Page 42 of Ryld's Shadows
About halfway up the short walk, two goblins emerged from the building. “Welcome to Elvenhome,” the taller of the two greeted them. Though the greeting was friendly enough, it was obvious the pair worked in security by the way they were dressed—liveried uniforms subtly different from the driver’s, and the visible weapons they carried. “Lady Jessamine will meet with you in the garden, but I’ll take you to your rooms first.”
Hank expected bedrooms, probably nice ones, butroomsreally meant plural. Ryld was given a suite with a bedroom big enough for a tennis match and a balcony, along with a front parlor, a lavish bath, and a little room off the parlor their guide described asfor your servant. Hank was pretty sure that meant him. He was fine taking on that role for now. Made him invisible, in a way. Also, more fool them. He was going to end up in that massive bed with Ryld regardless.
Kai’s suite was across the hall, equally lavish, with the addition of a little office, all set up for computer access. To say Kai was pleased was downplaying that sharp gleam of unholy joy in his computer mage eyes.
The goblins who were doing their best to pretend they weren’t guards left them to freshen up and unpack.
Ryld sifted through his clothes. “Do you like it here?”
“It’s really pretty,” Hank called from the bathroom where he was washing his hands and face. “But we just got here. I can’t really say yet.”
“They are well protected, but there are many shadows. Everywhere. What are they protecting against?”
“It’s hard to say, again. I don’t know these people.” Hank came out, drying his hands on the fluffiest towel he’d ever buried his face in. “But remember we talked about trauma from our original worlds and how we all carry it? I’ve known elves who come through from worlds that have been at war for centuries. They tend to be wary, just in general. Maybe a lot of these elves haven’t had time to relax from that always-at-war vigilance.”
Ryld seemed to accept this, or perhaps was just distracted by finding the shirt he wanted. It was a dark, ultramarine-blue long-sleeved shirt with tiny silver butterflies at the cuffs and collar. The dark color brought out all the metallic silver strands in his neatly braided hair. Usually Ryld wore a lot of brighter colors that distracted from the true silver of his hair.
He changed his pants too, into a black pair that fit him like they were tailored for him.Maybe they were.
Hank thought about changing but decided being drab in his khakis and black chamois shirt suited his blend-into-the-background strategy. He wanted to be able to stay and observe through whatever happened and calling attention to himself was a sure way to get mages all squirrely and him sent out of the room when they started to teach Ryld. He smiled. Not that his little self-appointed protector would likely let them.
A half hour or so later there was a knock on the door. Hank opened it, expecting one of the goblins who had shown them in, but this time an aelfe greeted them. He gave Hank a little nod and Ryld a deeper bow. “I hope you find your rooms satisfactory. Lady Jessamine would like to formally welcome you, if you’d like to follow me?”
Ryld wished he’d remembered to bring sunglasses. The garden where they’d been led was a sunny inner courtyard. Flowers bloomed in profusion everywhere he looked. Pink, yellow, white, red, purple and all shades of those colors and more. They perfumed the air with a riot of sweet scents and big lazy bumblebees flew drunkenly from bloom to bloom.
Under a short flowering tree was a table set with a tray of tea things and a plate of small cakes and other treats. It was all quite beautiful, if a little overwhelming to Ryld’s senses.
“Oh goddesses!” An aelfe rose from a seat under the tree. Somehow Ryld had missed her in the overload of flowers and the blinding sun. She was taller than Hank, willowy, and beautiful with her sun-gold hair and eyes the color of lilacs. “I forget how sensitive drow eyes are. Clematis!”
“My lady?”
The tall aelfe flapped a hand at her. “Go and fetch the awning. Hurry.”
“Lady Jessamine, so lovely to meet you in person,” Kai said as Clematis rushed off. “May I introduce Ryld Varjo?” He gestured toward Ryld and Hank, who was standing just slightly behind him. “And his companion, Hank Onyx-Wainwright.”
Ryld took a small step forward. Although the aelfe and drow were different in many ways, they also shared enough similarities that shared social structures were common. In this world, so disconnected from their homes, many of the elvenkind didn’t observe any of those structures, but being brought to a court with an elven queen, even if she was aelfe, Ryld couldn’t help following old patterns.
He gave her a respectful bow, hand held lightly over his breastbone. “Lady Jessamine, I’m glad to meet you.”
“Ryld.” She smiled brightly at him. “I’ve heard so much about you. Welcome. And my dear Kai. So lovely to see you. All of you, not merely a face on a screen. Come. Come sit with me. Your companion is welcome as well. So charming. Companion. Such an old-fashioned title.”
They all sat, and Ryld remembered to be polite. “Thank you for inviting us.”
“You are most welcome, Ryld. I’m hoping our mages can help you. You must let me know if there is anything you need while you’re here.”
Ryld nodded. She reminded him of Miranda, although she looked nothing like the woman who managed Needful Things. It was the kindness in her voice.
“Have you lived among the humans long?” she asked as she motioned to another servant to pour tea.
“I have lived in this world several years, my lady. First in the mountains, then I was brought to the city of New York.”
“Yes, and how do you like it there? I can’t imagine it’s pleasant with so much noise and all the poisons in the air. Especially for someone like you.”
Ryld looked at her. He didn’t like having his differences pointed out, but he saw nothing malicious in her expression, only concern. Lysander had explained that many people did not know how to treat someone who was different and so he must be patient. Patience was hard.
“It was hard, at first. But there are many wonderful things to see.”
She nodded graciously. “There are many wonders in the human world, to be sure. I do find I like the quiet of the forest better, though.” Lady Jessamine turned her sunlight smile on Kai. “And how is your husband? Such a dear. I missed chatting with him this past week.”
