Turesobei gathered his composure and readied himself just in case. She had a lot of power if she could compel him like that without the use of a spell.
She picked up the dark blade and cradled it like a child cradles a doll. Her features softened. “Turesobei…I….” She sighed deeply. “Turesobei, I’m so sorry. I didn’t intend to do that. I swear. I remembered my feelings for you and this…this wave of obsession took over me. I couldn’t control it. The new Awasa shouldn’t do what I just did. I want the new Awasa to be strong but also a good person.”
Turesobei straightened his clothes and retied his robe. “It’s going to take time for you to figure this out. And a lot of work. But no one expects you to be instantly better.”
“I feel so ashamed.”
“That’s good.”
“It is?”
“That means you want to be better,” he said. “Don't worry, I won’t tell the others what happened.”
She half-smiled and muttered, “Thanks.”
The door opened and Lu Bei zipped in carrying a bowl of tea in his hands. Someone closed the door behind him.
Awasa snarled. “You!”
“Yes, me,” Lu Bei said.
“I still don’t like you,” Awasa said. “And I don’t think I want that to change.”
Lu Bei set the bowl of tea in front of her. “I don’t plan on ever liking you either.” He bowed. “Nevertheless, I have done you a kindness. I suggest you contemplate that.”
Awasa frowned as she reached for the bowl. “Thank you for the tea.” She took a sip and gagged. “Yuck, what is this?”
Lu Bei scowled and snapped his wings out. “You don’t like it?!”
“It’s bitter and could use some honey. A lot of honey.”
“Hey! I sweetened it, lady!”
“Yeah, I don’t think so.”
“Well, I did. And if you can’t handle a good tea, that’s your problem, not mine.”
“It’s terrible,” Awasa said.
“I’ll have you know that I designed this sophisticated herbal blend to calm the nerves while pleasing the palate.”
“You failed.”
Lu Bei’s eyes simmered. “Well, I did have to include extra calming herbs given your nasty disposition.”
“Whatever.” She shrugged and drained the cup. “Turesobei, I’m not ready to face the others.”
“You don’t have to face them until you’re ready,” he said.
Her posture relaxed into a slouch. “Good because I can…” she yawned, “…only barely face you…and only because you…turn into a dragon so…you might understand…what I’m going…through.”
Still cradling Fangthorn, she curled up on the sleeping platform.
“You should talk to Motekeru. You two have a lot in common.”
“The machine?”
“He was once a man. A good man.”
Awasa nodded. “Yeah…okay…I need…sleep now.”
“Motekeru is going to stay and watch over you. Ask for food when you wake. And if you need to see me, I’ll come. Any time of day.”
“Thank Enashoma…for the clothes. When I wake…tell me….”
She drifted off to sleep.
Turesobei went out to the back garden. “Motekeru, would you stay with her? And try to talk to her. It may help her to talk to someone who went through what you did.”
“Talking is not my strength, master.”
“It’s not hers either.”
Motekeru nodded. “I will do my best, master.” He went inside and sat cross-legged on the floor near Awasa. He could stay that way, indefinitely alert, without ever tiring. What Motekeru thought about on his own, Turesobei had no idea. He honestly didn’t want to know.
* * *
“What was that power she used to seduce you, master?”
“I don’t know. And I don’t think she does, either. The important thing is she’s better than before and she’s trying.”
“Right-o, master.”
Turesobei went out into the hallway and told the others that she was doing better, but that she had gotten aggressive and worn herself out.
“Lu Bei, what did you put in her tea?”
“Chamomile, lemongrass, spearmint, a touch of vanilla and a proprietary blend of herbs that I would rather not discuss, master.”
“That’s all?”
The fetch made his cute innocent face. “I may have asked one of the servants for a sleeping draught. And I may have given her enough to knock a normal person out for two days.”
Enashoma shrugged. “Knocking her out wasn’t the worst idea. More rest certainly couldn’t hurt.”
