She let her hand fall to her torso, to the ever-present ache of the scar. “Pretty good. What are you up to? Haven't seen you a lot, lately.”
Part of him shrugged. The other part did a poor job of covering his discomfort. “Just busy.”
Busy my foot. Upon being presented to the council yesterday—it had been slightly less of a nightmare than she'd expected—she had immediately liked Yhkon's friend, Bactah. Later when it was just the two of them, she’d asked him what Yhkon was doing each day. The answer had been, “Nothing, really.”
She was convinced that Yhkon wasn't upset with her. So why did he stay away? Maybe just to give her time with her family?
“I was hoping to have your company for something today, though.”
Forcing the question from her mind, Talea looked up at him. “What sort of something?”
He took a deep breath. Uh-oh. “I have to talk to Jaylee. Thought you should be introduced…and maybe could make it a hair less horrible than if I were by myself.”
She smiled. “A hair less, huh? Well I am quite curious to meet this Jaylee…when are we going?”
“Whenever you’re free.”
Do I look particularly swamped to you? True, her family was there. But she’d spent almost every waking moment with one or all of them in the past week. They could spare her for awhile. As it was…she wanted to have some time with Yhkon. For all their fighting only a few weeks ago before the battle, she had been missing him in his many and long absences these days. And she missed the rest of the group, the wards, the Wardens, each of them a friend in their own way. Tarol had visited her a couple days before. They had laughed, reminisced, and in her case choked on tears—about all their friends and the adventures they’d been on, but mostly about Ahjul.
She felt Yhkon must need that. He had opened up to her about Tessa…for all of five minutes. And then he’d gone back into his shell and acted as though it hadn’t happened. He hadn’t gone back to giving her the cold shoulder or snapping, to her he was generally caring, but he wasn’t…he wasn’t recovering. He was dwelling in the same place he’d already been, and in Ahjul’s death. And as far as she knew, he had no one to help him bear the pain. Grrake wasn’t there. Bactah’s family seemed to have practically adopted him, but even they, she could see, were kept at a safe distance.
Well, best make their trip to see Jaylee count, then. “I’m free now. Mom, Dad, I’m going to go with Yhkon to meet the new Warden.” She smiled at her family and Brenly, giving Alili a hug. “I’ll see you guys later.”
When her family had left, Yhkon led her out of the gardens, around the palace. The building was huge. How long before I don’t get lost… “She lives in the Elikwai barracks. Are you alright walking that far, or should we get a carriage?”
She could see the barracks from the window of her bedroom, which Yhkon told her wasn’t nearly as nice as the quarters she’d have when they were actually living in Calcaria. It seemed plenty nice to her. “I think I’m okay walking.” They were already a quarter of the way there, anyway. “So what is it you need to talk to her about? I assume it’s not just because you love her company so much…”
He gave her a look making it very clear that that was not the reason. “For some reason I have to be the one to tell her how to get outfitted for her new gear. And since she’s now a Warden, I guess I’m supposed to give her a report of sorts on where things stand in Zentyre.” He sighed. “Really I think Bactah just convinced the council to tell me to do it, because he thinks we should be,” he wrinkled his nose, “friends.”
Unable to help herself, she grinned sideways at him. “I dunno, Tarol told me she’s not bad looking, and quite endearing.”
Yhkon groaned on an oath, almost making her laugh with his utter disgust. “Please not you too.”
Gulping down the giggle, she shook her head and smiled. “No, I wouldn’t dare. But Bactah might have a point…if she’s going to be a Warden, part of our group, the closer we are to friends the better. And I imagine you’re going to have the hardest time out of all of us making that happen.”
His only response was a grunt.
It was only half a mile to the barracks, in weather that Yhkon said was uncharacteristically mild, though she still thought it a little too cold and windy to qualify as mild. The building was about the same size as the palace, but that was where the similarities ended. The palace was grand, marble and stone, designed for royalty. It was quiet, with a relatively small number of occupants, who all seemed to abide by an unspoken rule of tranquility. The barracks, on the other hand, were mostly wood, some brick, with the simplest architecture possible.
And brimming with loud, lively residents.
The advantage to that was that their entrance went unnoticed. In the palace, it was difficult to go anywhere without being recognized, and probably bowed to. Here, she ducked her head and stayed behind Yhkon, letting him shoulder a path through the crowd of laughing, talking, horseplaying men. Even without knowing she was in the Elikwai barracks, she could have guessed. She felt dwarfed in the sea of warriors.
It didn’t take long to notice that first, Yhkon was well known among the Elikwai. And second…not necessarily well liked. Most, upon seeing him, either stepped hastily out of the way, frowned and mumbled something to their companions, or even glared at him the moment he had passed. Yhkon didn’t give any of them so much as a glance. Yet she knew he was perfectly aware of their reactions.
Out of the crowded mess hall, Yhkon led her through a couple hallways, eventually stopping at one of the closed doors that lined either side and knocking.
“Who is it?” a female voice called from inside, sounding as though she were moving around.
Yhkon was already scowling, as if offended she hadn’t automatically opened the door. “Yhkon Tavker. I have—”
“Oh, then get in here, silly!”
A tormented look flashed across Yhkon’s face as he opened the door. Talea was pretty sure she already liked this woman.
It was confirmed when they entered the room to find a young, beautiful, brightly smiling woman busily rearranging the furniture and decorations. Her eyes sparkled as she blew a strand of hair from her cheek and faced them, a stack of books propped on one hip. “I never thought the day would come that the mighty Silquije Eun would condescend to step foot in my lowly Elikwai chamber.” She winked at him, brushing past before he could reply and extending a hand and a warm smile to Talea. “I’ve always hoped I might get to meet you, but I never thought I’d get to be a Warden and get to know you! You can call me Jay. What would you like me to call you?”
Dazed but smiling, Talea shook her hand, grateful she hadn’t bowed or called her arji. “Just Talea. Nice to meet you.”
Jay pressed her lips together before grinning, as if excited. “You probably get so sick of this sort of thing, but can I see it? Your lightning?”
Yhkon rolled his eyes. Funny, since he usually seemed to enjoy showing her ability off to other San Quawr. Talea happily obliged Jay’s curiosity, enjoying the woman’s obvious delight.
Jaylee dove straight into a cheerful conversation without so much as an uncertain pause. She wanted to know all about Talea, her childhood, about the other wards, what were laborer’s villages like. Talea was trapped between enjoying the conversation and wanting to get to know Jaylee, but practically feeling Yhkon’s mounting impatience. It was as if just being in the same room as the new Warden vexed him.