The River King

by Kim Alexander

  “If it isn’t my little jump mouse.” Hellne brushed past Jaa and stood at the foot of his bed, hands on hips. “Ready to get back to work?”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Mistra

  After a short session between Olly and the Mayoral Council, it was decided to hold the dinner at the oldest, if not the finest, hotel in the city—The Rosemound House. Lelet had attended a wedding there with her family as a child, back when her mother was still able to venture out of doors. Lelet recalled mostly candlelight, the hem of many shiny gowns, and the ice cream they’d served for dessert. It had been vanilla, and she had thrown a tantrum.

  Now, she and Auri walked with his hand firmly under her elbow through the enormous mahogany doorway into the foyer, which was nearly as large as her whole house. Chandeliers as wide across as she was tall—bigger, probably, hung from the vaulted, gold leaf-trimmed ceiling. Everything that wasn’t covered with gilt or dripping with crystal was upholstered in deep red velvet.

  “Haven’t been here in ages,” Auri observed. “It still looks like the dressing room of a whorehouse.”

  She wondered how he might know that rather specific fact but kept her mouth shut. Her stomach was in a knot, and for the first time in months, she was desperate for a cigarette. The lies had already begun—lunch with Althee found her explaining why she and Moth had parted, and why Auri was a sensible match. “After all,” she told her friend, “I’m an adult. Stories about running off with pirates were fine when we were girls, but I’m too old to be running off. It’s fine.”

  Althee had nodded and not argued, but Lelet recognized the look on her face.

  And now everyone would be here, under the chandeliers and in front of all of Mistra, and she would have to make introductions. She hoped she could remember who knew what. At least she didn’t have to sit at Moth’s side during dinner and pretend seeing him wasn’t like being stabbed.

  And there he was, standing with Aelle and clutching a slender flute. The pair sipped their drinks and smiled blandly at all the humans who came to gawk at them. Aelle looked delighted at the attention. Moth looked like he’d rather be elsewhere, but that was how he usually looked.

  Their gazes met, and he blinked and looked away. She turned her attention to Aelle so she wouldn’t have to look at him not looking at her. Appearing every inch the exotic demon princess people would be hoping to see, Aelle wore a bias-cut bronze satin gown which both covered her from collarbone to ankle and clung to her like a lost child. Gold-and-black tattoos snaked from the backs of her hands to her shoulders, and with the soft light, they looked like exquisitely embroidered sleeves. Aelle was one of the few women Lelet had ever met slender enough to wear such a garment. Anyone else would look like a wrinkled pillowcase, but Aelle looked flawless. She’d paired the dress with a stunning citrine and diamond necklace. Was it on loan? The gift Olly had promised? If so, that was one mightily nice present. Either way, Lelet had to admit Aelle was a woman who knew how to make an appearance.

  “Is that him?” Auri said as they approached, just loudly enough. “Why, he’s as pretty as a woman.”

  She bit the inside of her mouth hard and took a deep breath. Smile, but not too much. “Prince Rhuun, Aelle, may I present Aurelian duReed.”

  The two men eyed each other. Auri lifted his chin. It was no use—Moth was taller. “Well, of course we had to come,” Auri said. “I had to see the marvel I’ve been hearing so much about.”

  Moth also had that perfect, placid smile. She thought he rather looked like his mother. “I must assume you refer to Aelle.”

  Auri turned to Aelle and bent over her hand, stopping just short of brushing it. She gave a bright little laugh. “You were right,” she said to Moth. “They all do it.”

  Moth had been scandalized when Lelet told him a gentleman often touches his lips to the back of a lady’s hand. Aelle, who had apparently been warned, drew her hand back, and Lelet thought she wanted to wipe it on her extraordinary dress.

  Auri continued. “May I be the first to thank you for coming to Mistra. My poor Lelet and her family didn’t know—”

  “Happy to help,” Moth said, looking over Auri’s head. “If you’ll excuse me.” And he turned his back, taking Aelle with him.

  Lelet didn’t know if she was relieved or crushed. Either way, she wanted to cry.

