Page 18 of The Tainted and the Tamed
“Ma’am?” he called out.
Murasaki’s shoulders rose as she turned, slowly. She could not bear to speak to him.
“Between you and me, another chairman is coming to Fusae, likely tomorrow night. It means a late arrival, and not a little chaos for the household staff. I would get some rest while you can.”
“I will, thank you,” she said stiffly, and turned as quickly as she could without appearing rude.
Handsome as he was—with those dimples darkened by a neat beard and mustache—she could cry at the thought of encountering him again. She tightened her grip on the cloth bag, the capsules rattling in their heavy jar with every step.
The nightingale floor chattered away in reply.
That night, before the lamps were turned off, Murasaki pulled the cloth bag out from where she’d stashed it beneath her pillow. Dragging it beneath the covers, she unscrewed the jar’s cap slowly, the chatter of Kanako and the other young maid concealing most of the sound.
A strong, metallic odor greeted her the moment she removed the cap. Murasaki cringed. She hoped they didn’t taste as bad as they smelled.
Whatever was in these little capsules, it was dark brown, as if soaked in something. Black tea, perhaps? Would the physician advise her to take such a thing just before sleeping?
It’s worth a try, Murasaki thought, mindful of the fact that, just a month ago, she was unsure if there was anything that could help her.
Replacing the cap quickly, she popped one of the capsules into her mouth before the others could notice the smell.
It tastedsweet.
How odd. She’d tried traditional medicine from the Domanese tradition before, and none of it had anything approaching a pleasant taste.
It went down far easier than she had a right to expect.
“Lights out, girls,” Eri warned.
With an explosive giggle, the chatter finally stopped as the girls dove into their bedding. Eri clicked off the lamp, while Kanako did the same for the one closest to Murasaki.
Eyes closing, Murasaki felt her body relax. For once, she felt—comfortable.
The pills can’t workthatfast.
But work they did. For the first time in years, Murasaki slept through the night without any coughing.
Chapter 9
Haruki
The house was in an uproar. The kind that could only be caused by one thing:
The imminent arrival of another chairman.
Haruki sat in his private garden and patiently waited, the length of his black hair running down his shoulder. The strip of garden, a mix of rocks and plants painted several shades darker by fat plops of rain, was his sole refuge for much of the day. It provided him with fresh air and a modicum of peace.
Though he could hear the distant squeaks of the nightingale flooring as his servants rushed about, the windowless privacy of his garden meant he could only guess what was going on. Haruki sighed, his body heavy as he stood. Even this little piece of nature could barely be enjoyed.
He met Tanabe at the entrance to his quarters, sliding open the inner door before she could approach it from his meeting room. Surprise flashed across her face when she saw him without his mask. Ever after, she wore a chiding expression.
“Good evening, Chairman,” she said stiffly. A pot of tea steamed on the tray she held, the soft snick-snick of her slippers loud in the silent room.
His rooms were always too quiet. Usually, only the backdrop of squeaking floors interrupted that silence, now that autumn had robbed him of the insects’ songs. His position—and his nature—required him to be alone. So he relished these visits from his friend and fellow chairman.
He thought of Chiyo, her bloodless body hidden under rocks in the sulfur ravine. For a short time, there had been an actual human who knew his faceandknew who he was.
He was being careless. But as he stood back so Tanabe could place the tray on a table for him, he understood why.
