Order of Swans (The Blue Swan Duology #1)

Chapter 8

8

Kaley woke to a racket coming from her door. It sounded as though it had been nailed shut and a herd of elephants was trying to pry it open—and they were succeeding.

When Sojee and Tanek entered, she flopped back on the pillow. “I was right about the elephants.” Behind them were two men carrying trays of food that they set on a table on the far side of the room.

Kaley felt so bad that she could only open half of one eye. She saw Sojee touch his forearm to the arm of one of the men. In addition to translating, whatever was embedded in his arm seemed to be a credit card system.

She rolled over in bed. I must ask them to explain what has been put inside their arms. And mine. And when, where, how did I get it? I have to— She went back to sleep.

“No, no,” she heard Sojee say, then he scooped her up, blanket and all, and set her in a heavy wooden chair. “You have to wake up. We’re going out.”

“You boys go without me. I need sleep.”

“You have to eat, then we will go,” Tanek said. “You cannot stay here alone.”

Kaley groaned. “Let me guess, breakfast is twelve pounds of beef. If I promise to eat every bite later, will you two let me sleep? Please?”

She felt one of them—probably Sojee—rummaging about in the blanket that was wrapped around her. She thought that she should protest, but she was so hungover she didn’t care. She was only vaguely aware when he pulled her left arm out. He was holding the little blue light and he touched it to her arm. There was an electrical jolt that was a great deal stronger than what she’d felt before. “Ow! That hurts. I want to—” She broke off and blinked rapidly. “Oh. I mean, oh!”

“Better?” Sojee asked.

She threw the blanket off. “Yeah, I do feel better.” She looked across the room to the bath. “I’ll just, you know, then I think I’d like to have that dozen pounds of beef. I’ll be right back.”

Minutes later, they were seated around the table and going after the best beef she’d ever tasted. She held up a piece on a fork. “This is unfair to Kansas. You’re trying to wipe out centuries of cattle drives and wranglers and...” At their looks, she quit talking.

“We must go out today,” Tanek said.

“To search for the prince?” The men exchanged looks but said nothing. More secrets? she thought. “Sightseeing? Shopping in Selkan for pretty dresses?”

Again, the men looked at each other.

“If you two would tell me what you’re hiding, it would save a great deal of time.”

Sojee’s eyes twinkled. “Young Tanek has private business in town. Would you like to escape our guards?”

“I would love to,” she said.

“She can’t—” Tanek began, but when the other two turned to him with faces like a block wall, he threw up his hands in surrender. “If we’re caught, we’ll find out what the prisons here are like.”

“I imagine they’re easier for men than for a woman alone,” Kaley said sincerely. Whatever Sojee and his magic light had done, Kaley felt great. “Mind if I take a shower? I’m pretty grubby from last night’s bar hopping.”

Sojee stood up. “We will return in two herins.” He and Tanek scurried out of the room.

“They have a different measure for time?” she murmured as she went to the bathroom. “I thought time was universal.”

About thirty minutes later, they returned. Obviously, they’d not spent any time getting clean. She strapped the little camera her father had given her over her T-shirt and positioned it at her waist so it wouldn’t encumber her front or back, then she pulled on a dark hoodie.

“We found a route to where Tanek needs to go,” Sojee said.

“It’s impossible to get there unseen,” Tanek said.

“We can.” Sojee looked at Kaley, grinning.

She smiled at him. “I bet roofs are involved.”

He returned her smile and nodded.

From the way Tanek looked at them, he didn’t appreciate being left out.

There was an old, rickety set of back stairs to the inn and Sojee went first, gingerly testing the strength of the rotting steps as he went down. At one point, he picked up Kaley by the waist and swung her down to a more solid step.

She couldn’t resist turning to Tanek and saying, “Sojee will help you down, too.”

Tanek narrowed his eyes at her, then made a leap that sent him sailing past Sojee and onto the ground. “Need help?” he asked as he looked up at her.

Sojee shook his head at both of them, then led them away. It wasn’t easy to keep up with his long strides. Sometimes she’d give a little jump to cover the extra space between them. Tanek said nothing as he followed. They ran down an alleyway and, like before, Sojee vaulted up onto a roof. Kaley held her arms overhead and he easily pulled her up—or so she thought. When she got to the top, she saw that it was Tanek who’d lifted her. She pushed from him so hard, she almost fell backward, but he didn’t move. That he caught her by the arm was quite annoying.

