Bloodkin (Jaseth of Jaelshead) Read online

  “Yeah, well, the whole Lord thing… You get used to having nice stuff and lots of space. Charlie almost died laughing when I complained about the size of our Quarters at the Hall.”

  Her eyes opened wide with astonishment. “Emma was exactly the same with me!”

  The Red was taking effect because, we both collapsed back on the couch in a fit of giggles.

  “What’s so funny, eh?” asked Telgeth as he sauntered over and perched beside Sallagh, squishing her closer to me, and I could have kissed the great ginger-haired goof, because now my side was actually touching her. I could smell her perfume, delicate and sweet and expensive no doubt. Her skirts rustled as she moved her legs until they were pressing against mine and suddenly I could hardly breathe.

  “Nothing that you’d know anything about, Telgeth,” she told him, haughty again. He looked over her head at me and winked before standing.

  “Suit yourself, I’m gonna go find me some real women. Shit Jas, have you seen the Nea’thi girls here? That waitress, wow!”

  Sallagh snorted. “She’s probably twice your age, you ridiculous boy, and hardly likely to be interested in a Human.”

  “Ha! Well you never know unless you try! I’m going to go see if the Journeymen will introduce me.” He sidled off to perch where Thomas was trying to engage with Stephen and Alan, both who looked totally overwhelmed by the merriment of the crowds.

  I looked around, grasping for something to say. Dunkerle and Donnick were deep in conversation on the other side of the couch, while Mantilly, Lolitha and Sarah were being entertained by a wildly gesticulating Jimmy. Charlie and Emma sat opposite us, talking with Richard and Adam about Mentoring.

  “So, uh, what’s Emma like, then?” I managed.

  “Emma? Oh, she’s lovely. Far too forgiving, of course, but they all are, aren’t they? No, I was hoping I would get someone like her.”

  “Hoping?”

  “Oh yes, I’ve known for years I’m Nea’thi-Blood. I’ve been waiting for ages to turn eighteen and come to the Academy.”

  “You knew?” I exclaimed, surprised. From what Lolitha and Telgeth had told me they had been as taken aback by the arrival of their Mentors as I had been.

  “Well of course! It’s pretty obvious, isn’t it? What with the hearing things and the fires…” she trailed off she blushed.

  “Really? At home everyone just thought I was some sort of weird pyromaniac who liked spying on people.” I tried to sound casual, but there were flecks of bitterness in my voice, the memories of false accusations and rumours still raw.

  Sallagh didn’t notice though, and laughed gaily. “Oh you poor boy, I didn’t realise Jaelshead was so backwards! Here in the city everyone knows about Nea’thi-Bloods. My father even had Myr Roderick confirm it when I started showing signs.”

  “The Dean?” Sallagh’s parents must be seriously important if they were calling up the Dean of the Academy to examine their daughter.

  “Oh yes, he is a dear, isn’t he? He’s almost two hundred years old, can you believe it?”

  I couldn’t really, although I could tell that Myr Roderick was sort of elderly, I would never have imagined that the wizened old Nea’thi had lived for nearly two centuries.

  “So you didn’t know Emma was going to be your Mentor until…?”

  “Nope. She turned up at our door last week and introduced herself, just like that! My parents were thrilled, of course, held a huge party in her honour, and then we moved all my stuff down to the Hall. I’m only her fourth Bloodkin, you know.”

  “Oh. And you hadn’t come across her before then?”

  Sallagh looked at me quizzically. “Of course not, she’s been in Fortesta the past two years, and was up in Vesterg for four before that. The Mentors go to wherever their assigned Bloodkin is, you know.” I actually didn’t know this, but now it was pointed out to me I suppose it was obvious. “Luckily she was already in Fortesta, that’s why she got here so quickly.”

  Charlie had said something about going to Fortesta after leaving the Enclave, too. “Why did all the Mentors have to go there first?”

  She snorted but smiled at me, not unkindly. “Gosh, hasn’t Charlie told you anything?”

  “He’s new at this too, I suppose.”

  She shrugged, “I suppose. Well, the Nea’thi Guild of Education has a branch that travels with the Royal Party round the Capitols. They’re the ones in charge of finding the Bloodkin, and then assigning the Mentors every two years. So the Mentors have to go to either Fortesta or Vesterg, depending, and I suppose it’s because they’re sort of in the middle. You’re only eighteen aren’t you?”

