Ordermaster

LXXXIX

On threeday night, Kharl had managed to remain alert on the return to the residence, but he had barely managed to undress and climb into bed before succumbing to exhaustion and order-weariness. He slept late the next morning, but still could not see when he finally rose, bathed, shaved, and dressed.

After breakfast, taken alone because the others had already eaten, Kharl sat in the chair behind the library desk, a beaker of lager on the wood before him. He picked it up and took another sip before setting it down carefully.

He had not unlinked nearly so much order, or released as much chaos as he had in the battle south of Brysta. Was his present blindness because he had not fully recovered when he had dealt with the forts?

Thrap.

“You can come in, Jeka,” he called.

“Scary,” she said, settling into the chair across the desk from him. “You not being able to see and still knowing.”

“It’s scary not being able to see.”

“You’ll get better.”

Kharl shrugged. “Hope so. Lyras told me that Creslin couldn’t see most of his later life.”

“Lyras? Creslin? Who are they?”

“Creslin was the weather mage who founded Reduce. Lyras is a mage in Austra. You’ll probably meet him.”

“Me? Not likely.”

“You’d agreed that you would come to Cantyl,” Kharl said. “Even with Egen and Vielam dead, it’s not all that safe for you here.”

“Safe enough.”

There was something in Jeka’s voice, and Kharl wished that he could see the expression on her face. Demons! He wanted to see her face again. He swallowed.

He would. It would just take time, he told himself.

After a moment, he spoke. “It’s not safe enough. You … I wouldn’t want anything to happen to you.”

“Be fine.”

Kharl took a long, slow breath. Demyst’s words from the night before came back to him. “ … You’d walk though chaos to save a friend, but you’d find it hard to tell him he was your friend.”

“Jeka …”

“I’m here.”

As she spoke, he realized one other thing. He would always be who he was, at heart, and Jeka knew who that man was. The young ladies like Meyena never would know, never would understand. He swallowed once more, before speaking. “I … want you to come to Cantyl. I don’t want to leave you here.”

“Told you. Can’t come like that. Won’t be a plaything. Rather take my chances here.”

“I’m not asking you to come as a plaything. I’m asking you to come to see if you like Cantyl well enough to be my consort.”

For a long moment, there was silence.

“Don’t need to come to Cantyl for that.”

Kharl shook his head. “I … we can’t stay here. I’d have to spend every moment worrying about what Osten was trying to do next.”

Jeka laughed, the melodic laugh that he had heard so seldom and loved so much. “Wasn’t what I was saying. Be your consort anywhere. I don’t need to see Cantyl. Doesn’t matter whether you’ve got more lands or less. Matters that you want me.”

Kharl swallowed again, not unhappily. “You mean that?”

Another warm and rich laugh answered his words. “You saved me. Two, three times. You did everything you could for me. You came back, partly for me, ran to find me when you thought Egen might be after me. You’re handsome. You’re good. Used to watch you, you know? Would have been a cooper’s consort.” There was a pause. “You sure?”

“Very sure.” Kharl didn’t even hesitate.

Before he could take another breath, she was beside him, her arms around him.

For the moment, and those that followed, Kharl did not worry about blindness, or anything else.