Shades of the Wind (9 page)

“I will make entreaties for your people in Zephyrus,” Khenty said. “Perhaps my

father will intercede on their behalf.”

Catherine turned to look at the man sitting beside her. “Is your father a priest,

milord?”

“Foolish woman!” Bahru said, snatching the platter of chops from Kaelin and

taking not one but three. “Don’t you know who he—?”

“Leave my table, taricheutes,” Khenty said in a quiet, deadly voice.

Bahru’s head snapped up. “I beg your pardon?” he said.

“Beg milady’s pardon for insulting her then get up and leave my table and my

presence,” the prince ordered.

“But I have not eaten!” Bahru protested.

“From the looks of you, foregoing a meal would be of benefit,” Khenty said.

Catherine took one look at Bahru’s angry eyes and knew she would suffer for the

seething wrath she saw lurking there. “Milord, it isn’t necessary,” she told Khenty. “I

am sure Lord Bahru—”

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“It is necessary,” Khenty cut her off. He was glaring at Bahru. “It is very necessary.”

Bahru looked down at his plate, swallowed and then rose to his feet. He bowed

slightly to Catherine. “My apologies, Lady Catherine, Prince Khenty.” He pulled the

napkin from his collar, folded it, laid it beside his plate and, after one last longing look

at his plate, bowed again and left the room.

Jacob was standing to one side of the room in case his services were needed. At a

slight hand signal from his prince, he came forward quietly. Only Lord Kaelin was

unaware of the meaning behind the signing the prince directed to Jacob. The black man

bowed then turned to do his master’s bidding.

“Milord,” Catherine said, placing a hand on the prince’s arm. “I am sure Lord

Bahru is hungry. He ate very little on the ship and—”

“Can stand to lose a few pounds,” Khenty interrupted. “I am sure he will more than

make up for it at supper this evening.”

“Did you signal Jacob to inform Holly not to provide the taricheutes with food?”

Kaelin asked as he cut his pork chop.

“Something like that,” Khenty replied. “He can have bread and water if he

chooses.”

“You are an evil man,” Kaelin said with a snort.

“I can be,” the prince agreed.

Catherine found she was relieved to have Bahru gone from the table though her

tender heart held a certain amount of pity for the man.

“The taricheutes is an unmannerly bore, Kate,” Khenty said as he speared a

vegetable onto his fork. “He needs to be taught restraint and manners.” He smiled at

her. “He will learn both in my household.”

“I understand,” she said softly.

The quartet ate in silence for a while. It wasn’t an awkward silence but one of

genteel companionship. The food was excellent—as was everything Holly cooked—and

the wine Jacob served was extraordinary. So extraordinary in fact that Catherine felt

compelled to say so.

“It is from Anubeion’s own orchards,” Khenty said, lifting a glass of the heady

beverage up to the light so that shards of amber crystals from the brew sparkled on the

pristine white tablecloth. “It is made from a yellow plum found only in this part of the

world.”

“Other vineyards have tried unsuccessfully to start cuttings from our plums but the

vines wither and die. They prefer the soil of Anubeion,” Kaelin put in.

“What is the name of the plum?” Catherine asked.

“Golden Passion,” Khenty replied. “It is similar to some of the Chrystallusian

varieties used to make their superb plum brandies but I find it much more potent.” He

leaned toward her. “Be careful how many glasses you imbibe, milady. It will creep up

on you.”

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Charlotte Boyett-Compo

Catherine smiled. “Lord Bahru only allows me one glass of wine with my meals so I

think I’m safe.” She saw the prince frown before he downed the contents of his glass.

“I’m curious, Kate,” Kaelin said. “Why would a beautiful woman such as yourself

accept the proposal of a man like him?”

“Like him?” Catherine echoed.

“A pompous ass with a greedy gut and a propensity to believe himself better than

everyone else,” Khenty stated.

“You left out mincing fop, didn’t you?” Kaelin asked with a wink. “Come on, Kate.

Tell us why in the world you’d ally yourself with a twerp like Bahru.”

