13. ORREY
13
ORREY
Orrey felt Senlas’s power all around them as they were walking back from the Grounds’ Western Entrance to the Champions’ Tower. It was a nice day, but an uneasiness hung over the Grounds, over the entire city. The Battle of Starlit Stage had cast wide circles.
“At least the auto-drives aren’t causing chaos anymore,” Orrey said because Senlas was frowning again.
He’d been mostly frowning ever since Orrey had put his foot down and told him the protectors needed help handling the situation. Orrey knew that Senlas and he could help them do what needed doing without making it worse on the Grounds side of things. Senlas hadn’t wanted to leave their bed.
They turned right and came to the street lined with restaurants on either side where not too long ago they had caught Durgo and Linar arguing in public.
Then, people had been out and about, and the air had been rich with cooking scents both strange and familiar. Today, the sidewalks were nearly abandoned, and several of the restaurants appeared to be closed.
“It looks almost like Covenant Week,” Orrey said.
He felt Senlas’s power explore. “I suppose. This chaos is why I prefer to drive.”
There were still auto-drives from the regular side of Ferrea parked in the middle of the street. The Grounds auto-drives slowly circled around them. Some of the passengers stared with open-mouthed horror at the unusual sight.
“Auto-drives are safer,” Orrey said, though he was only half paying attention.
Senlas noticed. “What is it, kitten? I can fly us back to the Champions’ Tower.”
Orrey shook his head. “No. I just…I was thinking about Durgo. Should we find out how he’s doing?”
“I honestly can’t think why. One of the protectors I spoke with today said she was there when they pulled Linar off him. Apparently he admitted to her that he wanted Undora dead and made a bargain for it.”
Cold shivers ran over Orrey’s skin, and Senlas reacted, his power there, Touching, Comforting. “That’s terrible. I don’t understand how any person could be driven to think taking another’s life was an option. But Linar is Col’s friend, and Durgo her Guardian, and so maybe it’s relevant information for Col to have? Durgo’s status will affect how Linar is going to be sentenced. You said Col and the others are back at the suite, right?”
Senlas put an arm around Orrey’s shoulders. “Yes, surprisingly.”
Orrey looked up at his frowning Guardian. “Why surprisingly?”
“They just imprinted. Hyran doesn’t know us, not in any way that matters. It’s difficult having strange Guardians around your Conduit.”
Orrey giggled. “You were fine with Vin, Taros, and Karmine when you imprinted on me, remember?”
“But they’re my brothers. They wouldn’t have touched you unless it was life or death, and if I ever get hurt, they’d protect you with their life. They’re good to have around.”
Orrey laughed. “Maybe not all Guardians are as possessive as you were. You turned the Guardian Parade into such a drama when you shoved me into that auto-drive that day you imprinted.”
“Kitten, I did not shove you. I gently helped you into the vehicle.”
“Sure, sure.”
Senlas stopped. “I didn’t shove you.”
“Okay. Can you prove that?”
Orrey wasn’t sure where this was coming from. It wasn’t the right time for humor. People were dead. The Ferrean Op-AI was dead.
But I am in love with this Guardian, and everything is different now. It’s like my heart is beating for two.
“Come here. Let me kiss you. That’ll be proof.”
“I don’t see how…are those cam drones?”
Thanks to their new and strange connection, Orrey could tell Senlas was Reaching for the little drones he’d seen floating above their heads.
“Yeah.” He Seized them, forcing them to stop in midair, and turned.
Orrey spotted the Conduit coming up behind them. He recognized the hairstyle first, short on the sides, long on top, fringe hanging into his eyes.
“Conduit Ama?” he asked. Orrey wasn’t sure it was this particular ChannelPulse documentarian’s name, but he was glad to remember at least one of the names.
The Conduit beamed. “It’s Sinta, Conduit Orrey. Ama is my colleague. I’m so glad you remember me. I happened to see you leaving the Grounds and talking to the regulars and the protectors outside. You are daring. I’d think you’d be scared, especially after having been outside the walls. Does anything scare you, Conduit?”
“Documentarians sneaking up on him do,” Senlas said.
His power tightened around Orrey. He’d be lifted off his feet within seconds if anything happened.
The documentarian raised his hands. “Please, I didn’t mean to sneak up on you! I didn’t want to shout your names and attract unwanted attention, but people have seen the footage of the Battle at Starlit Stage, and they have seen what you did. Now there are protectors here in the Grounds, and the auto-drives seem to be failing.” He put on a smile not dissimilar to how Toso and Lapatea had always smiled and came closer. The memory of Toso brought Orrey back to the hurt all around them. “Will you not take a moment to tell the Grounds that everything is fine? That you are here, watching over Ferrea like Wilan watched over us all in his day?”
“I’m no Wilan,” Senlas said.
Orrey did the new thing he’d learned where he could reach out and touch Senlas’s power, only he was doing it with his thoughts. Senlas looked back over his shoulder, eyes meeting Orrey’s.
