Esha rallied like a professional. “How wise of you to have brought an advisor with such well-formed opinions on, er, kitten toys, R-rahat-sahib. And of course if you’re soon to have several kittens, you’ll need several toys. The things goeverywhere,under the furniture and into the kitchen and to this day I don’t know how one of mine landed a stuffed mouse in the hanging lamp! Here, let’s take a look through the jinglers and the scratchers…”
Esha clearly had a well-practiced eye for what cats and catfolk alike would find enticing. By the time she’d finished laying out the array of one of her boxes of toys for Priye’s inspection, the little one’s eyes were vast black pools of fascination, and even kitten-wearied Sahar’s ears twitched at some of the jingle-toys and scuttle-toys.
Esha seemed to have decided that focusing all her salesmanship on Priye and Kamil was the best way not to panic over the question of what protocol couldpossiblysuit having the God-Emperor’s third brother sitting in her tent with wildflowers and jasmine tucked into his hair and beard, wrapped in a bolt of towel-cloth that matched three more on her shelves. Honestly, that was a relief to Rahat as well, because then it was easier for him to stillbeRahat, who could be someone whom Master Asharan and Priye both adored.
The third undersecretary was, of course, a different matter. He groaned weakly, and then froze at the deep rumble of Kamil’s warning growl.
“How much of an idiot are you?”
“Uh… um…” The third undersecretary swallowed hard. “Sh… sahib. Sahib, I trust you’ll not have me executed for taking familiarities. Butyou shouldn’t be here.”
Rahat thought of what Master Asharan might say, and found a smile. “Why not? You’re here too, aren’t you?”
“I’m here because your bodyguard half murdered me, sahib!”
“Really, Ahmed, if Kamil had half murdered you, we would not be discussing it so calmly.”
“Calmly?Who iscalmhere?”
“In any case,” Rahat said, “before all that, youwerehere fetching your morning cup of chai. I thought I’d like a cup as well.”
“Sh– sahib. Sahib, you haveservantsfor that. You shouldn’t be walking the market unaccompanied, in nothing but a — a bath-towel?—”
“Be fair,” Rahat said. (He was actually starting to amuse himself, imagining how Master Asharan would play with Ahmed, or how Hira would.) “I am wonderfully accompanied.Priye is delightful, and Kamil, as you’ve noticed, is very,veryprotective.”
“But abath-towel,sahib!”
“It is not yet a bath-towel,” Esha said, with a sparkle in her eyes. “I would need to cut it down and hem it first.”
“Not even a bath-towel, then!” Ahmed moaned, burying his face in both hands. “What on earth has possessed you?”
“Joy,” Rahat said, because it was true. “I’m enjoying myself, Ahmed. I’m enjoying being myself.”
“Then, sahib, can you please enjoy yourself someotherway? It’s humiliating!”
Priye hissed at him.
All of them jumped, even Kamil.
Still making noises like a small and angry teakettle, Priye snuggled against Rahat’s side and rubbed her cheek against his chest, marking her territory. In catfolk-terms, Rahat was fairly certain Priye, Kamil, and Sahar had all claimed him now.
“Sahib,” Ahmed said unsteadily, staring at her slitted eyes, “are you sure that cat doesn’t bite?”
“Don’t tell me you’re afraid ofkittens,” Kamil said, flexing much larger claws.
“And you’reencouragingthis madness?”
“Yes,” Kamil said, holding Rahat’s gaze steadily. “May Bastet’s mischief be distracted — yes, I believe I am. Priye, will you teach Esha how we ask Rahat-sahib to share his joys with us?”
Oh, that was a bold step Rahat hadn’t quite been prepared for. It was far less intimidating to offer such an intimate touch and such a revealing taste to children who didn’t know his other name. But before he could fret himself into collapsing inside the decorous little box of propriety again, Priye took Esha’s sleeve and tugged her closer.
Esha was only a little frantic around the eyes when an alley-kitten took her hand and patted the belly of the God-Emperor’s third brother. And Rahat’s hands were only shaking a little bit when he fumbled a rose-sweet out of the embroidered pouch and offered it to her.
The third undersecretary groaned, face buried in both hands again.
But Esha, chewing, stared at him in astonishment until she remembered that she shouldn’t.
“Did you make these, sahib? They’re delicious.”
