­¡± she yawned helplessly, eyes closing, as Lukios tucked her hair behind her ear, ¡°¡­do anything dangerous, Lukios.¡± She could hear the amusement in his voice when he spoke next. ¡°I won¡¯t. I promise all my bits¡¯ll be there at breakfast.¡± He tucked the blankets around her. ¡°Sleep well, Ba¡¯an.¡± ¡°Lukios¡­¡± she mumbled, but she never finished; whatever she had meant to say drifted away, and she tumbled back into her dreams. Chapter Thirty-five: Idle Chatter Ba¡¯an woke with a start, instantly alert and alarmed. Someone was in her room, and it was not Lukios. Play dead. She lay very, very still, focusing on the soul that was only five steps away. The soul felt oddly familiar¡ªlike little chirping birds. ¡­Aika? It was. Ba¡¯an listened with her ears, and slowly, she felt the scene focus in her mind: the girl was humming quietly under her breath, and Ba¡¯an could hear the slithering of fabric over fabric. What was she doing? Ba¡¯an sat up. Aika looked up from her mending, smiling very pleasantly, though her expression froze on her face as her eyes settled on Ba¡¯an¡¯s throat. Oh. Yes, and Ba¡¯an was also naked. Wonderful. ¡°Aika.¡± ¡°Yes, kyria!¡± Her smile returned, though her eyes continued to stray to the marks that undoubtedly dotted Ba¡¯an¡¯s chest and throat. ¡°I would like to dress.¡± ¡°Oh, yes, kyria!¡± Aika hurriedly got to her feet, Ba¡¯an¡¯s well-worn travel cloak still held in her hands. It was obvious she had been darning Ba¡¯an¡¯s cloak, though Ba¡¯an could not imagine why. What in all the Wheel had possessed the girl to sit in the corner while Ba¡¯an slept and start mending her cloak? It was absurd. Ba¡¯an watched as Aika hung the cloak back up on the pegs that lined the wall. Rather than leave, which was what Ba¡¯an had been expecting, Aika walked over to the clothes chest. This was somewhat alarming. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°I¡­I am helping you dress, kyria.¡± The younger girl looked very puzzled by the question. ¡°You said you wished to dress. So¡­I¡­¡± She trailed off, taking in Ba¡¯an¡¯s expression. ¡°Did you not¡­?¡± ¡°I meant alone, child.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Aika finally looked flustered. ¡°But I¡­I was told to assist you. When you woke.¡± Ah. Waiting again. It was likely she had simply gotten bored of watching Ba¡¯an sleep, then. Ba¡¯an was suddenly reminded of Lukios, and his complete inability to sit still and stay put. He was used to working, and so was Aika. ¡°Sanders dress alone, Aika.¡± This was not strictly true, but it still applied. Everyone had their own role and duty within the tribe, but no one was anyone¡¯s servant. Even Ba¡¯an had not had anyone to wait on her hand and foot, and she had been a witch. She had had an assistant¡ªtwo, actually¡ªand her apprentices to help with surgeries, but that was a different thing. Such roles were necessities, not greedy luxuries at the expense of others. ¡°¡­Oh.¡± Aika fidgeted awkwardly. ¡°So¡­you do not need my help, kyria?¡± ¡°I would like my tea. Will you bring me hot water?¡± ¡°Oh, yes!¡± The girl smiled again, seemingly pleased to be doing something now. Good. Ba¡¯an was acutely aware of how sore she was, and she knew she was in no state to be seen. She desperately needed a bath, and¡­ She smelled. She smelled exactly like Lukios and sex, and this was not something she needed others to know. Ba¡¯an needed Aika to leave. Now. Ba¡¯an kept her expression pleasant, but deep down, she was mortified. Which polite sadist had set Aika on Ba¡¯an? Nikias? Gaios? Perhaps one of the other servants? Ugh. And then another thought: what if she had gone through Ba¡¯an¡¯s bags? Oh no. That would be¡­very bad. Ba¡¯an refrained from looking toward her things, knowing perfectly well that would only draw attention to them. ¡°Oh, kyria, should I bring up a meal as well? It is past noon.¡± What? Ba¡¯an glanced at the closed shutters, realizing that there was, indeed, some very strong sunlight filtering in from between the slats to mark the floor in narrow stripes. She had missed breakfast and lunch. Her belly growled, and Aika giggled. ¡°Yes.¡± Ba¡¯an did not bother keeping the resignation from her tone. Half the day gone already, and if she knew Lukios at all, he had gone out to see to his business while Ba¡¯an slept. She would not see him until evening. ¡°Is there something hot?¡± Was it too demanding? Perhaps she ought to have simply held her peace and eaten whatever Aika brought up. Well, it was too late now. Ba¡¯an¡¯s belly felt hollow, like it was sticking to her spine. She wanted hot, hearty food, and lots of it. ¡°Of course!¡± Aika nodded with enthusiasm then left, promising to return quickly. Ba¡¯an bolted out of bed, examining her bags. Everything looked to be in its place, completely untouched; even so, she checked the contents, making sure everything looked exactly the way she had left it. No one had touched it, as far as Ba¡¯an could tell, but now that the thought had come to her, she could not dismiss it. Ba¡¯an dug her coat from the bottom of her bag and folded it, then wrapped it in one of the new shawls Lukios had bought her. She crawled under the bed. There was nowhere to hide it there; she crawled back out, then lifted the mattress. How about here? No, no. Ba¡¯an could see the seam, and it looked like whatever the mattress was stuffed with was changed out once in awhile. What if someone restuffed them while Ba¡¯an was out and about? No, she had to find some other place to hide it. The clothes chest. The best place to hide clothes was inside the clothes chest. Ba¡¯an considered her bundle, then unwrapped it. She folded her coat to make it as small as possible, then tucked it into one of the Dolkoi¡¯ri dresses Lukios had bought her; she folded it all together, so it looked perfectly innocuous, then put it into the clothes chest. Then she took the rest of her clothes from her bags and folded them into the chest, too, leaving out only the clothes she would wear for the day; hopefully, anyone who saw it would assume it was some strange Sander habit and refrain from shaking out every single thing she owned. After some thought, she left her suk and other very K¡¯Avaari items conspicuously on top. Perhaps if anyone came to investigate her at Nikias¡¯ behest, they would become absorbed with her cures, not her clothes. Coat safely hidden, she took the opportunity to scrub herself down the best she could, trying to look presentable for her walk to the bathing room. Her belly growled again, cramping, and she sighed. Food first. Then a bath. Then she would have a chat with Aika. It would not do to wake up with the girl in the room. For a moment, Ba¡¯an had been tempted to leap out of bed and eat her.
¡°Oh, that is so beautiful!¡± Aika¡¯s eyes were wide, gaze utterly transfixed by the earrings held between Ba¡¯an¡¯s fingers. Ba¡¯an refrained from fidgeting, but the younger girl¡¯s admiring¡ªand envious¡ªstare was discomfiting. It was likely Ba¡¯an¡¯s jewellery cost more than the girl¡¯s monthly wages; Aika¡¯s clothes were plain, and so were her ornaments. Her hair pin was a wooden stick, and her necklace was typical of what could be bought from street hawkers: braided leather with a single shiny, polished stone. There were no precious metals or gems for items bought by commoners, being only poorly made copies of richer fashions. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. ¡°Yes,¡± Ba¡¯an replied, keeping her discomfort from her voice. What else was there to say? Ba¡¯an quickly slipped the hooks into her ears, then looked at her other things. The necklaces Lukios had bought remained wrapped in their packages, though not for long; Aika had spotted them, and was making quick work of the wrapping. Ba¡¯an refrained from sighing. The girl was far too excited; Ba¡¯an had not instructed Aika to help her, never mind touch her things, but it was obvious the child was deeply curious about whatever it was that Ba¡¯an had in her satchel. ¡°Oh, kyria! These are so beautiful! Look, look!¡± Aika held up one of the amber necklaces, the one whose chain was made of elaborately braided gold wire. The amber beads hung on single strands, seemingly glowing with their own mellow light. ¡°Yes, Aika.¡± Ba¡¯an smiled as gently as she could. Of course Ba¡¯an knew what they looked like; she was the owner. But it was difficult to be angry with the child, if only because of how obvious her excitement was. It was likely she never got to touch such fine things. ¡°Will you wear this one? Or¡­this one? Or¡­!¡± Ba¡¯an felt her smile stiffen on her face, hand going to her throat, which was now neatly wrapped with her shawl. It was a very tight style, and not one K¡¯Avaari women used, but there was no other choice. Ba¡¯an had no desire to display the fruits of Lukios¡¯ enthusiasm. What was the point of wearing a necklace under a shawl? Ba¡¯an¡¯s hand briefly touched her collar, where the teeth of Thu¡¯rin¡¯s sumanu''ta would normally sit. ¡°I will not.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Aika¡¯s face fell. ¡°But¡­they are so beautiful!¡± ¡°Yes, but I am wearing a shawl.¡± ¡°Yes, but¡­¡± Aika mumbled under her breath. ¡°It is nice to wear beautiful things, even if you are the only one to see them.¡± She turned her large, dark eyes up to Ba¡¯an. ¡°Isn¡¯t it? It just feels nice, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Perhaps.¡± Ba¡¯an did not think so, but she did not have the heart to say it. Aika sighed, then wordlessly re-wrapped the necklaces in their scrap fabric to keep them from tangling. ¡°A ring then, kyria?¡± Hm. A ring would not be so bad, would it? Lukios had bought her one yesterday, to match her earrings. It was a gold ring with a single amber stone, and quite plain at that; Ba¡¯an had insisted on something she could wear without worry, and Lukios had agreed. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t do if it made you a target,¡± he¡¯d said, and they¡¯d both been very sensible about it, though it had not stopped him from promising her ¡®a real nice one¡¯ later. His smile had been rather enigmatic. Silly man. This one was nice enough. Aika started giggling, and Ba¡¯an returned to herself with a start. Her cheeks felt hot, and it took some effort to keep herself still and steady. ¡°It is such a pretty ring, kyria! Kyrios Lukios is very generous!¡± Her voice had a very chirpy quality that embarrassed Ba¡¯an even further. ¡°I did not say it was from him,¡± Ba¡¯an said, repressively, but Aika only giggled more. ¡°Yes, kyria.¡± She put her finger to her lips. ¡°I will not say a word. Not one.¡± Then she leaned in very conspiratorially and whispered, ¡°But no one would blame you. He is very handsome. And that smile!¡± Aika put her fingers on her own cheeks, right where Lukios dimpled so very charmingly, then leaned away with a deep, heartfelt sigh. Oh sweet ancestors. Ba¡¯an imagined the floor opening into an endless black pit and simply swallowing her whole. Such an ending would be preferable to¡­to¡­ What were they even doing? Ba¡¯an was hardly dressed, though they had been at this for¡­how long now? Ugh. Was it not supposed to go faster with help? Ba¡¯an cleared her throat. ¡°You are kind to say so.¡± Though it was true. Lukios was ludicrously handsome, and he knew it. Ba''an knew it, too. She knew it very well, which was very annoying, so why was her mouth trying so hard to turn upwards? He was often far too smug to be tolerable, laughing and making a joke of everything. Ba¡¯an worked to keep the smile from her face. She ought to think of his terrible jokes now, lest she shame herself further in front of this child. ¡°No, no, kyria! It is true. He is very, very handsome, and half the girls cried when we realized¡­uh¡­¡± She flushed, finally speechless, then cleared her throat. ¡°I mean, he is always very kind when he visits, and we were very sad to hear he had died. We were so happy when we saw him again!¡± Hm. ¡°I¡­see.¡± Ba¡¯an did not understand why Aika was telling her this. So what? Lukios was alive and he was Ba¡¯an¡¯s, and they could cry all they wanted. Was she expecting Ba¡¯an to care? The girl was terrible at reading Ba¡¯an¡¯s moods, though perhaps it was less about talent and more about caring. ¡°Yes, yes.¡± She was nodding to herself as she slipped the ring on Ba¡¯an¡¯s finger. Ba¡¯an blinked. Was there some significance in putting it on the fourth finger of the right hand and not the left? ¡°No one blames you at all, kyria. If he had asked me to keep him company, I would hav¡ª¡± The girl cut off, cheeks flaming. ¡°I mean, anyone would have! So no one can fault you. At all.¡± Ba¡¯an watched in amusement as the girl fumbled to put away Ba¡¯an¡¯s jewellery, fingers suddenly clumsy. So, Aika and the rest of the serving girls were quite fond of him, then. This was not at all surprising. Ba¡¯an would have been shocked if she had learned Lukios was rude to the servants. He was simply not that sort of man. Ba¡¯an did not think he would ever order a serving girl into his bed, either. The very suggestion would insult him, she was sure. His thinking on this was refreshingly un-Dolkoi''ri, which only added to his immense...charisma. But yes, the brightness of his smile certainly did not hurt; it only aided. ¡°Oh, kyria! You must tell me how you rescued him!¡± Aika was brushing Ba¡¯an¡¯s hair now, still chattering in the happy way she always did. Ba¡¯an did not stiffen. She had more control than that, but¡­ Hm. Of course the servants knew; word always travelled quickly through the low-vuti, and she did not think the Dolkoi¡¯ri were any different. Besides, young girls were always very curious, K¡¯Avaari or not. Ba¡¯an shrugged. ¡°It is not very exciting. I had my strifa drag him to my home, and then he slept for most of the time. There was a great deal of blood.¡± "Strifa?" "A Sander goat. They are big." And very clever. Ba''an missed their company rather a lot. ¡°¡­Oh.¡± It was not long before Aika rallied. ¡°But¡­surely¡­?¡± ¡°Surely?¡± ¡°Oh! This hair pin is very pretty! Did kyrios buy this one too?¡± Ba¡¯an inhaled slowly and strangled her sigh. Could the child not stay on topic for longer than two breaths at a time? ¡°Yes, Aika. Lukios purchased that one as well.¡± ¡°Oh, it matches your earrings! And your necklaces! And the ring!¡± ¡°Yes, Aika. They are a set.¡± ¡°Oh! And this comb is very¡ª¡± She continued describing each item as she braided and pinned Ba¡¯an¡¯s damp hair. Ba¡¯an already knew what everything looked like. There was no point in describing her own items to her, but Aika loved to talk and she clearly loved pretty things, and Ba¡¯an resigned herself to listening to the overly-excited serving girl tell her exactly what Ba¡¯an owned. No. Ba¡¯an had to escape. She could not take this for much longer, or she would say something unkind. Ba¡¯an did not wish to speak harshly to a poor serving girl who had never owned nice things, but she could feel her temper fraying. She was unused to such chatter. Even Salu¡¯ka had never prattled on so mindlessly, and Vaa¡¯ti had been a serious student, always full of exactly the sort of clever questions Ba''an had expected from the chief''s daughter. This babbling was an outlander habit, Ba¡¯an was certain. She had never met such an enthusiastic speaker before. Aika cooed as she pinned the last braid to her head. Ba¡¯an looked at herself in the small mirror by the table, impressed despite herself. Ba¡¯an would not have managed such a hairstyle on her own: it was too much braiding and too much pinning. Ba¡¯an¡¯s long hair sat in a coiled crown around her head, and golden pinheads glinted from their dark, glossy depths. With the amber earrings dangling from her ears, the sharp angles of Ba¡¯an¡¯s face had softened, the colours of her skin and hair warming beneath the mellow glow of reflected light. It was a pity that Lukios was not here. He would have liked it¡ªimmensely. Ba¡¯an did not think Aika¡¯s hard work would have lasted two heartbeats. Hm, perhaps it was just as well that he was away. It would have been a bother to wash and dress again. ¡°Oh!¡± Aika suddenly clapped her hands. ¡°You¡¯re so pretty!¡± ¡°Thank you, Aika. It is a credit to your skills.¡± This was true. Ba¡¯an was neither lovely nor ugly, and any beauty she had had been coaxed out by Aika and her clever fingers, the same way a sculptor coaxed beauty from a chunk of rock. The girl tittered. ¡°Thank you, kyria! But you have such dark hair and eyes. And your lashes are so long! I¡¯m envious.¡± She smiled, and added, ¡°You look very mysterious.¡± Was that a compliment? ¡°Thank you.¡± Aika began to put everything away. ¡°Oh! I forgot. I meant, surely there is a story?¡± ¡°Story?¡± The girl was simply baffling. Could she not keep her thoughts straight at all? ¡°Yes, yes! How you made kyrios¡­well, you know!¡± ¡­What? ¡°I do not know.¡± This was a lie. Ba¡¯an did know exactly what Aika was referring to, but this conversation needed to end. Now. ¡°What?¡± Aika¡¯s mouth fell open. ¡°But¡­¡± Her eyes fell onto Ba¡¯an¡¯s neck, and Ba¡¯an felt the stare though the shawl. ¡°But?¡± Ba¡¯an heard her tone go flat. Enough was enough. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Aika looked flustered. ¡°I mean¡­you are¡­I mean¡­¡± The girl held up two fingers and coiled them together. Ba¡¯an tried to look very confused, which was not difficult: she was absolutely baffled. Did that gesture mean what Ba¡¯an thought it meant? Because if it did, that was very rude, but Aika did not seem particularly ill-mannered, only excitable. ¡°You know?¡± The girl peered at Ba''an earnestly, making the exact same puzzling gesture. ¡°I do not.¡± ¡°Because the two of you are¡­¡± The girl flushed and looked toward the bed. ¡°We are fond of each other, yes.¡± Aika nodded, seemingly satisfied. ¡°Yes! He is very fond of you. He gave you all his crab!¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± What was she on about now? ¡°Yes, yes!¡± Aika nodded. ¡°Kyrios loves crab. That is why it was served.¡± ¡­What? ¡°But he is fonder of you, see?¡± What? ¡°He loves crab?¡± ¡°Yes! Kyrios Nikias was very particular about the menu.¡± Nikias had set the menu? Nikias? Ba¡¯an suddenly remembered the way Askles and Epitus had glanced at each other. Oh no. Oh no. It was because they knew how much Lukios liked crab, and Ba¡¯an had eaten it all. All of it. Without thinking. All of it. ¡°Uh¡­kyria?¡± ¡°Aika,¡± Ba¡¯an said, and her voice sounded weaker even to her own ears. ¡°Tell me. Does Lukios visit sir Gaios very often?¡± If he did, Aika would be a very useful font of information. What else did Lukios enjoy? Why hadn¡¯t Ba¡¯an thought to ask him what he liked? ¡°Uh¡­¡± Aika suddenly looked flustered, eyes darting to and fro. Hm. Now this was odd. ¡°Aika?¡± ¡°Ah¡­that is¡­yes?¡± ¡°Here?¡± ¡°He¡ª? Oh, no, no. The estate in¡ªah, I mean¡­um.¡± She stammered to a stop, looking truly alarmed. ¡°Aika? Is something wrong?¡± ¡°Uh¡­no?¡± Her voice was a squeak. ¡°So Lukios often visits sir Gaios at another estate?¡± ¡°Ah¡­y¡­e¡­s?¡± Aika¡¯s eyes darted away, and Ba¡¯an watched her swallow. No. Ba¡¯an was asking the wrong question. This was not about Gaios. What¡­? A suspicion began to form in her mind. ¡°Was Lukios visiting sir Gaios? Or someone else?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Aika went completely red. Ah. Of course. Chapter Thirty-six: Spirit-hunting The shrine did not resemble a K¡¯Avaari one, but now that she was looking at it¡ªreally looking at it¡ªits nature and purpose was clear. It was, indeed, a shrine. It looked like a miniature temple, with its little pillars and triangular roof. It was built into the wall, and there were two little statuettes carved from marble: a man and a woman. The man held a sheaf of wheat in one hand and an amphora what was undoubtedly wine in the other. The woman held a horn overflowing with vegetables, her other hand on a spinning wheel. Ba¡¯an had walked by it many times already. She had not realized it was for worship, because it was empty and dead. There was no spirit here, guardian or otherwise. Strange. There was incense in the censor, and it was clear libations were given daily. And yet, Ba¡¯an sensed no traces of a home-bound spirit, and not only because she was here, either. Spirits had a way of entangling their weave with the stone. Even when it left or faded, the echoes remained; the strength of the echo spoke to the length of the vacancy. Empty. This one was empty¡ªhad been, for years and years. Aika stood behind Ba¡¯an, quiet for once; the girl looked miserable, but Ba¡¯an was not in a compassionate mood. ¡°You are certain? This is the shrine?¡± The girl jumped. ¡°Y-yes, kyria!¡± She worried the hem of her dress. ¡°We pour libations here e-everyday. Do y-you need¡­?¡± Ba¡¯an shook her head. ¡°I was only curious. I saw this many times as I left and entered this home. I had wondered what it was.¡± This was a lie. Ba¡¯an had not wondered what it was, because she had not cared. She only cared now because of Nikias. Ba¡¯an was spirit-hunting. ¡°Should I leave an offering? Is this a¡­custom here?¡± Ba¡¯an feigned ignorance, though it was very obvious that it was a custom here. There was a brass cup with wine in it already. It was clearly from this morning. ¡°Only if¡­if you wish to, kyria. We have already poured libations today.¡± Aika spoke very carefully, voice still weak. Ba¡¯an breathed slowly through her nose. She was not behaving as befitting her¡­training. She was not behaving politely, either, and Aika did not deserve Ba¡¯an¡¯s ire. But jealousy was an ugly thing, an overwhelming force. It was like trying to stopper a leaky jug with her fingers; the mess seeped through and left a stain. Lukios had been courting Arete. Courting her. In earnest. No wonder Gaios had been so irritated. Ba¡¯an would have been annoyed also if a man who had been courting her daughter suddenly came to visit with another lover. It was unutterably rude. Let¡¯s get married. Married. Had he promised the same to Arete? Ba¡¯an had a sudden image of him holding another woman¡¯s hand¡ªdelicate, pale, and nothing like Ba¡¯an¡¯s own¡ªsmiling his sweet, tender smile, and saying¡ª I told you, hissed Tik-tak Mal¡¯uk, sounding very smug. Outlanders are all the same. Shit on your sandal. Ba¡¯an ignored the creature. She was determined not to react to whatever nonsense it spouted. She took a slow breath, focusing on the little shrine in front of her, taking in the fine details on the man and woman. The artisan who had carved these had quite some skill. It was impressive. Besides, it was best not to jump to conclusions. Aika was only a serving girl, and gossip was not reliable. That was why it was called gossip, not news. Lukios had already made himself clear. That was enough. Ba¡¯an touched the smooth marble of the shrine, focusing on the faintest of echoes. There had not been a spirit here for over two decades, at least. Why had it left? Or¡­had it simply diminished from lack of care? Aika shuffled quietly behind her, and Ba¡¯an felt her thoughts tilt toward this¡­Arete. Again. No, there was no reason to be so upset. None at all. It was not as though Ba¡¯an could have married him anyway. She ate souls. Ba¡¯an doubted that Arete could be worse than she was. Soul-eating was surely not a trait men looked for in their potential brides, and even if Ba¡¯an were not an abomination, she was only some disgraced witch who lived alone in a cave. Ba¡¯an could not give him an alliance with an important family or a rich dou-ree or¡­ Children. She stared down into the little cup of wine, jaw clenching. Her own eye stared up at her, reflection fractured by the curvature of the cup and the shallow puddle of cheap spirits. She had been pleased earlier at the sight of herself in the mirror, but now she was only angry. What was she even doing? What was the point? Ba¡¯an would stay until Lukios had rescued Eirene, then she would return to her home in the desert, and¡­that would be that. Perhaps Lukios would keep his word. Or perhaps he would change his mind. There was no point in speculation. Ba¡¯an had her own tasks; first, she would rectify her error and ensure Nikias¡¯ suspicions were allayed. Then she would stay to make sure Lukios did not get another sword in the gut. Then she would return and be rid of Tik-tak Mal¡¯uk, and once Salu¡¯ka returned, Ba¡¯an would help her break her contract with her patron spirit. This way, she would be able to step-down from the shi-vuti and marry Ku¡¯rin. Salu¡¯ka would keep her child. There. Clarity. She swallowed, but her throat was too dry and the lump would not go. Had Lukios¡­liked Arete? Or more importantly: did he still like her now? Or perhaps he had adored her, as he was so fond of saying to Ba¡¯an now? No, no. Jealousy was poison, and there was no need to heed it now. Arete was not here. Ba¡¯an was here. It did not matter, and besides¡­ Ba¡¯an thought back to their late-night conversation. He had only spoken about Gaios and political machinations, which he clearly detested¡ªhe had no interest in entangling himself further in Dolkoi¡¯ri politics. Was that the reason, then? Did he only want a wife who had nothing to do with anyone of note? If that was his goal, Ba¡¯an was a good choice: she had nothing and no one. She could not even read or mark numbers in Dolkoi¡¯ri. She knew nothing of their politics or history, and even less about current events. Ba¡¯an was perfectly useless, which was perfectly suited for a man who wanted a wife who did nothing. Had he not said so himself? That she would need to worry about nothing, and do nothing? And Arete was a noblewoman. Even if Lukios liked her a great deal, he would not be able to avoid politics if he wed her. She resisted the urge to press her hands over her eyes. Aika was fidgeting by the wall, looking incredibly uncomfortable. Did she not have anything better to do? ¡°Aika.¡± The girl jumped. ¡°Yes, kyria!¡± ¡°Are you not needed elsewhere?¡± She shook her head rapidly. ¡°No, no, kyria! I am here to help you with whatever you need!¡± Ba¡¯an took a deep breath and defeated the impulse to sigh. Instead, she breathed out slowly, letting her temper cool. There was no reason to get upset. None. Ba¡¯an had already decided she would enjoy her time with Lukios while she had it, and then she would let him go. There was no reason to be angry over the life he had lived before meeting her; there was no reason to expect anything, either. Perhaps he would keep his word and they would wed and be happy for however long Ba¡¯an had to live. Or perhaps he would tire of her faster than he thought, and he would move on to his next object of adoration. ¡­If he did adore her, as he said. Love was as elusive as it was mysterious. It did not matter if he still thought of Arete. Her hand strayed to her throat, bare save her shawl. Ba¡¯an still thought of Thu¡¯rin. Not when Lukios was there. But¡­ Her neck often felt too light and naked. These thoughts did nothing to calm her, which was also an unfortunate truth: love did not reside in logic. What a stupid thought. Lukios always said what he meant, and he had never mentioned love at all. Stupid. You are, indeed, Tik-tak Mal¡¯uk purred, never missing a chance to get a barb in. Shut the fuck up, Ba¡¯an snapped, then blinked. Now that did not sound like her at all. It sounded rather like Lukios, did it not? The creature only laughed at her. There was no point in dwelling on this. The day was only getting shorter. ¡°Aika. I wish to have a snack in the garden.¡± This would get the girl out of Ba¡¯an¡¯s hair for the time being. If Ba¡¯an needed more time alone, she would send the girl out on some errands. Ba¡¯an wished to make an ointment for scars¡ªdeep ones, the ones that always ached. Lukios never complained, but she knew his must trouble him from time to time. It was something she had meant to do before leaving her nur-vuti, but she had never managed to do it¡ªnot after Tik-tak Mal¡¯uk. It would be difficult, if not impossible, for Aika to find K¡¯Avaari goods. Perhaps it was cruel to send her out on such a chase when Ba¡¯an already knew she had what was needed, but Ba¡¯an needed privacy to ferret out any remnants of a spirit¡¯s passing. ¡°Oh. Yes, kyria!¡± If the girl thought it odd that Ba¡¯an wished to eat again, she did not show it. ¡°Something simple. I would also like tea. Something with spices, with plenty of honey and milk.¡± Ba¡¯an paused then added, ¡°And I wish to have some buns if you have them. The sweet stuffed ones. And¡ª¡± She listed as many specific things as she could. There. That ought to take some time, surely? ¡°Yes, kyria! Right away, kyria!¡± Aika nearly bolted for the kitchen, which was a sure sign that she had been even more anxious than she had looked. Poor child. Yes, it was not fair for Ba¡¯an to be in such a foul mood. Aika had not meant to offend her. Ba¡¯an wandered out to the garden, feet taking her to the fountain. She splashed her face with the water that poured from the spout. It was cool and refreshing, and she immediately felt better; she dabbed herself dry with the corner of her shawl. There. Now she could get to work. Ba¡¯an sat on the lip of the fountain and closed her eyes. To onlookers, she merely looked to be sunning herself. To another witch, the slow meditation as she dipped herself into the singing of souls would have been instantly obvious. Spirits had unique voices, both like and unlike living souls. They sang their soul-songs, true, but their timbre and texture were different. Ba¡¯an could always tell if it was a spirit singing or a human; she could not quite articulate the difference, but it was like being blindfolded and asked what she was touching. Cliff-cat fur did not feel the same as strifa hair, and one did not need to see it to know it. It was very much a similar thing. No, it was not finding spirits that was difficult. It was finding its traces. Like footsteps, such spiritual stains faded over time. Ba¡¯an did not think a spirit would be residing in the estate now, not when she was here in person. But if there had been one, she would at least be able to sense its imprint; it had only been two nights. Her first guess had been the family shrine, but that had been empty for a good long while. She would have to widen her search. Ba¡¯an lowered her defenses, and the world exploded into sensation. She could feel everything: the mice running inside the walls, the worms inside the dirt, the little water-bug that was just now lighting onto the surface of the water, three paces away, the buzzing insects she could neither see nor hear with her physical eyes and ears¡ªshe could hear them and feel them, their presence pressing against her in a million pinpricks along every finger of skin. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. This was why many witches lived their lives closed. It was the very first thing taught to gifted children: how to close themselves from the world. Failure to do so invited madness, and a mad witch was a true horror indeed. It was different for boys, of course. There was a reason why they became shapers, not witches. There was no reason to be sloppy. Ba¡¯an decided to start at the northeastern corner of the estate, carefully combing through the souls there at every level: anything that flew, walked, crawled, or burrowed was thoroughly examined for mortality. She found nothing that vibrated like a spirit or unmoored soul, so she moved on, scouring the property methodically. It took quite a lot of time to get to the inhabitants of the house itself. There were so many human souls inside it that she found herself distracted; some sounded vibrant, while others sounded dull, and still others sounded sickly. Ba¡¯an found Aika easily, lingering in the kitchen with a servant who sounded very much like water dripping through a crack in the stone; Ba¡¯an could tell the girl was ill. She sounded stoppered, somehow, but the child was not Ba¡¯an¡¯s responsibility, so she swept forward. Nothing. Hm. Perhaps Nikias did not have a contract with anything? But then¡­how was it that he knew anything? How was he spying on his enemies without a spirit? Surely he was not relying on mundane methods only? It would not explain his spookiness, though¡­ Another possibility crossed her mind. When Ba¡¯an had been a child, she had hated being touched. It was not that she did not like hugs; it was that when she touched someone, skin-to-skin, she immediately lost the division between herself and them. It was something very gifted children suffered through, and she had had a habit of crawling into quiet, dark cupboards whenever the sounds and sensations of others became too much to take. It was why she had never played with the other children in the kita-vuti, because they were always touching each other: tugging, tackling, tickling. Every touch had been a violation, and Ba¡¯an had hated it. But there was one thing that such an ability allowed very well: understanding others. Ba¡¯an would have known instantly what someone wanted or felt the moment they touched her. Ul¡¯ma had trained her to keep her walls high, and as with all witches, womanhood had blunted her senses so they were not quite so keen. But a man? A man did not bleed, and their senses never blunted. Boys were given to the stone before they went mad, their talents channeled into something constructive, not destructive. Nikias was gifted. He was a man, which meant his senses would have never blunted. Did he use this ability on others? Surely not. He would be frothing at the mouth by now, but Nikias struck her as very sane, if completely infuriating. No. Ba¡¯an did not think Nikias would even be alive if he used his talents so carelessly. He would be as mindless and raving, full of others¡¯ thoughts, others¡¯ feelings; she did not think he could be so functional. Though¡­his soul was strangely muted. Was he using some Dolkoi¡¯ri trick? But what Dokoi¡¯ri trick could he use? They were a magic-less people¡ªall ingenuity, no soul. The more she pondered it, the more annoyed she became. She was missing something, something obvious, but she could not¡­quite¡­ A bird plummeted from a branch fifteen paces away, chirping madly as its feline attacker went for the throat. Ba¡¯an came back to herself hastily, having no desire to feel the creature¡¯s death ripple through her; she rebuilt her walls, then turned toward the bushes, which were perfectly still. But she knew what lay beyond the perfect green tapestry of carefully trimmed leaves. Life and death. Safety and danger. Such things were constant companions, though most could not see it so clearly as a witch. Beyond the bushes, in a little patch of grass, was a bird being eviscerated by a cat. Ba¡¯an stood. This was too good an opportunity to pass up. She may not get another chance at a soul again soon. Ba¡¯an did not bother with stealth. That was not the point. The point was speed, because she wished to have the bird before its soul fled. The cat was a skinny little thing, with patches missing in its black fur. It was a stray; that much was clear. ¡°I will return your kill shortly,¡± Ba¡¯an said, keeping her voice low. She could sense other souls in the garden, and it would not do for them to hear her or see her. The cat did not care what Ba¡¯an said. It hissed at her, fur puffing, but when this did not dissuade its unexpected challenger, the cat yowled and ran up a tree, green eyes glaring from its dark, sallow face. Well, she would return the meat once she had the soul. Ba¡¯an glanced down at the dying bird, momentarily confused. It was bright green, with very long feathers. The wing tips were a vivid yellow, as was the crest of feathers over its head. Ba¡¯an had never seen this type of bird before. Kia-kia birds had eye-catching plumage, yes¡ªwell, the males did¡ªbut even they were not so big and bright. It was a pity that it was dying. It was a beautiful creature, but¡­ It thrashed weakly on the ground, wings bent and broken. Blood mottled its feathers and stained the ground. Muscles and tendons peeked from behind the carnage of mangled meat. Moving swiftly, Ba¡¯an picked it up. There were people coming, and she had to be quick. Ba¡¯an rapidly snipped the soul from the nerves, deadening its senses. The bird stilled, insensate but comfortable, and she cut the soul free entirely, devouring it. Better. This was much better. ¡°¡ª¡®ver ¡®ere? Miss¡¯ress, ye should wait¡ª" The first voice sounded worried, though not for whomever she was speaking to. If Ba¡¯an had to wager on it, she was worried for herself. ¡°¡ªall! ¨¦nnae! ¨¦nnae!¡± This voice was younger, and very sweet, like a little burbling stream. Ba¡¯an looked up at the cat, which was still glaring at her from the tree. ¡°I do not think I can return your meal.¡± The voices were getting closer and closer, and it was obvious they were looking for someone¡ªor something¡ªnamed ¨¦nnae. Ba¡¯an glanced at the bird in her hand. She would bet her amber ring that this was ¨¦nnae. ¡°Are you seeking a bird?¡± It would be better to show herself now, than be caught with the bird in hand. ¡°Oh! Who¡¯s there?¡± Ba¡¯an turned and walked toward the voice, cradling the dead bird in her hand. The owner would be very upset, but¡­ It had been already dying when Ba¡¯an had taken it. Better that its death served someone than no one. Ba¡¯an was met with a cry of distress as soon as she stepped from the bushes. ¡°No! ¨¦nnae!¡± The woman was richly dressed; her dress was the colour of rich cream, without a single spot of dirt. It fell in lovely folds around her, and jewels sparkled in the sun at her ears and throat, her arms. Her fingers glittered with rings, and Ba''an''s eye was caught by a particularly large gold one on her right hand; it rested on her fourth finger, three emeralds winking at her from the band. They matched the green of her eyes exactly. Her hair, too, gleamed, copper curls coiled artfully atop her head with fetching tendrils left to frame her face. She could be no older than twenty. Younger, perhaps; her skin had the soft blush of youth still, supple and taut, without blemishes. She was pale, paler than anyone Ba¡¯an had ever seen before. Her skin was the colour of fresh milk. This woman was no servant. In fact, she had a servant¡ªa plump Dolkoi¡¯ri woman with streaks of gray in her black hair. The elderly woman¡¯s expression fell as her eyes fixed on the dead bird in Ba¡¯an¡¯s hands, though Ba¡¯an did not think it was dismay for the bird. The young, beautiful woman sniffled, coming to Ba¡¯an with her hands outstretched. ¡°Oh no. ¨¦nnae!¡± Ba¡¯an handed the dead bird to her, taken aback by the extent of her anguish. It was only a bird, was it not? A beautiful bird, yes, but a bird; this woman was weeping. ¡°There was a cat,¡± Ba¡¯an supplied helpfully. This was obvious. The bird had clearly been mangled by tooth and claw. The woman sniffed again as she pet the dead bird in her palm. ¡°Oh no. I knew it. I knew it. I told you. I told you, Mela!¡± The older woman bristled, and her tone could not be described as respectful. Ba¡¯an would have never tolerated such a tone¡ªnot even now. ¡°I did! Dinnae blame me when ye¡¯re th¡¯ un who¡ª¡± A loud smack resounded through the air, and the serving woman fell silent, head turned to the side. The young woman raised her hand and struck her again in the same spot, then again, until the older woman staggered. Ba¡¯an blinked. Ah. It seemed the young woman would not tolerate it, either. Clearly, she was a woman of some rank herself. ¡°How dare you!¡± The younger woman was furious. ¡°How dare you! Don¡¯t you dare! Don¡¯t you dare!¡± She raised her hand to strike again, but Ba¡¯an roused herself, walking quickly so she was between the younger woman and the older. This was excessive. Ba¡¯an thought once would have sufficed. Truly, the Dolkoi¡¯ri always fell to such vicious extremes. All passion and temper, violence and rage. ¡°Perhaps you ought to see to ¨¦nnae instead.¡± Ba¡¯an kept her voice mild and her stare flat. The young woman stumbled backwards, looking flustered. Yes, she was hardly more than a child. Perhaps a few years older than Aika? The girl¡¯s pretty, pink mouth opened, showing little white teeth, then closed again without a sound. She did this again, then again, seeming to find herself after the third time. She stepped back with a little sniff. ¡°Yes. I must see to poor little ¨¦nnae.¡± She cleared her throat, then sniffed again before speaking. ¡°Mela. Take ¨¦nnae. We¡¯ll bury him nicely.¡± She glared over Ba¡¯an¡¯s head, which was easy enough; young as she was, she was still taller than the average K¡¯Avaari woman, and Ba¡¯an had always been considered rather short. Wordlessly, Mela came and took the dead, bloody bird, then scuttled away without a backward glance. The woman stared down at her bloody hands, sniffling, then looked at Ba¡¯an. ¡°I am sorry for the terrible display,¡± she said, finally. Ba¡¯an noted that her voice had a lilting little accent, one that drew out the vowels. It added to the sweetness of her voice, if not the sweetness of her temper. ¡°It is well.¡± Ba¡¯an considered carefully, then added, ¡°I am sorry I did not arrive quickly enough to save your bird.¡± The strange woman smiled, and it was as if her tantrum had never been. ¡°Please, it is not your fault. It was Mela¡¯s fault. I told her to latch the cage but she didn¡¯t, that lazy slattern.¡± She sighed. ¡°I hope you will not let this sour your impression of me, lady Ba¡¯an.¡± Ba¡¯an blinked. She already knew? The woman took in Ba¡¯an¡¯s expression and gave a little titter, sounding very much like a bird herself. ¡°Yes, I know who you are.¡± With a very soft, charming smile, she leaned forward and whispered, ¡°I have been dying to meet you, but Master Gaios said no.¡± She put her finger to her lips, though she did not touch them with her bloody hands. ¡°We¡¯ll keep this to ourselves, won¡¯t we?¡± Ba¡¯an worked to keep the confusion from her face. Was she one of Gaios¡¯ staff? But surely not. She was too richly adorned, and she had beaten Mela without a moment¡¯s hesitation. But surely she was not Gaios¡¯ wife. She looked far too young, and Gaios had said his wife was resting at their countryside estate. She could not be Arete, either. She was with her mother. So who was this woman? ¡°I have no one to tell.¡± Except Lukios, but this was not something this strange woman needed to know. The woman giggled again, then glanced down at Ba¡¯an¡¯s hands. ¡°Oh yes. What a dreadful mess. We must wash this off. Please! Come! I have never met a Sander before, and I have many things I wish to ask you!¡± She reached out and took Ba¡¯an¡¯s hand. Ba¡¯an blinked in surprise. Now this was very bold. Was it a Dolkoi¡¯ri custom to simply hold a strange woman¡¯s hand like this? ¡­Hm. Touch always made soul-sensing easier, and now that they were holding hands, Ba¡¯an could sense another song, like a little echo, doubling inside this stranger¡¯s belly. It was very likely she was pregnant, though¡­it was very early still. Ba¡¯an doubted the woman knew it herself. Well, best to keep quiet, then. The woman led her from the bushes, past the fountain and along a wall of carefully trimmed bushes. They turned one corner, and suddenly they were in a small, private corner of the garden. This place was nearly closed off by the green wall around it. It was like its own little world, though Ba¡¯an could see the cobbled path that led back into the house. A back door, perhaps? Regardless, it was clearly built for privacy. It did not escape Ba¡¯an¡¯s notice that the woman had not introduced herself. Would it be rude to ask? Dolkoi¡¯ri manners were baffling. The centerpiece of this little garden was a typical courtyard, though it was smaller than the one that had hosted their dinner party. The pool was very small, the water pouring from a small urn rather than an elaborate statue. There were stone benches all around it, piled high with cushions and rich fabrics. Ba¡¯an would have never guessed there was another courtyard inside the courtyard. How bizarre. Was this usual? ¡°Cyone! Kaba! Refreshments. We have a guest!¡± She sounded very delighted, and when she turned to Ba¡¯an again, her green eyes were sparkling. ¡­Was she Gaios¡¯ mistress? But she was¡­very young. Gaios was likely in his fifties, though¡­ It was likely common here. He was a wealthy man of status, after all. It truly was a wonder how more men were not murdered by their wives. Then again, perhaps that was why she was a secret? They washed their hands in the fountain, and serving women appeared from the house quickly, holding towels and what looked like finger snacks. ¡°I have so many questions about the desert. I have never been there¡­¡± Ba¡¯an had not agreed to answer any questions, but her guilt over ¨¦nnae kept her seated. At least she seemed to be in better spirits now. Perhaps it would not hurt to indulge this woman just a little? The sun moved across the sky at a leisurely pace. Ba¡¯an answered the woman¡¯s questions the best she could, surprised to find she did not mind. The woman¡ªwho had still not divulged her name¡ªhad a lively mind and a sweet tongue. She was free with her compliments, though Ba¡¯an found herself wary of her charm. Combined with her beauty, Ba¡¯an thought Gaios would have a difficult time keeping younger men from flocking to her like bees to a flower, though¡­ ¡­Perhaps that was why all of her attendants were women. And¡ªBa¡¯an glanced around the courtyard¡ªshe was kept in isolation. It was very likely that she did not see anyone except her servants and Gaios. A sad fate, especially for one so young. Perhaps there was a reason for that terrible temper. ¡°Is it true that Sander women have many husbands?¡± What? ¡°It is not.¡± ¡°Oh! It was only a fanciful tale, after all. I thought so!¡± She smiled sweetly. ¡°It was a rather silly question, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°No. We are not known to you. I have asked similar questions about Dolkoi¡ªIllosians.¡± They conversed, and the shadows lengthened slowly over the grass.
Aika cried when Ba¡¯an returned to her usual spot by the fountain. ¡°Kyria! There you are! I was so worried! Where did you go?¡± The last part was said accusingly, and the girl looked up at her with her eyes glittering with tears. ¡°I¡­there was a cat.¡± There was no reason to tell Aika about that strange, secluded woman, surely? The younger girl¡¯s face twisted in confusion. ¡°A¡­cat, kyria?¡± ¡°Yes. It caught a bird. I tried to save it, but it was too late.¡± And yet another lie. Ba¡¯an was becoming a very good outlander, these days. Aika stared at her. ¡°I¡­see, kyria.¡± Ha. The girl did not believe Ba¡¯an at all. She was not quite so silly as she looked now, was she? Ba¡¯an found the thought oddly pleasing. It was impossible for Ba¡¯an to eat again, though she still felt hungry; physically, her belly could take no more food. Ba¡¯an urged Aika to eat, then called up servants from the kitchens, then the stables, to go through the food. By dinner time, the men had still not returned. Ba¡¯an returned to her room, going through her things for reagents. She had nearly everything she needed, but she did not have any tools or equipment. She would have to see Merida tomorrow and ask to borrow her things. Well, Ba¡¯an had to give the midwife her honey, regardless. She would make a trip of it. After that, she took another walk in the garden, waiting for Lukios to return as the sun sank lower and lower in the sky. Gaios returned and greeted her politely; he set more servants on her and left, though Ba¡¯an knew now exactly where he had been disappearing to¡ªhis mistress. Ba¡¯an waited, but Lukios did not return¡ªand neither did Nikias. She wondered if this ought to alarm her, though¡­what could she do about it now? Fly out to find them? No, that was absurd. Lukios would think her madder than he already did. She was complicating, as Lukios so enjoyed saying. Besides, he had promised not to do anything foolhardy. Surely he would...restrain himself? Surely he could restrain himself. It had only been one day. One day. Eventually, her weariness grew to the point where she gave up on seeing Lukios again until breakfast. She retired, thinking of her incredibly strange day. There was no spirit at the estate. Gaios had a mistress. Aika¡­ Something was wrong with the girl, Ba¡¯an was certain. Surely there had been little or no reason to cry? She rolled over, pressing her face into the pillow Lukios used. It felt wrong. This was the first night she had slept here without Lukios beside her. She was remarkably restless, turning over and over in the bed despite the fatigue dragging at her bones. She could still smell him in the sheets, which only made her ache for him more. No. This was ridiculous. Soon she would return to her not-vuti. At best she would be alone for two months, but it was very likely that she would not see him again, regardless of what Lukios thought. It was best if she became used to sleeping alone. Ba¡¯an did not know she had fallen asleep until she woke up. It was dark, too dark to see, but she knew what had woken her. She could feel Lukios crawl into bed beside her, slowly and quietly, not knowing she was already awake. ¡°Lukios?¡± ¡°Aw, shit.¡± He pulled her against his chest and kissed her under her ear. ¡°Go back to sleep, sweetheart. Sorry I woke you.¡± ¡°Do not worry.¡± She turned her head to look at him, though it was too dark to see anything but an outline. ¡°Why are you so late?¡± ¡°I¡¯m early, actually. Think everyone¡¯s still drinking. ¡®Cept Nikias. Cheap drunk.¡± Ah. Drinking. Why were they drinking? Lukios nuzzled her neck sleepily. Now that she was paying attention, he smelled faintly of wine and sweat and¡­something else. Something disgusting. She wrinkled her nose. Why did he reek? What had he been doing? ¡°Came back ahead of ¡®em. Missed you.¡± He kissed her again where his mouth was, which was her throat, right over her pulse. Was he drunk? ¡°Lukios?¡± ¡°Mmhm.¡± His voice was faint. In another moment she felt his breathing slow and she knew he was asleep. She blinked. Well then. She closed her eyes and slept. Interlude: A Very Lukios Story, Part I 4th Vigil, 12th Hour ¡°Get ¡®way!¡± Askles¡¯ shout drowned before it went four paces; the sand and sky seemed to suck the sound right out of him. The vultures ignored his cries, circling closer and closer under the hot midday sun. Askles tried to flee, but he couldn¡¯t: he¡¯d been buried up to the neck. He strained mightily. He flexed his shoulders, his legs; he bent his back against the hard ground which was oddly soft but unyielding. ¡°Fuck off! I ain¡¯t dead! Shoo! Shoo!¡± He couldn¡¯t get enough breath in his lungs. Nope. They were descending now, and Askles could see their ugly bald heads as they flew closer, the stench of rotting meat wafting with every wing-beat. ¡°Fuck off! I said fuck off!¡± The ground squeezed, so hot and tight that he¡¯d gone dizzy. This was a dream. Askles very clearly remembered going to bed as usual, wide awake ¡®til nearly second watch ¡®cause Pitie snored like a wild hog in heat. A wild hog in heat that was drowning. Nothing shut him up, not even a wadded-up cloak in his mouth, the loud fucker. But he could smell them. They reeked, they just fucking reeked, like a dog that¡¯d rolled in day-old vomit then come panting back into the house. ¡°Argh! Arrrghh!¡± He strained again, trying to get away from the stench, but he was stuck, the heat of the sunbaked sand rolling over him in waves. His eyes watered; it was so fucking hot, and it stunk. One of them landed three steps away, beady black eyes glinting as it cocked its head to look at him. Askles yelled, or tried to yell, as loudly as it could; the damn thing just kept staring at him. ¡°No! Go eat a rottin¡¯ sand-rat! I¡¯m not food!¡± The vulture stepped closer, head bobbing. ¡°No!¡± Another step. Askles thrashed desperately, but he only managed to pull a muscle. And another. Askles stared into the thing¡¯s soulless black eyes, stared into his own horrified reflection as the bird peered back; it came closer and closer, head bobbing, and ¡®Kles knew, he just knew the fuckin¡¯ thing was gonna take his other eye¡ª Askles panicked. He bit it. In the neck. ¡°FUCKIN¡¯ COCKSUCKER!¡± Askles snapped awake as Epitus flailed on top of him, screaming and swearing like he''d been bitten by a dog. Askles grimaced, tasting blood in his mouth; he spat, and there it was: a chunk of Pitie, bloody and fresh. It wasn¡¯t a big chunk. Really. Pitie jerked away, hand clamped on his shoulder. ¡°You sick fuck! Th¡¯ fuck in th¡¯ fuck! You bit me! You bit me!¡± ¡°You¡¯re th¡¯ fuckin¡¯ cocksucker,¡± snapped Askles, grimacing. ¡°Were you tryin¡¯ t¡¯ kill me in my sleep?¡± ¡°Th¡¯ fuck ya goin¡¯ on about? You tried t¡¯ kill me!¡± Askles jerked forward, but jagged to a stop. He¡¯d gotten hopelessly tangled in his sleeping roll. ¡°Did not. You tried t¡¯ suffocate me. Thought I¡¯d die.¡± ¡°I was not! I was sleepin¡¯! And ya didn¡¯t have ta bite me, you crazy fuck!¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t tryin¡¯! Thought ya were a fuckin¡¯ bird.¡± Pitie¡¯s face screwed up into a look of half-confusion, half-disgust. ¡°The fuck ya goin¡¯ on ¡®bout now?¡± ¡°Had a dream. Thought you were a bird comin¡¯ to peck my eyes out.¡± Askles rolled his tongue over his teeth and made a noise of revulsion before spitting again. ¡°Fuck. Why d¡¯ya always roll on top o¡¯ me? We ain¡¯t ten, Pitie. Stick to your side.¡± Pitie glared. ¡°I wasn¡¯t tryin¡¯. I was sleepin¡¯. Coulda jus¡¯ woken me like a man wit¡¯ sense.¡± He winced, lifting his hand from his shoulder. There was some blood, but it wasn¡¯t too bad. Askles had only gotten him a little. ¡°Don¡¯t be a pussy,¡± he muttered, easing himself from the clinging bedroll. He took his wadded-up tunic and tossed it to his childhood friend. ¡°Use that.¡± Pitie rolled his eyes and tossed it back. ¡°It ain¡¯t bleedin¡¯ no more. Fuck you.¡± He glanced at his bloody hand and reached over, wiping it with more force than necessary on Askles¡¯ bedroll. ¡°The lil¡¯ bitch who¡¯s scared o¡¯ birds don¡¯t get to call me pussy.¡± Askles didn¡¯t bother responding. They¡¯d go all morning. ¡°Let¡¯s get some water an¡¯ wash that off.¡± Pitie shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s a teeny bite, ¡®Kles. Forget it.¡± Then he glared again. ¡°But if ya do it again, I¡¯ll punch yer teeth in.¡± ¡°Well, don¡¯t go rollin¡¯ on me then!¡± ¡°Then jus¡¯ wake me like a normal fucker nex¡¯ time!¡± Askles sighed. ¡°Fine, fine. No bitin¡¯.¡± Epitus looked satisfied enough, though he still gave ¡®Kles dirty looks as they dressed. Askles decided this was not a good time to mention that Pitie still stunk. How did he always manage to smell so damn bad? Was he rolling in something whenever Askles wasn¡¯t looking? Askles was trying very hard not to breathe in too deeply. Fuck, he smacked of puke. Day-old puke. What¡ª? His tunic. The grimace was reflexive. Askles could see the stain from the dinner as Epitus dressed. Pitie had rinsed it off in a fountain, but he¡¯d done a shit job at washing. Now it looked like a vomit-ridden shirt that had been randomly wetted then crammed into a bag while damp. It smelled like it too. ¡°¡¯ere.¡± Askles mourned his good tunic, but the sacrifice was worth it. He tossed his only dyed linen tunic to his absolutely stinking childhood friend. ¡°Wha?¡± ¡°You stink. Wear that ¡®un. And fuck, take tha¡¯ to the laundry!¡± For a moment, Askles thought Pitie would argue, just to rub it in. But he didn¡¯t like the stink either, ¡®cause he took the tunic without fuss and wore it. Once they were both fit for public, Epitus sniffed the air. ¡°Tha¡¯s breakfast.¡± It likely was. The caravan park had a public oven and fire pit, and their neighbours¡ªa Yartan trader to the left, and a Birdutan to the right¡ªseemed to be having some sort of competition over who could use the oven first, which meant that every morning, they woke to the smell of bread and meat. Happily, both parties were eager to share their provisions in exchange for coin. Askles touched his belt pouch and shook it. No jingle. The only sound was that of two or three copper coins rolling around in an empty leather sack. Their purses got lighter everyday, which meant that they probably had to find some work soon, or they¡¯d have to go scavenging. Askles would scavenge if he had to. But he¡¯d swear Pitie to silence. He couldn¡¯t stand the thought of anyone¡­knowing. Pitie, on the other hand, had an instinct. He always managed to spot the shiny in the rubbish heaps littering the streets. Askles didn¡¯t judge him for it; Pitie had grown up that way, and ¡®sides¡ªit was useful, anyhow. Askles popped his head out from the tent. They¡¯d decided to save money by sleeping outside the walls at the caravan park, but he had to admit it was more than a little embarrassing. They were sleeping on the ground like fucking vagrants, which was not at all what Askles had been planning to do when he¡¯d come to Kyros. He¡¯d meant to look respectable¡ªfor a week, at least. It couldn¡¯t be helped, though. Askles¡¯ jaw clenched with remembered rage. Fucking thieves. They¡¯d taken nearly everything, everything; Pitie had lost Til¨¨, his ma¡¯s mule, along with nearly everything he¡¯d brought, and Askles had no marriage gifts. Who in fucking H¨¡?id¨¥s showed up to ask for a woman¡¯s hand without gifts? It was just so gods-damned embarrassing, not to mention enraging. It wasn¡¯t odd to join up with other travellers, but these ones had been thieves. The fuckers had taken the mule and saddlebags, and whatever else they could, in the middle of the night; Askles and Pitie had searched ¡®til their bellies had threatened to eat them. They¡¯d been forced to give up and go to Kyros on foot. Infuriating. Just infuriating¡­and humiliating. It had been so humiliating that Pitie and Askles hadn¡¯t breathed a word of it to anyone, though Askles was sure, absolutely sure, that sir Nikias had figured it out already. Strategos too, probably. There was no fooling either of them, but they were both too mannerly to say a thing. Askles pushed the hair out of his face with a sigh. Shit. They didn¡¯t even have the coin to buy Lukios a drink, and the man had come back from the gods-damned dead. It was just so pathetic. His belly growled. Yeah, breakfast first. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°¡¯Pose we should ask Strategos to ¡®ire us?¡± Pitie squinted down the road. The stones were weathered, and they¡¯d heard that greenhorns were busy repairing all the cracks and laying new ones down into the desert. Askles shuffled his feet. That was practical, but it felt like begging. Oh please sir! You know us. Have some pity and hire us, we lost all our shit when we slept through a robbery. Ah, Herme¨ª¨¥s¡¯ balls. No. It was too humiliating. No. ¡°Maybe,¡± he muttered. ¡°But we oughta try some o¡¯ the farms first. That¡¯s clean, honest work.¡± And not so pathetic as begging to lay down road. ¡®Kles hated laying down road. Pitie rolled his eyes. ¡°¡¯Kles. I¡¯m tellin¡¯ you. No one¡¯s hirin¡¯ out there. Bandits took all their shit, too.¡± ¡°Well, maybe the bars need som¡¯ bruisers. Or¡­¡± In the absolute worst case scenario, they could do some fighting at a pit. Askles grimaced, his scars throbbing at the thought. Ah, crows take it. He¡¯d get his ass kicked. He had a blind spot a milion-wide now. ¡°Asklaaaas! Eeepeetus!¡± Today it was the Yartan trader, Sangani, who had made it to the oven first. He was a cheerful man with a big belly, big shoulders, and a big smile. He had big hands too, and loved having a big coin pouch, the slick fuck. ¡°Hey, Sangani!¡± Askles waved, trying not to look too pitiful. Did they have coin to buy breakfast? Or should they just drink some water instead? ¡°Your friend is here to visit!¡± There was a pause, then he added, ¡°The handsome one!¡± ¡°Aw, thanks man! You¡¯re not bad yourself!¡± The tall, hooded figure standing by the fire clapped the Yartan trader on the shoulder and laughed. There was no mistaking that laugh. Sangani laughed too, sounding at least a little bit bashful, and Askles just barely kept from groaning. ¡­Yup, that was Lukios. The lucky whoreson had a smile to charm fish into nets and women into beds. Or barns. Or alleys. Or sand holes, apparently. The gods just loved him. ¡°Lukios? The fuck you doin¡¯ here?¡± Pitie sounded excited. So was Askles, in all honesty. Lukios was filthy rich. Surely he¡¯d feed them? Lukios waved at them with frenetic energy, then bounced toward them like a happy puppy. It was so cheerful it was sickening; it was far too early in the day. ¡°¡¯Kles! Pitie!¡± called Lukios, ¡°Great mornin¡¯, huh? Man, what¡¯re you all camping out here for? Kyros not good enough for you?¡± He laughed the winsome way he always did. It was somewhat surreal. Even two days ago, he¡¯d been dead, along with the Rekos of House Helios and their entourage. There had been mourning and sacrifices and everything, and he¡¯d heard that House Helios had raised so many black flags that people from the outlying farms had thought the city had fallen to plague or something. Epitus¡¯ stomach growled, and Askles¡¯ answered. Lukios only laughed harder. ¡°Damn, guess you haven¡¯t had breakfast yet?¡± Lukios snapped his fingers decisively. ¡°I know a place!¡± He beamed at them, more puppy than lion. ¡°You like Eirian?¡± ¡®Kles and Pitie glanced at each other then shrugged. Well why in H¨¡?id¨¥s not?
¡°The fuck¡¯d you do t¡¯ your hair?¡± Epitus did not mince words, and Askles just barely defeated his urge to sigh. Lukios had taken down his hood, and even in the wan, pre-dawn light, it was obvious he¡¯d gone and dyed it. This was not a question that needed asking. Pitie was picking a fight, because a hungry Pitie was a cranky Pitie. On cue, the man¡¯s belly growled again. Lukios continued smiling the way he always did. Insulting him only made him manically cheerful, right up until he wasn¡¯t; that temper could be vile. But until the inevitable explosion, he carried on with a smile, a perfectly happy idiot. But Askles wasn¡¯t fooled. That mind was always going, going, going, to the point that Askles wondered how the man wasn¡¯t half-dead from exhaustion. ¡°Funny you should ask,¡± said Lukios. He leaned over, expression perfectly serious. ¡°I was followed by a shadow all the way to the gate. When I turned to confront it, it was gone, but so was all my colour.¡± Pitie frowned. ¡°That ain¡¯t funny. Don¡¯t joke none.¡± Lukios'' eyes went wide, all innocence. Askles rolled his eyes and concentrated on the streets, especially the wild little boys running through the dark alleys. They had quick fingers and a light touch, though even if they succeeded, well¡ªthe joke¡¯d be on them. Askles had nearly nothing in his belt pouch. ¡°Who says I¡¯m funning? I got followed all the way here. In fact, you never know¡ª¡± ¡°Oh fuck off!¡± Aaaand, there he went. Askles had known Pitie his whole life. The copper-haired boy¡¯s family had lived in the little lean-to shack on Da¡¯s patch of land, and they¡¯d worked in exchange for lodging. Once the twins had come along, Pitie had moved into the barn, which was exactly where Askles had always gone to hide from his chores. Askles knew perfectly well Lukios was riling Pitie. Pitie was superstitious as fuck. He never skipped libations or sacrifices. He always spat against the evil eye. He never let a cat cross his shadow, or let it lie over the foundations of a building in construction. Yeah, Pitie was real superstitious. He used to scrape coins and buy charms from the local priest, hanging them up all over the barn, but especially over his favorite horse. It had driven Askles nuts, running face-first into those stupid things unless he remembered to duck, but Pitie nearly always meant well. He¡¯d given one of those to Askles when they¡¯d enlisted too, and as far as ¡®Kles knew, it was working. They¡¯d both survived, hadn¡¯t they? Lukios only grinned at Epitus, clearly gleeful at the way the younger man was eyeing the pockets of shadow around them. Askles didn¡¯t sigh, but he wrinkled his nose. ¡°It stinks. Didja have to use¡­whatever you used?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Lukios¡¯ gleeful grin became sheepish. ¡°Didn¡¯t have anything else.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Sorry, ¡®Kles, but you¡¯ll have to live with it. I mean, I know I am!¡± ¡°I knew it!¡± Epitus looked pissed. ¡°I knew it! I¡¯m tellin¡¯ you, Lucky, you shouldn¡¯t say shit about¡ª¡± ¡°Oh, get off it, ¡®Pitie. It¡¯s fine. That stuff¡¯s not true. Just stories.¡± ¡°Is not. You saw it too. That shit¡¯s real. Real.¡± Epitus shook his head hard. ¡°Don¡¯t go flappin¡¯ your lips ¡®bout it. I¡¯m not funnin¡¯. You think I¡¯m real dumb now, but you¡¯ll thank me later.¡± Lukios only snorted. ¡°Sander magic¡¯s not really the same thing, Pitie. And we¡¯re at peace now.¡± Oh shi¡ª ¡°Fuck that,¡± snapped Epitus. ¡°Is jus¡¯ a lull. That¡¯s all. They¡¯ll have what¡¯s comin¡¯. Soon.¡± The happy expression dropped from Lukios¡¯ face like it¡¯d never been. Askles cleared his throat. ¡°Hey! ¡®Ow¡ªhow far is this place?¡± Lukios didn¡¯t even look at him, raising his hand to stop whatever other distraction Askles could come up with. ¡°¡¯Pitie. That¡¯s enough.¡± His voice had gone flat and low. ¡°I¡¯d rather not fight with you today, but don¡¯t forget Ba¡¯an¡¯s Sander.¡± Oh no. He¡¯d brought up his lady friend. This was¡ª ¡°A Sander witch,¡± Epitus snapped, predictably. ¡°She¡¯s witched ya. You should let us¡ª¡± ¡°No. She¡¯s not a witch. She hasn¡¯t done anything ¡®cept stitch me back together. Don¡¯t you dare.¡± Epitus stuck his chin out, stubborn ¡®til the end. ¡°Dare what? You¡¯re witched, ya just don¡¯ know it ¡®cause that¡¯s how witchin¡¯ works. Lucky¡ª¡± ¡°Epitus!¡± The word cracked against the buildings and snapped down the street. Askles saw a man nearly twenty paces ahead swivel his head to stare. Another stare burned into Askles¡¯ back and he felt his hackles rising. Fuck. Lukios¡¯ voice was a low, furious hiss. ¡°You don¡¯t know shit. You don¡¯t know shit about me, or Ba¡¯an, or anything else, so shut your hole, ¡®cause if you don¡¯t, I swear by Herme¨ª¨¥s, I¡¯ll¡ª¡± ¡°See? She ¡®itched you! You sound like some¡ª¡± ¡°Will ya both jus¡¯ stop? People are starin¡¯ like, ya dumb fucks!¡± He hadn¡¯t meant to speak like that, but it just happened; it was harder to speak like a proper city man when he was pissed. This was just awkward, though¡ª Pitie was right. Maybe not about the witching, but¡­he wasn¡¯t wrong about the other stuff. Things would get messy again, and sooner rather than later, though he wasn¡¯t dumb enough to say so to Lukios. Not now. Not when he was crazy for some skinny Sander woman. She wasn¡¯t the worst Sander he¡¯d met, that was true, too. She¡¯d saved Lukios, which was more than most folk would¡¯ve done, and Askles didn¡¯t even mind the eating¡ªshe was so skinny, and Sanders were poor. No shit she¡¯d gone stuffing her face. She probably hadn¡¯t ever seen so much food her entire life. But fuck. That attitude. That smug, Sander attitude. What was it with Sanders? They were all so fucking insufferable, like a fat, rich merchant or a kid from a founding house, but without the money or clout. They were just¡­smug. Haughty, all high and mighty like they were anything more than sandy goat-fuckers eating lizard and killing babies. They should¡¯ve been grateful, grateful to the empire and the emperor for lifting them out of their shitty, backward little sand traps, but no¡ªthey always whined about everything. Every little thing, like teaching them about money and trade was a bad thing. They didn¡¯t have proper bathhouses or libraries or market squares. They still lived in caves. Caves! The only useful thing they had was magic. And that they hoarded, the same way stone-suckers did grain. So really: Ba¡¯an wasn¡¯t the worst Sander he¡¯d met. But fuck, was she ever Sander. ¡­And she probably was a witch. ¡°We can get going if Epitus shuts his pie hole.¡± Lukios¡¯ glare was furious. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare go around babbling about her being a witch. Are you out of your fucking mind? Do you know what¡¯d happen?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t!¡± Epitus shot Lukios a look. ¡°Who¡¯d I tell? I¡¯m jus¡¯ sayin¡¯, you need to¡ª¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need to do anything. You need to shut your mouth¡ª¡± ¡°Will you two stop already? People are starin¡¯ and¡ª¡± Askles felt his own temper flare. This was stupid. They were standing in the middle of the street, by Thi¨®s¡ªand Lukios was just¡ª He was over-reacting, ¡®cause of course he would. And Pitie was like a damn dog with a bone¡ª ¡°Lucky, you ain¡¯t seein¡¯ it real clear now, but you gotta listen!¡± Epitus lunged forward without warning and grabbed Lukios¡¯s face with both hands, palms flat against the taller man¡¯s cheeks. Lukios¡¯ expression momentarily slackened in shock, and Askles lunged to tear them apart before someone actually lost some teeth. Epitus shook him off. Askles got an elbow to his nose for this troubles, and he jumped back with a curse. ¡°Pitie!¡± ¡°Shuush! I¡¯m talkin¡¯ to Lucky.¡± Epitus stared up at Lukios the way he had when he¡¯d had to tell ¡®Kles his favorite horse had broken its leg. ¡°Lukios! I¡¯m your friend. We¡¯re your brothers. You gotta listen, ¡®kay, an¡¯ listen real good. You don¡¯ act the same. You¡¯re actin¡¯ weird. Like uh¡­like a lap dog. She¡¯s got you, Lucky. She¡¯s gotcha good.¡± Pitie glanced at Askles, then yanked him so they were standing side-by-side. Askles gave him a side-glare, hand clamped over his nose. Was it bleeding? That little fucker. ¡°We always got your back. And you gotta trust us. Not some¡­she¡¯s a witch, Lucky. She is. She¡¯s tricked you. She¡¯s lyin¡¯. Whatever sweet thing she¡¯s sayin¡¯, she¡¯s lyin¡¯, get it?¡± The expressions that passed over Lukios¡¯ face were remarkably varied. First his mouth dropped open, and his eyes widened. Then his brows went down and he shut his mouth. Then he opened his mouth again, then shut it. Then he screwed up his face like Pitie had just told him the sky wasn¡¯t really blue. ¡°No, I don¡¯t get it. She¡¯s not¡ªPitie. It¡¯s not like that. At all. Ba¡¯an wouldn¡¯t be caught dead seducing a filthy outland¡ª¡± ¡°See! That! That! She thinks she¡¯s better ¡®an you! And you¡¯re talkin¡¯ like her too!¡± Lukios started to laugh. He put his hands on Pitie¡¯s shoulder and pulled him into a hug. ¡°Fuck, Pitie. You¡ªyou¡¯re really something.¡± Pitie returned the hug, so now they were embracing in the middle of the street, in full view of everyone. Askles snapped at a nosy passersby. ¡°Keep walkin¡¯!¡± ¡°Yeah, an¡¯ I¡¯m tellin¡¯ ya¡ª¡± Lukios laughed brightly and kissed Pitie¡¯s cheeks. The man went red¡ªflustered, ¡®Kles thought, by the sudden show of affection¡ªand sputtered to a stop. ¡°Pitie. ¡®Kles. You two trust me?¡± Pitie¡¯s response was prompt. ¡°We trust you, but not¡­witches. An¡¯ she¡¯s a witch. She lied if she said she weren¡¯t.¡± Askles sighed, and un-pinched his nose. It was not bleeding, though it was sore. ¡°Pitie¡¯s jus¡¯¡­we¡¯re worried, is all. You gotta admit it¡¯s real¡­well. It¡¯s somethin¡¯. And she¡¯s¡­she¡¯s a bit¡­¡± He trailed off with a little cough, looking away. Maybe Ba¡¯an was a witch. Maybe she wasn¡¯t. But¡­fuck. Pitie wasn¡¯t wrong. Askles had felt embarrassed for Lucky all evening with the way the he had doted and fawned. ¡®Kles considered it a small miracle that Lukios hadn¡¯t flopped onto his back with his tongue lolling out, begging to be petted. ¡°Pitie,¡± said Lukios, ¡°¡¯Kles. Ba¡¯an didn¡¯t do anything ¡®cept stitch me up. She wanted me gone quick, but I charmed her into changing her mind. See? She didn¡¯t witch me. I charmed her. So stop.¡± He paused, then added, ¡°You really think I¡¯d carry on with a witch?¡± Askles glanced at Pitie. Pitie glanced back. Askles made a little cutting gesture with his hand. There was no reason to pick a fight with Lukios in the middle of the street. Ba¡¯an was strange and very Sander, true, but Lukios had all his bits and¡­well. Maybe he was just in love or something. Askles had seen the same look on his own face in the mirror plenty. It happened whenever he thought of Chloe. Sweet, gentle Chloe, with her big brown eyes and pink, plump lips. And that smile! That laugh! The way she tilted her head and¡­ He sighed. Deeply, and with longing. Epitus made a disgusted face. ¡°Not again.¡± ¡°He been doing that a lot?¡± ¡°Fuck. All the time. Drivin¡¯ me nuts.¡± ¡°Have not!¡± Askles straightened and rearranged his expression, scowling. ¡°He¡¯s exaggeratin¡¯ ¡®cause he¡¯s jealous.¡± ¡°Am not.¡± ¡°Are too.¡± ¡°Am not.¡± ¡°Are¡ª¡± ¡°Hey, smell that?¡± Lukios¡¯ voice was cheerful again as he pointed down the street, slinging an arm around Askles¡¯ shoulders and casually pulling him away from Pitie. Askles rolled his eyes. ¡°Smells like kaleh pacheh! Ohh, and a¡¯chai!¡± Lukios slung his other arm around Pitie, and began dragging them both along with enthusiasm. Askles tilted his head back to look at Pitie, who only shrugged. Just typical Lukios things, really. ¡°Tha¡¯s breakfast, right?¡± Pitie¡¯s belly rumbled. Loudly. Lukios only laughed. ¡°Yup! You¡¯ll like it, you¡¯ll like it! Once you go Eirian, you don¡¯t go back!¡± Askles cleared his throat. ¡°Sure we will. But Lucky, you really come down to visit? Or¡­did you need help? Is sir Nikias¡­giving you trouble?¡± Askles was nearly sure Strategos didn¡¯t care what Lukios got up to, but sir Nikias was¡­ He was strange. Just strange. Sometimes he gave ¡®Kles the small-shakes, the way thousand-leg bugs had done when he¡¯d been a boy. ¡°Awww, ¡®Kles. I knew you loved me.¡± Grinning, Lukios hauled the smaller man closer and kissed his cheek too. ¡®Kles rolled his eyes then obligingly kissed him back. ¡°You¡¯re right, though. I did want to have a little chat with you two.¡± ¡°Yeah? What about?¡± Pitie looked curious now, outburst clearly forgotten. ¡°Well¡­¡± Lukios smiled so sweetly that Askles drew back with a noise of suspicion. The man was up to something. Lukios only smiled harder as he winked at Askles. ¡°How do you two feel about killing some bandits?¡± Interlude: A Very Lukios Story, Part II ¡°Okay, wait, wait. Let me get this all straight-like. Yer gonna go up to Red Stride Canyon an¡¯ kill all th¡¯ bandits. You.¡± Epitus¡¯ eyebrows were drawn together. Askles could almost hear his thoughts turning in his skull. He imagined it¡¯d sound like a water wheel. The taverna was busy for the time of day. Nearly all the tables were full, but not with his fellow countrymen: they were all Eirian. Lukios, now that his hair was dark, blended right in. The owner was a large, swarthy man with a bulbous nose and broad smile, and Askles could see him wandering between tables, chatting with his regulars and clapping them on the back. He was conversing with a very solid-looking fellow now, one with a beard streaked with grey; he said something, and the owner tilted his head back and guffawed. Askles shovelled more of the¡­kaleh pacheh, which was a sort of meaty soup with sheep feet and vegetables, into his mouth. He dipped flatbread and wolfed that down too. It was good. Hearty vegetables, meaty broth, and some¡­what was that spice? ¡®Kles had never tasted anything so strange before, but it was tasty, and it sat on his tongue just right. ¡°Well, not by myself, obviously. I was thinking more like¡­us! And some other guys.¡± Lukios had on his most winsome smile. ¡°But mostly us.¡± ¡°No.¡± Askles¡¯ voice had gone flat. ¡°I¡¯m retired and I¡¯m gettin¡¯ married. I¡¯m gonna raise some ¡®orses and eat lots o¡¯ fish.¡± He gave Lukios a very pointed look. ¡°Dead men can¡¯t do shit. No.¡± ¡°Oh come on, ¡®Kles! You know you want to stab some bandits. They go squish and they scream! Then they die. You know you want to.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not th¡¯ problem,¡± he snapped back, and he set his spoon down before he bent it. He didn¡¯t have the coin to replace it. ¡°It¡¯s not th¡¯ part where I kill the bandits, Lucky. It¡¯s the part where they kill me, ¡®cause there¡¯s a fort full of them and three o¡¯ us. Get it?¡± He slapped the bench. ¡°It¡¯s called doin¡¯ numbers. You should try it.¡± And ¡®Kles had only one eye, which came with a blind spot big enough to ride a chariot through. Not that he¡¯d ever say that out loud. Pitie was strangely silent, fingers on his chin. Oh no. ¡°¡¯Pitie. Say no. Tell Lucky no.¡± ¡®Kles turned back to Lukios. ¡°We can¡¯t go up there. You¡¯ll die. For real. Us too.¡± ¡°¡¯ow much?¡± ¡°¡¯Pitie!¡± Epitus ignored him. ¡°¡¯ow much a head?¡± Lukios looked positively gleeful. ¡°Glad you asked! Ten drachma per head, plus loot.¡± Epitus¡¯ eyes widened. ¡°We can keep th¡¯ loot?¡± ¡°After the city takes its cut, yeah. We can divvy what¡¯s left.¡± Epitus mouthed, fuck, though he didn¡¯t actually say it. He seemed stunned by the monstrous sum. ¡°¡¯Pitie. You¡¯ll be too dead to spend it.¡± ¡°No, I won¡¯. Lucky¡¯s real lucky, and he¡¯s got a plan.¡± He nodded to Lukios. ¡°You have ¡®un, right? A plan?¡± Lukios nodded. ¡°Yup. Sent three messengers and everything this morning. Gonna do some light local recruiting, too.¡± Epitus leaned over, looking like a hound after a rabbit. ¡°Yeah? Your old guys?¡± ¡°Yeah. The Pride rides again¡ªmaybe.¡± Lukios was grinning so hard it looked painful. ¡°Told Aristos to bring the banners and everything.¡± ¡°Fuck. That¡¯s¡ªthat¡¯ll work.¡± Pitie was nodding along now, but ¡®Kles was shaking his head, his dream lodged in his head: sand and vultures. Now he knew what that meant. This was gonna be a disaster. ¡°No, it won¡¯t. Lukios! That fort¡¯s stacked. It¡¯s full o¡¯ fuckin¡¯ deserters. Let¡¯s say ¡®alf the Pride comes back. Tha¡¯s barely a quarter o'' an ekato and we¡¯ll be fightin¡¯ in close quarters. In a fuckin¡¯ canyon. No. We¡¯ll get real damn dead. It¡¯ll be like stabbin¡¯ fish in a barrel. You¡¯ve lost your damn mind!¡± Lukios¡¯ expression of glee only intensified, and Askles stared, horrified by the thought that he really had gone mad. Sun mad, sand mad. Witch mad. Insane. Lukios had gone insane. ¡°No, no, no, we¡¯re not going in hot. That¡¯s the beauty of it. They want ransom in goods, right? Lots of goods? How do you transport goods, ¡®Kles?¡± He was rubbing his hands like a wine merchant on Dionysia. Oh. Oh. That clever little shit. ¡°Fuck me. You¡¯re serious?¡± ¡°Hard pass,¡± Lukios said, still sounding exceptionally cheerful, ¡°but otherwise? Perfectly serious!¡± ¡°Wha¡¯? Wha¡¯s th¡¯ plan?¡± Epitus¡¯ accent had thickened, which was a sure sign of frustration. ¡°You gonna speak sense or¡ª¡± A table crashed against the wall, splintering. Someone screamed; there was a loud, raucous laugh as the trio turned their heads toward the noise as one. ¡°So sorry, sirs! Shop¡¯s closed! Out you go!¡± There was a big, burly man standing near the entrance of the taverna, hands on his narrow hips. He was barrel-chested, with a thick, slicked beard the colour of charring wood. Behind him were four more men of varying sizes: a youthful man with barely a hint of fuzz on his chin; a tall, stocky one who looked like he could plow a field on his own; a big man¡ªbigger than Lukios, even¡ªwith an obvious slave-brand on his cheek; and a skinny little guy who reminded ¡®Kles strongly of a mutt¡ªhis hair stood in tufts. They took up some serious space. ¡®Kles eyed their cloaks. There were bulges. Fuckers were armed. It was impossible to tell through the fabric, but he doubted they had anything bigger than a xiphos. Hm, no. Muttman had something longer¡ªbut not long enough to be a spear. People had stopped eating to stare, clearly shocked. A few men stirred¡ªthe only other Illosians¡ªand then stood quietly and walked toward the door. The burly man and his party only smiled genially and moved so they could squeeze past. ¡°Well? The rest of you sirs gonna go quiet-like, or¡­?¡± And then he said something in Eirian. Several somethings. ¡®Kles glanced at his friends. Pitie¡¯s brows were drawn together in confusion, but Lukios still had a mild smile on his face, like some guys hadn¡¯t just busted in and trashed a table. Slowly, the other customers began to file out, ducking past the men and out the door, throwing sorry glances at the owner whose face had gone bloodless. The owner finally roused himself and muttered something to the serving girl¡ªand judging by that nose, she was his daughter¡ªand she tried to slink away, but it was too late: Chinfuzz lunged and grabbed her by the hair. She shrieked, but the men only laughed; the one holding her smacked her breast and squeezed. She screamed even louder, and that led to another round of mirth. Well, for her sake, ¡®Kles hoped she liked fucking, ¡®cause it was clear she was gonna be doing lots of it soon. The owner¡¯s eyes had gone round, and ¡®Kles could see he was about to panic; it was obvious that when he did, there¡¯d be blood. These were fighting men, and the plump, broad Eirian was not. ¡°Baba!¡± She was already crying. The taverna had nearly emptied. There was another table of Eirians, and ¡®Kles recognized the stocky man with the graying beard¡ªhe was the one who had made the owner laugh. He was giving the intruders a hard, unflinching stare. He and his party were still here, and they weren¡¯t moving. This was a standoff. Aw, fuck. ¡°Keydhi,¡± Greybeard said, and his voice was flat and cold. ¡°Neva!¡± This Keydhi, the one with the wood-char beard, was clearly the ringleader. He smiled widely, showing a gap in his front teeth, and held his arms wide. There was a string of Eirian. ¡°Pitie. Lucky.¡± ¡®Kles kept his voice quiet. They hadn¡¯t been spotted yet, thanks to their odd spot just at the end of the counter. The doorway sighted down the stone countertop, which meant the trio had partial cover. But it wouldn¡¯t last for long if these gangsters¡ªbecause this was clearly some kind of turf war¡ªhad any smarts at all. Whatever this was, they didn¡¯t want to get caught in it. It was stone-sucker business, and if it spilled into the street, it was guard business. Beyond that? It wasn¡¯t any of their business. Lukios relaxed on his stool and put another piece of sheep in his mouth. ¡°Damn,¡± he said to ¡®Kles, very casually, ¡°you don¡¯t get kaleh pascheh this good just anywhere.¡± ¡°Lucky,¡± ¡®Kles hissed, but Lukios only kept smiling and eating. ¡°¡¯Kles,¡± said Pitie, nice and low, ¡°I¡¯m thinkin¡¯ they¡¯re gangsters.¡± He was frowning, expression serious. ¡°Tha¡¯ means they¡¯re criminals,¡± he added helpfully, and ¡®Kles barely refrained from smacking himself on the forehead. ¡°Yes, Pitie,¡± ¡®Kles ground out, whispering, ¡°they¡¯re gangsters. An¡¯ we¡¯re leavin¡¯. Ain¡¯t our problem.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be silly, ¡®Kles,¡± said Lukios. ¡°We¡¯ll stay ¡®til we¡¯re done.¡± He smiled at them very peacefully. Pitie blinked, then shrugged and continued eating. ¡­Fuck. They were both insane. In the meanwhile, the argument in Eirian had gotten worse and worse, and ¡®Kles could hear the manners drop from their tone. The girl was bawling, but she was already being dragged away while her da pleaded; there was no mistaking the begging. ¡°Oi!¡± Aw, fuck. They¡¯d been spotted. ¡°Good sirs. Last time. Get out.¡± The gangsters were no longer smiling. Lukios put his elbow on the table and beamed at them. ¡°But we ain¡¯t done.¡± And then there was a string of Eirian. The ringleader¡ªKeydhi¡ªlaughed. It was not an amused laugh. It was more a ¡°we¡¯re-gonna-gut-you-fuckers-and-eat-your-eyes¡± kinda laugh, and ¡®Kles shifted his weight to the right, shooting Lukios a glare. Lukios only smiled widely like an idiot and laughed along, like he¡¯d been dropped too many times on the head as a babe to count. That fucker. The gangsters glanced at each other, shrugged, and drew their weapons¡ª ¡ªjust as the trio exploded into action, moving as one. Pitie had been sitting with his back to the wall, with ¡®Kles to his right and Lucky to his left. Lukios lunged from his chair, ducking and rolling into the common area, and Pitie picked up the plate of sheep¡¯s feet and flung the damn thing across the room. It was a heavy plate, deep and made of thick metal with thin edges, but that hadn¡¯t been the point at all; the point had been to let Lukios roll to the left as ¡®Kles darted to the right. He dashed behind the counter and all the way down to the stovetops for a weapon. ¡°For th¡¯ fifth!¡± Pitie hollered, and he grabbed the little carving knife from the table¡ªthen kicked the whole thing at the charging thugs. The table sailed up and forward, top an oversized shield and battering ram both. Food, plates, and cutlery flew everywhere as the gangsters swore and scattered, but Pitie never paused, and neither did ¡®Kles; the one-eyed veteran lunged toward the grill and took a heavy saucepan in hand, still full of hot oil. He could feel the heat of the metal even through the leather strips around the handle. When he looked up, he saw Chinfuzz leap onto the counter to jump on him, short sword in hand. There was a wide, bloodthirsty grin splitting his face as he bore down on ¡®Kles, whooping in Eirian. ¡®Kles flung the oil right up into the dumb fuck¡¯s face. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Chinfuzz screamed, dropping his short sword as the oil hit him. He fell to the ground, clutching his ruined face, writhing, and ¡®Kles raised the saucepan and brought it down. It met the screaming man¡¯s head with a sharp crack and he went completely silent, twitching. ¡®Kles brought the hot pan down again, and Chinfuzz¡¯s skull caved and his flesh sizzled. Then ¡®Kles brought the skillet down again, so hard that bits of bone and brain splattered everywhere. The body stopped twitching. ¡°Fuck!¡± ¡®Kles hadn¡¯t angled himself right, and now his chiton¡ªhis only clean chiton¡ªwas covered in bits of gangster. Herme¨ª¨¥s'' balls! How was he gonna go see Chloe later? She¡¯d¡ª The air whistled, and ¡®Kles jumped back just in time. A truly nasty club with nails on the end whooshed past, so close that he felt the breeze ruffle his hair. Muttman took in his dead friend and swore, then threw himself over the counter with a war cry. ¡®Kles sidestepped and knelt, taking Chinfuzz¡¯s short sword from the floor. He didn¡¯t rise upwards. He lunged forward instead, timing it just right, and the sword slid nice and smooth into the thug¡¯s gut. Muttman let out a surprised little gasp as the end sunk in. The club he¡¯d had clenched in both hands, raised high above his head to take ¡®Kles¡¯ noggin off, clattered to the floor. The short sword sunk in easy, easier than ¡®Kles had expected; it was sharp, and well-maintained. Askles went right against the dying man, holding his opponent in what looked like a hug between friends, but really, he was just wrenching the blade in deeper. A xiphos was short. He needed to work it in to kill a man. Muttman struggled, at first with strength, but then weaker and weaker, each attempt to pull away only driving the blade deeper; once it hilted, ¡®Kles twisted and pulled. The gangster stumbled backwards, hands clutching his guts, expression stupefied as he tried to push his organs back in. Red streamed over his hands and tunic, splashing thickly on the floor. He was making little gasping, choking sounds, blood bubbling out of his mouth. ¡®Kles reached over and grabbed him by the hair, dragging him forward, then slit his throat. Arterial blood sprayed, and the man¡ªwell, boy, really¡ªclutched his throat with his shining, slippery hands as he crumpled to the floor, eyes wide and gleaming with tears as he stared and stared. Eventually, the light in his eyes dimmed and went dull, glassy with death. Them¡¯s the breaks, kid. Hope you got a coin fer the ferryman. ¡®Kles took a deep breath, then straightened, just in time to get sprayed in even more bits of gangster as Lukios smashed Fieldplow¡¯s head right into the edge of the stone countertop. The upper half of his skull simply popped off, and ¡®Kles grimaced in annoyance as he wiped bits of brains off his now completely ruined clothes. ¡°Watch it, Lucky!¡± ¡°Sorry, ¡®Kles! I¡¯ll buy you a new one!¡± Lukios didn¡¯t stop moving, twirling and tossing the dead body right into Slavebrand¡¯s short sword. The bigger man was only staggered for a second, but it was a second too long; Lukios jumped onto a table, grabbing a stool with his right hand as he went. He tossed it into his left hand in one smooth motion, catching the leg, and brought the edge of the wooden seat down to crush his opponent¡¯s skull. Slavebrand blocked it with his dead friend, staggering backwards; he shrugged the stool off with a booming cry, and the piece of furniture hit the ground with a thunk, rolling away. The gangster tossed the dead body aside with a laugh, lunging forward to gut the pesky interloper on the table¡ª But of course, Lucky was already gone. Slavebrand bellowed in pain, lurching backwards, free hand clutching the carving knife now lodged in his left side. Blood streamed as Lukios appeared right beside the other Eirian, as if by magic. That was the trouble with shield-cover: visibility. He¡¯d never even noticed Lukios get down to stab him. Lucky was tricky like that. Slavebrand was big, though. He took it like a fucking champ, except by now ¡®Kles had hopped over the counter and stuck his stolen short sword into the man¡¯s kidney, twisting; the man roared in pain, and ¡®Kles yanked it out. Naturally, Slavebrand reeled away from ¡®Kles, which meant he reeled into Lukios, who simply pulled his knife free; he drew it out in one smooth, flowing motion, then stabbed again, though this time¡ª It went right in Slavebrand¡¯s eye. The thug screamed, sounding like a pig getting slaughtered and jerking away, but Lukios only bore down on him, pitiless as a statue of D¨¢nos himself. Slavebrand¡¯s sword dropped to the ground with a clatter as the big man tried desperately to get away, all instinct now. He nearly barrelled backwards into ¡®Kles, who promptly grabbed Slavebrand¡¯s head and shoved it deeper down the blade; he only stopped when Lukios grunted as his arm was jarred by a jagging resistance. They pushed together as the big man flailed, trying to shove them away and run, but ¡®Kles and Lukios weren¡¯t small, either; they gripped him tight and Lukios pushed the knife in so deep he nearly lost the hilt. When ¡®Kles and Lukios pulled away, the large Eirian dropped to the ground, dead. They turned to watch Pitie kick Char-beard onto the floor, dropping a broken and bloody stool and breathing easy, like he¡¯d just come in from a stroll. The ringleader was missing half his face. Yeah, he was dead. Real dead. ¡°Just one?¡± ¡®Kles snickered, but Pitie only shrugged. ¡°You¡¯re fine. Don¡¯ whine at me, ¡®Kles.¡± Pitie dusted his hands then looked around. Lukios only laughed his wild little laugh, eyes bright from battle. ¡®Kles knew he had the same damn look, though Pitie only seemed surly and bored. The owner was pressed against the far wall with an expression of open terror, his daughter laying limp in his arms. She¡¯d fainted, or something. When he met ¡®Kles¡¯ stare he flinched and looked down. Lukios raised his arms in a very peaceful manner. ¡°Uh¡­sorry about the mess. Guess that escalated, huh?¡± He gave a sheepish little laugh. ¡°It is not a little mess. You have made it worse. So much worse.¡± And then there was a string of angry Eirian. It hadn''t come from the owner, no. It had come from the corner. The man with the greying beard¡ªNeva¡ªand his boys stepped between them and the owner and his girl, arms crossed over his chest. Now that ¡®Kles was paying attention, it occurred to him that the two men he¡¯d been with weren¡¯t men at all¡ªthey were boys. Or more accurately, youths, just on the cusp of manhood. He doubted they could even grow out a beard. Their foreheads and chins were all suspiciously alike. ¡­Were they really gangsters too? ¡°N-Neva.¡± The owner swallowed hard, but continued. ¡°Do not. This is well. Do not a-annoy these¡­fine sirs.¡± He smiled weakly at them. ¡°So sorry, but we will close and have doctor come for daughter.¡± In other words: fuck off. Neva was shaking his head. ¡°No.¡± Then he switched to Eirian, and they had a hushed, angry conversation until Lukios broke in, also in Eirian. This did not seem to help. The owner could not bring himself to meet Lukios¡¯ eyes, but this ¡°Neva¡± didn¡¯t seem to have a problem with glaring or smarting off. ¡°Fuck. This is Illos. Talk proper or don¡¯ talk at all.¡± Pitie was in a temper, but ¡®Kles couldn¡¯t blame him. They¡¯d risked their lives to keep that little girl from¡ªif ¡®Kles had his guess¡ªgetting sold over daddy¡¯s debts, so maybe they oughta be more grateful and start speaking sense. ¡°It¡¯s real rude to pretend we ain¡¯t here.¡± Askles shot Lukios a glare to make sure he knew he was included. And Pitie was right. Stone-sucker taverna or not, this was Illos. They could speak Illosian or fuck right off. ¡°Fine s-sirs, do not mistaken understanding! This is very stress situation, yes?¡± The plump man was clutching his daughter tightly. That probably wasn¡¯t so good for her to get squeezed so much. Neva clearly liked to get to the point. He raised his hand, glancing at his friend, then nodded at each of them in turn. ¡°Very well. I will be blunt. These men were members of Faravahar. You have killed them. The guild will place the blame on us and send more members. Then we will die. Thank you for killing us.¡± The sarcasm bled through his thick accent. ¡°What, ya wanted us t¡¯ let ¡®em thrash ya?¡± Pitie didn¡¯t sound happy. ¡°Ungrateful fucks.¡± Lukios sighed. ¡°Pitie. You¡¯re scaring them.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Now it was ¡®Kles¡¯ turn. ¡°Go to the guard, then. ¡®Less you can¡¯t. Didn¡¯t keep your noses clean, didja?¡± Why wouldn¡¯t a law-abiding citizen go to the guard right away? Or use a real moneylender rather than a black market one? ¡®Cause they couldn¡¯t. ¡®Cause they were dirty too. Fucking stone-suckers. Sometimes ¡®Kles wondered how Lucky had grown up so proper, but the answer was obvious: he¡¯d been raised in Illos, by proper Illosians. Neva¡¯s hard stare moved from Lukios to Askles. ¡°We have already tried. They demanded a bribe and did nothing.¡± He spat on the ground and Lukios gripped Pitie¡¯s arm to keep him from jumping forward to rearrange the man¡¯s face. ¡°Your people love the word ¡®justice.¡¯ But only the word.¡± ¡°Oh, fuck you. Go on an¡¯ kill each other, then. Or run back t¡¯ where you came from if you ¡®ate it ¡®ere so damn much.¡± ¡®Kles rolled his eyes and flipped them off. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Let ¡®em sort ¡®emselves out.¡± Pitie was nodding, but Lukios said nothing. Instead, he knelt by the ringleader¡¯s body and turned it over, then made a little nick in the fabric with his carving knife. Then he ripped the shirt in half. ¡°What the fuck? Lucky, what in H¨¡?id¨¥s are you doin¡¯?¡± ¡®Kles was baffled. Lucky ignored him. He slit the tunic open and looked. There was a very big tattoo on his back. It looked kinda familiar, though ¡®Kles couldn¡¯t place where he¡¯d seen it. It was a bearded man in a dress circled by a snake biting its tail. Wings stretched from the snake on either side. It looked real silly, but it clearly meant somethin¡¯, ¡®cause no man would choose to stick something so ugly and permanent on his back otherwise. Lucky was silent, staring at it for a long time. Finally, he stirred, taking the coin pouch and tossing it onto the floor. ¡®Kles sighed, half-tempted to just take the bag. They were a bunch of ungrateful fuckers, anyway. Why give ¡®em anything when it was the three of them who had risked their lives? ¡°¡¯Kles. Pitie. Check the other guys.¡± Pitie and ¡®Kles glanced at each other, then shrugged. Well, fine, but he wasn¡¯t giving the coin away. No way. They were keeping at least one bag each. Neva and the owner watched them all silently, not moving or speaking. Once he was done, Lukios sat staring at the collection of tattooed backs, expression unreadable. ¡°How long?¡± ¡®Kles blinked. Lucky sounded real serious. ¡°It has been years. I do not know. I only came here five years ago.¡± Neva shrugged. ¡°Where from?¡± ¡°Heliopolis.¡± Lukios was silent again. ¡°You know where the guild office is?¡± ¡°Lucky!¡± Had he gone barkin¡¯? Neva and the owner glanced at each other. The greying man looked at his boys¡ªhis sons, obviously¡ªand murmured something. They nodded and went to the owner, who gingerly handed his daughter to their care. They muttered to each other in Eirian, then the boys were off, disappearing into the back room. They heard footsteps going upward. ¡°Everyone knows where the guild office is.¡± This was Neva. He walked to a corner table and sat. The owner disappeared into the backroom then returned with an amphora of wine and cups. ¡°This is serious talk now, yes? Better to sit and drink like men.¡± The owner gestured to where Neva was seated. Lukios nodded, glancing over at Pitie and ¡®Kles. The two Lofians exchanged a look. Lucky had gone crazy, but it wouldn¡¯t do to let him die for real. He had to come to ¡®Kles¡¯ wedding, didn¡¯t he? They sat. ¡°I am Mahdi.¡± The owner set the cups down and poured out wine. ¡°I am here longer than friend Neva¡ª¡± and here, Neva nodded very seriously, confirming his words ¡°¡ªbut I not know when Faravahar here began hurting¡­our people. They only work in this quarter. I think. Perhaps I am wrong.¡± Neva leaned forward, staring intently at Lukios. ¡°You are from Heliopolis? Or perhaps Astropolis?¡± ¡°Heliopolis.¡± Neva nodded like this was expected. ¡®Kles and Pitie looked at each other again. This shit was getting too weird. ¡°Look.¡± ¡®Kles leaned forward on the table too. ¡°You two better start talkin¡¯ straight. From the beginning an¡¯ all. ¡®Cause I don¡¯t care ¡®bout gangsters at all, no matter where y¡¯all are from. Criminals are criminals, and if you went black market, well. Tha¡¯s no one¡¯s fault but yours.¡± He shrugged. Neva and Mahdi looked at each other and laughed. It was not a very amused laugh. It was real cynical and jaded, like they knew something ¡®Kles didn¡¯t. It got his back up. Lukios rubbed the back of his head and let out an embarrassed little chuckle. Then he excused himself, slung his arms around Pitie and ¡®Kles, and hauled them out of earshot. ¡°¡¯Kles. Pitie.¡± ¡°The fuck is this, Lucky?¡± ¡®Kles wrinkled his nose. The dead guys stunk. They needed to do something about the bodies. ¡°They criminals too? Lucky? ¡®Kles?¡± Pitie only sounded confused. ¡°Thought they were gettin¡¯ bullied. Weren¡¯t they?¡± Lukios opened his mouth, then closed it. After a beat, he finally spoke. ¡°Yeah, Pitie. I¡¯m thinking¡­you¡¯re more right than you know. ¡®Kles, stop being a dick.¡± ¡°I am not!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know they went black market, ¡®Kles. And I don¡¯t think they did. Faravahar doesn¡¯t operate like this. Not in Heliopolis. That¡¯s not what they do.¡± ¡®Kles turned his head to stare. What? ¡°Lucky. You know these guys?¡± He shook his head. ¡°No. Faravahar is¡­it¡¯s like a, uh, spirit. That¡¯s the name of a spirit or something that looks after you. At least it is in Eir. And back when um¡­you know those riots when we were kids?¡± Pitie and ¡®Kles looked at each other and shook their heads. ¡°No riots in Lofos, Lucky. You city boys are crazy.¡± Lukios laughed quietly. ¡°Right. Anyway. That¡¯s where they started. To protect Eirian homes from rioters. ¡®Cause they got targeted extra. Get it? They¡¯re like uh¡­guardians for Eirians here. In Illos. Sort of.¡± Lukios hesitated, and ¡®Kles could see he wasn¡¯t saying the whole truth. Pitie was scrunching up his face. ¡°But tha¡¯ makes no sense. We already have the guard. Why do they need different ones?¡± ¡°Lucky.¡± Askles glared, and Lukios smiled a little uneasily. Oh yeah, he definitely wasn¡¯t sayin¡¯ something. ¡°Well, it¡¯s complicated. I mean, you¡¯re right. They got some dirty money. But they don¡¯t do¡­stuff like this. Normally. So this is real weird.¡± ¡°So they¡¯re bad guys? Or¡­they¡¯re¡­?¡± Pitie was looking more and more confused, not less. ¡°That¡¯s what I wanna find out, Pitie. It¡¯s¡­look. The way they work in Heliopolis is¡­yeah, they have some dirty money, but they don¡¯t go around trashing Eirian businesses. Actually, they don¡¯t go around trashing shops at all, ¡®cause that¡¯s the fastest way to get noticed and¡­obviously, if you got some dirty money, you don¡¯t want eyes on you. Get it?¡± ¡°No.¡± Pitie frowned. ¡°But Lucky, how¡¯d you know this stuff? You in trouble again?¡± ¡°Uh¡­no. I mean, if you¡¯re from Eir and you live in Heliopolis, you always know this stuff. And¡­I got some help, once. Was a long while ago.¡± He went silent. ¡°I don¡¯t talk to them anymore, so don¡¯t make that face, ¡®Kles. Seriously. I was just in a tight spot once and got help. That¡¯s all.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re sayin¡¯ the Fava¡­Fafa¡­Fa¡­gang guys ain¡¯t followin¡¯ their own rules?¡± Pitie¡¯s face hadn¡¯t un-scrunched at all. ¡°I think so, yeah.¡± Lucky paused. ¡°It¡¯s real strange. I don¡¯t think¡­if the guys who run Heliopolis knew, I think¡­¡± He shrugged. ¡°Well, it¡¯s been over ten years. Guess they could¡¯ve changed.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like this. I¡¯m serious, Lukios. I don¡¯t like this. At all.¡± And Askles needed another bath and a change of clothes. This was disgusting, and he couldn¡¯t meet Chloe like this. She¡¯d run, ¡®cause aside from being sweet an¡¯ pretty, she was real sensible. He couldn¡¯t walk down the streets like this, either. How come he was the only one that had gotten all bloody? Gods damn. ¡°Aw, come on, ¡®Kles. It¡¯s a mystery that¡¯s begging to be solved! Also¡­you don¡¯t want them to tell the guard the truth, right? I mean¡­we killed five guys. Not only are we gonna get questioned, we¡¯re gonna have to explain it to Niki. You wanna tell Niki why we killed five guys?¡± ¡®Kles felt his blood run cold. Oh fuck. That was right. Neva and Mahdi were witnesses. It¡¯d be fine if they said it was a bar fight, but¡­what if the three of them pissed the two Eirians off so bad they squealed ¡°Murder! Murder! It was all murder!¡±? ¡°But why would they lie?¡± Pitie, of course. ¡°I¡¯m sayin¡¯¡­they were gonna take that lil¡¯ girl and rape her, right? We did ¡®em a favour, right? Or¡­did I get it wrong? I don¡¯t think I did. That¡¯s um¡­I dunno, that¡¯s not murder, though. It¡¯s not illegal, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s really illegal, Pitie. Like, really, really illegal. They can take her if her da owes them money.¡± ¡°¡­Oh.¡± Pitie scrunched his face up again. ¡°Guess that¡¯s not rape then.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think she¡¯d agree, but by law? Yeah.¡± Lukios shook his head, and Askles sighed. ¡°Look, how about we help ¡®em clean up and have a chat about reportin¡¯ to the guard? I mean¡­Those Fafafucks won¡¯t really come back and kill ¡®em all, will they?¡± Lukios was silent. ¡°I think they will.¡± ¡°Aw, come on, Lucky. They won¡¯t. This is Illos, not a fucking backwater like Eir. You don¡¯t kill shopkeepers here without the guard swarmin¡¯ like ants.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m from Eir, ¡®Kles.¡± ¡°Yeah, but you grew up here. You¡¯re proper. It¡¯s different.¡± Lukios only snorted. ¡°Uh huh. Well, the two of you can get going if you want. I¡¯m gonna talk to Neva and Mahdi and figure out what¡¯s gone sideways. It¡¯s not right to make a mess and leave it.¡± Pitie was nodding. ¡°That¡¯s true. Don¡¯t hurt none to talk a bit.¡± Askles sighed. There was no winning. ¡°¡¯Kles?¡± ¡°Fine. Fine. But seriously, Lucky. No more crazy bullshit. Fuck. We killed five guys for breakfast. Fuck.¡± ¡°Oh, come on, ¡®Kles. There is no way this is my fault. We couldn¡¯t just walk away! Cowardice is unmanly.¡± Askles rolled his eyes, but Pitie was nodding along. Typical. ¡°No more crazy shit. I mean it, Lucky. Seriously.¡± ¡°Fine, fine. But ¡®Kles. Pitie.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°You two let me do the talking, okay?¡± This time Lukios rolled his eyes. ¡°I swear, the shit that comes out of your mouths sometimes.¡± ¡®Kles sighed. Yup. There was never any winning with Lucky. Askles looked down at his bloodied tunic and chiton, and sighed. Crazy fucker. Interlude: A Very Lukios Story, Part III Day, 8th Hour Government District, Office of Archonship ¡°Sir Nikias! Sir Nikias!¡± There was a staccato pounding on the door. The man sounded like a pack of feral dogs were at his heels, the cadence of his knocks coming fast and hard with sharp-edged desperation. Iphram frowned. ¡°Master Nikias?¡± Nikias shook his head. ¡°Let him in.¡± This sounded like Togus, who was terrified of nearly everything. If he was ignoring protocol to hammer at Nikias¡¯ door, it was urgent. He set the budget down on his desk, face-down¡ªthere was no need to be careless¡ªglancing at the water clock that stood against the wall. Hour eight. Nikias killed the sigh before it left his mouth, though it was a near thing. It was always one thing or another, these days, and he¡¯d have to have dinner right here at his desk if this continued. It could not be helped. Some things simply had to be done, and done in a timely manner. Iphram and Dolus glanced at each other, then opened the door. Togus had been leaning so heavily on the door that he nearly landed on his face, catching himself just in time to slam his knees into the marble floor, panting. Nikias did not flinch, but he did feel the urge. The man would be feeling that all evening. He looked like utter shit. He looked like he had just survived a housefire. Nikias frowned. ¡­Was something on fire? No, no, that was ridiculous, that was¡ª ¡°Sir Nikias!¡± gasped Togus, ¡°The Eirian quarter!¡± Nikias felt his heart sink so low that it was somewhere in the vicinity of his lower gut. No. No. Surely not. Surely¡ª ¡°It¡¯s on fire!¡± ¡­Fuck.