Turesobei agreed, even though he knew Awasa wouldn't be happy about it when she woke.
“I’m not surprised she doesn't want to see us,” Zaiporo said.
“We’ll give her all the space she needs. And Shoma, she said thank you for changing her clothes.”
“Awasa said thank you?” Zaiporo said. “Well, there’s some hope that the new one will be better than the old one.”
Turesobei grinned. He wanted that to be true, even if he doubted it.
Chapter Seventeen
After a nap, Turesobei left a servant to watch over Kurine and visited the Bath along with his companions. The Bath wasn’t like a pond or a lake. Instead, it was like a giant bathtub made of stone and set into the floor, with colorful mosaic tiles lining the sides and bottom. To the side of the room sat six padded tables with a rack of towels beside them.
“I’ve read about baths like these,” Enashoma said. “They had them in Tengba Ren.”
Tengba Ren was the ancestral baojendari homeland across the ocean. Okoro had lost contact with the old world centuries ago, a mysterious event called the Great Darkening. Expeditions back to Tengba Ren never returned. No one had a clue as to why.
“They certainly did have baths such as these,” Lu Bei said. “Master…Chonda Lu…had one in each of his palaces. He had planned to build one in Sooku and Ekaran but never got around to it. He spent most of his days in Okoro exploring, so he was rarely home to enjoy such comforts. Of course, Okoro has many natural hot springs, so the need for baths like this wasn’t as pressing.”
Turesobei slapped himself in the forehead. “I am so dense.”
“Yes, of course you are,” Iniru muttered. It was the sort of playful tease she specialized in, but the words had barely escaped her lips and the wry grin she attempted melted away.
“Thanks,” he said in a cheerful tone.
“Why are you dense?” Zaiporo asked.
“It just occurred to me that the reason why we lost contact with the mainland would surely have been in the Forbidden Library. Ooloolarra would’ve known why. The Blood King and Hannya probably know, as well.”
“You could ask them,” Enashoma said, “and solve a centuries-old mystery.”
“Assuming they would tell me. And it would mean talking to them more than I have to.”
“Knowledge comes at a price, master,” Lu Bei said.
As they circled the Bath, Iniru sighed. “A soak and a swim would be fantastic. If I had the energy.”
“You like to swim?” Zaiporo restrained a giggle. “But you’re a—”
“I swear to all the gods, Zai, I will throw you in if you make a cat joke.”
They all laughed. Even Iniru smiled.
“Swimming sounds fun,” Turesobei said. “The only problem is we’ll have to take turns.”
Iniru snorted. “You baojendari are such prudes.”
“I’m not a prude,” Enashoma said. “I have no problem swimming with the boys. Why would I?”
Turesobei and Zaiporo both spun around and gaped at her.
“Obviously we would swim in our clothes,” Enashoma said.
“Come on,” Iniru said. “Swimming in clothes is no fun. No one does it unless they have to.”
“Like that swim we took to get out of that town when we were captured,” Zaiporo said.
“Oh well,” Enashoma s
aid. “If we have to swim naked, then I guess we’ll have to swim separate.”
Iniru sighed. “You’re just as bad as Turesobei. How do you guys swim back home?”
“We take turns,” Enashoma said. “There are days when the boys all go swimming, and there are days when the girls go swimming.”
“The boys try to sneak peeks on the girls’ day,” Zaiporo let slip.
Enashoma glared at him.
“But it’s so well guarded that we don’t have a chance of seeing anything.”
As soon as Enashoma turned away, Zaiporo winked at Turesobei.
He knew the spot Zaiporo and the other boys visited to sneak their peeks. Turesobei had followed along after arms practice once. It was a waste of time. The spot was so far away you couldn’t tell one girl from another, and once they were in the water, there was nothing to see anyway.
