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Bloodkin (Jaseth of Jaelshead) Page 20


  I stared at the portrait, walking slowly through the Temple. Too slowly, because Charlie caught up to me as I got close to the door. Outside I could see the High Priestess greeting and thanking the congregational as they left. She was a tall woman, completely bald, of course, and was swathed in the bright saffron robes edged in red of her office. He face was only lightly touched with lines, and she was still rather handsome, despite being, by my guess, somewhere in her late forties.

  “Hanniash was Anna’s first Bloodkin, did you know?” Charlie murmured in my ear as we waited in the crowd to leave. I think I had heard mention of it once, actually, but it was still a bit surprising. It was hard to imagine the venerable Priestess as ever having been an eighteen-year-old girl, and even harder to imagine that Anna had been the same age as Charlie was now at the time.

  At the front of the line, Hanniash grasped my hands.

  “Thank you for coming, Bloodkin. Queen Lilbecz would have appreciated your remembrance. Good luck with your studies. Peace be with you.”

  I was puzzled by her use of the term Bloodkin, though as she turned to Charlie I realised how obvious it was.

  “Ah, Charlie, yes? Thank you for coming.”

  “Thank you, Myn Hanniash. That was a beautiful service.”

  The High Priestess smiled at him, then grew serious. “How fares Anna these days? I fear I have not seen her much since…”

  “She’s fine,” Charlie told her, then took a deep breath. “She might appreciate your guidance though, High Priestess.”

  Hanniash laughed. “Me giving Anna guidance? I never thought I would see the day when student becomes mentor.” But she nodded at him. “Thank you, I will see what I can do. Peace be with you, boy.”

  We gathered the others and walked through the streets until we came to the market square in the Merchants’ Quarter in the Human area of the city. Stalls had been set up everywhere, selling every kind of goods one could imagine. While the festival was a holiday for most, travelling merchants from around the countryside took the opportunity of the festive occasion to hawk their wares to the revellers. It was still only late morning, but booths were set up to sell wines and ales to passersby. Sammoch and Donnick quickly found the stall that sold their favourite Rhyeholm ale, and grabbed big paper cups of it for everyone.

  Sallagh and Mantilly soon wandered off with their Mentors in tow, going to look at clothes or jewellery or some other girly stuff. Lolitha watched them go a little wistfully. She had been well and truly accepted as one of the boys, ever since that first afternoon at the Academy when she had come to the Thistle with us after class. She and Sallagh had reached an uneasy truce, but I suspected that perhaps Sallagh envied the easy, joking relationship Lolitha had with the rest of us. But even though she was gay, it didn’t mean that she was completely oblivious to feminine interests in fashion, and I’m afraid that we, her guy mates, weren’t all that helpful when it came to clothes shopping.

  We watched as the square began to crawl with people. Jugglers and fire-breathers and buskers with all sorts of weird and wonderful talents set their hats down at intersections in the market and we wandered around, flipping coins at any that were particularly good. When we passed the stall of a cloth-merchants’ collective from the Jaelshead district, Lolitha paused, and in the interest of being a good friend I stayed with her while the others moved on. Charlie elected to help me and Telgeth, although complaining about “dumb girl stuff” found a wine stall with seats opposite and put his feet up to wait. Lolitha hesitantly reached for a delicate seafoam-green alpaca weave.

  “I think maybe I should get a dress,” she told me quietly.

  “Why? What’s wrong with robes?”

  She gave me a look that spoke volumes about me being an idiot boy and not understanding, and she shrugged.

  “The other girls have some, for like, going out and stuff.”

  “But you’re not like the other girls!”

  “No shit.” She sounded cross and I instantly regretted what I had said. Luckily Jimmy had wandered back to find us, and he came over to check out the fabric, ignoring my faux pas.

  “Well, if it’s a dress you want, it’s a dress you shall have. Ϛaioћ, come have a look at this, will you?”

  The two Mentors studied the fabric, and I could tell from their little frowns that they were inspecting it with Hầұeӣ.

  “Oh yes, this is nice. Nea’thi-weave, I presume?” Charlie asked the woman running the stall, who nodded.

  “My daughter is Nea’thi-Blood. She does all of the weaving.”

