Pirate's Honor, page 17
"I've come here to make you an offer, Vreva."
"An offer?" She cocked an eyebrow at him. "What kind of offer?"
"Exactly what you asked for: protection." He stepped away from the balcony but kept his distance; the crossbow was still too close to her hand for him to let his guard down.
"From Benrahi Ekhan?" She smiled wryly. "How are you going to manage that? Whisk me away on your pirate ship? I don't know if that would be any safer than sitting here, and it sounds tedious in the extreme."
"If I could end that threat forever, would you be interested?"
Her fleeting look of surprise quickly faded to one of suspicion. "Why would you offer that?"
"You're not the only one he threatened." He crossed his arms and leaned back against the red velvet-papered wall. "Because of Ekhan, seven of my people are dead and the Osirian Navy is hunting me. I intend to exact payment for the former and rectify the latter. We don't need your help, but it would be useful. Since you would benefit from this endeavor, I thought I'd make the offer."
"So what exactly do you want from me?"
As she strolled to the sideboard and poured herself a refill, Torius noticed that her gown was, by Vreva's standards, very modest: no plunging neckline, no high slit to show her legs as she moved. For the first time in all his years' acquaintance with the courtesan, he was seeing a different Vreva Jhafae than he thought he knew. He shook off the distracting thought and got down to business.
"Information first: What can you tell me about Benrahi Ekhan? Is he married, monogamous, polygamous? If so, is he faithful to his wife or wives? Does he have any vices, habits, addictions, unusual proclivities?" Thillion had already dredged up quite a bit about the man, but Vreva might know something they didn't. Also, if she lied to him, he might be able to catch her at it.
She shook her head. "I don't know much about him. He's rich, powerful, and makes a lot of money moving things into and out of Rahadoum, both legally and illegally. He has people all over the Inner Sea working for him under standard finder's-fee contracts, and he sometimes purchases stolen items if he can sell them at a significant profit."
"What about Twilp Farfan?"
"He works out of Ostenso, and does contract thefts for Ekhan."
"Exclusively?"
"I don't think so. His name has been bandied about for other jobs, too."
"You seem to know an awful lot for not knowing much." Torius gave her a thin smile. "Have you ever met Ekhan in person? Does he know you by sight?"
"No, I've never met him." Vreva sipped her wine as she strolled back to her chair. He tensed as she lifted the small crossbow, ready to dive for cover. "As I told you earlier, he threatens by messenger. This was for him."
She put the weapon back down, and Torius took a relieved breath. "Name?"
"He never gave one," she said, one eyebrow cocked. "Thugs rarely do. But I don't think he's staying in Okeno. I have friends watching out for him. Friends who also gave me what little information I have on Ekhan." Anger flashed briefly in her eyes as she waved her hand to indicate the apartment. "My life might not seem like much to you, Torius, but I've worked very hard to get where I am. He threatened to destroy me. Am I supposed to sit back and take that?"
A sarcastic reply sprang to Torius's lips, but for some reason he didn't voice it. He watched as Vreva reclined in her chair, once again poised and calm, her expression almost bored. Her position forced him to edge farther into the room so he could face her. Her white cat hopped down from its perch, trotted over and leapt up into her lap. Turning around twice, it settled down, tucked one paw under its body, and stretched the other, unsheathing its sharp claws. He swore the beast was glaring at him.
Vreva sipped her wine and pursed her lips. "So, what's second?"
"Second?"
"You said ‘information first.' If there's a first, there's usually a second." Vreva sighed. "You said you plan to end Ekhan's threat, and you wouldn't be here if you didn't need my help. So, how are you going to accomplish it, what exactly would my role be, and how much are you willing to pay me for it?"
Torius barked a laugh. "Pay you? I thought you'd be eager to help just to get Ekhan off your back."
Vreva stared at him with narrowed eyes. "Do you want my help or not?"
"Very well, we can discuss payment." Torius strode to her sideboard, brazenly poured himself a drink, and quaffed it in one swallow. "After you agree to help us."
"And if I don't like your plan?"
"Don't worry, it's right up your alley. I need you to use your wiles to prepare the Osirian authorities to believe the truth when it walks through their front door."
