Lord of the White Hell book Two lotwh-2 (19 page)

"I don't know how I'm going to keep my hands off you after this," Javier finished.

Kiram laughed but Javier frowned at him.

"I'm serious. You wouldn't believe the nightmares I had last night. About being caught together and what they did to you."

"I know. Really, I do." Kiram said. He'd felt the same kind of anxiety at the Sagrada Academy. He also knew that brooding on it would only make it worse. "But we won't be caught. We'll be careful and smart."

Javier nodded slowly.

"Though I have to point out that taking vows as a Bahiim is neither of those things," Kiram added.

"I know that."

"Then you shouldn't-"

"I have to," Javier cut him off. "And not just because I made a promise, but because the Bahiim belief is right. There is a unity to all life. I felt it yesterday. For a few minutes with Alizadeh, there were no barriers between me and the surrounding world. I could reach out and catch the wind in my hands. When I took a breath, the air rippled with the vibrations of birds' wings and I could feel you and your uncle Rafie speaking like whispers against my skin." Javier gazed up into the branches of the almond tree above them. His expression seemed to light up as he spoke. "It was just an instant but I felt something real and holy. Something I have never felt in any Cadeleonian chapel. Now that I've experienced it, I can't turn my back on becoming Bahiim any more than I can stop being an adari"

His tone and rapturous expression told Kiram as much as his words, perhaps more. Javier had already converted; oaths would just be a formality. Kiram didn't know what to say. He'd never considered the possibility of Javier genuinely experiencing the Bahiim religion, probably because he wasn't all that religious himself. Even now his first thought was purely pragmatic.

"You're going to keep your conversion a secret, aren't you?"

"I'm becoming a Bahiim, not an idiot," Javier replied with a crooked smile. "Obviously I'm going to keep it secret."

"Just making sure." Kiram tried to reason past his own anxiety to reach practical thought. "We have to find some excuse for you to be in the Haldiim district if you're going to keep studying with Alizadeh. And you need to have your hair trimmed."

"I know. I know." Javier laughed. "I'll cut my hair. I was just being obstinate last night. I wanted everything my way."

"Who doesn't?" Kiram replied. A cluster of young girls in bright green school vests crossed the Ammej Bridge, singing their multiplication tables. Kiram vividly remembered how proud he'd been wearing his own school vest. That seemed so long ago now. Javier watched the students too, but absently.

"Your father is building a fountain right now, isn't he?" Javier asked.

"He's nearly done." Kiram noted Javier's pleased expression. "Next he's thinking of trying his hand at a new design for a water clock. Why?"

"I need a reason to be in the Haldiim district," Javier began and Kiram immediately followed his thoughts.

"If you commissioned my father to design and built a fountain or-"

"-Or a water clock," Javier put in and Kiram nodded.

"Either way it would seem perfectly reasonable for you to be down here, directing the work and observing the progress."

"Perfectly reasonable," Javier said. "I'd probably have to stay the night on more than one occasion."

"You'll definitely have to stay the night."

The two of them exchanged excited grins and suddenly Kiram's exhaustion seemed to dissipate.

"Should I approach your father directly with the commission or would it be better if you brought it up to him?"

"You should talk to him. He'll be thrilled to design something for the Duke of Rauma." Kiram bounded out from the shade of the almond tree and sunlight warmed his skin. "Come on. He'll be up and in his workshop by now."

The two of them raced up Gold Street as morning bells rang out and a flight of doves took to the sky.

A
fter an initial consultation with Kiram's father, Javier took the excuse of tending to Lunaluz to visit Alizadeh for another session of Bahiim training. Kiram spent rest of the morning in his father's workshop, helping him complete his fountain so that he could begin work on Javier's commission immediately.

Across the room his father beamed and hummed to himself as he drew up extravagant designs for a water clock worthy of the Duke of Rauma. Kiram didn't think Javier could have done anything that would have won his father's favor more completely than commissioning this machine.

"What do you think of a second series of waterwheels that track the date?" Kiram's father looked up from his papers. "Perhaps a gold sun and a silver moon that could rise and set as well."

