by B. T. Narro
“I hate to say it, but this isn’t what we should be doing right now.” She reached up to play with my hair.
“Right. Let’s discuss Swenn.” I sat up.
She did as well but then threw her arms around my neck and pressed her mouth against mine again. Our lips moved in a steady rhythm, speeding up as our fingers entwined. My body started to burn. I could feel the same passion in Shara as her chest heaved with each labored breath.
Soon she was taking off my shirt. She locked her lips back on mine and stroked her hands from my chest down to my waist. I reached for the straps of her nightgown, but she put her hand on top of mine to still it and then pulled away.
“I’ll take the blame for that,” she said, “but I’m also taking the responsibility to stop us.”
“Swenn…right.”
Her lips pursed as her heated gaze roamed my body.
“Either you need to put your shirt on or I need to look away.”
She didn’t look away.
I laughed and took her in my arms, spooning her as I had so many nights before. But I felt closer to her this time, like I didn’t need to speak for her to understand my thoughts, the tight hold of my arm telling her everything I wanted her to know.
“Before I forget,” Shara said, “as soon as I can trade in one of my dalions for a hundred silver, I’ll give you the four I owe you.”
“I don’t care about four silver. Keep them.”
“I was looking forward to paying you back.” She ran her nails along my arm. I could never tire of the sensation it created. “It’s an excuse to kiss your check as thanks for lending me the money.”
“You don’t need an excuse anymore.”
She rolled over to face me, my arm still around her. We were so close, I could feel each of her warm yet gentle exhales. It took all of my willpower not to kiss her.
“We really should talk about Swenn,” she whispered.
“We should.”
Her gaze shifted to my lips. I stared at hers. “I can’t even think about him right now,” I admitted.
“You should’ve waited until after to kiss me.”
“I should’ve.”
We fell silent, my mind keeping Swenn out. A whole lot of anger awaited the moment I had to consider what to do about him and I just couldn’t put myself there, not right now.
Apparently Shara couldn’t, either. We just stared, yearning but not acting.
“We could always talk about him later,” she suggested, a wry grin forming.
I felt the hair on my arms stand up. We shared a quick peck. It forced my mouth into a smile. We shared another, then I shifted on top of her as we kissed.
She pulled away. “Wait, listen.”
Then I heard it as well. Someone was trying to get through the locked door.
“Damn!” I whispered with fury as I heard a key being inserted.
Soon, Henry—shirtless, gigantic Henry—stood in the room with his arms folded, tsking me with clicks of his tongue.
“Go away,” Shara tried. Of course it didn’t work. Henry walked to our bed and got in, the mattress undulating violently with his movement.
Shara and I sat up, glaring at him. He put his arms behind his head, a relaxed look on his face.
“Come here,” Shara said, pulling me with her to the other side of the bed where she turned and faced me. “If we whisper, we can still speak without him hearing.”
But Henry scooted over, the bed shaking noisily until he settled just beside me, his arm uncomfortably against mine.
Shara put her hands around my ear and whispered so quietly I barely could hear her. “Just speak like this.”
I nodded. Henry sighed and sat up. He grabbed my arm and started to pull me away from Shara.
“What are you doing?” A pointless question. I was already back past the center of the bed.
Henry rolled over me, forcing the air out of my lungs along with a loud grunt. He made himself comfortable between us, fluffing his pillow and then putting his arms behind his head again, his bare armpits in our faces.
I scoffed. “Damn, Henry!”
He pushed out a fart as if in reply.
Shara really scoffed.
We lay there for what felt like an hour, Henry soon falling asleep while Shara and I listened to each other rustling on opposite sides of the bed. Eventually I heard her get up.
“Shara?” I sat up.
“Push him over here.” She grabbed Henry’s arm and started to pull. I pushed him from the other side, unsure what she was doing but trusting her judgment.
He awoke with a snort, his battle reflexes kicking in as he grabbed our arms.
“Ow!” Shara squealed. It hurt me as well. “Let go.”
He unlocked his grip and appeared startled.
“I can’t sleep,” Shara told him. “We won’t whisper, so please just let Neeko lie beside me.”
Henry whistled. “Yes.”
Shara came around to my side of the bed. I happily put my arm around her. She kissed my hand and then let out a relieved breath.
Soon her shoulders twitched, sleep taking her. I fell into a sound slumber right after.
Breakfast the next morning was the worst meal I’d ever experienced, but not because of the food. We had hot soup with bits of chicken, yet I could’ve been eating a cut of the finest steak and still wouldn’t have been able to enjoy it, not with the constant harassment.
People I’d never met shoved my back as I was about to put a spoonful of broth in my mouth, causing it to spill. They kicked my chair, called me a no good thief, and laughed to each other. I almost lost my temper when one person crossed behind Shara and muttered, “And look at the ugly hag with him.”
I stood, ready to fight him if that’s what unfolded after I said nasty things about his mother.
Shara grabbed my arm. “It’s not worth it.”
We both ate as quickly as we could, but hot soup wasn’t the easiest meal to devour. Falister sat down in front of me. I gritted my teeth as I expected the cruelest harassment yet from the king’s squire.
