《The Prince's Garden》


 1. Welcome to the Flower Bed

    -Jaonah-


    Taegen leaned back in his seat at my side and nudged me with his elbow. ¡°That¡¯s hardly the response one expects from a man on his way to a brothel.¡±


    Despite my misgivings about the evening, I managed a wan smile. ¡°But surely it¡¯s the response you expected from me. I¡¯m not nearly as at home in such a setting as the two of you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lump me in with that reprobate,¡± Lorant protested from his seat across the carriage, flinging a dismissive gesture at our prince.


    ¡°Reprobate though I may be,¡± Taegen admitted with a grin, ¡°you¡¯ll both be thanking me for it tomorrow, mark my words.¡±


    By all accounts, we shouldn¡¯t have bothered with any diversions that night. We had been traveling for days and had days more ahead of us; our stopping in Vallerie should have only been to rest and resupply. Yet as we¡¯d entered the city, my cousin had started in with tales he¡¯d heard of a famed brothel ¡°unlike any other,¡± an establishment called The Flower Bed. It didn¡¯t surprise me to hear that he was interested in such a place, knowing what I did of his lifestyle back home in the Elvin Empire¡¯s capital city¡ªbut I was a bit shocked that he was insisting Lorant and I go with him.


    ¡°You¡¯ve not told us what about this place makes it so singular,¡± Lorant went on. ¡°If you¡¯ve seen one den of iniquity¡ªand I¡¯m certain you have, Highness¡ªyou¡¯ve seen them all.¡± As a captain of the Imperial Guard, some ten to twenty years older than us, Lorant had significantly more discipline than my cousin or I could boast. Small wonder that Taegen¡¯s promises didn¡¯t tempt him.


    ¡°That, my friend, is where you¡¯re wrong.¡± Taegen remained supremely unbothered, tossing fair hair out of his eyes as he mused. ¡°I¡¯m told that a man hasn¡¯t truly lived until he¡¯s visited the Flower Bed and enjoyed its charms. That there are women so lovely and skilled in their craft that no man can resist their wiles for long.¡±


    Lorant rolled his eyes, and I remained silent, gazing out at the darkened city streets as we continued through them. I was quite certain I could resist any woman with little to no effort, as their ¡®wiles¡¯ had never held much interest for me. Taegen knew of my preference for men, so I would¡¯ve expected him to realize that and spare me what was sure to be a disappointing evening.


    ¡°And it¡¯s my understanding,¡± he continued as though he¡¯d read my thoughts, magicking a gust of wind at me for my attention, ¡°that beautiful women aren¡¯t all they have to offer. There¡¯s something for everyone, as it were.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. ¡°In a human kingdom? That¡¯s surprising. They¡¯re typically too prudish to allow that sort of thing.¡± All the more reason to keep my inclinations to myself while away from home.


    ¡°Haven¡¯t I told you Rilleaud is different? Some would even say this country is as debauched as our own beloved Empire,¡± Taegen snickered, lazily performing the one-handed obeisance used for our homeland. ¡°The city of Vallerie, especially. All I ask is that you both approach the evening with an open mind. If you can do that and still find you don¡¯t enjoy yourselves, I shall never again force my libertine ways upon you.¡±


    We reached the inn where we would be staying the night, in theory, and our party of three dispersed into individual rooms. It was a nice enough boarding house, far nicer than the one previous on the borders of the Empire. My room was spacious, if modestly furnished, and the air was quiet enough that my thoughts quickly sought to fill it.


    I appreciated my cousin¡¯s intentions, of course. These diplomatic ventures on behalf of his aunt and uncle, the emperes, were often bland affairs despite his efforts to enliven them. It was understandable that he should want a night to enjoy himself before we met with Rilleaud¡¯s royal family. And really, if he was right, if there would indeed be more appealing¡­options for me, I supposed I should take this a bit more seriously. If nothing else, he¡¯d made it clear that the Flower Bed was no alleyside bordello, so I wouldn¡¯t want to embarrass myself by being underdressed.


    Still somewhat unsure, I nevertheless made myself presentable after the day¡¯s travel, washing my face and changing into a fresh¡ªand admittedly more sophisticated¡ªensemble: belted batiste tunic, twill trousers, samite cloak. Taegen was sure to be in his princely best, so it only seemed right that I hold my own next to him.


    True to form, when he came to retrieve me, he was adorned in silk jacquard and soft leather, blond hair swept back from his eyes. A still-reluctant Lorant waited at his back, diligently scanning the corridor as if expecting an attack. His official capacity on this journey was as my cousin¡¯s bodyguard, which was likely the only reason he¡¯d agreed to accompany us to the Flower Bed.


    ¡°Why look at you, cousin,¡± Taegen said with a grin. ¡°One might think you expected something to come of the night.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re already dragging me along against my will,¡± I reminded him flatly, following him down the corridor. ¡°Spare me the surplus teasing, if you would.¡±


    ¡°Hear, hear,¡± Lorant agreed, and Taegen waved us off with a sigh.


    ¡°How nice to know my two most trusted companions tire of my company so quickly.¡± He led us from the boarding house and along the lane deeper into town, seeming quite confident in himself despite having never visited the city before. Our journey ended in the midst of the town at what appeared to be a shop like any other. Light shone from within curtained windows, but it was otherwise unremarkable.


    ¡°Are you certain this is the correct address?¡± Lorant asked, echoing my skepticism. ¡°Who gave you this information? If they were having you on¡ª¡±


    ¡°So suspicious,¡± Taegen said, shaking his head and pulling the door open. ¡°That serves you well as a soldier, my friend, but it¡¯s not necessary here.¡± He strode into the building, leading us through the entryway and past thick velvet curtains into a dimly-lit antechamber. On the far wall was a heavy oak door, guarded by a single richly-dressed sentry. His posture was impeccable, his face obscured by a volto mask of gleaming silver. At his side was a table on which rested several rows of black half-masks. After a moment of regarding us through dark eyes, observing my cousin¡¯s tapered ears and fine garments, he spoke with a notable Rilleaudin accent.


    ¡°Prince Taegen,¡± he said, inclining his head. ¡°Welcome to the Flower Bed; we¡¯ve been anticipating your arrival.¡± In my periphery, I saw Lorant¡¯s eyes narrow suspiciously.


    ¡°I¡¯m pleased to hear it. We¡¯re quite curious as to what awaits us inside,¡± my cousin answered pleasantly.


    ¡°We trust you won¡¯t be disappointed. Before you enter, please don your masks¡±¡ªhe gestured to the table¡ª¡°in order to protect your identities.¡±


    ¡°Protect them?¡± Lorant repeated critically. ¡°You clearly know who we are. What point is there in pretending otherwise?¡±


    ¡°I am personally tasked with keeping track of our guests,¡± the man agreed with another half-bow. ¡°Those inside, however, are anonymous. We value our patrons¡¯ and Flowers¡¯ safety and privacy above all.¡± His eyes lingered on the sword belted at Lorant¡¯s hip, but because of the mask, his expression was unreadable. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I must insist. This is one of Madam Elain¡¯s provisions for entry.¡±


    ¡°Where is your sense of adventure, captain?¡± Taegen asked, already tying one of the offered masks about his head. ¡°It¡¯s a harmless part of the ritual.¡± Despite growing increasingly impatient with all this, Lorant conceded and took a mask for himself, while I did the same.


    Satisfied, the sentry gave us one final nod and took a key from within his coat to unlock the door for us. It led directly to a steep staircase, which my cousin started down without hesitation. As we descended, the door swung shut behind us and locked once more.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like this,¡± Lorant declared, as if there were any way we didn¡¯t know it already.


    ¡°There are stranger things going on in the capital,¡± Taegen pointed out, relaxed as ever. Perhaps not relaxed; he seemed quite excited. But at least carefree. ¡°Why not be honest and admit it¡¯s the humans you dislike?¡±


    ¡°What I dislike is all this performative secrecy and subterfuge,¡± the captain grumbled. ¡°But for the sake of clarity, no, I don¡¯t like the humans either.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re being awfully quiet, cousin.¡± Glancing at me over his shoulder, Taegen asked, ¡°Are you as wary as Lorant? Should I have left you both in your rooms?¡±


    ¡°Forgive us for not being as comfortable with this business as you are, Prince Taegen,¡± I said, imitating the doorman¡¯s accent: the breathy, guttural R and the unnecessary emphasis on his name¡¯s first syllable. He laughed aloud at that as we reached the foot of the stairs, where double doors swung open before we could touch them.


    As we crossed the threshold and finally laid eyes on the Flower Bed itself, I heard Lorant mutter under his breath, ¡°Spirits and heavens.¡± I could hardly blame him for being awestruck.


    The place was massive, its area the rival of any hall of the Imperial palace. Opening out before us was an entrance hall with an elaborate chandelier and a terrace on the far wall. Corridors on either side suggested even this sprawling room wasn¡¯t the entirety of the space. The walls were draped with blackest silk, the furnishings all dark tufted velvet and Cherrywood. Scattered about the room were men and women of various ages and dressed in various styles. Some wore silver masks like the first we¡¯d met; they stood silently along the walls, presumably as some form of security. Many others, likely patrons as we were, wore black half-masks similar to our own, though some were more decorated than others. Longtime clients, perhaps? The rest of the room¡¯s occupants wore masks of crimson, violet, emerald, and, for a rare few, gold.


    ¡°Do the colors have meaning?¡± I wondered aloud.


    ¡°Everything has meaning, my lord.¡± A dulcet voice with a familiar accent answered, and I was surprised to see a young elvin woman approach us, her golden curls pinned back to display her ears. In her hands was a gleaming silver platter on which several flutes of sparkling wine stood. Taegen and I both accepted a glass, while Lorant stiffly abstained. Smiling behind an emerald-colored mask, the young woman went on, ¡°It all depends on what you¡¯re seeking.¡±


    ¡°Could you explain the differences to us?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Could I? Certainly. But where would be the fun in so easily dispelling the mystery? The night is still young; you¡¯ve plenty of time to explore and learn as you go. For now, perhaps just acquaint yourselves with the hall,¡± she suggested, her eyes wandering unabashedly up and down Lorant¡¯s frame. ¡°All will be made clear in due time, but do try to enjoy yourselves without worrying over the details. As men of the Empire¡±¡ªshe repeated the gesture of respect Taegen had made earlier, the one most elves used when speaking of the Empire or its rulers¡ª¡°you must be familiar with that idea.¡±


    ¡°Some of us are, yes,¡± I agreed, shooting my cousin a glance.


    ¡°Thank you, my dear,¡± he told the elvin lass, retrieving a few silver coins from his pocket to place them on the tray alongside several others. ¡°We¡¯ll be sure to explore all that you have to offer.¡± She answered with a flirtatious smile and a curtsey before moving on to serve another patron. Raising his glass to us, Taegen added, ¡°This, gentlemen, is where I leave you. We¡¯re all more likely to enjoy the evening if we do so separately, so I¡¯ll allow you that freedom, and we¡¯ll be back to Their Excellencies¡¯ business in the morning.¡± Without another moment of hesitation, he strode off to approach a red-haired woman in a purple mask who sat alone looking rather bored.


