My smile was weak as the hope within me seemed to fade slightly. “I understand,” I said. “And I truly appreciate you trying to help us.”
She sighed. “I wish I could do more. I wish I could grant you asylum myself,” she said. “But unfortunately, I can't. So, I'm doing what I can to influence the decision.”
“Thank you,” I said softly.
She gave my arm another squeeze and then favored me with a warm smile. “I've just spoken with the doctors,” she said. “And they say you're ready to be moved out of here and into a more comfortable chamber.”
“That's the best news I've had in days,” I said.
She smiled. “Well, I have some better news for you,” she said. “I'm going to have you moved into the chamber Hatare is in. I thought it might do you some good to see a friendly face.”
“M – moved into her chamber?”
Riley laughed. “It's a very large chamber,” she said. “More than enough room for the both of you.”
My eye markings were glowing again as the heat rushed back into my face once more. The thought of sharing a room with Hatare was – intimidating. It made me a little nervous. I'd shared a small room with my mom and siblings, of course. But I'd never shared one with somebody as attractive as Hatare. Not to mention somebody so far above my own station.
It just seemed – wrong. Strange.
“Hatare is looking forward to seeing you, by the way,” Riley said. “She's been really concerned about you.”
I looked up at her. “Sh – she is?” I asked, a touch of awe in my voice. “Really?”
Riley nodded. “She is. I was just with her a little while ago and she told me herself.”
I felt my eyes wide and the burning in my face hadn't abated – if anything, it had gotten worse. I couldn't believe that Hatare was looking forward to seeing me – let alone, consent to sharing a chamber with me. It seemed so – surreal. I couldn't believe it was true.
“She's a pretty girl, isn't she?” Riley asked, a twinkle in her eye.
I gave her a shy smile. “I – I suppose so,” I said. “Yes.”
“She is very pretty,” Riley said. “Smart too.”
I couldn't disagree with that assessment. Hatare was absolutely beautiful – not that I could tell Riley that. Not that I would tell anybody that. Hatare was of the upper class, and I the lower. No matter what Riley said, that's just how things were. And I knew my place in the order of things. I could admire Hatare from afar – and I'd have to be content with that.
Upper and lower classes didn't mix. And although she seemed different than the typical woman in Unduthian society, I was quite sure there were some social norms she wouldn't let herself violate.
“I happen to think that you two make a cute couple,” Riley said.
I shrugged. “I don't think she sees us that way.”
“Maybe not,” Riley said. “But maybe instead of assuming, you should ask her what she thinks.”
I gave her a small, dry laugh. “I doubt that – ”
“You doubt, but you don't know,” she said. “Not with any certainty anyway.”
I shrugged and looked down at the sheet covering my body. While it was true and she had a point, Riley didn't understand Unduthian cultural norms – or how deeply ingrained they were.
“Well, I'll leave that for you to think about,” Riley said. “But just so you know, I think she kind of likes you.”
I looked back up at her and gave her a weak, goofy smile. “Think so?”
“I think so,” she replied. “Anyway, you're going to be moved up to her chamber shortly. Also, I've arranged for the both of you to have a private tour of our gardens. That is, if you're up to walking around a bit.”
I nodded eagerly. Getting out of bed and moving around again would likely do wonders for my mind and my spirit. Being forced to lay in bed day in and day out, with nobody to really talk to, was taking a toll on me – I was going absolutely stir crazy.
“I think that sounds wonderful,” I said. “I think a walk would do me a lot of good.”
Riley nodded. “I think so too.”
“Thank you, Riley,” I said. “For everything.”
She gave me a smile. “You're welcome.”
She turned and walked out of the room, leaving me alone with all of the thoughts running through my brain.
Sharing a chamber with Hatare was going to be strange. But I had to admit, seeing her again and having the chance to talk to her, sounded wonderful. I'd never admit it to Riley, but I was most definitely attracted to Hatare. She was smart, witty, beautiful – I'd never met anybody like her before.
I didn't think it would ever go anywhere, given our differing stations in society. But knowing that she was at least concerned about me and wondering how I was doing filled my heart with joy. The idea that she was thinking about me sent chills slithering down my spine.
I shook my head and laughed to myself. “Get hold of yourself, Byr,” I said. “You're sounding like a terrible, lovesick poet.”
And perhaps I was. My feelings for Hatare were complicated and nowhere easy to define. But I knew I had feelings for her. Feelings I was going to have to stuff down, hide, and never speak of. It was something that didn't make me feel all that terrific, but it was what it was. We were just too different.
At the very least, though, I could call her a friend. We'd gone through hell to get to the point we were currently at. And that was going to have to be good enough for me.
I lay back in my bed to wait to be transferred to Hatare's chamber. And until that time arrived, I was free to think what I wanted. So, I closed my eyes and let my mind wander to Hatare, thinking about how she'd impacted and changed my whole world.
Chapter Three
Hatare
I was doing the same thing I'd done every day since I'd been locked into the most luxurious prison cell ever created – which was sitting on the balcony off the bedchamber, staring at the ocean, lost in my thoughts. About the best thing that could be said was that at least the food was good and the wine was plentiful. Riley had made sure to keep me well fed and had taken care of my every need and want.
