17. The sweet nectar of the forbidden fruit. #2
Harlow and I walk out on a bright late morning, the cobblestone streets of Mandinka already bustling with life, and I’m not sure if I’m being a fool, but the world looks a little more colorful today.
Kuroki’s family lives on the hilltop east of the city. We take a rickshaw to take us there, then finish the rest of the climb on foot. Harlow throws a shy glance over his shoulder at me from time to time, as if to make sure I’m still with him. Where else could I be? I have eyes only for him.
He marvels at the view on top of the hill before we make our way through the garden to knock at the massive door.
Saiko—Kuroki’s mother, and my aunt—welcomes us grimly. “Are you here to knock some sense into my son? Good. Fool in love.”
I can’t help but feel her reproachful eyes lingering on my hand on Harlow’s lower back. Saiko never forgave my father for her sister’s grief, and she is wary of us falling in love with northerners.
Too late for that . Kuroki is in too deep. As for me… well, time will tell.
We find my cousin in the forest behind the house, bawling his eyes out with his feet in the cold water of a small spring.
As soon as he sees us, he throws his arms around Harlow’s neck, saying, “He rejected me!”
We don’t have to ask who.
Weeks ago, I might have rolled my eyes at the absurdity of it all: falling in love with another crew member and getting his heart broken.
But I have met Harlow since, and I’ve tasted the sweet nectar of the forbidden fruit, and I know firsthand how addictive it can be.
I feel sorry for Kuroki, who didn’t even get to have a taste of it beyond bitter rejection.
“What happened?” Halow asks, leading him to a bench under a tree.
Kuroki takes a ragged breath. “I followed him to the shipyard yesterday… I wanted to have some quality time with him. But he was still avoiding my eyes, so I got very persistent and spent my time in his face, bothering him. He relaxed eventually. He even laughed and…” He sobs.
“…and I don’t know what came over me! He was just there, inches away, smiling so beautifully… and I kissed him!”
I sigh. None of us even knows if Wilbur likes men, and he never accompanies us to the Tender Caress. His family sometimes makes jokes he had a girlfriend years ago when he lived at the Devils’ Cove, who he neglected until she left, but that’s pretty much it.
“What happened next?” Harlow asks.
“He pushed me… And you should have seen the look of pure horror on his face. I spoiled everything! He won’t trust me again.
And now I can’t live in my happy lie any longer, pretending I’m working my way into his heart and someday…
someday…” Kuroki sighs, his voice heavy with tears.
“Now I know for a fact he could never love me back, and I don’t know what to do from now on. ”
“Kuro—” Harlow starts, rubbing his back.
“Do you want out?” I ask.
“What?” my cousin says.
Despite Harlow’s appalled reaction, I push on. “Do you want out of the crew?”
Kuroki gives it a thought, then shakes his head, fresh tears spilling over. “No… I… I love it with you guys. What else would I even do?”
“Then you know what to do. Stay with us. Explain to Wilbur that you’re sorry and that it won’t happen again.
He made his choice, and you made yours. It’ll be hard for a while, but you have all of us, and we’ll go on adventures and find the juiciest dragon carcasses to scavenge.
” Harlow makes a face at my wording. “Your heart will mend, and you’ll realize it’s not the end of the world.
You two will be friends. And one day, you’ll find a man who thinks the sun shines out of your ass, and you’ll have a great time. Alright?”
Kuroki nods eagerly and wipes his face on his tunic. “Al—alright. Yes…thank you, guys.”
I offer him a hand. “Come back to the inn with us before your mom drives you crazy.”
He laughs wetly. “She whacked me with a broom this morning because she had had enough of my crying.”
I chuckle. “Mandinkan tough love.”
As we wait for him to gather his things and kiss his family, I lean toward Harlow and say, “I think the sun shines out of your ass, in case you were wondering. In fact, I know it does. I’ve been close enough to be blinded by it.”
Harlow gasps, and looks at me, red as a beet, and my laugh echoes along the garden walls.
When we make it back to the Mermaid’s Ire a few hours later—having fed Kuroki on the way to keep his despair at bay—Alara gives Harlow a letter.
“A message for you,” she says. “It’s from the dragoners’ guild.”
Harlow grabs it quickly and tears the dragon wax seal. The message is brief—only three lines.
“The slick vessel with black sails we’ve been looking for was docked in Mandinka, in a private estate north of the city,” he says. “It was seen taking off this morning and heading north of the Green Isles.” He looks up at me, hopeful and worried.
It looks like our break in Mandinka is over.
“We’ll check with Wilbur if the Blunder is ready,” I say. “If she is, we’re leaving tonight.”