  Jimmy smiled at her. “How much will this young lady need for a dress?”

  The woman measured out and cut a length of the cloth which she folded and wrapped and handed to Jimmy.

  “With a good tailor there should be plenty there for the lass, with enough left over for a little jacket too.”

  Jimmy thanked her and handed over some coins. It was much cheaper buying direct from the market than the cloth for sale at Myn Tardiallah’s. He handed the bundle to Lolitha.

  “There you go. We’ll get you measured up in the weekend, yes?”

  Telgeth got to his feet with an exaggerated moan and joined us as we moved down the rows of stalls. We rounded a corner and he let out a cry of excitement, then rushed over to a blacksmith’s stall.

  “Tamoth! What are you doing here? Dad let you out of his sight?”

  The man behind the stall looked to be in his mid-twenties and had Telgeth’s same orange hair, but was much broader in the shoulders and had big, meaty, smith’s hands.

  “Everyone, this is my oldest brother Tamoth. Tamoth, this is Lolitha and Jimmy and Jaseth and Charlie!” Telgeth was grinning madly as he introduced us. “Dad really let you bring a wagon all the way to Lille? How long are you here for?”

  Tamoth smiled patiently at Telgeth’s rapid-fire questions. “He sure did. He had to stay at home, he’s busy with a commission for the Lord—” He stopped abruptly and looked at me. “Lord Jaseth?” I blushed and nodded. Even though this happened to me pretty much every time I met someone, I still felt awkward as hell.

  “Gosh, you’re keeping good company these days ‘Geth! How goes the Academy? I was going to come find you there later on, if I didn’t bump into you today.”

  “Oh, it’s brilliant. We’re learning about physics and chemistry and moss and— Ooh, this is nice. One of Dad’s?” He held up an ornate belt-buckle in silver and copper filigree.

  Tamoth smiled proudly. “Nope, that’s one of mine. You should be able to tell by now, you silly twit!”

  “Lolitha needs a new belt, any family discounts going?” Jimmy grinned at Telgeth’s brother.

  “Don’t be a dick, Jimmy. Of course there is. Isn’t there, Tamoth?”

  “Aye, any friend of my little brother is a friend of mine.” He smiled kindly at Lolitha, who was studying the buckle, admiration clear on her face. “Myn Tallathia, you know, the tanner’s wife? We brought the wagon up together. Her stall’s a few along and she’s got some really nice leather belts there.” Tamoth indicated which way we would find her.

  “So how long are you in town for? Where are you staying?” Telgeth asked as Tamoth counted coins and wrapped the buckle for Lolitha.

  “We’re having to head back first thing in the morning, I’m afraid, try to beat the weather back home. But we’re staying at the Silver Squirrel, do you know it?”

  Charlie and Jimmy did, so we agreed to meet up with him later, when the market had finished.

  Down at Myn Tallathia’s stall Lolitha picked out a blue leather belt that Jimmy and Charlie inspected and approved of, and that was added to the growing pile in her shopping bag.

  As the sun passed its zenith we were getting hot and tired. And hungry. We found a booth that sold freshly baked pies, both meat and fruit, and Charlie bought us all one of each and we sat around a little table and ate, watching a contortionist put on a show, bending in ways I thought would have been impossible for a Human being. When we were all repl
ete and dusted with pastry crumbs we continued wandering round the market. Charlie bought a couple of novels at a second-hand booksellers and Telgeth bought a rather ugly green and brown striped scarf from a pretty girl who batted her eyelashes at him.

  “I don’t know what I’m going to do with a scarf,” he told us as we walked away. “But did you see the way she looked at me? Totally worth it!”

  We found ourselves wandering back in the direction of the Quarter and decided to call it a day. I definitely needed a bath after the dust of the crowded marketplace.

  When I was clean and dry and dressed in my good new robe I went out into the hallway to see what everyone was up to and was almost bowled over by Lolitha running past me. I caught a glimpse of her blotchy and tear-streaked face before she barrelled into her room and slammed the door. Seconds later Jimmy rushed down the stairs after her.

  “’Litha darling, I’m sure she didn’t mean—”

  “Bugger off, Jimmy!” she screamed from behind her closed door. I looked at him to see what the matter was and he shrugged and mouthed “Sallagh” at me.

