by Ann Aguirre
“That’s a tempting offer,” he said. “What if I want more than tea? What then?”
Her heart pounded like it might leave her chest. “I’m not sure what you’re asking, but I suspect you’re teasing.”
“I was wondering if you’d sing for me if I wanted it.”
I’d do anything if you asked. It would never be the time for such a ridiculous declaration, but the words still whispered in her head nonetheless. If he enjoyed listening to her sing, maybe he’d come for a private show.
She tried for a friendly smile, hoping her eagerness didn’t show. “Of course. I’m here to bolster spirits as best I can.”
“I see. At any rate, I shouldn’t be alone with you too often.” Without looking at her, Callum raised the cup and took a long swallow.
She envied the ceramic for knowing the feel of his mouth, warm and generous beneath the bristle of his beard. “Why not? Because people will think—”
“No. Because the order forbids close friendships between men and women. If I lean on you, I’ll eventually find more solace in you than in my vows.”
That sounded…delicious. But wrong.
“Ah. I didn’t realize—”
“But I’ll bear your invitation in mind,” he went on. “This situation will likely get worse before it gets better, and there may come a point where I’ll need…”
What? Me? Someone? Anyone?
But he didn’t finish the sentence. Instead he downed the drink and stood. “I’ve lingered long enough. I’m sure Garven will be able to answer any questions that come up later.”
I’ve been delegated.
The thought shouldn’t depress her so much, but Joss shivered when he stepped out and closed the door. Before, the room looked warm and inviting, but now it seemed faded; the floral fabric of the furniture lost some of its brightness. On the walls, there were mediocre watercolors, likely painted by relatives of the prior tenant. There wasn’t much to this room—a single window, sideboard behind the loveseat, armchair by the fireplace. She stepped through the arch into the sleeping area and found a chest and a double bed, along with more watercolors.
She had no belongings to put away, and she was hungry. The tea didn’t do anything about all the meals she’d missed, so she was about to go in search of the cafeteria when someone rapped on the door. Joss hurried to answer it.
He wouldn’t be back already, but still…
Instead, she found Trini and Emilia, along with Renna, who was holding a box. Confused, Joss stepped back so they could come in. “Is this the welcome committee or am I being hazed?”
Emilia might be the type, but she didn’t think Trini and Renna fit that profile. The other three women traipsed in and the first two made themselves comfortable without waiting for an invitation.
“Nothing like that,” Renna said, offering the carton. “I heard about your predicament. We went through our closets and found some things that you can use while you’re here.”
“Wow, thanks. I’d offer tea, but I only have two mugs.”
Emilia picked up the one Callum had left. “And they’re dirty. Still warm, too. You’re faster than I expected, even for a cat.”
Trini smacked Emilia on the arm as Joss asked, “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Renna sighed. “Please don’t aggravate our guest on her first day.”
That didn’t answer the question, though. “Seriously, someone clue me in. ‘Even for a cat’?”
There was a short silence, then Trini spoke quickly, seeming embarrassed. “It’s probably not true, but they talk about cat shifters as being…well, especially alluring and seductive. More than bears or wolves.”
“You think we’re literal sex kittens?” Joss asked, stifling a laugh.
“How else did that phrase get started?” Emilia demanded.
If that was the pervasive lore among the bears, no wonder Callum acted so skittish. He must fear that breathing the same air as Joss would drive him mad with lust and cause him to forsake his vows. As such stories went, this one was hilarious.
“Maybe that explains a few things, though,” she muttered.
At last, Joss took the box from Renna and carried it into the bedroom. There would be time later to see what they’d given her. Then she rejoined the others with a bright smile, determined to make the best of things.
“Anyone up for dinner and some shopping?”
Though Callum wanted dinner and ten hours of sleep, he went to the security office first. Burnt Amber lost their chief of security in Ash Valley, so Jere Vidal stepped up, taking their father’s place. They were young for the role, slim and elegant, with coppery skin, brown eyes, and curly black hair. Jere tended to be tentative, asking for guidance instead of taking decisive action. Since Callum felt the same about leading the clan, he couldn’t fault the security chief for erring toward caution.
“Let me see the logs,” he said in lieu of a greeting.
Jere queued up the files and eased their chair back to offer the screen. Callum leaned in, skimming the footage. Everything had gone about as he expected, though they’d left the grid down longer than he deemed safe. Yet Renna and Jere had done the best they could while monitoring their return, trying to time the outage to allow the convoy to return home without allowing the Gols time to strike.
“They lost some troops when the grid went up,” he said.
“They tried to intercept, weren’t fast enough. Mines took out the vanguard, and the rest fell back. They’ve set up camps, here and here.”
Drone video showed him a little of what the Gols were doing, right up until the unit exploded. “Guess they caught us spying.”
“They won’t be able to do anything with the wreckage,” Jere said.
Callum looped the prior recording so he could watch the detonations again. Best count, they lost two vehicles in that failed push, no more than twenty men. That wasn’t enough to feel glad about. Mines weren’t self-regenerating either, so now they had a bald spot, defense-wise. Not close enough to home for it to matter right now, but the situation could change. Callum ran a hand through his hair, leaving it even more disheveled.