Turesobei stopped and slapped himself on the forehead again. He’d known the spell of enhanced vision since he was ten. He could’ve easily boosted his sight to two or three times normal. It would’ve been like sitting only twenty feet from the shore of the lake.
“I am so clueless.”
He could also cast the enhanced vision spell on other people. That would have made him instantly popular with the other boys. He was a lot like Awasa, in that people were only friendly to him because he was important in society.
“I mean really clueless.”
Everyone had stopped to stare and laugh at him.
“We know,” Enashoma said. “But what brought on this sudden confession?”
“Oh, it’s just that more and more I’m realizing how many opportunities I missed to have fun using magic. I never had much fun as a kid, and now it’s too late.”
“Nonsense,” Enashoma said.
“You’ve got to learn to let go,” Zaiporo said. “Our situation sucks, but we can have fun in spite of it.”
“Zai’s probably right,” Iniru said. She raised an eyebrow. “What kind of opportunities?”
“All kinds,” he said, dodging the question.
“If the servants made us outfits like the skimpy one Iniru exercises and sleeps in,” Enashoma said enthusiastically, “then we could all go for a swim together.”
Iniru rolled her eyes. “Sure, but only after I’ve rested a lot more. I’m too exhausted for swimming.”
As they left the Bath, Turesobei was trying not to think about swimming with Iniru.
“Zai?” Iniru asked. “Are zaboko as prudish as baojendari?”
“We’re not quite as bad as the nobility, but yeah, pretty much.”
Enashoma glanced longingly back at the Baths. But when Iniru gave her a wicked grin, Shoma blushed and trained her eyes on the floor. Turesobei would have wondered what the exchange had meant if he hadn't seen the way the smile slipped off Iniru’s face as soon as Shoma looked away.
Chapter Eighteen
Awasa woke the next night and had food brought to her room. For the next two days, she stayed in her room and didn’t talk to anyone. Which was fine. Hardly anyone talked anyway. For the most part, everyone kept to themselves. They all needed some time alone.
Iniru continued to come to Turesobei’s room each night, but they hardly said a word to one another. After a brief kiss, she would curl up in his arms. It took her a long time, but she was still always the first one to fall asleep. Turesobei stayed awake in case she wanted to say…or do…anything.
After three days, Turesobei checked on Awasa. He hoped things would go better this time than they had the time before.
He brought her a bowl of tea. “Lu Bei made this just for you.”
Awasa knelt at the small table, writing. She put her brush and papers away. “Is it going to knock me out?”
“No, and I’m sorry about that. I didn’t know.”
“It’s okay. Come sit down.” She glanced around. “Where is the little demon? Scared to show himself?”
“Something like that.”
Motekeru stood. “Since you are here, master, I would like to go check on Kurine.”
“Of course. Go ahead.”
Motekeru departed.
“So, do you want to talk some more about what you went through?” Turesobei asked.
“If you don’t mind, I’d rather discuss something other than my problems. Tell me…tell me about the Forbidden Library. It looked impressive from the outside.”
“It was wondrous inside.” He told her about not just the library itself but what they’d done inside and all their experiences. When he was done, he told her about Kurine’s village, Aikora, and most of what they’d experienced there. He also told her about facing Hannya and how he’d taken Fangthorn.
Once she understood Hannya’s betrayal, her eyes narrowed and deepened in color. The veins in her face bulged and the tips of her fangs pricked her bottom lip. The eight-pointed star on her forehead darkened slightly. He watched the pommel of the sword to see if the eight-pointed star dimmed, but if it did he couldn’t tell.
Awasa brandished the sword. “How could she?!”
“I know,” Turesobei said nervously. “But think of the bright side: if she hadn’t led us here, I never could have saved you.”
“Screw me and my fate. You should’ve stayed in the Forbidden Library. Trapped there was a lot better than trapped here.”
Turesobei carefully reached out and touched Awasa’s hand. “It’s okay. There’s nothing you and I can do about it now. What’s done is done.”
