The princesa smiles. “I haven’t spoken to him in ages. How is my old friend?”
“Well, I guess. Smelly.”
A startled laugh escapes her. “Smelly? What do you mean?”
“I mean he really ought to clean his clothing. The whole court smells it. I even said something to him—”
“You talked to him about how he smells? What did he say?”
I shrug. “I forget. Something contrary. He’s really bothersome.”
“Bothersome,” she echoes. “Interesting. I’ve always found him to be polite.”
“That’s because he’s in love with you.”
Princesa Tamaya throws her head back and laughs. “What an idea!”
I smile, half surprised by the easy nature of our conversation, and half amused by her denial of Rumi’s feelings.
“Nobody mentions me? Not even my brother?”
I shake my head.
She throws a scowl my way. “So he still doesn’t know what to do with me.”
I open my mouth to respond but catch myself in time. Is it possible she doesn’t know her fate? I’m certainly not going to tell her. I can only imagine how well that conversation would go. The princesa observes me. She smiles again, this time a grim sort of smile that endears her to me. Maybe because she’s just as trapped as I am.
“He’s changed,” she says shortly. “My brother.”
“How so?”
“He lost his childhood love in the revolt,” she says. “It made him angry, bitter. All of his energy turned to governing Inkasisa. The throne became everything: his family, his love, his best friend. Soon all he could talk about was ensuring his legacy. He stopped talkingtome and talkedatme. My brother used to sneak into La Ciudad to buy me orange rinds dipped in dark chocolate. He’d tell me stories while we ate them under the shade of a toborochi tree. We haven’t eaten them together in a long, long time.”
“That doesn’t sound like the man I know.”
“Have you visited his museum yet?”
“What museum?”
“The one constructed in our village near the mountain. It cost thousands of notas to build. It has the bed we slept on when we were kids, all of his old clothing, his cacho playing set, painting after painting of him on a horse, on the throne, or with a slingshot.” She lets out a mirthless little laugh. “It even has his old chamber pot.”
My stomach churns. “That’s disgusting. I haven’t heard about—”
“It’s not open to the public yet. I think he means to announce the grand opening during Carnaval.”
I settle back into the cushions, my eyes following her as she paces up and down the length of the room. This girl is like a caged parrot. Desperate to flee and soar the skies.
“I don’t particularly care to talk about your brother,” I say. “Unless you’re dying to.”
“He makes for an atrocious topic of conversation.” She sits down heavily on the couch. “I admit, I’m surprised to see you here. I haven’t seen anyone—outside of my guards, I mean—inweeks.I’ve been wondering what you’d be like.”
“How do you even know about me?”
“Don’t be an idiot,” she says with a laugh. “Just because I’m locked away doesn’t mean I don’t have access to the outside world. Spies planted in the castillo and throughout La Ciudad. I also have many resourceful friends. I think you even met one of them the other night.”
My mouth drops open. “El Lobo? He’s your confidant?”
She winks at me. “We’re getting away from the topic, I fear. Tell me about yourself.”
