Page 132 of Envious Of Fire
“He’s asleep until we decide what we want to do with him.”
“So many options,” says Markadian, his ghoulish eyes still looking through Kaleb. “So many entertaining options. I think I already know what I want. What I would love. What would … make me so … so happy.” His smile has become a toothy grin. Another half laugh jumps from his throat. “Fucking perfect.”
“And what shall we do with our honored violinist?”
Markadian finally comes back, closes his mouth, his eyes on Kaleb fully. “My Blood, you are dismissed. Please see your way back to your chambers. Practice your music. You will be … the star of the show tonight, and a star must be prepared.”
After a moment of uncertainty, Kaleb slips out of the bed. He glances at the floor, at the bed, realizes he has no clothes. “I …” He peers at Ashara, at Lord Markadian. “I think my outfit seems to have … um, to have …”
“A performance to be had in front of all the court of gods,” Markadian goes on, ignoring his obvious plea, “the biggest stage you have known or will ever know again. Go, Kaleb.”
Kaleb hesitates once more as Markadian and Ashara stare at him in silence. He realizes he can’t very well strip the bed of its sheets, so he surrenders them, then awkwardly pads his way out of the room naked.
Outside the doors, the female twins called Miss May stand guard. Kaleb continues on, hands covering his privates, as he makes his way down the unfamiliar hallway.
Eight or nine random turns later, Kaleb is no closer to finding his room or anywhere familiar to help him there. He’s passed many faces, and many faces have turned to watch him go. One stifled a laugh. Kaleb’s face red, hands covering himself as best as he can, he continues walking, over and over telling himself in his mind: “I am strong, I have resolve and fortitude.”
Ashara was speaking Hindi.
At least he’s ninety percent sure she was.
Kaleb finds his thoughts racing in the absence of having the dignity of even an illusion of clothes on his body. He worries over Ashara’s words, how they so quickly turned Markadian’s mood dark. Kaleb couldn’t help feeling like the news somehow directly related to him. Ashara’s body language. The fact that she spoke another language, hiding whatever it was she told her brother in front of Kaleb.
What Ashara may not have realized is that Kaleb has read a lot of books over the past two and a half decades, living in the cells beneath the House of Vegasyn. He’s picked up so many random pieces of information, none of which have ever proven useful even in idle conversation.
But there is one word Ashara said, just one word, that stuck out to him instantly. A Hindi word he picked up from a book.
The word isbhai.
It means “brother”.
It must be an hour later before Kaleb finds the Velvet Row at long last. He starts to hurry, knowing his room is just around the corner, tucked away into the wall, his safe space. He will get to do the things he wanted—bathe, relax, read his book.
But how will he be able to enjoy any of those things with this ominous feeling hovering over him?
Maybe Markadian was mocking him the whole time.
He isn’t strong. He has no resolve. No fortitude.
He’s a tiny man. A tiny, broken man who stutters, who hasthe emotional aptitude of a child, whose special musical talent has been twisted into a sexual game of power and exploitation.
Kaleb opens his bedroom door, slips inside, shuts it.
Then: “Goodness, where have you been?”
Kaleb turns, startled. On the edge of the bed sits Raya in an oversized, flowing black gown. Both her arms are swallowed in lace and fabric.
Relief washes over Kaleb. She is exactly who he wanted to see. “Raya. I was with Mark—Sorry, with Lord Markadian. He keeps summoning me to his room. To, um …” Suddenly he’s ashamed. “To practice. My music.”
“Your lip,” she says, rising from the bed and crossing the room. Without pause, she grips him by the chin, turns his face left, right. “Did you injure it?”
“Um … yeah,” he decides to say. “I tripped on the carpet in the hall, fell and bit my lip. I’m okay, I think.”
“You’re lying.” Raya lets go of his face. “And are you aware you’re entirely naked?”
“Yes,” he answers. “I … seem to be naked a lot lately.”
“That’s because Lord Markadian finds you adorable. And I guess that comes with both rewards and …” Raya moves back to the bed, seeming distressed, then sits on the edge. “… and with consequences.”