"The truth?"
"About who really stole the Star of Thumen. I'm not prepared to tell you everything until we're out of Okeno. You'll forgive me if I don't particularly trust you." He leveled a stare and a thin smile at her.
She raised her wineglass toward him in a toast and nodded in acknowledgment. "All right. Anything else?"
"Um, yes." Torius was unsure how to explain the rest, so he just plunged in. "I need you to coach Celeste. She's going to take human form, but she needs lessons on how to move, act, and ...uh ...interact with a man."
"Oh, for the love of Calistria!" Vreva's eyes widened. "You intend for her to seduce Ekhan!"
"Not entirely. Not like you would. She can use her magic to befriend him, but the plan will work better if she appears attractive to him. The problem is, she's not used to having arms and legs and tends to be a little clumsy. We hoped you could teach her how to be graceful and alluring—you know, courtesan tricks."
"You want me to teach a monster to be a courtesan?" A trill of laughter escaped her throat. "Oh, that's rich, Torius."
Torius slammed his wineglass down on the counter, surprised it didn't shatter. He took a deep breath to control his temper at her comment. Despite his claim to the contrary, they needed Vreva for this; it wouldn't do to alienate her. He tried another tack. "You don't think you could do it?"
"Oh, I could, but not easily. You must understand, Torius, it takes years to learn the art of seduction." Vreva put her wine aside and shooed her feline companion off her lap. She stood in a motion so fluid that it looked just short of levitation. Gliding across the floor to him like a curvaceous ghost, she was suddenly sensuous, even in her modest gown. She stopped before him and ran a finger along his smooth jaw, sending a shiver down his spine. Her tongue darted out to moisten her lips, and she sighed. "I love your new look, by the way, and the black suits you." She fondled the collar of his shirt.
"Will you do it or not?" He brushed her hand aside. His own trembled slightly; he wondered if his cravings were returning, or if was just due to Vreva's proximity.
"How long would I have to teach her?"
"Four or five days if we sail slowly."
She reached up again and ran her fingers through his short hair. He shivered. She moved closer, and he swore he could feel an envelope of heat enshrouding her body. "And my payment?"
"Since you already earned two thousand scarabs selling me out, I thought that might suffice."
"You want me to teach this," she ran her fingers down the curve of his ear, then his neck, sending a sensation like an electric shock thorough his body, "to your ...lady friend in four or five days, and you're only willing to pay me what I've already earned?"
She inched closer, and he backed up until he bumped the sideboard, rattling the decanters. "I don't need you to teach her your entire profession, Vreva, just a few tricks."
"How about this one?" she breathed, leaning in to brush his lips with hers—not a kiss, but a promise of one. Her sweet breath caressed him, her breasts pressing the thin fabric of his shirt. His knees turned to water, and she backed away with a smile. "Would you like me to teach her that?"
"Why do you keep playing this game with me, Vreva?" he asked through clenched teeth.
"Because I enjoy it, Torius!" She whirled away with a laugh and strolled back to her chair. "You're so much fun to tease, as are most men who are in love." She turned back, all mirth dissolving from her elegant features. "But understand this: you're asking me to leave my home and my business, travel to Osirion for some unknown period of time, and somehow reverse the machinations of a rich, powerful man who has already threatened to destroy me—all to get you off the hook. And you want me to teach your Celeste enough to have Benrahi Ekhan groveling at her feet. You can't seriously expect me to do that for free."
"Our plan should yield enough to make it profitable for everyone, Vreva." He couldn't give her specifics simply because he had no idea how much they stood to gain.
"Fine. I'll settle for twenty-five percent of the take." She waved her hand dismissively. "Take it or leave it."
"Very well. I'll pay your price, Vreva, but you'll be civil to Celeste, or by Gozreh I'll have you flogged and then troll you behind the ship on a meat hook. Not that I think any self-respecting shark would bite you."
"Now Torius, why ever would I be rude to your ...lady love?" She retrieved her wine and stroked her cat as it perched on the arm of the chair.
"Because I imagine you would derive the same perverse pleasure from it as you do from trying to seduce me." He strode to the balcony and turned back. "Do we have an agreement?"