Day, 2nd Hour Eirian Quarter, Mahdi¡¯s Tabakh ¡°No. No. Lucky. You said. You promised. No more crazy bullshit. You promised!¡± They were still sitting around the table, though the amphora of wine had long been emptied. ¡®Kles wished there was more of it, because he was far too sober to continue. Lukios had his sweetest, most convincing smile plastered on his face, but Askles wasn¡¯t fooled; the man was busy selling a big bag full of absolute shit. That¡¯s what that smile meant: Oh, look at me! I¡¯m your favorite pretty-boy Lukios! And I¡¯m selling you a big ol¡¯ bag of shit, you dumb fuck! ¡°¡¯Kles. ¡®Kles. It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine! It¡¯s not crazy and it¡¯ll work. Really. It¡¯ll work!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve lost yer damn mind! Pitie! Tell ¡®im! Tell ¡®im he¡¯s gone barkers!¡± ¡°I think Lucky¡¯s right, ¡®Kles.¡± Pitie rubbed his nose, then sneezed. ¡°We made a big mess. Not right t¡¯ walk away now. An¡¯ I think it¡¯s a good plan. Neva thinks so too.¡± Neva snorted. ¡°No, it is not a good plan. But it is either this or be rounded up and sold.¡± He looked ¡®Kles right in the eye. ¡°I will not have my sons taken as slaves because you and your friends are hot-headed fools.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the spirit! Thanks Neva!¡± Lukios sounded not at all offended, which was even more proof that he¡¯d gone sun-mad, at the very least. ¡°You are welcome, fool.¡± Neva¡¯s tone was completely flat and unamused. The man was shit at diplomacy. It only made ¡®Kles crankier every time he opened his damn mouth. Lukios only laughed and clapped the cranky Eirian on the back, like he hadn¡¯t just insulted everyone. Fucker. ¡®Kles bit down on his annoyance. ¡°We can report it. They can¡¯t jus¡¯ go an¡¯ start sellin¡¯. That¡¯s crazy. It¡¯s illegal. We got laws.¡± ¡°We owe debts for their ¡®protection.¡¯ There were contracts for ¡®security¡¯. It is debt. Legal debt. We know how the courts will rule. It has already happened with Omidi and his children.¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± Lukios held up his hands. ¡°It¡¯s fine! It¡¯s fine. It¡¯ll work. We got enough guys, I think.¡± He gave Neva a side-ways look. ¡°You sure your friends¡¯ll show? I mean¡­it¡¯s short notice and all.¡± Neva and Mahdi glanced at each other and nodded. ¡°Yes. Many shops closed. And wives and children were sold already. Many angry friends. They will come.¡± Mahdi smiled. ¡°Many were auxiliary too, you see? So was friend Neva.¡± The bigger man grunted. ¡°For all the good that did.¡± ¡°Oh yeah?¡± Lukios looked remarkably cheerful now. ¡°Which division?¡± ¡°The sixth.¡± ¡°That¡¯s uh¡­Kutos¡¯ guys, right?¡± Neva¡¯s stoic exterior finally cracked. ¡®Kles felt a sharp little sliver of satisfaction as the man¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You know Kutos?¡± ¡°We met a few times, but didn¡¯t chat.¡± Lukios shrugged. ¡°Your guys from the same division?¡± ¡°No. Only I am from Heliopolis.¡± The three veterans glanced at each other. That would make coordination harder, though not impossible. ¡°For the record,¡± ¡®Kles spat, ¡°I voted ¡®no.¡¯ Like a sensible man. Also for the record, you¡¯re all crazy sons-of-bitches. We¡¯re gonna die.¡± Lukios only laughed, though Neva was nodding in agreement. Pitie looked mildly concerned, patting ¡®Kles¡¯ shoulder in that way he did when he didn¡¯t get what was so damn upsetting. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine, ¡®Kles. Lucky¡¯ll open the back door and we¡¯ll go in quiet. Then we¡¯ll steal them contracts an¡¯ they can go to the guard an¡¯ get ¡®elp.¡± ¡®Kles groaned. ¡°Pitie. I ain¡¯t sayin¡¯ you¡¯re stupid. But you¡¯re stupid.¡± ¡°Aw, fuck you, ¡®Kles. I ain¡¯t dumb.¡± The copper-haired man scowled. The sunlight streaming through the windows made his freckles stand out. ¡°Why¡¯s it stupid? It¡¯ll work. Lucky¡¯ll find ¡®em and let us in. Neva¡¯ll distract ¡®em and we¡¯ll grab them papers real quick. See? Easy.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a ¡®undred things t¡¯ go wrong.¡± ¡®Kles slapped the table in frustration. ¡°We don¡¯t even know what th¡¯ inside looks like. You think we¡¯ll go in an¡¯ out? No. We¡¯ll blunder like dunder¡¯eads ¡®til they notice an¡¯ kill us.¡± Lukios held up a hand. ¡°No, no, no. Look. Word is they¡¯re looking to replace some slaves. Neva¡¯s friend¡ª¡± Neva made a face at the word ¡®friend¡¯ like it was personally offensive. ¡®Kles got the impression the men weren¡¯t friends at all, which weren¡¯t surprising: Neva was a prick. ¡®Kles didn¡¯t think he had friends. ¡°¡ªwill take me in to sell. I¡¯ll suss out the place real quick. Neva and his guys¡¯ll call for a meeting and while they¡¯re busy we¡¯ll sneak in the back and steal the contracts. There. No contracts, no debt. Done.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be real obvious what we did, Lucky. Real fuckin¡¯ obvious.¡± Lukios rubbed the back of his head. ¡°Yeah, but the courts won¡¯t side with them if they¡¯ve no contracts. And they can report it then.¡± He dropped his hand and frowned. ¡°And I¡¯ll have a word with Nik. He¡¯ll fix it.¡± He gave Neva an apologetic look. ¡°The guard, I mean. Archon¡¯s office takes that stuff real serious. Really.¡± Neva snorted, but did not argue. Lukios beamed, obviously taking this as agreement. ¡®Kles held in his sigh. There was no point in protesting, and no point in leaving; he couldn¡¯t let his stupid, hot-headed friends get skewered alone now, could he? Damn, Chloe was gonna be so pissed later. ¡°Okay, so listen up.¡± Lukios leaned over the table, tracing a map of the district with his finger. Mahdi held up a hand, then hustled to the back of the counter and produced a tablet and stylus. ¡°Aw, thanks, Mahdi!¡± Lukios beamed, then continued. ¡°Timing has to be perfect, and that means¡­¡±
Day, 4th Hour Eirian Quarter, Neva¡¯s Butcher Shop Sweat beaded Neva¡¯s forehead and dripped down his temple, but he remained sitting with his fingers flat on the table. The morning had been cool, but now it was past noon and the day had gone hot, hotter than it should be for this time of year. No, that was a lie. Neva wasn¡¯t sweating because it was hot. ¡°Baba?¡± Hashur handed him a cup of water, brow crinkled. The boy was far too young for these concerns, but such was life: it came with its claws and teeth as it wished, whether the victim was boy or man, infant or elder. He took the cup and drank. The water was cool and sweet, and it helped steady his nerves¡ªa little. He would have preferred wine, but he could not afford to be anything but sober for his foray into the lion¡¯s den. ¡°Baba?¡± Hashur again. His voice was thin. Neva suddenly came back to himself, blinking. Hashur was still clutching the pitcher of water, while his brother, Zadi, minded the counter. They were both staring at him, faces pale. The chickens were clucking at each other in their cages, and suddenly he was irritated by the smell of blood and salted meat; he took another sip of water to swallow it back down. They were disturbed still by all the violence. Neva had thought to at least get them out of the shop, but it had been far too dangerous with the men fighting and the furniture being flung about; they¡¯d been reduced to upturning a table and hiding behind it. Hashur was shaky, and Zadi, now that they were alone in Neva¡¯s shop, occasionally trembled. ¡°Everything will be fine, Hashur, Zadi. We¡¯ll go on as usual. Keep minding that counter and make sure you greet our customers with a smile.¡± Neva was lying. He did not know if things would go on as usual, but he had no choice now: the waves had come in, and he could ride them or drown. And the timing had to be absolutely perfect. Neva and his friends were waiting. Neva was waiting in his own butcher shop; his friends were dispersed around the neighbourood, watching for Nasra. As soon as they saw him pass by, they would begin trickling toward the guild house. Once there, they would all demand an audience with Heru. Their numbers would prevent Heru from seeing them inside the guild house, but the man wasn¡¯t an idiot; he¡¯d likely have his own men come out in force to keep the obviously restless Erai in check. Neva and his friends merely had to hold them all there, in the courtyard, for as long as possible, and if it went well there would be no violence. But if there was violence¡­ Payam, who had led a unit of skirmishers during the Sander excursions, had led his own friends up into the apartment buildings beside the Faravahar compound in groups of two or three, to avoid suspicion. Neva was certain they¡¯d be caught after the first volley¡ªif it came to that¡ªbut it was better than nothing. He hoped Payam had escape routes planned; those buildings were owned by the guild. They were filled with traders and workmen affiliated with the Faravahar, however loosely; Payam was a brave man. This would not prevent him from dying, but at least he could tell his fravashi that he had lived and died well. Neva¡¯s sons glanced at each other, then busied themselves with the work of running the butchery. They were good boys, and Neva was proud to call them his sons. His Reva would have been proud too, though she would have been heartbroken at the state of things now. It was a small mercy that she had passed in her sleep, years before. Neva stood and walked into the back of the shop, to the small shrine he had there to Anahita. Neva had already made an offering, but surely another one would not hurt? It was up to the gods now¡ªthe gods, and their own will and mettle¡­ ¡­And the very strange Illosian. Neva lit another stick of incense and placed it in its holder. He hesitated to call the man Erai. He was not that. But he spoke the mother tongue well-enough, though his mannerisms were unmistakably of the empire¡ªone of the so-called plethos, despite his distinctive eyes. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Such eyes were not so common, even in Er. But surely the man could not be¡­? Well, of course not. It was confusing and annoying, and Neva simply did not know how to contend with such an odd creature. This ¡®Lucky¡¯ was obviously insane, but he and his friends were very talented at killing, so Neva was not about to complain; if anything, it could only help should the situation boil over into violence. Neva did not wish for violence. He had two boys and a shop. But he wasn¡¯t an idiot, either. No, this was the best shot they had, particularly since the three violent thugs had killed Heru¡¯s thugs¡ªso it was now or never. Prayer. Steady nerves and prayer. That was all he had, now. Neva hoped Lucky would refrain from dying until his task was done. For all their sakes.
Day, 4th Hour Eirian Quarter, Alleyway Askles tried to make himself as small as possible as he crouched behind the broken fence. The alleyway was tight and it stunk like shit. There were rats, and these fuckers weren¡¯t shy at all. He glared at the innocuous back door that led into the guild house. Some slaver named Nasra had taken Lukios, dressed in a burlap sack and tied with the flimsiest rope they could find, into the compound to sell. It was a crazy fucking idea¡ªa Lukios idea. An Illosian citizen, pretendin¡¯ to be a slave? Outrageous, not to mention unmanly. Only Lucky would¡¯ve thought of it, and only Lucky could pull it off. Crazy fucker had even laughed about it. Askles shifted his weight again. Damn, his leg was fallin¡¯ asleep now. How much longer did they have to wait? That Nasra fucker had gone in a while ago, Lucky in tow, but he hadn¡¯t come back out yet. ¡®Kles hated waiting, and the slave-trader had looked shifty as a Yartan thief at dawn. The man was stone cold, as far as ¡®Kles could tell, ¡®cause it was obvious the man¡¯s customers were getting a dud¡ªbut the man didn¡¯t seem to give a fuck. Dishonest merchants were like rocks¡ªjust everywhere¡ªbut damn. This was a whole new level of lying shithead. The man had taken money from them to deliver Lucky here, and he¡¯d get paid again once he ¡®sold¡¯ the man, ¡®cept the goods weren¡¯t good and this whole thing was gonna go bloody real soon, no matter what anyone thought. It was obvious. Fucker was stone cold. Stone. Cold. Hurry up, hurry up. That rat looks real hungry¡­ The back door opened. Nasra was looking behind him and laughing, then he turned and clapped a man on the shoulder before stepping out the door and leaving. His bodyguards trailed behind him without a word, and Nasra didn¡¯t even glance in ¡®Kles or Pitie¡¯s direction as he went on his way, whistling cheerfully with a little spring in his step. That wasn¡¯t their cue, though. They still had to wait until Lucky let ¡®em in. ¡®Kles craned his neck from his spot to see if he could spot Pitie. The man was hiding closer to the door, but he was really hunkered down; ¡®Kles couldn¡¯t see a thing past the pile of old jugs and junk they¡¯d all tossed into the alley. It was disgusting. No one in Lofos treated their streets like that. City folks were nuts. Dirty, too. Come on, Lucky. The rat that had been eying ¡®Kles made a little squeaking sound and moved closer, whiskers trembling in his direction. ¡®Kles glared at the rat with his good eye. The thing wriggled its black little nose at him, and ¡®Kles barely kept from kicking it. ¡°Shoo,¡± he hissed. ¡°Fuck off. Git!¡± Askles wasn¡¯t scared of rats, but this fucking thing would give him away. It was real suspicious for animal to act like this, weren¡¯t it? It only squeaked at him, but didn¡¯t move. The balls on that thing. Seriously. What the fuck was wrong with Kyros? Askles glared at the door, willing it to open. His other leg had started to cramp now, too. Fuck. What a shitty day this was shaping up to be. The next time Lucky came bouncing up with that shit-eating smile, ¡®Kles would tell him where to shove it. He would tell him no, absolutely not¡ª ¡®Cause no amount o¡¯ free breakfasts were worth this. There was a second squeak, this time coming from his other side. ¡®Kles refrained from groaning. Askles was not having a good day.
Day, Half-past 3rd Hour Eirian Quarter, Faravahar Compound Jaadi was not having a good day. First, that slut Leyla had gotten caught fucking Bodi. Jaadi didn¡¯t care who Leyla fucked, but he did care if she got caught, ¡®cause Vaha had been pissed; he¡¯d been so pissed off that he¡¯d beaten her black and blue, and now she was useless, lying on her mattress and moaning. That had gone on all morning, and there¡¯d been no shutting her up. Second, Bodi was now missing his dick¡ªalong with a whole bunch of other, more important bits¡ªwhich meant that Jaadi had had to send the new boy to fetch supplies, except the new boy was an idiot. He had taken too long, and now everything, from cleaning to cooking to doing whatever else, was delayed. This had pissed Vaha off even more, because Heru had finally noticed that no one had served breakfast. Fuck. Even worse: Keydhi and his idiots hadn¡¯t come back yet. Jaadi was not leaving the kitchen. No. He was going to stay right here by the fire, and hopefully, no one noticed him there, because he didn¡¯t feel like getting his ass beat over some problem that wasn¡¯t his. This was all Leyla¡¯s fault, that stupid bitch. If she hadn¡¯t been such a cock-loving whore, none of this would have happened: she wouldn¡¯t be a worthless pile of mush, and Bodi wouldn¡¯t be dead. Well, he wasn¡¯t dead yet, but he would be soon. The boy was useless now, so Jaadi had already sent a runner to see if that lunatic, Galen, wanted him. He¡¯d heard that the man bought bodies under the table to cut. Jaadi couldn¡¯t imagine why, but money was money. It was almost sad about Bodi, except for the part where he had known better than to go sticking it in Vaha¡¯s slut, so it was more pathetic than anything else. What was it with kids these days? Did they just not know how things worked? Someone knocked on the door, and Jaadi yanked it open. ¡°Nasra! Finally. You got our replacement?¡± Not for Bodi, of course¡ªthat was a mess that still needed sorting. No, this was for that boy¡ªwhat had his name been? Jidi? Jadi? Jiji?¡ªwho had done translations upstairs. He¡¯d eaten something disagreeable and never recovered. It was inconvenient, because it was hard to get an Erai slave that could read and write in the mother tongue and Illosian¡ªat least one that wasn¡¯t local. No one was stupid enough to keep the locals as slaves. That¡¯d lead to a riot for sure, and that would bring the guard down on everyone. No, those kids were for selling¡ªAstropolis, maybe, or even Heliopolis. Elysium too, sometimes, though they liked theirs as young as possible. Easier to train, that way. The tall, bearded Erai stepped across the threshold with his arms outstretched, and Jaadi gave him a hearty hug. ¡°I do, I do. You got my payment? This wasn¡¯t easy, you know. Rush orders are always hard, eh?¡± Jaadi nodded. ¡°Yes, yes. Of course.¡± Jaadi poked his head out of the kitchen and called for an errand boy. He¡¯d have to go up and fetch a bag from the treasury. He turned back to Nasra. ¡°He healthy? Last one was whip-smart, but sickly. Didn¡¯t last too long. Don¡¯t give us anything skinny.¡± Nasra grinned, showing off his white teeth. He tugged the rope in his hand and the slave stumbled forward, ducking to avoid hitting his head against the low stoop of the doorway. He was huge. Jaadi blinked. How¡­? He was so big. How had Nasra gotten such a big one? The slave had dark, dirty hair¡ªwell, he was dirty all over, actually¡ªbut he had broad shoulders and hard muscles. His strength was obvious even beneath his rough spun tunic, which was held together by a bit of rope. He was wearing surprisingly sturdy sandals, and his skin looked healthy beneath the grime. ¡°Head up,¡± snapped Jaadi. The slave had been trained, at least; he kept his head down until told otherwise. The man did as commanded, though he kept his eyes down nice and proper. ¡°Open your mouth.¡± He obeyed again. Jaadi pulled the man¡¯s lips back to check his teeth. ¡­He had all his teeth. And they were white. What the fuck? ¡°Show me your hands.¡± The man obeyed again. They were rough, callused. His nails were filthy, lined with some kind of black grime. White teeth, but rough hands. ¡­Where had Nasra found this one? Nasra caught Jaadi¡¯s eye and smiled. ¡°Owner got tired of him.¡± He shrugged. ¡°He can serve anywhere. Bedroom, too.¡± Ah. Jaadi eyed the slave again. Yes, he could see the appeal. Well-fed and well-kept, but worked hard, too. Poor fucker had outgrown his owner¡¯s tastes, is all. He was a handsome man, but well, he looked like a man. Rich men liked boys until they grew out their beards; usually they sold them off, after. This one had lasted a remarkably long time, judging by his age. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t shit yourself.¡± Sometimes that was a problem with bedslaves. He shook his head. ¡°No, aqa.¡± Jaadi grunted. ¡°Don¡¯t think you can sleep your way into favors here, either.¡± He shook his head again. ¡°No, aqa.¡± ¡°You speak Illosian?¡± He likely did. Jaadi was almost certain his owner had been Illosian, because Jaadi would have seen him around, otherwise. ¡°Yes, kyrios.¡± Hm. No accent whatsoever. Jaadi moved to the kitchen counter and picked up a tablet. It was a list of groceries in Erai. ¡°Read that out loud.¡± The man obeyed. Jaadi peeled off the wax and reshaped it, then placed it back in the tablet before writing a short message in Illosian. ¡°Read that too.¡± He obeyed again. Jaadi gave him the stylus this time. ¡°Can you take dictations?¡± ¡°Yes, aqa.¡± Jaadi spoke slowly, giving the slave enough time to write down what he heard, first in Erai, then in Illosian. He checked the tablet. No errors. This was a very good find. ¡°See?¡± said Nasra. ¡°Exactly as I promised. When have I ever let you down?¡± Jaadi smiled and clapped the man¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I never doubted you for a second. Procedure and all.¡± Nasra¡¯s expression was perfectly friendly and genial. ¡°Glad to hear it.¡± He glanced out the window. ¡°I trust you want this one, then? If not, I¡¯ve got another buyer¡ª¡± ¡°We¡¯ll take him, we¡¯ll take him.¡± Jaadi sighed. Heru had been insufferable for weeks now, and not only because of Vaha¡¯s antics. No, the paperwork had piled. Waiting longer for a better deal just wasn¡¯t worth it, and besides, this one was obviously well-trained already too, which was a plus. It made his job easier. Leyla moaned from down the hall, and there was a rhythmic thumping. Then she moaned again. Nasra looked disturbed. ¡°Someone sick?¡± Jaadi shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s that whore Leyla. Ignore it.¡± He tried not to let his discomfort show. The slave¡¯s head was turned toward the hallway, head tilted toward the ground so Jaadi couldn¡¯t see his expression. The man frowned. ¡°Pay attention, boy.¡± ¡°Yes, aqa.¡± He turned his head back to Jaadi, still facing the ground. There was nothing threatening about his posture at all, but Jaadi felt a little shiver run down his spine as the hair on his arms prickled. He glanced at the slave again. Yes, his head was properly down and his had a stoop in his back and shoulders. He¡¯d been properly broken in already; there was nothing to worry about. Though¡­he was awfully big. He could do some damage if he wanted. ¡­No, no. It was fine. Nasra¡¯s goods were always top tier. ¡°Well, here¡¯s hoping this one works out better than¡­whoever that other one was. What¡¯d you name him again?¡± ¡°Jiji.¡± Or had it been Jidi? ¡°Well, it could¡¯ve been worse. You could¡¯ve bought him full price.¡± Well, that was certainly true. But the discount hadn¡¯t really been worth it. The errand boy reappeared and quietly crept into the room, standing docilely in the corner until Jaadi gestured for the purse. He shuffled forward with his head down and gave it to Nasra with both hands. Nasra smiled, pulling a folded sheet of paper from an inner pocket before tucking the money away. The merchant didn''t even pause to count the coins before he sorted the paperwork. Well, of course not. The Faravahar never cheated their partners. It would have been insulting if he had looked. ¡°Always a pleasure, Jaadi. Good luck with this one. He¡¯s nicely broken in already, though, so I think you¡¯ll be fine.¡± He reached over and patted the slave¡¯s head like he was Nasra¡¯s favorite hound. The slave didn¡¯t move or change his posture at all. ¡°Thanks, Nasra. We knew you¡¯d come through.¡± Jaadi shut the door behind the merchant and barred it. Then he turned to their newest acquisition. ¡°Well, your name¡¯s Jiji now. Understand?¡± ¡°Yes, aqa.¡± Jaadi eyed him, but the man¡¯s servile attitude didn¡¯t change. Good. ¡°I¡¯ll show you around the compound. Pay attention and keep up.¡± ¡°Yes, aqa.¡± Jaadi glanced at him sharply. Had there been a just a hint of sarcasm there? Jiji kept his eyes down and shuffled forward, exactly three steps behind. No, no. Everything was fine.
Day, 4th Hour Eirian Quarter, Neva¡¯s Butcher Shop Nasra ambled down the street, flanked by his guards. He passed by the butcher shop, not pausing, not looking, but that was his cue; Neva stood and put on his cloak. His boys watched him with tense, pallid faces. ¡°I¡¯ll be back for dinner. How about something special? We can use up that salted beef, hm?¡± Neva smiled, but his sons didn¡¯t smile back. ¡°Okay, baba.¡± They glanced at each other, then back at him. ¡°We¡¯ll stay put and do a good job.¡± That was Zadi. Neva sometimes worried that he was too bold, but today it would serve him very well. Neva raised his hand, which seemed to have developed a will of its own, and stroked his son¡¯s hair. Zadi¡¯s chin wobbled, but the boy forced a smile¡ªbrave, just like his mother. He kissed Zadi¡¯s head, then moved to Hashur and did the same. ¡°See you soon, baba.¡± Neva swallowed, smiling at his boys, then left the shop. As he made his way down the street, a small crowd began to form behind him. Men drifted out of shops and apartments, all moving very casually, like they had all decided, at the same time, to just take a stroll, right then and there. They all wore cloaks, and though they were not visibly armed¡ªthat would be inviting violence¡ªNeva knew they had done the same as he and tucked a sling and pouch of rocks beneath their cloaks. Neva could feel his at the small of his back. Some men had walking sticks. That was as visible as things got. The guild house was an apartment building with a stone wall around it. There were little shops in the outer wall that faced the street, though everyone knew they didn¡¯t really sell anything; they were there to clean dirty money. The only way into the courtyard was to walk between those shops and through the gate, which made violence a truly terrible idea. Neva hoped¡ªdesperately¡ªthat it would not come down to fighting. The gate was often left open in the day, but there were always people keeping watch in the little courtyard; today, those people were Husa and Suha. Husa looked the same as always: hairy and filthy. Suha too, though he liked to keep is black beard neatly trimmed. Too bad the rest of him wasn¡¯t so well-kempt. The moment Neva stepped into the courtyard, they looked up, glanced at each other, and grinned. ¡°Well, if it isn¡¯t our old friend Neva! Come to beg?¡± Husa snickered. ¡°Which one, this time? Mahdi? Shirva? A sad dog with a limp?¡± The two men elbowed each other and laughed, but the laughter died as soon as Harya stepped into view behind him. Then Koura. Then another man. And another. And another. And another. Soon the courtyard was full. Neva knew Payam and his men were next door, quietly waiting on the rooves with slings at the ready, just in case. Neva was a peaceful man. But he wasn¡¯t an idiot. ¡°What the fuck is this, Neva?¡± Suha¡¯s tone had gone cold and flat, sharp-edged. ¡°There are easier ways to commit suicide, my friend. Much, much easier.¡± Husa gestured to a woman who had been busy arranging small linens on a line. She came, and he muttered into her ear and sent her off. She stared at the men with wide, alarmed eyes, then scuttled back into the building. ¡°We just want to talk. Peacefully. Call Heru down.¡± Husa laughed in his face. ¡°Heru''s too busy for bootlicking dogs. You¡¯re not getting inside. Send your boys out and sit down, or we put them down too.¡± Abruptly, Harya laughed. He was Neva''s age, but he''d never married; he was built like a whippet, and his speech was often quick and cutting. He rarely laughed, but today he did: gustily, and with great mockery. ¡°You gonna put us down, boy? You?¡± Harya was shaking with mirth. ¡°I¡¯ve put more Sanders in the dirt than you¡¯ve killed flies, boy. That sword don¡¯t make you a man. Whores don¡¯t, either.¡± ¡°If your dog keeps barking, he¡¯ll lose his teeth. And his head.¡± Suha¡¯s hand was already on his sword. Neva raised his hands. ¡°Enough! We did not come here to fight. We came because we all have something to say. Call Heru. Come. He is our very important benefactor. Surely he wishes to hear what his grateful friends wish to say? I am sure he is eager to help.¡± ¡°Cute. Real cute. Go suck a pox-ridden cock, you old cunt.¡± Husa had already drawn, and was idly tapping his palm with the flat of his blade. This was not going well. There was movement inside the building, and the front door swung open. Men filed out quietly, armored and armed. Slaves scuttled out, holding a chair and table which they set out under the shade of a tree. Vaha stepped out and ambled leisurely to his seat. He sat, and gestured. A pretty girl with a great deal of kohl around her eyes and paint on her lips, and very little everywhere else, hastened forward with an amphora of wine. She poured him a cup and tried to slink behind the line of men, but at Vaha¡¯s glance¡ªcasual, but full of warning¡ªshe froze and stood by the table, smiling widely in a way that did not hide her terror. Another slave skittered forward with a water clock, which he set up hastily on the table, then fled. ¡°I have fifteen minutes for petitioners. Then you fuck off¡ªotherwise? Things get messy.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Not that I mind. Widows are a good ride.¡± There was only one seat, and Vaha was in it. The filthy pimp. Before Neva could step forward, Vaha pointed behind him to Kouha. ¡°You first.¡± Ha. ¡°We want to talk to Heru, not you.¡± Neva did not wish to posture, but he could not let this go. Wordlessly, Harya and Kouha stepped forward to stand beside him, shoulder to shoulder. ¡°You deaf now too, Neva? He¡¯s got no time for you. You talk to me or you get out. On your own two feet or in a sack, up to you. Now shut your yap and sit down.¡± He pointed nodded at Kouha. ¡°You. Say what you have to say or get out.¡± In a way this was good. It would give the crazy halfer and his friends more time, though¡­ Heru was still inside. If he was in his office, it would be impossible to steal the contracts and other promissory notes. Neva had to try again. ¡°We have a problem, but it has to go to Heru. Call him out. We just want to talk.¡± Vaha sighed. ¡°Neva,¡± he said, ¡°I¡¯m going to fuck your sons and sell them.¡± He raised his hand and gestured¡ª ¡ªand then all hell broke loose. Interlude: A Very Lukios Story, Part IV Day, Quarter past the 4th Hour Eirian Quarter, Alleyway By the time Lukios had unbarred the door and opened it, Askles¡¯ right foot had gone numb. It tingled when he stood, and he scowled as he hobbled to the door. Pitie looked perfectly comfortable, of course. Man, was ¡®Kles the only one who was getting too old for this? No way. No way. Lucky was older by, what? Three years? Four? Lucky was older, but here he was, prancing around and gutting gangsters like he¡¯d never been mulched to near pulp. Guh. It was just disgusting how sprightly he was. Didn¡¯t he ever get tired? How was he doing it? Ugh. They ducked into the building. ¡°¡¯Bout damn time, Lucky. What took you so¡ªaw, fuck. Lukios! You promised!¡± The man in question gave a sheepish little laugh. ¡°Uh¡­surprise?¡± There was a dead man sitting in a chair, propped up against the wall so he wouldn¡¯t tip over. He was really, really dead. Like, really, really dead. This wasn¡¯t fooling anyone, ¡®cause for one thing, breathing men definitely didn¡¯t sit like that, and for another thing, the marks on his neck were real obvious. Damn, Lucky had really gone to town. Those bruises were something else. Pitie gave a low whistle. ¡°He insult your ma or somthin¡¯?¡± Lukios only rubbed the back of his head, then scratched his cheek. ¡°Sorry, ¡®Kles, Pitie. I mean, he was real¡­¡± Lukios grimaced, then shrugged. ¡°He had it coming.¡± Pitie wandered over to the dead body and squatted. ¡°We gotta hide it. We¡¯ll get caught if someone comes in.¡± Askles groaned. Pitie was right. They had to hide the body, and they had to hide it well enough so it wouldn¡¯t be discovered ¡®til they were done. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you,¡± he snapped. ¡°Why couldn¡¯ you jus¡¯ be sneaky, like you said?¡± What a damn mess¡ªbut ¡®Kles had already known it¡¯d go sideways. It always did. Lukios shrugged. ¡°We¡¯ll hide him and get what we need then go. Well, we¡¯ll get a surgeon, then go.¡± ¡°Wha¡¯?¡± Pitie frowned, eying Lukios carefully. ¡°He got you?¡± Lukios shook his head. ¡°Oh, no. Not for me. For¡ªwell, listen.¡± He tilted his head toward the corridor. Askles frowned. Now that he was paying attention, there was a weird, moaning sound. Was there some kinda animal in there? ¡°What the fuck is that? He beat his dog or somethin¡¯?¡± Lukios laughed, darkly. Askles shot him a frown, but that didn¡¯t stop him. ¡°They treat their dogs fine. That¡¯s no dog, ¡®Kles. Go on. Go look.¡± Pitie and ¡®Kles glanced at each other, then quietly made their way down the corridor. It looked like the sleeping room for slaves; there were bundles of straw on the floor, with blankets. One of the mats was occupied. ¡°H¨­ra¡¯s tits. The fuck?¡± For a moment, Askles couldn¡¯t quite understand what he was looking at. The misshapen lump on the mat couldn¡¯t be a person¡ªexcept it was. It was a woman, as far as he could tell. The lumps beneath the blanket looked womanly, but fuck. Her face. It was swollen and discolored so the original shape of it was impossible to discern¡ªit looked like lumpy clay. She lay on the mat, moaning out of a jaw that had been wrenched open and stuck that way, tossing and turning. She was missing teeth, and ¡®Kles could see the blood and drool trailing down her chin. The rest of her was likely a damn mess too, but ¡®Kles wasn¡¯t about to lift that blanket to get a good look. The fabric under her head was wet. She was leakin¡¯ something outta her ears. ¡°Fuck. He did that to ¡®er?¡± Pitie¡¯s eyes had gone wide.. ¡°Tha¡¯s¡­there¡¯re laws, aren¡¯t there? ¡®Bout beatin¡¯ your slaves?¡± As far as ¡®Kles knew, Pitie had never owned any¡ªthough he would soon. Or so Pitie always said. Yeah, that hadn¡¯t happened yet. Slaves were pricy, ¡®specially now. Damn, these Fafafucks were rich. Lukios laughed again, the same dark little laugh he¡¯d had in the kitchen. ¡°Sure there are, Pitie. They go to court and the owner says, ¡®Bitch was lippy.¡¯ The end.¡± Askles grimaced. ¡°True. It¡¯s not a crime to beat yer slaves if they¡¯re lippy.¡± Lukios shot him a cold look, but Askles only shrugged. ¡°Not sayin¡¯ it¡¯s good, Lucky. Just sayin¡¯¡­well. It¡¯s how it goes. Like complainin¡¯ bout taxes or sumthin¡¯. Goes nowhere.¡± Pitie made a face. ¡°But it¡¯s like workin¡¯ yer ox to death. We don¡¯t say nuthin¡¯, but we all think it.¡± ¡®Kles nodded. ¡°¡¯Course we do. But ain¡¯t nothin¡¯ to be done.¡± He rose from his crouch. ¡°Dunno if a bone-saw¡¯ll do her good, Lucky. I mean¡­jus¡¯ look at ¡®er.¡± It was true. Bruises were one thing, but those bones were¡­fuck. What a mess. That cheek was done for sure, and he didn¡¯t think that jaw¡¯d ever fit back right. The swelling was so bad he thought she¡¯d just pop if he touched it. Her face was ruined forever anyway, even if she lived, and ¡®Kles didn¡¯t think she would. He¡¯d never seen a man recover proper when he leaked outta his ears or nose. Not after getting beaten on the head, and she hadn¡¯t just had one knock, either. Was clear as day. ¡°¡¯Sides,¡± Askles added, ¡°she ain¡¯t yours. You gonna pay for it?¡± The look Lukios gave him was flat and unimpressed. ¡°Yes, Askles. I¡¯ll pay for it. Or they¡¯ll pay for it,¡± He jerked his head toward the door, ¡°¡¯cause they¡¯re responsible for their damn slaves.¡± ¡°Fine, fine. Whatever ya want.¡± ¡®Kles sighed. Damn, he was soft for a city boy, though ¡®Kles knew the man¡¯s slaves never gave him lip¡ªnot even that bull-headed fucker, Aristos. Aristos was a rude little bitch, but he was real sweet on Lucky, just like everyone else. It had probably never occurred to everyone¡¯s favorite pretty-boy that sometimes, slaves didn¡¯t do what they were told. Sometimes they did the opposite¡ªjust to piss a man off. Still, it weren¡¯t right to beat ¡®em hard. No one in Lofos acted this crazy. These Fafafucks were nutters. All of ¡®em. Pitie stood up, too. ¡°Can¡¯t hurt.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Let¡¯s get it done quick, then. We can send ¡®un over once we leave, can¡¯t we?¡± Lukios hesitated, looking down at the pathetic pile of woman on the floor. ¡°Lucky. How¡¯d we send for someone? One of us¡¯d have to go run down the streets and come back, and that¡¯ll take who knows how long. And we¡¯d get caught. For sure. It ain¡¯t sneaky to invite a surgeon over.¡± Pitie was agreeing, for once. ¡°He¡¯s right, Lucky. Ya said ¡®fast an¡¯ quiet.¡¯ That ain¡¯t fast or quiet. It¡¯ll go worse if we get caught.¡± Lukios took a breath and let it out real slow. Finally, he nodded. ¡°Yeah. Yeah, you¡¯re right. We¡¯ll get it done fast and quiet and send a surgeon. I¡¯ll pay so he does the job.¡± He crouched by the woman and pulled the blanket so it rested under her chin¡ªwhat was left of it. He murmured something in stone-sucker, like she was a spooked horse, then stood back up. ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°I can go.¡± Askles whipped his head around, and so did everyone else. The boy raised his hands and cowered, but he didn¡¯t run away. ¡°I can get the surgeon. For Leyla.¡± Pitie scratched his head. ¡°¡¯Ow long you been there?¡± The boy¡ªwho couldn¡¯t have been more than eleven or twelve¡ªswallowed so hard that they could see it. ¡°The whole time. But I won¡¯t tell. I swear by Anahita and all that is good. I won¡¯t tell.¡± Lukios smiled very sweetly, and walked over to him. The child flinched but held his ground; Lukios only crouched so they were eye-to-eye. ¡°What¡¯s your name, kid?¡± ¡°Uh¡­people call me Bibos.¡± ¡°Yeah? That your name?¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± He fidgeted. ¡°It¡¯s Kershi. But Bibos is my new name.¡± He pointed to the woman. ¡°Her name¡¯s Sama. I think she¡¯s from Zarrini.¡± ¡®Kles glanced at Pitie, who only shrugged. That wasn¡¯t in Illos. ¡°Kershi. Okay.¡± Lukios nodded. ¡°My name¡¯s Farhad.¡± It wasn¡¯t, but hey. Whatever worked, right? Askles didn¡¯t comment. The boy only blinked at him, but Lukios¡¯ smile never wavered. ¡°I¡¯ll get you Jaadi¡¯s purse. Come on.¡± They filed out, though ¡®Kles had enough presence of mind to grab a blanket. They still had a body to hide. They sent the boy off, who swore up and down on anything and everything that he¡¯d bring a surgeon, then clustered around the dead man. ¡°Alley.¡± ¡°Nah. He¡¯s too big and he can¡¯t crouch. He¡¯s dead. He¡¯ll be spotted right away.¡± ¡°Well, you got a better idea, ¡®Kles?¡± ¡°Maybe¡­there a cellar ¡®round ¡®ere?¡± Lukios was already shaking his head. ¡°Too much traffic.¡± ¡°Well, what about¡ª¡± Lukios held up his hand, and Pitie stopped talking. The older man put his finger over his lips, and they strained to listen. Men were talking to each other, and they heard rapid footsteps thumping upstairs, heading down. ¡°Fuck,¡± Lukios muttered. They wrapped the man as quick as they could, then shoved it behind the door; Lukios shoved a wedge of wood between the floor and door, though ¡®Kles thought that wouldn¡¯t be enough. That body was hefty. ¡°The two of you¡ªhide.¡± Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. There was nowhere to go but out. They dipped out into the alleyway, crouching low so they wouldn¡¯t be spotted out any windows. Something was happening. They could hear yelling from the other side of the building. Fuck, was that Neva? Pitie and Askles glanced at each other. Why were they yelling? There was rapid murmuring from the kitchen. Lukios was speaking stone-sucker, sounding like a gods-damned natural, and they heard footsteps recede, and another door open. Something was happening in that courtyard. The door opened. Lukios poked his head out. ¡°Guys,¡± he said, ¡°Change of plans.¡± He grinned at them, all feral teeth. ¡°Let¡¯s fuck ¡®em up the ass.¡± ¡®Kles sighed.
Day, Half past the 4th Hour Eirian District, Faravahar Courtyard Harya grabbed Neva¡¯s collar and yanked; they stumbled backward together, saved from falling on their asses by Kouha and his reflexes¡ªthe man was still fast as a striking snake, old as he was. His hands still held the strength of a much younger man, and his muscles corded as he kept Neva and Harya upright. The ground where Neva had been standing cracked with a sharp tak as a sling bullet struck it and ricocheted, sending sharp little bits of rock everywhere. Chaos exploded in the courtyard. Payam and his friends in the surrounding apartments opened fire. Sling bullets struck the ground and walls, then rebounded; they did not discriminate. A woman screamed. The girl who had served Vaha his wine staggered, hand clutching her head. Bright red blood seeped down her wrist and dripped off her elbow, but in another moment she was on the ground, trampled by the surge of furious, panicking men. Fuck. Neva and his friends had been, mostly, support artillery. All they had were slings, walking sticks, and maybe some kitchen knives. Some of them, like Harya and Payam, had kept their gear rather than sell it, but that was far and few in between. ¡°Back! Fall back!¡± Neva bellowed the order, straining to be heard over the furious shouts and screams of the other men. He drew his own sling, though he knew he would not be using it as a distance weapon¡ªit¡¯d be a piece of rope with a rock attached, the clumsiest of bludgeons. He had a small paring knife in his belt. That was it. Fuck. Men cried out, some of them falling to the hail of bullets, while others simply dropped to the ground and scrambled for cover. Some dashed forward with murder in their eyes, and Neva knew the plan had failed. The courtyard was a deathtrap. They needed to get out while Payam gave them cover, then they would have to hunker down and prepare to¡ª ¡°Watch out below! Or not!¡± The voice boomed out from above them, sounding far too cheerful to be sane. ¡­Was that Epitus? Something heavy sailed through the air and Vaha hollered in shock and pain as it nailed him right in the face. He flailed, slamming into the table and the flimsy wood shattered under the combined weight of the living man and the dead one¡ª Because that¡¯s what it was. It was a body. A dead body. Anahita bless us, keep us from harm. Neva stumbled backwards, shocked. He could not tear his eyes from the corpse of the overseer that had been flung like a sack of wheat. Its skull had shattered on impact, and now the courtyard was filled with the stink of a dead, leaking body. Askles and Epitus waved from the recessed balcony on the second floor. They sounded perfectly cheerful. ¡°Heya, you Fafafucks! Come up ¡®ere so we can fuck you up the ass, nice an¡¯ proper!¡± Neva stared, mouth slack. Askles sounded much more lively than he had all morning, which only confirmed Neva¡¯s guess that he was insane. All of them were insane. Did they think this was funny? ¡°You, you, and you! On them! The rest of you¡ªkill those motherfuckers right the fuck now!¡± Veha had landed flat on his back in an undignified sprawl. His arm was hanging oddly, and his nose was streaming blood. He spat, and Neva could see blood and teeth. Anahita preserve us. Their aim had been perfect, those absolute monsters. Payam had heard him. Another volley of sling bullets struck the ground, this time in a line. The gangsters drew up short, leaping backwards and away from Neva and his friends as Vaha cursed their cowardice. ¡°Well, throw your own rocks then! Or get back in there and grab some bows, you stupid fucks!¡± Vaha was frothing. Neva looked around. Most of his own friends had managed to retreat, and they¡¯d taken over the shops that lined the front of the building, holding the young men that staffed them at knifepoint. Some of them had used their sashes or belts to tie the young gangsters, kicking them to their knees. Good. They had near-perfect cover now, and they could retreat¡ª Except Epitus and Askles were only two men. And they were surrounded. Neva swore softly under his breath. The mess in Mahdi¡¯s shop had been their fault, true, but they had come to help. Neva could not let them die, not like this. And die they would¡ªno matter how good they were at killing. Eventually, a man¡¯s arms grew tired, and his strikes came slower and clumsier, and the Faravahar were many. ¡°Kouha. Harya. We have to regroup and support them. We can climb up to the second story of the taberna and shoot from there.¡± Kouha¡¯s tone was doubtful. ¡°Might be better to retreat now, while we can. We can regroup at the bottleneck and¡ª¡± ¡°No.¡± Harya cut in, voice hard. ¡°That gives ¡®em too much running room. We cut the head off the snake, here an¡¯ now. Done. Over.¡± The three men glanced at each other and nodded. Neva held up three fingers and spread them: a three-pronged formation. They peeled off to rally the men; Harya dashed to the left, and Kouha to the right. Neva backed up until he was beneath the awning of the entryway, then boomed, ¡°Change of plans! We¡¯re going up top. Cover fire, for as long as we can.¡± Grimly, Neva looked up. Askles caught his eye¡ªand winked. Insane. They were all insane.
Pitie didn¡¯t really mind fighting, but he didn¡¯t really like it, either. For one thing, a man could die ¡®fore he knew it. It happened lots. For another thing, a man could lose an eye or a limb and become a cripple, which was¡­ Well, he¡¯d never say so to ¡®Kles¡¯s face, or even Lucky¡¯s, but¡­ Fuck. Pitie did not wanna be unmanned tha¡¯ way. What was a man without his eyes and hands? His feet? He couldn¡¯t do half the things he did everyday if he lost somethin¡¯, now could he? Yeah, Pitie didn¡¯t mind fightin¡¯¡ªit was a living¡ªbut he didn¡¯t like it. ¡®Cept when he did. Like now. ¡°Think we should use the oil, ¡®Kles?¡± The men below were yelling in frustration. ¡®Kles, Pitie, and Lukios had made damn sure all the doors and windows below were barred ¡®fore they¡¯d gone up to make some noise. The Fava¡ªFufa¡ªFapa¡ª? Whatever they were called! ¡ªcouldn¡¯t get into their own damn building now, but maybe that was lucky: Lukios was lurking around inside, ¡®cleaning house.¡¯ Pitie was pretty sure that meant he was killin¡¯ the stragglers¡ªit¡¯d be pretty silly to start scrubbin¡¯ floors right ¡®bout now, wouldn¡¯t it? ¡°I think so. They¡¯re clustered nice an¡¯ tight now, ain¡¯t they?¡± ¡®Kles¡¯ grin reflected Pitie¡¯s own. For all his grumbling, ¡®Kles liked a down an¡¯ dirty fight. They all liked it, ¡®cept for the part where they got stabbed. That part wasn¡¯t so good, no. They hustled over to the cauldron they¡¯d hauled all the way up the stairs. It had taken all three of ¡®em, and it had been slow going ¡®cause it was hot; it¡¯d taken some effort to keep from burning their legs, though it hadn¡¯t been possible to avoid touching the hot metal entirely with something. The oil was still bubblin¡¯. Damn, this was gonna be nasty, but¡ªwell. They were askin¡¯ for it. Pitie paused. ¡°Lucky said to give ¡®em a chance.¡± Askles blinked, then nodded. ¡°Right, right. It¡¯ll be their own fault if they don¡¯.¡± He cleared his throat and leaned over the solid balustrade. ¡°Oi! Listen up, you Fafafucks! If ya throw down yer weapons an¡¯ surrender real quiet-like, we¡¯ll let ya live. You¡¯ll have some lumps, but ya¡¯ll live. How ¡®bout it? Throw ¡®em down and let those nice angry fellas tie you up.¡± ¡®Kles jerked his head toward Neva and his friends. ¡°Nice an¡¯ easy! Whaddaya say?¡± The reply was prompt. ¡°Go fuck your mothers, you gap-ass whores!¡± They were organizing now, and Pitie could see they were planning to break their own door down to get in. It was real convenient, ¡®cause that door was right under the balcony. Pitie looked at ¡®Kles, and he shrugged. ¡°Well. We gave ¡®em a chance.¡± They wrapped their hands in towels and hauled the cauldron to the lip of the balustrade. The men below were looking up with confused, worried expressions as they muttered to each other in stone-sucker. Some of the smarter ones stepped away, but sling bullets suddenly rained from the sky and they jumped, clustering together as they ducked under the remnants of the table. They were using it as a shield, though it weren¡¯t quite big enough for all of ¡®em. Someone in the direction of one of the other apartments blew on a whistle. It seemed to mean something to Neva and his friends, but Pitie didn¡¯t really understand it. Ah, well. ¡°Ready?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± The two childhood friends looked at each other and nodded. ¡°One.¡± ¡°Two.¡± ¡°Threeeee!¡± They tipped the cauldron over, and the men below them began to scream.
¡°Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit!¡± Soudhi swore as his friends screamed. Those crazy fuckers. That was oil. Boiling hot oil. Fuck. Fuck. Those motherfuckers weren¡¯t playing around. Fuck! He jerked away from the fifth floor window, his breaths coming shaky and hard. Those two weren¡¯t normal. They just¡­ Fuck. They weren¡¯t from the motherland, that was for damn sure. Pouring hot oil on living, breathing men? Ch¨¡ghi. Those fuckers were ch¨¡ghi mercenaries, and Soudhi didn¡¯t know where that cunt Neva had found them, but he¡¯d make that piece of shit pay for it with his life. He took a deep breath. Then another. And another. And another. Soudhi did it until his hands stopped shaking. That bitch Payam was up on the roof in the apartment across the street. The first thing was to rouse the tenants there¡ªthey probably still had no fucking clue what was happening. Most of them were employed by the guild, anyway¡ªhe¡¯d have a boy run up and tell them to just toss the fuckers from the rooftops. That¡¯d teach them a good damn lesson, and Neva would see what he¡¯d done. He¡¯d see it real fucking good when his friends splattered on the ground in front of him. So. First: find an errand boy and have him go out the back and tell the tenants in the other buildings what was what. Payam didn¡¯t have that many men, and they were split between two buildings; those weren¡¯t bad odds. The slings were annoying, but that¡¯s what shields were for. Second: Deal with those two fucking mercs. How had they even gotten in? Never mind. He¡¯d cut it out of them later, piece by piece, but he needed to catch them first. They were on the second floor, which meant that¡ª There was a frantic knocking on the door. ¡°?qa! ?qa!¡± Oh, of all the¡ª! Annoyed, Soudhi strode across his room and yanked the door open. ¡°?qa!¡± The man behind the door looked and sounded completely frantic, and Soudhi didn¡¯t bother hiding his disgust. Soudhi recognized him; it was that new slave, the one that Jaadi had paraded around just a little while ago. What was his name again? Jaji? Jaqi? Jaja? Whatever it was, Soudhi didn¡¯t give a fuck. ¡°The fuck are you doing, you dumb shit?¡± Soudhi looked him up and down. He was big and sturdy, though his back was hunched over and he was wringing his very large hands in a way that was much more suited to a frightened child. ¡°W-we¡¯re u-u-under attack!¡± Soudhi groaned. How much had Jaadi paid? Wasn¡¯t this one supposed to be smart? ¡°You think, you dumb fuck?¡± The lieutenant ran his hand over his face, then, without warning, struck the slave on the mouth with a backhand. ¡°Stop your blubbering. It¡¯s annoying.¡± Jaqi stopped immediately, hunching. ¡°Yes, aqa. Apologies, aqa.¡± Better. ¡°Listen up.¡± He grabbed the man by the hair and yanked him to the window. The difference in their heights forced the taller slave to stoop comically low. ¡°You see that?¡± He pointed to the first apartment building, then the second. ¡°I want you to run to that one first. Find a man named Irdi in the office on the first floor. Tell him we¡¯re under attack and he¡¯s got slingers on the roof making a mess. Have him send some men up with spears and shields to toss them over. Understand?¡± ¡°¡­Yes, aqa.¡± ¡°Good. Now that building¡ª¡± he pointed to the second one on the other side of the compound, ¡°¡ªis run by a man named Farudi. He owns the taverna downstairs, so that¡¯s where you¡¯ll find him. Tell him the same thing as Irdi. Understand?¡± ¡°Yes, aqa.¡± Soudhi eyed the slave with suspicion. He sounded like an idiot. ¡°Repeat it back to me.¡± The slave obeyed, and Soudhi decided it was good enough. ¡°And don¡¯t you fucking think of running. I¡¯ll brand that pretty-boy face once I catch you, get it?¡± ¡°Yes, aqa! I would never run, aqa!¡± Soudhi grunted and released his hair, grimacing with disgust. When he looked at his palm, there were streaks of black. Disgusting. How much had Jaadi paid for this again? ¡°Do it right and I¡¯ll grant you something. Get going.¡± ¡°Yes, aqa.¡± The slave kept his head down and started shuffling toward the door. Soudhi turned back to the window, trying to recapture the thought he¡¯d had about the balcony. Oh, yes. There were bows in storage. His window was large enough, and Soudhi was a good shot; he could likely kill them both before they knew what was happening. Hm. That meant no interrogation, but it was better than letting the¡ª Soudhi gagged as something wrapped around his neck and wrenched. He clawed at his throat, trying to free himself even as he was lifted off his feet and dragged backwards, away from the window, but whoever had him was strong; he kicked his feet, pushing against the wall to throw himself backwards into his attacker, but the man only grunted. It did nothing. Nothing. His chest was burning. His neck strained, muscles bulging, but it was useless; his legs kicked fruitlessly as he was lifted higher. Soudhi struggled mightily, nails raking red lines against his own skin as his face itself seemed to bulge; his eyes threatened to pop, straining in their sockets as his vision began to go black. His chest was on fire. Soudhi kicked and kicked, and when he sent his leg back he managed to connect, but it was a weak and ineffectual strike, the thrashing of a child held down by a monster. The man holding him didn¡¯t even grunt. He didn¡¯t speak. He didn¡¯t make a sound. He only continued to pull, tighter and tighter, and Soudhi kicked and kicked and scrabbled to get the rope off. Just one breath. He just needed one breath. One. Then he could¡ªhe could¡ª
The faux-slave called Jiji¡ªLukios to his friends¡ªlet the body crumple to the floor. He didn¡¯t bother to hide it; there was no time now. He hauled it to a corner and left it there, but not before taking the man¡¯s key ring. Jaadi had had the keys to nearly everything, but not to the uppermost floors. He tucked it into his rope-belt and tightened it. He tilted his head to the side and listened. All the noise was coming from outside, but there were people about indoors, too. He slipped off his sandals and tied them to his belt, too. Then he crossed the room and poked his head out the door. All clear. He left the room, disappearing into the servant¡¯s passage without a sound. It was time to visit an old friend. Interlude: A Very Lukios Story, Part V Day, Quarter Past the 6th Hour Eirian District, Faravahar Courtyard Impossible. This was impossible. The Faravahar compound was on fire. Kershi had run all the way to the bone-sawer¡¯s, but the man hadn¡¯t been in; he¡¯d been called somewhere else. So then he¡¯d run another block to the next one, and that one Kershi had found in bed, grumbling. Still, the fistful of obols shining in Kershi¡¯s hand had been too tempting to pass up; the man had roused himself then, eyeing the boy with suspicion the whole while. Kershi could hardly believe the man had been sleeping. It was nearly noon. How could he have been in bed? Oh well. At least the man¡¯s assistant looked awake. That was good, right? The surgeon¡¯s name was Master Ahmur, and he was grey and fat, and not at all jolly. In fact, he seemed the opposite of jolly, but Kershi figured that didn¡¯t really matter much, because the most important thing about a surgeon was having steady hands. ¡­He hoped. They were forced to move slowly, largely because the surgeon seemed¡­he seemed a bit tippy, actually, and Kershi wasn¡¯t sure that was a good sign. He was a real surgeon, though¡ªhe had the sign over his door and everything¡ªso surely everything would work out? He thought about Sama and shuddered, suddenly remembering his own mother¡¯s dead, bloated face. No. Sama was still alive, though she needed a surgeon right away. Right away. ¡°You have to hurry,¡± he said, shifting from foot to foot. ¡°She¡¯s hurt really bad.¡± ¡°Stop whining,¡± the surgeon grumbled. ¡°I¡¯m walking as fast as I can. You try running when you¡¯re my age. It¡¯s not fun anymore.¡± The sight of the Faravahar compound drew them up short, nearly three full buildings away. Kershi hadn¡¯t stopped to think they¡¯d recognize the place, especially not from the back¡ªhe hadn¡¯t known it¡¯d matter. ¡°You never said Faravahar, you lying shit.¡± Master Ahmur seemed to have something against the compound itself. Kershi stuck his chin out, refusing to back down. ¡°You never asked!¡± And what did it matter, anyway? A patient was a patient, and money was money. The old surgeon¡¯s expression began to grow thunderous, and the man¡¯s assistant hastily cut in. ¡°What Master Ahmur is saying is that this is highly irregular. Your people have your own man, don¡¯t you? Why can¡¯t he see this patient?¡± Kershi tried not to squirm as he made up a lie. That would give it away. ¡°He¡¯s not here. He¡¯s out. But she¡¯s sick now.¡± Neither of them were buying it. Kershi could see it right away. Oh no. Oh no. He licked his lips, trying to think up something else, something better. ¡°He¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°What¡¯s that smell? Is something burning?¡± The surgeon was looking around, sniffing the air. ¡°It reeks.¡± Someone screamed, and they all jumped. ¡°What in Poseid?n''s teeth was that?¡± Now that they were paying attention, they could hear it¡ªyelling and screaming¡ªand see it too: smoke. There was a thick plume of smoke wafting up and away from the compound, visible even in the sun if they squinted. ¡°Fire!¡± Ahmur sounded alarmed. ¡°That¡¯s a fire! That¡¯s a¡ªthat¡¯s a big fire!¡± He slapped his assistant¡¯s arm. ¡°The fire brigade! We need the fire brigade, before that thing spreads!¡± Hastily, the two men backed away, then turned and ran, straight toward the local watchhouse. Oh no. ¡°Wait! Wait! You agreed! You said you¡¯d see her!¡± He paused, suddenly horrified. ¡°The money! You can¡¯t take the money if you¡¯re not coming!¡± They didn¡¯t respond. They were already little dots in the distance, moving fast¡ªso much for age. Kershi wiped his nose, torn between running after them and into the building. If it was on fire, then¡ª Sama was stuck there, unless someone came and moved her. Would they? He ran to the back door and yanked it open¡ªor tried to. It went thunk with the unmistakable sound of a bar hitting the doorframe. Oh no. ¡°Hey! Let me in! Hey! It¡¯s me, Bibos! Let me in!¡± He pounded on the door. No answer. Oh, this was bad. What was going on? Why were they all locked in when there was a fire? Suddenly, Kershi thought of the man with amber eyes. Surely not. He wouldn¡¯t have locked them all in to die, would he? That was crazy, and he seemed like¡­ ¡­Actually, he did seem crazy. Really crazy. Nice, but really, really, crazy. ¡­Wait. Nice? Kershi licked his lips, suddenly anxious. He¡¯d killed Jaadi like that, just for saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. Kershi hadn¡¯t liked Jaadi, but¡­ Surely he had not deserved to die? Not like that. Not for saying the wrong thing. Jaadi always said mean things, but that had been it: he said those things, but he wasn¡¯t like Vaha. Vaha said mean things as he beat you. Jaadi just said them as he stomped around like a small, angry dog, just barking and barking and barking¡ªbut only that. Okay, so maybe the man was just crazy, not nice and crazy. And maybe he did light the fire. Kershi took a deep breath and wiped his eyes, then backed away, eyeing the protrusions along the wall. The windowsills were not that wide, but Kershi was small, and they were spaced close enough that he could probably jump from one to another. Kershi blew on his hands, then rubbed them together. He swung his arms up and down, trying to get enough momentum to make that first jump, then leaped upwards to grab the first stone sill. Grunting, the boy began climbing. If he couldn¡¯t get in through the door, well¡ª He¡¯d have to use a window.
Day, Half Past the 5th Hour Eirian District, Faravahar Courtyard Pitie had not meant to start a fire. He had not. It had been an accident. "Pitie." They backed away from the flames, from the poor fuckers who''d been covered in oil and lit up like lamps on Dionysia. There was so much screaming. "Put it out! Put it out!" "Bucket! Where''s a bucket!" "Guuuaaaaaaahh!" A man on fire dashed across the courtyard screaming, smashing into the frame of the building. He rolled, and the fire spread to the outhouse. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. "Oh fuck. Oh fuck. ''Kles. ''Kles. What do we do? What do we do?" Horrified, Pitie made to drop the torch; ''Kles reached out and stopped him. "Don''t put the fuckin'' torch on the ground, Pitie!" Glancing around, ''Kles grabbed it from Pitie''s hand and smashed the end into the stone wall of the lower-level shop until it guttered and went out. Then he tossed it over the wall. The whole damn courtyard was on fire. The flames were licking up the wooden gates, the doors of the compound, all the way up the windows; they were going up and up, right up the trail of oil that Pite and ''Kles had left down the walls. "We¡ª" "The fire brigade!" It was Neva. Coughing and gasping, he was yelling orders. "Payam! Send someone to rouse the fire brigade! Have everyone else knock on doors¡ªwe need water! Buckets! A line from the fountain!" The fire licked up the roof of the lower west wall. "Pitie," said ''Kles, "cover your mouth. Then we grab a bucket."
Day, 5th Hour Eirian District, Faravahar Courtyard The whole thing started like this: At first, things had gone good. Neva and his guys had all gone to the little shops at the front of the compound, giving him and ''Kles cover fire. It''d been almost funny¡ª ''cept for the smell and screaming, of course¡ªto see the Fafa-whatevers run away, spirits totally broke like old, beaten, stallions. But then things changed. After the whistle, the only guys throwing rocks were Neva''s; the guys on the roof had gone all silent, and Pitie had a feelin'' someone had clued in. No one had been tossed from the roof yet, so they were holding their own fine, but that meant cover from one side only. That was a lil'' inconvenient-like. Then the other guys¡ªthe ones that had scattered to the little protruding overhang to the west of the courtyard¡ªhad come out, ''cept they''d done it by pressing up against the walls of the shops, the shops Neva and his guys were in. "''Kles," Pitie had said, watching it all, "I reckon they''re in trouble." "Yup." ''Kles seemed to be thinking. "Damn, should''ve brought Lucky out here." Pitie shrugged. "Well he ain''t here. What do we do?" "Guess we gotta go over." "But then we ain''t in cover." That little outcropping held a whole lotta Fafawhatsits. The smart ones had gone scuttling like rats, hiding. The guy they''d nailed with the body had gone too, swearing from the shadows. Coward. Stone-sucking fuckhead didn''t even have it in him to die with his men all proper. Below, one of the men who had been doused in oil twitched and moaned. There was some steady sobbing going on, too, between the gaspin¡¯ and the groanin¡¯. "Can''t be ''elped. ''Sides, ain''t right to leave ''em like that." ''Kles thrust his chin toward the guys piled by the door. Most were alive, which was why they were so noisy. "Gotta put ''em outta their misery." That was true. Pitie turned to go down the stairs so they could take the front door, but ''Kles stopped him. "No. If we unbar that door, any of ''em can sneak in and surprise Lucky. We''ll hafta climb down." Oh. Right. They did, one at a time. Pitie went first, then ''Kles, but only after he dropped their weapons¡ªswords, spears, and shields¡ªto Pitie. Sling bullets struck the ground and a man cried out. Pitie waved to Neva. It wasn¡¯t to last, though. There was a commotion across the courtyard. "Epitus. Askles." Neva leaned out the window to bellow at them as calmly as possible. "They are breaking down the door." Which explained all the pounding. Pitie squinted and peered beneath the archway of the gate. Yes, there were men there, and they were really trying to break through the doors and windows of the lower-level shops. It looked like they¡¯d flattened themselves against the wall and shimmied past under the windows, so Neva and his guys hadn¡¯t even seen ¡®em ¡®til they were at the door. Huh. Not that stupid, then. "Well," Pitie said, "Guess we better¡ªfuck!" A sling bullet narrowly missed his skull, cracking into the wooden door behind him. Luckily, it stuck; Pitie ducked, as did ''Kles. They scrambled, picking up the old, battered shields they¡¯d pilfered from the various rooms in the compound as they scuttled toward the gate. The courtyard was totally exposed. There was an explosion of furious, stones-sucker yelling. It was that limpdick fucker they''d pegged with the dead guy. There was a little whistle when he yelled now, courtesy of his missing teeth. From the shadow of the little overhang that shaded the entrance to¡ªPitie suspected¡ªthe shitter rang some solid-soundin¡¯ smacks as the man went on a frustrated, angry rampage against his own men; Pitie nearly laughed. He didn¡¯t need to understand any stone-sucker to get it: these boys sucked, and that guy was pissed about it. Lucky could hit a swallow flying through an open sky when he wanted, and these fuckers couldn¡¯t even hit Pitie and ¡®Kles in an open courtyard. Ha! "Ahhh, gods-damned stone-suckers." ''Kles spat. "Why do they always have slings?" "''Cause they''re stone-suckers, ''Kles." The look Askles cut him sure weren''t friendly. "What?" Really, wasn¡¯t it clear as day? They were called stone-suckers for good reason. ''Kles only sighed. ¡°Well, at least they ain¡¯t like Lucky. That¡¯s¡­lucky.¡± Pitie tried his best to sound cheerful, which wasn¡¯t hard. It was true. Lukios would¡¯ve taken their heads off already. Pitie had seen him take a guy right through the eye-hole in his helmet, once. Just¡­damn, he was good. ¡°Well, we might get unlucky.¡± ¡®Kles sounded glum. Pitie eyed the battered table that was laying on its side. It was pitted and pocked, not to mention riddled with sling bullets, but it¡¯d make a better shield than the ones they had now, wouldn¡¯t it? Pitie hefted his, grimacing. Damn, when had they gotten these? Sometime during the Age of Magic? They were old and they stunk like rotting leather. ¡°¡®Kles,¡± he said. ¡°The table, ¡®Kles.¡± "Yes, Pitie, I see it. But the table''s over there. We''re over ¡®ere, gettin¡¯ shot at by gods-damned stone-suckin¡¯ sheep-fuckers." As if to emphasize his point, sling bullets pinged off the ground in front of them as they hunched lower behind their shields. ¡°We gotta run fer it, ¡®Kles. Get the table, then get Neva an¡¯ his boys.¡± He chanced a glance toward the shop. There was a steady pounding now, and he could see some of them Fafa-whatsits putting their shoulders to the doors. Their Eirians were all down at ground level, busy keeping the sneaky Fafafucks out of the shops. They''d done the smart thing and barred the windows, and Pitie could hear the yelling and scraping of furniture inside. Barricades¡ªthat was smart. ¡°They ain¡¯t lastin¡¯ much longer, ¡®Kles.¡± And they weren¡¯t so good with their fists, Pitie was pretty sure. Stone-suckers weren¡¯t so good with swords, either. Mostly, they liked to hit things with rocks. ''Kles only grunted, and Pitie knew he was trying to think. A man moaned, and Pitie saw him shift and whimper. Damn. Maybe he oughta go and put the poor fucker out of his misery? Pitie poked his nose out from behind his shield, trying to get a better look at the groaning, twitching pile of half-cooked man-meat. Someone shouted. Stones went tak against the ground, and Pitie ducked; one well-aimed rock thudded against his shield hard enough to make his arms judder. Fuckers. Didn''t care ''bout their guys at all, did they? Couldn''t they hear th'' sobbin''? "Table, ''Kles," Pitie repeated, and ''Kles grunted again, and this time Pitie knew it was agreement. "Fine," ''Kles said. "Table. We''re gonna haul in three¡­" "Two¡­" "One!" They made a dash for it. There were startled shouts, and bullets released into the air, but by the time they hit ''Kles and Pitie were already ducking behind the table, hefting it together with the ease of long camaraderie. "Better. See? It''s wider." "Yes, Pitie." ''Kles peered around the table then recoiled. A bullet thudded into the tabletop, and the wood creaked. Huh. "This ain''t gonna last, either, Pitie." ''Kles licked his lips. "We gotta get to the entrance and under that overhang. Not even a stone-sucker can toss a rock that curves sideways. No such thing." "But sometimes they do," Pitie argued. "They make it hit a wall or sumthin'' and it just bounces out and¨C" "Well, it''s either that or nothin''," Askles snapped, and Pitie sighed. "''Kay, ''Kles. Wanna run for it?" "Yeah. See how narrow that gate is? We''re gonna get in and jam this table with the top out. That way, them Fafafucks from the overhang''ll have to come on out and pull the damn thing away to get us. By then we''ll be done with those¨C" he nodded his chin to the gangsters who were fastidiously chipping away at the doors, "¨Cfuckers, and Neva and his guys''ll maybe do somethin'' more than scream like lil'' girls." Pitie snickered. Well, it was true. They sure liked yellin'' and carryin'' on. Pitie glanced at ¡®Kles, and ¡®Kles glanced at Pitie. By now Pitie knew what ¡®Kles meant even when he didn¡¯t say it; they fell into step, moving together in an awkward dash across the yard beneath the steady plunk plunk plunk of sling-fire as ¡®Kles grumbled under his breath. The table made the run awkward, but they needed somethin'' between them and the stupid rocks. Someone yelled in Eirian; Pitie had a feeling he knew what they were sayin¡¯, but it wouldn¡¯t do them no good at all. The two friends dashed toward the open gate, grinning gleefully as the Fafucks there suddenly realized: they couldn¡¯t get their sling out in the narrow entryway without smacking into each other or walls. There was a sudden panic as they tried to spill out onto the streets. ¡°Neva!¡± ¡®Kles hollered, ¡°They¡¯re runnin¡¯! Grab ¡®em!¡± ¡°How?¡± Neva sounded crankier than usual. ¡°We have barricaded the doors and windows, Askles.¡± ¡°Well, shoot ¡®em, then!¡± ¡°We are on the ground floor, Askles.¡± Pitie tried not to laugh. He knew ¡®Kles weren¡¯t stupid, but¡­ Ha. Neva sure made him sound like it. He could tell by ¡®Kles¡¯ outraged sputtering that he didn¡¯t like that at all. Now you know what that feels like, Pitie thought, gleefully, but didn¡¯t say out loud. That¡¯d be jus¡¯ mean. His shoulder twinged and he grimaced. Well, maybe Pitie could be a bit meaner to ¡®Kles. Just ¡®til his shoulder healed up, ¡®cause damn. It was still sore, and all this runnin¡¯ and killin¡¯ Fafafucks weren¡¯t helping it none. Someone from beneath the over hang barked out what sounded like an order; a hail of stones came down, even as rocks came whistling across the ground, straight at their legs and torsos. They''d changed their tactics, and Pitie and ''Kles were forced to skid to a stop, hunkering beneath their table, shields lowered to cover the gap beneath the wood. "Damn," muttered ''Kles. "Did they find some wits in the shitter? That wasn''t too bad." It was like one of them stupid comedies from the ampi-ampi-ampthrtur? Whatever they were called. Pitie never went, anyway, ''cept that one time he did ''cause he an'' ''Kles had been real bored, and there''d been this play ''bout the 500, ''cept they all moved like turtles while some guy with a bad beard talked on an'' on ''bout the battle ''cause they couldn''t show it. It was the dumbest waste o'' time. Pitie had taken a nap. Anyway, it was like that dumb play, ''cause the losers had figured out they could keep a volley goin''. Pitie couldn''t figure out where they were getting their rocks¡ªout their butts?¡ªbut they sure had a lot of them all of a sudden, until¡ª It stopped. "Ha!" Pitie said, and made to lift the table to keep dashing¡ª ''Kles stopped him. "Pick up your shield and spear," he snapped, and suddenly, Pitie realized, actually, the Fafafucks weren''t so dumb after all, ''cause now... Now they had ''Kles and Pitie surrounded, ''cause the guys at the gate had regrouped, and so had the guys at the overhang, and boy, did they look pissed off. "Aw, fuck." Interlude: A Very Lukios Story, Part VI They charged. Askles hadn''t been expecting that at all, but it made sense; the Faravahar had the advantage for now, but that would change once ''Kles and Pitie made it to the gates. This meant the Fafafucks had to make sure Neva and his men stayed hemmed, while forcing ''Kles and Pitie to fight on two fronts. Not bad for a bunch of sheep-fucking stone-suckers, he had to say. Everything became a blur. ''Kles couldn''t see out his right eye, and he couldn''t turn his head all the way ''less he wanted to lose sight of the enemy up front, but Pitie had his back. Yelling, the men who''d been cowering at the gatehouse charged with sticks of wood and bits of metal that looked like they''d been wrenched from the gate itself, but ''Kles had his eyes up front at another charge; the men from beneath the overhang dashed toward them, roaring. They had weapons, too, though some of them were improvised¡ªand, well, fuck, was that a torch and poker? "Pitie!" ''Kles bumped the man''s shoulder. "East wall!" He shifted his foot toward the table. "Hit the gate, then we run." "''Kay, ''Kles. One." "Two." "Three!" They kicked the table at the mob bearing down from the gate, forcing them to scatter; ''Kles and Pitie ran to the east wall then stood with their backs braced against it, shields and spears up. "Neva!" ''Kles hollered, "Now''s a good time to go back upstairs!" The man didn''t answer, but ''Kles heard the rapid thump-thump-thump of footsteps and the creak of opening shutters. The two friends barely had the time to brace themselves when the mob, now one, was on them; all ''Kles saw were weapons and snarling faces. He snarled back, striking with his spear and parrying with his shield, reassured by Pitie''s steady presence at his side. His spear always stuck, and with each howl of pain he grinned harder, bellowed louder; his life became a monotony of fleshly thuds and screams, the thwock of weapons hitting his shield. He heard Neva yell. Some rocks rained down, but not close; they hit one or two Fafafucks, but glancing blows, and ''Kles realized Neva was scared of hittin'' him and Pitie. It wasn''t to last. A battle always moved, and soon ''Kles and Pitie were maneuvered from the wall by poking sticks, by sudden strikes and charges; they kept their backs together, but in an eyeblink, they were surrounded. ''Kles kept at it, slapping away strikes as they came, but he couldn''t hit back, held hostage by the sustained flurry of blows. Neva was yelling at someone in Eirian. ''Kles didn''t understand any of it, but he didn''t have the wits to care; here was a xiphos: ''Kles kicked it away. Someone came at him with a metal poker, and as he raised his shield to deflect it, a wooden club came down, forcing him to shift sideways¡ªaway from Pitie. Fuck. Someone slammed into his back and ''Kles tumbled; he went with it, tucking and rolling over his shield, ''cept¡ª This shield was shit. It was absolute shit, and when he put his weight on it with his roll, it creaked and cracked; the next blow he blocked shattered it, and all he had was a useless handle. Ha. ''Kles thought of the vultures. Not Red Stride Canyon, after all. H¨¡?id¨¥s take it, then. Askles began to laugh. H¨¡?id¨¥s take ''em all, worthless stone-suckin'' sheep-fuckers. With a roar, he tossed his shield into his opponent''s face then slammed his forehead down onto his nose. The man wheeled back and ''Kles reached out and gripped him by the hair, wrenching the man''s face into his knee. There was a crunk and a howl, and a warm gush of blood spilled over his leg and splattered over his feet, but ''Kles didn''t pause; stopping was death. Maybe ''Kles was meant to die here. But that didn''t mean Pitie had to go, too. Not today. Not on his damn watch. "Come on, you Fafabitches!" ''Kles taunted, "I''ll show you a real Illosian man. I''ll fuck you with my spear. Git over here, ya soft-bellied cunts!" Bellowing, ''Kles kicked the man''s legs from under him then stomped on his head, using it as a stepping stone to spring upward. He brought his spear down and nailed a fucker through the foot and grabbed him by both ears as he screamed; he slammed the man''s face into the butt of the spear then shoved him off, ripping the spear from his foot as he stomped his heel into the fucker''s eye. The man shrieked; ''Kles stabbed down with his weapon, right in the mouth, all the way down and through, then yanked it back out. He didn''t check to see if the man was dead, already ducking to avoid a wooden club. He kicked out and caught his attacker in the balls, then stabbed up with his spear as the fucker reflexively bent over with a whimper. Heat was the only warning he had. ''Kles ducked just in time to avoid the torch, but it had been a two-pronged attack; something hard, heavy, and metal slammed into the back of his knee and ''Kles howled as he went down, remembering to roll: stopping was death. Blood, warm and wet, dribbled from the soft skin behind his knee and ''Kles knew it was his; it didn''t matter. He hardly felt it, and he could still move¡ªso he moved. He swung his spear as he stood, catching the fucker''s ankle; the man weren''t stupid, though, and he rolled, too, away, just in time for another man to step in from behind ''Kles and punch him in the head. ''Kles surged up and caught it in the shoulder. Getting pounded in the head was death, too. He spun on his heel, using the momentum to turn, snapping the spear around and catching his assailant. It was only a glancing blow, but there was another one coming at him¡ª ''Kles couldn''t die yet. He had to kill more of ''em, ''cause Pitie was good, but he was only one man. He was too dumb to run, too, so that left numbers; ''Kles would fight ''til he couldn''t, and he''d bite their fucking ankles ''til he went out. And once he went out, he''d haunt Lucky ''til he fucking dropped, that stupid, hot-headed fuckwit. What''d he been thinkin''? That stupid shit. This had been an absolute dumbshit idea. Stupid. Beyond stupid. And for what? Some worthless, ungrateful stone-suckers who were breaking the law? Gods damn. If Lucky didn''t take care of Pitie, ''Kles would pox his whole stupid house. "Over here, ya motherfuckers! Ya got cunts for cocks! Yeah, that''s right, bitch! Get over here and eat it!" ''Kles grinned widely, taunting a big man with chipped, yellow teeth. His opponent snarled out something in Eirian, but ''Kles didn''t wait for him to finish; he lunged, grappling, and when the enemy bared his throat ''Kles went in, clamping down and tearing at his jugular as the man''s cries became gurgles. ''Kles spat out meat and blood as the man wheeled away, clutching at his wound which was spurting blood with each heartbeat. Howling like a wolf, ''Kles bore down on him, picking up his spear and ramming it through the dying man''s belly, only to wrench it out and slam the butt backwards; he caught the guy sneaking up from behind, winding him. ''Kles didn''t give him a chance to recover, whipping the spear around as he turned and slamming the butt into the gasping man''s temple. Someone grappled his spear. ''Kles tripped him, but lost his grip, and they tumbled together in the wet, clumping dirt that stunk like a copper mine; ''Kles got him around the throat from behind, locking his arms around the guy''s neck and squeezing down, hard. ''Kles had a blind spot to his right. He knew that. He paid attention, ''cept this time, he didn''t, and he didn''t see the torch, only felt the heat, but by then he was trying to throttle the guy who was writhing and twitching, trying to throw him off, and it was too late, way too late, and¡ª "''Kles!" Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw his would-be killer go flying. It happened too fast to see; one second, he saw the torch, the sneer, the big body lurching forward as he turned his head to look. In another second, that body was flying backwards, Pitie''s fist slamming into the smug fucker''s face and sending him on his back even as the rest of him surged into view. Pitie didn''t pause. He brought his spear down and stabbed, then stabbed again; he picked up the torch and lunged over ''Kles bent back, striking a guy in the face and burning his eyes as the man screamed and wheeled backwards. "Pitie!" ''Kles said¡ªor tried to say. His jaw creaked. His tongue moved. But what came out was garbled¡ªfuck, had he been clocked in the face? When? Did his face hurt? His knee sure as fuck hurt¡ª "''Kles!" Pitie shifted, and ''Kles felt his back against his. "Ya lost yer ''ead, ya idiot? Whatcha run off for?" He sounded upset. "Back-to-back, ya dunder''ead!" "Pitie," ''Kles said, and this time he managed. "Damn good t'' see ya." Well, not really, on account of facin'' the wrong way¡ªbut whatever. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. "You ch¨¡ghi cunts are meat," a man snarled, and ''Kles looked up¡ªthen laughed. "Yeah? We look like meat, ya limpdick fucker?" ''Kles clutched the guy in the headlock harder, then put his knee to his back and yanked; there was a gurgle and a crack, and the body went limp. ''Kles grinned. "We look like meat, huh? Ya sure yer doin'' the chewin'', bitch?" He shoved the body to the gap-toothed Fafafuck, though he didn''t quite have the strength to lob him. Dead weight was dead weight. "Oh, you''re done chewing," the man said, and ''Kles laughed as the words whistled. "An'' so''re you," ''Kles said, snickering. "Nice whistle." The man put two fingers in his mouth and blew sharply, twice. The men that were attacking pulled back, and ''Kles could see they were regrouping, circling so their line was organized. Away from the wall, ''Kles and Pitie were surrounded. The gangster sneered. "You¡ª" "¡ªAre talking to the wrong boys, Vaha." They all turned, so quick their heads nearly snapped off. It was Neva. They''d come down, unarmored as they were, and they were all clutching improvised weapons: kitchen knives, fire pokers, thick slabs of wood. Some even had proper swords and spears, and ''Kles could see they were looting the bodies for them. Gap-tooth¡ªwho was apparently named Vaha¡ªonly sneered, and replied in Eirian. Neva said something back, so eerily calm that even ''Kles was starting to feel impressed¡ªshit, was this the girly-man who''d just finished boarding up the windows?¡ªand Vaha''s eyes widened as his gaze went up. ''Kles looked up, too. Well, damn. Payam and the boys had come down, and climbed the gate. They stood atop the gate itself now, on the rooves of the lower-level shops, silent and ready, slings in hand. "Well," said ''Kles. "Guess you boys''re meat." And then he grinned.
