Arden’s snorted, then briefly hid his mouth behind his hand when his husband grew indignant. Arden leaned over to whisper something in Mil’s ear, which only slightly mollified Mil from what Zelli could tell, although he still didn’t understand what the original offense had been. Mil got another kiss on the cheek. The glance he gave Tahlen and Zelli was rueful.
“Suppose you’re right,” Mil told his husband discreetly. “Be a crime to get in their way.”
“You are sweeter than honey from orange blossoms,” Arden replied. Mil twitched away from him with an expression that was both disgruntled and highly pleased.
Zelli bit down hard on his lower lip. When he looked at Tahlen, Tahlen turned before their eyes could meet, then cleared his throat. “The matter of the palace,” Tahlen said, as if he had no interest in praise between lovers. “Have you heard anything of the Villucatto? There are rumors.”
Arden slowly turned from his husband and seemed to consider the matter, and Tahlen’s face again, before answering. “We’ve heard a few of those. They might only be stories put out by their enemies.”
“Or they might be true.” Mil was back to grunting.
Zelli spoke carefully. “Some of their sworn guards are said to be fleeing. To where, I don’t know. Maybe to more peaceful lands.”
Mil straightened. Arden’s eyebrows flew up, then lowered into an unhappy frown.
“Hopefullytheselands stay peaceful,” Arden said. “Your people, like the other sensible ones who have tried to stay out of it, should be protected, if it please the fae.”
“Does it?” Mil glanced significantly to Zelli. Zelli narrowed his eyes but someone like Mil was hardly going to be wary of him. “Does it please the fae?” Mil made his meaning clearer. “Have your kin said nothing of it to you? You are very much one of them, more so than any true bard I’ve ever seen. Your size, and… do you know what your hair does in firelight? Like a sunset over the water, it is. With your big eyes like the flowers on a moonrise vine.”
“Oh, no, my love,” Arden cut in pleasantly, “this is no flower and no vine. This is a mountain wolf.”
If Zelli’s jaw went slack, he could hardly be blamed for it. He had never seen a mountain wolf as they rarely came down into the valley itself. They were said to be smaller than other wolves, with thick coats of coarse fluff in the winter. They lived and hunted in large packs, which allowed them to take down prey much bigger than a single wolf.
He was distantly aware of Mil asking a question of Arden. “A wolf? Ah, I see what you mean. I wonder ifhe’dlike to spar.”
Arden ignored this. “But you are right about the rest, Mizel of the Tialttyrin.” He raised a hand in a calming gesture to Tahlen as if Tahlen had moved at the name. “A simple guess. The Tialttyrin are known for their fae blood and the fae’s favor, as I recall. This is their valley. And here you are, with your sworn guard.”
“You remember that?” Mil inquired idly. “From how many years ago?”
Arden shrugged. “I remember some of my lessons. And it wasn’tthatmany years ago.”
“Hmm,” Mil said without actually agreeing.
Zelli rubbed his chest, then growled a little and tore his hand away. It was caught and held in one of Tahlen’s warm hands and Zelli dropped his head to exhale in relief. He didn’t care what the outguards thought. He was already strange to them, more fae than human.
He laced his fingers with Tahlen’s before lifting his head again. “I’m afraid I don’t know much of anything about the—about that side of my kin. They’ve never explained themselves and I’ve never noticed any patterns in their dealings with me.” He didn’t believe he was part of any sort of fae plan. One of the fae had been feeling lusty and Zelli was the result of that bit of carelessness. But he looked at Mil with interest. “What does a moonrise vine flower look like?”
“If I may?” Arden extended a hand toward Tahlen again, who was more riled wolf than Zelli. “I mean this as a gift that may come back to bless me one day. Some advice for dealing with your seemingly absent kin: be honest in your dealings—emotionally honest if nothing else. Once you start doing that, their reasons will become slightly more clear. They do not see as we do, but they see true enough. And farther, I think.”
“Ihaveoften wondered at which requests get answered,” Zelli admitted. “Feelings and intent matter, but maybe so does the person asking.”
“They see far,” Arden said again, as if his experience with the fae was extensive indeed. “And do not feel in the ways that we do. If say, Tye of the Villucatto honored them and gave them something interesting, some of them might be inclined to answer her.”
“Their answer might not be what she wants.” Zelli had been told that many times in his life and truly understood it now.
Arden smiled. “Yes.” His gaze slid to Tahlen, then down to their joined hands. “But, and here I only guess, I do think certain types appeal to them. Certain stories.”
Zelli also gazed at Tahlen, someone Arden thought the fae would be drawn to. “Some people are complicated, maybe even difficult, but also trustworthy and straightforward in ways many others are not. Honest, as you said, if not open. Why should they be open, when the world has hurt them so?”
Tahlen seemed open now, eyes wide and warmer than Zelli had ever seen them.
“Been a long day,” Arden remarked, sounding very far away, but when Zelli turned, Arden hadn’t moved. “We should probably try to rest.”
Mil opened his mouth only to say nothing. He and Arden exchanged another look.
“Ah well, that’s a different story indeed,” Mil finally said, tone regretful. “But I like the idea of doing a favor for one such as them, and, do you know, I’ve a desire to see the stars tonight.” Zelli looked out at the fog, thinking stars would only be glimpsed at best, but Mil didn’t allow him to voice his concerns. “You ever really lie back and look at the stars?” Mil asked, glancing from Zelli to Tahlen. “It’s a worthwhile way to spend some time, even for brutes like us.”
Arden laughed, a gentle sound. “You continue to surprise me,” he told Mil affectionately, then got to his feet in one smooth motion, his rolled blanket and sheathed sword already in hand. “Have a good night, and safe travels on the morrow.” He inclined his head to Zelli, winked at Tahlen, which Zelli thought was a bit much, and then, confusingly, went to the edge of the firelight, barely beneath the roof of the waystation, and laid out his blanket.