  It seemed an odd question, I had assumed we were all eighteen, but I nodded.

  “Well Sammoch, Donnick and Mantilly are nineteen, they had to wait an extra year, seeing as the Academy only has intakes every two.”

  I could only nod again, all of this was news to me. I was feeling pretty simple beside this glorious, sophisticated creature, who seemed to know everything.

  The waitress appeared with more bottles of wine for our group. I saw Telgeth try to corner her as she was leaving to strike up a conversation, but she politely pushed past. His shoulders sagged in defeat as she stepped away, heading for the stairs. Turning, he saw me looking at him. Lifting one hand to his brow for a moment in a picture of dejection, he then laughed and wandered over to us, grabbing one of the bottles off the table to refill our glasses.

  “Everyone loves a trier!” he exclaimed merrily as he perched beside Sallagh again. She shifted and leaned into my shoulder as he settled his long legs over the side of the couch. “Ooh, pass me some of that will you, Tommo old chap?” Thomas passed him Jimmy’s pipe, freshly packed with Red, and sparked it for him. Sallagh made a show of wiping Telgeth’s spittle from the mouthpiece, but when she passed it to me I deliberately didn’t wipe it before inhaling, unwilling after it had just been sitting between her generous, pouty lips. She noticed this, smiling at me and lowering her eyes and my stomach clenched again.

  I was wondering how I could possibly get her alone when Charlie stood and motioned at us.

  “I think the musicians are about to start. Maybe we should head down.” Sure enough, I could hear the sounds of tuning instruments coming up from the stairs. Telgeth jumped up and offered Sallagh his arm, and she rolled her eyes but stood gracefully and took it. I glared at him and he winked at me over her shoulder, grinning manically as he drew her through the crowd and down the stairs. I rose to follow and Charlie caught up with me.

  “She seems to like you,” he observed, nodding at the retreating Sallagh, pretty obvious in her Human-style dress.

  I blushed, “Yeah, well, she’s probably only interested because of the Lord thing.”

  Charlie shrugged. “Didn’t look that way from where I was sitting! But do be careful Jas, you do have to live and study with her for the next couple of years. We have a saying in the Enclaves – hấлaѫaжầ флeћa ςấұѫaжầ – which roughly translates as ‘don’t screw the crew.’” I coughed in embarrassment and Charlie patted me on the arm. “Girls are capricious creatures, so I’m told, I don’t want you to get hurt.”

  I mumbled something, then tried to change the subject. “Have you seen your mystery older woman yet?”

  Now it was Charlie’s turn to look embarrassed. “Ah no, not yet. Maybe I’ll ask O’Malley when we get downstairs.”

  “Who’s O’Malley?”

  “Oh, he’s the owner of the place. He’s a crazy old Human who has a mad love affair with all things Nea’thi.”

  “Well maybe you should ask him!”

  Charlie straightened his shoulders. “Well maybe I will!” We both laughed and walked over to the stairs and down to the music

  In the heat and noise of the tavern the musicians had taken their places. Charlie and I wandered over to the bar to talk to this O’Malley person. There, on a tall stool behind it sat a middle-aged Human, light from the glowbes shining off his completely bald head. From his
vantage point on the stool he was staring over the crowd at the stage, anticipation clear on his face. Charlie waved and caught his attention and he slid off the stool and sort of waddled over to us. The man was tiny, his black Nea’thi-style robes dragged on the floor as he walked. He looked irritated at being disturbed, but his face brightened when he recognised Charlie.

  “Ϛaioћлeжa, as I live and breathe! They let you out of Ұiờ, then?”

  I had never heard a Human even try and speak Nea’thi before, save for a few Humanised phrases – Myn, Myr, Lya Vassalion – and some of the choicer swear words, but this little bald man pronounced Charlie’s proper name perfectly, his voice lilting with the musical tones of the complicated language.

  “Myr O’Malley, you remember me. You are most kind!” Charlie smiled and shook the landlord’s hand over the bar.

  “Of course, boy, I never forget a face.” He sniffed proudly. “And who’s this then?”

  “This is my Bloodkin, Jaseth of Jaelshead.”

