“Oh, yes,” Tiiran remembered. “The founding of the Outguard was tied to the first ruler, and those were part of the reasons given. If the person in charge committed the injustice, then people needed to have someone to tell, somewhere to seek justice for themselves.” The histories didn’t mention who people were supposed to go to when the ruler was the one committing the injustice, but he supposed that was also the job of the Outguard. He wondered if the Outguard knew that, although that seemed like the kind of question to make Mattin worriedly murmur about treason.
“The Outguard were founded to collect information without noble interference and then the Great Library was founded shortly thereafter to record it all,” he informed Nikoly, then remembered that, as a noble, Nikoly probably knew that already.
Nikoly ignored his small lecture anyway, speaking quietly but fiercely. “It’s not only about general justice. It also matters because he hurt you. People shouldn’t hurt those in their care, and they shouldn’t hurtyou, Tiiran.”
Orin spoke quietly, giving Tiiran a moment to pull his gaze from Nikoly. “Thank you for thinking of the bandages, Nikoly. And the tea for him, as well as the biscuit he’s not eating.”
“What?” Tiiran asked a moment later around a mouthful of honey-and-oat-flour biscuit. “Why did you say that? Are you leaving?”
Orin hadn’t moved, but the words had held the tone of a farewell. He watched Tiiran chew and then swallow before glancing to Nikoly, still at Tiiran’s side.
“It was thoughtful of you to bring all this,” Orin went on, not acknowledging Tiiran.
Nikoly dropped his chin in a bashful movement Tiiran was well familiar with. If Tiiran looked closer, he would see a hint of a flush on Nikoly’s face. “It was nothing.”
“It wasn’t. Tiiran doesn’t accept help from just anyone.” Orin met Tiiran’s indignant stare and his expression held no apologies. If anything, he seemed proud.
Nikoly was practically buzzing with sudden energy before he put his shoulders back and calmed. “I am honored. He’s worthy to serve.”
Tiiran’s limbs were jittery, as though he’d had spring tea and no food all day. He wasn’t sure if he was supposed to thank Nikoly again or if Nikoly and Orin were being clever and not speaking about bandages at all.
In the end, he drank some tea to clear crumbs from his throat and said, to the remaining piece of biscuit, “It doesn’t matter who I bit in any case. It wasn’t far away—I’ve only ever been in the capital. But it was a decade ago.”
Orin dismissed that as Tiiran should have guessed he would. “It’s not a matter of vengeance. It’s a matter of other children under the control of such a person.”
“Oh.” Tiiran had about as much brains as a dough-cake. “Yes, then, I suppose. Fuck them. Old Pilor at the Monamylin estate in the capital. But you said to stay out of trouble.”
“This is normal trouble.” Orin was firm, though he glanced to Nikoly before he went on. “And… if the noble family decides to complain about an Outguard investigation to the ruler, and the ruler considersthisa problem, then there is no point to the Outguard any longer. Which is a far larger problem.”
Tiiran clutched his cup to his chest.
Nikoly seemed slightly alarmed. After darting a glance behind him toward the entrance to the nook, he gave Orin a steady look. “That is the purpose of the Outguard. One of them, anyway. But we have no reason to believe Piya would not honor his role.” That part he said louder, intending to be overheard, although Tiiran didn’t think anyone was there.
If they were, then they were eavesdropping, and also possibly an eyes-and-ears of the more malicious kind.
Orin regarded Nikoly with admiration. “Finally, Tiiran befriends someone who knows how to be careful.” He ignored Tiiran’s objection, still focused on Nikoly. His tone grew amused. “Do you also need permission to sit?”
Nikoly looked to Tiiran, eyes bright.
“Don’t tease him, Orin,” Tiiran said crossly, staring into those pretty eyes. “Nikoly, sit.”
Nikoly moved to the other side of the table to get the remaining chair and drag it closer to Tiiran. Tiiran absently ate the rest of the biscuit in his hand, only to have it replaced by another the moment before Nikoly sat down.
“Thank you,” Tiiran said as best as he could without spilling crumbs from the biscuit still in his mouth. He glanced to Orin, who had not been offered food, but Orin was watchful and blank again. “What do nobles think about the founding of the Outguard? Is there a biscuit for Orin?”
“I’m fine, kitten, but thank you. I see you found time to do some reading.”
“Only a little.” Tiiran finally swallowed the last of the first biscuit. “So far, I haven’t seen what anyone says would have happened if the first ruler had been as corrupt as the Earls he replaced. I guess we were lucky he wasn’t a horse thief or something. It’s a flaw without an answer, I bet. It’s built into everything from the ground up. I mean, it started with fighting and executions and the seizing of power.” He nibbled the next biscuit. “You know, people judge the Canamorra, but they are more thantheirhistory. They areeveryone’shistory. The same system that says those actions are acceptable, even admirable, in a ruler, means if the Canamorra had succeeded in their coup, would as many have objected? Would it even be treason? It’s part of our system as it stands. They just failed, no different from any of the others who had tried for or held and lost the throne in my time here.”
The room was quiet. Tiiran looked up from his biscuit, first to Orin, then to Nikoly.
Nikoly blinked quickly several times before turning almost desperately toward Orin.
“I said to be careful,” Orin said softly. “For fuck’s sake.”
Tiiran’s stomach tightened uncomfortably, so he put the biscuit on the table. “Was that not careful?” They only continued to stare at him, Orin finally breaking it to glance toward the nook entrance. What Tiiran had said was apparently something not meant to be overheard. “Mattin knows the flowers. I prefer to maintain the greenhouse they are in. I wonder who planted the seeds and why—and how to do it better, if possible. That’s all I’m good at.”
Nikoly sucked in a long breath, then leaned over as if about to put a hand on Tiiran’s shoulder. “You can’t say such things around others, Tiiran.Please.”
