by S. K Munt
Those of us who were about to be left behind milled about in the front courtyard, ignoring Maryah’s chastisements for our poor behaviour, and watched Martya’s things being loaded onto one carriage, as the royal luggage was loaded onto another. Her escape was an advertisement for poor behaviour, but we had been trained well and chewed on our tongues to keep in the excited babble while everyone prepared to say our good-byes. I cringed, thinking of how worked up the girls would be in bed later that night- they didn’t seem even a little proud of Martya, just angry!
‘I’m so sorry,’ Martya whispered to me. ‘I wish I could have prepared this whole thing better but I was just so excited-’
‘You had a right to be,’ I whispered back, kissing her cheek. ‘What you’ve done for the world is nothing short of miraculous, and I was right to admit that it was all you.’ I tapped the side of her head and grinned a watery grin. ‘I still read romances, remember?’
‘I know, and I fear that doing so is what led you to make the wrong decision tonight!’ she said fretfully. ‘You’re attached to him, so don’t deny it! And don’t deny yourself a future of your own design because of it!’
I hugged her tightly. ‘I love Kohén,’ I whispered. ‘The way I love you, and I wouldn’t leave him or Kelia during a quarrel any sooner than I’d let you stay and start one for me.’ I squeezed her tightly. ‘But I will never be conquered by romance, and if you’d read the books that I have, you’d understand that.’ I pulled back and smiled through my tears. ‘My sister lives in St Miguel now- her name is Jaiya Lamb, and she runs the boarding house there. Go and see her for me, okay? Tell her that you got out, and that I will follow you. Then write me a letter- and have her send it so that I will know that you are okay.’ I snatched in a painful breath. ‘Tell her that the family oughtn’t be ashamed of me either, okay? Promise me that!’
Martya pulled back and cupped my face in her cool hands, and I saw the tears streaming down her cheeks. ‘I promise! Now you must make me one as well...’ she reached into the folds of her overcoat and pulled out a book before pressing it into my hands. ‘Read this, okay? From cover to cover.
I looked down at the book and the title made me smile. ‘Boll-Weevils and other garden pests?’ I turned it over and examined the warped cardboard cover. ‘How old is this?’ I sniffed it and wrinkled my nose. ‘It smells like it’s been through a flood!’
‘It’s centuries old and has probably gone through several,’ Martya said, kissing my cheek. ‘But my secret ingredient came from the time before too, so regardless of how much the planet has changed since these old books were written, some of the things they knew then are still relevant now.’ She wiped a tear from my cheek and smiled a watery smile. ‘This could get you to your plantation okay? So for my sake, put down your romances and read this soon.’
‘I promise,’ I said to her, my voice cracking. ‘Thank you Martya. You’re the only friend I’ve ever known.’
‘As you are mine,’ she said shyly. ‘Now prove I chose well by rising out of this place in my footsteps!’
‘Miss Rice?’ Coaxley stepped forward and gave her a tight smile before extending his arm to the carriage. ‘The coach driver is ready.’
‘Thank you,’ Martya croaked. ‘I will miss you too Coaxley. Tell Lindy that I said goodbye too okay? I looked for her, but she wasn’t on our floor tonight.’
‘Will do ma’am,’ Coaxley said. ‘And she’s unwell, so she’s taking the night off.’
‘Well, pass along my well wishes.’
‘Mine too.’ I said.
‘All right! It’s time for us to eat desert… ladies? Let’s go inside and wait for the king, duchess and princes to re-join us, and quickly please.’ Maryah said, clapping her hands. ‘Come now, you’ve said your good-byes and soon, the monarchs must too so let’s not waste their time loitering out here.’
‘Bout time…’ Elfin muttered.
‘It’s cold out here,’ Kelia agreed, though it was not. Kelia was just so slim that she always felt invisible drafts.
‘Goodbye,’ Martya whispered to me.
‘I’ll miss you,’ I said tearfully.
‘Not for long- see to that, all right?’
I nodded and then she released my hand and shrank back just in time for another to cup it.
‘Skip desert and come for a walk with me, please?’ Kohén whispered in my ear. ‘There’s something urgent that I need to discuss with you before I leave.’
