Lord of the White Hell book Two lotwh-2 (24 page)

Exhilaration and relief flooded Kiram's body in a shaking rush. He was alive. He'd won. For the first time he dared to look at the wound in his side. He found no more than a thin scratch beneath the gash in his vest. He was very lucky that Musni had slashed at him instead of stabbing.

A shadow fell across Kiram. He looked up in time to see Musni's glaring companion. The man's fist smashed into the side of his head, sending him staggering. Kiram hardly took in anything but a snarling mass of hard muscle and punishing fists as the big man pounded his skull.

Reflexively, Kiram blocked a second blow to his face and struck back. The man took two of Kiram's fast jabs, grunting at the impact. Then he hurled Kiram back against the stone wall of the wine house.

Kiram thought he heard someone shouting for help, glimpsed the blur of a young woman running up the street, but he could hardly think. Blood poured down his nose. The knuckles of his right fist felt split and broken. The man in front of him grinned and the wall behind him offered no escape.

When the man swung Kiram dropped into a crouch, letting the wine house take the blow. The man shouted in pain and Kiram bounded up, driving his whole weight into the man's face, crushing his nose and hurling him back. Blood gushed over Kiram's fist. His attacker groaned and stumbled and Kiram bolted free.

A block away he heard the alarm whistles of the Civic Guards but he didn't look back and he didn't stop running.

B
y the time that Kiram reached the Grunito house, the streets were dark and a full, yellow moon lit the sky. To Kiram's surprise he found the gates enclosing the vast grounds open. Bright torches illuminated the marble entry and dozens of glossy carriages lined the drive. Footmen in the Grunito colors escorted opulently dressed Cadeleonians from their carriages into the house. Very faintly Kiram caught the melody of Cadeleonian dance music floating from the huge building.

Kiram felt criminal, hiding in the shadows of a cherry tree and watching this brocade and silk-swathed parade of wealthy men and women, their faces glittering with gold dust and their hair powdered black. Gold and silver threads flashed in their clothes and jewels glittered around their necks and hands. No doubt they were all perfumed with the oils of rare flowers and exotic musks.

All Kiram could smell was the blood that clotted his nose. He recalled how out of place Riossa had appeared when she had been admitted alone to Lady Grunito's dance in Zancoda. She had brought the entire room to a silent halt and Riossa had been a well-dressed Cadeleonian girl from a good family, possessing a legitimate invitation. Kiram on the other hand was a ragged Haldiim without so much as a scrap of paper to prove that he knew anyone. His face and clothes were bloodied from a street fight. Just glancing at him a footman would know better than to allow him up the steps, much less through the door.

He slunk away from the light and music and wandered between the cherry trees. He heard a distant bark and vaguely recalled Nestor talking about his father's many dogs. The last thing he needed was to be mauled by a pack of hounds. He ought to just leave.

But he was hesitant to explore the unfamiliar Cadeleonian streets searching for shelter. After his fight with Musni he wanted to be somewhere that felt safe. Knowing that friends were close at hand seemed more important now than any real physical comfort or security. And he could think of at least one place where he could find shelter, if nothing else.

He crept through the shadows, catching distant laughter and music as well as the whinnies of horses. His chest ached in a dull, deep way while his hands felt swollen and clumsy; he hoped he wouldn't have to attempt to force a door open. But the flashing lights of swinging lamps and busy voices reassured him that nothing had been locked up for the night.

At last he reached the stables. They were well lit but nearly empty due to the sheer number of grooms required in the carriage house to attend the needs of so many teams of carriage horses and their drivers. One man shouted to another about a scratch on a carriage door, while another called out for a drink from a flask of white ruin.

Kiram slipped past the carriage house and into the warmth of the stables. Inside he wandered past tack rooms and walls of straw bales until he reached the long rows of stalls where horses of all colors and sizes were stabled. Once he would have been terrified by the way the animals watched him, but now he understood the flick of their ears and their flared nostrils. He felt at ease among them. Most took no more note of him than they would have a new groom.

As he moved farther from the noise and activity of the carriages one big piebald gelding thrust his head out and snuffled at Kiram's hair as if it were a mess of straw. Kiram drew back and patted the horse's muzzle. It lipped at the salty sweat of his brow and then, finding neither an apple nor feed proffered, gave Kiram a bored sigh.

Kiram smiled at the big animal. He didn't know why but just that simple caress of its soft muzzle and warm breath on his skin made him feel a little better, somehow more cared for.

Then Kiram caught the sound of quiet laughter.

"Lunaluz, I'm serious. You eat any more of Lady Grunito's flowers and she's going to banish us both."

