-Alfonse-
I waited some time to be certain Jaonah was asleep before carefully leaving the bed myself and retrieving my clothing to dress. Even as he slept, his magic lights still floated through the air, and I wondered vaguely whether they took any effort from him to maintain. Elves took their spellcraft for granted, but I couldn’t help but be terribly jealous of his abilities; they would’ve come in quite handy in my own work.
He was not what I’d expected in many ways. Hungry, certainly, as were most who visited the Flower Bed, yet he hailed from the Empire, where it was said one could find companionship of a similar sort in any city. It was no lie to say I would’ve liked to learn more about him, if for no other reason than to expand my understanding of elvin society. I was certainly curious as to where a diplomatic envoy—this cousin he’d mentioned—might be bound to pass through Vallerie. My contacts had heard rumors in recent weeks that our neighbor kingdom of Hila was in talks with the Empire. Perhaps Jaonah and his companion were meant as reinforcements? ‘Another voice of the Empire,’ he’d said.
A lead to pursue, I suppose.
Before I left, I considered taking the liberty of collecting my payment from Jaonah’s purse, but as I stood by, observing him as he slept, I decided there was no need. It wasn’t as though I needed the money, after all, and he’d already shared quite a lot, demonstrating his magic for me. Besides, he was kind and respectful, even deferential. There was no need to humble him with a hefty charge.
Gathering my things, I exited the room through a hidden door at the back of the partitioned closet and locked it again behind me. The narrow passage beyond led me to the Flowers’ quarters, which were nearly as grand as the outer area the clients saw but not so thoroughly shrouded in mystery. Exposed walls of pale stone were lit here and there with sconces, and the common area, lined with plush seating, was already milling with a few of my fellows who had retired for the evening.
“Oleander.” Our second elvin Flower, Carelles, caught sight of me and waved me over to the armchair he was curled up in. His dark hair was even longer than mine, his eyes darkly lined and cheeks softly rouged; he was one of few Flowers who exclusively took male clients. Pouting up at me, he teased, “You naughty thing, you stole that lovely elvin boy from me. Dani told me he was looking for someone of my ‘type,’ but when I arrived, he was already taken with you.”
Somehow, it didn’t surprise me that Danielle had tried to steer Jaonah away from me. She had been wary of me since her very first night with us. Not that I could blame her. “It was entirely by accident,” I assured him with a sympathetic smile. “But consider it repayment for your snaring Lord Cadeau away from me.”
“Oh, you hardly need his patronage when you have so many other options,” Carelles argued, waving a hand at me. “Besides, it looks to me like you enjoyed his company as much as he did yours.” With a playful smile, he gestured toward his neck, and I reached up to find there was a sore spot on my own. Jaonah must have left a mark on me. Surprisingly bold, considering how gentle he was otherwise.
“Perhaps I did,” I told Carelles mischievously as I continued on my way toward the baths. “I’ll be sure to ask your permission next time I’m propositioned by a man.”
“See that you do!” he called after me.
Some of the others greeted me as I passed, but no one else stopped me on my way. The air in the bath rooms was clouded with floral-scented steam, the various tubs populated by other Flowers who, like me, had recently left satisfied clients. There was little need for modesty among the workers in a brothel, so I undressed without ceremony, aware no one was paying me any mind. After a much-needed and, dare I say, well-deserved bath, I wrapped in a towel and retreated to my own room to dress in fresh clothes.
Exhausted as I was, there was no time to sleep. Not yet. Rather, as it was nearing midnight, I visited Madam Elain in her office. The guard at the door nodded to me respectfully, still wearing his silver mask despite the fact that none of our patrons were present. “She’s expecting you,” he said, gesturing for me to enter.
Elain was seated at her desk with a ledger open on its top when I stepped inside. Glancing up at me, she smiled and called warmly, “Come in, my darling, don’t be shy.” She was as Rilleaudin a woman as one could imagine, from her elaborate dress to her throaty voice to her thick, red-dyed hair. With all the makeup she wore, one would hardly guess she was nearing her 50s—but there was nothing she could hide from me. I already knew all she had to tell and then some.
“Madam,” I said, making myself comfortable in one of the velvet-upholstered chairs opposite her desk, sitting sideways with my legs draped over one of its arms. “I trust all is well?”
“Of course. Despite that nasty little display by Lord Liet earlier.” She pursed her lips in obvious distaste. “He’s been dealt with, never fear. With luck, he’ll be wise enough to keep his distance and I’ll not be forced to take more drastic measures.”
“He will. For all his insistence on ‘dominance’ with Satella, he’s a coward. Any threat more than a single compromised elvin girl will be enough to deter him.” The man was so simple to read that anyone, even without my trained eye, could have picked him apart with a single glance. Not only a coward but a bore. “Leaving him aside, what can you tell me of business since last I visited?”
“Little of note, I’m afraid.” She got up and crossed to a bookshelf on the wall to my left, retrieving a leather-bound journal to deliver it to me. Within, I found all the intelligence she and my fellow Flowers had gathered since the beginning of the current year. And she was correct: little had been added since my most recent trip.
“Hmm,” I muttered, unimpressed. “Was business slower than usual for some reason? Were there no patrons to speak of?”
“No, we’ve done quite well of late. Compare our profits to those we made last year and—”
I cut her off with a drawn-out, exaggerated sigh, tossing the journal onto her desktop. “The Gardener is not interested in your profits, madam,” I told her plainly. “Nor does he care for excuses. This establishment was founded for the express purpose of his having a presence here in Vallerie—for the purpose of supplying his Garden with information. If you or your staff have forgotten that—”
“We haven’t,” she argued quickly, tension showing through her voice and expression despite her efforts. She was typically skilled at masking her emotions, which was part of the reason she was appointed to this position, but when put under pressure from the Gardener himself, any intelligent Rilleaudin would begin to sweat. “Are you aware we were visited by elvin royalty this evening? The emperor’s own nephew, Prince Taegen—”
“Yes, I entertained one of his companions earlier,” I agreed. “Do you have any idea to where they’re traveling?”
Elain tilted her head to one side as if the question might be a trick of some sort. “Presumably to Aurilême,” she answered cautiously, “to meet with His Majesty.”
Of course, there was no way she could have known it, but if Jaonah and his cousin were on their way to speak with the king and queen of Rilleaud, I would have been notified already. “That is a possibility, I suppose.” After a moment more of consideration, I pushed to my feet and went on, “I plan to depart at daybreak. It would be in your best interest to provide me with some further information to report before I do.”
After sweeping an elegant bow, I left the office to hear her cursing me quietly behind my back. I didn’t bother to reprimand her for it, amusing myself with the thought of how she might react if she learned exactly how close the Gardener and I were.
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