I nodded and went with him, defying Martya’s wishes for me, and telling myself that the spark that I felt when Kohén touched me for the first time in weeks was a result of his genetics and not my feelings for him.
20.
Kohén took me to our tree, and though it still felt awkward to be in his company after days of hostile silence, Martya had provided us with more than a little to discuss.
‘Well…’ Kohén began. ‘That was bracing.’
‘I’m so proud of her,’ I admitted, smiling as I deposited the book at my feet and reclined back against the tree trunk. ‘I mean, inventing a natural pesticide and then holding the recipe ransom to your father’s face like that…’ I smiled and shook my head. ‘I swear, if I hadn’t been holding onto my chair then Kelia, my knees would have given out!’
‘Like a damsel in one of your love stories?’ Kohén joked.
‘I don’t read love stories with damsels,’ I said smartly, kicking the toe of his boot. ‘I like strong women who fight back and plant their own damn crops.’
‘So I’ve seen.’ Kohén crooked his head and smiled at me. ‘I’m rather surprised that we’ve made it this long without you swinging a punch at my head.’
‘Or you a lightning bolt at mine,’ I agreed. ‘You do have a terrible temper.’
‘I’ll bet you would too if you were permitted to show it! You can certainly hold a grudge longer than I!’
‘Maryah’s taught us to lock all of our anger up in your presence and then let it out by hurling cats out a window and babbling after,’ I joked, and Kohén laughed and leaned against the trunk beside me. ‘So needless to say: I’ve gone through a lot of cats.’
‘My instructor has taught me how to channel my rage into something productive, like electricity.’ He nudged me with his elbow. ‘If I could keep my wits about me the way that you do, I’d be his star pupil.’
I frowned in confusion. ‘I thought you were his only pupil?’
‘Details, details…’ Kohén nudged me again. ‘You’re in an awfully good mood! After that scene and losing your friend, I’d expect you to be all fragile and stuff...’
I rolled my eyes, and then giggled giddily. Kohén was right; I was positively buzzing all over from the excitement of all that had just transpired with Martya, and I was grateful that the ache inside me proved that I’d finally made a friend worth losing.
Kohén had promised me that I’d be able to escape the Companion fate but I hadn’t truly believed that it was possible- not until Martya had and now, I could almost feel the warm southern sun on my face. ‘She has given me hope,’ I glanced at him and smiled in apology. ‘Not to escape you so don’t pout, because I know that I have a wonderful life here, but for the kingdom as well! Just imagine how much longer you Nephilim will be able to preserve your powers for if you’re not needed for damage control on such matters.’
‘I know- I feel almost giddy about it.’ Kohén paused. ‘But only almost.’
‘Why?’
‘Because I’m nervous,’ he admitted, frowning out at the hedges and gardens beyond us, which stretched to the precipice of the cliff beyond. It was twilight, so the wet hedges were glowing gently, and once again I found myself overcome with gratitude for getting to grow up in Eden.
‘That the other Given girls will find other ways to trade themselves out of service?’ I teased, nudging him back. ‘Don’t hold your breath. The chances that they are upstairs studying right now and not applying cold creams are slim to none.’
‘I don’t worry about los
ing any of them…’ he scoffed.
‘Then what? You don’t think the pesticide will work?’ I followed his gaze out to the ocean. ‘Or is this about sailing while it’s still so cold…?’
‘No. I love to sail. It’s just that… well…’ he gave me a sidelong look. ‘We’re friends, right? I mean- good friends? Even though we’ve started arguing a bit over these last few years… you do know that I still hold you in the highest regard, don’t you? And that I… I miss you’re company when I’m away, because we’ve grown so close in these past ten years…?’
I swallowed. ‘I’d like to think so.’ Was he going to tell me about asking his mother for permission for me to sail with him? Had she changed her mind? My heart began to pound at the prospect of setting out on a grand ship and seeing a new land- and of meeting Kohl! ‘Why?’
Hopes down, hopes down… bury them!
Kohén closed his eyes. ‘I need to ask you to do something for me, and it’s something… different to what I’ve asked of you before. It’s, well, sort of embarrassing really… no- REALLY embarrassing.’ He pushed off the tree, stuffed his hands into his pockets and stared at his shoes the way I’d regarded my carrots earlier. ‘And I’m afraid that you’ll scream at me when I ask…’
My heart was pounding in fear. If he asked me to put in a good word for him with Kelia, I’d faint from the horror of it! ‘All you can do is ask...’