    Lorant exchanged a glance with me, then shrugged and wandered away, though he seemed significantly less enthused on the matter. In fact, I wondered whether he even intended to seek companionship for the evening or if he was simply going to be in the vicinity.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    Now alone, without Taegen¡¯s brazen confidence or Lorant¡¯s dry disinterest to lead me, I stood still and took a sip of my wine. Humans tended to favor darker varietals, but the sparkling white in my glass was crisp and pleasantly tart, with an undertone I couldn¡¯t quite place. Refreshingly familiar, reminiscent of home. Perhaps Rilleaud had more in common with the Empire than I¡¯d thought.


    Realizing I was still standing in the doorway and beginning to feel self-conscious, I made my way further into the room, discreetly observing the men in colored masks around the room. As promised, there was no shortage. Many of them were taller and broader than me, muscular bodies displayed in half-laced shirts and tight trousers. Not exactly what I was looking for, and in any case, most of them were occupied with entertaining female clients. Of course, the fact that there were male courtesans didn¡¯t mean they were all open to being with other men. I should¡¯ve known better than to raise my hopes to begin with.


    Disappointed but hardly surprised, I instead explored the facility, meandering through a curtained corridor on the right and into a low-ceilinged room scattered with sofas and ottomans on which still more ¡®Flowers¡¯ lounged. Many sat clustered with guests in groups of three or four, sharing tall, multi-stemmed waterpipes; the air was laced with the heady scent of poppy. I found a seat on an empty sofa and made myself comfortable to observe the room.


    ¡°All alone tonight, my lord?¡± Soon enough, a sweet-faced young woman with a red mask noticed my presence and settled delicately onto the cushion next to me. ¡°How is it no one else has sought to keep you company already?¡±


    ¡°I suppose I don¡¯t call as much attention as the rest of your clientele,¡± I mused, trying to decide how to tell her I wasn¡¯t interested in her ¡®company¡¯ and that she would have better luck elsewhere. I didn¡¯t want to be rude, but neither did I want to waste her time.


    ¡°To the contrary; you certainly called my attention,¡± she insisted, moving in a bit closer to my side. When I drew away, she immediately backed off. ¡°Apologies, my lord. I don¡¯t mean to be intrusive.¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯ve done nothing wrong. I only¡­¡± My explanation trailed off as my eyes fell on the group to our right, where a man perhaps my own age¡ªfrom what I could see past his shining gold mask¡ªhad just settled onto a plush ottoman. He was dressed all in white, from his bishop-sleeved blouse to the breeches hugging his long legs. Sleek raven hair fell just past his shoulders, and as he joined in the conversation, his lips curved into a slight smile. I found myself staring and swallowed reflexively. I hadn¡¯t realized until that moment what I was looking for, but now that I¡¯d seen him, I couldn¡¯t imagine any more beautiful man was to be found.


    ¡°Ah, I see,¡± the young woman at my side said, forcing me to tear my eyes away from him. When I looked back at her, she was smiling knowingly, almost sympathetically. ¡°Your desires aren¡¯t the sort I can satisfy.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to disappoint,¡± I muttered, flushing slightly at having been so obvious in my admiration.


    ¡°Oh, not at all. One can¡¯t help what he prefers. That said¡­¡± She hesitated a moment, then leaned in to continue quietly, ¡°I advise caution if you do choose to pursue Oleander. There is far more to him than meets the eye.¡± With this cryptic warning and a polite nod, she left me to seek better prospects.


    Despite myself, I glanced at the dark-haired man¡ªOleander, she had called him¡ªonce again. He was already quite something to look at; if there was more to him than that, I was curious to discover it. Even his body language as he sat still, the languid and relaxed quality of his posture, held my gaze. I could only hope my staring wasn¡¯t evident to everyone else.


    ¡°We¡¯ve so missed you of late, my darling,¡± a woman in a black mask was telling him chidingly. ¡°Where have you been all this time?¡±


    ¡°Madam, you and I both know you¡¯ll lose all interest in me if I¡¯m too forthcoming,¡± he purred in the strongest Rilleaudin accent I¡¯d yet heard. ¡°I¡¯ll leave the answer to your imagination.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s been weeks!¡± a second woman whined. ¡°It¡¯s cruel of you to stay away for so long, knowing we¡¯re suffering in your absence.¡±


    ¡°Forgive me for saying so, my lady, but you¡¯ve seen me much crueler,¡± he answered with a wicked smirk. ¡°This hardly qualifies. Besides, I¡¯m here tonight for you to enjoy to your heart¡¯s content.¡±


    My hopes of catching his attention quickly faded. Perhaps he was already engaged for the evening. Perhaps he was only interested in women. I drained the last of my wine and set my glass aside, debating on trying one of those pipes in the hopes of building up my courage to speak to him.


    The heavy curtains swept aside as someone else hurried into the room, and I glanced up to see the young elvin woman who had greeted us earlier. A tall, well-dressed human man followed at her heels. ¡°I¡¯ve told you already, I won¡¯t,¡± she said softly. ¡°I¡¯m not comfortable with it. Please, ask someone else.¡±


    ¡°I want you,¡± the man insisted, his voice low, almost warning. He moved to cut off her path, and she visibly cowered. ¡°I¡¯ll be more careful this time, Satella. I¡¯ll be gentler.¡±


    I didn¡¯t at all like where this was going. Still, was it my place to intervene? Many courtesans in the Empire couldn¡¯t afford to refuse work, but it should have been her prerogative nevertheless. Oleander¡¯s conversation had fallen silent, and I noticed he was now watching the exchange intently, a frown creasing his handsome face.


    ¡°You say that every time,¡± the girl said softly, stealing a furtive glance in Oleander¡¯s direction. Perhaps he was a friend?


    ¡°You ought to be grateful I keep coming back for you.¡± When her would-be client noticed her darting eyes, he snarled, ¡°Look at me, you spike-eared slut!¡± He grabbed her jaw roughly and forced her to face him, shocking a pained cry from her lips. The tray in her hands clattered loudly to the ground, and suddenly the room went silent. I found myself standing, unable to watch one of my people being abused without acting¡ªbut Oleander moved faster.


    Within seconds, he was on his feet and had produced a stiletto dagger, which he now held but a hair¡¯s breadth from the other man¡¯s throat. Everything was very still, the room¡¯s other occupants frozen to observe the altercation. In a tone reminiscent of brittle ice only just holding together, Oleander commanded, ¡°Release her. Gently.¡±


    Despite the rage in his expression, the other man remained still and removed his hand from Satella¡¯s jaw, allowing her to take a trembling step back. I wanted to come forward, to see if I might help at all, but as I hesitated, one of her fellows, an older woman, swept in to bear her from the room.


    ¡°You should know better than to mistreat a Flower,¡± Oleander admonished, keeping his blade poised where it was. ¡°Gardeners don¡¯t look on that sort of thing lightly.¡± Though the other human didn¡¯t respond aloud, this cryptic reprimand made his face turn ashen.


    Two silver-masked men entered the room, and Oleander stepped back with a sigh, shifting his weight and letting the dagger hang lazily from his fingers. ¡°Off you go, my lord. And don¡¯t cause any more trouble; I¡¯m sure Madam Elain would prefer her parlor not become a crime scene.¡± The offender put his head down, fists tightly clenched, but allowed the guards to escort him from the room. Oleander watched them leave, then knelt to tuck his dagger into a sheath within one of his gray leather boots. Once back on his feet, he realized all the others were still watching him and let out a lighthearted laugh. ¡°Forgive the interruption, my ladies and lords. Some people simply can¡¯t help but be greedy.¡±


    As they all dissolved into curious murmurs and went about their business, he seemed to notice me standing and swept me a thoughtful look. Cursing the tension in my body and hoping it wasn¡¯t visible, I tried to speak confidently. ¡°Your name is Oleander, yes? It¡¯s fitting.¡±


    Tilting his head to one side, he asked, ¡°How so?¡±


    ¡°Like the flower of the same name, you¡¯re clearly dangerous,¡± I told him, trying to control the spike of my heart rate, ¡°but beautiful enough that one might accept that risk.¡± His mouth split into a smile that sent a delighted chill down my spine. Spirits and heavens, he is gorgeous.


    Apparently forgetting his prior conversation, he came to seat himself next to me and patted the sofa cushion so I had no choice but to sit as well. Sprawling on his side but keeping his gray eyes fixed on me, he noted, ¡°You have me at a disadvantage, my lord. Will you tell me your name to even the odds?¡±


    ¡°Then what purpose would there be in the masks?¡±


    His smile didn¡¯t falter. ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be your real name, if you prefer. Just give me something to address you by.¡±


    In truth, I wanted to hear him say my name. I wanted to hear him say a great many things, in fact, and the list grew with every moment. ¡°Jaonah.¡± He nodded thoughtfully, eyes wandering away from mine, and I knew what he must be thinking. Brushing my hair back to show my ears, which were more tapered than his but not so much as my cousin¡¯s, I explained, ¡°I¡¯m half-human. That is what you were wondering, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°I was,¡± he confessed. ¡°You sound very much like an elf, but¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yes, I know.¡± As much as I wanted to speak with him, this topic was hardly my favorite.


    ¡°That¡¯s why you were concerned for Satella, then,¡± he reasoned, and I nodded. ¡°Good.¡±


    ¡°Good?¡± I repeated, raising an eyebrow at him.


    ¡°Satella is a sweet girl. I consider her a friend.¡± Leaning in slightly, he went on, ¡°I would hate to think that I might have to compete with her for your attention.¡± Some part of me knew very well that this was all a game, that he might say the same thing to any potential client, but he certainly presented it convincingly.


    ¡°There¡¯s no danger of that, I can promise you.¡± I turned slightly to face him, and my knee brushed briefly against his, but he didn¡¯t draw away for a moment. Another Flower in a green mask appeared to offer more wine, so Oleander took a glass for each of us. Perhaps hoping to show him I was worth his time, I took a gold coin from my pocket and placed it on the server¡¯s tray. Her eyes widened slightly, and she gave me a coquettish smile as she left, but if Oleander noticed, he didn¡¯t mention it. Was it gauche to try to impress him with money? All that I knew of situations like this had been learned from Taegen¡¯s tales of his exploits, so it was difficult to gauge exactly what was proper.


    ¡°It¡¯s rare to see elves outside the Empire,¡± Oleander noted, twirling the stem of his glass idly between his fingers. ¡°To my knowledge, the only two in Vallerie are employed here with us. Are you here to stay? Or just passing through?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m only here for the evening, I¡¯m afraid.¡±


    ¡°On your way to better things, no doubt. We¡¯ll have to be sure this is an evening to remember, then.¡± He gave me another playful look, and I took a large sip of wine in a vain attempt to cool myself down. ¡°Does that mean you¡¯re one of the emperor¡¯s diplomats? I¡¯ve heard more and more envoys have been crossing your borders lately.¡±


    ¡°My cousin is the diplomat, not me. I¡¯m simply accompanying him on the emperes¡¯ business, as a second¡­voice of the Empire. And in case he needs any real magic done,¡± I snickered. Taegen could best me with a sword easily enough, but I outstripped him by far in terms of spellcraft.