Lowering her eyes, Catherine informed the lawgiver that the marriage had been

arranged between her father and Bahru and she had not been consulted in the matter.

The Joining was to take place at the Harvest Gathering there in Diabolusia. “I did not

meet Lord Bahru until the night before we left for our journey here.”

“A journey of what? Two weeks?” Khenty queried.

“Two and a half,” Catherine answered.

“And in that time, did you come to know the man?” Kaelin asked.

Catherine shrugged. “Somewhat.”

“If he ever lays a hand to you here at Anubeion, I’ll take that hand off,” Khenty said

as he held his glass up to Jacob.

“He dared to hit her?” Kaelin asked.

“Milord—” Catherine began.

“Not once but twice on the ship,” Khenty said, gritting his teeth. “And four times

had her locked in her cabin without food.”

“You had spies on the ship?” Catherine asked. Her face was turned toward the

prince.

“The ship belongs to me,” he informed her. “The captain reported every incidence

that occurred on it.” He looked around at her. “Every incident.”

Catherine’s face turned red and she put a hand to her throat. “He was inebriated,

milord.”

“He was drunk,” Khenty snapped. “Even drunk, a man who attempts rape is not a

man in my book.”

“Rape?” Kaelin echoed. He was staring at Catherine with horror. “By the gods, that

is low!”

“He believed he had the right,” Catherine said, wondering why she was bothering

to defend Bahru for she had been sickened by his demand that they consummate a

Joining that had yet to be performed.

“The only rights that man has are the ones I grant to him,” Khenty said. “The

sooner he learns that, the sooner he will be on his way else he’ll go to the Beyond in the

belly of a croc.”

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Shades of the Wind

Catherine knew very little about the religion of Kensett but she understood the

allusion to which the prince was referring. Those found unworthy were denied the

Afterlife in death and were subject to spending eternity in oblivion—a fate worse than

any painful death for a Kensetti.

“I forgave him, milord,” Catherine said.

“I have neither forgiven him nor will I ever forget what he attempted to do,” the

prince said. He took up his napkin to blot his lips then pushed his chair back. “If you

will excuse me, there is much work to be done this night and I must see to it before the

setting of the sun.”

“But you haven’t finished your meal,” Catherine protested.

“I do not usually eat a noon meal. I wanted to speak with you more than I wished

something to eat. I’ll get all the sustenance I will need later.”

With that said, the prince was gone, leaving Catherine staring at his empty chair.

“He is a complicated man, Kate,” Kaelin said, “but a fair one. He does not tolerate

stupidity well and your fiancé would be well-advised not to anger him.”

Catherine put down her fork. “Is he a violent man?”

“There have been times when his temper has gotten the better of him but it takes a

lot to goad him into such a situation,” the lawgiver replied.

“I will remember that, milord.”

“You, my sweet, have nothing to worry about,” he told her.

“And why is that?”

Kaelin smiled and lifted his glass to her. “My friend has taken you under his

protection and you are safer in his shadow than in the very vault of heaven.”

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Charlotte Boyett-Compo

Chapter Five

After the noon meal, Catherine and Olabishi took a walk in the gardens with

Kaelin. He showed them a spectacular vista the recent rain had washed clean so that the

grass sparkled with a healthy green color, the bougainvillea and wisteria stood out

amongst the foliage, and the blue-gray mountains in the distance looked lush.

“That is Mount Inferno,” Kaelin said, pointing to the highest peak on the horizon.

“It is said that is where the bad dead of Diabolusia reside.” He lifted his foot to the rim

of a circular stone fountain and rested his crossed arms on his knee.

“Is Anubeion in Diabolusia?” she asked.

Kaelin shrugged. “Yes and no. Khenty’s estate is a principality unto itself. There is

also an Oceanian principality between here and Mount Inferno. Those who work on the

Oceanian estate are primarily Diabolusian. Khenty’s people are from Kensett.”

Catherine put a hand over her eyes to survey the jagged peaks. “I believe I see a

thin stream of smoke coming from the zenith.”

