Page 70 of A Forgery of Fate

I put on my coyest smile. “Why don’t you take me?”

Not the bat of an eyelash ruffled Elang’s poise. Without taking his eyes off me, he said, “You are relieved of your afternoon duties, Mailoh. I’ll show Lady Saigas the rest of the castle personally.”

The turtle was practically bubbling. I could read what she was thinking—Look how joyful Lord Elang is now that he’s found his Heavenly Match.I struggled to maintain my smile as she bounced into a bow, then swam away.

The instant she was gone, Elang’s demeanor changed. He put distance between us, and his countenance became about as affectionate as an urn. “Follow me.”

“Where are we going?”

“I requested dinner with you daily. It is nearly time.”

Was it? Usually my stomach was an infallible tracker of mealtimes. “I thought you were going to show me the rest of the castle.”

“You’ve seen enough. I’d rather suffer through our evening ritual sooner, before the smell of you repels my appetite.”

He really was a demon turd. “If you find me so repulsive, you can eat alone.”

“That isn’t what we’ve agreed to.”

Without another word, he spun back toward the castle. Just as on land, he liked tormenting me with his speed. By the time we reached the moon-shaped doors, I was breathless, and they shuddered to a thunderous close barely a beat after I made it inside. Meanwhile, Elang continued down theendless hallway, his shoulders leaning slightly forward as he swam. I couldn’t help admiring his grace, the way he moved through the water without a ripple. If only he didn’t have the personality of a bludgeon.

When I finally caught up, he was already seated at the banquet table, drinking tea. A simpler meal than yesterday awaited, only two dishes. A morass of noodles in golden gravy and a whole steamed fish wreathed in plump leafy greens. I sank into the seat beside Elang, observing the otherwise-empty hall. Yesterday I hadn’t appreciated how immense it was; it could have easily entertained hundreds, with its many round marble tables, the high crystal ceiling—stained an exquisite pea green that would have cost a fortune in the human world, the floating lanterns alit by luminescent lotus buds. Yet I doubted it’d seen such a crowd in years. There was a whiff of decayed grandeur about the entire castle, but especially here. The walls were enameled with mother-of-pearl, but the finish was cracked and dented, many areas patched with stone; the pillars were veined with a gray and dire-looking coat of algae. Even the cushions on my seat were tattered.

“No Kunkoi tonight?” I asked.

“The staff has been instructed not to interrupt.”

Byinstructed,I suspected he meantwarned.It was so still in here, not even the lanterns dared flicker. With a sigh, I helped myself to a mass of noodles. Swimming was tiring work, and I was hungrier than I’d realized.

I ate quickly, using my full mouth as an excuse to ignore Elang. After all, he’d made it clear he wanted nothing to do with me. He didn’t touch his noodles. All he did was drinkhis tea, to the point I wondered whether it was enchanted like Kunkoi’s endless gourd.

“Do I really smell that bad?” I asked. “Or do you simply hate noodles?”

No answer, but Elang set down his drink. “Have you had a vision?”

Sothatwas what was on his mind. I scraped a heap of noodles into my mouth. “I only arrived yesterday. I haven’t even had time to pick up a brush.”

“Then why is there ink on your arm?”

Sure enough, there was a black smudge peeking out from under my cuff. “It’s just a map of your castle. I drew it during the tour.”

“On your arm?”

“I forgot paper.” I shrugged. “It was convenient.”

“But you didn’t forget a brush,” he noted crisply.

“I’ve always got a brush with me.”

“In case you have a vision?”

Demons of Tamra, he was obsessed. “Nomi says books are pocket gardens,” I replied. “To me, a brush is pocket magic.”

He lifted an inquisitive eyebrow.

“For taking notes and recording secrets,” I replied, “and drawing maps of new places in case I need to make an escape. I’ve got a good memory, but even I can’t remember every turn and corner, especially in a labyrinth like this. A brush can capture those details, and more.”

“You are a strange girl, Tru Saigas,” said Elang, looking unamused. “At least keep it in your pocket.”

---