“What else am I supposed to do?” Yasra wrung her hands in front of her belly. “What if he never comes back?”
“Are you afraid for him or for yourself?” Bess asked, watching her friend’s expressions carefully.
Yasra was immediately overcome with outrage.
“How can you ask me that? I am worried for him! I don’t care about myself. I admit I was a little in the beginning, but…I am a thousand times more afraid for Dendri than I am about anyone else, including myself.”
“Why do you care so much about him?” Bess asked. She wondered if Yasra knew the answer to that yet.
“It’s not that I care…I mean, of course I care. He’s another human being for God’s sake. And after knowing him so…so…”
“Intimately?” Bess provided her.
“Yes. After knowing how vital and alive and kind and giving he is…I know the world would be a much darker place without him.”
“That is to say nothing of what will happen to us should he not come back to this villa. We will have to find somewhere to go. We will no longer be protected by Dendri. All of this will be passed on to his heir…whoever that may be…and we can’t expect they will want a couple of women wandering aimlessly around the place. We will have to take care of you…hope you can come through it.”
“Stop being so selfish on my behalf!” Yasra snapped angrily as she whirled to glare at Bess. “I don’t care about any of that! I just want him to come home to me!”
“Home? This is home?” Bess asked.
“I…I don’t know. You know what I mean!”
“Yes,” Bess said thoughtfully. “I think I do.”
Bess stood up, brushing her day dress into place. It was a simple white gown, but it was clearly threadbare in places. Bess needed new clothes, Yasra thought absently. They were still poor. If Dendri did not return their circumstances will have changed very little from what they had been before. The only difference was that she was now a Necromay majji and she would have to find someone to apprentice under as she developed her skills enough to earn a living. Apprentices were completely dependent on their mentors for everything. Food. Shelter. Clothing. Then in return for their training the apprentice would work earning back the money the mentor had put out for the apprentice’s care, plus an additional fee for services. A process that could take years.
What would happen to Bess? Would they let her keep her as a lady’s maid? Or would Bess have to find work elsewhere during the years of Yasra’s training. Provided Yasra survived the loss of Dendri. Provided she could function as a normal person. It had all been so vague. She had spent the past two days looking up everything she could find on the Gestalt pairing, Dendri having a varied collection of tomes on the subject. Including his own dissertation on why he had felt there had not been a Gestalt pairing in so long.
Dendri’s theory had been that, historically, majji were very insular beings. With the exception of sex majic, they rarely exercised their majic in concert with other majji. By not working majic while in contact with another being, there was little way of discovering the Gestalt pairing. Also, genetically speaking, majji tended to marry within their own houses. Aspano to Aspano. Padoni to Padoni. While this concentrated the genetic power of their offspring, often creating powerful children in their own image, it allowed for little cross mingling of genes. This reduced the odds of something as all-encompassing as the powers of the Gestalt being born. The Gestalt allowed for power from all of the houses. Inbreeding in the houses prevented the ability to use majic outside of the house the new generations were born into, making the Gestalt impossible.
Yasra and Dendri’s existence flew in the face of those theories. Her parents were both Vendii majji, and her grandparents on both sides had been Vendii majji. From what she knew, Dendri had come from Aspano parents. She wasn’t certain what his previous bloodlines were, but she suspected they were similar to hers.
But she wasn’t Vendii. She was Necromay. So she and Dendri did not fit his reasoning…except that they had come into contact and worked majic together. It had been sex majic at first, but it had been unintentional. Dendri had not touched her trying to induce sex majic. He had only intended to relax her mind. It had been her inexperienced power and deep-seated desires that had thrust them into that sexual haze and given birth to the Gestalt.
But in all her research, she had found nothing satisfying on the topic of what would happen if one of a Gestalt pairing were to die. All accounts said it was a bad thing for the surviving member of the pair, but it was vague on how strongly the survivor was affected. Some accounts said the grief of the loss was so absolute that the survivor often died shortly after. But the accounts said very little about what happened should the survivor make it through that kind of grief. Was the grief because of a lifetime of working and living together, or did it happen even after as short an acquaintance as she and Dendri had had?
No one seemed to have thought it important enough to put it down on paper. Either that or, because it was so long ago, all accounts had been lost. A hundred years was a long time and methods of records keeping had improved and changed a great deal since then. A hundred years ago only the monk’s in the temples of God had written down records. The volumes had been written on heavy vellum, often with artistic renderings on the pages. But they had taken lifetimes to write and had often been only a single copy. Any number of things might have happened to those tomes over the years. They were now protected in the great library in their capitol city. Only a select few were ever allowed access to them.
Perhaps a man as powerful as Dendri was could gain access to those works. Perhaps they could learn more through them.
Or they could learn it the hard way, Yasra thought anxiously.
No! Enough! Yasra stopped her pacing and gave herself a mental shake. She had to get out of the house and occupy herself with some kind of activity. Maybe Bess was right. Maybe they should do something…go out somewhere.
Yasra froze as she looked out the window and saw a figure on horseback riding up the white gravel pathway. Her heart leapt into her throat, her breath seizing in her lungs.
