The barge moved faster than the rest of the river as the Selegan pulled them along with its flight. Soon they saw smoke signs trailing up in the distance, from villages in the northern rain forest, and once or twice people fishing from the banks or from small hanging docks were startled as the barge sped past.
The three of them spoke sometimes, reminiscing occasionally about random childhood memories or discussing what might have happened in the weeks they’d been gone. Sky and Nothing told Kirin again everything they knew of the imposter’s return, and he told them every dull, slow detail of his captivity, interspersed with a few terrifying encounters with the sorceress before Nothing had freed him.
Nothing did not like speaking of the sorceress.
She asked Kirin about the investiture ritual.
“I have told you most of what I know,” he said. “When I was born, I was named as all heirs are named—”
“Kirin for the Moon,” Nothing said.
“And called a much better name as I grew up and showed who I am.” He grinned. “I am to remain pure, my insides untouched in order to be a perfect vessel for the Moon. And as you both now know, the Moon is part of the name of the great demon of the palace. At my investiture ritual I will be presented to the court and, alone with my mother and the demon, given the demon’s full name. I’ve never been told more details—I’ve not needed to know them. Probably there is a priest who knows, and I assume my father and the Second Consort, as becoming linked to the demon is the only reason to contain them to the palace. Once I am invested, I cannot leave the palace again.”
A shadow flattened his eyes, but Kirin shook it off. “I will be the true Heir to the Moon—you’ll both be there to witness it. Once the Moon has accepted me, we can be together, Sky.”
Sky pressed his mouth together. “We need a good story to cover up why she took you. Not even your mother and father can know you traveled as a girl. And that I did not tell them.”
“Even if they discover it, I will keep you safe,” Kirin said, flippant.
Nothing scowled. “You did it for the Moon, Sky. You kept his secrets because you are devoted, because you serve the Heir to the Moon. They can’t fault you for keeping him safe.”
Kirin studied his bodyguard thoughtfully. “That isn’t what he’s worried about.”
Sky pinned Kirin with a glare. “They could guess what else we’ve done. It was difficult enough to keep my feelings tucked away before. And difficult enough when I had you for only moments or secret, stolen afternoons. Now that I’ve had you for so many days, mine constantly, free to be yours, how can I tuck my longing away again? They’ll see it in my eyes, hear it in my voice. I am not built for lies. I should not return with you. They will see what I am to you, what I want from you. What I’ve taken from you, Kirin. It will muddy the inheritance. It—”
The bodyguard cut himself off abruptly, as if so many words tumbling from his mouth were his entire allotment for the next year.
Kirin said gently, but firmly, “You have to endure for only a few weeks, until the stars are right again and the ritual can be arranged and completed, Sky. You can do that. You can hide from my mother and father, from the priests. You must.”
“The great demon will see I’ve ruined your purity.”
Kirin stood. He towered over his sitting lover. “Sky,” the prince said, voice low, “The Day the Sky Opened.” He put his foot on Sky’s thigh and nudged roughly. Sky held his ground. Kirin moved behind him, leaning down with his hands on Sky’s shoulders. He put his cheek to Sky’s cheek. “When you touch me, you make me more myself. I am pure because of you, not in spite of you.”
Sky’s chin fell as if in defeat. His shoulders slumped.
“Do you hear me?” Kirin pushed, hands sliding down over Sky’s shoulders onto his chest, and Kirin pressed his whole body against Sky.
“I do,” Sky murmured.
“I need you. You make me worthy of the Moon,” Kirin said, and Sky twisted to grab Kirin and was kissing him like he was drowning.
For a moment Nothing stared. She felt… hungry. Her mind and heart were missing a piece she’d never known she needed.
The sorceress had kissed her, but not like that. Nothing pressed her hand over her brand, digging her fingers in hard enough to bruise. The sorceress’s kiss had been… Nothing closed her eyes, trying to remember. It was like a story she’d heard about a kiss. Details, tender caresses, but from a distance.
The missing half of her heart had never felt so heavy.
Nothing left. She went to the prow of the barge, ignoring their noises. She bent over to touch the water. It was cool and crystal clear. She saw tiny fish darting away and round river rocks wavering at the bottom. “Selegan,” she whispered. Behind her Sky grunted and one of them moaned breathlessly.
“Selegan,” Nothing said more sharply. “I need to swim with you, please.”
The river spirit splashed her, and Nothing gasped; then the droplets of water drew out into long feathery fingers. They slid down her neck and arm and twined around her hand, tugging at her. She quickly removed her boots and wrap jacket, then slipped over the rail and lowered herself into the cold water. She clung to the barge, and then a strong scaly neck lifted her bare feet, propping her up in the water. She laughed, throwing out one arm for balance.
With one hand on the barge, she stood, grinning into the spraying wind, as the Selegan drew her along. It was like flying. Water tore at her shirt and trousers, dragging hard. She leaned her head back, eyes closed, and held on.
Then suddenly, Nothing let go.
She fell away, sucked into the river. Currents pulled at her, and she felt scales slip under her palms, claws tangle gently in her hair, then release. She held her breath, feeling only water, like swift-moving blood, roaring around her. She did not swim or fight, but let the river take her.
It lifted her, tossing her into the air.
Nothing laughed breathlessly. She fell beneath the surface with a hard splash. The Selegan embraced her in tails of water, kissing her cheeks with feather fingers and sharp pinches.
She learned the song of splashing and holding her breath, of giant gasps for air, the current in her fingers and combing through her hair. She tasted the river, loved the flow of it against her body.
Eventually, later, she was too tired to balance air and water, and the Selegan lifted her high enough she grasped the rail and dragged herself over it, collapsing on the deck.
She rolled onto her back, panting and drained but happy. Sun prickled her cheeks as it dried her. Her trousers and shirt stuck to her skin as she melted.
“Good swim?” Sky asked.
Nothing opened her eyes to the glare of sunlight. She winced up at him: he leaned on the rail near her in only his trousers. His hair was wet too, flaring blue-black in the wind at the prow. The sun found blue and purple in all the glinting copper of his skin, but his eyes were warm brown and human.
“Yes,” she answered, stretching her arms up, arching her back. She felt good.
“I’m cooking!” called Kirin, and Nothing rolled her head to see the prince kneeling primly beside the iron stove, wrapped in a pretty robe, his hair caught up in a messy topknot. He held a spoon like a wand and smiled very sweetly at her. Then his gaze shifted to Sky and he licked his lips, glancing demurely down.