“We could say something, right? There’s no reason to be afraid right now. Yes, there are many things that still need to be done, and people died at the insurrectionists’ hands, but the city will stand together. Everyone should know that. Pain and loss touched us all, and as a city—as cities—we will heal together.”
Senlas looked at the documentarian. “Did you get that?”
Sinta pointed at the cam bot. “It’s recording. I may use what you said, Conduit Orrey?”
Orrey shrugged. “If it helps.”
“I’ll mention you and your Guardian are out on the streets. Some are afraid to leave their buildings, and some building AIs have cautioned against it too.” He motioned. “At this time of day, this street would be busy, and everything would be open. Look at it now. It’s scary. It’s like a scene from a drama. That place over there? The one with the storm shutters down? Best spiced noodles in the city, and even I’d be pressed to get a serving at this time of day. And now it’s all closed because people are scared.”
Orrey looked at the restaurant, the Slurping Spoon. It looked abandoned. That’s a shame. Senlas likes noodles.
He made himself smile at Sinta. “The protectors are just trying to help. They are helping. Without them, believe me, the situation would be much worse.”
Senlas Pulled Orrey toward him and closed him in his arms. “You brought them here, Orrey. Without you, the situation would be much worse.”
Orrey heard the excited intake of breath from the other Conduit. The insecurity was still there, feeling as if he didn’t belong, but Orrey had proof now that he did, that he and Senlas were connected beyond anything he—and maybe Senlas too—had ever thought possible.
And so he decided to ignore the pang of insecurity that made him want to hide and stood on his toes, cupping Senlas’s cheek.
The invitation was clear, and Senlas followed, leaning in so they could kiss.
TherAI would be so proud of me right now, Orrey thought when they pulled apart.
“The streets are safe because my Conduit acted when he had to,” Senlas said. “They are so safe I can kiss him here. Like my Conduit said, everyone should be compassionate but not afraid.”
Sinta nodded eagerly. “I will pass that along. ChannelPulse will. And maybe—I know the situation is much changed, but we would still like to follow you and maybe get a few more comments—”
“No,” Senlas said.
Orrey watched the documentarian’s face fall.
“What Sen means is we are just very busy at the moment.”
“Of course, Conduit Orrey.” Sinta nodded. “Maybe I could approach you every now and then? I expect to be out documenting as much of this as possible. And we will put in another formal request as well. I have no idea how all of that will get handled with the Op-AI dead, but…” He sighed, forced a smile. “I will do what you said, Conduit. Let’s help the city heal together.”
“Wonderful. Also, please heal elsewhere,” Senlas said.
“Senlas! Excuse me, Documentarian Sinta. He means we have to go. The rest of our team is waiting. We’re quite sorry, but you are welcome to approach us if you happen to run into us again.”
“Oh, thank you! And no need to apologize. This was fantastic, Guardian and Conduit. Please give your team ChannelPulse’s best wishes and our heartfelt thanks for being in Ferrea when we needed you.”
Senlas barely let Orrey thank the documentarian before dragging him away, and in short order, they found themselves back in the little dumpling restaurant where they’d eaten once before.
“We should bring them all food,” Senlas said.
Orrey looked around the place. The cozy round tables were empty, but the two Guardians behind the long counter where the ready-made buns were lined up stood shoulder to shoulder and smiled at them.
“Hello,” Orrey said.
“Conduit,” the left one said. “And Guardian Senlas.”
The other Guardian cleared her throat and indicated the dumplings. “Please choose whatever you like. It will be a pleasure to serve you free of charge.”
Orrey’s mouth fell open. “That doesn’t seem right.”
“It’s the least we can do for you, Conduit,” the Guardian on the right said.
She looked firm, a bit like Maro, and Orrey didn’t think she would budge, so he looked at Senlas.
“We need food for our entire team. We’re happy to take a discount.”
“Everything is free for you and your team,” the Guardian on the left insisted.
“That’s the only acceptable discount we can offer for Ferrea’s saviors,” the one on the right said.
Senlas shrugged. “Fine, but be warned. My team can eat. Kitten, what do you want?”
“Uhh…”
Orrey eyed the dumplings, some of which were so freshly made they were still steaming. TherAI hadn’t prepared him to take advantage of people like that.
“We can always make you something with a filling of your choice, Conduit.”
Orrey shook his head at that and chose four buns total for himself, more than he could eat, but an accident because the servers kept recommending things.
When they walked out of the restaurant, three large bags Floated behind them, and Orrey felt guilty.
The atmosphere in the suite was tense. Vin and Yamara were watching news streams, and Taros was on his screen. He sat at the table, angled just so as to make sure the hallway to the bedrooms was in his line of sight.
“Where are they?” Orrey asked, walking into the suite first.
Vin pointed. “Bedroom. Fucking.”
Orrey’s mouth fell open yet again, and his eyes went wide. “Excuse me? But Col—Col got hurt? That doesn’t seem right.”
Taros snorted. “He wouldn’t let me cut Hyran into little pieces, and he actually asked him to move stuff over to his new room. Like I can’t move stuff. I’m excellent at moving stuff.”
“You would have said or done something to get a rise out of Hyran,” Vin said. “Also, this is some footage, Orrey. You look good getting kissed.”
