She considered her options. It was better if no one else knew what was happening. To have received the summons in front of her guests was humiliating enough. She did not have to share the details.
But Mayr was not a guest. He already knew the truth of what had happened in Oly Valley. He had been there by her side, making sure she returned home alive. What harm could there be in telling him the fight was not yet over?
I owe him that much. And he didn't say a word in front of anyone. He could've, but he didn't. He deserves to know. "Come on." Aeley pulled him through the halls to her study and pushed him into the room before slamming the door. On the way to her desk, she tossed the scroll at him.
"What? You're going to make me read it?"
"Always something," Aeley grumbled and spun around. "They want me to go there, to Council, to watch him receive his ultimate judgment. They'd said I wouldn't."
Mayr leaned against the wall. "No, they said you possibly wouldn't. You slipped in that extra—"
"Mayr!"
He threw up his hands. "Fine. If it bothers you that much, don't go."
"I can't," Aeley said resignedly. "The Councilmen are expecting me to be there to help them put Allon away permanently. He's a danger to everyone. His men caused so much damage. I hear some of the children they captured are still terrified. That isn't how I want things to be. We can't disappoint them and let him off easily."
"So then go."
"I don't want to."
"Ae, choose one." His tone softened as he approached her. "I'll back you on any decision, but you're going to have to choose one. Either you're the perfect Tract Steward or you hide. Of course, if you hide, Allon wins, and then what good is your superiority?"
Part of her wanted to throw the decanter at his head. Just when she thought he was being sweet, he hit her with the blunt truth.
"Don't say it. You hate me."
"You have no idea," Aeley muttered.
"Yeah, but nowhere near as much as you could." Mayr grinned and ran a hand through his hair, pulling it over his shoulder. "Then again, you also don't look at me like you did that girl. I saw your face. I recognize it from those rare times you've shown an interest in someone. Found something you like?"
Her face warmed. "No. I was just trying to figure out who she was."
"By the Four, you're a terrible liar."
"And you're just asking to be kicked from the Guard," she teased, poking his chest.
"Feisty. Be careful—someone might just find it attractive enough to want to marry you."
Swiping the decanter from her desk, Aeley peered out the windows into the night. In the distance, the bright sliver of the moon shone above the horizon. "Don't you have some rounds to do?"
"Sorry. Some insane woman invited me to dinner then made me stand around, reminding her who she is." Mayr held out the scroll. "She's trying to kick me out instead of seeing how much I want to help."
Again, he was right. "I hate you," Aeley mumbled, accepting the scroll. Through her father's death, he tried to fill in the gaps of her sanity. He protected her when she neglected to take care of herself.
He gripped her slumped shoulders. "I'll go with you. Won't be that bad. Then you never have to see him again, ever. Neither do I, and if I do, he'll get my fist in his face more permanently. I'll hang his skull on my wall. You know how sparsely I decorate."
Aeley laughed softly. "Fine. We'll go. Three days, they said."
"Good. Now if you don't mind, I need to get back to work."
He tapped her chin before leaving. The door closed and she held up the decanter. "Just you and me, now."
When images of the stranger at dinner filled her thoughts, she wondered if there was something more than what she had told Mayr. She did not make a habit of staring at women, and she certainly never shuddered at their touch. What did it matter the woman's eyes were grey or that her perfect skin made Aeley want to touch her to know how it felt?
Maybe Mayr was right about that, too.
*~*~*
She should have stayed in bed.
"Ugh." Aeley wiped her forehead and stared at the small mound of food carelessly dumped on her plate. Could she remember how she made it to her bed to begin with? Stumbled in, she was certain. Glimpses of the wooden staircase flashed through her thoughts, followed by the blurred memory of a corridor. Or had the corridor itself been blurry? It hurt to think. Why did it have to be only late morning?
A spoon scraped a glazed clay plate, making her squeeze her head, her thumb and finger pressing her temples. A girl's thin body shuffled around the dining room. Colours moved in and out of her sight. The muffled tones of a low voice poked through the spinning images in her head, the blurred face of the woman from dinner bleeding through and making her want more than another drink.
