He walked back to their spot and sat down, resisting the urge to wipe off his arm where the hands had touched him.
Rye looked tense, and his eyes flicked back to her with a kind of enchanted horror. “That’s not possible.”
“That’s what I’ve been telling myself for weeks.”
“I’ve never seen anything like her,” Rye said. It pleased Tahki that he sounded more fascinated than fearful. At least he’d keep an open mind.
“I needed to show you, because what I’m about to say is going to sound crazy.” Tahki told him about Nii, about the Királyes history. He finished with Gotem, with what Sornjia had done, and how Dyraien had sent Zinc to kill his own mother.
By the time he finished, dusk had settled over the ruins. When Tahki said his last word, he felt lighter, like he could finally take in a full breath of air. If he had known confessing everything would feel this good, he would have talked a long time ago.
He gave Rye time to contemplate. The fire popped and spat, and the fog cleared a little.
“You’re right,” Rye said. “It does sound crazy.”
“I don’t have any proof, other than Pooka,” Tahki said.
Rye raised an eyebrow. “Pooka?”
Tahki motioned to the cat.
“Pooka,” Rye said. “As in Cuddle me Pooka, the popular child’s toy? That’s what you named her?”
“I didn’t name— You’re missing the point. I know you don’t believe me, but she’s proof there’s something wrong with Dyraien and his family. If we could get to the black pool again, maybe Pooka could turn back into a human, and you’ll see I wasn’t lying.”
“I never said that,” Rye said.
“Said what?”
“That I didn’t believe you.” Rye ran a hand through his hair. “Why didn’t you tell me this sooner?”
Tahki shrugged. “It never seemed like the right time.”
“The right time was the moment before we spent the night together.”
Tahki cringed. “You’re right. I’m sorry. Rye, please believe me when I say I’m sorry.”
Rye sighed. “It just doesn’t make any sense. I know Dyraien doesn’t want to lose his country, but he’s not a bad person.”
“He tried to kill me,” Tahki said.
Rye hesitated. “He must have thought you were a spy.”
“You know he didn’t.”
“I can’t just condemn him without evidence.”
“I thought you said you believed me.”
“I do. I believe something strange is happening here, and Dyraien hasn’t been honest about it.”
“So let’s go to the capital. Expose Dyraien’s plot.”
“I can’t do that.”
“Why?”
“Because I can’t betray him like that. Dyraien saved me, Tahki.”
“I know, he took you in off the streets. But one good deed doesn’t excuse murder.”
“You don’t understand,” Rye snapped. “He didn’t just take me off the streets. After my mother left, I had nowhere to go. The authorities picked me up. I know you think Vatolokít is modern, is advanced and civilized, but the truth is, the city is corrupt. Orphan kids are placed in one of two places: in the factories for hard labor or in the brothels for a life of depravity.”
Tahki stared. He was about to ask which one Rye had been sent to, but he already knew. It was why Rye had avoided the brothel in Edgewater, why he’d been so experienced in bed, and why he’d been so uneasy about letting Tahki touch him.
“Don’t look at me like that,” Rye said. “I didn’t sleep with anyone. But these brothels, they train you until you’re thirteen. Then they put you out for sale. I lied about my age when I went in, said I was younger than I was, so they kept me in training for a few years. When I turned fourteen, though, they said I was ready to work. I don’t expect you to have the slightest idea what it was like for me, surrounded by twisted perverts, watching children my age exposed to horrible sexual acts.”
Tahki could only shake his head.
“But I didn’t have to work for them. I ran away to the upper cites one night, but the authorities caught me. They would have returned me to that awful place, but Dyraien saw what was happening and saved me. He took me in, gave me an education. He taught me how to fight, how to shoot a pistol, how to ride a gingoat. He gave me a home. Tahki, I owe Dyraien everything.”
Tahki felt gratitude toward the prince, but only for the prince who’d rescued Rye, the prince who hadn’t tried to kill him. He knew he wouldn’t be able to convince Rye that Dyraien was a bad person. Maybe Dyraien had saved Rye, maybe it had been the only kind thing he’d ever done. Even with that knowledge, Tahki still couldn’t forgive him.
“Gotem is Dyraien’s captive,” Tahki said. “Believe what you want about him, but Gotem is like family to me. I have to save him.”
“And I’ll help you,” Rye said. “But I still want to talk to Dyraien. I know I can reason with him. I have to give him a chance to admit to his crimes. I owe him that much.”
“And if he tries to kill me again?” Tahki asked.
“I won’t let that happen. Tahki.” Rye moved next to him, put his hand on his face. “I won’t let him hurt you or your brother. And….” He leaned in and brought their lips together. They held each other a moment before pulling apart. “And I forgive you for lying to me because I trust you. But you have to trust me now. Trust me that Dyraien can be changed.”
Dyraien could not be reasoned with, Tahki knew that, but Rye needed to see it for himself. If Rye wasn’t totally committed to stopping Dyraien, they would fail, and Dyraien would be free to unleash whatever he planned upon the world.
THEY SLEPT curled in the dirt, wrapped around each other