Pitie could''ve sworn¡ªHe could''ve sworn¡ªthat ''Kles had been right behind him. Right behind him. It weren''t that ''Kles was bad at fightin''¡ªhe weren''t!¡ªit was that he had a big ol'' eyepatch now and he couldn''t see good to the right. That was dangerous in a fightin'' man. Real dangerous. So Pitie had thought¡ªhe''d planned¡ªto have ''Kles with him, right there, t'' make sure nuthin'' happened. ''Cept when Pitie turned around, ''Kles had gone off by himself to the center of the courtyard, yellin'' and screamin'' like a real idiot. What was wrong wit'' ''im? "''Kles!" Pitie ducked, then lunged forward, tackling his attacker around the chest while slipping his foot behind the man''s and jerking up. The man yelped and fell backwards, and Pitie brought his spear up and slammed the wood into his throat; the gangster gurgled, pushing at the shaft, and Pitie slammed his forehead into the guy''s nose, which was nice an'' pointy. He yelped and jerked backward, and Pitie leaned, putting all his weight on the wooden shaft until the bones crunched and his neck sagged in. Twitching, the man wheezed. He didn''t wait for the guy to quit movin''. There were too many of ''em, and he had to get to ''Kles, and quick. "''Kles!" Pitie shouted again, but he seemed to ''ave gone deaf. Well, the only way through was... ...through. Or sumthin'' like that. He was almost too late. Almost. Pitie saw the guy with the torch comin'', but it was clear ''Kles didn''t; he took the five feet or so in a running leap, using his spear to jump further and leading with his fist on the way down. There was a crunk, impact jarring up his hand and into his shoulder, and Pitie almost howled. That fuckin'' hurt! That weren''t right at all, and the pain that had been like a wee little fire with hot coals became red-hot, flaring all the way down his arm and back like tendrils of sticky-vine. No helpin'' it now. Pitie ignored the throbbing and picked up the torch, shoving it into a guy coming at ''Kles. There was a sizzling sound and the smell of cooking meat; it should''ve turned his stomach, ''cept he was used to the smell now. The moanin'' men were tryin'' to crawl away from the brawl, but they weren''t in no condition. They were bein'' trampled, by their own guys, guys who kept slippin'' and slidin'' in all the olive oil. Fafafucks were crazy! And stupid. But mostly crazy. But so were Neva and his boys, and, well, fuck! That was some damn good timin'', weren''t it? "Neva!" Pitie grinned as the battle fell into a lull. Fights were like that; lines moved, and sometimes a man could catch a breather. This weren''t a proper battle, since they didn''t have shields and proper lines, but the Fafafucks were real disorganized, and cowardly, to boot; they ran real easy, and died real easy, too. Pitie didn''t think they''d stand a chance against Sanders. Sanders just appeared outta nowhere¡ªwell, the sand, maybe, or the rocks¡ªand then bam! Dead bodies. And then¡ªpoof! Gone. Like they''d never been, ''cept the dead and bloody men. Fuckin'' Sanders. They never stood and fought like real men. They fought like women-folk¡ªfrom the shadows. Like fuckin'' witches. Fuckin'' spooky, ''til Command had gotten a clue. They''d started putting caltrops under the sand and hidin'' razor-wire ''round the camps. That''d fucked ''em up good. Ha. No, Fafafucks woulda gotten fucked by Sanders¡ªbut Neva and his guys had made it, hadn''t they? Yeah, Pitie had a good feelin''. These fuckers would be proper buggered¡ªand if they''d had any sense, they wouldn''t ''ve messed wit'' real soldiers in the first place. "Epitus," said Neva. "We must finish this quickly. Before they regroup¡ªagain." "Don''t worry none," said Pitie. "I think they''re runnin'' scared." He paused. "An'' we''re doin'' a good job killin'' ''em, too!" He beamed, but Neva remained somber; the look on his face was hard to read. What? Had Pitie said sumthin'' wrong? "You feelin'' bad ''bout killin'' ''em, Neva?" Now the older man''s eyebrows went up, very slightly. "Murder is a crime, Epitus," he said, finally. "You must not enjoy it." "This ain''t murder, though," Pitie said. "They tricked ya an'' took yer kids." He shrugged. "That makes it justice." If someone had tricked Pitie into selling Eulos, or even one of the girls? He woulda cut the fucker''s throat open and pissed in it. Neva was silent. Finally, he spoke. "I cannot reprimand you, Epitus," he said. "You and your friends have freed us, and this blood, we spilled together." He seemed to hesitate, then plowed on, "But I cannot be so light-hearted when we have killed so many. Anahita weeps this day." Pitie shrugged. "Sorry ''bout yer lady. Hope she feels better soon¡ªshe sounds real nice." Neva opened his mouth, but closed it again, shaking his head slightly. Pitie continued. "But ya gotta make ''em stop somehow." He nodded to the dead bodies. "Lucky said yer talk went sour, so we had t'' kill ''em. They woulda gone after ya like a dog wit'' a bone, get it? Ya don''t let men like this alive, Neva. Ya just don''. Tha''s stupid." Pitie weren''t clever like Lucky and ''Kles, but he weren''t stupid, neither. Men like Vaha¡ªmen who liked feelin'' big and strong by kicking people in the teeth¡ªthey didn''t like it when the men they kicked in the teeth got back up an'' barked. They hated it. Men like that were happy t'' burn a house down ''round ''im, as long as the guy they hated were in it, too. They had to be put down, like dogs with frothy-mouth. Pitie liked dogs, and he didn''t like puttin'' ''em down, but frothy-mouth made a dog crazy, and when a man got frothy-mouth, well... It was real messy. So the dog had to go. And men like Vaha had to go, too. Neva sighed. "Yes. That is right also. If only..." Someone yelled. Pitie instantly went on alert, head snapping to the side, looking for ''Kles. There. He hefted his spear, holding his torch aloft. Pitie had never killed a man with torch before¡ªit was kinda neat, ''cause the guys all got scared when he went at ''em with a big ol'' flamin'' stick¡ªbut it weren''t very clean or fast. Pitie liked killin'' clean and fast, so the torch was more for show. It worked real good. He left Neva, dashing to ''Kles as Vaha and his men approached. Oddly, man had his hands up. "Peace," Vaha whistled. "We will speak with Neva." The crazy man named Harya began to laugh. "You wanna negotiate? Sure, Vaha. Drop yer loincloths and we''ll cut yer dicks off. No fuckin'' and sellin'' our kids then, am I right?" "Last I checked," said Vaha, "Your name''s not ''Neva.''" "Get fucked." Harya hefted the xiphos he''d taken off a dead gangster. He had two blades and he moved real fast. It was a sight to see. Pitie hadn''t ever seen a stone-sucker fight so good with blades, ''cept maybe Lucky, but Lucky weren''t a proper one. He was...well, he was the Lion. And he was only half stone-sucker, so that didn''t count, right? Vaha ignored them. "Neva!" He raised his voice, words booming through the courtyard. "You''ve made your point. Come here and parlay." ''Kles and Pitie glanced at each other. That didn''t seem like a good idea. Neva weren''t that stupid, right? ''Cept he was soft. Neva stepped forward, and Pitie tensed. This weren''t a good idea. Pitie eyed the remaining Fafucks, wary. He noticed ''Kles was tense, too, and he knew they were thinking the same thing: they shoulda just killed ''em all quick. "Neva," said Pitie, but the older man simply shook his head. He put a hand on Pitie''s bad shoulder, and Pitie couldn''t stop the flinch. Neva''s eyes widened, briefly; he pulled his hand away, glancing at Pitie''s tunic. ...Was it wet and stickin'' there? Aw. It was. Damn. Neva turned away, facing Vaha. "What do you propose, then, Vaha?" He raised an eyebrow. "Are you going to call Heru down to this?" Vaha''s expression didn''t change. "No." He spat on the ground. "You think that old man can annul your contracts?" Vaha shrugged. "You want something done, you talk to me. Heru''s busy counting coins¡ªas usual." Neva''s forehead creased into a frown. Pitie was frownin'', too. Something weren''t right here¡ªwell, it were more wrong than Pitie had thought¡ªbut he didn''t know how. He couldn''t figure it out. ''Kles muttered under his breath. "Wha, ''Kles?" Pitie kept his voice low, eyes up front. "Said this ain''t right. Something''s...there''s somethin'' ''bout this place that ain''t right." "I know," said Pitie. "But I can''t say wha'' it is." "Lucky''s in there alone, Pitie." True. Pitie frowned, then brightened. "He''ll be fine, ''Kles. He always is." It was true. Lucky always landed on his feet; he was the luckiest cat alive. "Luck runs out, Pitie. I''m thinkin''¡ª" ''Kles didn''t get to finish. Neva had been up front, guard down, talkin'', and so had Vaha, ''cept...''cept... There was some signal. That was all Pitie could think¡ªthat there''d been some signal, ''cept Pitie and ''Kles had missed it, chattin'', ''cause the Fafafucks that''d been standing behind Vaha suddenly sprang into action; Vaha jumped back, and they jumped forward. Pitie saw the blade coming. One man grabbed Neva, sinews bunching as he wrapped his arms around the man in a bear hug; another brought his short sword down, angled for a killing blow¡ª "No!" Pitie jumped forward, but Pitie was too far away. "Neva!" Harya wasn''t. The man was old, but he was fast. His blades came out; someone screamed, and the gangster that had gone in for the kill staggered back, appendage and blade clattering to the ground as he clamped a hand¡ªnow his only hand¡ªover his gushing wound. Well, fuck. Weren''t that sumthin''. Harya had two hands. Two blades. One had cut off the hand; the other had plunged into the neck of the bear-hugger, who slumped forward, dead on his feet. Neva struggled, but his attacker''s death grip was strong; Pitie saw Harya bend down to help. Yeah, Neva was fine. That Vaha fucker sure weren''t, though. That Vaha fucker was gonna be dead, real damn soon. Pitie and ''Kles leapt forward, and everything went crazy; the men broke ranks, and they were running this way and that now. That gap-toothed coward was tryin'' to run now, too, and he went skittering toward the overhang again, ''cept Payam and his boys shot and they shot damn good; Vaha took a rock to the shoulder and he screamed, and then Pitie lost sight of him in the crush of running, fleeing men. Some of them slammed themselves against the front door, trying to break it down. They stepped over their own men, their fallen brothers who were still breathin'', but burned, slippin'' and slidin'' in the oil, but they were actin'' like animals now. Well, they''d die like animals, then¡ªand that''s when it happened. It had been an accident. That was the gods'' own truth: it had been an accident. Pitie had not meant to start a fire. He hadn''t. It was just that¡ªwith all the screamin'' and runnin'' and fightin''¡ªhe stuck the wrong man with the torch. Pitie didn''t even remember what the guy looked like. It was just that the fucker had gone slippin'' and slidin'' in the oil, trying to clamber on top o'' his own men to get to a window, ''cept he kept slippin'' and slidin'' down, ''cause no shit, oil was real damn slippery! He''d come at Pitie in a panic, and... Pitie had just finished stabbing a fucker with his spear. So he''d shoved the torch in the guy''s face, without thinking. And his face had just lit up like a campfire. And then the rest of him. And then he''d gone screaming backwards into the pile of dyin'', moanin'' men¡ªmen covered in olive oil, right onto the oil-soaked ground, and... Whooooosh! Awwww, fuck. Now that was a fire. Interlude: A Very Lukios Story, Part VII Day, Half Past the 6th Hour Eirian District, Faravahar Compound With a grunt and a heave, Kershi toppled over the windowsill and into the apartment. Panting, he glanced out the window for a moment, grateful he hadn¡¯t fallen backwards from the second story. That wouldn¡¯t have ended too well. But there was no time to rest. He could smell the fire, and it was so smoky and acrid now that his eyes stung. Getting on all fours, Kershi crawled down the hall and then managed to skulk down the stairs. He thought about calling to everyone else¡ªHeba, Shani, and the rest¡ªjust in case they needed help, but the smoke closed his throat and¡­and¡­ He was too scared. What if the wrong people heard him? Kershi clamped a hand over his nose and mouth, trying not to breathe in the smoke as he sought out someone¡ªanyone¡ªwho could help him with Sama. There was no way Kershi could move her on his own, and she couldn¡¯t walk. Not after what Vaha had done. He crept to the kitchen first. ¡°Heba?¡± he whispered, squinting. ¡°Shani?¡± No answer. He crept into the other rooms, but the first floor was eerily empty¡ªwell of course it was. The fire had started downstairs. It was obvious with the way the smoke was pouring in. He¡¯d have to go back upstairs. He crawled back to the sleeping room, and stuck his face in. The smoke was still thick here, but with the high, open windows, it wasn¡¯t that bad. Still, he coughed and closed his eyes. ¡°Sama,¡± he hissed, ¡°I¡¯ll come back. Don¡¯t worry, okay? I¡¯ll come back with someone.¡± There was no answer¡ªwhich was to be expected. Kershi wasn¡¯t sure if she¡¯d heard him, but he aimed to keep his promise, anyway. He crawled his way up the stairs again. ¡°Heba? Shani? Musa? Anyone?¡± No answer. Eventually the smoke got so bad he couldn¡¯t keep going. He crawled into an empty room and stuck his face out the window, gasping. ¡°Bibos!¡± He looked down, confused. Everyone was already outside. ¡°Heba?¡± ¡°Bibos! What are you doing? Get down here! The building¡¯s on fire!¡± It was Heba, and she had Shani and Musa with her, except¡­ Why were they dressed so good? Wasn¡¯t that Vaha¡¯s cloak? And everyone was wearing good sandals. And¡­ When Musa raised his hand to gesture him down, Kershi saw a purse on his belt. A fat one, bulging with coins. ¡­What? What was going on? ¡°Bibos!¡± Musa hissed, and Shani and Heba glanced around nervously. ¡°Get down here, you fool boy!¡± Nodding, Heba gestured at him rapidly, her gray hairs peeking out from under her shawl and wobbling. ¡°But¡ªbut¡ª¡± ¡°Bibos! Climb down. I¡¯ll catch you if you jump from the ledge.¡± Musa, who was often easy-going, sounded tense¡ªand frightened. ¡°But¡ªwhat about Leyla?¡± They glanced at each other, then at him. They seemed to be agreeing on something, but what? ¡°Don¡¯t worry about Leyla. She¡¯ll be fine.¡± Shani. She smiled up at him, but it was all wrong. The smile didn¡¯t touch her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not stupid,¡± Kershi said. There was no way Sama would be fine. She was still laying in her corner, in the smoke. She¡¯d die. ¡°I¡¯ll unbar the back door. You have to help me move her, Musa.¡± ¡°Bibos¡ª¡± But Kershi wasn¡¯t listening. Heedless of the smoke, he darted down the stairs as fast as he could. Something about their faces scared him. It was the same face his aunt had had when his ma had died, except she¡¯d lied and said¡ª Oh no. No. That wasn¡¯t true. Kershi sprinted to the kitchen, finding some reservoir of strength he didn¡¯t know he¡¯d had to haul the heavy bar of wood off the struts. He didn¡¯t bother with being quiet, letting it fall to the ground before dashing to the sleeping room. ¡°Sama!¡± He cried, not bothering to keep his voice down, ¡°Wake up! We have to go! We have to go now!¡± No answer. Kershi felt his heart hammer harder in his chest, even as his gut clenched. No. He stopped, staring at the still figure under the blankets. Someone had pulled the blanket over her face. No. With a little cry, he darted forward, tearing the blanket away. ¡°Sama!¡± No response. Her eyes were closed, and her face¡ªswollen still, full of bruises¡ªwas slack and still. ¡°Sama!¡± Compulsively, Kershi took her shoulders and shook her once, before jerking away with a sob. No, that would hurt her. He had to be careful, because¡ªbecause¡ª ¡°Bibos!¡± Someone grabbed him around the waist and hauled him up and over a broad shoulder. Kershi¡¯s vision blurred even as the world tilted upside-down. He saw Heba approach, looking sad through the haze of tears and smoke. ¡°Musa! We can¡¯t leave her! We can¡¯t leave her!¡± His voice jagged. ¡°Tell him, Heba! Tell him!¡± ¡°Bibos. Stop. Stop.¡± Heba¡¯s voice was gentle. ¡°I am sorry, little one. But she has gone to meet her fravashi, you see? She lived bravely. And we must be brave, also.¡± She put her gnarled hands on his face and kissed his forehead. The tears would not stop, no matter how he sniffled. Musa began walking, speaking in rapid, clipped tones. ¡°Nasra does a circuit up to Kyros and back down to Heliopolis. We need to find him and convince him to take us with him. Don¡¯t kick up a fuss, Bibos, and just come quietly. Everything will work out. I promise.¡± Kershi said nothing, hanging limply over Musa¡¯s shoulder like a sack of grain as Sama¡¯s swollen face got smaller and smaller. He would remember it forever. Goodbye.
Day, Quarter Before the 6th Hour Eirian District, Faravahar Compound It was the smell of smoke that got him first. Heru frowned as a whiff of something burning hit his nose. His first thought was that some idiot had burnt something again¡ªit had been happening more and more, lately, and he knew he¡¯d have to have Jaadi disciplined soon¡ªbut the smoke. There was so much of it, so much that it was seeping beneath the door of his office. Then his next thought was: Fuck. Is something on fire? It was that second thought that roused him from his stooped position over the desk. Heru¡¯s office reflected his personal philosophy: bare, neat, and functional. He didn¡¯t have much furniture, and what he did have was necessary. His desk, for one. His shelf of documents, all neatly organized by name and topic. Then there was his own chair, which he used every day, and a small chair across from his own for guests. That was it. Even this much furniture was a luxury. It was a pity Vaha didn¡¯t understand that. Heru was a simple man, and Vaha was one too, except Vaha was a ditch snake. The boy¡ªnow man¡ªhad a bad temper and bad judgement, and something had to be done. He¡¯d taken to damaging the merchandise, not just sampling it, and Heru could see the ranks were crumbling beneath the weight of his second¡¯s degeneracy. Heru stood, grimacing as his joints creaked. Age. It caught up to everyone. He stretched, sighing as his joints popped. Surviving in Kyros had been work. A great deal of work¡ªoften unsavory and often hard¡ªand Vaha was doing a fine job unravelling it all. Heru stifled his second sigh. It was a damn pity, but what could he do? Vaha had to be reined in, and soon. Still, he was useful for now, though he was taking his sweet time taking care of Neva and his friends. Surely the butcher hadn¡¯t grown a pair? No matter. Even if Neva had, Vaha would cut them off and feed them to him in short order. But first: the smoke. Hm. Now that had better not be Vaha. There were limits. Burning a man alive was conspicuous as fuck, and it¡¯d bring the guard down if he did, though it would serve as a very good deterrent to future rabble-rousers. Heru strode over to the window, which were double shuttered to keep the noise out, then unlatched them one after another, leaning out the window for a good look once he was done. ¡°Fuck!¡± Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. That¡­was not a bonfire. In fact, it was the entire fucking courtyard. The courtyard was on fucking fire, and so was the entire fucking building. ¡°Mithras'' teeth!¡± Oh, and bodies. There were dead bodies. Everywhere. Everywhere. Slamming his palms against the sill, Heru, jerked away from the sight, dashing to his desk and slapping the account book closed. He shoved it into the safe, then started tossing the pile of coins back into the money chest. That had to go into the safe too, and then the promissory notes. Why the fuck hadn¡¯t anyone reported in? What in the fuck was going on? Were they under attack? Had the Sons of Fire gotten clever? Or was this something else, something worse? Weapons. He needed a weapon first, and he¡¯d have to find¡ª Heru froze, the hairs on the back of his neck rising. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± He whirled around, hand going to his waist¡ªbut of course he wasn¡¯t armed. This was his own gods-damned office. Why would he be armed? Instead, he picked up the letter-opener from his desk. It made a piss-poor weapon, but it was better than nothing. The man who had been watching him from the corner by the door unfurled from his crouch, and for a moment¡ªjust a single moment¡ªHeru thought it was Kurush. But that was impossible. There was no reason for Kurush to come here, just to kill him. Kurush had lackeys for that¡ªand the eyes were¡ª The eyes were wrong. They were the wrong shade of amber¡ªthey were too dark, too flat and devoid of anything resembling life, which was not a look Kurush had ever had¡ªever. No matter how bad things got, Kurush had never lost that spark, never. Heru blinked, disoriented by the familiar face that was not at all familiar. The hair was wrong, too. It was too dark, a pitch black that seemed to suck in the light. But his face, with its high cheekbones and strong nose, was so very familiar, though he could not quite¡­place¡­ And then, suddenly, he did. ¡°Farhad?¡± The man moved so he stood beneath the light from the window. It was. It was him. Older now, taller and broader, no longer the angry, scrawny sixteen-year-old slave he had been¡ªbut it was him. There was no mistaking those eyes, now that he was really looking. Heru began to laugh. Farhad said nothing. He only stood in the square of light, watching Heru with the same level of interest the old freedom-fighter would expect of a man watching an ant. Heru walked to his desk and counted out five drachma. He held them out to the younger man, but when Farhad did not react, he tossed them on the floor, by the boy¡¯s feet. ¡°Those are for Kurush. He always did say you¡¯d come crawling back.¡± Farhad said nothing and did nothing. Heru went to his shelf and opened a box, pulling out a bottle of arak. He had been saving it up for¡ªwhat, exactly? A special occasion? Ha. He sat in his chair. ¡°Take a seat, Farhad.¡± Farhad did not move or show any interest in doing anything other than imitating a statue. ¡°Or stand. Up to you. Don¡¯t suppose you want a drink, too? Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not poisoned. It¡¯s my own stash.¡± Silence. ¡°Well, I¡¯m having a glass or two. Join in or don¡¯t.¡± Heru took his cup of a¡¯chai from that morning and tipped the remainder onto the floor. What did making a mess matter now? He poured a generous portion into the vessel and toasted the silent man. ¡°Cheers, then. To your return, I suppose, though really¡ªsending you to Kyros? Guess you¡¯re not forgiven, hm?¡± More silence. Heru took a nice, big swallow. Ah, there was some quality arak; it burned all the way down. ¡°One prayer.¡± ¡°Hm? What was that?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you time for one prayer to whichever god will have you.¡± Farhad¡¯s voice was calm and cool, like they were discussing the weather rather than Heru¡¯s impending assassination. ¡°Generous of you, but very Illosian. It¡¯s distasteful, Farhad. Speak like a proper man of Er. I know you can do it if you really, really try.¡± ¡°You¡¯re down to twenty heartbeats. Make them count.¡± Heru laughed again and toasted the man. Then he set the cup down. ¡°Tell Kurush I¡¯ve always respected him. But he¡¯s wrong. Tell him that. He¡¯s wrong. There¡¯s no Er left to save. It¡¯s Illos or nothing. That¡¯s our future. That¡¯s it.¡± It was true. The last time Heru had been to Er, it had been like he¡¯d never left Illos. The towns had the same streets, the same agora, the same everything; he had gone to a banquet thrown by an old friend, only to find himself at a bathhouse where slaves floated the food to the guests as the merrymakers cavorted with whores¡ªjust like rich, fancy Illosians. And they had all been so proud of themselves, too, for being so fashionable. It was then that he had come to his final, terrible understanding: The Motherland was gone. Gone. Er was not eternal. Not even close. There was nothing to save. Nothing. ¡°Time¡¯s up,¡± said Farhad, and he stepped in close with a blade in hand. Ha, wasn¡¯t that Sousa¡¯s? Hahaha. No wonder no one had raised the alarm. They were all dead. Farhad was in good form today. So much for being Lukios the Lion, Hero of the People or the People¡¯s Hero or whatever the fuck it was they called him, these days. Ha. The People¡¯s Hero. That one never stopped being fucking hilarious. Which people, exactly? Illosians? Well, that was just like them, wasn''t it? They never just settled for taking things. Sousa''s blade looked somehow sharper in Farhad''s hand, but Heru only nodded. What was the point? Heru had left his prime years ago, and he could hardly best Lukios the Lion, who clearly had not been killed by bandits, with a letter-opener. Ha. Smart. Had Farhad come up with that, or had Kurush? It was likely the latter. It really was a Kurush-sort of plan, wasn¡¯t it? Sneaky. It hurt when the blade went in, but Heru was no stranger to pain. Still, he couldn¡¯t stop the moan, couldn¡¯t stop himself from clutching the younger man¡¯s shoulder as he shook, gagging on the blood that welled from his gut. ¡°Farhad,¡± he managed, dribbling red onto the floor, ¡°don¡¯t believe him.¡± And then Heru Rusa Sabi said nothing more, because Heru Rusa Sabi was dead.
Day, 9th Hour Eirian Quarter, Farahavar Compound ¡°Lucky!¡± ¡®Kles poked his head through the last door, relieved. ¡°Fuck! Why didn¡¯t ya say somethin¡¯! We¡¯ve been callin¡¯ and callin¡¯!¡± The fire had been successfully gutted, thanks to the added manpower of the fire brigade, but it had been a near thing; they¡¯d had to evacuate an apartment, and then they¡¯d taken out the lower walls to bring the whole damn place down as a fire break. The entire neighbourhood had shown up with their own buckets and made a line from the nearest fountain, though the fire brigade had¡ªthank Thi¨®s!¡ªone of them fancy hoses that went right into the fountain-pipes. Lucky. That had been damn lucky. Lofos didn¡¯t have no fire brigade at all, though Lofos didn¡¯t have any crazy fucking stone-suckers, either, so it all evened out in the end. And if they wanted to stay lucky, they had to get gone¡ªnow. The compound was made mostly of stone and brick, and the interior had withstood most of the flames, but the stairs had still shifted alarmingly on the way up; ''Kles didn''t really trust the beams and frames to hold. There were fucking scorch marks. ¡°Told ya,¡± said Pitie, nodding sagely. ¡°He¡¯s fine. He¡¯s the Lion.¡± Lukios blinked up at them owlishly from his seat at the desk. ¡°Oh, what? Were you looking for me?¡± ¡°Oh for¡ªof course we were lookin¡¯ for ya! There was a fire! Didn¡¯t ya notice?¡± ¡°I did, but you seemed to have it under control.¡± Lukios shrugged, then flashed them a wide, cocky grin. ¡°And I was right. You did have it under control. Never doubted you two for a second.¡± Askles scowled, determined not to be mollified, but the back of his neck heated all the same. ¡°Ha,¡± he grumbled, ¡°flattery. Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know your game none.¡± Lukios smile only widened. ¡°It¡¯s not flattery. It¡¯s true. I looked out the window.¡± He pointed. ¡°And we¡¯re all fine now, aren¡¯t we?¡± ¡°¡¯S not the point,¡± ¡®Kles grumbled. ¡°And we coulda used ya for the fire.¡± And gods damn, his knee was just achin''. Would it have killed the damn man to come down the stairs, instead of makin'' ''em climb it? "I did,¡± said Lukios, ¡°I was putting the fires out from the inside. See?¡± He pointed to the wet splotches on the walls and floor, the black marks on the brick. The wooden frames had been eaten nearly through, and ''Kles suddenly had a vision of falling to his death as the floor gave away. He shuddered. "We gotta leave, Lucky. This building''s gonna fall down ''round our ears." "Sure." Lukios shrugged. "As soon as we do something about that." He pointed to the dead body in the corner. ¡°Aw, Lucky. We can¡¯t pretend he died from the fire. Didja have to stab ¡®im?¡± Lukios expression went incredulous. ¡°No one¡¯s going to believe the guys in the courtyard died from the fire. Not all of them.¡± Pitie shook his head. ¡°¡¯Kles had a good idea, though. We put the bodies where the fire was, see, an¡¯ that means the wounds and things get all burned up. So when the guard comes to ¡®vestigate they¡¯ll think it was the fire, an¡¯ not us. ¡®Cause ya know, murder¡¯s illegal an¡¯ all.¡± Pitie''s expression was doubtful when he said ''murder'', but he seemed to understand they''d all get arrested and put to death if they were caught. ''Kles could see Pitie didn''t like it or agree, but he understood he had to keep his damn mouth shut, which was the most important thing, anyway. ¡®Kles tried not to look smug. See? Lucky weren¡¯t the only one with a turnin'' noggin. Lukios raised an eyebrow. ¡°Huh. Good call. Except uh¡­there are lots of bodies in the other rooms.¡± He cleared his throat. ¡°Just saying.¡± ¡°Aw, Lucky!¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± He shrugged. ¡°We¡¯ll make it look like the infighting started the fire. How¡¯s that? We can put the weapons in their hands and arrange the bodies.¡± ¡°Guess it¡¯ll work.¡± Askles grimaced. Fuck, what a day it¡¯d been. It had been the absolute worst. ''Kles spotted a bottle of what looked like some kinda booze on the desk. Without a word, he popped it open, sniffed, then drank. Better. He''d washed the blood off his face and rinsed his mouth, but the taste still lingered; this helped. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and held the rest out to Pitie, who took it without a word and drained it. Lukios was still smiling. ¡°¡¯Kles. Pitie. Come on. You two love me, right?¡± ¡°No.¡± Askles didn''t hesitate. If his knee didn''t heal right, he''d take it out of Lukios'' hide. He really, really would. Pitie opened his mouth, then closed it. ¡°Kinda real hard right now.¡± ¡°Aw, guuuuys.¡± Smiling, Lukios raised his hand and tipped a medium-sized box over so that the mouth of it hit the edge of the desk. Gleaming gold and silver coins spilled onto the ground. ¡®Kles felt his mouth drop open. Holy fuck. Holy fuck! Lukios¡¯ grin only widened. ¡°You sure?¡± Pitie¡¯s eyes looked like they were poppin¡¯ out. ¡°H¨­ra¡¯s tits! These Fafafucks were richer than H¨¡?id¨¥s!¡± ¡°Yup.¡± Lukios tapped one of the leather-bound books on the desk. There were two, and they looked ¡®xactly the same. ¡°This one¡¯s the fake ledger.¡± He tapped the other one. ¡°This is the real one.¡± He shrugged. ¡°I scrapped all the promissory notes and contracts in that fire anyway, so¡­¡± Pitie knelt and picked up the coins. ¡°Holy fuck. Holy fuck. ¡®Kles! ¡®Kles! You can buy yer marriage gifts again!¡± It was true. There were enough coins to buy another mule and load it down with gifts. Bolts of fabric and spices for Chloe¡¯s ma. Candles and other goods for her da. Some live chickens too, and gods, some proper damn clothes. He glanced down at his tunic¡ªa loaner from Mahdi¡ªand grimaced. Yeah, he¡¯d have to replace this one, too. Askles knelt beside Pitie. ¡°You gonna send some back?¡± The man had five siblings, and only the older two worked. They were always short on something. Pitie nodded. ¡°Mene¡¯ll need a dowry soon. And Eulos!¡± He ran the coins through his fingers. ¡°Fuck, ¡®Kles! I think he can get a ¡®pprenticeship with this.¡± He smiled. ¡°Think there¡¯ll be enough left over for a houseslave, ¡®Kles? My ma could use ¡®un. She¡¯s getting old.¡± Askles patted his back. ¡°Dunno about that. Maybe?¡± He glanced at the pile again. ¡°A third each?¡± Lukios shook his head. ¡°Split it between the two of you. I¡¯m good.¡± ¡°Aw, Lucky.¡± ¡°See?¡± He smirked. ¡°You do love me.¡± ¡°That ain¡¯t right, though.¡± Askles rubbed his nose. ¡°You gotta take somethin¡¯.¡± Lukios paused, and ¡®Kles could see he was thinking. ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s split it three ways.¡± Pitie and ¡®Kles glanced at each other, then nodded, though Askles eyed Lukios with suspicion. ¡°You gonna give it away?¡± That pause of his had been real suspect. Lukios only smiled at them and buried his head back in the ledger. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about Niki. I¡¯ll take care of him tomorrow or so. He¡¯ll have heard about this by then, I think.¡± Askles glanced at the pile of coins again, suddenly feeling uneasy. ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine! I¡¯m burning the real ledger.¡± Lukios smiled again. ¡°What Niki doesn¡¯t know won¡¯t hurt him, and oh boy, did Niki miss something juicy.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Askles left Pitie to count out the coins and wandered over to Lukios to peer over his shoulder. ¡°What¡¯s so interestin¡¯, anyway?¡± Lukios¡¯ grin intensified. ¡°You know how everyone¡¯s been blaming the bandits for¡­well, everything?¡± Askles eyed him with doubt. ¡°Whaddya mean?¡± Lukios began to chuckle. ¡°Lucky?¡± He tapped the two ledgers. ¡°Know what¡¯s real funny, ¡®Kles? Pitie?¡± ¡°No.¡± Pitie was too busy counting coins to respond. ¡°The numbers are all wrong. For the bandits, I mean.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Askles frowned. ¡°You¡¯re not makin¡¯ any sense, Lukios.¡± ¡°Okay, okay. So¡­I went down to the barracks this morning, right? To get the uh, bandit-killing contract?¡± ¡°Yeah? And?¡± ¡°Well, I asked about the numbers up in that fort, ¡®cause how else am I gonna know how many men to muster?¡± ¡°¡­Right. And?¡± ¡°Well, they gave me a real stupid number.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Yeah. It was real damn high, though it made sense with all the supply shortages and things. But here¡¯s the thing, ¡®Kles.¡± Lukios patted the ledger. ¡°It looks like the Faravahar were extorting merchants, but they didn¡¯t want that getting out to the guard. So what¡¯s a convenient excuse?¡± ¡°Oh, fuck. You serious?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m serious. Bet you they intimidated a whole bunch of merchants into filing false loss reports. You know, blaming the bandits? And not just these guys. I¡¯ll bet you all the gangs are doing the same in their own districts. It¡¯s too good an opportunity to pass up. This way they get the goods, but not the scrutiny.¡± Askles whistled. ¡°Damn. You serious?¡± ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s how I¡¯m reading the numbers, anyway. These margins are fat.¡± Lukios was still chortling. ¡°But that makes the counts way off. I mean way, way off. Makes sense. Thought it was funny that Red Stride Fort could fit so many bodies. It wasn¡¯t so big when we were there, was it? What the fuck were they doing, sleeping on top of each other?¡± He sobered, then brightened immediately, grinning up at ¡®Kles. ¡°Say, what are you two doing tomorrow?¡± Askles groaned. Interlude: A Very Lukios Story, Part VIII Day, Quarter Past the 9th Hour Eirian Quarter, Streets The sight that greeted Nikias when he entered the Eirian quarter was not one he had expected. The smell of smoke and ashes had yet to dissipate. Togus hadn¡¯t lied; there clearly had been a fire. But it was out now, and it hadn¡¯t been the entire district; it had been more like three or four buildings. Well. It was true Togus was high-strung. And it was also true that he had likely heard it from a runner, who had heard from some other runner, who had heard it from someone else, until eventually... It was just as well. Nikias could hardly be annoyed by this outcome; a few ruined buildings was preferable to an entire block of them, and if Togus had not come pounding on his door, Nikias would not have dispatched the fifth and third district fire brigades. The ending to that story could have been very, very different. No, this was the best possible outcome. Nikias rather thought Togus deserved a raise. ¡°Oh.¡± Iokras looked confused. ¡°Looks like it¡¯s been put out.¡± Indeed, and if Nikias had his guess, that was the fifth district fire brigade, drinking and carousing with the locals. They were having a party. In the streets. A party. Nikias rubbed his eyes. No, they were still there, having a party in the streets with the fire brigades¡ªall three of them. The day was getting too strange for words. The stone apartments looked terrible. Aside from the lingering stench, there were streaks of black here and there, marking the path of the flames. It had started in the Faravahar compound, and then spread outwards to the other apartments toward the west. Well that made sense; it was autumn now, and a stiff breeze often blew in from the east. Soon there would be chilly rain nearly every day, and then winter would come with even more freezing torrents so a cloak and hat became mandatory. ¡°So¡­should I¡­?¡± Iokras was a handsome man with not much happening behind the eyes. It was convenient, but sometimes Nikias actually missed Crasilo; for all his flaws, being stupid hadn¡¯t been one of them. Of course, that was exactly why he had had to go, but as far as conversation went? Crasilo could have talked circles around Iokras all day without really trying. ¡°No. Stay. You have to make your way around and shake hands with the locals. Ask them what happened and if they need anything from the Archon¡¯s office.¡± That was the key to popularity: being available and being just like them. The plethos always ate it up and asked for more. ¡°Oh. If you say so, sir Nikias.¡± ¡°I do.¡± Nikias gestured to Medoros. His assistant nodded wordlessly and followed at Iokras¡¯ elbow, ensuring he would not say anything embarrassing. It was like managing a particularly stupid puppy, but it could not be helped. Nikias did not sigh, well aware of his slaves and attendants eyeing him. Nikias always hand-picked his own staff, but he wasn¡¯t naive; there was no doubt in his mind at all that a handful of them reported back to Nidemus, and the proportion that didn¡¯t had their own handlers. It couldn¡¯t be helped, not unless he picked his slaves and attendants off the streets, but even that was tricky. He had gotten lucky with Lukios, but¡ª ¡°Niki!¡± Ah. Speak of the spirit, and it will appear. Nikias allowed a single, soft sigh to slip out. Of course he was here. Why wouldn¡¯t he be here? If Nikias had his bet, Lukios had probably started the damn fire, too. Lukios grinned widely, coming to Nikias with his arms outstretched. In one hand he held a cup of wine, and Nikias moved subtly away before the bigger man could sling his free arm around Nikias¡¯ shoulders. Touch was always a dangerous proposition, and Nikias had no desire to be Lukios, no matter how temporary. He¡¯d rather stab himself through the eyeball with a rusty spoon. The blunt, rounded end. ¡°Lukios,¡± Nikias said, very coolly. ¡°Imagine meeting you here. Did you start this mess?¡± Lukios made a wounded noise. ¡°What? Me? Start a fire? Nik. Niki. That¡¯s mean. That¡¯s cruel. That¡¯s just dastardly.¡± He shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll have you know, I was here, but I was helping. Helping. Just ask anyone!¡± He gestured to the large crowd of Eirians who were chattering and laughing. The sun was just setting, and Nikias could see that candles and lamps had been lit in the windowsills of many of the apartments with the shutters open, letting their light spill onto the streets. Doors had been left open as well, to fight the darkening day. ¡°Is that so.¡± Lukios nodded, doing a very close imitation of Iokras'' beautifully happy, vacant expression, but Nikias wasn¡¯t fooled. Iokras was the only stupid puppy in Kyros. Lukios was a lion¡ªwhether he bared his teeth or not. ¡°I was getting kaleh pascheh, Niki. You know. Food? You have to go to the Eirian quarter for Eirian food, Nik. That¡¯s common sense.¡± A loud, familiar laugh turned Nikias¡¯ head. ¡°Askles and Epitus as well?¡± ¡°Well, they gotta eat too, Niki.¡± Nikias grimaced reflexively at the childish nickname. Did Lukios think Nikias was ten? Lukios only let out a soft little laugh. ¡°People eat out with their friends. It¡¯s a real thing we rabble do all the time¡ªremember?¡± Lukios snapped his fingers. ¡°In fact, let¡¯s give you a refresher right now.¡± Before Nikias could speak¡ªbefore he could do anything, really¡ªLukios slung his arm around Nikias¡¯ shoulder. The shorter man froze, but no, of course it was fine¡ªhe was wearing his cloak. All he felt was the other man¡¯s warmth seeping in through the layers of fabric and the familiar call of Lukios bright, chattering soul. Even with the belaruna, Nikias could hear him. He was just that loud. ¡­How had the maho-ska simply not gone insane? Lukios was always so noisy. Dolus and Iphram started forward. ¡°Sir Lukios,¡± Iphram snapped, ¡°I must ask you refrain from¡ª¡± Nikias waved him away. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± After a moment of consideration, he added, ¡°Go mingle. Get a drink and eat something.¡± Why not? Their workdays were as long as Nikias¡¯. They needed dinner, too. His guards glanced at each other, then at him, and Nikias could see them both writing up their latest report to send to his father: The young master insisted we leave him with his friend, Lukios the Lion. As per our last report¡­and so on and so on, ad nauseum. Nikias only raised an eyebrow, and the two guards shared a look. It was obvious they were trying to decide if it was worth kicking up a fuss. Throwing Lukios a stern glance, the two guards slowly peeled away, glancing at Nikias intermittently as they joined the party. It was all rather comical. The two tall, burly guards stuck out in the crowd of Eirians, rather like horses amongst a pack of camels. ¡°Well, they¡¯re gone now,¡± said Nikias. ¡°Now I¡¯ll ask you again: was it you?¡± Lukios sighed. ¡°I did not start the fire.¡± He paused. ¡°I mean, why would I? It¡¯s not like I have a history of arson, Niki.¡± Nikias stared at the gutted Faravahar compound. True. Lukios did not have a history of arson. But he was Eirian-born and he did have a temper. Lukios took in Nikias¡¯ expression and snorted. ¡°Here¡¯s an idea. Let¡¯s have a chat with the locals. You like that sort of thing, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°They are your friends.¡± ¡°We met today, Niki.¡± ¡°You always manage to charm them somehow.¡± It was true. Lukios always managed to wriggle his way into trouble, then he simply...smiled, and talked his way out. It was as baffling as it was infuriating¡ªhe always generated so much blasted paperwork. One of these days, he¡¯d tie Lukios down to a damn chair or nail his feet through the floor, though Nikias half-suspected that would do nothing to keep the man out of trouble. He¡¯d start a riot by smiling at the wrong man at the wrong time, or something equally absurd. It was a losing battle. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡°Obviously not,¡± Lukios retorted, snorting, ¡°since I haven¡¯t managed to charm you for eight years running.¡± ¡°I¡¯m an Astros, Lukios." ¡°Uh huh. So, what does that mean, exactly? You were born with a stick up your¡ª¡± ¡°Lukios.¡± ¡°What?" The man grinned, completely unrepentant. "Would you rather I just thought it without saying it? That''s not very honest, is it?" Nikias sighed again¡ªyet another Lukios effect. ¡°I don¡¯t understand how she didn¡¯t just smother you in your sleep.¡± Lukios'' gaze went sharp and Nikias felt the arm around his shoulder tense before relaxing. Hm. Well that was intriguing. ¡°Ba¡¯an?¡± His smile was tight. ¡°She on your mind a lot?¡± She was. The woman was simply bewildering, and very much a witch. Nikias had sent some of his men around to the brothels and leatherworkers¡¯, and they had done business with her for five years, exactly as she had said. It was troubling¡ªwhat could she have possibly done to merit banishment, right after a disastrous war that had halved the witches in the People¡¯s ranks, at best? The more he thought about it, the less sense it made. He was certain of who she was now: Vala-Tu¡¯rins prized prodigy, who had been reported dead after the war. Well, that had obviously been an error. What had Ba¡¯an done that was so terrible that she had been banished, but not executed? Was she a spy? What had she been doing, trading¡ªor more accurately, ¡®trading¡¯¡ªin Kyros right under everyone¡¯s noses for five years? She¡¯d had five years, but she¡¯d never bothered learning how to read? Or how to use an ink pen? Or understand basic legal parlance? If this was a honeypot operation, Nikias failed to see the point of it. There were more influential men in Kyros than Lukios, and Nikias had seen no sign that she had been working her way up, and¡­ There was no way. She was¡­ ¡­Well, she wasn¡¯t ugly. Certainly not. She had elegant bones and dark, striking eyes, and even if she hadn¡¯t had any fetching features whatsoever, Nikias was not cruel enough to refer to a woman as ugly. But she was so skinny¡ªwhich made no damn sense, either. Surely posing as a starving, exiled witch was not a winning strategy for a honeypot operation. Men enjoyed being heroes, yes, but not to women who resembled beanstalks with mop heads for hair, though it was true that such a thing would, and clearly had, worked on Lukios; this brought Nikias full circle, to the only obvious conclusion: this was about Lukios, and Lukios in particular. The man loved rescuing women. Slave women, freewomen, old women, young women, girls with clubbed feet and crossed eyes¡ªthe sadder, the better. The man had a real problem with women, though he never seemed to want to marry any. But that didn''t quite fit, either, because...well. K''Avaari colluding with bandits? Outlander bandits? The very idea was ridiculous. Nobody trusted bandits, not even the illiterate peasant farmers that dotted the countryside; surely the A''tat would not be so foolish. And besides, there were easier ways to arrange a coincidental meeting. A clean, well-coifed woman in trouble was a far more appealing bit of bait than a skinny, unkempt one with sharp elbows and a sharper tongue; the witch didn''t act sad enough. She was the right kind of pot, but the wrong kind of honey. And besides all that, Nikias could hardly imagine what she even wanted; why Lukios? Rekos of House Helios would have been a better target, but she had let him die. Nothing made sense. Nothing. She was either the cleverest infiltrator Nikias had ever encountered, or the dullest. He wasn''t sure which. He would give Aika another day or so to find something, but after that? Hmm. Well. Therein lay the difficulty¡ªthe decision, as it were, to let the woman leave and have her tailed¡ªchallenging, considering her prodigious abilities¡ªor to find a way to keep her within his own domain, where he had control. It would be so very easy to simply have her...disappear off the streets. Easier, even, if he sent Lukios to Red Stride Canyon early. Then the man wouldn''t be around to miss his Sander bedmate, and with no tribesmen to report to¡ªas far as Nikias knew, anyway, and he did know these things¡ªit would be the most perfect crime imaginable. Except, of course, it was illegal, and Nikias was an Astros. The House of Stars stood for order, not against it, and he could not quite bring himself to stoop so low, not when he didn''t even know what he was looking for. If only there was something¡ªan unpaid fine, contraband in her bags¡ªsomething, anything to hold her with. Surely the slavegirl would find something of note in the woman''s things? ¡°No.¡± Nikias lied promptly. Telling Lukios he was seriously considering the merits of having his Sander witch disappear into the aether would be immensely stupid. ¡°But I would have assumed a woman of her temperament would not have tolerated a man of yours.¡± Lukios laughed. ¡°Wrong,¡± he said, and he sounded very smug, indeed. ¡°Ba¡¯an loves my temperament. She loves my jokes, and my face, and my¡ª¡± ¡°Stop.¡± Nikias grimaced. ¡°We¡¯re out in public and I don¡¯t want to know.¡± The man had no shame whatsoever, which was useful in its own way, but sweet Ath¨¥na¨ª¨¥, sometimes the things that came out of his mouth were just appalling. ¡°Uh huh.¡± Lukios was still chortling, though he did stop long enough to call out to another Eirian. ¡°Hey! Neva! Look who came!¡± The man turned. He was middle-aged, his beard streaked with grey, but like everyone else, he was sooty and sweaty. No. Nearly like everyone else. Lukios'' chiton was spotless. Now how had he managed that feat? The oblivious man waved. ¡°This is my friend at the Archon¡¯s office, Nikias. Nikias, this is Neva. He owns the butcher¡¯s shop down the street.¡± Ah. Neva Mumti Azlahi. Yes, he had lodged a complaint about this very compound and their activities multiple times, along with complaints about the local guardhouse. He had a modest butchery and two boys, though as far as Nikias knew, he had no wife to speak of. Dead, most likely. Now this was getting interesting, wasn¡¯t it? The man put a hand over his belly and bowed. It was very Eirian, but Nikias had no complaints; kissing or hugging was off-limits, and so was shaking hands. ¡°Good evening, sir Neva. I am Nikias.¡± He disentangled himself from Lukios arm and mirrored Neva¡¯s motion, inclining his head just enough to be well-mannered. Neva blinked, but otherwise did not react. ¡°Good evening, sir Nikias.¡± He glanced around. ¡°I am sorry to meet you in such a manner.¡± Nikias only smiled pleasantly and replied in perfect Eirian. Neva¡¯s eyes rounded. ¡°No need to apologize. I am pleased to see you and your neighbours are uninjured. Have you need of anything? The claims office will open again tomorrow morning, but if you had any other concerns, I would be happy to assist you.¡± Lukios looked amused. ¡°I did warn you, didn¡¯t I, Neva?¡± ¡°You did,¡± the older man responded, sounding perfectly polite. ¡°I would not be so uncouth as to take your time.¡± He glanced over at Iokras, who was chattering away with the members of the third district fire brigade. Nikias recognized Menousus and Phanakro, who were both looking a little too happy. How much wine had they had? Surely they were not off-shift? What if there was another fire in some other home or business? ¡°I am shocked that the Archon himself is here. I did not know that we were so important.¡± Neva¡¯s eyes were following Iokras, who was being his happy, smiling¡ªbut thankfully, not obviously idiotic¡ªself. Nikias continued smiling as he answered. ¡°We had reports of an entire block ablaze.¡± He paused, then added, with emphasis, ¡°Archon Iokras takes the safety of Kyrosians very seriously. He insisted on coming down to help with the efforts himself.¡± With encouragement. It was inadvisable for a new archon to avoid the site of an on-going disaster; it made him look cowardly. And on top of that, Iokras was young¡ªin his early thirties. There was no excuse for not showing his face to his citizens during a crisis, particularly not after an unpopular predecessor. Nikias glanced at Menousus and Phanakro again, who were laughing and now dancing with the local girls. A few men had come out with homemade tonbak and simple hand drums, and the air was filled with a sprightly Eirian folk tune. Someone began playing a dotar. More people joined in, and the streets became a moving tapestry of skirts and tunics. Nikias eyed the scorch marks again, then caught Medoros¡¯ eye when the older man glanced his way. Nikias tilted his head toward the western walkway inside the Faravahar compound, then returned to the conversation before Neva and Lukios noticed anything at all. ¡°¡ªly?¡± Neva¡¯s tone was polite. Just barely. ¡°How fortunate for u¡ª¡± Another man, an older one, with graying hair and an abundance of lines around his mouth and eyes, began to cackle. ¡°That so, little Astros? Came all the way down here ¡®cause we stone-suckin¡¯, grain-hoardin¡¯, sheep-fuckin¡¯ southlanders are so bleedin¡¯ important to yer archonship?¡± Neva¡¯s skin went blotchy. ¡°Harya!¡± He smiled at Nikias, very thinly, then whirled around. Harya only laughed harder. ¡°Oh, get off it. This one¡¯s an Astros. Lookit ¡®em. Came down here to make sure we¡¯re the only fuckers that burned.¡± Now that was deeply offensive. Nikias preferred to have no one burn, because it had taken a great deal of effort to relocate so many merchants and other economically viable men with families to Kyros, Eirians included. It would be marvellously foolish to undo all his hard work over some historical grudge that had settled before Nikias had been born. ¡°I assure you that is not the case,¡± Nikias said mildly. Lukios only laughed, and clapped Harya on the back before slinging his arm around his shoulders. Harya shot the younger man a look that clearly said, get your arm off my shoulders before I take it from yours. ¡°You drunk already? Come on, don¡¯t be mean to Niki. You¡¯re embarrassin¡¯ me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t take much to embarrass you, then, Lukios the Lion.¡± Lukios¡¯ smile froze on his face. Neva blinked. Hm. This Harya was rather sharp. Nikias was surprised that anyone had recognized Lukios in Kyros, especially since he¡¯d gone to the trouble of dyeing his hair. Harya only laughed again, but this time, it was right in Lukios¡¯ face. He took the younger man¡¯s arm off his shoulder, then clapped him on the back. ¡°I¡¯m jokin¡¯. Call me when you take that bandit fort. I could use the drinkin¡¯ money.¡± Then, with another little chuckle, he wandered away, grabbing an entire pitcher of wine from a passing woman and ignoring her indignant, ¡°Hey!¡± They watched him go. Lukios cleared his throat. ¡°Well, he¡¯s in a good mood, huh?¡± ¡°He is.¡± Neva¡¯s tone was flatter than bread from an iron pan. ¡°Trust me.¡± He eyed Lukios, but seemed to think better of whatever he¡¯d meant to say. Lukios only smiled, put a finger to his lips, and winked. Neva raised an eyebrow. ¡°We were more blessed than we knew.¡± The man¡¯s tone had gone impressively dry. ¡°Yes, the fire does not seem to have spread too far.¡± This seemed like a good time to change the subject. It would be troublesome if news of the Lion¡¯s return spread too quickly. These things had to be done with the appropriate pomp and circumstance: heroes didn¡¯t slink back from the dead as failures. They came back in victory, with plenty of bandit heads and a rescued maiden fair. At Nikias¡¯ words, they all took a glance around. Three scorched buildings and one torn down, but this was not as bad as it could have been. The Faravahar compound itself was still largely intact; the timber had burned, but the walls were made of brick and rough-hewn stone. They had blackened, but held. Nikias would have to send inspectors out first thing in the morning to ensure the integrity of the affected buildings. A collapse would be disastrous, not only in lives lost, but for the optics. The news crier would bray about it for a week, at least, and Nikias had no doubt it would cast doubt on Iokra¡¯s¡ªand by extension, House Astros¡¯¡ªleadership. Neva clapped Lukios on the back. ¡°Everyone helped, and the gods were watching.¡± Ah, of course. Lukios had undoubtedly hauled enough buckets for ten men all alone. Perhaps he had done a charming Eirian rain dance while he was at it, as well. Would this story soon involve the seduction of gorgeous and nubile goddesses, too? All this, while dodging soot and smoke and keeping his clothes absolutely pristine. Surely Lukios did not think Nikias was this stupid? Seemingly oblivious to the younger man''s thoughts, Lukios caught Nikias'' eye and beamed. ¡°Everything¡¯s been handled, Niki,¡± he said. ¡°You should have a drink. Hey, did you eat something? I think I heard your belly just now.¡± He had. Nikias ignored the rumbling. ¡°Well, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to walk around for a bit. Just to make sure everyone is¡­well.¡± Which they clearly were. Oddly, the Faravahar themselves appeared to be missing. Lukios and Neva conspicuously did not glance at each other. ¡°Well, why don¡¯t we wander around together? We can snack and chat. Bet it¡¯s been a while since you¡¯ve had some real food.¡± ¡°I always eat real food, Lukios.¡± ¡°You eat bird food dressed up as real food.¡± Nikias did not deign to answer. There was nothing wrong with his food. Overindulgence was a vice, and Nikias had no desire to develop gout in ten years; his dinners were often lavish, on account of being invited to this banquet and that. His personal meals, as such, had to be sparse and plain, to maintain a healthy balance. Lukios slung his arm around Nikias¡¯ shoulders again and began dragging him toward the¡­ ¡­dancers? ¡°Lukios. Wait. The food¡¯s¡ªthe food¡¯s over the¡ª¡± But it was futile, of course. Interlude: A Very Lukios Story, Part IX Nikias leaned into the shrubbery and vomited. He hacked and gasped, then he vomited again. ¡°Man, Niki.¡± Lukios clicked his tongue, but patted Nikias on the back in what was supposed to be a soothing way. It really only made him retch harder. ¡°How much wine did you drink?¡± Nikias glared at him from beneath the black fringe of his own hair. ¡°You gave it to me.¡± ¡°Yeah, but it was just one goblet. One. And I watered it down.¡± This was true. Nikias grimaced and heaved again, but his stomach was empty. Nothing came up except sour bile. ¡°Here.¡± Lukios tugged him to the left, toward the little burbling fountain. They were making their way back up to the acropolis now, and Lukios was taking them along the wall, away from the crowds. Nikias would not be caught dead wandering around like this, never mind vomiting. This was why they had left Iphram and Dolus behind; it would not do for his own staff to see him like this. Askles and Epitus had been given the undesirable task of breaking the news of Nikias¡¯ early departure to the steadfast pair, but Nikias was sure the two men were up to the challenge. ¡°What?¡± Lukios tugged at him again. ¡°The fountain, Nik. You need some water.¡± Nikias, as ill as he was, managed to fix the taller man with a look of disapproval. ¡°Are you insane? That hasn¡¯t been boiled. It comes out of the wall.¡± ¡°Yeah? And?¡± ¡°Lukios. No. That¡¯s disgusting.¡± His friend of eight years only laughed. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Nik. I haven¡¯t dropped dead yet, have I?¡± And now Nikias was appalled. ¡°That¡¯s revolting. Men piss into that water. They piss into it.¡± This was illegal, but that never stopped drunken plethos from behaving¡­poorly. Lukios laughed harder. ¡°No one drinks from the pool, Nik. We drink from the spout.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Well, if you say so. Guess you like the taste of your own¡ª¡± ¡°Lukios.¡± ¡°Haha! Okay, fine, fine. Hang on.¡± Lukios put his arm around Nik¡¯s waist, holding the man up. Lukios'' loud, vibrant soul seemed to reverberate right through their clothes and into Nik, rattling him, but he wasn¡¯t in any condition to refuse. As subtly as he could manage, he tangled his bare arms with his cloak so they were covered. Touching skin-to-skin would be a disaster. Nikias should have known better than to have any wine at all. He¡¯d taken enough belaruna to fell even the legendary Sa¡¯nuvan, so adding wine to the mix had been a terrible, terrible idea. How did he let Lukios talk him into these things? Lukios half-carried the shorter man to the bench, which gave Nikias a very nice view of the fountain. It was a public fountain, and the water from the pipes were relatively clean, but there was no guarantee as to its potability once it had burbled out and into the basin. Did people not boil it? That would prevent¡ªoh. Yes. That did explain things. Diseases often ran through the outer quarters in waves, with very little explanation. It was likely the water, then, so perhaps he ought to start a program¡ª ¡°You awake?¡± ¡°Yes, Lukios.¡± Nikias breathed in through his nose, slowly. ¡°I¡¯m awake. Don¡¯t jostle me.¡± Lukios snorted in amusement, but did not push. ¡°I don¡¯t think we can get water from anywhere. Oh wait, there¡¯s a light on over there. Hang on.¡± ¡°What? No. Lukios, don¡¯t bother¡ª¡± But it was too late. Lukios was already wandering toward the open window of a street-level taverna, which, if the position of the moon was any indication, was likely already closed. Ah, H¨¡?id¨¥s take it. Nikias closed his eyes and breathed, taking in the smell of the city. The night air was cool and crisp, but the streets smelled of piss and other refuse. His stomach lurched again. ¡­Did he not already have city slaves clean the streets twice a week? Perhaps he ought to make it thrice a week? Why did it reek so much? Distantly, he heard the murmur of low voices, and then a laugh, then rapid footsteps. Lukios sat down beside him and handed him a cup. ¡°It¡¯s phouska. You can just rinse and spit it out.¡± Nikias opened his eyes and accepted the cup, then blinked, surprised by what Lukios held in his other hand. ¡°Flowers?¡± Well, that was fast. Normally it took longer for people to really try courting the Lion. Lukios grinned so his teeth flashed in the moonlight. ¡°Yup. Paid half a copper for ¡®em.¡± He waggled them in the air. ¡°Ba¡¯an¡¯ll like these.¡± Nikias blinked. Ah. Of course. Ba¡¯an again. He took a swig of the phouska, swishing it around in his mouth thoroughly before spitting it into the gutter. Then he did it again, trying to decide if he ought to say something. Nikias was not quite sure what Ba''an really wanted¡ªyet. But witches were always bad news. On the other hand, a smitten man was a deaf one, and if they quarrelled over her here, Nikias knew Lukios would simply begin rejecting his counsel on principle. Better to let it rest, then. They had other things to discuss. ¡°Lukios.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Nikias stared up at the sky. Kyros did not have torches on public streets, though that was on his list, too. The lack of lighting made the streets dangerous, but the stars and moon clear. This was not a sight available on the streets of Astropolis. The view was good from his own bedroom, but the streets below the acropolis? No. It was a pity Kyros was a shithole, and stank like one too. But not for too much longer. It would be yet another shining jewel on the crown of House Astros once Nikias was finished. It would. ¡°I won¡¯t have you investigated. But I want the truth.¡± He took a breath, then let it out. ¡°Did you raid that compound?¡± Lukios was silent. When his spoke again, the levity was gone from his voice. ¡°I notice you said you would exempt me. But not anyone else." "Should I have?" Now this was almost as good as naming names. Lukios, Lukios, Lukios. That was not how this game was played; to think he had only been gone five months. Had he been addled by the sun? Or was this something else, now? "Cut the crap," Lukios snapped. "It''s been a long day. I''m tired." So was Nikias, but he was hardly complaining. He only raised an eyebrow and waited. Lukios broke first. "So who''s his replacement?" The man''s voice was calmer than it had been a moment ago, but that only meant he was in one of his more mercurial moods. "Who?" "Heru, Niki." The look the man threw his way was sharp enough to cut glass. "Don''t tell me you didn''t know, or that you weren''t planning to give him the axe soon, anyway." Nikias sipped his phouska, keeping the grimace off his face. It was an insult to wine, that''s what it was. "I''m not sure I like what you''re implying, Lukios." "I''m not implying anything." Lukios rolled his eyes. "I said what I said." Nikias sighed. ¡°I don''t know why you think I sit around plotting assassinations all day. Do you have any idea how much work that is? No, Lukios. I was not plotting to murder Heru Rusa Sabi any time soon." "Really?" Lukios eyed him. "You were going to let them keep doing it?" His voice grew even sharper. "You''re serious?" "Define ''it'', Lukios." "Selling kids, Niki. Selling kids!" He slapped the stone bench, hard enough so the smack echoed down the street. Nikias took another sip of phouska, waiting for the spate of temper to pass. "Their parents sold them," Nikias retorted, calmly. "That makes them poor parents, but I cannot arrest customers of legal transactions, no matter how distasteful I find them." Lukios sputtered. "You''re fucking serious. Fucking¡ªNiki!" Dryly, Nikias replied, "I said what I said." "That''s not cute. That''s not funny. By the gods-fucking Styx, Niki. You know they had no choice. What could they do? They had other kids, and the debt¡ª¡± "Was legally earned." Nikias breathed through his nose. "Lukios. I understand this is...difficult to accept. But I cannot arrest men without evidence of wrongdoing, and there was no evidence. None. Everything appeared legal, and as distasteful as this practice is, it is not against the law. And that is what our office maintains: the law." He fixed Lukios with a hard, flinty look¡ªone that was most certainly harder than mere glass. "We do not fall into hooliganism because someone tells us a sad story. This is Illos." Lukios expression went cold and bitter. "Oh, yes. This is Illos. How could I possibly forget." Nikias surrendered, squeezing the bridge of his nose with his fingers to stave off his headache. "These things change slowly, Lukios. The solution to a disagreeable law is to change it, not to break it whenever the whim takes you. That is the road to chaos. Anarchy. Barbar¡ª¡± Lukios began to laugh. Nikias only sighed again, and let him get it out. Finally, he stopped. "Barbarism," Nikias finished. "We have already discussed this." "Nothing''s changed, you know." "It takes time, Lukios." Nikias looked down at the phouska and swirled in around in the cup, watching the moonlight glint between the ripples. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. "You said that eight years ago." Lukios laughed again, the same humorless laugh as before, but somehow more: more biting, more sour. "No wait, I was wrong. It''s worse now." "It''s not." Lukios'' expression went incredulous. "You can''t be serious." "I am." "You¡ªha. Niki. We can''t free slaves until they''re thirty now. Thirty. How is that ''better''?" "I didn''t say it was better. I said it wasn''t worse." "Still not cute. Or funny." "Lukios." Nikias spoke as patiently as he could manage. "The reason the manumission laws changed is because of a lack of supply. In the long run, this is good. This is an opportunity." He took another sip of phouska. "Speaking of which, I needed to talk to you about this anyway. After you''re done with that fort, I need you to talk to Stefanos. We have a golden opportunity now to¡ª¡± "No." His tone was flat, certain. Nikias paused. "You don''t even know what¡ª¡± "No." Nikias put the cup down on the bench and looked at him. "What are you saying?" "''No.'' It was pretty damn clear, Niki. I''m not doing shit for you." Nikias frowned. "But you don''t even know what I''m proposing." "Don''t care. No." Nikias raised an eyebrow. "I wouldn''t be so quick to refuse, if I were you. It''s exactly the sort of thing you''d like." "Nice try. No." "Well, I suppose I did try." Nikias picked up the cup and drained it. "Nice talk, Lukios. Like I said, I won''t be investigating you in the morning, but I''ll be sure to question your friends about their little murder-spree at the compound." Nikias didn''t turn to look, but he heard Lukios take a long, calming breath. "Sometimes I really hate you, you know that?" "Yes." He put the empty cup back down. "What happened to all that law and order, Niki?" Lukios'' tone was waspish, surly. "Shouldn''t you arrest me?" "Arrest a dead man?" Nikias shrugged. "That seems like a stupid thing to do. Besides, who''ll rescue poor Eirene of Dentrios if not Lukios the Lion?" "One of these days," Lukios muttered, "you''ll out-clever yourself." Nikias smiled. "But not today." Lukios only sighed. "Fine. Let''s hear it." Nikias cleared his throat. "You''ll like it." "Uh huh." Well, he''d get over it. He always did. "I need you to propose something to Stefanos in my stead." Well, Nikias had had no intention of proposing anything to Stefanos. They had a working relationship, but the man was still a Helios, and he knew it. Rekos would have been Nikias'' first choice, but Rekos was dead, and Lukios was right here. "I''m not asking him to tear down any poor-houses." Lukios paused. "But if it''s a temple, I''ll do it for free." "Not cute. Not funny." This time Nikias rolled his eyes. "Why would I want him to tear down a poor-house? Don''t be a shitheel. No. You''ll like this one." "Mmhmm." That tone was just insulting. Nikias did not tear down poor-houses to make space for temples. He reined it in. "Like I said, this is an opportunity. We have a surplus of unemployed veterans who, for whatever reason, cannot re-enlist. They''re getting restless and violent. They need work." This was a serious issue, and not just because of violence; they were short on soldiers, too. But a cripple was a cripple, and it''d be idiocy to send them into battle. The soldier shortage could not be addressed at present, but the issue of unemployed veterans was relatively simple. Lukios raised an eyebrow. "Go on." "We''re short on slaves, right across the empire." Which was a direct consequence of the disastrous command decisions during the Sander excursion, decisions Nikias had cautioned against; no one had listened to him, of course, on account of his Sanderness. Idiots. "This is the perfect time to push legislation making a percentage of the workforce hired by anyone with an annual income above plethos standards be citizens. It solves both problems at once; we fill in the gaps in the workforce, and the men get work¡ªand money." And men who were preoccupied with feeding their families did not spend their hours fomenting bloody uprisings. Nikias tried his best to discourage bloody uprisings. They were...well, bloody. Unpleasant business, all around. "Huh," said Lukios, and Nikias knew he''d won. "Told you you''d like it." "I wouldn''t go that far." But Lukios'' tone had dropped the sulk. The larger man turned to look at Nikias, raising an eyebrow. "So what do I get in exchange?" "I believe I have already implied I would not have your friends strung up for murder." "Don''t just imply it, Niki." Lukios rolled his eyes again. "You gotta say the thing out loud." Nikias nodded. "Eventually, but only if you agree to the rest." "The rest?" "Yes." Nikias grinned. "I want one of ours making the legislation. I''ll send him along with you when you go to Heliopolis." Lukios sighed. "Stefanos'' gonna hate this, isn''t he?" "Yes." "You hate me." "Don''t be ridiculous, Lukios. I''m very fond of you. That''s why I''m not having you strung up for going on a murder spree in the middle of my city and starting a fire that took out four buildings." "Because it''s more fun to kill me slowly, hm? Am I right, or am I right?" Lukios paused thoughtfully, then added, "And I did not start that fire. Fuck you." "He''s not going to kill you, Lukios. You''re his cousin. His favorite cousin." Nikias imitated his tone. "And I don''t give a fuck if you didn''t start it yourself. It started because of you." Nikias had no doubt he had roped his two gullible friends into doing the dirty work. Askles and Epitus were not the brightest...anywhere. Loyal? Yes. Brave? Yes. Bright? No. "That''s...not as good as it sounds." Lukios grimaced, but Nikias only shrugged. Stefanos was a difficult man, at times, true, but there were worse fates than to be his favorite something. And if he had hated it that much, well. Nikias had already suggested a solution, a solution Lukios had refused. "Well, you should have married my sister when I told you to." Half-sister, actually, but ''sister'' sounded better. It made the refusal more damning. "Sofia hates me and now she hates you too." "She doesn''t hate you. She''s sensible." And it would have made Lukios a nominal Astros, except he had opted to be adopted by Rekos instead. From anyone else it would have been a snub, except Lukios did not quite seem to grasp the concept of how these things worked, and his devotion to Rekos had been¡­ Well, slavish. Which was not at all surprising, considering his background. It was still a little insulting, though. ...More than a little. Not that he was holding a grudge about it. That would be childish. Lukios could not possibly understand what an insult that had been. ...Surely. Lukios held up a hand. "All joking aside," he continued, "you have to sweeten the pot." Nikias raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?" If there was one thing the Lion had in spades, it was audacity. It was amusing when he turned on others, but less so when he turned it on Nikias. "You know this is a hard ask, or you''d have just sent one of your other friends. Or a cousin." This was true. "I''d say the balance is just about right." Lukios was already shaking his head. "No. You want me to go up and kill a bunch of bandits¡ª" "¡ªwhich is something you had to do anyway, on account of lady Eirene being held hostage still¡ª" "¡ªbut you gave me absolute shit for numbers." Now those were fighting words. "I did not." "You did." Lukios was grinning now, that ''I-know-something-you-don''t-know'' grin that was just infuriating. "And if you agree, I''ll sweeten the pot, too." ...Oh? "With what, exactly? You don''t exactly have the bargaining power here." "Oh, get off your high horse. They were gangsters. No one liked them and you don''t actually give a fuck they died. Admit it. I did you a favour, cleaning up those streets." Nikias sighed. "You didn''t. You''ve created a vacancy within the hierarchy of the criminals in this city." He had no doubt that the Bloods and the Sons were plotting their little gang war even now. "The violence will escalate, Lukios. That''s what you''ve done. And I''ll need more sandals on the ground to keep it from spilling into the streets in broad daylight." "Huh." Lukios paused. "Point." He scratched his chin. "Hey, want me to go¡ª" "No." If he hadn''t been exasperated before, he was now. "Will you stop trying to stab every problem to death and think it through? Gangs are like weeds; pull one out, and another one sprouts in the same spot the next day." It was easier to simply set them against each other in a constant state of attrition. "I don''t stab every problem I¡ª" "What''s your deal, Lukios?" Nikias needed to go to bed. He was tired. He was exhausted, and he was starting to lose his edge. Lukios snorted his displeasure, but let it go. He put his hand into the folds of his chiton and pulled out some papers. They looked like they had been torn out of a ledger of some kind. Nikias blinked. Well, he hadn''t been expecting that. "What if I told you that Red Stride Fort doesn''t fit that many bodies?" "I''d say you were bad at math." Lukios smiled. "You''ve never been up there, have you." Obviously not. Why would he? "The point, Lukios." "The size of the canyon limits the size of the fort. Your numbers are too damn high. They''re not fitting in there, not unless they''re sleeping out in the sand¡ªand that''d be just stupid. That''s like begging a cliff-cat to eat you." "Those numbers are calculated based on witness accounts and the lost¡ª" "Except those missing shipments weren''t raided by bandits, Niki. They disappeared here. In Kyros." "The gate guards gave the same numbers." "Your gate guards are lying shits. Someone''s getting his palms greased. I''m serious." Lukios flapped the papers in Nikias'' face. "I can''t believe you missed this. You''re getting old, kid." "Hilarious as ever." Nikias held out his hand. "Let me see it." "Nope. Not until you agree." "To...?" "Lay off Ba''an." ...Wait, what? He must have said it out loud. "I said, ''lay off Ba''an''." Lukios'' expression had gone serious in the space between the first word and the last. "I mean it. You''re upsetting her, and that''s upsetting me." He fixed Nikias with a stern glare. "So stop it." Nikias caught himself, just in time. "I am not...laying on her, as you are so crudely suggesting." What a completely asinine choice of words. "Cut the crap, Niki." Lukios scowled, looking more upset than he had all night. "You''re sure as fuck doing something. What''s gotten into you anyway? There''s nothing wrong with a Sander anyone coming to Kyros in peace. It''s a trade town. It''s what people do." "Nothing." Nikias rolled his eyes and stood. "Nothing''s ''gotten into'' me, Lukios. And you''re right, she has as much right as any other freewoman here, but you must admit it is strange." "What? That she came down here with me ''cause I asked? ''Cause that''s what I did, Niki. I asked her. She hates this place. She only came because of me. So stop." Nikias sighed. "You cannot possibly believe that''s all there is to it. Lukios. You''re nearly thirty. You''re too old to be this na?ve." Lukios started to laugh. "Niki," he said, finally. "You''ve made up something exciting in your head, I get it. But that''s not how the rest of us live." The look he gave Nikias was far too knowing, and therefore, irritating. "She''s not a spy. And she didn''t seduce me; I seduced her. So just stop." "Stop what, exactly?" Nikias kept his tone casual. "Doing my job?" "Investigating her for spycraft, you paranoid prick." Lukios stood, and the two men glared at each other, the previous sense of camaraderie suddenly gone cold. "How odd that you should bring it up," Nikias said, pointedly. "Is that what I should be doing?" "No." Lukios bit the words out. "But you''re not going to believe me, are you?" "If she''s exactly who you say she is, there isn''t a problem." "She is." "Then what are you so worried about, Lukios?" Nikias began walking. Lukios kept pace with ease; he was the taller of the two. "That you''re going to ruin the best thing that''s ever happened to me. That''s what I''m worried about, you heartless fuck." "Watch yourself." Normal mode of speech or not, it was disrespectful. Nikias was an Astros. "And she''s not, Lukios. She may seem like she is, but she''s not." Well, that had come out more bitter than he had wanted¡ªbut it was true. Witches were always bad news. Always. They didn''t love the way normal people did, if they loved at all; the calling was all. The duty. The work. "Oh yeah?" Lukios snorted. "Says the guy getting divorced. Your love life ain''t mine, Niki." Nikias stopped walking, compulsively covering his empty ring finger with his other hand. Perceptive fucker. "Irrelevant," Nikias said, and he was pleased at how steady his voice was. "Let me give you some advice, Lukios, though I know you won''t thank me. You can take the witch out of the shi-vuti, but you can''t take the shi-vuti out of the witch. Understand? Things might feel good now, but feelings change. You''ll be picking your guts up off the floor later." "Well," said Lukios, "you''re right. I''m not thanking you for that pile of nonsense. What the fuck does that even mean? Take the shi-vuti out of the...?" He shook his head. "You need to take a gods-damned vacation. Maybe you''ll be less squirrely after. Get your marbles back in order." "Cute, Lukios. Very cute." Nikias sighed. "I''m not being heartless. I''m being kind." It was true. His hand drifted to his cheek, feeling the ghost of his father''s fist. It had been the first and only time Nidemus had ever struck him. Because of Tii''ka. "Uh huh." Lukios shrugged. "Whatever. I don''t care. My point is, leave her alone and play nice, and if you manage to keep it up aaallll week, I''ll give you a present. Good?" "No." He sighed. "You''re going to be a little prig about this, aren''t you?" "I am not." Nikias glared through the dark. "What''ll you do if she is a spy? You''d be committing treason, you absolute fuckwit. No woman''s worth that." "Watch yourself," he sniped back. "And she''s not." Lukios ran his hand through his hair. "She wouldn''t be caught dead." "Is that so?" "Mhm." Lukios looked remarkably confident; Nikias frowned. "She wasn''t that kind of witch, anyway." Nikias snorted. "Oh? And since when are you such an expert on Sander witches?" ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± Lukios shrugged. ¡°But I love Ba¡¯an and I¡¯m going to marry her, so deal with it.¡± Nikias stopped walking. "What?" "I said," repeated Lukios, "I love Ba''an and I''m going to marry her." He met Nikias'' eyes, unflinching. "So fucking deal with it." Well, shit. Interlude: A Very Lukios Story, Part X (Finale) Caravan Camp, Walls of Kyros Nasra was an old man with greying hair, but he moved like he was younger, being trim and fit. His face was weather-beaten, and when he smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkled. Kershi had not been sold by Nasra, but the boy had seen him selling slaves before at the market. ¡°Nasra!¡± Musa was smiling too, and everyone looked happy to see the merchant. Kershi didn¡¯t understand it, because Nasra had sold Musa to Vaha three years ago. Kershi did not think he would be happy to see the man who had sold him. Whenever he thought of the man, there was a sick feeling in his stomach and his heart always beat faster while he squelched the urge to run away. But Musa and Nasra were hugging now. Hugging. ¡°Maha!¡± And Nasra kept saying Musa¡¯s name wrong, but Kershi was beginning to think Musa was actually Maha, like Bibos was actually Kershi, though the old man had never said what his Before name was no matter how many times Kershi had asked. Heba didn¡¯t seem to think anything was wrong, either. She said something in rapid Ersai, though the Ersai was strange; Kershi couldn''t really understand it. He could make out some words, but they were arranged wrong. And¡­they were holding each others'' hands now, and laughing, which was the same as hugging, anyway. Kershi inched away. Were they being friendly so Nasra would sell them to someone nicer this time? There was another possibility, but Kershi¡­didn''t think that was it. But he didn¡¯t want to think badly of his friends. Maybe it wasn¡¯t too late to run away. Living on the street was better than living with another Vaha, wasn¡¯t it? Except it was too late now. ¡°And who¡¯s this?¡± Nasra turned his cheerful, friendly smile on Kershi, turning to say something to Maha in that same, strange Ersai. Kershi could manage some Ersai himself, but he was out of practice, and Nasra spoke it fast. Really fast. ¡°Kershi!¡± Musa waved him over. Heba smiled, encouragingly, and Kershi glanced at the guards who were stationed around the caravans. They wouldn¡¯t grab him if he ran now, right? Except they were all looking at him now, since Musa was talking in a loud, happy tone that wasn¡¯t like him at all. ¡°Kershi, Kershi! Come here, boy. It¡¯s okay, really. Promise. Come on, Kershi! Come.¡± Musa was all smiles now, too as he continued gesturing, but Kershi still hung back. Nasra simply slapped Musa on the shoulder and ambled over. Nasra smiled and squatted in a friendly way that reminded Kershi very strongly of the crazy man who had burned down the compound. He had the same sort of smile¨Cit looked sweet, but it couldn¡¯t be trusted. ¡°And you are Kershi! Maha told me all about you. You¡¯re a brave one, aren¡¯t you? Most boys your age wouldn¡¯t climb into a burning building. I wouldn¡¯t, either!¡± Kershi licked his lips. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to. But I thought¡­¡± He had thought everyone had been stuck inside, because the crazy man had barred all the doors before lighting the place on fire. How could he stand it if everyone died because he¡¯d run off like that liar surgeon and his assistant? Nasra¡¯s smile only widened. ¡°Modest, too.¡± He put his hand on Kershi¡¯s shoulder and began to guide him toward his own tent. In quiet panic, Kershi threw a glance at Musa over his shoulder, but the older man only smiled encouragingly. Heba had already turned away to chat with one of the guards, seemingly completely at ease. How could she be at ease? They were surrounded. By men with swords, outside the walls! And Nasra was dragging Kershi into a tent. He tried to dig his heels in. ¡°Musa¨C¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be fine, Kershi! Just answer Nasra¡¯s questions honestly and you¡¯ll be just fine!¡± ¡°But Musa¨C¡± Kershi did not like the way his voice cracked, but it couldn¡¯t be helped. Nasra only laughed, pulling him into the tent. Musa waved, and then the tent-flap closed, cutting him from view. Kershi stared, open-mouthed. It wasn¡¯t like the inside of a tent at all. It was like a real room, just round: there were beautiful patterned rugs on the floor, and lamps hung from the poles that held the tent up. Something smelled really good, like the incense Kershi¡¯s mama used to use when she prayed. There was a small desk and chairs made of some dark wood that looked smooth to the touch. It was nice. Really, really nice. It was the nicest place Kershi had ever seen, and he couldn¡¯t believe it was a tent. Nasra hadn¡¯t stopped smiling. He gestured to a seat, and Kershi didn¡¯t understand what he wanted until the merchant laughed and said, ¡°Take a seat, Kershi.¡± ¡°Um.¡± Kershi glanced down at himself. He was very dirty. Then he glanced at the chair. It was very clean, to the point that it was possibly gleaming. Nasra only chuckled. ¡°Really, Kershi. Take a seat. Either one.¡± Kershi made his way gingerly to the nearest seat and¡­perched on it. There was a really nice rug or throw or something over the back and chair, and he did his best to keep from touching it. He¡¯d get it dirty. ¡°Are you hungry? You must be. I think we have some rice left and we can make up a skewer for you.¡± Kershi felt his mouth suddenly water. A skewer? With meat? Nasra only nodded, then poked his head out the flap to speak to whoever was there, before coming back to settle in the other chair. ¡°You should really make yourself comfortable.¡± He was still smiling. ¡°Um,¡± Kershi said again. Nasra only leaned into his own seat¨Cand yes, it did look very comfortable. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the linens. We wash them once we get back.¡± ¡°Back?¡± ¡°To Heliopolis.¡± Oh. Nasra was still speaking. ¡°Yes, I think you¡¯ll like Heliopolis much better than Kyros. More to do, more to see, and more opportunities for a brave, enterprising lad like you.¡± ¡°Um.¡± That was a compliment, right? ¡°Thank you?¡± Nasra only laughed, then poured him a drink from an amphora. It smelled and looked like wine, which was something Sama had warned him against drinking more than once. ¡®It makes you stupid,¡¯ she¡¯d always said, but Sama wasn¡¯t here and Kershi was very thirsty. He grabbed the cup before he could change his mind and chugged, only to cough helplessly as his eyes watered. It sloshed out of the cup and most of it ended up on his shirt. Great. He was going to stink all the way to Heliopolis, now. Nasra seemed amused, handing him a square of cloth. ¡°Perhaps I should not have given you wine. First time?¡± Still coughing, Kershi nodded. It was disgusting. Why did people drink that stuff? For fun? Ew. Nasra picked up a canteen and poured it into the cup. Kershi sipped. Water. That was better. ¡°Well, Kershi,¡± said Nasra, once Kershi had drunk his fill, ¡°Maha told me all about what happened today, but I¡¯d like to hear it from you.¡± Kershi blinked at him. ¡°Why?¡± It would be boring to hear it all again, wouldn¡¯t it? Nasra only smiled again. ¡°Because Maha didn¡¯t see everything, and I¡¯d like a more complete picture.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± But why did that matter? Was Nasra mad that one of his customers was no longer around? But he looked perfectly cheerful. ¡°Uh¡­well¡­¡± He thought of Sama again, and blurted, ¡°Vaha hurt Sama and no one would stop him.¡± ¡°...Who?¡± Nasra looked confused, and Kershi suddenly realized he hadn¡¯t wanted that bit of the story at all. He was asking about the fire. ¡°Uh¡­I mean¡­¡± Kershi scratched his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know where to start.¡± ¡°How about from this morning, then?¡± Kershi nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± He took a deep breath, and began.
¡°¨Cand so I followed him into the sleeping room and he said he¡¯d get a surgeon later, except Sama was in a really, really bad way, so I said I¡¯d get the surgeon. Anyway, he gave me Jaadi¡¯s purse and¨C¡± Nasra raised his hand and Kershi stuttered to a stop. ¡°Did he tell you what his name was?¡± ¡°Um, which ¡®he¡¯?¡± ¡°The crazy one.¡± Nasra seemed particularly amused by this description, though Kershi was not sure why. ¡°Oh. Yes. He said his name was um, Farhad. But the other two called him ¡®Lucky.¡¯¡± Nasra raised an eyebrow, though he did not look particularly surprised. ¡°Farhad? Are you certain?¡± ¡°Uh¡­yes?¡± Kershi was pretty sure he was remembering it right. ¡°And the one-eyed one was called ¡®Klus¡¯? Or something like that. And the red-haired one was ¡®Pitee.¡¯¡± But Nasra didn¡¯t seem very interested in the last two at all. Nasra was smiling again, and he looked very, very pleased. Someone poked their head into the tent. ¡°Food¡¯s done.¡± Kershi¡¯s belly growled, but he was too hungry to feel bashful. His mouth was watering already at the smell. It smelled perfect, just perfect, and when the tray was set on the table he grabbed a skewer and stuffed the meat into his mouth before anyone could object, eying Nasra carefully in case he had to run, real quick. But Nasra only smiled and poured more water into Kershi¡¯s cup, patting him on the shoulder when he coughed on a stray piece of meat he hadn¡¯t chewed properly. ¡°There, there. Eat slowly, Kershi, you¡¯ll choke. There¡¯s more for you once we¡¯re done. You won¡¯t be hungry in my care.¡± Oh. Kershi eyed the merchant, chewing and swallowing quickly. ¡°Am I yours now?¡± Nasra blinked at him. ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Well, we ran away. So we¡¯re runaway slaves. I guess you can¡¯t return us ¡®cause they¡¯re all dead, but does that make you our new owner, then?¡± Kershi wasn¡¯t really sure how that worked, but if the food was always this good, it wasn¡¯t a bad thing, right? Nasra looked startled. ¡°Your new owner? Well¡ªI hadn¡¯t planned on it, no.¡± Kershi gulped down water so he could swallow his latest mouthful. ¡°But I¡¯m a hard worker. You can ask anyone. I don¡¯t mind walking all day, either.¡± Nasra didn¡¯t seem mean, but who was to say his new owner would be the same? Musa and Heva liked him, so surely that meant he was a nice master? Most masters didn¡¯t give their slaves meat. Maybe on feast days. But not just because. Kershi could do a lot worse than Nasra, and if Maha and Heva thought kissing his butt was a good idea, then Kershi would do it, too. Nasra¡¯s expression grew serious. ¡°Tell me something, Kershi. Do you like being a slave?¡± Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. No. ¡°Yes.¡± His eyebrows rose again. ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Um. Yes.¡± ¡°So don¡¯t want to be free anymore? You want to go back to being someone¡¯s slave?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Well, so what if he was a freedman? Food wasn¡¯t free, and once the weather turned he¡¯d freeze on the streets. That was if Kershi managed to avoid the bigger boys or a gang. What if he got caught and sold again, or¡­ Well, there were lots of bad things that could happen on the streets. Really, really bad things. So being a slave was safer. Usually. ¡°Honestly, now, lad. I won¡¯t get angry no matter how you answer, but you have to understand I promised Maha I¡¯d do my best for you. If you really want to be a slave again, we can arrange it, though I can think of a thing or two that¡¯d be better for you. But that¡¯s up to you. So answer honestly.¡± Kershi stared at his feet. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be free if I have to live on the streets. Sir.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t have to. What would you like, Kershi?¡± Kershi stared at him blankly, not really understanding the question. ¡°I want Mama and Sama to be alive again and I want to go home.¡± Mama would have liked Sama a lot, he was sure. But there was no use in wishing for things. Magic wasn¡¯t real, anyway. There was no such thing. Nasra¡¯s expression softened. ¡°I am sorry, Kershi. But I can¡¯t bring your mother or your friend back. The dead are gone, I¡¯m afraid, and all we can do is remember them as we keep on living. I meant, what would you like to do? You¡¯re a clever lad, so I think you could be trained to do some sophisticated work, but if you prefer to toil with your hands, we can place you somewhere more suited.¡± Place him? But he had said Kershi didn¡¯t have to be a slave. Who¡¯d take him without owning him? ¡°I don¡¯t really understand, sir Nasra.¡± Nasra tapped his chin with his fingers. Abruptly, he asked, ¡°How good is your Ersai?¡± ¡°Uh¡­I can speak a little bit? But you and Musa talk really fast. I can manage if its slower.¡± Nasra nodded. ¡°Well, you have plenty of time to improve it. It¡¯ll be a month or so before we¡¯re back in Heliopolis. Why don¡¯t you stick close and help me with this and that? Might help you make up your mind.¡± ¡°Oh. Of course, sir.¡± Now this was even more confusing, but Kershi wasn¡¯t about to complain. Maybe Nasra would keep him if he was useful¡ªthe man was obviously rich. Kershi put more food in his mouth and chewed. Nasra was only looking at him thoughtfully, and eventually Kershi became nervous. ¡°What happens if my Ersai doesn¡¯t get better?¡± ¡°It will.¡± ¡°Um. But what if it doesn¡¯t? Does that mean¡­?¡± Nasra only smiled again, soothingly. ¡°No, no, of course not. But Kershi, you are a child of Er. Every man ought to know his mothertongue, don¡¯t you agree?¡± Well, no. What was the point of learning even more Ersai? Mostly, people spoke Illosian. Heru had always preferred Ersai, but even he, old as he was, had been able to switch back and forth. But there was no point in disagreeing with Nasra. ¡°Yes.¡± Nasra clapped Kershi on the back. ¡°Exactly!¡± He smiled. ¡°You¡¯ll learn quick. We have some songs that are just perfect for practicing. How about that?" At Kershi¡¯s blank stare, Nasra smiled and began to whistle a tune. Kershi had heard it before. It was a popular song, as far as he knew, though he couldn¡¯t remember the words. Even so, he found himself humming along. ¡°Ah,¡± said Nasra, ¡°so you know it!¡± ¡°Mama used to sing it, sir.¡± Sheepishly, he added, ¡°But I don¡¯t remember the name or the words.¡± Nasra clapped him on the back. ¡°Well, that first one¡¯s easy,¡± he said, smiling. ¡°It¡¯s called ¡®Er Eternal.¡¯¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Nasra only ruffled Kershi¡¯s hair, which embarrassed the boy because it was dirty. Soot dislodged and fell to the rugs, but Nasra didn¡¯t bat an eye. ¡°Um,¡± said Kershi, eyeing the rapidly darkening rugs, ¡°sir Nasra¡ª¡± ¡°Not to worry, Kershi,¡± he said. ¡°Just think about what I said, hm? What you¡¯d like to do.¡± He paused, then added, ¡°and we¡¯ll speak in Ersai from now on.¡± ¡°Yes, sir Nasra.¡± ¡°Such good manners, too.¡± Nasra lifted his hand from Kershi¡¯s head. ¡°Well, off you go, then. I think you ought to find Maha¡ªhe said he wants to visit the bathhouse before we leave tomorrow. I¡¯ll have Kema and Rozka take you.¡± A bath? At the bathhouse? Kershi definitely didn¡¯t want to miss that. ¡°Yes, sir Nasra!¡± He bounced to his feet, then paused, looking at the empty dishes. ¡°Should I take them out?¡± Nasra only laughed and waved him away. ¡°Take them where? Do you even know?¡± ¡°Um¡­I could ask?¡± Nasra shook his head, looking both pleased and amused. ¡°No, no. Go find Maha. Off you go, lad.¡± He waved his hand as he said ¡®go¡¯, and Kershi went, looking for Musa as the tent flap closed behind him. He was feeling lighter than he had all day, sooty and tired as he was. ¡°Musa!¡± The old man waved Kershi over. There was an entire gaggle of men and women, and Kershi realized they were all going to the bathhouse together. ¡°Had a nice chat with Nasra?¡± Kershi nodded. ¡°He said I can work for him until Heliopolis, but I have to learn Ersai.¡± Musa clapped the young boy on the shoulder. ¡°Good! You¡¯ll learn a useful thing or two, and I know just the man who¡¯d take you.¡± Really? Kershi smiled, and it felt like the first time in weeks. Musa chuckled and ruffled his hair, then put his hand on the boy¡¯s shoulder to guide him as they made their way back into Kyros¡ªbut this time, they stuck to the main streets. He was free. Kershi was free, and if he worked really, really hard, he would stay that way and have a job. A real job, with someone nice that Musa liked. As they walked toward the bathhouse, Kershi found himself whistling. Er Eternal. What a nice song.
Eirian Quarter, Neva''s Butcher Shop The boys were asleep. Neva stood looking down at his sons for perhaps the third or fourth time now; he did it despite himself, grateful that he would never have to risk losing them now that Heru and Vaha were dead. The Faravahar were gone; those that had not died had fled, and Neva did not think they would be returning to this particular district, Erian or no. It was a great relief, though they had paid a heavy price. He made his way quietly down to the shop, walking through the dark without a candle. He didn''t need one; he knew the shop like the back of his hand. The altar to Anahita still held the sticks of incense from earlier that day. They had burned down and extinguished; he lit a lamp so he could see, then set to work cleaning the altar. It didn''t take long. He poured out lotus wine and placed new sticks of incense around it, one for each man dead: Kouha. Daru. Sani. Kamhi. Aksha... The list continued until he reached seven. Seven men. A heavy price indeed, but, if Neva were perfectly honest... This was not nearly as terrible as it could have been. It could have been more. It could have been all of them, or most of them. It could have been a dark day, but instead it had been one of celebration; celebration because now they were free, but also because they were alive. There would be days of mourning ahead, but today? Today they had not died by the sword, or by the flames, and Neva was very, very glad some crazy Illosians had stopped by at Mahdi''s for breakfast. The gods worked in very strange ways. Afterwards, he went back upstairs and looked at his boys again, who were their own little miracle each; he went to bed, staring up at the ceiling and thinking: thank you. What else was there to say?