Taros’s head whipped around to the screen where the footage from ChannelPulse was already streaming. “Nice. This is the kind of thing they like for the Guardian Parade, by the way. Keep practicing.”
There, on the curved screen hanging from the ceiling, Orrey watched himself cupping Senlas’s cheek and inviting that kiss. They were repeating it from a few different angles as Sinta’s voiceover could be heard more or less summarizing the encounter.
“You were very natural,” Senlas said when he Put Down the bags on the table and kissed the top of Orrey’s head with a brief hug.
“I was—of course I was natural! I had no idea he had more camera bots.”
“They always have more camera bots,” Taros said.
“This is much better than watching them destroy Starlit Stage,” Yamara said.
Vin looked at him. “We can watch My Secret Guardian. Orrey and I have been watching it. I can summarize for you.”
Yamara cocked his head. “There is nothing to summarize. The goal of that drama is to see everyone fuck everyone else and maybe show off some powers when there is no channeling happening.”
Vin frowned. “Would you like to watch a few episodes?”
Yamara locked eyes with Orrey. “I very much would. But perhaps you could help me in my room first, Orrey?”
The petite Conduit was on his feet and walking toward Orrey before he could formulate a response, much like during their first meeting downstairs by the pool.
“You’re not going to ask me about whether it’s worth going outside the walls again, are you?” Orrey asked when they were a few steps down the hallway.
Yamara looked back at him, face passive. “I think I would have been fine. I know how to survive. What I don’t understand is this team.” They arrived at the door in the very back, and Yamara slid it open, beckoned Orrey to follow. “Conduit Coldis is in there with his Guardian,” he said and pointed to the door on the right. “I think that is odd too. The Guardian has his own place. Should have brought his Conduit there.” Yamara closed the door behind Orrey.
The room was small, but it had lots of windows, taking advantage of the curvature of the Champions’ Tower. The bed had a headboard that functioned as a divider to the room with some seating on the other side of it.
Yamara motioned Orrey to follow him to the moldable furniture and sank onto one. So did Orrey, noticing a bag marked with golden and indigo patterns, much like Yamara’s hair.
“I got the butler bot to pack for me. It’s mostly clothing.”
Orrey nodded. “I forgot you lived here before. In the Champions’ Tower I mean.”
“Yes. I lived. In a way. Your Guardian signed the request to have me on your team. Will Conduit Coldis withdraw it or remove me before we go to Argentea?”
“What? Why?”
“The news streams are talking about my former team one way, about yours another. Would Conduit Coldis remove me if he still is the team lead?”
“If—of course he is.”
Yamara shrugged. “If you say so. I have some candies. Do you want them?”
Before Orrey could answer, Yamara was on his feet and rifling through the bag. He pulled out a round box and handed it to Orrey. It was stamped with leaves and flowers, red, orange, and green, the packaging suitable for a special occasion.
“You don’t have to give me candy, Yamara. And Col won’t remove you. Nor will Senlas.”
Yamara nodded. “Keep the candies. They’re good. I don’t want them. I do want to leave this city.”
Orrey groaned. “That you made clear. Can I ask why?”
Yamara froze on his way back to the moldable. “No.”
“Okay. I didn’t mean to be intrusive.”
“You’re my friend. You can ask. I can choose not to answer. It’s friendship.”
Orrey looked from the candy to Yamara, who was pulling his legs up onto the moldable with him. “That seems fair. Look, there are dumplings outside, and Vin has a weird passion for that show.”
Yamara nodded. “I was outside there ever since they came back. Earlier. Since before the hospitality guide left with the pyromancer. They haven’t asked for channeling yet. I was waiting. I offered, even. That’s why I was asking about being removed from the team, because if they don’t want me, then…”
He shrugged and looked out the window. For all the violence, Ferrea, at a distance, still looked the same.
“Maybe they didn’t want you to push yourself? I’m not really sure myself how to know when to channel, and it’s not like they’d come to me for it.”
Yamara gave Orrey yet another emotionless look, and yet again, Orrey wasn’t sure what that meant.
“Psionomancers are dead. Apparently, Guardian Vin has similar powers. He doesn’t want to make sure my team gets sentenced by the Judiciary AIs.”
Orrey felt on safer footing there, at least where Judiciary AIs were concerned. Where their responsibilities toward Guardians and Conduits were concerned, less so.
“A Judiciary AI would prefer a trained psionomancer to give testimony, of course. And in a sense, Vin is a victim of the attacks himself.” He remembered the last time he went to the Judiciary and asked to speak with the bomber. “They might not even let him speak with them.”
“You know about how that works better than I. I was only half right. It’s not that you are without standing as a Conduit and a protector that makes you special, it’s that you have knowledge of both. I’m glad I made a friend of you.”
Orrey decided that he was too. I don’t know what he went through, or what he overheard or endured, but I do know our team won’t ever let that happen again.
He lifted the candy. “These’re nice, but how about we try a few of those dumplings?”
Yamara nodded. “Of course. I’m hungry, actually.”