Pendant of Fortune (33 page)

“
I haven’t known him very long. Has he always been like that?”

Volle shrugged and talked around a mouthful of fruit and poultry. “Dewanne? I don’t know. I wasn’t seeing Streak until this year.”

“
Is he going to be okay?” She said it softly, but he thought there was an edge to her voice as well.

“
If I can help it.” Volle kept his voice low as well. Volyan was absorbed in his food and didn’t even look up.

She took another mouthful, swallowed, and kept her eyes on her bowl. “If…you know. I mean, if it turns out that…”

“
We’ll worry about it then.” He said it quickly, not wanting to think about that possibility right now, much less discuss it. His earlier thoughts were still swirling around in his head, but he pushed them aside and tried to keep a clear perspective. He had to go save Streak.

“
Right.” She dipped her ears apologetically and took another bite.

Volyan looked up after a moment of silence and said, “I had a streak on my knee. It hurt a lot.”

“
Scrape, dear. You had a scrape.” Ilyana patted him on the head.

“
Oh yeah. I scraped my knee.”

“
How did you do that?” Volle intended to distract the cub, and got his wish, as Volyan launched into the story of how he had been running across the stone floor trying to catch a mouse and had fallen on his knee and scraped it. Volle suspected that some of the story was embellished—he doubted that the stones had been covered in blood, for example—but the cub clearly enjoyed telling it.

They made small talk for the rest of the dinner, and when it was over, Volle hugged Volyan and said he had to leave. “I want to see if I can get up to the castle before it’s too late.” He eyed the sun, already near the horizon.

“
We’ll walk you to the front, then, if that’s okay.” Ilyana took Volyan’s paw and guided him through the tables to the edge of the pavilion, then let him scamper free across the ground.

She and Volle followed behind at a more leisurely pace, and he thought again of how nice it was, but pushed the thought back. If Streak were here, he told himself, it would be just as nice, if not more. That thought made him feel worse, because he wanted to show the wolf this resort. To distract himself, he told Ilyana what Dewanne had proposed.

“
Really?” She said it thoughtfully, looking at Volyan.

“
Yes. So if you do want another cub, well…”

“
Of course I do. I was going to ask you about that before this visit is over.”

“
All right. Well, I’ll be glad to be of, you know, service.”

“
As long as you don’t throw up again.”

He smiled wryly. “I’ll think of something. Maybe I’ll get drunk on something smoother than blackberry mead.”

She didn’t say anything, but her tail drooped at that remark. He touched her shoulder. “It’s not you. I think you’re very pretty. It’s just the way I am.”

“
I know.” She smiled, stepped close, and he put his arms around her. She slid hers around his waist as well, and they hugged for a brief moment until Volyan leaped into them.

“
Mommy! Daddy!” He wagged his tail. “There’s a weasel outside and I’m almost as big as he is!”

“
You’re a big cub, I told you that.” Volle smiled and knelt down. “I have to go, but I’ll see you again soon.”

“
Aww. Stay with us tonight, Daddy!” The cub threw his arms around Volle.

“
I can’t.” Volle nuzzled him gently. “But I’ll be back, I promise.”

Ilyana helped to disengage Volyan over sniffling protests. Volle smoothed his head fur and ears, and nodded to Ilyana. “Thank Dewanne for me, if you see him.”

“
All right.” She touched her nose to his. “Good night, Volle.”

“
Good night, Ilyana.” He watched her walk out of the gate and down the street. He thought about offering to pay for a carriage for them, but realized that he didn’t have any money, and also that the town was not too far away. He asked the weasel about a carriage, and was told that one would be along directly to take him back to the mansion.

He watched the sun sinking and looked around to see the mountain the castle stood on. It was shrouded in clouds; he couldn’t see any of the castle. He thought about Streak up there, thought about Ilyana walking back to town alone, and it was clear to him where he needed to be, no matter what the price. When the carriage pulled up, he jumped in, and almost told the driver to take him directly to the castle, until he remembered that he was wearing only a pair of plain shorts, and should probably change first.

For the whole ride, he grew more and more anxious. Having resolved to give Dereath what he wanted, he now wanted to get it over with as quickly as possible. Darkness had fallen by the time they pulled up to the guest door at the mansion, so Volle hurried past the footservants into his chambers. He’d stripped his shorts off and was hunting through his wardrobe when he heard a familiar cough.

“
You could knock,” he said, flicking his ears back without turning around. “Do you
try
to come in while I’m naked?”

“
Just a side benefit,” Helfer chuckled. “Maybe if you wore clothes more often, people wouldn’t walk in on you naked so often.”

Volle selected a pair of trousers and slipped into them, then pulled down a soft cotton tunic. “You know, I’d argue with that, except that I spent most of the day naked.”

“
Really?” Helfer sounded more interested. “Anyone I know?”

“
Dewanne.” Volle hesitated between a deep blue doublet and a light green one.

“
Really. I never would have guessed. Was he good?”

“
And Lady Dewanne. And Ilyana.”

“
You know, I didn’t think you were into that kinky stuff.”

“
And Volyan.”

“
Your cub?”

“
We were at the Burning Waters resort.” Volle finally turned and grinned at Helfer as he slipped on the light green doublet.

“
Whew!” Helfer smiled in mock relief. “Glad to hear you still have good taste. Did you enjoy it?”

Volle nodded. “It was very relaxing. There are good attendants down there, too. But you must know that.”