“It’s him!” she cried before the horse and rider came into full view. She bolted for the entryway door, throwing it wide open and running outside, her steps crunching loudly on the crushed stone of the path.
But it took only a short bursting run before she was close enough to see the rider clearly. Her breath caught.
It wasn't Dendri.
It was Wil.
Seeing her suddenly crestfallen expression, Wil chuckled as he dismounted. He stepped forward and picked up her hand. He kissed her knuckles warmly, looking down on her with his soft coffee colored eyes full of understanding.
“Sorry to disappoint you, love,” he said gently.
“No. It’s all right,” Yasra said. She forced herself to smile at him. “It’s good to see you, Wil.”
“Even though I’m not the man you were hoping for?”
“Even so,” Yasra said with a lift to her chin. “You’ll do in a pinch.”
He laughed at that. “Ever so glad to hear that. It’s nice to be wanted.”
“You are wanted,” she insisted.
Wil handed his reins to a stable boy who had run out to meet them and turned to walk beside her.
“Good. Because I have come to entertain you,” he said.
“Entertain me?”
“Yes. Dendri asked me to come to you while he was away and see that you were well taken care of and that you weren’t left to simply fret and worry about him. So what shall it be? A carriage-ride through Capitol Park? Everyone can stare at you in envy and we can be mobbed by the upper crust of society. But don’t worry. I won’t let them anywhere nearer to you than calling distance. Close enough to shout a greeting, not close enough to touch.
“Or shall we ride the estate? You can ride can’t you?”
“I can but—“
“Good,” he pushed on. “Some exercise might do you good.
Or we can go shopping on Haverton Street. They have all the best clothes there now don’t they? We can dress you in style. Find you a good dressmaker. Someone who can flatter these pink cheeks and this warm golden skin. I think you would look best in a nice ice blue. Something in silk or satin. Only the best of fabrics. Or perhaps a tailor,” he said, taking in her breeches and shirtsleeves. “I daresay this is a most fetching getup on you.”
Yasra blushed under his regard.
“I’m sure I don’t need a dressmaker or a tailor. Surely they have things already made—“
“Off the rack?” he cried. “Never. I won’t hear of it. Dendri would never forgive me if I didn’t get you the very best of everything.”
“I don’t have money for shopping,” Yasra said.
“Ah but Dendri has said we are to charge anything you need to his accounts. Come, let’s go spend his money, shall we?”
“But Bess…” she trailed off.
“Bess must come of course. We can stuff her into muslins and velveteens and cottons. Dendri said to care for you both and that is what I will do.”
“I can’t speed Dendri’s money. I wouldn’t feel right.”
“Nonsense,” Wil said breezily. “You’re his apprentice aren’t you? It’s his duty to provide you with clothing and such.”
“Is that what I am? His apprentice?”
She supposed it was better than his mistress. She didn’t like the idea of being a kept woman. At least as an apprentice she knew she would earn back the money he spent on her today and pay him back.
“But he’s an Aspano. I’m Necromay. My mentor should be a Necromay.”
“The usual rules don’t apply when it comes to a Gestalt pairing, love. Surely you can see that? You will have to apprentice under every house of majic.”
“That’s only if…”
If he made it back to her alive. She didn’t need to say it. It was written in her facial expression. Wil looked at her with compassion in his kind eyes.
“He’ll make it back to you,” he said softly, an arm going about her shoulders as he turned her back toward the house and encouraged her to walk with him. Her limbs felt numb and heavy, as if she were walking in a fog that left her devoid of all feeling.
“You don’t know that,” she said.
He thought about it a moment. “You’re right. I cannot make you any promises. However, I can remind you that there is no one on this continent more powerful than Dendri Adiron. It would take an army far larger than Delongo’s to bring him down. Take heart in that. I have never known anyone as strong and as determined as Dendri. He won’t rest until Delongo is dead, and he won’t let himself die in the process if for no other reason than to protect you. Now come. Let’s go get you prettied up. Then I shall take you to Grosvenor’s on Capitol Circle. I will fill you full of savories and pastries.”
She smiled at him. “We should go to the dressmaker’s after we eat. That way she can account for the pounds you will put on me.”
“Just so! Now, where’s that delightful Bess?”
They walked into the house together.
Wil was boisterously happy and encouraging as he hurried them into dressing for their outing. It was all well and good to wear breeches when riding on horseback or in the casual comfort of home and when going about daily chores, but not for going to Grosvenor’s to eat. As they dressed, Bess and she fussed over the simplicity and worn state of their dresses.
“Well, we’ll fix that soon enough,” Bess said encouragingly. She finished primping them both then hurried Yasra out of the room.
They took the barouche carriage into the city. Dendri’s estate was just outside of the capitol city, far enough to be away from the noise and bustle and smell of the city and close enough to be within easy travelling distance to the triumvirate and the heddah chamber. There were two guards and a driver on the outside of the vehicle. As they rumbled past the main gate, she saw that there was still a crowd of people camped out there, waiting for the opportunity to see them. They drove through them with ease, but Yasra, who was facing the rear of the barouche, could see people running after them, some mounting horses to give them chase. Anxiety clawed through her. Wil, who was seated next to her, followed her gaze out the window.
