Souls of Aredyrah 1 - The Fire and the Light (24 page)

“No,” Brina answered. “But we do have a
problem.”

Dayn stood and leaned across the table, his
hands splayed across the top. “What problem?” He glanced from Reiv
to Brina, then back again.

Reiv crossed his arms, his eyes fixed on
Brina as she paced back and forth. “They cannot stay here,” he
said.

Brina shook her head. “I know. Their safety.
Your position. Mahon . . .”

“What problem?” Dayn persisted.

“If we are found out . . .” Reiv said. “You
know what the authorities would—“

“Enough!” Dayn shouted. “What problem?”

“A problem of my own making, Dayn,” Reiv said
stiffly.

“Tell me then.”

“There is much you do not know about the way
things are here, Dayn,” Brina interjected. “You have learned some
difficult truths, but not all of them.”

“I have to know, Brina. But I swear, if I
hear too many more difficult truths tonight I think my head will
leap off my neck and roll across the room.”

Brina smiled sadly. “I know, my dear, but
your head must be risked.”

“You and Alicine are Jecta,” Reiv said. “That
is the problem.”

“That word again,” Dayn said. “You’ve called
us Jecta more times than I can count, but I still don’t know what
that is.”

Reiv’s mouth hooked in distaste. “Jecta is
the name for those who are impure,” he said.

“What do you mean ‘impure’?” Dayn asked.

“I mean stained, deformed, of the wrong
coloring, or . . . well, not good enough.”

Dayn narrowed his eyes. “Explain ‘not good
enough’.”

Reiv threw his arms up. “Enough! I do not
know how else to explain it.”

“Well, you
will
explain it,” Dayn
said. “I have the mark on my neck, so I’m stained. That much I can
understand, but Alicine . . .” He motioned toward his sister. “She
has no marks. How is it she’s not good enough?”

“She is dark,” Reiv said.

“Dark? What do you mean? You mean her
hair?”

“It is not just the issue of her hair. Most
Tearians are blond, but those whose hair is not quite acceptable
simply lighten it with lye. It is a common custom. But the eyes
cannot be disguised, nor can the skin. Alicine is not Tearian.
Therefore she is Jecta.”

“That’s ridiculous,” Dayn said.

“That is the way it is, the way it has always
been,” Reiv said defensively.

Dayn marched toward Reiv as though the
prejudice were of the boy’s own making. “How can you say such a
thing?” he said. “How can you say such a despicable thing about my
sister?”

Alicine also appeared taken aback, but she
rose and placed a hand on her brother’s arm. “Dayn, we aren’t in
Kirador. Things are different here.”

“It doesn’t matter. I can’t believe what I’m
hearing.”

“I seem to recall a pale-haired, blue-eyed
boy being beaten up by dark-haired, brown-eyed boys in Kirador,”
she said.

The memory swept across Dayn’s face. “I do,
too.”

“I think we’d better get used to Tearian
customs, whether we like them or not. I don’t want to be the cause
of anyone getting hurt.” Alicine turned to Reiv. “Do you mean we
can’t stay in the city, or just not here with you?”

“Some Jecta are allowed to dwell within the
city. But only some. You and Dayn would not be allowed. You are not
employed laborers or craftsmen.”

“Maybe since you’re a Jecta,” Dayn said, “we
could pretend—”

“I am Tearian!” Reiv snapped.

“But your hair isn’t blond, and your eyes
aren’t pale,” Alicine said. “How is it that you’re Tearian?”

“I am, or rather was, an exception,” Reiv
said, flustered. “Regardless, I made the mistake of declaring you
thieves to the guards at the gate. I am expected to turn you over.
Since I have not—”

“Then we must smuggle them out,” Brina said,
crossing over to him.

“How? And when? And where would we take
them?”

Brina twisted her mouth and stared at the
floor thoughtfully. Then she looked up, her eyes alit with a plan.
“Tomorrow. After breakfast. I will come back. Keep them here until
then.” She headed for the door.

“Then what?” Reiv asked, following at her
heels

“Tomorrow is Market,” she said. “Because of
the recent celebrations, there will be more Jecta than usual
invited to display their wares.”

“And the more Jecta there are milling about,
the better chance we have of slipping them out.”

“Yes. You will have to be the one to do it,
Reiv.”

