Lacuna - N.R. Walker Page 0,19
Samiel said. Her expression was cautious, as was Elmwood’s.
Crow turned to Tancho then, to find him staring at him. Resilience and something akin to understanding flashed in Tancho’s eyes, and he gave Crow a nod. Then both kings walked out of the grand hall toward the western wing. Soko followed quickly alongside Karasu and Kohaku, and the four riders scurried to keep up.
“Ah, Crow?” Soko said as they hurried along. “Are we really going to the Westlands?”
“Still your tongue,” Karasu hissed, “lest these walls have ears.”
Crow shot a glance back at Soko and smiled at his scowl, and he couldn’t help but notice the slight lift at the corner of Tancho’s lips.
He also couldn’t help but notice how quiet the Westlanders were on their feet. As they made their way down stone halls, they barely made a sound. Crow and Soko, on the other hand, with heavy boots made for snow, sounded like their own army.
They arrived at a set of wooden doors, much like those to the north wing, and Tancho pushed through them without stopping. As soon as Crow was inside, he stood to the side while everyone filed in, and he felt intrusive being in another king’s quarters.
The common room was much like his own, with some long seats and a large table, topped with plates of food. Tancho called the four riders over to it. “You must be hungry after your ride. Please eat and drink. Rest while you can.”
The first rider bowed his head in gratitude. “We will be ready to ride when you are, my king.”
“Tell us what you know of the creatures that arrived,” Tancho said, pouring them each a cup of water.
Hikari took the cup, bowing again, almost embarrassed. Crow could only assume it wasn’t every day their king fetched them a drink. “We did not see them too closely. They came and Asagi sent us at pace to bring the message.”
“I told you something was wrong,” Karasu murmured. “From the moment I set foot upon the bridge to this land, I felt an unease in my bones.”
“I know,” Tancho replied, so calm, so serene. “The regret for not taking heed is mine, though I don’t know what could have been done. This”—he held out his wrist, birthmark showing—“was a path I was already on. As much as I wish otherwise.”
“I didn’t ask for it either,” Crow said. They were talking about him as if he wasn’t in the room, and he didn’t care for that at all. “And believe me, had my choice not been removed, I’d not be here in this room, and I certainly wouldn’t be looking headlong into lands that aren’t mine with those who would quicker see me dead.”
Tancho gritted his teeth, and if he wanted to fire back well-aimed words, he chose not to. Instead, he turned to Karasu and Kohaku. “Please start packing up. We need to leave without delay.”
She gave him a nod and shot Crow a look of distaste before skulking off to one of the rooms. Soko waved his hand awkwardly at Tancho. “Uh, I’m not sure if I yet have permission to speak? I was told to hold my tongue. Unless these walls also have ears?”
Crow bit back a smile at Soko’s snark, and the bedroom door that Karasu had disappeared behind swung open. She stood, tossed a small bag onto the floor, and shot a murderous glare aimed at Soko. “I vote no.”
Crow kept a pleasant expression, but he squared his shoulders and straightened his spine. “He is free to speak anytime he so chooses,” Crow said coolly. If there were to be some ranking pissing contest, he held equal authority with Tancho, and Crow refused to take orders from anyone.
All eyes drew to Soko, and he cleared his throat. “I was, uh. I was just going to say that Crow felt something was not right also. Mention was made earlier that Karasu believed something to be wrong. Crow did also. This morning he said something felt not right. Not to deride the statement of Karasu as less than Crow’s.” He waved his hand. “I just thought it worth a mention that two out of five from our lands combined thought something was ill afoot.” All the Westlanders stared at him. So he cringed and added, “Which is less than half but still a considerable percentage, and one worth noting, one would think.”
Crow fought a smile. “One would, yes.”
Tancho walked to the far door and he and Crow both hissed