Coldmaker(50)

‘Cam,’ I whispered. ‘Don’t look so happy. Jadanmaster Thoth doesn’t like happiness.’

Cam frowned for a second, his eyes following mine down to Thoth. My Jadanmaster’s feet now looked poised to stomp our way and make trouble.

‘Don’t look,’ I said, a bit panicked.

‘Oh, him?’ Cam broke into a huge smile, giving a polite wave, keeping his voice hushed. ‘That’s the one who beat you with that rod for nothing?’

I paused, the Sun heavy on my forehead. ‘Yes.’

Cam nodded, continuing to wave as if he was the happiest boy in Paphos, giving Thoth a sincere thumbs-up.

‘Scumbag,’ Cam said under his breath, his face all smiles. He held up the token with a flourish and waved it about so Thoth could see.

‘Piece of Sunshit Jadanmaster,’ Cam murmured in Thoth’s direction, through a broad smile. ‘You’re a disgrace to Noblekind. You’re probably House Erridian, aren’t you?’ Cam gave another thumbs-up. ‘Hope that stupid knot-scarf chokes you.’

I froze, not expecting such a tongue on a boy of refined birth; but Thoth only huffed at Cam’s display, not able to hear the actual words, and turned his attention to the Jadan on the nearest corner, touching his neck and wrenching the boy into a deeper hunch.

‘He probably just doesn’t know how to deal with happiness,’ Cam said, turning back to me. ‘There’s a difference. All the Cold in the World, and still most Nobles are miserable pricks. I feel like it’s proof enough that things here aren’t right.’

I took the token and hopped off the corner, leading Cam deep into the secluded alley where I’d hidden the music box.

‘Hold on,’ Cam said, skirting around me.

I stopped, aching to get to the hiding place.

Cam put his mugs down on a stone ledge and then added a few Wisps to his waterskin. He took a sip, gave a satisfied nod, and then pressed the drink my way.

‘You look bad,’ Cam said. ‘Drink.’

‘I—’

‘I know,’ Cam said with a roll of his eyes. ‘You can’t. You insist. Blah blah. Just shut up and drink. All of it.’

I sighed, knowing it was better not to argue. He hadn’t turned me in for the orangefruit, so I knew I was safe. Besides, Thoth had spilled my water rations at my feet that morning and made me sip it up from the stone. I still had sand in my teeth, and it would be a relief to swill it out.

I drank the whole waterskin in one continuous gulp, trying to capture every moment. I was suddenly reminded of Abb’s bucket, and wondered what the Khat would think of this Nobleboy giving extra water to his slave.

‘How’s your back?’ I asked, wiping the back of my mouth.

Cam slung the container back over his shoulder and grabbed his tea, sipping both mugs, one after the other to keep their levels even. ‘Don’t worry about me. What about you? You’ve got yours on bare skin.’

I shrugged, leading him down through a narrow opening, into the dim light between buildings. My boilweed bag hadn’t shifted since I’d set it there that morning, and I took out his treasure. ‘Just more scars for the collection.’

Cam’s eyes darkened, but then widened with joy when I revealed the music box, fixed and polished.

My heart tingled as I remembered all the fun the invention and I had had the night before. The piece had started as a complete stranger, but it had whispered its secrets slowly, and my hands had listened. The system of bumps and gears its Inventor had used were ingenious, striking different-sized pipes and flicking metal stems as the crank turned. There were a few interchangeable rollers for different songs which had kept Moussa entranced for hours. The work had filled me with purpose, the invention and I eventually connecting, becoming each other’s keeper. I felt sad letting it go.

I spun the crank, drawing out the soft tinks and chimes, making sure both ends of the alleyway were clear of spectators.

Cam’s face looked as if he’d just been splashed with his own bucket of Cold. ‘Shivers and Frosts! It’s fantastic.’

I shrugged, trying not to seem too proud. It was my mysterious family member who’d fixed the machine, after all.

Cam waited a long pause, his face flushed with intrigue. ‘You want to know a secret?’

My heartbeat picked up. ‘What?’

‘It didn’t work,’ Cam said, lips puckered with a laugh.

‘I know. I— My friend fixed it.’

‘No,’ Cam said, like this whole thing had been a big joke. ‘When I bought it at the Ancient Shop. It didn’t work. Got it at a great deal, too. I was going to have Leroi fix it for me last night, but it looks like there’s more than one genius Tinkerer in Paphos.’ Cam winked. ‘And he’s in your family, nonetheless.’

I felt my head tilt. ‘What? Who’s Leroi?’

Cam smirked, polishing off the tea and putting the mugs in his pockets. ‘You’ll find out soon enough.’ He carefully took the music box, giving it a big kiss. ‘Well, thank you very much, Spout.’

I gave a small bow, sad that I didn’t have more time to spend with the treasure.

‘I have a few things I have to do at the Manor,’ Cam said. ‘I guess I still don’t know the exact rules.’ He was careful with his next words. ‘Is there any way to, um, reserve you? Not that you’re property or anything like that. I just … you know, want to make sure—’