Page 14 of Guiding Desire
Pickled litmes are a favorite in the east of the East Green continent. In the simplest and most traditional version, ripe litmes are quartered and kept in turned spiced wine for at least one and a half months.
Unripe litmes can also be used and will develop a more sour and slightly bitter flavor, which is the preferred way, especially in Aurea.
Pickled litmes are good on their own, but they are often used as filling for steamed buns, especially in Plumbia and Ferrea, or as the filling of leavened bread loaves.
In recent years, bakers in Argentea have begun to use litmes pickled when very ripe and then boiled with fire berries and acha sap to fill buns made with whole timut flour and boiled, then glazed. They call them sweet-lit-bun, and they are very good, though they sell out quickly.
(From a passenger dirigible’s onboard reading material.)
Senlasmadesuretoget Orrey another glass of water after the other man had reluctantly agreed to stay. Senlas had been relieved to hear it, but the whole process of convincing Orrey had gone slowly. Worse, Senlas didn’t think he was fully done convincing his Conduit that he was a Conduit.
“You can feel free to wander and use everything here, by the way,” Senlas said as he led Orrey to the south side of the building where his major bedroom and the guest bedrooms were.
“That’s very kind of you,” Orrey said, sounding cowed.
Senlas frowned. Strictly speaking, it wasn’t kind. Strictly speaking, it was the minimum legal requirement when someone imprinted, to provide for the Conduit’s basic needs. Strictly speaking, Orrey should have been placed into the Grounds’ educational route and the appropriate Conduit track ever since he’d been five years old. Had that happened, imprinting wouldn’t have meant taking anything away from him, like his protector job.
“Do you enjoy being a protector?” Senlas asked. He’d slowed down so Orrey could look at the fancy VR setup Senlas had allowed himself. VR gaming was one place where he could pass through a world—albeit virtual—without being recognized, and that freedom was similar to what moving here had been.
The ceiling’s luminous elements usually adjusted to mellow, but it was still early enough in the day that the light from outside provided most of the illumination through the transparent outdoor walls that were only interrupted by the opaque bedroom walls and the adjustable walls that separated the gaming setup from the open living space. And that daylight, Senlas loved how it brought out the auburn in Orrey’s hair, never mind it would probably look even softer after a shower.
Orrey tore his eyes off the game set, and Senlas made a mental note to ask him to try it out later on.
“I enjoy it. I started loving it during training. It was easier than I expected, maybe apart from vehicle handling. If I maintain my score, I’m due to rise to the next rank next year.”
Not going to happen,Senlas thought. Lined up right behind that were several comments about how protectors barely knew where their own asses were in an emergency situation, but Senlas knew the theory of tact, and at times like these, he was willing to even put it into practice.
“First choice? Or did you ever think about moving cities, do something else entirely?”
Orrey shook his head. “I like Argentea. They suggested I switch to teaching, but I wanted to be a protector. Help keep the city safe for everyone. You understand that, I’m sure, Guar—Senlas.”
Senlas couldn’t tell if there was any sarcasm in the statement. Possible, since Orrey wasn’t much into Guardians. On the other hand, he looked exhausted, like a food delivery left by the door for too long, and Senlas wasn’t really going to take anything too personal.
He opted for a different tactic. “Sure do. We guarded a convoy earlier this morning. Conduits and scientists, some visiting Argentea, some moving here from Ferrea.” Orrey looked up at Senlas with interest in those coppery eyes, and Senlas tried to emulate Karmine’s nonchalant shrug. “Small ambush. I’m thinking the Hounds acted just because they saw an opportunity and decided to try their luck.”
“Were there any casualties?”
Senlas rolled his eyes. “Clumsy Ferrean A-classer got sliced up a little. The Hounds fared worse and decided to call it a day really quickly.” He wiggled his hand in front of Orrey’s face. “I’m on meds to cope with regular power use, but I barely even feel like I did anything today. Not after touching you.”
Orrey looked back down at the servi-floor, which was changing to fluffy soft now that they’d moved away from the gaming and living space.
“I can’t believe that,” Orrey muttered.
Senlas gnashed his teeth, forced himself to relax. If it were Karmine next to him, he’d have told his friend where he could stuff that notion. With every passing moment they were alone together, Senlas became more aware that Orrey was not Karmine, not some protector like all the other protectors, and not like the Conduits he knew either.
Above anything else, that he was difficult because the fact he was different was an itch in Senlas’s mind. Then again, Orrey washis. Senlas wanted to please him.
Yet again, he put the theory of tact into practice and said, “You’ve had a long day, maybe even a mild sunstroke. Things’ll look different after you get some rest, and we can talk more then.”
Senlas really didn’t want to talk. Facts didn’t need to be talked out. But. He’d do what he hated for his Conduit. Orrey deserved that.
Orrey nodded. “Maybe.”
Senlas swallowed the groan that wanted out of his mouth and slid aside the guest room door just opposite his own bedroom. He’d have preferred putting Orrey in his bed, but Senlas didn’t need another reminder about the “no sex, thank you” thing, which…why?
The guest room’s outer walls turned transparent with their entry, and Orrey ooh-ed at the view of Argentea, Spire Stadium in the distance. Meanwhile, Senlas wondered whether his Conduit didn’t want to have sex because someone like Senlas wasn’t his type.
That would be bad. Very bad. I want to be his type.