  Myr O’Malley peered up at me. “Well I think congratulations are in order, Ϛaioћлeжa, he looks to be a solid lad.”

  “Thank you, yes, we’ve only just arrived in Lille.” Charlie gestured at the stage, “I’ve heard this group are very good.”

  “Oh yes!” O’Malley nodded vigorously, “They’re from Allyon, you know. If they’re any good I might give them the residency for the winter – terrible time to be on the road anyway – and hopefully I can get them a few spots up at the castle when the Royal Party arrives. The singer can do wondrous things, she’s polyphonic you see. They’ve been checking the acoustics and air pressure in here all afternoon, something to do with how she uses her Hầұeӣ I believe. Look, they’re about to start.”

  Charlie turned to go. “Well, we’ll leave you to enjoy the performance.” I elbowed him. “Ow, oh yes, I don’t suppose you’ve seen if Фyѫeaжa and Aӣấћtiжầ are around?”

  “Hmph, of course they’re here, they’re in the top room. I can tell the guards to let you in if you want.”

  Charlie flung up his hands, “Oh no, no, I wouldn’t want to disturb them, maybe I’ll just pop up later on.”

  “Yes, do that. Aliakh must have the night off too, she’s with them, and looking most fetching, I must say.” The diminutive man twisted his mouth in a grin and winked at us.

  “Oh, well thank you O’Malley, sorry to trouble you.”

  “No trouble my boy, no trouble at all.” He shuffled back to his stool, hoisting himself up and tangling his legs only very slightly in his robes.

  Charlie shrugged at me and we jostled through the crowd and down the steps to the area in front of the stage. I could see Sallagh standing with Mantilly and their Mentors and felt suddenly nervous, so I followed Charlie to the one unoccupied couch, off to the side, where we had a good view of the stage. There were three Humans standing up there, all in their early thirties I guess, and wearing matching white robes. One was seated behind the other two, an array of different drums set out in front of him. The other male perched on a stool, holding a – what had Jimmy called it? – a ssllaiyoll.

  The drummer started a gentle beat and the other man began strumming his instrument, plucking certain notes that seemed to echo and float. The singer, a willowy brunette, closed her eyes in concentration and breathed in deeply, opening her mouth to sing. A single pure note flew from her throat, reverberating around the packed room. A simple melody, sung in Nea’thi for I couldn’t understand the words, rose and fell. The singer seemed not to take any breaths, for there was no break in her clear, high voice. After two verses, the drums and strings swelled, the singer closed her eyes again, breathed deeply and did a most remarkable thing. As the chorus boomed into life she sang two notes at the same time, in perfect crystalline harmony. I actually gasped, stunned by the beauty of the music, tears pricking unbidden in my eyes. The dancing crowd swayed gently, entranced by the mastery. As the last notes of the song fell away the room erupted into cheers. The singer opened her eyes and smiled, surprised and pleased at the reception.

  “How the hell does she do that?” I demanded of Charlie, who was scrubbing at his eyes.

  “Well it’s Hầұeӣ of course. I think she’s changing the pressure of the air on one side of her mouth so the sound travels faster and we hear the two notes as separate even though she’s only singing one thing. The ßлaiớл player does something similar with the air around the strings.”

  “Oh.” My mind boggled at the thought. Apparently with Nea’thi magic you could do pretty much anything.

  I got Charlie to point out where the bathroom was and after I had relieved myself I returned to find he was up and dancing with the others. Even Lolitha was up, shuffling a bit awkwardly with one of Jimmy’s arms slung around her narrow shoulders.

  The other two girls were up the front, Dunkerle and Donnick behind them and slightly to the side, Dunkerle staring wistfully at the back to Mantilly’s head. Sallagh turned and saw me and waved me forward and I went to dance beside her. Well, not really dance, more sway to the gorgeous music. Everyone was very close up by the stage, and as someone jostled me sideways slightly I found myself behind her, so close I could smell her perfume again. Shit, this was it. Now or never. So I circled my arms around her shoulders from behind and pulled her to me. I thought I sensed maybe a moment of hesitation before she relaxed in my arms and rested her head against my chest, still watching the stage. We swayed together for two songs, and in the break she turned her head back to look at me and I released her slightly so she could turn around.