"What?" She pulled her hand away to find Mayr leaning forward in his seat.
"Nothing. Just wondering if you should really be in public. Might be contagious."
"Like your really terrible humour?"
"It comes and goes," Mayr countered with a shrug. "At least I can see straight."
"And here I was going to ask you if I was wearing pants," Aeley muttered. For a moment, she thought her words were too quiet for him to hear. Perfect. He'll have some smart—
He looked under the table.
"Unless I was drinking whatever you were, I'd say you are." Mayr straightened and grinned. "You've successfully overcome the nice girl image from last night. Now you just look like you'll tear heads off."
I'll start with my own. "Thanks." Aeley toyed with her food. Her gaze strayed to the white cuff of her tunic. Good choice, wearing it instead of one of her bodices, she mused. Had she tried, she would still be struggling with the laces. It was a terrible morning.
She peered into her goblet—empty except for the few drops of water clinging to the metal. Fine. Now to get something that'll fight this headache. Without speaking to the Hana, the serving girl standing in the corner, Aeley motioned for her to fetch one of the recently-filled decanters from the cart along the wall. When the cool metal slid into her warm hand, she told herself it was the only way to fight the emotions storming through her, threatening to overtake her senses. Tipping the decanter, Aeley waited to see her goblet filled to the brim.
Mayr's hand slid over the goblet, covering the opening.
"Mayr." Aeley threw him a glare, one brow lifting as she drew the decanter back. Why did he look like he wanted to yell at her?
"Maybe not today, Ae. You've been like this since we took down Allon. Maybe it's time we try something different, don't you think?" Mayr waved at Hana. He cut Aeley off before she protested. "Bring me jaka root, a sprig of ferras, and an egg. All as raw as you've got."
Hana rushed away, casting one confused glance at Aeley before disappearing from the room.
"What are you doing?" Brushing his hand away, Aeley tipped the decanter forward again.
Mayr pulled his hand back, and the goblet with it. He cradled the goblet to his chest. "Giving you another option. Just trust me."
"I don't."
"Again, a terrible liar."
"Why do I even bother?"
"Because I'm smart. Quick. Incredibly sexy. And I have your back—like right now. So put it down."
Aeley lowered the decanter. "I don't know why you're acting like I've done something wrong. I do this all the time."
"I know." Mayr placed the goblet on the table when Hana entered the room with a bowl. "Ah, good. Don't need that. Got everything else here," he told Hana, taking the items from the bowl. He cracked the egg and emptied the orange contents into Aeley's goblet. Pulling the ferras through his fingers, he loosened the tiny yellow leaves into the yolk. With his knife, he grated the jaka root, flakes of dark skin tumbling down and exposing bright yellow flesh. The blade clattered against the goblet as he stirred the mixture. Satisfied, he offered the vessel to Aeley.
"Disgusting! You expect me to drink that?"
"Yeah, if you value g
etting around without falling on your face. You have a meeting with Vant. You're going to want to keep a thought for more than a second if you expect to get anything done. The sooner you drink it, the sooner it's done."
"You drink it."
"I don't need it."
"I don't need your jokes. I need you to listen to me."
"I have. Trust me, this is as serious as I'm getting today. Drink it and stop making me into a bad guy."
Aeley eyed the goblet. "You sure it's safe?"
Mayr grunted. "My family's used this for generations. Shut up and take it, would you? Otherwise, I'm pouring this on you and leaving you to deal with it, sober or not."
"Fine! If it gets you stop harassing me." Aeley snatched the goblet and drank deep. The sticky mass slid down her throat, making her gag.
When she pulled the goblet from her lips, the bitter taste overpowered her. Her throat burned. She felt sick. Throwing the goblet at Mayr, she coughed, half-expecting to see the little food in her stomach spray across the table. With each cough, her headache flared and her stomach churned. For what was supposed to be a cure, it hurt more than it helped.
