Chapter 26 #2
“Yess, but you must be queeeit.” I peer back down the hallway toward the bedroom. “Dante is sleeping and heeeeling. Nooo distuuuurp.”
“We will be so quiet. You won’t even know we’re there.”
Rathyn hums low in his throat. “I do not know how to enter a room without humans knowing I am present.”
Everest murmurs under his breath something about a gigantic ego and then adds, “We’ll be there soon.”
And then he hangs up, leaving me with nothing to do but check on Niaus.
She is happily upside down, her tail wrapped around a perch, her eyes closed.
I enjoy that this odd creature likes to display itself in ways that I have never seen before.
It is different and quite satisfying. How do their small, thin tails support them?
How are they able to sleep like that? I have many questions and no answers.
In Erethar, at least in the places I have been, we do not have animals that hang by their tails upside down. It is quite magical.
I open the cage and set a bowl of fruit on the bottom, and I see Niaus’s eye peek open. Then she is uncurling from her perch and making her way down to the food. I lower myself to the floor and watch her eat until I hear a knock on the door.
It is only then that I move from my spot on the floor.
It is Everest and Rathyn, Everest holding a bottle of something in his hands. I stare at it, and he blinks up at me.
“Don’t worry, this wine is for me. I need it after waiting all fucking day for you to return. My nerves are a mess.”
Rathyn puts a calming hand against the side of Everest’s neck. “It was not that long, my love. Time does not move the same on Erethar as it does here. It was but an hour.”
“I don’t care. It was bad. Two minutes. Two days. I almost bit my fingernails down to the quick.”
He holds up his hand, and I lean forward to look at it. His fingers look the same as they always do. I do not think Everest is a liar, but I do think that he might be…exaggerating?
He puts his hand behind his back and then moves to the kitchen.
“I’m assuming Dante is still sleeping? I want to say hello, but I don’t want to wake him.”
I nod. “He is feeel better. But needs sleeeep. Healing.”
“Of course. We’ll let him rest.” Then he turns to Rathyn and places his finger over his lips. “Shush, babe.”
Rathyn stares at him. “You do not need to tell me to be quiet. I am a soldier in battle. I have been trained where you have not.”
“Yeah, sure,” Everest snorts as he begins to rummage through the drawers.
A moment later, he pulls out something that looks like a weapon, which is coiled and made of iron. He grins and then stabs it into the bottle, making me jump slightly.
“Damn thing, better work.” He begins to work it into the bottle, making me wince. He seems angry. I understand. I am angry too, but for a different reason. I am not upset with this red bottle of wine.
“It is fine,” Rathyn says in Eretharian, clearly reading my expression. “He was very upset and afraid something had happened to you two. The red liquid helps him calm down. It is magical. He drinks it and becomes…loose.”
“Can you talk in English? It’s bugging me that I can’t understand,” Everest interrupts. “Fuck. I need you to help me, Rath. This damn thing is stuck. I don’t know why I suck so much at opening these things.”
Rathyn moves toward the bottle and begins to work at it, pulling the plug out eventually with a soft pop. The sound is quiet, but my nerves are frayed, and it makes me jump.
Everest pumps his fist and kisses Rathyn on the lips before going up on his tiptoes and reaching up into a cabinet, pulling down a clear glass.
I have seen Dante drink from this occasionally. A wine glass, he calls it. He explained that it is shaped for the way wine tastes, which does not make any sense to me, but then again, many human things do not make sense to me.
All that matters is that Dante enjoys it when he feels good, and I will ensure he can always access things he likes.
“Yes,” Everest says after gulping down a large swallow followed by a soft, ahhh. “I needed this so bad. My god.”
He pours more until the entire glass is so full it almost spills over the top. He leans over and loudly slurps at it with a tiny grin playing at his lips, which are now stained red.
After a beat of silence, he looks between Rathyn and me and seems slightly apologetic. “Sorry. I wasn’t joking, though. Your silence almost pushed me over the edge. I haven’t had a real panic attack in years, but I thought maybe some of the guards swept through the village and grabbed you.”
I shake my head. “No. We weeere safe.”
Everest lets out a small breath, then smiles. “Your English is better.”
“Yes,” I tell him. But it is not perfect, and I doubt it ever will be. Luckily, my Dante and I have more than one language we can communicate in.