Except for letting me out of this chamber.
I sipped from the glass and watched some strange looking birds swooping low over the sea when I heard the chime on the door sound. I set the glass down and stood up, waiting for the guards who'd been stationed outside the door to open it.
The door slid open with a whoosh to reveal Riley standing there with a wide smile on her face.
“Hello, Hatare,” she said.
“Good afternoon, Your Maje – ”
Riley raised an eyebrow to cut me off – silencing me instantly. She'd talked to me about that more than once.
“Good afternoon, Riley,” I corrected myself.
She smiled. “Much better,” she said. “Much, much better.”
I grinned at her. I wasn't used to being so casual with somebody of Riley's station. Though I'd rebelled against the social norms of Unduthian society, some of those lessons were still deeply ingrained in me – such as showing deference and respect to those in positions above me. They were apparently hard habits to break.
“I have a surprise for you,” Riley said.
“Oh?”
She turned to the doorway and Byr walked in, his eyes on the floor and his eye markings giving off a soft glow. He was obviously embarrassed and feeling a little self-conscious. It took a moment, but he finally looked up at me, giving me a shy smile.
“Hi,” was all he said.
Seeing Byr standing there, whole and healthy again, sent a wave of relief rushing through me – a wave stronger than I'd expected to feel. While it was true that we barely knew each other, we'd been through so much together. I felt closer to him than I'd ever felt toward anybody in my family. I felt somewhat bonded to him. A kinship.
I smiled and rushed over, throwing my arms around his neck and pulled him into a tight embrace. His body was stiff and he hugged me ba
ck awkwardly, apparently, not quite sure what to do with himself.
I looked over at Riley who was staring back at us with a satisfied smile on her face. “I've arranged for the two of you to have a private tour of the gardens,” she said. “You'll be accompanied, of course, but I'll make sure to tell them to remain discrete. I apologize for the need.”
I stepped back from Byr – whose face was flushed and eye markings glowing brightly – and turned to Riley.
“Thank you, Riley,” I said. “You've been nothing but gracious and kind to us. And I'm eternally grateful for the care you gave to Byr.”
“Y – yes, thank you,” Byr said in a quiet voice.
“You're both very welcome,” she said. “Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some matters to attend to. When you're ready for your tour, just signal the guards outside the door.”
I nodded and gave her my thanks again. She favored us both with another smile and departed the room, the door whooshing shut behind her. There was a short beep as the lock engaged, leaving Byr and I alone, standing in the middle of the room staring at each other awkwardly.
I cleared my throat and decided to address the elephant in the room. “So, I guess you're going to be staying here with me.”
Byr nodded and looked down at his feet. “Yeah,” he said. “I guess they do things a little differently here on Optorio.”
I laughed. “Clearly.”
I took Byr by the hand and guided him out to the balcony. I took the seat I'd been sitting in and motioned for him to sit in the seat beside me. He did, but he sat on the edge of it, his back rigid and straight, looking anything but comfortable.
I sighed. “Might as well get used to it and relax, Byr,” I said.
He gave me an awkward smile and sat back in the seat, but looked no more comfortable. I just laughed and poured him a glass of wine. He took the glass and looked at the thick, dark purple liquid. I knew what was running through his mind – it had taken me a little while to get used to it as well. We didn't have anything quite like it back on Unduth.
“Don't let the appearance put you off,” I said. “It's actually really delicious. I've never tasted anything like it before.”
He smirked at me. “It's not how it looks,” he said. “We just didn't get a lot of fancy wines like this out on the fringes.”
I immediately felt bad for making a stupid assumption. I'd grown up in such a bubble that even though I believed in equality for everybody on Unduth, I sometimes forgot that not everybody had the luxuries I'd enjoyed growing up. The dismay with myself must have been clear on my face because Byr gave me a serious look.
“I'm sorry,” he said. “I didn't mean to make you feel bad. I was just trying to make a joke. Apparently, a really bad one.”
I shook my head. “No, it was a stupid thing to say,” I said. “I sometimes forget that the things I take for granted – ”
“Wait,” he said, holding up a hand. “We're probably making this harder and more awkward than it needs to be.”
I laughed. “Probably,” I said. “I tend to overthink everything.”
Byr joined my laughter. “Well, at least we have that in common.”
“What do you say we just enjoy the wine and our view,” I said.
“Sounds good to me,” he said.
We sat in a companionable silence for a few moments, sipping our wine. I had to admit that it felt nice to be with Byr again. Sitting there next to him, enjoying a peaceful afternoon – it just felt right. With the cool breeze blowing in off the ocean, the delicious wine, and the sun beating down upon our faces, I could almost forget that we were actually sitting in a prison cell.
Almost.
“What do you think?” I asked, as I drained the last of my wine. “Ready to go enjoy the famous Optorion palace gardens?”
Byr smirked. “Sure, why not?”
We set our glasses down and got up, heading for the door. I pushed the button on the control panel and a moment later, the door issued a soft beeping sound – the door unlocking – just before the door whooshed open, revealing the guard standing there.
