"I can get anything you think I should have, though," I rushed to add."Just – here."I tapped at my wristband and flicked my ping information to them, their own – an old, beat-up model – chiming as the data arrived."Message me and I'll take care of it.And it's okay if I let you know when I'll be training so you can help – uh, clean me up?"
"Yes, that is fine," said Rodil.
Behind us, Elethenn was standing very still as he stared at the teapot.
"I must ask," said Rodil as they sat down in a chair across from me, taking my hands and poking and prodding every knuckle and tendon, "did youintendto remove yourcaldathess?Or was it done in error?"
The tray with tea clattered down on the table, Elethenn shooting Rodil a look I could only describe asdisapproving.Rodil, for their part, ignored him entirely.
I briefly debated saying nothing so I could pretend I wasn't ignorant, but I wanted to know so I erred on the side of sounding like an idiot."What's that?"
Rodil's fingers stilled.They leaned back, folding their hands in their lap while Elethenn poured three cups of tea, handing one to me, then to Rodil, before taking his own to go look out the murky window to the square outside.
"I think," said Rodil carefully, "that is a question you will want to broach with your sinnenthi."
It wasn't the first time I'd been referred to Araxis when I had a question.It happened regularly with Inmadra too, and it was just as irritating now as it was when she did it.Then again, I'd agreed to play the part of a deferential virra; this was what it looked like.
"Sure," I said, fingers tapping against the smooth surface of the cup.
"You may put your clothes back on," they suggested gently, so I did.
"Who was that speaker anyway?"I asked after an awkward silence in which we all just studiously drank tea and didn't address the elephant in the room – which was, apparently, something about Araxis that I couldn't follow.
"They are the head of the Unbound," said Elethenn, speaking for the first time in a long while, the skin around his eyes tight.I waited for him to add more, but nothing was forthcoming, so apparently that was meant to suffice for an explanation.More things I didn't know.
"Andtheyare…" I prompted, expectant.At least that was information I might send on to Val and Perseus.
Elethenn was silent, which wasn't – well, it wasn't unlike him.He was awkward at the best of times, but he at least seemed toliketalking to me when I visited his cart outside, or like it when I talked to him anyway.I'd chalked some of his awkwardness up at first to something like a crush, but it hadn't taken me long to realize that he didn't have even the faintest stirring of attraction to me.It was one of those things you had to be good at reading in the den, and I wasverygood at reading it – I was even better now, when it came to abaya.In truth, I thought he was just lonely, and knowing he didn't secretly want to make a move meant it was easier to stop in and chat with him whenever I was in the area without worrying about ulterior motives.
I fucking hated ulterior motives.I had figured Elethenn was just happy to have someone he was friendly with.He didn't seem like the type who had many friends, if any.Although –
Elethenndidhave a friend, clearly, although there was something about their dynamic that I didn't understand, judging by the change in Elethenn's demeanour.Maybe they were exes.
Rodil smiled, sipping at their tea, and when it became clear that I wasn't going to just ignore that pointed silence, they said, "They are a faction from Xitera.It is unusual for their leader to travel outside of the empire."
Huh.It struck me as strange that I'd never heard of them before – although whohadI heard of?I'd only just clued in to the fact that the Concord and the Assembly weren't the same thing.
The worst part about attaching myself to an abaya was that I'd thrown myself into a culture that seemed to valuemysteriousnessabove all else.It wasn't like I could just look this shit up.There weren't articles or documentaries or helpful cultural primers.I couldn't search upcaldathessoryevladiand find helpful educational material.I had to ask and ask and ask and keep failing to get answers.I had to ask until –
"I'm guessing," I said wearily, "that if I asked you to tell me more about that, you'd say I should speak to Araxis instead."
Rodil trilled."Yes, you are quite correct, Sashen of Creche Thiel."
Well, that about summed that up.If I wanted to feel like I was on solid footing at all as we set a course to Xitera, I was going to have to make sure Araxis was a hell of a lot more blunt with me.
I made some idle conversation with Rodil and Elethenn, asking how long they'd been on Sozamia, how they found Radiant Ward, where else they'd lived outside of the empire, and then I offered my thanks and sent them both on their way.For his part, Elethenn looked immensely relieved to be leaving, although he waited diligently by the door until Rodil had left before following them out.
"Hey," I said, before he made his escape."Thanks for looking out for me back there.You'll be back in the square in a couple of days?"
He looked at me, head tilting."Yes, Sashen," said Elethenn."I will be back."
"Save the greatest dumplings for me," I said in abayan.
His mouth twitched, and he ducked his head."I will save the bestdumplings for you," Elethenn corrected, and then he headed off after Rodil and into Radiant Ward beyond.
I was standing in the kitchen, tidying up and trying to figure out how to tell Araxis that he needed to actually startexplainingthings to me because apparently no one else would, when my wristband buzzed.I glanced down, and sighed when I saw Vivith's ID.
Araxis has explained that he cannot contact you today as per your agreement.As I read the message, I could practicallyhearVivith’s usual haughty tone with the current of disdain running through each word.However, I have not signed any agreements and therefore I have taken it upon myself to reach out.Creche Miras is coming for a preliminary meeting early this evening.They have just informed us that they are very interested in being introduced to Creche Thiel's human virra.We would reschedule for another time, except that their lead diplomat is leaving for another system tomorrow.It would therefore be beneficial for you to attend, although you have refused to work today.It is a small thing to ask and the very least you can do in your role.
