Ginn Hale - Lord of the White Hell Book One

"There's no point in trying to sew it back up now," Rafie said. He held Kiram's arm firmly as he poured a stinging alcohol over the open wound. "You should have stopped fighting the moment you felt the stitches pull."

Kiram gritted his teeth as the alcohol burned deep into his raw wound.

"I didn't notice when it happened."

"Anyone looking at you could have told that something had happened. You turned white as snow," Rafie replied. "You should have stopped."

"At least he beat four of those Cadeleonian boys," Alizadeh said. "Who knew he was such a fighter?"

Rafie dried and bandaged Kiram's arm then asked, "Will you keep it in a sling if I make one for you?"

"For today," Kiram agreed.

Rafie tied a sling and fitted it around Kiram's arm and neck. His touch was sure and quick. After he was done, and he had thrown out the bloody gauntlet, Rafie sat next to Alizadeh on the floor and accepted a cup of peppery, spiced tea.

Kiram lay on their bed, tired but not willing to sleep so early in the day. He listened as Rafie and Alizadeh discussed their plans for the next year. Rafie needed meet with one of his colleagues who had just returned from Yuan with new medicinal herbs. Alizadeh complained about the tedium of the city, but in a teasing manner that made Kiram think that he was perfectly content to stay in Anacleto for a time.

Kiram's own thoughts drifted in memories of his mother's garden and his father's workshop. He closed his eyes. The scent of Alizadeh's tea roused the half-forgotten longing for cardamom cakes, served at the Autumn Dances. He imagined that Musni was attending one of the dances right now, probably with his new wife.

Kiram wasn't sure when he fell asleep but it was nearly twilight when his uncle Rafie woke him and took him to the city stables to again check in with Master Ignacio. Nestor greeted Kiram warmly, but didn't miss the fact that his uncle stood waiting for him at the gates of the stable.

"He's not taking any chances, is he?" Nestor asked.

"Rafie never makes the same mistake twice."

Nestor scowled. "You think my mom helped any?"

"I don't know. She certainly gave Rafie a long enough lecture on the importance of education."

Nester smiled and nodded as if he had much experience with this. "Your uncle may come around. We've got until Sacreday."

Before Kiram could say anything more, Master Ignacio called them to order and took a quick roll. He reminded them of the eighth bell curfew. Then he announced who would be riding in tomorrow's races. Kiram was neither disappointed nor surprised that he was not among those chosen. Javier on the other hand would be expected to compete in two of the three events, as were the Helio twins.

Kiram tried to catch Javier's attention several times but Javier avoided him, and at last Kiram gave up. He left with Rafie without even saying a word to Javier.

They didn't stay the night at the Laughing Dog, as Kiram had expected, but instead crossed the empty fairgrounds to the Irabiim camp. Nakiesh and Liahn greeted Kiram as if he were a longtime friend and wrapped him in a deerskin cloak while he sat by their fire and waited for his supper. At least thirty crows perched around him. The dusty hound that he'd seen at the Laughing Dog wandered over and flopped down next to the fire. Kiram patted the animal and it licked his hand briefly, before settling down to sleep.

A few Irabiim girls with their black-kohled eyes watched Kiram curiously from the fires they attended. And several of the young men found reasons to walk near him and ask if he would be traveling with them, as his uncle and Alizadeh often did.

"I don't think so," Kiram replied. "I'm enrolled at the Sagrada Academy and I'm planning on staying there."

His response made Rafie frown at him.

Alizadeh laughed. "He's as stubborn as you."

Liahn gave Kiram a hot disk of adhil bread and a hollowed gourd full of fragrant stew. When he thanked her, she simply inclined her head and then returned to Nakiesh's side with her own meal.

Rafie sat down beside Kiram with his own gourd full of stew. Alizadeh joined them a few moments later. He tossed a few pieces of his bread to a crow and Nakiesh jokingly warned him that he was going to win himself another lover.

"Well, you know, I can't help but be attracted to the difficult types," Alizadeh replied. Rafie just rolled his eyes. Alizadeh glanced to Kiram and then frowned slightly. "Don't look so sad, Kiram. Nakiesh's cooking isn't as bad as it looks."

As a reply Nakiesh sent small clump of adhil bread sailing into the back of Alizadeh's head.

"The food is wonderful," Kiram said quickly. "I've been missing this kind of meal for months. It's nothing like that."

"He's moping because his duke has forgotten about him. He didn't even look at Kiram when they were at the stables this evening." Rafie folded his bread and used it to scoop his stew from the gourd. "It's just as well, Kiri. At least this way it won't be so hard for you to leave."

"I'm not leaving," Kiram replied.

Rafie's placid expression hardened. "I know you're young and full of romantic notions, but it is dangerous and foolish to link your fate to that of a Cadeleonian. They aren't like us. They can't free themselves from the bigotry they're brought up in." Rafie sighed heavily before going on. "He may say he's different. He may want to be different. He may even go so far as to become your lover. But he'll always feel guilty and dirty. He'll be ashamed to be seen with you and try and blame you for his own desires. He'll claim you seduced him or that you are somehow irresistible because you're Haldiim. If the two of you are discovered together, he'll press charges against you to save himself. That's how Cadeleonian men are."

Kiram just stared at Rafie, wondering if all of this had happened to someone he knew.

"A Cadeleonian man can't just accept love and be happy," Rafie said sadly.

"Well, your Cadeleonian man couldn't, but not everyone is Rubio," Alizadeh said. Then, to Kiram, "You uncle had a sweetheart before me, you know."

Kiram hadn't known and he found it a little disquieting to consider. Rafie had always been with Alizadeh for as long as Kiram could remember. They were like twin stars fixed, side by side. He couldn't imagine either of them ever being in love with someone else.

"I'm not just talking about Rubio," Rafie objected. "It's the way all Cadeleonians are brought up."

"Not all of them are brought up the same way, any more than all Haldiim are," Alizadeh replied. 'But I grant you that any relationship between a Haldiim and a Cadeleonian is bound to be hard. Between two men, it's nearly impossible unless the Cadeleonian converts, and that happens rarely. For a nobleman, it would mean losing his name and abdicating his title. It's never happened as far as I know."

Kiram felt a deep pain in his chest, as some half-formed wish ripped apart in the face of Alizadeh's pragmatism. But Kiram refused to acknowledge how much the realization hurt him. He had a higher goal than romance.

"I understand what the two of you are saying but none of that matters. I don't want to stay at the academy just to be near Javier." Kiram wasn't sure that he was telling the truth but it was what he needed to believe at the moment. "I want to stay because of Nestor and for Fedeles and because I want these Cadeleonian noblemen to see that a Haldiim is just as strong and smart as they are."

He didn't bother to list breaking the curse among his reasons, as he already knew none of the Bahiim present seemed to think it was a problem worth solving.

Rafie said, "You'll have plenty of other opportunities to prove yourself in Anacleto."

"I'm going to stay here," Kiram stated.

"How?" Rafie demanded.

Kiram started to answer and then scowled up at Rafie.