    ¡°Oh, is that a talent of yours?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s more likely a matter of access to training and education. My magic may be impressive, but I had impressive teachers and resources,¡± I explained. ¡°It¡¯s not as if it¡¯s something inborn.¡±


    ¡°Or perhaps you¡¯re just modest,¡± Oleander suggested. ¡°And now you have me very curious about this impressive magic you do. Will you show me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure this is the best time or place for a demonstration. What¡¯s impressive to me might be intimidating to others, and I¡¯d rather not be thrown out for misconduct as that last fellow was.¡±


    With a pout and an exaggerated sigh, he conceded, ¡°Later, perhaps? I so rarely have the opportunity to witness elvin magic, and the sort humans do just can¡¯t compare.¡±


    ¡°If it means that much to you, then certainly. Assuming I can keep your attention long enough, that is.¡± I stole another glance at him, trying and failing to be discreet in what I was implying. After all, he might easily decide he was bored with me or could find a better opportunity elsewhere. I could only hope that wouldn¡¯t be the case.


    Seeing the apprehension on my face, he smiled and shook his head. ¡°Unless you choose to send me away, you have my attention, Jaonah. For as long as you care to keep it.¡±


    As expected, the sound of my name in his rich and smooth voice bloomed heat in my chest, not least of all because he¡¯d pronounced it correctly. I took a deep breath in an effort to pace myself despite wanting to get him alone as soon as possible. ¡°Ahem. I was surprised at how you responded when Satella was threatened. Are all Flowers similarly armed?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no. I¡¯m a very special Flower,¡± he chuckled. I certainly agreed.


    ¡°And the ¡®gardeners¡¯ you mentioned? Who are they? Your friends in the silver masks, perhaps?¡±


    He looked surprised for a moment, then smiled mischievously. ¡°You haven¡¯t heard the rumors? Well, I suppose you haven¡¯t been in Vallerie for long. No, my lord, there is only one Gardener, and you won¡¯t find him here.¡±


    ¡°Yet you talk about him as I if should know who he is.¡± I¡¯d had enough wine by this point that I was beginning to feel pleasantly warm and relaxed a bit further in my seat. ¡°A figure of power in Vallerie, I suppose?¡±


    ¡°In all of Rilleaud, in fact. The Garden is all but an institution.¡± Oleander leaned in a little closer, dropping his voice slightly, and it took all my willpower not to gaze intently at his lips. ¡°It¡¯s an organization, a network of professionals, shall we say, carrying out covert operations for the rich and powerful. Or so I¡¯m told.¡±


    ¡°Covert operations?¡± I repeated. ¡°Such as?¡±


    ¡°Difficult to say. I¡¯ve never met any of them myself. One assumes information-gathering, at the very least. Beyond that¡­¡± He shrugged lazily, continuing with great relish, ¡°Who knows?¡± It was an interesting concept, a group of¡ªwhat?¡ªspies? Informants? Assassins? The Empire had its share of subterfuge and noble intrigue, so the idea wasn¡¯t entirely foreign. The strangest part was how interested Oleander seemed to be in it.


    ¡°And you¡¯re saying that the Flower Bed is somehow related to this ¡®Garden¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no.¡± He sat back and laughed airily at the idea, suddenly abandoning all his earlier secrecy. ¡°Of course not. It¡¯s just a rumor that arose from the fortunate name of our establishment. There¡¯s no truth to it, but the good people of Vallerie don¡¯t have to know that. You can keep a secret, can¡¯t you, my lord?¡±


    I had to laugh at that. ¡°I¡¯m an unmarried elvin prince in a human country. Of course I can keep a secret.¡± I didn¡¯t realize how bitter that must sound until I saw the smile fade from Oleander¡¯s lips to be replaced with sympathy. Clearing my throat, embarrassed, I tried to amend myself, but he stopped me with a gentle hand on my arm.


    ¡°For tonight, you are an elvin prince in Rilleaud, in a darkened room, in a mask, and in good company,¡± he purred, fingertips gliding lightly up my arm toward my shoulder. His pale eyes flickered down toward my lips, and I thought for a moment that he might kiss me, but he likely realized our masks would be in the way. Would we have to keep them on all night? That would be a disappointment.


    ¡°The only company I¡¯m truly interested in is yours, beauty,¡± I confessed, catching his hand in mine, praying I wasn¡¯t being too bold. ¡°Tell me how I might have it all to myself.¡±


    He seemed taken aback by how earnestly I wanted him, and I almost worried I¡¯d committed some breach of etiquette¡ªbut quickly enough, his smile returned, as warm as ever. ¡°All you had to do was ask.¡± He finished his wine and set the glass aside on the table in front of us, then got up and pulled me to my feet. Tense with desire, hardly able to believe my luck, I followed his lead.

 2. Alone at Last

    -Jaonah-


    With his fingers laced loosely through mine, Oleander led me up a curving set of stairs on our right. Upstairs was a long hall lined with doors. As we walked, I found myself on the terrace I had seen earlier, and I chance a look down out of vague curiosity. My cousin, unsurprisingly, was seated in a plush armchair with a young woman on his lap and two others at his sides, entertaining all of them at once. It took a moment more of searching to find Lorant, and I was surprised to see him in a secluded corner of the room, with none other than Satella curled up in his arms. How very like him to seek out the only elvin lass available.


    ¡°Ahem.¡± Oleander called my attention, pushing open one of the ivory-painted doors, which stood starkly against the black walls. ¡°Shall we?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    The room he led me into was larger than I might have imagined, its main feature being a large, silk-covered bed on the far wall. I observed the space as Oleander locked the door behind us, finding a counter to my left, which held chilled bottles of wine, glasses, and a few select food items. To my right was what appeared to be a closet, closed off by a thick velvet curtain.


    ¡°Is it¡­impolite to ask what I¡¯ll be paying for your time?¡± I ventured, glancing toward Oleander. ¡°Whatever the cost, I¡¯ll be happy to pay it, of course! I thought you might ask for your payment before we go any further, and I don¡¯t want to give you the impression that I won¡¯t respect it.¡±


    From what I could see, the smile on his lips looked like one of amusement. ¡°I appreciate your candor, my lord, but as I mentioned before, I am a very special Flower. You see, this¡±¡ªhe touched the edge of his shining gold mask¡ª¡°means I have the freedom to set my own price. On that note, would you prefer that I leave it on?¡±


    ¡°Not at all,¡± I answered quickly, eager to see him without it. ¡°If you¡¯re comfortable with removing it, please do.¡± With a slight nod, he did as I asked, setting the gleaming accessory aside on the counter and revealing the loveliest man I¡¯d ever seen underneath. Humans often praised my people for our ¡®beauty,¡¯ but I¡¯d never met an elf who compared with Oleander. His features were so soft, his eyes gentle but fully engaged, and there was something quietly enigmatic behind that smile. More fascinating all the time.


    ¡°We can discuss payment later.¡± He sauntered toward me and reached for the ties of my mask as well, pausing for my consent. I nodded, so he easily slipped my mask off to discard it. ¡°That¡¯s possibly the least interesting part of the night¡¯s proceedings, as I see it.¡± His arms draped over my shoulders to draw me into an embrace, and I swallowed hard as my hands came shakily to rest on his waist.


    ¡°I suppose,¡± I conceded, undeniably distracted as he pushed my hair back behind my ear and leaned down to run his tongue slowly up the length of it. Spirits¡­ When he raised his head to meet my eyes, I was struck again by his beauty and asked without meaning to, ¡°May I kiss you?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so formal, Jaonah,¡± he told me. ¡°Do with me what you will. For the night, I¡¯m yours.¡± The phrasing of his offer was too tempting not to accept. With only a moment¡¯s hesitation, I leaned in and pressed my lips to his, raising my head slightly to compensate for the difference in our heights. Oleander took in a deep breath and tilted his head to meet me, letting his lips part so that my tongue could slip past them. He still tasted faintly of wine, and the soft moan that passed from his mouth to mine sent a delicious chill of intrigue through me.


    When he drew away for a breath, fingers sliding up the back of my neck and into my hair, he purred, ¡°And I would be lying if I said this was purely for your benefit.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Warmth of a different sort spread through my chest as I held him closer still, trying to memorize the feeling of his body¡ªsurprisingly solid despite his willowy frame¡ªagainst mine. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I suppose you wouldn¡¯t know it, having been in Vallerie for only a short time now, but sincerity like yours is in short supply,¡± he explained, his tone fading from seduction to reflection as he trailed brief kisses along my neck. ¡°It¡¯s refreshing, to say the least. Rilleaud has too many secrets, too much to hide.¡±


    ¡°Might the same be said of you?¡± I mused, and he chuckled against my skin.


    ¡°You have no idea. It¡¯s safe to say no one in our fair country knows its many secrets better than I do.¡± That seemed quite a claim for any one person to make, and I began to get the impression that Oleander was much more than a simple courtesan. That likely should have made me wary of him, and maybe it did to a point, but I had already professed my interest in him despite any danger it might come with; that interest had yet to fade.


    ¡°I imagine that must get exhausting.¡±


    ¡°Oh, never fear, my lord. It takes much more than that to exhaust me. We¡¯ll see whether you¡¯re up to the task yourself.¡± As he spoke, he was unclasping my cloak to let it fall from my shoulders, distracting me significantly from the unexpectedly pensive side of our conversation. Taking my hands from his waist, he led me to the bed to sit at its edge with him. ¡°Now, if I¡¯m not much mistaken, I was promised a demonstration of your magic. Will you give it to me now?¡± The sly smirk on his lips said he was choosing his words carefully and intentionally.


    ¡°Yes, of course.¡± I now worried I might have talked up my skills too much. If I failed to impress him, I wasn¡¯t sure I could recover from the embarrassment. With an absent gesture, I conjured a handful of tiny, multicolored light motes, then tossed them into the air to let them float thoughtlessly through the room. Another flick of my hand put out the candles and sconces along the walls, leaving the space dimmer but arguably more romantic.


    Oleander¡¯s eyes sparkled with fascination as he hesitantly reached for one of the lights and caught it between his hands to inspect it. The blue glow it cast on his face made him, if possible, even more charming¡ªor perhaps I was just flattered to see him admiring my spellcraft. When he glanced at me, however, his smile quickly faded.


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± I asked, suddenly afraid I¡¯d upset him somehow.


    ¡°No, no. It¡¯s likely a misunderstanding on my part. I just thought¡­¡± He tilted his head to one side, and I realized he wasn¡¯t meeting my eyes but was scrutinizing my skin instead.


    ¡°Ah. You were expecting to see my straits,¡± I reasoned, and he smiled almost bashfully.


    ¡°Is that what you call them? Satella would never tell me. She¡¯s always a bit reserved on the subject of magic. Is it something you prefer not to share with humans?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s often quite the opposite,¡± I laughed. Most elves I knew would take any opportunity to ¡®share¡¯ their magic with humans if it meant a chance to flaunt their power. ¡°But simple spells don¡¯t require us to channel magic from another source. If that¡¯s what you want, I¡¯ll need to do something more¡­involved.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s quite an intriguing offer, my lord. I would love to see more, if you¡¯re willing to show me,¡± he agreed. Steeling myself for courage, I took his hand to lead him closer, drawing him into my lap to straddle my legs. Oleander¡¯s eyes widened, but he seemed pleased with my boldness. ¡°Is this what you meant by ¡®involved¡¯? Now I¡¯m even more curious.¡±


    ¡°No, this is pure selfishness on my part,¡± I confessed, and he rewarded my honesty with a laugh. Sliding my hands lightly up his thighs, I went on, ¡°You told me you¡¯ve rarely seen elvin magic. Have you ever felt it?¡±


    His eyebrows jumped upward at the suggestion. ¡°I can¡¯t say that I have.¡±


    ¡°Would you like to?¡±


    His expression said that he was skeptical but curious. ¡°I think I might.¡± Resting his weight against my legs, his hands on my shoulders, he asked, ¡°What will you do to me, my lord?¡±


    ¡°You wanted to be exhausted, didn¡¯t you? I intend to do just that.¡± I raised my head to capture his lips for another kiss, and while his attention was there, my grasp on his hips tightened as I called on my magic.


