The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms - By N. K. Jemisin Page 0,112

invite him near.

He put his arms around me, which at first seemed affectionate until he picked me up bodily and put me behind him, then turned to face Naha.

Are you all right, Yeine? he asked, sinking into a crouch. It was not a fighters crouch; it was closer to the movement of an animal gathering itself to spring. Naha returned his gaze coolly.

I put my hand on his wire-tight shoulder. Im fine.

This one is dangerous, Yeine. We do not trust him.

Lovely Sieh, said Naha, and there was that cruel edge in his voice again. He opened his arms in a mockery of my own gesture. Ive missed you. Come; give your father a kiss.

Sieh hissed, and I had a moment to wonder whether I had a chance in the infinite hells of holding him. Then Naha laughed and sat back in the chair. Of course he would know exactly how far to push.

Sieh looked as though he was still considering something dire when it finally occurred to me to distract him. Sieh. He did not look at me. Sieh. I was with your father last night.

He swung around to look at me, so startled that his eyes reverted to human at once. Beyond him, Naha chuckled softly.

You couldnt have been, said Sieh. Its been centuries since He paused and leaned close. I saw his nostrils twitch delicately once, twice. Skies and earth. You were with him.

Self-conscious, I surreptitiously sniffed the collar of my robe. Hopefully it was something only gods could detect. Yes.

But he that shouldve Sieh shook his head sharply. Yeine, oh, Yeine, do you know what this means?

It means your little experiment worked better than you thought, said Naha. In the shadows of the chair, his eyes glittered, reminding me just a little of his other self. Perhaps you could give her a try, too, Sieh. You must get tired of perverted old men.

Sieh tensed all over, his hands forming fists. I marveled that he allowed such taunts to work on himbut perhaps that was another of his weaknesses. He had bound himself by the laws of childhood; perhaps one of those laws was no child shall hold his temper when bullied.

I touched his chin and turned his face back around to me. The room. Could you?

Oh. Yes. Pointedly turning his back on Naha, he looked around the room and said something in his own language, fast and high-pitched. The room was abruptly restored, just like that.

Handy, I said.

No ones better at cleaning up messes than me. He flashed me a quick grin.

Naha got up and went to browse one of the restored bookshelves, studiously ignoring us. Belatedly it occurred to me that he had been different before Sieh appearedsolicitous, respectful, almost kind. I opened my mouth to thank him for that, then thought better of it. Sieh had been careful to conceal that side of himself from me, but I had seen the signs of a crueler streak within him. There was very old, very bad blood between these two, and such things were rarely one-sided.

Lets go somewhere else to talk. I have a message for you. Breaking my reverie, Sieh pulled me to the nearest wall. We stepped through it into the dead space beyond.

After a few chambers, Sieh sighed, opened his mouth, closed it, then finally decided to speak. The message I carry is from Relad. He wants to see you.

Why?

I dont know. But I dont think you should go.

I frowned. Why not?

Think, Yeine. You arent the only one facing death tomorrow. When you appoint Scimina heir, the first thing shell do is kill her baby brother, and he knows it. What if he decides that killing youright now, before the ceremonyis the best way to earn himself a few extra days of life? It would be futile, of course; Dekartas seen whats happened with Darr. Hell just designate someone else the sacrifice, and tell that person to choose Scimina. But desperate men do not always think rationally.

Siehs reasoning made sensebut something else did not. Relad ordered you to bring me this message?

No, he asked. And he asks to see you. He said, If you see her, remind her that I am not my sister; I have never done her harm. I know she listens to you. Sieh scowled. Remind herthat was the only part he commanded. He knows how to speak to us. He left me the choice deliberately.

I stopped walking. Sieh got a few paces ahead before he noticed, and turned to me