At the sound of Javier's voice Kiram wanted to call out but feared he'd just attract a groom. He followed Javier's soft murmurs until he reached an open stall where Javier stood, dressed in costly black and silver brocade, grooming Lunaluz. Kiram noticed the faint glow of gold dust on Javier's skin. He almost shimmered in the flicking lamplight.

Kiram simply watched him. Javier looked so handsome and calm. Just seeing him made Kiram feel sure that he'd made the right decisions last night and today, as bloody and tired as they'd gotten him.

Lunaluz lifted his head, catching sight or perhaps scent of Kiram. Javier turned back. At first he didn't seem to recognize Kiram, then his eyes widened and he strode forward.

"What the hell happened to you?"

What hadn't happened to him, Kiram thought. He'd lost his family, beaten his previous lover to the ground, and then nearly been killed by a stranger. He'd evaded the Haldiim Civic Guards and run across half of Anacleto.

"I've had a rough day." Kiram laughed despite himself. "Can we just leave it at that for now? I don't really want to talk about it."

Javier considered him and then nodded.

"Do you need to see a physician?" Javier carefully lifted Kiram's bloodied right hand. One of his knuckles sported a dark scab from where he'd broken his skin against another man's face. Dried blood caked his nails and fingers.

"No. Most of that isn't my blood."

"Good to know," Javier replied but his expression was still troubled. "Should I ask whose blood it is or would that ruin the surprise when we find the body in the morning?"

"It's nothing so dramatic," Kiram replied, but a shudder trembled through him as if shaking loose the bone deep knowledge that his fight with Musni could easily have turned deadly. If Musni's knife had struck him at a different angle, if Musni's friend had pinned him against that wall a little longer.

It didn't bear thinking about-not now that he was here and safe.

"I had no idea you dressed so formally when you were alone with Lunaluz," Kiram commented just to change the subject.

"I'm simply demonstrating the difference good grooming can make." Javier released Kiram's hand. "He's prone to let himself go otherwise."

"I can imagine," Kiram replied. Somewhere far away a peal of laughter and brassy trumpet notes rose. Lunaluz flicked his ears. "It sounds like Lady Grunito is holding another dance."

"Indeed. She wants everyone to meet Riossa and see that the Grunitos are proud of her despite her common birth."

"That's admirable," Kiram commented.

"It is, but I don't think I can stand one more baron's daughter pretending to faint when I take her hand." Javier scowled. "You really look terrible, Kiram. There's blood-"

"I know. I got hit in the face a couple times."

"Is that supposed to be a reassurance?"

"No," Kiram replied and he realized that he wasn't thinking all that clearly or maybe he wasn't explaining himself very well. "It's just that you know how noses bleed."

"I do." Javier leaned a little closer to Kiram, studying his face. "Come here, will you? I can't just stand here chatting when you look like this." Javier led Kiram to a trough of fresh water. He moistened a cloth and then wiped the blood and dust from Kiram's face and hands. Kiram wanted to protest that he could clean his own face but at the same time it was relieving to be tended.

"I need somewhere to sleep," Kiram admitted at last. "I can't go home."

"Can't or won't?" Javier asked.

"Both." Kiram closed his eyes for a moment. The heat of Javier's body soothed him and distracted his senses, making the ache of his bruises seem to fade. "I had a fight with my mother. She's thrown me out for refusing to marry Hashiem."

"Your mother did this to you?"

Kiram laughed. "She wishes she beat me up this badly. No I.I got into a fight on the street. And it really doesn't matter who it was with. It's over and he's in worse shape than I am."

"A lot worse?"

"I think I broke his knee." A weird mix of pride and horror wriggled through him. "He tried to stab me and I kicked his knee backward. I heard it tear."

"Good." Javier's tone was harsh. "I hope you crippled him."

Kiram hoped he hadn't. He didn't want to be responsible for that. "I'm too tired to think about it."

"You should stay here. I mean with the Grunitos, not in the stables." Javier rubbed his shoulder gently. "Nestor's been wanting you to come for weeks now. He'll be overjoyed."

The voices of two bickering grooms carried to them and both he and Javier drew apart. Neither of the grooms appeared but Javier turned back to Lunaluz.

"Help me bed him down and then we'll get you up into the house."

Between the two of them they finished brushing Lunaluz down and returned the stallion to his stall. Then Kiram followed Javier out of the stables and down a series of winding garden paths towards the back of the Grunito house. Rows of irises filled the flowerbeds and the perfume of lilacs hung in the air.

