To Best the Boys(40)

I don’t slow until I’ve made it down to the outer lawns where the port people are gathered beneath the white lights that ignite the dark and offer illumination while allowing me to hide. There’s a carnival here, with giant swings suspended from the trees as trapeze artists spin circles on them.

I wander through and watch the children ooh and aah, and the men walk around on stilts with a collection of peacocks and zebras. In one spot people are dancing—in another, waiters are serving while a theater is being acted out in a garden nook. The air is rich with the smell of sugar strings being made in hot spinning bowls. The artisans are handing them out along with popped corn and toasted chestnuts.

My shoulders relax. This is better. I can think here.

I pass a group of boys I don’t recognize who are getting lectured on last-minute equations by a collection of parents. I chuckle and push down my nerves. If they aren’t prepared by now, a few last-minute tips are doubtfully going to help.

“Rhen!”

Seleni and Beryll trip down the sloped lawn toward me. “We came to get sugar strings!” When they draw close, Seleni drops her voice. “I told Beryll what you overheard Germaine and Rubin say last night.”

Oh. I glance at Beryll.

“Do you have any specifics?” he asks.

I shake my head. “I don’t.”

“Well, in that case, I’d really like to—”

I drift my gaze across the grass as he keeps talking.

Except, I’ve stopped listening.

Because my eyes have landed on Lute.





13

Lute is with his mum and brother sitting a good distance from the crowds beside another woman with a boy who looks about half the age of Lute’s brother. Ben is fully dressed and Lute’s mum almost looks relaxed—both of which, I suspect, must feel like a victory these days. I elbow Seleni. “Hey, I’ll catch up with you in a minute.”

She follows my gaze, then glances at me.

“Otherwise, come find me in ten,” I say, striding away. I leave her to Beryll who is still chattering and slip across the lawn and through the partiers toward the small group.

Lute hands each lady a plate of food before he takes one over to Ben. “Hey, James,” he says to his brother’s friend. “Your mum has your dinner. Ben, bud. You hungry?”

“Lute, you eat too.”

Lute ruffles the boy’s brown hair, then grabs the grape his brother holds up and tosses it in the air to catch in his mouth. His brother laughs. “Good job, Lute.”

“Thanks.” Lute grins and glances over, and his gaze lands on me. His eyes light up with what looks like surprise, or maybe even pleasure, or maybe that’s just my own sudden sense of hopefulness after the conversation with Vincent. Lute knocks knuckles with Ben before he straightens and offers me a wink. “Miss Tellur. Enjoying the evening?”

“I am. What about you both?” I wave at Ben, who puts a grape in his mouth and stares at me. He turns to Lute. “Who’s that?”

“It’s Rhen. You remember—she came and played with you when you had the falcon spots. Her da sometimes brings you medicine.”

I stop in my tracks. I didn’t realize Lute even remembered that, it was so long ago.

“Oh.” Ben wrinkles his nose. “You like her, Lute?”

Lute smiles. “Yeah. I like her, Ben. She’s good people.”

“What about Mum? Mum like her?”

I grin as Lute laughs. “Yep, Mum likes her too.”

“Okay. Then I like her too.”

I grin even wider and take a seat on the grass in front of the two of them. “Nice to see you, Ben.”

“Rhen, watch. Watch me catch it.” Ben tries to toss a grape in the air like Lute did, but it lands on his lap. He picks it up and tries again, this time a few inches from his mouth. The fruit makes it in and Ben lifts his hands. “Ta-da!”

I clap and chuckle because it’s the nicest, most beautiful thing I’ve seen all day. Actually, it’s the most delightful moment I’ve had all week.

The realization of which hits me.

It’s the most delightful moment I’ve had all week.

I pause, mid-smile and mid-delight, and stare this moment in the face. Minus Vincent’s strangeness. Minus my mum’s illness. Just Ben’s joy in impressing himself and Lute and accepting me without qualm—as the three of us sit here close to each other on the dewy grass beneath white-lit trees and a starlit sky. Amid an atmosphere drenched in music and laughter and Ben saying, “Watch me, Rhen! Watch me again!”

“She’s watching, bud.” Lute’s eyes have softened along with his demeanor into what seems like contentment. He pokes Ben’s arm. “And you didn’t answer me earlier—are you going to be good for Mum while I’m gone?”

His brother quits trying to amuse me and promptly shoves a bite of food in his mouth, then looks away as if he’s not heard.

“Ben?”

He sighs. “Yeah, I be good. Where you going?”

“I told you—just for a day, then I’ll be back.”

I, too, want to ask where he’s going, but I don’t because it’s obvious he didn’t answer Ben for a reason.

“Is Rhen going?” Ben asks.

“You going to introduce us to your friend, Lute?”