slapped his muzzle, hard, and Jonas recoiled, eyes wide. “I don’t understand how you can suck anyone who pays you a few silver pieces for years, but suddenly you get all squeamish when it really matters. You think this is bad? If you cost me a relationship with Master Talid, just wait and see. You’ll be doing this full time again.”
Shocked, and more than a little afraid, Jonas watched Alexan leave the room and close the door behind him.
In the dark hours of that night, Jonas imagined asking Benton to help him get away and establish himself, because Benton was the only person he’d met in Caril who didn’t view him as a prostitute (apart from Taypha, but the prospect of Jonas joining the guard was ludicrous). But each time the idea surfaced, he dismissed it as ridiculous. Benton had his own life and his own boyfriend, and Jonas didn’t fit in anywhere that he could see. The problem, the thing that he couldn’t get past, was that he didn’t fit in with Alexan either. He no longer really believed they could have a life together.
The next morning, he lay curled up in bed as the light streamed in through the windows. Normally, he would get up to make breakfast, but the events of the night before had left him listless. He watched dully as the light grew brighter and higher, and if Alexan hadn’t come in around mid-morning, Jonas might have spent the whole day in bed.
He cringed when he heard the door open and caught the fox’s scent, but Alexan’s voice was cheerful. “Hey, sleepyhead. Come on, I made some oatmeal and it’s getting cold.”
Bemused, Jonas rolled out of the bed and stretched, then walked into the dining room. Sure enough, two bowls of oatmeal sat steaming on the table. He sniffed, irrationally worried that one might be poisoned or something, but they smelled fine. Alexan had even added honey.
“ Go on, sit down. It won’t get any warmer!” Jonas jumped at the touch as Alexan patted his back, then sat down. He wanted to say something about the previous night, but if Alexan had forgiven him then he didn’t want to bring up the matter again. Maybe, he thought suddenly, he doesn’t actually remember. Maybe he was drunk and that’s why he got so angry. It wasn’t really him.
As the day wore on, he became more and more convinced that that was the case. Alexan talked about what a great party it had been, and how excited he was that things were finally coming together, and the ugliness that the dinner had degenerated into never entered the conversation.
Jonas spent the next few days convincing himself that that night had been an aberration, and that he’d overreacted by thinking of leaving the fox. Alexan was unfailingly sweet to him for the remainder of the week, and at the end of the week, in services, Jonas prayed to Cougar to keep the fox in a good mood. Did Cougar have any influence over his brother Fox? He hoped so. He didn’t know what else to do.
The following day was Feliday, and the king’s meeting with the merchant guild was scheduled to happen at midday. Actually, an increasingly nervous Alexan told Jonas, the king would meet with his ministers in the morning, and then would accompany the minister of Trade to the meeting, but the minister of Trade would do most of the talking. His noble sponsor was going to try to be in attendance but had not been able to secure an invitation. He would hear of the decision from one of the ministers, but Benton would hear from his master before then. News would trickle down to him somehow.
He expected Benton first, or perhaps Phineas or Mikka, when Jonas heard the knock and hurried to answer the door, Alexan behind him. When they saw Taypha, Alexan’s ears flicked up and he smiled. “Come to wait for the news?”
Taypha shook his head. “I’ve got the news,” he said, and Jonas could read what it was in the slant of his ears and the flatness of his voice.
“ Well, come in, come in!” Alexan ushered the bear into the living room. Jonas
Shocked, and more than a little afraid, Jonas watched Alexan leave the room and close the door behind him.
In the dark hours of that night, Jonas imagined asking Benton to help him get away and establish himself, because Benton was the only person he’d met in Caril who didn’t view him as a prostitute (apart from Taypha, but the prospect of Jonas joining the guard was ludicrous). But each time the idea surfaced, he dismissed it as ridiculous. Benton had his own life and his own boyfriend, and Jonas didn’t fit in anywhere that he could see. The problem, the thing that he couldn’t get past, was that he didn’t fit in with Alexan either. He no longer really believed they could have a life together.
The next morning, he lay curled up in bed as the light streamed in through the windows. Normally, he would get up to make breakfast, but the events of the night before had left him listless. He watched dully as the light grew brighter and higher, and if Alexan hadn’t come in around mid-morning, Jonas might have spent the whole day in bed.
He cringed when he heard the door open and caught the fox’s scent, but Alexan’s voice was cheerful. “Hey, sleepyhead. Come on, I made some oatmeal and it’s getting cold.”
Bemused, Jonas rolled out of the bed and stretched, then walked into the dining room. Sure enough, two bowls of oatmeal sat steaming on the table. He sniffed, irrationally worried that one might be poisoned or something, but they smelled fine. Alexan had even added honey.
“ Go on, sit down. It won’t get any warmer!” Jonas jumped at the touch as Alexan patted his back, then sat down. He wanted to say something about the previous night, but if Alexan had forgiven him then he didn’t want to bring up the matter again. Maybe, he thought suddenly, he doesn’t actually remember. Maybe he was drunk and that’s why he got so angry. It wasn’t really him.
As the day wore on, he became more and more convinced that that was the case. Alexan talked about what a great party it had been, and how excited he was that things were finally coming together, and the ugliness that the dinner had degenerated into never entered the conversation.
Jonas spent the next few days convincing himself that that night had been an aberration, and that he’d overreacted by thinking of leaving the fox. Alexan was unfailingly sweet to him for the remainder of the week, and at the end of the week, in services, Jonas prayed to Cougar to keep the fox in a good mood. Did Cougar have any influence over his brother Fox? He hoped so. He didn’t know what else to do.
The following day was Feliday, and the king’s meeting with the merchant guild was scheduled to happen at midday. Actually, an increasingly nervous Alexan told Jonas, the king would meet with his ministers in the morning, and then would accompany the minister of Trade to the meeting, but the minister of Trade would do most of the talking. His noble sponsor was going to try to be in attendance but had not been able to secure an invitation. He would hear of the decision from one of the ministers, but Benton would hear from his master before then. News would trickle down to him somehow.
He expected Benton first, or perhaps Phineas or Mikka, when Jonas heard the knock and hurried to answer the door, Alexan behind him. When they saw Taypha, Alexan’s ears flicked up and he smiled. “Come to wait for the news?”
Taypha shook his head. “I’ve got the news,” he said, and Jonas could read what it was in the slant of his ears and the flatness of his voice.
“ Well, come in, come in!” Alexan ushered the bear into the living room. Jonas
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