  “Well, that’s done,” Auri said briskly. “I see some friends from the club. Can you entertain yourself?”

  She nodded. Once free, she simply stood there, letting the glittering partygoers stream around her. I have to do better than this.

  “Well, you look like the departed soul of a good time.” Althee took her by the arm and marched her in the direction of the two demons. “I’m here for my introductions. You two are still speaking, correct?” Lelet nodded, but Althee knew her too well. She stopped Lelet with a hand on her arm. “Oh dear. If this is too much, I can observe from afar.”

  Lelet put on a smile of her own, a real one. It felt strange. “Certainly not. We’re fine. And he wants to meet you.”

  When she caught Moth’s eye again, he let her see into his heart, if only for a fleeting second. Then he went back to the polite mask he’d perfected at the court of Eriis.

  “Moth, may I present my good friend Althee Sechelle.” Moth took Althee’s hand and bowed over it, taking care not to come near it with his face. He’d been practicing. His bow was excellent, and his smile was so gorgeous Lelet could see the exact second her old friend swooned.

  “I’m so pleased to finally meet you,” he said, thankfully in his own, kind voice. “Lelet tells me you are an indispensable friend.”

  Althee did her best not to look flustered. “I’ve heard a great deal about you as well, Your Grace.”

  He laughed. “You must call me Moth.”

  “Must I call you that as well?” Aelle said sweetly. “Isn’t it an insect?”

  “And this is Aelle,” said Lelet. She looked the smaller woman in the eye. “She is one of the bravest women I’ve ever met.”

  Aelle granted Lelet a twitch of her lip and gracefully dipped her head at Althee. “I only did what anyone would do for a friend.” She looked past the human women and gave a genuine smile. “Ahlee!”

  Althee turned and embraced Olly, who looked very pleased with himself and quite elegant in a silvery-blue coat and dark gray cravat. “Olympe, look at you” she said, giving his lapel an imaginary adjustment. “We are all so proud of him.”

  Aelle looked confused.

  “Althee is my cousin. No one but my family calls me that name,” he explained. “I don’t use it. Can you blame me?” He gave Moth a respectful bow. “Your Grace—Moth, welcome back to Mistra. I hope the circumstances of this visit will help you enjoy the city more this time around.”

  Moth laughed weakly. “I’m not sleeping on a balcony, and I’m not invisible, so yes, that does make me happy.” Lelet thought he might be stretching the definition of happy. “But where is Scilla?” he asked Olly. “Didn’t she come with you?”

  Olly and Lelet exchanged glances. She nodded, and he continued. “She sends her warmest regards. But her eyes, you know. She is disinclined to travel much these days.”

  Moth frowned and looked to Lelet.

  “We can talk about Scilla later,” she murmured.

  “Anyway, they have me going back and forth from the Guardhouse to the city so much these days. Guess I’ve hung up my brown robe.” Olly smiled at Aelle. “I told you there were things here in Mistra you’d enjoy.”

  “And I am ready for that to begin,” Aelle said. She smiled around the room, all eyes on her. “This is a nice start.”

  Olly would make a fine ambassador, and it certainly looked like he’d put his name forward. He would deny it, but this party was largely his doing. Yes, Lelet decided, he was the obvious choice. No one else seemed to remember to keep their hands to themselves.

  A soft chime rang out, and the many guests made their way towards the dining room. Olly offered Aelle h
is arm, and she didn’t hesitate before laying her hand lightly on his sleeve. Lelet had to admit, she was doing a better job of adapting to a new world than she herself or Moth had done. Of course, neither of them had a wealthy and besotted patron to ease their way.

  Moth fell back beside her. “I have missed you.” He spoke for her ears alone. “You look so...” He looked at the great square marble tiles beneath their feet, alternating cream and black. He looked at the sparkle of the candlelight. He did not look at Lelet.

  “Well,” she replied, speaking loudly enough for those who might be listening to hear her, “I must get back to Auri. And once this is done and you are appreciated and admired properly, I hope we can see about Rane.”

