Vannerbehn's Luck Pt. 09

Taliesine was dazed, and injured. I had broken ribs. Kima was covered in blood.

If Syrava had left these creatures to ambush us, it was unlikely that she'd left any incriminating documents lying about. There was probably little to be gained by exploring the house further.

***

It occurred to me, later, that if I'd gone to Jerian's house alone, I'd have died. No doubt about it. So I thanked Taliesine and Kima for saving my ass.

- "You saved us." said the fighter. "I don't know that I could've got that ... thing off Taliesine's head without hurting her. And if you hadn't shot that ape ..."

- "That didn't kill it. It wasn't even seriously hurt."

- "You distracted it, at least, so that I could deliver the killing blow." she insisted.

- "You're forgetting the main point." I said. "If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have even been there in the first place."

We were sitting in our new house, watching the sun rise over the park across the street. After our semi-debacle at Jerian's, we had gone to the Narimac, where Ludianne had healed all three of us. But we all agreed to return to our own house, to discuss what had happened, and consider our next step.

Easier said than done: we were still awake hours later, no closer to knowing what to do about Syrava. That was one reason why I changed the subject.

- "Taliesine?"

- "Yes?"

- "Have you ever had an apprentice?"

- "Once. It was an error on both our parts, which ended badly."

- Have you ever considered taking another? Or possibly tutoring someone?"

Taliesine raised a single eyebrow. "Who, Kelsen? You obviously have a specific person in mind. I have no interest in training one of your paramours, no matter how much financial inducement you offer."

- "Paramours? No - she's only 11."

- "Eww, Kelsen!" said Kima.

- "No. No! She's not my girlfriend. Her name is Denya. She's a street kid. Part-time thief. She works for me, sometimes - she's the best tracker I've got. Bright, quick-witted, observant ..."

- "Why her?" asked Taliesine.

- "I worry about her. I want to help her ... grow into something more than a thief."

- "Like you?" said Kima. "Sorry - that came out wrong. I didn't mean a thief like you. I meant that you wanted her to ... follow in your footsteps. In a manner of speaking. Sorry."

- "Something like that." I admitted.

- "I will teach her twice a week." said Taliesine. "Two hours each session. If she is late, or does not appear at the scheduled time, you will still pay me for the full session."

- "You'll do it?"

- "150 gold pieces per session. I will assign her tasks to complete on her own time. If she does not do them, if she does not study, then you will be wasting your money."

- "Don't you want to meet her, first?" I asked.

Taliesine looked down her nose at me. "What possible difference could that make?"

Kima yawned. "I'm tired. Time for bed, I think."

- "Me too." I said.

- "I have some spells to prepare." said Taliesine. "I will be up later."

Kima and I went up the stairs together. It was the very first night that I would be sleeping in our house. Boutan's daughter Naomi had made up a bed for me.

Oddly enough, it was the first time I'd been on the third floor since we'd bought the place. Naturally, I glanced through the open doors at my housemates' rooms.

One was luxuriously - even sumptuously - decorated. Plush carpets, colourful fabrics, rich tapestry, Imperial-style furniture ...

The second room was the complete opposite. Plain, unadorned. Simple furnishings.

I couldn't even begin to guess whose room was which. The first room was a little too ... girlish for either of them. Taliesine's, maybe. But the second room didn't make any sense at all.

- "You alright, Kelsen?" asked Kima.

I had been standing still, staring at the two bedrooms, a little longer than politeness dictated.

- "Sorry. I was just ... trying to figure out which room was yours, and which was Taliesine's."

Kima smiled. "Really? So ... which one do you think is mine?" Something in her expression told me that she didn't think I could guess correctly.

- "Umm ..." Oh well, I had a fifty-fifty chance of being right. I pointed at the simpler, less decorated room.

Kima laughed out loud. "Oh, Kelsen - what do you take me for? A monk?"

I was perplexed. "Well, no. But I couldn't picture Taliesine in there, either."

- "She doesn't sleep there." said Kima.

- "No? Where does she sleep, then?"

- "With me." said Kima. "We share this room."

I blushed from head to toe.

"Really?" said Kima. "You didn't know?"

- "I didn't." I said.

- "It's not a problem for you, is it?" Kima was looking at me oddly.

- "No. Absolutely not. It's fine. Sorry, Kima - I'm just surprised. I really didn't know."

- "You were too busy with Pamna under the wagon to pay attention to what anyone else was doing. You really didn't notice?"

- "I had no idea." Then a thought struck me - quite hard. "Wait. Aressine ...?"

- "Completely heterosexual." said Kima. "No deviation."

- "Pamna?" I had some suspicions there.

- "Ah - our friend Pamna is as open-minded as she is lovely. Not a jealous bone in her body. She loves men and women just about equally, I would say. She had Fhaernala were an interesting couple, until you showed up."

I had to smile, imagining that. Then another thought kicked me in the fruit.

- "Syrava?"

- "Prefers women, too." said Kima.

- "Prefers? But does she see men, like Pamna?"

- "What? Why are you so excited?"

- "Kima - just tell me. Does Syrava like men?"

- "No. Only women."

- "Are you sure?"

- "Yes."

- "Come on." I said, as I started taking the stairs two at a time. "Taliesine! Taliesine!" I yelled. "Syrava's a lesbian!"

***

The raven-haired wizard confirmed Kima's story: Syrava had no use for men.

Yet I had heard her, in Jerian's house, saying 'That's not ... it's not just sex, for me'.

- "She's not with Jerian." I said. "He may think she is, but she's in love with a woman."

- "Teeshay?" said Kima, with a frown.

- "Cremyne." I said. "Jerian's wife."

*****