‘Not true- I’m stalling quite well.’ I giggled and Kohén’s head jerked up so that he could flash a pleased grin at me. ‘See… you always know how to laugh when I make a bad joke- and that’s one of the reasons why I trust you the way I do. That, and the fact that you didn’t just take the chance to leave and run with it.’
‘So trust me more- and spit out the favour already,’ I said, kicking the toe of his boot again and steering around the sentimental things he’d just said before he could make me blush like some stupid girl. ‘Before your mother either drags you out of here by your collar, or leaves without you.’
Kohén sighed and nodded, then pulled his hands out of his pockets and wrung them in front of him. ‘Fine, here goes!’ He bit his lip before asking: ‘You’ve been taught how to kiss, haven’t you?’
That was the last thing I’d expected him to ask me, and for a second I just blinked at him, certain that I’d heard him wrong. ‘Huh?’
An annoyed look crossed his face just as a blush stained his cheeks. ‘In your classes- they teach you girls how to kiss, don’t they?’
I stared at him for a second longer and when he didn’t ask me anything else, I swallowed and nodded. ‘Um, we’ve seen it and have been…’ I pulled at my skirts. ‘This IS embarrassing! Since when do you care about what we’re taught in those dumb classes?’
‘Because I need you to kiss me,’ Kohén said quickly, stepping closer to me and taking my hands. ‘Now, tonight- before I go.’
My mouth dropped open. ‘Are you CRAZY?”
Kohén flinched. ‘Do you have to yell? I told you that I was nervous!’
‘I-’ I spluttered, then looked down at his hands and thought how odd they looked while wrapped around mine. God, had Martya been right? Was Kohén falling for me? I could have blacked out from the shock of it combined with a brief moment of blissful excitement followed up by sheer panic. I’d just seen Martya escape! I needed to fly out of the cage before the door dropped behind her, not chain myself to the bars! ‘I’m sorry but, well- all of the classes in the world haven’t prepared me for how to respond when your best friend asks you to…’ I made a face and tore my hands from his, hugging myself. ‘Kohén, no! This is crazy! I don’t… You and I…’ I rubbed my arms. ‘It’s gross.’
Kohén looked wounded. ‘Am I so repellent to you?’
‘Yes! As I am to you!’ I reminded him. ‘We’re like siblings, remember? I couldn’t kiss you like a lover and you promised me that you would never ask for something so vile!’
Kohén glared at me. ‘I promised you that I’d never take you to bed, Larkin,’ he said, and the way he said it made me shiver because suddenly, he didn’t look like the young boy I knew any more but a young adult who was determined to get kissed. ‘And I couldn’t even if I wanted to because you won’t be sixteen for months, so don’t look at me like I’m trying to steal your virtue, kid- I just want to know how to kiss, and you’re the only person here that I can trust enough to ask and not laugh at me if I do it wrong!’
‘That’s understandable,’ I said quickly, feeling awful for distressing him so on an issue that he’d been so scared of broaching. Of course he wanted to know how to kiss but still… ‘But why tonight?’
Oh God he’ll be sixteen in six months!
Kohén frowned more deeply. ‘Well, I’m about to go away for almost two months…’
‘So…?’ I asked, and as I waited for his answer, I could feel my pulse palpitating in my throat.
He looked down at his feet again. ‘Erm well… Emmerly asked me to kiss her goodbye before I left and I don’t know how to do it without making a fool of myself so…’
I flushed like someone had electrocuted me and then poured ice water down my back. ‘You want me to show you how to kiss so you can kiss Emmerly with confidence?’ I asked, and my throat tightened around the words. He wanted to use me to practice on! Martya had been very wrong and I hated myself for the way my heart skipped a few frantic beats. This wasn’t about me, but him and his prowess, and I wanted to cry for the loss of my friend’s innocence!
Kohén nodded, looking pained. ‘Well… yeah. I mean, in six months I’ll be, you know...’