  “Sallagh, I—”

  “Shush Jas, it’s okay.”

  And as the next song began she tilted her head back, her perfect face so close to mine, I couldn’t help myself. I lifted one hand to cup her smooth, cool cheek and kissed her. Her arms snaked around my back, pulling me closer, and she opened her mouth for me to explore. I tangled my other hand in her long, silken hair and kissed her, less gently now, tasting wine and moss smoke and her own personal sweetness.

  As the song ended she pulled back, her skin flushed and her eyes bright as she considered me.

  “I have to go to the, uh, facilities,” she said, disengaging herself from my arms. She stepped lightly through the crowd, grabbing Mantilly on the way and they disappeared, heads together, giggling.

  I stood motionless, watching them go, my mouth hanging slightly open in disbelief. Had that really just happened? My first proper kiss, and with the best looking girl I had ever seen.

  The singer announced that they would be taking a short break, and the gathered audience moved to the bar or to the rooftop garden. Charlie found me still staring in the direction the girls had gone and gave me a big grin and thumbs up.

  “Come on kiddo, enough romancing, there are some people I would like you to meet.”

  He drew me back through the throngs of revellers towards the bar. A big Nea’thi man dressed in plain black robes lounged against a small dark doorway to the side of the bar that I hadn’t noticed before. He had a sizeable pewter tankard in his hand that he pretended to sip from every now and again as he discreetly watched the crowd. O’Malley must have indeed said something to him, for as we passed through the door he barely glanced at us. I could see O’Malley had not meant the roof garden when he had mentioned the top room, because behind the doorway we climbed a narrow circular staircase that had another plain-robed guard at the top. This made me a bit nervous, what sort of people had guards at a tavern? But if Charlie’s mystery lady had something to do with Lya Vassalion, then…

  The guard scrutinised us closely but seemed to recognise Charlie. With a nod he allowed us to proceed through a curtained arch out into some kind of mezzanine lounge. We must have been right over the bar, from the front we had a clear view over the tavern to the stage. A fire burned in a grate in the back wall, and the floor and other two walls were adorned with rich tapestries. A handful of couches and squishy armchairs littered the mezzanine, most facing out over the balcony to the stag
e, but closer to the fire they were grouped together around a large, bulbous vase-type contraption, four hoses snaking off from its neck.

  Suddenly we were enveloped in silken skirts and yellow hair as Fiona leapt to her feet and embraced us.

  “Ϛaioћ! Jaseth! You made it! Welcome to O’Malley’s, er, private lounge. Come, take a seat.” And she pulled us over to the circle around the fire. The first person who rose to greet us almost took my breath away. She was a tall Human woman with a generous tumble of deep red hair, luminous, porcelain skin and dewy chocolate-brown eyes. Her garb was a rather fetching variation on the Nea’thi style, the skirts were more full, the neckline significantly lower.

  “Charlie? Oh how marvellous, Fiona told us you might be popping in. How’s the Mentoring treating you?”

  “Aliakh, you must be more beautiful now than the last time I saw you! Mentoring’s great, this is my Bloodkin, Jaseth. He’s all the way from Jaelshead.”

  She smiled, cheeks dimpling, “Oh, what wonderful luck. Guess what we’re drinking tonight!” She found two glasses and poured for us before showing me the bottle. I gasped in surprise, it was a rare ’82 Pinot Noir from the Manor’s own vines.

  “It’s from my house!” I blurted and felt immediately stupid. Aliakh looked to be in her mid-thirties, but she made Sallagh look like a child in comparison, she really was outlandishly handsome.

  She laughed gently,” Your family are vintners?”

  I squirmed, this was always the awkward part, and I was relieved when Charlie answered for me.

  “His father is the Lord of Jaelshead, they have excellent vines down at the Manor.”

  “Oh my! And now you are training at the Academy? That must be strange, no?” She laid a hand gently on my shoulder and smiled kindly. “And you are stuck with this crazy boy as your Mentor. How unfortunate.” She gave Charlie a cheeky grin and he laughed.

  “I’m still older than you!”

  “Oh yes, but we both know that means nothing in terms of maturity! You must be, my gosh, fifty now? Fiona and Anna are celebrating their eightieths next year, can you believe it?”