Eirian Quarter, Mahdi''s Tabakh ¡®Kles couldn¡¯t remember when he¡¯d fallen asleep, but he jerked awake, twitching at some half-remembered dream sometime before second watch; he didn¡¯t need a water clock to know anymore. The time was just there, in his bones, telling him to wake up and man his station. ¡®Cept he had no station, ¡®cause he was retired now. Honorably discharged, on account of getting a fucking Sander spear to the face, gods-damned goat-fuckers. He shifted, too hot with Pitie¡¯s weight on him. Idiot had rolled over onto him again. With a sigh, Askles shoved the sleeping man off him; he didn¡¯t have long to fall, since they were both sleeping on the floor of Mahdi¡¯s little taverna. Still, Pitie made a satisfying thwacking noise when he landed on the rushes, though he didn¡¯t wake; he just snorted like a pig, stirring once, then went right back to snoring. Go figure. ¡®Kles ran his hand through his hair, grimacing. His mouth felt fuzzy, like something had died in it, which weren¡¯t all that surprising¡ªthey¡¯d feasted and drunk right past first watch. Water. He needed some water. Slowly, he gripped a table leg and stood. Damn, that knee was sore, though ''Kles thought it''d be good again in a week or two. He took a slow, halting step. The inside of the shop had been cleaned out already¡ªno bodies, anyway¡ªand the rushes on the floor were new. ¡®Kles couldn¡¯t even smell the blood anymore, and he suspected Mahdi and his boys had given the place a damn good scrubbing while they¡¯d been taking care of business¡ªMahdi¡¯s business. ¡®Kles went as quietly as he could. His head spun the way it did when he had too much wine, but he was still careful not to step on Pitie as he made his way behind the counters. Most taverna had a jug of water somewhere. He just needed something to drink, then he¡¯d go right back to bed. Well, sleep. The floor was comfortable enough with blankets, anyhow. Lucky the moon was bright. Light spilled from the high windows, the wooden shutters doing little to keep the moonbeams out. If ¡®Kles squinted, he could pick out the shapes of the jugs and things on the counter in the way the shadows fell. Ah ha. There. ¡®Kles unstoppered the jug and sniffed. Yup. Water. He brought it to his mouth and drank, gulping eagerly; he only stopped when the water did. Huh. That hadn¡¯t been much. But it had been enough to clear his mouth a bit, though his head still pounded. He made his way slowly back to the little pile of blankets. ¡®Kles would never say so, but it was good that Pitie was sleeping right next to him. The nights had gotten chillier, and the fire beneath the counter had been banked already. They¡¯d settled down as close to the stone as was practical, but it was still nice to have someone warm next to him, even if that someone stank and snored like a greasy pig. The coins in his belt clinked softly against each other, and ¡®Kles grinned despite himself. Damn, what a day. ¡®Kles hadn¡¯t gotten so damn bloody since the last time he¡¯d gone Sander-killin¡¯, and that had been five years ago, though¡ª Ha. ¡®Kles settled back down and pulled the blanket back up. They still had it, huh? Because, well, damn. Who would¡¯ve thought two crippled veterans and a blockhead could clean out a filthy den of gangsters? Not ¡®Kles. He touched his eye, remembering his close call. If Pitie hadn¡¯t been there¡ª Well. If Pitie hadn¡¯t been around, ¡®Kles wouldn¡¯t have been, either, and Lucky wouldn¡¯t have been so lucky now, would he? His grin broadened. Maybe they could take those fucking bandits up at the fort. Lucky¡¯s plan weren¡¯t that bad, and he wasn¡¯t half so crippled as ¡®Kles had thought he¡¯d been, not with the way he¡¯d jumped up and down the tables¡ª ¡®Kles sat up, suddenly wide awake. The tables. Lucky had been jumping up and down on the fucking tables. ¡°Pitie.¡± Askles yanked the blanket off his slumbering friend. Pitie only grunted and whined, curling up around himself as the cool air hit his skin. ¡°Pitie. Pitie!¡± The freckled man only continued snoring. Askles smacked him on the shoulder and Pitie jumped, sounding just like a cat that¡¯d gotten its tail under a sandaled foot. ¡°Shhh! Pitie!¡± ¡°What the fuck, ¡®Kles? What¡¯s yer problem now?¡± Pitie was hunched over, holding his shoulder protectively. ¡°I weren¡¯t sleeping on yer side.¡± But Askles didn¡¯t care about that. Not now. ¡°Pitie.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Lucky. Lucky was jumpin¡¯ on tables. Lucky.¡± ¡°Yeah? So?¡± Pitie yawned. ¡°Lucky likes jumpin¡¯ around. He¡¯s a big ol¡¯ kitty cat." ¡°Pitie.¡± Askles gripped his friends arm. ¡°Remember how I got this?¡± He pointed to his face. ¡°Yeah.¡± Pitie¡¯s face was in shadow, but Askles could hear the frown in his voice. ¡°Were real bloody and shit.¡± ¡°Yeah. I got real fuckin¡¯ bloody, and so did Lucky.¡± Pitie¡¯s silence was full of confusion. ¡°Right. ¡®Cause his horse threw him and he¡­¡± ¡°Broke his knee. Pitie. His knee. It went off sideways. He retired, same as me.¡± Pitie¡¯s silence grew thicker. ¡°But, ¡®Kles¡­he¡­¡± ¡°He was jumpin¡¯ on tables today. Skulking around hallways. Lucky.¡± ¡®Kles reached out and gripped Pitie¡¯s shoulders. The man squirmed a little, but ¡®Kles held fast, hissing out his words in a low, urgent voice: ¡°Pitie. How the fuck is he runnin¡¯ and jumpin¡¯ on tables? He was crippled. Crippled.¡± The bone-saw had taken one look and shaken his head. Lukios hadn¡¯t been able to run, never mind jump, for five fucking years. He could hobble around a bit and maybe even walk half-way fast if he had a walking stick, but the man was damn proud and never used one. Eventually, he¡¯d learned to limp as little as possible and pretend, but ¡®Kles knew he ran the Pride from horseback, knowing better than to lead with his sandals on the ground. Aristos did the footwork for him. It had been like that for five years. So how the fuck was Lucky running around now, like he¡¯d never had his knee bashed in? Pitie sounded confused. ¡°He got better?¡± ¡°You heard the bone-saw. He was lucky to walk again. Said he might not. ¡®Member?¡± Pitie went silent again. ¡°¡¯Kles,¡± he said, very slowly when began speaking again, ¡°You don¡¯t mean¡­¡± ¡°Pitie.¡± ¡®Kles dropped his voice even lower. ¡°You were right.¡± ¡°¡¯Kles.¡± ¡°You were right. You were fucking right the first time.¡± ¡°¡¯Kles.¡± This one was higher pitched, nervous. ¡°It was her. Pitie. You were right. It was her. Ba''an. She''s a¡ª¡± ¡°¡¯Kles.¡± Pitie gripped ¡®Kles¡¯ arms, glancing around the quiet taverna like there were people listening in the walls. ¡°You gotta be quiet. We can¡¯t let people hear¡ªhe said he wouldn¡¯t bring a witch here. He said. He wouldn¡¯t fuck one. That¡¯s what he said. He said so.¡± ¡°Right,¡± ¡®Kles muttered. ¡°He said.¡± ¡°Lucky wouldn¡¯t lie to us, ¡®Kles.¡± Askles stifled the urge to shake the man. Anyone who¡¯d met Lukios twice knew the man was a damn good liar¡ªonly Pitie still believed everything that came outta his mouth. But Lukios never lied mean¡ªnot that ¡®Kles knew, anyway. ¡®Kles wouldn¡¯t have nothing to do with him if he did. There was only one conclusion that made any damn sense. ¡°She witched him,¡± ¡®Kles said, finally. ¡°Just like you said.¡± Even in the wan light of the moon, ¡®Kles saw Pitie¡¯s eyes widen ¡®til he could see the whites all around ¡®em. Askles felt his mouth harden into a line. Lucky had lied to them, and there was only one reason that made sense. ¡°She witched him.¡± Chapter Thirty-seven: Bathhouse Conversations, Part I ¡°Lukios. Take a bath.¡± Ba¡¯an pushed him off her and sat up, wrinkling her nose. ¡°You smell.¡± Lukios blinked at her, then sniffed himself. ¡°Really?" He frowned, then sniffed again. "Is it that bad?¡± ¡°Yes. You smell like you rolled through a¡­a¡­¡± Ba¡¯an inhaled tentatively, then grimaced. ¡°¡­meat shop on fire then ran laps around Kyros in the sun. Then you rolled in the dirt and swam through a vat of wine.¡± It was far worse than she could express; she could scarcely believe she had slept, though her dreams had been deeply¡­odd. She did not remember them all, but they had involved stumbling through exactly thing thing she had just described: a Dolkoi''ri butcher¡¯s shop on fire and a lake of wine. It was no mystery why. She eyed his hair, then the pillows. It was difficult to see in the near darkness of the room, but she suspected those shadows on the surface were black streak marks. What, exactly, had he done to himself? He laughed. ¡°Not that far off, actually.¡± She glared. ¡°I¡¯m going, I¡¯m going!¡± He paused, then looked at her thoughtfully. ¡°You know Ba¡¯an, it¡¯s awfully early in the morning.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t even know what I was going to¡ª¡± ¡°I am not bathing with you here. We are guests. It is rude.¡± ¡°Ha. Okay, how about¡­¡± And that was how Ba¡¯an was cajoled into getting up at an ungodly hour to go to the public baths. It was ludicrous. There was no one else there, likely because it was still mostly dark outside. The attendant that had appeared had looked annoyed and sleepy; Ba¡¯an had no doubt Lukios had woken him. The look he had given them both could be described as hostile at best. Why had she let him talk her into this? ¡°This water is filthy.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not. We¡¯re the first people here.¡± ¡°But it simply¡­sits here. They do not change it every day. I can smell it.¡± ¡°Well, okay, not every day, but they have drains, Ba¡¯an. They do change it out.¡± Ba¡¯an stared at the still pools of water with slowly dawning horror. ¡°No. I will not sit inside this¡­cesspool of filth. Lukios. Others have scrubbed inside this pool. They have not changed the water. The filth is¡­is¡­simply¡­sitting there. No.¡± It was not that sharing bathwater was a foreign idea; the People lived in the sands. Water was precious. But even then, they did not share their bathwater with strangers. Family, most certainly, and perhaps close friends, but the entire saa-vuti vur? No. It was as ludicrous as it was disgusting. Had they truly no sense of batabata? She glanced at the steaming water again. It would be acceptable if they boiled the pool every night, but Ba''an knew they did not. They kept it warm, which was exactly the perfect home for all the tiny creatures that brought disease; being too small to be seen did not mean they were not there. She shuddered. Revolting. Lukios looked down at the pool, frowning. ¡°Okay, that¡¯s true. So you¡¯re worried about the pools, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Here.¡± He guided her to a spot by the wall; there were stone benches there, as well as some charming stone tables that were perfect for placing towels or other items. There was even a hole in the floor with an elaborately carved metal drain. There seemed to be a theme to the carvings: half-naked women with fishtails and...fish. Ba¡¯an craned her head up. There was a spout resembling some water-bound monster. It had horns, which struck her as somewhat silly: why would a water-bound creature need horns? There were many such arrangements around the large pool, which was clearly the centerpiece. It was a very elaborate place to bathe, and Ba''an suspected this place was not strictly for cleanliness. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡± He left, and she listened to his footsteps fade away. She shifted, shivering a little now that he was not warming her with his proximity. She heard his soul join the attendant''s, and then the attendant stepped away, deeper into the compound; there was a distant creaking, and the sound of running water reached her ears. By the time Lukios returned, water was already flowing from the spout, splashing onto the tiles. ¡°We¡¯ll skip the soak. How¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Acceptable.¡± He laughed at that, then leaned in to kiss her forehead. Ba''an wrinkled her nose as the smell; it made her nose itch and her eyes water. Ugh. She leaned away, eying him suspiciously. What, exactly, had he gotten up to the other day? What do you think, abomination? Ba''an refrained from reacting. She did not like the creature''s tone. Lukios looked at her and made an amused noise that was far too cheerful for the hour. "Okay, okay!" He stepped back and raised his arms, but then he ruined it by grinning and saying, "Can you do that wrinkly nose thing again?" She rolled her eyes. "Lukios. You stink. Wash yourself immediately." In the end they sat on the stone benches arranged all around the pools and used the buckets. The water was cold, but it was clean. Lukios seemed to be in a good mood, trying to close the distance between them, but Ba''an put her hand on his chest and pushed him away each time, not at all impressed by his antics. Eventually, Lukios realized sneaking closer would not work, and settled for giving her long, mournful looks, making his eyes go wide and tragic as he slumped in his seat. Ba''an only raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. There would be no cuddling until he was clean. None. "Aw, sweetheart. I can''t be that bad. I scrubbed off in a fountain before I got back. Really! I did!" Now that was mildly horrifying. In the fountain? Did the men not urinate into such pools? Drunken Dolkoi''ri men were like dogs¡ªthey simply relieved themselves anywhere, uncaring of who was there on the street with them, watching. Ugh. "But what is it?" Ba''an eyed the dark streaks in his hair with suspicion. Whatever he had used reeked. It was disgusting, and she did not think it was very fast at all; one good washing would take the colour right out. "What did you do all day, Lukios?" "It''s just the usual dye, sweetheart." He began sliding closer; she put her hand on his chest, glaring. His eyes went wide and mournful again, but Ba''an only handed him a bucket. With a little sigh, he took it obediently, filled it, and dumped it over his head. He began scrubbing. "And I was just with ''Kles and Pitie." He shrugged, eyes suddenly clear and not particularly mournful. "Nothing too exciting, really." Tik-tak Mal''uk seemed to find this very amusing. Odd. Hm. "It reeks, Lukios. Surely there is something else you may use, if it is very important?" Being recognized by the shop boy had alarmed him, she was sure. "I guess. But this is Kyros." He shrugged. "There isn''t much in the way of options here, sweetheart." She soaked the washing cloth and squeezed it out, then came up behind him to scrub his back. Lukios sighed, sounding perfectly happy, and relaxed beneath her ministrations. "There! I don''t stink so bad now, do I?" Ba¡¯an had been wrong. He was not an overgrown cat. He was an overgrown puppy. With milk teeth. If he¡¯d had a tail, it would have been wagging frantically. "It is tolerable." She worked the cloth over his shoulders, then down his spine, taking care to be gentle, if thorough. ¡°Ha! I''ll take it. Mmmhm. It¡¯s been a while since we¡¯ve done this now, huh?¡± ¡°It has not been two weeks, Lukios.¡± ¡°That¡¯s still a long time!¡± ¡°We have very different definitions of ¡®a long time¡¯,¡± she said dryly. ¡°Aw, come on Ba¡¯an. I know you like it when I wash your hair. You always say your arms get tired.¡± It was true. Ba¡¯an had not cut her hair since leaving the tribe, and it had grown longer than she had ever had it. Washing her hair took a great deal of time and effort. She had been tempted to cut it all off many, many times, except... Thu¡¯rin had always loved her hair. She had not been able to do it, in the end. ¡°That is true.¡± If she lapsed into silence too long, he would grow concerned. It was not kind to think of Thu¡¯rin while she was with Lukios. ¡°Ba¡¯an?¡± Ah. Too late. She tipped her head down and kissed him. ¡°It is nothing.¡± He smelled much better now, though a faint, coppery smell still lingered. ...Surely not. He had promised. Tik-tak Mal''uk''s amusement had not abated. If anything, it was even more delighted than it had been before. Ahhhh. The smell of lies in the morning. So bracing. Lukios looked up at her. ¡°If you say so,¡± he said, doubtfully. He refrained from pushing, and instead closed his eyes and leaned into her touch, tipping his head back. His hair was thick and wavy. Ba¡¯an liked it quite a lot, though it was a shame he kept it cut as short as he did. Now that it was clean, she did not resist the urge to run her fingers through the wet strands. She gently scratched his scalp and his head lolled into her hands, making some very scandalous moaning noises as he did so. "Very funny, Lukios." "Ha! You know you love it." He was grinning again, she could tell. It would not take long for him to begin speaking again. Ba''an half-suspected that nothing short of gagging him would keep him quiet for long, and even then, he would simply chew through the strap. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. She scritched his scalp again, secretly delighted by his expression. That was a very, very wide smile. ...Was he wriggling his toes? ¡°Mmm. Ba¡¯an?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Before I forget¡ªAskles wants us to meet Chloe. Want to do lunch on Aphrod¨ªt¨¥s?¡± ¡°Oh. Aphrod¨ªt¨¥s?¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­hm, three days from now.¡± ¡°I see. Yes, of course.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll let him know.¡± He sighed as she rubbed the back of his neck. Odd. His muscles were tense and stiff. ...What had he been up to? Surely nothing too terribly taxing? Frowning lightly, she pressed down on the hard knot just above his shoulder blades. Lukios groaned dramatically. "Magic. I swear, sweetheart. Your fingers are magic." Ba''an only sniffed delicately. Well. She was¡ª Had been a witch. One who had sat in the healing home almost exclusively, in fact; Lukios did not realize how truly lucky he was. ¡°Lukios?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± He sounded relaxed and happy now, and Ba''an felt the corners of her mouth turn up of their own volition. Well, why not? It was not as though there was anyone else here to see it. She cleared her throat. "What did you do with your friends yesterday?" "Oh. Uh..." There was a beat before he spoke. "Well, I took them out for um...breakfast." "Your breakfast stank like a butcher''s shop and a vat of wine?" She looked at him quizzically. "Lukios...did you decide to wear it?" "Ha!" Lukios chortled. "Now that would be something, wouldn''t it?" He shook his head. "No, no. There were some assholes at the taverna so we uh, had an argument, and then we made friends with the locals and one of them was a butcher. Nice kids, nice shop. Oh, and there was a fire." "...What?" Lukios laughed. "Oh, it went fine. The fire brigades came and put it out. And then there was a party. Um. That''s the wine." He shrugged. "Nothing too exciting. I guess putting that fire out took some doing. Got sweaty." Ah. Ba''an sighed. "Lukios, that was very dangerous." "Uh...I was really careful!" He tilted his head up to smile at her so charmingly that she was immediately suspicious. "Like I said, it wasn''t anything too exciting. Except for the fire. Total accident." His eyes went wide and earnest. "Couldn''t let that spread, could we?" He is lying. Well, Tik-tak Mal''uk sounded remarkably cheerful for a bearer of bad news¡ªif it was news. "Yes." She eyed him. He did not seem to have any burns or bruises, though she would not know if he had injured something inside. "I wondered why you are so stiff." She pressed her thumbs down and he groaned. "I should put out fires more often. Ahhh, that''s nice." And now he was flopping like a boneless fish, ha. "Now that is very silly, Lukios." Hm, perhaps she ought to use her elbow here? It was not like Lukios to ignore a fire; of course he would help. Listen to him, stupid child. Listen. He is an outlander. They are deceitful creatures. You lie whenever you speak, Ba''an retorted. She slipped her arms around his shoulders and kissed his cheek; he turned abruptly, hands closing around her as he lifted her onto his lap, mouth on hers as she squealed in surprise. Oh no, stupid child, Tik-tak Mal''uk was saying. An unpleasant truth is a truth all the same. She ignored it, relaxing into Lukios'' warm hold. Ah, yes. This was much better¡ªthe water was cold, to the point that she almost glanced toward the steaming pool with longing. Almost. "I don''t stink now," Lukios cooed, "do I?" He peppered her mouth and throat with kisses; Ba''an slid her arms around his neck, then paused. "Lukios." She glanced at the far wall, listening to the attendant, who now seemed awake and alert. "This is a public bathhouse. We are in public." "But we''re alone here," he protested. "And I didn''t see you allll day yesterday." He kissed her one more time on the mouth, chastely. "You missed me, right?" Ba''an fixed him with a stern look. "Lukios." "But you missed me." He nuzzled her. "I missed you, too." "It was only a day, Lukios." She tucked his wet hair behind his ear and kissed his jaw. "Felt like forever," he grumbled. "You wouldn''t believe how much ''Kles whined all day." Ba''an lifted an eyebrow. "Over breakfast?" Lukios snorted. "No. Over...well, you know. Helping out here and there." He shrugged. "Man would absolutely look a gift horse in the mouth." Ba''an felt her brows knit. "...Is this rude?" Lukios started laughing. "Oh yeah. That''s definitely rude." He glanced toward the entryway then snuck in another kiss. "Well, guess I can''t really complain. Had my back all day and I think he might have thrown his knee." Lukios shrugged. "Was limping a bit. Not too bad, though." "He fell? Or...he overhauled?" "Oh uh..." Lukios gave a little laugh that sounded suspiciously...nervous. ...Nervous? Lyyyyyiiiinng. Was the creature singing? Ba''an ignored it. Lukios cleared his throat. "Well, we might have tussled with the assholes a bit"¡ªhis gaze flicked over her face and he added, hastily¡ª"but I did not punch anyone!" ...Was Tik-tak Mal''uk chuckling? Ba''an frowned. "He was injured fighting?" Lukios scratched his cheek. "Probably. Didn''t look too bad, though." He sighed. "Yeah, I should go check up on him. Get a surgeon to take a look." Lukios drew her closer and rubbed his nose against hers until she turned her face and sneezed. He was grinning again. "But not right away." He nipped at her. "We have some catching up to do, don''t we?" By his tone, Ba''an did not think it was the sort of catching up that involved much speaking. "Yes." She continued blandly, "There are no spirits at the estate." "Huh?" Lukios stared at her, puzzled. "Nikias, Lukios." Ba''an stood. Lukios made a noise that was more often heard from very small, sad animals than grown men as she slipped from his grasp. "What about him?" Hm. Now he sounded much more upset than he had all morning. "Forget that prick. I already told him not to pull any more bullshit or I''d feed him his own¡ª" "You threatened him?" "Well¡ªno. Maybe. No. I mean, I was definitely not threatening him." Lukios scowled. "Oh, come on. He''s decided to be a prick, so he deserves some pricking back." Ba''an sighed. "It is better if he believes he has the upper-hand, Lukios. If he believes he is clever, and we are none the wiser." Lukios coughed quietly. "Uh. About that..." Oh.
Ba''an gave in and pinched the bridge of her nose. "But you did not thrash him." "Oh, come on. No, I did not thrash Niki. Not that he wouldn''t have had it coming." Lukios sounded distinctly sulky. She could not see his expression because he was washing her hair; despite his tone, his touch was gentle and steady. "But you argued. And now you are not speaking to each other." "Well, we both went to bed. So I guess not." Lukios sighed. "I dunno, sweetheart. He''s being a real little shit about this whole thing." She heard him scratch the back of his head, then she felt him straighten, voice going cheery. "But the good news is, he doesn''t have any idea that you''re...you know. He''s assumed you''re a spy, or thereabouts. Thinks the A''tat sent you, or something stupid like that." She tilted her face back just in time to see him make a face. "Ugh. Politicians. I swear. Assassins and spies everywhere. Gods. Who wants to live like that?" "Some consider it a fair trade." Power was the same everywhere, it seemed. Lukios snorted. "I don''t." He shook his head. "Don''t know how your people do it, but around here? Poisons, stabbings, drownings, trampled by horses...the list of awful ways to die just goes on and on. And you know the worst part?" He poured a bucket of water over her head and she rinsed the cleaning oils out. They smelled very floral and sweet, and they made her hair feel soft after. Ba''an rather liked them a great deal, though not as much as the food. "No." "That knife in the dark? Hired¡ªor held¡ªby someone you love. Almost always." He made a noise of disgust. "Well, in the big families, at least. There''s always someone in line, you know? And sometimes they want their turn faster. It''s sick." Ba''an frowned. House Helios was a big family, was it not? And he sounded so certain. ...Would Lukios be safe in Heliopolis? Alone? Without Rekos? "Lukios..." "Uh...now that sounds worried." He moved his hands down and rubbed her neck. "Relax, sweetheart. I told him to stop being a little shit and he got mad. He''ll get over it, especially once I kill those stupid¡ªuh. Once I clean up his messy city. Province. Ahem." Ba''an turned around. "Kill the¡ª?" Lukios cleared his throat. "I mean, can''t raid a fortress without killing a few...you know. Uh." Lukios made a valiant attempt to pull her into his lap, but she stilled his movement with her hands on his forearms, fixing him with a hard stare. "Lukios. You said you would not be raiding any forts." "I''m not! I''m just uh...scouting? For numbers." "That is not what you said." "Sweetheart. I can''t leave Eirene up there. It''s been five months. She''s pregnant." "That is why you must say yes. I can fly over the fort. I can report numbers. I can¡ª" Kill them by herself, if needed. It was in the middle of the desert. Who would know if the cliff wall collapsed beneath the fort during a storm? If the men could not get out? She only needed to know which room Eirene was held in, but that would be easy; she only had to fly about the fortress for a day to know. It would be very easy if he brought his men after the storm; they would hardly have to fight at all. They would only need to escort the girl back to Kyros for care, then take her to Heliopolis. Why was he being so unreasonable? "No, no, no. That''s definitely not why I asked you to come to Kyros. No. Sweetheart, this is not your mess. It''s my mess. An outlander mess. You don''t want any piece of this mess, Ba''an. You have enough to deal with, since...you know." He finally succeeded in tugging her onto his lap again, running his hands over her back in an attempt to soothe her. "No crow sightings while you''re in Kyros, sweetheart. It''s way too dangerous, Ba''an. I''m serious. The guys I''m taking up there are serious, and they seriously hate crows. No." "It is in the middle of the desert, Lukios. Who will report back? The cliff-cats?" "Ba''an. Sweetheart." Lukios seemed to be thinking very hard about what came out of his mouth next. "I''m not saying you''re not...capable. I''m just saying it''s not something for you to...worry about. Or deal with." And yet he looked deeply bothered, mouth uncharacteristically turned down. "What is it that worries you so, Lukios? Surely not being spotted. It is the desert." His jaw tightened. Ba''an blinked, surprised. "Lukios?" "I don''t like it." At her blank look, he clarified. "Your magic. I don''t like it when you use it." ...Ah. Of course he did not. For all his strangeness, he was still an outlander, one who had faced the might of the People¡ªand the Stormcrow¡ªin battle. "I understand it is very unnerving, Lukios, but¡ª" "No." He shook his head decisively. "No. That''s not it." He held her wrist up, encircling it with his fingers. "It keeps you real skinny. And I can always tell, you know. When you do something big and witchy." He reached out with his other hand to tuck her hair behind her ear. "You never look too good¡ªlike you could eat a horse or something." He leaned back and repeated, in a very matter-of-fact tone, "I don''t like it." ...Ah. She refrained from squirming through force of will alone. Tik-tak Mal''uk was laughing already. I wonder what he will do if you tell him? That you will die soon, because you are too stubborn to feed like a proper soul-eater? Perhaps you deserve each other. "That is not...Lukios, that is not your prob¡ª" "Yes it is." He gave her an exasperated look. "If you can worry about me going up and killing bandits, I can worry about your magic making you hungry. And sick." He gave her a sharp look. "I don''t ever want to find you that way again, Ba''an. So stop." Oh no. Did he think she had fallen in the Eye because she had over-extended herself? Of course he did. Tik-tak Mal''uk''s body had become something that did not resemble a flesh-and-blood being, and he could not feel the remnants of a magical battle, only see the remnants of the storm she had summoned. "No, no, Lukios. You misunderstand. I did not¡ªI did not become so ill because of my magic. It is because I battled a...a powerful creature, and I..." "Used too much magic, right?" "No. There is no such thing." Lukios only lifted an eyebrow. "Really? So you can just keep bringing down rain and lightning and not even feel it?" "...No." "Yeah, that''s what I thought. Bet it''s like running up and down a mountain." He stuck his finger in her face. "No magic unless you have to. And this mess with the bandits doesn''t fall under ''have to''." "Lukios." Ba''an crossed her arms, glaring, though it was very difficult to be intimidating while wet and naked and sitting in his lap. "You cannot command me." He only grinned. "Oh yeah?" "Lukios." "Well, that''s true..." Still grinning, he stuck his face close to hers. "But know what that means? It means you can''t order me around either!" "I am not commanding you. I am giving you¡ªgiving you¡ªwise counsel. That fort is positioned quite cleverly, Lukios. It will be difficult, if not impossible, to break through, even if you had a hundred men, and¡ª" But Lukios was laughing. "Lukios?" She scowled. "What is so funny?" "Oh, sweetheart. No, no. I''m not going to ride up to the gates and knock. Hahaha, no, no. I told you, we can''t bring soldiers up there¡ªat least not ones we can see." Ba''an let her scowl deepen. "Lukios." Lukios took one look at her face and began cackling anew. "Oh, Ba''an, Ba''an. Sweetheart. Come on. I''d never do something so stupid." "Lukios." He was still snickering, but he managed to calm himself long enough to talk. "Oh, sweetheart. Sweetheart. I''m insulted. Really. Really!" Ba''an only sighed and waited, very patiently. The only thing to do was to wait him out; eventually, he calmed himself enough to lean forward until they were nose to nose. "Ba''an?" "Yes, Lukios?" Smiling, he rubbed her nose with his. Ba''an only continued with her flat glare. Not at all put out, he kissed her before he spoke. "Sweetheart. You ever hear of the Truwisian Horse?" Chapter Thirty-eight: Bathhouse Conversations, Part II Ba''an stared. Lukios stared back, grinning. "See?" he said. He seemed to be preening. "I came up with something clever, just like I promised. Didn''t I?" He had. Except... "It is a good plan, Lukios." Ba''an paused. "But...there are many risks. What will you do if the bandits do not take the wagons? Or if there is something wrong with the mechanism? Then the false bottom will not open, and you will be stuck." "Testing, sweetheart. The key is always testing, testing, and even more testing, and then girding your balls in case someone kicks ''em in." Ba''an frowned at him. Was that manner of description strictly necessary? Lukios'' grin only widened. "And they''re bandits, sweetheart. They''re going to want the wagons and every damn thing in it, including the horses that hauled it." He seemed truly excited now, taking her hands in his. "See? This way, Eirene gets escorted from the fort and she''ll be safely away by nightfall, at which point we come out into the courtyard and..." He made a gesture across his throat. It was ruthless. And brilliant. And yet... "The day will be long and hot, Lukios. The heat can be deadly. How will you...?" "We''ll have some water. We can stick a reed into the waterskin and seal around it with beeswax. As for other urges, well...we''ll have to hold it. Won''t be too bad, though¡ªby the time we get up there, it''ll be late afternoon, anyway. The sun goes down fast this time of year." She could not quite argue with that. "But...surely I can...fly about the fort in case something goes wrong, and¡ª" "Ba''an." He arched a single eyebrow. "It''s fine. You know it''s fine. It''ll work. They might check the barrels, but they''ll never suspect the wagons." He rubbed his fingers over her knuckles. "Wanna see ''em? The schematics. I sketched ''em myself, y''know?" He was nearly vibrating, expression eager as he spoke, eyes shining. He had? Ba''an had not known Lukios had a talent for such things, though she suddenly remembered how he had sized up her walls and promised her new shelves. Perhaps he was talented at such things. Moreso than she had guessed. "If...it is convenient." "Anything you want, sweetheart!" His expression grew even sunnier. "We can swing by the barracks later. Anyway, while we''re waiting on those wagons, we''re going to ride out and talk to the farmers. See what they say about the raids, just in case. You know, for the numbers. But I think I have a good idea already." He pulled her closer, and Ba''an leaned into his heat. Yes, it was very cold now that the water was drying from her skin. He kissed her temple and murmured, "It''s clever, right? Go ahead and say so, Ba''an. I''ll wait." Well, it was true. "It is very clever, Lukios." He pressed his lips against her cheek, smiling. "But it sounds too perfect. Plans always fall apart; surely you must have some men hiding elsewhere?" "Uh...well, I would, except then your people might decide we''re declaring war again and swoop in to kill the lot of us. That''d be...bad. Ha." He reached for a towel and began wrapping her in it, taking note of her growing shivers. "So, anyway. You don''t have to fret, Ba''an. In fact, I think I have an even better idea, which is for you to take a look at Eirene if you don''t want to leave for your not-vuti instead. I mean, you don''t have to¡ªI''m going to have a doctor with me when we go up there to make the trade¡ªbut you can come if you want, just in case. I think she might like having a woman-doctor instead of a man-doctor, you know? On account of...well. The bandits." Ah. A peace-offering. Ba''an sighed. "I will not return to my not-vuti, Lukios. I would prefer to go with you in a wagon¡ª" "No. Absolutely not¡ª" "¡ªbut I understand you have chosen men you have fought alongside already." She glared at him. "Do not interrupt me. That is rude." He held up his hands. "Got it, got it. Heh." They stood, and Lukios wrapped a towel around himself as well, then reached over and squeezed the water from her hair. "I mean, I appreciate the thought, sweetheart. But this is...well, like I keep saying. It''s outlander business, and I don''t think it''s a good idea for you to go up as...you know? But I think Eirene would be lucky to have you there, just in case." "If you wish for me to care for Eirene, I will do so." And he was correct besides; Ba''an did not think a girl who had been abused for five months would wish to be cared for by a man, doctor or not. It was wise for him to think of this. He leaned over to kiss her again, gently. "Thanks, Ba''an." His smile was beatific now that he had gotten his way¡ªagain. Yes, Lukios did also have a talent for getting his way. It was maddening, though she could not bring herself to be angry; why would she be? He was clever and kind and strong, and he wished to marry her, and...she... ...had to tell him. Ba''an had thought of it all day in his absence. Had thought of Arete. Lukios could choose another woman¡ªmany other women¡ªif he so wished. Ba''an knew that she would never feel quite as happy as she should if she won him through deceit; she would always wonder if he would have married her over Arete or some other Dolkoi''ri woman of rank for as long as she held her secret, and with each passing month, each passing year, her happiness would dwindle as her lies grew. She could not marry him with this lie between them. She had to tell him, even if... Even if it led to him leaving her. It was his choice; she could not take it from him. But not now. After. After this task was finished¡ªwhen he could afford the distraction. Not now. Ah. Excuses, excuses. You are very good at those, it seems. Ba''an grimaced. I did not ask for your opinion. Be silent. Or else what, abomination? You''ll kill me? Again? Ha. Do a proper job of it this time, so I do not have to sit through your pathetic mewling. "Something wrong?" Lukios put his arm around her as they picked up their things and made their way to the changing room. "It is nothing," she said. "It is good that Eirene will be rescued soon." "Oh boy," said Lukios. "You can say that again. Still have to convince ''Kles and Pitie to come along. I think Pitie''ll do it, but he works better when ''Kles is around, you know? Not saying there''s anything wrong with him. Just...I don''t know, ''Kles is good at explaining it so he gets it quick." Lukios shrugged. "Must be experience, or something like that." "Who else will you take with you? Have you decided?" "Yeah. I''m still waiting on Aristos to get here. If we''re lucky Altus''ll come along, but I''m not holding my breath. It''s a long ways from Heliopolis up to Kyros, and I''m not even sure if my messenger made it. But Aristos''ll come for sure, and he''ll bring whoever he can muster." "Aristos? Altus?" Lukios only smiled. "Yeah. Altus is my third. I heard he went back down to Heliopolis when I, uh, ''died'', so he''s a bit out of ways. Aristos is my¡ªwell, he''s my second. He''s also my brother, so you don''t have to wo¡ª" "He is?" Ba''an stared up at him, curious now. "You have not mentioned him before." "Well, he''s not a Helios." Lukios shrugged. "We''re pretty much the same, ''cept he was never adopted by anyone." He paused, then added, "Half-brother, if you''re counting, I guess." "Oh." Ba''an felt her brows knit. What did that mean, exactly? That they were ''the same''? "On your mother''s side or¡ª" But Lukios was already shaking his head. "No, no. He''s...um. As far as we know, he''s from...the same man." Ba''an tried to catch his eye, but he was staring straight ahead¡ªdeliberately. ''The same man.'' Not ''father.'' Ba''an suspected Lukios was not fond of the man who had sired him. It was time to tread lightly. "Oh. So your mother...she only had you?" If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. The answer came fast. "Yes." Lukios looked at her and smiled again, but disturbingly, it did not seem to reach his eyes. Sometimes, discretion was the better part of valour. It was time to change the subject. "I am glad you have blood-relations coming to your aid, Lukios." "Oh," Lukios'' eyes warmed. "Not sure you''d say that if you met him. I half-think his face would crack if he smiled, ha." He put his arm around her. "But he''s a softy once he likes you. Just, uh...takes time." He chuckled. "And pretty thick skin. But I think the two of you''d get along once you bust his balls a bit." "I do not...''bust balls'', Lukios." Ba''an did not bother to keep the exasperation from her tone. "Why are outlanders so violent?" "Huh? Vio¡ªoh." Lukios began to shake with laughter. "No, no, that''s not what that means. It just means, uh..." He glanced at her face and his laughter ceased being so silent. "You just have to be yourself, sweetheart. Just let him have it ''til he gets it. Ha." "Dolkoi''ri humor is not funny, Lukios." "Awww. Ba''an. I''m just teasing. He''ll behave if he knows what''s good for him, and if he didn''t you really would bust his balls. You know it." "I would not strike him in his..." She wrinkled her nose. "Manhood." He covered his mouth. "Really not what that means." He kissed her temple, pulling her closer and putting his arms around her. "And he''ll come around. You are adorable. A blind man would find you adorable. A deaf man would find you adorable. A¡ª" "I understand, Lukios." "Yeah?" He tucked her hair behind her ears, looking down at her with that soft, sweet expression that made her heart rebel in her chest. "Do you?" He pulled her against him so she was pressed against him, skin to skin, pressed so she could feel his pulse in his thigh and belly, his heart in his chest. Ba''an made an effort to keep her expression calm, only raising an eyebrow. "''Cause I don''t think you do." Then he grinned and leaned back. "But I can wait." And then he stepped away and began to dress. Ba''an scowled. "Very funny." "I''m not joking." She could tell he was still grinning even as his voice was muffled by the tunic going over his head. "I''m just being patient. Like I said." His head popped out from beneath his tunic and he finished, "And do you want our wedding in the spring or summer? We can push for winter, but then it''d have to be indoors." Well, at this rate, it was Lukios whose face would crack in half, not his brother. She snorted and began to dress. "Ah, yes. Your legendary modesty and complete lack of nonsense. Why would any woman say no?" Snickering, he came behind her and helped her, wrapping her in the Dolkoi''ri dress and closing the clasps. "That''s right," he cooed. "I''m humble and modest and completely at your command. Just say the word, sweetheart. Just say the word." And his hands were still on her, stroking her through the fabric slowly, warm and gentle. He made a very fetching picture in flickering torchlight; the light struck his hair just right so the strands glinted like threads of gold. Her mouth was already curving upward of its own volition. Ba''an stepped away and cleared her throat, flustered. He noticed, of course. As usual, he moved in like a hawk. "Here, sweetheart. Why don''t you sit and I''ll get your sandals on you?" Now there was an invitation she did not need twice. Dolkoi''ri sandals had very odd straps. They were sturdy, but odd. She watched his blond head as he crisscrossed the straps and tied them in half the time it would have taken her¡ªor would have, if he had not occasionally paused to wriggle her toes with his fingers. Ha. No nonsense, indeed. The talk of weddings brought to mind the lonely young woman she had met in the gardens. "Lukios?" "Hm?" "Do Dolkoi''ri men keep their mistresses a secret from their wives?" ¡°What? Do¡ª?" Lukios'' head snapped up so quickly that she thought it might snap off. "I don''t have a mistress. I''m never getting one. Ba''an." She blinked at him. "I was not speaking of you." And now he was doing a very good imitation of a cave fish out of water. A beat, then his expression cleared. "Oh. I guess you¡¯ve met Kallisto then. Young, green eyes, hair to put a torch to shame?¡± ¡°I did not say I met anyone.¡± ¡°Ha. Promised not to say anything, huh? Don¡¯t worry, my lips are sealed. And we don¡¯t, though a man ought to be discreet, I guess.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s rude to introduce your mistress to a guest before your wife, right? I mean, I guess some men do but it¡¯s considered indecent. And Gaios is a stickler, so¡­poor Kallisto got shut up in her rooms.¡± Ba¡¯an frowned. Oh, of course he did. Why not just shut a woman up inside her rooms, like an errant strifa or a pet crocha? She bit her tongue. This was not Lukios¡¯ fault; it would not be fair to get angry with him. ¡°¡¯Kallisto¡¯ is a very Dolkoi¡¯ri name.¡± She did not look Dolkoi¡¯ri at all. Ba''an had never seen anyone so pale; even Epitus was darker. ¡°Yeah. I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the name she had before.¡± ¡°She was given a new name?¡± ¡°It¡¯s pretty common with slaves.¡± ¡°She is a bedslave?¡± ¡°Well, I think she¡¯s a concubine now, but she used to be? Something like that. My mother didn¡¯t name me Lukios either. She used to call me Farhad when we were alone.¡± ¡°Oh." She opened her mouth then reconsidered before speaking. "Do you¡­like being called Lukios? Or¡­?¡± ¡°Ha! Don¡¯t fret, Ba¡¯an. I¡¯ve been Lukios for years now. It¡¯s more comfortable. I¡¯m not sure I¡¯d turn my head if someone called me ¡®Farhad¡¯.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± How sad. Ba¡¯an could not imagine not being Ba¡¯an. As usual, he sensed her melancholy. He stood, putting his arm around her waist and picking up the basket of their things with his other hand. ¡°You can call me whatever you want.¡± He kissed the top of her head through her shawl then continued cheerfully, ¡°You can do whatever you want to me, too. I¡¯m game.¡± She tilted her head to the side. "You said I cannot order you around." "Awww. Ba''an. Fine. You caught me. I lied. I was bluffing. You can order me to do anything and I''ll do it. Anything at all." She snorted, and he chuckled. "Really! Really!" His voice dropped and went husky. "In fact, I''ll prove it. How ''bout we go and find a nice, quiet little¡ª" ¡°Taverna. I am hungry." He laughed. "Okay. How about after that we¡ª" "What happens when a concubine has a child?" "¡ªWhat?" "Because she is pregnant. But Gaios already has a wife and children. So what will he do with his new children?" Ba''an frowned. There were many orphaned children in Kyros, hungry and desperate. This did not happen in a saa-vuti vur. "Does he raise them in the home? Or...no, his wife will not like it. So perhaps she will stay here. But what of their other children? Do they not squabble often about inheritance?" This was another thing that did not happen in a saa-vuti vur; their wealth was not in things. It was in honour, which could be gained in many ways through hardship, and lost in as many ways as well¡ªas she had lost hers. But Illos was different. They traded their children for coin. Ba''an could not imagine a concubine''s child living in peace and contentment. ...Was Nikias not the child of a concubine? Did he blame his mother for his childhood? But why? Why not blame his father, who had not bothered to divorce his wife for his Sander woman? Did he not deserve some blame also? She felt her nose wrinkle. The more she thought about it, the more she disliked the man; despite what he claimed, she suspected he was even more emotional and unreasonable than Lukios. Ba''an was of the opinion that someone ought to disabuse him of his delusions, and¡ª Lukios was still silent. Odd. Ba''an turned her face to look up at him. "Lukios?" He blinked, and turned to her with his usual smile. "Oh, right. Uh...well, that depends on the man, doesn''t it? But...Ba''an." His voice had gone very quiet. "Did you tell anyone? That she''s pregnant?" "No. It is very early. She may lose it without ever knowing, at this stage." Sometimes it happened that way. "Good. Ba''an, don''t say a word. And you''re right, they do squabble over inheritance, and sometimes that involves lots of dead bodies." "Ah." But of course it did. This was Illos. He shook his head. "Damn. Okay, let''s finish up quick and get out of Kyros. Gods. That''s...that''s gonna be messy. And if it''s a boy?" He shook his head again. "We do not want to be here when his wife finds out. We want to be really, really gone." Lukios greeted the attendant with good cheer as he returned the basket of bath things, though the man pointedly ignored them. He seemed to be taking money from what Ba''an surmised was the morning crowd. "Mhm. I think we should buy you that goat. And get the rest of your shopping done and pack it so it''s ready to go. And I have to go up to the temple anyway, so we may as well do it all today." He sighed, then perked up. "But we''ll have time to ourselves tonight!" He grinned and wriggled his eyebrows. "Right? Right?" "Perhaps." "Aw, Ba''an. Come on. That''s just mean. You missed me. You want me to yourself allll night. Admit it." "I said perhaps." She sniffed at him. "It will not happen if I die of hunger, Lukios." He laughed at that. "Whatever you want, sweetheart. Whatever you want. Meat buns again? Or...oh! I know. There''s this little place just up the street a ways. I think it''s still here. They make this really great compote..." They stepped out of the side street and onto the main thoroughfare. "...And then let''s go get you that goat!" Chapter Thirty-nine: Goats! The market wasn¡¯t nearly as empty as she thought it would be. It was bustling with merchants readying their wares for the day, yelling across aisles at each other in good or sour humor, as was their wont; it was dizzying, the rate at which baskets and barrels and poles and tents were being carted around and set up. Lukios guided her around with ease, as though the chaos was no trouble to navigate at all. It was likely that his Heliopolis, being much bigger, was worse. ¡°Careful. Ground¡¯s uneven here and there¡¯s¡­well, the animals do make a mess.¡± He was right, they did. Ba¡¯an stepped carefully, not wanting to soil her sandals. Cities were truly filthy places, if Kyros was anything to go by. It was unfortunate, but the taverna up the street had not been open; it was simply too early. ¡°Wait, let¡¯s go that way first. We can pick up a snack." Lukios pointed up the street. There was only one greater agora, but the city had smaller squares set up in convenient or busy locations. "It¡¯s no fun shopping when you¡¯re hungry, right?¡± He was correct, of course. It was too early to find a proper food stall, but Lukios managed to find a stand selling fruit, as well as a bakery that had some bread. Lukios bought her something called a cheese bun, which, predictably, was stuffed with warm, melted cheese. Ba¡¯an liked it, to the point that she had to force herself to keep from licking her fingers. After that she had an apple, which was delightfully juicy and crisp. Lukios watched her eat with more happiness than warranted and handed her his own portion when she was done. ¡°Do not be foolish, Lukios. I am well. Eat your breakfast.¡± ¡°You sure? I mean, I¡¯ll be okay until we get back and have real breakfast. I don¡¯t get as hungry as you, remember?¡± ¡°I am well. Eat.¡± He obeyed as they continued on. ¡°If you say so, Ba¡¯an. But remind me to stop by that bakery again before we leave. I¡¯ll get you another bun or two.¡± ¡°We will be having breakfast once we leave, Lukios.¡± ¡°Still. Ah, here¡¯s an idea. I¡¯ll pick some up some sweetmeats for the household while we¡¯re there.¡± ¡°If you wish.¡± Ba¡¯an dodged a cart, which she had not thought permitted in the streets. ¡°Careful. I think they¡¯re not actually allowed on the thoroughfare after sunrise, and it¡¯s not quite sunrise yet. They¡¯re going to be in a rush to get it all done quick. You¡¯ve got to be vigilant. It¡¯s not like Heliopolis here¡ªthey¡¯ve got dedicated lanes.¡± ¡°How big is Heliopolis?¡± ¡°How big? That¡¯s¡­hm. Well, you could probably fit Kyros in there¡­I dunno, twenty times, maybe?¡± He scratched his head. "Might be a bit bigger than that, ''specially if you count West Heliopolis." ¡°Twenty times? That is¡­¡± Ba¡¯an had trouble wrapping her mind around it. How big was that? And what was ''West Heliopolis''? Was the city so sprawling they had to split it into two? ¡°Yeah, I think the last census there was um¡­maybe about a million people?¡± She could not imagine it. He looked into her face and smiled. ¡°Shocking, right? Suffice to say, you can¡¯t walk across the city in one day. Some people actually travel by horse to get to one end from another. The previous emperor actually bought up buildings by the main roads and demolished them to expand the road system. People were getting trampled and there were times when no one could get anywhere. It was madness. Anyway, even if you don¡¯t own a horse you can hire a charioteer to take you places, or a litter. There¡¯s little stations all around the markets.¡± ¡°Is Kyros a small city? Or is Heliopolis very big?¡± ¡°Kyros is barely a city, Ba¡¯an. I mean, it doesn¡¯t even show up on most maps. But yeah, Heliopolis is big. It used to be its own city-state, back in the day. I guess it¡¯s the heart of the empire now, with the emperor in residence.¡± She blinked. How big was a normal Dolkoi¡¯ri city, then? Lukios laughed softly and kissed the top of her head. Ba¡¯an''s cheeks grew hot as she cast a furtive glance about. No one seemed to be paying them any mind, but still. She scowled at him. ¡°Ha, sorry. Couldn¡¯t resist. Don¡¯t worry, Ba¡¯an, no one¡¯s looking. They¡¯re too busy loading up for the day.¡± They made it to the wall and the stench assailed her, making her eyes water. It was understandable that animals would smell, but this was something else. Too many animals in close quarters, with perhaps too little cleaning in between. Of course this was a market, so Ba''an thought the merchants may have no say in the matter. ¡°Yeah, it does get a bit ripe. Kyros is a bit of a mess for sure.¡± There was straw piled up against the stone walls, with chickens and other small animals in cages and hutches. Nearer to the wall were goats, tethered to poles set up on the ground. It looked very temporary, the sort of set up that could be put up and taken down quickly. ¡°Where do they bring the animals from?¡± ¡°There are lots of farms south and west of here. We¡¯ve got some mines to the north too, though I¡¯m guessing you know about those.¡± She did. The mines were in K¡¯Avaari territory, and a point of conflict. Nobody was fighting over it now because the war had depleted both sides, but she knew it was only a matter of time before tensions came to a head¡ªagain. Lukios read her expression correctly, as usual. ¡°Yeah, I know. Hopefully, no one shoots anyone over it anytime soon. That¡¯d be a right mess.¡± Ba¡¯an was of the opinion that no one had to shoot anyone. A stone-shaper could simply collapse the mine, but the trouble was in the rock: they could not get close enough to give a shaper to the stone, and once given, the shaper would be bound there. It was a great waste of a precious resource. Like witches, shapers, too, had become rarer and rarer, so it was most likely the latter fact that dissuaded the K¡¯Avaari. It would have been a small matter otherwise for the A¡¯tat to bring together enough witches to put the entire camp into a deep, deep sleep for as long as they needed. ¡°Hm¡­you¡¯re thinking about some kind of witchy magic thing again, aren¡¯t you?¡± She gave him a look of annoyance. How did he always know? Was she truly so obvious? She did not think she was, but Lukios never seemed to have trouble understanding the direction of her thoughts. It was uncanny and occasionally unnerving. It also made her wonder: had Thu¡¯rin been able to read her so readily as well? And if so, had it merely been a matter of tact that had kept him from blurting out her thoughts for all to hear? Or was it merely that Lukios had a particular talent for reading others? ¡°Um¡­was I not supposed to notice?¡± Again. How was he doing it? She suppressed a sigh. ¡°No, Lukios. I am merely¡­¡± She stopped, then started again. ¡°Lukios. Am I truly so obvious?¡± A witch kept her own counsel until she decided otherwise, and not a moment before. Ba¡¯an had been raised around this simple fact since she was a child. Surely Ul¡¯ma would have told her if she had been so obvious? Ul¡¯ma had not been the sort of teacher to mince words, and she had not spared Ba¡¯an the rod, either, though Ba¡¯an had never been the sort of child to need it much. You could try thinking as you look in a mirror. I''m sure it would be enlightening. In more ways than one. And then the horrid little creature snickered. Ugh. She had to get rid of the thing. As soon as possible. It caught her thought and sniggered even louder. I''m sure you will, oh mighty Stormcrow! I am shaking in my...well, I suppose I do not have any sandals. Or feet. Its tone had become rather pointed. The creature yowled when Ba''an gave a sharp, sudden tug on the threads holding it caged. How mature and dignified of you, mighty Stormcrow. Not childish in the least! Yes, and I shall continue being so mature and dignified if you continue squawking. Ba''an got the distinct impression the thing was sneering at her, but mercifully, it fell silent. Lukios had, thankfully, not noticed her lapse, being too busy sighting down the street to avoid on-coming traffic. Ba''an was certain some of the carts were in the wrong lane, and her suspicions were confirmed when the drivers began cursing at each other, arms gesticulating wildly as they raged back and forth. ¡°Well," he was saying, "sometimes. I mean, you¡¯re not too bad, Ba¡¯an, but...I used to be a slave. I got real good at reading people." He gave a cool, careless little shrug. "Slaves who don¡¯t learn don¡¯t last too long.¡± Oh. ¡°So yeah, be careful around slaves, Ba¡¯an. They can read most people like a scholar reads books.¡± Ba¡¯an reached out without thinking and put her hand on his forearm. She should have guessed as much on her own; now she felt ashamed and sad, and she wished they were alone so she could hold him, even for a little while. ¡°Aw, don¡¯t fret, Ba¡¯an. I told you it was a long time ago. It¡¯s just some things stick forever, I guess.¡± He put his large, warm hand over hers and squeezed, smiling the gentle way he always did when something upset her. ¡°I am sorry, Lukios. I should have guessed it.¡± He gentle smile suddenly became rakish. Before she could speak, or even step away, his hands were under her arms and she was being picked up and up and up, and¡ª He spun. Ba''an opened her mouth, but only managed a startled wheeze. What¡ª! If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. He turned all the way around once, twice, and Ba''an finally found her voice again. ¡°Lukios! Put me down!¡± He twirled her around one more time, then obeyed. She swayed, dizzy, then scowled up at him. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°There you are. Much better.¡± He grinned. ¡°You were getting a bit mopey, Ba¡¯an. Anyway, we¡¯re here now. Let¡¯s look at goats. You should choose one for yourself too. A cute one.¡± He was correct; they were right in front of the animals already. The goats were staring at the two of them, as though to say, What is wrong with these humans? Have they gone crazier than usual? Ha. Of course not. Only Lukios was mad, and Ba¡¯an did not think this particular madness was catching. Or at least, she hoped it wasn¡¯t. She stared down one of the goats that was looking at them in a particularly disdainful way. ¡°No, I am not mad,¡± she told it. ¡°Only he is mad. Do not look at me like that.¡± Lukios burst out laughing. ¡°Oh Ba¡¯an, I don¡¯t think you¡¯re convincing anyone with that.¡± She rolled her eyes at him. ¡°This is your fault. What possessed you to do such a thing in the middle of the market? I am sure the merchant thinks us both insane.¡± ¡°Nah, he didn¡¯t notice. No one¡¯s paying any attention, Ba¡¯an. And even if they were, who cares? Money¡¯s money.¡± She looked around, then sighed. It was true. No one was paying attention. Perhaps she was simply on edge; she was a K¡¯Avaari woman in a Dolkoi¡¯ri city. She simply could not shake her wariness, even with Lukios. Habit, perhaps. Ba¡¯an had always ventured into Kyros alone and had been forced to be alert at all times, even when sleeping outside the walls. She had killed more than once in the five years she had been coming here to trade. Men often thought her easy prey, until their souls were pulled out of their bodies and devoured. Then they simply did not think at all, being too dead to do so. ¡°Aw, this one¡¯s cute. Look at her eyes! At least¡­yeah, I think it¡¯s a girl. Think you¡¯d get along with her?¡± Ba¡¯an looked. Lukios was petting a small white goat with long dark lashes. Her eyes were big, liquid brown, and she seemed to enjoy being scratched behind the ears. But when Ba¡¯an reached for her, the nanny snapped her teeth at her; she did not seem to like Ba¡¯an nearly as much as she liked Lukios. ¡°Well, that wasn¡¯t very nice.¡± Lukios gave the goat a look of admonishment. ¡°Why are you so sweet to me and so mean to her? Hm? Come on, be nice.¡± He scratched the goat under the chin and the creature made a little noise of happiness. Oh, that was just not fair. Lukios took one look at her face and valiantly refrained from laughing. ¡°Let¡¯s try another one.¡± They went through the goats, looking for strong, healthy animals. Lukios needed two, having decided to sacrifice them at the temple. The goats obviously did not understand that the nice man was buying them to kill them, which was just as well. At least they would be happy up to the moment they died. Wasn¡¯t that what everyone wished for in the end, anyway? Happiness, until the moment life was taken or lost? Perhaps being witless was a blessing. Ba¡¯an was abruptly aware of her own pulse, which suddenly seemed measured and rationed. How many heartbeats left? She shook herself immediately from her line of thought. If she became melancholy, Lukios would notice. This was not a conversation she wished to have here¡ªor ever, really. "Why two?" Ba''an dodged a bad tempered billy that looked like he was looking for a fight. Tethered as he was, she did not like the look of those horns. Lukios finished checking the teeth of another billy, who was much more even-tempered than the one Ba''an had avoided, before speaking. "Well," he started, "one''s for Herme¨ª¨¥s. Y''know, to thank him for making sure you found me on that road?" Ah. Ba''an did not think it had anything to do with a Dolkoi''ri god¡ªshe was sure she would have heard one, if it had been nearby¡ªbut outlanders did not walk with spirits. They seemed to believe their gods were everywhere and nowhere at once, watching and directing events at a whim. It was utterly bizarre, but she could see the appeal for a people who could not sing soul-songs. "And the other?" "That one''s for¡­" He trailed off. He was squatting, ostensibly looking at goats, but Ba''an saw his eyes look past them; there was only the walls of Kyros beyond the pens and cages, but she had a feeling his gaze led elsewhere entirely. Ba''an approached, slowly. "Lukios?" "Hm? Oh. Right. The other one''s for¡­" His voice had gone very quiet, and she was suddenly concerned by the way he would not look at her. "Rekos." She put her hand on his shoulder. "Lukios?" Around them, the merchants called out to customers while chickens clucked and goats bleated. Somewhere up the street, something went baa. But Lukios did not hear them; his eyes had gone slightly unfocused, and she recognized the look: Lukios was very far away now. The smile he flashed in her direction was empty. "What is it, Lukios?" He began shaking his head, but stopped when she frowned. Instead he looked down, staring into the dirt in silence; suddenly she was reminded of their journey to the road, the way Lukios had sat quiet and still, eyes fixed on the blood still staining the stones. Ba''an squatted beside him, slipping her arm into the crook of his elbow. When she lay her head on his shoulder, he took a deep, shuddering breath. "Ba''an," he said, and what she heard in his voice made her insides ache. "What do I¡­tell them?" "Who, Lukios?" She kept her voice soft, matching his tone. The animals nearly drowned them both out. When his spoke again, his voice had gone very, very small, and she leaned forward so she could hear. "Dana? and the girls." He took another breath, then blurted, "I told them we''d all come back, you know. I promised." He turned his head so he was looking away from her¡ªso she could not see his expression. "Said we''d be so quick they wouldn''t even notice we''d been gone." He put a hand over his face and swiped down. "Gods. They''re all dead. Rekos is dead. They held his funeral while I was¡­" A little tremor rolled through him and into her. Ba''an put a hand over his and gave a gentle squeeze. Slowly, very slowly, he turned his hand over so they were palm-to-palm, lacing his fingers between hers and squeezing back. "I don''t know how I''m going to face them, Ba''an. I just don''t. That''s why I¡­" He gave a bitter little laugh. "It was only half-true, you know. When I said it''s because of the family squabbling. I just¡­I couldn''t bring myself to¡­to¡­" Go back. "Lukios," she murmured, and she turned her face to kiss his arm through his tunic. "They are your sisters now. Your mother." She felt him breathe again, the movement cresting against her like water against the walls of a trough. He still would not look at her. "It is better to have you go back than no one." Lukios was silent. They remained crouched together by the goat pens, ignoring the bleating and the curious animals staring; one even approached, coming as closely as its tether would allow. "It should have been me, though." He muttered, finally. "It should have been me with an arrow in my neck and Rekos who¡ª" "No." And just like that, Ba''an was perched on the cliffs again, watching the bloody battle unfold, except this time¡ªthis time, it was Lukios lying dead in the ground in his fine, bloodied armour while his adopted father fought against the bandits and lost. Because that was exactly what would have happened: the man, old as he was, would have lost. And Ba''an would have simply flown away, finding the sight entirely forgettable. Why would she have cared? No. It was worse than that. With Lukios dead, she would not have heard his soul-song, and thus would not have flown out to the road in the first place. Rekos could have won, and it would not have mattered; he would have died of his wounds, or perished on the long desert road as he desperately raced to Kyros on foot. The sun and sand held no mercy for anyone. She lifted her hand from his loose grip and put it on his cheek, turning his head to face her. "No. Do not dare say such a thing." He blinked, and his gaze focused on her face. Her other hand came up to rest on his other cheek. "Do not dare say such a thing. Do not think it. It was not you, and it should not have been you. Lukios, do not mistaken your worth. I would not have stopped for any other man." And it was true. Only Lukios was rei-tat. No. Only Lukios was Lukios. He did not look convinced. "I would be dead now, eaten by vultures in the basin." And it was true; Salu''ka would have come to her just the same, and Ba''an would have battled Tik-tak Mal''uk, only this time, Lukios would not have hastened across the desert to find her. His eyes widened, and the light in them returned. The creature in question gave a derisive little snort. Yes. More''s the pity. Patience gone, Ba''an pulled. Then she pulled again, until its whining was muffled. Enough! Enha-naus-hasa-en seemed to hum in agreement, and Ba''an regretted leaving her coat behind; if she had had its power, she would have used it. Slowly, hesitantly, Lukios put his hands over hers. "Right," he whispered, finally. "It wasn''t me. And that won''t change anyway. And¡­" He closed his eyes and turned his face into her left hand, kissing her palm. "Right," he said again, but his voice was different now¡ªquiet still, but the despair had gone. "Can''t let you get eaten by critters," he joked, voice steadier than it had been. "That''s just nasty." Ba''an opened her mouth to speak¡ª ¡ªand the yelped instead as she was yanked backwards by a sharp tug on her shawl. Lukios lunged forward to put his arms around her and keep her from falling, but it was too late; they both tumbled into the dirt, Ba''an landing on her bottom and elbows in an undignified sprawl. And now they were both filthy. Again. "The fuck?" Lukios was looking past her with an expression of bafflement. "You serious?" Ba''an craned her head back to look behind her. It was a goat. A nanny goat, by the looks of her. She was a bit smaller than the rest¡ªperhaps the runt of the litter¡ªbut beautiful, with a mottled, brown-and-white hide and long, long lashes. She had a splotch of brown over her left eye. It was charming, despite the end of Ba''an''s shawl in her mouth; she was looking at them without a shred of shame, making contented noises as she chewed. "Hey," said Lukios. "Stop that. Ba''an, can you grab your shawl so she doesn''t strangle you with it?" Ba''an complied. Lukios got up and approached the nanny goat, making soothing noises as he came closer and closer. With a sigh, Ba''an stood up. Slowly. The long, thick shawl, which this morning had seemed a good idea, acted as a noose if she moved the wrong way. "Hey, little lady," Lukios cooed in his sweetest voice, and the nanny''s gaze shifted from Ba''an to him. He had her attention. "Wool''s not that tasty, is it? Bet you like carrots more. They''re yummy! Be a good girl and let go, and I''ll give you a carrot! How about that? Then we can go down to the temple and¡­" Ba''an rolled her eyes. That was hardly going to work. She began unwinding her shawl from the other end; it was a little chilly now with her head and shoulders bared to the weather, but it was tolerable. She approached the nanny with her gift. ¡°Hello, little one.¡± She put the shawl around the goat, which the little animal seemed to like very much. ¡°Come. See? I am a friend.¡± Ba¡¯an glanced at Lukios, who shot her a look of amusement. ¡°Pay no attention to that man. He is deceiving you. You would rather come home with me than to an altar at a temple, would you not?¡± The goat tipped her head and looked at her as though wondering what the silly human was babbling on about, but she seemed to make up her mind in Ba¡¯an¡¯s favor. She allowed the ex-witch to stroke her ears, then her head and neck. "Really?" Lukios sounded doubtful. ¡°She¡¯s a bit small, isn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°They are all small.¡± It was true. Desert strifa were bigger than these. Outlanders called them goats as well, but Ba¡¯an was not certain they were even really related. Strifa were just as nimble as goats, yes, but they were bigger, hardier; they were not as good as mounts as perhaps, a camel, but they were sufficient if no camels were available. ¡°Well, they¡¯re goats. But that one¡¯s smaller than all the other ones. Are you sure you want her? I mean, I don¡¯t think she could carry all that much. Hm, do you know how to ride?¡± ¡°I do not. K¡¯Avaari do not keep horses. Lukios, I want this one.¡± ¡°Okay. Do you want¡ª¡± ¡°Lukios, I cannot feed two goats.¡± And she did not wish to try. She would have to shepherd them to better grazing spots, and those were all near the desert border. She would encounter others, she was certain, and then¡­it was possible there would be conflict. ¡°Ha. True. I think two of them would strip the grove dry.¡± Indeed. Even with one, Ba¡¯an knew she would have to graze her elsewhere on occasion as well. It was just as well. She knew where she could find wild-growing sagi grass, and she could feed her things from the bir-vuti if needed. She snuck a look at Lukios as he paid; finding sacrificial animals had not been difficult, in the end. Ba''an glanced at her own little goat again, who had been given a carrot, as promised. She looked remarkably happy about it, to the point that she had not protested when Ba''an had taken her shawl back. She was an adorable little creature. Ill-mannered, perhaps, but adorable. Ba''an glanced at Lukios again. She suspected he had not only been concerned about the load. Perhaps he had remembered what she had said to him all those nights ago about the emptiness of her not-vuti. Once finished, Lukios led the goats, tethered together by a rope. His melancholy seemed gone, but Ba''an suspected he had merely buried it beneath his cheer, as he always did. He came up to her with his usual jaunty smile. ¡°Ready?¡± "Yes." They set off, with a trio of goats bleating and tugging at their rope behind them. Chapter Forty: Flowers for the Dead The city was waking up in earnest now. Ba¡¯an walked as closely as she dared to Lukios in public, knowing by how he had fallen silent that he was thinking of Rekos. She slipped her hand in his, and he looked down at her briefly with a small smile, squeezing her fingers. The temple was made of stone¡ªat least on the outside. ¡°Most buildings in Kyros are wood inside,¡± Lukios explained. ¡°This place was actually a fort first¡ªI guess that¡¯s the barracks now¡ªand the camp around it became a town, then a city once the outer walls went up. That¡¯s why this place is so chaotic. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s another city quite like Kyros in the entire empire, to be honest. Most of them are all planned out so the districts are all in their proper places, but here?¡± He shook his head. "Anywhere and everywhere. Well, Heliopolis is a bit like that too¡ªthe old quarter is extra confusing." He hadn¡¯t let go of her hand and was now rubbing his thumb over her skin where it lay. ¡°Honestly, I think I¡¯ve only been here maybe twice before? It was for our incursion into¡­well, into the desert.¡± He grimaced. ¡°Guess you know about those.¡± ¡°I do.¡± Ba¡¯an did not press him on this, just as she had not pressed him about his role in the war. She did not wish to know; knowing came with judgement, and Ba¡¯an¡­ Ba¡¯an was no longer K¡¯Avaari, never mind a witch, so what did it matter? It did not. And surely he would have said something during the long desert nights if there was something important? Lukios could scarcely keep still or quiet or five minutes at a time; the idea of him keeping anything serious to himself struck her as somewhat absurd. Surely not. The only person here with something important to share was Ba''an, and she would speak to him of it soon enough¡ªonce Eirene was safe. She would tell him then, and¡­ That would be that. There were gardens around the temple, a little fence of greenery and flowing water with stone benches, of all things. A little garden of peace, perhaps, amidst the bustle. Naturally, they were ringed by merchants. They were like cockroaches: everywhere and anywhere, even places of worship. They paused at the white cobbled road that led into the courtyard proper. Even inside there were stalls, though they looked expensive and orderly. Ba''an could see people lining up to buy last-minute sacrifices or incense. Some even seemed to be buying jugs of¡­oil, was it?¡­and other supplies. Ba''an focused, listening for souls. There were many, though they did not sound gifted; even so, she felt wary, knowing that Nikias had not felt all that special until suddenly, he had noticed. "Ba''an?" Lukios was looking down at her. "Do you think¡­you can come up with me? Or¡­" "If you wish." Perhaps all would be well. ¡­But perhaps it would not. Ba''an frowned. "Um¡­" Lukios'' brows furrowed. "Something wrong?" "No." "You don''t have to come if you don''t want to, Ba''an. I mean, no one really likes temples. We just go because we have to. Twice a year at least. Or we get fined." "What?" Now that sounded truly absurd. "Yeah, I know." He rolled his eyes. "It''s a long, stupid story. I''ll tell you later. But anyway, the priests give you receipts and you show ''em to the tax collector when he comes around. It''s beyond stupid." "But what if you lose your receipts?" "Fined." "But¡­" "Doesn''t matter. Fined. More than three times? Arrested." Lukios shook his head. "You should see the line ups after Kronia. You know they charge triple the usual rate at the end of the year?" Ba''an blinked. Well. Leave it to the Dolkoi''ri to make profits on worship, even worship that held no magic. "I do not understand. Is this the will of your gods?" A god of greed, perhaps? A personification of their avarice? He snorted. "More like the will of the priesthoods. They all raise ''em the same amount at the same time. It''s a racket, I''m telling you. A gods-damned racket." He shrugged. "Anyway, you can wait out here if you want. Not the nicest place to take a lady, I know." "It is not that, Lukios. It is only¡­" He waited, expression mild, and Ba''an was sure he would not be angry if she refused. Hurt, perhaps, but not angry. It was not that she did not wish to go with him. It was that her mind spoke sense, though her heart battled it whenever Lukios was near. "Nikias noticed me. I did not expect him, and if there are talented Dolkoi''ri elsewhere in this city, they would be at a temple." During the war it had been their priests and priestesses that had been deployed to counter witches, though they had not been particularly effective. In the end their altars had been bathed in the blood of hundreds¡ªif not thousands¡ªof slaves. Ba''an had not seen the point of this; they did not understand magic. They seemed to believe it was a matter of sacrificing the right kind of soul in large quantities to their silent gods, but it had not worked very well, had it? It had been like watching toddlers attempt to light a fire after watching their father do it. They only wasted the fuel, except instead of wood or fire-rocks, they had burned through souls. It was revolting. The entire business of Dolkoi''ri ''magic'' was disgusting. Lukios'' eyes widened. "Well, shit. That''s true." He gave a little laugh. "Good thing one of us has sense, hm? You''re right. We''re not as magical as your people¡ª" "¡ªThey are not mine, Lukios¡ª" "¡ªbut if there''s another Niki anywhere in Kyros, it''d definitely be a temple." He paused for a beat, looking at her, and she thought he might say something more, but he only huffed lightly and shook his head. "Anyway, stay here, sweetheart. I¡¯ll be quick.¡± ¡°Do not worry. Take your time, Lukios. I will be here.¡± ¡°Right.¡± He flashed her a short, soft smile. "I think it''s for the best." He glanced at Ba''an''s new goat, who was tugging against her rope with her eyes on the flower gardens. "Bet you all the blood would make her crazy. Yeah, better to stay put. I''ll be right back. Hey, you can think about what you want for breakfast!" Ba''an rolled her eyes at him, though he only beamed at her. She did not spend all her time thinking of food. It was only that she was always hungry. That was all. He separated her goat from the rest, and Ba¡¯an soothed her when she bleated at her sisters as they walked away. ¡°No, you do not wish to go with them. You will stay here, with me.¡± Of course she could not understand Ba¡¯an. She looked toward the other goats and bleated again, pulling against her rope. Ba¡¯an plucked a harmless flower from the garden and offered it to her. ¡°See how pretty it is? It tastes mild, as well.¡± The goat looked at the flower, then at Ba¡¯an, then back to Lukios¡¯ rapidly diminishing figure. She bleated again. Then she ate the flower, looking torn. Ba¡¯an laughed softly. Food always won out in the end, did it not? The goat began to snuffle around the garden, munching on whatever she found interesting. Ba¡¯an glanced around, feeling mildly guilty. It was likely very rude to allow a goat to graze here. Perhaps she could take her for a walk? She clicked her tongue at the goat. The goat looked up at her, tilting her head in a curious way as though to say, What¡¯s wrong with your mouth? then went back to munching through the temple gardens. ¡°Mai¡¯ra. That is your name. Mai¡¯ra.¡± It was not as ridiculous as Am¡¯rayanasa had been, and it suited her. ¡°Come, Mai¡¯ra. We must not draw attention to ourselves here.¡± She tugged the rope, but the goat ignored her. Ba¡¯an stroked her head and ears, and the goat finally looked at her with something other than annoyance or puzzlement. She liked being petted. Ba¡¯an tugged the rope gently, trying to coax her from the garden. Mai¡¯ra flicked her ear in annoyance and went back to feeding. Hm. She would need something much more tempting than the garden then, wouldn¡¯t she? Ba¡¯an glanced around. There was someone setting up a stall with what looked like fresh produce, just across the way in the plaza. It looked as though they were selling things meant to be sacrificed¡ªburned, very likely, to some god or goddess of the harvest. It was the closest, and it had the added convenience of keeping Mai¡¯ra within her field of vision. Ba¡¯an quickly tethered Mai¡¯ra to the bench, who simply continued to munch, completely unperturbed. The prices were exorbitant. ¡°That is very expensive,¡± Ba¡¯an told the merchant, but he seemed undisturbed by the accusation. ¡°This produce was grown with blessed water from the Divine Temple of D¨¡m¨¡?t¨¥r in Elysium. It is worth every copper, lady. Your prayers to are sure to be granted.¡± Ba¡¯an doubted there was any benefit to using blessed water for crops, but she did not wish to allow Mai¡¯ra to wreak any more havoc on the garden than strictly necessary. She bought some carrots, then paused. The merchant sold flowers too, beautiful ones, very much like the ones in Gaios¡¯ garden. ¡°Do these flowers have meaning?¡± The merchant beamed, pleased at the prospect of her purchasing even more at stupidly high prices. ¡°Yes! I have flowers for all occasions. A fragrant sacrifice is always pleasing! What is the occasion?¡± She hesitated. ¡°We are mourning a loved one. We wish his soul to be well.¡± The man¡¯s expression sobered; even the dark curls of his beard seemed to droop. ¡°Ah. That is always hard. My condolences, lady. Here, you will want these.¡± He pointed to a pot of white flowers with large, waxy petals. From the center protruded elaborate white stamen with reddish-pink tips. The grooves running down the center of the petals were the same colour, a mix of innocent and ominous. ¡°These are asphodel. They will carry your prayers to the Meadows.¡± ¡°I am not Dolkoi¡ªlocal. What are the Meadows?¡± ¡°Of course. You do have the look of desert folk about you. A Red Sander?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I thought as much.¡± He looked at her curiously but held his tongue. ¡°I mean the Asphodel Meadows. It is where our souls go when we die. Your loved one is surely resting there, and if you wish to send him a message, this will be the best way.¡± Ah. ¡°I see. Thank you. I will buy those as well. Enough to send¡­many messages.¡± Ba¡¯an walked back quickly, relieved to see Mai¡¯ra still grazing peacefully. ¡°Come, Mai¡¯ra.¡± She held out a carrot. Ba''an watched as Mai''ra''s eyes fixed on the orange treat; the goat''s ears perked upwards and forwards. ¡°Do you like carrots? Be a good girl and come with me then.¡± Ba¡¯an coaxed her away step by step, cooing and rewarding her when she did as she was asked. When Mai''ra spotted the asphodel, she became very interested; the goat kept trying to snatch them with her mouth, and Ba¡¯an had to play an elaborate game of keep-away to prevent them from being a part of Mai¡¯ra¡¯s breakfast. ¡°No, Mai¡¯ra. The carrots are for you. The flowers are for Lukios. Do not¡ª!¡± Ba¡¯an had been coaxing Mai¡¯ra away from the garden and toward the temple plaza. The merchant who had sold her the carrots and flowers appeared very amused; Ba¡¯an ignored him. ¡°The flowers are poisonous to goats, lady!¡± he called out, and Ba¡¯an could only spare him a sparse word of thanks as Mai¡¯ra began jumping to snatch the flowers from her hands. ¡°Mai¡¯ra! Behave yourself! Did you not hear the nice merchant? They will kill you!¡± Ba¡¯an backed away and slammed into a wall¡ªexcept there was no wall. Arms snaked around her to keep her from falling¡ªa very familiar pair of arms, paired with a very familiar soul. "Named her already, huh? Bad girl, Mai¡¯ra. Stop trying to steal Ba¡¯an¡¯s flowers.¡± His voice was as cheery as ever, which was a relief. She tilted her head up to look him in the eyes. ¡°They are your flowers.¡± A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. ¡°Really? Um, thank you?¡± He sounded puzzled, but took them from her with an appreciative kiss on the top of her head. Ba''an felt her cheeks heat once more. She made to step away from him, but he simply tightened his arms around her, keeping her trapped. Mai¡¯ra bleated up at Lukios, as though complaining about the unfairness of his superior height. Quietly, she explained, ¡°The merchant told me they can be burned to send messages to the Meadow. I thought¡­if you wished to¡­you could¡­burn one whenever you wished to send Rekos a message. At a temple or¡­if your people have shrines, you can¡­or perhaps even outside?¡± She faltered. It sounded rather foolish now that she had said it out loud. Lukios was silent. ¡°Or¡­you could simply¡­put them in a vase? Perhaps it was a poor idea. I did not mean to presume, I only thought¡ª¡± ¡°Oh, Ba¡¯an.¡± He said it very, very softly and pulled her tighter against him. He rested his cheek lightly against the top of her head; he was simply too tall for anything else, and she too short. ¡°Thank you.¡± He gripped her tightly, as if afraid she would slip through his fingers. ¡°Thank you.¡± She placed her hands over his, gently rubbing her thumb over his knuckles. After a moment, he sighed and released her, though he did not quite let her go; he held her hand, lacing his fingers between hers. Mai¡¯ra bleated unhappily, still wanting to sample the asphodel. Ba¡¯an glared down at her. ¡°No. You may not eat the asphodel.¡± Lukios snickered. ¡°That¡¯s right, they¡¯re for me, not you. You can¡¯t have any.¡± Ba¡¯an rolled her eyes so he could see it. ¡°Because they are poisonous to goats, Lukios.¡± ¡°Right, but even if they weren¡¯t, she can¡¯t have any.¡± Ba¡¯an sighed, and Lukios laughed. He pulled her closer and lifted her; she squeaked as he kissed her on the mouth, right there in the temple square. ¡°Lukios!¡± He grinned unrepentantly and set her down. ¡°Yes, Ba¡¯an?¡± ¡°We are in public,¡± she hissed, but he only gave her an innocent look. ¡°So we are. And?¡± ¡°Lukios!¡± ¡°No one¡¯s watching, Ba¡¯an.¡± That was not true. Ba¡¯an was certain the produce merchant had been watching them the entire time. When she glanced over, he lifted an eyebrow, looked over at Lukios then back at her with an encouraging smile. It was obvious he had drawn some conclusions, just as it was obvious that this was more entertainment than he usually got all day. Oh sacred ancestors. She pulled her shawl down over her forehead, as low as it would go. ¡°Okay, no one important is watching. No one¡¯s going to show up and arrest us for public displays of affection, Ba¡¯an. I mean, it¡¯s just a kiss. If we started getting naked in the square¡ª¡± "Lukios!" ¡°I¡¯m just saying, actual sex acts would result in an arrest. A man kissing his wi¡ªuh." He cut himself off with a little cough, and suddenly he was flustered, which should have been very satisfying, but was only endearing, instead. "Okay, right, it might not be great for your reputation. You¡¯re right. I¡¯ll try to contain myself and save it up for¡­later.¡± His grin was now significantly less innocent. Ba¡¯an¡¯s retort was interrupted as Mai¡¯ra spotted something interesting and yanked on her rope. ¡°Ah! Mai''ra!¡± Lukios tsked. ¡°Here. Let¡¯s switch until we get back.¡± He handed her the bouquet and took the rope. He clucked his tongue at the errant goat. ¡°Here, girl.¡± Ba¡¯an handed him a carrot. ¡°Here¡¯s a carrot. Do you want a treat?¡± He looked over at Ba¡¯an and said, sounding deeply amused, ¡°And of course you chose the small one with no sense of danger. Hm, kind of like another lady I know.¡± ¡°I have a sense of danger. I do not know what you are saying.¡± ¡°Oh, was I talking about you?¡± ¡°If you continue grinning, your face will split in half. I will not fix it.¡± ¡°Now that would be a tragedy. Not a lot of men with a face like mine. You¡¯d miss it, right?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Aw, lies. You love my face. It¡¯s handsome.¡± ¡°And it could not belong to a more modest and humble man.¡± ¡°I know. How lucky is that?¡± She rolled her eyes at him again, though he was too busy chortling to pay her any mind. ¡°Mai¡¯ra, you have my permission to bite him.¡± ¡°Ha! She won¡¯t. She likes me. Isn¡¯t that right, Mai¡¯ra? We¡¯re good friends now, aren¡¯t we?¡± Ba¡¯an stared in irritation as Mai¡¯ra cantered around Lukios, seemingly happy now that she had his attention. Traitor. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ba¡¯an. You¡¯re still my number one. Mai¡¯ra¡¯s not pretty enough to tempt me. Also, she¡¯s a goat.¡± ¡°I was not worried.¡± ¡°Good,¡± he said, looking at her and with an expression of utter sincerity. ¡°Because you¡¯re the only one for me.¡± Her heart thumped in her chest and her head suddenly went light and airy; her face was hot. Her neck was hot. Everywhere was hot. Hastily, she tilted her head down and tugged on her shawl, wishing her hair had not been tucked so effectively beneath it. She snuck a peek at him from beneath the rim of thick wool, and yes, he was looking at her still, looking at her with that¡­that expression he got, sometimes. She refrained from fidgeting; it was an act of will. ¡°Aw, Ba¡¯an,¡± he said, voice softer than it had been a moment ago. ¡°What am I supposed to do if you look like that?¡± He slipped his fingers between her cheek and hood and caressed her lip with his thumb, turning her face to look at him. ¡°See, if you don¡¯t want me to be kissing you out in public, you really shouldn¡¯t tempt me like that, being all adorable.¡± His gaze too intense and she looked away, unreasonably rattled. ¡°Ah, gods be good. Ba¡¯an, you¡¯re just too¡­¡± He sighed, and stepped away. ¡°I better walk over here, since I¡¯ve promised to behave in public. You make it real hard, sometimes.¡± Ba¡¯an cleared her throat. When in doubt, change the subject. ¡°Lukios. How much longer do you think before your brother arrives?" ¡°What? Oh. Uh¡­a week, maybe? He''ll send a messenger ahead first, and the rest of them''ll be¡­hm, two or three days behind? Something like that." Lukios shrugged. "We''ve got¡­a little bit of time still." And now he looked morose. "You said we will spend the day together." "Yup." He smiled at her. "Did you want to go somewhere?" No. Ba''an wished to take him to bed and¡­ Embarrassed by the sudden turn in her thoughts, she turned her face to cluck her tongue at Mai''ra. "Do not put that in your mouth, Mai''ra. You will die." Or at least be very, very ill. Lukios gave one of his amused little laughs. "She''s like a little kid, hm? Wants to touch absolutely everything, but she doesn''t have hands so she keeps putting things in her mouth." Still chuckling, he tugged Mai''ra closer despite her unhappy bleating. "No, no. You''re going to stay nice and close to me. There you go. You''ll thank me later¡ªwell, no. You won''t. You''re a goat." And then he laughed again. "Do not let her eat things off the street, Lukios. That is dangerous." "I got it, I got it. Ha." He caught her eye and winked. "I shouldn''t be jealous, should I? You can''t possibly like the goat more than me. She''s a goat." And then he made a little bleating sound. Ba''an saw Mai''ra''s ears perk up as she turned to look at him, then she made a disappointed snuffling noise and went back to trying to defeat the rope. "Hm." Ba''an pretended to think about it, just long enough to make him nervous. "Oh, come on. I was joking, Ba''an, don''t look so¡­so¡­serious about¡­Oh come on! She''s a goat!" "Yes," Ba''an agreed. "That means she cannot talk at me, Lukios." "Haha. Very funny. You know you love the sound of my voice." "You love the sound of your voice." "Hey, hey, let''s be fair. I have a very nice voice. You like it. I like it. The guy we bought cheese buns off of liked it. I have a very likeable voice." "Mai''ra has very long lashes and adorable goat-ears." "Oh, come on. I have long lashes. I can''t do anything about the ears, but use your imagination. Also? I have hands. With thumbs. Know what that means?" He raised the relevant appendage and wriggled his digits. "It means I can make you breakfast, lunch, and dinner, not to mention a whole lot of other things. Mai''ra can''t beat that, can she? She''s just not¡­that¡­handy." Ba''an turned her head slowly to look at him. "Lukios." He only grinned. "Dolkoi''ri humour¡­" His grin widened. "¡­is not¡­" He opened his mouth to speak, still grinning. "¡­funny." Lukios swooped without a hint of reticence. "¡­''Cause we''re just too¡­damn¡­punny!" And then he cackled. Ba''an covered her eyes with her free hand and sighed.