    Small bits of magic, the kind we used in our everyday lives, were simple enough to be fueled by our own energy alone. More complex spells, however, had to draw fuel from elsewhere. My people¡¯s unique ability to tap into the flow of natural magic around us at any given moment allowed us to weave spells others couldn¡¯t begin to attempt.


    As my magic poured into him through my hands, Oleander¡¯s body heated, his breath and pulse quickening until he was forced to break away from me for a gasp of air. Even as he was struggling to catch his breath, I could see the flush on his cheeks, the haze in his eyes. ¡°This is¡­ You¡¯re doing this?¡± he panted.


    ¡°Is it too much?¡± I asked softly. The intended effect was to excite him, but for one who wasn¡¯t used to the experience, it might easily be overwhelming. ¡°If I¡¯m making you uncomfortable¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, no,¡± he argued quickly. ¡°I like it.¡±


    His pale eyes had wandered down my neck, and he deftly unlaced the top of my shirt to see the patterns illuminating against my skin. Those lines served as channels for ambient magic to flow through us¡ªhence our calling them ¡®straits¡¯¡ªand just as each elf¡¯s spellcraft was unique, so too were our patterns. Mine were currently glowing a warm yellow from the heat and pleasure I was sharing with Oleander, and he ran his fingertips lightly over them, fascinated.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know magic could be used this way.¡± He sounded a bit breathless as he shakily struggled out of his blouse and tossed it to the floor. His musculature was more defined than I would¡¯ve expected from someone so slender¡ªbut the sight of so much bare olive skin, now starting to shine with sweat, effectively limited my commentary. ¡°I¡¯ve¡­never felt anything like it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s yours, beauty.¡± I ran my tongue up his chest to taste the salt on his skin, eager for every aspect of him I could have. Even feeling him shiver in my arms excited me more. ¡°As long as you stay close to me.¡± I myself was surprised at how earnest the words were, how helpless I had become. I hardly knew this man! Yet I was entirely sincere in my desire to see him satisfied; despite the fact that I was the one paying, I would still have done anything he asked if it would please him.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    ¡°You¡¯re spoiling me, Jaonah,¡± he said, entangling both hands in my hair. ¡°How cruel that I only have you for one night.¡± Again, he kissed me, and the feverish warmth of his body against mine had me quickly heating up as well. The effects of my magic seemed to have robbed him of some of his bravado, leaving him leaning heavily against me and moaning for more. His hands made quick work of my belt and forced my tunic off over my head, forcing our kiss to break for a moment. Not for the first time, I began to feel self-conscious, knowing my body was hardly as lean and refined as his¡ªbut he seemed satisfied nevertheless, wetting his lips, eyes roaming hungrily over my form.


    My lips met his throat and worked down to his shoulder with warm, open-mouthed kisses and soft bites. His hair smelled of something crisp and botanical, jasmine or orange blossom, bright and intoxicating. With his breath falling hot against my ear, it was that much harder to think of anything other than how badly I wanted him, and I found myself leaving a mark at the base of his neck in my fervor. I likely should have asked before marking him, but the way he leaned into my touch and tugged my hair to pull me closer said that he wasn¡¯t offended.


    ¡°Wait,¡± he started, pushing away enough to sit at my side and tug his boots off. For the sake of convenience, I did the same, but I got distracted as I caught sight of the dagger still strapped to his calf. As hard as I tried to ignore all the mystery about him and focus on my main purpose for being there, I still wondered exactly what he meant in calling himself ¡®a very special Flower.¡¯ ¡°Ahem.¡± Unbuckling the sheath to toss it aside along with his boots, he moved back farther on the bed, deliberately posing against the plush pillows to display his svelte body and edging his fingertips just under the hem of his trousers. ¡°Would you like to help me out of these?¡±


    ¡°Very much,¡± I answered plainly, crawling closer to put my hands to work unfastening them. Even while he was still half-clothed, I could see how aroused he was already¡ªfrom my magic? Our kisses? Difficult to say, but the knowledge was gratifying nevertheless.


    My tugging at the laces must have been hastier than necessary, as he observed knowingly, ¡°And I¡¯d heard elves had such patience.¡±


    ¡°Only compared to humans, who have none,¡± I countered. Hooking my fingers on the edge of his breeches to slowly work them downward, I dropped my head to outline the shape of his hipbones with my tongue.


    ¡°I¡­I suppose anyone can be tested if he¡¯s teased long enough.¡± Resting on one elbow, Oleander tilted his head back and combed his hair away from his eyes with his free hand, shivering at my touch.


    ¡°Is that what I¡¯m doing?¡± I inched his trousers down further still to let my tongue explore the dip that led between his legs. The heat from my spell had since faded from his skin, so I slid one hand up the center of his stomach and chest to call it back, drawing another low moan from his lips.


    ¡°Jaonah, please.¡± Each time he said my name, my patience eroded a bit further. At this point, there was little left to wear down. Rather than argue or concede in words, I simply bent to his request and worked his pants down and off, taking his underclothes with them to leave him bare, flushed, obviously desperate for my attention. As if I needed any further encouragement. When I leaned down to run my tongue up the length of his erection, he took in a sharp gasp and gripped hard at the sheets beneath him. ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°Was this not what you were asking for, beauty?¡± Maybe I enjoyed the idea that I might overwhelm him a bit. I felt quite sure I could contentedly spend the entire night exploring every inch of his body with my mouth and not lose interest for a moment.


    ¡°No, I do want it,¡± he admitted without hesitation, ¡°but my patrons aren¡¯t typically so, ahem, generous.¡± Hearing the way he moaned, seeing the look of honest desire on his face, I couldn¡¯t imagine what sort of patron could not be interested in eliciting this reaction. Glad to know he appreciated the treatment, I kept to it, knelt between his legs to glide my tongue over the firm heat of his manhood. Hoping to push him further, I took it inside and pressed down to swallow his hardness completely until he was panting for every breath and writhing against the bed. Still, the longer I concentrated on satisfying him, the more I realized how much it was affecting me as well; within minutes, I was so hard and wanting that each heavy beat of my heart throbbed between my legs.


    ¡°Oleander?¡± I breathed, drawing away to wipe my lips.


    ¡°Hm?¡± His eyes were clouded, and he almost seemed dizzy¡ªthough undoubtedly interested in continuing¡ªas he looked to me.


    ¡°Do you have, er¡­?¡±


    He must have realized what I meant, as he laughed softly at my apprehension. ¡°You weren¡¯t so shy a moment ago, my lord. You should find what you need in there.¡± He nodded toward the counter on which our masks rested, where there was a drawer I hadn¡¯t noticed before. Inside, I found a variety of contraceptives and, more to the point, a vial of pale yellow liquid, presumably an oil of some sort.


    Gesturing at the drawer, I glanced back at Oleander to ask, ¡°Would you like me to use one of these? I want you to be comfortable.¡±


    Lying on his stomach, he watched me with his head resting in one hand and an amused smirk playing about his lips. ¡°I¡¯m hardly concerned about carrying your child. But if you like, go ahead. Whatever brings you back to me fastest.¡±


    Then I¡¯m not the only one who¡¯s impatient. I quickly joined him in bed again, trying not to be bashful about his nudity or my own obvious excitement. Before I could awkwardly ask him to do so, he pressed back onto his knees so that his upper body still lay splayed against the mattress but his hips were easily accessible. ¡°Do you intend to keep teasing me?¡± he asked, half-lidded eyes meeting mine over his shoulder. ¡°Or will you give me what we both want?¡±


    ¡°Y-yes. Of course.¡± Despite realizing that wasn¡¯t an entirely appropriate answer, I moved forward nevertheless, pulling the stopper from the vial I¡¯d found and wetting my fingers with slick, sweet-smelling oil. It wasn¡¯t exactly the same as the solution we used in the Empire, but I supposed it would fulfill the same purpose well enough. Trying to put aside my anxiety, trying not to get distracted by the heart-stoppingly intimate sight in front of me, I slid my oiled fingers against Oleander¡¯s entrance until he shivered and lightly pressed back toward me, prompting me to slide one finger inside.


    The heat of him immediately sent a chill down my spine, as did the low moan he let out. I¡¯d never been with a human before, so I hadn¡¯t realized exactly how much hotter than me he would be. My arousal throbbed harder at the thought, forcing me to concentrate on preparing him so that I could have him as soon as possible. Each moment of friction turned his breathing heavier, and soon he was rocking his hips back against my hand in a steady rhythm.


    ¡°More,¡± he urged, almost pleading, and I was helpless to deny whatever he asked. Sure to be mindful of his comfort, I slid a second digit in and pressed against the softness of his walls to make sure he was ready to go further. Based on his reactions, he didn¡¯t seem to be in any pain; in fact, he was at least as eager as I was myself, hands grasping tightly at the sheets, face buried against a pillow to quiet himself. Spirits and heavens, he truly is perfect.


    ¡°Can I¡ª?¡±


    Before I could finish my question, he was already nodding fervently. ¡°Yes. Please.¡±


    ¡°Would you¡­lie down?¡± I wanted to see his face. I wanted to see his eyes. I did not want to explain that desire. But mercifully, he didn¡¯t ask me to. Rather, he turned to face me, deft hands unfastening my trousers and tugging the front of them down enough to free my own swollen manhood. Wetting his lips, he took the vial of oil from me and used it to wet his hand, then stroked me with skill enough that my legs began to feel weak. There was a part of my mind that said I should have taken my time in enjoying all of his skills, but a much larger, much louder part insisted that nothing was more important than being as close to him as possible, as quickly as possible.


    He stoppered the bottle again and set it aside, then draped his arms around my shoulders to draw me into another deep kiss. While I was thoroughly engrossed in seeking his tongue with mine, he pulled me downward to lie on top of him. ¡°Now,¡± he breathed into my ear, nibbling at its tip and sending another shock of pleasure through me. Without the will to argue, I carefully positioned myself at his entrance and began to press inside, relishing the gasps and whimpers he let slip as I moved. At some point, more by instinct than conscious thought, I hooked one arm under his knee to press it back against the bed, opening him up further so that I could go deeper, and Oleander let out a ragged groan to reward me.


    I paused a moment, fully buried within him, and finally realized that he was trembling. ¡°Are you all right?¡± I asked, pulling away just enough to meet his eyes.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he panted, nodding weakly. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m fine. I-it¡¯s¡­quite a lot to take in.¡± He laughed airily at that, but although he seemed distracted, he didn¡¯t look to be in pain. ¡°Just start slowly.¡± I had little choice, as I needed a moment to recover from the sight of him alone. Blue-sheened hair clung to his neck and splayed against the pillow behind him, gray eyes shone in the dim light, soft lips panted as he tried to adjust, and I was faintly aware of some inexplicable stirring in my chest that had nothing to do with sex.


