Page 12 of Lies That Bind
Kohen faced me and bowed deeply. “Empress, I’ve sent word via raven to Elaine and Admiral Caruso that there will be a slight delay in your plans to return home but that you are safe.”
That was… thoughtful. And he was saying it out loud for all to hear, so that meant he was warning anyone here who had ill will against me that my people would know where to look for me. I’d already told Elaine I would be late, but I hadn’t expected to landand have tea. She was probably furious. I’d pay the price for that later.
He looked at the old woman and rattled off something in his mother tongue and the woman glanced at me and smiled.
“What did you say?” I asked him, my mind spinning about the rumors that would spring from this. Kohen Badshah and Empress Aisling together in Imbria?
“I told her that I am your food taster and that I am hungry, so she’d better not poison me.” Then he leaned in closer to me. “I also asked them not to tell others that I was here tonight.”
I swallowed hard and gave a nervous laugh. “Of course they wouldn’t poison you.”
The woman gave me a knowing smile. “It would be my honor if you would come inside my home, Empress.”
She led the way to a lower-floor apartment while the other residents pulled up chairs and tables outside. The second we entered the home, I was hit with the smells of amazing food. There were fragrant spices and roasted onion and stewed tomatoes. Even though I’d eaten earlier, my stomach growled and my mouth salivated. It was near midnight and yet a party had somehow begun. Live music blared to life outside, trays and trays of food began to appear, and I glanced around the home. It was small but clean, with light brown tile floors and clean white walls that held artwork native to the Imbrian culture. I was led into a tiny four-person dining room and requested to sit down by the little girl.
I did, and Kohen sat next to me as the older woman clanged around the kitchen.
A few others milled around the living room, talking, but kept their distance. The little girl leaned into me and whispered. “Is it true you got powers?”
I grinned and nodded once.
Her eyes widened. “Can I go into the Wilds one day and bond with a creature and get powers, too?”
“If you want to, of course,” I told her. Though, I knew that she’d be less likely to get into the Lottery because she was Imbrian. I’d never really questioned that law until this moment.
I had a wild thought then. Maybe I could change the law. Have an even number of spots for Imbrians and Amerseans. We were one people after all, weren’t we? Why not an even number in our Imperial Army? But even as I had the thought, I knew the admirals wouldn’t go for it.
The older woman brought the tea to the table and poured the steaming liquid into four stainless steel cups. I noticed the amount she gave the little girl was only two mouthfuls. Enough to make her feel included, but not enough that she wouldn’t sleep.
Kohen reached over to mine and took a swig. I saw his eyes fill with tears, and I straightened.
“Is it…?”Did she poison him?
“It tastes just like my mother’s.” He cleared the emotion from his throat and set the cup down before me.
I relaxed, shifting uncomfortably. We shared that, losing our mothers, and now neither of us had our fathers either. Orphans. We were orphans. The word felt so severe I didn’t want to think it ever again.
After waiting for my tea to cool and to make sure Kohen didn’t fall dead on his face from poison, I brought it to my lips and inhaled.
“Oh wow. It smells amazing.” It was a rich, creamy brown color, with only a splash of milk, and smelled of clove and cardamom and something peppery. It smelled of Kohen.
Bringing my lips to the cup, I took a sip. The bright, aromatic flavor of tea and spices splashed across my tongue, and thewarmth ran down my throat. It was incredible, spicy but sweet at the same time.
“I love it,” I told the woman, and she smiled at my compliment.
“Are you hungry?” she asked us both.
We nodded, and then she proceeded to feed us a four-course meal at midnight because why not?
I waited for someone to bring a fork or spoon, but Kohen took a bite from each item on my plate by using his hands, so I figured I would do the same. When he gave me the all-clear, I popped in a cube of chicken coated in red cream sauce, and my eyes bulged as I coughed.
“Aisling!” Kohen said, alarmed.
I waved him off, and the grandmother appeared concerned as well.
“Spicy,” I croaked.
“This isn’t spicy! She’s like a baby,” the little girl said, and the entire table erupted into laughter, including me.