"¡­for sure?" Ba''an did not know when the conversation had taken a turn for the serious, but it had; somehow, Lukios had redirected the flow so it had returned to their previous topic: Ba''an''s departure. The man had a way with words. Ba''an had often found herself wondering, in the long, dark nights after he had told her what he had been, what he would have become if he had been born into a noble house instead; she rather thought he would have become one of their chanters. He certainly had the tongue for it. Lukios was looking at Mai''ra, seemingly calm, but she knew he was unhappy with the prospect of her leaving, and leaving soon. She could read it in the line of his shoulders, the way his voice was just a little too relaxed and a little too casual. He was doing his best to appear content, and knowing he was doing so for her benefit made her feel even worse. "It is what we planned, is it not?" Ba''an looked at Mai''ra, pointedly. "That is why you bought me a goat, yes?" "Yeah." He licked his lips. "But¡­you know, Ba''an, you could just come to Heliopolis with me. We can take Mai''ra, that''s fine. We''ll be taking horses so one goat isn''t a problem. I was just¡­" He trailed off. "I do not like cities, Lukios. And if your Heliopolis is so big"¡ªhe winced, and Ba''an knew he was regretting what he had told her only a scant hour or so ago¡ª"then I will hate it more than Kyros." "Right," he mumbled. "Too big, too dirty, too noisy." "Yes." Gently, she added, "And it is too dangerous, Lukios. We already have a problem with¡­your friend. Perhaps we can trick him, but what if there are more like him in Heliopolis?" She shook her head. "We will be very far from the desert, and escaping would be harder." And it could very well be that he would regret his invitation, anyway, once he realized what she truly needed: souls. No, it was by far the better decision to send him off to his sprawling city alone once Eirene was safe, so he could think over his proposal in peace. Perhaps he would decide he did not wish to marry her, after all, and it would be easier to bear if she did not have to see it. Lukios was silent, and she could see he was thinking on something deeply. Slowly, he shook his head. "I don''t think you''d have to worry about that. Not if you stuck to Heliopolis-East and Tritonus. I think¡­it''d be fine, as long as you didn''t use any¡­you know." He caught her eye and mouthed, ''magic''; she understood his reluctance to use the word, now that the streets were bustling. He sighed. "I mean¡­it''s up to you, sweetheart. It''s just¡­" He looked at her from under his bangs, somehow looking even more like a scolded puppy than he had that morning at the baths. "It''ll be two months, Ba''an. Two. Months. At least. I barely lasted one day." Ba''an distracted herself by watching Mai''ra. She was very energetic goat, though Ba''an did not think she was all that young. It was soothing to watch her trot back and forth as far as the rope allowed her. "¡­Can you at least think about it? Coming down to Heliopolis with me, I mean. We can still take Mai''ra, Ba''an, and it won''t be too hard to drop your things off at your not-vuti before we go. I''m going to need a horse anyway, and we can just have one haul a cart with your things. See? That''s even easier." She chewed her lower lip. It was a very sensible suggestion, and difficult to counter without simply telling him the truth. "And you can meet Dana? and the girls." ¡­Ah. "Um, on second thought, maybe not Dana?, but definitely the girls." "Oh?" He gave an awkward laugh. "Dana?''s¡­um. Terrifying?" He cleared his throat. "But I''m sure she won''t scare you. It''s just¡­uh. You might hate me later, haha¡­ha." "¡­But she is your mother now." "Uh¡­well, only because Rekos adopted me. But she was real sour about it." He glanced around, then dropped his voice lower. "She couldn''t give him a son. That''s why he adopted me. I don''t think she''ll ever forgive me for that." "That is absurd. It is not your fault she could not bear her man a son, and it is not your fault that Rekos adopted you. I do not understand. There is no sense in it." Ba''an could feel her forehead crinkle into a frown. "Does she bother you?" "¡­Yeeeeah, maybe we should¡­stay somewhere that''s not Tritonus." Ba''an sighed. And now she was concerned all over again. If this ''Dana? '' was unkind to Lukios, it would behoove him to have allies with him. If she blamed him for not birthing a son, then she would likely blame him for Rekos, as well. Ba''an did not need to see this to know. "I will think on this, Lukios." "You will?" His head came up, and he was smiling again. "That''s great! Hey, we should go to a temple and get married. Forget the wedding. Let''s just get our vows and our papers and then Dana? won''t be able to do shit!" Ba''an blinked. "¡­Lukios. Are we having the same conversation still?" "Uh¡­" He gave a nervous little laugh. "I just thought I''d mention the option while you were thinking about it. Um. It was just a thought! An option! You¡­take all the time you want." He beamed at her. "Oh hey, look! We''re here. Let''s get Mai''ra into a stable and make sure she''s all comfy before we eat." The gates of Gaios'' estate had been flung open. They slowed, glancing at each other in confusion at the chaos within; people, unfamiliar souls, were rushing here and there, and Ba''an could hear excited babbling. There were horses and carriages in the courtyard. Lukios was frowning, trying to keep a very excited little goat from running off to greet all the new people. Mai''ra tugged against her rope and bleated, glancing back at Lukios then forward; she did it over and over, her bleating getting more and more insistent each time. Ba''an shushed her, but it had no effect. Ba''an eyed the rope. With the way Mai''ra was running around, he was in danger of tripping. Lukios was still peering into the courtyard. He had stopped walking altogether now. "That¡­looks like¡­" He never got to finish. "Lukios? Lukios! Lukios!" There was a passionate cry and a flurry of movement; someone dashed across the courtyard and out the gates, ignoring the shouting that rose behind her. Everything seemed to slow. Ba''an saw Lukios eyes widen in recognition even as he took single step back. Mai''ra bleated, dashing around him so the rope tucked against his knee then tensed as the little goat made for the sprinting figure, thrilled to meet this new, strange creature. The figure, dressed in white with dark hair piled loosely on her head, flung herself forward. Her shawl, also white, came loose, fluttering in the breeze like a flag as she stretched her arms out, exactly in the manner of a lover. Ba''an took a single step forward, hand uselessly reaching for Lukios as Mai''ra pulled the rope taut just as he attempted to take another step backwards. The young woman threw herself toward him. Lukios'' arms came up, reflexively; he caught her, looking confused and mildly surprised, but this was a mistake: Mai''ra tugged. The rope snapped into a hard line. Lukios lost his balance. The woman''s arms, deceptively delicate, went around his neck like a noose. Lukios fell and landed badly, gasping soundlessly as his back struck the ground. Mai''ra, now free to run amok, bleated and began prancing around them with wild, frenetic energy. Ba''an darted forward to stop her before she could step on Lukios'' hand¡ªor even worse, his head; she grabbed the rope, aghast at how Mai''ra''s happy and oblivious efforts had ensnared the two in a hopeless tangle. "Mai''ra!" Ba''an snapped, uselessly. "Stop! Stop this immediately!" Mai''ra did not respond, because Mai''ra was a goat. "Lukios!" The woman smiled, face lighting with joy. Ba''an felt her spine stiffen as the lady raised her hands and ran her fingers through his hair and over his face in a way that was shockingly familiar. "You''re alive! I knew it! I knew it!" Lukios took a wheezing breath and attempted to wriggle away. This only served to tighten the rope. "Uh¡­surprise? Hey, good to see you! But, uh¡­would you mind¡­?" He squirmed, but she only laughed as she pressed herself closer and raised her head. Lukios'' look of awkward friendliness morphed into one of alarm, but it was too late; he started to sit up, hands hovering helplessly over the woman as he tried to get her off him without touching her. The female stranger-who-was-not held no such reservations around touching. Still laughing with delight, she slid her hands onto Lukios'' cheeks and kissed him. On the mouth. Ba''an dropped the rope. Chapter Forty-one: Arete, Part I Ba''an could not quite describe what happened next: the world went red. She was not aware of moving, but when she blinked it away, she was no longer standing aside; she was standing before the tangled pair, throwing her looming shadow over their supine forms. Mai''ra, who had bolted as soon as Ba''an released the rope, had not gone far; she had her nose stuck between Lukios and woman, snuffling as she rubbed her head against Lukios chest. She seemed to be doing her best to eat his chiton, to his increasing distress. Well. The woman could hardly kiss Lukios again now, could she? Good girl, Mai''ra. Ba''an refrained from saying so out loud. Not only was that ill-mannered, she would also appear quite mad¡ªwhich she was. But it was not that sort of madness. "Ack! Mai''ra! Stop! What is it with you ladies today? Do I just smell tasty or something? Hey! Hey!" Lukios put one arm around Mai''ra''s neck and the other on her chest as he tried to keep the very affectionate nanny goat from eating his clothes. "Arete! Will you do something? Something that doesn''t involve kissing! I''m being eaten by a goat!" Ah. Yes. Of course that''s who she was; her resemblance to Gaios was uncanny. She was his spitting image if he had been thirty-some odd years younger and female. Arete stared at Mai''ra, whose face was now disappearing into the folds of Lukios'' chiton. "Well, I could," she said, "But this is just too funny." She put her hands over her mouth and tittered. "Lukios, I did warn you. This is what happens when you''re irresponsible with that face of yours." Mai''ra gave a very muffled little bleat, which could have been agreement if she had not been a goat. Arete laughed harder. "But congratulations. She''s a very beautiful girl. I''m sure you''ll have long, happy lives together." Then she bent over and guffawed. Ba''an sighed, eyeing the rope and the nanny. She really ought to stop Mai''ra. Really. But perhaps she should untie them, first. This way, Arete would have no reason to continue sitting in Lukios lap, the sight of which was making her fingers itch and tingle with magic. Yes. This was urgent. Very urgent. Good girl, Mai''ra. I will give you a treat later. Arete looked up at her sigh. "Oh, hello! You must be Lukios'' Sander savior!" She smiled widely and clapped her hands. "I''d greet you properly, but I''m a little tied up at the moment!" She wriggled against the ropes and winked, then laughed at her own joke. Ba''an felt instantly disturbed. That was exactly the sort of thing Lukios usually said. Arete raised her arms and tugged on the thickly braided fiber. "Would you mind? It''s become quite the tangle, hasn''t it?" "Very funny," Lukios muttered. "That''s my joke. You can''t steal my jokes. Stop stealing my jokes!" He grunted with displeasure, then continued, "And don''t kiss me. Have you lost your mind? You can''t just go kissing a man on the mouth! What''s wrong with¡ªack! Mai''ra! Mai''ra!" He squirmed. Mai''ra bleated in victory and yanked a little folded square of cloth from his chiton. The package unfurled, hurling dried fruit glazed in honey over the filthy streets; Mai''ra dove in, instantly losing all interest in Lukios. "Mai''ra! No! Those are for Ba''an!" Lukios sounded more distressed than he had all morning. "Damn it! Do you ever stop eating? Was your father a pig?" Mai''ra did not respond. She began gobbling the treats so quickly that Ba''an half-wondered how she managed to keep from choking. Ba''an walked to Lukios and squatted. "It is too late now." She eyed the chunks of dried fruit and honey with longing. She should have eaten them immediately; now they were goat feed. Ah, well. At least the nanny had gotten her treat and kept Arete away from Lukios, so perhaps all was well, after all; Mai''ra had been a good choice. Sometimes a little rudeness was necessary. "Well," Arete said, "I hope you weren''t looking forward to those. I don''t think they''re good anymore." She shook her head. "Adorable animal, but¡­a little on the hungry side. Is she yours, then?" "Yes." "Oh. Yes, I heard Sanders like goats. ''Mai''ra'' was it?" Arete tilted her head and looked at the nanny. "How strange. I thought Sander goats were bigger? This one just looks like a normal goat. And she''s so small! Charming. But small." "We got her this morning." Lukios cut in. "And we should really get off the street. This is just¡­" He sighed. "Your dress is a mess now. Seriously. Don''t tell me you''re sorry the bandits didn''t get me?" Arete burst out laughing. "Don''t be silly, Lukios. Papa won''t kill you over a dress, though I suppose Leandros might. He''s been in such a mood lately; you wouldn''t believe it." She pouted. "And you got it dirty. That''s rude. And to think! I had Ippodes drive day and night to meet you. This is hardly a proper greeting." Ba''an noted her pout was exceptionally fetching. The woman continued, "You should buy me a new one and make it up to me." Everything about Arete was very fetching. And aggravating. Ba''an cleared her throat and gave Lukios a look, willing him to introduce her and end this silliness. He did not. "I got it dirty? Excuse me? I was minding my business. You jumped me. You''re not putting this one on me. You''re just not. And seriously, Arete, don''t kiss me." He scowled right at her. "I''m touched you whipped your horses to exhaustion to see me, really, I am, but honestly? You really shouldn''t have." Arete looked astounded. "What''s wrong with you?" "Well, I got knocked over in the middle of the street and robbed by a goat. Now there''s a noble lady sitting on my lap, whose father is a strategos." His glare got sharper. "And if anyone asks, there was no kissing involved. I like having my bits attached." But Arete only snickered. "Sir Lion!" She struck him lightly with the palm of her hand, far more playfully than was appropriate, Ba''an was sure. "Are you instructing this lady to lie?" She shook her head and made a tsking sound. "An honest man would just marry me. To preserve my honour and all that, and to avoid getting stabbed by a strategos." "I''m lucky, not honest. And sometimes lucky needs help. Now get off." Why did he continue to banter? Arete laughed again, then wriggled so the rope moved with her. "I would love to, but this rope has other ideas." Ba''an''s temper flared, though she kept her tone even. "Enough. This is absurd. People are coming to gawk." Lukios cleared his throat. "Uh¡­right. Sorry, lady Ba''an. Would you mind getting my knife from my pouch?" ¡­''Lady'' Ba''an? Lady Ba''an? "Already?" At his glare, Arete smiled widely and relented. "Oh, very well. I''ll be as mannerly as a vestal: quiet, modest, and very boring. Happy?" "Very." Lukios cleared his throat. "Lady Ba''an?" Jaw tight, Ba''an yanked his pouch open and took his knife, then she stalked her way to where the rope was tightest and cut them free. She had to set the asphodel down to do it, but Ma''ra was safely distracted. Lukios kept trying to catch her eye, but she ignored him. ''Lady'' Ba''an, indeed. ¡­But what had she been expecting? From somewhere behind the gate, she heard Gaios'' voice, gravelly with displeasure as he barked out orders. Lukios shrugged the rope off himself and glared at Arete until she stood, rolling her eyes. He reached over and grabbed Mai''ra, who was nearly done with her spree of gluttony; the goat bleated and resisted, hurriedly eating the last of the sweetmeats before she was yanked away. Her cheeks were so stuffed that she looked like a squirrel. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. There was a whirl of action as servants poured onto the streets, blocking the sight of their mistress from gawking commoners. Ba''an sensed Gaios walking out the gates toward them, and she knew that he was not at all pleased by what he was seeing. "Well!" Arete sounded very jovial and satisfied. "What an adventure already, and it''s not been a day!" She turned to Ba''an and smiled. "And Lukios, you haven''t introduced us properly." Smiling widely, the woman took Ba''an''s free hand in hers; Arete''s hands were warm and soft, much more delicate than Ba''an''s. Ba''an had spent the last five years cutting her own wood, fetching her own water, and beating her own rugs. Ba''an blinked, confused by this turn of events. Why was this woman touching her? Arete only laughed merrily. Again. "Well, I''d kiss you in welcome, but I don''t think that is how Sanders do it. Lukios has lost his manners somewhere, so I will introduce myself. Honestly, I don''t know what goes on between his ears half the time, and I don''t want to know. I''m sure I''d go quite mad. We ought to give you a laurel for putting up with him." "That''s real cute, Arete. Real damn cute." "Of course I am. And I am also very pleased to meet you, lady Ba''an! Please, call me Arete." "Lukios. Arete. What is the meaning of this?" Gaios strode forward, frowning. He was dressed in his usual way, but Ba''an noted that he had not shaved. Servants were already hustling forward to rearrange Arete''s dress, and one of them put the shawl over her head and shoulders so it sat properly. Mai''ra, who had nowhere to go with Lukios'' iron grip on her rope collar, looked up at Ba''an and baaa''d. She sounded quite put out, and Ba''an felt her mouth flick into a smile. She knelt and rubbed Mai''ra''s ears, which the little goat liked very much. "Good girl, Mai''ra," Ba''an whispered. "I will give you another treat later. But you must behave now, yes?" Lukios stood facing their host and cleared his throat. "Gaios! Well, we had a bit of a mishap." He laughed and patted Mai''ra with exaggerated fondness. "She''s a little energetic. Don''t worry, though, I''ll have her in a stall, and she won''t make another peep." "''Mishap''? Still getting a lot of those, hm, Lion-man?" Ba''an blinked. She looked at Arete, then at the young man who had just spoken; eerily, she was suddenly reminded of Ash''a and Lu''kir, though Arete and her twin¡ªor at least, that was Ba''an expected, based on their age and mannerisms¡ªlooked nothing like them. "Leandros! Good to see you, too. Call me Lukios. Seriously." Ba''an noted the teeth beneath the friendliness: they were not fond of each other at all. The man Lukios had called ''Leandros'' walked up to his sister and waved the servants away. Ba''an noted that he had positioned himself so he was between Lukios and Arete, and he had done it so naturally and casually that it could not be called an insult¡ªbut it was. "Now how''d you get so filthy? I swear, Retty. I looked away for two seconds and here you are, wearing half the street. And is that goat hair?" He turned his face to Lukios, raising an eyebrow. "This is your fault, isn''t it?" "Enough." Gaios'' formidable brows had drawn down. "This is a street, not a circus. Get inside, all of you. You''re making spectacles of yourselves." It was not possible to see past the living wall of servants, but Ba''an could guess that people were staring. She sensed they had stopped in their usual activities to gawk. They walked into the compound, everyone going their own way. A gaggle of servants followed both Leandros and Arete, though only a handful trailed behind Gaios. Aika, oddly enough, appeared to be missing, though Ba''an was not sorry for it: the girl was lucky, having missed this entire, sordid mess. Lukios released Mai''ra to a servant, and Ba''an paused to scratch her behind the ears, promising to visit later. Lukios called out, "To the stables, not the kitchens! She''s not dinner!" Mai''ra looked over her shoulder and said the only thing she could say: baaaaa! And that sounded truly miserable. Ba''an frowned, and Lukios put his hand on the small of her back. "She''ll be fin¡ªBa''an?" She shoved the asphodel into his arms and slid away from his touch to walk through the courtyard now that it was clear. She had not wished to share the entrance or hallways with so many people at once. "I must wash before breakfast." She was dirty again, both from the market and from Mai''ra''s antics. Her clothes were full of goat hair. "Ba''an?" She heard him come up behind her, catching up quickly with his longer strides. Ba''an refused to look at him. "Do you not mean ''lady Ba''an''?" "What?" He sounded completely taken aback. How could he be surprised? Did he think she was stupid? "No. Ba''an, are you mad?" He was crowding her now, and she shoved him away. "There are eyes and ears here. Do not forget your manners." "What in the¡ªBa''an. It''s not like that. It''s¡­" He glanced around, then dropped his voice. "I''ll explain later. But Ba''an, it''s not like what you''re thinking. It''s just not." She ignored his protests, opting to instruct him instead. "Your chambers are in the other direction, Lukios. Use another entrance. And you are filthy. Again." "Ba''an." He reached out to grip her arms, but she simply shrugged his hands off her with a glare. "You are behaving poorly, and the servants are watching. I am a secret, am I not? I will not be one for long if you continue this way, sir Lukios." So much for marriage. Did he wish to keep that a secret, too? Had this intention simply¡­slipped his mind? "That''s not it. Ba''an. Just¡ªwould you slow down and let me¡ªBa''an!" "No. I am not interested, and you are filthy. I will see you at breakfast." Lukios darted in front of her, blocking the entrance to the compound. She stared up at him incredulously. Was he eight? "You are mad." His eyes had gone wide in his face, but Ba''an''s expression was stone: it did not change. "Ba''an. Sweetheart. It''s not what you''re thinking." "And what am I thinking, Lukios?" "That I didn''t introduce you to Arete and called you ''lady'' ''cause I''m trying to hide you." He paused. "Okay, that is right, but not for the reason you''re thinking." His eyes flicked around the courtyard and he whispered, "Is there anyone around?" "Yes. As I have said, there are eyes and ears everywhere." And there was another familiar soul watching them, one that sounded cool and calm like water running beneath a bir-vuti. She switched to K''Avaari, all too aware of the servants who were pretending to be uninterested as they went about their day. "Your gifted friend is watching. From his window." He grimaced, then responded, taking her cue. "Of course he is. That little¡­stit-tat. I will explain later, but not here." The pleading look he wore appeared sincere, and she could feel her resolve weaken. "We shall see if I am in the mood to listen." There. Let him feel miserable over Arete, for once. "Ba''an. I''m sorry. I didn''t do it to upset you, I swear. And I was trying to avoid her. I tripped. I''m sorry." "We will speak later, Lukios." She sighed. "And you are making a scene. If you wish to keep something from that woman, this is a poor way to do so." "Just let me explain later." His jaw was set in that stubborn way it did when he was determined to get his way. Ba''an kept her irritation from her face. "I said we will speak later, Lukios." Then she added, "The longer you stand there, the less likely that becomes." He swallowed. "Okay. I''ll go for now. But Ba''an, we''ll talk later. I mean it. Don''t¡­don''t just run off, okay?" Ba''an sighed again. "Lukios. Go." "Promise you won''t just run off." "I will not ''run off.'' Now go." "Right. I''m going. You promised, remember! And we''ll talk later, Ba''an. For sure." He went. Ba''an did not watch him go, instead tilting her head up to glare at the man who was observing them from the second story. Nikias was still at his window, and he met her eyes without a hint of shame at being caught spying¡ªwell, why would he? He had sensed her as surely as she had sensed him. He had not been trying to be discreet at all. Nikias tilted his head in a polite little nod. Infuriating. That man was simply infuriating, but a witch did not display her feelings on her face. She simply did not; Ba''an turned her away and forced herself to slow and walk at a more staid and leisurely pace. When Ba''an arrived at her room, it was empty. "Aika?" Strange. The girl was nowhere to be found; even a day ago she had been stalking Ba''an through the halls and gardens, sticking to the former witch''s side like sap to a tree. She undressed, grimacing at the mess on her fine clothes¡ªclothes that Lukios had bought her. Now alone, she sighed. The day had started so well, but¡­ Ba''an had half a mind to skip breakfast, but doing so would be unutterably rude. Gaios had opened his home to them and skipping breakfast to avoid his children was a level of impropriety to which she would not stoop. But¡­seeing Lukios and Arete together had been¡­ ¡­had been¡­ ¡­deeply unpleasant. It was not just their fine looks. If Lukios was the sun then Arete was the moon, and side-by-side they made such a fine pair that Ba''an could barely stand it, but it was not only that. Arete sounded very much like Lukios when he was in the mood to joke. In fact, the joke about being tied up had been his¡ªhe had said so. And they had sounded so familiar with each other. Arete knew things about Lukios that Ba''an did not; no doubt she had not only memorized his jokes. And she was young. And beautiful. And rich. And influential. All things that Ba''an was not. Ba''an did not think Arete would have eaten all of Lukios'' crab. She put her hand over her eyes and took a deep, deep breath, then held it before letting it out in a slow and steady stream. Ba''an was being childish; she had already known that this would end someday. She had known this, and¡­it had not looked as if Arete would be a bad match. She could give Lukios things that Ba''an could not; she could give him allies. Powerful ones. Stability. Rank. Respect, which he surely would not get if he married a destitute Sander woman who did not even have a name-chain. What could she give him but grief? If not now, with the scorn of his peers, then later, with her early death. She sighed again. Ba''an was not only being childish. She was being remarkably selfish as well. Enough. It was time to wash and go to breakfast. Ba''an walked to her little washing bowl, then paused, puzzled; it was full of flowers. Red flowers. They were not bus''ka blooms, but they were close: their petals were larger, blooming widely and without restraint, as did many things in Illos. Their sweet scent had filled the room, though it was only now that she''d noticed. Ba''an reached out and touched a waxy petal, pleased by its soft, smooth texture. She dipped her head closer and sniffed. They were beautiful, but... ...Why in Sa''nuvan''s name were they in her washing bowl, and who had put them there? Chapter Forty-two: Arete, Part II Breakfast was as awkward as Ba''an had expected. Puzzled by the sudden appearance of flowers in her washbasin, Ba''an had decided to braid them into her hair. Her mysterious benefactor would surely react to seeing her wearing them, and then she would know who it was. It was really quite simple¡ªexcept for the braiding. That was not so simple, because her hair was still damp and it was long. Ba''an half-wished Aika was there, if only for another pair of hands. Thus, clean and dressed again, she set off for breakfast. Without Aika to guide her, Ba''an resorted to simply asking directions as she wandered through the halls, as she did not know where breakfast would be served. The dining hall was empty, so she took a leisurely walk toward the gardens on a hunch. The Dolkoi''ri did like their gardens; they had them indoors and outdoors. Nikias was conversing with Leandros when Ba''an arrived. They were sitting comfortably on the open veranda that led into the garden; being breakfast, the setting was not quite so elaborate, though they had maintained their fondness for lounging chairs. Oddly, there were only three, though they were quite long and wide. They were piled high with cushions and throws, and Ba''an could hardly see the wood beneath it all. Were they sharing seats? ¡­Was that proper? Or was she expected to sit with Arete? Leandros looked exactly like Gaios, but younger. He was also at an age that allowed him all his hair; they sat in gleaming, inky-black curls that Ba''an was certain must be fashionable elsewhere. Ba''an noted that his hair was longer than any of the other men, Lukios included; if he were to ever write or set himself to work, he would have to tie it back to keep it from falling over his eyes. He did not have Gaios'' stern bearing, either. His face was too open and friendly, and the lines softer. He did not have the look of a military man. Even Nikias looked more accustomed to hard living than Leandros. How curious. "Well, hello, hello!" Leandros smiled, but Ba''an did not like the way he looked at her: he ran his eyes from her feet to her head, then down again, as if he was assessing a cow at market. It was offensive, and she stiffened. "That''s Lukios'' Sander woman, right?" He winked at her as though he hadn''t referred to her like furniture. "Kind of skinny, isn''t she? Then again, beggers can''t be choosers." Ba''an opened her mouth to speak, but Nikias beat her to it. "Lady Ba''an is an esteemed guest of your father''s, Leandros. Act like it." The man blinked. "It''s not like she understands us, Nik." Nikias''s expression grew incredulous. His mouth had parted very slightly, and he seemed momentarily speechless. Well. Leandros clearly did not share his father''s wits. "I do understand you. Perfectly well. And you are correct: I am skinny. There is not much food in the desert, particularly after the war." Which his people had started. "Even so, I did not know it was Dolkoi''ri manners to speak of a woman so rudely in front of her." He sputtered, going red, but recovered himself quickly. "Oh, I uh¡­er¡­" He cleared his throat and stood. "My deepest apologies, lady Ba''an. You''re right. I should never have thought such a thing, never mind say it, regardless of whether you are present or not." He stood and put a hand over his upper belly and bowed. Then he took her hand in his and kissed it. Now it was Ba''an''s mouth that hung open in shock. Was this good manners? Nikias only met her eyes and raised an eyebrow, as if saying, Is that sufficient? What would he do if Ba''an said it was not? Was he offering to rebuke Gaios'' son? In Gaios'' own home? "I see you''ve met Ba''an." Lukios'' voice carried across the hall that led to the veranda. "Careful. Sanders don''t really do the touching thing." There was a hard glint in his eyes that did not match his jovial tone. "Best keep your hands to yourself, y''know? Otherwise you might¡­lose one. Or both." Leandros burst out laughing. "Well, aren''t you in a mood? And we had such a fine morning, too. You''re supposed to say hello before pulling out the threats, Lion-man." Lukios'' bared his teeth in something resembling a smile. "Did that by the gates. You getting old, Landy? Can you remember your own name?" And now Ba''an could see Leandros'' teeth. There were quite a lot of teeth going around. "Perhaps we should sit and wait for sir Gaios and lady Arete," Ba''an suggested. Lukios looked at her, and she saw his eyes settle on the flowers in her hair. His expression grew brighter as he met her eyes. She looked away first, resisting the urge to touch her hair. Well, of course it had been Lukios¡­but when had he had the time? "I concur." Nikias looked perfectly relaxed. "The two of you are not permitted to kill each other while in Kyros¡ªor anywhere else. But most certainly not here." Nikias took a sip of his ever-present tea, then added, "And that includes duels. No dueling, no stabbing, no violence¡ªof any kind." "Oh, come on Nik." Leandros flashed Nikias a shockingly charming smile. It was like seeing Gaios smile, but younger. Strange. Utterly strange. "If we haven''t killed each other already, it''s not happening. And Arete would cry. Over me." He smiled at Lukios thinly. "And I won''t have that, even if Lion-man likes it." Lukios'' expression hardened. "I don''t enjoy making women cry, Leandros. And I''ve already discussed this with Arete and Strategos, so you can mind your own business." "She''s my sister. That makes it my business, and you shameless." His eyes flicked to the spearhead that was peeking out from beneath Lukios'' tunic. "Ha." He looked at Ba''an then at Lukios again. "Suits you: perfectly savage." Ba''an and Nikias spoke at the same time. "That is rude. The People are not savages." "Leandros. They are guests and you are the heir to House Origos." Nikias and Ba''an glanced at each other. Meeting Ba''an''s flat expression, Nikias smiled pleasantly and leaned back in his seat, looking as if they''d only discussed the weather. Leandros smiled with only his mouth. "Of course I am. Family pride, and all that." He paused, then looked at Ba''an. "My apologies, lady Ba''an. It''s this damnable weather¡ªI''m always cranky before the rains hit. I''m sure your people are all¡­quite brilliant." He looked at Lukios with a cold, cutting smile. "And as an honest man, I must caution you on your choice of companion. He''s broken a heart or hundred in his time, and you''re just next in line." Lukios lost his temper, exactly on cue. "Are you fucking serious right now? You came all the way here to piss me the fuck off and¡ª" Lukios stalked forward, expression murderous. Nikias stood, looking perfectly ready to intervene while Leandros leaned back in his seat with a smug, satisfied smile, like it gave him great pleasure to insult both his guests at once. Ba''an turned, hands up to soothe Lukios, alarmed; Leandros'' timing had been perfect, because here was Gaios, striding toward them in the hallway with Arete on his arm, expression gone thunderous at yet another incident. "Lukios." She put her hands on his chest, keeping him from Leandros. She hissed as quietly as she could, "Gaios is coming up the hall behind you." And Leandros had been seated facing the entryway. He had done it on purpose, the little dis-tat. Lukios looked down at her, eyes still blazing. She felt him take a breath, his chest swelling against her palms, then he put his hands over hers and closed his eyes. She felt his muscles relax as he fought his temper. He opened his eyes and looked at her again, and she was abruptly aware that this was far too intimate, and Leandros was watching them with sharp, calculating interest. She tugged her hands free, then turned her back to him. "Please, have a seat." Leandros smiled at her very sweetly and patted the spot on the lounge next to him. "She''s sitting here," Lukios snapped, but Ba''an ignored him and seated herself next to Nikias. Lukios stopped talking abruptly, his shock ringing through his sudden silence. Ba''an would have preferred to sit alone. But there were only three couches. Nikias'' expression had slid from polite to amused. "And suddenly, it doesn''t seem like a very bad spot at all, does it?" "I had thought it would be quiet." Nikias made the little sound he made in lieu of actually laughing. Then he switched to K''Avaari, and spoke in a low, quiet voice, "What did you say to Lukios earlier? He looked like a puppy left at the corner." He paused. "Or is that a puppy about to heave? Something like that. I can''t quite tell." Lukios had seated himself across from them. His eyes were fixed on her in a burning stare that she could feel down to her bones. "That is not your business." He hmm''d. "True. I just think it''d be a shame if he vomited on the textiles. These are imported, you know¡ªall the way from Eir." He patted the rich rugs that were thrown over the chairs to soften them. "I do not see how that is my responsibility. Lukios is a grown man." And it was Lukios who wished to keep her a secret from everyone; Ba''an was merely granting his desire. Nikias made that same restrained noise of amusement. He had only laughed in front of her once, she remembered, in his office. Lukios'' soul was bright and loud, but Nikias'' was quiet as a shadow cast in a wooded grove. The contrast between them could not be sharper. Ba''an found that as annoying as he was, he still had better manners than Leandros. She would not have guessed that a man like Gaios would have raised his son so poorly. "Hm, yes. You would say that." Now what was that supposed to mean? Nikias lifted his head to meet Lukios'' eyes, and Ba''an had a terrible feeling that there was something triumphant about it, as if she had failed some kind of test. Lukios'' stare never wavered. Nikias gestured to a servant, who came forward and poured Ba''an a glass of juice. She sipped it. Oh. It was very cool and sweet, but tangy, too. She lifted the goblet and stared into it. Nikias smiled, and began speaking in his fine Illosian again. "Those are from the central gardens. We planted an orchard with imported plants from Yartan and Eir. Do you like it?" "Yes. What is it called?" "It is citron juice. They are grown beyond Yartan, actually. The climate here is just barely appropriate, but we are in the process of cross-breeding them to make them hardier and the fruit bigger." So. He was not only growing and breeding K''Avaari plants; he was growing and breeding them from everywhere, too. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. Lukios had not spoken since he had taken his seat, but he was listening, expression gone uncharacteristically blank. Leandros insulted him again, getting in one last dig before his sister and father arrived, but Lukios did not respond. Ba''an frowned, cutting a cold glare in Leandros'' direction, but he only smiled at her widely as if he had said something merry, rather than discourteous. Even if Ba''an could not hear souls, there would have been no missing Arete''s entrance. "Lukios!" Arete released her father''s arm and bounced to where he was seated. Lukios blinked, startled out of his reverie, and she watched his face morph into one of dismay before he killed the expression with a bland, polite little smile. Arete did not seem to have noticed. She plopped down beside him with a gleeful laugh. "Why is everyone so gloomy? It''s turning out to be a fine day, isn''t it?" She turned to the serving staff and clapped her hands. "Papa''s running late! Quick, quick!" Ba''an watched them scramble to do her bidding. Gaios glanced at her choice of seat and sighed. "Arete." Her eyes went wide and innocent. "But papa, I''m perfectly comfortable here." Gaios looked as if he was about to say more, but seemed to think better of it. He sat next to his son with more grace than his daughter had; his shoulders dipped briefly in resignation. He straightened before speaking again. "Leandros. I expect you on your best behaviour now and going forward." Leandros only raised an eyebrow. "Since when am I not, father?" The look Gaios gave him was oddly cold. "I also expect you in my study after dinner." And then an odd thing happened: Leandros paled. Arete looked between them, her eyebrows knitting briefly, before regaining her vivacity. "Oh, papa. Don''t be so hard on Landy. I insisted." "Arete. Not now." Gaios did not sound angry. But his tone was sandstone: there would be no moving him. Arete looked at her brother with eyes gone wide, but she regained herself swiftly. "Well!" She said instead, "Lady Ba''an! I had no idea you and Nik got on so well!" She clasped her hands together. "But of course you do! Our Nik''s mother was a Sander, did you know?" "Well, she does now," Nikias said dryly. "Remind me never to tell you any secrets." "You never tell me anything, even if they''re not secrets." Arete rolled her eyes, then put her hand on Lukios'' forearm. Smiling stiffly, Lukios subtly disengaged from her grip, reaching over to the table to pour himself a drink. Ba''an did not think this was good manners, since the servants always did the serving and the pouring; the girl who had been doing just that glanced from him to Gaios before slowly stepping back so she was innocuous. "Well, I suppose I''m wiser than I knew." Arete only laughed. "You''re so insufferable, Nik. You''re lucky you''ve such a handsome face¡ªpoor Heiode would never put up with you otherwise!" Nikias, who had been lifting a cup of juice to his mouth, froze. Ba''an blinked. Now that was an odd reaction. Who was Heiode? He had paused at just the right moment for the sunlight to hit the thin metal band around his finger; it twinkled at her. Strange. He had not worn it at the welcome banquet or during her interview, so why now? "Yes, well," said Nikias, "I suppose I was born lucky." And then he took his sip, continuing without a care in the world. Lukios had remained completely silent. Ba''an was beginning to feel¡­concerned. She glanced over at him, but his eyes were fixed on his breakfast, which was meagre. Surely a cup of juice and a piece of fruit were not enough? Arete had also noticed. "Lukios! You won''t last until lunch on that!" She waved to one of the serving girls. "Bring out some meat! Something heartier than fruit and bread. Quick, now!" Lukios finally raised his head. "Not for me, no. I already ate." But he had only had an apple and a bun. Nikias appeared to be watching her face with interest. Ba''an looked away, focusing on her own plate. Except she was not hungry anymore, either. If she ate something, there was a chance she would be ill all over the fine Eirian rugs¡­and Nikias was not the only one watching her with a keen eye. Leandros was, too, and Ba''an was beginning to feel like a baby strifa being stalked by a pack of wild crocha. She should have skipped breakfast. She should have lain on her bed and feigned a headache. She should have tripped and fallen down the stairs; surely no one would have expected her at breakfast then? "Nonsense," Arete was saying. She took a plate and piled it with food, though Lukios did not take it from her. "How are you going to show me around on an empty stomach?" This turned his head. "What?" "I said¡ª" "I heard you. I''m not taking you around. I''m taking Ba''an to finish her shopping." Arete blinked. Leandros'' expression darkened. Gaios looked as if he was battling a headache. Nikias sipped his tea, nonchalant. Ba''an froze, cup of juice halfway to her mouth as Arete''s eyes fixed on her and narrowed. Lukios was looking her now, too, though his expression was softer, soulful; he wanted her forgiveness. And naturally, Arete caught that look, too. Everyone did. Yes, Ba''an was a baby strifa, now trapped between a cliff and a pack of wild crocha. "Well, I suppose she can come along." Arete recovered quickly, smiling. "Lady Ba''an, you won''t mind a few detours, will you?" "Arete. I''m not showing you around Kyros. You''ve been here before and you don''t need a tour." Then Lukios added, blandly, "You said you''d never come back here, remember?" Gaios finally frowned, looking at his daughter. She ignored him, opting to laugh instead. "But Nik''s been so busy building!" Arete leaned forward. "Haven''t you, Nik? The gates already look much better than they did before! Have you finished the library?" "No." Nikias shrugged. "Waiting on the marble." He looked amused, and not at all offended. "Arete. Enough." Gaios put down his cup. "Lukios is coming to the barracks with me. We have business." Lukios raised his head to look at Gaios. "Is there a problem?" "Androlus wants a word about those schematics." Gaios grunted. "Don''t ask me for details. I don''t do schematics." Nikias leaned forward. "Yes, I thought as much. I don''t think hollowing the bottom completely would work, Lukios. The weight of the barrels would make the wood bend inwards. They won''t hold, but adding beams would make the space too small." Lukios blinked, then nodded. "True. I figured Androlus would make whatever changes he needed." "Well, you can discuss that with him." And that was the final word Gaios had on the issue of schematics, but Arete clapped her hands. "Oh! Can I see?" Lukios and Gaios spoke at the same time. "No." She pouted. "But why not?" She turned to Lukios. "I like your clever little drawings! You should draw me one." "I did." Lukios'' expression was bland. "You used it to line the cage for your rabbit." She laughed again. "I did not! It was that stupid slave girl. Don''t worry, we sold her." Arete shrugged carelessly, and Lukios looked away to take a sip of his juice. Nikias sighed. "I''d like to take a look, too, but I''m needed at the office." He added thoughtfully, "I could send Polochos if you want another pair of eyes." "Don''t worry about it." Lukios set his cup down. "I''m going to go check on the goat. I''ll see you at the barracks, strategos." "Oh yes," drawled Leandros. "The goat. Got some Birdutan in you, too, eh?" Ba''an did not understand what this meant, but by the reactions of those at the meal, it was not very polite. "Leandros." Gaios did not sound amused. "Landy! That''s a horrid thing to say!" Arete looked aghast. "It was a joke." Leandros shrugged. "May as well feed her again; she''s too skinny for dinner." "Mai''ra is not dinner." Ba''an was annoyed now. It was true Lukios had purchased her, but Mai''ra was Ba''an''s. This man had no business deciding she was dinner. Lukios turned his head to look at her, and now it was Ba''an''s turn to be startled. He looked angry. At her. "Right," Lukios muttered. "The precious goat is not dinner." He stood up. "Begging your pardon, strategos. I''ll meet you at the gate." And then he¡­left. "Well," said Leandros. "I see he still has his excellent manners." "That''s because you just won''t stop," Arete snapped, but Leandros laughed in her face. "You''re the one that never stops," he said, but Gaios had had enough. "If the two of you open your mouths to do anything except eat," Gaios said, "I will be very displeased." They stopped. Immediately. Nikias took a sip of his tea. "Do you have much shopping left, lady Ba''an? I would be happy to have my men escort you to whichever shop¡ªor shops¡ªyou need." "I do not." Ba''an paused. "I wish to buy reagents." Nikias raised an eyebrow. Ba''an noted Arete leaning forward with interest, though she did not comment. "Reagents? Whatever for?" Nikias'' tone was mild, but his eyes were probing. "Ointment." Ba''an frowned at him. "Surely that is not illegal." He laughed. "No, no, of course not. I was only curious. Sander cures are very effective, so I wondered if you''d share your recipes." "No." Arete raised an eyebrow. Ba''an had the feeling that such direct refusal was rude, though no one else reacted¡ªwell, aside from Leandros. He, too, had raised an eyebrow, and the twins exchanged a look. Now what did that mean? Nikias only continued to look amused. "I thought as much, but it was worth a try. But why ointment?" Because Lukios'' scars were likely sore, and this would worsen as the weather changed. "Sometimes my fingers ache," she replied instead. This was not a lie. Her fingers did ache, sometimes; Ba''an had often worked herself to the bone while alone in her not-vuti, and it had taken its toll on her joints. So it was not strictly a lie. Nikias looked thoughtful. "An analgesic?" "Yes." "With nau''tha?" Ba''an refrained from glaring. "Perhaps." Nikias only smiled. "Perhaps Strategos will allow you some of the nau''tha from the garden." Gaios only grunted an affirmative, seemingly tired of the conversation already. Nikias continued, "As for the other reagents¡­I assume you need K''Avaari goods?" Ba''an only looked at him mutely. Was he expecting her to make use of Illosian plants, most of which she had never heard of? Nikias only went on, very pleasantly, "I will have someone guide you. There is one merchant who trades in Sander goods, but he is difficult to find unless you know where his stall is." ¡­What? She blinked at him, and Nikias only made his usual noise of amusement. "Perhaps in exchange you would allow me to watch you make the¡ª" Arete leaned forward, so far that she nearly fell off her lounge. "Me too!" The words burst from her lips, and her eyes widened as she snuck a look at her father. He only sighed, and took a long drink. In a much calmer tone, Arete continued, "I''d like to see Sander magic, too!" ¡­Magic? How ignorant were Dolkoi''ri on matters of magic, normally? Was this a joke? Nikias and Ba''an glanced at each other. "It is not magic, lady Arete. It is physic." Arete did not seem to believe Ba''an, but surprisingly, Nikias agreed. "It is only herblore, Arete." She pouted. "You never let me do anything fun." And now Nikias and Gaios exchanged long-suffering looks. "Have you memorized the Compendium?" "¡­No." And now she looked as if she was sulking. "I''m not sure how you expect to learn any herblore if you haven''t read the Compendium, Arete." Nikias sounded perfectly polite, but this had the sound of a well-trod argument. Ba''an looked at him curiously. Nikias practiced herblore? But of course he did. He enjoyed cross-breeding plants, and this was not a hobby that appeared overnight. "I''ve read it, Nik. I haven''t memorized it." She sighed at him. "It''s over five-hundred pages. How can you expect me to memorize it?" Nikias opened his mouth to speak, but then seemed to think better of it. He took a sip of his tea instead. It didn''t save him. "Yes, yes. You memorized it when you were five and now you can recite it forwards and backwards. You''re a genius, Niki. We know." Leandros chortled into his cup. By his expression, he had a cutting quip to contribute, but then he glanced at his father and held his peace. "I was twelve and I cannot recite it backwards, Arete. And this is up to lady Ba''an." "No." Nikias shrugged at Arete. "You see? She said no." "But lady Ba''an! Why not?" "It is es''tat. Forbidden." Nikias raised an eyebrow, and she knew she''d been caught out. Only peloiti and its derivatives were es''tat; well, that and some other rarer mixtures. Liniments for aches and pains were taught to children. It was not difficult. But Nikias did not comment. "I will have someone guide you to the stall. The merchant''s name is Eikolus. I believe he may have other items of interest." He smiled. "Please, take your time." Ba''an had no desire to take his spies with her, but Gaios was already nodding. "That is wise, lady Ba''an. A woman should always have an escort, especially here. It''s safer." Except, of course, Ba''an was already safer from thieves and criminals than the escort was from her¡ªin theory. It did not bear mentioning. Ba''an tried to think of a good excuse to avoid Nikias'' spies, but she could think of nothing that would not arouse suspicion¡­and by his cheery expression, Nikias knew this as well. The little stit-tat. Arete sighed. "I''d love to go, but¡­I just thought of something." She clapped her hands. "I must prepare a grand dinner!" Gaios grunted. "If you wish." He flapped a hand in her direction. "Tell Lasonius I give you permission to use the household account." Arete clapped her hands together again and gave a squeal of glee. "Thank you, papa! You are the best father in the world!" Leandros'' expression grew sardonic, but he did not comment. Gaios only grunted again, but Ba''an noted that he looked pleased by his daughter''s delight even if he gave no outward sign of it. Arete sprang to her feet. "Oh! There''s not much time"¡ªTruly? They had only sat down to breakfast¡ª"and I must take an account of the storehouse immediately!" "Arete," Gaios sighed. "Finish your breakfast." "Yes, papa." Blushing, she sat back down. "But¡ª" And the chattering began anew. Ba''an snuck a glance in the direction Lukios had gone. Could she beg off now? She would not have a chance to see him again until dinner otherwise. "Is something amiss, lady Ba''an?" And of course Nikias never missed anything, being the very irritating man that he was. "I wish to lie down," she muttered. "Is it rude if I leave now?" He shook his head. "If you are unwell, then you are unwell." He raised a hand and gestured for a servant. "Lady Ba''an is feeling poorly. Take her up to her room." He looked at her and smiled, and Ba''an knew he had done it on purpose; undoubtedly, this was another test of some kind. "Thank you." Refusing would be suspicious, would it not? Ba''an made her excuses and left, following the servant, listening. Lukios was still at the stables, but she did not think he would be there for long; breakfast was nearly over, and he would be obliged to meet Gaios at the gate. The serving girl saw her into her room then left. Ba''an waited a heartbeat, then two; the girl''s soul grew distant, and Ba''an slipped into the servants passage to make her way to the stables.
Chapter Forty-three: Small Resolutions Ba''an slipped into the empty bedroom, waiting for the servant to pass her in the servant''s corridor; she listened until the girl entered Ba''an''s own room. By her movements, Ba''an surmised that the girl was replacing the water at the wash stand and checking the chamber pot. It wasn''t suspicious, but Ba''an knew she would likely report back to either Gaios or Nikias as to Ba''an''s absence; she rather suspected Gaios, if only because Nikias could track her in the same way she was tracking him. The man was still at breakfast, along with everyone else, and Lukios was at the stables, soul bright and sparking against the mellow glow of horses and a goat. Ba''an could hear his song and Mai''ra''s, close together; he hadn''t been lying about checking on her. She hastened through the passage then out the courtyard, keeping track of soul-songs and their positions relative to her own. Briefly, she considered hiding from Nikias; if she muffled herself to match the plants around her, her presence would vanish. No, it was a terrible idea. Disappearing would alert him to her additional tricks, and it would alarm him, besides that. Better to be blatant, and if he had a problem with it, so what? It was not as if he did not know Lukios spent his nights with her already. She sensed more souls about the courtyard. She ducked behind a pillar, then waited until the souls with their chattering voices turned the corner before walking quickly to the stables. There were servants around, but she made sure to angle herself to keep from view; she heard the stable-boy just in time as he came out, calling over his shoulder, "I can get an apple! Or maybe a carrot? Just a moment, kyrios!" Ba''an ducked below the topiary, waiting for the boy to go. Then she stood, dusted herself, and burst out laughing; she quickly muffled the noise with her hand. This was absurd. This more than absurd; it was hysterical. Why was she hiding from stable boys when she already knew the girl who had changed her water would tell Gaios Ba''an was gone from her room? It was idiotic, and Ba''an was clearly losing her mind. Lukios stopped moving. He had heard her. She walked to the entrance and peered inside. Lukios was crouched inside a stall so only the top of his head and his back and bottom showed beyond the stall. Ma''ra bleated, and she heard Lukios'' fingers in her fur, giving her a good, firm scratch. Mai''ra bleated again, and Ba''an heard a rustling noise as the goat butted him playfully. "Hey," he said. "Watch it, little lady¡ªor you really will be dinner." "She will not." Ba''an shuffled forward so she was inside the stable. A horse snorted in her direction, but then went back to watching the goat and the human speak nonsense. Ba''an cleared her throat. "I do not think she will make a good meal. She is too skinny." And adorable, but she did not think it would be wise to say so. Lukios did not turn. He only continued to scratch Mai''ra behind the ears. Ba''an fidgeted, feeling very much like she had the morning she had learned he had been a slave; it was the same sense of distance, the sense of being unmoored and stranded in the shifting sands with no landmark to guide her. She and Thu''rin had never argued over discretion. He had understood her place in the saa-vuti vur, just as he had understood his own. She put her hand below her heart to soothe the sudden, sharp pain in her chest. No. That was not the full truth; Thu''rin had not liked it, sneaking around, but he had loved Ba''an more than his pride, and so he had bent to fit her until her position¡ªand his¡ªwas secure, until those of the low-vuti became accustomed to Thu''rin-and-Ba''an, Ba''an-and-Thu''rin, and did not think to dispute it. It was a scandalous thing, for the son of the chief to take up with a witch. It concentrated too much power in the shi-vuti; Ba''an had braced herself for years, expecting a rebuke that never came: No, Maho-ska Ba''an. You can take any man to your hearth but Thu''rin, son of Tsu''kos and Kus''raya. We have spoken. And eventually they had become bolder¡ªbut he had waited a long, long time. "We even now?" She jumped. Lukios still did not turn to look at her; Mai''ra blinked up at him then bleated, nudging his hand with her head. He gave her an absent-minded pat over her little nub-horns. "Even, Lukios?" He shrugged. "I hurt you, and you hurt me back. There. Even. We done?" She sighed. "It was petty of me, Lukios. We had already agreed." Then she narrowed her eyes and glared at the side of his blond head. "But I do not like it. Arete is very forward with you, and you¡ªyou encourage her!" She had not meant to say the last part, because the accusation was absurd; Lukios did not encourage her. If anything, he tried to be polite while avoiding eye-contact, sidling away from the woman''s grasping hands naturally, as if by accident. He had tripped because of Mai''ra. But it felt like he wasn''t. That''s what it was: it felt like he wasn''t discouraging her enough. And if he was not discouraging her, wasn''t that encouragement by another name? Why could he not simply¡­rebuke her? Tell her ''No, I have another.'' Just¡ª "What?" He sounded astounded. He turned too quickly and ended up on his rump; Mai''ra snorted in surprise, but he ignored her, standing and going to Ba''an in two quick strides. Mai''ra''s head dipped to the ground at his sudden departure and she bleated angrily at his back, but neither Ba''an nor Lukios cared enough to pay her any mind. "I''m not! I''m not encouraging her. Ba''an, you can''t really mean that. I''ve been telling her to lay off. You heard me, didn''t you? All morning." He shook his head, reaching out and pulling her to him. Ba''an let him, staring up at him with her mouth in a flat line. "I wasn''t. Ba''an, sweetheart. I was telling her politely that I wasn''t interested by refusing everything. That''s how that works. And I''m sorry. I was trying to avoid her, but I tripped." He tossed a Mai''ra a look of genuine annoyance. "I know I shouldn''t blame a goat, but gods damn." He sighed. "And still, you keep telling me she''s not dinner. Not fair. Why can''t you be mad at her, huh?" Very flatly, Ba''an said, "She is a goat, Lukios." She looked at Mai''ra, who was now trying to gnaw through her leash, and sighed. "And not a very bright one. She is trying to eat the rope." Ba''an was almost certain that the nanny would try to eat wood chips next, and perhaps some iron nails that were embedded in the doors. Lukios looked over his shoulder at her antics, and so did Ba''an. They looked at Mai''ra together, and when their eyes met again, they burst out laughing, collapsing against each other. Mai''ra stopped her gnawing and stared at them, clearly confused. The horses snorted and whickered. Yes, the humans really had gone mad. It was like popping a bloated water-skin; like water, relief poured from them and they drank together, holding each other as they laughed until their bellies hurt. Lukios wheezed, then reached over to wipe the tears from the corners of Ba''an''s eyes. He drew her closer and pressed his forehead against hers, closing his eyes. "I''m sorry, sweetheart. I really am. Not just about the kissing, either. I mean¡­I made the wrong decision." "Wrong decision?" She drew back to look at him. Lukios only put his hand on her cheek, gently rubbing her skin with his thumb. "Yeah." He hugged her so her forehead was tucked against his shoulder. "You told me when we got here. What had you so worried, I mean." Ba''an closed her eyes, shifting uncomfortably. Ah, yes. She hid her face against his chest, trying not to let her embarrassment show. It had been a weak, shameful thing to admit, but the fact remained that Ba''an¡­ ¡­She would not remain a secret or a concubine. It was intolerable. Even now, with only a hello and some breakfast behind her, she was angrier than she ought to be; all the calm she had collected in the garden the day before seemed a dream. Ba''an had thought she would never meet Arete, but Arete was here. Now. Kissing Lukios and flirting, and serving him food. It was¡ªit was¡ª! "I''m sorry, Ba''an. I should have thought of it, but I didn''t. I mean, Arete and I were done months and months ago, but I just remembered she didn''t take it well and I had to make a decision then and there, so I thought it''d be smarter to¡­to keep her eyes off you. ''Cause Arete''s¡­" He glanced around and Ba''an frowned. "There is no one else here, Lukios." He only nodded. "Well, it''s rude to speak poorly of your host, that''s true. But Arete won''t like us together, Ba''an, and she can be¡­well, she can be a right-proper Illosian noble girl. That''s what I mean." Ba''an thought back to breakfast, and how easily Arete had said, Don''t worry, we sold her. Yes, she was a very charming woman, but she was also Dolkoi''ri and rich. No. It was not only Dolkoi''ri women who took issue with a romantic rival. Sometimes K''Avaari women did, too, and Ba''an had attended to at least one poisoning. The victim had died, for she had come to the shi-vuti far too late, and the murderer had been banished into the desert with a single water-skin. The man they had squabbled over had refused to look at the woman, despite her pleading, and Ba''an remembered thinking her a great fool, to go to such lengths for a married man who had been cheating on his wife. She had believed he would marry her once his wife was dead, but that had not been what happened; he, along with the tribe, had been horrified. It had been senseless and tragic, but that was ru''talani: plenty of passion and fury, but not a drop of wisdom. "Do you fear she will poison me?" Ba''an said it lightly, expecting Lukios to laugh, but he did not. "Ba''an." He dropped his voice lower, tone serious. "Don''t underestimate her. People who do don''t end up doing too well." He hesitated, looking as if he wished to say more, but he shook his head instead. "I don''t think she''d break xenia, but keep your guard up, sweetheart. I think the cat''s out of the bag¡ªI mean, I wasn''t very discreet at breakfast¡ªso she might have eyes on you now." Ba''an shrugged. "I do not fear her, but I will be cautious." What could Arete do to her, if poisoning was off the list? Ba''an had no reputation here to start with, or anything to take; it was one of the advantages of being destitute. There was only one thing to lose, and that was Lukios, so what could Arete possibly do? But Lukios was frowning. "¡­Maybe we should stay at the inn. The one that''s just down from the acropolis." "But that would insult Gaios." Ba''an was a stranger to Dolkoi''ri custom, true, but it could not possibly be polite to leave as soon as their host''s children arrived. It sent a certain message, one that was very rude. "Do you not need his support to rescue Eirene?" He sighed. "I¡­shit. But Ba''an, the more I think about it, the more I realize how stupid I was. She definitely knows, and even if she doesn''t, good ol'' Landy does, and he''s got a mouth on him. He''s probably nattering at her now, and the more he does that, the madder she''ll be." "But your courtship of her is over. She has known this for months. So she has no right to be angry." Lukios only sighed again. "I don''t think that''s how feelings work, sweetheart. But yes, I cut off the courtship and she knows. That''s what little Landy was going on about, though he''d go on about anything." He added, grumbling, "I should have whooped his ass years ago, the little upstart. Too damn big for his chiton, that one." "Then it is well." Ba''an shrugged again. "We can carry on as we have been¡ªdiscreetly¡ªbut if she discovers this, then¡­well. That is too bad for her." Lukios ran his fingers through his hair, then nodded. "Okay. If that''s what you want. But Ba''an, I mean it: be careful. She''ll probably buddy up to you, but don''t be fooled: Arete''s soft on the outside, but hard on the inside. It''s like biting into a peach; you break your tooth on the pit." He paused then added with a small smile, "The opposite of you, actually. So don''t let her charm you into trusting her, especially not after¡­" He sighed. "¡­Breakfast." Ba''an tilted her head back so she could look at him and raise an eyebrow. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. "You are saying I am hard on the outside, but soft on the inside?" "Uh¡­yes?" He looked at her expression and began to laugh, very quietly. "It''s what I''ve been saying, isn''t it?" He learned in and nipped at her throat, nuzzling her affectionately. "It''s why you''re so damn adorable. I adore you. I''d just do anything you wanted¡ªanything at all. Anything and everything. Just say the word." Ah. Well, she ought to demand he not be so friendly with other women, whoever they were. Lukios read her thought in her expression and snickered. "Oh, you don''t have to worry about that, sweetheart. I''m already planning to avoid her, but Ba''an, that means¡­" He put his face close to hers so his lips touched hers when he spoke. "¡­You have to sit beside me, not Niki. Or Leandros. Or anyone else, really." He beamed. "Deal?" She eyed him. "Do not allow her to kiss you again, Lukios." "Oh, that''s definitely never happening again. You don''t have to worry about that, either." He held up his hand solemnly, like he was making an oath to the gods. "I swear. No kissing Arete or other women. Really! Except on the cheek¡ªI mean, that''s how we say hello to relatives, and Dana? is a woman. So are Helen and Dafni. So¡ª" "Yes, Lukios. I understand this." Ba''an wasn''t stupid, she was merely¡­merely¡­protecting her dignity. He looked at her and his grin grew knowing and at least slightly smug. She frowned and crossed her arms. "What else, sweetheart?" "Do not hug her either. Or stand so close to her. Or tell her jokes. Or¡ª" She clamped her mouth closed. Now that she said it out loud, it sounded slightly¡­unreasonable. Arete was Gaios'' daughter. Gaios was their host. It would be uncouth to avoid his children, even if one was far too friendly and the other far too boorish. But Lukios was only grinning widely, looking incredibly pleased. Why was he so pleased? "Okay. Done! Easy, and I would have done all that anyway. Wouldn''t want to encourage her!" He pulled her against him and cooed, "Are you sure that''s it? Anything else? You should say you won''t forgive me until I buy you something nice! Wouldn''t that be fun?" "Lukios. I can hardly carry the things you have given me now." Even with Mai''ra, Ba''an did not think she could carry everything, and she did not think he had thought it through. "Hm. That''s too bad. Guess you''ll just have to come with me to Heliopo¡ª" "Very funny, Lukios." He laughed. Then he dipped his head down and kissed her gently, lightly tangling his fingers in her hair. "You like it when I''m funny, and I like it when you''re wearing flowers in your hair. You''re beautiful, Ba''an." Ba''an touched the flowers and smiled. "Yes, they are beautiful, like bus''ka flowers. So you have already given me something, though I do not know when you did it." He only shook his head. "I said you''re beautiful, but okay, ha. One of these days I''ll make you admit it, but I guess not today." And Ba''an was sure her cheeks had darkened now, but she only tilted her head up to kiss his chin. "And I got them last night, but you were sleeping. Or at least I thought you were." He touched one of the red petals, the one sitting over her ear. "Reminded me of that time you tried to get us killed by poking at wasps." "I did not!" "You sure? ''Cause I''m pretty sure the wasps would''ve won." "No. They would have slept, and we would have had honey." He chuckled. "If you say so." Then he lowered his head to whisper, "But they would have totally murdered our butts." "Kyrios! I got some oats! I think your goat will like¡ªOh!" The stable-boy was back. Ba''an fought down the urge to sigh, because she ought to have noticed, but no; whenever Lukios held her, her mind simply ground to a halt. This was very dangerous¡ªand annoying. Lukios only laughed. "Terrible timing, Telechos." "Uh¡­I¡­um¡­" He was young, no older than twelve or so, and Ba''an could see he was flustered by the sight of them together; his face was red, and he turning his head this way and that, looking at everything but Lukios and Ba''an. "I''m going to bribe you now to leave those oats here and watch for Strategos by the gate. Can you do that and come get me when he''s on his way?" "Um¡­I can¡­definitely¡­do that!" The boy dumped the pail of oats on the ground so hard that they nearly spilled over; the boy hurriedly steadied the bucket then stood to scramble away. "You going to go without your bribe?" Lukios grinned; it was the wide, friendly one that made everyone smile back. "Oh, um¡­that''s¡­I mean¡­!" Shaking his head in amusement, Lukios reached into his coin pouch to draw a shining silver coin: an obol. The boy''s eyes widened, and he fumbled and nearly dropped it when Lukios tossed it to him. "Thank you! Kyrios! And uh¡­" He looked at Ba''an awkwardly, clearly not knowing what to call her. Ba''an tried to smile reassuringly, but he only seemed more terrified by the expression. "You''re welcome, kid." Lukios winked and put a finger to his lips. Telechos nodded frantically, then bolted. Ba''an waited until she sensed him by the gate. Well, he was an honest child, that one. "Oats, Lukios?" He only grinned, picking up the pail and taking it to Mai''ra, who was now very interested again. "Yeah. She really is a bit skinny, isn''t she? And I''m not sure she''s stupid, Ba''an. I think she might just be hungry." He put the oats down and patted Mai''ra''s head as she began eating again. He threaded his fingers into her fur gently. "See? It''s a bit thinner than it should be. She''s not the cleanest, either, but the coat should be a bit glossier. I don''t think she was fed that well, wherever she was." Then he grinned at Ba''an and added, "We need her nice and fat so you can eat her later. Goat jerky lasts a long time!" "¡­Truly, Lukios, you are a comic for the ages." She glared. "I am not eating Mai''ra." "I mean, you never know! Better to feed her real good, just in case. And if you don''t eat her, then, well. You have a fat, happy little goat. Win-win!" He continued smiling. "And if you do eat her, I''ll buy you a new one that''s a little less bratty." She sighed at him, but he only laughed. "I''m teasing you, sweetheart." He looked at Mai''ra. "It''s not like she minds." "¡­She is a goat, Lukios." "Exactly my point!" Ba''an shook her head, rolling her eyes. "But you did not eat enough. Perhaps we should stop by the kitchens and get something?" He shook his head. "It''s fine. There''re food stands everywhere, anyway. I can pick something up and eat it there or on the way." He smiled. "Worried you, huh?" The look Ba''an gave him was unimpressed, but he only smiled wider. "Felt a bit jealous, did you?" She crossed her arms, and he burst out laughing. "So were you," she grumbled, but he only laughed more. "Yup. Damn straight. No sitting beside Niki to spite me, got that?" "I will sacrifice the pleasure to spare your feelings." Lukios only howled harder at her tone. "Yup. A real damn sacrifice. You need to sound sadder to really sell it, you know?" She sighed and shook her head. Then she reached over and straightened his clothes, which had been disheveled by their antics. He caught her hand and brought it to his mouth, kissing her so tenderly that she shivered. "I do mean it, Ba''an. Arete and I really are done. It''s just she''s not real good at understanding ''no.'' So don''t let her rile you, okay?" He kissed her fingertips and added, "It''s like I said earlier: you''re the only one for me. Really. Really." And now his smile was very sweet, and Ba''an wished to say something back, only she did not know what; her chest was tight, full of emotion she could not express. Oddly, it was Telechos that saved her. "The stable boy is returning, Lukios." "Oh." He sighed and stood, giving Mai''ra a final pat on the head. "I''m sorry I have to go. I really did want to take you somewhere, but¡­" He grimaced. "Work. But I''ll make it up to you later, okay? We can go wherever you want and do whatever you want. You can think on it and let me know." Ba''an only smiled. "Do not worry, Lukios. It is well." Then she thought of the flowers in her hair, and carefully unwove the one he had touched from its spot above her ear. Lukios watched her curiously, but his expression grew sunny as she reached up and tucked it into his hair; it did not work quite so well, as he kept his locks short. Smiling, Lukios reached up and took it, then lifted his necklace with Ul''ma''s spearhead from beneath his tunic. He wove the stem around the base of the spear so the flower sat in front. "There," he said. "Nice and comfy." He kissed her forehead. "Thanks, sweetheart." She cleared her throat. "Be well, Lukios. I will see you at dinner." Telechos cautiously stuck his head into the stable. "Um. Kyrios? Strategos is nearly at the gate." He looked at Mai''ra, who was busy crunching through the oats. "Oh, wow. She''s quite the eater, huh? Wow. Guess they weren''t feeding her proper." He shook his head. "I''ll take good care of her for you, kyrios!" He looked at Ba''an and gave her an awkward smile, which seemed to be the best he could manage. Ba''an smiled back, and was pleased to note he no longer appeared terrified. "And I''ll make sure she doesn''t spook the horses. Achilles has a real bad temper!" One of the horses snorted from his stall, lifting his head at the word ''Achilles.'' Ba''an felt her eyes widen. He was huge. If Mai''ra managed to get herself into his stall, she would have scarcely a second to regret it before being trampled into pieces. Ba''an eyed the rope. Yes, this was sensible; she likely could jump the stall door if she wanted. Goats were excellent climbers. The boy looked at her and addressed her directly for the first time. "Oh, don''t worry! I won''t let her get into any mischief." He smiled at her again, looking much more natural than the first time he had tried. Ba''an noted that he was most certainly still a child, one who was too young to be working already, but¡ªah. This was Illos. She suspected the obol had not really been a bribe; that had only been an excuse to give him something. She smiled up at Lukios, heart warming as it often did when she looked at him. He smiled back, looking mildly puzzled but pleased. Telechos opened his mouth to say something, but closed it again, shuffling awkwardly. Ah. "Lukios. It is time for you to go. It is rude to keep our host waiting." "Right." He nodded, but didn''t move. "Right." "Lukios." He sighed. "Hey, Telechos! Want to turn around for a second?" "Uh¡­as you say, kyrios." The boy turned around and peered out toward the gate obediently. "Strategos is at the gate, kyrios." "Sure. One second." Lukios leaned down and kissed her again on the mouth. "I''ll see you at dinner." He glanced up at the boy''s back then snuck in a second kiss. "Go, Lukios." "Yup." "Lukios." "Uh huh." He sighed and straightened. "Well, off I go! Thanks kid! Take good care of Mai''ra for me, but don''t overfeed her, okay?" "Of course, kyrios!" And with that he was gone. Ba''an went to the entryway of the stable to watch him go, as did Telechos; Ba''an was pleased to note that Nikias was going, too. Good; the man always managed to give her a headache with all the second-guessing. It was infuriating. "Telechos. Thank you for taking care of Mai''ra." Ba''an paused, not knowing if she ought to say anything further. "Be well." "Um¡­thanks, uh, kyria." He looked flustered now, and would not lift his head to look at her, speaking to his toes. "It''s my job! Don''t worry about a thing!" "I will not." Ba''an walked to Mai''ra, who was nearly done her pail of oats. She had been hungry, but Lukios had been correct as well: it was not wise to feed her all at once. Ba''an patted Mai''ra''s head, though the nanny ignored her for the meal. "Be good for Telechos, Mai''ra. Do not trip him." The boy laughed, then stopped abruptly when she looked at him. Ba''an only smiled, but he refused to meet her eyes. "Good day to you, kyria." "And to you." And with that, Ba''an took her leave.
Ba''an felt her forehead crinkle into a frown. "¡­Who are you?" The boy at her door smiled up at her and bowed. "I am Uchos! Master Nikias said I should take you to sir Eikolus!" He beamed up at her, and Ba''an noted he had very healthy teeth. In fact, he was remarkably clean and well-dressed, to the point that she had been puzzled by his presence. "I will take you whenever you are ready, kyria!" "I¡­see. Thank you." Ba''an blinked slowly and turned her head to the girl that was standing on the opposite side of the door. She was also well-dressed and well-coifed. "And you are¡­?" "Dita, kyria." She bowed as well. "I will help you with your toilette, and anything else you need." ¡­What? "Where is Aika?" Ba''an was beginning to feel concerned. She did not sense the child anywhere on the estate. Had something happened? "Aika?" Dita blinked. "Oh. About this tall"¡ªthe girl held up her hand so it was slightly lower than her the top of her own head¡ª"with black hair and a mole here?" She pointed to the spot on her own face, just in front of her right ear. "Yes." "Oh, she went with sir Medoros." "¡­Medoros?" "Master Nikias'' personal aide. Something about needing more hands down at the central office?" Dita smiled apologetically. "I do not know much. I heard one of the kitchen girls say so, but I am not sure." Ba''an''s frown deepened. She could not think of any reason to take a house servant to a civil office. What could Aika possibly do for Nikias? Pour him tea in a way Medoros could not? A sudden anxiety took hold of her, and she felt her blood drain from her extremities as a sudden thought crossed her mind. No. Surely not. Surely¡­ But why not? Why wouldn''t she? Aika had no particular loyalty to Ba''an, after all, and Ba''an had expected someone to rifle through her things, hadn''t she? And Ba''an had already suspected her once, had she not? There was no reason to believe she wouldn''t do it now; nothing had changed. Only Ba''an''s perception of their relationship had changed, and that had been a foolish thing. Ba''an felt her heart drumming against her ribs as the blood roared in her ears. Oh no. But Nikias had not said anything. Unless Eikolus was not a merchant, and she was walking into a trap. Or¡­or¡­ She took a breath, calming herself. The two servants were looking at her with keen interest, and she could not give herself away here. There was no reason to jump to conclusions. Not yet. "I see," Ba''an said, and her voice was cool as ever. The two servants smiled at her very sweetly. How nice. "Thank you. I must ready myself to go. Uchos, will you wait down by the gate?" "As you wish, kyria." He smiled, bowed again, then left. Ba''an turned to Dita, who was trying to open the door. "No, no, thank you. The K''Avaari do not change or prepare a toilette with others." And this was not strictly true, but how would Dita ever know it? "Oh." The girl''s brows knitted slightly. "Are you certain, kyria?" "Yes. I am nearly ready, regardless, and only need a few things." Dita did not look convinced, but Ba''an was certain she could not refuse an order from a guest. "If you wait downstairs, I will meet you shortly." "I can wait here, kyria. In case you need assistance." "Wait downstairs, Dita." There was no arguing against something so direct. The girl''s eyes widened. "As¡­you say, kyria." She bowed again, then left, looking back only once. Ba''an entered her room. Everything appeared to be in order, and the chest was closed exactly as she had left it¡ªbut it had no lock, because it was for guests. Ba''an licked her lips and approached it, belly tightening in apprehension. Slowly, she reached out and opened it; the hinges worked soundlessly, being well-maintained. She peered inside. Nothing appeared amiss. Here were her clothes, folded in the same way and order as she had had it the day before. Here were her extra shawls, and here were her bags of¡­ Oh. Ba''an''s eyes widened, then narrowed as she bent down for a closer look. Oh. Oh no. This was¡­trouble. Interlude: Between the Hammer and the Anvil It was still dark when Aika rolled off her little mat in the sleeping quarter and shuffled to the basin. The other slaves were also rousing, and someone had already lit the fire in the hearth; Aika could smell bread baking. The kitchen slaves always got up earlier to get the oven going. She splashed cold water on her face, taking care to rub the sleep from her eyes, and then dried it on her apron. There. She dressed and ate a piece of left-over flatbread from the night before. Basa joined her, and so did Enes and Lyta. "Gonna go serve th'' witch?" Basa made her eyes go wide and she made a little spooky noise. "Whoooo. Better take ''er up a snack. Might eat you if she''s ''ungry." And then she snickered. Aika shoved her. "That''s not funny!" She chewed her hard piece of bread furiously, then gave up, dipping it in her cup of lukewarm water. "There''s something wrong with her. She''s¡­she''s not right. She''s¡­she''s¡­" Aika shuddered and hunkered down. "She''s got a nasty temper. She pretends to be all nice but she''s not. She''s mean." Enes snorted. "That there''s a Sander witch, Aika. Don''t be letting her curse you none." "Well, how''m I supposed to do that, Enes?" Aika smacked her friend on the arm. "You''re not helping!" "Don''t look her in the eye." Lyta nodded sagely. "And make the sign whenever you can. To keep her evil off you." Aika looked down and curled her fingers, moving her thumb over her bent forefinger and then down. "Yes, like that!" Lyta bit into her own piece of bread and made a face. "Why can''t we get something hot for breakfast?" Enes shushed her. "Don''t be complainin''. Least we be getting breakfast¡ªthat be lucky enough." Lyta rolled her eyes. "But Master Gaios is a strategos. I heard House Astros gives all their slaves hot meals. And they get meat every weekend. Every weekend!" She looked down at her bread and sighed. "I want fish. Grilled fish. Or even a piece of salted jerky for soup." Basa, Enes, and Aika glanced at each other. Lyta was spoiled, but they knew better than to make fun; city girls were all high-minded anyway, and Lyta didn''t complain too bad. She worked hard enough, though sometimes she said stupid things. But she could write her own name and read receipts. That was useful, and she knew all sorts of good things. "And clothes," Lyta was saying. "They get new clothes and new sandals every six months, and wages every month." Aika and Enes glanced at each other, though Basa only rolled her eyes. "Go an'' fuck kyrios Nikias, then," Basa said, snorting. "Maybe e''ll take ya ''ome wit'' ''im." Lyta blinked. "Oh. That''s not a bad idea." Aika smacked her on the arm. "Lyta!" "What?" "That''s wrong! Whoring is wrong!" The three girls looked at each other and burst out laughing. "It''s not whoring, stupid. It''s smart. What, you want to be a slave forever?" Lyta was laughing so hard that she could barely talk. "No. But you can''t just go¡­go¡­fu-fu-fucking!" "Why not? It''s even better if you have a baby. He has to take care of you then." Basa and Enes looked at each other and nodded. "Tha''s right. Don'' be stupid. Ya ain''t ever gonna be free if ya can''t take a good fuckin''." Basa shrugged. "Ya gotta do it while yer young an'' pretty. No man likes puttin'' it in a hag." "Nuh-uh. Sometimes he just kills it and gets rid of you." Aika reached over and shook Lyta, who made a noise of shock and smacked the smaller girl off her. "What be the matter with you?" Enes yanked Aika back so she fell on her bottom. Lyta leaned in with a conspiratorial look. "Did he?" "What?" "Kyrios Nikias! Did he get one pregnant and kill the babe?" Aika stared at her friends blankly. Aika didn''t know anything about kyrios Nikias. But¡­but¡­ She hunched over, trying not to think too hard. "I don''t know anything about House Astros," she mumbled. "See? His mama''s a whore, ain''t she?" "Basa!" "What? She is. Was. Whatever. And he ain''t dead¡ªhe''s the bloody damn heir. House Astros runs different. I''m telling you¡ªyou want out? Fuck an Astros." "Damn," Lyta muttered. "Are Sanders that good at fucking? Or are they all witches?" She continued mumbling to herself. ¡­Was she really thinking about it? Really? "But¡­" Aika couldn''t decide who to answer first. "Didn''t you say Lukios the Lion bought that sandy whore a whole heap of jewels?" "Yes, but¡­" "See? Fucking be working." Enes shrugged. "And if he don''t be freeing you, you sell your jewels and be freeing yourself. There." "But that''s different. She witched him, so he can''t kill her. Or beat her. Or¡­anything else." Aika didn''t have any magic, and Lyta didn''t either. What if the nobleman Lyta fucked didn''t want any bastard babies? What would he do to her? Or the baby? And¡­rich men weren''t always nice. Not to slave girls. Not when they were¡­they were¡­ Aika put her bread down, feeling sick. "Lyta, I don''t think it''s a good idea. S-sleeping with a rich man and having his baby, I mean. Sometimes they''re mean." "Ha, you''re a real rabbit, aren''t you, Aika?" Basa elbowed her, grinning. "Scared o'' everythin''." "I''m not." Aika leaned away, avoiding her elbows. "I''m just¡­just¡­being sensible." "You''ll be workin'' ''ere forever, rabbit-girl. Til yer old and yer teeth fall out. Ain''t no one gonna free ya then." Lyta giggled. "Unless the witch-whore eats you first." She made a chewing motion, closing her jaws together so her teeth clicked. "That''s not funny!" But her friends were already laughing. "It be real funny," said Enes. "But you be careful." They sobered. "I be hearing Sander witches bathe in the blood of babes. It be keeping them young." Aika grimaced, but Lyta nodded knowingly. "Yes, you have to be careful, Aika. Remember: make the sign against evil, and don''t look her in the eye. Try not to talk to her too much, and keep her in a good mood if you can. Compliment her, and don''t tell her she''s got the face of a goat." "I know Lyta." Aika hunched over, regretting her friendliness on the first day. Aika hadn''t known she was a Sander witch. She''d just wanted to meet a real Sander, that was all; how could Aika have known? But it was obviously true. Kyrios Lukios wouldn''t leave a woman like Mistress Arete for a scrawny Sander woman with a goaty-face if she hadn''t gone and witched him. "You want the rest of your bread?" Lyta eyed Aika''s portion, and picked it up eagerly when Aika shook her head. "Thanks, rabbit!" "You''re welcome," she mumbled. "Lyta, let''s switch." Lyta gave her a pitying look. "Sorry, no. I like being alive and uncursed." She put the piece in her mouth and spoke around it. "Besides, kyrios Nikias asked for you, and Master Gaios said ''yes.''" She put her hand on Aika''s shoulder. Basa and Enes joined in, giving her an impromptu hug. "Ya''ll be fine. Don'' be stupid, an'' ya''ll be fine. Just do like Lyta said: smile, say nice things, an'' don''t look ''er in th'' eye." Right. Be smart, except kyrios Nikias wanted Aika to report to him. Go spy on a witch, Aika! Go befriend her, then tell me all of her secrets! Surely nothing would go wrong! She grimaced. No. It wasn''t that nothing would go wrong. It was that kyrios Nikias was a rich man, and he could buy Master Gaios a dozen Aikas once the witch ate her. Oh sweet D¨¡m¨¡?t¨¥r. Aika was going to die. She was going to get eaten, or at the very least, cursed. Gods, gods, gods. "It be time for you to go, no?" Enes pointed outside. The black had started to fade as the first faint streaks of pink began climbing the horizon. "Oh!" Aika stood. "I have to go!" The girls laughed. "Go!" Lyta grinned, the gap between her teeth suddenly pronounced with a piece of bread stuck in it. "And maybe if you do good, kyrios might fuck you." Aika made a face of disgust¡ªor terror, she didn''t know¡ªand left.
"Kyria?" Aika stuck her head into the room. She''d knocked three times already, but there''d been no answer; she''d had no choice but to stick her neck out. Aika imagined the lady''d be mad if Aika opened the door while she was with kyrios Lukios, and Aika didn''t think that''d end well for her. Kyrios seemed completely enchanted. Would he stop the witch if she cursed Aika? She didn''t think he would. She plastered a smile on her face as she called out again. "Kyria?" There was no answer. The room was empty as could be. Aika released a breath she hadn''t known she''d been holding, shoulders slumping. She pushed her hair behind her ear as she looked around. The sheets were mussed, and Aika wrinkled her nose once she got closer. There were black streaks on the pillows, and the room stunk. Aika grimaced, wondering what the witch''d been up to¡ªwas that some kind of potion? Maybe a love potion? Witches liked to use potions, didn''t they? Once, when Aika had been really little, there''d been a witch in her village who''d been caught making potions out of babies'' blood. Mama''d said that was how witches stayed young and beautiful forever, and that Aika had to be careful until she was a grown-up in case she got caught by one. Otherwise, she''d get bled out like a pig at the butcher''s to keep a witch young and pretty. Sir Orius had decided she be buried up to her neck and stoned, and so that''s what they''d done. She''d cursed at them and bled a lot, until she couldn''t curse anymore. It''d been real awful, the way her skin started hanging in strips. She hadn''t been so pretty then. Her face had been mushed up meat by the time she''d finally died. Aika wrung her fingers in her apron, trying not to think about it. At least this witch didn''t look that young or that pretty. She probably wasn''t killing babies. Probably. But the other girls were right: she''d done something to kyrios Lukios for sure. She had to have, with a face like that. Why would he betray a woman like Mistress Arete for a scrawny Sander like Ba''an if he hadn''t been witched? That didn''t make any sense at all, and he''d spent so much money on her: pins, combs, mirrors, rings, earrings, necklaces, shawls, chitons, new shoes and¡­the list went on and on, and Aika was sure the kyrios had lost his mind¡ªor had it taken from him, which was what witches always did. If he really had been stabbed, then he''d have had no choice but to eat and drink what she''d given him. That was what she''d done: put the potions in his food in drink. If Aika had been a witch¡ªwhich she wasn''t!¡ªthat''s what she would''ve done. He''d have had no choice at all but to fall in love with her, then. Except Aika wasn''t a witch, so she couldn''t make a rich handsome man fall in love with her, which meant a rich handsome man wasn''t going to free her, and he was definitely not going to marry her, because Aika wasn''t a witch. She was just a slave-girl who was going to get eaten by a witch, because she was really, really unlucky. But she wasn''t a child anymore, so maybe not? Unless Sander witches used other bits off people. She shuddered. She walked around the room, looking for anything out of place. Aika didn''t really know what she was looking for, but she''d cleaned this room for months now; if there was anything different, she''d notice, and then she''d go and tell sir Medoros so he could tell kyrios Nikias. She worried her lips between her teeth. He was scary, too. Aika folded her hands into her apron and wrung them together so the fabric twisted. The rough texture helped distract her from her darting thoughts. Aika really, really wished she hadn''t helped the witch on the first day here; it had just been bad luck. Bad luck. No, it was because Aika''d been stupid. Why''d she have to and be all friendly? Now she was stuck with the witch, and she really, really wished Lyta hadn''t told Aika all about Sander witches, because if she had to get eaten by a witch, wasn''t it better to just not know? Except even if Lyta hadn''t told her, she should''ve guessed it because it was obvious, wasn''t it? Whenever Aika stood next to her, she felt the little hairs on her arms and the back of neck prick and stand up, and there was something about her black eyes and flat stare that made her want to hide behind something, except¡­that would be really stupid, ''cause it''d give her away. She grimaced again. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. Actually, kyrios Nikias made her hair stand on end, too. Maybe he was also a witch? She put her hand over her mouth and stifled her nervous giggles. No, that was stupid and silly. He wasn''t a real Sander, and on top of that he was a man. And he wasn''t mean, either, and House Astros treated their slaves so good! Why hadn''t Aika been bought by House Astros? She sighed. Meat every weekend. That would be yummy. And new shoes! Twice a year! She looked down at her sandals. Well, these weren''t bad, but they were wearing a bit thin. New sandals would be nice, especially ones with thicker straps. And maybe some socks? It was getting colder now. House Origos gave a bit of money on feast days and extra food, but that wasn''t the same as a wage. If Aika were paid every month, could she buy herself free before she was old and ugly? She could have a proper life then, couldn''t she? Maybe she could marry a merchant! That would be exciting! They could have six kids: three girls and three boys. They''d name the oldest girl ''Arete'', because that was a very good, pretty name (and if Mistress Arete was pleased, maybe she would help Aika''s husband by buying his wares?), and they''d name the oldest boy¡­ Not Leandros. Aika pushed the sick feeling in her stomach away. They''d name him after his da or grandpa. That was what people normally did. Aika crawled under the bed. Nothing there, either. She checked every nook and corner, but everything looked fine except the smears of black on the sheets and pillows. Aika had to change the sheets anyway¡ªthey looked awful and they stunk¡ªso she stuffed them into her laundry basket. She''d give them to sir Medoros instead of taking it down to Lipso. The bowl full of flowers gave her pause. They were so pretty. Aika touched one and giggled. The washing bowl was a silly place to put them, but kyrios Lukios did lots of silly (but sweet! Really sweet!) things. She remembered he''d once gone all the way to Lofos to buy Mistress Arete a gray horse with white-dappled hind legs for her birthday because she had really wanted one. He''d decorated the mane and tail with lots and lots of flowers¡ªMistress Arete''s favourite flowers¡ªand the girls had all dreamed about being bought, freed, and married by Lukios the Lion for ages after that. Aika sighed. Except now he was witched out of his mind. It was sad. But maybe that was what kyrios Nikias was worried about? Maybe he could do something? He was friends with lots of priests, wasn''t he? Aika glanced around then plucked a flower from the bowl and dropped it in the laundry basket. Maybe they were important? Aika continued until she came upon the clothes chest. She stared at it, licking her lips. Would she know if Aika opened it? The girl squatted to take a closer look. She didn''t see anything strange. It looked normal, just like it had when it''d been empty. But¡­ Did witches have to draw something to put spells on things? Or could they be invisible? Aika slid across the floor slowly, inspecting the wood. It looked normal. Utterly, completely normal. Slowly, Aika raised a finger and poked the chest. She flinched reflexively, bracing herself¡ª But nothing happened. She reached out and put her hand on the lid. Nothing. She lifted it, and still, nothing awful happened. Nothing jumped at her from the shadows. She didn''t fall over dead, cursed, or in pain. Aika peered inside. There was a pile of old, dirty-looking leather bags on top. Aika knew one of them had that tea she liked¡ªsuk, she called it¡ªbut she didn''t know what was in the other bags or bundles. Aika frowned at them, then carefully opened them up. The knots were tied so strangely, but she managed to work them loose. They were just powders. Little tea leaves. The witch liked her tea, except maybe it wasn''t tea? Maybe she used it for her potions? Aika took the linens from the basket. She could probably take a pinch of each and knot the cloth closed; it took a little longer than she''d thought, but she managed. She unrolled a bundle of leather. Inside, wrapped in a surprisingly clean square of white cloth, were torture tools¡ªthere were sharp little knives and pinchers and needles, and Aika winced. What a monster. But of course she was; Ba''an¡ªif that was her name¡ªwas so cold and when she spoke it was in a tone that Aika recognized very well: slaves always recognized masters. They all spoke the same way, though some used prettier words than others. Even kyrios Lukios did it. He said things nicely but Aika knew no slave dared tell him no; even so, Aika would rather have kyrios Lukios as a master than a Sander witch who probably ate babies, or at least sacrificed them to her evil gods. Surely kyrios Lukios''d been witched. He couldn''t love something like that. Aika rolled everything back up, just the way she''d found it. She didn''t think she could take any of these; the witch would notice, and that''d be it for Aika. She''d just have to tell sir Medoros what she''d found. Aika found some other Sander things¡ªbarbaric things, like earrings made from bone, ugh¡ªbut nothing that seemed very important. She shifted her attention away and peered deeper into the chest. Wow. Those were really, really nice. Slowly, she reached out and touched the fabric of the clothes inside. Oh, these were woven so finely! Aika sighed. What wouldn''t she give to have a husband who''d buy her such nice clothes and smile while he did it! She shook her head. No, no. Aika didn''t know where the witch''d gone, but she could be back any second! Aika''d be really, really dead if she got caught. If she didn''t find anything good, kyrios Nikias would be mad. Were the powders enough? She didn''t think he''d beat her or anything like that, but¡­ Wouldn''t it be sad if kyrios Lukios stayed witched until he died? That''d be so awful. He was so kind and generous and handsome, and sometimes when he visited he''d bring little baskets of sweetmeats and ''forget'' them in the kitchen¡­ She sighed again, then squared her shoulders. She rifled through the things in the chest, careful not to disturb anything, or to put things back exactly the way she''d found them if she did. It was slow and careful going, and she had to stop to wipe the nervous sweat from her hairline once or twice. No, the rest of it was just clothes. Clothes, jewels, fancy, pretty things¡­ Aika frowned as something snagged. The chest was too deep for her to get a good grip that far down, but she could do it if she put her chin on the top layer of folded clothes and reached straight down with her arm. She grasped the soft, silky thing and eased it free from the bottom of the chest. When she drew it up, she burst out into nervous giggles. It was just some stupid Sander decoration: a big, black feather. Perfectly savage. The witch probably wore it in her hair or hung it like a necklace. Or maybe she used it to mix potions. Aika grimaced and put it back, sliding it under the last layer of clothes, exactly where it''d been; she rubbed her fingers together, then wiped them on her apron. Well. That was it, wasn''t it? Aika took one last look at the chest, making sure everything was back exactly the way she''d found them, then closed the lid. She poked her head out with her basket of laundry, flower, and powders, then nonchalantly went down the hall. Maybe kyrios would let her stop attending to the witch? Aika could only hope.
"Are you certain this was everything?" Aika fidgeted, heart thumping in her chest. She hadn''t thought sir Medoros would take her to see kyrios Nikias! Why would he? Kyrios was always so busy! But here he was, sitting in his office already even though the sun wasn''t all the way up yet, groomed and alert with his dark, dark eyes that never missed anything. Aika thought he would be very handsome if he smiled more, but he rarely did. When he did smile, it never quite reached his eyes. Sir Medoros had taken her into the office and muttered into his master''s ear before taking his spot behind him, back to the wall. Aika couldn''t tell anything at all from his expression¡ªsir Medoros was a very, very good aide. "Y-y-yes?" "Is there any uncertainty, or are you merely nervous?" "I-I-I-" He sighed. "Aika. Sit." He gestured to the chair across his desk. Aika jumped, then plopped herself into the seat so quickly that she smacked her bottom against the wood hard enough to hurt. Kyrios looked like he wanted to say something, but he only shook his head. "I will not punish you as long as you speak honestly." "Y-y-yes, kyrios." Kyrios looked at her another beat, then gestured to Medoros, who walked to the door and said something to one of the guards, the one with the crooked nose. He got up and left. Aika tried her best not to squirm, though she wanted desperately to throw up, though that''d definitely get her into trouble, so she had to hold it in¡ªreally, really, really. She took a slow breath and listened to the little gurgling sound of the water clock. It was a nice sound: like sitting by a little fountain. Kyrios was looking at all the items one by one. Aika watched as he sniffed the stained sheet and set it aside. He unwrapped the linens and poked a finger in the powder and sniffed that, too. Then, to her utter shock, he tasted it. He took a sip of water and did it with each unknown bit of witch-dust; he didn''t look worried at all. But what if they were poisons? Or magic potions? Aika squirmed. "Yes?" "What if they''re poisons?" She clamped a hand over her mouth, mortified. But kyrios only looked amused. "The dose makes the poison." Aika stared at him, uncomprehending. "Poisoning," he explained, "is about dosage. Most Sander poisons need more than a drop to kill. They are not particularly concentrated." His look of amusement returned. "If you were worried, you ought to have said something sooner. If they were poison, it would be too late for me now, wouldn''t it?" Aika slumped lower in her seat, heart slamming into her ribcage. That was true. Oh no. Did he think she was trying to¡­to¡­ Kyrios frowned. "That was a joke." "Oh." Aika considered trying to laugh, but she was certain it would sound forced, which was worse than not laughing at all. Sir Medoros snorted. "Your jokes are about as funny as a lawyer''s invoice." "Now that''s just cruel." Aika felt her eyes go round as a smile flickered over kyrios'' mouth before disappearing. "I don''t pay you to sass me, Medoros." "Well, you don''t pay me at all. Your father does." Kyrios only shook his head. "The things I put up with around here." "Ah, yes, the pain of being waited on hand and foot. A true tragedy." Sir Medoros winked at Aika. "Don''t mind him. He''s an Astros. Jokes are a foreign language they never quite master." Aika felt her eyes nearly bulge out of their sockets at his daring. Wasn''t he a slave, too? "We spend our time mastering other things, like law and commerce. Here." Kyrios handed the bundle of scraps with the powders inside to sir Medoros, who promptly tossed them into the fire. Oh. "They were only common Sander cures," Kyrios said. Aika tried not to look too disappointed, but she dreaded what he might say next; would he ask her to keep spying? On the witch? "You said you found other things in her chest." Oh. Yes. "Um¡­yes. She had some Sander jewellery¡ªor I think they were. Earrings, I think. Made of bones." Aika grimaced, though Kyrios did not react. "And some kind of¡­hair pin?" Aika shrugged. "Feathers. And bone. And um¡­leather things." Kyrios did not look very interested in Sander jewellery, which made sense; why would he? The jewellery was all barbaric and ugly, anyway. Aika cleared her throat. "She had torture tools." Kyrios raised an eyebrow. "Torture tools? Describe them." Aika did, and she watched him look very calm and unruffled about it. How could he be so calm? Wasn''t he worried that she''d do something to some poor, hapless slave, like Aika? "Hm." He did not comment further, and Aika squirmed. "But she might use them." "On patients, yes." He shrugged. Patients? "It is good to know." It was? Aika stared at him expectantly, but he did not explain himself¡ªwell, why would he? She was just some slave girl. He picked up the bright red flower and looked at it for a long moment. Then, without comment, he waved to Medoros who took it and tossed it into the fire. The room was beginning to smell very floral, now. Someone knocked on the door. It was another slave, one with a platter of food and hot tea. Aika''s belly grumbled, and she hunkered down, trying to disappear. To her shock, sir Medoros brought the tray and put the food in front of her. Aika''s mouth watered reflexively at the smell: it was hot porridge, and she could see bits of jerky floating in it. Meat! Kyrios stared at her. Aika tried to surreptitiously wipe her mouth before he noticed, but she had a feeling it was too late. "That''s yours, Aika." Sir Medoros smiled, but Aika thought there was some pity there, too. "You look like you''re about to faint." "Oh." Eyeing kyrios, Aika, slowly reached up and grasped the spoon to eat her porridge. She hadn''t meant to scarf it down, but after the first bite, the second came faster, and the third came even faster after that, and before she knew it, the bowl was empty. Kyrios had only raised an eyebrow, though he did not comment. Once she finished, sir Medoros poured her tea; Aika nearly fainted at that, too, but she couldn''t refuse or complain, so she drank it. It was very good¡ªsweet and milky, with real honey¡ªand Aika burned her tongue slurping it down. Wow. House Astros really was nice to their slaves, weren''t they? Damn. Why hadn''t she been bought by House Astros? She''d be eating meat every weekend, then. "Well," said kyrios. "If you''re quite comfortable, I want you to tell me exactly what you''ve learned since the day she got here." Well, she ought to have expected that.
"Ummm¡­" Aika squirmed. "I went to get her food and she disappeared. But one of the other girls told me she was with lady Kallisto." Kyrios only nodded. "Continue." "Um¡­she witched kyrios Lukios." At this kyrios Nikias leaned forward. His expression grew serious. "Do you have any evidence of black magic?" "E-e-evidence?" "That is a very serious assertion, Aika. You must understand that an investigation into malicious use of witchcraft will have serious consequences, and not only for lady Ba''an." Oh. Yes. Aika thought of the witch they''d stoned at the village, and a tremor ran through her before she could stop it. "I¡­well." She cleared her throat. "I don''t know¡­if she did. But he¡­he¡­he wouldn''t betray Mistress Arete like that without¡­without¡­" Kyrios Nikias'' eyebrows drew together. "Are they still courting?" "Um¡­" Aika had thought so, but Aika had not been at the main house for months and months. She''d come out to Kyros with Master Gaios. "I thought¡­?" Kyrios and sir Medoros glanced at each other. "What makes you believe lady Ba''an has witched sir Lukios, if we ignore the relationship between lady Arete and sir Lukios?" Aika squirmed. "He''s always with her at night. And he¡­he''s odd now. I think she gave him a love potion." Kyrios Lukios'' head always turned in her direction, even when he was speaking with someone else. All the girls said so. One of them had told Aika that he''d come to the kitchens in the middle of the night for food and drink because she''d wanted some, and¡­ Wait. Hadn''t they had an argument with kyrios Nikias in the garden? ¡­Was he investigating the witch, or was this about something else entirely? Kyrios'' neutral expression didn''t change. "Have you caught her dosing his food or drink?" "Um¡­no. She always makes me leave at night. She always knows if I''m¡­lingering. I don''t know how." "Did you find any odd bottles or other items, aside from what you''ve reported?" "¡­No." Kyrios frowned. "That''s hardly enough to start an investigation into black magic, Aika." "Oh." She twiddled her thumbs. "What would you need?" "If you witnessed her using magic on him, for instance. Or if you found something more substantial in her things, like a real potion or poison." Aika had a sinking feeling that he was going to send her to the witch again. Oh no. "Um¡­but¡­but¡­" Suddenly, kyrios Nikias turned his head to the wall, toward the courtyard. Sir Medoros blinked, looking more alert than he had all morning. Someone shouted outside. Sir Medoros hastened to the window and peered out. Aika heard the gates open and the sound of hooves hitting the cobblestones. Voices floated in from the courtyard and sir Medoros made a noise of surprise. "Master!" Sir Medoros withdrew from the window. "It''s kyria Arete and kyrios Leandros." Kyrios Nikias only hummed, but Aika barely heard it: It was Mistress Arete and Master¡­Leandros. Leandros. Her world seemed to compress and expand all at once, and there was a loud rushing sound in her ears. Strange. She could see kyrios Nikias as he turned his head to look at her, frowning, but it was like she was outside her body, like the real Aika was somewhere in the corner of the room, watching, as the edges of her vision seemed to go a bit black and crackly. She could feel her heart pumping in her chest, racing with the frenzy of a horse driven by a whip, but it felt distant, like the heart itself belonged to some other woman named ''Aika.'' A shadow fell over her: a man''s shadow. Aika would have fled, but she was rooted to the spot as he reached out for her with his large, strong hands, hands that she had no chance of fighting¡ª "Aika!" His hands were on her cheeks, which were strangely wet. "Aika!" Calm washed through her, and the wild, scritchy noise in her ears began to die down with her jumping pulse; it was like she had gone into a nice, cool bath on a hot summer''s day, and she could feel her muscles start to unclench. Eventually, the black at the edges of her vision curled away, and she was back in her body again, staring up into kyrios Nikias'' face. He looked worried, which was not an expression she had ever imagined she''d see him wear, no matter what. As she watched, a trickle of blood made its way out of his nose and over his mouth, then down his chin. It splashed onto his pristine white chiton, and she blinked. "Oh!" He released her face and stepped away, reaching up to pinch his nose. Sir Medoros hurried over with a cloth, which kyrios accepted with his usual unflappable calm. "Master Nikias!" Sir Medoros sounded alarmed. "I knew it. I knew it! You should have stayed abed today." But kyrios only waved him away. "I''m fine, and it''s my own fault for drinking." He glanced at Aika, and she stared down at her toes. She was standing now, though she didn''t remember when she''d done that; the teacup was in pieces on the floor, and so was the tea. She gripped her apron and began to wring it, anxious. Oh no. Those rugs were spoiled for good. Tea stains didn''t come out, and the rugs had been imported. "Aika." "K-k-kyrios?" She flinched. He was definitely going to punish her now. What kind of idiot dumped a perfectly good cup of tea on fine Eirian rugs? "We''re short on hands at the central office. You''re going to help the assistants move the books from the old library to the storage depot." She stared up at him. She''d understood maybe half of that. Sir Medoros looked just as baffled. "We are? She is?" "Yes." Kyrios removed the square of cloth from his nose. It was very bloody, but his nose seemed to have recovered. "Medoros. See to it. I''m going to clean up and change." He dipped the clean corner of the cloth in the glass of water and wiped the blood from his face the best he could, then left, his bodyguards silently detaching themselves from the walls to follow him down the hall. Aika stared at his diminishing back, still confused. What had just happened? "Well," sighed sir Medoros, eyeing her clothes. "You can hardly work at the central office in that." She glanced down at herself. Her clothes were fine. The cloth was undyed, but it was clean. What was wrong with her clothes? "Come along," said sir Medoros. "Let''s get you something suitable." Aika stumbled along, head whirling. So she didn''t have to keep spying on the witch? She clapped a hand over her mouth to keep from giggling hysterically. She didn''t have to spy on the witch! That was great! That was perfect! And if she was at the central office, then¡ª Then¡ª She''d never cross paths with Master Leandros again. Ah, sweet D¨¡m¨¡?t¨¥r. Thank you. Chapter Forty-four: Sander Goods "Ba''an!" Merida''s smile was wide and welcoming. Ba''an smiled stiffly, trying not to give herself away. Nikias'' spies were loitering just down the road, and though they were not within earshot, they had a good view of the doorway. "Merida. I hope you are not busy." Merida was already shaking her head, ushering Ba''an through the door. "I''m never too busy for a friend!" Ba''an followed the older woman into her home, feeling awkward. Ba''an had never visited Merida without something to sell before, but today she was here for something else entirely; Ba''an had thought of this the entire way to Merida''s apartment, but she could not think of any alternatives. Ba''an needed to hide the coat somewhere that wasn''t the estate. This much was clear; the one who had rifled through her things had been careless, as far as Ba''an could tell, but there was no guarantee she would be so lucky next time. Once Ba''an was comfortably seated, Merida began to prepare a snack. Ba''an opened her bag, pulling out the jar of honey from her date. "We have something for you." Merida''s smile grew. "Honey!" She picked up the jar, clearly pleased. "In a glass jar¡ªoh, you went to the shop along the stoa, didn''t you? Ah, such a treat¡ªmy thanks." She set it down, her eyes twinkling. "''We''?" Ba''an ducked her head, clearing her throat. "Yes. I picked it. Lukios purchased it. So it is from us." To her credit, Merida did not cackle or even giggle, but Ba''an could tell by her expression that she was very delighted. "Ah ha! And how is that handsome young man of yours? I see he is not with you today." "No. He is¡­working." "Oh?" Merida took out a loaf of bread and began slicing it. She had a bowl full of nuts and¡­were those dried dates? "Yes." This time Merida did laugh. "My dear friend," she said between chuckles, "that meant ''what does he do for a living?'' It is a polite way of snooping, you see, and I dearly love snooping. Not so much as fine honey on fresh bread, but close." True to her word, she was now spooning honey out into a bowl for dipping¡ªor perhaps spreading? Ba''an cleared her throat again, trying to act as naturally as possible; perhaps it was a normal thing to speak of one''s romantic liaisons here? Well, of course it was. The Dolkoi''ri boasted proudly of anything and everything, so why would relations be any different? "I¡­see." Merida only continued to look deeply amused as she arranged the table. "He¡­ah. He was hired to¡­deal with the banditry." There. Surely that was enough? Merida looked startled. "He¡ªwhat?" Ba''an looked at her and repeated herself, slowly. "He was hired to deal with the banditry." Merida''s mouth twitched. "Yes, but I mean¡ªhow so? I do not quite understand. He is a son of Helios, recently returned from the desert. What could he possibly do against bandits? I had thought he would be a politician and landlord. Most of them are." "He will fight them." Ba''an paused. "Not alone. I mean he will help Strategos Gaios." Merida raised an eyebrow. "He knows Strategos Gaios? Well¡ªno, I suppose that does make sense. A Helios would be well-connected, and their sons always serve before they enter politics. It is how things are done here." Merida smiled at Ba''an''s blank expression. "All politicians have a history of military service, Ba''an. A man who has not served his empire is no man, but a boy." She shrugged. "Is it not so in the desert?" "No. Yes. I mean¡­yes, they must serve the saa vuti-vur, but it is not always at¡­raiding. Or war. Each boy serves in his own way to become a man." Ba''an''s hand crept up to her throat, but the only thing there now was her shawl. "How curious! Doing what, then?" Merida took a seat and gestured at Ba''an to eat, and suddenly, Ba''an''s belly growled; her breakfast had been small and brief. Ba''an helped herself as she explained the sumanu''ta. "Ah." Merida nodded. "Yes. Some boys do not serve as soldiers here, either, that is true. I suppose it is for the very rich or the very poor." Ba''an looked at Merida expectantly, though she could not speak around the delicious, honey-slathered bread in her mouth. Merida only smiled again. "I mean merchant boys learn the trade from their fathers. They do not go to war¡ªwhy would they? It is incredibly risky. The very poor though¡ªthey often enlist for the pay and the benefits. The noble boys, as well, though not for the money¡ªit is for the prestige. They will find politics are barred to them without at least a few victories. A poorly run campaign can dash a politician''s career before he even begins." She shrugged. "I daresay the noble boys are much safer than the plethos; they have slaves and guards and lead from the back. The poor boys signing up for pay? Right up at the front." Merida shook her head, suddenly looking somber. "I''ve outlived some of the boys I''ve brought into the world, did you know? Ah, gods¡ªand their poor mothers!" She shook her head again. "Never mind. ''Tis too sad to discuss on such a fine day. But Ba''an!" Ba''an refrained from speaking with a full mouth, only raising her eyebrow instead. Merida''s smile became very mischievous. "Has he asked you yet?" Ba''an choked and began to cough. Merida hurriedly poured her some water from an amphora. "Ba''an!" Ba''an drank, swallowing the lump of bread; it would be very rude to cough it up. "I am¡­" She wheezed. "¡­Well." Merida only smiled. "I daresay you are. And did you say yes?" Ba''an choked on her water and began coughing again.