They were on their third roof when they heard an unusual silence. There had been the constant sounds of horses and men, even the clanking of steel, but it had abruptly become eerily silent.

“Get down,” Tanek ordered, and they obeyed. The three of them flattened themselves on the rooftop and peered over the edge to the street below.

At first, Kaley wasn’t sure what she was seeing, as to her it was an ordinary sight. A woman, wearing a long dress, her hair in braids, was walking on the street. Behind her were three children, then came a man who was strutting. That was the only way to describe his proud walk.

Every man on the street and in the few shops had stopped to watch them. There was such longing on their faces that it hurt to look at them. It was obvious that the sight of a family was an unusual one.

When they passed out of sight, the three rolled onto their backs and looked up at the sky.

“That was sad,” Kaley said. “These men are very lonely.”

“That’s what Arit said.” Tanek sighed.

“And who is that?” Sojee asked, amusement in his voice. “Anyone we’ve met? Sounds like she’s the love of your life. Let’s invite her for a beer.”

Tanek rolled to his side, head on his hand, and looked across Kaley to him. “She’s no one you will ever be alone with.”

Sojee laughed.

“Should I be jealous?” Kaley asked.

“Yes!” Tanek said.

“No!” Sojee said.

She got up and looked down at Tanek. “We need to get to the place you want to go to because I think it’s going to rain. Water might clean you two up—or melt you, I’m not sure which. Let’s go somewhere quiet so you two can explain why I have something in my arm that connects me to people I’ve never met and to a place I have never been.”

Tanek got up quickly. “Jobi. He can answer all your questions. But yes to needing to be someplace.” He pointed. “There.” He looked at Kaley. “Think you can make it?”

Where he was pointing was across a wide expanse between two buildings. “Easily,” she said, but inside she wanted to run away. It was going to be difficult and dangerous.

“If you’re too afraid,” Tanek said, “Sojee can take you back. You’ll be safe and protected.”

“Drop dead.” She went to the edge of the roof. There was a wide, empty place between the buildings. She looked at Sojee and he nodded in understanding. They’d do the human Ping-Pong ball act where he swatted her across.

But in the next second she saw Tanek running directly toward her. She started to step aside—as Jobi had taught her—but Tanek was too fast. As he passed, his arm went around her waist, and together they flew from one roof to the next.

When they hit, Tanek twisted and landed on his back on the hard roof—with Kaley on top of him. They were nose to nose, belly to belly.

She was trying to recover from the Tarzan act minus the jungle vine, while Tanek was smiling at her. He had nice teeth. That didn’t matter as his arms were tight about her, holding her to him. “You can release me now.”

“Sure? You still look scared.”

“Let go of me, you jerk! It’s starting to rain.”

“You can shield me so I won’t melt.”

She jabbed her elbows into his rib cage, but it didn’t seem to hurt him.

Still smiling, he let her go, rolled to the side and stood up.

Kaley stayed sitting on the roof and looked up at Sojee. “I like your way better.”

“His landing onto his back seemed very practiced.”

Kaley grimaced. “Probably. No doubt he’s done that with Arit and Mekos and who knows how many from the other islands. I’m sure he’s done it many times.”

Tanek shook his head. “I catch fighting swans who weigh more than you do.”

“Was there a compliment in there?” Kaley asked. “Or am I an angry swan? Even so, they’re beautiful, so I accept it as a compliment.”

Tanek didn’t reply as he climbed down the side of a building on a ladder that didn’t look very stable. The rain started coming down heavily, making everything slippery.

By the time they reached the building Tanek had pointed out, Kaley was soaked. She was blinking back water as they got to the door. From the look on Sojee’s face, he planned to pick the door up and set it aside.

But she slid in front of him and turned the knob. The door opened and they walked inside. She couldn’t resist a smirk at Sojee. She took off her wet sweatshirt, draped it over a chair back and looked around.

The rectangular room was obviously an old schoolhouse. One long wall was windows and the opposite wall was blank, as though it had once held chalkboards and maps. There were four rows of benches set under long tables. The place didn’t appear to have been used for years.

“More sadness,” Kaley said.

“There are fewer children, so many of the schools closed.” Tanek’s voice was hard, with anger underneath.

Sojee was looking around with as much surprise as Kaley felt.

“Where did you go to school?” she asked him.

“The one my father went to and his father before him. We had the same mean old master who liked to use a cane on us.” Sojee smiled. “I broke it over my knee.”

Kaley laughed. “And you?” she asked Tanek.

“I was taught by my family.” He was looking out the window on the short wall, moving about as he tried to see through the rain.

