The Well of Prayers by Anne Boles Levy

Author:Anne Boles Levy
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sky Pony Press
Published: 2016-07-19T04:00:00+00:00

19

I am a restless creature who flouts the prudent course, who seeks shadows instead of light, then would reverse myself. This I want and then that, to take risks and then retreat, to settle down and then wander, to weave and then rend.

Do not begrudge me this urge or say that I am fickle. You are made this way yourself, after me.

—from Verisimilitudes 1, The Book of Unease

I stopped for a long moment in front of my lit-up house, wondering if I should run off and hide out in the swamps forever and ever. That might be better than the tongue-lashing that awaited me. Valeo took a step sideways, away from me, as though we’d already been caught together.

“I’ve had bad luck with irate fathers,” he said. His voice echoed down the street, ruffling the blanketing calm of early morning.

“I’m in this by myself?”

He shrugged. “Guess so.”

“What about my alibi?”

“What’m I to say? Not to worry, my Lord Portreeve, we only broke into a warehouse together.”

“You kissed me!”

“Oh, and I kissed her, too.” Valeo cocked his head at me. “That’ll help, I’m sure.”

“Sarcasm. Nice.”

“Just returning the favor, Mistress What-Gek-I-don’t-see-a-Gek.”

I didn’t have time to retort before Babba stepped out into the entry courtyard, dressed in a simple longshirt and trousers, his arms crossed on his chest. He stared lightning at me. I’d be hearing thunder, too, judging by that look. I swallowed. Hard.

Babba’s voice was quiet, like an earthquake is quiet before everything topples on you.

“Hadara.”

“Babba. I can explain. I promise.”

Valeo decided to chime in after all. “May I apologize, Lordship …”

“I believe you’ve done enough, guardsman.” Babba scowled. “I’ll be lodging a complaint with the Azwans in the morning. My daughter isn’t included in your wages.”

“Of course, sir.” Valeo backed up as if to go. “Good-moons, sir.”

That might’ve been that if Constable Natanno hadn’t also stepped out of our house and folded his arms across his gaudy yellow uniform like he had Babba’s same right to be angry. I gasped. Out of the corner of my eye, I could make out Valeo’s features hardening into something much, much lower than contempt.

Babba nodded toward Natanno. “Thank you, Constable.”

“Your Lordship.” Natanno bent and retrieved his lantern from a bench near the gate. I recognized it only after he’d picked it up and wanted to kick myself. And him. I’d enjoy burning his courting note or sending it down the toilet hole in the bathhouse later.

Babba opened the gate for Natanno to exit, his eyes never leaving my face. Natanno slipped out, only to have Valeo grab his arm.

“Just a moment, Constable.”

“Off me, Feroxi, or you’ll be kissing the dirt floor of our jail next.” The warble in Natanno’s voice sounded less than convincing.

“And what law would you be upholding, exactly?” Valeo’s face set even harder. A constable had no authority over him, and I could see in their faces both men knew it.

Babba interrupted. “Pious guardian of Nihil’s person, I’m sure you won’t mind if the constable escorts you to your ship, in case any other young women should tempt you from the certain path along the way.

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