“
I’ve only been once. But it was good, yes.” He eyed Volle’s clothes. “If you’re dressing for dinner, you’re late.”

“
I’m going up to the castle. I’m going to give Dereath what he wants. I need to get to Streak.”

“
I don’t think you should do that tonight.”

Volle stared at Helfer. “You told me this morning that I should. You said it was just sex.” He held up a paw as Helfer started to talk. “No, you did, and you were right. I realized that today. There was this adorable young otter down at the spa, and he was brushing me, and I wanted him, Hef. And he would’ve done it, or done something, anyway, but I wanted Streak more. And I thought, you know, how bad can it be with Dereath? However bad it is, it’ll be over and then I’ll get to see him. I have to. I have to know whether he did it or not. If not, I have to be at his side. If he did…”

Helfer just watched him struggle for words. “If he did,” Volle went on, “then…then I have to figure out what to do. I have a wife and a cub, and a life, and if I survive the hearing, I’ll have to start worrying about that. So you see? I have to go. I have to get it over with.”

“
That all makes sense, Volle. I just don’t think you should do it tonight, because Dereath’s not at the castle.”

“
What?”

“
You remember how I told you I was going to take some people down to the orchards?” Volle nodded. “Well, I had to go down there with Alister and Villutian and Dereath and a bunch of others and take them around, because we hadn’t had it approved…” He rolled his eyes. “Anyway, they’re all still down there. I came up early because I wanted to have dinner here, and they didn’t need me anymore.”

“
Oh.” Volle crossed to the bed and sat down. He folded his arms in his lap. “Will they all be down there tomorrow?”

“
Most of the nobles are going, but not until the afternoon. They’ll be up there in the morning.” Helfer walked over and patted him on the shoulder. “Glad I could help. Though it sounds like the cute young otter was more help.”

“
He sure helped put things in perspective.” Volle smiled. “Though in a way, he didn’t help, if you know what I mean. Of course, I would’ve had to pay him to.”

Helfer whistled. “I hadn’t thought…you don’t have access to any of Vinton’s funds, do you?”

“
No. Not until I’m cleared. I don’t really need them, but…”

“
Say no more. And don’t think about paying me back for staying here, if you even were. It’s my pleasure to have you here.”

“
Thanks, Hef. I already owe you a lot. I’ll just add this on.”

The weasel grinned. “That’s what friends are for. Tell you what. I’ll ride up with you in the morning and if you don’t feel like telling Archie what you’re doing, I will. I feel like at least he should know.”

“
Why? Is he into that sort of thing?” Volle wasn’t at all sure he wanted Archie to know.

“
To make sure you’re safe. I don’t think there’s anything to worry about, but I wouldn’t have said anyone could commit a murder here, either. So just to be on the safe side.”

“
Thanks, but I think I’d prefer to tell him myself. I’m not sure how much of the truth he needs to know.”

“
Enough that he realizes you might be in some danger.”

Volle nodded. “Yeah. All right. Though I don’t know…he already doesn’t know whether to trust me or Dereath.”

Helfer snorted. “Then he’s not half as bright as I gave him credit for when I told Burren to go ahead and appoint him.”

Volle looked up with interest. “I didn’t think you took that active an interest in local affairs.”

The weasel grinned again, tail swishing. “I don’t. But I assume I must have approved his hiring, so I must have thought he was pretty intelligent or Burren would never have told me to sign the approval.”

Volle laughed, and it felt good to laugh. He hadn’t realized how tense he’d become until he felt himself relax. “All right, Hef. I promise I’ll tell him.”

“
Good.”

“
So are you taking all the nobles around tomorrow, or do they have someone to do that?”

The weasel sat on the bed and snorted. “No, it’s my job. I tried to convince them that Huster could do it, but they said I have to be the one. So I’ll be leaving in the afternoon and probably we’ll have dinner down there. You can come along too, of course.”

The empty castle might provide another opportunity to see or help Streak. Dereath surely wouldn’t want to collect on his promise until that night. Volle shook his head. “Sorry. I think I’ll stay around the castle.”

“
Tish is going, and Tika too.”

“
I’ve just got too much on my mind, Hef.”

“
All right.” The weasel shrugged. “I’ll bring back some fruit for you.”

“
Thanks.” Volle yawned and leaned back, and Helfer stood.

“
I should let you get to sleep. We’ll get up for a run tomorrow?”

“
Wouldn’t miss it.” Volle smiled and held his arms out to his friend. Helfer smiled back and stepped into the embrace. “Good night, Hef.”

“
Night, Volle. See you in the morning.”

“
Unless you want to stay and watch me undress.”

The weasel winked. “Seen it.” He waved, and left, closing the door behind him.

Volle grinned and shook his head. He slipped the doublet off and stood up, carrying it over to the wardrobe and replacing it. Slowly, he shed the tunic and pants as well, and walked back to his bed. He got in and lay down, staring at the ceiling. Tomorrow, he thought. Tomorrow he would take care of it. He would endure whatever Dereath had in store for him, and then he would demand to be taken to Streak immediately.

Perhaps because of his earlier nap, perhaps because of his restless thoughts, it took him a long time to fall asleep.

He dreamt that he was in Dereath’s quarters, standing naked in front of the bed. Captain Nero was lying on the bed, also naked. He didn’t look like Nero; his fur was covered in a white powder and he was slender. But he had Nero’s voice: a low, deep growl that in his dream was strangely seductive.
Come on
, he said,
get your sheath up
.