There was a little light hovering under the cover of the roof overhang. “What’s that?” Kaley asked.

“Whatever it is, it might get wet,” Sojee said.

Tanek said nothing, just kept looking out the window.

On the other short wall were low cabinets, with seven framed portraits above them. There were four men and three women. “Who are these people?” Kaley asked. “Are they past presidents of Selkan?”

Both Tanek and Sojee were silent.

Even more secrets , she thought, and couldn’t help gritting her teeth. The last portrait was of a woman with dark hair and deep blue eyes. “She’s pretty.” She read the name. “Vian Yrbain. She looks like someone I’ve met, but I can’t think who. My dad is great at remembering faces. I bet he’d know who she resembles.”

When the men stayed silent, she turned and saw that they were both staring at her. The little light outside was near the window by Tanek’s head. Even it seemed to be watching her.

“What?” she asked. “Are these people some great secret?”

“They are the Peacekeepers,” Sojee said.

“What does that mean?”

The men were silent for a long moment, then Tanek spoke. “They live on the fourth island. You won’t be allowed to go there.”

“Why not? Couldn’t the king—?”

“No!” Tanek said. “No one can get a pass to that island.” He turned back to look out the window just as the little light began to blink. “I must go. I’ll be back soon.” He went out into the rain and down the street.

Kaley sat down hard on a bench. “Did I stumble onto some mysterious, forbidden secret?” When Sojee said nothing, she looked up at him.

“The Peacekeepers rule all four of the islands. Years ago, they moved the Swankeepers’ home from Selkan to Eren.”

“Why were they moved?”

Sojee shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s not my Order.”

“They issued orders?”

“Yes, but that’s not what I mean. Everyone belongs to an Order. Tanek is of the Order of Swans.”

“Of course he is. And you?”

Sojee said, “Jobi is in the Order of Sight. Aramus is from the Order of Kings.”

Kaley didn’t give up. “And you ?” She could see that he was debating whether or not to tell her. “It would greatly raise my self-esteem if I knew a secret. Since you and Swan Man have a zillion of them that you keep from me , I’d like to have at least one of my own.”

Sojee nodded. “You are right. I am of the Order of Royals.”

Her eyes widened. “Wow. Are you a prince? A king?”

“I am related to Princess Aradella, yes.”

Kaley smiled broadly. “I love this! So Tanek doesn’t know?”

“No.” Sojee smiled at her in conspiracy.

“I promise I won’t tell him,” she said. “Sometimes I think he believes you’re as unnecessary as I am. Do you think Prince Nessa will recognize you as a big-shot royal?”

Smiling, Sojee held up his left arm. “Your words aren’t easily translated to me. I am not a...”

“Big shot. I think you are, and Tanek can suck it.”

When Sojee’s laugh rang through the empty room, Kaley joined him. They were so loud they didn’t hear the door open.

“You are Kaley?” a man said from the doorway.

Sojee instantly sobered and reached for his sword. He was obviously mortified that a man had entered without his knowledge.

Kaley stepped forward. “I am.” She held out her hand to shake his.

He took it with both of his. “I am Collan. I live there.” He pointed to a nearby house that had a blue door. “I traveled with Roal.”

Her expression showed that she didn’t know who that was.

“Tanek’s father. Tanek was with us when he was a child.” He looked at her side. “It’s true. You do have a camera.”

“I haven’t used it, but then I’m not much of a photographer. Just some cell phone stuff. Actually, I haven’t seen my phone since I got here. I’ll have to ask Jobi. He—” She broke off as the men were looking at her.

Collan spoke. “I want to ask a... I believe you call it a favor. Will you take my photo with my sons? I want to get it to my wife and daughter on Pithan.”

“Do you have an email address? WhatsApp?” She received blank looks. “Right. No internet towers. I don’t know how to send the photos.”

The men were looking at her in silence, letting her know that they had no idea, either.

“Yes, of course I’ll take your picture.”

Collan’s voice lowered and his eyes were pleading. “I know other men. Their wives and daughters are not here. Could you...?” He waved his hand and didn’t finish.

“I’ll take photos as long as the batteries hold out. I’ll fill the SD card. I’ll—” She could see they had no idea what she was talking about. “Bring ’em on.”

Looking like he was going to cry in gratitude, Collan ran back out into the rain.

She turned to Sojee. “I get the feeling that we’re going to be bombarded with men. It won’t be easy to remember all the names. I guess we can have them hold papers with their names on it. Kind of like criminals. What can we use for ID boards?”