“Yes, ma'am?” he asked.
“Riley said we can go for a walk in the gardens?”
“Of course,” he said. “We'll be your escort. Are you ready?”
I nodded. “We are.”
He stepped back and motioned for us to step out of the room. “After you.”
“Thank you,” I said.
We walked out of the room and headed down the hallway, the two guards behind us keeping a respectful distance. Byr looked uncomfortable and kept glancing over his shoulder at the guards.
“Relax, Byr,” I said. “We're in no danger here.”
“Hard to relax when there are a couple of guys with guns behind me.”
Knowing how close he'd come to being killed by General Gravus just before we met, I had to understand his point of view. But I wanted him to relax. I wanted him to enjoy our time out of our cell – I knew I wanted to enjoy it. It was going to be tough to enjoy it though, with somebody as tense and jumpy as he was in that moment.
“They're here for our protection as much as anything,” I said. “Those rebels might try infiltrating the palace to grab us.”
He looked at me. “You think so?”
I nodded. “Absolutely.”
I had no idea if what I'd just said was true, but it certainly seemed to make an impression on Byr. He relaxed – slightly. But it took a tremendous amount of effort from him, I could tell. One of the guards behind us gave directions as we walked, never saying more than “turn here” or “turn there.”
Eventually, we stepped out of the palace and into one of the lushest, greenest, most beautiful gardens I'd ever seen. It put the palace gardens on Unduth to shame. There were bushes with brightly colored flowers everywhere. Tall, thick bushes had been trimmed in different, odd, yet beautiful shapes. Large trees lined a pathway, their branches hanging down and forming a natural tunnel of sorts.
A stream ran alongside the path and in it, were large, colorful fish swimming just below the surface of the water. All around us, birds and animals moved through the trees, their calls filling the air. There was something a little bit magical about the place. Its beauty was undeniable.
And more than anything, I was just thrilled to be able to get out, stretch my legs, and breath the clean air of the gardens.
I linked my arm through Byr's and I felt his body tense up. I pulled him close and walked arm in arm with him. I didn't want him to feel awkward around me. After all, we were kind of stuck in this whole thing together.
“So, what do you think of this place?” I asked.
His eyes were wide as he looked around in wonder. “Honestly, it's the most beautiful place I've ever seen.”
I smiled. “I was thinking the exact same thing.”
He looked over at me and smirked. “Are you telling me that you didn't have any place like this in Kinray?”
I shrugged. “There is a palace there, sure. And the palace has gardens,” I said. “But nothing like this. Not even close.”
“What about where you lived?” I asked, almost afraid to mention his life back on Unduth. “Was there any place even similar to this?”
He shook his head. “Nothing,” he said. “The closest thing we have to a garden is this one place near the edge of the forest – but honestly, it's a couple of trees and bushes. Nothing like this.”
I nodded. “What's your favorite memory from growing up?”
He looked over at me, an inscrutable expression on his face. “My favorite memory?” he laughed. “If you're trying to learn interrogation techniques, you're pretty bad at it.”
I nudged him with my hip and laughed. “I'm trying to get to know you,” I said. “It occurred to me that even with everything we've been through, we don't know much about each other.”
Byr nodded. “That's true. We don't,” he said. “Well, I guess my favorite memory was when my mother would read to me at night, just before bed
time. I always loved the stories she read to me. And I loved spending time with her. That was our time together and I relished it. It means even more to me now that her health is failing.”
I looked over at him. “Failing how?” I asked gently. “What's wrong with her?”
Byr sighed and looked grief-stricken. “She contracted something called Wynzen's Syndrome,” he said. “It's a – ”
“Yeah, I know what it is,” I said. “I've read up on it extensively. And I'm so sorry, Byr.”
There was no cure for Wynzen's – which was bad enough. But the truth of the matter is that it was a long, drawn out, and incredibly agonizing way to die. There was a very high percentage of people who contracted Wynzen's who chose to end their own lives rather than face the years of agony and torment.
“Thanks,” he said. “I just wish I could be there with her right now. Assuming she's even alive, that is.”
I cocked my head and looked at him. “What do you mean?”
“Gravus' troops took her,” he said. “Threw her into the camps. Along with my little brother and sister. I'm assuming they've already been killed.”
We stopped on a bridge that spanned a river that had water that was so clear, it was like looking through glass. Fish, big and small, all with colors that were vivid and bright darted below the surface. The sun was starting to slide toward the horizon, casting the sky in vivid shades of purple and red. The light hit the surface of the water and sparkled like liquid gold.
I turned to Byr and took his hands in mine. “You can't give up hope,” she said. “You can't just assume that.”
He shrugged and I saw tears in shimmering in his eyes. “I'm not naive, Hatare,” he said. “I know what happens in those camps. My brother and sister were small and weak. And my mom, with her health problems, she – ”
“Until we know for certain, one way or the other,” I said, cutting him off, “we'll operate under the assumption that they are all still alive. And we are going to do everything we can to get them out of there. Have them join us here, where they'll be safe.”
Mated to a Bear (Legends of Black Salmon Falls Book 3) Page 65
