Accordant

Chapter Ten

The line at Ayenani was long, as had been the case ever since Jaime Rennick wrote a tweet about their breakfast menu. The restaurant's foray into breakfast was a recent addition, one that René assumed had been approved by the Empress of Almajoya in person. Now, the little restaurant opened at five AM to serve local favorites such as beignets and café au laits as well as Almajoyese drinks and dishes, then shifted to lunch and dinner menus for the rest of the day and night.

When it was his turn, René ordered his usual, the zare tea with a breadfruit salad. The barista, who was new, asked for his first name, and he gave it.

"Wait," the barista said as she wrote his name on the go cup. "René... Renaud?"

René nodded. "At your service."

"Oh my god," the barista said. "I was literally just reading the interview you gave in the Business Picayune."

"Really?" René smiled. "Are you an entrepreneur?"

"Yeah! Trying to be. I'm--" The barista stopped and blushed. "Sorry. I guess I should finish filling orders."

"Probably." René chuckled. "But here." He handed her one of his business cards. "Feel free to email me."

"Oh my--thank you!" The barista quickly pocketed the card and waved back as René stepped aside, then turned her attention to the next customer.

The next customer was a tall, shapely woman with rich, dark skin and dark hair. "Who was that man?" she asked the barista after placing her order, for a classic mocha. "You got quite excited about seeing him."

"Oh, he's a big deal in some circles," the barista explained. "He funds small companies, like BeNOLAvent and Coinage. Oh, and Moynacorp, of course."

"Moynacorp?" the woman asked. "As in, Christian Moynahan?"

"That's the one," the barista said, grinning. "Can you imagine? Oh, what's the name on your order, ma'am?"

"Isha," the woman said.

"Okay, Isha," the barista said. "But yeah. Sorry if I was unprofessional with all my fangirling."

"Not at all," the woman replied. "Was that man one of the Eccentrics, then?"

"Yeah, exactly!" The barista laughed. "Not that I would say that too loudly, since he's right there...."

The woman glanced over at the far wall, where René was greeting one of the hostesses. "But of course."

"I'll have your mocha right up for you Miss Isha," the barista said, increasingly aware of the growing line behind the woman.

"Oh, of course," the woman said, flashing a bright smile and a black card. "Thank you very, very much."

---

A sound forced René from his quiet sleep.

Sitting up in bed, he looked around. The room was almost pitch black, save for a faint sliver of light that emerged from behind the window blinds.

He was never alone in the sizable Lakeview mansion. There was always at least one guard present, plus various other staff and occasionally one or two of his friends. René preferred having others around. It felt more like a home with more people under its broad roof.

What he was feeling now, however, was different. There was someone in the room with him.

He did not move, but let his eyes sweep the large area. Perhaps, hopefully, it was one of his friends playing a trick on him. Reynardo hiding in his dark mists; Blair sending some sort of mischievous spirit.