Page 33 of In the Ravenous Dark
They frown. “It is odd, though. Tyrosdidseem to tolerate my… status… as neither niece nor nephew when he was the crown prince, whereas it washisfather, Neleus, who disapproved of both me and the unusual situation with his two daughters and my father.” It’s the first time Japha has come close to admitting the affair aloud, and yet they say the words without hesitation. “I thought the only thing standing between me and a sudden betrothal, or a worse decree from my grandfather, was my uncle. But maybe this is a prime example of a new king trying to appease the old.”
“Or maybe tonight has nothing to do with you?” I say.
“One can hope,” Japha says, sighing, though they don’t sound convinced.
“Do you have any ideas who you might be matched with, if your betrothal is to be announced?”
My etiquette instructor, nearly forgotten at the table, nods sharply. “Is to be.Now that was proper grammar for that situation. You’re already improving.”
Both Japha and I turn on her. She seems to shrink.
“Do please get out,” Japha says cheerily. The woman leaves in a hurry, and Japha settles into the vacant seat. “I’m not sure who they’ll stick me with in marriage. Poor woman, whomever she is.” I open my mouth to object, but Japha continues, pouring some wine and meeting my eyes with their dark, kohl-lined gaze, “Not because I’m not excellent. IknowI am. But the chances that a woman will be happy with someone like me are… slight, I imagine.”
“Why a woman?” I ask.
Japha rolls their eyes. “The same reason Lydea will no doubt be matched with a man even though she’s uninterested in them—tradition, heirs, blah blah.” They raise their glass.
I smile, and then admit, somewhat sheepishly, “I’ve begun to wonder if they’ll stickyouwith me.”
Japha chokes on a mouthful of wine, sputtering.
“WouldIbe that bad?” I demand. “It’s just that I’m supposed to be a ‘broodmare’ forsomeone, and they married my father to the princess because of his bloodline, but maybe that’s not enough forme, the peasant…”
Japha shakes their head quickly, wiping their mouth. “I’ve already been assured that this night holds nothing unfortunate for you. Besides the fact that we’re two loose ends who’d be conveniently tied up in such a pairing, we don’t make sense together because I have a bloodline and youwillhave one.” They smile slightly. “Anyone would be lucky to get you, but, alas, it’s not to be me.”
I’m touched, but at the same time I feel an odd pang. I don’t want to be married to Japha against either of our wishes, but of all the combinations, it’s the least horrible. “I know two bloodlines can’t combine, but couldn’t we pass on both separately? Not that I’d want to pass one on to anyone, let alone my child. Or to evenreceiveone myself.”
“Me either, which is yet another reason they won’t put two rebels like us together. Especially after what happened with your father and my aunt—or rather, whatdidn’thappen. The main reason is that there’s generally only one child whose blood is worth anything, magically speaking. Two paired bloodlines mean one might die out, unless you’re interested in dalliances outside of marriage.” They shrug. “No one is willing to bet on that and risk losing a bloodline. Besides, bastards are harder to use, politically speaking,” Japha adds, taking another sip of wine and eyeing the table.
I hear a strange noise over my shoulder and can’t help turning. The dead man stands there, leaning against a column, an odd look on his face before he wipes it clean.
“Why is there no food?” Japha demands. They haven’t heard the dead man, of course.
“The plates are for demonstration only, though Irebelledwhen it came to wine,” I say, facing forward. “Do you know who the match might be for Lydea… and for Kineas?” I mention him only so I don’t sound overly interested in his twin sister.
Japha is busy glaring at the empty plates. “Lydea, no, though she’s as important and precisely placed as my mother, as both a bloodline and sister to the crown prince, and my mother married a famous warrior and heir to a kingdom. It was admittedly an abandoned kingdom, thanks to the blight, but one that still had plenty of displaced people who needed ruling. So whoever is chosen for Lydea will be equally grand, though I have no idea who it will be. Kineas, though… there might be someone more obvious for him.”
It’s their tone that makes me ask, “Who?”
Japha toys with their glass. “It’s only speculation, of course. Helena is her name. Her line was once the ruling family’s, spun away a few generations ago. She’s still royalty, but distant enough that a match could be made. Well positioned, well bred, due to inherit a decently long bloodline in two years, and…”
So she’s eighteen, a year younger than me.Poor girl. I wait. “And what?”
Japha has an odd expression on their face as they stare over the long table, into the distance. “Helena’s beautiful. Even Kineas talks about how they would be suitably matched.” They frown. “Though he doesn’t deserve her.”
I grimace. “And you like her? Or at least you respect her?”
“She’s… innocent,” Japha says softly, “but there isn’t much to be done for her if she’s chosen for Kineas.”
Poor girl, indeed.This has all reminded me that as much as Japha wants to help me, they only have so much power.Whatever comes,Japha had said, except we don’t have any choice about what that is, only how we can deal with the aftermath.
As long as my mother is safe, I can survive anything, I hope. At least there’s always wine. I take another drink.
Japha’s eyes follow me. “There’s no food, but there’s paper.” They slide the sheet my instructor was using closer, along with an inkwell and pen. “I’ve helped you with a couple sigils, so I can help you practice writing, too. Here, we can send each other notes about the worst outfits we see in a given day.”
They scratch at the paper for a moment and then quickly wave it in the air to dry—much harder to read that way, if anyone is spying. They fold it and pass it to me.
“Thanks,” I say, and tuck the paper against a plate. “Though I can’t write much yet.”
