“How’s Rye?” Hona said.
Tahki shifted his weight. First Hona had mentioned she didn’t want to surprise Rye, now she was asking about his well-being. Why would Dyraien’s advisor be worried about Rye?
“Happy,” Gale said. “No thanks to you.”
“That’s what Dyraien wrote.” Hona folded her arms. “I didn’t believe it. Happy and Rye aren’t exactly synonymous.”
“Fancy word use,” Gale said.
“I’ve been practicing. Tuning my manners all ladylike.” Hona wiped her nose with her arm.
“You’re going to see him, aren’t you?” Gale said.
“Of course. You don’t ignore someone you love.”
Tahki’s mouth dropped a little. Love wasn’t the kind of word you threw around the workplace. He had never seen Rye take an interest in anyone, but maybe there had been a reason for that. Maybe Hona was Rye’s lover. Or wife. Rye never gave any indication he preferred men.
Hona scrunched her nose. “Does he talk about me?” Tahki pressed his lips together and waited. He didn’t trust himself to speak.
“Why would Rye talk about you?” Gale said.
“Wishful thinking on my part,” Hona said. “After almost a decade, you’d think he’d forgive his only sister.”
“Sister?” Tahki blurted.
“Older sister,” Hona said.
Relief washed over him. He tried not to let it show and took a deep breath. He wondered why Rye had never mentioned a sister. He’d never mentioned anything about his family. Tahki assumed he’d been an only child, maybe even an orphan.
“Have the kid take you up,” Gale said. “I’m busy.”
“If you say so.” Hona turned to Tahki. “All right, green eyes. It’s just you and me. I’ve been traveling all night and could use a bath and some ale.”
AS THEY walked through the afternoon fog, Tahki thought about the document papers Sornjia had hidden under his pillow. If Gale saw them, she’d throw Sornjia in a meat pot. He knew he should send Sornjia home, but what if the black cat returned and he needed to talk to someone? Hona’s arrival proved he still knew next to nothing about Rye, so he couldn’t confide in him.
“You’re quiet,” Hona said. “After spending weeks locked up in that castle, I thought you’d love the opportunity to talk to someone new.”
“Sorry,” Tahki said. He’d wanted to talk to her, but every question he thought to ask seemed intrusive, because they were all about Rye.
Hona flicked her hair. “I’m going to ask you something.” It wasn’t a question but a statement, like she was preparing him.
“All right,” Tahki said.
Hona licked her lips. “Are you and Rye involved?”
Tahki felt a twist in his gut. “What do you mean?” He knew what she meant.
“I mean, are you two having sex?”
The question was so absurdly blatant. He wanted to appear casual, like he wasn’t embarrassed or upset or confused, but a lump rose in his throat and the hairs on his arm felt like tiny needles, and he knew his voice would shake when he spoke. “No. We’re not… involved.”
“Why not?”
Tahki pinched his brow. Her voice sounded strangely petulant. “I don’t know how to answer that,” he said. They were almost to the castle, and he hurried his pace.
Hona matched his speed. “You like him, don’t you?”
“Why would you think that?”
“D told me you’ve taken a liking to Rye.”
“We work together, that’s all.”
“D also said he’s taken a liking to you.”
No one back home would dare mention these things out loud. The entire conversation left him feeling exposed. Yet a small part of Tahki delighted at the idea Rye might be attracted to him.
“I’m making you uncomfortable,” Hona said as they reached the front doors. “Listen. Things are going to get unpleasant when we go inside, but no matter what happens, I need you to know that I love my brother, and all I want is for him to be happy.”
Tahki didn’t have time ask questions. She walked inside the castle and held a high-pitched note for five seconds, calling Dyraien’s name.
A minute later, Dyraien jogged down the steps.
“I’ve just put Mother to bed,” he said. His tone sounded more impatient than angry.
“How is Old Loopy doing?”
“Please refrain from calling the queen ‘Old Loopy.’” Dyraien ran a hand through his hair. “She’s getting sicker each day. How is the council?”
“Impatient.”
“How long do we have?”
“A month.”
“Shit.”
“They would have given you to the end of the year, but you missed the last meeting. They’re going to ask for the queen’s resignation.”
“They’ve become bold in her absence. I remember a day when just the mention of my mother’s name would send them cowering under their desks.” Dyraien sighed. “Do they suspect anything?”
“It’s been almost ten years since Queen Genevi has done anything noteworthy. When someone with such a fierce reputation suddenly vanishes, all people have is their suspicion. It’s only thanks to her reputation they’ve stalled this long.”
Dyraien drew in a slow breath. “What about my people?”
“The people want an election. They like the idea of voting for a leader. There are already three candidates lined up.”
Dyraien appeared calm, but Tahki didn’t know why. If he’d followed the conversation correctly, Dyraien only had a month to complete the castle to try and get in good standing with the council before a new leader would be elected.
“You still want to go through with this?” Hona said.
Dyraien held his head up and flicked a strand of blond hair from his eyes. “Of course. You’re not getting out of this that easy.”
For a second, Hona tensed. “I wasn’t trying—”
Dyraien gave her a cruel grin. Hona fell silent, and again Tahki felt like a wide-eyed child watching his parents argue over a matter he couldn’t understand.
“Nothing has changed,” Dyraien said in a soft voice. “Do your job, and don’t ever second-guess me.” He looked at Tahki for the first time since they’d started talking, and his expression lightened. “Tahki, would you join us for dinner tonight?”
He’d never been invited to dine with Dyraien before. It caught him a little off guard. “I’d be honored.”
“Excellent. We can hear about your progress.”
Tahki felt the area under his rib cage flutter with anticipation.
