Part 33 (2/2)

”Nadiin.” Banichi squeezed into the dark, dripping wet. ”Have you explained everything, Jago-ji? Made clear the universe?”

”Almost,” Jago said. ”And given him the gun. Which you will use, Bren-ji, at your discretion.”

”I hope not to need it.”

”Traceable only to me,” Banichi said. ”But such details matter very little in the scope of this situation.”

”How did she get me to ask her to come here?” He still struggled with that thought. ”Am I so transparent?”

”Immaterial that you asked her her. One believes the aiji would have packed you up and sent you, all the same,” Jago said. ”She didn't need need you to ask her. She came back to Shejidan to get you. The party was the excuse. She was feeling out Tabini, feeling out your position - and observing Jase.” you to ask her. She came back to Shejidan to get you. The party was the excuse. She was feeling out Tabini, feeling out your position - and observing Jase.”

He had a sinking feeling. ”Tatiseigi. Where is he he in this?” in this?”

”Ah,” Banichi said. ”Uncle Tatiseigi. Bets are being laid. Very high ones.”

Thinking what he'd been meddling with, in that crazed business with the blown lightbulb, he felt cold all the way to the pit of his stomach.

”You still don't know where he is in this.”

”Bren-ji,” Jago said quietly, ”Saigimi didn't know where he he was. Even we make mistakes of man'chi. It is not always logical.” was. Even we make mistakes of man'chi. It is not always logical.”

”And he can't find the television set,” Banichi said somberly. ”One hopes.”

He laughed. He had to laugh.

”I shall sleep with Jase,” Banichi said. ”Just - be prudent, nadiin. Keep the noise low.”

”Banichi,” he began to say. But it was too late. Banichi was out the door into the rain, headed for his tent, his his roommate, and leaving him nowhere else to be for the night. roommate, and leaving him nowhere else to be for the night.

He was in the dark. In utter silence. And there might be more briefing for Jago to do. ”So what else is there to ask?” he inquired of her.

”I've said all I can, Bren-ji.”

A silence ensued.

”We should rest,” Jago said.

”Jago,” he began, and had to clear his throat.

”One is not obliged, nadi-ji. Banichi has a vile sense of humor.”

”Jago -” He reached for her hand in the dark, found what he thought was her knee, instead, and knew how he'd possibly rejected her and embarra.s.sed her, last night, after what seemed a set-up. He didn't know know, that was the eternal difficulty, even what signals he sent now, and he thought about her, he thought about her in his unguarded moments in ways that made this touch in the dark the most desirable and the most reprehensible thing he could do.

Her hand found his with far more accuracy, and rested atop his, warm and strong and its gentle movement occupying all the circuits he was trying to use to frame an objection of common sense.

”Jago,” he began again, and Jago's hand slid across to his his knee. ”I'm really not sure this is a good idea.” knee. ”I'm really not sure this is a good idea.”

And stopped.

To his vast distress. And disappointment. But he was able then to find her hand and hold it. ”Jago,” he said for the third time. ”Jago-ji. I am concerned -” Her fingers curled about his thumb, completely throwing his logic off course. ”Propriety,” he managed to say. ”Banichi. The dowager. I want you, but -”

”She is outside your man'chi. Not far. But outside. And it's safer, tonight, if you're here and Banichi is with Jase, if anything untoward should happen.”

”What might happen?”

”Anything. Anything might happen. Whatever pleases you. I would be inclined to please both of us.”

He could feel the warmth from her. The lightning showed him her shadow, close to him. ”Then should we -” he began, in the glimmer of a self-protective thought.

”We should be careful of the guns,” she said with what he was sure was humor, and her fingers searched the front of his jacket.

He felt a rush of warmth, s.h.i.+fted position and took hold of her to defend himself from her exploration in search of the firearm. ”Is this a good idea?” he asked, reason sinking fast. ”Jago-ji, if you do that, we may both scandalize the company.”

”Not this company,” she said, and somehow they were past each other's defenses and he was no longer thinking with complete clarity of purpose, just exploring a territory he'd not seen and didn't see, alone and not alone for the first time in his life. She was doing the same with him, finding sensitive spots, and presenting others he might have missed. Clothes went, on the somewhat bouncy and thin mattress -”We have to look presentable,” was Jago's prudent warning, and with clothing laid carefully to the side, caution went. He moved his hand along smooth expanses in the darkness, to curves that began to make sense to his hands, as her hands were traveling lightly over him, searching for reactions, finding them.

G.o.d! Finding them. He brought his hands up in the shock of common sense that said danger, harm, pain - and at that moment Jago's mouth found his and began a kiss both explorative and incredibly sensual.

He had never known atevi did that. She tasted tasted foreign; that was odd; but matters now reached a point of no-thought and no-sense. They were in the dark, neither knowing in the least what hurt and what didn't, but efforts to consummate what was underway began to be a rapid and frustrating comedy of errors that at first frustrated and embarra.s.sed him and finally started her laughing. foreign; that was odd; but matters now reached a point of no-thought and no-sense. They were in the dark, neither knowing in the least what hurt and what didn't, but efforts to consummate what was underway began to be a rapid and frustrating comedy of errors that at first frustrated and embarra.s.sed him and finally started her laughing.

Her good humor made him less desperate. ”We have to practice this in daylight,” he muttered. ”This is exhausting.”

It won a finger poke in the ribs, which she'd discovered got a protective reaction. He curled up - and at a thunder boom, jumped against her and held on. They were, he thought, both out of their minds, in a tent, halfway to the lightning-laced heavens, under a metal frame, and in earshot of Ilisidi's men. Then - then, maybe it was the plain admission he was being a fool, or maybe it was Jago's changing position - a sudden and by no means coordinated reaction sent him toward release. She s.h.i.+vered oddly and didn't complain; and his eyes shut and the dark went darker and red and black.

For a moment or two then he just drifted in s.p.a.ce, half aware of the warm body wrapped around his, tasting the strange taste that was Jago, and feeling, well, that he'd managed enough. She seemed to have found something enjoyable out of it, and he was appalled at the thought she'd tell Banichi and make a funny story of their night.

Which it was, dammit. She was right to laugh. Thank G.o.d she could laugh. It made it all less serious, what he'd gotten into, and he tried to set it in perspective as they lay together with the lightning turning the walls transparent. She was curious; he'd answered her question. She'd surprised the h.e.l.l out of him about the kiss - he felt warm even thinking about it - and he wondered whether she'd done a little research of her own or whether atevi just did that.

And she hadn't given up on the night. Bad trouble, he said to himself, as Jago's fingers wound curls in his hair, as she fitted her body against his just for comfort and seemed satisfied. In that moment his human feelings slid right over the edge of a cliff more dangerous than the one outside. She brought him no recriminations, found no fault - maybe had an agenda - but this was the woman he'd trust for anything, and whose good will he wouldn't risk for anything.

Evidently, by those fingers making curls out of his hair, he still had her good regard. He'd risked everything and hadn't lost, and there might be other nights, when he'd thought he'd reached a safe numbness to his personal affairs. Oh, G.o.d G.o.d, it was dangerous.

”Was it pleasant?” she asked him.

He drew a breath. ”I enjoyed it.”

”It was not very responsible of us. But Banichi knew we would do it.”

”Did he?” he asked, but he was sure of that, too. he?” he asked, but he was sure of that, too.

”Of course. But we should get dressed, in case. There was no danger early on. But toward morning we should be a little on our guard, in case we must move.”

”Direiso?”

”Possibly.”

”What's going on? Where Where are we going and what are we up to?” are we going and what are we up to?”

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