The Windup Girl(26)

When he comes out of his bath with a sarong wrapped around his waist, Chaya is awake, looking up at him with thoughtful brown eyes. "You're very late," she says. "I was worried."

Jaidee grins. "You should know better than to worry. I'm a tiger." He nuzzles close to her. Kisses her gently.

Chaya grimaces and pushes him away. "Don't believe everything the newspapers say. A tiger." She makes a face. "You smell like smoke."

"I just bathed."

"It's in your hair."

He rocks back on his heels. "It was a very good night."

She smiles in the darkness, her white teeth flashing, mahogany skin a dull sheen in the black. "Did you strike a blow for our Queen?"

"I struck a blow against Trade."

She flinches. "Ah."

He touches her arm. "You used to be happy when I made important people angry."

She pushes away from him and stands, starts straightening the cushions. Her movements are abrupt, irritated. "That was before. Now I worry about you."

"You shouldn't." Jaidee moves out of her way as she finishes with the couch. "I'm surprised you bother to wait up. If I were you, I would go to sleep and dream beautiful dreams. Everyone has given up on controlling me. I'm just a line-item expense for them, now. I'm too popular with the people to do anything about. They put spies on me to watch me, but they do nothing to stop me anymore."

"A hero to the people, and a thorn for the Ministry of Trade. I would rather have Trade Minister Akkarat as a friend and the people as your enemy. We'd all be safer."

"You didn't think so when you married me. You liked that I was a fighter. That I had so many victories in Lumphini Stadium. You remember?"

She doesn't answer. Instead begins rearranging the cushions again, refusing to turn around. Jaidee sighs and puts a hand on her shoulder, pulls her up to face him, so that he can see her eyes. "Anyway, why is it that you bring this up, now? Am I not here? And perfectly fine?"

"When they shot you, you weren't so fine."

"That's in the past."

"Only because they put you behind a desk, and General Pracha paid reparations." She holds up her hand, showing her own missing fingers. "Don't tell me you're safe. I was there. I know what they can do."

Jaidee makes a face. "We aren't safe in any case. If it's not Trade, it's blister rust or cibiscosis or something else, something worse. We aren't living in a perfect world anymore. This isn't the Expansion."

She opens her mouth to respond, then closes it and turns away. Jaidee waits, letting her master herself. When she turns back, her emotions are under control again. "No. You're right. None of us are safe. I wish, though."

"You might as well run to Ta Prachan market and get an amulet, for all the good wishing does."

"I did. The one with Phra Seub. But you don't wear it."

"Because it's just superstition. Whatever happens to me is my kamma. A magic amulet isn't going to change that."

"Still, it doesn't hurt." She pauses. "I would feel better if you wore it."

Jaidee smiles and starts to make a joke of it, but something in her expression makes him change his mind. "Fine. If it makes you happy. I'll wear your Phra Seub."

From the sleeping rooms, a noise echoes, a wet coughing. Jaidee stiffens. Chaya shifts and looks over her shoulder to the noise. "It's Surat."

"Did you take him to Ratana?"

"It's not her job to examine sick children. She has real work to do. Real genehacks to worry over."

"Did you take him or not?"

Chaya sighs. "She said it's not an upgrade. Nothing to worry about."

Jaidee tries not to let his relief show. "Good." The coughing comes again. It reminds him of Num, dead and gone. He fights off sadness.

Chaya touches his chin, pulls his attention back to her. Smiles up at him. "So what is it that left you smelling of smoke, noble warrior, defender of Krung Thep? Why so pleased with yourself?"

Jaidee smiles slightly. "You can read it in the whisper sheets tomorrow."

She purses her lips. "I'm worried about you. Really."

"That's because you have a good heart. But you shouldn't worry. They're done with heavy-handed measures against me. It went badly the last time. The papers and whisper sheets liked the story too much. And our most revered Queen has registered her own support for what I do. They'll keep their distance. Her Majesty the Queen, at least, they still respect."

"You were lucky that she was allowed to hear of you at all."

"Even that heeya the Crown Protector can't blind her."

Chaya stiffens at his words. "Jaidee, please. Not so loud. The Somdet Chaopraya has too many ears."

Jaidee makes a face. "You see? This is what we've come to. A Crown Protector who spends his time meditating on how to take the inner apartments of the Grand Palace. A Trade Minister who conspires with farang to destroy our trade and quarantine laws. And meanwhile, we all try not to speak too loudly."

"I'm glad I went to the anchor pads tonight. You should have seen how much money those Customs officers were raking in, just standing aside and letting anything at all pass through. The next mutation of cibiscosis could have been sitting in vials right in front of them, and they would have held out a hand for a bribe. Sometimes, I think we're living the last days of old Ayutthaya all over again."