    Going slowly, as requested, I drew my hips back to pull out, and the friction was smooth enough. Then I pushed forward again, into incredible heat, and he sighed as I filled him. Back out, slow and gentle. Back in, deep and purposeful. Slowly, Oleander¡¯s shaking quieted, his breathing quickened, and his hands curled into claws to grasp my shoulders.


    Dropping his head back, he moaned out, ¡°Yes. Faster.¡± I obeyed without question, marveling at the perfection of his body and the sweetness of his voice. Each thrust came with not only heat and motion but a breathless moan of encouragement from his lips. When I found just the right spot somewhere within him, he tensed and arched tightly, crying my name out into the still air of the room.


    ¡°Spirits,¡± I sighed without meaning to, and he let out another breathy laugh. After that, he made what must have been a conscious effort to use my name every so often, having realized how much it affected me. I likely should have regretted making my weakness so obvious, but it wasn¡¯t as though he didn¡¯t already have me firmly wrapped around his finger.


    The heat picked up with my pace, and although his skin was growing dewy and sticky against my own, I refused to draw away for a moment. I reveled in the excessive warmth, in his saline taste when I kissed him, in the exhausted pitch of his voice. I tried to recall the spot I¡¯d struck before that he¡¯d reacted to so strongly, pressing his leg higher and testing one angle, then another until I found exactly what Oleander needed.


    ¡°Gods!¡± he yelped when I struck it again. And again, and again until his fingernails were dragging hot, red lines up my back. ¡°Jaonah! Please¡ªI can¡¯t! It¡¯s too much. If you¡ªif you don¡¯t¡ª¡±


    ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t want you to come, beauty?¡± I threaded my fingers through his raven hair, tilting his head upward so his eyes would meet mine, and told him honestly, ¡°Nothing would please me more. Come and let me know I¡¯m providing what you need.¡± I caught his lips with mine for a deep, fervent kiss, and within moments, his moans pitched higher and his hips bucked against mine as he finished, wet heat spurting against my stomach. His body tightened so from his orgasm that I needed only a few more deep strokes to reach my peak as well, spilling my pleasure deep inside him while he whimpered against my lips. Every individual sensation combined with all the others to form a moment that was nothing short of heavenly.


    When finally we were both finished, I took another beat to enjoy the sight of him as he slowly calmed: the flush of red on his cheeks, the pink of his lips, the inexplicably thoughtful look in his eyes as they gazed into mine. If I thought he was beautiful before, he was utterly arresting now. Carefully, so as not to hurt him, I drew out to lie down at his side. But he surprised me by moving back into my arms as soon as I had readjusted my clothing, curling up against my chest and letting out a slow sigh of contentment.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­glad your travels brought you to Vallerie, Jaonah,¡± he said quietly, fingertips ghosting along my bare arm. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, he added even more softly, ¡°I do wish we could have had more time.¡± He buried his face against my shoulder, and soon his breathing had turned deeper, slower. I must have exhausted him as much as I had myself. Although it would¡¯ve been nice to carry on our conversation, I couldn¡¯t honestly say that I regretted everything else we¡¯d done.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I agreed, running my fingers lightly through his hair once more. ¡°So do I.¡± As I slipped from consciousness, I found my mind echoing the sentiment he had expressed earlier: How cruel that I only have you for one night.

 3. Homecoming

    -Alfonse-


    I waited some time to be certain Jaonah was asleep before carefully leaving the bed myself and retrieving my clothing to dress. Even as he slept, his magic lights still floated through the air, and I wondered vaguely whether they took any effort from him to maintain. Elves took their spellcraft for granted, but I couldn¡¯t help but be terribly jealous of his abilities; they would¡¯ve come in quite handy in my own work.


    He was not what I¡¯d expected in many ways. Hungry, certainly, as were most who visited the Flower Bed, yet he hailed from the Empire, where it was said one could find companionship of a similar sort in any city. It was no lie to say I would¡¯ve liked to learn more about him, if for no other reason than to expand my understanding of elvin society. I was certainly curious as to where a diplomatic envoy¡ªthis cousin he¡¯d mentioned¡ªmight be bound to pass through Vallerie. My contacts had heard rumors in recent weeks that our neighbor kingdom of Hila was in talks with the Empire. Perhaps Jaonah and his companion were meant as reinforcements? ¡®Another voice of the Empire,¡¯ he¡¯d said.


    A lead to pursue, I suppose.


    Before I left, I considered taking the liberty of collecting my payment from Jaonah¡¯s purse, but as I stood by, observing him as he slept, I decided there was no need. It wasn¡¯t as though I needed the money, after all, and he¡¯d already shared quite a lot, demonstrating his magic for me. Besides, he was kind and respectful, even deferential. There was no need to humble him with a hefty charge.


    Gathering my things, I exited the room through a hidden door at the back of the partitioned closet and locked it again behind me. The narrow passage beyond led me to the Flowers¡¯ quarters, which were nearly as grand as the outer area the clients saw but not so thoroughly shrouded in mystery. Exposed walls of pale stone were lit here and there with sconces, and the common area, lined with plush seating, was already milling with a few of my fellows who had retired for the evening.


    ¡°Oleander.¡± Our second elvin Flower, Carelles, caught sight of me and waved me over to the armchair he was curled up in. His dark hair was even longer than mine, his eyes darkly lined and cheeks softly rouged; he was one of few Flowers who exclusively took male clients. Pouting up at me, he teased, ¡°You naughty thing, you stole that lovely elvin boy from me. Dani told me he was looking for someone of my ¡®type,¡¯ but when I arrived, he was already taken with you.¡±


    Somehow, it didn¡¯t surprise me that Danielle had tried to steer Jaonah away from me. She had been wary of me since her very first night with us. Not that I could blame her. ¡°It was entirely by accident,¡± I assured him with a sympathetic smile. ¡°But consider it repayment for your snaring Lord Cadeau away from me.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you hardly need his patronage when you have so many other options,¡± Carelles argued, waving a hand at me. ¡°Besides, it looks to me like you enjoyed his company as much as he did yours.¡± With a playful smile, he gestured toward his neck, and I reached up to find there was a sore spot on my own. Jaonah must have left a mark on me. Surprisingly bold, considering how gentle he was otherwise.


    ¡°Perhaps I did,¡± I told Carelles mischievously as I continued on my way toward the baths. ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to ask your permission next time I¡¯m propositioned by a man.¡±


    ¡°See that you do!¡± he called after me.


    Some of the others greeted me as I passed, but no one else stopped me on my way. The air in the bath rooms was clouded with floral-scented steam, the various tubs populated by other Flowers who, like me, had recently left satisfied clients. There was little need for modesty among the workers in a brothel, so I undressed without ceremony, aware no one was paying me any mind. After a much-needed and, dare I say, well-deserved bath, I wrapped in a towel and retreated to my own room to dress in fresh clothes.


    Exhausted as I was, there was no time to sleep. Not yet. Rather, as it was nearing midnight, I visited Madam Elain in her office. The guard at the door nodded to me respectfully, still wearing his silver mask despite the fact that none of our patrons were present. ¡°She¡¯s expecting you,¡± he said, gesturing for me to enter.


    Elain was seated at her desk with a ledger open on its top when I stepped inside. Glancing up at me, she smiled and called warmly, ¡°Come in, my darling, don¡¯t be shy.¡± She was as Rilleaudin a woman as one could imagine, from her elaborate dress to her throaty voice to her thick, red-dyed hair. With all the makeup she wore, one would hardly guess she was nearing her 50s¡ªbut there was nothing she could hide from me. I already knew all she had to tell and then some.


    ¡°Madam,¡± I said, making myself comfortable in one of the velvet-upholstered chairs opposite her desk, sitting sideways with my legs draped over one of its arms. ¡°I trust all is well?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Despite that nasty little display by Lord Liet earlier.¡± She pursed her lips in obvious distaste. ¡°He¡¯s been dealt with, never fear. With luck, he¡¯ll be wise enough to keep his distance and I¡¯ll not be forced to take more drastic measures.¡±


    ¡°He will. For all his insistence on ¡®dominance¡¯ with Satella, he¡¯s a coward. Any threat more than a single compromised elvin girl will be enough to deter him.¡± The man was so simple to read that anyone, even without my trained eye, could have picked him apart with a single glance. Not only a coward but a bore. ¡°Leaving him aside, what can you tell me of business since last I visited?¡±


    ¡°Little of note, I¡¯m afraid.¡± She got up and crossed to a bookshelf on the wall to my left, retrieving a leather-bound journal to deliver it to me. Within, I found all the intelligence she and my fellow Flowers had gathered since the beginning of the current year. And she was correct: little had been added since my most recent trip.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± I muttered, unimpressed. ¡°Was business slower than usual for some reason? Were there no patrons to speak of?¡±


    ¡°No, we¡¯ve done quite well of late. Compare our profits to those we made last year and¡ª¡±


    I cut her off with a drawn-out, exaggerated sigh, tossing the journal onto her desktop. ¡°The Gardener is not interested in your profits, madam,¡± I told her plainly. ¡°Nor does he care for excuses. This establishment was founded for the express purpose of his having a presence here in Vallerie¡ªfor the purpose of supplying his Garden with information. If you or your staff have forgotten that¡ª¡±


    ¡°We haven¡¯t,¡± she argued quickly, tension showing through her voice and expression despite her efforts. She was typically skilled at masking her emotions, which was part of the reason she was appointed to this position, but when put under pressure from the Gardener himself, any intelligent Rilleaudin would begin to sweat. ¡°Are you aware we were visited by elvin royalty this evening? The emperor¡¯s own nephew, Prince Taegen¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yes, I entertained one of his companions earlier,¡± I agreed. ¡°Do you have any idea to where they¡¯re traveling?¡±


    Elain tilted her head to one side as if the question might be a trick of some sort. ¡°Presumably to Auril¨ºme,¡± she answered cautiously, ¡°to meet with His Majesty.¡±


    Of course, there was no way she could have known it, but if Jaonah and his cousin were on their way to speak with the king and queen of Rilleaud, I would have been notified already. ¡°That is a possibility, I suppose.¡± After a moment more of consideration, I pushed to my feet and went on, ¡°I plan to depart at daybreak. It would be in your best interest to provide me with some further information to report before I do.¡±


    After sweeping an elegant bow, I left the office to hear her cursing me quietly behind my back. I didn¡¯t bother to reprimand her for it, amusing myself with the thought of how she might react if she learned exactly how close the Gardener and I were.


    ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª


    True to my word, I woke to leave the Flower Bed near six o¡¯clock the following morning. And my vague threat proved to be effective, as Madam Elain met me at the rear door with a sheaf of paper containing several new notes. Interesting how much more efficient one could become with the proper motivation. But then, she had never failed to deliver in the past, so I knew it wouldn''t be necessary to follow through with my threats.


    I had come from Auril¨ºme to Vallerie alone, a thought that would have sent my mother¡¯s head reeling with unwarranted fear; despite knowing otherwise, she tended to assume that her children needed an escort any time they traveled. I wasn¡¯t concerned with bandits on the road, nor did it especially bother me to be alone with my own thoughts. Besides, what my mother didn¡¯t know couldn¡¯t distress her.