"Brilliant." Kiram tightened down the screws on the decorative case, which housed one of eight small spigots. The work was precise and delicate and Kiram found it soothing.

"He'll want some motif," Kiram's father commented.

"A white horse," Kiram replied without looking up from his tiny screws. "He loves his stallion, Lunaluz. Most Cadeleonians like horses."

"A horse…" his father repeated, as if it were a suggestion of uncanny genius. "Yes, that would work." apter F ^cen

Kiram secured copper pipes to spigots with locking bolts and plumbing wax. The fountain was nearly complete. Kiram could already see it as it soon would be: three delicate peacocks with tails made of gold feathers augmented by plumes of water. It would be lovely when it was done.

The two of them might have missed lunch entirely if Dauhd hadn't called them to the table. She rolled her eyes at the sight of them and tossed them a dishtowel to clean the machine oil and graphite dust from their hands and faces.

"We're entertaining guests today." Her smile assured Kiram that she hadn't really expected him or his father to be any more presentable than they were.

"Oh, and a letter came for you today, Kiram." Dauhd pulled the small packet from her vest pocket. "Looks like it's from someone at your school."

Kiram broke the wax seal and quickly read while Dauhd attempted to smooth down their father's wild white hair. He knew that this missive couldn't be a response to the letter he'd sent earlier-no mail wagon traveled that quickly-still he found it relieving to recognize Scholar Blasio's handwriting.

Blasio apologized for having not wished Kiram goodbye when he'd left the academy. Apparently his brother, Scholar Donamillo, had taken ill that afternoon. Blasio expected that he would recover soon enough and assured Kiram that Fedeles was fine, as was Genimo. Then he wished Kiram a happy vacation and a safe return to the school this summer.

"Bad news?" Dauhd asked.

"I hope not." Kiram didn't want to make too much of it. His worry certainly wouldn't help Donamillo's recovery and Blasio had assured him that Fedeles was very well. "Just a note from one of my instructors."

"You always were a class pet," Dauhd teased but she let the subject go at that.

In the sunroom, three of Siamak's friends joined them-all of them silk-clad daughters of wealthy mothers-as did Majdi's red-bearded Mirogoth navigator. Kiram's father immediately announced to them all that he was designing a water clock for the Duke of Rauma. Such pride lit his expression that Kiram wondered if his father hadn't always longed to receive such commissions. If he hadn't married and settled in the confines of the Haldiim district, doubtless he would have long ago achieved much wider fame for his mechanisms.

As their father described his innovations in loving, drawn out detail, Dauhd quietly grilled Kiram about his meeting with Musni at the gymnasium.

"He was drunk and fell on me," Kiram whispered. He poured tea for Siamak and her three well-dressed friends, then sat back down beside Dauhd.

"Chebli says that Lord Tornesal nearly ran Musni through. You wouldn't believe the things people are saying about that." Dauhd's pale eyes gleamed with excitement.

"He didn't even draw his sword. And since when do you talk to Chebli anyway?" Kiram demanded between bites of almond and lamb-stuffed grape leaves.

"He's not so bad." The slightest flush colored Dauhd's face. Kiram raised his brows.

"You used to tease him because he stank like pickles."

"That was years ago. He's in the Civic Guard now," Dauhd defended. "And he comes from a very good family. His grandmother directed the treasury for forty years."

"Who's this?" Majdi asked, suddenly taking note of their whispered conversation.

"Chebli Kir-Wassan," Kiram provided and Dauhd pinched him.

"Chebli." Majdi smirked at Dauhd with knowing. "Now he has certainly filled out from the scrawny, vinegar-seller he used to be, hasn't he?"

"His mother is looking for a home for him, I hear," one of Siamak's friends commented.

The rest of the meal passed in a flurry of teasing and speculation as to how Dauhd would ever claim Chebli now that he'd matured into such a handsome and obedient young man. Dauhd beamed at the attention. It soon became clear that she had spoken quite extensively and seriously with Chebli's mother and eldest sister. Siamak and her friends gave her advice. The Mirogoth navigator traced a heart-shaped sign on Dauhd's palm as a charm to let her capture love in her hand.