  We could hear steps on the stairs and Sallagh’s voice complaining. “I didn’t say anything, Emma. I don’t know why—” She stopped when she saw Jimmy and me standing there.

  “Sod off Jaseth, this is none of your business.” She pushed past me and stalked down to her room. Emma followed, giving Jimmy a knowing look, and I retreated through the door to my own quarters. Through the wall I could hear Lolitha sobbing and the thumps of hard objects being hurled at the wall.

  “No Jimmy, I said leave me alone,” I heard her yell at her Mentor.

  Oh hell. Maybe I should do something. The thumping grew more vigorous and I made up my mind.

  Back out in the hall, Jimmy was slumped against the wall outside the door. I had remembered something Charlie had told me once about girls, something about not letting them rage alone because it only made things worse. Well, now was as good a time as any to try that theory out. Jimmy looked up at me as I squared my shoulders, and he whispered “good luck” as I turned the handle on her door.

  “What the hell is wrong with you? I said, leave me alone!” A book thumped against the half-open door. “Fyar khanall, Jimmy, I swear—” She stopped shouting briefly as I quickly ducked inside and shut the door behind me.

  “Go away Jaseth,” she muttered, her back turned.

  Okay, deep breath. You can do this, I told myself. The room was a mess, she had pulled most of the books from her bookcase and they were lying open in a pile on the floor. I walked over, spun her round and hugged her fiercely as she struggled and beat at me ineffectually with her tiny fists, howling with rage.

  “It’s not fair!” she cried when she had calmed a little. “She’s such a bitch, an effing bloody bitch. I can’t even have one nice day with my friends without—” And her voice cracked as she leaned into my shoulder and wept. “It’s just not fair. She’s always got everything she’s ever wanted. Including you!” She pulled back and glared at me with red-rimmed eyes. “But that’s not enough! She’s evil, Jas. Pure, effing, evil.”

  “What did she say, ‘Litha?”

  “She said… She said I… Oh.” And she fell to weeping again. I kept holding her and stroking her hair awkwardly. Girls crying made me highly uncomfortable, but at least she wasn’t throwing things any more. She finally stopped sobbing and extracted herself from my arms.

  “Ugh, I bet I look disgusting. I hope I haven’t got too much snot on your nice robe. Hang on.” She went into her bathroom and blew her nose loudly. Just as she emerged there was a knock on the door.

  “Lolitha?” It was Emma. “May we please come in and talk to you?” Lolitha looked at me miserably and I shrugged.

  “Fine, whatever. Come in.” Emma entered leading a pale, red-eyed Sallagh.

  “Um, Lolitha?” Sallagh whispered, her eyes on the floor. “I’m sorry. I really am. I’ve been a cow and I… I didn’t know. And now I do and I’m really sorry.” She rushed through her words, then turned and fled from the room, her eyes leaking fresh tears. Lolitha and I stared at Emma, open-mouthed.

  “Is it safe to come in?” Jimmy stuck his head round the door, and seeing that the books had ceased to fly, came in and gave Lolitha a hug.

  “What did you say to her?” I asked Emma, almost unable to believe the transformation in Sallagh.

  Emma shrugged. “I didn’t say anything. I just… showed her what it feels like, is all.”

  “You mean with Hầұeӣ?” Lolitha stared at the Nea’thi woman accusingly and Emma nodded. “Oh.”

  “It’s an old Mentoring trick,” Jimmy explained to his Bloodkin hesitantly. “Kind of like Psychotherapy but, well, the opposite. Emma released the chemicals in Sallagh’s brain that produce the same kinds of feelings that her words do to you.”

  “It’s something of a last resort, but I think she understands now. She’s not a bad girl—” Lolitha snorted but Emma continued firmly, “She’s just a bit self-involved.”

  I couldn’t help myself, “A bit!” and Jimmy elbowed me.

  “Anyway, she now understands the consequences of her careless words. I expect she’ll be more thoughtful in the future.

  Lolitha sniffed, then surprised us all. “Will she be okay?”

  Emma smiled at her. “She’ll be fine. She’ll probably cry herself to sleep, the neural chemicals will dissipate and her emotional balance will be back to normal by tomorrow.” She turned to leave.