    On my arrival, I had left my horse, a strong-willed dark bay by the name of Abrielle, in the care of a local stable. The groom I spoke to seemed relieved that I had come to retrieve him. ¡°Surely he couldn¡¯t have caused you much trouble in only a few days,¡± I said as I followed him inside, though I wasn¡¯t certain how true that was. Like myself, Abrielle was prone to restlessness, so being forced to stay still while I attended my business in the city had likely frustrated him.


    ¡°No, my lord, not trouble,¡± the groom answered quickly as if in fear he might offend me. He was young, I supposed, and I¡¯d been told I had an intimidating air about me at times. Now that I was no longer playing the part of Oleander, I must have seemed less welcoming. ¡°But I think he¡¯ll be pleased to have more space to roam.¡± That much, we could agree on.


    I gave the young man a tip for his patience, and within minutes, Abrielle and I were cantering down the main road that would lead us back to the capital. Assuming his usual speed and stamina remained, the journey would take us roughly two full days. Magdalene was sure to grouse at me for being away for so long, but she wasn¡¯t the sort to hold grudges; she would forgive me soon enough.


    Because our traveling left me largely idle, I found my mind wandering, not only to my duties at home, not only to the work I had been neglecting for the past week (which I much looked forward to addressing), but to something unexpected: my previous night in the Flower Bed, and the evening¡¯s patron in particular.


    As the Sun made its way higher overhead, I wondered whether Jaonah and his cousin the diplomat had begun their travels as well. Elves were quite fond of efficiency and practicality in all things¡ªor so I had been told¡ªbut then, they were royalty. Perhaps they were the lazy sort to sleep in and only travel when it pleased them. Perhaps they would have found Vallerie¡¯s temptations too powerful to leave behind and chosen to stay another night. Would Jaonah look for me, I wondered? Would he find Carelles an apt substitute? I somehow felt that Carelles might be a bit too soft for his liking¡ªnot that it was any concern of mine.


    Contrary to my own will, I recalled the way he¡¯d looked me while we were in bed, the soft tension in his touch, the kindness in his eyes that was all but alien to me. ¡®Beauty,¡¯ he¡¯d called me. So bizarre to see such honesty in a kingdom that thrived on secrets. As the country thrives, so do her rulers.


    Firmly pushing those images from my mind, I reminded myself that it was Oleander who had caught his eye, Oleander whose coy flirtation had won him over, Oleander who had shared that one night of pleasure with him. Jaonah¡¯s infatuation was with a poisonous Flower, not a Gardener, and certainly not a prince.


    Our trip wore on, and my mount¡¯s energy astounded, as always. We stopped rarely and briefly for water and food, then again at nightfall for an hour or two of sleep. It was, as expected, dawn two days hence when finally we passed through the palace gates and I was able to lead Abrielle to the stables.


    ¡°And not a moment too soon,¡± I teased, patting his sweat-dampened neck. ¡°I think you could use a bath, my friend.¡± Of course, the same could be said of me.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    The stablehand who met us was clearly still half-asleep, and he nearly choked on a yawn when his eyes registered my face. ¡°Prince Alfonse!¡± he stammered, trying to smooth his mussed hair and nervously avoiding my eyes. ¡°Please forgive my untidiness, highness; I didn¡¯t expect you. Was your trip pleasant?¡±


    ¡°Of course. I¡¯m always grateful for the opportunity to see more of our fair country.¡± Handing off Abrielle¡¯s reins, I asked, ¡°You¡¯ll see to him?¡±


    ¡°Yes, certainly. I¡¯m sure you must be weary from traveling. Please, leave him to me.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Confident that he was in capable hands, I hurried inside the palace and moved as quietly through the halls as possible toward my own room. At this time, much of my family and many of our servants were still asleep; perhaps by that virtue, I managed to reach my own quarters without being (for lack of a better word) caught.


    After a deliciously hot bath and, more importantly, a few hours of solitude, I emerged from my room dressed in proper royal fashion¡ªwhich is to say, richly and formally¡ªonly to find Magdalene waiting just outside my door. The crimson mulberry silk of her gown stood out starkly against the pale palace walls, the warm brown of her skin contrasting the cold glint in her eye. To say I was surprised to see her would¡¯ve been a lie.


    ¡°Pleasure to have you back, highness.¡± Her low voice, accented with a dialect of Rilleaudin not common in the capital, had a certain edge to it that betrayed her irritation.


    ¡°Pleasure to be back, spymaster.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think you can win my forgiveness by flattering me with bygone titles,¡± she answered, waving away my pleasant airs. ¡°Could we speak in private?¡±


    I could hardly refuse a request from her, knowing her frustration was fully justified. With a defeated sigh, I stepped back and gestured for her to join me in my room. She did, posture straight as ever, arms folded. Her body language gave away little, as one might expect of a woman who had spent her entire life capitalizing on deception. Her being twice my age simply meant she had twice¡ªno, several times¡ªmy experience.


    ¡°Four days. That is what you told me,¡± she started, gazing idly out the window on the far wall. ¡°A visit to collect what the Flowers had gathered. Any Raptor could have accomplished the same, yet you insisted it should be you. I realize now that the reports were never your priority. You simply wanted the opportunity to indulge Oleander. I should have expected as much.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t like me to spend much time dwelling on guilt. In my line of work, it just wasn¡¯t practical. Yet of all the people I could have disappointed, of all the associates who could have berated me, Magdalene¡¯s disapproval cut the deepest by far. ¡°He does have admirers in Vallerie,¡± I pointed out, though I knew my argument was weak. ¡°Admirers who are of use to us. And if Elain isn¡¯t kept in line, she tends to forget what she¡¯s there for.¡±


    ¡°Meaning you needed an additional three days to corral her?¡± my mentor hissed, rounding on me so her shining black finger coils flared out around her head. ¡°Bear in mind who trained you to be the apt deceiver and manipulator that you are, Alfonse; of all targets you could choose to exercise those talents, I will not be one.¡±


    Quickly losing the will to defend myself, I lowered my head in a deferential bow. ¡°I had a lapse of discipline. It was irresponsible and I apologize.¡± Straightening up again to meet her eyes, I went on, ¡°But the sooner you allow me to move forward from that mistake, the sooner I can attend to the duties I¡¯ve been neglecting.¡±


    She watched me sternly for only a moment longer before taking a deep breath and letting it out as a sigh. ¡°My chastising you won¡¯t change what¡¯s done, it¡¯s true. But the next time you leave for Vallerie, I will be accompanying you.¡± Nevertheless, she waved the issue aside. ¡°Go and eat breakfast with your family, highness. Nicolette has missed you, and your mother¡ª¡±


    ¡°Worries. I¡¯m aware. I¡¯ll go let her know that I arrived uninjured so she might stop fretting,¡± I said wearily, following Magdalene out of my room and locking the door behind me. As she turned to our left, rather than right toward the dining hall, I frowned. ¡°Will you not be joining us?¡±


    ¡°Someone has to ready the Garden for its keeper¡¯s return,¡± she pointed out quietly so the sound wouldn¡¯t carry. The Garden was quite a controversial subject within the Rodin household. ¡°Never fear, you and I will be spending much of our day together once you¡¯ve seen to your family¡¯s concerns.¡± She inclined her head, then turned on her heel to stride purposefully down the corridor, presumably toward our office. As I made my way toward the dining hall, fingertips absently tracing the patterns of polished gneiss laid into the travertine walls, I thought up the lie I would give my family to explain my absence.


    ¡°Alfonse, my darling!¡± As expected, my mother was delighted to see me, her voice ringing through the hall as she beckoned me close. I was, in some ways, surprised she had noticed my absence enough to welcome me back so warmly. As the middle child of seven, I was accustomed to going overlooked. Nevertheless, she drew me into an embrace where she sat and kissed both my cheeks. ¡°Sit beside me, my sweet, and tell me where you¡¯ve been.¡±


    ¡°I visited Belfort, Mother.¡± I took a seat at her left side, between her and my younger sister, Nicolette, who also greeted me with a slight smile. ¡°Did I not tell you so before I left?¡±


    ¡°You said little at all before you left, in fact,¡± my older brother, Dominie, pointed out, eyeing me warily. He had more of our father¡¯s look than I could boast, down to his frown and his very imposing glare. ¡°Even Dame Magdalene couldn¡¯t tell us where you¡¯d gone. But I suppose by this point, we should hardly expect to be kept abreast of your dealings.¡±


    ¡°Our dealings, dear brother,¡± I answered with a pleasant smile. ¡°I was there on behalf of our family, after all. You¡¯ll be pleased to know, Mother, that Uncle Similien¡¯s transition to power has progressed smoothly. The people trusted him as a marquess and are pleased to have him as their duke.¡± I knew this based on information gathered by my Raptors, but it was true nevertheless. No sense in giving myself unnecessary falsehoods to keep track of.


    ¡°How kind of you to see to him, my love,¡± she answered, not willing to question me in the slightest. Rife though our kingdom might be with secrecy, she would never have suspected her own children of deceiving her.


    ¡°Tell me of Belfort, Brother,¡± Nicolette whispered, waving a hand lightly for my attention, gazing up at me with wide eyes that gleamed like polished jet. ¡°Are the lambs about yet? I¡¯ve missed them.¡±


    ¡°More still than on our last visit,¡± I replied, matching her volume to keep the conversation between the two of us. ¡°Long-tailed little ones in every field. I gave them your love, of course.¡± She grinned back at me, dark eyes disappearing into a squint of delight as she pressed her knuckles to her mouth.


    ¡°Ah, so you have chosen to join us,¡± Dominie called across the dining hall, and I turned over my shoulder to find my older sister, Caterine, gliding into the room with her head held high as always. ¡°It¡¯s because you heard Alfonse had returned, isn¡¯t it? Why else bother attending breakfast for the first time in days?¡±


    ¡°Concern yourself less with my attendance and more with your own unfastened cuffs,¡± she answered blithely, tossing a black curl back over her shoulder as she seated herself at the table. Dominie visibly flushed and buttoned his cuffs, carefully straightening them both. Our appearances were a matter of pride, from the highest noble to the lowest commoner, so it was only right that he be duly embarrassed. That being said, Caterine was the only one of us who would have so brazenly pointed out his untidiness.


    As the kitchen staff swept in to serve our meal¡ªspicy wheat noodles, thin scallion pancakes, and sweet steamed buns¡ªI tried to keep the conversation neutral, asking, ¡°Where is Gilbert? Could the country¡¯s governing not wait until after breakfast?¡±


    ¡°It certainly can¡¯t, to hear him say it,¡± Mother sighed, picking delicately at her plate. ¡°Why, I think he would spend his every waking moment studying at your father¡¯s side if he could.¡±


    ¡°The title of king is not something one can set aside when it suits him,¡± Dominie said quietly. No one bothered disrupting him, no matter how irritating his condescension was. Caterine blew on a bite of pancake caught in her ku¨¤izi, while Nicolette silently nibbled a custard bun. ¡°Even a future king. Though I don¡¯t suppose you¡¯d know anything of that, Alfonse.¡± It took all my willpower to resist rolling my eyes at him. If only you knew.


