The Silent: Irin Chronicles Book Five(13)

Bent over, he breathed out a prayer for clarity and perception. Though he had been called to this scribe house to advise, he also needed to learn. If he was to advise his brothers and sisters here, he must hear their needs first.

Leo was young, and any request for instruction still humbled and surprised him. For decades, he’d been the lowest-ranked warrior at the Istanbul house. The fact that he’d acquired a reputation for being a good teacher still surprised him.

He rose from the bed and dressed in the loose pants and cotton shirt he’d seen the other scribes wearing. He was glad his last visit to Shanghai had been in the summer. He had plenty of clothes for warm weather even though he’d had to have most of his tailored. He stood out like a blond Goliath in Southeast Asia. Fortunately, Thailand had enough international tourists and residents that locals rarely gave him notice.

He walked down the old wooden staircase and into the courtyard to see dinner preparations taking place. The long table stood under a covered patio with benches and chairs surrounding it. Scribes and singers hurried to place steaming dishes and plates of fruit to share. This scribe house, like most, took their meals communally. Leo was glad. Eating with strangers was the best way to make new friends.

He saw Alyah walking toward him and raised a hand. “Hello, sister!”

“Did you rest well?” she asked.

“I did, thank you.”

She nodded. “The cook was informed that you love Thai food, so she’s prepared quite a feast. She was very excited about a new visitor with a large appetite. I hope you are hungry.”

Leo grinned. “Starving. Always.”

Alyah smiled. “Do you really eat six times a day?”

“Did they warn you about me?”

“There may have been a note at the bottom of the introduction e-mail.”

Alyah and Leo walked to the table, which had attracted most of the Irin from the surrounding rooms. Leo counted four Irin and two Irina who appeared to be warriors along with two Irina in the kitchen and another Irin who stood watch at the gate. A surprisingly balanced table for a scribe house. Across the globe, scribe houses favored males. It was a near-universal tradition.

Dara sat at the head of the table with her brother on her left. She was a short, round singer with hair twisted into an elaborate bun at the back of her neck. Her features were sweet and pleasing, though her dark eyes revealed the sharp mind of a keen strategist. Leo suspected that Dara saw everything. Rith, her brother, could have been her twin. His hair was clipped short and he wore a neat beard, but his features were the same. His stocky build, the same. His gaze was just as arresting.

“Leo.” Dara rose and motioned to the seat on her right. “Please come and sit with us. Alyah, if you would take his other side.”

“Thank you, Watcher,” Leo said.

“You are very welcome.” She sat and lifted a glass of beer. The others at the table joined her. “Leo of Istanbul, find rest at our table.”

“Well met and well greeted, Dara of Bangkok.” Leo lifted his glass and looked down the table. “I find joy and rest with my brothers and sisters.”

The words had not changed in hundreds of years, but the fact that Leo was actually eating with both his brothers and his Irina sisters delighted him. The scribe houses of Europe could learn much from this model, and Leo was eager to question how Dara had integrated Irina warriors so quickly into her house. They sat and plates of fruit were passed around the table.

“May I ask, Watcher—”

Dara held up a hand and Leo paused.

“Technically,” she said, “I am not the watcher of this house. I am only standing in place for my mate, who is in council in Vienna at the present time. I apologize for interrupting. You have questions.”

The servers went around the table, piling heaps of fragrant rice and curries on plates. A whole fish appeared in front of him, and Leo’s mouth watered.

“I do have questions,” he said, trying to ignore the food for a moment. “I count three Irina warriors at your table. May I ask if they are recent additions to the house?”

Leo noticed that Alyah paused, as did Rith. He wondered if they considered the question impertinent.

“I ask this sincerely,” Leo said. “And with all respect. Integration of Irina warriors into scribe houses has proceeded very slowly in Europe and the Middle East. Many on the singers’ council in Vienna have been hesitant to press for it, so it has been left up to individual watchers. Unfortunately, not all of them are utilizing the resources available to them. I know of a dozen singers of Mikael’s line in Rěkaves alone who are ready and waiting for assignments to scribe houses.”

Dara nodded. “Please eat. I will answer your question, but do not let your stomach continue bellowing, brother.”

A scatter of laughter around the table, and Leo eagerly dug into his food. It was, as he’d suspected, delicious and very spicy. He was glad the beer came in large bottles.

Dara picked up her spoon as she spoke. “I believe your explanation answers your question, Leo. I have overseen this house with Anurak for over fifty years. Because of this, singers have always been welcome here, though prior to the Battle of Vienna, there were only a few who ever fought openly with us.”

“But they did fight on their own?”

Dara’s expression revealed little. “Irina have always fought. In their own way.”