"Are you trying to kill me?" She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. To her surprise, the bile creeping up retreated and her stomach started to settle.
"If I was, you'd know." Mayr turned the rolling goblet upright. "Now finish eating. Can't sit through a solicitor's jabber with an empty stomach."
You're lucky that you're you, Aeley thought as she ate. He had a point, however. Vant was a good man, always in control of his faculties and he understood his role, fulfilling it to his greatest ability.
Mayr held his goblet towards her. Accepting it as though it were a peace offering, she tried to focus on the meeting. It was not the way she wanted to spend an afternoon, but without it, the High Council would become a problem. She needed to get things back under control.
Part of her wondered if it was Mayr's point, and why he had insisted she drink the horrid, scorching mixture.
Maybe he should be Steward. Seems he's got everything under control better than I do. Mayr ate without looking at her. Did he dream like she did? Even after Allon's betrayal and the fight, he acted as if nothing was different. He was calm, as if a great weight had been lifted. Could she blame him? Allon had few kind things to say about Mayr, and Mayr did not waste time on those who disrespected him.
Maybe that's one reason why I like having him around. He judges people better than I do. With a sigh, Aeley pushed her emptied plate away. If only she could send Mayr to the High Council instead…
No, she had to do it herself. She could not shirk her responsibilities.
She excused herself from the room and walked slowly to her study, trying to delay the day. The Council's crumpled parchment sat on her desk, still rolled and tied. Save for her memories, she should need nothing else. Vant would ensure everything else was in her confession.
Be hopeful, Aeley commanded, yanking down her belt and tunic. This won't go on forever. Just get it done! Distracted by the swirling patterns created by the grey and black stones in the floor, Aeley followed the corridor to the meeting room. The door was open slightly and sunlight poured into the hall from the gap. Vant was early. She took a breath and pushed the door further, ready to greet him.
Aeley stopped in the doorway.
What was she doing there?
The woman from dinner sat at the table, a stack of parchment in front of her. She scribbled with a black quill across one page. Her hand paused and she lifted her head.
Unable to breathe, Aeley felt cold. Contrary to the common fashion, the woman's white gown covered everything but her throat and wrists. A comb decorated with small, glittering jewels held her dark hair back on one side. In the daylight, her skin seemed to glow with a faint, pink hue.
For a moment, Aeley wondered what she looked like without the gown. And why she seemed to be hiding herself.
It was not the first time the thoughts crossed her mind. Tucked between the memories of dark corridors and slipping into sleep were thoughts of this woman. At the time, they warmed her, making her yearn for company. Now, they made her blush. Was her face as red as it felt?
Clearing her throat, Aeley forced her feet forward and watched Vant pace the side of the room with a large book in his hands. "Thank you for coming. I appreciate you taking the time to help me."
Vant stopped and spun towards her, a smile pulling back his taut face. "Naturally, my dear. You ask, I obey." He noticed her gaze travel to his companion and surprise filled his eyes. "Have you two not met?"
"Not officially, no." Aeley hoped that it was all he noticed.
"I could swear you had," he mumbled. "This is Lira, your new scribe. She will accompany me from now on."
Lira jumped up from her chair. From where she stood, Aeley noticed ink splotched her fingers. "Aeley."
Aeley wished she could have said her name again. Sweetness laced the sounds of the syllables when Lira spoke, a gentle flow and tone that made her want to listen.
"Lira," Aeley returned. "Scribe. Seems familiar. Almost like…"
She had seen her before.
"You've been here before, when my father was…" Aeley cleared her throat. "You used to come with my father's scribe, Klyrin. You used to carry his things. I saw you when you'd go into their meetings."
Lira nodded and brushed her hair from her shoulder. "He took me in as his apprentice. When Korre—I mean, your father—died, Klyrin decided to retire. He only stayed to help your father, but his own health has been failing. He's allowed me to take his place." She clasped her hands before her. "But I don't have to, if you'd rather not. I can find someone else—"
"No!" Aeley interrupted. Her face felt warm again. She answered too quickly and with too much vigour. Why? Glancing at Vant, she searched his face for signs of surprise or confusion. He remained stoic and watched Lira. "I mean, no, you can stay." With one hand, she gestured for them to sit.