“You probably do,” Kaelin said. “There is a volcano inside the mountain, thus the

name. My eyesight isn’t that good anymore.” He grinned. “But my hearing is getting

better as my vision grows less crisp and I often hear that mountain rumbling.”

“Where do the good dead of Diabolusia reside?” Catherine asked.

“They go on to a place they call Cielo. It is much like the Serenian heaven or the

Chalean Neamh.” He glanced over at Olabishi who was signing something to

Catherine. “What did she say?”

“She was giving me the Kensetti name for heaven.”

“Ah, the Fields of Yaru. She is so quiet, I forget she is with us. Is she Kensetti?”

Kaelin inquired.

“Actually, she is from Asaraba in the Northern Sector of Rysalia,” Catherine told

him.

“Was she born mute?”

A shadow passed over Catherine’s face. “No, she doesn’t speak because she does

not have a tongue.”

Kaelin flinched. “May I ask why not?”

“It was a punishment her husband decreed for her but I have not been able to find

out why nor will anyone tell me whatever became of him,” Catherine answered. “All I

know is that she is a widow.”

Kaelin looked at the small woman who was standing a few feet away with her face

toward the closest mountain. “The place to where she is looking is called Mount

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Shades of the Wind

Manu,” he said. “It is where the journey of the dead begins for those of the Inner

Kingdom and—for evildoers—it is where existence ends.”

Olabishi nodded slowly and made the sign stating
this is so
.

Kaelin looked over at Catherine for she had sat down on the fountain’s rim. “Do

you know what it is Bahru does?” he asked. “Why he was sent here?”

“I know he is a taricheutes but I don’t know what that means,” she replied. “He

came here to assist Prince Khenty in his duties as Lord of the Silent Land of the West.

What those duties encompass is not known to me.”

“You were not told that Khenty is the Preparer of the Way?” Kaelin asked. “That he

is the descendant of the Great Lord Anubis?”

Catherine shook her head. “I am from Chale, milord. I don’t know what any of that

means.”

Kaelin straightened up and took his foot from the fountain’s rim. “You must speak

with Khenty, milady,” he said. “Bahru should have told you before you agreed to come

to Anubeion.”

She met the Serenian’s gaze. “Milord, you presume I was given a choice in the

matter. I was not. My father betrothed me to Lord Bahru long before I even knew the

man existed. It was a matter of honor to my parents and there was nothing I could do

about it.”

“Perhaps you can’t, but I know someone who will,” Kaelin mumbled.

“I can not go against my father’s wishes,” Catherine said, moisture forming in her

pretty green eyes. “My destiny is sealed.”

“Seals were made to be broken,” Kaelin said. “That is why they are crafted of wax.”

Olabishi came forward as quietly as a shadow and laid a hand on Catherine’s arm.

Once assured of her companion’s attention, the Rysalian woman began to sign. When

she was finished, she turned away, her attention once more on the rugged peaks of

Mount Manu.

“What did she say?” Kaelin inquired.

“She agrees with you that I should speak with Prince Khenty. She said she was

warned not to tell me about this place or its master but I should be told.”

“Yes, you should,” Kaelin said. He reached out and took hold of Catherine’s upper

arm. “And right now is as good a time as any.”

* * * * *

Though he searched for his employer, Kaelin could not find him and had to give

up. He apologized to Catherine and explained to her that he would speak with the

prince at the first opportunity for there were certain things she needed to be made privy

to.

“Can’t you tell me?” Catherine asked.

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Charlotte Boyett-Compo

Kaelin shook his head. “Khenty would prefer to be the one to tell you.”

Neither Olabishi nor Holly would tell Catherine what it was that seemed so

important for her to know. When she sought out Nyria later that afternoon, the

housekeeper mumbled something about being too busy to converse with her and then

hurried off. With no one willing to speak with her, Catherine retired to her room to read

until the evening meal.

“The master has much to do and sends his apologies for not joining you,” Nyria

told Catherine and Olabishi when they came down for the meal. Kaelin had left earlier

and Bahru was nowhere in sight.