“That sounds all well and good, but there is
still one small problem—Crymm. He saw us enter through the gates
and there were others with him. We had an altercation. He knows I
was planning to take them to Labhras.”

“Who is Crymm?” Alicine asked.

“The guard we encountered at the gate,” Reiv
said.

“Well,” Dayn said, “the way I see it, Alicine
hit you over the head and we escaped.”

Reiv smirked. “A girl? Hit me over the head?
Ha! Who would believe such a tale?

“So you think no one would believe it?”
Alicine said. “Well, I seem to recall a red mark splayed across
your cheek curiously shaped like my hand.”

Reiv touched the side of his face and felt
humiliation rush to his cheeks. “Fine then. We have no time to
argue the point.”

“Where are we to go? Back to Kirador?”
Alicine asked.

“No!” Brina and Reiv responded
simultaneously.

“Alicine,” Reiv said, “you cannot simply walk
out of here and go back to Kirador. I mean, it would not be so
simple. Besides, do you really want to?”

“Well, I’m not ready to go back to Kirador,”
Dayn said. “At least not yet.” He looked at Alicine as if seeking
support, but her face remained expressionless. He turned his
attention back to Brina.

“If we’re not welcome here, where are we to
go?”

“You must go to the Jecta city of Pobu,”
Brina said. “But do not worry. You will be safe there, and welcome.
We will be able to visit you. Reiv can move back and forth freely
and I . . .”

Seeing her hesitation, Reiv added, “Yes, we
can still visit you, of course. I can go there if I choose. You
just cannot come here.”

“When will you be back, Brina?” Dayn
asked.

“As soon as I can make my excuses from
breakfast.” Brina turned her attention to Reiv. “Reiv, can you get
them some appropriate Jecta clothes, clean ones? They certainly
will not blend in with the crowd dressed like that.”

Reiv surveyed Dayn and Alicine while
considering Brina’s request. He circled Dayn, examining his height
and build. “Well, he is a bit taller and broader than I am, but I
suppose I have something he could wear, although it will fit him
much more snuggly.”

Dayn’s face paled. “More snuggly?”

Reiv could not help but be amused, but then
he turned serious. “Brina, I do not have anything for a girl to
wear.”

Brina assessed the full skirt and long
sleeves of Alicine’s dress. “I see no way of altering it to suit
our needs. Reiv, you will have to find her something. Can you do
that?”

“Find her something? How do you propose I do
that? What Jecta woman would willingly part from her clothing for
me? I mean, I cannot simply take a woman’s clothes. I mean . . .”
He sighed. “You know what I mean.”

“Yes, Reiv, we understand your meaning,”
Brina replied. “What about the dormitories. Most, if not all, of
the Jecta who stay there will either be at their homes for the
holidays or at Market with their crafts. Perhaps you could find
something there.”

Reiv gaped at the suggestion. “Brina, do you
realize what you are asking? You know the penalties for
stealing.”

“What other choice do we have? It would only
raise suspicions and risk unwanted gossip if you, of all people,
were seen buying women’s clothing. If we had more time I would try
to secure something myself, but I fear I will be watched more
closely due to my lengthy absence tonight. Just coming here
tomorrow will be a risk in itself. It is up to you to find Alicine
something suitable to wear.”

Reiv looked from Brina to Dayn then lowered
his eyes. “Brina, would you really ask this of me?”

“Reiv, look at me,” Brina said. “We are all
in peril if our plan does not succeed. This must be done. I see no
other way. Let me assure you I have no intention of sacrificing you
for the sake of anyone else. Besides, were you not once called the
Prince of Insolence?”

Reiv scowled, then nodded. “Very well. I will
do it.”

“Good, it is settled then.” Brina put her
hand on the door handle, then turned to face them. “I regret that I
must leave you now, but my absence tonight will not have gone
unnoticed, and I fear Mahon will not turn a blind eye to my visit
here.”

Lines of worry lingered on everyone’s
faces.

“Do not fret,” Brina said. “Tomorrow I will
go to Pobu and find you a safe place to stay.”

“How do you intend to do that?” Reiv asked,
mortified by the thought of it. “You know it is forbidden for you
to go into the Jecta city. You never said you intended to actually
go there.”

“Oh, do not worry yourself,” Brina said with
a wink. “I have my ways. Besides, the Guard has become complacent
about the borders. They are more concerned about what comes in than
what goes out. There is always a risk, but I have been doing it for
years.”