    ¡°I¡¯m more concerned with where we might find the twins,¡± Caterine said mildly. ¡°For them to skip a meal, they must be getting into some very interesting mischief.¡±


    ¡°Let the boys have their fun,¡± Mother told her, obviously unconcerned. ¡°It¡¯s harmless, I¡¯m sure.¡±


    The meal progressed in usual fashion, with my brother and sister sniping at each other¡ªand occasionally me, until I set them both straight, then Mother very regretfully leaving us for the vast amounts of obligatory socializing required of her. Eventually, Dominie slunk off to whatever advisory duties awaited him, and Caterine flounced away to pursue whatever held her interest for the moment.


    When I tried to leave for my office, predictably, Nicolette followed along behind me. Stopping just outside the dining hall, I turned to her with an apologetic smile. ¡°I have business to see to with Dame Magdalene,¡± I told her. ¡°But I¡¯ll spend the evening with you, all right?¡± I started away again, and she continued to follow. Letting out an exasperated sigh, I tried to explain, ¡°I have to go, mouse. My trip cost me valuable time, so I need to see Magdalene to make it up. Later, I promise you.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯ve been away for so long,¡± she reminded me, quiet as ever despite her insistence, fidgeting hands lost in the wide sleeves of her gown. The sadness in her eyes wrenched at my heart even as I tried to combat it. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know about Lydia¡¯s confrontation with the minister?¡± I needed a moment to realize she was talking about the main character of the book we¡¯d been reading together recently. ¡°I¡¯ve waited all this time to read it with you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. But I don¡¯t intend to leave again any time soon, so we¡¯ll find out what happens to Lydia tonight,¡± I told her, remaining firm despite my reluctance to dismiss her. She received far too much of that from every other member of our family. ¡°In the meantime, why not find Roselyn and ask her to read something else with you? I¡¯m sure she would be happy to.¡±


    ¡°I suppose,¡± my sister agreed with a sad sigh, lowering her eyes toward the ground. ¡°But don¡¯t forget! You¡¯ve promised.¡± I crossed my heart as she left for her own room, where she spent much of her time, allowing me to hurry through the corridors toward my own destination.


    On my way up the winding tower stairs that led to the office from which Magdalene and I had always managed the Garden, I noted a quiet scuffling somewhere against the outer wall and paused in my tracks for a moment. At any other time, I might have been gracious about this, but at this moment, I was already impatient. I continued upward, ignoring the fact that I was being stalked. Even as I was unlocking the door, there was a sound of scratching stone outside the window at my back. Child¡¯s play.


    When I opened the door and began to step inside, my assailant pounced¡ªand I easily dodged her attack, seizing her arm to throw her to the ground and planting my boot between her shoulder blades. ¡°Am I wrong, or was this attempt worse than the last?¡± I mused, glancing at Magdalene, who was seated at her desk and didn¡¯t look up at the commotion.


    ¡°It was quite clumsy,¡± she agreed. The young woman trapped under my foot wriggled and cursed under her breath, eventually managing to roll away. But she knew she was beaten and didn¡¯t bother with a second attack, sitting still on the floor and blowing a loose lock of orange hair away from her eyes.


    ¡°I almost had you,¡± Roselyn said with a pout, crossing her arms.


    ¡°Hardly. You¡¯ll need surer footing and more stability if you¡¯re ever to work as a Viper,¡± I told her. She was an adept Raptor (for the most part), a spy for the Garden, one of few who knew of my connection to it¡ªand my younger sister¡¯s handmaiden. ¡°But now isn¡¯t the time for a lesson in stealth. Nicolette is downstairs alone, yet you¡¯re here wasting your time on fruitless ambush tactics.¡±


    She must have heard the sharp edge to my voice, as she arranged herself into a more respectful posture and bowed her head. ¡°Forgive me, highness. I¡¯d hoped to impress you on your return.¡±


    ¡°You failed,¡± I answered coolly. ¡°And I haven¡¯t the time to correct your performance at the moment. Back to your duties, and I¡¯ll call for you when I have need of a clumsy fledgling.¡± Roselyn winced slightly at my words but knew better than to argue, bowing out of the room as gracefully as possible and, I hoped, going back to my sister¡¯s side so that she wouldn¡¯t remain lonely.


    ¡°¡®A clumsy fledgling¡¯?¡± Magdalene repeated, finally raising her eyes toward mine. ¡°That¡¯s a bit harsh. You must be very eager to return to work if you¡¯ve gotten so irritable.¡±


    Eager to prove how wrong my brother was, perhaps; his jabs regarding how useless I was to the kingdom normally missed their mark, as I knew otherwise, but when I¡¯d already been chastised for irresponsibility that morning, I was a bit more sensitive to them. ¡°Never mind,¡± I said, shutting the door behind me to seat myself on the opposite side of her desk, posture straight, hands folded in my lap. ¡°Tell me what I¡¯ve missed.¡±


    Much of what she had to report was more or less expected. Surveillance of the Garden¡¯s opponents went smoothly, tensions in the city were being held in check, and our borders were calm. All was well for the most part, but there was still a great deal of managerial work to be done, and I was happy to do it.


    ¡°There is one more thing that may interest you,¡± my mentor added as I was beginning to sort through the many written reports and schedules piled onto my desk. ¡°Evidently, we¡¯re to be visited by agents of the Empire sometime soon.¡±


    The papers in my hands dropped noisily to the floor, scattering across the thick rugs while I remained frozen in shock. ¡°What?¡± I managed to force out.


    ¡°A prince, I¡¯m told, part of the emperes¡¯ recent ventures into diplomacy,¡± she explained, eyeing me curiously.


    ¡°When did this happen? How is it I¡¯m only just hearing of it?¡±


    Raising an eyebrow, she asked, ¡°Who¡¯s to blame for your being distanced from royal dealings for a week¡¯s time, highness? You would have known, had you been here. Is this a problem? I supposed you would be intrigued. Isn¡¯t elvin society a subject of interest for you?¡±


    I let out what could almost have been mistaken for a laugh, but there was no genuine mirth in the sound. There was no possible way this was a coincidence. Elain had been right: Jaonah and his cousin were on their way to Auril¨ºme to visit my father. Meaning they would likely be staying within the palace itself. Meaning it would be all but impossible for me to avoid seeing him. I typically only employed Oleander far from the capital where I was certain no one would recognize me, and the strategy had always served me well. Until now. Of all the cruel tricks the gods might have played¡­


    ¡°Yes,¡± I told Magdalene quietly, pinching the bridge of my nose, ¡°it is a problem. There¡¯s something I should tell you of my time in Vallerie.¡±


    Damn you, Oleander!

 4. The First Secret of Many

    -Jaonah-


    Sometime during our continued journey toward the Rilleaudin capital, Taegen grew tired of my silence. ¡°Had I known that visiting the Flower Bed would make you even more dissatisfied, I would¡¯ve let you alone,¡± he sighed from where he was seated across the carriage from me and Lorant, arms crossed, frowning at me deeply. ¡°You found the company you desired. From the way you spoke of the evening, it sounds as though you have every reason to be pleased, yet it¡¯s been a week and you¡¯re still moping!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only been three days,¡± I corrected without much fervor.


    ¡°With your incessant gloominess, it¡¯s felt like a month,¡± Lorant answered, and I rolled my eyes at them both. One marked downside of our being so long-lived was a skewed perception of time, particularly in terms of memory, so it didn¡¯t surprise me that neither of them saw it accurately.


    ¡°Forgive me for not boasting about my ¡®conquests¡¯ and looking forward to what sort we might find in Auril¨ºme. I prefer to focus on the diplomatic business we¡¯re here to conduct.¡±


    My cousin let out a dry snort of laughter. ¡°Heavens take you for a liar. We all know you left whatever focus you had with that Flower in Vallerie.¡±


    As much as I would¡¯ve liked to, I couldn¡¯t honestly deny his claim. My mind had lingered consistently on Oleander ever since our departure from the Flower Bed¡ªno, since the morning that I woke alone after having spent the night with him. It puzzled me that he hadn¡¯t collected any fee, neither from my purse nor my person, especially when I had expressed my willingness to pay whatever he might ask. Instead, he¡¯d simply disappeared, leaving behind his mask and his scent on the sheets.


    The reasonable part of me knew well that there was no sense in pining after a prostitute, a man whose very profession was to seduce and entrance willing fools like myself. Nothing real would ever come of it. It was little exaggeration to say that we came from two different worlds, and hoping for some miracle to bring us back together was sure to end in nothing but disappointment.


    Yet a more persistent, sentimental part of me couldn¡¯t seem to escape the thought of his breath in my ear, his fingers in my hair, his eyes holding mine. I cursed myself for being so overwhelmed with desire that I didn¡¯t take longer to speak with him. He must have viewed me as any other patron too distracted with his body to appreciate what else he had to offer. Or perhaps all I¡¯d seen had been nothing but an act and he was truly bored with me the entire time. I wouldn¡¯t have the opportunity to ask him.


    ¡°Your pointing it out and haranguing me for it is hardly helping me to move on from the experience,¡± I said plainly, keeping my gaze directed toward the window on my left and the surprisingly lush Rilleaudin countryside we were passing through. Everything in this kingdom was beautiful, it seemed. Even in the smaller towns we had come across, where the population was surely not as affluent as those living in Vallerie, the streets were pristine, the citizens well-dressed, the buildings finely made and maintained. Surely the entire country couldn¡¯t be as well off as they appeared. Perhaps that was a curiosity we would see explained during our stay.


    ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª


    Dusk had just begun to fall as we made our way into the capital, and for the first time in days, my mind was too occupied with my surroundings to dwell on Oleander. Like everything else we¡¯d seen in our visit thus far, Auril¨ºme was a sight to behold. Most of the structures were formed of white stone, rooved with dark shingles and colorfully decorated with sheer awnings or paper lanterns. We passed through a bazar of sorts filled with milling citizens, glazed pottery that shone in the late sun, and mouthwatering scents of unfamiliar spices and sweetness.


    ¡°Come now, Captain,¡± Taegen said, observing the city just as eagerly as I was. ¡°You can¡¯t possibly be unimpressed by this. It truly does compare to home.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know that I would go that far,¡± Lorant answered, remaining patently bored and refusing to marvel as we were. Our carriage¡ªthe magic-driven sort common in the Empire but foreign elsewhere¡ªmust have drawn some attention, as many of the Rilleaudins around us stopped and stared as we passed by, whispering curiously amongst themselves.


    ¡°Did they know we were coming?¡± I wondered aloud, suddenly feeling a bit self-conscious. Royalty though we might be, our society favored functionality above all, and I¡¯d learned from our visits to other human kingdoms that our standard of luxury was not quite the same as theirs. The Rilleaudins might look at our raiment¡ªwhich was far less ornamental than their own¡ªand deem us unworthy of their interest. ¡°Perhaps we should change before seeing the king and queen? They may find us a bit¡­underwhelming.¡±


    ¡°Why, look who¡¯s come out of his Flower-fog enough to contribute to our goals,¡± my cousin teased, and I shot him a glare. ¡°That said, Their Majesties will surely have some idea what to expect; I understand they¡¯re very well-informed, particularly for humans. If we go to too much trouble to impress them, we may end up doing the very opposite.¡±


    I thought of what Oleander had told me about Rilleaud¡¯s ¡®Gardener¡¯ and wondered whether he worked with the royal family. He must sell information to them if nothing else. Who better to do business with? Or perhaps he worked against them in some ways. Another mystery I was unlikely to solve on my own.