Merida was laughing quite merrily. Ba''an hunched in her seat and glared, but the expression simply slid off the older woman, like food from a well-oiled pan. "So marry him now. Even better: marry him and invite this ''Arete'' to the wedding. She can''t possibly refuse¡ªthat would be incredibly bad manners." Ba''an felt her expression twist; Merida took one look at her face and cackled. "Oh, come now! It would be very funny, wouldn''t it?" "But¡­but¡­it is rude." But Merida only continued chuckling. "Well, that''s what she gets for kissing men in the streets. I''ve never heard of a high-born girl behaving so badly¡ªif anything, she embarrassed herself." She clicked her tongue. "And all this over a man who left her? For shame. But speaking of shame, wouldn''t it be sad to lose him?" Ba''an frowned. "I will not." Merida sighed. "Well, he is quite taken with you. But Ba''an, you ought to marry him now, while he wishes it. Tomorrow he may wish something else; a Helios has options, and a man with options never waits forever, no matter what he says." "But it has only been a few days." Ba''an paused, marshalling her thoughts. "And I do not wish to marry a man who is so changeable. It is unwise." "So if he leaves¡ª?" Ba''an glared at the table top. "He leaves." Beneath the table, she gripped her fingers together tightly until the tips went white. "He has promised, so if he changes his mind, he proves himself a liar. And I do not wish to marry a liar." But surely not. Lukios had been very clear that morning that he did not want another woman: not Arete, not anyone. Not someone who wasn''t Ba''an. He''d said. They only had to rescue Eirene. Then Ba''an could tell him the truth, and then¡­ If he still wished to marry her, they would. It was very simple. Merida was sober now, mirth gone. "True. You''re right, of course: you do not have a powerful family or substantial dowry, so you must rely on his affection. Marrying a changeable man would be very dangerous for you." She nodded. "Yes, you are wise, Ba''an. So perhaps this is a boon in disguise: you may observe how patient he is, how he comports himself now that another woman has presented herself. This will tell you much of how he will be once married." Ba''an sipped her tea. "Yes," Ba''an said, slowly. "We have not known each other for long. I¡­wish to believe him. But five¡­six months is a short time to know a man." Ba''an had known Thu''rin her entire life, but even then, she had not believed him the first time he had come to court her. Thu''rin had been very popular. Sometimes, silly girls had come into the shi-vuti to beg for a love potion; Ba''an had dissuaded them, and none too gently, either. But he had never hurt for female attention. Ba''an had always known this, and so had been immediately suspicious of his courtship. This was only sense: after all, strifa-faced Ba''an had never been in much demand for anything other than her cures and magic. It had taken a long time for Ba''an to take him seriously. Lukios was likewise popular, being very handsome and rich. He was also kind and generous, and a man like Lukios had options. Many, many options, ones that were superior to an outcast witch who ate souls and had nothing, not even one nice chai''ra. Merida was sighing again. "For your sake, my friend, I hope he is as constant as the sun at dawn and the moon at dusk. Truly¡ªI wish for you to be happy. You have had enough hardship, I think." Ba''an blinked, suddenly emotional. How much had Merida guessed in the five years Ba''an had been coming here? "T-thank you." She cleared her throat, but Merida only smiled again. Ba''an glanced outside, suddenly realizing that the shadows had moved. "Is something the matter?" "I¡ªyes." Ba''an steeled herself. It was poor manners to visit only to ask a favour, but she could not delay any longer. Nikias'' spies had been waiting for her outside for too long now. They were likely tired and thirsty by now; Ba''an disliked them on principle, but there was no need to be cruel. It was likely that they could not disobey his orders. "Merida, there is¡­another problem." "Oh?" "Yes. I¡­suspect the servants have been¡­going through my things." Merida''s eyes widened. "What?" Ba''an lifted a hand to try to calm her, but it did very little. "That is a serious discourtesy, Ba''an! You cannot tolerate such a thing. You say you are staying with the strategos himself? Surely he would not allow such terrible characters in his household. Have you reported this to him?" Merida looked incensed. "I¡­no. I cannot. I do not believe it is wise. Merida, there is another guest there. I believe they have acted on the behest of the other guest. He is a very important man. This would put the strategos in an awkward situation. Do you see?" Merida''s mouth dropped open. "What? Why in Ga?¨¥''s name would this man wish for the servants to go through your things?" She sounded completely baffled. "How do you know it is not only a greedy thief?" Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Ba''an licked her lips. "Nothing is missing. Whoever did it opened up my bags then knotted them closed again, and poorly at that." Merida''s frown deepened. Ba''an continued, "He dislikes Sanders. He believes that I have¡­cast a spell on Lukios. Or something equally absurd." Well, he thought her a spy, but it was best not to get mired in details. Merida closed her eyes and groaned. "Oh, of course. Military men and their damn wars. I have met many like this¡ªall Yartans are thieves, all Birdutans have an unnatural love of goats, and all Eirians suck stones." She grimaced. "This is just your luck." Ba''an sighed. "Yes. It is unlucky. The servants cannot tell him no, I think." "But it is still highly irregular, Ba''an. They would not break xenia for just anyone. Who is he?" Ba''an hesitated. "I¡­am sorry. But I do not wish to create trouble, especially now. Lukios must have the support of this man and the strategos to complete his task, so¡­I wish to keep this as quiet as possible." "Does Lukios know?" "¡­No. I have not had the chance to tell him. I do not know if I should." Now what if he really did thrash Nikias? That would get rather ugly. "Oh, Ba''an." Merida put a hand to her forehead. "What a snarl. What do you need?" "Merida, I¡­may I leave some of my things here? My Sander things." Ba''an picked up her bag from the floor, now much lighter without the jar of honey. At the very bottom was her coat, wrapped inside her Dolkoi''ri clothing. On top were her K''Avaari things, minus the suk and other medical supplies. She opened the top to show Merida her old dress, the leather bags of innocuous cures. "There is some left-over sambi-sahi and other cures. You may have them¡ª" "No, no, Ba''an. Do not be like this. Of course you can keep your bag here." Merida stood and gestured at Ba''an to follow her upstairs. "I have a storage chest up here. I''ll put it in with my own things and lock it. No one will lay a finger on your bag, I promise. Not even me." The apartment was really much smaller than it had looked. The upstairs was only a loft with Merida''s bed and her chest of clothes. Merida unlocked it with her key and swung it open, then took Ba''an''s things and nestled them securely into the corner. "There!" She locked it up and they made their way back downstairs. "You just come by whenever you need your things back before I start my rounds." "Merida¡ªthank you." Ba''an frowned, feeling ashamed. "I am sorry to inconvenience you. It is only that Lukios¡ª" The older woman put a hand on Ba''an''s shoulder. "Do not fret so much, Ba''an." She smiled gently. "This is exactly what friends are for." And there was not much Ba''an could say to that, other than¡ª "Thank you, Merida. Truly¡ªthank you."
¡°We are nearly there, kyria." Dita was very polite, but Ba''an could tell the girl had been annoyed by the wait. Uchos, on the other hand, was downright cheerful. "She''s right again, lady Ba''an! This way, this way, for the finest Sander goods this side of¡­well, anywhere, really!" Ba''an could not see him through the curtain of the litter, but she could hear the beaming smile in his voice as he spoke. No doubt he was trotting alongside her and the quietly irritated serving girl and her friends. Because she had brought friends. Two of them, in fact: two Dolkoi''ri girls who were clearly also from House Astros, judging by the clothes and attitude. They, too, were displeased by the waiting. Ba''an had an entire entourage now: Uchos, Dita and her friends, the four litter-bearers, and four guards. Four. Did they believe every thief and murderer would have crawled out of the walls and alleys to accost Ba''an? Or was it merely to ensure she did not run? Well, the litter did a good job of that, already. She was too high off the ground to really make a run for it; Ba''an did not have any illusions about her physical capabilities. She was hardly a strifa, and unlikely to manage launching herself from the height of a grown man''s shoulders to the ground without injury. Ba''an kept her expression calm and pleasant, but she was envisioning a myriad of scenarios: being taken to a dungeon, for example; what if they had found the coat, but Nikias was only biding his time? Or perhaps there was no dungeon, and she was being taken somewhere to be murdered instead. Or...perhaps there really was a merchant, because how would a Dolkoi''ri servant even know what the coat was in the first place, never mind its importance? What if it really had been just a thief, one that had lost his or her nerve at the last moment? There was no way to know, and panic could lead to a fatal mistake. It was wiser to play along and bide her time. The house guards who had accompanied them were big and quiet, glaring at pedestrians until they scuttled out of the way. This was convenient, but it was also very conspicuous; Ba''an rather thought this was a very effective way to paint a target on their backs. On the other hand, it was a good way of keeping people away, of ensuring Ba''an''s isolation. But everything appeared well. Ba''an did not get the sense that she was in danger; if anything, she was being treated the way women like Arete were treated, though Ba''an had very little in common with them at all. Whenever Ba''an moved the curtains aside to peer out, the serving girls managed to look scandalized. Uchos only ever smiled, but she could tell that peeking out was not something Dolkoi''ri girls did too often, if at all. The litter lurched horribly, and Ba''an imagined herself tumbling from the rich cushions to land in the mud. There wasn''t much to hold on to, as the litter was a box with pillars at the four corners. There were only two walls at the back and front, and the side walls were curtains. Yes, tumbling into the mud in a most undignified way was a real possibility. Uchos guided them to the edges of the city, right by the walls. This was a much noisier, dirtier, and livelier market than the grand agora; the merchants here were an eclectic mix of whomever had the nerve to set up a stand in the churning mud. There were no fancy cobbled roads here, being too far from the city center. Ba''an suspected the city had expanded too quickly for the builders to really keep up for its edges were ramshackle, indeed. "Watch your step, lady Ba''an," said Dita, but Ba''an didn''t have to; one of the guards helped her down, using his body like a stepping stool. Her feet never came close to the mud, because they had stopped the litter right in front of the store in question. It was horrific. It was mortifying. But she could scarcely refuse with everyone staring at her expectantly. "Thank you," she muttered. He only smiled, but said nothing. In fact, none of the guards or litter-bearers ever said anything¡ªit was as unnerving as it was disturbing. And then they were there: the store with Sander goods, or so she had been told. It was not a dungeon. It was not a single store, either. It was a series of outdoor stalls, all connected by matching-coloured tent-tops with the same crest at the front: a bright orange desert hawk. This was not a colour found in nature, but it was eye-catching against the dark blue fabric of the tent itself. ¡°Ah, a customer! Welcome, welco¡ªoh! Vas¡¯ta nu''roi-ya-sa!¡± Impressive. His accent was thick, but he spoke well for an outlander. He would have to, to trade; K¡¯Avaari were not so proficient in Dolkoi¡¯ri, usually. Clever. He likely had an advantage over his non-K¡¯Avaari-speaking competitors. The man was Dolkoi''ri, with a thick black beard and curling black hair. He wore a hat and an open coat over his tunic to combat the weather, which had grown cooler of late. His eyes widened when he spotted the litter and Uchos, and he quickly took his hat off to bow to Ba''an, very low. Hmm. Ba¡¯an greeted him in K¡¯Avaari. He lifted his head, expression bright. He looked absurdly excited, and he replied with enthusiasm. The man was proficient enough; they conversed back and forth, Ba¡¯an simply enjoying the exchange in her native tongue. ¡°I was told you stock K¡¯Avaari goods, and it seems I was told correctly. I am pleased to meet you. I am Ba¡¯an.¡± ¡°So I am pleased to meet you, lady Ba¡¯an. I am Eikolus. How may I help you? Do you seek something special?¡± "Do you have water?" This she said in Dolko''ri. He looked surprised, and so did Uchos. Well, Ba''an was hardly going to let the men stand in the sun without a drink. That would be incredibly cruel; Kyros was not quite like the desert, but the sun was the sun. It was always deadly. Eikolus was an agreeable man. He passed around two canteens; at first the men refused, but at a look from Uchos, they took the drinks. Ba''an could see they had been thirsty¡ªwell of course. It could hardly be called fun, hauling a woman around in a big, hollow box. Ba''an and Eikolus chatted as she browsed. Most of the items were carvings, pieces of art that would have normally never left a vuti. It was almost shocking to see them in the daylight; Ba¡¯an was pleased to note that none of them were es¡¯tat. She would have been obliged to hunt down a trader selling sec¡ª Well, no. Ba''an was no longer a witch. She was not obliged to do anything, but¡­even so. ¡°Oh, what is this?¡± One of the serving girls was pointing at a large display. Ba¡¯an looked, and her heart skipped a beat. ¡°Oh,¡± she breathed. It was a distillation kit, exactly the sort of kit she needed to make something as complex as peloiti. It had been separated into three pieces, but Ba¡¯an knew how to put it back together. How had this come to be here? Control your excitement. Ba''an calmed herself immediately. Excitement to a merchant was like blood to a cockral lizard. They would quickly seize the weakness to clean one¡¯s pockets of everything. ¡°Ah, that. I believe it was a sculpture of some kind. It can be reassembled.¡± Ba¡¯an stifled her laugh. He thought it was a sculpture. ¡°Oh,¡± said the girl, sounding disappointed. ¡°Is it broken?¡± "Nene," snapped Dita, and she fell silent, face going red. Eikolus only smiled, ignoring the apparent misstep. ¡°Well¡­it can be reassembled.¡± ¡°How?¡± Dita''s look could have killed. The serving girl wisely cleared her throat and took a step back. ¡°Ah¡­that is¡­¡± ¡°Hm,¡± said Ba¡¯an. ¡°It appears damaged. What happened?¡± The merchant seemed happy for the distraction. ¡°To be honest, I am not quite sure. The trader assured me it was not broken, merely disassembled. I believe he said¡­hm, yes, I remember now. This here, and then this over here¡­¡± Eikolus had a good memory. He was reassembling it correctly, which meant that the trader had known what he was doing when he disassembled it. Ba¡¯an kept the frown from her face, but this did pose a problem. Why were they selling distillation kits to outlanders? A distillation kit was not as serious an infraction as peloiti or other complex medicines¡ªat this Ba''an felt a flash of guilt, for had she not shared such secrets with Lukios?¡ªbut it was an infraction. Surely this merited investigation? ¡°That is very interesting,¡± said Ba¡¯an. ¡°It rather reminds me of home. How much?¡± And then, instead of answering her, Eikolus glanced at Uchos. Uchos only smiled, and then Eikolus suddenly looked as happy as a pig in a sty. "Oh, not to worry! Here, I will have it packaged for you!" Ba''an blinked. She looked at Uchos, who only continued beaming. He only spoke when she raised an eyebrow. "You are a guest of House Astros, today, kyria! Please, help yourself." Ha. Really? What was Nikias playing at now? Well, if he insisted. What had Lukios said? House Astros was richer than H¨¡?id¨¥s? Ba''an did not know who this ''H¨¡?id¨¥s'' was, but perhaps she ought to test that claim? But first¡­ ¡°I have not seen something like this in many years,¡± said Ba¡¯an. ¡°I am interested in the artist. Who was the trader that sold you this?¡± Eikolus beamed. ¡°Oh, he comes perhaps twice a season? He has a regular route. His name is Dul¡¯rin.¡± This was not enough information to be helpful. There were many K¡¯Avaari men named Dul¡¯rin. ¡°I see,¡± she said. ¡°I know many men by that name. Do you perhaps know his¡­full name?¡± ¡°Oh,¡± he said, furrowing his brow. ¡°That is¡­well, it was quite long. I believe it was¡­Oh, theoi. How embarrassing. I think it started with An¡­Anta-Sa? I cannot remember the rest. If you wish, you can leave me a message for him, and I will deliver it. Perhaps you may come see him next time he is here! I am sure the two of you will have many things to discuss!¡± The man''s expression was open and earnest. He seemed strangely sincere for a Dolkoi¡¯ri merchant. It was odd. ¡°I would like to meet him if I am still here,¡± she replied. ¡°I must return to the desert soon, but if he comes before then, he may leave me a message with¡­¡± Not Gaios. Perhaps Merida? Ba¡¯an did not think she would mind. She gave him Merida¡¯s business name and her courier number. Perhaps Ba''an ought to thank her with something nice from the shop? Something she''d never seen before. Something novel. ¡°Oh, what¡¯s this?¡± The serving girls, other than Dita, had lost interest in the conversation and wandered to a different row. They were peering at glass jars holding what looked like gemstone-studded sticks¡ªbut they only looked like precious stones. Ba¡¯an smiled. ¡°It is rock candy. Would you like some?¡± It was a treat for children, but these girls were hardly more than that. They could not be older than fifteen or sixteen, even stern-faced Dita. The colorful crystals were actually a kind of sweet sugar mixture extracted from desert flowers or wasp honey. ¡°Can we? They''re so pretty!¡± "Nene! Calloe!" Dita looked like she was a second away from slapping her fellow servants. Ba''an raised a hand, and to her credit, the girl stopped at once, though her frown deepened. "It is well. I do not mind." Nikias was being very generous today, after all. Dita''s expression soured, but the other girls looked delighted. Uchos turned his head to the side to muffle his laughter. Ba''an bought one of every colour, distributing them amongst the servants. The litter-bearers looked shocked, then pleased; the guards refused, stern-faced, but accepted one each after a silent stare-off. Uchos took two, on account of Dita refusing her share. He waved them in front of her face before sticking them into his mouth at the same time. "Yum!" he exclaimed. "You''re missing out, Dita! Real Sander candy! Today''s your only chance, you know?" She rolled her eyes. "Do your job, stupid," she hissed, but he only laughed. How amusing. "I will take the rest of those." Dita''s eyes widened, then she swung her accusing stare at Uchos. He only shrugged and continued eating his candy, grinning at her with teeth studded with sugar crystals. ¡°Was there anything else you were looking for?¡± Eikolus was just barely keeping himself from rubbing his hands together. He looked happy enough to die. ¡°Yes.¡± She told him, and Eikolus led her to a shaded area near the back. ¡°You are in luck,¡± he said. ¡°I just got some koiri in last week. They¡¯re a good vintage, too.¡± Ba¡¯an peered at the sealed clay jars. Were they? She turned the jar around to look for the stamp. Ah. He was right. This was from Bala-Vulta tribe. It was likely to be very good. Ba¡¯an did not know how to tell the quality of Dolkoi¡¯ri liquors, but she could tell the quality of K¡¯Avaari ones. If Gaios was going to assume she was being very K¡¯Avaari, she might as well give him a very K¡¯Avaari gift¡ªat least then he could show off an exotic drink the next time he had guests. ¡°I will take all of it,¡± she said. "Excellent!" Eikolus'' face was getting quite a lot of exercise. "I''m afraid I do not have much in the way of cures, but if you step over here, we have some powders. This one is for headaches¡­" The sun moved across the sky and the shadows lengthened; by the time Ba''an was finished, they needed to pay for delivery, which was just as well: Nikias was, after all, richer than H¨¡?id¨¥s. Chapter Forty-five: A Sudden Engagement, Part I Ba''an¡­stared. Arete only smiled widely and clasped Ba''an''s limp hands in hers. "It looks like your shopping trip was a great success! Excellent. You must tell me all about it later. For now, I must ensure the banquet is ready on time. But I look forward to speaking with you again soon!" And with that she was gone, sashaying away with her bevy of handmaidens and leaving only the scent of sweet flowers behind her. Well, no. She had left behind her other servants, the men who were hauling her things up the stairs and into her bedroom¡ªthe bedroom next to Ba''an''s. Ba''an noted that its positioning meant Lukios could not approach Ba''an''s own room without passing Arete''s first. She refrained from pinching the bridge of her nose. Dita only looked on with mild curiosity, which was a small mercy; Aika would have been fidgeting by now, perhaps even talking up a storm of disjointed thoughts. It would have been disastrous if she had blurted out something indiscreet in front of Arete or her servants, though¡­ Arete knew. Of course she did; how could she not? "Kyria?" Dita stepped forward. "We will help you wash and prepare for dinner." Calloe and Nene, who always stood one step behind Dita, nodded; they were all agreeing, for once. Ba''an glanced out the window. Dinner wasn''t for an hour or two, yet. "I will wash alone. I do not need¡­help." Dita frowned. "But it is a formal dinner." By her tone it was clear that she did not think Ba''an could manage dressing herself. "Who will braid your hair and coil it? And add jewels? And apply face paint?" "¡­Face paint?" "Yes." Ba''an blinked slowly at the younger girl. "But I do not wear face paint." She never had. What did a witch need face paint for? Patients needed care, not a pretty face, and Ba''an had only ever worn ceremonial paint on special days. Nene''s eyes widened in surprise, but Calloe remained unbothered. "But¡­it is a formal dinner. And you are¡­" Dita looked her up and down. The girls behind her appeared to be stifling their giggles, though they grew serious and solemn when Ba''an glanced at them. "Is there a problem?" "Yes." Ba''an blinked at Dita''s blunt tone. "I am sorry, kyria, but Master Nikias has instructed me to serve you as if you are my mistress. It would damage the reputation of House Astros if you attended a dinner dressed the way you are now." "But I am not a guest of House Astros." "Yes, but I have been ordered to attend to you as if you are my¡ª" "But it does not matter. I am not a guest of House Astros. I am a guest of House Origos, and I am not here with Nikias." Dita opened her mouth to speak again, but Ba''an cut her off. "I do not have the patience for this. If you are here to serve, you will follow my instructions. If you are not, I will have you removed. Is this clear?" Dita''s mouth hung open. The girls behind her stared with wide eyes, clearly shocked. Yes, Ba''an ought to have done this earlier. It would have saved her much aggravation on the trip to Merida''s. Ba''an had to give the girl credit: Dita had quite the spine. A much stronger one than Aika, that was for certain. She licked her lips and spoke again, very slowly, as if to a wild animal about to bite her nose off. "Yes. But this is a formal dinner and you must be attired properly." Her forehead crinkled, and Ba''an could see her switching strategies. "It will insult the hostess if you dress poorly, and it will take too long if you¡­bathe and perfume yourself alone." Dita added very quickly, "And being late or poorly dressed will embarrass kyrios Lukios, because he is your¡­your¡­" "My?" Dita floundered. "It is known that you and kyrios are¡­" Ba''an stared her down. Dita was brave, but she was not stupid. She cleared her throat and dropped her gaze to the ground. So much for discretion. Everyone already knew, so what was the point? But the girl was correct. If Ba''an was dressed poorly or late, it would reflect on Lukios; everyone knew they were together. It had been obvious since their first meal here, so obvious that even sir Epitus had caught on by the end of dinner. But Ba''an did not wish these agents¡ªbecause that was what they were, Nikias'' agents, and he was not bothering to hide it anymore¡ªto be forever beside her, watching and writing reports in their heads. The very thought of it aggravated her, but Nikias had clearly sent Aika away¡ªeither because she had been the one to rifle through Ba''an''s things, likely on his orders, the little stit-tat, or for some other reason Ba''an had yet to unravel. So Dita was correct. Ba''an would not be able to make herself presentable¡ªnot to the level a woman like Arete clearly expected¡ªalone. Maws take it. Ba''an ought to have bought the entire block, that insufferable, smug, arrogant, awful little dis-tat of a man. "Dita. Have the men move the shopping when it arrives to my room." The girl startled. "Of course, kyria. But¡ª?" "You and your friends will return in half an hour''s mark. You will help me prepare for dinner, but I must have time to lie down. I am weary." "As you wish, kyria." If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. The girls slunk away, and Ba''an was finally, blessedly, alone. It did not last. "Where should the crates go, kyria?" Ah. So much for a nap.
Ba''an stood glaring at the distillation kit. She was not sleeping or lying down, though she could sense Dita and her friends loitering by the stairs, waiting for Ba''an to call for them so they could go to the small bath within the estate. No doubt they heard her moving around, but well¡ªno matter. Ba''an had bigger concerns now than the opinion of Nikias'' spies; if there was one small mercy, it was that they had not recognized the distillation kit for what it was. From what she had seen, they had believed Eikolus'' claim that it was some kind of disassembled sculpture. And so, here she was, puzzling over a mystery: how had such a thing been taken from a shi-vuti and sold at a Dolkoi''ri market? Ba''an reached out and began assembling it. Yes, it was intact, and she could see the little divots and bumps where the shaper had released it from its place in the stone. Did that mean a witch had been involved? But surely that was impossible. Why would a witch give a distillation kit to a trader to sell? Such things were not for sale. It was forbidden. No witch would do this. And yet¡­ There was no way for a trader to detach it from the stone without a witch. A shaper would not heed the call of one without magic. But it was impossible. Impossible. No, there was some mistake here. Something she was not seeing. Something¡ª Rapid footsteps came up the stairs and turned the corner, belonging to a very warm and familiar soul. Ba''an glanced around. There were piles and piles of shopping in her room, to the point the floor had nearly disappeared. She stepped over a mound of rolled up rugs and throws, then around some delicate pottery that was not quite as big as she would have liked, but still made acceptable gifts. Lukios was much bigger than her, and would need more space to move around. As she began pushing the crates and other hardy items against the walls, she sensed and heard a commotion; Dita had stepped in front of him. What? She stood, listening. "¡ªhighly improper!" "But you''re right here. How''s that not proper? Who are you, anyway? Do you even work here?" "It is never proper to walk into a lady''s room. If you wish for me to fetch her for you, I will, but it is highly irregular to¡ª" "Oh for¡ª" He cut himself off and raised his voice. "Ba''an! Sweetheart, are you in there?" "She is sleeping!" "¡­Oh." And then their voices became too low to hear. Ba''an carefully made her way to the door and poked her head out. "I am not sleeping." And then she...stared. What was that on Lukios'' head? It looked like a dead rat. Surely this was not some Dolkoi''ri fashion? It was hideous. "Ba''an!" He caught the look on her face and burst out laughing. "It''s just a wig, sweetheart." He pulled it off and she was relieved to see he had all his hair still. "It can''t be helped with the ready-made ones, but it smells better than the dye, right?" Calloe clapped her hands. "Do not worry, kyrios! Your face makes everything handsome! I thought the wig quite fetching!" Nene put her hand over her mouth and giggled. Lukios glanced at them and smiled, but said nothing to encourage them, to their great disappointment. Dita was not interested in wigs that resembled rats. "Kyria, shall I send him away?" Lukios tossed the young girl a look of exasperation. "No, you''re not sending me away." "I was asking kyria, kyrios. You have interrupted her nap." Dita''s mild expression did not change, but suddenly, Ba''an got the impression that she was thinking of stepping on a bug. "Fuck, you''re one of Astros'', aren''t you?" Lukios snorted. "Explains the attitude." Dita looked scandalized by his language. Her friends were too busy watching the spectacle with expressions that would not have been out of place at a puppet show, and Ba''an thought they only regretted not bringing snacks. "There is no need. Dita, I told you to wait downstairs. Surely you have other tasks?" Dita raised her head stiffly. "I do not have other tasks." "But I am sure the other serving girls can use your help." And now Dita''s expression grew indignant. "I am not a serving girl, kyria." Her voice had gone very stiff, indeed. The one called Nene giggled, ignoring the sharp look Dita sent her way. "Dita is a storehouse assistant, kyria." Ah. This explained Dita''s glare, which Ba''an guessed had been used to kill the rodents that plagued such places. "But she was a handmaiden before that." Hm. That was a longer history than Ba''an had expected. Perhaps she was not as young as she appeared? "Wait. You''re a storehouse assistant. Why are you lurking here?" Lukios sounded incredulous. "Don''t tell me Niki pulled you out of a storehouse to follow Ba''an around?" Dita did not respond, but it was clear by her expression that he had, and she found it deeply insulting. Ha. Ba''an turned her face to Lukios. "They are here to help me." "Uh¡­" "Because I do not have handmaidens." Ba''an paused, letting the little crease in her forehead form so they could all see it. "It is considered proper for a woman to have handmaidens." Lukios ran his fingers though his hair. "Oh. Shit. I didn''t think of that." And then he cursed under his breath. Ba''an felt her eyebrows move up. Surely he was not agreeing? "Yes." Dita looked at Lukios with an expression of clear disapproval. "An honoured lady such as kyria Ba''an must have handmaidens. Master Nikias thought this oversight ought to be corrected, particularly since kyria Arete is here to manage the household." Ba''an was not seeing the connection. Lukios glanced at her and mouthed, later. "Okay, I guess that was nice of him and all," said Lukios, though by his very cynical expression, he was thinking the same thing Ba''an was: it was a clever way for Nikias to keep his people with her. Ba''an had no doubt Uchos, who had made his excuses and left as soon as they''d returned, had already given Nikias a full account of the day. And now she really wanted to slap the man, at least once. More than once. Until her arms grew tired. "But he really should have discussed that with me." Lukios gave Dita such a hard, serious look that she blinked and took a step back before regaining herself. "Where''s Nikias now?" "At the Archon''s offices, kyrios." "And is he attending dinner here?" "As far as I know, kyrios." Lukios gave a decisive little nod. "Good." He eyed the girls. "I need to have a word or two with Ba''an. The three of you can follow along at a distance. I expect you to be close enough to see us, but far enough for privacy. Is that clear?" Dita dipped her head, and so did the other girls. Ba''an got the impression that Nene and Calloe were perfectly happy to follow Ba''an around while doing very little: they had more calluses than Dita. By her estimation, Nikias had not come to Kyros with his wife, which meant¡­he had not brought any handmaidens. So if Dita had been taken from her work at a storehouse, then the other girls had been taken from elsewhere, too; unlike Dita, they were glad for it, for their daily labour was harder than whatever it was Dita did at a storehouse. But Dita outranked them. This much was very clear. When Lukios turned his face to her, he was all smiles. "You busy? Or can we take a stroll before dinner?" "I am not busy. A moment. I do not have my shawl." Ba''an let the door swing all the way open as she went hunting for a clean one; it was astounding to her, now, that she had more than one, and could pick and choose among many if one got dirty. It was simply incredible. Ba''an had not imagined owning so many lovely things all at once, but here she was, delayed because she wished to choose one that was just right, even though Lukios was not likely to notice. But she did want him to notice. Not her shawl, but that she looked lovely in it¡ªor that he would say so even if she didn''t. Ba''an felt a momentary stab of shame at the thought. It was silly, but there was no denying it: she liked hearing him say she was pretty. It made her happy. Even the memory of it made her smile, as she was doing now. Lukios hadn''t moved from his spot, but with the door open he had a good look at the chaos that had taken over her room. She heard him give a long, low whistle. "Herme¨ª¨¥s'' teeth. Were we invaded by merchants while I was out? Wow. Oh, that looks nice. Is that a pot? Hey, what''s in the crate? Anything good? Damn, sweetheart, did you buy a whole shop?" Ba''an only smiled as she wrapped the shawl around her shoulders. "No. Nikias did." "Wait. What?" Chapter Forty-six: A Sudden Engagement, Part II "He bought all that? Niki?" There was no real privacy to be had at the estate, but they had wandered together through the garden until they came to the fountain. The sound of water was not loud, but it would help obscure their words from the three girls following them at a respectful distance. If they came too close, Ba''an turned her head and glared. Once Lukios joined in, it was enough to dissuade them from encroachment. "Yes." Lukios frowned. "Really?" "Yes." Ba''an watched his expression curiously. "You are displeased." He only grunted. "Do you believe it was a trap?" This had occurred to Ba''an more than once. Aika was gone, and Nikias had shuffled his own staff in her place. This was very suspicious, though Ba''an could not imagine what he was playing at; Dolkoi''ri customs were simply too foreign, and she could not tell what trick was being played, if at all. Lukios seemed to be thinking on it. "I don''t think so. I mean, it''s just some shopping, and if the merchant hasn''t already accused you of thieving, I don''t see how it''d work to his advantage." As she watched, his frown slid so it more resembled a pout. "If you wanted to go shopping yourself, you could''ve told me," he grumbled. "I would have given you my purse." "¡­You are displeased because I did not spend your money?" His pout became more pronounced. "It sounds stupid when you say it like that," he muttered. "But I wanted to take you shopping later and then to somewhere nice. So we could do something fun." "But we can still do something fun without going shopping." "But it''s not the same." The expression on his face was so mournful that Ba''an could not stop the little laugh from escaping. "Oh, is that funny?" "Yes. Lukios, I only meant to buy reagents if they had any. The man had very little that was useful, but I thought I should spend Nikias'' money while he offered. He ought to think of it as penance, though I suspect he is only changing tactics." "Still," he mumbled stubbornly, and Ba''an only shook her head in bemusement as she reached up and brushed his hair from his forehead. His expression lightened. "You''re right about him changing tactics, though, that clever little shit." "Yes. He has replaced Aika with Dita and her friends." Ba''an sobered. "Lukios." He understood her tone immediately. "What happened?" Ba''an had pondered on this all day as well. In the end it had occurred to her that he ought to be informed. She switched to K''Avaari. "Someone went through my things." "What?" Ba''an put her her hand on his arm and gave a sharp squeeze. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Dita look at them sharply before resuming her serene expression; she had heard him. "Remain calm, Lukios. Nothing of value was taken. I suspect it was either a spy or a thief who lost his nerve. Someone went through my bag of suk and other cures. My medical kit, as well. I do not think anyone has found my coat, but I have left it with Merida, just in case." "Fuck. Ba''an, this is serious." He glanced around, then switched to K''Avaari as well. "There is no way to know if someone saw it, Ba''an." "But would they not take it as evidence?" "Not if they wanted to bait you into using it." This was true. But¡­ "How much do they know? About¡­?" They huddled together, sitting on the edge of the fountain and turning toward the spout, just in case. Lukios dropped his voice low so Ba''an had to strain to hear. "Battlefield reports are tricky. They get muddled a lot. But Ba''an, there is no way to know. I only got local intelligence reports. Soldiers on the ground thought¡­it was Thi¨®s. Some others thought it was some kind of Sander god, and there was a handful that thought it was some kind of magic monster, summoned from some other world." He shook his head. "But those are just rumours. I cannot say what reached whose ears or when." He grimaced, then looked around. "Okay. There was¡­one thing." He eyed her carefully. "There were some reports of the¡­creature, um¡­attacking Sanders. Or something like that." Ba''an felt her breath stop. No. Yeeees. Spite. Smugness. It was less a word and more a bundle of sounds, of feelings and sensations. Enha-naus-hasa-en was more instinct now than intellect, but she still remembered who had murdered her. Yeeeeees. No. Even bound as it was, Tik-tak Mal''uk laughed. She could feel it reverberate through her, amplifying the sick feeling of satsifaction vibrating through the dead god''s humming. "Ba''an. I am not saying y¡ªit did. I am saying there were reports of Sander camps being destroyed by bad weather, and that fuelled rumours¡ªmany wished to believe Sanders could not control their own magic. It does not mean¡­ Ba''an." He took her hands in his, giving up and returning to Dolkoi''ri. He kept his voice low, his face close. "Really. It really doesn''t, sweetheart. So don''t, um¡­fuck." He rested his forehead against hers. "You know what? Forget I even mentioned it. Rumours are stupid nonsense, anyway." But it was too late. Ba''an remembered. In flashes, yes, but it was there: Enha-naus-hasa-en shrieking with the thunder as she rained her fury down onto the little man-things that had dared. That had succeeded. Ba''an herself had been out of reach. But her people? They had been like little ants when they scattered. They''d died as their cliffs¡ªthose same cliffs that had been walls, barricades against the Dolkoi''ri advance¡ªcame down and crushed them, drowning them in sandy silt and mud. "It is well," she muttered, trying to shake herself from her sudden clarity. She felt Lukios rub his thumbs over her hands where he held them, and she was surprised to see she was shaking, very slightly. She pulled herself together, flexing her fingers in his until the little tremors stopped. He pulled her close and stroked her back. "Ba''an, forget I said anything," he mumbled into her hair. "It''s not important, anyway. The point is that you should probably leave. The sooner the better." "But that is suspicious." Hadn''t Lukios said so himself? "Sure, but situation''s changed. It might be better for you to disappear now." "But what will you do?" She felt him grin. "Rescue Eirene and take you home, obviously." "Lukios. Suspicion will fall on you if I disappear." "Well, it wouldn''t be the first time I''ve been accused of something dastardly." "It is not funny." "It sort of is. I mean, it''s not like anyone can prove shit if you disappear with your, uh, things. And Ba''an, I''m¡­" He trailed off, before coming to a decision. He drew away so he could look her in the eyes. "I''m Lukios the Lion. Um. That means I''m famous and people like me, mostly. So they can''t just murder me in an alley and pretend nothing happened. Someone''ll notice and it''ll be a big, fat disaster." "But no one else knows you are alive." "Uh¡­" He glanced toward the wall. "I was sort of planning to make a big second entrance once Eirene was safe. You know, horses, banners, horns blaring, that sort of thing. Looks real heroic and shit." "So I cannot disappear until you leave for the fort." "No. You can leave right away. I''ll be fine. It''s not like Niki''s going to disappear me while I''m cleaning up his stupid province. He wouldn''t, anyway. At least¡­yeah, he wouldn''t. Not unless he had proof of something serious, but I think he''d opt for a trial. He''s big on laws. Wrote a few himself, you know?" Ba''an refrained from squeezing the bridge of her nose, but only because she was sharply aware of Dita''s eyes on them both. She turned her head to glance at them. The other girls were plucking flowers, seemingly giggling and paying no attention at all. Now why couldn''t Dita be more like her friends? "It is not like there is a shortage of soldiers, Lukios. He can¡­arrest and replace you, can he not?" His smile grew slightly discomfited, and Ba''an frowned. "Lukios?" "Well, I guess. But it''s not easy to arrest a Helios, Ba''an. And it''d be bad optics if I disappeared while under Gaios'' roof." Lukios shook his head. "I''ll be fine." "But no one knows you are not dead, except for Gaios, Nikias, and your two soldier friends. Does Dana? know you live? Would she seek you out if you disappeared?" Ba''an had not gotten the impression she would bother. "She knows. And so does my lawyer, the temple, and the moneylender''s office. He can''t disappear me, Ba''an. And it''s not like they can just march up there. They can''t." Lukios shrugged. "He needs a man with tricks, and we''re a bit scarcer than head-bashers who like stabbing." He added cheerfully, "Not that I don''t like stabbing or head-bashing. But I can be pretty sneaky." He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed her fingers. "Don''t fret over me. I''ll send you ahead with whatever you can carry. Once I''m done with that fort I''ll go see you with the rest of your things." He laughed. "The rest of the shop you''ve set up in your room, I mean." "They are gifts, Lukios." "Yeah?" "Yes. For sir Gaios and your friends, especially sir Askles. He is getting married, so he must have gifts." Lukios expression grew warm and soft. "Yeah? He must have gifts, huh?" She had a few things for Lukios as well, but she suddenly felt too shy to say so¡ªwhich was stupid. A gift was a gift. What was there to be shy about? "Is it not a custom here? To give a friend gifts when he weds?" It was a common practice everywhere, was it not? A marriage was a serious thing, celebratory and mournful at once: the old life ended so a new one could begin. Cleaving to another required compromise¡ªsacrifice. It was precisely why witches could not marry. "It is. But you didn''t have to get him a thing, sweetheart." He smiled. "But I''ll tell him to thank you and get you something nice." He tucked an errant strand of hair behind her ear. "Shit. You''re damn beautiful, you know." Ba''an smiled. Yes, she liked hearing it very much. "Maybe we should just run away together. It sure would beat all this bullshit." If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. "Lukios!" "Yeah, yeah." He sighed. "I know, I know. I can''t just leave a pregnant girl up there. But¡­" His gaze sharpened. "Ba''an, don''t let him bait you. Maybe you''re right and no one found anything. But maybe someone did and it''s some kind of trap. I don''t know. But don''t do anything¡­witchy. And we need to get you gone right away." Ba''an turned her face toward the fountain, frowning. "No. I will stay until you are finished with the fort." "Sweetheart, I''ll be fine. I promise." He was frowning now, too. "But by now he must have gotten reports about your activities here. It''s not like there''s anything to hold you with, and it''s better to go before he really starts digging." He shook his head. "No, it''s getting too hot. Too risky. I think you should stay on another day or two, but with me. So nothing happens. And then we make up an excuse and you go home until I take that fort." He eyed her. "And you can decide if you want to come down to Heliopolis or not in the meanwhile." He was not wrong. Uncertainty came with risk; leaving sooner was wiser. But what if he was injured again, and seriously? Fatally? "I will stay until you take the fort, Lukios." He groaned. "You''re not budging on this, are you?" "I will not." "But¡­" Ba''an drew closer and put her hand on his cheek. He put his own hand over hers, as he always did when she touched him. Ba''an did not do this only to persuade him. It was to give the impression of a lover''s sweet nothings and to obscure the movement of her mouth as she spoke. There was no way to know if Dita spoke K''Avaari or not, but Ba''an knew if she had been Nikias, she would have ensured her chosen spy was proficient in the target''s language, and perhaps some lip-reading, too. "Do not panic, Lukios. So what if someone did find my coat? How will they know what it is?" She spoke in very quiet tones. "What I did was es''tat. The knowledge was es''tat, Lukios, to the point that Ul''ma and I worked in secret, bribed spirits, and¡­guessed. Much of our magic was guesswork." She shook her head. "Let us assume it was a spy, and not a thief. Let us assume the spy saw my coat. How would the spy describe it? Do you believe your friend used a military man to search my things? Or did he use a house servant?" Only the servants had free and suspicion-free movement throughout the estate. How would one know what to look for, unless specifically instructed? But how could anyone who did not already know what Ba''an was have the foresight to instruct his servant thusly? No, Lukios were over-complicating this, which was in its own way amusing: their roles had switched, somehow. Lukios looked down at her, forehead knitting. "But¡­" "He believes I am a spy. What would you seek in the luggage of a spy? Poisons, perhaps? Instructions? Surely not clothes." "I don''t like it, sweetheart. I just don''t. You''re speaking sense, I know, but I just don''t like it. It just seems so¡­so¡­risky. And for what?" He looked down at her, the creases in his forehead deepening. "Eirene''s not your responsibility." Well, Ba''an was not staying for Eirene. "We must remain calm, Lukios, and remain flexible. Let us say his spy found the coat. It was still in my chest, so no one took it. What would he make of this report, if it was reported at all? Now imagine I leave shortly after. What would you surmise I am doing?" It would imply Nikias had found something important, even if he did not know it. If Ba''an had been in Nikias'' position, she would have been immediately alarmed, going over every item reported as a matter of due diligence. "But you said that serving girl''s gone. He''s not even hiding it now, Ba''an. He''s being blatant. He suspects something. He must. Why else would he do something so obvious?" "But that is the trouble. It is obvious. Perhaps it is meant to be obvious¡ªa pressure tactic. He expects us to panic, to act rashly." Ba''an put her hand on his to keep him from scrubbing his face in frustration, because such an action would break the illusion of a lover''s conversation. Lukios blinked, but immediately played along. He gathered her in his arms, leaning in intimately. "Fuck. I hate this. Forget this shit, let''s just leave." She tilted her head back to look up at him. He looked perfectly serious. "Where would we go?" "Anywhere. Everywhere." Lukios looked thoughtful. "Except¡­shit. What would we live on? I don''t even own Synoros anymore¡ª" "What?" He sighed. "I''m dead, remember? The legal stuff. It was supposed to go to Rekos for safe keeping and then to Aristos once he turned thirty, but¡­well, Rekos is dead. So it''s a mess. There''s a guardianship situation now. I can''t even sell the place, and even if I did, how would we take all that cash? It''s impossible. And promissory notes are only good here, in Illos. Once we leave they''re worthless. Fuck." He looked at her and smiled. "Don''t worry, though. I''ll get it back. I mean, I''m still alive and it''s been five months, not six, so that means¡ª" Ba''an did not understand the importance of the distinction; she felt her nose wrinkle. He looked at her expression and burst out laughing. This time he held her for real, and dipped his head down to kiss her nose. "Never mind! It''ll be fine, Ba''an. They''ve no legal grounds to take my shit. It''s just a matter of time. That''s all." "I¡­see." She shook her head. "I am not¡­worried. You said it will be a week or so until your brother arrives. Then you will take the fort." "Something like that, yeah." "A week is not long, Lukios. I will stay until then. I will do nothing suspicious. He will have no reason to arrest me or hold me here. We must not act rashly, Lukios." He went silent. After a long moment, he sighed. "Right. Right. But I think you should just stick with me for now, Ba''an. I mean you should stick to me like sap to a tree, just to be¡­sure." "If you wish." "Right." He cleared his throat. "Actually, that was sort of what I wanted to talk to you about. Kind of apropos, actually. Ha. Funny how that works, huh?" "I do not know what you mean." He grinned. "Oh, I know. I mean¡­I wanted to talk to you about something, remember?" "Yes." "Right. Well, the first thing is¡­I''m sorry. I didn''t do it right." Now what was he talking about? "I do not understand. Are we talking about something else, now?" He covered his grin with his hand. "Yeah. I mean¡­it''s a mess now, right?" He shook his head. "I didn''t do it right. Courting you, I mean. I did it backwards. I''m sorry. I didn''t think it through, but I should have. I mean¡­I thought¡­um." Ba''an watched in fascination as the tips of his ears went red first, then his cheeks. "Um¡­I was just¡­uh." He cleared his throat. "I should have thought about it more instead of¡­you know." "I do not know." "Um¡­" He cleared his throat. "I did it backwards. I should have courted you first. But I did it backwards, so I''m courting you after. Um. Fuck. I''m not making any sense, am I?" "You are not." But Ba''an found she did not mind. There was something very endearing about the way he was squirming, red-faced and tongue-tied. This had never happened before. He swore quietly under his breath. "I mean¡­" He cleared his throat again. "I get it. Why you got so mad. And why you um¡­" He ran his hand through his hair. "¡­Don''t really trust me when I say there''s no one else. That I''ll always¡­well." He swallowed. "Man, this was easier in my head." She blinked at him. Hm. Had she been obvious? He smiled at her again, but it was lopsided. "It''s because I did it all backwards. I was supposed to court you properly first and then ask you to marry me. But I did it all backwards ''cause¡­I, uh¡­I thought maybe I''d lose my chance. ''Cause you know, once we got here you''d just do your shopping and leave. So I, uh¡­rushed in. But I should have been more¡­you know?" "Hm." He was looking at her with a hopeful expression. Ba''an was sorry to disappoint, but¡­ "I do not understand what you mean, Lukios. At all." He covered his face and laughed a little, the same small laugh he used whenever she said something particularly ''adorable''. She did not quite understand that, either, but. Well. He was a strange man. "I''m saying I''m sorry. I didn''t do it right, which is why Niki stuck those three girls on you like burrs. See, I should''ve thought of that, too. That you''d need a girl or two with you to look respectable. And I shouldn''t have¡­" he sighed. "I said we had to be discreet, but I wasn''t at all, was I? Not with how I acted. And now everyone''s¡­" He trailed off with a displeased expression. "I made a damn mess. Should''ve done it differently." "What is done is done, Lukios." She gave him a stern look. "Remember what you promised me this morning. Do not be so friendly with Arete. Or anyone else." The corners of his lips tilted upward. "I will absolutely not be friendly with Arete or anyone else." Slowly, the expression drooped. "But Ba''an, I really fucked this up. A lot. I think¡­" "Yes?" He licked his lips. "Let''s forget about discreet." "What?" "It''s like you said. Everyone knows anyway, and so does Arete. So fuck it. Let''s make it official. No more sneaking around or stupid games." He stuck his hand into the inner folds of his chiton and pulled out a little pouch. He opened it up with eager fingers and pulled out two slim metal bands. They gleamed a tawny gold in the evening light. "They''re a bit plain, but I promise I''ll replace them with something nicer later. How about it? Let''s just tell everyone we''re engaged, and if they don''t like it, they can say so to our faces. I''ll kick their asses. It''s perfect, right? It means no one''ll think it''s strange when we show up together. We''re engaged. It''s expected. See? It''s the perfect solution to¡­everything." Ba''an raised an eyebrow. "Are we only saying we are engaged, or will we really be engaged?" "Um¡­" He gave a nervous little laugh. "Do you want us to be really engaged? Or do you want us to be pretend-engaged?" "Hm." Ba''an looked at the plain metal bands. One was smaller and slimmer¡ªfor her, no doubt. The other was broader and thicker¡ªhis. "Lukios." "Yeah, sweetheart?" "There¡­is something you must know. About me." "Okay." Now she was the one who licked her lips, which felt suddenly dry. "We cannot be engaged for real until¡­then." "Okay." Now it was his eyebrow that was raised. "I mean, you can tell me whatever you want, Ba''an. You can just not tell me, too. I don''t really care either way. I mean, it''s not that I don''t care, I mean I won''t change my mind." And then he did something very strange. He looked at her and squared his shoulders. He opened his mouth, then shut it again. Then he tried again. This time, he managed to stutter. "What I mean is, I¡­I¡­um. Fuck." She watched him blush for the second time in the same conversation. Fascinating, and very unlike him. She reached out and put her fingers on the shell of his ear, and his blush somehow grew darker. "Uh¡­Ahem." He put his hand over hers. "What''d you want to tell me?" She glanced at Dita, who was watching them with her usual calm expression. "Not here. It is serious, Lukios. I will tell you once you rescue Eirene." "What? Aw, Ba''an. Come on. That''s just mean." "No. It is practical. You will be distracted otherwise." "I''ll be distracted now. Come on, sweetheart. Tell me." He stuck his face closer to hers and cooed, "Teeeellll meeeeee. I''m going to die of curiosity. I have to know now." "No. Not here." She shook her head, then raised her hand. "But Lukios, for now it may be prudent to be¡­engaged." A smile formed on his face and grew until it went from ear to ear. "Whatever you say, Ba''an!" He held her hand steady and slipped the cool metal band onto the fourth finger of her left hand. "We''re engaged, and anyone who gets fresh with you gets my fist in his teeth! Good deal, right?" Ba''an only let out an amused, delicate little snort, but in truth it was a good deal; not because Lukios would beat misbehaving men¡ªhe did that already¡ªbut because it meant Ba''an had a claim to him now. She had authority. She could tell a woman who made eyes at him to go die in a ditch and feel no remorse. She smiled. Yes, Lukios was her man now, and everyone else would know it¡ªespecially Arete. It would be imposssible for her to make passes at a man about to marry, would it not? Still smiling, Lukios put the larger band in her hand. "Okay, my turn!" Ah. There was the puppy again. Come to think of it, he was rather adorable himself. She slipped the ring onto the same hand and finger as he had on hers. He lifted his hand and looked at it with an expression of awe. "Holy fuck. I never thought I''d wear a ring there for real. Holy fuck." He straightened. "Holy fuck! I''m engaged!" "Lukios," she said, voice quiet but dry. "We are pretend-engaged." "Aw, Ba''aaaan. Come on." He grinned and held out his arms. "Let me toss you up into the air a few times." "What? No. That is undignified, and we are only pretend-engaged." "What does that have to do with anything?" She crossed her arms across her chest. "There are witnesses and it is undignified. No." "But¡­" He looked sulky again. "I wanted to toss you into the air a few times. You know, ''cause you only get engaged once." It seemed pointless to remind him again that they were pretending. "I thought divorce was common?" "Well, for some, I guess." He gave her knowing, sideways look. "See, that''s what I meant¡ªyou really don''t trust me when I say that, do you? No, sweetheart, I really mean it. I want to marry you for keeps, and I''ll make you the happiest lady in the world. Would you really want to divorce me then?" She covered her mouth, amused. "Ah, the legendary modesty again." "Ha! Of course I am. Where''s the lie?" "Do not ask questions to which you do not wish the answer, Lukios." "That is the longest way of saying, ''You''re right, honey!'' that I''ve ever heard in my life." "''Honey''?" "Well, ''sweetheart'' is taken." He grinned. "You can think up something else, if you want. I''ll answer to whatever you think of. Promise." She snorted again, very quietly. "You must not make such offers carelessly, Lukios." "Who says it''s careless?" He gave her another toothy grin. "I''ll take whatever you give me, and I''ll like it." Suddenly, she heard clapping in the background. She turned. Calloe was beaming, and so was Nene. Dita did not look at all excited, but even so¡ªthere she was, clapping along obligingly. Dita caught her eye and stopped. Then she cupped her hands around her mouth and called out, "Congratulations, kyrios, kyria." She took a breath and continued. "But kyrios, we must take kyria to the baths if she is to be ready for dinner on time." Lukios sighed. "Of course she does." He reached out and touched Ba''an''s cheek. "For the record: I''m going to do everything right this time." "Lukios?" He only smiled, so sweetly and tenderly that Ba''an felt her own heart stutter. He took her hand in his. "I told you. I''m going to make you the happiest lady in the world. You''ll never want to dump me on my butt, promise." He leaned in. "And I don''t care about any witchy little secrets, either." He kissed her fingers then stepped away. "I''ll come get you for dinner, okay?" "If you wish," she said, but in truth Ba''an was very pleased. "I do." He grinned. "I''ll see you soon." Chapter Forty-seven: A Grand Dinner, Part I Dita could read. Well, of course she could. Even the hawker women at the agora could read. But it still killed Ba''an''s mood to realize a servant who worked at a storehouse was better educated than she in Dolkoi''ri letters. Nene and Calloe cooed over the flowers. "Oh, that''s so thoughtful of kyrios, isn''t it?" These ones were a pale pink, and Ba''an suspected he had taken them from Gaios'' garden¡ªthey looked more than a little familiar. Dita folded the note and tucked it back into the basket. Lukios had sent them for her hair; he had noticed that the ones from that morning had already wilted. Ba''an concurred with his judgement: drooping flowers did not create the right atmosphere for a celebratory dinner, and though Lukios had not said so¡ªhis note had been all sweetness and sunshine¡ªthey would only emphasize Ba''an''s strangeness. Ba''an picked one up, touching the soft, lush petals. They felt utterly luxurious, and Ba''an had never seen such large petals on a flower before. Such strains did not grow in the wild; these had been bred for beauty, not utility. She brought one up to her nose and breathed in. The scent was soft, too. Soft, delicate, and light, but with something sensual beneath; it was a two-note scent, with the second being something only a lover would notice. A man would have to come much, much closer than appropriate to ever detect it, and Ba''an''s skin tingled at the thought as memories of their first night in Kyros swam through her mind: Lukios'' eyes, dark with desire as they fixed on her; his hands, his mouth, the press of him against her as she urged him closer, closer¡­ Clearing her throat, she put the flower back into the basket, willing herself to calm. The girls set to weaving Ba''an''s damp, sweet-smelling hair, and Ba''an was secretly happy to have acquiesced; she could not have done half the things they had done in the time allotted alone. Even the braiding went faster, and unlike Aika, these girls were serious: they never stopped working as they chattered, and no one poked through her things to comment on how nice they were. It was odd how Ba''an missed the strange girl who had so harassed her for the past three days, but Ba''an knew this was foolish: Aika could very well be the one who had gone through Ba''an''s chest. There was no way to know. Ba''an''s door was not locked against servants, for they were the ones who changed the water and cleaned the rooms. But her disappearance was highly suspicious, and now that Lukios had mentioned the possibility of a trap, Ba''an was leerier than ever. Was that why Nikias had set these girls on her? Because Aika had found the coat, but Nikias did not know what to make of it? But then why send Aika away? It was far too obvious a play, so why had he done it? It did not make any sense. Dita walked directly to Ba''an''s clothes chest and opened it. Ba''an sighed; the girl did not believe in asking permission. "Oooh!" Calloe was looking over Dita''s shoulder. "That one! That one! It matches the flowers!" Dita reached in and drew out the long, flowing chiton. "No, it''s too dark." This was Nene, who was pinning the last errant strands of Ba''an''s hair into place. "But it''s the only one that''s close." Calloe had her heart set on the pale red, it seemed. Ba''an did not think it looked even close to pink. "Nene''s right." Dita''s tone was decisive. "This would look ridiculous. Are you blind?" Calloe made a face at the older girl''s back. She met Ba''an''s eyes and winked. "What do you think, kyria?" Ba''an paused, choosing her words carefully. "It is best not to upstage the hostess, Calloe. Perhaps the white." Calloe''s mouth became a round little ''o'' of realization. Ba''an did not particularly care about upstaging Arete, but red and pink together? No, that was an abomination. It would strike the other guests blind. "Exactly right, kyria," said Dita, and Ba''an held in her amusement. Did the girl know what she sounded like? "It would be best to go with the white chiton with a golden belt. Gold jewelry, too." Well, it was not a bad suggestion. Nene was nodding. "Yes, yes! Exactly what I was thinking. Don''t you think so, kyria?" And now Calloe was looking rather put out. "Calloe? What do you think?" There was no reason to make her feel poorly over it. The girl blinked at Ba''an, then smiled. "You are right about upstaging the hostess, kyria! It was wise of you to think of it. So I think the white is the next best bet." Ba''an nodded. "The white, then, with gold jewelry. I do not have a golden sash, but there is something close over there¡­" Disaster averted, they carried on.
When Lukios came to take her to dinner, Ba''an was surprised to find that he had the same flowers tied over the clasp of his toga¡ªhis white toga, which Ba''an suspected was new. His smile was very pleased when he saw the flowers in her hair. He gestured to his shoulder. "We match now, right?" Ba''an felt her mouth twitch. Blond hair, white toga, and pink flowers? It should have been humorous, but instead she was touched; the colours suited Ba''an, not Lukios, but that was why he had chosen them. She reached out and put her hand on his forearm, and he drew her closer, so her arm was tucked through the crook of his elbow. Dita didn''t titter, but Nene and Calloe did. "You make such a handsome pair!" This was Calloe, who seemed determined to say nice things; well, she had enjoyed the rock candy the most. Lukios grinned. "Ah, flattery. It''ll get you everywhere. I''m telling Niki to give you a raise." The girl cackled, and Nene suddenly found there was wisdom in flattery, too, and they both kept up a rather competitive flow of compliments as they made their way down the halls. Dita looked like she was just refraining from shoving both her friends out a convenient window, though she did have the presence of mind to keep a tight little smile plastered over her face. It was most amusing. The mood dampened once they entered the dining room. Ba''an could hear music as they stepped closer. The soft notes came together in a melody Ba''an did not recognize, but there was beauty in their strangeness; she had not known Dolkoi''ri music could be so sweet or gentle. This evening was cooler than the last, so Ba''an was grateful to eat indoors in a room with a fire; she could feel it and see it as she stepped through the doorway, just as she could now see the musicians in the background, focused wholly on their craft. The room itself was opulent and gleaming, the walls made of mosaics and studded with sculptures. But this was not what had dampened the mood. There were only three long couches, which was the same arrangement from breakfast. Everyone else was already seated, and there were only two spots open. On different couches. Ba''an could not be certain who made the seating arrangements, but she had a fair guess. Gaios had been at the barracks all day, and the servants generally did what they were told. So really, it left only Arete and Leandros, but Leandros clearly couldn''t care less than he already did. Gaios sat at the head of the arrangement, as usual. The spot next to him was empty. Arete sat alone on her own couch, and Leandros and Nikias shared the last, conversing in low voices about¡­the price of wheat? Leandros'' smile looked affixed, and he appeared desperate for dinner to end before it began. Ba''an suspected this was not an area he was familiar with, and Nikias'' little insights were only driving him deeper into his cups: he had the manner of a man determined to get very drunk, very quickly. Gaios was lounging with his head turned toward the two, occasionally interjecting to add some detail or another; whenever Leandros lifted the goblet to his lips, Gaios'' expression darkened. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. Arete was talking to the servants, gesturing here and there. She seemed to be dispensing last minute instructions. The couches were arranged so they formed a rectangle with an open end. If Lukios was to be seated by Gaios, then Ba''an would be seated beside Arete, at the end closest to the serving staff. She could not help wondering if there was a subtle message here. Seating was important to the K¡¯Avaari. When seated in a circle, all were equals, but placing someone at the very end of a broken shape meant he or she was the least influential. Were the Dolkoi¡¯ri the same? Or was Ba¡¯an still thinking like a witch? It was strange. Leandros would then be at the very end as well, but was he not Gaios'' son? Lukios'' expression did not put her at ease, either. He, too, seemed to be taking exception to the seating arrangements. "Lukios!" Arete sat up and clapped her hands, smiling. "Finally! The guest of honour." Lukios only laughed his usual charming laugh. "All I did was survive, Arete, and that was thanks to Ba''an." He put his hand on her shoulder. "Really, the honour ought to go to her. I already got a whole banquet." At this Nikias looked doubly amused, but Gaios did not react. Well, it was true the first dinner had been for Lukios, despite his insistence otherwise. This was starting to feel familiar. Arete''s smile didn''t falter. If anything, it got wider. "What a grand idea!" She turned to her father. "Papa! I didn''t know lady Ba''an never got a dinner! It''s only fair if she sits with you today, isn''t it?" And then she beamed. Gaios only raised an eyebrow and there was an awkward beat of silence. Arete''s expression never wavered, and Gaios gave in. "If lady Ba''an is agreeable." He gave Ba''an his usual politician''s smile. "I was remiss, it''s true. If you would allow it?" "I¡­" And now the trap was clear. If Ba''an did not sit by Arete, Lukios would¡ªit was the only spot left. But it would be ill-mannered to refuse. Clever. Lukios was frowning. He opened his mouth, and Ba''an knew¡ªshe just knew¡ªthat he was going to say no, and when he did say no, there would be an entire sequence of events, starting with Leandros picking a fight and possibly ending with him bleeding out on the floor. The consequences of that did not bear thinking of. She cut in quickly before Lukios could speak. "I would be honoured." Ba''an smiled, hoping it was not too stiff. Arete''s smile grew ever sunnier, and Leandros snorted quietly into his wine cup. Nikias only looked at her with his usual mild and affable expression, but she could see it in his eyes: he had already seen it coming, and he was very entertained. Well, of course he was. Why wouldn''t he be entertained, the little stit-tat? Lukios'' head snapped around, eyes fixing on hers with smothered outrage: We agreed! Hm, had he been planning to announce their engagement before dinner? Ba''an shook her head, very slightly. His frown deepened, but she shook her head again. For a moment, she thought he would do as he wished regardless, but then his shoulders drooped as he spoke and she knew she had won. "That''s¡­generous of you." He smiled, and it looked shockingly real. "Thanks, Arete, Strategos. Here, Ba''an. I''ll help¡ª" Except there was no reason to do so, because the servants were already taking her by the hand and leading her to sit next to Gaios. The couch was large enough that no one had to stop lounging. It didn''t even creak when she sat down, and she could barely feel the wood beneath the layers of cushions and fabrics. Slowly, Lukios made his way to his seat. Leandros raised his goblet in a very sardonic little toast. Arete clapped again. "Wonderful!" she exclaimed. "I''m so pleased to honour you today, lady Ba''an!" She raised her goblet in a toast. "To lady Ba''an!" Ba''an continued smiling, though she noted that Arete had placed her hand on Lukios'' arm. He subtly shrugged it off by picking up his goblet and holding it aloft. His ring winked in the light, and Ba''an saw Arete''s eyes fix on it briefly before facing the room. Her artful smile never shook or faltered, and she appeared perfectly happy and perfectly coifed. "Hear, hear!" "To lady Ba''an!" And now Ba''an was struck by a sense of deja-vu, because hadn''t they already done this their first night here? Nikias caught her eye and smiled, continuing to look very amused, and toasted her. "Hurrah." Leandros sounded very bored, but he still raised his goblet. "For saving Lion-man." But his smile was somewhat less amused, and most certainly not celebratory. It said: Thanks for nothing. Well. At least that part was new.
Lukios was not pleased by how dinner was going. He was still smiling and talking like usual, and there was nothing in his manner to indicate any discomfort, but Ba¡¯an simply knew. She could feel his discontent. Ba¡¯an¡¯s own discontent rose every time Arete touched Lukios as she spoke. Ba¡¯an¡¯s suspicions had been right. Arete was more than a little fond of Lukios still, and it had nothing to do with his family name. She could see it every time the woman turned her eyes on him. They sparkled. Her artful smile became less artful, less like a sculpture, and every time Lukios ignored her, Gaios'' expression became increasingly fixed. Leandros drank more than he ate, and now everything he directed at Lukios held some kind of subtle barb. Arete did not seem to like this, but Leandros did not care. Nikias interjected strategically to prevent Lukios'' fist from befriending Leandros'' face, but Ba''an was increasingly tempted to upend her wine goblet over the boy''s¡ªbecause that was clearly what he was, never mind his age¡ªhead. When Leandros made a comment that was overtly rude, rather than merely covertly rude, Gaios turned his head and looked at him, and that did more to rein the boy in than any of Nikias'' clever replies. It was a pity that Gaios did not appear motivated to do more; if anything, he seemed eager for the dinner to be over quickly with minimal fuss. Even so, Ba¡¯an did not think Gaios was pleased by his children¡¯s behaviour, though his expression and tone were still temperate. Lukios'' expression and tone were somewhat less temperate, though he was trying. He did not react whenever Arete touched him. He only smiled and conversed with her in a friendly, if distant, way, though Ba''an noted he was much more polite than usual. He didn¡¯t swear, for one thing, and he didn¡¯t tell any jokes. None. He never touched her unless it was an accidental brush of their elbows. It was all painfully one-sided, and everyone obviously knew it, even if they had somehow missed the ring that had suddenly appeared on his finger¡ªwhich they hadn''t. Ba¡¯an did not think Gaios had wanted Lukios to marry Arete strictly because he had been adopted. The man was a father, after all. Ba''an, too, would have been displeased in his place because now, watching Arete''s dogged, but fruitless, attempts at turning Lukios head, she thought it was all somewhat...cruel. Judging by Leandros¡¯ increasing agitation, this situation had been ongoing for some time now, and no one liked it. Ba''an didn''t like it, either; it was painful and awkward. She was reminded of all the young women who had come to the shi-vuti in desperation when their object of adoration had spurned them. It was never pleasant to witness, though now that she was older, she could feel pangs of sympathy where before she had only felt a mild irritation. Her sympathy was not enough to blunt her increasing ire, however. Ba''an and Lukios were engaged. Arete had seen the rings. But she was still conducting herself as if she hadn''t, and that was truly rude, no matter how the woman felt about it. It was. She deliberately turned her attention away from the two to listen to the conversations flowing around her. It wasn¡¯t anything too interesting, at least to Ba¡¯an; the information seemed to be about who was doing what and when, and with whom. Society news. Ba¡¯an did not know enough about Dolkoi¡¯ri society to understand any of it, and she recognized none of the names. She was well and truly out of her element now, with dinner companions who were not concerned with including her, so all she could do was listen and attempt to glean something from the conversation; she would have to ask Lukios questions later because¡­well. If Ba''an and Lukios did marry, she would have to know such things. Lukios had said that Synoros was its own little patch of land, away from everyone, but Ba''an did not think it wise to ignore the workings of the world; to her experience, the world had a way of reaching out, and it dragged a wide, merciless net. Lukios had found his way to Ba''an, after all, and she had only been a grain of sand in the desert, buffeted this way and that by the wind. A delicious smell wafted in. The next round came, pushed in on a cart. Ba''an tried not to look over-eager, but in truth she was starving. The first round had been some kind of dainty pastry, which had been more flakes than substance. Ba''an was more than ready to eat something that had more in it than pockets of air¡ªvery sweet-smelling air, yes, but still air. Once the dishes were set down, Ba¡¯an¡­ Stared. What was this? There were whole birds arranged in a complicated pattern at the center of the table. They were obviously dead, but they were posed as if they were still living with some kind of wire mesh, hidden in the feathers. They were somehow assembled so that some looked as though they were sitting or standing, while others looked like they were flying. Was this food, or was it some kind of perverse sculpture made of food? There was a kind of soup as well, though the colour was green and there was no steam. Surely it was a kind of soup. Or was it a sauce? What was this? The bread, at least, was recognizable. If it was bread. Ba¡¯an half suspected it was something else carefully made to simply look like bread. Lukios looked at the display, then at her. She saw a faint crease appear on his forehead, though he did not frown. He was too far away to be of any help. Ba¡¯an smiled at him peacefully. There was no need to worry: if Ba¡¯an could not figure out how to eat something, she would simply not eat it. At worst she would return to her room hungry, but she had jars of honey stuffed into her bags. Honey was food. She could eat that alone if she could not sneak food from the kitchen. For an instant, Gaios looked at the spread as though he was about to sigh, but the moment passed and his expression returned to being genial. Ah. So this was excessive. Ba¡¯an had thought so. The only question was, was this meant to impress Lukios or to shame Ba''an? Very casually, Nikias said, ¡°How was your shopping trip, lady Ba¡¯an? Did you find everything you needed?¡± Hm. Small talk from Nikias? Unlikely. Clearly, he was up to something. ¡°It went well. I found some very nice things at Eikolus'' stand. Thank you." ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°Yes." She wasn¡¯t about to tell him of all people that she had found a distillation kit. ¡°There was some pottery. Some powdered cures. There was an entire crate of koiri as well¡ªfrom Bala-Vulta. That was most impressive.¡± ¡°How lucky. I believe there is a Sander saying which goes,¡± he transitioned naturally into K¡¯Avaari, ¡°Don¡¯t eat the meat, just the tongues. Use the small fork to your left. The smallest one. The sauce is for the tongues. Everyone will go around once, then again.¡± Ah ha. Lukios valiantly refrained from choking on his wine. ¡°Hm,¡± replied Ba¡¯an in Dolkoi''ri. ¡°That is true. We do say that. Sometimes we are simply lucky that way." Chapter Forty-eight: A Grand Dinner, Part II Trouble had been bubbling all night like a pot of tea on a fire, but Ba''an had not expected it to boil over in the way it did¡ªspectacularly, and over dessert. And they had nearly made it, too. The third and fourth courses had been as unintelligible as the second one. It was as though the chef had decided food was eaten with the eyes, rather than the mouth. There had been so much waste. Much of the meat could not be eaten, because metal wires had been threaded through it to make the various carcasses pose. Ba¡¯an¡¯s tribe would have never wasted food like this. Ba¡¯an had been at dinner for over two hours already, but she was still hungry. Starving, even, and with every course she felt her frustration grow. How was this a dinner? How was this even food? Lukios'' looks were becoming increasingly worried as each course came and went, and she could see his mood getting worse and worse as the dishes became more and more pointless; both Nikias and Gaios took this in stride, as if it was something to be expected. Nikias'' subtle cues, designed to help Ba''an navigate the most bizarre dishes ever known to mankind, made it clear these baffling foods were neither new nor foreign: these were set courses, meant to be eaten in a certain way and in a certain order. It was obvious that everyone at dinner had seen such meals before, including Lukios, and Ba''an was the only one confused. This could not be a mistake. Ba''an could not imagine Arete being deluded enough to believe Lukios¡ªor anyone else¡ªwould enjoy such dishes, so she could only assume that this was an exercise in humiliation¡ªBa''an''s humiliation, a way of putting an upstart Sander in her place. Well, it was not working very well, was it? Help had come from an unexpected corner. Ba''an had been suspicious at first, but now she rather thought that Nikias ought to have a bottle of koiri; aside from having paid for it, he had earned it by saving Ba''an from complete and utter embarrassment. It was a puzzling outcome, but she could scarcely complain. Arete had caught on to what Nikias was doing halfway through the third course, and now she was making herself a nuisance, dragging Nikias'' attention away at every opportunity and making him talk to her so he could not speak with Ba''an. It would have worked, except Lukios had joined in with a counterattack, suddenly adopting that light, teasing tone of his that was so very charming; Arete couldn''t resist him. And then Leandros¡ªwho had been generously in his cups all evening¡ªentered the fray. "Shoulda put more meat on th¡¯ table, Retty," he slurred, looking Ba''an up and down in a way that immediately made Lukios bristle. "Tha¡¯ goat''s not th¡¯ on¡ªonly thing tha¡¯ needs a lil¡¯ fattenin¡¯, eh, Lion-man?" And then he made a lewd gripping gesture and laughed. Lukios'' face went red, and for a moment, Ba''an thought he would leap across the table to throttle the man; Arete hastily put a restraining hand on his arm with a nervous little titter, but it was Gaios who spoke first. "Leandros. Enough." Gaios gestured to a servant, who tentatively stepped forward to take away Leandros'' goblet. She was a small woman, and she flinched when Leandros slapped her hand away. "Hey! That''s mine." Or at least, that¡¯s what Ba¡¯an thought he¡¯d said. It had sounded like, ¡®Ehhhh, tha¡¯s mine!¡¯. Wine sloshed over the side to stain the cushions and fabrics as he yanked his vessel away. Some of it splashed onto his toga, but he did not seem to notice. The girl looked at Gaios with a helpless expression, and Gaios'' face became stony as he turned to his son. "Not anymore." Gaios turned to the girl. "Take the goblet. Water for him from now on." "But¡ª" "Shut your mouth and drink your water." Then the old general turned to Ba''an with an apologetic smile. "I must beg your pardon on behalf of my son. The wine has gone to his head¡ªthe follies of youth, I''m afraid." Lukios'' expression made his opinion on Leandros more than clear, but Ba''an gave him a sharp look. There was no reason to make the situation worse. "It is well," she murmured mildly. "The water will help." Ba''an watched Lukios'' jaw tighten as she said, ''It is well.'' Lukios clearly disagreed, but this was hardly the time for a confrontation. It would be best to eat dessert then leave, as soon as possible. Lukios was having none of it, however. "With respect, Strategos," said Lukios, tone curt, "Leandros should be the one apologizing. He''s old enough to take responsibility, drunk or not." If Gaios was annoyed by this, he didn''t show it. "You''re right, of course. Leandros. Apologize to lady Ba''an¡ªyour behaviour is unseemly." Leandros sighed dramatically, but gave her a game smile that was deceptively sweet. Ba''an refrained from showing her feelings on her face, as it would not have been very polite at all. ¡°¡¯Pologies, lady Baaaan.¡± He frowned and focused. The next few words were somewhat more coherent. ¡°I o-only men¡­meant¡­you looked ¡®ungry. No¡¯ used t¡¯ fancy lil¡¯ spreads, hmmmm?" He clucked his tongue at his sister. "Is bird food, Retty. Come oooon. I wan¡¯ a real dinar. Din-her. Dinner." Arete smiled beautifully. "This is more than suitable for a celebration, Landy. It¡¯s what everyone south of Elysium does for namedays and graduation feasts. You''d know that if you ever went anywhere that wasn''t a drinking hole." Her tone was very sweet. "Arete. Don''t start." "Yes, papa. I was just explaining why we''re having an Etriaxian spread. I don''t want lady Ba''an getting the wrong impression." Now Arete''s smile turned to Ba''an, and it looked so sincere Ba''an was nearly fooled. "I do apologize if it isn''t enough, lady Ba''an. I should have known Sanders are not used to this type of dining. The fault is mine, of course." Nikias cleared his throat. "I''m sure we can all use dessert now." He looked at the serving girl and raised an eyebrow, and she jumped to do his bidding, clearly glad to be away. "Riiiight. Didn''t think a¡¯ead, didja, Retty?" Leandros sipped his water and grimaced, clearly finding it wanting. "Or maybe ya did. Wha¡¯ever. Say, lady Baaaaan, hare¡¯s yer guardan, any-anyway? I don'' see ¡®im nowhere. Don'' tell me Sanderrrsss let thar womaaans run ¡®round wit¡¯ ¡®trange men?" He glanced at Lukios and added, taking pains to enunciate, "Em¡­em¡­pha¡­sis on ''straaaange.''" Gaios sighed. "Leandros. Don''t speak again until you are spoken to. There is no need to answer such a stupid question, lady Ba''an." Nikias looked as if he was trying to find the most diplomatic thing to say but coming up empty. Lukios met Leandros'' stare straight on. "Who says she doesn''t have a guardian?" Lukios smiled charmingly, and Leandros blinked, clearly confused by his response. "Which reminds me: everyone, Ba''an and I have an announcement to make." He stood, still smiling, and held out his hand to her. Slowly, Ba''an stood. She could see what he was doing, but¡­ ¡­now? Was this wise? She reached out and took his hand, which meant their arms crossed Arete. Ba''an saw the woman''s eyes settle on their joined hands, and for a moment Ba''an saw dismay settle in her expression before Arete banished it, replacing it with a bright smile. Ba''an should not have pitied the woman¡ªbut she did. The choice of dishes had been poor by Ba''an''s standards, but it must have taken time and effort to create such¡­imaginative¡­meat sculptures, even ones that could not be eaten. This felt cruel, not satisfying. The music continued in the background, as soft and gentle as Lukios'' face when he looked at her and smiled, the same smile that always warmed her straight through the bone. "First off," he said, "I''d like to thank the host and hostess for the dinner¡ªthis and every dinner we''ve had here. Strategos, you''ve been more than generous, opening your home to me and Ba''an." Gaios smiled and offered a little salute with his goblet, and Lukios bowed his head. "We''re grateful for your kindness, and we will remember it forever. As a small token of appreciation, I''d like you and our friends here to be the first to hear the good news.¡° He beamed, looking perfectly handsome and happy. "Ba''an and I," he said, "are very pleased to announce¡ªwell. We''re getting married." He reached over and took her left hand in his, holding it up so the ring caught the light. "So to answer your question, Leandros¡ªshe doesn''t need a guardian, because she''s here with me¡ªher husband-to-be." Nikias began clapping in a mild, polite way. Slowly, Arete and Gaios joined in. "Congratulations," said Nikias, and Ba''an could see he wasn''t surprised at all, though¡ªwas that a warning in his eyes? It was a look of disapproval, though he was not rude enough to say so out loud, not here. Arete also smiled, and Ba''an would have never guessed she was hurt by the ways the corners of her eyes crinkled¡ªbut Ba''an knew she was, just the same. Leandros looked stunned. This ought to have been amusing¡ªhow had he missed the rings? Did he pay any attention to anyone at all?¡ªexcept then he did the very last thing Ba''an had expected: he laughed. At first it was a startled snort. And then it bubbled out in little bursts, and before anyone could stop him, he was practically howling, slapping his knee like Lukios had just told him the funniest joke in the world. "Leandros!" Gaios snapped. He gestured to a male servant, one who did the fetching. "Take him up to his room. Leandros. Stop making a spectacle of yourself. You''re drunk out of your mind, you absolute embarrassment." He shook his head, looking over to Lukios. "Congratulations to you and lady Ba''an, Lukios. I''ll have my son in hand in just a moment." He grimaced, looking as mortified as a man of his demeanor could look. But Leandros was too busy laughing to hear him. "Marry ¡®er? Her? Yer se-serus?" He cackled, shaking so hard that water spilled from his cup and made a mess on the rugs. "Retty. Retty. Don'' look so glum. You ¡®issed an a-arrow. He wen¡¯ an¡¯ threw ya o¡¯er fer¡ªfer¡ª" He was laughing too hard to finish, and this time when his cup wobbled, the water caught Nikias as well, who only sighed and reached out to take the vessel from him. "Leandros," Nikias was saying, "You should listen to your father. You''re going to be more than a little ashamed of yourself in the morn¡ª" "¡ª¡®ome san-sand-cunny goat-fucker," he finished. "Lion-man," Leandros chortled, "ya can''t turn a ¡®hore inna wife. You jus¡¯ can¡¯¡ª" Ba''an did not even see him move. One moment, Lukios was holding her hand, fingers warm over hers. In the next moment, Leandros yelped like a dog taking a beating and toppled backwards over the back of the couch, slamming onto the floor. Someone screamed; Gaios was on his feet in an instant, barking for guards, and Ba''an was shocked to find Nikias was on his feet also, slinging his arms around Lukios'' waist to keep him from killing Gaios'' son. How had Lukios gotten across the table so fast? Because somehow, he had. He shrugged Nikias off like the man weighed nothing, and he stalked over and hauled Leandros up and off his feet by the front of his toga. The younger man squawked, kicking out, but Lukios didn''t even grunt when Leandros caught him in the thigh and belly. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. "Say that again," he snarled. "Go ahead. Call my wife a sandy, goat-fucking whore. Do it. See if you still got a jaw once I''m done." "Fuck!" Leandros clamped his hand over Lukios fist, which was twisted in the front of his tunic and toga. Suddenly he was very, very sober. "You''ve lost your fucking mind! Belaros! Etos! Get this crazy fucker off me!" Two of the male servants came rushing forward, but Lukios turned his head and they stopped, frozen in place. Ba''an could not see what expression Lukios had on his face, but it was clear the two men feared the beating of their lives. "What are you waiting for," Leandros howled, "get him off me!" "Don¡¯t," Lukios growled. "This is between me and him. Don''t get in the way." "Lukios!" Nikias grabbed Lukios'' shoulder, which did very little because all he got was a fistful of fabric. Lukios simply shrugged him off again. "Lukios, enough. You''ve made your point. This can''t escalate. Enough, I said! Luki¡ªfuck! Lukios!" Nikias jumped backwards to avoid getting elbowed in the face. Two men that had been standing silently at the walls swooped in, and Ba''an recognized them: Nikias'' bodyguards. This was getting out of hand. "Lady Ba''an!" Arete clutched at her arm. "Stop him!" Her eyes had gone wide in her face and Ba''an could see the fear was genuine. "He''s an idiot, but he''s my brother. Please!" Ba''an blinked. What was she expecting Ba''an to do, exactly? Tell Lukios to halt? Hm, now that was not a bad idea. Gaios was stalking toward them, now flanked by guards. They were armed. They had swords, and the swords were no longer in their sheaths. "Lukios." Ba''an walked around the table, putting her hand on his arm. "Lukios." She gentled her tone, trying to calm him. "This is enough. Lukios. You must release him now." "Ba''an. You heard him. All. Fucking. Evening." He shook Leandros so hard that the younger man yelped, eyes rolling in his sockets. "Still having fun, Landy? This shit still funny?" Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Nikias gesturing at Gaios, speaking rapidly as he tried to diffuse the situation. Leandros gripped Lukios'' fist in both of his and swung his head forward. Lukios saw it coming; he only tipped his head to the side and the man smashed his forehead into Lukios'' upper arm. "Try again, you little bitch," mocked Lukios. "Want me to tie my hands behind my back? Might have a chance then¡ªafter a thousand tries. Maybe." "Lukios. That is enough. There are guards." She tipped her head, leaning it against Lukios'' bicep. She had a very good view of Leandros face this way; his nose was crooked and bleeding, and there was another spectacular bruise rising on his cheek. "Your nose is broken," Ba''an noted. Leandros snarled in her direction, though he seemed to know better than to exacerbate his situation by cursing. "Not the only thing I''m breaking on this fucker," Lukios added, and Ba''an sighed. "No, Lukios. You must stop." "But¡ª" "Lukios. Do not be roused by the barking of a small and toothless dog. It is below your dignity." She went on tiptoe and kissed his jaw, then tugged on his arm. "This is enough. Come." He made a noise of consternation. "You''re too good for this world, sweetheart. Fine." He turned his attention back to Leandros. "Thank her." Lukios gave the man another shake. "Thank her for saving your worthless hide right now, and I''ll let you keep your fucking teeth, you limpdick cock-sucker." "Go fuck your goat, you gap-assed slave-whore," Leandros rasped, and Lukios smiled, then casually slammed his own forehead down¡ª On Leandros'' nose. There was a crunk and Leandros howled. Blood spurted anew, making a mess over his clothes and Lukios'' hand. "Enough!" Gaios boomed. "How dare you! How dare you assault my son in my own home! After the hospitality I''ve shown you!" Lukios carelessly let Leandros drop to the floor, where he landed in a heap with a sobbing wheeze. The men who had been cowed into standing back scuttled in and grabbed him, helping him stagger away. Lukios wiped his hands on his toga, leaving smears of blood, then held them up in a gesture of surrender. "With respect, Strategos," Lukios said, tone cool, "he called my wife¡ªmy wife-to-be, that is¡ªa whore while at a feast your daughter declared to be in her honour." He pushed Ba''an behind him as he faced down the bevy of guards and their drawn weapons, looking not at all concerned. "That''s how I dare." And then he added, "You could have taught him some fucking manners before I did." "Lukios," Ba''an hissed, "do not anger him further." She did not have her coat. If they attacked¡ªif all of them attacked, all at once¡ªthere was nothing she could do but throw herself over him, but that would do very little in the end. They would both end up skewered. She should not have left her coat with Merida. It had been the height of foolishness¡ªit had been sheer idiocy. Why had she come in the first place? She had known this was dangerous. She had known. And yet she had still¡ªstill¡ª Gaios looked apoplectic. A blood vessel throbbed in his temple, which appeared ready to pop. Arete''s face had gone white. She looked truly horrified by the turn of events, and Ba''an knew this was not at all what the girl had had in mind¡ªshe had intended some mean prank at most, not a bloody fistfight with her brother getting his face pulped and the man she loved possibly murdered by her own father. "Please," Nikias said, interjecting himself and his bodyguards between Lukios and Gaios. "Let us all calm down and discuss this as men of letters. Swords are meant for barbarians, not each other." "Stay out of this, pup," Gaios snapped, but before Nikias could respond, there was a dismayed cry from behind Ba''an. "Master Leandros!" "My pandura! No!" Ba''an heard the twanging protest of an instrument being used in a highly improper way. She turned, eyes widening as she saw Leandros, face swollen and bloody, but eyes still full of rage and humiliation, swing the long-necked lute down¡ªright at her. "Leandros, no!" Strangely, it was Nikias who cried out. Even so, Ba¡¯an could see it did not matter: Leandros had the look of a madman, one that wanted blood. She saw him coming. She did. But Ba''an could feel Lukios'' heat at her back, could feel his soul singing, singing, singing as he stood between her and a dozen blades, and she knew: if she moved, Leandros would strike Lukios instead. Ba''an raised her arms to cover her head. The instrument did not look very sturdy, so she would likely only have some bruises and at worst, a fracture. She held her arms steady and braced herself. The pain never came. Instead, she felt Lukios warmth as he stepped in front of her, the crunch and twang of the pandura as its body broke against him, and then the wet, meaty thunk of a fist meeting flesh, and then¡­ Leandros crumpled to the floor, unconscious. He was only out for a second. He roused, moaning in pain, and Arete ran to him with a little cry, snapping at the servants to bring a stretcher and a doctor, now, immediately¡ª! Lukios gathered Ba''an in his arms even as she stared at the spectacle. "Ba''an! You hurt anywhere?" "I¡­am well." She turned her face to stare at his chest, reaching out and touching him to ensure he was not injured. "Lukios, you are the one he struck with the¡­pandura." "It''s just a hollow wooden box on a flimsy neck, sweetheart. I''m fine." Ba''an heard the bard make a choking, sobbing sound at the description. She turned her head to watch him gather the broken pieces of wood off the floor with an expression that would not have been misplaced at a funeral. His accompanists made soothing noises, and one of them came forward to pat him on the back; they had been lucky their own instruments were not suited for violence. Lukios shook his head. "It''s seen better days, though. Damn." Then he looked up and fixed Gaios with a glare. "And he just attacked an unarmed woman with an improvised weapon. From behind." His expression remained cold and hard as he added, "You know what he''s like¡ªwhat he''s always been like. You can''t put this one all on me, and don''t lie¡ªif some other brat had treated you and yours the way Leandros treated me and Ba''an, you would have had his fucking tongue cut from his skull. You know it." Gaios'' jaw was tight, though he did not answer. Nikias ran his hand through his hair, then spoke in his usual calm, unruffled tone. "Strategos. Lukios. This¡­merits serious discussion. Lukios, you assaulted a man in his own home, though he provoked you into it. Strategos, your son assaulted an unarmed woman simply because she was betrothed to the man he provoked. Neither of you are in the right, here." "Don''t presume to lecture me in my own home, Nikias." Nikias raised his hands with the palms open. "I am not, Strategos. I am only relaying the facts as I see them. This can become a matter for the courts¡ªif you wish. Or we may resolve it quietly here, through discussion like rational men. The decision is yours." For a moment, Ba''an thought Gaios would order them all to bound in chains and dragged away¡ªbut only a moment. Instead, the man closed his eyes and took a long breath. Then he ground out, "The two of you, in my office, now. Lukios, don''t think you can talk your way out of this one. You assaulted my son in my own home." When he opened his eyes, they were still full of fury. "I won''t have you clapped in irons¡ªyet. But don''t get too comfortable." Then he turned and swept out, his guards parting as they waited for Lukios and Nikias to follow. Ba''an noted that they had sheathed their weapons, but most had their hands close to the hilts, eying Lukios with the wariness of a hunter approaching a cliff-cat in a snare. Lukios only smiled; it held an edge of innocence and mockery, all at once. "Hang on," he said, then he gestured to Dita and the other girls, who were huddling together against the far wall, looking stunned by the turn of events. "Hey, take Ba''an up to her room, will you? And make sure to get her something from the market¡ªsome real food." Dita, looking more than a little dazed, turned her face to Nikias, as if asking for permission. The man only nodded and gestured at them to get to it; this seemed to rouse them, and they sprang into action. "No." Ba''an reached out and gripped the edge of Lukios'' toga. "I will go with you. This is because of me. Because I am here. It is my fault, Lukios." It was true. Leandros would not have had any ammunition if Ba¡¯an had been anyone else. Peripherally, she saw Nikias turn his head to look at her, but Ba''an did not spare him any attention¡ªshe was beyond caring. She had brought trouble to his doorstep, just as she had feared¡ªand just as Tik-tak Mal¡¯uk had said to her on her first night here. "It is not," Lukios snapped, sounding perfectly indignant. "Leandros is the mother of all fuckwits and this isn''t your fault. Don''t say that. Don''t think it." "But Lukios¡ª" "Aw, Ba¡¯an. Sweetheart, no. Just¡­no. Come here." Lukios pulled her into his arms, and he somehow sounded cheerful again. "It''ll be fine! Don''t worry, and don''t stay up. I''ll be a while, but it''ll be fine, okay?" He smoothed the hair from her forehead and kissed it. "Come on, Ba''an. Don''t fret¡ªit sure was satisfying to see that fucker get a beating, huh?" "Lukios." The guards were staring at him with intense disapproval. "Do not say such a thing. And I will go with you." She touched his chest, trying to figure out if he''d fractured his ribs. Surely he had felt the pandura¡ªit had struck him so hard that it had broken into pieces. "Lady Ba''an." Nikias'' tone was very mild, but she could hear the steel in it. "I understand your concern. Truly, I do. But it would be best if you remained¡­out of sight. Your presence will only aggravate the situation." "But¡­" "He''s right, sweetheart." Lukios tipped her head up and kissed her gently on the mouth. "There. Now I''ll be lucky all night. Go on and eat something, then go to bed. I''ll see you later, okay?" He raised his head and called out. "Dita! Come over here and do your job, will you? Oh, and make sure you girls get some dinner, too. You must be hungry after all this excitement." Nikias nodded. "Yes. Be sure to eat something, and¡­Iphram." "Master Nikias?" "You will stay with lady Ba''an." The man frowned. "But¡­" "You''ll stay with lady Ba''an until I send for you. Is that clear?" The two guards glanced at each other. The one named Dolus tilted his head to the side, and Iphram nodded. "As you wish, Master Nikias. I will call Eunos and Medoros to attend to you." "Do so. And have Uchos stay with you." Nikias nodded at Ba''an. "If you''ll pardon us, lady Ba''an." He smiled at her pleasantly, and it looked perfectly natural. "I will return Lukios to you shortly and in one piece." Lukios grinned at her. "See? It''ll be fine." He kissed the top of her head one more time, then stepped back, briefly squeezing her hand. "See you soon! And eat something good, ''cause damn. What a mess." What could she possibly do? Ba''an tucked her hands into the folds of her chiton, trying to keep from biting her knuckles¡ªLukios always found it distressing. "Be cautious, Lukios. Do not be ruled by your tongue or temper." "Yes, sweetheart. Don¡¯t worry." She licked her lips. "I¡­will rely on your wisdom in this, sir Nikias." Nikias looked mildly surprised by this. "Do not worry, lady Ba''an." He paused, and she could see he was trying to decide if he ought to say what he wished or not. He switched to K¡¯Avaari. "Your husband-to-be has many advantages in this matter, particularly since the general¡¯s son has a history of¡­disorderly behaviour. It is likely they will settle out of court, without ever reporting the matter to begin with." "As you say." Ba''an dipped her head down. "My thanks, sir Nikias." And now he looked more than mildly surprised. There was an awkward little pause as he tried to work out what to say. "You are welcome, lady Ba''an," he said, finally. "This is what friends are for, as the old saying goes. Now¡ªgood evening. Please, get some rest. Everything will be settled soon." And with that they all filed out. Ba''an stood watching Lukios'' back get smaller and smaller, until a guard stepped behind him and blocked him from sight. "¡­Kyria?" Dita stepped forward cautiously. "Are you well? Shall I call for a physician to attend to you first?" Dita had regained herself, and she was running her eyes over Ba''an in a critical, assessing way. Ba''an shook her head. "No. I am¡­I am well." She put her knuckle in her mouth and bit down, thinking. Could she send someone to fetch her bag from Merida''s? Or¡­ No, her apartment would be locked up tight. She was likely doing her rounds at the brothels already. She lifted her hand to her head. What could she do? "Kyria." Iphram stepped forward in a way that was clearly meant to shepherd her toward the hall. "I will escort you to your room. Uchos will join us shortly." He smiled stiffly, as if he was not used to making such an expression. "I am sure everything will be well, but rest assured¡ªif it is not, I will keep you safe." A sinking feeling took hold of her as she stared at him. "What do you mean?" He looked flustered by her direct question. There was an awkward pause, and then he said, "Nothing. I misspoke." He cleared his throat. "Nene, Calloe¡ªgo with one of the guards and fetch some supper." He gave her another stiff little smile. "Now¡ªkyria. If you please?" He held out his arm, gesturing down the hall. And that was that. Slowly, Ba¡¯an made her way up to her room, feeling more lost and helpless than she had in a long, long time. Chapter Forty-nine: Strategic Listening Ba''an sat on her bed, listening. Nene and Calloe were chattering as they organized Ba''an''s gifts for their intended recipients as Dita directed them, but it was not toward their banter that her attention was bent, no; Ba''an was listening to souls. Lukios'' soul¡ªand Gaios''. Their second dinner had been bread with slices of meat and cheese, purchased from the night market by Dita and Uchos. The girl had been stiff-lipped, but the length of time it had taken her to return made Ba''an suspect the journey had not been altogether pleasant. Ba''an ought to have cared more about Dita''s distress¡ªbut she didn''t. She had other concerns, and she had only managed a single slice of bread before setting the meal aside, covered with a clean square of cloth. Lukios would need something, too, once he was done. He was displeased. She could feel it¡ªthere was an angry little jangle in the music of his soul, jagged and inharmonious in a way that was immediately obvious. On top of that, he was pacing: she felt his soul moving back and forth, back and forth, in a tight little line, and she knew he must be gesticulating angrily at his audience. This was expected. As long as he was only angry and not alarmed, Ba''an would hold her peace. But if the situation shifted¡ªif she sensed the guards at the walls around him moving to him¡ª She would have no choice but to act. Ba''an would not allow Lukios to be arrested and taken to an outlander gaol. Such places were filthy and barbaric, and she knew that those who stepped into one rarely stepped out again. No, she would not permit this to happen. If the guards moved to arrest him, Ba''an would have to kill them. Ba''an did not have her coat, this was true. But she did not need her coat to kill, and the estate was a bountiful cornucopia of souls. Many, many souls, all pulsing and singing, all bursting with the stuff of life: magic. Magic and souls. Beautiful, delicious souls. Suddenly and without intention, her mouth flooded with saliva. Ba''an bit down on her knuckle, wrestling her sudden hunger down. No. Not for hunger. No. Only if she had to. Only for Lukios. "Oh, this is so pretty, kyria!" Calloe held out a pot-within-a-pot. "The patterns are so unusual! Don''t you think so, Nene?" Ba''an blinked, attention momentarily diverted from the tense drama playing out in the office below. "Oh, yes!" Nene nodded. "They''re very¡­uh¡­very¡­unique! The patterns, I mean." Nene''s smile was warm and reassuring. They had been doing this all evening¡ªsmiling and complimenting her and everything she had, presumably to distract her from her worries. It was very sweet. But Ba''an would have to kill them first if things went sour. It would be a disaster if anyone survived to report her activities, should the worst come to pass. Ba''an would have to ensure no one escaped, and most especially not Nikias¡ªhe was too clever, and he knew too much. Even if he did not guess what she was, he would know that she had been the epicenter of the sudden, strange malady to sweep through the entire estate, sparing none but he. Killing him would be difficult. But she would do it. If Gaios moved against Lukios, Ba''an would devour him and his entire wretched household. "Put that down," Dita snapped. "Gently." She turned her head to address Ba''an. "Who shall you gift this to, kyria?" Ba''an forced herself to focus. "That is for our host." Dita nodded, and the girls placed it in the pile meant for Gaios. If all went well, there would be no reason to be petty. If Gaios proved himself a rational man, there was no reason not to resume as usual, and it gave the girls something to do. It was best to be prepared for all possible outcomes. "And these, kyria?" Dita gestured to the crate of koiri. "They go to sir Gaios, but save two bottles for sir Nikias." The girls did as they were bid, Dita taking pains to note in her tablet what went to whom; it was very odd, since Ba''an had not requested such a thing, but Dita simply did it as naturally as breathing. It was clear she was trained for this type of work¡ªmanagement work. It was a pity she would have to die first. The girl was too competent by half, and not nearly as biddable as Nene, or even Calloe. Ba''an would have to kill her first, making it appear as though Ba''an was only catching her as she fainted, and then¡­ They would have to call Uchos and Iphram in for help. They were just outside the door, playing some kind of game involving dice as they kept watch. They had moved her bed across the door of the servant''s passage, so they only needed to guard one door. They would have to die too, though¡­ Two men were too difficult to handle at the same time. She would send Uchos to fetch sir Nikias, citing a sudden emergency involving his household. She could direct Calloe to go to the kitchens and bring hot water for poor Dita, and Nene would be tasked with bringing linens while sir Iphram laid Dita out on the bed¡­ Yes. One by one. That would be best. And with such a glut of souls, Ba''an would never tire. She could use all the tricks she wished, and even invent new ones. Warm approval. Satisfaction. The feeling glowed inside her as if a fire had been lit inside her soul. Ba''an nearly recoiled in revulsion. Tik-tak Mal''uk snickered. Now what is the matter, child? The tone was innocent, which only incensed her more. I am only agreeing with your sensible decision. Unless¡­have you changed your mind? Will you let your outlander die, after all? There was only one answer to that, but Ba''an grit her teeth and said nothing. The creature laughed. It matters little to me, come what may. Either you entertain me with a fine bit of mayhem or I am rid of his filthy presence. What a delightful end to a delightful day! How did the damned creature always manage to wriggle free and exert its foul influence? She glared at the ground, the frustration of being utterly useless mingling with the frustration of having this wretched thing torment her whenever it wished. Nothing she had tried so far had worked. Nothing. Distantly, she heard a little tinkling sound; it was the sound of Enha-naus-hasa-en''s laughter. ¡­And how was the godsoul so conscious again? "Kyria?" "It is nothing. I am only tired." And hungry, the creature cooed. So, very hungry. And listen! These children are simply so irritating. Would silence not be sweeter? "You must rest, kyria!" Calloe''s voice was as chirpy as ever, oblivious. The girl had no idea that Ba''an would eat her and everyone here if Lukios was taken, but this was for the best. After all, there was no need to be cruel. They would die without knowing, without pain. Ba''an could do that much for these girls who had simply been unlucky. But there was no need to be hasty. Ba''an tilted her head and resumed listening. Lukios was still in the office, as were Gaios, Nikias, and the guards. Nothing had changed. All was well, though¡­Gaios was¡­Gaios¡­? She frowned. This was strange. "Yes! Here, kyria! Please, lie down! Me and Calloe will finish organizing your gifts!" Nene grinned up at Ba''an from her position on the floor, folding fabrics. "Oh, this is so soft! But sturdy, too! What is it?" Ba''an blinked, then hastily stood to take the folded length of wool. "It is woven from strifa hair. That is¡­that is not for Gaios or his family. That is for" ¡ªLukios¡ª "myself." She held out her hand. "Give it here." "Oh! Will you make something with it?" The girl held the bundle of undyed fabric up to Ba''an, cheerful and obedient. Ba''an clutched it to her chest, suddenly acutely aware that there would be no going back once she decided to act¡ªLukios would know. He would know, and¡­ If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. He would leave her. Finally. But he would be alive to do so, on his own two feet. "Yes." A man ought to have a sa-kesh when he married¡ªif he married. Perhaps he would change his mind once she¡­told him. He would most certainly reject her if he saw her, if she committed even more atrocities here, on foreign soil. Yes. The way he looked at her would change, then. Forever. But the afternoon had been golden and sweet, and the soft wool had caught her eye. Once the thought struck her, it could not be dislodged, ringing gently in her ears over and over as she touched the soft, tight-woven fibers: a man ought to have a sa-kesh when he marries. Ba''an was not good at weaving or sewing, but she could make something simple. She had thought of embroidering the sigil of his house, but it was clear that he hated the name Helios, so perhaps she would give him a different pattern. Did he dislike lions, too? But they both suited him so well: he was sunny and bright, yet fierce when he wished to be. What else could she sew into his sa-kesh? Olive trees? The strange god with the winged heels? Perhaps she ought to ask him, but then it would not be a surprise, and¡­ She curled her fists into the fabric. Perhaps it did not matter now. "Oh! Another shawl? Or¡­perhaps some Sander clothes? It is a kind of Sander wool, isn''t it? I have never seen this before, I''m sure of it!" Nene continued to burble away as Dita sighed. Calloe giggled as she finished tucking the all the parts of the ''Sander sculpture'' into Ba''an''s bags. Ba¡¯an did not think it wise to stay longer, no matter how the night ended. "No." Ba''an stared at the floor, listening hard. Yes, there was something very strange about Gaios. It sounded as if...as if¡­ He was not even very upset. But he had been furious. Furious. How could he not be upset? What was going on? "It''s not Sander wool?" Nene sounded very confused. "Yes." Ba''an let the girls'' voices fade into the background. She focused, opening herself to the singing of souls as she delved deeper into her magic, pulling her attention to the minutia of Gaios'' soul, the rise and fall of each note, the flex of its weave¡­ Gaios was not outraged¡ªor at least, not as much as he had appeared. Frowning, Ba''an listened to the delicate, subtle nuances of each vibration. No, he was offended, but it was a low-burning fire. Mostly, he was¡­he was¡­ ¡­Victorious? What? Why? How could he feel any glee at all over an evening that had ended with his son''s face ending up like an over-ripe fruit split open on the stone? Something was wrong. She shifted her attention to Nikias. His weave was as tight as ever, but¡­there. A discordant little ripple. Nikias was not as calm as he appeared, either. Ba''an was not familiar enough with his soulsong to know, but she suspected the jagged little ripples meant he was irritated and annoyed¡ªbut not alarmed. What was going on? Ba''an concentrated, trying to get a better read. Lukios was even more aggravated than he had been, but he was not alarmed, either, only angry. Gaios felt smug. But Nikias felt¡­he felt¡­ His song shifted, and she knew he had noticed. Ba''an froze, trying to decide if she ought to plumb deeper or retreat, when he did the last thing she expected: he reached out and touched her. It was a shocking, forthright gesture¡ªas if he had placed his hand on her shoulder and given it a comforting little squeeze. Ba''an landed on the bed gracelessly as she stumbled backwards in her hasty retreat. Calloe squawked in alarm and stood, while Dita paused in her scribbling to look at her with a little crease between her eyebrows. "Kyria!" Nene looked concerned. She took one of Ba''an''s hands in hers and gave it a little squeeze. Calloe came to them and put her hand on Ba''an''s forehead. "You don''t seem well, kyria. Please, lie down." Ba''an pushed her confusion away. "I am well." She wasn''t. Calloe and Nene exchanged a look. Dita was still frowning, stylus still poised over the tablet. It was clear she was trying to decide on a course of action. "Are you finished with the gifts?" They were. Everything was in neat, organized piles, and someone had wrapped the smaller items in tight little bundles of cloth that looked remarkably artistic. "Yes." Dita finally stopped frowning. "There is only one thing left. Nene." "Hm?" "I want you to go to Master''s office with Uchos and get some parchment. We need thank you notes for the Strategos and congratulations to sir Askles." Ba''an raised a hand to her head. Oh, yes. The gifts ought to go with notes. Clever as ever, Dita. "Yes. Thank you, Dita." "It is my duty, kyria." Her voice was stiffer than usual. The girl was deeply aggravated by the entire debacle, this much was clear. "Oh. Yes. Okay." Nene stood up slowly, then wandered out the door. Ba''an was listening to her titter at Uchos when Calloe suddenly raised her voice. "And tea!" Nene popped her head back into the room. "What?" "Tea. Khamaimelon tea." Calloe''s voice was firm. "Kyria is still distressed." "No, I am well." "As you say, kyria!" Calloe was relentlessly cheerful. "I''m distressed! Get me some khamaimelon tea, Nene!" Nene stared at her for a moment, then grumbled, "Fine." Then she beamed at Ba''an. "We will only be gone a short while!" And then she and Uchos were gone, making their way down the stairs and out into the courtyard. Dita only sniffed in a way that made her feelings quite clear, then went back to scribbling in her tablet. Ba''an wriggled away from Calloe, turning her attention back to the office, but the girl seemed determined to keep Ba''an''s attention. "Kyria!" "Calloe. I am we¡ª" "Did you know that babies can be born with six fingers?" Ba''an stared at her incredulously, baffled. What did that have to do with anything? She took Ba''an''s silence for agreement. "Oh, yes! When I was seven, my ma took me to help this lady that lived out near the woods have her baby! We always said she was cursed, on account of being so unlucky, but¡­" "Calloe¡ª" The stream of words did not stop. Instead, the girl took Ba''an''s hands in hers and squeezed them, as if Ba''an were some village maiden about to burst into tears at any moment. Flabbergasted, Ba''an could only stare at the younger girl as her story became more and more ridiculous. "¡ªand of course we were saying the whole time, that her husband wasn''t a real man at all, but he was¡ª" "Calloe¡ª" But it was useless, of course.