“Any sign that they’ve figured it out?” he asked.
“Not so far. They’re determined to hit Burnt Amber, no matter the casualties, and they wouldn’t be so determined if they had any inkling that we manufacture all our tech offsite.”
Yeah, bullshit stories alleged that the bears had some top-secret underground facility beneath the hold, but some enterprising clan chief had spread that rumor ages ago to keep everyone from realizing the truth was much simpler. If the factory stayed hidden, they had hope of turning this mess around. But it wasn’t enough to hunker down; somehow, he had to figure out how to take the fight to the Golgoth without getting all his soldiers killed. Some wolf war machines would come in handy, but with the borders locked and Raff distracted with Eldritch matters, there would be no aid coming from that quarter.
And I have the damned drug trade to deal with too.
It was too much for one person to handle and his closest ties were in the Order of Saint Casimir. While the monks might come if he called, they weren’t a military order, and he’d stormed off under a cloud after the bombing. The idea of getting his brothers killed didn’t sit well either. Neither did the current situation, and no matter which way he looked, he could find no solutions.
Maybe he could delegate the drug issue, at least. “We have a problem.”
“Just the one?” Jere joked. Then they fell silent, evidently judging that Callum was in no mood for levity. “Sorry, you were saying?”
Quickly he summed up what he’d learned of the smuggling issue from Magda Versai at Daruvar and Jere scowled as the story got worse. Callum finished with, “I’d appreciate it if you could talk to the doctors and nurses in the medical center. They must have noticed the shortages…and if they didn’t, then they might be part of the cover up.”
“I don’t like thinking our people have any ties to an
extremist group,” Jere said, a frown pleating their brow.
“Suspect everyone,” he advised. “Even if you’re sure it couldn’t be them because they seem so nice. Believe only the evidence and let me know what you find out.”
“I’m on it. And… thank you for trusting me with this. I know I haven’t overwhelmed you with my initiative so far. I won’t let you down.”
He didn’t know how to respond to compliments; they were seldom expressed so openly in the order. “Eh, well. We’re both wearing new shoes, aren’t we? There’s bound to be a painful breaking-in period.”
Callum excused himself then. Maybe he should try harder to connect with people, but a little voice kept saying there was no point since he’d be heading back to the monastery as soon as possible. People fell into two groups here at Burnt Amber—the elders, who remembered his history all too well and who liked to whisper about his tragic past and the young ones who didn’t know any of that firsthand, but who got nervous looking at him. None of it felt comfortable.
He thought he’d delayed long enough that he should be safe in stopping for a bite in the cafeteria, but he found Joss there with Renna, Trini, and Emilia. To his astonishment, Joss waved when she saw him, beaming a smile so bright that it dazzled his senses. Renna followed Joss’s motion and her expression was a mix of guilt and dismay. Well, that makes two of us.
But what does she feel guilty about?
Their plates were half empty so it would be awkward to join them, making them think he needed companionship for his meal, but the way Joss was signaling, the interested onlookers might imagine he was petty enough to bear a grudge over their exchange in the courtyard. Gossip would spread like wildfire anyway, no need to encourage it. He had to pretend this pretty cat didn’t trouble him, so he went through the line and nodded at various offerings until he had food to eat. In the order, they were taught not to think too much about physical pleasures, even when it came to dining options. All such gratification was ephemeral.
“I’ve already made friends,” Joss said as he sat down, as if that were unusual.
He had a hard time believing that, friendly as she was. She seemed like the sort of person who could spin round in a square and knock into at least five people who wanted to get to know her better. The irritating thing was, Callum couldn’t even remove himself from that number. Some deeply buried part of him took so much pleasure in listening to her voice that it was probably against the order’s rules, not that he’d ever heard of such a proscription.
The other three women seemed startled when he set his plate down. Yes, I normally eat alone. You try telling her no.
Joss leaned and inhaled. At first, he thought she was smelling him, and he had no idea what he’d have done if that were the case. But she said, “Venison stew? I have the cabbage rolls. Really good! Do you want to try?” Before he could decline, she put a bite on her fork and passed it to him.
While the others watched in frozen fascination, he decided the least dramatic response was to sample the cabbage roll. And it was good. He nodded in acknowledgment, aware that people were whispering that a little cat had already tamed the angry bear. That was obviously incorrect.
I’m being polite to a guest.
He returned her utensil and set to his own meal in silence, letting them carry the weight of conversation. The women were talking about heading to Nayan’s club to introduce Joss and discuss the potential for her to perform. There should be no problem with that, and if she kept the soldiers distracted, maybe people wouldn’t think too much about how trapped they were.
You have to fix this.
Callum ate in morose silence, aware that people were still talking about him, though damned if he knew why. He wasn’t even talking to Joss Bristow. Finally, Trini stood. “We should get going, if everyone’s done. Good night!”
He merely waved a fork and let them go. Afterward, he realized why the audience had been so intrigued. In using Joss’s fork, he’d put his mouth in second-hand contact with hers, an indirect kiss. Such nonsense, they’d only shared some germs, nothing romantic about that. Privately, he admitted that it was more intimacy than he’d allowed in years.