    ¡°Besides, who¡¯s to say they¡¯re worth the effort?¡± Lorant added, adjusting his sword at his side. Gesturing out the window toward the people we were passing on our way toward the palace, he went on, ¡°We¡¯ve no obligation to conform to their ostentatious aesthetics. Look at them. They can hardly walk in those slim skirts, and all those layers are hardly practical in this weather. Fashion-obsessed fools.¡±


    ¡°Not the worst fashion I¡¯ve seen,¡± Taegen mused, clearly enjoying the view of the Rilleaudin women in their form-fitting silk dresses. He would surely find plenty of diversions for himself in the city while not busy with his diplomatic ventures. As hedonistic as my cousin could be at times, he did take his duty to the Empire seriously. He would do all he could to establish fruitful connections with Rilleaud¡¯s leaders¡ªand when he couldn¡¯t, he would entertain himself with drink and women elsewhere. And I would remain in my rooms, writing, as per usual. Somehow, I was no longer interested in the prospect of finding company for only a night.


    When we reached the palace, which was grander still than the city surrounding, we were greeted by two young men perhaps a few years younger than my 28. They both had sleek black hair and a mischievous look about them. In fact, they looked so alike that I could only assume they must be twins.


    ¡°Good evening, sirs,¡± one of them said with a deep bow. He was dressed in forest green, his hair pulled into a low ponytail at the nape of his neck. ¡°And welcome to our humble capital.¡±


    ¡°Humble,¡± Lorant scoffed, and Taegen waved him off.


    ¡°Please forgive my friend¡¯s rudeness; he can¡¯t stand to be away from home for even a day, apparently. I¡¯m beginning to think we should have left him there.¡± He shot a glance at our captain, then returned his attention to the twins. ¡°To whom do we have the pleasure of speaking?¡±


    ¡°No one of importance, my lord,¡± the other twin said, his lips curving into a slight smirk. His dark hair was cropped short, his ensemble in cool shades of brown. ¡°The king is expecting you. Would you like us to see to your carriage to avoid any further delay?¡±Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    Lorant let out a snort of amusement. ¡°Unless there¡¯s magic in you that I can¡¯t sense, you¡¯ll have a hard time of it.¡±


    Evidently fed up with his naysaying, Taegen flicked one hand at the carriage, his straits flashing orange as he restored its power. Taking a step back, he gestured to the carriage and told the twins, ¡°Be my guest.¡±


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Lorant hissed, though his protests fell on deaf ears.


    ¡°The steering should be fairly intuitive,¡± my cousin went on as the twins hastened into the carriage, grinning. ¡°I¡¯ve given you half an hour¡¯s worth of fuel. That should be plenty of time to see it safely stored, yes?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± the one in brown responded; it seemed his brother was too giddy to speak. ¡°Leave it to us, my lord.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough.¡± Taegen started inside, leaving Lorant and me no choice but to follow.


    ¡°That was a bit reckless,¡± I noted, trying my best not to take either side in this childish conflict.


    ¡°A bit reckless?¡± the guard captain repeated, incredulous. ¡°It was insanity! They¡¯ll destroy it within ten minutes¡¯ time, mark my words.¡±


    ¡°You ought to be more polite when addressing those you meet in the palace, my friend,¡± Taegen answered, unperturbed. ¡°You never know when you might be speaking to royalty.¡±


    ¡°What, them?¡± Lorant asked, now seeming less sure of himself.


    ¡°I¡¯m told the Rodin family features a pair of twins roughly that age. And if they were princes, your attitude was hardly fitting of your station.¡±


    He didn¡¯t respond, either frustrated or embarrassed; it was one thing to be snide to a servant, but quite another to offend royalty¡ªespecially royalty who happened to be hosting us at the moment. I tried to commit the twins¡¯ faces to memory in the likely case we should come across them again. A pity we didn¡¯t get their names.


    Awaiting us inside the palace was a dark-complected woman with a notable scar above her left eye. She was dressed even more richly than the capital¡¯s citizens and seemed to have been expecting us.


    ¡°Gentlemen.¡± She greeted us with a half-bow. ¡°I am Dame Magdalene, the House of Rodin¡¯s steward. We¡¯re honored to receive such distinguished guests from the Empire.¡± To my surprise, she made the same respectful obeisance when mentioning the Empire as any elf would. Stranger still, I could sense magic within her¡ªthough it felt unfamiliar in some ways. She was smaller in stature than the typical human, but her thick hair hid her ears, giving little away.


    ¡°The honor is ours,¡± Taegen said, returning her bow while Lorant and I did the same. Fascinating how easily he could read a situation and know whether to be a scoundrel or a diplomat.


    ¡°If you¡¯re ready, I¡¯ll bring you before His Majesty so that he can welcome you properly.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Lead on.¡±


    His Majesty. The twins had also said that the king was expecting us. It still struck me as odd that most human countries¡ªkingdoms, as they were often called¡ªgave such preferential treatment to their male rulers. Similarly, it was always jarring when they referred to our leaders as ¡®emperor¡¯ or ¡®empress,¡¯ when they shared the title of empere. I had yet to determine why a king and queen couldn¡¯t rule as equals.


    Dame Magdalene led us through the entrance hall and up to the next floor. Lorant¡¯s calling the place ostentatious wasn¡¯t entirely unwarranted, as the soaring ceilings and intricately-carved walls could serve little purpose but for decoration. That idea was further cemented as we entered a highly traditional throne room, the sort that featured the royal family in all their glory and was likely used solely for receiving guests. All this, just for us? I could only assume it was an effort on the king¡¯s part to impress upon us his power and severity.


    And he did seem quite severe. Along the far wall was a line of no less than ten plush thrones, three of which sat empty. The largest and grandest was, of course, the king¡¯s, and he stood to greet us as we approached. He was quite a large man, broad-shouldered and solid in physique, with a carefully-shaped goatee and a grave look to his eyes.


    ¡°Thank you, Magdalene,¡± he said in a thickly-accented voice, and she answered with a curt nod. The king surveyed us for only a moment longer before the shadow lifted from his face and he smiled. ¡°Welcome to Auril¨ºme, my friends. We¡¯ve anticipated your arrival for some time. How have you found our country thus far?¡±


    ¡°Hospitable and, quite frankly, dazzling,¡± Taegen answered for us. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to be here, Your Majesty. I am Prince Taegen Famaer of the Elvin Empire. My companions are Prince Jaonah Shadi and Captain Lorant Percyne.¡± We each nodded in turn.


    ¡°Marceau Rodin, at your service,¡± the king replied with a deep bow. Gesturing to the throne on his left, he added, ¡°My wife, S¨¦raphie.¡±


    ¡°Charmed,¡± the queen said, and she certainly seemed so, looking us over curiously.


    ¡°My daughters, Caterine and Nicolette.¡± The king gestured to the two young ladies at the queen¡¯s other side. Though they looked similar¡ªand much like their mother¡ªone seemed far more self-assured than the other; while Caterine sat up straight and inspected us critically, Nicolette was pressed back into her seat and refused to look up from her lap. She looked to be the youngest of the group. ¡°And my sons, Gilbert, Dominie, and Alfonse. ¨¦mile and Pascal should be here as well, but it¡¯s impossible to know whether those two will be where they should at any moment.¡±


    ¡°In fact, I believe we met them outside,¡± Taegen laughed. As he and the king spoke, I let my eyes wander across the princes at the king¡¯s side. Gilbert, the first, was clearly the oldest and appeared to simply be a younger version of his father, from his sharp jaw to his intense presence. Dominie looked similar in some ways but was notably smaller, and although his expression was more relaxed, it was no less calculating. The entire family, it seemed, had the same black hair, so black it bordered on blue. They presented quite a handsome group.


    When I glanced at the last prince, who seemed to be looking pointedly away from us, my mouth nearly fell open by reflex. He looked much more like his mother than either of his brothers, with the same soft features and upturned eyes. Pale eyes. Raven hair. Olive skin.


    Oleander.


    How was this possible? My mind reeled at the very sight of him, struggling to understand what he was doing there. On one hand, it seemed quite clear: the king had just introduced him as his son. But on the other, how could the man I had encountered in a brothel days ago also be a prince? For a moment, I thought my eyes must be deceiving me¡ªbut when he looked in my direction and his eyes met mine, there was no mistake. Even with his hair pulled back and up, even with his wardrobe so drastically changed, his was the same face I¡¯d been thinking of without end since last we¡¯d met.


    Yet when he looked at me, he didn¡¯t seem at all surprised by my presence. He didn¡¯t react in the slightest, only observing me for a moment before looking to Taegen instead. There was no way he could not recognize me. Either he had expected me to be there or he was incredibly skilled at disguising his shock.


    ¡°But I imagine you must be exhausted from having traveled so far,¡± the king was saying by the time I managed to draw my attention back to him. ¡°Magdalene will show you to your rooms, and you¡¯ll have some time to rest, but I insist that you join my family for dinner this evening.¡±


    ¡°We would be happy to, of course,¡± my cousin agreed. I noticed Lorant had said nothing, and although his body language remained politely neutral, I knew he was none too pleased with being in a palace full of humans.


    I followed almost automatically as Dame Magdalene led us from the room and toward the guest wing. Taegen noticed my distraction and asked quietly, ¡°Is something wrong? I¡¯d thought you were recovering from your gloominess, but it seems to have overtaken you again in force.¡±


    What could I possibly tell him? He hadn¡¯t seen Oleander without his mask and therefore would likely assume my desire to see him again was now affecting my mind. ¡°No, no, I¡¯m fine,¡± I lied, still trying to determine what (if anything) I should do with this new information. ¡°It¡¯s just a bit overwhelming, meeting the entire royal family at once.¡±


    ¡°Here we are,¡± Magdalene said, coming to a stop at the mouth of a pristine, white-walled corridor. ¡°These suites are yours for the duration of your stay. Please make yourselves at home, and your things will be brought in from your carriage soon. And never fear, I intend to scold the twins soundly for their misbehavior.¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t be too hard on them,¡± Taegen chuckled. ¡°I encouraged them, after all.¡±


    I let him and Lorant choose their rooms and took the one that was left over, combing my hair back from my eyes and trying to calm my racing heart. Was it possible this could be a good thing? However it had happened, I now found myself in close proximity to Oleander¡ªno, his name was¡­Alfonse?¡ªagain, which was exactly what I had wanted since our meeting. Perhaps that meant we could speak again. That in itself was a blessing.


    A knock at my chamber door brought me back to the moment in confusion. Had the servants brought our trunks from the carriage already? As I opened the door, my heart nearly stopped at the sight of Alfonse waiting outside. ¡°Prince Jaonah,¡± he said evenly. Hearing my name on his lips sent a chill down my spine as I recalled the last time I¡¯d heard it. ¡°Could we speak privately for a moment?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± I answered, dry-mouthed, stepping back to allow him inside. I panicked briefly as I tried to decide what to say to him¡ªbut I needn¡¯t have bothered. The moment the door closed, Alfonse grasped my shirtfront and shoved me roughly back against it. Some foolish part of me almost anticipated a kiss. Instead, he brought a dagger toward my throat, forcing me to catch it with one of my bracers at the last moment.


    Not quite the welcome I had hoped for.