anywhere without so much water.
Jae rose well before dawn to get ready for the day. She glanced out at the garden and took a quick walk around the grounds so she could give Gali a better idea of what needed to be done, ducked into the kitchen for a few mouthfuls of breakfast, then hurried upstairs to wake the rest of the household. The cook and kitchen attendants were already up, and the Closest never slept in, but most of the Avowed needed to be woken for the meal. It was one of the few times Closest had been granted permission to speak.
Most of the Avowed woke easily, with relatively little coaxing. Jae’s heart thudded in her chest as she knocked on Lord Rannith’s door, but he yelled that he was awake before she let herself in, thankfully, so she moved on without having to see him.
Lord Desinn, sleeping in the guest quarters, woke grudgingly as Jae repeated his name. Then he waved her away. She padded out of his room quickly, grateful he hadn’t needed anything else. She was still anxious after being so near Lord Rannith, and she didn’t know Lord Desinn or his habits at all. Some Avowed were always unhappy to get up in the morning.
Next was Lady Shirrad, also in a set of guest rooms, as she’d given up her quarters to Lord Elan. At least Jae knew what to expect when she opened the door, the Lady’s name on the tip of her tongue.
Tal was lying on the mat next to her. Lady Shirrad was on her side, eyes still shut, but Tal was studying the ceiling, perfectly still except for his blinking eyes and the rise and fall of his chest. Jae swallowed hard, shuddering as she realized they were both undressed.
Tal pushed himself up to his elbows and waved silently. He wasn’t allowed to speak, or to wake Lady Shirrad; that was Jae’s duty this morning, and the Curse would allow only her to do it. Jae swallowed again, her stomach churning, and managed to say “Lady Shirrad.
Lady,
please, it’s time to wake.”
Shirrad stirred, rolling over on the mat, and then sat up. Tal echoed the gesture, silent and graceful, and Shirrad placed a possessive hand on his arm. “Yes, yes, I’m awake. Tal, bring me something to drink before you help me dress.”
Tal nodded, standing up from the mat. Jae padded back out of the room and waited in the hallway for a few moments until Tal came out, still tying his braided belt. He touched his hand to her elbow, smiling, but she could tell it was forced, an expression he hoped would put her at ease. As if she didn’t know him well enough to recognize what he was doing.
“I’m all right,” he breathed, barely a murmur, and led the way toward the kitchen. Only Lord Elan’s room had water kept in it for convenience.
“Tal—” Jae started.
He shook his head. “I really am, Jae. You know she treats me better than you or Gali.”
“But—”
“It’s
fine,
” he interrupted. Then, his voice softening, “She’s going to give me Firran’s position soon. Everything will be easier then, for both of us.”
Something dark and hard formed in Jae’s chest as Tal walked into the kitchen and she continued down the hall toward Lord Elan’s quarters. The Curse had let Tal say all of that, so maybe he’d convinced himself it was true, that what Lady Shirrad did was fine because he’d get something out of it. But just because he believed that didn’t make it right. Gali had spent the night alone and miserable, and whether Shirrad treated Tal well or not, he still had no choice in the matter. It wasn’t fair. What Shirrad did to Tal was no better than what Rannith had done to
her—
The world around her went bright, even though there were no windows in the stone corridor. She fell backward against the wall, letting it hold her weight as she gasped in breaths. Her fingers scrabbled at the smooth stone, and she tried to focus on that, to let the sensation ground her. All she could think about was Tal, lying awake on Shirrad’s mat, what had happened to him, to her, to Gali, to every
Jae rose well before dawn to get ready for the day. She glanced out at the garden and took a quick walk around the grounds so she could give Gali a better idea of what needed to be done, ducked into the kitchen for a few mouthfuls of breakfast, then hurried upstairs to wake the rest of the household. The cook and kitchen attendants were already up, and the Closest never slept in, but most of the Avowed needed to be woken for the meal. It was one of the few times Closest had been granted permission to speak.
Most of the Avowed woke easily, with relatively little coaxing. Jae’s heart thudded in her chest as she knocked on Lord Rannith’s door, but he yelled that he was awake before she let herself in, thankfully, so she moved on without having to see him.
Lord Desinn, sleeping in the guest quarters, woke grudgingly as Jae repeated his name. Then he waved her away. She padded out of his room quickly, grateful he hadn’t needed anything else. She was still anxious after being so near Lord Rannith, and she didn’t know Lord Desinn or his habits at all. Some Avowed were always unhappy to get up in the morning.
Next was Lady Shirrad, also in a set of guest rooms, as she’d given up her quarters to Lord Elan. At least Jae knew what to expect when she opened the door, the Lady’s name on the tip of her tongue.
Tal was lying on the mat next to her. Lady Shirrad was on her side, eyes still shut, but Tal was studying the ceiling, perfectly still except for his blinking eyes and the rise and fall of his chest. Jae swallowed hard, shuddering as she realized they were both undressed.
Tal pushed himself up to his elbows and waved silently. He wasn’t allowed to speak, or to wake Lady Shirrad; that was Jae’s duty this morning, and the Curse would allow only her to do it. Jae swallowed again, her stomach churning, and managed to say “Lady Shirrad.
Lady,
please, it’s time to wake.”
Shirrad stirred, rolling over on the mat, and then sat up. Tal echoed the gesture, silent and graceful, and Shirrad placed a possessive hand on his arm. “Yes, yes, I’m awake. Tal, bring me something to drink before you help me dress.”
Tal nodded, standing up from the mat. Jae padded back out of the room and waited in the hallway for a few moments until Tal came out, still tying his braided belt. He touched his hand to her elbow, smiling, but she could tell it was forced, an expression he hoped would put her at ease. As if she didn’t know him well enough to recognize what he was doing.
“I’m all right,” he breathed, barely a murmur, and led the way toward the kitchen. Only Lord Elan’s room had water kept in it for convenience.
“Tal—” Jae started.
He shook his head. “I really am, Jae. You know she treats me better than you or Gali.”
“But—”
“It’s
fine,
” he interrupted. Then, his voice softening, “She’s going to give me Firran’s position soon. Everything will be easier then, for both of us.”
Something dark and hard formed in Jae’s chest as Tal walked into the kitchen and she continued down the hall toward Lord Elan’s quarters. The Curse had let Tal say all of that, so maybe he’d convinced himself it was true, that what Lady Shirrad did was fine because he’d get something out of it. But just because he believed that didn’t make it right. Gali had spent the night alone and miserable, and whether Shirrad treated Tal well or not, he still had no choice in the matter. It wasn’t fair. What Shirrad did to Tal was no better than what Rannith had done to
her—
The world around her went bright, even though there were no windows in the stone corridor. She fell backward against the wall, letting it hold her weight as she gasped in breaths. Her fingers scrabbled at the smooth stone, and she tried to focus on that, to let the sensation ground her. All she could think about was Tal, lying awake on Shirrad’s mat, what had happened to him, to her, to Gali, to every
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