Resenting the Hero (41 page)

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Authors: Moira J. Moore

BOOK: Resenting the Hero
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I pulled out some cutlery. “Ben usually cooks for us.”
“Ben's not here, though, is he?”
There was something censorious about her tone that irked me. “No, Mother, he isn't.”
“You shouldn't have to rely on others to cook for you.”
I'd often thought so myself. Why did having her say the exact same thing irritate me so much?
We heard the entrance door open and close. A loud thud on the floor, followed by some lighter ones, as of someone stamping their feet.
“Ah, good, one of the others are here,” Mother commented. “I've made enough for everyone. I can't believe, with six and a half Pairs living here, how empty this place always is.”
I hated being called half a Pair.
I quietly stepped out of the kitchen, into the corridor to the foyer. I wanted to see who it was before calling out an invitation to join us. If it were LaMonte or, far worse, Wilberforce, I'd back into the kitchen unnoticed.
There was no chance of that once I saw who was standing at the door, reading a letter. He was shorter and slighter than most men, with golden brown skin and his black hair growing long in lazy curves, and he was most definitely a sight for sore eyes. I smiled. “Taro!”
Lord (former) Shintaro Karish looked up from his letter, the frown between his eyebrows melting away. “Evening, my love!” he said before grabbing me up in a bear hug and lifting me clear off my feet. I rolled my eyes and hugged him back and didn't dwell on the fact that I probably would have felt hurt had he done anything less.
It felt good to hold him. I'd missed him.
“You're back earlier than you'd said,” I commented once he'd put me back on my feet. I brushed snow off his shoulder, the one with the black Source braid.
He grinned, the completely carefree grin, the one that made his black eyes crinkle at the corners. “Her Royal Imperial Majesty got bored with me, didn't she?” he announced gaily. “With what she most enjoyed contented least.”
I was taking a good look at him, and I was shocked. Karish was a fine-boned, slender man. Right then he looked gaunt, his cheekbones jutting out harshly through his skin. He seemed a little pale, and he was obviously exhausted. “What the hell have you been doing to yourself?” I demanded. “You look awful.”
He cocked an eyebrow. “Thank you so much, darling. You always know just what to say to make me feel good about myself.”
“Were you reveling every night or what?”
“So I must have been.”
“Zaire, Taro. You're not ill, are you?”
He was starting to look annoyed. “I've just gotten off the road, Lee. I pushed myself hard to get here. Give over.”
All right. Fine. The solution was not to nag but to get him back into decent shape. “Of course. You're just in time for supper.”
His eyes widened in panic he manfully attempted to hide. “Uh—”
I could practically see the wheels turning in his head as he desperately searched for a graceful way to back out. I thought about letting him hang in torment but decided to take pity on him. I hadn't seen him in months, after all. There would be plenty of opportunities to torture him later. “My mother's cooking, you snob.”
“Oi, your mother! I forgot she was here. I'm sorry.” He looked up the stairs and bent to pick up his bags, with the obvious intention of heading up to his suite.
I grabbed his arm. “Don't be ridiculous. She'll be thrilled to see you again. It's probably the real reason she came.” She'd been disappointed, when she'd first arrived in High Scape, to learn he was still in Erstwhile. “Your cloak, sir. Mother!” He winced at the shout. “Taro's joining us for dinner.”
“Good!” she shouted back. “There's plenty.”
I raised my eyebrows at him. See? I took his cloak and hung it on a peg, then led him into the kitchen. “I don't know if you remember meeting my mother—”
“Holder Mallorough,” he interrupted me smoothly. He just as smoothly took her hand and kissed the back of it. “My memory is indeed faulty. I'd forgotten you were so lovely.”
“No flirting with my mother, Karish,” I growled at him.
“Mind your own business, dear,” my mother chided me in a preoccupied tone, her eyes never leaving Karish's face.
He laughed.
I went back to the cutlery drawer. Perhaps reintroducing my mother and my Source wasn't the best idea after all. They were both impossible.

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