"So, shall we discuss why we are here?" Vant began, settling into a chair. He laid his book on the table and pointed at the scroll in Aeley's hand. "We are returning to this, are we?"
Aeley held up the parchment and stared at the yellow cord. Her stomach flipped again. She placed the scroll on the table and flicked the tassel. "The High Council wishes me to attend Allon's hearing. I also need to provide a document, written from my own words, about the ordeal. They want to put him away for good, but they want my official argument for it first."
Vant let out a breath and rubbed the back of his neck. "I understand." He thumbed through his book, stopping every few pages to skim over the words. "Are you sure you want Lira here? We can go through this together if you feel uncomfortable with a stranger."
Aeley shook her head. "It's all right. We need to learn how to work together. We might as well start with this." Besides, I like looking at her. She makes me feel better.
"Though it’s odd that you aren’t doing it yourself," Lira said.
Did you just…? Blinking, Aeley had no answer.
Vant’s jaw dropped open. "Lira."
"I’ve done it again, haven’t I? Said something only I should hear." Lira pressed her lips together.
"And you were doing so well," Vant muttered under his breath. "It is not your place to question."
"Meaning I should apologize." Lira’s glance met Aeley’s. "I’m sorry for being bold. It tends to happen when something interests me. Apparently, I now owe Vant for losing my end of our deal."
"Lira!" Vant warned hoarsely.
"And there it is again. And again, I apologize."
Glimpsing the brief strain around Lira’s eyes and lips, Aeley doubted the blunt slips were by accident. Where were they the night before, and why now? "Apology accepted. What deal?"
Lira hesitated, suddenly shirking back. "Nothing. Just something… silly." She brushed her parchment. "So the document. Where shall we start?"
And now we’re back to hiding. Did I say something wrong? Aeley clea
red her throat. "I wouldn’t mind starting with what you were saying."
"I was only talking."
"So was I. I’m giving you the chance to finish. Or do we have to make a deal, too?"
Lira’s lips parted slightly as though she were considering a clever response. Instead, she closed her mouth and nodded. "You ask and I answer. While I understood why your father could not do this sort of thing, can I ask why you're not doing it yourself? Surely it's a sensitive matter, best handled with fewer parties. Not that I'm complaining." She tilted her head, a small smile curving her lips. "I'm just curious. I've always wondered why you helped your father with everything else, but never this. Though you don't have to answer if you don't want to."
Aeley breathed in. A beautiful girl with questions—when she’s willing to voice them. Blessing or irritation? She hoped for the first. "No, it's fine. Fact is, I can't write worth what the Four Goddesses blessed me with. I can write simple messages and sign my name, but anything else becomes a jumbled mess of letters and scratches and smeared ink. We decided a long time ago that I was better talking."
"Oh," Lira responded. She drew the back of her hand over a blank parchment and readied the quill. "We should get to it. Make sure you're ready sooner rather than later."
Lira sounded like Mayr, Aeley realized, except she wanted Lira to keep talking. Her words broke through the dull pain behind Aeley's eyes and pushed the fog away. The smooth sounds made her forget about the empty decanters and terrible remedies.
Instead, she heard Vant's voice as he read from the book, one finger following along with the words. "I, Aeley Dahe, rightful elected Tract Steward of the lands within the boundaries of the northeast Republic Region herein known as Gailarin, do so swear to this testimony as full truth under the watchful and just Mothers of—"
"Vant, wait." Aeley held out her hands. "Can we pretend, just for today, that I don't understand a blessed word of whatever you just said? Like the Four Goddesses have robbed me of my brains. Can we not get through this by just—I don't know—talking about what I want to say and then work out the legal words after? Or if you think of something good along the way, just write it down and I'll read it."
A Question of Counsel Page 2