  He did glance at her then, and her heart ached. Once again, he showed her nothing, which was the idea, but it gave the lie an air of truth. And beyond that, he was worried that the death of the young demon woman was at her brother’s hand, despite what she or any other human might say.

  The guests were seated at many tiers of long tables, laden with crystal, silver, and crisp black linens and lit by long, low candelabras. Lelet wasn’t sure if there was another name for them. They weren’t the branched candle holders she grew up with, but rather silver-plated fish, swimming down the center of each table, balancing candles on their scaled backs. She idly wondered if one would fit in her clutch.

  She couldn’t figure out how she’d rated a seat at the second table, which was set aside for those with lesser titles, along with the wealthy and the vital, until she realized that even though she was only nominally the cultural attaché, she was still one of only two who had traveled through The Door to Eriis and back to attend the dinner. Olly, by contrast, had wrangled a seat at the first table and was seated near the center and next to him sat Aelle, who, Lelet was certain, assumed her place would be best and never gave it a second thought, though she had neither rank nor title. Aelle said she’d only come at all because she wanted to see Olly and would be leaving in the morning. Lelet wondered why she’d made the visit so short.

  No, Lelet thought, she herself should by rights be at the third table, where the slim white tapers were set in silver seashells and the seats were filled by functionaries and assistants. The fourth row of tables and those beyond were made up of Mistrans with funds who had bought their way in, hoping to catch a glimpse of the new Eriisai ambassador. Althee was back there, telling her tablemates about her charming and handsome friend the Ambassador. Lelet wished the circumstances were different, and they were all having dinner at Al’s house in town. She wished everything were different. She looked for Althee, but the room was too big and too dimly lit. Al shouldn’t have much trouble pointing Moth out though. He was seated at the first table and dead center. The largest chandelier was directly over his head.

  Now that she could look at him without him noticing, she thought he looked very fine in his human clothing even as he clung resolutely to his family colors. He wore the same beautiful black moiré silk coat she’d seen him in at that strange and confusing party at the palace. A simple white shirt gleamed in the soft light. She knew the lining of his coat was scarlet, although she was just a little too far away to see it. With his new short hair and in the dim light, he looked quite human. If she got a chance after dinner, she’d tell him. She thought he’d be pleased.

  Lelet herself was the only woman at the second table without jewelry on her head. Even so, she felt she cut at least a respectable figure. She wore a stiff green-gold silk coat that was thickly textured, almost like feathers or scales of plate armor, with a high collar and a stark cream-colored jersey gown beneath it. May had sent it along when she found out about this party; it was a new design from their own factory. Auri had noticed it wasn’t something he’d bought her and, as he handed her up into their cab, sniffed. “How very modern you look.”

  To her right, a portly gentleman was deep in conversation with a wide-eyed girl many years his junior. He was ignoring Lelet, which was fine with her, although rather rude. To her left, Auri nearly had his back to her, chatting with the couple next to him. Just as well. Back at the first table, Olly, as far as she could tell, hadn’t looked away from Aelle once, and Aelle soaked in the attention of so many eyes like a dainty, pretty sponge.

  Moth also sat between two ladies, as was proper. To his left sat a young and extremely attractive dark-haired girl in a dark red, scandalously low-cut gown, who took advantage of her position at the table by flirting with the ambassador. She must be of particularly low numbered family to be seated next to the guest of honor—perhaps from a family with an eye on the eligible and titled ambassador—but Lelet didn’t know her. She would point her out to Althee later. The girl said something, laughed, and leaned forward so Moth could look down her dress, which he politely did. To his right, an elderly woman who reminded Lelet distinctly of Wind, swathed as she was in antique silk-satin and weighed down with diamonds and sapphires. She sipped what could have been either tea or gin and watched the two young people beside her with some amusement. Lelet decided she liked the old lady.

  The servers set dinner in front of the guests, beginning with the first table. She watched Moth, who looked suspiciously at the sole en papillotte. Seeing the other diners reaching for the little brown packages, he also reached down and tore it open. Ripping off a small piece of the parchment paper, he dipped it in the sauce and ate it. The girl next to him laughed loudly enough to turn heads then covered her mouth. Lelet thought about making fire from her hands.