"We do."
"How soon can you be aboard my ship?"
"I have several loose ends to tie up," she said with no hint of double entendre. "Tomorrow evening at the earliest."
"I'll send someone to fetch you," he said. And have someone watching you like a hawk until then.
"Send plenty of big, strong men to carry my luggage. I like to travel in comfort."
"Of course." Torius pushed through the curtains, hopped up onto the balcony rail, and whistled a soft twitter into the night sky. The end of the rope fell from above. He gripped it firmly, gave it a tug, and vanished into the night.
∗ ∗ ∗
How many trunks does one woman need? Celeste swore quietly as she heard yet another heavy thump from outside the cabin. She glanced at her one small sea chest; it was big enough to hold all of her navigational instruments and astrological books—everything she owned.
A musical feminine laugh from the corridor set Celeste's teeth on edge. Drawn like a moth to a flame, she cracked open the door and peered out. Two sailors, foolish grins on their faces, were struggling to maneuver a large chest into a cabin down the corridor. Vreva stood to one side, smiling at them and murmuring encouragement while she cradled her white cat in her arms. The courtesan was garbed in a beautiful golden gown and headdress, a translucent veil covering the lower part of her face. As if she knew she was being observed, Vreva's kohl-lined eyes snapped from the men to her. Celeste felt a surge of loathing and instinctively bared her fangs. Vreva simply smiled politely, inclined her head in a respectful nod, and followed her luggage into her cabin.
Annoyed, Celeste slammed the door and retreated to her nest, coiling in a tight spiral and concentrating on keeping her tail from twitching. In moments the ship was underway, the gentle roll easing her taut nerves. As night deepened, the lights of Okeno faded and the stars grew brighter. Celeste moved to her favored spot beneath the skylight, gazed up at the night sky, and felt a measure of peace. That peace shattered with the click of the cabin door and the familiar tread of boots—Torius—accompanied by a softer, lighter footfall.
Her.
"Celeste, Vreva's here."
"Yes." Celeste's tail twitched as she turned to face them, and it took some effort to quell its movement. She flicked her tongue, tasting the courtesan's scent, a distinctive combination of flowers, exotic spices, and musk. The same scent that had tainted Torius's shirt when he returned last night to tell everyone that Vreva had agreed to help. While the others had been elated, Celeste had felt infuriated—and worried. For the first time ever, Torius's love for her was in question. Though he had cast off the addiction readily enough, he still seemed distant. And now Vreva was here, looking flawless from the top of her coif to the tips of her pedicured toes.
Well, not quite flawless. Celeste noted with satisfaction the slight discoloration of a bruise on the courtesan's cheek that couldn't be entirely hidden by her makeup.
"Miss Celeste," Vreva said with a polite nod. "I'm delighted to meet you under circumstances more pleasant than our last encounter. It's my understanding that we will be working closely for the next several days. I hope there are no hard feelings between us."
"I wasn't aware that you had any feelingsss," Celeste hissed. "Don't they get in the way of your whoring?"
"Celeste!" Torius snapped, his face flushing with sudden anger. "Vreva has agreed to help us, and has—so far—been civil and pleasant. The least you could do is offer the same courtesy!"
She reeled back, his rebuke like a slap in the face. "How can you expect me to be nice to someone like ...her? She betrayed usss!"
"And now she's trying to help us. You agreed to listen to her and try to learn what she has to teach you. If you aren't at least civil, how do you expect to accomplish that?"
"I don't!" She flared and glared at him. "What could she possibly teach me?"
"Well, first," Vreva said, moving to the side without appearing to even take a step, then curtseying with fluid grace, "I could teach you the one lesson every courtesan must master: that is, despite the fact that we do have feelings, we must only show those feelings that our paramours wish to see. I, for instance, loathe snakes, but I'm in complete mastery of that emotion."
"You weren't the last time we met," Celeste sneered.
"No, I wasn't," Vreva conceded. "But that was quite the most unusual circumstance I have ever encountered. If you're to convince Benrahi Ekhan that you're attracted to him, and thus encourage his attraction to you, you must learn to hide your true feelings."
