Page 40 of The Concubine King
“I told you, I never was.”
“Don’t lie,” he said, harsher than he meant to.He sighed, dragging a hand through his hair.“I mean… clearly something was wrong.”
Poyut sighed as well, glancing over at the carriage driver looking their way.“I wasn’t mad at you, Ethyr, you had every right to be mad at me.Where I’m from, the only things you could call your own were your family and the clothes on your back.I know what it’s like to lose everything you’ve ever had.I felt terrible that I had let that happen.”
“Really?”Ethyr asked, intrigued.“Where are you from?”
“Brackwood Moor.You won’t have heard of it, no one has.”
“Why did you come here?”
Poyut continued walking and Ethyr followed.She spoke without looking at him.
“It’s not like your village, Ethyr.It’s poor in every sense of the word.No croplands to support it, no nearby market, or forest, or crafts to be known for, not much of anything.There’s nothing to make of your life, nothing to stay around for but starvation.”She opened the carriage door before turning to him.“I joined the Guard for the hope of having a real life, and getting my brothers out of that place.”Though she kept her face steely, the shake of her voice betrayed her.“Worked my way to a rank where I could support them, only to find out my family were all taken by disease just a few months before my promotion.”
Ethyr stared at her, speechless.
“So like I said, I know what it’s like.To lose everything.I couldn’t be mad at you.”She held out a hand.Ethyr slowly took it and stepped up into the carriage.
When they arrived back at the palace, he was surprised to see Yorith, Gionan, and two other attendants waiting for him outside the front doors.
“The gods have asked for you,” Yorith said as soon as he’d stopped in front of them.
Ethyr glanced over the attendants.“What?Tonight?”
“Yes.”
He was already exhausted.They’d always let him sleep in before seeing the gods, but now he’d been awake since early morning.He looked back to Yorith, remembering what Poyut had said.If Yorith thought he was obedient…
He dipped his head.“I suppose I must wash, then.”
“Indeed.”Yorith gestured and Gionan stepped forward to usher Ethyr into the palace.He tried to rest his eyes during the wash, but they were as vigorous in cleaning him as always and it was difficult to get any rest at all.He was given a quick meal, put in another ostentatious outfit, and then was on his way back to the temple after having just left.
For some reason the stares as he walked to the offering room were worse than when he was studying.He ate the petals Klara gave him, then didn’t bother trying to stay awake.As soon as she had shut the door, he curled up on the seat and let himself drift into sleep.
Quiet voices.Clinking of glass game pieces being placed.The barest touch of fingers caressing his hair.The warmth of a lap under his cheek.
He sat up with a start.Varuut moved her hand from his head and offered his disorientation a smile.
“Suppose that solves that dilemma,” Gnaeus said delicately.Catocus rolled his eyes, crossing his arms and leaning back against the wall.
“I told you he’d wake,” Ainder said.Ethyr blinked at them all.Well, not all.Kiaro wasn’t there.
“Of course he was going to,” Catocus said.“Varuut can’t keep her hands off him.”
“I didn’t wake him,” Varuut retorted.“I told you all to stop talking.”She scooped her finger under Ethyr’s chin and forced him to look at her.“Tired, my love?You can keep sleeping if you’d like.”
Ethyr swallowed, not sure which option was best to choose.
“You just want him for yourself,” Ainder accused.
Varuut pouted.“He is just so precious while he sleeps.”
“Are we going to humiliate Catocus or not?”Gallus spoke up from his lounging next to the table.Catocus glared.
“It is not humiliation,” Ithna corrected.“We’ve all performed before.”
“Not Catocus,” Ainder pointed out.