  “Emma?” Lolitha called, and she turned in the doorway. “Thanks.”

  Emma grinned. “That’s what I’m here for.”

  It didn’t take long for Lolitha to have a bath and tidy herself up. I offered to help Jimmy sort out the mess in their room, but he laughed and told me that it was a Mentor’s job so I left him to it and went to find Charlie. Up in the common room, I told him what Emma had said and he nodded thoughtfully.

  “I thought she might, yes.”

  “Really? Would you ever do it to me?”

  He looked a bit startled. “Well, I mean, I suppose I would. If I really had to, of course. But it’s you we’re talking about JJ, I hardly think you’d ever need it.”

  “Um, okay? I bet Sallagh didn’t think she needed it.”

  “Yeah, well, that’s exactly why she did. She was pretty cruel, and girls can be, well, sensitive. But you’re… I mean, you’re self-contained, Jas, but never self-centred. I’ve seen that. You did a bloody nice thing back there, going and looking after her.”

  It didn’t seem like much of a thing at the time, I just hadn’t wanted Lolitha to completely destroy her room, and I told Charlie as much. To my chagrin, he laughed.

  “See? You’re a good kid and you don’t even realise it! It’s very refreshing. Aren’t I lucky to have such a good Bloodkin?” And he grabbed me in one of his unbreakable headlocks and ground his knuckles into my skull.

  “Ow! Sod off you big elephant! I’ll be not nice if you’re not careful!”

  He laughed again as he let me go and I staggered back, slightly out of breath.

  “I’d just like to see you try!”

  As predicted, Sallagh was asleep when we left to meet up with Telgeth’s brother. Emma stayed with her Bloodkin, but everyone else came with us, keen to continue the day’s festivities. The sky was already dark when we departed and there was a definite bite to the air. None of us Humans had ever been to a tavern in the Human area of the city before, and as soon as we left the Quarter I was hopelessly lost. Luckily the Mentors knew where we were going and eventually the streets, wider than in the Nea’thi Quarter but equally twisty, led us to an area of the Merchants’ Quarter in the east of the city, past the bridge to the castle. We could hear the tavern before we saw it, music and loud shouts of laughter drifting out onto the streets. We rounded a corner and there it was, the Silver Squirrel, its painted board illuminated by light spilling from the open door. Inside, the air was thick and acrid with candle and tobacco smoke and the stink of spilled ale,
even though it was still early and the evening’s revelry only just starting to get going. We found Tamoth perched by the bar, sipping a glass of wine.

  “Sweet Lilbecz, ‘Geth! Bring the entire Hall with you?”

  Telgeth grinned. “Almost! Have you eaten yet?”

  “Nope, I thought I’d wait for you lot. Shall we find a table?”

  We secured a large booth by the fire and dragged over some extra chairs so we could all sit, although it was a bit snug. The waitress brought over plates of stew and loaves of fragrant and crunchy garlic bread, as well as bottles of wine and pitchers of ale. We tucked in to our meals as Tamoth and Telgeth gossiped about folk from home. I knew of most of the people they spoke of but felt curiously removed. Jaelshead seemed like a million miles away.

  Not long after we had finished mopping up the last of the stew with the bread, the band started playing. The music was as different from the music in the Shivering Thistle as the tavern itself. In the Quarter our group would have gone unremarked, but here we were eyed a bit suspiciously by some of the pub’s patrons. The band itself was a group of seven musicians, playing an assortment of guitars, drums, fiddles and an accordion. While the music at the Thistle was serene and beautiful, here it was loud, frenzied, and perfect for dancing. I regretted the absence of Sallagh only briefly as Lolitha pulled me up to dance, but it wasn’t long before Telgeth grabbed her off me and dragged her round in a mad waltz. A pretty girl with bouncing, curly brown hair and a daringly low-cut dress clutched at my hand and spun me around but then was off, dancing with someone else, before I could even ask her name.

  The night passed in a blur of wine and song and pretty girls, but realistically, the nauseating stink of tobacco smoke and the odd look the Mentors were receiving made me glad when we decided to head home. Telgeth was furiously kissing a girl in the corner and was less impressed to be pulled away.