  The elderly woman shot the girl a look that made her shrink back in her seat. She didn’t say a word for the rest of the meal. Then the old lady laid her hand on Moth’s sleeve and bade him listen. As she whispered to him, Lelet could see a slow smile cross his face. He said something that made her lightly slap his arm, and they laughed together. As they chatted, he held up a curl of paper, he was probably telling the lady where he came from, this was considered a fine meal. She turned back to her own dinner, and in a quiet show of solidarity, nibbled on a tiny sliver of the parchment. Yes, it tasted just about right; Eriisai haute cuisine. She glanced back at Moth and his new friend, who were doing more talking than eating. Lelet wondered what the topic was, until he looked up and nodded in her direction. The old lady looked at her too. Her gaze and Moth’s met, and she knew what the woman saw on both their faces: misery.

  “Glad we came,” said Auri, turning back to her. “They’ve put on quite the spread.” He tore into the package. “How’s the fish?”

  “A little dry.” She caught Moth’s eye again and again thought longingly about her fire because she wanted to use it on herself.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Mistra

  “Thank you for agreeing to see me without an appointment, Your Grace.” After meeting him a week earlier, the new ambassador would probably remind Althee that she should call him Moth. Lelet said he wasn’t comfortable with titles.

  “My human friends call me Moth,” he said at once. “I have a very few of those, and I hope I can count you among them.”

  “He will be lonely,” Lelet had told her. “He’s maddeningly high-handed and loves to pretend he’s fine, but he won’t be.” As to why she’d left him so suddenly and why she was so interested in his wellbeing, her friend was like a stone wall.

  Althee smiled and thanked him, taking the opportunity to look at how he lived because she was under orders to report back. Even if she denied she had any lingering feelings, Lelet had a keen interest. The hotel had been honored, Althee had heard, to have him set up a sort of residency in two adjoining suites, and he asked only for a high floor, which he had received. She supposed he lived in one and took his meetings in this, the other. It was strewn with newspapers and books and the remnants of a meal but strangely empty.

  “Where are you hiding your staff?” she asked. “I left my man in the foyer with a coffee, but there was no one there.”

  “I don’t...the hotel provides for me.”

  They sat at his desk, wh
ich gave her a lovely view of the rooftops and treetops of the Upper Garden and a sliver of the Gorda.

  He sat forward and continued. “The way it works is I leave in the morning and take breakfast, and by the time I get back, they’ve cleaned the whole place. And if I go for a walk to look at things, sometimes, they do it again. They haven’t been here yet today because I’m still here. I think they prefer to work in solitude.” He leaned his chin on his hand. “There’s quite a lot of food to get through though. If I come back and find they’ve prepared lunch sometimes I don’t really want dinner, but then they’ve gone to the trouble of making it for me...”

  “Your... Moth, you’ve been here for just over a week, am I correct?” That had been the night she’d first seen him, along with his demon companion, the exotic-looking little woman her cousin was so enamored with, at the dinner party in the ballroom several floors below them. She’d made a promise to Lelet the next day that she’d look in on him.

  “Make sure he’s eating, and not just drinking,” Lelet had said.

  Althee had not asked why Lelet made that distinction. Her friend’s pain was evident, and if she could put Lelet’s mind at ease that the cause of her unhappiness was thriving, she would be happy to do so. Also, he was going to make her family a lot of money.

  “Surely there have been many people who have called on you?” Althee continued.

  He frowned. “You know, it’s funny. I thought, based on everyone who spoke to me at that party, there would be people who might be interested in Eriis.”

  “You’ve not received letters of introduction? Or calling cards?”

  Moth shook his head.

  “I presented myself at the desk, and they rang your room. No one else knows you personally, I assume, so no one would presume to call on you without your permission. Would you excuse me for just a moment?” Althee returned to the waiting room where she’d left Angus, her driver and daytime valet. She gave him some instructions and returned to her seat at the desk. “Please, Moth. While we wait, tell me how you are enjoying your time in our city.”