"To lie." Celeste flicked her tail again. "What's so difficult about telling a lie?"
"Ah, do you lie so easily?" Vreva glanced toward Torius. "Besides, hiding your true emotions is nothing like telling a lie, although you'll be doing that, too. I thought that to start, the three of us should share a meal to get acquainted. You can tell me what you expect to accomplish, and I'll tell you if it's possible. I know very little about lunar nagas, and will no doubt have many questions."
Torius broke the awkward silence. "I'll have Soursop serve our dinner in here."
"I ..." Celeste looked to Torius, but he was already headed for the door. "Oh, very well!" Turning toward the table, she gathered up her navigational tools and charts with her magic and deposited them in the sea chest by her nest. She looked up to see Vreva assessing her with a raised brow.
"That was unexpected, but something I should have guessed." Vreva settled onto the starboard side bench seat and moved around to the back so that she was facing the room, which was also as far away from Celeste as she could manage. "You use magic to manipulate objects. How dexterous are you?"
"As dexterous as most humans are with their hands." Celeste coiled at the head of the table. "But I can't lift anything heavy."
Torius came back in and took the portside seat. Soursop soon followed, bearing a tray laden with cups, utensils, and three plates of food. Celeste took the liberty of floating the items into precise positions on the table, resisting the urge to dump the steaming meal in Vreva's lap.
Vreva lifted her cup as if to drink, but then put it down, an inspired look on her face. "Soursop, would you be a dear and bring us one of the bottles of wine and three of the crystal wineglasses from my red trunk? The bottle with the blue label, please."
The cook looked to Torius, who nodded. "Aye, Miss Jhafae."
After Soursop had left the cabin, the courtesan turned to Celeste. "There, what did I just do?"
"What do you mean? You looked at your cup of water and asked Soursop for wine."
"Yes, I did that, but did I show my distaste at the grimy cup or the tepid water?" She looked to Torius. "I understand you serve a crew of pirates, Torius, but the least you could do is clean the cups."
"We're not so picky as you, Vreva," he said, drinking deeply from his own cup.
"Benrahi Ekhan will be," she said, and Celeste was surprised to see Torius's face redden.
"Good point." He picked up his fork and peered at the bent tines. "We'll buy some new tableware in Sothis. Thanks for the tip."
"My pleasure." She turned back to Celeste. "To get back to our lesson: I was polite to Soursop without being insulting, which will help forge a positive relationship, and I got what I wanted. Was that lying?"
"No," Celeste said grudgingly. "You were acting nice."
"I was being nice. We'll save the acting for the difficult tasks. Now, while we eat, I want you to watch what I do and try to understand why I do it. A good courtesan is aware of her every move and does nothing without purpose." She picked up her knife and fork and began eating, her movements precise and fluid without being dainty or exaggerated.
Soursop came back in and put the bottle on the table with three beautiful cut crystal glasses. "There you are, Miss. Dunno how those fancy glasses are gonna stay upright if the ship takes a roll."
"Oh! I hadn't thought of that!" Vreva looked worried. "We'll be careful. Thank you, Soursop!"
"No problem, Miss." The cook smiled at her and left.
"And what did I do there, Celeste?" she asked as she uncorked the bottle and filled their glasses.
"You thanked him."
"No, I lied and reinforced our fledgling relationship." She lifted her long-stemmed glass to admire the color of the wine. "I knew these wouldn't do for use aboard ship, but I asked for them anyway. When he pointed out the obvious, I played like it hadn't occurred to me and thanked him for his concern. Now we're friends. See?"
"That's very ...manipulative." Celeste lifted her own glass and sampled the wine. It was delicious, but she refused to acknowledge that to Vreva.
"The art of the courtesan is all about manipulation, Celeste." Vreva gave her a winning smile. "You're just learning the basics. For instance ..."
She put her wineglass down just as the ship took a roll, and it tilted.
"Oh!" She snatched the delicate crystal and managed to keep it from falling, but a drop of wine sloshed right into Torius's lap. "Oh, I'm sorry, Torius! Here, let me ..." She leaned over and dabbed her napkin on his trousers. Torius jumped like he'd been bitten.