“I should’ve fought with you against the Blood King instead of running like a coward.”
“It wouldn’t have made one bit of difference. He can force me out of my dragon form. He can deflect my most powerful spell. He’s stronger than Motekeru and faster than Iniru. I mean, he killed Iniru with my own spell. So there’s—”
Awasa leapt to her feet. “He killed Iniru?!” Her features turned toward the demonic. “You fought him again without asking for my help?”
Turesobei stood and held out his hands. “No, no. We only fought him once. He killed Iniru and restored her to life minutes later.”
“Oh.”
“Sorry. I thought you knew about that.”
“Motekeru left that part out.” The anger drained out of her and her features softened. “It really is hopeless then, isn’t it?”
“It does seem that way.”
“Poor Iniru. I know I tried to kill her after the Warlock corrupted my mind, but Child Awasa would never have tried to kill her or anyone else.”
“I know.”
“This new me is better than Ninefold Awasa, but I’m still consumed with anger. I feel hatred toward Iniru the way one feels hungry at lunchtime. But I don’t want to hate her. I don’t want to hate anyone.” She took a delicate sip of tea the way the original Awasa had been trained to. “I’m glad you saved me. If I had been stranded in the Ancient Cold and Deep, I would’ve gone on a rampage, killing and causing terror for…for however long I would have lived. Do you think this power has made me immortal or extended my lifespan?”
“No idea.”
She took his hands. “Turesobei, I will help you get home. I owe that to you and the others. I will do everything I can, and I will die trying if I must.”
He didn’t know what to say, so he just nodded.
“I want to be a good person like you.”
“Then be a good person,” he said.
“You don’t understand. It comes naturally to you. But it didn’t come naturally to Child Awasa, and it certainly doesn’t come natural to me.”
“Then find something you believe in, something that will guide you, and be a good person by purposefully doing good things.”
Awasa nodded. “I’ll try.”
Turesobei poured them each another steaming bowl of tea.
“You know, something’s bothering me.” She fixed her eyes on him and rubbed her chin. “I know why you needed the two goronku guides, but the injured girl who was bitten by the demon squid, I don’t understand why she w
as with you. Your story didn’t make that clear.”
“That’s because I left out part.”
She cocked an eyebrow. “Oh?”
Chapter Nineteen
Turesobei sighed. He dreaded her response. She still seemed attached to him, and he didn’t want her to get angry. But they were going to have to talk about this sooner or later. And at least she was in a calm mood at the moment.
“When I got to Aikora and Kurine made the clothes for me, she became very fond of me. You see, there aren’t a lot of good options for marriageable men in her village.”
“I understand that.”
“It’s much worse than in Ekaran. There was a disease that killed most of the kids in her generation. And they don’t have wizards, so I was amazing to them. Anyway, I didn’t know the customs there and when I returned victorious, having defeated the reitsu champion….”
He nervously swirled the tea leaves at the bottom of his bowl. He couldn’t bring himself to say it.
“Turesobei, what did you do?”
“Okay look, I didn’t know what I was doing. You must remember that. She asked me if I would accept her kiss—right in front of her whole village. She’s a nice girl, and I didn’t want to embarrass her in front of everyone….”
“But you said no, right? Because you should have said no to that question.”
“Why does everyone think that’s the obvious response?”
“Because it is—especially if it’s a culture you don’t—oh, Turesobei, you said yes, didn’t you?”
He nodded sheepishly.
Her eyes narrowed to slits. “What did the kiss mean exactly?”
“Don’t get angry, okay. But, well, it’s the goronku way of proposing marriage. And I accidentally said yes.”
Awasa’s eyes flared wide. He cringed, waiting for her anger to explode. But she remained calm and still. He watched to see if the star on her forehead darkened but it didn’t change.
“You’re married?” she whispered, as if there was a risk someone might overhear them.
“No! I managed to put that off. We’re just engaged.”
The Blood King’s Apprentice Page 9