“Don’t worry. They won’t come close. Not within rifle range anyway.”
She nodded and swallowed hard. She missed Dendri. She always felt so safe when he was near. Not that she didn’t think Wil and the guards could keep her safe, but that she felt much more secure in that knowledge when Dendri was around. If she had to live future years without him, would she ever feel safe again?
They drove onto Capitol Circle, a paved road that went around the entire perimeter of Capitol Park. The park itself was two miles squared and full of long riding paths and wending gravel roadways. Anyone who wanted to be seen went riding into Capitol Park.
They reached the restaurant and Wil helped both women alight from the vehicle. He gave the driver the instruction to return for them in an hour. Then he led them inside, the guards following them. They were seated at a table with their guards settled, discreetly, nearby. This made Yasra feel better since she preferred not to draw attention to herself.
The meal they were served was the best food she had ever tasted. Rivaling even Dendri’s talented chef. She had goose cooked in a champagne broth, and shrimp in butter and wine with lemony capers and pungent garlic. For dessert there was a sweet, layered pastry with whipped cream and custard oozing from crumbling pastry layers.
Full and content, Yasra let Wil lead them back to the carriage and they made their way to Haverton Street. Known for its dressmakers, tailors, milliners and cobblers, it was a one-stop shopping street. Everything from exotic perfumes to resplendent jewelry was available within the single walking distance of the street. Wil was so excited to be shopping that it rubbed off on Yasra and Bess.
“Wil, you’re a fashion plate!” she noted with a chuckle. She looked him over from head to toe. He was impeccably dressed, from cravat to boots. His valet kept him clean-shaven, his clothes were cut and tailored perfectly to his large frame. His coat was a brushed burgundy velvet that accented the golden highlights of his hair. His hair was once again neatly caught back in a queue, as was the most popular style for men in their society. His breeches were skin tight and black, matching the lapels of his jacket. The silk shirt he wore was a pristine white. His cravat was knotted and fluffed intricately at his throat. He wore a top hat and shining black riding boots.
“I admit that I am,” he said as he inspected a countertop full of cravats of all colors. White was the most popular, but she had begun to see well-dressed men sporting cravats of more brilliant hues of late. She reached out and fingered a midnight blue one.
“This would look lovely with your hair,” she told him.
Amusement in his eyes he inspected the colored cravat.
“I do believe you are right,” he said. “I shall buy it and wear it when next we are going to meet.”
“You don’t have to do that,” she demurred.
“I want to.” He indicated to the shopkeeper that he wanted the cravat. “Now, that’s enough shopping for me. Let’s get you ladies some lovely new dresses to compliment your beautiful eyes.”
“Oh I couldn’t,” Bess said minutes later as Wil encouraged her to try on a gown made of a fair pink silk with little pink rosebuds embroidered on the bodice. “It’s too expensive.”
“We’ll not talk of cost,” Wil said dismissively. “Dendri is ridiculously wealthy. He has nothing to spend his fortune on. It’s about time he had someone to take care of.”
“I’m sure he’s bought things for other women as well.”
“Perhaps,” Wil conceded. “But not of late. It has been some time since he had a woman in his life, Yasra.”
Yasra blushed at his pointed look. “How much time?” she asked, trying to sound not all that interested.
“I couldn’t say for certain, but at least two years.”
>
“Two years?” She was shocked. A man as vital and sexual as Dendri? Celibate for two years? She couldn’t believe it. “You must be mistaken. Perhaps there was someone you didn’t know of.”
“Not very likely. I suppose it could be true, but Dendri tells me just about everything. Although he introduces me to very few of the women in his life. They generally aren’t around long enough to make an impression.”
Yasra didn’t know how to feel about that. It supported what Olla had said to her, that Dendri’s attentions were fleeting. Did that mean he would lose interest in her just as easily?
Of course it did. Why should she be any different than any of the other women in his life? What made her so special? Just because they were Gestalt didn’t mean they would be a couple forever. She didn’t even want forever. Forever was a lot to ask of anyone.
“Go on Bess. Try on the dress,” Wil urged her.
Bess gave a little squeak of joy then hurried off to put the dress on. Then Wil turned to her. “Well? What will it be? Silk? Lace? Velvet? It’s growing colder now and you should have something warm. Some gloves for certain. A shawl. A jacket.” He reached out for a breast jacket and held it up so she could slide her arms into the long velvet sleeves. It was of a lovely fawn color, the short row of buttons that buttoned the jacket over her breasts made of carved ivory. The ivory colored lace at the cuffs simple and pretty.
Wil turned her toward him and quickly buttoned the six buttons between her breasts, the material pulling snug over them and Wil’s expert touch too fleeting to be intimate. Still, she blushed at his familiarity. It was obvious Wil knew his way around women’s clothing.
“Lovely,” he declared. “And a perfect fit. I wasn’t certain, given your…charms.” He winked at her audaciously and she laughed.
“You’re a scoundrel,” Yasra declared.
“Born and bred. My father was a scoundrel and my grandfather was a scoundrel. A long line of rogues, I’m afraid.”
A Kiss of Magic: A Kiss of Magic Book One Page 23
