Contrarywise

by Zohra Greenhalgh

  Jinnjirri since living in the northwest border of Jinnjirri itself. And had it not been for her interest in Cobeth, Mab doubted that she would have come at all. With her nearly one hundred percent grade average in Rowen's class, she was hardly in need of any extra credit. Mab watched the Jinnjirri parade past her in a festival of shimmering color, costume, and gently shifting gender. Timmer sighed happily. «Gorgeous, aren't they?» she said to Mab. «Finding myself in bed with a Jinnjirri is my all-time favorite fantasy.» Suddenly realizing whom she was speaking to—"the Piedmerri Virgin"—Timmer put her hand to her mouth and mumbled an apology. «I forget you don't think about such things. Much less with a Jinnjirri,» she added. «Must've been so weird growing up where you did.» Mab shrugged and said nothing. She preferred to forget the northwest border of Jinnjirri. To pretend it didn't exist. Cobeth, on the other hand… Mab felt strangely drawn to the man. Mab had arrived at the «K» during Cobeth's final month at the house. Since Mab was new and unprejudiced toward him, Cobeth had treated her with an indifference bordering on kindness. Janusin's anger toward Cobeth had made her feel pity for Cobeth. In short, Mab was Cobeth's secret champion. Mab fingered the playbill in her hands, her eyes sad. She knew it was stupid to feel something for the Jinnjirri sculptor-turned-actor. To begin with, Cobeth was indeed Jinnjirri, and Mab had promised herself firmly after leaving the Jinn borderlands that she'd never ever have anything to do with a Jinnjirri on an intimate basis. Living with the Jinn was one thing, bedding them was quite another. And secondly, Cobeth was such as attractive sort of fellow that Mab was sure he could pick and choose his girlfriends from the best Speakinghast had to offer. She was quite sure a man of Cobeth's genius would never see anything of value in a dumpy, nineteen-year-old Piedmerri virgin. Mab sighed. Still, Tree liked her. And the artists in her mother's entourage had shown their sexual interest in Mab on more than one occasion. Mab winced at the memory and crossed her legs under her forest green tunic. Timmer reached in front of Mab and tugged Barlimo on the sleeve. «Where's Rowen?» she whispered to the Jinnjirri architect. Barlimo, who was dressed in a fabulous cobalt blue and magenta robe covered in rhinestones and feathers, removed her plumed hat and said, «Sitting with Gadorian and Sirrefene.» «They're coming to this?» asked Timmer in an impressed voice. «That's quite a debut for old Cobeth. Quite a debut.» She sank back in her chair. «I should be so honored,» she added wistfully. Barlimo grunted. «Gadorian and Sirrefene aren't here for Cobeth. They're here for political reasons. Election time,» she added nodding at the well-to-do Jinnjirri sitting up in the box seats of the theater. Timmer nodded. «Well—whatever the reason—I think it's a good thing the Guildmaster and Curator are here. For Rowen's moral support. When Tree and I were doing the dinner dishes tonight, Tree said Cobeth's really gone around the bend with his interpretation of Greatkin Rimble's carnival in Suxonli. Says Rowen's going to hit the rafters.» «Why?» asked Barlimo with interest. Timmer shrugged. «Tree says Cobeth didn't do his homework. Says the play is actually just a soapbox for Cobeth's latest personal quest.» «Quest or conquest?» said Barlimo rudely. The musician and the architect burst into laughter. Mab, who had been listening to this conversation with growing annoyance, interrupted them angrily. «Why is everyone at the 'K' so hard on poor Cobeth? Janusin does nothing but put him down for being a lousy student; Tree swears Cobeth can't act; and both of you sit here judging the play and the performance before ever having seen it!» Timmer raised an eyebrow. «Hmm. Me thinks I detect a little interest in Cobeth here.» Mab glanced at the Dunnsung, her face turning scarlet. «I hope not,» muttered Barlimo. Timmer tapped her chin thoughtfully. «Well, well. And I thought I was going to have to go to the opening night cast party all by my lonesome. You will join me, won't you?» «Timmer—» began Barlimo in alarm But Timmer was feeling angry with Mab for defending Cobeth, so she would not stop. Furthermore, she was weary of Mab's push-and-pull attitude about the Jinnjirri in general. One sure way to cure it, she thought, was to take this fool girl to an all-out Jinnjirri party. Sex and drugs and anything else you could imagine. Timmer patted Mab on the arm, saying, «Loosen up. Life's too short to spend it cowering in a corner. Besides, Cobeth will be there. In all his glory,» she added drily. «I don't know, Timmer,» said Mab cautiously. «I grew up in the middle of that kind of party.» Timmer rolled her eyes. «Do you honestly think you're the only one who's ever had trouble in their lives? Shake it off, Mab.» The little Piedmerri shook her head. «No—I—I don't think this is what I want to do, Timmer.» Timmer grunted with disgust, then seeing a couple of Jinnjirri friends, she waved wildly and got up to talk to them. Relieved that Timmer was no longer badgering Mab into going to the cast party, Barlimo smiled at the Piedmerri and said, «So how do you like living at the 'K'?»