Everest picks the glass up and walks toward Rathyn and I, his gaze growing more serious. “Okay, now I’m ready. Tell me what happened.”
I nod and try to find the words, but it is not easy. My tongue feels tied and twisted. “We finnnnd village…”
“Wait,” Everest says, holding up a hand. He looks over at Rathyn. “Use Eretharian. Rathyn can interpret here.” He taps his temple, and Rathyn nods.
I take a breath and begin. “Dante was suffering, and the zitha was not helping. The Vyastil in the Outerlands have worked with the Tarek in harvesting herbs for many, many generations. Sabik has helped me before.”
“Sabik,” Everest says eventually, his eyes wide. “The same one that saved you?”
Rathyn bows his head in a nod.
“I liked him,” Everest says.
I can’t help a small smile. Sabik helped save Rathyn’s life when he was injured by the Seymosi, so I do not fear that Rathyn will be angry with me for utilizing his knowledge and skills.
He is brilliant, far more than most. A treasure in Erethar.
The Vyastil are fools for not engaging with him more and using his bright mind.
“Sabik was able to examine him and discovered where his pain originated from. An old infection from his childhood,” I say, though I did not fully understand what Sabik had been describing. But Dante seemed to understand, and that was enough for me. “He found a treatment that will help.”
Everest lets out a breath a few beats after I finish speaking, and Rathyn projects words he can understand into his mind. It is the bond of the VySytheh. The bond I share with Dante now and hope to share for the rest of our lives.
“So, he’s good now? He’s cured?”
I shake my head and say in English, “Do not know. Neeeed timmmme.”
Everest has finished his entire glass of wine and is tapping his fingers restlessly against the glass. “I get it. That’s why he’s resting, yeah?”
“Yes.”
Everest nods. “Okay. That’s good. Really good.” He sighs. “Did you see anyone you knew?”
At that, my heart sinks and my gut twists. The pain of seeing my brothers suffering and knowing that the rest of the village has been punished. My ears flick, and I can’t meet Everest’s eyes.
“Please explain,” Rathyn tells me.
“I entered the village,” I say in Eretharian. “I found Alvayn and Zynath there. They have been stripped of all honor and rank. The rest of the village was sent to the mines to work.”
Rathyn sucks in a breath, and I see Everest’s eyes widen once the words enter his head.
“Are they going to tell on you?” Everest asks.
I shake my head slowly. “Nooo. They are…” My mouth tries to find the word. “Looooyah.”
“Loyal. Yeah, good. We love loyalty, don’t we, Rath?”
Rathyn’s tail wraps around Everest’s thigh and pulls him close. He stumbles into him, but Rathyn catches him gently.
I glance at Rathyn, then square my shoulders because this is something I need to ask him. Something important. Something that could put him at risk.
“I wish to ask a favor of you. But I wish to speak it in private first.” I do not wish to leave out Everest. But this is a Vyastil problem.
Rathyn nods and glances down at Everest. “He wishes to speak to me alone.”
Everest sighs and grabs the bottle of wine. “Fine. But I need more wine and a soft place to sit while I’m left out.”
“Niaus,” I say. Everest frowns. “Pussyum.”
It takes Everest a moment to understand what I’m saying, then he brightens. “Oh! The possum. Where is she? I want to cuddle her.”
“Beeedroom,” I say, pointing to the door.
“Just fill me in after, yeah?” he says as he makes his way over, then disappears and closes the door behind him.
The moment we’re alone, Rathyn steps next to me and bows his head slightly. “Go on. Tell me. You are free to speak to me as equals.”
“You and I are well aware of what happens to the Vyastil who are sent to the mines. The young ones are trained there, but the dishonored ones…”
Rathyn makes a noise in his chest. “Yes. I have been a part of sentencing Vyastil in such a way.”
I try not to let that get to me. Rathyn is not the same being as he was before he met Everest. “They will be starved to death eventually. I cannot live knowing it was my fault. I need you to help them. My crime should not have warranted the entire village’s suffering.”
Rathyn bows his head. “I agree. I believe this has something to do with Prince Jyrion, but I am being watched very closely. I’m not sure there’s much I can do.”
“But perhaps you know someone who can. Eissa,” I try.