Soon the sound of music washed over them. Through wide windows Kiram saw the silhouettes of men and women dancing in close couples. He watched them, remembering the night he and Javier had danced at his mother's house. They hadn't ever gotten to share a Cadeleonian dance.

Wistfully, Kiram brushed Javier's fingers with his hand. Javier turned to him questioningly.

"Do you mind if we don't go in just yet?"

"Why would I mind?" Javier arched a brow. "I was the one who escaped to the stables to groom a horse rather than remain inside. But don't you want to warm up inside? At least sit down?"

"I'd rather stay out here with you for a little while." A breeze brushed over Kiram's face; it felt almost warm. Overhead, brilliant stars gleamed around the golden orb of the moon. "I hadn't noticed before, but it really is a beautiful evening for a dance."

Javier studied him a moment then he took Kiram's hand. As he drew Kiram close, Kiram realized his intent. They could hear the music and the moonlight offered them just enough illumination.

At first they were both self-conscious and uneasy. They jostled and knocked knees and laughed at themselves. But then Kiram allowed himself to relax. He forgot about the stables behind them and the house ahead. He focused on Javier's body and his own-the heat of their hands, the rhythm of their footsteps. They looked only at each other.

A familiar grace came to them then; their motions coupled in a perfect synchronicity that could have been battle or sex. But there was no desperation here, no conquest or loss. Their two bodies united in one dance, simple and beautiful and only meant for the two of them.

The music stopped and they stood, still lost in the moment. Kiram thought he might kiss Javier or that Javier might kiss him.

"What the hell is going on?" Elezar's voice boomed through the darkness. Kiram jumped. Javier straightened and turned to face Elezar.

If he hadn't recognized the voice, Kiram might not have known Elezar at first glance. He looked too refined, dressed in scarlet brocade, his hair blackened, gold powder glittering across his face. Even his expression was strange in its uncertainty-both anger and confusion showed as he stalked closer to them. Kiram realized that Elezar was furious with jealousy but didn't understand why. Or perhaps he couldn't bring himself to admit why.

"I'm teaching Kiram the quaressa," Javier said offhandedly. "The Haldiim don't have any dances like it and he can't follow to save his life."

Elezar glared at Kiram but then his heavy brows knit together in dismay at what he saw. He glanced back to Javier.

"Did you beat his face into a tree first?" Elezar demanded. "Or did you bloody his nose after he trod on your toes?"

Kiram lifted his hand to his nose. During their dance he'd somehow forgotten the discomfort of his injuries but now the throbbing ache returned to his awareness.

"I had to soften him up somehow," Javier replied.

"I've been told that a bottle of gin is a lot more effective," Elezar returned with a smirk. His anger seemed forgotten. "So what really happened? Not that it wouldn't take a trouncing to get most men to dance with Javier."

"I got into a street fight with a couple of drunks," Kiram explained before Elezar could think more about what he was saying or Javier could respond. "And before you ask, I won. I beat one man badly enough that I don't think I can show my face in the Haldiim district for a while."

"I told him he could stay here," Javier finished.

To Kiram's relief Elezar replied, "Absolutely."

Inside the Grunito house, musicians struck up a new melody. It sounded familiar but Kiram couldn't quite put a name to it.

"He's not exactly in a condition to present to our guests, though," Elezar commented.

"That's why we were biding our time out here," Javier replied as easily as if it were the truth. "We've been waiting for a chance to slip in through the card room, but it looks like it's still full."

"It will be all night, what with Morisio making his living in there." Elezar sighed. "There's the back staircase around the kitchen. We could haul Kiram up to the second floor that way."

"I'm not a sack of flour," Kiram protested. But Javier and Elezar had already agreed that the kitchen would be the best route. The three of them went quietly.

Near a fountain they caught sight of a man gracefully opening the front of a young woman's gown. The woman offered neither protest nor assistance and seemed to Kiram strangely docile in the man's hands. Kiram wasn't sure but he thought he recognized Atreau's voice as the young man murmured sweetly to the woman. Kiram, Javier and Elezar skirted the couple-the woman's dress was now up around her waist-slinking through the shadows of rosemary hedges they reached the kitchen door.

Inside, only the faint glow of embers in the hearth offered any illumination. An aged dog glanced up from the hearthstones but only wagged its tail as it caught sight of Elezar.

"Wait here," Elezar whispered.

He strolled through the gloom of the kitchen, going first to the dog and patting its big head, then his figure receded into the darkness of the scullery. Kiram could smell the tang of Cadeleonian yeast and cow's butter hanging in the air.

Elezar returned with three tallow candles and thrust them to Javier. Kiram caught a pungent whiff of their animal odor even at a distance.