“I heard what you are.” Falister spoke quietly.
“I’m not.”
His confused expression confused me in turn. “You’re not?”
“No.”
Falister glanced around. “No one can hear us. You can tell me the truth.”
“I’m not a thief.”
“He’s not,” Shara echoed.
“A thief? Of course not. King Quince wouldn’t recruit a thief. He told me you’re a pyforial mage.”
“Oh, yes I am.”
“I didn’t know there were pyforial mages who weren’t dangerous, and I didn’t know that you saved the king from another pyforial mage. I’m sorry for the earlier judgment.”
I was confused, honored, and speechless. Falister reached across the table for a handshake, which I gave, still half expecting this to be some deceitful act, its overall purpose just to demean me.
But no, he smiled and that was it. I looked to Shara. She shrugged.
So Falister wasn’t told the same terrible lies as everyone else. Was it because he was close with the king and Swenn knew not to let these rumors get to Quince?
Henry finished his third bowl of soup and stood, pushing out his chair with the back of his knees. He pointed at me, then to his eyes. With just one look over his shoulder, he strode out of the great hall, probably to see Swenn.
“I have to go,” I told Shara, slurping down the rest of my soup.
“Where?”
I lowered my voice. “I need to train to lift myself with py while Henry isn’t watching me. Eventually I’ll be good enough to get into Swenn’s room through the balcony.”
“Be careful.”
“I will.”
She didn’t need to know I was going to see if I could make it onto his balcony this morning. She would just worry, and I already was worried enough for the both of us.
CHAPTER SEVEN
The northern inner court
yard was empty. I would be here again after lunch, training with Jaymes Jorgan, yet I dearly hoped no one would come before then.
I felt a surge of joy when I got on the bed of py with my first attempt. Even better, I could hold myself without too much strain. I found it interesting how some skills tended to improve between practicing, not always during. Manipulating pyforial energy had always been that way for me.
I let the energy dissipate, catching myself with my hands.
Now for the next step. It was time to see what rising into the air was like.
I positioned myself where I figured I’d be practicing until lunch, almost directly beneath Swenn’s balcony. It was just about high enough where a fall from there certainly would break bones but probably not kill me. I made the bed of py, the phrase “deathbed” not lost on me, and got myself onto it, my arms and legs spread to distribute my weight.
I figured I could hold myself for about a minute, but that was just supporting my weight. I still had to lift my body into the air. I tried to ignore the worry that I would have no idea whether someone was watching me, for I couldn’t exactly look around while lying flat against the energy.
I willed the energy straight up. A childlike laugh burst out of me as I shot into the air with tremendous speed, my stomach fluttery.
I still rose, closing my eyes to focus on going up. The best part about this was how the energy stayed close to my body, making it the same effort to control no matter how high I went.
I rose higher, feeling like I could go all the way to the clouds if I wanted.
But I still have to get down, I reminded myself.
I opened my eyes, expecting to be maybe ten feet off the ground. Gods, I was higher than Swenn’s balcony! Panic almost made me lose control.
Breathe, calm down, keep focus.
The ground looked so far away. Fear threatened to stop my heart as I gasped.
I lost control.
Suddenly I was falling!
Trusting my hands more than my ability to catch myself with py, I grabbed the railing of Swenn’s balcony, getting my whole right arm over it while clutching the top with my left.
My feet flailed to find purchase while my heart pounded in my ears. The gaps between each metal bar of the railing were too thin for me to get my foot through, but I managed to turn my left foot and stick in a few toes worth of my shoe. The rest of my effort went into my arms as I used them to pull myself up and get my other foot into a gap.
I didn’t know if Swenn was in his room and had heard me crash into his balcony. The wooden doors were closed, but they could fly open at any moment. If he saw me barely hanging on, he certainly would shove me off, probably smile as I fell. He’d claim he never saw me.
I tried to hurry. One of my feet slipped. I held back a scream.
Half of my weight was on my arms, the other half on three of my toes. I could feel them slipping as I tried to get the other foot back into a gap between the railing.
I looked down. Gods, the grass was so far away. Nonetheless, I contemplated falling while I still had the choice. I would be ready to catch myself with py. But would it work?
I was losing strength and sweating. I had to make a decision.
If I fell, then I’d have to float back up here later, and two hells how I didn’t want to do that. I pulled with all my strength. I didn’t try to get my free foot in a gap, focusing everything on lifting myself with my arms.
I got my stomach over. My legs followed and I fell onto the balcony, not caring about the pain running through my body. I scrambled over to the corner so that if Swenn opened the doors they wouldn’t reach me.
It took a while for me to regain my breath and calm my rushing heart. I crawled over to the railing to look below. The inner courtyard still appeared empty. It also seemed Swenn hadn’t heard me, if he was even in his room.
Or had he heard me and now he was summoning the guards?
I pushed my ear against the thin wooden door. A faint voice came through from the other side.
“He got the payment he deserved. Just tell him that.” I recognized Swenn’s unforgiving tone.
“I will, sir.” I didn’t recognize the other man.
I heard the door to his room open, then shut. For a long while after it was silent.
