Downworld

Chapter 11

We went to Raven, and I told her everything. I think it made her a little sick, but I didn't spare her by only giving her the brief details I'd given to Isamu, because I needed her to understand. She was a territory lord, I thought she could handle it, and she did, with a mask over her face to keep everyone from knowing what she was really feeling. She believed, and swore she'd take my claim to the Red King immediately.

A few days later -- a few days filled with sick anticipation -- I spoke with the Red King, telling him in my own words, feeling a bit numb to the whole thing. Isamu told as well, though it was much harder for him than it was for me, because he was still raw. The Red King -- who looked and felt so much like Malik it was uncanny, though I supposed I should have said Malik looked and felt like him -- took our words with barely concealed anger.

But it wasn't time yet for revenge. The Red King had a policy of allowing the accused to respond to any allegation, and since it was likely to placate the Black Bear's household if he confessed, the Red King thought it best that he do so this time. He said that in a way that suggested he'd really rather not, but was bound to do it.

At least he believed us. I'd been afraid he wouldn't and all this would have been for nothing.

That was how I came to be lying on a bed at Tinder's place, waiting for my -- what I hoped would be very final -- confrontation with the Black Bear.

Tinder, in her eminent wisdom, had decided to ask Malik to breakfast that morning, so we could tell him what was going to happen. I hadn't told her that I'd tried to seduce him and failed -- because she'd laugh and ask me how an incubus could fail to seduce someone -- and that he'd been avoiding me since then. Not that I'd been actively seeking him out -- I hadn't even gone near the castle except to see the Red King since the day I'd picked up Isamu -- because I had some pride. But Tinder seemed to know and she had a plan, and she wouldn't be dissuaded.

This was why I had to drag myself out of bed and downstairs; Tinder had informed me that if I didn't open the door for Malik, no one would. I did so without pulling on a shirt, and without combing my hair, or anything of the sort, because I hadn't slept well -- hadn't slept at all -- and such things took too much effort.

Though when I opened the door and saw Malik's eyes widen, I realized that Tinder's plan might not be so bad after all. Of course, she'd envisaged talking, and I had something else in mind now.

'Hey,' I said, because he seemed to be frozen. 'You coming in?'

'Yes.'

I didn't move out of the way though, so he had to brush my shoulder on his way in.

'You want something to drink?' I asked, closing the door. He shook his head no. Even so, I led him to the main kitchen -- where we kept the glasses in the bottom cupboard, so I had to lean down to get one -- and had a glass of water.

'So, um...' he started, looking everywhere but me. 'About the other day--'

He stopped because Isamu had appeared in the doorway. The boy hesitated as though he'd realized he'd interrupted something important. I sighed and introduced them. Which was followed by a moment of awkwardness while Isamu got the drink he'd come in for, then left.

'You were saying?' I promoted Malik.

'Oh, it's nothing.'

Damn it.

We went up to the dining room where we were going to have breakfast. It was just down the hall from Tinder's and the other bedrooms, and as we entered, I heard Fiona let out a gut wrenching cry.

'Stay here,' I said to Malik, before hurrying to Fiona's room. Apparently, I got there before she could even wake her parents up, even though they slept next door.