Old enough to take advantage of the girl moving into your harem in a few weeks? Oh God! Kill me!
‘Oh.’ I looked down at my own shoes and chewed on my lower lip, not sure what I was supposed to say or even what I wanted to say. ‘That’s um…’ I risked a peek up at him. ‘But Kohén, don’t you want your first kiss to be with someone special?’
Not me, and definitely not Emmerly! Ugh! Why couldn’t he just find some random Pacifica girl to practice on so I’d never have to know about it?
But Kohén smiled crookedly at me. ‘You’re the only girl I know who would kiss me as a friend, and not because she can’t legally refuse.’ He swallowed. ‘So your consent will make it special- as special as I can hope for, anyway.’ He smirked. ‘And I don’t have to worry about impressing you, and makes the whole concept a little less scary so....’ He bit his lip again. ‘Please?’
I stared at him, melting a little bit. He looked young again and desperate and like a lost little boy, not a predatory man making use of his harem. When I sighed and nodded, his eyes lit up and something inside me lit up as well.
‘Fine,’ I said softly. ‘But only because you’re asking and not ordering me too, like you could.’
‘Thank you!’ Kohén exhaled lightly and then wet his lips, stepping into me more and making me tense up. ‘So what do I do? I mean- I’ve seen people kiss but not up close the way you guys apparently have.’ He stepped closer to me and took my hands again. ‘Is this okay? Or should I hold your face or…?’
I could have crawled out of my skin in terror when I felt his minty breath on my face. How had he managed to keep toothpaste-breath between dinner and our walk to the rear courtyard? I swallowed again and relaxed a little when I remembered that the last thing I’d eaten had been the strawberry and watermelon salad, so my breath was sweet, if not minty. ‘Hands are fine,’ I whispered, shrinking back into the tree as much as I could, which wasn’t far. ‘In fact for a tutorial, it’s probably less intimate if you hold them. But when you kiss a girl because you want to-’ I couldn’t bring myself to say Emmerly’s name. ‘You probably should go for their hips or shoulders or face…’
Kohén nodded. ‘Okay then…’ he stepped in closer, lacing his fingers through mine and I realised that he was breathing fast and shallow- nervous? Excited? Scared? Grossed out? I had no idea what either of us was feeling, aside from self-conscious. He wet his lips again and glance
d down at mine. ‘So do I just… do I keep my lips closed?’
‘At first,’ I practically whispered, lifting my face to his like a sacrifice to an executioner’s axe. ‘Stroke my lips with yours-keep them soft and gentle at first- and then sort of slip your tongue into my mouth and I’ll…’ I was going to faint, I was sure of it! ‘I’ll touch it with mine and then…’
‘And then?’ Kohén was practically panting.
‘Then we’ll seal off the kiss by closing our lips and pulling back,’ I stared at his mouth as it lowered toward mine. ‘But in a real kiss, you’d move your hands and then part her lips with your tongue a few times and kiss her deeply-’
Kohén sighed and pressed his mouth gently against mine and I breathed in through my nose, inflating my lungs as his silken lips touched mine tentatively. At first, I was in complete shock to discover how soft his lips were and did nothing to respond (or instruct) but then he moaned softly and tightened his fingers around mine and I gasped and suddenly, his lips were working mine open and I felt every organ in my body twinkle as though they were suffering pins and needles. I shrank back against the tree when I felt the tip of his tongue gently swipe at the crease between my lips, and Kohén lifted his hands to my face, slipping his fingertips behind my head to cushion it.
Oh...! This feels… amazing!
My mind spun and then my body pulsed when Kohén moaned and stroked my tongue with his, his hands slipping down to my jaw to tilt it up and then held my face still while he massaged his tongue against mine deeply, making me tremble. It was so raw and intimate! So exciting and yet terrifying that I could have taken flight!
And then he did as I’d instructed and sealed his lips against mine but continued to hold my face, panting. ‘How was that?’ he asked in a husky voice, and when my eyes opened and met his, I was astonished to see that they were growing a true Nephilim blue. I’d heard that they had sensual natures which was why they’d deviated from God’s path in the first place- but I’d never believed that anyone with such a pure soul could look at a girl the way Kohén was looking at me then- like someone he could devour.
