Page 38 of A Suitable Stray

“I don’t play games.” Tiiran uncrossed his arms just to cross them again. But he had just played one with Orin, hadn’t he? “Or… not as you do.”

“Hmm, you’re very flustered again, kitten. Like you were earlier.”

“Relentless.” Tiiran was too embarrassed to hiss effectively. Orin would never look sorry anyway. “He says things,” Tiiran admitted at last, feeling new to the library all over again. “Does things. That make me think….”That Nikoly would look pretty with tears in his eyes.“He says that he would like it—that hedoeslike it when I tell him that he’s good and…. It’s confusing. I thought he was teasing until today.” Tiiran ground his teeth together and uncrossed his arms to scrub his burning cheeks. “You should meet him.” His heart seemed to stop the moment after he bit that out. He hid behind his hands for one safe moment. “You would know what to do. Be better.”

“Better.” Orin repeated it the way he’d repeated Nikoly’s name, pointed but soft. “Do youwantme to meet him, kitten?”

Tiiran swallowed.

“He’s handsome,” he informed Orin, strangled. “Everyone says so. People come up to him and won’t go away—until he wants them to, because he knows what he’s doing. He’s charming about it, even if he is helpful. I mean, at the desk, when he uses how charming he is to calm people down.”

For Tiiran, because Tiiran had angered them.

“And when he brings you food?” It was a question, but Orin wasn’t guessing.

Tiiran met his eyes and hoped Orin would understand everything and not make him speak anymore. But Orin stayed quiet, which meant he thought Tiiran ought to say it all out loud.

Orin was charming too, but in a mean way.

“He’s very helpful,” Tiiran said again to be stubborn. “To everyone.” But especially to Tiiran. “He says… he says he wants to be my friend.” It came out in a rush. “But I’m sure he won’t stay long. He’s a merchant’s son or something, and has money… and some comfort. He’s probably looking for a calling but isn’t sure the library is it. Although he can do the work!” Tiiran didn’t want Orin to get the wrong idea about Nikoly just because Nikoly had some money. “He calls himself well trained, says he was wild as a boy and had to be taught not to be, along with a bunch of other things. He’s knowledgeable, and has skills I haven’t even learned all of yet, and he’s personable.”

“And handsome.”

Tiiran growled a little. “That is a horrible thing, which you wouldn’t know, because you are Orin Vahti and even other outguards are in awe of you.” That this statement, compared to everything else he’d just said, would make Orin look startled, was something else Tiiran would consider later or not at all. “But for someone like me, I’m certain I look even worse next to him. Although,” he added in a grumble, “he would never say so since he has manners I do not. He’s not bent toward philosophy or poetry like you, but he observes things.” Tiiran had never actually realized that about Nikoly before, but it was true. He watched and used what he learned—even if it was merely to find the tea Tiiran liked. “You two would likely get along,” he finished, still not answering Orin’s question.

“He has made my kitten spike up his fur, though his claws are not out,” Orin remarked thoughtfully, no doubt perfectly aware of how hearing ‘my kitten’ made Tiiran hot under his clothes. “So yes, I think we would. Do you want to fetch him now?”

Tiiran jumped.

“Now?” He met Orin’s expectant stare, felt judged, and narrowed his eyes before he could think better of it. Orin only continued to regard him evenly, waiting, Tiiran imagined, for Tiiran to either say no or explain why he was nervous.

Which was when Tiiran realized hewasnervous. Followed by the realization that Orin already knew that and probably also why.

“Orin.” His voice was shaky.

“Perhaps get yourself some tea or something to snack on, and bring him up here.” The suggestion was so reasonable Tiiran hated it. “Or, if you’d prefer, we could all meet up later. In a garden or out in the capital.”

“Out?” Tiiran nearly jumped again. “At night?”

Orin’s eyes lit up with amusement, although he was serious again almost immediately. “If it’s important to you, Tiiran, I will meet him.”

“I never said it was important to me.” Tiiran got to his feet because his limbs were trembling and enervated, but then he didn’t move. “You could probably use some tea, so I will go see about that.” He still hadn’t moved. “Orin,” he complained a moment later.

“Tiiran?”

The soft sound of Tiiran’s name carried through the quiet space. It came from outside the nook, probably all the way from the landing at the top of the stairs to this level.

The voice was Nikoly’s.

Chapter Nine

Wide-eyed, Tiiran turned to Orin, who looked toward the entrance to the nook with a serious expression.

“Tiiran?” Nikoly called out, closer this time. “I wasn’t sure if they were needed, but I brought bandages and salve, along with some tea. I can leave them here if you like.”

Orin looked to Tiiran with one eyebrow arched. Tiiran gave him a grumpy huff in reply that only made Orin laugh. Since that sound would doubtlessly confuse Nikoly, Tiiran huffed again before raising his head to answer. “Come here, Nikoly.” The order made him jolt, and probably confused Nikoly even more. “If you don’t mind,” he added quickly, glaring at Orin until he at least stopped laughing.

“I’m sure he doesn’t,” Orin murmured, as if to explain himself. Then said, “Tiiran, sit,” in tone that brooked no argument.

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