Majdi just sighed and Kiram refilled everyone's tea once again. He and Majdi would have a new brother soon. Kiram wondered if Chebli still snorted when he laughed. That could get annoying.

Then he realized that it didn't matter. By the time Dauhd brought Chebli into the house Kiram would probably be living far to the north in either Cieloalta or Rauma. Briefly he felt a wave of sadness at the thought of leaving.

But it passed as he thought of the relief that distance would provide. He would have the opportunity to make his own way instead of settling with a pharmacist's son only five blocks from his mother's house.

Besides, he would visit often.

Kiram wondered if Majdi felt the same way, spending so much of his life at sea and in distant lands with strange people. He always returned but never to stay, no matter how their mother tried to settle him in a wife's home.

Even now Majdi and his navigator discussed their next voyage to the western provinces of Yuan. They would set sail just before the Flower Festival while the winds were best. They planned to return next fall with silk and rare plumage from exotic birds.

When Siamak pointed out that two of Mother Rid-Fisse's daughters had expected to court Majdi this summer, Majdi simply shrugged as if putting out to sea was a physical necessity.

"Perhapsyour little brother will be sailing with us?" The navigator's accent was strong but Kiram found it pleasant.

"I still have another year of school ahead of me, but after that…" Kiram realized it would be wiser not to say what he was thinking. After that he would be in the north with Javier. "Who knows where I'll go then?"

Siamak's friends, all of them mature women with their own children and businesses, indulged Kiram with kind smiles. They no doubt saw his future much as his mother and sisters did. He would be an indulged son, living close to home and demonstrating his family's wealth with his amusing little mechanisms. For the first time Kiram felt pity as well as adoration when he met his father's gaze.

After lunch, Kiram excused himself to fetch Javier. He ran directly to Mother Kir-Mahoud's stables and wasn't surprised to find Javier brushing Lunaluz down, having just finished a ride.

Something in Javier's expression brought to mind his own sense of ease when he was working with machinery. Javier seemed utterly relaxed and happy tending Lunaluz. The stallion nuzzled his big head into Javier's shoulder and Javier indulged him with a firm rub along his jaw before returning to his brush down his flank.

Kiram leaned against a hay bale near the stall and watched in silence. He took in a deep breath, smelling leather, sweat and the sweet tang of straw. A moment later Javier turned and smiled at him.

"I thought it was you." Javier finished with Lunaluz's coat and let the stallion loose to pose for the two mares stabled near him. Kiram strolled to the stall door.

"Felt me ogling your backside?" Kiram asked.

"Something like that."

"You're sure you didn't just smell all the machine oil wafting off me?" Kiram asked and Javier laughed.

"That might have given you away as well." Javier leaned against the wall of Lunaluz's stall and lightly ran his hand over Kiram's back. "It's weird that I'm beginning to find the scent of machine oil alluring."

Kiram closed his eyes, enjoying the warmth of Javier's touch. He supposed this was just what Lunaluz did.

"So, how did your practice go with Alizadeh?" Kiram asked.

"Very well, according to Alizadeh." An edge of frustration sounded in Javier's voice. Kiram glanced questioningly to him and he shrugged.

"I'm used to being able to open the white hell and hold it without breaking a sweat. Now, even though I know how to do it, it's exhausting. Though once I do get it open the connection is much stronger. I feel it through my entire body." Javier trailed off, frowning out past the open stable doors.

Kiram followed his gaze to the sunlit courtyard where Nestor stood with the reins of his roan stallion in hand. Beside him Elezar sat on his own black mount and stared straight at Kiram and Javier.

Javier's hand dropped from Kiram's back. Kiram stepped away, picking up a piece of rope as if he had any need for it. Elezar hardly seemed to notice him. His attention remained fixed upon Javier.

