Page 72 of The King's Menagerie

"But—" Berkant muttered something indistinct, then obeyed with obvious reluctance.

Shafiq moved closer, pushing away the men clearly protecting him. "Who are you? Where is my son? How do you know Jankin?"

"I was traveling home two days ago," Ramsay said, answering the only important question. "I was taking water at a well when I heard a cry for help. Six armed men were chasing down a boy. I saved him and soon deduced he was the crown prince. He is hidden in my home, while I came here to try and tell you as quietly as possible that I had him and he was safe." He grimaced. "It did not go according to plan, but I promise, Your Majesty, I intend you and your son no harm."

"Why should we believe you?" Berkant demanded, and nearby the twins and the other man nodded in agreement.

Jankin snorted. "I've told you about Ramsay before. He is, or was, I guess, if he's here now, a Holy Protector of Tritacia. It was his sworn duty to protect the Crown Prince of Tritacia. He would never harm someone he thinks requires protecting, and most certainly not a child. We met when I was in Tritacia studying dance there. We were friends, lovers, until our paths diverged once more." He slid Ramsay a fond look, then looked at the others again. "I know I've told these stories before. This his him, this is Ramsay."

Ramsay could not resist smiling ever so briefly in return. Jankin would always be one of his fondest memories. He had been a Holy Protector, and Jankin had been devoted to travelingthe world to learn and master every style of dance he could find for them to settle into anything permanent. But they'd had many a good night together the few months Jankin had been in the royal court of Tritacia. It had been rare, back then, that he got to spend such time with anyone. People were seldom forgiving of the fact that the prince had to come first in his life, at all times. Only his brother and Jankin had ever understood.

"What are you doing in Tavamara, Ramsay?" Jankin asked quietly, setting down the tray of wine he'd been holding the entire time. "Why did you stop protecting? Where is Colum?"

"Dead," Ramsay said flatly, hands fisting as he was forced to hear his brother's name.

"Oh, Ramsay…" Jankin said, and all of a sudden Ramsay found himself embraced, pressed against the slender, well-toned chest he still remembered years later, only barely noticing the gasps of surprise from the others. "I'm so sorry, Ramsay. He was the sweetest little boy to ever live. No wonder you are here."

Ramsay trembled briefly, simply clinging, secretly grateful for the comfort. No one had held him when Colum had died. They'd murmured what a tragedy, what cruel fate, told him they were so sorry that had happened, but hadn't given him even a day to mourn before telling him that he must remember his duties.

He made himself push Jankin away after a moment and recovered himself. "Your Majesty," he said, not quite able to make himself meet Shafiq's gaze. "Your son is safe at my home for now. Given all that he told of his kidnapping, I determined there was some form of inside help. I did not want to risk telling the kidnappers that I had him. Already too many people know." He glanced around the harem, not trusting any of them, save Jankin.

"My harem can be trusted," Shafiq said firmly. "I will, in fact, send two of them to retrieve my son."

"I'll go," said the pretty man with the pouty lips. "I won't be missed for a few days, not the way the twins or Jankin or Berkant would."

"Two twins would be missed," said the twin wearing sapphires. "One will not, if the rest of you are careful and Ender plays me from time to time." He smiled at his brother.

Ender made a face. "Nadir—"

"Mazin and I have our knives," Nadir said, cutting him off. "We will be fine." He turned to Shafiq. "Yes?"

"Just be careful," Shafiq said quietly, reaching out to brush his knuckles across Nadir's cheek. Then he reached out to touch Mazin. "Both of you, be extremely careful. Bring Kaj home to me, and keep all three of you unharmed."

"Of course," Nadir murmured and closed the space between them to kiss Shafiq hard.

Ramsay tore his gaze away, feeling suddenly very much like an interloper. He did not understand harems at all, but it was obvious they were nothing as simple as concubines meant for pleasure and looking pretty. They seemed a mix of lover and friend and protector, though it made his head hurt trying to figure out how that worked with so many men.

He had the depressing, aggravating thought that when he was alone again, he would not mind at all trying to figure out all the different ways they might fit together.

Desperate for distraction, he glanced toward Jankin. "How is it you come to be here, my old wandering friend?"

Jankin smiled, looking fondly at Shafiq, the others, then finally back at Ramsay. "I found a reason to stop wandering. Though I admit I always thought fondly of you and missed you, Ramsay. It is good to see you again, despite the circumstances. I am truly sorry about your brother."

Ramsay looked away, hating the sudden sting to his eyes, fighting the tears that should have run dry months ago. "Thank you. I missed you too. It is good to see you happy."

It was good, even if it made him sort of sad too. His fate had been to protect people, and Holy Protectors spent their lives keeping others safe. It was a duty that always killed them. He had never known a Holy Protector to reach the age of retirement and finally live their own life. He would never have been given the chance to spend his days with someone like Jankin. Handsome, beautiful, elegant, golden Jankin, who danced and moved like something from a dream.

Though he would never have imagined it in a thousand years, somehow the harem life seemed well-suited to Jankin. Ramsay wished he fit somewhere half so well, but he had fled the only life he had known when the single, solitary bright spot in that life had been cruelly taken from him. Now he just wanted to see Kaj returned safely home before he crawled back to the solitude that seemed to be his true fate.

"We can leave whenever your men are ready, Your Majesty," he said when attention seemed to be turning his way again. "I certainly do not want to linger too long. It took me a day and a half to get here, and the longer he is alone, the greater the danger. I did what I could to hide our tracks, to cover the path to my home, but only a fool is arrogant enough to think he has thought of everything."

"This is very true," Shafiq replied. "Of course I want my son back as quickly as possible. I thank you for all that you have done for him. Without you, I sense my son would be dead. My debt to you is great."

Ramsay shook his head. "It is my Goddess-given duty to protect, as your sacred fate is to rule. One is owed nothing for doing as he should. I am honored to have been helpful to Your Majesty."

Shafiq smiled. "You are entirely too humble and gracious. Though I must say, you do not look like a guardian. I would imagine you have always used that to your favor." He glanced ruefully at his guards, who looked shamefaced as they picked each other off the floor. "Certainly my people underestimated you."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Ramsay said, stifling a sigh. His looks worked well for him, but he had never enjoyed being thought of as lesser simply because he had been born small and slight and—worst of all—cute. 'Like a kitten' people had been fond of saying, always with that tone of condescension.

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