Of Love and Valor

40: Rumors

"Well, it seems yesterday went uncommonly well for you," Thariyae remarks as we finish eating our kebabs in the Northwest market. "I'm glad someone is enjoying our shifts in the Fiorzhanim, anyway."

"I am sorry that you haven't been enjoying them," I reply carefully. I'm still not sure why Thariyae insisted that we eat dinner together today. Zelphinon was a little annoyed about it, as the midday repast is the time we most regularly get to spend time together off-duty.

"Oh, come on, won't you? You're planning to have her for the rest of your natural lives. Surely you can spare her for one noontide," Thariyae had teased, and Zelphinon abruptly relented and left. I'm certain he has no desire for Thariyae to be even the slightest bit involved in his personal feelings or our relationship, but I don't know how to shut her out completely, because we live together. Fortunately, this discussion has focused largely on the Orenxiao port and how I spent my Fiorzhanim shift, though what interest Thariyae has in such things, I do not know, and for that reason I have been careful not to go into too much detail. She's been increasingly unstable since she learned that Alderon has taken an interest in Anzhelinskren Sazhmira, and I do not think her particularly trustworthy while she is in this frame of mind.

"Did any of his advisors mention to you that many citizens of Orenxiao think the ruins to be haunted?" Thariyae asks me, bringing me back to the present from my thoughts.

"No, that did not come up. Do you think it a serious obstacle?"

"Not yet. But I've heard that the haifalsa where our guests from Kedar-Jashun are staying has been experiencing some paranormal activity, and if that keeps up, there's a decent chance that someone will blame it on the ghosts from across the river, and then it's an uphill battle for your strategy, I'm afraid."

"Really? Can no other lodgings for our distinguished guests be found, if the haifalsa is so disagreeable?"

"I don't know." She scrutinizes me closely as we begin meandering towards the North Gate to pick up our next assignment. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?"

"I have never put much stock in tales of ghosts, and you would know far better than I if that haifalsa has a history of such things."

"It doesn't, and from what I've heard, the hauntings started around the time you fell ill. I don't believe in ghosts, either, and it's very much like you to want revenge, if you really believe the emissaries tried to poison you."

"A young girl died from an illness much like mine at the same time. Perhaps it has more to do with her than with me. All I can say for certain is that I have not set foot any nearer that haifalsa than has been required of me during patrols at any point since we arrived in Orenxiao."

"I know you're not the one actually doing it. You were still too sick when it started for that to be possible, especially with Krethzirae fussing over you. But did you ask someone else to do it?"

"No. What does it matter to you? I didn't think you had any great sympathy for these particular guests."

"Quite the opposite. I would have liked to be in on the haunting, actually. No one hurts my friends and gets away with it. But you swear you have nothing to do with it?"

"I have no part in it. If I wanted revenge, dueling is much more to my taste." She doesn't need to know that the haunting is Zelphinon's doing, and I'm not sure I believe her stated reasons for asking me these questions.

"Perhaps Kokudon would be interested in helping you create some paranormal activity of your own," I suggest. Two can play at this game.

Thariyae's expression immediately turns from determined to guarded. "Why do you say that?"