The Catalyst

Chapter 38

The late evening wind lashed rain against the window as Jaden sat at the desk going over the accounts Uncle Fredrick had prepared for him. It wasn't at all clear how the crown's treasure was being spent. The only thing they knew for sure was that far too much had been going into Priest Morgan's personal expenses.

By the time the guard at his door announced Bryani, Jaden was nursing a headache. Relieved to toss away the scrolls, he rose to greet his new actor friend, who'd brought a bottle of wine as promised.

Panting as though he'd sprinted up the stairs, Bryani said, "Sorry, rehearsal took longer than I expected." He shrugged off his jacket and draped it over the back of a chair, then followed Jaden closer to the hearth where they sat facing one another.

"Are you still doing The Scale of the Gods?" Jaden asked.

Bryani shook his head. "The issue with the castle troupe is that we have a limited audience. All the nobles who enjoy theater come to the premiere, which often ends up being the only representation unless they make it known they'd like to see it again. So we rehearse like crazy for days, then give it all we've got for just one big night."

As he listened, Jaden uncorked the bottle and served the red wine in two long-stemmed blown glass cups.

"Right now we're doing A Tale of Two Knights," Bryani said. "Premiere's in a week. You should come!"

"I'd like that."

They raised their cups, made them touch, and took a sip. Bryani observed his reaction, his eyes golden-brown in the firelight.

"I'm no expert, but I find it delicious," Jaden said.

Bryani grinned. "A far cry from the stuff you stole from the teachers' liquor stash?"

Jaden laughed. "You have no idea."

"Actually I do." Bryani propped up his ankle on his knee. "This bottle cost me my weekly salary."

"What? You shouldn't have . . ."

Bryani waved it off. "Don't freak out, I bought this for myself. Then I figured it would be more fun to share it with someone. But the other actors, they'd just gulp it down like that cat piss the Azurians call wine."

Jaden laughed, even though he had no idea what Azurian wine tasted like. Then he asked, "Any news from your sister?"

"Not yet. But she knows I don't want anything to do with the cult anymore, so unless it's really important she won't write to me."

There was a short silence as they sipped their wine, filled with the crackling of the fire and the distant howl of the wind.

"So, this is a bit random," Jaden said, "but do you believe in the gods?"

"No."

Jaden chuckled. "That's refreshing."

Bryani leaned forward. "Well, did Kitera tell you about my family's history? My mother is actually very religious, and she's Azurian so she has something like fifty gods and goddesses to worry about. And my father is half-Nimisian – did you know that Nimisians pray only to one god? My point is, it changes from country to country. It just always felt more like fiction to me."

"Fair enough," Jaden said. "I rather agree with you. Though these days I wish I did believe."

"Why's that?"

Jaden drank more wine before he answered, "Because I lost someone close to me. You must've heard?"

"Yeah. This castle is a nurturing cradle for gossip."