“Years? Gods, Brina. You will soon find my
head lying across the room next to Dayn’s.”

Brina laughed. “I hope not. I could not bear
to lose two sons’ heads in one day.” She turned and left, closing
the door quietly behind her.

“You are her son also?” Dayn asked,
surprised.

“No. Her nephew actually,” Reiv said. He
arched a brow. “Did she not tell you? Ah, well, I guess she has
left that story to me.” He strolled across the room and gathered up
the cups still scattered across the tabletop.

“Well?” Alicine said.

“Well, what?” Reiv asked.

“The story.”

“Oh no, not tonight,” he said, yawning. “You
may wish to spend the night telling more stories, but not I. I am
tired and intend to get some sleep. We will leave new stories, as
well as the finding of clothing, for in the morning.”

Reiv looked longingly toward his bedchamber,
then at Alicine and Dayn who had turned to make their way to the
blankets still crumpled on the floor.

“Alicine,” Reiv said, “you may take my bed if
you wish. I will sleep on the floor there with Dayn.”

By the expression on Alicine’s face, she was
surprised by Reiv’s offer, if not somewhat embarrassed by it. Dayn
grinned at her, and she tipped her nose into the air. “Well, at
least I won’t be sleeping on the floor tonight,” she said.

“Dayn may have the chaise if he wishes,” Reiv
said.

Dayn’s eyes twinkled with satisfaction, while
Alicine’s rolled with annoyance.

Reiv ushered Alicine toward his bedchamber.
He entered the room and lit a candle on the stand by the bed, then
motioned her in. “There, now you can see your way around.” He
gathered up some clothes that were piled on the bed and tossed them
into the corner, then moved over to the mattress and plopped down.
“It is not too bad,” he said, bouncing lightly upon it.

Alicine lingered outside the door, her eyes
modestly averted. Dayn leaned with folded arms against the
doorframe.

Reiv looked at them for a confused moment.
“Oh, the blanket. Of course. Let me fetch it.”

“No,” Alicine said, “I don’t think I’ll be
needing the blanket. I’m wrapped in enough material for tonight I
think.”

“That you are,” Reiv agreed.

“Besides, you’ll be needing it more than I
will,” she said.

Reiv’s eyes followed hers from his bare chest
down to his uncovered legs. “Oh, yes, of course. Well, if you need
anything . . . .”

Excusing himself, Reiv brushed past Alicine
and Dayn, his face flushed.

Dayn watched as Reiv exited the room. The
subtle exchange between him and Alicine had not gone unnoticed.

Alicine entered the room and Dayn followed.
Turning to face him, she smiled and said, “Do you think you’ll
survive sleeping in the same room as Reiv?”

“Oh, I think I can manage it, unless he’s
prone to nightmares that require a weapon.” He had intended the
remark as a joke, but found himself worried at the possibility of
it.

“Well, if you need rescuing, you know where
to find me,” Alicine said. Her expression shifted at the
realization of her words. “I’m sorry, Dayn. I didn’t mean it like
that.”

“I know, but then again, you
have
always been my rescuer. Why should it be any different now?

“I think everything is going to be
different,” she replied.

“Yes,” Dayn said. But there were some
differences he knew would be more difficult than others to accept.
And the way Alicine had looked at Reiv was going to be one of
them.

Return to Table of Contents

Chapter 15: The Plan in Play

A
licine awoke to a
room of white walls bathed in bright morning light. It was
peacefully quiet, except for the squeals of children playing in the
distance and the pleasant hum of the breeze sweeping the hem of the
open drape. She rolled onto her back, then stretched her arms above
her head. It was so nice to be in a soft, cozy bed again.

She sat up with a start, her heart racing.
This wasn’t her bed—it was that boy’s! She leapt off the mattress,
groaning as a muscle spasmed in her back. Surely the abuse she’d
suffered these past few days was justification for her travesty,
she reasoned. She leaned forward to release the tightness from her
spine, then scowled down at her dress. The hem was rimmed with
stains, and the once beautiful material was now dotted with sweaty
splotches. Even the flowers were wilted from white to shades of
gray. She brushed her hands down the wrinkled skirt, then ran her
finger beneath the damp lace of the collar. As predicted, she had
not required a blanket.