I stayed on my knees with my ear pressed against the balcony doors. Every now and again I heard the sound of someone pacing, but nothing came of it.
Over an hour went by before I heard a knock.
“Come in,” Swenn called. The door closed and footsteps followed.
“Everyone in the castle knows about Neeko by now, sir, except Quince, his squire, Eona, and Jaymes. I believe word will reach them eventually.”
I didn’t know Eona, but she had to be close to the king. Perhaps she was his queen.
“Of course it will.” It was Swenn’s voice. “He’ll understand by the time he hears it. Just make sure Neeko can’t walk through the castle without being bothered. We need him gone as soon as possible to secure the kingdom’s safety. How has he reacted to the confrontations, Henry?”
It was silent for a while.
“Then we need more drastic measures.” Swenn spoke with an air of levity.
“I’m afraid I don’t know what you mean, sir.” I was starting to believe it was Swenn’s squire in the room with him and Henry. The voice sounded familiar.
“There are few tortures worse than the constant threat of being hurt or killed. Once Henry finishes writing his report, I’ll tell you what to do.”
I silently cursed Swenn. I wanted to walk in there right then and strangle him with py, but revenge would have to wait. What did he mean? Would I actually be in danger or would it just seem that way? I suppose not knowing means I have to treat the danger as real.
“Hurry, Henry, I have other matters to attend to, and include Shara in that report. She’s going to feel even more threatened than Neeko.”
Henry whistled. “Yes.”
Shara…damn him. I felt a sting in my heart as I thought about her suffering.
The sound of loud knocking startled me at first, until I realized it came from Swenn’s front door again.
“Urgent news, sir!”
“Let him in.”
The door opened then clicked shut. “Kayren is in Norret. She’s at Bedwarm Inn, told the innkeeper she’s visiting Glaine soon!”
That’s the woman Eizle had mentioned. Two hells, what’s she doing coming here? I couldn’t speculate. Swenn was nearly screaming.
“Idiot! You announced to anyone nearby that you were entering this room with urgent news. Hells, the king’s quarters stands right next to mine. Now you’ll be rushing out of here! Did you even think about how that would look?”
“No one’s around.”
“Don’t speak back to him,” Swenn’s squire warned.
“Sorry, sir. It was stupid.”
“I’m taking five ruffs off your salary, but you’ll get fifteen back if you take care of her.”
From the silence that followed, it was clear what Swenn meant.
“I’ll leave right away.”
“Take three with you,” Swenn said. “I want this over with, understand?”
“I do, sir.”
“Go. Hurry.”
The door opened then slammed shut.
They were leaving to kill Kayren, and it hit me that no one would be there to protect her. Who could I tell?
Commander Jaymes? He would demand to know where I’d gotten my information. Then why would he trust me after I told him? I was a new recruit who’d just admitted to spying on Swenn. It was a risk I didn’t want to take. I could tell the king, but he would be even less likely to trust me over his own master of coin. He might even bring Swenn into his quarters and confront him. Swenn would lie, then it would be known I could float up to his balcony, my plan for revenge gone with nothing to show for it.
I would’ve turned to Darri but I couldn’t anymore. He was just as much Swenn’s puppet as the s
quire.
Shara. She would believe me.
I at least had to tell her I would be leaving. No matter what she said, though, I wouldn’t let her come with me. Too dangerous. Damn, I don’t even know where Norret is, and I’m stuck on this balcony!
All right, calm yourself. First figure out how to get down. The courtyard still looked empty. I just had to get onto py, then up and over the railing, all while staying on the energy…oh my gods, how was I going to do that? I couldn’t imagine lifting myself over something without falling off the energy or it coming apart.
My breaths became quick as my worries intensified. Was I stuck here until Swenn left his room? It could be hours.
I wasn’t a skilled horseback rider, I remembered. I needed to leave now if I was going to make it to Kayren before the others.
Shaking with fear, I pulled in all the pyforial energy I would need. It took twice as long as earlier to spread it out to a blanket and lie onto it. But soon I was on top, ready for the difficult maneuver.
You just have to get over the railing, I told myself. Going down will be easy after that.
I raised the energy, lifting myself with it. Cranking my head to the side, I could see I was above the railing in no time. The energy shook beneath me as I strained to keep my focus. I edged sideways, unable to help clutching the clear energy in my hands.
I wobbled more with each passing breath as it became increasingly more difficult to keep the energy steady.
Almost there, just don’t let it go.
My body burned from the strain. My overstressed mind couldn’t hold the py much longer. I had to hurry.
I cleared the balcony. Just need to let myself down now. I fell quickly, then abruptly stopped, my face and body bouncing against the cushiony energy as I almost lost control with my mind. The grass was still too far away.
I willed the energy down again or, more accurately, let my weight push it without allowing the py to break apart. Again I fell fast, and again I stopped quickly, painfully so as my face and chest mashed against the bed. I never would’ve guessed it was harder to go down than up, but it was ten times worse.
I barely could hold onto myself with the energy by then. One more sudden stop and the py might slip from the grasp of my mind. I needed to get all the way to the ground this time.
