When I put on the homunculus, it was different. For one, I was not standing as tall as I used to, and for another, it seemed thinner. The lighting wasn't good in the cabin, but I could tell the skin was tawnier as well.
It wasn't the same homunculus that Perron had left me. I doubted I looked much like a Calashan noble with their nearly ivory hue. While I cursed about the switch he had done, I heard a knock on the cabin door.
The knock sounded again, louder this time.
With a trembling hand, I grabbed the dagger out of the pouch. I wiped my sweaty palm on the brown leather slacks I'd been provided with. Then I realized just how incredible that was. I was sweating. No. The homunculus was sweating. Despite being vexed at Perron, I had to give him respect for all the details this artificial life possessed.
After a third knock that shook the wall, I eased over to the door. Whoever was behind it had not announced who they were, which meant they weren't Larimar. They hadn't made any official demands either, so they weren't guards. I clutched the dagger tighter and debated whether to open it and then jump back so I could assess and attack or if I should pretend that I left.
"Solace."
My mouth pursed in disgust. It was Perron. His voice wasn't loud enough to carry, but the doorframe still shook as he knocked again, and his voice reverberated despite its low tone. He would alert someone to my presence if he kept this going.
I huffed, then swung open the door and jumped back with my knife brandished toward him. "Perron."
I didn't add any honorifics. He didn't deserve them.
And I didn't lower the knife until he reached out toward me, palms held up as if to show peace. I stepped back more, not wanting his touch to contaminate me. "Why are you here? Where's Larimar?" My voice oozed with the bitter sense of betrayal that bubbled within me.
He stepped inside, closing the door behind himself before responding. "He went to the docks. I am here to take you there."
"Lies. Larimar told me to stay here until he got back. I also know that you switched my homunculus."
My eyes flicked towards where his hand rested upon the door handle. My only exit was blocked, but if I was desperate, I could try to stab my way out or use a fireball. A fireball in a wooden cabin would be a bad choice, but it could be the only way to cut my way past Perron.
Unaware of my intent to burn him alive, he was trying to reason with me. "I will explain, but there's been a change of plans, so you need to come with me. We don't have time right now to go over why." His head tilted down to meet my eyes, and when he spoke again, his tone had become more urgent and lowered in volume to a whisper. "Please, Solace. You'll be safe with me."
I learned quite recently that anyone telling me I could trust them was immediately suspect. With a grunt of disapproval, I held my blade steady. "You changed my homunculus. I was told to wait at least an hour, but you're here well before that. I think you followed Larimar. In fact, I think you plan to send me off without Xīwàng, or worse, have me imprisoned again."
"Solace, please. Come with me, please." There was desperation written in every inch of his features. His desperation only made me warier.
"Give me a good reason."
"Because... Because... Solace, we don't have time for explanations. Please come with me." He dragged his fingers through his hair in frustration.
"Not until you give me a reason."
"Fine. With everything that happened, we don't have time to make you act like a pure Calashan anymore. You just never got it." A measure of contempt entered his voice as he continued, "I had to make a new homunculus to look like a mixture of Calashan and Aluraparinese. You are still my cousin, but your mother is from Aluraparine and you were raised on a small estate on Cetlin Island."
"Cetlin Island... once the island of Sardinia but reduced to a smaller atoll from the Cataclysm. It was gifted to the Calashan government when they aided Aluraparine in defending their borders against Sanfeltonian invasion two hundred years ago." I blushed as I spat out the information like a helper bot at the Library.
He blinked at my oddness. "Is that good enough?"
"No. Cetlin island is reported to be uninhabited."
"It was until six months ago when we created a village and estate on the island."
"Six months ago? Wait. So, you already were making plans?" I couldn't hide the shock and accusation in my voice.
Perron closed his eyes and sighed. "I already had an inkling that Xīwàng's plan would not work. Especially since Sera was so against using you." He gave a slight shake of his head. "She didn't want you to get hurt."
I let out a short, derisive hoot. "So, you lied to Xīwàng to protect me? Might I add that Xīwàng's plan didn't work because the two of you revealed the plan?"
He opened his eyes wider. "No, no, I didn't want that to happen, but you understand right? Sera's only sister was dead, and she couldn't deal with it. I wanted the plan to work; I still do."
He seemed to have forgotten that he'd told me a few hours before that he thought the plan was stupid. "Nice try, Perron, but what I think is really happening here is that you're trying to make me leave before Larimar gets back."
"No, that's not-" He took a deep breath, and let it out in a ragged sigh. "Look, maybe that's true, but tell me if you haven't thought it would be a bad idea for Xīwàng to go as welI?"
I hesitated a moment before speaking. A part of me hated to admit what he said was true, but that was beside the point. "Why are you trying to make this about me? This is all you, Perron."
"Why won't you listen?" His voice rose in pitch."
"You may think this is the best course of action," I said. "But the fact remains that Larimar was the one who rescued me, not you. And Larimar was the one who told me to stay here until he got back." My voice became softer with each word. "I'd rather wait here than go with you."
"No!"
When he moved forward, I stepped back and raised my knife higher. "Don't even think about touching me."
"Alright, that's it!" he growled, as he reached for me again with glowing hands.
