Chapter Eight #4
“Your cock thick and proud.”
I went on and on, flowery words I had never uttered before, flowing from me like the water from the pitcher I rinsed him off with. What need did a man who lay with nameless pub patrons or a courtesan have?
After we were washed, we dressed in clean clothes.
Teryn summoned a servant with a tug on a pull cord to order a light meal for two.
The young woman scurried off, leaving us alone.
Teryn sat on a small soft rug, legs folded, to pray after giving me a tender kiss.
I slid out of the room to a small balcony to give him his time alone with his goddess to gaze down at the vibrant dock.
Ships sailed in and out, but the stalls seemed less busy.
Bells rang out from a dozen or so temples.
Perhaps the Sandrayans were taking a break to worship at midday as Teryn now was.
The sun was brutally hot as it hung overhead.
Sweat started to bead up on my bare shoulders when a large bird flapped into view, its peachy head tipping to the side after it landed before me.
The bird was striking. A peach face with yellow plumage over its body and wings tipped with vibrant blue.
“Good day,” I said to the parrot. It tucked its wings as if to wait for me to say something more interesting.
Teryn pushed through the curtain. “While we wait for our dinner, we should take time to discuss our plans, send a message to the king and—” He stalled just beside me. “Ah, a note from my secretary.”
He spoke to the bird in Sandrayan. It hopped along the rail and offered him a foot. Attached to the scaly leg was a small metal vial that Teryn gently removed. So this was one of the peach-faced parrots that the people of the Black Sands used as messengers.
“Let us go back inside. Come with us,” Teryn spoke to the bird and opened the curtain for the parrot, allowing it to fly inside with a few flaps.
“My senior secretary is gifted in animal speak, which makes her the perfect person to send and receive messages. Come inside, my sweet. Our food should be here soon.”
I followed him back into the cool, dark room.
The parrot sat on the headboard, watching us with curious black eyes.
I found a shirt and slid it over my head.
Teryn sat on the edge of the bed, opened the small tin vial, and unfolded a small missive that unrolled down into his lap.
A rap on the door brought his head up. The parrot squawked.
“I shall see who it is,” I said, moving to the door to open it a crack. A young male in a purple robe stood on the other side holding a large wooden tray with several earthenware pots, various fruits, and a large loaf of pockmarked bread. “Come in and place the food by the door.”
He did as asked, his lined eyes darting to Teryn, the parrot, and then to me before I tossed him a copper and jerked my head to the door.
If he thought to sleep with Teryn or me for cash, the lad was greatly mistaken.
I had no interest in him. Pleasing he may be with his large eyes and lithe body, but he paled in comparison to Teryn Nouradi.
He bowed and darted away. I closed and locked the door.
The parrot flew over to the food and tore a hunk from the bread.
“No!” I barked as I ran to chase the bird from the food. It flew across the room to land atop the bathing screen.
“Hmmm,” Teryn said, pulling me from scowling at the bird.
“What news from home?” I asked before tossing a shirt over our midday meal.
“Sadly, it is not good.” I turned to look at him.
His amber eyes lifted from the thin sheaf of paper.
“News of the kidnapping has leaked from the castle. Aelir has spoken to the people in order to try to calm the masses, but his speech has had little effect. The noble houses are calling for all Sandrayans to be imprisoned.”
“That is asinine!” I snarled, striding over to stand near him. “There is no proof that this plot was birthed by a Sandrayan. There is proof that one of our own, a mainlander, was fully involved.”
“Yes, well, it is easier to rile the people against an enemy that does not look like you.”
The urge to break something was strong. “Yes, you are right,” I had to confess, dropping down to sit beside him as the parrot tore at the hunk of bread held in its right foot.
Crumbs fell to the floor. “I realize the people know nothing of our mission to free the twins, but what good will throwing all of your people into the dungeons do?”
“None, but once the bloodlust is bubbling, common sense boils away. We need to make good speed to reach the Blood Fens. Lindal, my secretary, states that Aelir and Le’ral are standing strong against the nobility, but the people on the streets are growing restless.
Small crimes against people of green and brown skin are on the rise.
” He lifted his gaze from his note. “We must ensure that we are successful in reaching and rescuing the children or the whispers of war will begin. I am positive that our vahasi and your king wish no such thing, but they can only hold out against the calls of the people for so long. Years of diplomacy are already unraveling.”
“Then we will ride hard through the night,” I said firmly.
Teryn nodded. His sigh was heartfelt. “Yes, that we will. Let me reply to this missive. On the plus side, the distraction ship has arrived at the port of Padana. So that ruse seems to be working, as there is great interest being shown in all the dark corners of the capital. Rumors have it. So yes, let us eat and rest. Once the sun sets, we shall meet up with our rides and head out.”
I gave his shoulder a squeeze as the weight of our rescue mission grew that much heavier. Not only were two young lives now at risk, so too were possibly hundreds more if violence broke out on the streets of Celear.