Stable hands in brown vests appeared and took the horses' reins. Elezar swung down from his saddle and strode across the courtyard like a charging bull. Behind Elezar, Nestor caught sight of Kiram and waved.

As Elezar stepped into the shadows of the stable, Javier rolled his shoulders in the same way he often loosened his muscles before a fight.

"Two damn days, Tornesal!" Elezar stopped just short of Javier. "All your shit is at my house and you are nowhere to be found."

"I had no idea you'd decided to become my mother." Javier offered Elezar an unconcerned smile. "Were you sitting by the door all night, weeping?"

Elezar gave a derisive snort. "I was dodging my own damn mother's fists while explaining that I couldn't look after you every minute and that I had no idea why you'd ridden off in the dead of night without a word to anyone." Elezar raised his heavy brows. "Which, come to think of it, is an awfully good question."

"I told you he'd be with Kiram!" Nestor ambled in, grinning at Kiram. "This is lucky though, all of us meeting at the stable. We just escorted my mother and Riossa to your mother's candy shop to discuss the sweets for my wedding, but you were gone. I thought we'd have to walk all over the district before we found you. But this is great, isn't it?"

"Perfect," Kiram responded dryly.

Nestor bounded between Javier and Elezar, patted Lunaluz on the neck, then turned to study the sleek black mare in the next stall.

"She's a beauty"' Nestor drew a small, leather-bound sketchbook from a pocket of his embroidered red coat and sketched a quick study of the mare. "She has those ears like the racing horses from Yuan do. Any idea who she belongs to?"

"Doesn't matter," Elezar retorted. "You've already got a bride." Though his words were sarcastic, anger no longer sounded in his voice.

Javier too relaxed in Nestor's presence. "She belongs to a church courier. I saw him stable her here earlier. Though I have no idea what the church would want here in the Haldiim district."

"He's probably consulting with our astrologer to be sure of the date of the next full moon," Kiram said. "Your High Mass has to be held on the day of a full moon, doesn't it?"

"Indeed," Javier agreed, though he gave Kiram a curious look as if he hadn't expected him to know as much.

"My mother's best friend is an astrologer with a church contract," Kiram explained.

"You see!" Nestor looked meaningfully at Elezar. "Kiram has all the inside knowledge. He can show us all the secret back passages and dark entries of the Haldiim district."

Elezar snorted and Nestor frowned at him. "That wasn't meant to sound dirty."

"I didn't say anything." Elezar held up his hands but he and Javier exchanged a knowing smirk. Kiram supposed it was a good sign for their friendship, if a bad indicator of the tone the rest of the day would take.

And he was right. Soon after the horses were stabled, Elezar and Javier fell into their usual pattern of camaraderie and rivalry, snickering at fertility charms in the market place and leering at the bare arms and low cut vests of the Haldiim women.

Nestor scowled at his brother. Now and then he stole guilty, furtive glances at Kiram, obviously attempting to judge just how offensive his brother and Javier's behavior was. For his part, Kiram didn't know if he should laugh at the absurdity of the two of them working so hard to ogle women or just give in to the urge to shove them both into the river.

Just before they reached the Ammej Bridge they encountered a bridegroom's entourage. The young man was dressed in white silk with a desert scarf covering the lower half of his face like a veil. Black kohl outlined his pale eyes and his golden hair was decorated with strings of tiny gold bells. Behind him a small procession of servants carried the few belongings he would take to his new home and flamboyant wedding musicians clanged chimes and beat drums to announce his move.

Kiram didn't know the bridegroom personally but he stepped forward along with most of the other unmarried men on the street to place a few coins in the man's wedding cup.

"It's good luck," Kiram explained when Nestor asked.

The young bridegroom thanked Kiram and wished him happiness and managed to thank Nestor in a heavily accented whisper though he seemed too intimidated by Elezar and Javier both looming over him to say anything to either of them. He bowed his head, lowered his gaze, and even the musicians seemed to quiet.

"Someone so pretty shouldn't be so shy." Elezar flexed his muscular arms unnecessarily as he presented the bridegroom with a silver coin.