Sojee had no idea what she meant but it didn’t take them long to solve the problem. By the time they’d searched the old cabinets and found erasable boards and fat markers, there were half a dozen men with their sons lined up in front of the long window wall.

“Take a seat,” Kaley said to Collan. He held his name board—written with symbols unknown to her. His two sons stood behind him, hands on their father’s shoulders. “Smile,” she said, and they did.

By the time Tanek returned, Kaley and Sojee had set up an assembly line for photos. Somehow, it had become a party. Food—meaning meat—appeared and lots of beer. The men knew each other and were laughing and catching up with news. It had turned into a happy occasion. Kaley wanted to say, “If you had women here, this socialization would happen often,” but she didn’t.

The rain had almost stopped when Tanek opened the door. As he looked on the scene, his scowl showed his mood.

Unfortunately, Kaley was close to the door.

“What do you think you’re doing?” He was almost growling. “We’re trying to keep things private.”

“So you can do your secret sleuthing? Meet people to talk about...whatever?” She didn’t give him time to answer. “You do realize, don’t you, that if it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t be here? Tomorrow I want to talk to some people about old stories—which is why we’re here. And oh yes, did you save the grandmother from the wolf?”

His eyes showed his shock. “How did you know that?”

“When you share your secrets with me, I’ll tell you mine.” She started to walk away, but turned back. She motioned to the many men in the big room. “If your purpose is to meet people, I think I’ve made more friends on Selkan than you have. Funny how being nice works.” She walked away from him and he went back outside.

Minutes later, the king’s guards arrived. They were angry at having lost them.

Sojee spoke to them in their own language, then touched his forearm to theirs—to give them money, she guessed—and the men left. Except for the head guard, Garen. He seemed to be curious. He asked Sojee questions about the camera settings, who then asked Kaley, who usually answered, “I don’t know.” In the end, Garen was snapping the photos. He situated the men for better poses and when the food arrived, he had them include that in the pictures.

Near sunset, the camera batteries gave out. Her father had equipped the cute little camera with several SD cards, so they weren’t full, but both batteries were exhausted.

Even after the photo session ended, the men didn’t leave. They were enjoying themselves.

“They’re going to set up a smoker soon,” Kaley said. “They’ll throw in some big fish and a turkey.”

A few minutes later, Tanek appeared outside the window and yet again, the little light was beside his head.

“Is that light on his ear?” Kaley asked.

Sojee didn’t answer. He drew himself up to his full height and spoke in a voice so loud that the windows rattled. He told them they had to leave now .

Kaley plastered herself against the wall to keep from being run over as the men left. Garen was last. He and Sojee exchanged some words, then Sojee held out his arm to give the man money. But Garen shook his head and didn’t accept it.

Sojee went outside with Kaley close behind him.

“The prince is at a tavern,” Tanek said as he looked at Kaley.

“I’m going,” she said firmly.

He didn’t try to argue. “You must cover yourself.”

She understood that. Today she’d been with men who’d at one time lived with women. That was different from the men in the streets.

Kaley strapped on her camera, put her sweatshirt back on, pulled the hood over her face and left the schoolhouse. This time, Tanek led, with Kaley, then Sojee last. She was glad there were no rooftop leaps involved, but they did go through some rather dodgy alleyways. She didn’t want to see what was lurking in the dark doorways.

When Tanek abruptly stopped at the corner of a building, she almost ran into him.

“The prince is here.”

“With that beast of his?” Sojee asked.

“Yes.” Tanek stepped back to let Kaley go past him.

“No!” Sojee reached for his sword. “She can’t face that thing. I’ve heard that it’s killed people. We must—”

Kaley didn’t hear what else was said as she slipped past Tanek and went around the corner. Standing there, backed by a stone wall, the low sun hitting it, was an incredibly beautiful animal. It was about six feet tall, with a sturdy body that curved. It had thin horns that branched into two, and a heavy tail curled around its strong body. It was covered in iridescent green scales that glistened in the sunlight.

Kaley could only stare at the incredible beauty of the animal.

Behind her, Sojee started forward, but Tanek put himself in front of the man.

Kaley took a step forward, then, as she’d done with the king, she made a deep curtsy. She went very low in respect and admiration.

The animal extended its foot, then lowered its head in an answering bow.

In the next second, Kaley opened her arms wide and went to the gorgeous animal. It kept its head down and let her hug it and run her hands over its body, while she told it how beautiful it was. She gushed praise and adoration.