Larimar appeared behind Perron, followed by Xīwàng. Then, Larimar conked Perron over the head with a sharp blow, and the young Calashan crumpled to the ground.
Elation and relief bubbled up into laughter as I rushed to Xīwàng and hugged him. "How did Larimar get you out of your room?" I whispered, pulling away so I could see his face. His eyes had lit up upon seeing me, a relieved smile stretching across his face.
He pulled me close and brushed a finger down my cheek. "The Trine is called the fearsome hand of Tav for a reason. The oracles did not suspect the Trine would not agree with them. It was no matter to rescue me, but..."
"But what?" I felt anxious knowing I wasn't going to like what he said next.
"I have decided to wait for another year before coming to you."
My hands dropped to my sides. "Oh. I guess Perron didn't know."
He shrugged as he brushed a finger down my cheek. "No. And I see Perron changed your homunculus. He truly despised the idea of you being my Frelan." He didn't seem surprised just disappointed.
"Yes, he did. But I don't want to talk about that. Why won't you come?"
"With all of Beltrit knowing our secret, if I leave now, it will send the entire nation to the shores of Sanfelton to retrieve me. Neither of us can do what we must in such chaos. If I had been able to use the Frelatium as an excuse, it would have been fine, but that is impossible now."
I wanted to collapse on the floor and throw a fit, but I stood taller instead. "Okay, I can wait in Beltrit until you can leave. I'm sure you can hide me somehow."
He chuckled and took my hand. "I'm pleased you want to stay, but I must ask that you do what you can on your own until I can come to you. I need you here, but I also must learn about the fate of my father. So, I must let you go."
I stared at him for a long moment, not sure what else to say. "Are you certain about this?" My heart constricted and tears pricked in my eyes... or rather, my homunculus' eyes.
"Quite certain, yes. I know you are capable and strong, Solace. You're my Frelan, so, of course ... of course, you're strong."
"That doesn't help much." I pressed my hands against his chest to stop myself from shaking. "But what are you going to do until then? What is it you want me to do?"
He cupped my cheek and leaned down to gently kiss my lips. He'd grown taller over our months together. "Keep yourself safe. Be aware of everything around you, always alert."
"I will..." My voice trailed off as I kissed him back. How could I not have realized that his gentle voice had been the cradle that had rocked away my insanity and now left me with a hollow pain knowing it would be months until I heard it again?
Larimar cleared his throat, "As much as I enjoy seeing the sight of two men kissing, we need to go."
Xīwàng stepped back with a sad chuckle and then turned his attention to him. "Take her to the docks. In her disguise, no one should give you any trouble. Did you bring all the papers she'll need to prove that she is Kaashif?"
"Of course, Tavla." He sounded peeved that such a question was asked."
"Then, I will blame my late-night wandering on Perron here. He became angry at his wife Sera, and was running off after having tried to escape with me. Larimar, of course, caught both of us and tied us up in the royal hunting cabin here. Send someone by to collect us when Solace is on the ship." He was already collecting ropes and handing them to the doctor.
"It will be done, Tavla." Larimar trussed up both of the young men.
That plan didn't explain why Larimar broke me out of my prison, but I figured he'd worked out an explanation.
Xīwàng tried to adjust the ropes to make himself more comfortable. Then it seemed something new occurred to him, so he twisted to face me. "Oh, and Solace, I found the other homunculus and put it on the ship. I also put various costumes and other items in a chest that might be useful to you."
So, he'd known already.
I nodded my thanks, not able to find words to express how he amazed me, or how much despair I felt. I didn't want to leave him here. I knew that now. I had looked forward to finding our answers together, but I wondered if, in that year's time, we would truly be together.
"Can't we somehow go together?" I was crouched on the balls of my feet in front of him. "It doesn't seem fair that you can't find out what became of your father. I just don't understand why your friends would betray--"
"Shh... this type of thing is not a betrayal but a mistake. Sera was worried, and what we asked was too much for her to bear. She chose family over friends is all. And Perron chose her. It's understandable."
I bit my bottom lip as I brushed his soft hair from his eyes. "You really must be divine... I can't forgive them like that. Is it really going to be a year?"
"You truly want it to be less? I know you'd planned to do this without us."
It was true. I'd promised to make my own plan ... and now I had to make my own plan. So why did it make me feel so sad and desperate? "I... I know... but I have grown to care about you. My wants changed."
His lips twisted into a wry smirk. "To care?"
I settled onto my knees and hugged his shoulders. "I know that you want to hear more than that."
His fingers trembled as he touched my cheeks with them. "Maybe... you could just stay with me here. For now, at least? I can talk to the oracles and the people. Make them see."
That was so unfair. So very unfair. I wanted to stay with him. I did. "No you were right. And I want to, but I can't. The best way to get your country on my side is to figure out what happened to your father. One of us needs to go now before more time passes."
"I know." His voice was thick with strangled emotion.
"How am I supposed to leave you when you look at me like that, Xīwàng?" My resolve was quickly crumbling away.
"Solace." Larimar cut into our conversation impatiently. "We really can't tarry any longer."
I stood up with some relief, nodding thanks to the doctor. Then I asked Xīwàng, "Can you come sooner?"
Xīwàng's eyes lit up at what my words meant. I wanted him with me. "I'll try, Solace."