Cold Steel

I laughed, but quickly sobered. “Did you really trade yourself and your beauty and your dream walking to the Taino for the security and wealth of the palace and a noble station?”

“Of course I did. Our marriage was arranged for political gain. I didn’t go in expecting to love him. But I liked him. He’s restful. I didn’t realize how pleasant it is to be with a restful person.”

“Are you saying I’m not a restful person?” I teased, essaying a joke, for I hated her tears and wanted desperately to make her laugh.

“I think you’re a restful person, Cat.” Rory brushed the corners of his lips with the back of his hand as if smoothing down quivering whiskers.

“Not that I mean this in a critical way, Cat, but neither you nor your cold mage is restful. Honestly, I can’t imagine how you two will get on once you have to manage daily life together.”

I pressed a jacket to my cheek. “I will keep his dash jackets in good repair.”

“That’s a skill he will certainly appreciate!” She wiped a tear from her cheek. “Did you know that in Taino country women can divorce men with the same legal rights as men can divorce women? Now that we’re back in Adurnam I can’t help but reflect that I would have been left penniless and ostracized if it had happened to me here. Strange to think I should be glad it was a foreign man who divorced me instead of a local one!”

I opened my mouth to make a joke, but no sound came out. My chest felt hollow, for she had sacrificed her grand marriage for me. I could not throw that in her face as a jest.

She kept combing, grip tight. “His relatives wanted him to denounce me in front of the entire Taino court, but he refused to do it. He merely let people assume I was returning with the general to Europa because I was Europan and obligated to serve my people. ”

I said nothing, waiting for her to go on.

“He was so angry. Not like Papa gets angry, shouting and stomping, but distant and formal.”

Her fiercely vulnerable expression tore my heart in two. “I’m so sorry it ended badly.”

“Ouch! Bee! You’re pulling my hair.” Rory stiffened, teeth gritted.

She released the death grip she had on Rory’s locks and began combing with such fixed concentration I knew I was about to hear truth. “I felt so humiliated. Caonabo cutting me off like that when I thought we got on so well, and I know he thought we got on well, too. But he took it so badly. I know it was a lie to draw that sketch. But surely he had to understand I could not just stand by and see you threatened with death! It’s as if he holds his honor higher than my love for you or any loyalty to our marriage. Yet why would he not? He’s a prince in a powerful nation, and now its ruler. If I did not walk the dreams of dragons he would never have acknowledged I existed. I married him for the security and the position and the wealth, not in a mercenary way, mind you—”

I laughed, and she made to throw the comb at me.

“You know what I mean! I didn’t marry him to make use of his rank and riches for my own personal gain, but so you and I would have a rock to stand on in a stormy sea. We have nothing.”

“I know,” I murmured as I trailed my hand through the silks, damasks, and cottons, and the practical wool challis of my riding jacket. “Nothing but your jewelry, and some expensive clothes with pearl buttons. I suppose we will have to sell them, starting with the buttons.”

At the bottom lay winter coats, boots, Vai’s carpentry tools, and tiny carved wooden boxes, containers for ornaments and toiletries, including the sheaths made of lamb’s intestines Vai had obtained before the night of the areito. I smiled dreamily. He had been so sure I would say yes.

Rory nudged Bee with his shoulder, and she resumed combing.

At the bottom of the chest I found two packets of fine white cotton cloth I had never before seen, wrapped around three heavy bundles, each about the size of my forearm, that had the solidity of metal. I sighed. “I’m glad you escaped with one chest, at least. I suppose the other chests are on the ship with the general, if Drake hasn’t burned them. What’s wrapped in the cotton?”

“Caonabo asked me to give some items to Haübey, in secret. I hid them with your things so no one would suspect I had them.”

“Caonabo divorced you because he was offended that you lied about the sketch. And then asked you to carry out an errand for him?”

“He trusted me to do it.”

“I am indignant on your behalf. Of course he trusted you! You’re a trustworthy person! Yet he threw you off for what he took as a personal slight. Young men see everything reflected in their own honor.”