Tanek stepped aside so Sojee could see what was happening.

“Dragons pledge to one person.” Sojee’s voice was low. “They bond even more closely than your tiny lady does.” He looked at Tanek. “How did you know?”

“My swans wrapped their necks around her.”

“But you are from the Order of Swans. She’s an earthling. Other earthlings have been here, but none of them can...” He stopped talking as he watched Kaley with the heavy beast. She was tickling him under his jaw—a jaw that could make fire and fry people. “You think she’ll ride away on him?” He was being sarcastic, but he was also in awe. “I was not prepared for this.”

“Neither was I,” he said. “I plan to get more information out of Jobi, whatever I have to do. Come on, we have to talk to the prince and get him to go home to his father. Why do I think the kid won’t want to leave here?”

“After this, maybe his dragon will choose to follow our Kaley.”

“Ours?” Tanek said. “Far from it. You have your pen? We might have to use it on the prince.”

“I’m more than willing. Should we leave her here with...with that?”

“Ha! That creature might be able to create a Lely.”

Sojee laughed at that but Tanek didn’t. “We must go,” Sojee said loudly to Kaley, and motioned toward the door to the tavern.

She gave a sigh and hugged the dragon’s head. “I don’t want to leave him. His name is Perus. Isn’t that a pretty name?” She laid her cheek against his. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.” Reluctantly, she let go of him and stepped away. “Behave and don’t burn anyone up. Okay?”

Tanek and Sojee were as far away as they could get. Sojee opened the heavy door. “He talks to you?”

“Sort of. I can hear things from him,” Kaley said. “So where’s the prince?”

Inside, Tanek went to the man behind the long bar. “The prince?”

The man jerked his head to the side. “Back there. I’ll pay you to take him away. How much do you want?”

There was a crash of metal and wood against stone, followed by the clanging of steel. Sojee held out his arm to the barkeep. He meant to pay him for what was broken.

Kaley kept her face covered and stayed close behind Tanek as he went to the back of the dark tavern. The prince was at a table with half a dozen young men who didn’t look like people you would trust. She absolutely did not , under any circumstances, want them to know that a woman was nearby.

As for the prince, he was almost as tall as Tanek, but of a slim build. He had the king’s blue eyes, with black hair that stuck out around his head in a carefully arranged way. He wore a belted purple robe that was trimmed in gold piping and looked very expensive. But even the rich clothes couldn’t make him handsome. That he appeared to be on multiple drugs didn’t help his looks. He was brandishing a knife that flashed in the light of the wall lanterns.

Tanek stepped forward. “Your father wants to see you.”

Nessa gave a laugh that told what he thought of that idea. “Oh yes. He wants me to marry Princess Bitchy.”

Instinctively, Kaley stepped back against Sojee. She had an idea that hearing disparagement of his relative would make him attack. But Sojee didn’t move. She looked up at him and he shrugged in a way that said the name was fair.

“She has agreed to the marriage,” Tanek said. “She awaits you.”

The young men laughed at that. It was as though they were saying, Of course she has.

“Entice him with money and power,” Kaley said softly.

“Once you’re married to her, you’ll rule all of Pithan,” Tanek said. “You’ll be the king of the whole island. They have palaces and great wealth and—”

“Who is that behind you?” the prince asked, trying to see Kaley.

Sojee stepped out of the shadows. His size said everything so he didn’t need to speak.

The prince looked disappointed. “I thought I heard a woman’s voice.”

“It’s his,” Tanek said. “He sounds just like a girl. We need to go now. Your father sent guards and they can take you back.”

Nessa gulped one of the beers on the table. “I have all the wealth I need. I don’t have to live with a princess who is old and plain-faced and has a tongue sharper than any steel.”

“They do, don’t they?” Tanek said. “A woman’s words can cut a man in half.” He glanced back at Kaley, hidden deep in the shadows, and saw her glare at him. “But I’m sure you’re man enough to control her.”

“Why should I try?” He looked from Tanek to Sojee, then at the drunken young men near him. It was as though he was calculating how a fight would turn out. “Tell my father I will not marry that old hag of a princess. I’d go with Olina before her.” He smirked. “You won’t be able to find me again.” He gave a whistle of three tones, and a second later, his dragon appeared at the window. It bent its head and punched out the window. In a practiced leap, Nessa jumped on the dragon and in an instant, they were gone. The only thing they left behind was a hole where the window had been and six young men who cared only how much beer was left.