And it couldn’t go even one step further.
4.
At a glance, Joss could tell that Callum had undersold the entertainment plaza, especially with the caveat ‘don’t expect too much’. He had mentioned shops—and there was a good assortment of clothing, household goods, and decorative items. He’d mentioned one restaurant, but there were several. One was an adorable café, far more charming than she’d envisioned from his terse description, with a variety of drinks and pastries. The other place was along the lines of a supper club with a small stage, and black velvet décor with lots of dark wood, heavy draperies, and exquisite crystal fixtures.
Renna moved through the maze of tables with confidence, leading the way toward the back. Trini and Emilia had gone off after dinner, leaving Joss with the woman Beren almost married, who wasn’t quite Callum’s aunt.
Such a weird dynamic.
But Renna was so friendly and eager to help that Joss liked her, even as she wondered how the woman had felt about the old bear. May – December romances weren’t so shocking, but it was more the fact that Renna didn’t act particularly grief-stricken that made Joss wonder exactly how things had gone. If they got close enough, she might indulge her curiosity.
“Nayan!” Renna called. “Are you here?”
“Of course I am,” came the acerbic reply. “Where else would I be?”
An elegant, silver-haired woman stepped out of the back room. Though the Animari weren’t ageless like the Eldritch, for an elder to reveal her years this way, Nayan must be well over a hundred. She wore the age well, like a tiara of distinction, her dark eyes full of knowledge that Joss couldn’t fathom. Nayan was dressed in a black sheath, a collar of diamonds on her throat, likewise at her wrist and ears.
Seems like her restaurant is successful.
Various workers circulated, but they didn’t seem to be preparing to open the restaurant. Instead, they appeared to be doing a deep cleaning, moving furniture about and scrubbing hidden surfaces with gusto.
“This is Joss,” Renna said.
“Nice to meet you.” She proffered her hand, ending an inspection that might be taken the wrong way if she persisted.
After a minute hesitation, Nayan shook her hand lightly. “Likewise. We’re closed tonight, as Renna knows. I presume you have business with me?”
Joss glanced at Renna, who invited her to speak with a silent gesture. “I do, yes. Renna said you might be interested in having me perform while I’m here.”
Shrewd, assessing eyes swept over Joss, and she suddenly wished she had something else to wear, that she’d done her makeup properly, and that her hairstyle was more sophisticated. “That depends. What’s your specialty?”
“I’m a singer. I perform regularly in Ash Valley, and I’ve recorded a few albums. Nothing too popular.”
“That’s commendable, but what are you doing here? You do know we’re under siege? Or shall be soon enough. This is no time for a friendly visit.” Nayan folded her arms and fixed a stern look on Joss, as if she was a foolish kit.
And maybe I am, but this woman isn’t my auntie. She had no right to chastise Joss’s choices, poor as they might be.
Joss met that look with a hint of steel. “I’d argue that there will never be a more crucial time, ma’am. There’s a precedent for performers raising the spirits of soldiers during wartime. In fact, I wouldn’t even be here if the guards at Daruvar hadn’t told me personally that they’re sorely in need of distraction.”
Nayan drew the exchange of stares out as if daring Joss to look away. She didn’t.
“I like you, child. Plenty of spark. And you’ll need it. The audience can get a bit rowdy when they’re full of drink. You think you can handle it?”
“You should audition me before you worry about how I’ll handle the hecklers,” she said bold
ly. “Maybe you won’t like my voice or song selection. Let’s take this step by step.”
“An excellent suggestion. Please proceed. Renna and I will sit at the back to test your vocal strength.”
Joss noticed that the woman didn’t offer musical accompaniment or to activate the sound system. Fine, we’ll do this the old-fashioned way. Normally, she had a pianist backing her up, but she could play three instruments, and there was a piano at the back of the stage. Since it was small, she moved it herself, settling it in the center. Though she didn’t see Nayan issue any orders, the lights dimmed and a circle of a gold illuminated Joss when she sat down on the wooden bench.
After warming up her hands, she tested the keys. Good sound, well-tuned. She played a few scales and then launched into her favorite song. At first, she sang for them, but as usually happened, she lost herself in the music and soon, she was singing only for herself.
Music filled her with sunlight, brilliant and golden. One song flowed into the next, emotion after emotion, and she didn’t stop until the sound of applause echoed in the room. She opened her eyes and glanced toward the audience in surprise; she hadn’t thought two people could produce that much noise. Only when her eyes focused, Joss realized that the whole room was full, even though the supper club was supposedly closed and the furniture was in complete disarray. Yet people were standing, drawn by the music, she supposed, arranged around the perimeter.
A touch flustered, she rose and bowed to her hastily-acquired audience. Then she stepped off the little stage and headed toward the back, even as Nayan and Renna came forward. The older woman smiled, eyes crinkling at the corners.
“You’re magnificent, my dear. And I can see there’s no doubting your ability to draw a crowd. I can only imagine how brilliant you’ll be with proper preparation.” She turned to those who had come during the show. “Go on now. You know perfectly well that we’re closed today. Look forward to her debut later.”