By the time Lukios came to her, it was well into the small hours of the night. Ba''an, grimly determined, had monitored the situation all the way through. To her irritation, Nikias had modulated his reactions so that she could tell nothing from his soulsong; all his rough edges had been smoothed out by the time Ba''an regained her wits and returned to her particular form of eavesdropping. The entire situation was strange. The guards had, at first, been amused, only to grow bored and weary as the hours wore on. Lukios'' temper had cooled into a kind of cold fury that she had never felt from him before, but he had stopped his pacing. Gaios felt satisfied, exactly like a cat that had gotten the kia-kia bird. But no one moved to take Lukios away. When Ba''an felt Lukios leave the office¡ªof his own volition, with only Nikias and his attendants at his heels, not guards¡ªthe relief had made her muscles go to water and she had finally allowed herself to slump in her spot on the bed. "You should sleep, kyria!" Calloe was still cheerful, though she yawned at the walls when she thought Ba''an wasn''t looking. Nene was already dozing on the floor, her back against the wall. Dita, who had tried to rouse the girl twice already, had given up and was now keeping herself occupied by tidying the room. This was something of a feat in and of itself, as the room had already been tidied a dozen times already; at this point, Dita was merely moving things around out of sheer boredom. Calloe seemed to have a never-ending repository of bizarre and silly stories. Ba''an had the impression they were meant to be humorous, but¡­ They were like all Dolkoi''ri jokes: confounding, and not very funny. If anything, they were horrific; many of the incidents Calloe described with such aplomb were entirely preventable, if only the men or women had applied proper sense to their decisions. But no, this was Illos. Common sense was not common here. "No. I am well." Ba''an paused, then added gently, "You may sleep if you wish, Calloe." She looked at Nene. "Perhaps you ought to rouse her and have her sleep here on the bed instead?" The floor was hard, and now that Lukios was safe¡ªor appeared safe¡ªBa''an felt the keen edge of guilt against her conscience as she remembered what she had planned. Lukios was as well as he had said he would be. She felt entirely stupid now, having fretted so strenuously¡­though¡­ Ba''an did not think everything was well. It had not gone as poorly as it could have, but she did not think it had gone well, either. Lukios was too coldly enraged, and Nikias was too deliberately calm. Oh, come now. Surely there is still room for a little indulgence here and there. Tik-tak Mal''uk sounded put out, and Ba''an sneered at it smugly. This half-breed, for instance. Is he not a thorn in your side? Perhaps he ought to have a sad accident later. And now Ba''an was in the most undesirable position of defending Nikias, of all people. Ugh. No, best to ignore its provocations. That was all it could do, stunted as it was now: provoke her with its snide babbling, whining and pathetic. The creature laughed at her. He is so very sure of himself, is he not? A proper outlander, despite the skin he wears. How insulting. You ought to eat him. And then it added, disturbingly, Perhaps he''ll even like it. That is disgusting. And now she had responded to the filthy thing. Ba''an sighed as it cackled at her. She knew she ought to simply stop reacting. That''s what it wanted¡ªher aggravation. The creature was malicious and bored, and acknowledging it at all was encouragement. Ba''an felt Nikias peel away to his own room with his entourage. Lukios was coming down the hall to her, and Ba''an roused herself, moving to the washing stand to splash her face with cold water. Better. Calloe yawned again. "Oh, that is a good idea!" She moved to the basin and did the same. "I am sure everything is well, kyri¡ª" Lukios stopped right outside the room, and Ba''an heard him speaking with Uchos and Iphram in a low, quiet murmur. Ba''an simply went to the door and hauled it open. "I am awake." Lukios blinked at her an instant before his face broke into a surprisingly bright smile. "Sweetheart!" He stepped past a sleepy but amused Uchos to go to her. Iphram only looked on with his usual stoic expression, looking exactly as he had all day. Ba''an tilted her head up obligingly as he took her face in his hands and kissed her, resting his forehead on hers once he finished with a sigh. Ba''an put her hand over his, frowning as she noted he was still wearing his blood-stained toga. To think he had been obliged to sit in filthy clothes all evening¡ªthe Dolkoi''ri knew no decorum. She shifted to straighten the fabric without thinking, and Lukios caught her hand. He glanced down at himself and let out a self-conscious little chuckle. "Should¡¯ve changed, huh?" He stepped back to keep her clean, though he did not release her hand. "No. That is not why I am¡­" Ba''an sighed. "Come inside, Lukios. You must eat." And rest. He was upset still, though now he was working not to show it. "Just for a bit," he said as he entered, eyeing the neat piles of gifts against the wall. "Don''t tell me you spent this entire time fretting. You should have just taken a nap, sweetheart." He stepped back and held his arms out, turning slowly. "See? I''m all in one piece. Everything''s fine." Ba''an raised an eyebrow. "¡­Mostly." Lukios ran his hand through his hair. "We''re¡­" He paused, then sighed. "Well, it all turned out in the end, is all. Just¡­" His belly decided now was the time to make itself known; it gurgled. Loudly. Calloe clamped a hand over her mouth and giggled. Ba''an went to the bowl that held her leftovers and brought it to him. "It is cold, but hearty." And now she was frowning again; she ought to have warmed it at least or sent for more food. This would not be enough for a grown man, especially not one as big as Lukios. Lukios'' expression brightened at the sight, but he checked himself, eyeing her with suspicion. "Did you eat?" "Yes, Lukios." Ba''an clicked her tongue at him. "This is your portion, so you must eat it. Do not argue or I will be annoyed." She narrowed her eyes at his hands then added, "But you must wash yourself first." Blood did not make good seasoning, though it did do well as porridge or sausage. Lukios obeyed with a little laugh as she laid out his repast on the small side table. She took a jar of honey as well¡ªwhy not?¡ªand poured him whatever was left of the wine. No, it was still a poor meal, no matter how one looked at it. She sighed again. "Dita." "Kyria?" "Go to the kitchen and demand fruit and bread. Calloe, go with Nene and fetch another set of clothes for Lukios from his room." Lukios looked up from the washing bowl, drying his face with a towel. "No need. We don''t have a whole lot of time, anyway. We¡­" He glanced at her, then at the girls. He cleared his throat. "Say, how do you ladies feel about¡­camping?" Interlude: A Conclusion, Part I "Don''t be so glum, Retty", he said, but with his broken nose it sounded more like, ''Mmph bleg so glom, Rheeti.'' "Landy," said Arete, voice perfectly serious, "don''t talk." One of the slave girls took this as her cue to gently press a cool, wet cloth over his nose. Leandros slapped her away with a yelp, cursing. "Was your mother a crippled ox, you worthless¡ª" "Landy." Arete crossed her arms. "Don''t bully my slaves. We''re not ten." Then she added, "And she''s just doing what the surgeons said." His twin sister waved her hand at the slave girl, who cautiously lay another cloth over his nose. It fucking hurt. Leandros grimaced and lay back on the bed, breathing through his mouth. The surgeons had set his nose the best they could, but then they''d gone and stuck gauze inside it to ''keep its shape'' as it healed. It was somehow ingenious and sadistic at once, and he half-thought that fat little turd, Galen, had done it to torment him. Arete ordered a new bowl with fresh, cool water from the fountain. They''d been at this for hours now, but the pain and swelling hadn''t abated. The draught of dreamseed had hardly made a dent, most especially because the very same fat little turd had refused to leave the entire bottle. If that uppity cripple hadn''t belonged to House Astros, Leandros would have taught him some proper manners, but no; dear, sweet Niki had been oh-so-concerned enough to send Landy his personal physician. It was the stupidest fucking thing Leandros had ever heard. A fat cripple who hadn''t managed to fix himself was Sandy-boy''s personal physician? It was obviously one of those ridiculous, publicity-loving appointments that House Astros so loved: Oh, look at us! We''re House Astros! We''re so just and smart and rich and perfectly perfect in every way! Bring us your cripples, your poors, your useless fucking slaves. We''re perfectly moral moralists moralizing out our asses every moral fucking day. It was revolting, particularly because everyone knew: those fuckers liked their slaves and rent money the same way everyone else did. They were just pretending, just like precious Niki was pretending he wasn''t some half-Sander get dressed up in fancy clothes who''d been taught to mouth pretty words. Everyone knew Nidemus had his hand shoved up his baby boy''s ass, wriggling Niki''s head here, there, anywhere, whenever and wherever he wanted to parade that bastard son of his around as some kind of genius. Leandros already knew the man had hired some slaves to write the boy''s theses¡ªall twenty of them, which was a waste of fine parchment¡ªfor the last ten years. Like H¨¡?id¨¥s Leandros believed that cuck had managed a border-skirmish at fifteen. That was bullshit. Fifteen was barely enough to grow chin-fuzz or get your dick wet. In fact, Leandros was pretty sure that little Niki still didn''t understand what women were for, and that was exactly why Heiode had cucked him for some big-dick slave. It was actually really fucking funny. Leandros almost laughed, but checked himself as pain welled up through the bridge of his nose like a little spurt of fire. The dreamseed helped, but any time he moved his face, it hurt like a H¨­ra-ridden bitch. "Wine," he muttered, but Retty shook her head. "Landy, no." And now she sounded mad at him, which wasn''t fair at all. It just wasn''t. "That''s exactly how you got here in the first place." "Retty," he said, hating how the stupid gauze made his voice whiny, "it hurts. Come on. This''s watered down to shit." He gestured to the empty little bowl of dreamseed elixir. "You try breaking your pretty nose. Bet you you''d drink. Bet you you''d drink a lot." "Landy. No. No wine. And stop talking." She sat next to him with a little huff and ran her fingers through his hair the way their mother used to. Her voice gentled. "It''s for your own good. You know you can''t have wine with elixir. That''s what they said¡ªGalen and Nisos." "Galen''s worthless and Nisos is an ass-licker." "Landy." She sighed at him. "You''re upsetting me. Again." He rolled his eyes. "I''ll stop upsetting you when you stop upsetting me. How come you''re mad at me? That''s not fair." "I am not mad at you." Her voice had stiffened, which was a sure sign that she was lying. She was pissed as fuck. "You are. Don''t tell me you''re on his side. That''s fucked up. That''s not fair." She sat up abruptly and Leandros wondered if he''d gone and pushed her a little too hard, except... It just drove him so fucking crazy, how crazy she was over some worthless, cock-sucking, boot-licking, pox-riddled¡ª "You started it." Leandros had been ready for the accusation, but he still felt it. It really wasn''t fair. "Damn fucking right I did." "And now you''re proud of yourself. I can''t believe you." She clutched her hair and tugged so her bangs swung over her face. Yeah, she was pissed off. All that sweet cooing had been fake horseshit to make him shut up and stop bothering her, which was exactly what he''d been expecting. "Damn fucking right I am." She shot him an angry, disbelieving look¡ªfinally, some honesty. "You said you''d make up with him. You said! That''s why we came in the first place!" Leandros dug in. "Yeah, well that was before I knew he''d been off sticking his dick in some sandy whore." To think Retty wanted to marry that worthless guttersnipe. It was outrageous. Outrageous. "He probably has pox. His dick''ll fall off and then who''ll you do?" "That''s disgusting." Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. "It''s true. He''s taken every dick from here to Heliopolis and then some. He''s taken more dick than a half-copper dock-whore. Bet you Stefanos dicks him down every time he¡ª" "Landy! That''s revolting. Stop saying ''dick.'' It''s not funny and it''s not charming. Stop it." "I just saved you from humiliating yourself over Lukios-the-fucking-Lion¡ªagain. And I paid for it with my nose. Be grateful, woman." "I wasn''t¡ª" "Bullshit you weren''t." Leandros fixed her with a hard stare. "We''re better than him. Don''t be blinded by that piss-drinking smile or that stupid shiny hair. He''s a filthy, lying guttersnipe that fucked his way to the top. He''s too stupid to know who he should be thanking and why. He''s got no manners, no class. He''s a pretty, shiny box that''s empty inside. He¡ª" Arete turned around on her heel and began marching to the door, fists clenching and unclenching at her sides. Landy tried to sigh, but it was more of a wheeze. And it hurt. Again. "Retty. Come on. You know it''s true. You know it. There''s no way some colosseum slave climbed that high and that fast without sucking cock and bending over." She whirled to face him. Retty always had to have the last word. "He''s a Helios, Landy. A born Helios." "He''s a slave Helios. Not really the same fucking thing, Retty." "He''s not a slave anymore. And he''s a real Helios." "Bet you Rekos fucked him, too." "Uuuuuurgh!" Retty finally lost her temper and grabbed a cushion from the fainting couch, throwing it at him with her usual accuracy. Leandros raised his hand and caught it in midair, though it was a near thing: dreamseed didn¡¯t keep a man alert. But cushions didn''t make very good projectile weapons, thank the gods. Retty could get downright nasty. "And you don''t want him ''cause he''s a Helios. Grow up, Retty. Heroes aren''t real." Arete stomped over to the little side table with the amphora of wine and clay kantharos. She poured herself a cup and glared at him as she gulped it down. "Well, aren''t you the grown up now, hm? Come on, Retty. Share." "No. And you''re wrong about Lukios¡ªas usual. Those are just rumours¡ªrumours¡ªand you know what that''s like. I can''t believe you. Why can''t you just get along with him? He could help you. He could¡ª" "Retty. Don''t." Leandros made the mistake of grinding his teeth until a sharp spike of pain made him stop and lay back with his eyes closed. "He''s gutter trash. You''re too good for gutter trash. You were too good for Cusiasios"¡ªhe heard his twin make a pained, disgusted noise at the mention of her first husband¡ª"and you''re definitely too good for Gutter-man." "This ''gutter trash'' leads an army of over a hundred loyal men¡ªindependently. They don''t ride for House Helios, Landy. They ride for him." She raised an eyebrow. "I''d like to see you rouse a hundred men to fight for you, just because." He popped one eye open to glare. "Don''t be a bitch, Retty." "Don''t be a pussy, Landy." He forced himself to sit up, though he was really starting to feel the dreamseed to his bones. Damn, he was tired. "You know I just took a fist and a forehead to the nose for you, right? I can''t fucking believe you, sometimes. H¨¡?id¨¥s'' balls, woman!" "I keep telling you¡ªhe could¡ª" "No. Stop comparing me to pox-riddled gutter trash. It''s offensive." He snorted, then stopped, wincing. "And besides, one hundred men ain''t shit. That''s a drop in the bucket. Father-dear can raise¡ª" "Conscripts aren''t the same thing, Landy." "Most of them aren''t conscripts, Retty." "They can''t exactly refuse, Landy. And besides¡ªthey follow House Origos. That''s different." "I don''t get you. Why''re you so stuck on this? Gutter-man isn''t the only fucker with an army. There are other men with armies. Look, if you want to marry a man with an army, I''ll find you one that doesn''t stink like a pisspot. How about that? Forget this guy. I''m serious, Retty. You want to fuck a strapping young¡ª" "Landy!" "Oh, get off it. You like the arms. And the shoulders. You eye him up like¡ª" "I do not!" "Pffff¡ªow, fuck! See what you made me do?" "It''s not my fault you''re an idiot, Landy." "Gods, why are you such a bitch about this? How come you''re not plotting to murder his ass already? He threw you over for some Sander whore, Retty. Fuck! At least poison the whore!" Retty rolled her eyes. "She''s ugly and he''s a man. Obviously, he was lonely out in the desert by himself. He''ll remember he doesn''t like sticking it in dish rags soon enough." She shrugged. "And she''s a sad little thing, anyway. Scrawny. Probably happy he picked her up and fed her." "¡­Didn''t you sell that one slave girl because she looked at him funny?" Arete hmm''d. "No. I did no such thing. Only¡­Lukios can be a little rough around the edges, it''s true. He needs to distance himself from his lessers if he wants¡ª" Leandros couldn''t help it. He laughed, even through the pain. "He''s¡ªow!¡ªhanging out with our lessers because that''s his level. Water always finds its level, sister dear. Always. That''s why he came crawling back with a Sander whore¡ªthat''s his level. Don''t stoop to his level." Arete sighed at him. "He just needs some polishing. That''s all. But he''s competent and well-liked, and he has the backing of the emperor. House Astros won''t back you, Landy"¡ªLeandros would have scowled, but it hurt too much. He checked himself and settled for looking sour instead¡ª"so Stefanos will have to do." "Bull. Shit. There''re plenty of muscle-heads in House Helios, and Stefanos doesn''t hate all of ''em, either. Write to Dana? and ask for an introduction. But you won''t, will you? ''Cause they don''t have that stupid, shiny hair. Shallow, Retty. Shallow." She scowled at him, but Leandros continued. "''Sides, I don''t think he''s going to forget about his dish rag. They''re getting married, ha. What a perfect pair: gutter trash hitching it to a dish rag. Nice." Her jaw tightened. "He''s just¡­confused, is all. All that sun and sand. He''ll snap out of it eventually, and when he does he''ll remember¡ª" "¡ªWhy he left you?" Leandros snickered through the pain. This was too funny. "Nice trick with the dinner, by the way. He definitely didn''t like it." She sighed. "I didn''t think about the Sander. Well, I did, but I didn''t think he''d care so much." She put a hand to her forehead. "I reminded him of the wrong thing." "Thought it through real damn good, huh?" "Stop being smug. It''s aggravating." "I''ll stop being smug when you stop being stup¡ª" Someone cleared his throat and they swivelled their heads toward the sound, eerily synchronised. It was their father''s personal aide, Tarchones. "Arete," he said in his usual, straightforward way. "Your father wants words with you." "Now?" Arete''s brow crinkled as she looked at Leandros. "But¡­" "Now." The twins glanced at each other, and Leandros flapped his hand at her. "Oh, go on then. Father-dear is calling for his golden-child and all." "Landy¡­" "Leave me some wine, though. Don''t be a pisspot." Arete rolled her eyes at him. "You''re a drunk, Landy." She drained her cup until there were only two or three swallows left and handed it to him. She turned to one of the slaves. "Don''t refill this once he''s done, no matter what he says. I mean it." "Yes, Mistress." Arete smoothed her hair back and shook out her chiton, the same one she''d worn to dinner. The crinkles shook out, but the bloodstains remained. She looked down at herself and sighed. Tarchones offered her his elbow, but Arete swept past him. "Well, come along then," she called to him over her shoulder. "The night''s not getting any younger." The slaves propped Leandros up on some pillows¡ªcarefully¡ªand handed him the goblet. He took a sip, which didn''t improve his headache, but did improve his mood. He savored it before breathlessness forced him to swallow; the gauze really was bullshit. He took another mouthful, puzzling over the mysterious summons. His father was likely in a temper, but it was odd that he''d called for Arete rather than Landy¡ªusually Landy took all the beatings. He paused. No, surely not. Not Arete. Not¡­ "Hey, you." The slave girl who''d been doing the fetching paused, arms around the new pot of water. "Master?" "Go down to Father''s office through the slave door and keep an ear out. You come get me if you hear anything untoward, got it?" "Untoward¡­?" "Yelling or slapping, you stupid twat," he snapped. The breathless wheezing really undercut the effect. "Now go!" The girl set the pot down and scuttled away, eyes wide. Leandros lay back and closed his eyes. Fucking Lukios. The man was nothing but trouble. Interlude: A Conclusion, Part II Nikias resisted the urge to scrub his face with his hands. Dolus stood with his back to the wall, eyes and ears alert even as he slouched with his arms crossed over his chest. Medoros was sighing in between instructions as the slaves packed Nikias'' things. Despite his efforts, there was no fooling his aide. "Perhaps you ought to sleep, Young Master?" Medoros paused to tut at a passing slave before turning back to his charge. Nikias shook his head, waving away assistance as he changed out of his toga for a simpler, more sensible outfit for travelling. "The night is far from over, Medoros." The old man shook his head, sounding perfectly put out. "There''s no reason for you to involve yourself, Young Master. Sir Lukios is a grown man. Let him handle his own affairs." Nikias said nothing. He would have dearly loved allowing Lukios to handle his own affairs, but this was a matter of honour: Nikias owed the man his life twice over. Such debts could not be discharged so easily, and besides¡ªGaios was rather wroth with them both, so leaving the strategos alone for a day or two was common sense. Not that he thought Gaios would behave rashly, but¡­ The man had a tendency toward extreme pettiness. He''d find some way to take it out on the slaves or even the horses. No, it was best to be away until the old man''s temper cooled further. He left the slaves and Medoros to finish preparations. Normally, Nikias would have stayed to manage the transfer of goods and equipment to the carriage whether his aide was present or not, but the night¡ªand his sanity¡ªwas growing long in the tooth. The sound of feet and the scrape of clothes chests opening and closing were enough to send a throb between his temples, so he took himself out to the balcony for air. It was quieter outside, though not silent. He could still hear muffled thumps and Medoros'' exclamations through the walls. Dolus was silent as always, a second shadow as he dogged Nikias'' steps. The young scion of House Astros breathed in, slowly. The air was cold and crisp, tasting of autumn. Beneath the tang of leaves was the smell of soil, settling in the back of his throat with each inhalation. He gave himself to the count of sixty before turning back to the estate. He ought to interrupt whatever it was Lukios was doing. The man had been instructed to inform the women and then to return to his room to pack, but he was still with lady Ba''an; knowing Lukios, he was comforting her by driving her quite mad. Nikias had had quite enough madness for one evening, thank you. He had no desire for any more, and most certainly not from a witch of Ba''an''s caliber; witches were a handful at the best of times, but a witch like Ba''an? On a rampage? Gods. No. He pushed down a shudder. He was in no shape to suppress a witch, even a middling one, and Ba''an was not middling. Not even close. And time was wasting. Nikias wished to sleep before sunrise. He took off in a brisk walk, irritation rising at how Lukios continued to linger. He had a few choice words for the man, but they swept away like leaves in the wind as he rounded the corner to Ba''an''s room. Nikias stopped cold, eyebrows knitting as he tried to make sense of the scene that greeted him. The door was wide open. Uchos was grinning in the hallway, calling out encouragement; whom he was encouraging¡ªor what¡ªwas unclear. Iphram''s face was twitching in a way that indicated he was trying his damndest not to laugh. Lukios was loud as ever, his voice as obnoxious as his soul as he cooed at his wife-to-be in a tone so honey-sweet that Nikias nearly felt his teeth start rotting. But it was Ba''an that shocked him most. The two of them were framed by the door, Lukios laughing as if he''d just returned from a happy, fulfilling banquet rather than a disaster. Ba''an was staring up at him with an expression that Nikias had not known she could make: her cheeks had darkened dramatically, her face twisting as if she could not decide whether she was angry or bashful. Even as he watched, her mouth¡­wobbled. Nikias took a sharp breath as he remembered another witch, an older one, who had looked at Nidemus the same way whenever he had said something both outrageous and flattering. His skull throbbed as his mind shied away from the memory. He forced his attention to the scene before him, disturbed. He could scarcely reconcile the witch Ba''an was with the woman before him now. Lukios put his hands on her cheeks and cooed at her even louder. Distantly, Nikias realized that they¡ªor Lukios, rather¡ªwere playing some kind of guessing game. Nikias blinked, eyes focusing on the soft strifa-hair fabric. It was a sar-dur, and it was draped over Ba''an''s head and shoulders like a shawl. Lukios was trying to guess what it was for, and by her expression, he was getting it spectacularly wrong. There were only two things a sar-dur was for: a women''s kesh and a man''s sa-kesh. "¡ªgoat blanket?" ¡­And it was clear Lukios had no idea how insulting that was. Nikias watched as Ba''an''s eyebrows knit. The wobble of her chin became more pronounced as she wrinkled her nose, and Nikias felt yet another stab of pity. Three times in one night? Would the madness never end? He forced himself to still and refrain from comment. But a goat blanket? Really, Lukios? Ba''an''s eyes snapped to him before he could clear his throat. Her expression closed, and he watched, strangely transfixed, as the woman was swept away by the witch. It was instantaneous. Tii''ka had been like that, too. She had only been soft for Nidemus¡ªand her son. For Nikias. Ma na ki''tan, ma na Kuv''an. This time, the memory struck without warning, sliding a knife between his ribs. Nikias stopped breathing at the too-familiar sting. No. This was absurd. Nikias was far too old for ghost stories or childish brooding. He forced himself to take a breath through the pulse of pain and met Ba''an''s cool glare with his usual courtly smile. He noted that her cheeks had not lost their darkness. "Lady Ba''an. Lukios. Are you ready to leave?" Ba''an raised her head, looking down her nose at him despite her diminutive stature. Nikias was not bothered¡ªit was merely another witch-trick. "We will be soon." There was no mistaking the meaning of her tone. She was telling him to get himself gone. Immediately. Nikias only continued to smile, glancing about her room. From what he could see, she was already packed, which meant they were waiting on Lukios. Well, of course they were. Typical. "I see. Lukios, would you like me to send¡ª" "Nah, I''m good." Lukios looked amused. "Don''t need that many hands for three chitons, two cloaks, and this toga, Niki. And the sword goes on my belt, ha." He shrugged. "Didn''t bring much with me." At this Ba''an looked even more flustered. "That is because you say ''no'' to everything, Lukios. You ought to buy something for yourself next time we do our¡­shopping." And then she wringed the hem of the trailing sar-dur between her fingers as she gazed up at her paramour from beneath her lashes. The effect was distinctly¡­maidenly. And preposterous. Absolutely preposterous. Lukios grinned. "Whatever you say, sweetheart. Anything you want, I''ll get!" Ba''an''s lips parted again. Her eyes glittered as her eyebrows dipped. "Lukios. That is silly. You must get something you want. What will you do if I pick something ugly?" "Well, obviously, I''d wear it!" And then he lowered his head to meet her eyes, still grinning. "And I''d get you a matching¡­whatever it is, too. If I have to wear a dead ferret on my head, so do you! We can look ridiculous together!" Ba''an covered her face with the sar-dur, making a muffled noise of perfect exasperation. Lukios laughed outright. The sound she had made had been disturbingly feminine and¡­girlish. Nikias noted that she had a small delicate mouth with small delicate teeth before her face disappeared beneath the fabric. Then he promptly banished the entire disconcerting thought: there was nothing winsome about her at all. Nothing. She was a witch. She had certainly fed more than one boy to the stone and slept soundly right after, and that was likely the kindest thing she''d ever done. A witch was a witch was a witch. Nikias knew better than to fall for her charms¡ªnot that she had any. Ba''an was not charming. She was pitiful. That was all. No, it was more accurate to say that was her charm: being sad and pitiful with her skinny cheeks and frail wrists and those wretchedly oversized eyes. Such things only worked on men like Lukios. Nikias had too firm a head between his shoulders for such nonsense. It was the most unsettling experience of the entire evening. Nikias continued smiling, working to keep his racing thoughts from his face. He heard giggling from deeper in the room, and he knew that the serving girls thought this was all very romantic. If only they knew what a witch truly was. They wouldn''t have found it nearly so sweet, then. Nikias only inclined his head politely with a smile. There was no need to antagonize either of them further. He had underestimated Lukios'' extreme attachment to her and that had been a mistake. He would have to be in her good graces if he wished Lukios'' continuing cooperation, as much as it grated: one caught more flies with honey than vinegar. She had already accepted his olive branch. There was no need to ruin it¡ªnot now, at least. The future was, as ever, uncertain. "We are finished packing," Nikias said. There was no way of knowing if this was true, but Medoros was efficient, so it was likely. "Lukios, I will await you by the gate. We ought to leave as soon as possible if we want any sleep tonight." It was not optimal, but they would have to shelter at the caravan park before setting out at sunrise. Nikias could have slept at the Archon''s office, but doing so would have left Lukios¡­unsupervised. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. With his friends. His very loyal, very gullible, and very violent friends, who Lukios had insisted had to come along. This was an alarming prospect if one considered the last forty-eight hours since his arrival. "Yes, yes, we''ll be there soon," Lukios promised, and Nikias was pleasantly surprised there was no sharp little rejoinder attached. It appeared that Nikias had been forgiven already. This was good, though Nikias wished this sad, stupid disaster had not been necessary to repair the rift. Sander witches. Always so much damn trouble, and for what? No, no. Patience was wisdom, and wisdom was virtue. And perhaps she really was not here to spy¡ªit was looking more and more likely. His agents had turned up nothing, though the man he had sent to Vala-Tur''in had yet to return: that was a fair distance, even on horseback. But then that left yet another little mystery: why was she here? And how? The K''Avaari were not in the habit of banishing poorly behaved witches. They were in the habit of killing them. And yet, here was Ba''an: a witch of child-bearing age, wandering the outlands at will. It was an impossible claim. Such things were simply not permitted; Tii''ka had not been banished. She had entered House Astros to accomplish¡­whatever it was she had been directed to accomplish, and then she had left again, child and lover be damned. That she had even left Nikias alive was surprising. Sometimes he had wondered if...no. There was no use in wondering. But the witches of the A''tat hardly hid their contempt for him. It was clear what they thought. So nothing about Ba''an made any sense. At all. "Lukios," he said patiently, "we''re waiting on you." "I''ll be quick." "Yes, that''s what you said. The first time." Lukios sighed. "Fine, fine, let''s go. I''ll be finished before you finish telling Medoros how to do his job. Promise." "Very funny." Nikias did not lecture Medoros on how to do his job. That would be rather rude and a waste of time. The old man was very good at his job already. Ba''an straightened. "You must go, Lukios. We will meet you at the gate. There is no need to¡­return." And then Nikias watched, fascinated, as Lukios pouted. A grown man. Pouting. By Thi¨®s. How was he not embarrassed? "Aw. But sweetheart! I''m supposed to walk you down. To the gate. ''Cause we''re engaged now, remember?" Sweet gods. That expression. What was that even supposed to be? Ba''an''s cheeks grew dark again as her head dipped, suddenly shy, and Nikias remembered the way she had stood, stoic and expectant, beneath Leandros'' assault. She could have moved. Lukios seemed to take her bowed head as some kind of sign. He swooped in, taking her hands in his as he began cooing again. No, this was too disturbing to watch. Nikias pivoted on his heel, turning his head. "Lukios?" "Yeah, yeah. Don''t get your loincloth in a knot." "Lukios." Ba''an''s voice was stern again. "That is rude." Then she added, "He was of great help to you." Lukios'' mouth opened, then closed. And then, to Nikias'' great shock¡ª "Yeah, he really was." And then Lukios smiled that sweet, winsome smile he had, the one he had stopped directing Niki''s way years ago. It shouldn''t have been this gratifying. It was just a smile, for gods'' sakes. "Thanks, Niki. I know this isn''t how you wanted to spend your day." The man gave an awkward little laugh. "Or even your next few days. I owe you big, that''s for sure." Nikias felt his mouth curve in response. H¨¡?id¨¥s, he''d forgotten: that grin was always so damnably infectious. "Yes, well. It is a boon, in a way." He shrugged. "I ought to have ridden out myself, earlier. So think nothing of it." Which wasn''t strictly true. Nikias had already sent men out to interview the farms and villages that dotted the border. They had all said the same thing, so why would he have ridden out himself? Except things were different, now. Not just this issue with numbers¡ªthat was a problem, too, but he could have very easily sent Eunos or another fix-it man¡ªbut this mess with Gaios? No. Lukios had to be managed. This much was clear. And the thought of Lukios alone in the wilds beyond the city, surrounded by Gaios'' men with only a witch for company? A Sander witch? A thing nearly all fighting men hated? That was just foolish, but Lukios was stubborn: he would never leave the witch behind. Never. And so Nikias had given in¡ªagain. Well. At least it took him from the office for a day or two, though the weather could have been nicer. "Aw, Niki. You''re so damn sweet when you''re not busy with that stick up your¡ª" "Lukios." Nikias and Ba''an spoke together, and in much the same tone. They glanced at each other, and Nikias was certain Ba''an''s disturbed expression mirrored his own. Calloe''s peal of laughter floated from the room into the hallway before there was a sharp little thwack!, followed by an indignant, "Dita!" and then a storm of furious mutters. Well, thank the¡­gods¡­for Dita. No. Heiode. He ought to thank Heiode. His mood cratered. "Wow, that was creepy," Lukios muttered, putting his arm around Ba''an and pulling her closer. "Niki, never do that again." "Do¡ª? What?" "Imitate Ba''an, I mean. Seriously. Ugh." Lukios made a face. "I don''t want to think of you every time I look at my wife, y''know?" What? "I wasn''t¡ª!" It had been a coincidence. That was all. Ba''an''s disturbed expression deepened. "Lukios. Stop speaking." "Okay, sweetheart. But seriously, Niki. Ugh." Ba''an wrinkled her nose. Nikias tried not to stare. No, no. He was not¡ª He was not looking at that woman''s nose. There was nothing fetching about some witch''s nose. Giving in, he pinched the bridge of his own nose, which was in no danger of wrinkling. "You are still speaking," muttered Ba''an. Then she pulled away from Lukios, slipping effortlessly from his grip. "Sweetheart?" Lukios'' expression was a wonder to behold. Nikias had never thought he would see Lukios mooning after someone. Usually it was the other way around. Nikias watched as she wordlessly disappeared into the room. When she returned, she held a small bundle in her arms. The fabric slouched downwards and Nikias was again startled by what he saw. Was that koiri? What was she doing with bottles of¡ª? Without preamble, she handed him the bundle. "These are for you." She paused, then added, "You paid for them." Her expression was matter of fact and not at all sentimental, and Nikias nearly laughed. Oh, it was all so very K''Avaari. His mouth twitched of its own volition. "Thank you," he said, and his voice sounded dry, even to his own ears. "I will enjoy them with the knowledge I paid for them." Lukios put a hand over his mouth. "We usually don''t say that part out loud, sweetheart," he said. Ba''an only blinked. "Ah." She shrugged. "But it is true." Very, very K''Avaari. Ha.
Afterwards¡ªthat is, after the packing, the arguing, the oh-so-sad goodbyes¡ª The thought came to him again. It was a thought that had come to him during the banquet¡ªor more accurately, during the disastrous aftermath of the banquet, before Lukios had been led away¡ªwhile watching Ba''an watch Lukios. The thought had been this: That is a woman in love. It had been a preposterous thought. Ba''an was a witch. Witches simply did not love, not the way normal people did, but¡ª There had been that precise moment when she had put her hands on Lukios'' chest, head tilted up, eyes wide, and for a moment, just one moment, Nikias had forgotten what she was: a witch. Because witches didn''t love, and the face of a woman in love could not belong to a witch. Ma na ki''tan, ma na Kuv''an. It was a lie. It could not possibly be true, and yet¡ª In that one moment, that single, shining moment, Ba''an had looked up at Lukios with an expression of terror: not for herself, but for her man. It was a look that Nikias had seen on the wives of men he and his father had led into battle¡ªthe look of wives, mothers, sisters, daughters. And in that one, terrible moment, he had thought¡ª Heiode never looked at me like that. What a stupid, childish thing to think. Nikias lifted his hand from beneath his blanket. The caravan park was quiet as it ever got, which meant it wasn''t quiet at all; even so, the tent''s leather walls were thick enough to hide him from view, to muffle his rustling. Dolus and Iphram were sleeping. Medoros was in Kyros. And Nikias was alone in his bed¡ªcot, in this case¡ªas he always was, thinking of a wife that was pregnant with another man''s child, a wife who had never looked at him like that¡ª How stupid. How childish. Heiode never looked at me like that. And why would she? They hadn''t even met before they married. They hadn''t even married in person. Nikias had been away along the western border, his first real military outing without his father or Gaios, and¡­ He had nearly died. He would have died, if Lukios hadn''t been there; that had been the second time Lukios the Lion had saved Niki''s life, and right after that, a missive had come from his father telling Nikias that he was getting married to a girl from a supporting house named Heiode. And that had been that. Nikias had been too wounded to ride a horse. He had been too wounded to travel. He had signed some papers and stamped them, and then a messenger had carried them all the way down to Astropolis, and by the time the season had turned and he had returned in triumph, he had been a married man. Why would she have ever looked at him in any which way? He stared at the wedding band. It was too dark inside the tent to really see it, and there was no telltale glimmer without light. He had told her to be discreet. Ba''an''s upturned face filled his vision again, dark eyes full of that soft, tender something he recognized. Lukios would never have to wonder if his child was his. Nikias waited for the familiar sting of betrayal¡ªbut was it really? You told her to be discreet. Just that¡ªand the rage that had nearly eaten him alive when he had first heard the news. But there was nothing now. Just ashes. Less. Heiode had never looked at him like that. He stared at the ring¡ªor where he knew the ring was. He would not have noticed it was there if not for the memory of slipping it back on the night before. If Lukios could guess what a ring-less finger meant, so could everyone else. Nikias had no desire to announce his divorce before it was final, before the baby was born. And it had to be discreet. Quiet. No one could know, not yet¡ªnot ever. A cuckold could never hold an office. There was no law against it¡ªnot on any parchment, paper, or tablet¡ªbut everyone knew. A cuckold could never hold an office. A cuckold would be laughed out of it. He would be mocked ceaselessly by his enemies, and no one would heed the words of a man who couldn''t keep his wife¡ªhis own household¡ªin order. So, no. A cuckold could never hold an office, and that meant Heiode had to go. Quietly. Off to her father''s estate somewhere in the green country hills, out of sight and out of mind until the baby arrived, and then¡­ She was a sensible woman. Nikias didn''t think he would have to resort to anything rash¡ªshe would keep her mouth shut, if only to preserve her own reputation. She knew perfectly well what happened to adulterous whores. No, that was petty. She knew perfectly well what happened to adulterous wives. Better. It was best not to be childish, to not be so small. And it wasn''t as if Nikias hadn''t known. It happened all the time¡ªonly a fool or a commoner married for sentiment. An Astros married strategically, and Nikias hadn''t cared about the lovers, not really, except¡­ She was pregnant. Hadn''t she been taking her suk? A pregnant belly was not discreet. It was the opposite of discreet, and Nikias had been fortunate that his own agents were so prompt, so skilled, fortunate that Heiode had not fought him very hard, or at all. Yes, Heiode was a sensible woman, and he did not think she would behave foolishly. Provided she kept her end of the bargain, she would live to a ripe old age¡ªgods willing¡ªin a kind of soft exile. There were worse fates to be had. Nikias had been generous their entire marriage. More than generous. Surely she would appreciate that, at least. Surely she would cooperate. And if the child resembled her more than her lover, then, well. Then Nikias would have an heir¡ªfinally. Problem solved. See, father? No need to worry. No need to fret. And if the child didn''t? Well¡­that was a problem that needed resolution. Heiode was a sensible woman. A noble, through and through. He didn''t think she would need coaching. Nikias tucked his hand back under the blanket, staring at the ceiling. Oddly, he thought again of Ba''an, her upturned face, and the way the taut line of her body had softened when Lukios touched her cheek. As he watched, her face, with its big dark eyes, became wider, older, and suddenly he was looking at his mother, his mother smiling at his father as he tucked her hair behind her ear, turning that same beautiful smile on Niki as she held out her arms and called, "Ma na ki''tan, ma na Kuv''an!", and he, her little Kuva''rin, had run to her as fast as his little legs could carry him, laughing as she lifted him to her chest and kissed his head, his father putting his arm around them both as he boomed, "And what shall we read today, hm? A treatise on Eirian farming techniques? A K''Avaari longbow manual? Or"¡ªand here he had tossed a sly little look to his woman, the one who wasn''t his wife¡ª"how about the entire court proceeding from yesterday''s cases?" And then his mother had elbowed him and said, "Nidemus, do not be stupid. He is a child!", and then his father had laughed and laughed, and Nikias had laughed along, not quite knowing what was funny, but happy and warm, the safest he''d ever been¡ª "Lukios!" Nikias startled awake, shocked to see sunlight leaking in beneath the tent flap. He sat up. Dolus looked up from his cup of morning tea and greeted him in his usual, stoic way. Iphram was just outside, speaking with Lukios and¡ª "¡ªBa''aaan!" Lukios'' voice cut through the final fetters of his dream. "This is his show. He needs to run it. He needs to be awake to run it. Sun''s been up for hours¡ª" Nikias narrowed his eyes at the opaque walls of his tent. It didn''t matter; he could feel them. "Shall I tell them to go?" Dolus'' expression said they had been at this for some time now, which made Nikias wonder what was wrong with him: how had he slept through it all? "No, it''s fine." He sat up, wincing. A cot was a luxury most soldiers did not have, but¡­well. It certainly could not pass as a bed. "Lukios is correct." He frowned. "You ought to have woken me." Dolus widened his eyes, which was his best attempt at innocence. Nikias only raised an eyebrow. "My deepest apologies," his bodyguard said with perfect insincerity. "I will be sure to tip your cot over next time." "Cute." Nikias swung his legs over the side and stood, stretching. They were moving away now, Lukios bright, happy soulsong dogging Ba''an''s. It always astounded him anew, how plain she sounded: it was a perfect lie. There was nothing mundane about her. "The farms will be there whether we leave now or later," she was saying. "You must let the man sleep. He¡ª" "¡ªsaved my pretty behind, I know, I know." Then Lukios raised his voice. "You hear that, Niki? You better thank her later!" And then they were gone, bickering comfortably. Nikias stood staring at the spot on the leather that would have given him a good view of their backs if it had been transparent. "Young Master?" He roused. "Tea." Dolus was already moving. "I believe there is some pork on the fire still. I will send for some bread." Nikias only grunted, shrugging into his chiton. "Shall I send someone in?" "No." Tii''ka had always been particular about self-sufficiency. Nikias could lace himself into his armour in the dark, one-handed. No one knew this, of course. Tii''ka had always been particular about secrets, too. Dolus hesitated. "Master Nikias." There was something about his tone that sent Nikias on alert. "What? What happened?" Dolus'' smile was more than a little pained. "We¡­" He cleared his throat. "...Have some guests." Interlude: A Conclusion, Part III (Finale) "Well, what''s yer problem, then?" ''Kles crossed his arms, glaring at the bundle of blankets on the bed. The afternoon was closing, and Pitie was still in bed. Now that was downright odd an'' all, but ''Kles knew for a fact that Pitie hadn''t had lunch, either; they''d had a bite at Mahdi''s before he opened, then they''d headed straight for the Lion and Unicorn to get some beds. Then they''d gone to the caravan park to take their tent down and pack it while Sangani and his friends cracked some senseless Yartan jokes ''bout ladders or something. And then after that¡­ Well, it weren''t like ''Kles had asked for nothing big. He hadn''t. There weren''t no reason for Pitie to still be in a fine snit, and it weren''t no excuse for ''im to be so damn lazy, either; Pitie hadn''t left his bed since he''d clambered into it just before noon, and he''d flat out refused to leave it. The man refused to talk, and he''d even refused bribes¡ªhe''d even refused food! Pitie! Refusing food! Sometime past noon, ''Kles had gone back upstairs with a bowl full o'' sizzling pork smothered in gravy and a big hunk of fresh bread, and the man hadn''t even raised his head. He hadn''t even twitched. Now that was just weird as fuck. Pitie had a nose like a starving muckhound, and he always thought with his belly. It had gotten them into plenty of trouble as kids, ''cause Pitie always put his filthy fingers in the pies. Sometimes ''Kles thought it was a miracle his ma hadn''t just snapped one of Pitie''s thieving fingers clean off. Askles continued glaring at the tufts of red, the only visible bit of his childish friend. "Nuthin''." The bundle of blankets became a ball. "I''m sleepin''." "No, ya ain''t." Askles strode over to the bed and grabbed the blankets, intending to spill them¡ªand Pitie¡ªoff the mattress and onto the floor, but he was thwarted as the heavy man rolled away, coiling the ratty old thing tighter. "Pitie!" "Go ''way, ''Kles. Go to yer pretty, too-good-for-Pitie lady an'' leave me alone." "That ain''t true! That ain''t what I said!" Pitie remained stubbornly silent, and ''Kles barely kept from tearing his hair out. "Why ya bein'' such a baby? I said ya gotta wash yer face an'' change yer clothes! This ain''t Lofos, Pitie! Pitie!" Really, what was wrong with him? It was true Pitie could be a right stubborn brat when he wanted, but this was just getting stupid. He couldn''t really be that jealous, could he? It weren''t as if ''Kles was gonna forget about Pitie just ''cause he was married. He just wanted Pitie to look decent, was all. That was just plain ol'' sense. How could they meet Chloe''s da and her harpy of a ma dressed in crumpled, vomit-stained clothes? ''Kles just wanted him to dress nice, just this once. Just once. He''d done it for Lucky, hadn''t he? "I told ya. If yer worried ''bout spending coin, I''ll buy one for ya. ''Ow''s that? Good deal, ain''t it?" The ready-made stuff weren''t as good as what their mamas made, ''twas true, but this was Kyros. Cities were different, and he didn''t think Chloe or her parents would notice. "I ain''t goin''. Go ''way, ''Kles." Askles groaned. Pitie was silent. Askles huffed. Pitie was silent. Askles snorted and rolled his eyes. And Pitie was still silent, doing his best to mimic a lump of blankets with a bit of wiry copper sticking out. "Fine," the swarthy man snapped, striding away and picking up a fat, bulging pouch of coins. "Have it yer way, then. Don'' complain later, ''cause I ain''t hearin'' it." The pile of blankets only grunted. Askles rolled his eyes and stomped his way out of their room. The Lion and Unicorn was the only real inn in Kyros. In truth it weren''t really an inn; those were rare, and only the big polis had ''em. It was more like a taverna with rooms to let, and Pitie and ''Kles had been lucky, snapping up the biggest one as it emptied. He felt a little grin take over his mouth. They had damn proper beds, the Unicorn. The best part? He didn''t have to share with Pitie! It would sure be nice to wake up without a stinky foot in his face or an elbow to his balls. Pitie slept like a goddamn disaster, all limbs and chaos everywhere. It was a wonder he hadn''t gone and killed no one yet. No wonder he only slept with whores¡ªno one else would put up with his shit, ''cept ''Kles on account of being such a damn good friend. The thought killed his smile as he went down the stairs two at a time. The spring in his step faltered, then died. ''Cept that didn''t matter now, did it? ''Kles was getting married, but Pitie weren''t happy for him at all: he was sour. If Pitie had been getting married, ''Kles woulda been happy for him. He wouldn''t have said no to a bit of shopping. He would''ve helped him pick out gifts and helped him carry ''em out to his bride-to-be''s parents. That was the right and proper thing to do, weren''t it? But no. Pitie was sleeping. Pitie had gotten into a good ol'' snit about havin'' to wash his face and change his clothes and was refusin'' to get outta bed. The little shit. By the time ''Kles had reached the common room, his expression had gone back to being thunderous enough that the other men gave him space, and lots of it. With the patch and scar, he looked like trouble; the easy gait and corded muscle said ''plenty of''. He nodded casual-like to the owner as he left, not caring if the man nodded back or not, and strode toward the agora. He needed to rent a wagon and mule, maybe. That meant he couldn''t go down to the apartments ''til sundown, right? There was some rule ''bout it in cities, or something stupid like that. City folk were real impractical that way. It was at the intersection down the street heading to the heart of the city when he stopped, sighting down the way he''d come. ''Kles waited, squinting, and in another moment he spotted splotch of copper moving his way. His smile came back and he started lifting his hand, until abruptly the man came into focus, his face too square and squashed to be Pitie''s. Askles'' hand dropped back down and he tucked his cloak tighter around himself, scowling hard. "Well, I ain''t gettin'' you nuthin'', then," he muttered at the street, and then, shoulders hunched, he made his way alone to the market.
It was past dark when Askles got back, whistling cheerfully, purse light and heart lighter. They''d liked the bridal gifts, he was sure of it. It was only a matter of time now before Chloe''s da approved of the marriage, but damn, that harpy of a mama had a heart o'' rock. She''d taken one look at him when he''d first come up to Kyros and said, "We don''t do charity," before slamming the door in his face. Boy, that had been real humiliating, and if Askles hadn''t liked Chloe as much as he did, well¡­he woulda just marched on back to Lofos, that was what. But things were different now, weren''t they? Askles felt the grin on his face widen. He looked real decent now with all the coin from them Fafafucks, and he''d brought them some damn proper gifts, too: a whole gods-damned mule with good teeth, loaded with baskets full of dyed cloth, spices, and jewelry. Her ma had liked that last bit lots, and by the time ''Kles had left there had been a golden hoop dangling from each of her ears. Yeah, it was only a matter of time before they started talking serious. Chloe had smiled at him all through dinner, making little excuses to hand him things so she could touch his hand. It had been real damn cute, and he wanted to get married already so he could take her home and¡­ Well, she was real pretty now. She''d be even prettier naked, right? Heh. The thought was so distracting that he nearly walked into a man, and he gestured an apology with a sheepish little grin. Now that weren''t a thought to have in the streets an'' all. That was a thought to have in private when they were good and married with their own good, solid bed. ''Sides, Chloe weren''t just pretty. She had a good head on her shoulders. Her da was a merchant and he''d only had girls, so they''d all learned their letters and their numbers and everything. But Chloe wasn''t the oldest. That was it. That was why there was so much damn fuss over it all, but damn, she was such a fine lady, a real once-in-a-lifetime kinda girl¡­ ''Kles grinned. Yup. She was a real treasure, and she was gonna be ''Kles'' wife soon. She was just so damn pretty and so damn smart and so damn sweet, the way she was always making people smile. She was perfect. Just perfect. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. And she was gonna love the ranch. She liked being outside, and didn''t like how crowded Kyros was already: a city girl that didn''t like cities. Yup. Perfect. And he''d already promised he''d teach her to ride, too. That was gonna be so much fun, but he''d need Pitie around to¡­ Askles sighed. Why couldn''t Pitie just be happy for him? It weren''t like ''Kles was moving to Kyros; Chloe was moving to him. He was still gonna be on his patch of land, nice and close to Lofos. If ''Kles had been oldest, he wouldn''t have ever had to hold a sword¡ªor lose his eye. But he had six siblings, and three of ''em were boys. That meant he weren''t getting the horse ranch, so he''d had to make his fortune some other way. His da woulda given him something, that was true, but it wouldn''t have been enough to buy his own patch of land. No, he''d needed to distinguish himself for that. It was true he''d gone and lost some bits here and there, but a big lot of prime ranchland was fair trade. The only problem were horses. Getting them, that is, ''cause then Oron had just had to go and raise a big ol'' stink like he always did ''bout everything: "How come ''Kles gets my clothes, ma? How come ''Kles gets another slice o'' pie? How come? How come, how come¡­" and on and on and on; the bitching never ended. Damn, it weren''t fair at all. ''Kles'' ma was always extra nice to his half-brothers ''cause she was always scared other folk would judge her mean: fingers always pointed at a second wife if something happened to the first batch of kids. His ma was so mealy-mouthed with ''Kles and his siblings, but with Oron and Bron? It weren''t fair. It just weren''t. Well, whatever. He''d earned his own bit of land, and even if his da didn''t gift him a breeding pair, ''Kles would manage. He''d been managing with smaller animals for the last three years already, so it weren''t that bad. He was making enough to get himself a wife now, so it was just a matter of time before he got himself some horses. Fucking Oron. Fucking Bron. ''Kles'' da had been feeling good about the horses ''til they''d gone and started up their whining¡ªwhy did his da always listen to ''em, anyway? They were a fat lot of nothings, that''s what, hanging on to their da''s himation like they were still ten. ''Kles had gone and proven himself. He''d left a boy and come back a man. Had Oron and Bron even held a spear? No. They woulda gone pissing themselves the first time some wild barbarian had his go at ''em, that''s what woulda happened, the giant pussies. Well, whatever. If his da kept dragging his feet on the horses, then ''Kles would have to just buy them. There were more horse farms than Lofos, but he''d have to travel. Maybe even go down south past the Bukali, ''cept fuck¡ªthat''d mean taking horses over water. Now there was something tricky ''Kles had never tried. He''d have to ask Lucky. Lucky had done that lots. ''Sides, hadn''t Lucky said he was gonna hang up his sword, too? He was all into olives already, ''cept they took some time to grow and start fruiting. Last time ''Kles had been up there, he''d seen a sea of cute little baby trees, all poking their way toward the sun while tenants toiled between the rows. The man wasted no space at all. He''d planted fast crops between the trees, so even if they didn''t sell nothing, they saved money on food. They had some chickens, too, and maybe a handful of goats, though not enough for any real ranching. Synoros fed itself and watered itself, and Lucky''s boys only came down to Lofos for things they couldn''t grow: tools, furniture, pots, pans¡­ Come to think of it, they did make enough to sell or barter. There was always some goat cheese to trade. Produce, too, sometimes, and some chickens here and there. Lucky was damn smart. He was making money already, and he never had to break his own sweat in the sun. Clever fucker. Maybe ''Kles would go down and help him get his shit up from Heliopolis. Lucky had to know a horse trader or two, didn''t he? And if ''Kles had a wife to watch the farm, he could go on longer trips. He could search real hard, and make some useful friends, too, especially if Lucky and his charmin'' self were making introductions. Damn, that was a good plan. Heh. Fuck Oron and Bron. And ''Kles really did have a good stretch of land. It was near the desert so it weren''t quite so green as Lofos, but there was sweet water in the ground and trees grew wild like it weren''t nobody''s business. Trees and scraggly bush and desert grass, ha. Lots of good grazing. ''Kles woulda gone for olives, but he didn''t know nothing ''bout growing plants. He''d grown up with horses and goats and pigs and chickens. Dogs. Animals. Things that ate and shit and ran away from ya, heh. His place weren''t fancy like Lucky''s and it hadn''t come with its own slaves, but that was ''cause Lucky was lucky with his big, fancy friends; Askles was just plain ol'' Askles, so a big ol'' patch of land was real damn good. There were still empty lots up there. Plenty more space for settlers, and well¡­Pitie was getting older, weren''t he? He couldn''t possibly be thinkin'' of enlisting again. Luck ran out, and it ran out faster when a man was older, and with the amount of service he''d put in, surely he could apply? Maybe Lucky could put in a word and get Pitie a place close to theirs. That''d be good. ''Kles'' place was only half an afternoon''s ride to Lofos and Lucky''s were an afternoon''s. That was real damn close¡ªneighbours, ''cept Lucky was never home. He lived in some fancy palace or something down in Heliopolis. His slaves ran the place and managed the tenants, and it was so damn smart, how the man had money streaming in from just everywhere; Lucky was lucky, but he was damn clever, too. Anyway, Lucky had been talking ''bout settling in Synoros, so maybe he''d help ''Kles do the same with his fancy-boy smarts, ''cept¡ªdamn, that Sander bitch. Had to do something ''bout that; ''Kles wouldn''t have Chloe or any kids they had near one of those. Who knew what kind of curses she''d cook up? The witch had to go. In the ground, if they could manage, but if not, well. She could damn well go back to where she''d come from. ''Kles had never thought Lucky''d be so stupid ''bout women, but sometimes that was just how it went. ''Sides, she was a witch. She''d probably given him something¡ªa love potion, maybe, or taken his hair and blood for a charm. ''Kles''d have to enlist Pitie to figure out what she''d done and stop her. Poor bastard. Lukios had gone and gotten his sense good and scrambled, that was fer sure. Well, she weren''t gonna get away with it, ''cause Lucky had friends. Yeah. First things first. They''d have to figure out how to free Lucky from the witch, and then he and Pitie needed to have a real serious talk ''bout settling down, too, and getting himself a wife. Pitie always went on about how whores were nicer, but damn, the boy could be downright dumb. They were nice for as long as a man had coin; once that ran out, their affections did, too. Wives were different from whores¡ªthey stuck around, for one thing, and had yer babies. And they were sweet while they did it, too, unless ya were stupid and picked a bad ''un. A good wife was a pretty sight to see, for sure, though a bad one was a downright terror. Pitie would definitely need help not picking a bad one. He always looked at tits first, and everything else second. Or never. Or¡­whatever it was that he did. Mostly tits, and maybe teeth? Something like that. Askles entered the common room, still in a damn good mood. Pitie was likely out of his snit by now, and they''d have to have some real damn talk ''bout Lucky and the witch. That and Red Stride, and the future, too. ''Kles ambled to the counter and ordered something hot and meaty. The soup when it came was thick with meat and vegetables, full of gravy, and he had to work to keep from dipping a finger in to taste it. It came with big chunks of bread and a bowl of soft olives, and after a bit of thought, ''Kles got them a big ol'' jug of phouska, too, then made his way up the stairs to his childish friend. Pitie had probably scrimped a bit on dinner. He always ate simple and sent back every copper he could. Yeah, they had to a have a real talk soon. Man couldn''t keep living that way, and ''sides¡­wouldn''t it be better to be on a farm near Lofos? Surely he''d like that more than being sent from this border to that, risking life and limb for coin that always ran out? When he got back in the room, it was dark. The fire in the copper brazier weren''t burning, and ''Kles had to keep the door propped open to find his way around without walking into things. He set the food and drink down on the little side table that sat against the wall, though he had to nudge the pile of clothes off the top first. At first he''d thought that Pitie had spent the whole damn day sleeping, but no: he''d gotten up at some point and tidied their things, then he''d gone and gotten himself some porridge he hadn''t eaten. The bowl was on the floor, cold and congealed and just disgusting. Pitie stirred beneath the blankets. His head poked out and ''Kles felt a little disturbed by the glassy look in his eyes. "''Kles?" "Yeah." "¡­It mornin'' now?" "Nah. Just past second watch." Frowning, ''Kles strode to the brazier. It took a moment and a bit of cursing at the flint to get it going again, but once the room was lit, Pitie hunkered back down, curling under the blankets like a dying dog. Carefully, ''Kles peeled the blanket back. Pitie made a little snuffling sound and tugged at it, but ''Kles didn''t give. "Pitie," ''Kles said, finally. "You sick or sumthin''?" "No." Pitie kept yanking at the blanket, so ''Kles let him take it. "I''m jus'' tired." "You been in bed all day, Pitie." ''Kles frowned at the bowl of porridge. "You eat?" Pitie grunted. "Yeah." ''Kles reached out to touch Pitie''s forehead, but the man jerked away. "Don'' be weird, ''Kles," he muttered, and then he rolled himself back up in his blanket. "I''m fine. Just gotta sleep it off." ''Kles sighed. "You got fall fever, then?" It weren''t odd for a man to get the snuffles when the wind changed, though it was odd for Pitie: the man was an ox. He could walk barefoot through a sleet storm and be just fine the morning after. "You gotta eat something hot." Pitie grunted, clearly done speaking. ''Kles sighed. "Just eat sumthin'' first, Pitie. Soup''ll be nasty cold." "You eat it." ''Kles rolled his eyes. "Don''t be a pussy, ya big baby." It was just a spate of fall fever, was all: a hot meal and a night''s sleep in a warm room was all he needed. He''d be good as new come morning. Pitie rolled back over to face ''Kles, poking his head out from the blankets. "No, I ain''t. Fuck you, ''Kles. I''m jus'' tired. Lemme sleep." "Ya didn''t even eat yer porridge, ya dolt." Nasty as it looked, it was still edible. Just needed some heating over the fire. "I said I''m fi¡ª" There was a rapid series of knocks on the door, and Askles turned on his heel as Pitie jolted up, suddenly alert. A young man''s voice called out, "Sir Askles of Lofo-Alfos? Sir Epitus of Lofo-Alfos? I have a message from my master, sir Nikias of House Astros." Askles and Pitie blinked at each other. From sir Nikias? At this hour? Askles went and yanked the door open. The man was younger than Askles had thought. He''d probably just finished breaking his voice¡ªhe sure as fuck weren''t ready to grow out a beard. "Yeah?" The boy looked up at him, and Askles noted he seemed to be taking in his features. Then the boy looked past him at Pitie. Seemingly satisified, he said, "I am called Uchos, and I have a message from sir Nikias of House Astros on behalf of his friend, sir Lukios of House Helios." "And I said, ''Yeah?''. Git on wit'' it, kid." Uchos only continued smiling pleasantly. "Yes, sir!" He cleared his throat and pitched his voice, sounding almost exactly like Lucky, but younger. "Hey! Change of plans. We''re hitting the border farms early. We''re meeting at the caravan park at dawn and heading out. Travel is covered and pay is a drachma each for two days. See you there!" Uchos cleared his throat again. "That was all of it. Master Nikias wishes to add that service is optional." Fuck, a whole drachma for two days? What, was he expecting the whole Sander horde to come down on ''em while they were out? Or was it a bribe, on account of changing his plans the way ladies changed clothes? Whatever. A drachma was a drachma. "Optional? Why, he hire some other guys, too?" Now that was a lil'' rude of Lucky, after all the trouble with the Fafafucks. His knee was still damn sore. "My deepest apologies, good sirs! I am only a humble messenger. I cannot say what my master or his friends are planning or have already planned. I have no idea!" The boy looked appropriately apologetic, which was more than a little suspicious. "Fine, fine. We''ll be there." And to think they''d just packed up that morning. Fuck Lucky and his shitty timing. They coulda just stayed and packed it up once. He tipped the boy two coppers then closed the door to his jaunty, "Thank you, sir!" before turning to Pitie. "Welp. You ''eard ''im." Askles set the platter of food down on the bed. "Ya better eat. We''re goin'' campin''!" Chapter Fifty: A Relaxing Jaunt, Part I Arete smiled at Ba''an very pleasantly, offering her a goblet of something sweet and floral. Ba''an only stared, still as stone¡ªor would have been, if not for all the jostling. The carriage hit another uneven stretch of dirt and the drink spilled over the side. One of Arete''s girls hastily laid down her own shawl to keep it from dirtying her mistress'' chiton or the plump, delicate cushions. Another girl kept the basket of food from upending. Arete''s handmaidens were silent but attentive, handing their mistress whatever it was that she wanted before she seemed to even know she wanted it; it was disturbing, how their eyes never seemed to leave the woman, forever watching for the smallest of cues. Dita did not move to take the goblet, which Ba''an took as a sign that she, too, ought to ignore the offering. After all, there was no telling what was in it¡ªperhaps the sweet smell masked a deadly poison, and though Ba''an did not think such a thing could defeat her magic, it would be deeply unpleasant. Besides that, Lukios was just outside. If Ba''an collapsed, it did not take any mystical foresight to know how the day would end. He was already on edge, riding at the very fore of the procession with his usual cheer; no one would have guessed how agitated he was, but Ba''an could hear it: his soulsong dropped low, then high, then jangled again, even as he laughed at one of sir Askles'' ribald jokes. Arete took one look at Ba''an''s face and laughed her merry, tinkling laugh. Ba''an knew better than to think the woman was really amused, now: the flighty air was merely an act. Gaios would never have sent along a silly woman, and most especially not if this silly woman was his own daughter, on an outing that could turn deadly. No. Arete was no fool. Ba''an had seen that clearly enough that morning. She had never imagined Nikias would be outmatched by a woman even younger than he was, and most especially not by a woman like Arete. It had been startling and sobering in equal measure: Nikias, with his give-nothing smile and his clever tongue, had been left sputtering as Arete simply waved his protests away with the sweetest, most harmless smile imaginable as her men took down his banners and replaced them with her own: an eagle standing atop a laurel crown. Ba''an could only assume this was the sigil of House Origos. It had all happened so very quickly. "Oh, do not worry, lady Ba''an. It''s not poisoned¡ªthat''d be rather stupid, wouldn''t it?" Arete gave a delicate little shrug and brought the goblet up to her own lips and sipped. "Mm. Truly, this is very good. It won''t be quite so good once it warms, though. Are you sure you won''t try some? They''re from the central gardens. One of Niki''s little orchards." Another handmaiden leaned over with a square of cloth and dabbed Arete''s lips. "Kyria would never dream of accusing¡ª" Dita''s mouth snapped shut as Arete''s gaze shifted and fixed on her, managing at a glance what Ba''an had failed to do for a nearly a day now. "You ought to have that one whipped. They get a uppity without a little discipline now and then." Arete''s smile never wavered as she spoke. "That one would never talk over one of us, you see? It''s disrespect disguised as care." Then she shrugged again. "Of course, you need not take any advice from me. You ought to say something to Niki, though¡ªjust atrocious manners. Needs more educating." Ba''an frowned as Dita squeezed her hands together and dropped her eyes. "I thank you for the offer and advice." Dita glanced over at Ba''an, though Ba''an did not glance back. A show of deference now would be deadly, so the girl would have to manage on her own. Arete laughed again. "Oh, you''re welcome, then. Are you sure you don''t want a drink?" One of the handmaidens reached into the basket and brought out a covered clay bowl. Ripe, shining olives and soft white cheese glistened in the wan light filtering through the curtains once the lid came off, and the girl offered it to Arete before a word about food was spoken. "I am well." "Well, if you change your mind, the offer is still on the¡­well, I suppose there''s no table. It''s floating in the air¡ªor whatever else strikes your fancy." Arete''s gentle, friendly expression never wavered. "Now. I believe we never got a chance to really chat, did we?" A girl took her goblet and Arete simply clapped her hands together the way she had during that first, horribly awkward breakfast, though it did not fool Ba''an again. "You did promise to tell me all about your little shopping trip, didn''t you?" She gestured to the walls of the carriage as it jostled along and leaned forward. "To think! We have all afternoon together." She leaned forward, delicate smile widening until even her dimples beamed at Ba''an, all the more alarming for their charm. "We ought to get to know each other better. Much, much better."
They were not fleeing. The night had been a chaotic mess of packing and vacating the premises. Ba''an refused to refer to it as fleeing or even a retreat; they had all said their goodbyes with perfect comportment, though the twins had been missing. Everything had been as cordial as could be. And yet there had been no mistaking the polite smiles and courteous kisses for anything but what they were: a thin, pretty layer of painted glass, to hide what bubbled beneath. "No, Mai''ra," Ba''an said again, though she was certain it would not matter if she said it another ten times or another ten thousand times. "You cannot come with us. You must go with the nice man to another stable. There will be other horses there and you will not be lonely." The nanny goat lowered her head, eyes fixed on Ba''an. "Baaaaa!" She dug in her hooves, refusing to budge. Uchos only laughed and tugged her leash. "She sure is spirited, lady Ba''an!" He reached into the folds of his chiton and produced a small, wrinkly apple. "Here you go! Be a good girl and I''ll give you something tasty later. How about that?" This caught Mai''ra''s attention, and she slowly trotted toward him as he clucked his tongue at her and made sweet, silly noises. She pressed her snout against his chest, then tried to shove it into the folds of his chiton. "Haha, nope! Not now! Later! Later! La¡ªhahah! Hahaha¡ªah¡ªuh¡ªla¡ªlady Ba''aaaaan!" Ba''an sighed and slung her arms around Mai''ra''s neck as she attempted to headbutt the boy into submission. "No, Mai''ra. Why are you so ill-mannered?" How could such an adorable creature be such a bloody terror? But Uchos only straightened his clothes with another endearing little laugh, as fresh as he had been hours ago, then reached out and scratched Mai''ra between the ears. This seemed to calm her, though it did not quite stop her from nosing her way into the folds of his chiton again. "Hahaha, nope! You be good first, then you get a treat!" He wriggled away, still scratching her on the spot just behind her ears. Mai''ra paused, then rubbed her head against him, this time bleating very sweetly. Ba''an watched as he petted, teased, and flattered her terrible goat into trotting along beside him. He''d run a message for Nikias, and then another for Lukios, but his eyes were still bright and alert, his brow unmarred by sweat and unlined by worry. Now he was ferrying Mai''ra to a stable and then Ba''an''s things¡ªher wagon full of things¡ªto a place called a ''warehouse'', which Ba''an thought must be the same as a storehouse but bigger. Lukios had explained to her that they could rent something called a lot inside this ''warehouse'', which was simply some space to place items in, and the owner of the ''warehouse'' would then guarantee their safety. It made sense¡ªan outlander sort of sense. Of course someone would find a way to make money keeping other people''s things safe; this was Illos. Items were not safe if they were left unguarded. Yet she still felt a sense of discomfort as Uchos led Mai''ra away. It was only that she did not know any of the men involved. He was taking her to a stable used by the central office to house their beasts of burden, and sir Nikias had assured her they were very professional. But Ba''an knew Illos. The men were strangers whose loyalties would be bought with money, the sort of loyalties that only lasted as long as the coin. Would they treat her well? Mai''ra was so small, and yet her temper was¡­ Ba''an sighed. No, surely they would not whip an animal in their care. They were given coin to keep her hale and happy, regardless of how the animal behaved. Surely all would be well? "Aw. Don''t fret sweetheart." Lukios put his arm around her shoulders, right on cue. "We''ll be gone two days. She won''t even notice. Really! She''s a goat." Mai''ra didn''t even look back at them, again preoccupied with what Uchos had hidden in his clothes. It really was rather funny, the way he was dancing to keep his sad, shriveled apple from an enthusiastic goat. Ba''an let herself lean against him. "Yes." He kissed the top of her head, letting his mouth rest where it landed. "And we''ll be away from this dirty, smelly, mud hole of a city." His lips moved against her shawl and she knew he was beaming. "Kind of worth it, actually, ha. Goodbye, Kyros! Hello, rolling hills and fresh air!" He raised his head and sniffed, then grimaced. "Yeah, it''s rank here. Ugh." "Yes." The streets were mostly empty now, and Nikias was a little ways down, still speaking with his aide who appeared on the verge of weeping. They would only be gone for two days. Surely the dramatics were not necessary? As she watched, Nikias sighed and patted the man''s upper arm through his himation. Yes, Nikias never touched anyone skin to skin, and it was no mystery why. The older man, Medoros, reached out for a hug, but he was too slow: Nikias avoided him easily with a simple sidestep, one that looked too natural to be unpracticed. The old aide''s shoulders drooped. The look of sadness drained away, and he said something sharp. Surprisingly, Nikias only laughed. Hm. No. Perhaps this Medoros was only thinking of the paper work that awaited him in Nikias'' stead. Yes, that would certainly bring any man to tears. Ba''an looked away, trying to keep from fidgeting. What a mess this was¡ªa grand old mess. Trouble, Tik-tak Mal''uk cooed. Just as I said. Ba''an refused to react, though somehow, Lukios always¡­noticed. "¡­Sweetheart." He turned her gently so he could look at her, placing his hands on her cheeks. "None of this is your fault. No guilt, okay? Fucker had it coming for years. Years. It was just luck we fought over you and not something else. Just rotten old luck. Really." Ba''an sighed. Around them, the streets were clearing as everyone went about their business. Nikias was speaking with another man, directing him toward the upper acropolis, and Ba''an knew they would set out toward the caravan park soon. For once Dita and her friends were not dogging Ba''an''s steps, too preoccupied with making sure the carts were loaded correctly. All she had with her were a change of clothes and her travelling cloak, her own waterskin, and a bag of whatever emergency supplies she had not sold or left with Merida: most of the ointments were from Eikolus'' stand, and they were not as fresh as she would have liked. And yet she had not had the time to mix her own cures, so they would have to do. Ba''an only hoped no one would be injured seriously enough to need anything more complicated than a stitching and a stiff drink. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. And she did not have her coat. There had been no time to fetch it from Merida''s and besides¡ªNikias was coming. It was sensible to leave it with her friend. Unless they were attacked by bandits, that is. It would not seem very sensible then. She sighed again. "It''ll be fine," Lukios said. Ba''an tried to relax, though her mouth refused to curve upwards. He had spent most of the evening reassuring her, and she was certain he was tired of it now: even Ba''an was tired of it now. But he had been adamant about the coat¡ªdownright stubborn, in fact. He was adamant about her leaving, too, once they returned, mired in some vague anxiety he would not share. Every time she questioned him, she found herself on the backfoot as his words simply curved around hers, jocular and slippery as a mudfish. It was maddening. She tipped her head back and placed her hand over his chest. Lukios had changed into a clean tunic, his new cloak over his shoulders and his sword in his belt, hilt bound by rope. He would not be able to draw it while in the city, though Ba''an hoped he would not need to do so in the wilds, either. "One more time." It would have to be quick; Nikias was preoccupied now, but Ba''an did not think it would last. Lukios only smiled down at her and placed his hand over hers. His warmth seeped into her as Ba''an focused, letting her magic touch him; she had already checked his ribs for fractures this way, though she had not had enough time to be thorough. She was certain he must have bruises. The pandura had not been as delicate as he claimed. Lukios smirked. "Oooh. That tingles. Hey, how come you don''t do that in be¡ª" "Lukios." "Aw, come on, Ba''an. It''d be fun. Real fun. Hey, can you do, uh, little zaps? Not ''I''m gonna fry you up like fish'' zaps, I mean like, itty-bitty ones¡ª" "Lukios." She sighed at him, making sure her expression was communicative. "Magic is not a toy. Do not make such absurd suggestions." "Awwww. But Ba''aaaan, it''d be fun." "No. You will die. That is not fun." "Uh. It''ll be fun right up until I¡ª" "Lukios." With a tired groan, she let her head list forward until her forehead struck his chest with a dull, defeated little thud, though he only laughed. "I love it when you moan my name, but we''re out in public, sweetheart. Hey, we should¡ª" "Nnnngh. You are impossible." "Yes, he is. And we ought to get going." Nikias'' tone was crisp as he came up behind them, though he was beginning to show bags beneath the eyes. Lukios only continued laughing, sounding delighted. "That''s right. I''m impossible. Too damn good to be true! The man of your dre¡ª" Ba''an rolled her eyes and walked away, somehow falling into step beside Nikias. "I don''t understand how you didn''t strangle him in his sleep," the man muttered, and she stared straight ahead, determined not to respond. "¡ªwalk away now, but you know you''ll be back for some¡ª" Nikias'' expression slid from neutral to appalled. Ba''an resisted the urge to slap her hand over her face. "Yet," she mumbled as Lukios'' voice followed them down the street. "Yet."
By the time they arrived at the caravan park, everyone but Lukios was drooping. It was incredible, how energetic he was; Ba''an ought to have expected it, but his stamina always astounded her anew. The servants pitched tents and set a fire going while curious neighbours looked on. One even greeted them, and Lukios greeted him back, clasping the darker man''s hand with a cheerful cry of, "Sangani! Looking good!" And then they hugged like old friends. Ba''an blinked. Hm. Well, Lukios did have friends everywhere. With a little shrug, she sat next to the fire, as did her entourage. They were all tired. The girls were nodding off, though they were doing their best to stay upright; as it turned out, their best was insufficient. Surreptitiously, Ba''an tugged a blanket from a wagon and draped it around the dozing serving girls, then fed logs into the flames until they roared. The wind was rather nippy, and it smelled like rain clouds moving in. Lukios came to her on silent feet, though as always, she sensed him. He gave her a mug of something steaming. He glanced at the girls all curled up together and turned his face back to her with a sweet, dimpled smile. "Little present from Sangani," he said softly. Ba''an accepted the mug and took a delicate sniff. Oh. It smelled sweet, but rich¡ªa sort of creamy, nutty aroma she had not encountered before. Lukios looked at her and winked. "It''s called kakalota." His voiced dropped even further. "You can''t even get this in Heliopolis, most of the time. It''s all the way from the island colonies, way down south." She blinked at him. But the merchant had simply¡­given it to him? Lukios only smiled, understanding her question before it left her mouth. "I traded a little something for it. Nothing big." Ba''an glanced toward the big Yartan man, who only smiled and waved at her. He was clutching a rolled up parchment in his other hand. Well, it really wasn''t anything big. But how very odd¡ªwhat could it be? Lukios'' smile widened as he leaned in. "Try it," he said softly. "I promise it''s real good." It smelled good. Ba''an took a cautious little sip. Oh. She took another. Oh. Lukios'' grin was so wide now that it threatened to split his face. "Good, right?" "Yes." Ba''an sipped again. Yes. It was bitter and sweet, rich and nutty¡ªlike nothing she had ever tasted. Lukios looked more than a little pleased. "It''s even better with some milk and honey¡ªnot as bitter. But there isn''t any milk, and the honey''s all at the warehouse." He sighed. "Next time," he promised. Ba''an shook her head, leaning over to kiss his cheek. He looked more than a little pleased, now. "It is well. It is very good, Lukios. What is it called again?" "Kakalota." He kissed her temple. She offered him a sip, and he obeyed, though she could see it was only to please her. "Once knew a guy who traded a whole damn horse for an palm-sized pot of this stuff. Thought he was crazy." Ba''an raised an eyebrow. "That is very¡­" she glanced down at the mug. It did sound like madness. But the kakalota was very, very good. Lukios covered his mouth, though his shoulders still shook. "Not so crazy, huh?" She cleared her throat. "A horse is¡­very expensive." And they had more utility, besides; the kakalota was merely a transient pleasure. But it was very, very good. Lukios'' smile gentled. "Yeah. But that''s nothing next to this, is it?" He reached up and touched a finger to her mouth, and Ba''an felt heat flood her cheeks. "Don''t think he''s so crazy now, really. I''d do the same." "Lukios. That is very silly." "Nah." His smile didn''t waver, and the look in his eyes warmed her more than the fire. "His lady was from the islands, or from around there. Was mighty homesick. Thought she''d die without some. What''s a horse next to that?" Ba''an closed her eyes and leaned forward so her forehead was pressed against his chest. He reached out and held her gently, and Ba''an sat nestled against him, warm in every possible way beneath a quiet blanket of endless stars. "Lukios," she murmured, but the rest died unformed. The delicate, tender feeling welling in her defied description; there were no words. Words were paltry. She released one hand from around the mug and placed it against his rib, the one that had taken the blow from the pandura. There had been no fractures. But she was certain there were bruises. Large, ugly welts that were surely tender to the touch, though he did not complain; he only placed his hand over hers as he always did. "Don''t fret, sweetheart. Really. Really." "You were lucky," she mumbled. "The pandura was neither light nor delicate. You must use more caution, Lukios, especially¡­" When Ba''an wasn''t there. To fix him. "Hold still, Lukios. I will see if I can¡­" She dipped into her own soul, trying to remember what she had done during the sandstorm to replenish him, but Lukios gave her hand a firm little squeeze. He let out a soft, sweet little laugh, mindful of their sleeping companions. "It''s just a flimsy wooden box on a stick, Ba''an." He slipped gentle fingers beneath her chin, urging her to look at him. "Just a love tap. ''Sides, I''d take a hundred panduras to the chest. A thousand. I''d take ''em to the face. I''d take ''em every day and laugh if it meant¡­" His voice dropped even lower. "¡­If it meant¡­" He fell silent, gaze hot against hers. Ba''an stared into his eyes as the fire popped and crackled. His other hand pressed hers against his heart, singing an old, ancient tune beneath his ribs, thrumming through blood and bone. "Lukios." Her tongue stuttered as her heart swelled. "That is¡ªthat is utterly¡ª" "¡ªtrue." He shrugged, callused fingers, the same fingers that had nearly broken Leandros, sliding tenderly over her skin to rest on her cheek. "Ba''an. Sweetheart." His eyes seemed to swallow the light¡ªthey swallowed the stars, the night around them, until all she could see was her own face reflected back in the glint from the flames. "What I''m saying is¡ªwhat I''ve been saying is¡ªwell. I¡­" Ah, ancestors. By blood and water, his eyes were so clear. Ba''an felt her heart in her chest, singing the same song as his. "I¡­" There was a little rustle and a smack that sounded suspiciously like a palm being slapped over a mouth about to speak. Lukios froze. Ba''an slowly turned her head to glare at Calloe and Nene, who were huddled together and staring at them both with eager, shining eyes, as if they were watching one of those wretched outlander entertainments at an ampthurtuer. Theater. Amphitheatre. Yes. Whatever it was that they were called. One of those. "Oh! Kyria! Kyrios! We¡ªum. We didn''t hear a thing! We were sleeping. Weren''t we, Nene?" "Oh, yes, yes! We were sleeping very, very deeply. We didn''t hear a thing! Not a thing. And we weren''t looking. At all. Were we, Calloe?" There was a soft little snore from beneath the blanket. Dita stirred, but did not wake, turning over so her cheek was wedged against Nene''s shoulder. Nene blinked, then shook her head, regaining herself. "No, no, of course not." The two girls looked at each other, then swivelled their heads to stare at Ba''an and Lukios. "But kyria¡­kyrios¡­" Nene''s voice was plaintive for someone who hadn''t heard a thing or looked at anything much at all. "¡­Aren''t you going to kiss?" They both leaned forward, keen as hunting hounds. Ba''an felt a muscle in her cheek twitch. Lukios stared at them, mouth slightly agape, and then he burst out laughing. "Girls," he said, finally. "Get yourselves into that tent. Ba''an, too. She needs to sleep. A good, long, sleep without playing a round of fifty questions first. Got it?" "That tent?" Ba''an frowned. "Lukios. Where will you sleep?" He smiled and kissed her fingers, then her ring. "Out here." "What?" "Out here." He was still smiling. "We''re engaged, not married. And I''m doing things proper this time." Ba''an stared at him, aghast. His expression faltered. "Uh¡­that''s usually not how you look when you''re happy." "Yes. I am not happy." "Uh¡­" Ba''an crossed her arms across her chest. "Lukios. Everyone already knows." "I don''t!" Calloe''s voice was chirpy, right up until Nene''s elbow met her ribs. "Ow!" Retaliation was swift. The taller girl pinched her attacker, who pushed her away and called out to them. "Nobody knows a thing!" Nene''s smile was brighter than the fire. It was not very convincing. Dita snorted, then abruptly sat up. "Calloe! Nene! The fire needs¡ª" She blinked, looking at the hearty flames, then at the two girls. "Huh?" "Uh," Lukios said. Then he gave his head a little shake and cleared his throat, facing her once again. "I mean¡­sweetheart. It''s¡­it''s how we''re supposed to do things. Here. In Illos. When a man is¡­courting." He looked at Dita more than a little helplessly. "Right?" Dita stared at him, dazed. "I¡­yes?" "Right!" Calloe and Nene glanced at each other, then at Ba''an. Then they turned their eyes on him the way a mother did toward a wayward son who had said or done something particularly stupid. "If you say so, kyrios." Lukios looked at Ba''an. "I mean, it''s¡­proper. To avoid sharing a tent. Before we''re married." He looked at Dita again, clearly willling her to wake up and take his side. The girl only drooped further. "Hm. Oh. Yes. Tents. Those are nice." She yawned. Lukios momentarily wilted, before continuing doggedly, "Yes! They are. And you ladies are going to get in one and have a good night''s sleep. Road''s long and bumpy!" He turned his face to Ba''an and beamed. Ba''an only looked at him and sighed.