“Let’s go,” Tanek said.

Sojee led the way out of the tavern, pausing only to again touch forearms with the barman. “For the window.”

With Kaley in the middle, the two men slowly walked back toward the inn. They didn’t care if the guardsmen found them. They looked as dejected as they felt. They had failed their mission.

“So who is Olina?” Kaley asked. “And how old is Princess Aradella?”

Tanek had his mouth set as though he might never speak again.

“She’s nineteen years old,” Sojee said, “and no, she does not like fools.”

“That leaves Nessa out,” Kaley said so cheerfully that Sojee almost smiled. “And who is Olina?”

“Queen of Pithan,” Tanek said.

“Queen of the island? And there’s also a princess? Please tell me this is a stepmother story. I love those. Evil personified.” She drew in a sharp breath. “Does she keep Aradella locked up in a tall tower with no door and the princess has really, really long hair?” The idea so fascinated Kaley that she stopped walking.

The men got two steps ahead, then halted and looked back at her.

“Olina is married to Aradella’s uncle,” Sojee said. “He was made king after his older brother, her father, died in an accident. She does not live in a tower, and her hair is not especially long.”

“Oh.” Kaley sounded disappointed. She started walking again. “It was just a thought.”

Sojee suppressed a smile. “Her cousin did live in a tower.”

“Was she rescued by a gorgeous young man?”

“He lived there, and a young woman scurried up the side to get to him. I believe she carried a key between her teeth.” Sojee was looking at her in amusement.

“Great!” Kaley said. “A mix-up of the sexes. I can use that in my new dissertation.” Again, she halted. “Wait a minute! If this Olina is queen, how can Nessa be crowned king if he marries a princess?”

“Order of succession. He would be king when it is time,” Sojee said.

“You mean when this Olina is dead? This story is getting better,” Kaley said.

Sojee looked at Tanek. “Who’s going to tell the king what his son said?”

Both men looked at Kaley. “Me? Are you kidding?”

“It will be good in your dissection,” Tanek said.

“Dissertation,” she corrected.

“You’re cutting us into pieces and examining us,” he said.

Her mouth dropped open. “Did you just make a joke?” She looked at Sojee. “I have seen the light.”

He laughed. Even Tanek gave a bit of a smile.

When they got back to the privacy of her room at the inn, she said, “I haven’t seen any phones. How do we contact the king?”

Sojee looked at Tanek with interest. “Yes, how do you do that?”

Tanek set his jaw and made no reply.

Kaley sighed loudly. “Secrets on top of secrets. Okay, the important thing is to tell the king in a diplomatic way. You can’t say, ‘Your drunken, druggie son is refusing to marry the beautiful Princess Aradella.’” She looked at Sojee.

“Perhaps beautiful is too much.”

“Powerful?”

“Very intelligent.”

“Yes.”

She looked at Tanek. “I’ll write it down for you and you can read it to the king—or to whoever listens for him. You can—”

“I can’t read that.”

“Oh, sorry,” she said. “I didn’t know. I guess you could take some classes. You could—”

“I can’t read your language!”

Kaley stayed serious. “What about the swans’ markings in the sand?”

He looked at her like she was crazy, while Sojee suppressed laughter.

“So how do we do this?” Kaley asked. “I can write it, then read it to you while you’re on the phone.”

“No!” the men said in unison.

For a moment she put her head in her hands. “I’m not allowed to see you talk to the king?” She turned to Sojee. “But you can?” She took a breath. “All right. So the two of you can do this without me, but you have to be nice . Kind. You can’t say awful things about his son.”

“I’m sure he knows,” Tanek said.

She glared at him. “All parents know the truth about their kids, but outsiders can’t say it.” When the men hesitated, she said, “So what’s for dinner? Chicken?”

“I don’t eat birds,” Tanek said, then hesitated. “If you were to speak to the king, what would you say?”

She hid her smile as she began to tell her ideas of how to handle telling the king about his son.

Thirty minutes later, the men had secured Kaley’s door and were headed down the stairs.

“I assume you mean to send the lovely Arit to relay your message to the king,” Sojee said.

“Of course, just so the earthling doesn’t see her. She’s too close to figuring out where she is. When she does, I want Jobi to be with her. He’s the one who should receive her anger.”

“I have more faith in Kaley than that. I don’t think she’ll be hysterical.”

“Not at you, but at me. Come on, we need to order beer. Arit likes it dark and strong. I truly dread telling the king that we’re failing in this mission.”

“You and me both,” Sojee said.