Rathyn lets out a low hum, then nods. “Yes. I believe he may be able to find someone to assist. Perhaps a reassignment, or at the very least, he can ensure they are fed long enough to survive until their release.”
I breathe a little easier for that. “I do not wish to cause you and Everest any more trouble—”
“No,” Rathyn says quickly. “You were being loyal, and I am now profoundly aware of how unfair all of this is. I will take the risk, and I know my Everest would insist that I do.”
“There is one more thing,” I tell him.
He gives me a curious trill, ears perked. It is odd. This is not the high commander that I served, and yet, it is. It is still a wonder to me how one human could change everything.
Then again, I have also been changed by my Dante. He has taught me that I am deserving of family, comfort, pleasure, and joy.
“I wish to keep the portal key. My brothers, left behind in the village, I would like to bring them here. I will speak with Quilliyn about accommodations for them, but I cannot let them suffer alone.”
Rathyn looks uncertain, but after a beat, he nods. “Yes. So long as it does not trace back to me, and you must agree to destroy it.”
My eyes widen. “That is your escape with Everest.”
“It is, but once the guards find them missing, they will put a portal tracer in the area, and it will alert them to our travel. It will no longer be safe for my Everest and me to travel there.”
My ears sag. “I cannot accept this, then. I will not ruin your one way home—”
“It is not my one way home,” Rathyn reminds me. “Everest is my companion and can travel to the capital with me. And we will find another way for moments of peace on Erethar. This is more important.”
Part of me still wants to refuse, but I also know I cannot leave my brothers there. I promised them I would come back for them, and I will not let them down.
“Do you think they will search for Zynath and Alvayn here?”
Rathyn sighs. “No. I do not wish to sound cruel, but they are Outerlanders. They will not look for them so long as there is no disturbance on Erethar.”
My fangs sink into my lips, then I say the thought in my head. “Perhaps there should be. This suffering is not right. The humans can be cruel to each other, but we are no better.”
Rathyn lays a hand on my arm. “I know. And Everest has encouraged me to see that change must happen. Others see it, too. But you must be patient.”
I can be patient. That is the one thing I am very good at. “Thank you,” I eventually say.
Rathyn smiles, and he must send a message to Everest because he appears a second later with the wine in one hand and the other holding Niaus as she lies curled up in the crook of his neck.
“I want one,” Everest says as he approaches a horrified-looking Rathyn.
“No. I do not want some strange creature in our home,” Rathyn says immediately.
“You’re no fucking fun. We are so getting a dog someday.” Everest grins as Rathyn makes another noise of protest, and then he hands me Niaus, who curls up to sleep in my palms. “Rathyn also filled me in on everything.” Everest taps his temple again. “I hope that’s okay.”
I nod. “Of course. You are friennnd.”
Everest leans over and steals a one-armed hug short enough that it does not irritate Rathyn, though his eyes still narrow at the places his VySytheh is touching me.
“Thank you,” I say in Eretharian.
“You are welcome,” Rathyn says back in English. “I will do everything in my power to ensure everyone stays safe.”
“No more suffrrr,” I say.
Everest squares his shoulders and turns to look at Rathyn. “You swear you’re going to do everything you can? Enough people have been hurt, dude.”
Rathyn’s ears flutter. “You know I do not like this word, my love. I am not your dude.”
Everest’s eyes narrow. “Stop skirting the point. You’re going to help, right?”
Rathyn sags and drags a clawless finger along Everest’s jaw. “I have said this already, but you are high on the red potion. Of course I promise to help. I will do everything in my power to contact people who will assist.”
Everest is placated by this, leaning back against the counter. “Good. Good.”
He hiccups, and Rathyn’s gaze narrows. “I should get him back to our house. He is…drunk.”
“I am not. I am buzzed. It’s different.”
Rathyn makes a face and then sweeps him up, pulling the glass from his hand and setting it in my palms.
“We will be by tomorrow to check in on you and your Dante. Please give your human our best wishes.”
And then they are gone, leaving me alone once more. I stand there, staring at the closed door, my mind whirling before turning on my heels and striding to where Dante sleeps.
I want to curl around him and sleep. It has been trying for him, but for me as well. I need rest, and tomorrow we can face the day anew.