And that was how she spent the night: wedged between giggly teenage girls who kept looking at her, then at Lukios'' shadow laying at the mouth of the tent¡ªfor their protection, he had said, since there were many strange men about, as if the guards Nikias had brought were insufficient¡ªand trying not to breathe in too deeply. The girls were a little sweaty. Ba''an could smell them, and she did not enjoy their smell at all; Lukios'' sweat was one thing. Nene''s and Calloe''s was another, and Ba''an deeply regretted not escaping up a tree. Ba''an glared at Lukios'' shadow. He stirred, seeming to feel her ire, but he did not poke his head into the tent, determined to keep it between his shoulders. And that was that. Ba''an did not know if she slept; she must have, for she remembered small, strange fragments of dreams, and the dreams had been strange. In one she was standing on the sand beneath a hot desert sun, the sun of her childhood, her girlhood, the entirety of her life, waiting; what she waited for, she did not know, but the feeling in her chest had been an alien thing, a thing she could not put into words. Then there had been a scintillating cry, like the wail of an infant at the moment of birth, but shriller, higher, cutting through flesh and trembling though bone in a way no human voice ever could as the world shook and turned dark, and when she regained her footing she was no longer in the desert, but in the cool shade of an olive grove, a baby in her arms with Lukios'' eyes, burbling and tugging at her shawl with the most beautiful smile in the world¡ª A woman''s voice, familiar and unfamiliar. No, not her voice. Her song. Her soulsong, distant now but closing, closer and closer, and Ba''an frowned, staring across the glare of the sun above into the desert, straining her eyes, her ears, the frustrating wisp of memory¡ª Louder. Like wind-singing sticks striking the hot rocks, dry and echoing, chimes stunted, gaining ground and growing closer and closer; Ba''an held her baby against her chest, hackles rising with the chorus as the song gained ground, and suddenly, Ba''an remembered; she knew this song, she knew it, because it belonged to¡ª "Arete." Ba''an sat up, confused and disoriented in the dark, warm pile of bodies. Nene snuffled and shifted, kicking Ba''an''s ankle, but the former witch paid it no mind. Why had she dreamed of Arete? It was so strange; the sound of her soul had been so real, getting louder and louder as if she were coming closer and closer. In fact, the dream had not faded entirely: Ba''an could still hear her now, as if she were coming down the main thoroughfare and approaching the gates, then pausing then¡­ Then¡­ No. This was no dream. Ba''an jerked forward, yanking the tent flap open. The sun had yet to rise, and the only men awake were the guards¡ªfresh ones. One turned his head to look at her with distant curiosity before turning back to chatter with his friend. Lukios'' eyes were already open. "Ba''an? What''s wrong?" He sat up. "Ba''an?" "Lukios." She put her hand on his arm, willing him to remain calm. "¡­Ba''an?" "Arete, Lukios." He stared at her, eyebrows knitting together. "She is coming, Lukios. Arete." Ba''an raised her head at the sound of men and horses. Lukios'' head turned and she watched as his expression of concern slowly morphed into one of disbelief. "No. Not coming¡ªshe is already here." Month-long hiatus due to family stuff! + Cut Content Ul¡¯rin was three when it happened, and Ba¡¯an noticed it first. She had been making dinner with Kera, keeping an eye on the twins as they played near the hearth. She always piled rocks between them and the fire, but three-year-olds got into all sorts of mischief the moment one¡¯s back was turned. She never let them out of her sight, and if she had to, she always had Kera watch them. Even so, they still managed to take a tumble here and there. The door opened. It was winter, and with the cold blew in flecks of snow. Lukios entered, stomping his feet on the rug to dislodge the snow even as he shut the door against the wind and latched it. ¡°Papapapapapa!¡± Ana shrieked in excitement, toddling over to him as rapidly as her legs could take her. ¡°There¡¯s my little princess,¡± he cooed, and he set the firewood down immediately, scooping up their daughter instead. She sneezed, and he laughed. Ba¡¯an would have normally joined them with Ul¡¯rin, except¡ª Ul¡¯rin was behaving very oddly. ¡°Papa¡¯s got to take his shoes off, princess. Ba¡¯an, can you take¡ªsweetheart?¡± She didn¡¯t turn. Ul¡¯rin was looking at something in the corner of the kitchen. His eyes were tracking movement, but¡ª There was nothing there. ¡°What¡¯s he doing?¡± Kera was staring at him as well, confused. Ba¡¯an went to her son and squatted down beside him. ¡°What are you looking at, ma¡¯turin?¡± He didn¡¯t take his eyes off the corner. ¡°Funny man, Mama.¡± ¡°What does he look like?¡± ¡°Fat head.¡± He giggled. ¡°Honey.¡± A fat head, with a penchant for honey. Ba¡¯an heard Lukios come up behind her. ¡°You made a new friend, Ul¡¯rin?¡± She could tell by his tone that he thought it was an imaginary friend. Ba¡¯an¡¯s stomach clenched in apprehension. ¡°Yes, Papa!¡± Ul¡¯rin finally turned, beaming up at Lukios. He held his arms up in the air. Laughing, Lukios lifted him. Now he had a child on each arm, clinging to him like moss against a cave wall. ¡°A man with a fat head, huh? He bigger than your Papa?¡± ¡°No. He¡¯s small.¡± Ul¡¯rin held his arms out and apart. ¡°He¡¯s thiiiis big.¡± Kera smiled. ¡°He is very imaginative,¡± she said. Ba¡¯an did not respond. Her heart was beating very fast now. ¡°Ul¡¯rin,¡± Ba¡¯an said, abruptly, ¡°What did he say he will give you?¡± If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Ul¡¯rin grinned, but Lukios looked over at her sharply. Kera glanced over as well, with a very doubtful expression. Well, of course. Kera did not know Ba¡¯an had been a witch, though she had been very impressed by her garden. ¡°Secrets,¡± said Ul¡¯rin. ¡°Has secrets.¡± He peered at the wall again. ¡°You¡¯re quiet.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Birdy is quiet.¡± Ba¡¯an¡¯s stomach dropped. ¡°Kera, you staying for dinner?¡± Lukios turned to her very casually, as though Ul¡¯rin hadn¡¯t said anything terribly unusual. He was still grinning, but Ba¡¯an knew he was worried. ¡°Oh¡ªwell, is it snowing very hard?¡± ¡°A bit.¡± Oh. She could see what he was doing. Ba¡¯an frowned at him. She would not send Kera away in the snow. If the weather did not break she would have to sleep here. It would be fine. Ba¡¯an would remember to call him Farhad and they would distract Ul¡¯rin so he would stop talking about the man with the funny head¡ªat least until Kera went home. ¡°Kera,¡± said Ba¡¯an, turning back to the pot over the fire, ¡°You may stay for dinner and the night. The snow is coming harder now.¡± She could feel Lukios¡¯ stare, burning into the back of her head. ¡°Oh, thank you.¡± Kera went to the window and peeped through the slits in the shutters. ¡°Yes, I think I should stay. I¡¯m not sure I can make it through all this snow.¡± ¡°Beloved,¡± said Ba¡¯an, ¡°you must wash their hands. It is nearly dinner time, and their hands are filthy.¡± Lukios grinned at her as though he had not a worry in the world. ¡°Whatever you say, Ba¡¯an. Let¡¯s go, kids. The faster we wash up the faster we eat.¡± He went down the hallway to the small Dolkoi¡¯ri-style bathing room he had added, the children still clinging to him. Asur did not have aqueducts, but Lukios had built the room with tanks for hot and cold water, and he filled them every evening before going to bed. It was even easier now¡ªhe only had to haul snow, of which there was more than plenty. Kera helped Ba¡¯an finish cooking and set the table. It had taken some getting used to, eating at a table. Neither Dolkoi¡¯ri nor K¡¯Avaari ate this way; this was purely Bistian. Still, it was very practical and Ba¡¯an found that she liked it. It made serving and cleaning very easy. There was a squeal from down the hall. Ba¡¯an could hear Lukios laugh, then there was the sound of frantic splashing, then giggling. ¡°They do not need a bath, Farhad,¡± she called, but there was no response. ¡°I am sure they are only playing.¡± Kera scooped the soup from the cauldron into a large serving bowl and put it down. Ba¡¯an placed the bread and cheese, and then the little slices of different meats. Vegetables were very important as well, and Ba¡¯an¡¯s garden had been designed after a bir-vuti, though the cave was not a true cave¡ªit was manmade, just as it had been at Synoros. There were some plants that were hardy enough to grow even in the winter provided they were kept clear of the snow, and Ba¡¯an had cooked them into soup and baked them in clay pots as well. Kera was very pleased to be eating with them, Ba¡¯an knew. Lukios was very good at making money, and they lived more comfortably than most people in the town. Ba¡¯an was always nervous when Lukios went on his merchanting trips; there was no telling what some people could and would do for material wealth. Of course, Lukios always made sure Kera and her brothers stayed on to give her a hand whenever he was gone. It wasn¡¯t just to help her with the work¡ªit was to ensure people knew she was not alone in their home with only their children. Ba¡¯an still hated it when he was gone. Hated it¡ªbut it could not be helped. If there was one good thing about the winter, it was that it made travel impossible. Lukios would stay with them until spring, and for this Ba¡¯an was grateful and pleased. Lukios returned with the twins. Ba¡¯an stared. ¡°Beloved. They are very wet.¡± ¡°Sorry, sweetheart. Ana wanted to play in the water and she pulled Ul¡¯rin in with her.¡± He shrugged. ¡°They¡¯re fine. It¡¯s just their hair.¡± This was true. Lukios had taken so long because he had changed them. Their hair, however, was wet, even with the amount of toweling he had obviously done. ¡°It¡¯s warm enough in the kitchen, mistress Ba¡¯an. They won¡¯t catch nothing.¡± Kera spoke to Ba¡¯an, but she turned her bright, cheerful smile on Lukios. Hm. ¡°Mama, I¡¯m hungry.¡± Ana stared down at her from her position against Lukios¡¯ hip. ¡°Me too.¡± Ul¡¯rin looked at the corner again. ¡°I want honey.¡± ¡°Not tonight, Ul¡¯rin.¡± ¡°But mama¡ª¡± ¡°You heard your mama. Not tonight.¡± Kera seemed rather bemused by all this. Of course she would. She only thought Ul¡¯rin wanted to feed his new imaginary friend. They ate, speaking of mundane things. Ul¡¯rin and Ana could feed themselves, of course, but they always made quite the mess. "The Colour of Dusk in Summer" Snippet Part II ¡°Kissing is a Dolkoi¡¯ri invention.¡± ¡°Probably!¡± He grinned, leaning forward to catch her mouth with his. When he finally pulled away, they were both panting. ¡°It¡¯s great, isn¡¯t it? I could do this all day.¡± ¡°Yes. It is very¡­pleasant, for a Dolkoi¡¯ri invention.¡± Lukios snickered. ¡°Oh come on, sweetheart. We invented all sorts of great things. You love ice cream.¡± It was true. Ba¡¯an did love ice cream, as well as those delicious sweet buns made with cream filling. She could eat those all day too. Ba¡¯an would never say it out loud, but sometimes, she thought ice cream was better than sex¡ªbut only sometimes. No, no. She would never say this out loud. It would crush Lukios¡¯ manly ego and he would never recover¡ªand she would never hear the end of it. Ever. Yes, silence on this matter was best. She only gave him a delicate little sniff, and his grin broadened. ¡°Hm, you know, now that you mention it¡ªwhat did K¡¯Avaari do before kissing became a thing?¡± ¡°I do not know. It was many generations ago.¡± Lukios'' smile was still sunny as ever. She reached up to touch the corner of his mouth, a mouth she never tired of, though she would never say this out loud, either. Then he would become truly insufferable. Lukios kissed her finger before continuing. ¡°It¡¯s funny, isn¡¯t it? Our people have been at each others¡¯ throats for a millennia and somehow, kissing made it into your courtship rituals. Wild!¡± Ba¡¯an only lifted an eyebrow. ¡°It was likely some terribly audacious Dolkoi¡¯ri man courting a K¡¯Avaari maiden.¡± ¡°A witch. It had to be a terribly audacious Dolkoi¡¯ri man courting a witch. A scary, gorgeous, absolutely seductive¡ª¡± ¡°I do not think so, Lukios. She would have killed him. We were fearsome during the Age of Magic.¡± ¡°But so worth it.¡± ¡°Lukios.¡± ¡°What? I bet it was.¡± He went in for another kiss. ¡°See? It¡¯s great. So worth it.¡± He leaned in and waggled his eyebrows with a comically suggestive leer. "Wanna know what else is worth it?" ¡°Hm. I do not know." Ba''an feigned a thoughtful pause. "You will have to show me.¡± Snickering, Lukios obliged, pulling her firmly onto his lap. She squeaked in surprise, smacking his shoulder as her arms pinwheeled to keep her balance. ¡°Lukios!¡± ¡°Relax. I¡¯ve got you. Have I ever dropped you, sweetheart? Ever?¡± This was true. She wrinkled her nose at him, but he only beamed back; he pulled her flush against him, wrapping her legs around his waist. Oh. He was¡­well. Before Ba¡¯an could comment on his¡­state, he squeezed her buttocks as he ran his other hand up her back and under her head, pulling her against him. His mouth was on her¡ªnipping and nuzzling playfully at first, but getting hotter and hotter as they continued until he was kissing her open-mouthed, urgent and demanding as if he wanted to eat her alive. This was not at all unusual; Lukios was all fire, and she always felt it everywhere, down to her toes. He pulled away so they could both breathe again then resumed pressing hungry kisses against her throat, biting down lightly once he reached the juncture between her neck and shoulder. She shivered, hands wandering over his tunic. He was as broad as he''d always been, muscles still firm as they flexed pleasingly beneath her touch. He groaned softly, grinding her against him. ¡°Ba¡¯an¡ª¡± She tugged at the fabric of his shirt then slipped her hand under it, caressing his skin, wordlessly urging him on. She was getting excited now, enjoying the feel of him through her clothes; she watched Lukios shut his eyes as a shudder ran through him and into her. Ba¡¯an tilted her head up and put her hands on his cheeks, pulling him down for another open-mouthed kiss. His patience ran out. Lukios rolled her over onto her back, pushing her heavy skirts up over her hips to expose her thick, woolen stockings. His mouth never left hers as unlaced his own breeches, fingers moving with urgency even as he pressed against her wherever he could¡ª They heard the door to the kitchen slam open, hitting the wall. Rapid footsteps approached the bedroom. ¡°Papaaaaaa! Ul¡¯rin hiiiiit meeeeeee! Waaaah!" ¡°I didn¡¯t! Liar! She¡¯s lying father, she¡¯s lying! I never hit her! Not on purpose!¡± Ba¡¯an abruptly twisted toward the closed door to their bedroom, hand going over her husband''s mouth to push him away even as he grunted in protest. "But¡ªbut¡ªBa''an!" She tried to wriggle out of his grip. ¡°Lukios,¡± she hissed, ¡°let go.¡± He eased off slowly, reluctant; his hands were still on her thighs and hips, fingers rubbing heat into her skin. ¡°We¡¯re not here,¡± he muttered desperately, eying the door. ¡°We¡¯re not here. They¡¯re going to go cry at Kera because we¡¯re not here.¡± ¡°Lukios. This is ridiculous. They already know we are here.¡± She pulled her skirts back down, missing the feel of him already as his hands left her for her skirts, straightening them with practiced ease. As though to emphasize her point, the doorknob rattled rapidly. ¡°Papa! Mamaaaaa! Ul¡¯rin hit meee!¡± Ana wailed at the door, and they could tell by the way it shook with each word that she was punctuating with her fists. ¡°Papaaaaa! Mamaaaaa!¡± Lukios gave a pained groan. ¡°No. We were supposed to have the evening to ourselves. I knew it was a mistake to stay home. I knew it. We¡¯re going down to Turi¡¯s next time, by the gods.¡± ¡°Lukios.¡± He finally released her with an unhappy whine, sounding like the saddest puppy in the world. Ba¡¯an paused to look at herself in the mirror, pulling her clothes and hair into some semblance of order. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Lukios do the same with the gloomiest expression he¡¯d had in weeks. With a gusty little sigh, Lukios said, ¡°Right. Let¡¯s go parent. Again.¡± He gave her a sideways look. ¡°If Ul¡¯rin hit her, he¡¯s your son for the next week, okay?¡± ¡°Do not be ridiculous,¡± she said, very snidely, but deep down she knew: Ul¡¯rin took after her. It was true. He had Lukios¡¯ audacious wit, but his cold, sulky temper was all hers. Ul¡¯ma would have been very pleased by the resemblance, Ba¡¯an was sure, right before she spanked him silly. Well, Ba¡¯an would not spank him if she could help it. She was not fond of using the rod. She would not allow Lukios to do so, either. Lukios opened the door, and Ana fell forward, right into his waiting arms. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, princess?¡± He lifted her easily, settling her in the crook of his elbow, forearm beneath her bottom. She was still small enough for him to lift with one arm. She sniffled and pointed at her brother with more vindictiveness than was likely warranted. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°He hit me with his sling.¡± ¡°I did not!¡± Ul¡¯rin turned to Ba¡¯an beseechingly, amber eyes wide beneath his dark fringe of hair. ¡°I didn¡¯t, Mama, I didn¡¯t! I was practicing and she jumped in front of me. I didn¡¯t even know she was there!¡± ¡°Did too!¡± ¡°Did not! How would I know? You jumped out of nowhere.¡± ¡°You always know!¡± Ana shrieked. ¡°You¡¯re the one who always goes on and on about your stupid, special, spooky magic!¡± ¡°What? I do not! And I don¡¯t know all the time! I wasn¡¯t paying attention to you!¡± Ana¡¯s face went even redder. Ba¡¯an could see a blow-up was imminent. So did Lukios. ¡°Where¡¯d he get you, princess? Hm? Let¡¯s get you all fixed up, okay?¡± He rocked her as he cooed at her in his best sweet, soothing tone. ¡°Mama, it was an accident.¡± Ba¡¯an held out her arm and Ul¡¯rin scooted right under it, his small arms going halfway around her hips. His fists clung to the fabric of her dress as he glared up at his sister. ¡°No, he knew, Papa. Ul¡¯rin always knows!¡± ¡°I! Do! Not! I was practicing! It¡¯s not my fault if you¡¯re too stupid to stay clear!¡± ¡°I AM NOT STUPID!¡± Ba¡¯an could feel a headache forming, right between her brows. Lukios took one look at her face and began walking rapidly to her workroom, cooing at Ana very soothingly all the while. ¡°Of course you¡¯re not stupid, princess. Ul¡¯rin, don¡¯t call your sister names.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say she was stupid. I said it¡¯s not my fault if she¡¯s stupid.¡± His tone was distinctly sulky. Lukios tone grew sharper. ¡°Ul¡¯rin. What did I tell you about wriggling?¡± ¡°You said it¡¯s for lawyers.¡± ¡°Are you a lawyer?¡± ¡°No. But I can grow up to be one.¡± ¡°Keep it up and we¡¯ll see if you¡ª¡± ¡°Beloved.¡± Ba¡¯an frowned at her man. He was always harder on Ul¡¯rin. She did not know why, but he was. It was not as though Ul¡¯rin was all that much older than Ana; he had come two minutes before her, and even then, just barely. Lukios sighed, but dropped it. ¡°Ul¡¯rin, apologize to your sister. Even if it was an accident, you did hurt her.¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°Ul¡¯rin.¡± Ul¡¯rin looked up at Ba¡¯an. ¡°Mama, it¡¯s not fair.¡± She suppressed a sigh. ¡°Ul¡¯rin, you must apologize for hurting your sister and calling her stupid. Ana, you must apologize for lying.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t lie, Mama! He¡¯s lying! Ul¡¯rin always knows where everyone is!¡± ¡°He does not, ma¡¯vara. He will know if he is focusing on finding people, but not if he is focusing on something else. You must have startled him when you jumped out. It was not wise of you to do so.¡± Ana frowned her. ¡°Okay. But I wasn¡¯t lying. I thought he did it on purpose.¡± ¡°Very well. You jumped to the wrong conclusion. He did not, Ana. You must apologize for smearing his reputation.¡± ¡°Papa,¡± she whined, but Lukios stood firm. ¡°You heard your mother. You made a mistake, and Ul¡¯rin did too. Now you both apologize to each other, and we¡¯ll get your booboo all fixed up. Then we can¡­go out for a walk. It¡¯s a nice night. How¡¯s that?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to go for a walk. Mama, can you make kakalota?¡± ¡°Me too. I want some kaka, too.¡± Ul¡¯rin looked up at Lukios very quickly, then back at Ba¡¯an. ¡°I can, right, Mama?¡± ¡°You may both have some before bed. If you do not wish to go for a walk, perhaps we can read together.¡± ¡°Singing. I want to sing with Papa.¡± ¡°That is up to your Papa.¡± ¡°Sure. Why not. But the two of you have to say sorry still, and then you have to play nice.¡± They did, sulkily, but it was better than nothing. Fortunately, Ul¡¯rin had not actually let the stone loose from his sling when Ana had jumped out to scare him. He had only managed to whack her on the arm, which now had a gloriously purple bruise. Ba¡¯an was certain it was not fractured. There was very little swelling. She applied a soothing paste and wrapped it, then gave her a piece of rock candy from the jar. Ul¡¯rin did not like rock candy. This was why she had chosen this treat as a reward for being a brave girl, rather than something else; he would have thought she was playing favorites otherwise. Abruptly, there was some frantic knocking on the door. Ba¡¯an opened it to find Kera, who was panting as though she had run very hard. ¡°Kera!¡± Ana smiled and waved, sucking on her rock candy. Ul¡¯rin only nodded at her mutely before ducking away into the sitting room. Ba¡¯an could hear him rummaging for her old hand drum. He never said so, but he loved music night. He especially liked banging on the drum¡ªno surprise there. ¡°Oh, thank Creators,¡± she said, her eyes on the children. ¡°I am sorry Ba¡¯an. I lost track of them. I¡¯m glad they simply came home instead of going somewhere else.¡± Ba¡¯an blinked at her. ¡°It is well,¡± she said, at the same time Lukios said, ¡°How did that happen?¡± She turned to glare, but he was immune by now. ¡°I thought you were going to keep them all night, hm?¡± ¡°Farhad.¡± ¡°That¡¯s my name, sweetheart.¡± Kera blushed. ¡°I am very sorry,¡± she said again. ¡°I had some laundry out and they were playing in the yard so I¡ªI just stepped out to take it down. When I got back they were gone. I couldn¡¯t find them so I ran back here to make sure they were¡­well.¡± ¡°Oh. Right, can¡¯t keep the laundry waiting, I guess.¡± ¡°Farhad.¡± Ba¡¯an turned back to Kera. ¡°It is well. Do you wish to come in and have some kakalota?¡± It was not that Ba¡¯an approved of Kera¡¯s behavior. It was that her mistake was done and over with now, and judging by her red face, she was unlikely to make such a mistake again. There did not seem to be a point in humiliating her further with a scolding, especially in front of Ana. She blushed even harder and shook her head. ¡°Oh, no. I¡¯m¡ªI just wanted to check to make sure. Dul¡¯rin will wonder where I am if I tarry.¡± Lukios had a very unimpressed expression on his face when Ba¡¯an closed the door and turned to him. ¡°You¡¯d think she¡¯d be a bit more responsible.¡± ¡°There was very little harm done, my love, and Kera was being kind by watching them already.¡± Ba¡¯an turned to Ana. ¡°Go and wait in the sitting room. I will bring the kaka when it is finished. Do not fight with Ul¡¯rin.¡± ¡°Yes, Mama. Papa?¡± ¡°You heard her, princess. Off you go.¡± Once Ana left to join her brother, Lukios turned to her again with his brows drawn in displeasure. ¡°Ba¡¯an. We pay her to watch our kids.¡± ¡°Today was supposed to be her day off, Lukios.¡± ¡°Which is why I was paying her nearly double.¡± Ba¡¯an sighed. This was all true. Ba¡¯an knew that Lukios would have dismissed her on the spot if not for the fact that Kera had some knowledge of local herbs. She often helped Ba¡¯an in her garden and knew enough to make simple teas. Her greatest asset, however, was how pluckily determined she was to make sure Ba¡¯an always took her¡­medicines. At the proper times, and at the proper doses, so Lukios could rest easy. Ba¡¯an took them all dutifully, though she knew they would make no difference in the end. But it made Lukios feel useful and gave him hope, and she would not take those things away from him. A sudden surge of tenderness engulfed her at thought, and she reached out and touched his hand gently. His expression softened as he curled his fingers around hers. When he spoke again, his tone was gentler. ¡°You can¡¯t really think it¡¯s okay that she didn¡¯t watch them. What if they¡¯d gotten into some serious trouble?¡± Ba¡¯an gave his fingers a squeeze and disentangled her fingers so she could pour water into the pot and set it on the fire. It was true. ¡°Perhaps we ought to ask Ariadne next time. I will only call Kera if I need her help in the workroom.¡± Lukios shook his head. ¡°You should still have her over every day, just not for the kids.¡± He stood, walking over to stand next to her at the fire. He stooped to kiss her cheek, putting his hand on the small of her back. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Ariadne tomorrow and ask if she wants nanny work. You want to tell Kera, or should I?¡± Ba¡¯an shook her head. ¡°You do not need to tell her directly, Lukios. She will understand once we stop asking her to mind the children.¡± He stifled a laugh. ¡°Ouch. It¡¯s better to be upfront, isn¡¯t it? It¡¯s not like you to be¡­¡± ¡°Indirect?¡± He really did laugh this time. ¡°Yeah. You used to talk real hard, sweetheart.¡± Ba¡¯an shrugged. ¡°It is too tiring, Lukios.¡± His expression immediately sobered. ¡°You want to go lie down? I can make the kaka.¡± ¡°I did not mean now.¡± ¡°Yeah. But¡­¡± He tucked an errant strand of hair behind her ear. ¡°It¡¯s true you seem tired these days. You don¡¯t have to do anything you don¡¯t want to, sweetheart. I don¡¯t think I can get Ariadne in every day, but maybe we can have someone come in when she can¡¯t. It¡¯ll free you up. You can rest more.¡± ¡°Asur is a very small town, Lukios.¡± There were not many who would drop something steady for something unsteady. Kera only came because it was every day, and she was paid well. Finding someone to come whenever needed would be very difficult. He frowned. ¡°Maybe¡­You okay with Mela?¡± Ba¡¯an''s mouth turned down despite herself. ¡°Do not hire Mela.¡± ¡°Oh. Okay.¡± He looked at her curiously. ¡°Was she rude to you?¡± Ba¡¯an¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°Lukios.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°It is obvious she enjoys your company too much.¡± ¡°Wha¡ª?¡± He blinked at her, then burst out laughing. ¡°Oh, sweetheart. She¡¯s seventeen.¡± ¡°No. She is nearly twenty.¡± Ba''an stirred the kaka with a little sniff, pretending not to see how Lukios'' amused expression had grown. "And unmarried." The girl thought herself too good for the town boys, and Ba''an had caught her cast more than one covetous look in Lukios'' direction. Well, too bad. Ba''an could no longer summon lightning, but she could still slap sense into nearly anyone. The girl could go look elsewhere for a spouse. ¡°Sweetheart. I¡¯m almost forty now. Wow. Forty.¡± For a moment he looked surprised by what he¡¯d said. ¡°I can¡¯t believe how old we are.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Aw, is my Ba¡¯an-turtle jealous?¡± She turned her head to glare at him. ¡°Do not hire Mela.¡± Snickering, he kissed her mouth. ¡°I won¡¯t hire Mela. I won¡¯t even walk in her vicinity. How¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Acceptable.¡± ¡°Whatever you want, Ba¡¯an,¡± he cooed, and he leaned in to kiss her again. ¡°Mama, Pa¡ªOh ew! Mama, Papa, stop kissing! Ew! Eeeew!¡± Lukios ignored her and finished kissing Ba¡¯an at a leisurely pace. ¡°Do not make such faces at us, Ana. It is rude.¡± ¡°Mama, you and Papa were kissing. Ew!¡± ¡°It is not.¡± Lukios chortled, amused. ¡°Princess, you give Papa a kiss every night.¡± ¡°Yeah, but that¡¯s different. You were kissing her mouth. Ew!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be a baby, Ana.¡± ¡°Shut up, Ul¡¯rin.¡± ¡°Hey. You said you¡¯d play nice.¡± ¡°Sorry, Papa.¡± ¡°Sorry, Father.¡± Ba¡¯an sighed and stirred the kakalota. "The Colour of Dusk in Summer" Snippet Part III The bullet thudded into the fence post¡ªnearly five meters away from the target. Ul¡¯rin hunched his shoulders, glaring sullenly at the wooden effigy as though it had betrayed him somehow. ¡°That¡­could have been worse. Try again.¡± Lukios stood watching his son fail over and over and over. He couldn¡¯t quite understand what was going wrong here. ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s take a break and try again.¡± Lukios handed him a waterskin. Ul¡¯rin fumbled with the stopper, finally managing to get it the fourth time, and drank. He tipped his head back too quickly, and water sloshed over his chin and down his chest. He coughed, flushing bright red. ¡°Slow down there, kid. There¡¯s no rush.¡± ¡°Yes, Father.¡± Ul¡¯rin wiped the water off his chin with his sleeve, cheeks flaming. His tone was still distinctly sullen. Lukios picked up the sling and put a bullet in the pouch. It was a fine sling. There wasn¡¯t anything wrong with the length or the width, and the weaving was perfectly even. Lukios had made it himself, sized for Ul''rin''s height and strength during a rare summer lull. It had tested well, but Ul''rin was struggling. Lukios moved his wrist, letting the bullet swing back and forth gently, getting a good feel for the movement. It was a boy¡¯s sling, and it wasn¡¯t sized for a grown man. Even so¡ª Lukios pulled it over his head, twirled once, and loosed; he never trained seriously anymore, but the body never forgot. The timing was perfect, and the bullet lodged into the wooden target with a satisfying thunk. Lukios had carved it to look like a man, and he had nearly taken the head clean off. He would have, if he had been using his own sling with real bullets meant for war; the short length of Ul''rin''s made Lukios'' preferred forms impossible. Well, there was nothing wrong with the sling. Hm. It wasn''t stiffness, either¡ªUl''rin had finally graduated to moving with the throw, keeping his joints loose. But for whatever reason, the boy only hit his target something like once every ten tries, and that was being generous; sometimes the throws went so wide and off target that Lukios couldn''t even find the bullet. It was as if his son had no sense for movement, like his eyes and body just couldn''t quite get the knack for working together. It was utterly confounding. How could he not feel it when the bullet wanted to fly? Did his gut not flutter? Lukios had never had this much trouble with a sling, even as a boy. He¡¯d started shooting stationary targets when he was five. By the time he was Ul¡¯rin¡¯s age, he¡¯d hit something like three or four out of five targets¡ªmoving ones. He''d been knocking birds out of the sky for dinner by the time they''d left Er. This target was still. Utterly still. And it was big. Why was he having so much trouble? ¡°Ready to start again?¡± ¡°Yes, Father.¡± Ul¡¯rin was drooping, scuffing his foot against the dirt. He was not ready to start again. ¡°Ul¡¯rin.¡± ¡°Yes, Father?¡± ¡°You can say so if you¡¯re tired.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not tired.¡± This was obviously a lie. Lukios eyed him. Ul¡¯rin was staring at his feet, refusing to look up and make eye contact. His shoulders were hunched over defensively and Lukios could see a thin sheen of sweat over his upper lip. ¡°Let¡¯s try one more time. We can go in and get a drink after. Something cool.¡± ¡°Yes, Father.¡± Lukios kept from sighing, though it was a near thing. He watched carefully as Ul¡¯rin started twirling the sling again. There was nothing off about the movement, though whenever he released, the bullet just¡ª Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. Ah-hah. There. Just before he released the bullet. He was doing something with his hand¡ªwas it his thumb? Why was he doing that? ¡°Don''t hook your thumb on the cord. Just these two.¡± Lukios held up his hand and wriggled his first two fingers. ¡°I''m not.¡± ¡°You are.¡± ¡°I''m not.¡± Now that was a very disrespectful tone. Lukios bit back a sharp reply and took a deep, slow breath. He released it, then counted to three. His son was just frustrated. Getting angry over his tone wouldn¡¯t help, though Lukios did not want him to develop bad habits. ¡°Mind your tone,¡± he said, keeping his voice even. Ul¡¯rin drooped even more. ¡°Okay. I believe you. Maybe it was just a fluke this time. It''s nearly lunch time, anyway. We can go back in once you pick up all your bullets.¡± Lukios did not miss how Ul''rin''s shoulders sagged with relief. The sun had already climbed nearly to its zenith by the time Ul¡¯rin gathered all his stray bullets and put them back into his pouch. Only the one thrown by Lukios was a lost cause¡ªthat one was lodged too deeply into the wood, and misshapen to boot. He had been a bit over-zealous. They walked through the courtyard then through the doors and into the kitchen. ¡°Why don¡¯t you wash up and then help me cook?¡± ¡°Yes, Father.¡± Lukios watched him wander down the hall to the bathing room. It took some effort to keep the frown off his face. Why was it so very hard to get along with Ul¡¯rin? Lukios turned away and finally let himself sigh. He started the fire first and then poured water into the basin to wash his hands and face. He wasn¡¯t nearly as sweaty or disheveled as Ul¡¯rin, but Ba¡¯an hated it when he made food without washing up first. She was very particular about cleanliness still¡ªwell, he couldn¡¯t blame her. She was right about most things, anyway. The thought of her peering up at him with that cute little wrinkle in her nose washed the frown away so he was smiling instead. He never tired of that expression. Ever. Cheered by the thought of Ba''an''s nose, he eyed the shelves, then opened the cellar door and went down. He wasn¡¯t quite sure what Ba¡¯an wanted for lunch, but he was sure she wanted a sweet dessert. It was summer and the day was getting hot, so maybe something simple? They had bread still left over from breakfast. Cheese, too. Did they have any smoked meat? He was sure they did. Ba''an always liked having something hot on the table, so they''d make some soup, too. Lunch would be simple enough, but the issue was dessert. Something sweet, but easy to make. If they''d had their own icebox, he could make her sweetened ice, but that was a luxury he could no longer afford. Lukios felt a pang. Compared to everyone else in Asur, they lived well¡ªalmost too well, to the point that Lukios wondered if he ought to hire guards. But compared to when they had lived in [redacted], or even [redacted]? It was a modest life. Ba¡¯an never complained. She always told him how happy she was, but sometimes Lukios wanted to give her something, only to realize he couldn''t. Ul¡¯rin and Ana had never had ice cream, so they couldn''t miss it, but Ba¡¯an did, though she never said so. Of course, Ul¡¯rin and Ana would love ice cream, too. They had both inherited her sweet tooth, though Ul¡¯rin was shockingly measured for his age. Ana, if left to her own devices, would glut until she popped. His adorable little princess would become an adorable little ball, and then she''d go rolling here, there, everywhere instead of dashing about and making Ba''an dizzy, heheheh. Lukios felt his mouth curl up even further at the comical mental image of his happy little girl as a brightly-painted follis with dark little pig-tails, bouncing around the courtyard as she cackled, I''m flying, papa, I''m flying! Ha. That was so damn cute, except no, haha, of course not; Ba''an would never let it happen, and really, the only thing that could realistically happen was that she''d lose all her teeth, but yeah, Ana would love ice cream. Maybe next time they travelled to see Vaa¡¯ti, they could take a detour¡ªone of the big polis would have ice vendors, and it had been years since he''d been [redacted], never mind Lukios the Lion. If he dyed his hair, they could likely pass undetected as long as Ba¡¯an called him Farhad. But for now¡­ Lukios settled for making K¡¯Avaari flatbread with honey folded in. It wasn¡¯t cold, but it was fast and sweet. By the time he came back up to the kitchen with everything he needed, Ul¡¯rin had finished washing and was poking at the fire, trying to make it bigger. He had already filled the cauldron with water, and hung it over the flames, ready and waiting. ¡°Good work.¡± Ul¡¯rin flushed, this time with pleasure. ¡°It wasn¡¯t a big deal.¡± His mouth curved into a smile before he ducked his head down, suddenly shy. ¡°Should I get Mama and Ana?¡± ¡°Not yet. Once you¡¯re done with that, I need you over here to wash the vegetables.¡± Ba¡¯an would kill him if he skipped that step. Somehow she could always taste it¡ªthe dirt, or so she said. Lukios always told her a little dirt never killed anyone, which was true¡ªLukios had turned out fine, and he''d definitely eaten more than one thing off the ground¡ªbut it was mostly to see her face go scrunchy. That pout sure was kissable, heh. Sometimes she was just so...ah. Well. Later. For now he''d have Ul''rin wash everything twice, though that wouldn''t stop Lukios from teasing his wife later. Her expressions were little treasures, and besides, she liked it. Really¡ªshe''d married him, hadn''t she? Of course she liked it, and she was definitely laughing. On the inside. They made the meal, and Lukios put the pan of flatbread and honey into the fire last. It would bake while they ate, and he would keep an eye on it so it would not burn. Ul¡¯rin dashed down to the workroom without being told, eager to show off their work to his mama. The boy did adore his mother. That was good, it was great, and it always warmed him to see them together, but¡­ Wasn¡¯t Lukios his father? Why was it that with each passing year, the distance between them seemed to widen? It seemed like yesterday when Ul¡¯rin would fling himself into Lukios¡¯ arms as soon as he stepped through the door, screaming ¡°Papa!¡± with Ana as though it was a competition. When had he stopped? Lukios frowned into the fire. It was true that Lukios was often gone for long stretches of time. It couldn¡¯t be helped. Money was king, and Lukios wouldn¡¯t let his family live in squalor. But even so, Ana seemed to adore him just as much as she ever had. Ul¡¯rin, though¡­ When had he become so sulky and sullen? Book II, The Lion: Beach Episode, Part I Ba¡¯an woke to the door opening and closing softly. A delicious, savory smell wafted through the room and she propped herself up on her elbow to look. ¡°Morning, sweetheart.¡± Lukios set the tray down on the small table beneath one of the windows. He moved the vase full of hyacinth to the top of the dresser. ¡°Lukios? You are still here?¡± She slipped out of bed. Now this was a pleasant surprise. He was often gone early in the morning and returned late in the evening. He grinned at her. ¡°Yup. And I¡¯ve got a surprise for you, but you¡¯re only getting it after breakfast.¡± Ba¡¯an eyed him suspiciously. ¡°A surprise? Lukios, I do not know if I like surprises.¡± He laughed. ¡°You¡¯ll like this one, I promise.¡± Ba¡¯an glanced around the bedroom. It was a large room, but it was clearly made for sleeping. There was an entire antechamber outside the door which was made for lounging and entertaining. ¡°Should we eat in the outer room?¡± ¡°If you want, but¡­¡± He gestured to the walls and touched his ear. That was true. ¡°There is already someone in the servant¡¯s hall, Lukios,¡± she said in K¡¯Avaari. ¡°Of course there is,¡± he sighed in the same language. ¡°Want me to tell bad jokes until they go away?¡± ¡°I do not think that will work, Lukios.¡± She switched to Dolkoi¡¯ri. ¡°This looks very delicious. What is this? Is this dessert?¡± He started to laugh. ¡°Yes, sweetheart. It¡¯s like those sweet buns you like, but the filling is different. It¡¯s sweet too, but a bit denser.¡± Ba¡¯an picked it up and bit into it before he could dissuade her. He chortled, but only asked, ¡°How is it?¡± ¡°It is very good! I like it. What is this?¡± She licked the filling. It was very sweet, but it wasn¡¯t light and creamy. It was denser, and tasted¡­earthier? There was more weight to it, more texture. It was delightful. ¡°I think they¡¯re made with chestnuts.¡± ¡°Chestnuts?¡± ¡°Yeah. They¡¯re from down south. They¡¯re these hard little nuts about this big.¡± He held his fingers apart so she could see the general size of it. ¡°Oh. I have never seen one before. It is very good. I like it.¡± His smile widened and lifted the napkin off the little basket he had brought. It was full of treats. ¡°But you really need to eat breakfast first, sweetheart.¡± She sighed at him, but otherwise did not complain. ¡°Lukios,¡± she said between bites, ¡°I am not complaining, but are you certain you can be here? You do not have a house meeting?¡± He shook his head. ¡°Not any I¡¯m going to.¡± His gazed flicked to the wall and he made a face that made it clear that there was more to the story, but he did not wish for anyone else to hear it. She nodded. He grinned and leaned forward. ¡°Did you have anything planned for today? Because I was thinking¡­¡± Ba¡¯an sat up. He did not have any plans? Oh, this was¡ªit had been a very long time since they had had any time together. Ba¡¯an would have to send a note to Merida to say she was not coming to the surgery today, and a note to Bethos and her tutor as well. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. She shook her head. ¡°Nothing important, Lukios. We will spend the day together, then?¡± His grin widened. ¡°Yup. And like I said, I¡¯ve got a surprise for you. But we should have breakfast first.¡± Curiosity was a very strong motivator. Ba¡¯an began to eat quickly, until Lukios, laughing, told her to slow down and chew, sweetheart. Well, she was, only very quickly. ¡°I am chewing, Lukios. I am not five.¡± ¡°Oh, I know, sweetheart. I know.¡± He leered at her, and she rolled her eyes. ¡°But you¡¯re definitely in danger of choking, and not the fun kind of choking, either.¡± ¡°You are very perverted, Lukios.¡± He beamed. ¡°Yup, and you love it. You can¡¯t get enough of my perverted pervertedness. Be honest.¡± ¡°I do not think that is a word, Lukios.¡± ¡°It is now!¡± With a noise of exasperation, she picked up a bun and stuffed it into his mouth. ¡°Thank you,¡± he said, but his mouth was full so it sounded more like mmfk juu. Ba¡¯an covered her mouth, trying to suppress her giggle. His cheeks looked like an anpanku squirrel¡¯s. It was adorable. Breakfast finished without further incident, though halfway through Lukios felt the need to cut her food up into smaller pieces so she really wouldn¡¯t choke on anything. It was absurd, but Ba¡¯an accepted it, knowing full well this was his way of expressing his devotion. He liked to do things for her. It was very¡­ Nice. Absurd, but nice. And he was correct, of course: she did like it. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re blushing. That¡¯s so cute.¡± His grin was so wide that Ba¡¯an worried his face would split in half. She felt her face burn even hotter. She glanced up at him through her lashes and licked the cream from her fingers. ¡°Um. Fuck. Ba¡¯an, you really¡­¡± He was staring at her very intensely now, and she encouraged the direction of his thoughts by putting a plump, red strawberry in her mouth and eating in a way that was somewhat¡­suggestive of other activities. She heard him swallow. Ba¡¯an licked the juice from her lips, smiling more than a little coyly. Lukios reached out and put his hand over hers. ¡°Well,¡± he said, voice a little raspy, ¡°if that¡¯s how you want it.¡± And then, of course, it was back to bed. Afterwards, they both lay tangled together, limp, sweaty, and pleasantly exhausted. Lukios laughed softly against her ear, kissing her affectionately in between soft chuckles. ¡°What is so funny?¡± ¡°I told myself I wasn¡¯t going to seduce you today until at least dinner time. Shows what I know.¡± ¡°You are lucky I was here to correct your assumption.¡± His snickers intensified. ¡°Yes, I am. Very, very lucky.¡± He snuggled against her and she stroked his side gently. ¡°Mmm. That was really nice. It¡¯s been a while since we could go nice and slow, right?¡± Suddenly he stiffened and sat up. ¡°Oh. Right. We¡ª¡± He looked outside. ¡°Oh. We¡¯re definitely running late now. Sweetheart, you okay getting ready to go out?¡± ¡°Out? Where are we going?¡± He grinned at her. ¡°Heard you wanted to take Mai¡¯ra and Vul¡¯kir for a walk.¡± She sat up. ¡°Did Altus and Eurosanus tell you¡­?¡± ¡°Oh, sweetheart, they didn¡¯t, but I¡¯ve got my own people around this place too. One of the stable hands told me. You could have just asked me yourself, you know?¡± ¡°You are very busy, Lukios.¡± ¡°I¡¯m never too busy for you. Besides, you¡¯re right, Mai¡¯ra¡¯s a bit roly-poly now. I think we might actually have to roll her around soon, ha. Vul¡¯kir¡¯s not too far behind, either.¡± ¡°Lukios, where are we going?¡± ¡°Out.¡± He grinned at her. ¡°We¡¯re going to go out for a nice day trip to the beach.¡± She felt her eyes widen as she said, ¡°Alone?¡± Her voice sounded eager, even to her. He shook his head. ¡°Sorry, sweetheart. It¡¯s mostly safe around Heliopolis, but it¡¯s still not a good idea to wander around without guards. We¡¯ll bring faces you know, and they¡¯ll keep their distance. Um¡­you okay with it? Or¡­do you want to do something else? Anything you want is fine.¡± ¡°The beach? Can I swim in the water?¡± ¡°You can, but we¡¯ll have to go a bit further from the city. The water around the ports is just¡­nasty. We can go up the northern coast. Really nice little beaches there. Pretty safe too¡ªno sharks, but I think there¡¯s some pretty big, bity fish. I think it¡¯ll be fine if we stick to the shallows. Oh! We can catch some shellfish. We¡¯ll have big seafood dinner¡ªhow about it?¡± She nodded rapidly, far more excited than she had been for weeks. ¡°Yes. Lukios, I wish to go to the beach. You must teach me how to swim, and I wish to eat shellfish.¡± He laughed delightedly, kissing her firmly on the lips. ¡°Whatever you want, Ba¡¯an. We¡¯ll pack some fruit and wine too. Clay pots? Yeah, I think¡ªha, I have a pretty good idea.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± He only smiled at her mischievously. ¡°You¡¯ll see. You¡¯ll like it¡ªI promise.¡± Book II, The Lion: The Beach Episode, Part II They set off as quickly as possible, aware that the day had already started. Their morning had been slow and lazy, and now the sun was higher in the sky than Lukios had planned. ¡°We should be able to make it,¡± he¡¯d said, adding, ¡°and if we don¡¯t, we can camp out or find some lodging. Lots of farms around Heliopolis.¡± Altus and Eurosanus came, of course, and they seemed much cheerier than they had been all week. Had it been that boring escorting her around? Well, of course it was. Ba¡¯an refused to go to the colosseum on principle, and she had only gone to the circus once. She did like to go to the night market and the agora, especially when there were bards playing, but she was sure it was not very exciting for them¡ªthey were city men, after all. They were used to it. To her surprise, Bethos also came, as did Setanos and another handful of men from the Pride. It was just enough for a full escort, though the chariot only held food and other supplies. Ba¡¯an rode Vul¡¯kir, who had become rowdy with excitement as soon as he realized they were going out. A strifa loved work, and Ba¡¯an was sorry that he had been left to his own devices for all this time. He must have been out of his mind with boredom. Mai¡¯ra, too, was excited, and she had no trouble keeping up, either. ¡°Wow, that¡¯s really interesting. They move differently from horses, don¡¯t they, Setanos?¡± Bethos seemed fascinated by Vul¡¯kir. He was right¡ªstrifa did not move like horses. There was more bouncing, though Ba¡¯an was accustomed to it in a way that she was not to horse-riding. Vul¡¯kir also liked to jump and climb things, and she let him canter off the road to hop up and down large rocks and other formations, making happy little strifa-noises as he ran ahead then circled back. Mai¡¯ra pranced around him, joyfully bleating as they played a little game of goat-tag. Everyone seemed very amused by this. No one else seemed particularly surprised by strifa behavior. It made sense¡ªthey all looked old enough to be veterans, and she knew Lukios often did hire ex-soldiers. It was considered prestigious to be a member of the Lion¡¯s Pride, so he usually had his pick. Undoubtedly, they had seen plenty of strifa in action five years ago. ¡°Don¡¯t go too far ahead, sweetheart.¡± Lukios was amused as well, but he did seem slightly concerned every time she left the vicinity of the escort. ¡°You never know what¡¯s up ahead¡ªor who. Best to stay close.¡± Bethos nodded. ¡°Oh yes, lady Ba¡¯an. Commander¡¯s right, of course. You never know if there¡¯s going to be a brigand desperate enough or stupid enough. All it takes is one lucky hit and that¡¯s it. You¡¯re a woman on a strifa, too, so they might think you¡¯re easy pickings.¡± ¡°I will stay in sight, do not fret.¡± She smiled reassuringly. Of course, Ba¡¯an would know the moment someone entered her range of soul-hearing. She was paying attention. She was nearly impossible to ambush unless she was distracted, but she had a feeling that her passenger would not allow his host to die so ignobly, if at all. Tik-Tak Ma¡¯luk snorted, catching her thought. Lazy, insufferable child. How you are related to Lu¡¯ravan is a true mystery. Who is Lu¡¯ravan? One of your more competent ancestors, ignorant brat. The People have diminished indeed. Worthless, the lot of you. Won¡¯t you tell me about her? Oh, so you wish to trade? No. Never mind. I can live without knowing. The creature snorted again. Very well. Marinate in your ignorance and see where that leads you, you stupid child. She frowned. ¡°Sweetheart? Something wrong?¡± ¡°No. It was only a stray thought.¡± Lukios pulled up beside her on Aeschylus. The stallion snorted as though cantering down a country road was beneath him¡ªwhich it likely was. Ba¡¯an reached out and stroked his nose, cooing. Aeschylus was surprisingly docile when she did this, though he did not allow Mai¡¯ra or Vul¡¯kir anywhere near him whenever possible. He was a remarkably bad-tempered horse, and the slaves seemed to avoid him. ¡°And now you¡¯re charming my nasty horse. See? I told you.¡± ¡°All horses enjoy treats and affection, Lukios. This is not special.¡± ¡°Tell that to Trachos. Won¡¯t go anywhere near Aeschylus¡¯ stall, ha.¡± ¡°He¡¯s got a temper, Commander. That¡¯s for sure.¡± Neither Altus'' tone nor expression changed. The man was as taciturn as a K''Avaari raider. ¡°Ha, you¡¯re just not treating him right. Isn¡¯t that so, Aeschylus? You¡¯re actually a softie under all that gruff, aren¡¯t you?¡± Lukios patted him on the neck and Aeschylus seemed to preen a little. Well, at least he liked his owner. He was remarkably docile for Lukios as well. Ba¡¯an rolled her eyes. ¡°Do not bite Vul¡¯kir, Aeschylus. I will be very angry with you if you do.¡± She patted the horse on the snout again and they rode side by side. It was comical; Aeschylus and Lukios were both very big, and Ba¡¯an and Vul¡¯kir were both relatively small. Ba¡¯an, in particular, was a very small woman by Dolkoi¡¯ri standards¡ªeven Dafni, at thirteen, was taller already. They were utterly mismatched. ¡°We can let them run around once we get where we¡¯re going. Not as likely to get ambushed off-road, you know?¡± Lukios grinned down at her. ¡°Damn, I nearly forgot how gorgeous you are with the sun in your hair.¡± Ba¡¯an blushed, glancing around. Oh, they had definitely heard him. Bethos was grinning ear to ear, leaning forward the way he had at the amphitheatre. Was this all just entertainment to him? Insufferable. She did not dare look at Altus or anyone else. Her face would burn to a crisp. ¡°Lukios,¡± she muttered, hunching low, ¡°We are in public. They can hear you.¡± ¡°You sure? ¡®Cause I was thinking maybe I should say it louder. How about¡ª¡± ¡°Lukios!¡± He laughed. Of course he was only teasing her; he enjoyed tormenting her this way, embarrassing her with his public shows and pronouncements of affection. It seemed that he wanted everyone to know they were together which¡ªwell, it was better than hiding her in shame, certainly, but surely it was imprudent until Rekos¡¯ estate was his? ¡°Hey, Bethos!¡± ¡°Yes, Commander?¡± ¡°How much for a commission? I think you should write an ode to Ba¡¯an¡¯s hai¡ª¡± ¡°You will not!¡± Mortified, Ba¡¯an glared, though she could not decide who she ought to glare at first. She stared pointedly at Lukios then rotated to face Bethos, who seemed to be doing his best not to fall off his horse laughing. ¡°Lukios! I told you no poetry! No songs, no poetry!¡± ¡°You said I shouldn¡¯t write you poetry. You never said anything about hiring a bard, sweetheart.¡± The grin only widened as he spoke. Insufferable! ¡°Why settle for just her hair? Her eyes are so very striking, aren¡¯t they? And she has very elegant bones, doesn¡¯t she? Even her ankles are very¡ª¡± ¡°Bethos." Lukios slowed Aeschylus to canter and turned his head to his bard. Slowly. Bethos slouched in his saddle. "Have you been looking at Ba''an''s ankles? And her hair? And her eyes? And her bones?¡± ¡°Uh, no, no, no, of course not, Commander. I was only uh¡­trying to be helpful.¡± Setanos began to guffaw and even Altus was chuckling. ¡°Someone¡¯s in for a hiding, eh, Altus?¡± Bethos glared at their general direction before swinging his head back toward Ba¡¯an, expression suddenly sweet and helpless. ¡°I wasn¡¯t! I swear, I was only commenting with the¡­uh¡­eye of an artist. That¡¯s all, Commander! Lady Ba¡¯an, please tell him!¡± With a loud, pointed noise of aggravation, Ba¡¯an spurred Vul¡¯kir ahead, rolling her eyes. They left Heliopolis behind quickly, and by the time the sun was directly overhead she could only see the statue of Helios standing tall, gleaming in the sun and the spires of the imperial palace atop the highest hill. They made good time. They took a break at a watering station, sitting in the shade until the full force of the noonday sun had passed. ¡°If you open and close it too often, sweetheart, the ice''ll melt.¡± Lukios'' voice carried, though his tone was still cheerful. Hastily, Ba¡¯an shut the lid of the icebox. It was an incredible invention¡ªthe box had multiple layers, with the innermost layer being some kind of thin metal. Then there was ice, then wood, then some kind of fine wooden dust in animal hides with a last layer of fur. All of it was nestled in a final wooden box that was sealed tightly with some kind of resin coating. The ice kept a long time, longer than it would have normally. Lukios had packed creamy buns and something else he called ¡°ice cream.¡± It was very mysterious, this ¡°ice cream¡±; it was kept inside a tightly sealed clay jar and she could not fathom what it was. Ice with cream? Iced cream? Something creamy but icy? ¡°Oh, ice cream! That stuff is good. You can¡¯t get it outside of a big polis. It¡¯s expensive, too.¡± Bethos had peeked in the box, too. ¡°Keep your fingers out, Bethos. That¡¯s for Ba¡¯an.¡± ¡°Oh, I wouldn¡¯t ever dare, Commander. I was just saying¡ªIt¡¯s real good, lady Ba¡¯an. You¡¯ll like it. Nearly everyone does!¡± ¡°Is it sweet?¡± Lukios burst out laughing. ¡°Asking the important questions, I see. Yeah, it¡¯s really sweet. This one¡¯s got peaches in it.¡± He grinned. ¡°You¡¯ll like it, I promise.¡± They set off again after a light snack. Before long they turned off into a small dirt road, and then they were riding through tall grasses, the vast blue horizon coming closer and closer, and then¡ª There was sand, but it was not like the desert at all. The sand was white with grains so fine that she could not see them from her position behind the bluff. The beach gleamed under the sun as though made of sparkling white gemstones. The sky was endlessly blue, and she could hear the waves rolling in and out, in and out, and the air was filled with the smell of sun and salt. The grass grew only a few feet into the sand before fading. Overhead, seagulls cawed and circled while in the distance she saw ships sailing toward Helios and the harbour. They were so far away they looked like moving dots, but Helios still gleamed. Ba¡¯an imagined she could see the torch held aloft toward the sun itself, forever stretching up toward their great, silent god himself. The men immediately set about setting up a tent, right on the sand. It was close enough to be in easy walking distance to the water, but far enough to avoid getting wet. Outside, they set down rugs, cushions, and towels. After this they gathered large rocks and wood from where the grass and trees grew and built a large, roaring fire close by. It seemed that the men were relaxed now. It was true that this was a wide-open area¡ªno one would be sneaking up on them. Now they could relax, banter, and eat. The horses were tethered further away so they could graze. Mai¡¯ra and Vul¡¯kir, on the other hand, were given complete freedom. They seemed to be enjoying themselves running along the beach. ¡°Won¡¯t they get lost?¡± Bethos looked concerned. Ba¡¯an shook her head. ¡°Vul¡¯kir will not, and Mai¡¯ra will follow him back.¡± He was too well-trained to wander far from her in the wild. Lukios ushered Ba¡¯an into the tent. ¡°Ready to go swimming?¡± He was grinning, so excited that she thought he might burst. ¡°Yes. You must teach me.¡± He stripped down and rummaged through the luggage to find a sort of loincloth made of smooth fabric. Ba¡¯an was not certain what it was made of, but she could see the weave was fine. It would not become too heavy in the water. He handed her a bundle of the same fabric as well. Ba¡¯an stripped down as well but paused as she looked at what she held in her hands. ¡°Lukios.¡± ¡°Yes, sweetheart? Need help?¡± ¡°Lukios. This is missing parts.¡± ¡°It is?¡± He approached her and inspected the pieces in her hand. ¡°It¡¯s just two pieces, Ba¡¯an. That looks right.¡± She stared. One was a breastband. The other was a woman¡¯s loincloth in the shape of a triangle. That was it. ¡°Lukios, it is¡­surely there are pieces missing.¡± ¡°Uh¡­no? That¡¯s¡­what women swim in, sweetheart.¡± ¡°But Lukios¡­everyone will see me. My belly and my¡­thighs.¡± ¡°Um¡­I guess. We¡¯re at the beach, though. I mean, some people swim naked.¡± ¡°But Lukios, is it not immodest for women to even walk about without a shawl?¡± ¡°Oh. Good point. But that¡¯s¡­everywhere except the beach? It¡¯s a bit odd now that you mention it. No one will care, if you¡¯re worried. Unless¡­here.¡± He picked up his tunic from the hammock and gave it to her. ¡°You can wear this on top if you want. It¡¯ll get a bit heavy in the water, though.¡± Ba¡¯an wore the breast band and loincloth, then put the tunic on. It fell just past her mid-thigh, which was not bad. ¡°Damn,¡± he said, ¡°I think that looks even better than just the swimming bands.¡± ¡°That is ridiculous, Lukios. I am showing less now, not more.¡± Not tha she was displeased by his admiration; quite the opposite, in fact. But at least one of them had to exercise some sense. ¡°Um, just¡­something about the length. Your legs just look¡­damn.¡± His eyes were predictably glued to her thighs. Ba¡¯an rolled her eyes. ¡°Lukios.¡± ¡°Right, right. Let¡¯s go!¡± The rest of the men were busy finishing with the set up. Some of them were sitting at strategic locations, clearly on watch. Others were down by the water with nets, seemingly fishing for dinner. Ba¡¯an watched them with interest until Lukios took her by the hand. Lukios tugged her down to the water. Ba¡¯an dipped her toe in. The water was not cold, but it was not warm, either. This was what the fire was for¡ªit was a proper bonfire, burning tall and hot. The rugs were placed so that it was not close enough to alight, but not too far so the one using it would not feel the heat. It was very cozy to look at already. Lukios waded in and held out his hands to her. ¡°It¡¯s not deep here at all. Here.¡± Ba¡¯an put her hand in his and took a few more steps in, until the water reached her knees, then her thighs. The edges of the tunic became wet and clung to her skin. He coaxed her deeper into the water. The sand became mud, oozing over her sandals and squishing between her toes. Ba¡¯an had wanted to take her shoes off, but Lukios had shaken his head, saying that there were sometimes sharp surprises in the water. It was sensible, but still, it made her steps heavier. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°Okay, now, the first thing you want to do is practice floating¡­¡± By the time the sun had moved lower, Ba¡¯an was able to float on her front and her back. ¡°You¡¯re a natural!¡± Lukios was generous with compliments, and Ba''an could only blush fiercely in response. She did not think it was true¡ªshe had had a terrible time fighting the [redacted]¡ªbut it was still pleasing to hear him praise her. ¡°You¡¯re doing really well, lady Ba¡¯an!¡± Bethos hollered at her from his position on one of the rugs that lay in the shade of the tent. He was strumming on a lyre, having wisely left his kithara back at the estate. The men who had been fishing had caught more than a few things, and they were busy putting their catch in baskets. Then they went back to do it again. The rest of the escort, at least the ones who were not on active watch duty, were playing some kind of dice game. It seemed that they had the rotations all figured out. ¡°Lukios, why are they still working?¡± ¡°They¡¯re on duty, sweetheart.¡± ¡°Yes, but why?¡± He laughed softly. ¡°I¡¯m not being mean, I promise. You never know what could happen. Getting caught half-naked isn¡¯t a good look.¡± It was true. They were still armed, even if they were more relaxed than they had been on the road. Even the men playing dice were still armed, sitting in the shade to keep from overheating. Still, she felt sorry for them. She was having fun with Lukios, but they were working. Lukios took one look at her expression and shook his head, smiling. ¡°I do give them time off, sweetheart. They get vacation days alongside major holidays. We also have our own physician¡ªwell, we used to, I guess Merida¡¯s doing that for now¡ªand they get some other nice perks, too. Don¡¯t fret. There¡¯s a reason why we get a line-up when we go recruiting.¡± ¡°Oh. You do not have a physician now?¡± Lukios gave her a look. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯re not working as a physician for a bunch of burly mercenaries.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re going to be too busy enjoying your life and eating sweetbuns?¡± Ba¡¯an snorted. ¡°But Lukios, I enjoy physic.¡± He made a little noise of consternation. ¡°If you want to set up a practice, that¡¯s¡ªthat¡¯s one thing. We can discuss that later. But sweetheart, I don¡¯t want you coming with us when we march. It¡¯s a hard life.¡± He shook his head again. ¡°It¡¯s not something I want for you, sweetheart. I just¡ªI just want you to be happy. Safe and happy. With me.¡± He smoothed a hand over her wet hair, tucking an errant strand behind her ear. ¡°Yes, we must speak on this later, Lukios. I do not wish to lie around in bed eating sweetbuns all day. Well, perhaps I will do it for one day. But no more than that.¡± He burst out laughing. ¡°Okay, okay. We¡¯ll discuss it once we get to Synoros.¡± He pulled her close and kissed her. ¡°Lukios, I am covered in salt water.¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± She pulled away, making a face. ¡°You cannot drink salt water. That is what you said.¡± He released her with a little chortle. ¡°Okay, okay. I¡¯ll behave. Now, you want to practice kicking?¡± They ambled back up to the tent once Ba¡¯an got hungry enough. He took her in and helped her take off his wet, heavy tunic; she towelled off properly and wore her clothes again. When they got back to the fire, he wrung out his tunic and lay it out to dry and rinsed off her sandals and placed them by the fire. He did the same with his. By then there was plenty of seafood. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a clam. These are mussels, and that¡¯s a scallop. Oh damn, caught some crabs too, huh? This is a pretty good haul. Hey, Setanos, you ever consider becoming a fisherman?¡± Setanos snorted. ¡°Not in this lifetime, Commander. My brothers are fishermen. We¡¯ve more than enough fish between them.¡± Lukios laughed. ¡°Who wants dinner?¡± Dinner was festive and very delicious. Lukios had also brought butter in the icebox, and plenty of seasoning. They put down a metal grill and soon the shellfish were sizzling, as were the crabs. Some were grilled, but others were put into a pot to make a kind of seafood soup alongside the vegetables they had brought. It was good, and everyone was in surprisingly good spirits. Getting paid for a day at the beach was apparently something they enjoyed, even if they had not been permitted to swim. Dessert was ice cream¡ªfor Ba¡¯an, at least. Any feeling of guilt melted away with the first bite. Lukios had been watching her face very intently, and he grinned broadly when he saw her eyes widen. ¡°Lukios, this is¡ªthis is very good!¡± She took a spoonful and fed it to him, which he accepted once, and only once, laughing brightly. ¡°It¡¯s for you, sweetheart. I¡¯ve had some before.¡± She made a face at him. ¡°But I like sharing food with you.¡± ¡°Well, if you put it that way.¡± They shared the small jar of sweet, creamy ice cream. There were chunks of peaches in it, but otherwise the flavor was that of milk and honey. How it was made was a mystery. Lukios ate whatever she gave him obediently, but then she wondered if he perhaps did not enjoy sweets. He never seemed to buy sweetbuns or sugary treats for himself. ¡°Lukios?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Do you not like sweets?¡± He began to laugh again. ¡°I don¡¯t dislike them, but I¡¯m not¡ªwell, I¡¯m okay without them, let¡¯s say.¡± He grinned. ¡°You¡¯re lucky. They¡¯re all yours.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Ba¡¯an blinked up at him. ¡°But you like seafood.¡± ¡°Yup. All sorts. I like shellfish the best, though. We had lots and lots of shellfish in Eir. I used to go out and catch some in the tidepools and bring them home.¡± He stared out into the sea and his expression became distant. Ba¡¯an knew he was dwelling in old memories now¡ªsad ones. She slipped her hand into his and leaned against him. Very softly he said, ¡°My ma really loved oysters. I used to go diving sometimes to get some for her.¡± In the distance, Mai¡¯ra began bleating. Ba¡¯an and Lukios sat up and looked. She was running along the sand, chasing something very small. Vul¡¯kir was running close behind her, trying to push her away from her very determined rampage against the wildlife. ¡°Uh oh,¡± said Lukios, ¡°I think she¡¯s got into a fist fight with a crab, except she doesn¡¯t have fists.¡± Ba¡¯an stood up. ¡°Mai¡¯ra! Come here, Mai¡¯ra!¡± Of course, she did not listen. Sighing with exasperation, Ba¡¯an made to run down the sandy hill to her goat. Lukios put his hand on her arm. ¡°I¡¯ll get her. Don¡¯t fret.¡± He ran easily through the sand, whistling at Mai¡¯ra and Vul¡¯kir. Vul¡¯kir came immediately, which was surprising; Ba¡¯an hadn¡¯t realized they got on so well. Mai¡¯ra needed more coaxing, but she did like Lukios quite a lot. She followed him back up, looking behind her only a few times. Mai¡¯ra trotted up to Ba¡¯an and lay down beside her on the rug, flopping her head into Ba¡¯an¡¯s lap with an expectant bleat. Amused, Ba¡¯an scratched her behind the ears. Bethos burst out laughing. ¡°She¡¯s like a dog. Sweet gods, I¡¯ve never seen anything like it.¡± ¡°Mai¡¯ra is a goat, Bethos.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, but she acts like a dog. A very stuck-up dog.¡± ¡°Be careful, Bethos,¡± said Lukios, coming up with Vul¡¯kir. ¡°Ba¡¯an¡¯s protective about her goat-baby. You don¡¯t want to see how upset she can get.¡± He was smirking, so Ba¡¯an only rolled her eyes. ¡°She is not a goat-baby. She is a goat. My goat.¡± Ba¡¯an tilted her head down and cooed, ¡°You are a very good goat, are you not, Mai¡¯ra? Yes, you are!¡± Someone behind her began to laugh, only turning into a cough when Ba¡¯an turned to glare. Altus gave her a very innocent look. ¡°I¡¯m not sure ¡®good¡¯ is the word I¡¯d use, sweetheart. But she sure is cute, huh?¡± ¡°Yes, she is.¡± Ba¡¯an slanted him a knowing look. ¡°Do not worry, Lukios. You can be very cute as well. When you are behaving.¡± He snickered. ¡°I¡¯m always behaving.¡± She gave him a disbelieving look. ¡°We do not have the same definition of ¡®behaving.¡¯¡± He threw her a comically exaggerated leer, grinning widely as he leaned in closer than was considered appropriate in public. ¡°But you like it.¡± Flushing, she put her hand over his face and shoved. Mai¡¯ra sat up in surprise as Lukios tilted over and landed on his back beside her, making exaggerated noises of pain. She seemed alarmed¡ªshe began licking him, trying to see where he was injured while bleating sweetly. Well, of course she was. Ba¡¯an sighed. ¡°He is fine, Mai¡¯ra. He is tricking you.¡± Lukios snickered. ¡°Come here, Mai¡¯ra,¡± he said, very sweetly. ¡°Who¡¯s a good goat? You are. Aw, that¡¯s right. You¡¯re worried daddy¡¯s got a booboo, aren¡¯t you?¡± Altus looked horrified. ¡°Uh, Commander¡­that is a goat.¡± ¡°Yup.¡± ¡°¡­As you say, Commander.¡± The look he threw at Ba¡¯an clearly said, this is your fault. Fix it! She gave him a flat stare. There was nothing wrong with speaking to goats. They were intelligent and made very good pets and working animals. K¡¯Avaari strifa were kept as food and labour, but they were often doted on as well. Sometimes they wandered around the outer courtyard of the saa-vuti vur, following individuals they liked and making themselves useful. Altus¡¯ eyes narrowed. Ba¡¯an continued the stare-down. Bethos put a hand over his mouth to stifle his snickers. ¡°Altus, stop flirting with Ba¡¯an.¡± ¡°I¡ªwha¡ª? No, of course I wasn¡¯t¡ªI was doing no such thing, Commander.¡± Ba¡¯an snorted. ¡°We were glaring at each other, Lukios, not flirting. He does not believe goats are pets.¡± ¡°They¡¯re not, lady Ba¡¯an. They¡¯re for sacrificing, milking, or eating. I don¡¯t think you¡¯d find anyone who disagrees with me.¡± ¡°I disagree with you,¡± she said, ¡°and I am someone.¡± Altus made a pained noise and stopped talking. Lukios was watching the exchange with a very amused expression as he stroked Mai¡¯ra¡¯s neck and chest. She rolled onto her side and flopped, demanding more pets. Lukios obliged. ¡°You¡¯re not going to win this one, Altus. Trust me.¡± ¡°As you say, Commander.¡± Bethos broke in, very cheerfully, ¡°Well, clearly, Mai¡¯ra isn¡¯t just any goat. So you¡¯re both right. Mai¡¯ra is a pet goat, but goats who aren¡¯t Mai¡¯ra are not. See? Everyone wins!¡± Ba¡¯an and Altus turned their glares on him, though he seemed blithely unaffected. ¡°Should I write a song about it?¡± ¡°No.¡± The answer was instantaneous as three voices answered at once. ¡°Oh, come on. It¡¯ll be a cute, fun little pastoral. The kids¡¯ll like it.¡± ¡°Why did I bring you along again?¡± ¡°You wanted me to entertain lady Ba¡¯an during the ride, Commander.¡± ¡°Right. Which you didn¡¯t do. So why¡¯d I even bother?¡± ¡°Uh¡­I did! I am! I¡¯m doing my job right now! Lady Ba¡¯an, tell him I am very entertaining, would you please?¡± ¡°Bethos is very entertaining, Lukios,¡± she said, very dutifully, then added, ¡°but tell him he must work on his jokes. His music is beautiful, but his jokes are¡­not funny.¡± ¡°Oh ouch. Lady Ba¡¯an! I already worked so hard on those!¡± Lukios chortled. ¡°Give up, Bethos. K¡¯Avaari humor is something else entirely. Trust me, I tried. Everyday, I¡¯m telling you, for five damn months. She laughed once. Once!¡± ¡°Because you were not funny, Lukios.¡± ¡°See?¡± ¡°Oh, so you told her jokes for five months, and she only laughed once? I think I¡¯ll leave that part out of your epic, Commander. That¡¯s just sad and embarrassing.¡± ¡°They were funny, I swear. Just¡­K¡¯Avaari humor! It¡¯s so bizarre.¡± ¡°It is not bizarre, Lukios. It is perfectly funny. Your Dolkoi¡¯ri jokes are not. The one about the temple priest and the vestal was especially terrible.¡± ¡°Oh, that one! That¡¯s a good one, though! We tell that one all the time, don¡¯t we, Setanos?¡± ¡°Oh, ha. There¡¯s a version of it in every polis, I think.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t laugh at that one? Wow. You¡¯re tough, lady Ba¡¯an.¡± Altus looked stunned by it all somehow. ¡°How about a Sander joke then? I¡¯m dying to know, now.¡± Ba¡¯an blinked at him, caught completely off guard. ¡°I¡ªI do not know many jokes, Altus.¡± She frowned, trying to remember one of Thu¡¯rin¡¯s many quips. He had always enjoyed telling her something in the evenings to make her laugh. Ba¡¯an had tried to laugh sometimes even when they were not very funny, though he had always known when she was pretending. ¡°Ah, I remember one. Why did the strifa cross the bir-vuti?¡± Everyone stared at her blankly. ¡°What is a bir-vuti?¡± Bethos¡¯ brows had knit together in concentration. ¡°Bir-vuti, bir-vuti¡­I swear I¡¯ve heard Cousin mention it before but for the life of me, I just can¡¯t¡­remember what that means.¡± ¡°It is a kind of underground cave K¡¯Avaari use.¡± ¡°Oh. Okay, I don¡¯t know. Why did the strifa cross the bir-vuti?¡± ¡°To get to the other side.¡± They stared at her blankly. ¡°I don¡¯t get it.¡± ¡°Me neither.¡± ¡°Uh¡­that¡¯s, uh¡­not bad at all, sweetheart. It¡¯s very¡­K¡¯Avaari.¡± Ba¡¯an hunched a little, face going hot again as she muttered rebelliously. ¡°Yes, it is funny in K¡¯Avaari, though¡­Dolkoi¡¯ri is not very¡­matched to their humor.¡± Bethos leaned forward. ¡°Why do you call your people ¡®they¡¯? I noticed you do it a lot. You¡¯re still Sander, aren¡¯t you? I mean it¡¯s not like your birthplace disappears once you get your citizenship or anything like that.¡± Lukios looked as though he was about to cut in, so Ba¡¯an shook her head, slowly, laying a hand on his arm. ¡°I have left the K¡¯Avaari, so I am no longer one of the People. I do not have a name chain, and only those with a name chain belong. If I meet with a trader, for instance, I will be treated as an outlander now.¡± ¡°¡­Oh.¡± Bethos shuffled awkwardly, flushing and glancing at Lukios. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have asked.¡± She noticed Altus and the others¡ªthe ones who had been sitting by the fire, in earshot¡ªglance at each other. She could guess as to what conclusions they were drawing, which was exactly what she wanted. ¡°Why not? You wished to know. There is no way to know unless you ask. It is well.¡± ¡°Uh, still. I shouldn¡¯t have¡­poked my nose in.¡± ¡°It is well.¡± ¡°Well, if you¡¯re done asking my wife-to-be awkward and invasive questions, you can start packing up. Sun¡¯s going to dip soon.¡± Lukios sat up, patting Mai¡¯ra so she stood, then jerking backwards as she shook herself off. ¡°Ack, Mai¡¯ra! You got sand all over me again. Off you go! Go play with Vul¡¯kir. Maybe his good manners¡¯ll rub off on you someday.¡± Ba¡¯an was doubtful of this ever happening but held her peace. Instead, she stood and dusted herself off. It had been very sunny when they had sat down for dinner, and she was only wearing her dress. Now the sun was much lower in the sky and clouds had covered its light, throwing the entire area in shade. Shivering, she started folding rugs, but Lukios stopped her. ¡°You need to get in that tent and get some more clothes on before you freeze. Let¡¯s go.¡± He guided her away from the bustle. Inside the tent it was quite warm; the sun had heated it like an oven. ¡°I did not pack more clothes, Lukios.¡± ¡°I know. But I did.¡± He shook out a cloak and wrapped it around her, carefully fastening it with two pins so it stayed closed over her torso. ¡°How¡¯re your toes?¡± ¡°They are a little cold, but it is not bad.¡± ¡°Uh huh. I bet you¡¯d say that even if they were falling off.¡± ¡°I would not.¡± ¡°Uh huh. Wait here.¡± He ducked out of the tent then returned with their newly-dried sandals and tunic. He took a waterskin and washed her feet, wiping them dry before taking a fresh towel and tearing it into strips. ¡°Lukios!¡± Ba¡¯an was appalled. ¡°What are you doing? There was nothing wrong with that towel.¡± ¡°I know. I didn¡¯t pack any socks so I¡¯m going to wrap your feet in them. Your toes are cold sweetheart, and we have to ride a few hours. Hm, do you want to ride in the chariot? The food¡¯s mostly gone so there¡¯s space now. It¡¯ll be cozy and warm.¡± She shook her head. ¡°No, I will ride beside you. You have already destroyed the towel, Lukios, so I shall use it.¡± He laughed at her expression. ¡°It¡¯s just one towel, sweetheart. And we can get it sewn into something else. Don¡¯t scowl so.¡± He was kneeling, but even so all he had to do was push himself up to reach her face; she had been leaning down to watch him wrap her feet, so he did not have to exert himself to kiss her mouth. ¡°There. That¡¯s a much better look than a scowl.¡± He grinned and stood up. ¡°Sit, Lukios. I will wash your feet as well.¡± Ba¡¯an stood as well and indicated the now-vacant stool. He obeyed readily. Once they were finished, they packed up the tent as well. By now the sky was looking thunderously dark, and Ba¡¯an could smell rain in the air. ¡°Uh oh. That doesn¡¯t look good, does it?¡± ¡°It will rain soon, Lukios. I do not think we can ride to Heliopolis before it does so.¡± He was nodding. ¡°Yeah. We¡¯ll have to knock on a door. There¡¯s a few farms around here. If we¡¯re lucky, they¡¯ll let us bed down in their stable or barn.¡± He sent some of the escort ahead to find the nearest farm. It wasn¡¯t long before they returned, and they headed to the closest one that had appeared large enough to house them for the night. When they arrived, he sent Bethos to ask for guest-rights. ¡°I don¡¯t want to risk them recognizing me,¡± he said. ¡°Might turn out kind of awkward if they love me or hate me.¡± Well, that was true. Bethos returned shortly, grinning in a way that suggested he had been successful. ¡°We can use the stable,¡± he announced, hefting a small bag as well. ¡°They gave us a snack, too. Awfully nice of them, hm?¡± ¡°Good work.¡± Lukios sounded genuinely pleased. Bethos beamed, happy to hear even a simple word of praise from Lukios. The boy really did look up to him a great deal, Ba¡¯an could tell. They walked into the stable. There were ten of them in total with horses and the goats, so it was a tight fit. The oxen and horses that had been stabled there looked at them curiously; one of the horses neighed, as though asking them who they thought they were. Aeschylus snorted aggressively, and Lukios pulled him away. ¡°Nope. You¡¯re staying right here with me, my temperamental boy.¡± He patted him on the snout. ¡°Be good and you get a carrot later. How¡¯s that?¡± Aeschylus, Lukios, and Ba¡¯an bedded down in one of the empty stalls. Vul¡¯kir and Mai¡¯ra could not join them, on account of the fact that they did not get along with Aeschylus. They were left in another stall with some of the other horses that they did get along with, and Ba¡¯an could hear the men settle in whatever space was available. It was very tight. They had brought in the rugs from the chariot and distributed them. Lukios and Ba¡¯an had a very nice one, though she was concerned about fleas. Ba¡¯an focused, vibrating her soul in a way that was very hostile. Perhaps it would scare them into feeding elsewhere. From two stalls away, a horse neighed and shied away. Ah. Too much. She sighed and stopped. If any of them touched her she would suck out their souls. That was one way of avoiding an infestation. Lukios kissed her shoulder. ¡°You okay?¡± He was whispering very quietly, right into her ear. ¡°I know you hate strong smells. Sorry. Wasn¡¯t counting on bad weather. Damn, that turned fast.¡± It was true. They had found shelter just in time; Ba¡¯an could hear the rain coming down, hammering into the roof and ground. They would have been soaked to the bone in seconds had they camped outside. ¡°I am well.¡± She paused. ¡°Lukios, there are fleas.¡± She felt him shake with silent laughter. Once it died down, he kissed her again, very tenderly. ¡°Yes, sweetheart. They do tend to hang around animals a whole lot. Don¡¯t fret. We¡¯ll go get the delousing treatment for everyone once we return to Heliopolis.¡± ¡°Oh. How do you delouse here?¡± ¡°We have a kind of powder we bathe with and a special comb. Reeks, but it works.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± He held her tighter. ¡°Sorry, sweetheart. I know it bothers you.¡± ¡°I am well. It is only¡­I can hear them, so I know they are here.¡± He went quiet, stroking her gently in a comforting way. ¡°Want to ask if we can stay in the house?¡± She shook her head. ¡°It will be troublesome if you are recognized.¡± ¡°I can just send you in with Bethos or Altus.¡± She hesitated, then shook her head. ¡°No. I am well.¡± ¡°Sweetheart, I¡¯d rather you go over there and sleep.¡± She turned so her face was buried in his chest and shook her head. She was being very K¡¯Avaari¡ªtheir livestock did not have fleas. Pests were strictly controlled in a saa-vuti vur and bir-vuti, but without the use of advanced chemic and magic, the Dolkoi¡¯ri were not so effective at this. If you are so bothered by them, kill them. They are insects. Ba¡¯an stifled a sigh. Obviously, she would have already done this from a distance if she could. Of course you can. I have told you time and time again. Your body is not needed. It is a cage. Lukios sat up pushed the stall door open. ¡°Bethos.¡± ¡°Lukios, stop. I am well.¡± ¡°Commander?¡± He looked between them curiously. Ba¡¯an shook her head at him. ¡°Take Ba¡¯an up and see if they¡¯ll let her stay in the house.¡± ¡°Oh! Right. Of course.¡± Ba¡¯an shook her head, sitting up and tugging at his arm. ¡°It is not needed. I will sleep here.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think they¡¯d say no, sweetheart, especially if we paid them.¡± ¡°It is not needed. Bethos, we are sorry to have disturbed you. Goodnight.¡± Bethos looked at Lukios, then at Ba¡¯an, as though confused as to who he ought to obey. ¡°It is well, Bethos. Sleep.¡± Lukios nodded and waved his hand. Bethos lay back down, looking slightly flummoxed. Lukios was laughing again, very quietly. He shut the door to the stall and lay back down beside her. ¡°I think you¡¯re the Commander now.¡± She flushed. ¡°No. I am only¡­it is not needed. Everyone else is sleeping here, so I will as well.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not everyone else, though, Ba¡¯an. You¡¯re my¡ª¡± he nipped her ear ¡°¡ªsweetheart. So you can sleep up in the house if you want to.¡± ¡°I will sleep here with you.¡± He nuzzled her again. ¡°Okay. I can¡¯t say I¡¯m not happy about it. Want me to tell you a story? It¡¯ll distract you from the uh¡­you know.¡± ¡°Yes. I wish to hear about the time you went to Istafar.¡± ¡°Oh, really? Hm, okay. It¡¯s not very exciting, I¡¯ll warn you now. This was about eight years ago now. Rekos was up and coming as a young general, so he jumped at the chance to go out there and prove himself. Naturally, I was going with him¡­¡± Ba¡¯an listened to him talk, letting his voice soothe her. Interestingly enough, most of the fleas seemed to be attaching themselves to the animals¡ªMai¡¯ra and Vul¡¯kir were going to need a flea-bath. Immediately. She closed her eyes, letting his voice lull her to sleep as the rain came down on the roof. An Update on the Update! Hello, my beautiful readers! =D First of all: TSC has not been abandoned. This is a passion project, so it¡¯ll be a cold day in hell before I leave this baby to rot, so to speak! Since TSC has been on hiatus for months now, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re all wondering what in the blazes is going on. I apologize for the radio silence, but I¡¯ve been trying to make a firm decision one way or another. Namely, I HATE rewriting chapters on a weekly basis. It really destroys my ability to nudge everything into place (alignment can really only be ¡°perfected¡±¡ªas much as anything can be, that is¡ªvia extensive editing, as far as I¡¯m concerned) and being something of a perfectionist (I¡¯ve mostly kicked this habit, actually, but it¡¯s not fully gone, y¡¯know?), I am unreasonably upset by what I¡¯ve been producing. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. As such, I have decided to leave TSC on hiatus until I complete two tasks:
  1. Edit what I have now to the current chapter so everything is consistent and of the highest possible quality for a web novel;
  2. Finish rewriting Book I.
That¡¯s right. I¡¯m going to finish rewriting the entire thing before I start posting again. The upside to this is that if everything¡¯s done, I can probably just schedule the chapters to auto-update two or three times a week. This means we can get through the first book even faster! With that said, I¡¯m going to throttle that speed a little to give myself time to finish writing Book II, because I want that book to be done before I start posting again, too. Thank you for your patience, and I apologize for my erraticism (but you¡¯re used to it by now, right? I mean, creatives! We¡¯re so messy!*). Cheers, and hopefully, see you all soon! =) ¡ªbokhi *Haha, this is not 100% true, but this is my excuse and I¡¯m sticking with it. Lol? Progress update and TSC Trailer drop! [Not a Real Update!] Happy new year, my beautiful readers! =D Quick status update: Currently still in the rewriting phase (turns out...I wrote a lot of words. A lot. Of. Words) with the occasional chapter-writing. Still working away, albeit slower than I''d initially planned--but don''t worry, I have not abandoned this project! Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. To celebrate the new year (and also as an excuse to play around with Pika, which is super cool), I have created a TSC trailer. Can you guess who your favorite characters are? =D Thanks for all your support throughout 2023, and I wish you all an auspicious and happy new year! Cheers! --bokhi Sneak Peak (And oh boy, is it juicy!) [Ba''an begins to hunger for souls. When the party makes camp, Ba''an slips away to grab a meal, luring a desert fox into her clutches, only to get caught by Lukios.] There. A fox--a desert fox, ears pricked and alert, startled from its sleep too early by the noise of their passing. Ba''an crouched in the scraggly bush, still and focused, sending her magic down and out in little ripples; a fox didn''t understand magic, but creatures great and small were often sensitive to such vibrations--more so than their lumbering human brethern, that is. Ba''an did her best magical impression of a small, injured rodent. An observer would have seen nothing, but the fox--well. The fox''s ears pricked, hearing the small squeaking of a mouse that didn''t exist as Ba''an gently drew the creature into an illusion. A fox was often never so unwary, but she reached out with her magic until the creature felt hungry--so very hungry--and there was a mouse, an injured mouse, right there, wasn''t there...? It didn''t smell her there. It didn''t see her, either, or hear her. It walked right up to Ba''an, still thinking her a small, dying mouse, and Ba''an had no trouble reaching out with her hand and touching it, tugging its soul free-- There was no space for relief. She heard the souls before the footsteps, and she froze, fox still in hand. No. Ba''an looked down at the dead creature in her hands then stood quickly, casting about for some place to hide it, hide the evidence before he saw her, before he-- "--ere you are!" Lukios sauntered out of the bushes, grinning widely as his eyes fixed on her, and Ba''an knew it was too late; she couldn''t toss the fox behind a tree or some convenient shrubbery now without drawing attention to it and she froze, hoping he wouldn''t cast his eyes down and-- "What''s that?" Still smiling, he reached out and plucked the dead fox from her limp, cold fingers. He chuckled as he raised the carcass to examine it, saying, "Oh hey, you got us lunch!", but an instant later his eyebrows knit in confusion as he realized--as Ba''an knew he would--that the corpse was perfectly clean. There was no mark. No knife wounds. No impression from a wire. Nothing. "I--" Ba''an''s tongue had grown numb in her mouth as her mind blanked with panic. No. Not now. Why now? She couldn''t--she couldn''t explain herself now, she wasn''t ready, she wasn''t-- More footsteps. Voices. Souls. "--ing ''ere now? We gotta move!" "There is no need to be discourteous, Askles." Nikias. Ba''an took a step back, vision going nearly white. Lukios did not understand what it meant--what it meant for Ba''an to have a dead fox in her hands, without a mark on it--but Nikias would. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. He would know. Instantly. He had likely felt the life snuff out and if he saw it, saw the body, he would know and--and-- Lukios'' eyes had never left her face. He looked down at the dead fox in his hands, then at her face again, and, before Ba''an understood what was happening, he held the fox up and snapped its neck in one sharp, vicious movement. Ba''an stared up at him. "Lu-Lukios--" He reached over and squeezed her hand with a smile, then winked. He turned. "Hey ''Kles!" The man in question broke through the bush just in time. "Yeah?" "Catch!" Lukios tossed the carcass and the one-eyed man caught it one-handed with a low whistle. "Damn, you work fast." Askles glanced at the two of them with a raised eyebrow before shrugging and examining the fox. "Not bad. Pelt''s good, too. Guess we can keep rations in the wagon--the jerky, anyway." "We got meat?" The one Lukios had called Eunosanus popped out of the bushes next. "Damn, do I love travelling with Lucky." He grinned, clearly pleased at the prospect of fresh meat in the stew pot over jerky. Nikias stepped out of the greenery next, as calm and unruffled as usual. He didn''t even glance at the carcass and Ba''an nearly collapsed with relief. "As much as I appreciate a hot meal, we don''t have time for this. The morning''s delay means we can''t make a full stop for lunch. Dry rations." Eurosanus sighed. "Whatever you say, boss." He looked longingly at the carcass. "But stew would have made a damn good lunch." Nikias did not dignify that with a response. Instead he turned his head to look at Ba''an. "Lady Ba''an. I ask you refrain from exploring the terrain alone. Aside from being dangerous, you have slowed our progress to the next village." Ba''an smoothed out a non-existent wrinkle in her dress. "I merely needed a moment alone." And finally, Nikias frowned. "I don''t believe that is prudent. Dita and the girls were concerned when they could not find you." "Oh come on," Lukios groused. "Don''t say it like it''s Ba''an''s fault they lost her. It''s their job to attend to their lady." He rolled his eyes dramatically. "And it''s not like she went that far anyway. I found her right away and we''re not that off course. I promise you lady Origos is still laying out her lunch, not packing it away." "Hm." Nikias turned away. "Regardless, we have found the stream." He gestured and Askles and Eurosanus, who Ba''an only now realized were carrying buckets, stepped forward and around her, heading toward the rushing water on the other side of the trees. Nikias turned his head to look at Ba''an and Lukios over his shoulder. "Coming?" "Yeah, yeah. Give us a moment." Nikias frowned, but glanced down the treeline at Askles and Eurosanus. Both she and Lukios were in plain sight--all the men had to do was turn around to see them. Nikias only nodded and stepped back up into the bushes, though he did not leave. Ba''an could feel him just out of sight, waiting. Lukios turned to Ba''an. "You okay, sweetheart?" His voice was low and quiet, and she knew no one else had heard him. "Yes." The anxiety returned. "Lukios. I--that is...I am..." He only smiled and held out his hand. "You can tell me whatever you want, Ba''an. Whenever you want. Or never." He glanced down the treeline--ensuring Askles and his friend had their backs turned--and quickly kissed her temple, his lips warm and gentle as always. He dipped his head down as his voice dropped to a whisper. "Don''t care." Terrible relief nearly brought to her knees. Guilt--the shame of being too weak to speak--nearly brought her to tears. Instead of dropping to her knees and weeping, Ba''an slipped her hand into his; satisfied, Lukios tugged her gently and led her out of the bushes and onto the sun-drenched road. Sneak Peak (Introducing...Aristos the Bull!) "What do you mean you lost him?" Mehrdad had arrived at the gates of Kyros with the dawn, red and gold banner flying behind him in the stiff autumn breeze as the sun rose, bathing them in light. Lit from behind, he and his men had developed a glowing, golden silhouette; it was all very impressive, and a small crowd had gathered on the walls and ground to watch them pass. Some of them had even broken out into cheers, calling for the Lion even when it was obvious the man himself was elsewhere. He had timed it exactly right because that''s what Mehrdad always did: he got it right. It wasn''t that the entire Pride--the men who had come back, that is--was planning to enter Kyros. There wasn''t an inn large enough to hold them all. No, the point had been to send a clear message that the Lion''s Pride was alive and well, ready to roar, and the men at the gates hadn''t even stopped them--hadn''t demanded a bribe either, knowing better than to try it with Aristos the Bull. He''d even come wearing that stupid bull-horned helm. It was tacky and showy but Farhad had said to make an impression and so that''s what Mehrdad had done: he''d come in full regalia with that fancy banner raised and fluttering, and he''d gone and made a show of it, exactly like Farhad would have done. It wasn''t really Mehrdad''s style, but Farhad had asked it of him; Mehrdad hadn''t had it in him to refuse a man so recently back from the dead, particularly since that man was his brother--his only living kin. Well, the only living kin that counted. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. House Helios didn''t count. But now, after all that, they had lost him? Lost him? The Lion? Lukios the Lion? Mehrdad''s brother? Again? To his credit, Epitus didn''t flinch. Grown men cowered before the might of Aristos the Bull, but Epilektoi Epitus was not one of them. But he did go a little bit pale, because Aristos the Bull was...Aristos the Bull. "I''m sayin'' I ain''t got no clue where Lucky''s gone. He ain''t here no more." "And you can''t say we lost him," Askles chimed in. "He''s a grown man. What do you mean we lost him?" Mehrdad slowly turned his head to stare into Askles'' eye. The man didn''t flinch either, but his shoulders wobbled before he stiffened his back. "You''re telling me," Mehrdad said, very slowly, as if speaking to simpletons--because he was--"you don''t know where he went even though he hired you for this job and told you to assemble here--right here--and none of you even bothered go looking for him? You decided to sit here drinking until he got back?" Mehrdad wasn''t prone to rages. No, lack of control was a sign of weakness, not strength, and he channeled his anger as needed--it was a tool, nothing more. But this--this was beginning to irritate him. Dumb and Dumber didn''t seem to understand the implications of a newly adopted Helios getting attacked on the road, surviving, returning, then disappearing again right after announcing his return. Did they not realize what this looked like? Were they not concerned? Dumber shifted, his face a lesson in discomfort, and Mehrdad pounced. "Out with it." Epitus wriggled like a worm on a hook, but Mehrdad''s stare could wear down a cliff wall. His voice ground out like gravel against a millstone. "Epitus." The red-head shuffled his feet then rubbed his hand over his nose. "Well, he had a fight with the missus," he said, and Mehrdad almost dropped his wine. ...The missus?